This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: Tips for Seamless Panoramas, Behind the Scenes at the Havana Club Cafe set for my lynda.com movie, Canon and Nikon news. All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Weekly Update - Nikon D7200 boasts low-light AF improvements and increased buffer depth - With a 24.2MP APS-C CMOS sensor it offers a very slight resolution increase over its 24.1MP D7100 predecessor, and like that model it lacks an optical low-pass filter. Also, a next-generation 51-point AF module with increased low-light sensitivity, built-in Wi-Fi with NFC and an improved 100-shot buffer depth when shooting JPEGs at 6 fps (18 14-bit or 27 12-bit Raw files). Other notable features include 1080/60p video recording, improved battery life of 1100 shots per charge and a weather-sealed magnesium alloy body. The D7200 will be available in April as a kit with the 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR for $1699.95, or body-only for $1199.95.  (Source: DP Review)

In other news... Review: The Canon 11-24mm f/4L is Pricey and Heavy but Unmatched Optically - The Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM officially holds the title of the widest rectilinear full-frame SLR lens with its 126º05' diagonal widest angle of view. And there's no mistaking the lens for anything less than an extreme wide-angle lens given its huge and gorgeous 108mm bulbous front element. Is it worth $3,000? This review helps answer. (Source: PetaPixel)

Story #1 - Tips for Seamless Panoramas - Yes, your iPhone works great for capturing panoramas. But if you want higher resolution and more tonal control, stitching together frames from your digital camera is the answer. Here a a few tips to ensure the best quality possible.

• Use a tripod... properly.
• It's easiest with the sun to your back.
• Why manual exposure just works better.
• Lock in your focus and keep it there.
• Don't forget to overlap!
• Mark first and last frame.
• Shoot RAW.

Story #2 - Behind the Scenes at the Havana Cafe Set - I'm at lynda.com this week recording the finishing bits for my "Photographer in Cuba" movie. They've designed a special set for our recording, and I thought it would be fun to chat with the producer, videographer, and lighting director about the preparations involved for this project. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

News from Red River Paper: Have you made your archive 6 prints yet for 2015? The best backup system in the world is high quality prints properly stored. I recommend that photographers do a print run of their best twice a year. Here's why.

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS Podcast in iTunes!

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (28 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until May!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: Selling your excess photo gear for fun and profit, New Panasonic micro four thirds lenses, My favorite mirrorless accessory is made by Canon, Photo book giveaway! All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Weekly Update - Panasonic introduces Lumix G 30mm macro and new 42.5mm portrait prime - The 42.5mm F1.7 isn't quite as fast (or presumably as expensive) as the existing Leica Nocticron 42.5mm F1.2. It does offer Power O.I.S. stabilization and is also compatible with 240 fps drive AF. It will be offered in black and silver versions. No pricing has been given for either lens but they're scheduled to become available in May.  (Source: DP Review)

In other news... Konost Hopes to Launch 'The World's First True Digital Rangefinder' - "But Leica already makes quality digital rangefinder cameras," you may be thinking to yourself. That's correct, but Leica's offerings are digital cameras with mechanical rangefinder systems. By "true digital rangefinder," Konost means it is turning its back on the age-old system of mirrors and prisms used in mechanical rangefinder cameras and instead opting for a digital rangefinder system powered by a secondary image sensor. (Source: PetaPixel)

Story #1 - Sell Your Stuff - If you've been shooting for any amount of time at all, then you've probably acquired a bit of excess gear that you're not using on a regular basis. Here's a quick guide to options for selling excess equipment to build a fund for the new stuff you need.

Story #2 - Why I Added a Canon TTL Flash Cord to my Mirrorless Kit - Certain things just aren't meant to be compatible, but the unlikely works when it comes to using a Canon dedicated flash cord with Olympus, Panasonic, and Fujifilm mirrorless cameras.

Story #3 - From the Screening Room - Portrait Project: Enhancing an Environmental Portrait of a Model with Chris Orwig. Chris walks you through a portrait editing workflow using Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop.

