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FEATURE MacIntel: Update or Wait?
Should you upgrade your old workhorse or junk it for a shiny new one?

The surprise WWDC (Worldwide Developers Comference) announcement sent shock waves through not just the Apple community but throughout the greater technology world: Beginning in 2006, all Macs will ship with Intel processors, replacing the IBM- and Motorola-made Power PC microprocessor line.
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STATUS: Where digital cameras stand the end of 2006
With so many megapixels for so cheap, what separates digital cameras these days?

We get to play with hundreds of digital cameras every year. We review them all for you, so you can make more informed buying decisions. That is especially important these days where seemingly every digicam has 5 to 8 megapixel and costs very little. So what separates them? Read our overview to learn what to look out for when you buy.
Read state of digital cameras end of 2006/start of 2007

REVIEW: Nikon Coolpix P3
A Nikon Coolpix with built-in wireless LAN!

The Nikon Coolpix P3, a compact 8.1 megapixel digital camera that packs considerable power and some notable features such as an active vibration reduction mode and 802.11b/g wireless communication. That is the same wireless LAN notebook computers have and it can make transferring and printing pictures a lot easier. How does it work? And how good is the vibration reduction mode?
Read Nikon Coolpix P3 review

REVIEW: Casio Exilim Z850
Casio messes with success: now more megapixel at a lower price!

The Casio EX-Z750 won our last ultra-slim roundup of no fewer than 13 contestants with an almost perfect score. Last summer Casio replaced it with the Exilim Z850, which is part of their "Zoom" line of cameras. It looks almost identical, has 8.1 instead of 7.2 megapixel, longer battery life, and costs less. We've road-tested the Z850 for several months. Is it the same homerun the Z750 was?
Read Casio Exilim EX-Z850 review

REVIEW: Fujifilm FinePix A600
Are 6-megapixel and a nice LCD and a low price enough to win you over?

Fuji added the 6-megapixel A600 and the 7-megapixel A700 to its lineup of inexpensive entry level cameras. We spent time with the A600 and found much to like. It takes above-average pictures, has a nice 2.4-inch LCD and is ultra-simple to use. It has a few shortcomings as well, though. See if it'd make sense for you!
Read Fuji FinePix A600 review

REVIEW: Casio Exilim S770
Casio's sexy card camera now with a 2.8-inch wide screen

If you want the slimmest, sexiest digital camera around, take a look at Casio's "Card" series. We loved the stunning S500 and S600, but the Exilim S770 has a much larger, much higher resolution screen and a 7.2MB imager. Despite the big 2.8-inch wide screen, the S770 is just a little larger than its lesser siblings. What does it offer? A lot. Is it for you?
Read Casio S770 review

REVIEWS: Fujifilm FinePix F650 and FinePix F20
5X optical zoom and giant LCD, or ISO 2000 plus high tech?

We're reviewing two 6-megapixel cameras from Fuji, both in roughly the same price range. The FinePix F650 has a 5X zoom, an awesome 3-inch LCD and terrific ergonomics. The F20 is smaller and lighter, has "only" a 2.5-inch display and a 3X zoom, but steps up to bat with very high ISO 2000 sensitivity and lots of Fuji's highest technology. Read what each camera offers, then decide.
Read FinePix F20 review and FinePix F650 review

REVIEW: Fujifilm FinePix S9100
9 megapixel and 10.7X optical zoom

The Fuji S9100 is one of those cameras people constantly mistake for a single lens reflex model. It's as big as a SLR and looks like a SLR, but it's not a SLR. It's what could be called a fixed-lens SLR-style camera. What does the big Fuji offer and why should you pick it over a digital SLR, or not?
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ROUNDUP: three inexpensive Olympus point & shooters
What do Olympus' 6-megapixel "Easy & Fun" compacts offer and which is the best?

Our flurry of Olympus digital camera reviews continues. This time we did a roundup of three of the company's "Easy & Fun" FE Series models. All cost below US$200, all have 6 megapixel, a 3X optical zoom, and a nice 2.5-inch LCD. So what makes them different and which one should you pick? We found some surprising answers and a clear winner!
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REVIEW: Olympus Stylus 750
7.1 megapixel, big zoom, and dual image stabilization.

