images

I didn't fully appreciate how much Adobe Photoshop Lightroom changed how I deal with digital photos until I tried the latest version of the regular Photoshop software, CS3.

I shoot raw images almost all the time, and I wanted to try out the new features of Adobe Camera Raw 4.1 that's available only to Photoshop CS3 users. I like its new "clarity" adjustment, and appreciate more control over sharpening, but trying those tools out felt like a trip back to the stone age.

Lightroom isn't perfect, and it doesn't replace regular Photoshop. But … Read more

Apple's update to its operating system Wednesday didn't just fix a security hole. Mac OS X 10.4.10 now also supports raw images from the latest digital cameras, including the Canon's vaunted EOS-1D Mark III.

The update also endows Macs with the ability to decode raw images from the Panasonic DMC-LX1 and LX2; the Leica M8, D-LUX 2 and D-LUX 3; the Fujifilm S5 Pro; and the Nikon D40x.

Raw images are taken directly from higher-end cameras' image sensors without any in-camera processing. They're roughly three times bigger than JPEGs, require processing by software to … Read more

Getty Images, which made a name for itself as a stock photography clearinghouse, announced Wednesday it has purchased Pump Audio, which licenses independent music to advertising and media clients. The price of the acquisition, according to a release from Getty, was $42 million.

This is the most recent in a series of moves on Getty's part to expand beyond photography and into the digital media sector. Last month, it launched a new division in the company to license video footage and other multimedia content, and over the past few months has chalked up a string of acquisitions, from amateur photography site Scoopt … Read more

As I've mentioned previously, independent musicians can fall prey to a lot of questionable business deals that promise to make them rich.

But Pump Audio seems like good way for independent musicians to earn some money. (Full disclosure: Pump is based in Seattle, and I'm acquainted with one of their employees through mutual music connections.) If you own the rights to your compositions and recordings--as the vast majority of independent and unsigned musicians do--you can license them on a non-exclusive basis to Pump. Then, Pump retitles and sublicenses these pieces to other content creators who are looking for … Read more

In-Q-Tel, a private investment firm launched by the CIA to support U.S. intelligence agencies, has invested in image sensor maker Pixim, the company said Wednesday.

The investment was part of a $15 million funding round announced in March that also included Tallwood Venture Capital, Ridgewood Capital and the Mayfield Fund.

Pixim sells digital image sensors and associated software used in surveillance cameras. The technology is geared to work in particular with difficult lighting conditions. The company's Orca chips are used in more than 100 camera models available today.

"In-Q-Tel invested in Pixim because it offers government and … Read more

Microsoft is discontinuing one of its products, and I'm bummed.

Having one less piece of software to write about is no big deal, but this particular program happens to be one I actually used--a lot. Microsoft's Digital Image Suite served as my introduction to photo editing and photo manipulation. I've since taken to using both Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, but just this week I installed Digital Image Suite on the Windows portion of my iMac so I could keep using it as well.

Microsoft noted the change with a terse statement on its Web site.

"Microsoft … Read more

In addition to its new M series of budget compact cameras, Kodak announced an ultrazoom compact and a high-megapixel compact for its Z series line of digital cameras on Tuesday.

Both cameras, set to be available this August for about $249, have Kodak's digital-image stabilization feature to assist with camera shake.

Kodak's Z1275 offers an impressive 12 megapixels for $249. (In this price range, 10 megapixels is on the better side of average.)

The Z1275 has a 2.5-inch LCD screen and will stitch together photos for one panoramic, a fun feature to have on board. It also … Read more

Bibble Labs on Friday released a new free upgrade to its software for editing raw images from higher-end digital cameras, adding support for the Canon EOS-1D Mark III and several other models.

The new version 4.9.8 of Bibble Pro and Bibble Lite supports ordinary raw files from the high-end Canon SLR (single-lens reflex) camera as well as its new "sraw" format that's half the resolution and one quarter the file size of regular raw images.

The new version also supports the high dynamic range of the new Fujifilm Finepix S5 Pro, the lower-end Nikon D40x and Olympus E-410 and E-510 SLRs, … Read more

Canon is evaluating a new file format for future digital cameras, according to photographer, consultant and blogger Rob Galbraith, posting last week after a trip to Canon headquarters.

"Canon intends to offer a new file format in future digital cameras," Galbraith said, citing Masaya Maeda, Canon's chief executive of operations for image communication products. "The format could be in addition to or in replacement of either JPEG or CR2 RAW, but the company is still studying its options and hasn't committed to any one format as yet."