You can watch Chris in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Chris' movies, plus every other title in the library (including over 20 by yours truly).

Story #4 - Book Giveaway! - Our friends at Rocky Nook Publishing are giving away two print copies of "The Portrait, 2nd Edition." All you have to do to enter is visit http://www.rockynook.com/portrait-2nd-edition-giveaway/, enter your name and email address, and cross your fingers. You have one week to participate. Giveaway ends on Tuesday, March 3, 2015 at 11:59PM PST. The winners will be contacted by email, and I'll also post on our TDS Facebook page.

Story #5 - TDS Photo Workshop Bodie and the Eastern Sierra Registration Forms Have Been Sent - We're currently booking for the June 11-13 photo workshop. If you were on the Reserve List, you should have received your registration form. If you'd like to participate, but are not on the reserve list, just go to the TDS Workshops Page and use the Send Me Info Form. I'll get you a registration form right away.

Virtual Camera Club News

Photo Assignment for February 2015 is "Good Bye". This is our last photo assignment. I discuss why in this segment.

News from Red River Paper: Have you made your archive 6 prints yet for 2015? The best backup system in the world is high quality prints properly stored. I recommend that photographers do a print run of their best twice a year. Here's why.

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS Podcast in iTunes!

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (31 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until May!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: Hanging out with the Lumix Luminaries, TDS Bodie Workshop Preview, Perfect Browse 9, Mastering WordPress - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Weekly Update - Is Perfect Browse 9 the Answer to Our Photos Workflow? I've been testing onOne Perfect Browse 9, and it shows promise as a robust complement to just about any workflow, and hopefully for Apple's upcoming Photos app. Here's why. (Source: The Digital Story)

In other news... "Sigma announces pricing for 24mm Art and 150-600mm Contemporary lenses - $849 and $1,089 respectively. (Source: DP Review)

Story #1 - Hanging Out with Lumix Luminaries Joseph Linaschke and Giulio Sciorio at the TDS Studio talking about Micro Four Thirds, 4K video, lenses and more. Recorded in surround sound stereo, so you'll want to listed to this with your headphones for the full effect.

Derrick Story, Joseph Linaschke, and Giulio Sciorio at the TDS studio in Santa Rosa, CA. Photo by Joseph Linaschke.

Story #2 - From the Screening Room - WordPress Essential Training with Morten Rand-Hendriksen. Many photographers are using WordPress sites as the backend for their storefront. You can learn more about the ins and outs of WordPress by watching this excellent online tutorial.

You can watch Morten in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Morten's movies, plus every other title in the library (including over 20 by yours truly).

Story #3 - TDS Photo Workshop Bodie and the Eastern Sierra Registration Forms Have Been Sent - We're currently booking for the June 11-13 photo workshop. If you were on the Reserve List, you should have received your registration form. If you'd like to participate, but are not on the reserve list, just go to the TDS Workshops Page and use the Send Me Info Form. I'll get you a registration form right away.

Snapshot - "From the Bad..." Just about everything that could have gone wrong last Tuesday, did. And I was impressed how everyone rose to the challenge. Based on the Nimble Photographer entry with the same title.

Virtual Camera Club News

Photo Assignment for February 2015 is "Good Bye". This is our last photo assignment. I discuss why in this segment.

News from SizzlPix: Our Presidents Day sale, the biggest we've ever run! 20 percent off on your SizzlPix!, any size AND 25 percent off on the entire shipment if you order more than 1! PLUS shipping is still free anywhere in the contiguous US. This is an exclusive offer for The Digital Story. Just write TDS 20 percent or TDS 25 percent in the comment space on the SizzlPix! order page.

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS Podcast in iTunes!

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (52 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until May!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: The inside scoop on Photos for Mac OS X, and a closer look at the Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II - All of this and more on today's photo show with Derrick Story.

Story #1 - The Olympus OM-D E-M5 Mark II, a beautiful upgrade to the camera that started it all for micro four thirds shooters. I had a hands-on preview of the E-M5 Mark II earlier this year at CES in Las Vegas, and I'm quite excited about what Olympus has done with this camera. I cover it in detail during the first segment of today's show.

