CoolPhotoIdeas

Information about Photography: Ideas, gifts, prints and novelties!

Seagate Backup Plus Drives Automatically Upload Photos to Flickr

We all know that backups are important. But how many of us can honestly say we have our photos securely stored in multiple locations?

Well Seagate hope their latest hard drives will help you sort out your personal photo storage issues -- because they automatically upload and download photos from Facebook and Flickr.

The Backup Plus external drives - which are available in sizes from 500-gigabtyes to 4-terabytes - claim to protect and share your entire digital life with minimal fuss.

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MacBook Pro with Retina display will make your photos pop

The MacBook Pro is a popular laptop choice for photographers. And it's only going to become even more popular after the announcement it's now available with a Retina display.

The Retina display - which has already featured on the iPhone, iPod and iPad - has a resolution of 2880-by-1800. That's over 5 million pixels (3 million more than an HD TV) and an impressive 220 pixels-per-inch.

This is said to produce an amazingly sharp display which makes text, graphics and more importantly your photos, look their best.

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Fisheye Baby 110 is a pocket-sized Lomo Fisheye camera

The Lomographic Society has released a pocket-sized fisheye camera which it claims brings the iconic warped looking images to the palm of your hand.

The Fisheye Baby 110 - which is available in two versions, plastic and metal - produces circular Fisheye shots on 110 format film.

A spokesperson for Lomography said: "This miniature version of the Fisheye No. 2 is packed with the same features—170-degree lens, bulb setting, multiple exposure capability—but can easily fit in your pocket."

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Canon EOS 650D packs a flip out 3-inch touch screen

If you think new DSLR features are just for professional models, think again … Canon have just announced the Canon EOS 650D - a DSLR which boasts an articulating three-inch touchscreen on the rear.

The Canon EOS 650D (the EOS Rebel T4i in the US) has a 18-megapixel CMOS (APS-C) sensor, can shoot 5 fps and has sensitivity range of ISO 100-12,800 (extendable to ISO 25,600).

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Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 a pancake lens for stills or movies

Sometimes less is more … and that's certainly what Canon are thinking with the release of the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8. The pancake lens is considerably smaller than your average lens.

The f/2.8 aperture is said to be ideal for photographers who want a versatile, compact and lightweight lens for portrait, reportage, travel or landscape situations.

Precision control over the circular, seven-blade aperture is enabled by the Electro Magnetic Diaphragm allowing you to produce a creamy bokeh effect.

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Camera porn: Vintage rangefinders get restored

It's sad whenever you see a battered old camera sitting in the middle of a car boot sale, knowing it hasn't beed used in quite a while, and probably won't see a fresh film any time soon.

So it's nice to know that some of these cameras will get picked up by the like of the folks over at ilottvintage.com who caring restore vintage rangefinders.

After giving them a good clean the cameras are patiently brought back to life and good mechanical condition before being given a new skin, often in the form of a wood veneers.

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Video shows making of the Leica M9-P Edition Hermès

With a price-tag in the region of £30,000 we think it's safe to say that not too many CoolPhoto readers will get to enjoy the delights of the Leica M9-P Edition Hermès.

But that doesn't mean you cant enjoy the camera porn which is this 'Making of' video which shows things like the leather being cut to shape and the numbers on the dials being hand painted.

The three and a half minute video - which goes some way towards justifying the Leica costs - shows the technical skill and dedication involves in constructing the camera.

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Sony NEX-F3 is the latest entry-level mirrorless shooter

Sony have rolled out yet another compact mirrorless camera which is said to be capable of producing DSLR-quality images - the entry-level NEX-F3.

Described as being 'pocket-sized' (maybe if you have a pancake lens) the Sony NEX-F3 features a APS-C size image sensor with 16.1 effective megapixels, a 180° tiltable LCD and a built-in flash.

It is also able to shoot Full HD video (50i/25p) and the CMOS sensor captures more light for flawless, low-noise stills. A battery boost also means you can now shoot 470 images on a single charge - up 18% over the NEX-C3.

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Facebook Camera iOS app launched

Not long ago Facebook splashed the cash and snapped up Instagram for a billion dollars. Now, showing their commitment to photography and mobile, the website has also launched the Facebook Camera app.

The free app - which was in development well before Facebook bought Instagram - allows users to post multiple images to Facebook in one go, edit them on the spot or add filters and tap to tag friends in the images.

A spokesperson said: "Facebook Camera is an easy way to share photos on the go. You can post multiple photos at a time, and see your friends’ latest photos in a single feed."

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Create a paper camera with a dollar and origami skills

We like to think we're as camera obsessed as the next man. But if the next man is Won Park that might not be the case … because we've never spent 20 minutes folding a banknote into a miniature camera.

The origami master has recently released a three-part YouTube video detailing exactly how to fold a dollar bill into ridiculously impressive model of an SLR.

He has also published a downloadable PDF guide which shows the 42 stage paper folding process involved. Yes there are 42 stages involved, but when was the last time you were able to get a new camera for $1?

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Lensbaby Pro Effects Kit: Professional but still fun

Lensbaby have some pretty cool products, in the past we've raved about their Sweet 35 and various selective focus tool -- but we've always seen them as fun rather than work.

