MangoTree Photography Blog

iPhone pano images, and tips

I have been on a iPhone photo kick the last few months, and since posting images or emailing them to friends, I have gotten quite a few questions regarding the images.  Many people ask if the images I send them are really from the iPhone, because they look like they were shot with a more fully featured digital camera.  Since the comments have been a plenty, I thought I should give a little tutorial on capturing images with the iPhone.  

Tip #1

The iPhone camera is not a DSLR.  So don't try to make the camera do something it can't.  There is no flash on the phone so remember that you are working with a slow shutter, and available light.

Tip #2

The camera captures images when you release the photo button, not when you push the photo button!

Tip #3

Hold the camera steady until the shutter has released and the photo has been taken... By following just the first 3 tips, your images should be quite a bit better.

Tip #4

Buy 2 apps.  Camera Bag ($4.99), and Pano($4.99).  Both these apps will let you make very creative images from your phone.

Below is the results of tips 1-4, using the app Pano.  I hope you enjoy the images and this inspires you to take some really cool images with your phone.

Upcountry, Maui.  Shot with Pano, using 4 frames

 

Winters, CA  Shot with Pano, using 3 frames.

 

Lake Berryessa, CA Shot with Pano, using 3 frames.

 

Lake Tahoe, CA Shot with Pano, using 5 frames

 

The New Macbook and MacBook Pro

Finally, the new versions of the Macbook and Macbook Pro are available.  Have been waiting for these for some time so we can replace our mac laptops with faster and ore features computers.  You can view all the pictures and specs at Apples site. 

Aloha

Mike

The Canon 5D Mark II Released Today!

My first day off in the past few weeks, I was just cruising thru some blogs and came across the official release of the 5D Mark II.  I knew this was going to be released soon, as Nikon and Sony have recently added cameras in their lines to compete with the 5D.  Wedding and portrait photographers will be all over this new version of a their trusted camera.  Below are the key features.  enjoy.

Key features / improvements

• 21 megapixel CMOS sensor (very similar to the sensor in the EOS-1Ds Mark III)
• Sensor dust reduction by vibration of filter
• ISO 100 - 6400 calibrated range, ISO 50 - 25600 expansion (1Ds Mark III & 5D max ISO 3200)
• Auto ISO (100 - 3200) in all modes except manual
• 3.9 frames per second continuous shooting
• DIGIC 4 processor, new menus / interface as per the EOS 50D
• Image processing features:
  • Highlight tone priority
  • Auto lighting optimizer (4 levels)
  • High ISO noise reduction (4 levels)
  • Lens peripheral illumination correction (vignetting correction)
• RAW and SRAW1 (10 MP) / SRAW2 (5 MP)
• RAW / JPEG selection made separately
• Permanent display of ISO on both top plate and viewfinder displays
• AF microadjustment (up to 20 lenses individually)
• Three custom modes on command dial, Creative Auto mode
• Image copyright metadata support
• 98% coverage viewfinder (0.71x magnification)
• 3.0" 920,000 dot LCD monitor with 'Clear View' cover / coatings, 170° viewing angle
• Automatic LCD brightness adjustment (ambient light sensor)
• Live view with three mode auto-focus (including face detection)
• No mirror-flip for exposures in Live View if contrast detect AF selected
• Movie recording in live view (1080p H.264 up to 12 minutes, VGA H.264 up to 24 mins per clip)
• Two mode silent shooting (in live view)
• New jump options in play mode
• HDMI and standard composite (AV) video out
• Full audio support: built-in mic and speaker, mic-in socket, audio-out over AV (although not HDMI)
• IrPort (supports IR remote shutter release using optional RC1 / RC5 controllers)
• UDMA CompactFlash support
• New 1800 mAh battery with improved battery information / logging
• New optional WFT-E4 WiFi / LAN / USB vertical grip
• Water resistance: 10 mm rain in 3 minutes

Canon 50D Just Released!

Here is the New Canon 50D just released Pre-Photokina.  It is similar to the 40D, but has a whopping 15.1 Mega pixels!  As more news comes out I will keep everyone posted.  Now just waiting for the release of the new 5D MarkII...

Here are the current specs from the press release.