Story #2 - Photos for Mac OS X - Over the last week, many details were revealed about the iPhoto/Aperture replacement for the Mac. As it turns our, Photos for OS X will be more of an iPhoto update than an application that Aperture users can migrate too. What does this all mean for Aperture users? I take a close look in the second segment of today's show.

From the Screening Room - The Traveling Photographer: Paris with David Hobby. David takes us on an envious adventure in Paris and talks about the City of Lights from a photographer's point of view.

You can watch David in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Konrad's movies, plus every other title in the library (including over 20 by yours truly).

Virtual Camera Club News

Photo Assignment for February 2015 is "Good Bye". This is our last photo assignment. I discuss why in this segment.

News from SizzlPix: Our Presidents Day sale, the biggest we've ever run! 20 percent off on your SizzlPix!, any size AND 25 percent off on the entire shipment if you order more than 1! PLUS shipping is still free anywhere in the contiguous US. This is an exclusive offer for The Digital Story. Just write TDS 20 percent or TDS 25 percent in the comment space on the SizzlPix! order page.

And Finally...

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS Podcast in iTunes!

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (34 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until May!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: Photos.app delay, Lexar Professional Workflow HR2, Westcott Omega Reflector Kit, Book Giveaway, Big SizzlPix Sale, Last Photo Assignment - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Weekly Update - New pricing for the Canon EOS-1D C will go into effect in North America February 1st, taking the retail price from $11,999 down to $7,999. The camera is coming up on its third birthday, introduced in April 2012. The 18MP full-frame sensor is capable of 4K video. The EOS-1D C also offers 1080 HD video, dual CF card slots and a 61-point AF system. (Source: DP Review)

In other news... "Apple delays release of its Aperture replacement app, set for a late April release" - Apple made changes to its website last week, taking down the preview pages and all mentions of its vague release date. But despite the removal of said information, Apple CEO Tim Cook made mention of the Photos app for OSX during Tuesday's quarterly earnings call, saying it was still on track to be completed by the end of April. (Source: Imaging-Resource.com)

And finally... Looks like we have a big announcement from Olympus coming. Stay tuned here, and we'll cover it in depth in next week's show.

Story #1 - The Lexar Professional Workflow HR2 Hub - Lexar's Workflow HR2 hub is a good choice for fast data transfer of images to your photo management application. The hub features four bays that accept a variety of accessories including high speed card readers and SSD drives. I talk about my testing of it in the first feature of today's show.

Story #2 - The Westcott Omega Reflector Kit - One of the most versatile lighting accessories that we've tested lately is the Westcott Omega Reflector Kit. The collapsable reflector sports a unique design that allows you to shoot through it as well as using it as a standard fill light. I've used it on a couple shoots, and I'll share my impressions in this segment of the show.

Story #3 - From the Screening Room - Shooting Aerial Panoramas with a Quadcopter with Eric Harris. Eric has a great approach to ariel photography, and he really knows his stuff when it come to DJI quadcopters.

You can watch Eric in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Konrad's movies, plus every other title in the library (including over 20 by yours truly).

Story #4 - Book Giveaway! Win a copy of Creative Flash Photography (304 pages | Soft Cover, 8 x 10 in.), a $44.95 value, by posting a comment about this week's podcast on the TDS Facebook post about the show. You have until Thursday, Feb. 5th, 11:59 PM to participate. I'll announce the winner on Friday.

Snapshot - "My Sunday Camera" Sundays are my only day off, and I have a special camera that I carry on that day.

Virtual Camera Club News

Photo Assignment for February 2015 is "Good Bye". This is our last photo assignment. I discuss why in this segment.

News from SizzlPix: Our Presidents Day sale, the biggest we've ever run! 20 percent off on your SizzlPix!, any size AND 25 percent off on the entire shipment if you order more than 1! PLUS shipping is still free anywhere in the contiguous US. This is an exclusive offer for The Digital Story. Just write TDS 20 percent or TDS 25 percent in the comment space on the SizzlPix! order page.