That could be changing soon though, after they released Pro Effects Kit, a bundle of their product which combine to make a unique tool to aid your creative photogrpahy.

A spokesperson for Lensbaby said: "This versatile kit provides a selective focus system solution for whatever type of photography you're shooting. From portraits and weddings to landscape and commercial photography - this kit is the top choice.

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School photographer video goes viral online

It must be hard being a school photographer - trying to make kids smile can be hard at the best of times -- but this grumpy snapper wasn't going for that.

A video showing a faux school photographer trying to elicit frowns for his photos has become a viral hit online, and it's not hard to see why… especially if you've ever spent time photographing children.

The Webby-nominated short film School Portrait from director Nick Scott sees the photographer telling children things like "there isn't a pet heaven" and "repeat after me, university tuition fee."

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LensBling: Lens caps which make finding the right one easier

We all know what it's like, you're under pressure and need to reach for the 85mm, but looking into your camera bag all you see is a collection of black lens caps. How do you know which is the right one?

Well the guys over at BlackRapid have come up with a solution, LensBling rear lens caps which have the focal length of lens printed on the back in bright and bold numbers - it's so simple we wonder how it hasn't been done before.

A spokesperson for BlackRapid said: "The caps’ bright, bold and raised labeling that allows easier visibility. The numbers on the lenses represent the focal length of the camera lens, thus putting an end to the struggle to find the right lens, while increasing speed, efficiency, and the promise of capturing every shot."

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Add colour to your photos with a universal flash filter kit

Playing around with lighting and colour is a sure way to add an interesting dynamic to your photos -- which is why the peeps over at Photojojo have started selling a 'Rainbow' flash filter kit.

Promising to make quirky lighting easy and fun, the universal flash filter kit consists of 20 flash filters which can attach to any external flash via an included band.

While 15 of the colour filters for "adding creative pops of color to your photos" there are others for colour-correcting and canceling out weird ambient light and one which is specially made for diffusion.

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Consumers beginning to want Wi-Fi enabled digital cameras

For years we've been thinking it was just us, but more and more people are apparently wanting their next camera to be Wi-Fi enabled, it has been revealed.

A recent study found that 7.9% of would-b digital camera shoppers rate Wi-Fi capabilities -- the ability to share photos or remotely control a camera -- to be desirable.

This is up from 7.4% just three months ago and 6.4%, 5.9%, and 5.5% during the previous four quarters.

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Fisheye-Nikkor 6mm f/2.8: That's not a wide angle, this is a wide angle

An extremely rare (and extreme wide) Nikon lens which is actually capable of seeing behind itself has sold for a massive £100,000 in London.

The lens, said to be world’s most extreme wide-angle lens (it has a whopping 220 degree view), had been up for sale at Grays of Westminster which specializes in Nikon gear.

The Fisheye-Nikkor 6mm f/2.8 -- which dwarfs any camera it is attached to -- was initially revealled at Photokina in 1970 and production began in March 1972 and was only made available to special order.

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Jesper Bruun the most popular man of stock photography

You've probably never heard of Jesper Bruun, but that doesn't mean you don't know of him, he's one of the most photographed and featured men in the world.

That's because the Danish model is the star of the stock image circuit and has been used to front countless advertising campaigns around the world. Something that many true photographers are not happy about.

So Câmera Clara Photography Studio recently set out to meet Jesper and find out a bit more about him and what he thinks about stock photography being used in the place of commissioned photo-shoots for advertising.

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Samsung's launch range of Wi-Fi-toting cameras

In an age where everyone is used to shooting images on their mobile phone and instantly sending they to social media sites or friends, we've often wondered why the same functionality isn't available in many cameras.

Well it looks like Samsung have had the same thought -- because they have just rolled out a trio of Wi-Fi-toting cameras, the NX1000, NX20 and NX210.

All three models feature a 20.3 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor and are compatible with Samsung’s range of nine lenses, and while the NX1000 is compact, the NX210 boasts a metallic finish and 3.0” AMOLED display. The NX20 however, it larger and targeted at the enthusiast amateur or semi-professional photographer.

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Scott Kelby's Lighting Recipes released as free iPad app

Lighting can make or break a photograph, yet most of us pay surprisingly little time ensuring we are getting it right. However, this iPad app aims to change all that.

Scott Kelby's Lighting Recipes sees the pro photographer going through 20 shots from his portfolio and discussing the lighting setups which enable him to get the impressive images he consistently does.

The commentary is added to by lighting diagrams and gear guides which are presented over 45 minutes and are packaged in 13 lessons.

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BlackMagic Cinema Camera offers 2.5K Resolution for £2000

Just about a week ago we were telling you about the Canon EOS-1D C -- a 4K shooting DSLR -- but are aware the £8,000 price-tag may have put you off.

Well if that was the case and you don't quite need all of that resolution, how about the BlackMagic Cinema -- a video camera with a 2.5K resolution and a modest £2,000 price.

The stylish camera is said to deliver "that timeless feature film look" and in addition to the 2.5K image sensor offers 13 stops of dynamic range, LCD touchscreen monitoring and a built-in SSD recorder.

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