Nikon Capture NX 2 Upgrade from Capture NX 1.xNikon Capture NX 2 Full VersionThe big news for Mac fans is that only 5 months after the launch of Snow Leopard, Nikon managed to get their software updated and compatible. Despite the tone of that sentence it is really good news, because I am seeing a huge increase in performance with this update.

From Nikon USA and a link to the download page.

If you were waiting to buy now would be a good time. Here are the links to purchase NX2.

Nikon Capture NX 2 Full Version

Nikon Capture NX 2 Upgrade from Capture NX 1.x

Macintosh:

* Compatibility with Mac OS X version 10.6.2 has been added.

* Specifications have been modified so that when 25 Photos on Page, or a higher number of photos per page, is selected for Select Layout in the Print layout dialog, the Use Thumbnail Data (Draft Use Only) box is automatically checked.

This resolves an issue that prevented printing when 25 Photos on Page, or a higher number of photos per page, was selected for Select Layout.

* Capture NX 2 would quit unexpectedly when certain settings files were applied with the Apply Settings box checked in the Watched Folder panel of the Batch Process dialog. This issue has been resolved.

* An issue that caused Capture NX 2 to freeze when switching images after the Color Picker had been opened has been resolved.

Windows:

* Compatibility with 32- and 64-bit versions of Windows 7 Home Basic/ Home Premium/ Professional/ Enterprise/ Ultimate has been added. When run under 64-bit versions, the software operates as a 32-bit application.

* Compatibility with 64-bit versions of Windows Vista Home Basic/ Home Premium/ Business/ Enterprise/ Ultimate (Service Pack 2) editions has been added. When run under 64-bit versions, the software operates as a 32-bit application.

* Specifications have been modified so that when 25 Photos on Page, or a higher number of photos per page, is selected for Select Layout in the Print layout dialog, the Use Thumbnail Data (Draft Use Only) box is automatically checked.

This resolves an issue that prevented printing when 25 Photos on Page, or a higher number of photos per page, was selected for Select Layout.

* An issue that caused an error message to be displayed and prevented printing when borderless settings were applied with some printers has been resolved.

* An issue that prevented accurate application of borderless print settings has been resolved.

* An issue that prevented specification of the same margin for left, right, top, and bottom margins in the Margins section of the Page Setup dialog has been resolved.

* An issue that caused a delay between clicking of the Print button and actual initiation of printing has been resolved.

* When an image was opened on some computers with AMD CPUs, Capture NX 2 quit unexpectedly. This issue has been resolved.

* An issue that caused an error message to be displayed during batch processing of a large number of files has been resolved.

* When a batch process was run with the Notify when completed box in the Processing Queue – Process Running dialog checked, a blank window was displayed. This issue has been resolved.

* When a batch process was run for multiple images with the same shooting date and time, the processed images were not saved with the correct file names. This issue has been resolved.

* An issue that caused batch processing to fail before completion when a batch process was run with certain settings has been resolved.

* An issue that caused an error message to be displayed when multiple enhancements were applied to images has been resolved.

* An issue that caused an error message to be displayed when attempting to open several images previously saved with Capture NX 2 has been resolved.

* When the Camera & Lens Corrections checkbox was checked (Develop section of Edit List), enhancements were not applied to an image opened in the image window and displayed at 100%, and the enhanced image could not be saved. This issue has been resolved.

* When image window display was maximized with Desktop selected for Window menu>Workspaces>Additional Screen for the primary monitor on a dual monitor system, the image window disappeared. This issue has been resolved.

* When the zoom tool was used to enlarge an image displayed with Full Screen or Presentation selected from the View menu, the portion of the image clicked with the zoom tool was not displayed at the center of the window. This issue has been resolved.

* An issue that prevented switching between “+” and “-“ operations when the ALT key was pressed while using the selection brush has been resolved.

* An issue that caused folders in the Capture NX 2 Folders palette to be displayed in a different order than with Windows Explorer display has been resolved.

* When the crop tool was used to select a crop and the ENTER key pressed to apply the crop, the cursor did not switch to a selection tool. This issue has been resolved.

* When a number was entered after a decimal point for some enhancement items with text boxes for entering numerical values in the Edit List, the values could not be changed. This issue has been resolved.

* When “-” (minus) was entered in the Exposure Compensation text box under Quick Fix in the Develop section of the Edit List, it was displayed in red and then “0” was displayed after a few seconds. This issue has been resolved.