And Finally...

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS Podcast in iTunes!

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (35 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until May!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: I cover the sights, sounds, and people of Cuba from a photographer's perspective - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Virtual Camera Club News

Photo Assignment for January 2015 is "Backlighting".

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS Podcast in iTunes!

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

"Old Town Havana" by Derrick Story.

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (42 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until May!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: Crazy RAW Plus Jpeg Tricks, South Beach Miami Photo Shoot, Cholula - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story. Podcast recorded on Jan. 17, 2015 before departing for Cuba.

News and Anecdotes

Snapshot - "Cholula Hot Sauce" - During my flight to Miami on US Airways, they served a tasty egg breakfast. I like hot sauce on my eggs, but alas, they did not have Tabasco. Then a delicious act of kindness followed.

Weekly Update - "One Camera Disappears, and Another Debuts" Suddenly last week, there were no more Nikon D750s on the store shelves. Nikon has pulled the original version of the DSLR due to "flare issues caused by the position of its AF sensor." Improved versions will appear as they are ready. At the same time, Fujifilm announced the X-A2, a mostly minor update to the X-A1. The X-A2 offers a 175-degree tilting LCD that flips upward for easier self-portrait capture. Like its predecessor the X-A2 provides a 16MP APS-C CMOS Bayer-pattern sensor, unlike its unconventional X-Trans siblings. (Source: DP Review)

Feature Stories

Story #1 - "South Beach Miami" On my way to Havana, I visited South Beach for a couple days to explore the colorful night life I had heard so much about. I wasn't disappointed. And in fact I had a bit of unexpected luck.

Story #2 - From the Screening Room - "Candid Portraiture with Steve Simon." I first met Steve Simon when we were both flopping at Ben Long's flat on Liberty Hill in San Francisco. Both Steve and I were speaking at the (now defunct) Macworld Conference. That's when I first saw his pictures. He has this magical way to becoming invisible when photographing in public.

You can watch Steve in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Steve's movies, plus every other title in the library (including over 20 by yours truly).

Story #3 - "5 Crazy Things to do with RAW + Jpeg" - Over the years, I've found RAW + Jpeg to be one of the most useful settings on my camera. Here are five interesting reasons why.

• Art Filters and Effects - Many cameras these days (especially posh point & shoots and mirrorless) include an array of special effects and art filters. When you shoot RAW + Jpeg, you get two files: the un-compromised RAW and the fun special effect Jpeg.
• Gritty B&W - I believe that B&W photography is in the DNA of every shooter over 40. And most cameras have great B&W capture modes. What you see on the LCD is pure film noir, but what gets recorded to the card is an un-compromised RAW and a cool B&W Jpeg.
• Digital Zoom - How many times have you heard don't use digital zoom? A lot, I bet. But when I'm street shooting with a prime lens, such as my Olympus 17mm, I set a function button for a 2X digital zoom. I can capture a full rez 2X Jpeg and still have the un-compromised RAW also.
• Anything Mobile - Built-in WiFi is a beautiful thing. I can go from camera to iPhone in two shakes. But those hand-offs are much simpler with Jpegs. Then later, copy the RAW files to your computer for serious editing.

• Quick Prints - Need a quick 4x6 print to send home with Mom? Most current printers talk to cameras, but the language they speak is Jpeg.

Virtual Camera Club News

Photo Assignment for January 2015 is "Backlighting". (You might want to check out our Screening Room selection first :-)

News from SizzlPix: Have your SizzlPix now, and with PayPal Credit, make no payment until July. Great for selling SizzlPix of your photography and collecting your profit even before you pay. Also helpful for any photographer with an opportunity for gallery showings.

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS Podcast in iTunes!

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until May!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: Portable RAID Drives, the Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO zoom lens, Shooting and Processing Black-and-White Film - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Snapshot - "Castles, Las Vegas" - I had walked by this pool of water twice a day going back and forth to work during a recent stint in Las Vegas. It seemed too good to pass up, but I couldn't figure out the shot I wanted. Finally, in the late afternoon on the third day, I saw this composition. Sometimes you just have to stick with it.