• 15.1 Megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
  
• 6.3fps continuous shooting, max. burst 90 JPEGs with UDMA card
  
• DIGIC 4 processor
  
• ISO 100-3200, expandable to 12800
  
• 9-point wide area AF
  
• 3.0” Clear View VGA LCD with Live View mode & Face Detection Live AF
  
• Magnesium alloy body, with environmental protection
  
• EOS Integrated Cleaning System
  
• HDMI connection for high quality viewing and playback on a High Definition TV
  
• Full compatibility with Canon EF and EF-S lenses and EX-series Speedlites

Lightroom 2.0

Lightroom 2.0 was just released.  For those photographers who use the Lightroom program now, you can upgrade for just $99, those of you who have yet to use Lightroom, I strongly suggest you breakdown and invest in your workflow.  

The program has come along way in just a few short years.  I can honestly say it has saved me so much time with color correcting images and organizing the tens of thousands of photos we shoot annually.  I have been getting inquires again for my Lightroom Wedding Workflow class.  I will look into offering a Fall Class, and can go over 2.0 new features that pertain to the Wedding Photographer.  If you are interested send an email to, aloha@mangotreephotography.com

Here is a quick list of the new Features in 2.0.  Have fun editing and making your images look there best!

Local adjustment brush New

Enjoy more flexible, accurate enhancements by targeting a specific area of a photo for dodging, burning, and other local adjustments.

64-bit processing support New

Utilize the advanced memory handling capabilities on the latest Mac OS and Windows® systems.

Flexible print packages New

Quickly arrange a photo for printing multiple sizes on one or many pages with flexible and customizable templates to make the most of paper and ink every time you print.

Improved organizational tools Enhanced

Sort and filter large volumes of photos using powerful metadata filters to quickly find just the photo you want.

Nondestructive photo editing Enhanced

Adjust and enhance color, exposure, and tonal curves nondestructively on more than 190 camera raw file formats, as well as JPEG, TIFF, and PSD files.

Streamlined Photoshop CS3 integration Enhanced

Enjoy tight integration with Adobe Photoshop software for streamlined use of Smart Objects, panorama stitching, high dynamic range (HDR) functionality, multiple layer workflow, and more. See your edits automatically updated in Lightroom.

Multiple monitor support New

Add a second monitor and enjoy more room to work. Support for multiple monitors enables you to configure your workspace to manage image workflow and presentation more efficiently.

Extensible architecture New

Take advantage of the wide range of plug-ins to help you quickly and easily transfer images to your favorite sharing sites and photo labs.

Volume management New

Freely manage and organize your images across multiple drives, and continue to work with the high-resolution previews — even when your originals are offline.

Batch processing Enhanced

Quickly import large volumes of photos from cameras or camera cards and automatically rename files, organize them into folders, and make nondestructive adjustments.

Output sharpening Enhanced

Improve the appearance of your photos with enhanced algorithms that can automatically sharpen photos when you export files or output print and web creations.

The phone Review

So after the last week and half with the phone, here is my take on this little device.

The look, feel, and style of the phone is amazing.  It fits your hand very comfortably, and the large screen is gorgeous.  Over the years, Apple has made many products that follow the mantra, form follows function, and the new phone fits very comfortably into that mantra.

The new phone is quite a noticeably faster on the new 3g network, but, the only downside to this is the increase in battery consumption.  This little phone sucks up the juice!  In all the years I have used cellular phones, I have yet to charge a device more that this black beauty.  When I contacted ATT about this issue, they told me, it's the price to pay for having high speed applications like web, and maps!  The one advice I can give is buy the car charger, it will be your savior when half way through your workday the phone is at 10% battery life.

Applications on the phone work brilliantly, and really what makes this phone a must have.  The phone, Ipod, Web, are all very easy to use and deliver great results.  The developers program has allowed 3rd party developers to create some very useful apps to help with things you might use often like Restaurants, movies, language translators, currency exchange...  Tada lists help keep all my to do's in order and works great on the iphone.  I did find the app store almost overwhelming.  I will shop through over the next few weeks and see if there are any must have apps.