Interesting highlights are improved white balance and auto-focus! Instructions and full details are on the Nikon website. Here are the links.

• Nikon D700 A/B 1.0.2
• Nikon D300S A/B 1.0.1
• Nikon D300 A/B 1.10
• Nikon D3 A/B: 2.02
• Nikon D3x B:1.01

I’ve been photographing here for years and have photographed every species in the menagerie in every season and location. I know how to photograph at the Triple D and after this workshop you’ll be stunned by the quality and quantity of images that you’ll have. A quick word of warning! Photographing these animals is addicting and I can promise that you’ll be coming back over and over.

Included in the Workshop

The fee includes 3 days of photography instruction with classroom session critiquing your images and “how to” help on photographing wildlife. We will also allocate a few hours to help you with your digital workflow.

We’ll be photographing 9 species during our 3 days. During this workshop we can expect to photograph multiple species in a variety of different but ecologically true situations. While the specific species cannot be confirmed until our arrival we almost always mountain lion, bobcat, coyote, fox, raccoon, wolf and bear.

Transportation to the workshop and during the workshop are not included. Your local accommodations and meals are also not included.

Schedule

You should plan on arriving in Kalispell, MT in time for the meeting at 6:00PM October 20, 2010. This event is at the Holiday Inn Express. We will have 3 days of photography (21st, 22nd and 23rd) and we have reserved a 4th day (24th) as a rain day. If we have achieved our quota of photography the workshop will end on Saturday evening. If we need to make up a session, we’ll do that on Sunday morning. On Sunday you may add more sessions for $150 per species per person.

Transportation and Lodging

Airports
Glacier International Airport (FCA)
This airport is actually in Kalispell and is a short 15 minutes to the recommended hotel.

Missoula International Airport (MSO)
It is sometimes less expensive to fly to Missoula and the drive the 150 miles to Kalispell.

Hotel
The recommended hotel for this trip is the Holiday Inn Express. All classroom activities be at the hotel. We’ll caravan to the workshop from the hotel; if you are staying anyplace other than the Holiday Inn or the cabin at the ranch you’ll need to meet us at the lobby. I’ll announce our hotel departure time each evening. You can expect it will be near dawn.

There is also an opportunity to stay at the ranches gorgeous guest cabin. This is a shared accommodation, you will have a private bedroom and share the common areas. Please contact me for details. The hotel address is:
Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites
275 TREELINE ROAD
KALISPELL, MT 59901 UNITED STATES
Hotel Front Desk: 1-406-7557405

Equipment and Gear

You should bring lots of energy and a lot of memory cards! You are going to photograph a lot more than you imagine. On my last trip one gentleman shot 1200 images during the first morning session! We may photograph as many as 3 sessions with minimal breaks in between for downloads. You need to have enough cards or a portable download device to keep up with the action

A tripod can be used and is recommended. You will not need long glass, a 70-200mm is enough for the majority of the photography. There are some places where a 400mm can be used for tight portraits.

We’ll normally shoot regardless of the weather and snow showers are certainly possible, so you should be prepared for that.

There is not going to be a great deal of physical exertion on this trip. One location that we will likely use has a hike of about 200 yards with a moderate hill to climb. We’ll be able to take it slow and even with deep snow, we’ve never lost anyone…yet!

The Leader

Jeff Wendorff
Jeff believes it is important to have fun while learning, serious fun, so be prepared to enjoy yourself when you are with him.

Jeff is an avid outdoor and wildlife photographer whose work has been published widely — from calendars and magazines to even cans of cat food in China! Jeff is the Associate Director and workshop coordinator of PAW and a popular international tour leader. He has co-lead workshops with David Middleton as well as leading his own workshops for the past 5 years. Jeff has a great enthusiasm for travel and photography and it is quite contagious.

Jeff lives on the west coast of Florida and has spent too many hours in the field honing his skills.

Contact Jeff
Email: jeff@paworkshops.net
Jeff’s Website: www.jeffwendorff.com
Skype: paworkshops
General Info: 877.384.PAWS (7297)

People are Talking About Jeff

The chance to be close to these magnificent animals was worth the trip whether I was able to capture one great image or not. Fortunately, with the expert help from the leaders at PAW, I was able to take home a variety of excellent images of lions, tigers and bears. Truly a remarkable experience!
-Frank 11/09

Jeff,
First off thanks for best workshop I have ever been on. I learned more in those 4 days then I have learned my whole life doing photography. Plus those animals were amazing. I can’t wait to go sometime when there is snow.
-Bobbie 11/09

Final Thoughts

If I could only photograph one spot for the rest of my life, I’d be hard pressed not to stay at the Triple D. No matter how many times I’m here (and its been a lot) when the animals are out the adrenaline kicks in and I’m in photography nirvana.