Weekly Update - "Nikon's D5500 is its newest entry-level DSLR" - Nikon's D5500 features a 24.2-megapixel CMOS sensor without an optical low-pass filter, aka OLPF, which is great for producing high-quality, sharper images. To tie it all together, there's a 3.2-inch, adjustable LCD touchscreen on the back -- an upgrade from the D5300. Nikon says the D5500 can handle up to 820 shots per charge with 60 percent flash usage, or 3200 without any at all. While it may look very similar to the D5300 from the outside, the D5500 is a definite improvement over its predecessor. It'll be available for $900 next month (body-only), and you'll have the option to choose between the traditional black hue or a spicier red. (Source: Engadget)

Story #1 - "Olympus 40-150mm f/2.8 PRO Premium Optic for Micro Four Thirds" Designed for Micro Four Thirds cameras, it provides a 35mm equivalent of 80-300mm focal length in a package that's only 6" long and weights 31 ounces. We recommend only using this zoom on Olympus bodies because it doesn't include optical stabilization. Instead, it depends on sensor-based IS that's built-in to Olympus bodies. I discuss the notable features in this pro grade lens. (Source: ct-digiphoto)

Story #2 - From the Screening Room - Shooting and Processing Black-and-White Film with Konrad Eek. This is just flat-out cool. Konrad takes you on a soup to nuts journey with film capture, processing, scanning, and printing in a chemical darkroom.

You can watch Konrad in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com/thedigitalstory. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Konrad's movies, plus every other title in the library (including over 20 by yours truly).

Story #3 - "Portable RAID Drives" - I recently had a peek at two impressive RAID hard drives: the LaCie Rugged RAID and the WD My Passport Pro. I talk about them in the third segment of today's show.

Virtual Camera Club News

Photo Assignment for January 2015 is "Backlighting".

News from SizzlPix: Have your SizzlPix now, and with PayPal Credit, make no payment until July. Great for selling SizzlPix of your photography and collecting your profit even before you pay. Also helpful for any photographer with an opportunity for gallery showings.

Red River Paper - Save 10 percent off your next order of inkjet paper and greeting cards. Good one per customer. Use discount code STORY10X - Ends 1/15/15.

And Finally...

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS Podcast in iTunes!

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (34 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until May!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: Photo Gear at CES, Backlighting techniques, Samsung NX3000 APS-C Mirrorless camera kit, Selfies Get a Bad Rap - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Snapshot - "Selfies Get a Bad Rap" For years, photographers were absent from family photo albums. So once they finally turn the camera towards themselves, they're suddenly narcissistic? I discuss on the first segment of today's show.

Weekly Update - CES Report. Plenty of news about connected devices and wearables. But what about photography? I provide some insights on announcements such as the Canon Connect Station CS100, the iCamPRO HD, the Inspire 1 Camera Mount, Panasonic's trio of superzooms, 5 new Canon compacts with emphasis on connectivity, and the Segate Seven 500 GB USB3.0 hard drive that's only 7mm thick.

Story #1 - Bargain or Bust? Trying out the Samsung NX3000 with 16-50mm power zoom lens. This kit is selling for around $400, includes a 21MP APS-C sensor, 16-50mm power zoom lens, and excellent WiFi and NFC connectivity.

Story #2 - From the Screening Room - Exploring Photography: Backlighting with Ben Long. This week's featured artist is teacher fantastic Ben Long. He tackles the universal challenge of backlighting, a demon that has overcome us all at one time or another.

You can watch Ben in action by visiting the TDS Screening Room at lynda.com/thedigitalstory. While you're there, you can start your 7 day free trial to watch all of Ben's movies, plus every other title in the library (including over 20 by yours truly).

Story #3 - "How Much Faith Should I Put in DxO Numbers?" Robert Perrin asks, "And all the DxO numbers favor the Nikon/Sony over Canon.  So my real questions are, am I putting too much into the DxO numbers?  Do you think Canon is going to address their disadvantage in high ISO noise, dynamic range, picture quality and color depth or are they going to focus more on the ability of their cameras to do video better?  Knowing that I want to shoot low light, am I looking at the right attributes of camera performance to get better quality pictures?"