Olympus offers the almost identical Stylus 740 and 750, both handy little 7.1 megapixel point & shooters that you can get an optional deepwater case for. So what's the difference between the two and what do you pay fifty extra bucks for? That'd be the 750's dual image stabilization that really works!
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REVIEW: Olympus Stylus 740 with deepwater case
Thinnest 5X optical zoom camera in its class.

The Stylus 740 is a terrific little camera in its own right. 5X optical zoom, very high res 2.5-inch LCD, light and handy. We primarily tested it 70 feet underwater, with an alligator swimming above us. Yikes. All you have to do is get the optional PT-034 Underwater Case and you, too, can (try to) shoot like Jacques Cousteau did.
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REVIEW: Olympus Stylus 720 SW with deepwater case
A sleek 7 megapixel camera you can drop and take underwater.

Underwater photography is a very special experience. You're taking pictures of things that most people never get to see at all in person and certainly not through a camera lens. Taking a camera down under to shoot sea creatures, other divers, reefs, landscapes, wrecks, caverns -- it all ranks right up there among the very special things in life.
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ROUNDUP 11 Sub-$300 Cameras
Get a Lot For Very Little: We tested 11 inexpensive digital cameras.

The prices of digital cameras have come way down over the past couple of years. As a result, you can get more for your money than ever before. We're testing and comparing 11 cameras under US$300 in a comprehensive roundup and discover some amazing bargains, some duds, and a unanimous winner.
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FEATURE This iPod Does Video
Phenomenally successful music player effortlessly morphs into a personal media player. Next stop: Hollywood.

This is going to be hard. It's going to be hard to maintain the standard editorial distance I am supposed to have when I review a product. The new video-capable iPod is astonishingly good. It just doesn't seem possible for an object so slim and beautiful to do so much, so well. It's just not right that it has so quickly become a part of my life. This is going to be hard.
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ROUNDUP Thin Zoom Digital Camera Roundup
The latest ultra-thin digital cameras are marvels of technology.

"You can never be too rich or too thin," they say. Only a fortunate (very) few ever get the chance to personally form an opinion on whether one can indeed not ever be too rich, but the thin thing is with us wherever we go. Even with cameras. Unshackled from the limitation of having to accommodate a comparatively huge 35-mm film cartridge, the digital camera industry has apparently gone on a quest to see just how thin a digital camera they can make.
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FEATURE Answers To Your Top 15 Questions: DSLR Buying Guide
Ready to step up from point-& shoots? Here's what you need to know.

Thinking of buying a Digital SLR with that spare thousand bucks you have hanging around? Here are the top 15 questions I get asked from readers who want to choose wisely. Only cameras that have interchangeable lenses and through-the-lens (non-electronic) viewing are covered here. Read on and pick a camera that's best for your needs.
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TUTORIAL How To Create A Still Life
Stay home, save gas, get creative.

When the weather outside turns frightful, stay inside and shoot a still life. What's a still life? It's simply a creative arrangement of objects which you design. You've probably seen classical still life paintings such as flower arrangements or bowls of fruit with fish or fowl in the scene. While these are more traditional still life subjects, yours should be limited only by your imagination.
At newsstands 01/24/2006


PICTORIAL Jon's World
Looking for photographic inspiration? Let Jon Cox take you on a world tour

Looking for photographic inspiration? Take a long look at the work of Jon Cox, our friend and a longtime contributor to DCM. This issue, we present his pictures without the usual 1000 words. ~DM
At newsstands 01/24/2006


ROUNDUP LCD Flat Panels: 19" - 21"
The war is over and flat panels won. Here are six contenders for your desk

As a photographer, whether you are a hobbyist or a professional, the time has come to literally look at your computer monitor in a new way.
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TUTORIAL Create a Lulu of a Photo Calendar for 2006
Building the perfect photo calendar, just in time for the new year