One last tip, before I see you. Take time while you are here just to look at the animals without your camera. It’s quite inspirational to be standing 20 feet from a mountain lion and an image you’ll carry with you far longer than your images will last…

It’s going to be a wild one! ~ Sign up today!

Check out my video from past workshops…serious fun!

PAW Wildlife Photography Workshop from Jeff Wendorff on Vimeo.

I looked at quite a few options and read all of the reviews that I could find online. Ultimately, I chose Nikon’s GP-1. Frankly a lot of it was brand name. There are several options that all seem to work, but for ease of use and similar price, I kept the Nikon logo on my camera.

The unit is much smaller than it appears in the ads. It is about 2 inches square and 1 inch tall. It clips on to the hotshoe flash mount or on the camera strap. Obviously, you cannot use an external flash or the internal pop up flash on my D300 for that matter. I rarely use the flash anyway, but I think that I’m going to prefer the camera strap option. The reason to use the strap option is the cable from GP-1 to the 10 pin connector is a a bit unwieldy. It does make the camera look very macho, but I think It will be less obtrusive on the strap.

Initial GPS acquisition takes a few minutes depending on conditions. If you are need to grab a shot from a “cold” start you’ll not get the camera to record the GPS coordinates. Once it has the acquired the signal re-acquisition was no big deal. It flashes a red LED while searching and this turns green once it has locked on a minimum of 3 satellites. Everything is done automatically for you at this point. The GP-1 does draw power from the cameras battery and it does not have a dedicated on/off switch. You must unplug the 10 pin connector to prevent a constant drain on the battery. From what I have read this isn’t a big deal, but if you store your camera for several days between uses you’ll likely want to unplug the GP-1.

I’ve only used it once so far and get a kick out of the technology. I haven’t found my killer app for the data yet, but I know it is coming. I’ll write a follow-up once I’ve played with it for a while longer.

Here is a picture of my friend Katie and a Google map showing exactly where we were…that is very cool!

The Back Story

I finally switched to a MAC when the new MAC Pro towers came out in March. I had used PCs for years and had pretty good computer skills. I’m the guy that friends and family called when they could not figure out what was up with their computer… My experience with the switch was awesome! Literally it was like I had always had a MAC, no issues, just joyous ease and blazing speed. To be fair my move up the performance ladder was rather substantial. My PC was a core2 1.86GHz machine with 2GB of ram running Vista. My MAC is a dual quad core 2.26GHz machine with 10GB of RAM!

The Upgrade

Of course there was some drama sot get started. I went to my local Apple store promptly at 10 to get the shiny new disc, only to discover that they were closed for remodeling until September 18^th! That was a tad longer than I wanted to wait and so I went to the nearest Best Buy, no Snow Leopard at that store, but the one across town had discs. Note to self: CALL FIRST!

The Preparation

I read some stuff online and I had my hard drive all backed up via Time Machine (How cool is that app?)  I chose to do an on top install rather than wipe the disc. My machine was new and I didn’t think that I had done anything to it that needed a start over. Bottom line the only preparation was to back up the drive that my OS was on.

The Install

1)   The Unwrapping. You have to love Apple’s typical over the top and somehow endearing packaging. Inner cartons on an install disc!

2)   Started at 12:07 and a very cool flash movie setup assistant plays. It predicts about 45 minutes for the install.

3)   I think it did 2 re-boots during the process neither of which required my intervention. My only action was to re-boot when it was over.

4)   Finished the final re-boot and 12:40. A quick 33 minutes to install a new OS.

My expectations were pretty high based on my experience with the MAC so far. I was also excited about the upgrade because most of it was really designed to make my turbo charged computer perform at its most awesome level.

The Big Reveal

1)   Opening applications is noticeable faster, especially Apple apps like Safari. Safari is blink and you’ll miss it fast. I did a speed test on Firefox and on Safari. Safari’s download test was 7 MBPS faster. Obviously subjective, but my feeling of speed shows that Safari is far faster as well.

