Nik Software, out of San Diego California, is a great company. Their products are first class and an essential part of my digital photography workflow.
My introduction to the Nik family of products was through their Capture NX2 image editing software. I’m a Nikon shooter so it just made sense to me to use Capture NX2 as my RAW converter and image editor since Nik, Nikon and Intel were partners in all aspects of bringing the product to market. Nik, Nikon and Intel all share a passion for innovation and superior quality. Their collaboration in the area of image editing software has resulted in a product that is powerful, quick and easy to use.
Last year I bought another Nik product that totally energized my photography. That product was Color Efex Pro 3.0.
Color Efex Pro 3.0 is a set of 52 filters that gives life to a photographer’s vision. Color Efex Pro 3.0 integrates beautifully with the U Point technology and non-destructive workflow of Capture NX2.
If Nik Software isn’t already a part of your digital photography workflow I cannot urge you enough to check out their line of products. Nik has allowed me to have a much faster, productive workflow and it has transformed how I communicate my photographic vision.
Processed using Nik Capture NX2 and Color Efex Pro 3.0 filters (Glamour Glow, Bleach Bypass, Polarization)
If you follow the rumour sites (these days NDA seems to stand for Nikon Display Agreement rather than Non Disclosure Agreement) the announcement by Nikon of the new D3s comes as no surprise. Let the debating begin! There will be endless back and forth on photography forums ranging from championing the features to predicting the demise of the company. Debating can be fun but I think making photographs is way more fun. I’m guessing reaction to new tools of the trade was no different back in the early 1500s. I think it’s a safe bet to say that while some artists debated the latest paintbrush bristles in the town square, Michelangelo just got on with his work of painting the Sistine.
Competition in the photography industry is a good thing. I think both companies make great products (although the QC over at Canon has been a bit on the questionable side lately with the whole EOS-1D Mark III autofocus debacle and the 5D MarkII black dotsissue).The title for this blog entry is tongue in cheek and one company pushing the envelope causes the other(s) to up their game too but something came across the news wire yesterday that will indeed add fuel to the fire….
The good folks over at Pocket Wizard are upping their game when it comes to wireless radio remotes. They have come up with the ControlTL system which enables off camera TTL flash control. Two new units, the MiniTT1 Transmitter and the FlexTT5 Transceiver are the tools to an entirely new level of remote flash capability.
Pocket Wizard decided to bring the Canon versions to the market first. I’m guessing but the Nikon CLS (Creative Lighting Solution) systemprobably had something to do with their marketing decision. Canon flash units have never been, shall we say, the flagships of their product line. The good engineers over at PW designed the Canon version of their ControlTL line and rolled it out to an eager marketplace. The result – great units but a few headaches. Rob Galbraith’s site covered the issues very well. Aah the life of an engineer… basically finding any which way you can over technology walls (with a limited budget). So the roll out hasn’t been without it’s problems and here’s where the Canon vs Nikon issue pops up. The PW engineers have been so busy handling the Canon issues that they have had to delay the Nikon system from a 2nd quarter release to “sometime this fall”. Damn you Canon (said with a big smile and shaking fist). Oh well, until then all you Nikon shooters can still use the Nikon CLS system and you can ask Santa to bring you the Pocket Wizard set for Christmas
If you are a Nikon shooter you might be interested in a new project Scott Kelby has going called Nikon D-Town. D-Town TV is a weekly show that airs online each Thursday. It’s hosted by Scott himself as well as Matt Kloskowski and aims to share tips and techniques to help you get the most of your Nikon gear. You can watch it on the go too because it’s available as a free video podcast on iTunes.