Calendars are great for showing off your pictures but grinding them out slowly on an inkjet printer and laboriously assembling each one by hand isn,t my idea of fun. It's not cheap, either.
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TUTORIAL Snapshots to Superb Shots
How to take the ordinary and turn it into something extraordinary

It,s easy to fall into snapshot mode, especially when you,re traveling. However, with a little effort you can turn your snapshots into superb shots. Photographing people on the go isn't as difficult as you may think.
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ROUNDUP Long Zoom Digital Cameras
We tested eight mid-priced models with 5x and greater zoom range

8 state-of-the-art big zoom digital cameras. All have 5X optical zoom or better. Some up to 12X. Some are large, some are small. All are quite affordable. We tell you which is best overall, best for big zoom work, and best to just take along with you.
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TUTORIAL Brilliant Frame
Try a backlit picture frame and watch people light up

I have a short, dark, hallway with no overhead lighting nor any room for a table with a lamp on it. It's been bugging me for years, especially since there's some wall space at the end of it that would be a perfect place to hang a photo.
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FEATURE American Memory: FSA Photo Archive 1935-1945
Your high-resolution heritage is now freely available for download.

America 1935. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. Best, if you were lucky enough to have snagged a job as a photographer with the Farm Security Administration (FSA) documenting government programs designed to lift the country out of the Great Depression.
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SHOOTOUT Canon 1DS Mark II vs. Nikon D2X
The two top DSLRs content for the title World‚s Greatest Digital Camera.

Perhaps Canon‚s motto when designing the 1Ds Mark II digital camera was Think Big ˜ as in big camera, big sensor, big files, and of course, a big price to match.
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TUTORIAL Controlling White Balance with RAW files
Capture everything your camera sees, then perfect it in your computer.

Are you confused about which white balance setting to use for sunsets or for indoor fluorescent and incandescent lighting?
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ROUNDUP 7-Megapixel Compacts
We took eleven top high-res compacts and put Œem to the test.

11 state-of-the-art digital cameras. All have 7 megapixel or better. Some are large, some are small. All have zoom lenses and bags full of tricks. All are quite affordable. We tell you which is best for beginners, experts, or to just take great snapshots.
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TUTORIAL PhotoGlow Illuminated Photo Frame
How to create unbelievably gorgeous prints that glow from within.

I have a short, dark, hallway with no overhead lighting nor any room for a table with a lamp on it. It‚s been bugging me for years, especially since there‚s some wall space at the end of it that would be a perfect place to hang a photo.
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FEATURE: Think Like A Pro
To capture great pictures, take your cues from the best.

Professional photographers usually take better photos than you do because, a) they shoot more and, b) they have developed methods to assure that knock-out pictures are delivered to their clients. You, too, have clients (family and friends) and although they may not be as demanding (because they‚re not paying) you still have an obligation (and hopefully a desire) not to bore them with trivial snapshots.
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FEATURE: RAW Power!
How to find the digital diamond in the rough.

A diamond cutter studies a lump of stone. He decides where to make each cut to capture the beauty of the crystal rock. His level of craft, along with the quality and clarity of the stone, determines how striking the diamond appears. Like diamonds in the rough, RAW image files allow digital photographers to prove their expertise in the digital darkroom. How the photographer interprets the data decides the allure of the image.
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FEATURE: Using Pigment Inks in Dye-Based Printers
Open up a whole new world of possibilities in your old printer.

Remember that old Epson printer that‚s stored somewhere? The one gathering dust in the attic or basement because you couldn‚t bear to part with it after you bought that new super-duper model?
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FEATURE: All About Lens
The long, the short, the strong, and the offbeat.

Don‚t take that zoom lens that came with your camera for granted; it‚s really three lenses in one, each with distinct characteristics that can make a big difference in how your pictures look and what kind of message they convey.
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HOW TO: Digital Nature Closeup!
Jon Cox shows you how to get up close and personal.

