Get more than 100 free ACR (Adobe Camera Raw) and Adobe Lightroom presets from Jack Davis. Follow this link to OnOne Software. You can also visit Jack Davis’ Adventures In Photoshop website for other links.
Jack Davis is the 2003 winner of the NAPP Photoshop Hall Of Fame award.

Today Canon announced the introduction of new Tilt-Shift lenses to it’s lineup. The TS-E 17mm f/4L and the TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II.
These lenses will be available in April 2009, the TS-E 17mm will sell for $2499 and the TS-E 24mm for US$2199. (continue reading…)

Two very exiting new controllers were released today by PocketWizard. The FlexTT5 and MiniTT1 support the full functionality of Canon’s E-TTLII flash system including Master/Slave and ratio control (with some restrictions). The controllers will be available in March 2009 for Canon system. Nikon system support to be made available in the second quarter of 2009. Price around US$199 for the MiniTT1 and US$219 for the FlexTT5.
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I came across an article on DIYPhotography.net – DIY – Create your own Bokeh that explains how you can easily create a custom shaped bokeh from your lens.  I seemed like a fun  and easy project so I gave it a try!

Have a look at this video that walks you through building of a hood and bokeh filter holder DIY bokeh by Eirik Solheim. from eirikso.com In this case the cutouts are made with custom shaped paper cutters which will certainly give you better results than hand-cutting your own. The only problem with these paper cutters is that the created cutout may not be the right size for your lens.

To help you determine right the size of the cutout based on the focal length and maximum aperture of your lens, refer to this article. Removing The Mystery From The Heart Shaped Bokeh Thing
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Advantages of using RAW format instead of jpg for capturing images with your digital SLR. Presentation given to Orleans Photo Club – October 2008
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I have donated 2 gift certificates for 16×20 framed prints to the 3rd annual Canadian Breast Cancer Network Online Auction. The auction starts on Oct 1st 2008
You can support them by bidding on one of the many available auctions at www.realauction.ca/cbcn.
The list of donors to this years auction is available here.

Review of ‘TWIP – This Week In Photography’ and ’7 Photography Questions’ Photography related podcasts.
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The long awaited Canon EOS 5D replacement was announced prior to Photokina 2008 on September 17th. Three years after the 5D, we have the 5D MarkII.

Here’s a short feature comparison chart between the two cameras.

Among the new features on the 5D MarkII are (Quoted from Canon USA website):

Highest ISO Range to Date.
21.1 Megapixel Full-frame CMOS sensor, 14-bit A/D conversion (16,384 colors/each of 3 primary color), wide range ISO setting of 100-6400 (expandable L: 50, H1: 12800 and H2: 25600).
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State-of-the-Art Image Processing with Power and Speed.
Next generation DIGIC 4 Image Processor for faster processing of fine detail and color reproduction as well as reduced image noise.
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The EOS 5D Mark II’s sensor is backed up by Canon’s DIGIC 4 Image Processor, which speeds up all operations making a number of new features possible. Processor intensive operations like Face Detection Live mode, HD video recording and lighting and lens peripheral optimization are all possible thanks to the DIGIC 4 Image Processor. The EOS 5D Mark II also offers full 14-bit A/D conversion. The analog output from the image sensor is converted into a digital signal via 14-bit conversion instead of the previously used 12-bit conversion, resulting in significantly finer tonal gradation for better prints.

HD Video Shooting with Live View Function.
Full HD Video capture at 1920 x 1080 resolution for up to 4GB per clip with HDMI output for HD viewing of stills and video.

Lens Peripheral Illumination Correction
Canon’s exclusive Lens Peripheral Illumination Correction takes into account any light falloff in the corners of the frame and corrects it, making for a perfectly exposed image. Correction data are detected automatically on a number of Canon lenses and can be entered manually through included Canon EOS Utility software.

You can get more information at:
Canon USA
DPReview release announcement
DPReview hands on preview
Dpreview sample gallery
Sample ‘Reverie’ video clips from Vincent Laforet

New features and resources for Adobe Photoshop CS4
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I came across this site today which I think is a great resource for Canon Digital SLR equipment. You can find reviews on Canon Digital SLR, Canon, Tamron, Sigma Canon compatible lenses, Canon flashes and more. The site is a great reference for anyone looking for information on Canon Digital SLR systems, check it out at The-Digital-Picture.com