Virtual Camera Club News

Photo Assignment for January 2015 is "Backlighting". (You might want to check out our Screening Room selection first :-)

News from SizzlPix: Have your SizzlPix now, and with PayPal Credit, make no payment until July. Great for selling SizzlPix of your photography and collecting your profit even before you pay. Also helpful for any photographer with an opportunity for gallery showings.

Red River Paper - Save 10 percent off your next order of inkjet paper and greeting cards. Good one per customer. Use discount code STORY10X - Ends 1/15/15.

Oh, and Another Thing...

Thanks to everyone who recently reviewed the TDS Podcast in iTunes!

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (34 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until May!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.

This week on The Digital Story Photography Podcast: - 5 Tips for a Productive 2015, Ello, I'm Here! Windows Phone 8.1 Adventure - All of this and more on today's show with Derrick Story.

Snapshot - Holiday Group Shots - We gathered, we ate, we laughed, and then we took a group shot.

Weekly Update - Nikon D750 flare problems? Here's why and what to do about them. (It's not your lens.) - Some number of D750 bodies have a problem with internal reflections -- it's not lens flare -- from the autofocus sensor that lead to strong flare and "shadow bands" appearing in the image. Source: Imaging Resource.

Also this week... Hackers Find that Fingerprints Can Be Stolen Through Public Photos - As the quality of cameras becomes better and better, there's a new security issue emerging that you may have not thought about: fingerprints being stolen from photos. Hackers are reporting that a person's fingerprints can be reproduced using public photos that show their hand. Source: PetaPixel.

Story #1 - 5 Tips for a Productive 2015 - Each new year brings new opportunities. Are you ready to make the most of 2015?

• Endeavor at least one new project (or product) each year.
• Decide (and write down) how success will be measured.
• Keep a running list of great ideas.
• Reflect on what worked well, and what did not in 2014.
• Get your house in order. Do you have the tools and resources lined up to take advantage of new opportunities?

Story #2 - Ello, I'm Here! - After a month of observation and posting, I have to say that I think Ello is interesting. In fact, I bought the T-Shirt... literally. Here's more about it. You can find me on Ello here.

Story #3 - Windows Phone 8.1 Adventure - I was curious about the state of Windows phone operating system, so I bought a Nokia 520 on the cheap so learn more about the state of Microsoft in the mobile universe. I share my report in the third feature story of the day. I've also published two articles: 24 Hours with a Windows 8 Smartphone and Has Windows Phone Come of Age for Photographers?

Virtual Camera Club News

Photo Assignment for December 2014 is "Frozen".

News from SizzlPix: Have your SizzlPix now, and with BillMeLater, make no payment until June. Great for selling SizzlPix of your photography and collecting your profit even before you pay. Also helpful for any photographer with an opportunity for gallery showings.

Red River Paper - Save 10 percent off your next order of inkjet paper and greeting cards. Good one per customer. Use discount code STORY10X - Ends 1/15/15.

And Finally...

If you haven't done so already, please post a review for The Digital Story Podcast in iTunes.

BTW: If you're ordering through B&H or Amazon, please click on the respective ad tile under the Products header in the box half way down the 2nd column on thedigitalstory.com. That helps support the site.

In addition to subscribing in iTunes, you can also download the podcast file here (33 minutes). You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

lynda.com - Learn lighting, portraiture, Photoshop skills, and more from expert-taught videos at lynda.com/thedigitalstory.

Red River Paper -- Keep up with the world of inkjet printing, and win free paper, by liking Red River Paper on Facebook.

SizzlPix! - High resolution output for your photography. You've never seen your imagery look so good. SizzlPix.com. SizzlPix! now is qualified for PayPal "Bill Me Later," No payments, No interest for up to 6 months, which means, have your SizzlPix! now, and pay nothing until June!

Want to Comment on this Post?

You can share your thoughts at the TDS Facebook page, where I'll post this story for discussion.