2)   I have 2 monitors and one of them is swiveled portraits style. The new OS new this. In fact I didn’t find any old preferences that had been forgotten. Nice! On my last windows upgrade I even had to locate USB and Ethernet drivers! Try that without getting online…

3)   Entourage is the only software isn’t working right. I get my mail, but the views filters are not working

4)   My Adobe Lightroom and CS4 products all work as do all of the filters from NIK, Auto/FX and Lucis Arts.

5)   It does see my Epson NX515 printer, but cannot get the drivers. I thought that was odd since the printer is brand new on the market. I delete and re-install the printer and it works just fine.

6)   I still have a PC and am using a venerable Linksys WR54GT router. No problem going MAC to PC or vice versa. I didn’t touch anything here. The printer is also wireless…

7)   My Logitech mouse works in basic mode. I use the back button extensively on the web and it doesn’t work now. The Logitech software does not install with Snow Leopard.

8)   I booted in both 64bit (hold the 6 and 4 key while booting) and in 32 bit. I didn’t find any gotchas in one that was not there in the other.

9)   Apps open and close immediatel

10) I have not played very much with the new features. I use Finder a lot and I was looking forward to the increased thumbnail size. This is great, but only works in the grid view. I kind of like the column view myself.

Conclusions

For my system it was absolutely worth the enormous $29 to upgrade! In the first couple of hours I can easily notice speed improvements and have no complaints about the process or the issues that I have found so far. I feel like all the little buggy things will get sorted out quickly.

It really was a no brainer and easy process. Oh and by the way windows users, you don’t have to re-install any of your software, WOW!

I’ve been blessed to photograph a Snow Leopard!

You can see more of them in my gallery here. I also teach photography and you can join me and get a chance to photograph a Snow Leopard too. Here is a link to the workshop.

In the mean time enjoy the upgrade to Snow Leopard it’s been great for me.

Here is a short list of upgrades from their regular service:

• Greater product selection! A product catalog twice the size of Mpix
• Simplified ordering! Order using the popular ROES software
• Reduced shipping! All orders ship via FedEx Overnight at only $4.00 per order… orders over $100 ship for free!

You should head over to their site for the details and to see if you qualify. Yes, qualify, you do need to be a professional photographer to qualify for the services. Here is the link.

I  just got my test prints back from them and I have never seen a more professional presentation of prints. Just outstanding. The first run wasn’t perfect, but that can be expected when you are dialing in your monitor and printer calibration. MPIX was helpful and responsive in helping me get it fixed.

I’m looking forward to a long relationship with MPIX Pro.

Nikon D300s

There are no really big new features in the D300S. They did add video, but that is pretty much standard now in this class of DSLR.

Here is the list of new and or upgraded features between the D300 and the D300s.

• 720p HD video, including autofocus while recording
• SD card slot in addition to existing CF slot
• Faster continuous shooting (7fps, vs. 6fps)
• Socket for external microphone
• Live View and Info buttons
• Discrete ‘OK’ button in multi controller
• Interactive settings display screen
• Auto and Extra High Active D-Lighting options
• Quiet drive mode
• Virtual horizon

You can read all of the details on the Amazon website.

Nikon D3000

The D300 is the newest entry level DSLR from Nikon replacing the D60. Same 10MP sensor and 3fps shooting. They have upgraded the LCD to 3″ and it inherits the AF system from the D5000 and D90. This should be a kick butt camera for those just moving from compact cameras to a DSLR. It will be $600 with the 18-55mm lens.

Here are the key features:

• 10.2megapixel CCD sensor. Even in low light the image resolution makes easy work of big prints and sharp enlargements.
• 11-point autofocus system. Keeps even the fastest moving subjects in focus, often the biggest challenge for compact cameras
• Fast response. The start up time and shutter lag means you can capture the shot almost instantly, without the delayed response time common of compact cameras
• Guide mode. Simply the easiest way to get great pictures, without having to read the manual
• 3-inch TFT. With pictures this good, you will need a great screen to share them with friends and family
• EXPEED image processing. Exclusive system to deliver rich, bright results close to what you saw with your own eyes
• Picture Controls. Lets you set the look and mood of your images before you shoot
• 3 fps continuous shooting allows you to capture fast-moving action at 3 frames per second
• Intuitive ergonomics. We challenge anyone to pick up a D3000 and it not to feel part of your hand
• Stylish discrete appearance. The D3000 does not become a barrier between you and your subject, resulting in natural looking expressions
• Compact, light and durable. It won’t fit in your pocket, but with pictures this good you will find a shoulder to hang it on

You can read the rest of the details and purchase one on the Amazon website.