As a business tool, the phone is a necessity.  For a photographer it is always important to show a client or prospective client your work ASAP.  As much as you can talk with someone and tell them your a photographer there is nothing that compares to viewing the work for themselves, the proof, as they say, is in the pudding.  

Importing my images into iphoto and then setting up slideshows for different clients is so simple, it is almost to easy.  The phone's glossy display does the photos justice, and sets up a beautiful slide show in just seconds for clients to view. 

  

The phone also serves another purpose for our business.  It has the ability to handle all our orders, and bookings no matter where we are, whether it be a Destination wedding in Mexico, or personal travel in Asia, the new phone paired with Mobile Me, allows our business to use Push email, calenders, and contacts anywhere anytime.  Simply put, I can sync all my computers, and devices instantly over the web.  this is slick, and I can't recommend this enough for business people on the go.

Overall the new phone has made vast improvements on a device that was already industry leading. Apple does this so well, takes their best products and makes them better.  Now if we could only have signature templates and longer battery life... Maybe next year!

iPhone and Business

A few days with this already and it is an amazing business tool. I will post my thoughts soon. Have a great weekend.

 

Mobile Me

So today's post I am going to totally geek out for a minute, and Blog about a cool new Technology from Apple, that I believe will really help out photographers and small businesses.  

By now you know that I am a big "Apple Computer" Fan. Our entire business is run on Macs, and I look up to the company for their great products, amazing marketing, and creative ways to help people handle new technology.  

So today Apple announced the new iphone 3G.  The new phone has 2x faster data transfer, and is now available for only $199. Blah, Blah, Blah...

The bigger, and way cooler news is the ability to now offer Exchange services for your mobile everyday workflow.  

Presenting Mobile Me.  A service that will allow small business to run live, wirelessly and completely mobile. Instant updates of email, calenders, and contacts will be available with Mobile Me from any Mac, PC, or your iphone. 

As a photographer, I am always on the go.  Between Photo shoots, Destination Weddings, and Travel, there are so many times I need instant access to client emails, work contacts, or live up to date event calenders.  Since the mobile phones and applications we use now are not in real time, sometimes we have to wait hours or god forbid days, to get back to our clients, or vendors until we returned back to our office computers. Mobile Me will now make accessing our client content, and important information, instantaneous and simple, right on our mobile device from anywhere in the world!  This is great for giving fast, timely service to our clients and vendors.

The Mobile Me will be replacing .Mac, and service will begin July 11th, with the launch of the new iphone.  

I am so excited for the new phone and mobile Exchange service.  Apples technology is years ahead of the leading mobile services, and a must for small businesses using Macs!

Stop by the Apple website for a closer look at the new iphone 3G, and Mobile Me.

Aloha

Mike

Photoshop Express!

Ever wanted to a place to share your photos? Photoshop Express let's you upload, edit and present your photos to whomever you want.

QUICK WARNING::
THIS IS NOT A ONLINE VERSION OF PHOTOSHOP AS MANY PEOPLE HAVE REPORTED. THIS IS CREATED TO UPLOAD, EDIT, AND SHARE PHOTOS WITH FRIENDS VIA THE WWW.COM. IF YOU HAVE A FACEBOOK, MYSPACE OR FLICKR ACCOUNT THIS IS VERY SIMPLE WAY TO EDIT YOUR PHOTOS RIGHT ONLINE!

Photoshop express has launched it's new Beta Version to allow members to host up to 2 Gigs of images free and online!

There are some really easy and simple editing tools to enhance your photos and a very unique slideshow feature to present all your wonderful images to the world.

Below is a clip from Matt Kloskowski. I have mentioned Matt before as his lightroom blog has some awsome tips. chek out his blog here!

Have fun sharing your photos online!

MacBook Air.

Just a few minutes ago Steve Jobs introduced the MacBook Air. The world's thinest laptop. It has a multi touch trackpad and it's small size fits into a shipping envelope. Here are some photos from the MacWorld Confrence in San Francisco.

You can watch Steve Jobs full Keynote speech this afternoon on Apple.com

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Here is a addition to the post earlier. You can watch the ad here.

Here is the link for the design specs. Truly amazing what Apple has created over the years. They are the standard in Computing.

Some new photos just being released.