Monday, June 11th, 2012

Apple to update Aperture and Final Cut Pro

Engadget reports that at the WWDC event, Apple’s showcase for new products, new versions of Aperture and Final Cut Pro have been previewed. During a presentation for the Macbook Pro laptops, which will feature 220ppi “retina displays”, Apple CEO Tim Cooke also announced that Final Cut Pro and Aperture will get boosts in pixel density. In the case of Final Cut, full-res 1080p video can be docked in a corner of the interface with all the tools exposed. It is understood that Adobe is also working on a resolution boost for Photoshop. UPDATE. The Aperture update adds native support for AVCHD video files.

Monday, June 11th, 2012

Call for entries: CIWEM Photographer of the Year

The CIWEM Environmental Photographer of the Year (EPOTY) contest is now calling for entries. The competition is open professional and amateur photographers, aims to be an international showcase for environmental photography and video and has a category for “The Underwater World”. The competition solicits that will inspire people around the world to start taking care of the environment.

There is a total prize fund of £7,000 and full entry details are available on the EPOTY website. The deadline for entries is 31 December 2012.

Saturday, June 9th, 2012

Spaces available on Wetpixel Vancouver Island trip

There is a fantastic opportunity to join professional photographer Jason Bradley and to dive and photograph some of the world’s finest cool water sites. The Wetpixel Vancouver Island Expedition is running from 27 August until 4 September 2012 and still has a few spaces available. It will be based at God’s Pocket Resort on the North end of Vancouver Island in British Columbia and it is expected that the trip will feature swimming with giant pacific octopus, stellar sea lions, the rich colorful walls at the famous Browning Pass and more.

If you are interested, please contact trip leader Jason Bradley as soon as is possible for more information or to book.

Friday, June 8th, 2012

Canon releases the Rebel T4i/EOS 650D SLR

Canon has announced the release of a new SLR, the Rebel T4i/EOS 650D. The camera features an 18 megapixel APS-C sensor and DIGIC 5 processor with a native ISO range of 100 to 12800. The sensor is a “hybrid” design, with pixel dedicated to phase detection autofocus (AF). This should improve AF performance in Live View mode and gives continuous AF in video mode. It can capture 1080p HD video at 30, 25 and 24 fps. Lastly, the camera has touchscreen control, giving focus point selection and shutter Release in Live View, multi-touch type gestures for image review and menu selection. Fortunately for housing manufacturers, these controls are duplicated by conventional “button and dial” functions too.

The Rebel T4i/EOS 650D will ship at the end of June for an estimated retail price of $849.99.

Friday, June 8th, 2012

S/Y Oriental Sea abandoned in storm

The liveaboard S/Y Oriental Siren has been abandoned after taking on water in heavy seas whilst making a crossing from Labuan to the remote Spratly Island chain. All guests and crew took to life rafts and were evacuated safely and the charter owners, Worldwide Dive and Sail, are in the process of arranging for their repatriation. The ship was abandoned without any injuries, which points to an organized and well-managed operation, however personal items were lost. Wetpixel wishes them and the crew safe travel onward.

Worldwide Dive and Sail has requested that people due to travel on S/Y Oriental Siren wait for their reservations office to contact them with an update about their trips’ status.

Friday, June 8th, 2012

Aquatica announces housing for Canon 5D Mark III

Aquatica has announced the introduction of their A5D Mk III housing for the Canon EOS 5D Mark III SLR. New features on this housing include a redesigned camera tray and the zoom/focus gear and lens release lever retract to allow larger lenses to be inserted. Aquatica has prioritized the housing for video use, with video controls being easy to reach, and a total of 3 ports to allow for monitors etc. to be added. The AF-ON and star button now has a locking collar to prevent the control from being activated by water pressure, and the zoom gear has been redesigned to enable a smoother action.

The Aquatica A5D Mark III will retail at $3,199.00.

Thursday, June 7th, 2012

Underwater film pioneer Slim MacDonnell dies

The Telegraph reports that British underwater and extreme environment cameraman and pioneer, Slim MacDonnell, died on 22 May. His underwater work was featured in many productions including the film “Tarka the Otter”, as well as in numerous TV series. He was renown within the broadcast industry as the “go-to” man for special filming projects. His particular specialty was filming wrecks, including that of the Colossus, one of Nelson’s gunships, which sank off the Isles of Scilly in 1798. He was a great character and a true pioneer, and will be sorely missed.

Thursday, June 7th, 2012

Alert Diver seeks opinions on its next cover

DAN’s Alert Diver magazine is soliciting opinions about its cover image choices for the Summer 2012 issue. The editors are asking people to choose between a shot from Jellyfish Lake, Palau by Ethan Daniels, or one of a breaching orca from Washington, USA by Brandon Cole. You can view both options and vote for your favorite on the Alert Diver site.

Other news from Alert Diver is that the online version is now available in Spanish (with Portuguese to follow soon) and that there is now a version for devices running Android.

Thursday, June 7th, 2012

Amazing footage of orca predation on YouTube

Nature Experience has posted some amazing footage of orcas predating sea lions on a beach in Punta Norte, Valdes Peninsula, Patagonia onto YouTube. The footage was filmed with special permission by Frank Wirth, Carl Finkbeiner and Robert Marc Lehmann. It was edited by Robert M. Lehmann.

The Valdes Peninsula is renowned for the orcas’ use of “intentional stranding” to catch sea lions and elephant and fur seals.

Wednesday, June 6th, 2012

A profile of Eric Cheng and Lytro cameras

Fast Company has produced a short film about Wetpixel Publisher Eric Cheng and Lytro cameras entitled “A Light Field Camera Tutorial”. It features some of Eric’s underwater footage and images, as well as him explaining how he sees light field photography becoming a tool for some types of imagery in the future. He also states that he thinks that it is another step in the evolution of photographic techniques, relating it to the switch from plate to film, film to digital and so forth.

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