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Canon Releases Software Updates for Multiple Cameras

Canon USA has issued a number of software updates for it’s DSLR and compact digital cameras on their site.

The updates vary by camera model and operating system, but includes the company’s Digital Photo Professional, EOS Utility, WFT Utility, Picture Style Editor and Original Data Security Tools applications. Almost all of the company’s EOS digital SLR models receive software updates, as do four of their compact cameras.

Links to the updates for each camera:

EOS Digital Rebel EOS Digital Rebel XT EOS Digital Rebel XTi EOS Rebel T1i EOS Rebel T2i EOS Rebel XS EOS Rebel XSi EOS-1D EOS-1D Mark II EOS-1D Mark II N

EOS-1D Mark III EOS-1D Mark IV EOS-1Ds EOS-1Ds Mark II EOS-1Ds Mark III EOS 10D EOS 20D EOS 20Da EOS 30D EOS 40D

EOS 50D EOS 5D EOS 5D Mark II EOS 7D EOS D60 PowerShot G10 PowerShot G11 PowerShot S90 PowerShot SX1 IS

Tags: canon, digital photo professional, digital photo tools, Digital Photography, eos rebel, EOS Utility, Original Data Security Tools, Picture Style Editor, WFT Utility

Canon Picture Styles

I’ve found one of the strengths of RAW image manipulation is the ability to modify the picture style in the Digital Photo Professional (DPP) software provided with my Rebel XS.

The following styles are provided in the XS and DPP:

• Standard - set to produce the vivid colors and contrast level that people tend to prefer for general photographic subjects.
• Landscape - changes the color respectively; blue to a vivid and deep color, green to a vivid and bright color. This style also uses a stronger sharpness setting to bring out details in mountains, trees, buildings, and other things in the distance.
• Faithful - enables reproduction of images that are colorimetrically almost identical to the actual colors shot under standard daylight conditions.
• Portrait - adjusts the color tone magenta-to-yellow close to red range and adds brightness. Skin color is reproduced light pink with still the correct exposure. To keep the soft and natural feeling of skin, sharpness is set modestly.
• Neutral - suitable for expressing subtle nuances within vivid colors, even for objects with considerable contrast, when wishing to convey delicate textures. Contrast and saturation settings are moderated, so there is less risk of overexposure and color saturation compared to other styles, resulting in a more restrained and calmer expression.
• Monochrome - it’s a faithful successor to monochrome film. Sharpness is set relatively strongly. Sepia, blue or other toning effect is applicable to create a monochrome image in that color. Also, red, green or other filter effect can be applied to control the color.

Canon provides additional styles that can be downloaded and installed on your camera or used in post processing through DPP:

• Studio Portrait - Expresses the delicate features of the subject and translucent skin in smooth tones. Suitable for portraits in locations affording strong contrast, and wedding/fashion shoots where the feel of the fabric and jewelry should be expressed, as well as advertising shots. The final finish is slightly toned down in terms of sharpness and contrast.
• Snapshot Portrait – Expresses translucent skin with well-modulated contrast irrespective of whether the shots are taken indoors or out, making it suitable for casual portraits. Affords a reduced sharpness and higher contrast for the finish.
• Nostalgia - The “Nostalgia” Picture Style file sets the color tone umber in the whole, reduces blue and green saturation. Portrait and landscape subject is finished up in the impression of far memory, as shown in an old photograph.
• Twilight - The “Twilight” Picture Style file changes the sky’s color in purple drastically, and finishes up the overall photograph in fantasy.
• Clear - Telephoto shooting in cloudy and hazy conditions tends to result in flat expression. The “Clear” Picture Style file emphasizes the contrast, and expresses the subject clearly and a three-dimensional effect. It is also effective when shooting a subject behind a glass.
• Emerald - The “Emerald” Picture Style file expresses color of sea in coral reef especially vividly. Blue of the sky, pool, and the water of aquarium is finished up vividly and brightly. It is a Picture Style that specializes in the scenery of emerald green.
• Autumn Hues – The “Autumn Hue” Picture Style file stands out the beauty of autumn such as red maple leaves and maidenhair trees. Not only does it reproduce yellow and red vividly, but it also considers the balance of blue sky and greens and unites the colorfulness and delicacy.

You can download each style at the links provided above and find installation instructions here.

Autumn Hues has become a favorite of mine, especially at this time of year. I’ll post some examples soon.

Tags: canon, digital photo professional, digital photo tools, Digital Photography, EOS Rebel XS, picture styles, RAW

Masks Aren’t Always for Halloween

I always found it funny when a contestant on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire would use a life line against one of the first three questions. These questions would be super simple to the majority of us but Regis would always make a good point to make the contestant feel better…”It’s easy if you know the answer.”

I feel the same way about photography. Many online resources and even my photo friends take certain knowledge for granted. Take the term mask. Everyone tells me using masks will make selections easier. I searched my copy of Elements 6 for mask and came up empty. Wikipedia has an entry on masking but I was still confused after reading it. I searched the web but couldn’t find a good definition, only tutorials on how to use them…kinda. Without a proper understanding of the term even the tutorials were hard to understand.

A new friend from DPChallenge, banmorn, mentioned a book by author Scott Kelby on PhotoShop Elements 6 he was thinking of purchasing. After some research on Amazon I found what he was talking about, The Photoshop Elements 6 Book for Digital Photographers coauthored by Scott Kelby and Matt Kloskowski. It turns out Scott Kelby is one of the leading authors on the Photoshop line of products He hosts an online blog and a site that offers his various training courses.

Not being one to order online (I can’t stand to wait) I hoofed it over to the local Barnes and Nobles to pick up a copy. Heads up if you go there to buy this, its not found in the PhotoShop section but in the Digital Photography section.

After reading just a few chapters I highly recommend this book. Chapter 6 on Selections (and masks) was my first target and in just a few minutes I learned more on creating layers than I have by playing around in Elements over 3 months. The writing style is easy to read with just enough humor inserted to keep it interesting. The book sometimes assumes the reader has some background in digital photo tools but to be fair it states an Intermediate to Advanced user level on the back cover.

PhotoShop Elements 7 has already been released but I do not see me upgrading any time soon. I may wait for Scott and Matt’s new book to come out before I do.

Links:

Amazon Reviews

Peachpit Publishers

Wikipedia entry on Masking (in art)

Tags: book review, digital photo tools, Digital Photography, Matt Kloskowski, photoshop elements 6, Scott Kelby