Nikon 70-200 AF-S F2.8G ED VRII

All new optical formula which is said to improve edge sharpness especially on the FX format cameras. Nikon also claims improved VR and sharper faster auto focus. Shockingly they have made it HEAVIER than the original even though it is slightly smaller…

You can read the rest of the details on the Nikon website.

Nikon AF-S 18-200mm F3.5-5.6G ED VRII

Lastly and most surprising to me is the update to the 18-200mm lens although it did address the number one complaint with the lens, zoom creep. Otherwise mostly the same features.

You can read the rest of the details and order it from my Amazon store.

My take on to buy or not to buy.

• If you own a D300 there is no real need to buy the “s” version.
• If you don’t own a DSLR and cannot afford the D300s buy the D3000.
• If you own the 70-200 and you own an FX body, sorry fork it over and buy the new one.
• If you own the old 18-200mm and hate using because of the lens creep then sell it and buy the new one. If you have been on the fence about the lens, now is the time to buy.

Block Creek Natural Area is about 400 acres of pristine Texas Hill Country that has been in the Langford family for 6 generations now. Their stewardship of the land has kept this area untouched and undeveloped. A remarkable feat considering it is only an hour drive from San Antonio!

David Langford and Larry Jay are photographers and very good ones at that. This made my all too short visit very productive. They know about light and they know about backgrounds and all of the birding setups are perfectly positioned. Not only are they in perfect position, but also they have been used for years and so all of the local birds know they are perfect too!

There is more to Block Creek than just birds. Although I do need to point out that this is one of the few places that can boast a reliable ability to photograph Green Kingfishers!  The landscape is stunning with meandering creeks, waterfalls, massive oaks, giant boulders and rock face. Did I mention the wildflowers? Oh yeah, some of the most famous displays of native wildflowers bloom in the hill country. Imagine acres and acres aglow with a carpet of wildflowers and then imagine them being even better than you can imagine and you might be close.

You can be sure that you will be reading more about the ranch as PAW will be offering a Spring in the Texas Hill Country Workshop in 2010.

Here is a sampling of the birds that I was able to photograph in couple of hours one morning…Imagine your portfolio after 3 or 4 days of Block Creek Natural Area!

[View with PicLens]

Theses images and more from Block Creek Natural Area are available for purchase here.

Our semi-regular trip around the blogs and websites of Photographers Alliance Workshop leaders.

Rod Barbee – Rod posted a blog about Photographing Oregon’s wine country using Singh-Ray filters. There are great images and lots of good information in the article. Read the blog post here.

Paul Burwell – Paul wrote another of his gems on professional photography. If you’ve ever thought about being a pro, read this article on Paul’s’ blog and then if you are still in, sign up for PAW’s Getting Seen and Going Pro workshop.

David Muse – David has just published his newsletter for June. You can read about the HonFest and much more on his website.

Brenda Berry and David Middleton – Believe it or not we let these two travel together. They just came from scouting Tofino for a 2010 PAW workshop. You can read about it here and see all the pretty pictures here.

Scott Rouse – If you didn’t sit through the hours long Apple developers conference, no worries Scott has all of the juicy details on his website.

Gary Stanley -  Gary will be speaking at he New England Camera Club Council. His presentation is Getting the Most out of your Printer.  The date is July 10.

So follow the links and see what my PAW friends are up to!

Lightroom on the MAC installs both 32-bit and 64-bit versions and by default activates the 32-bit version. Which is fine. (Under Windows you have to select which version to install, so you guys don’t need to read anymore.)

When I opened the More Info panel for Lightroom it showed that indeed that “Open in 32 bit mode” was not checked. However, the credits screen did not show that Lightroom was running in 64-bit mode! I am sure that you know how to get to the info screen via Finder>Applications>Adobe Lightroom. Here is another screen shot to help.

My solution was to select “Open in 32 Bit Mode” and then open and close Lightroom. Go back and then de-select the 32-bit mode and voila, when Lightroom opened, I’ve got 64-bit!

I have to say it is a gigantic difference, duh! Going from 3GB of RAM to 10 is going to make a difference. I just got the MAC and so when something isn’t right, I assume user error. After my discovery I was very excited and so I called several friends. To my shock it wasn’t me, they were not in 64-bit either and they knew what they were doing. I bet a lot of you are not in 64-bit mode either.

After the switch, Lightroom is now turbo-charged and changes made to images in the develop module are instantaneous. This is what I was expecting with the new MAC…WOW! So check your settings to make sure that you are also in WOW mode!