Are you using your digital camera to its full potential? If you‚re not zooming in on the macro world you‚re missing out. There are countless photo opportunities at the very end of your lens just waiting to be captured. Whether you‚re using a point-and-shoot digital camera or top of the line Digital SLR chances are you have the necessary equipment to capture close-ups. You may even have some old macro camera equipment buried in a closet that you can bring back to life.
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FEATURE: New Life for Old Lenses
Adapting vintage optics to 21st century digital cameras.

Coming in at a similar price point as the Epson is Nikon‚s Coolwalker, evidentially named by someone watching the next Star Wars trailer while trying to figure out how to tie its name into the Cool Pix product line.
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FEATURE: Going, Going, Gone!
How to create prints that will last.

The inkjet printer, once scorned as a cheap substitute for the mighty laser now prints art instead of two-bit letters and four-color pie charts. There‚s even a new acronym, DFA, that categorizes inkjets capable of outputting Digital Fine Arts prints that should last a lifetime.
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HOW TO: Painting With Light
Cast a new light on your subject.

When you have some free time try shooting „Out of Focus‰ something completely different from your comfort zone. This is the time to try new camera and lighting techniques. You may surprise yourself with what you come up with. Think of it as a creative exercise. You may look back at your preferred subject matter in an entirely new light.
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FEATURE: Great Accessory Roundup
Essential tools that make a difference.

Here are my latest picks of useful books, the latest software, and hardware worthy of your serious consideration. Most of the prices listed here are manufacturer's suggested retail prices; if you hunt around, you can frequently get a much better deal.
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HOW TO: Shooting for eBay
How to photograph items to sell fast.

I've sold a wildly eclectric number of things over the years: rare books and comics and records, die cast models, computers, vintage toys, coins, posters, clothing, buttons and badges, postcards, furniture, and hundreds of others. I've taken thousands of pictures of my items.
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HOW TO: Going Wireless
It flies through the air with the greatest of ease.

If you want to share a cable or DSL connection between two or more computers at different locations inside your home, wireless can make it virtually effortless. And then, of course, there‚s the convenience of taking your laptop anywhere within wireless range without losing Internet access. Since the web is such an integral part of our lives these days, there‚s a great need (some might describe it as a compulsion) to stay connected wherever we are.
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FEATURE: Filter Primer
How to use filters creatively to improve your digital photography.

Many beginning photographers buy their camera and lens and never consider buying a lens hood, also called lens shade. Sometimes these come with lenses, but often they don‚t. If you didn‚t get a lens hood with your lens it is the very first accessory you should add.
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HOW TO: Let it Snow!
Capture all that winter weather has to offer.

Just because you‚ve packed away all your summer clothes doesn‚t mean your camera should be packet away too. Winter scenes are wonderful photo opportunities if you are willing to brave the cold. In addition to the cold there are also some other challenges to shooting in snowy situations. You need to take special care of your batteries, lenses, camera and even your tripod..
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FEATURE: Digital Eyes On Alaska
28 digital photographers shoot 11,000 pics on a cruise.

Armed with a variety of digital cameras, 28 photographers gathered in Vancouver, BC, during the early summer of 2003, primed to shoot images that would capture the essence of Alaska as they cruised northward through the majestic Inside Passage.
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HOW TO: Two Weeks, Two Peaks
Tips and tricks for those once in a lifetime shots.

Only very few of us are lucky (or adventurous) enough to see some of the truly great places on this planet of ours. Digital Camera Magazine‚s Adventure Photographer Jon Cox is such a person. Accompany him on a hike of Mt. Meru in Africa and learn his secrets for taking breathtaking images.
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DO IT YOURSELF: Digital Lighting
Portrait lighting techniques for digital photography.

Most people who buy a digital camera are disappointed when they try to take photos of family and friends with their new camera. Just because they have bought a digital camera the rules of lighting haven‚t changed and lessons learned by many in the past with film cameras still largely apply. The main problem in both cases is that the cameras have built-in flash units which are too close to the lens, and this is even worse with the ultra-small cameras now on the market.
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PROFILE: Joe Farace Photography
Automotive photographer extraordinaire.

Known for more than just photography, Joe Farace started his fascination with the art of image capture when his first photograph was published in a Baltimore/Washington based motorsports publication called The Stopwatcher. It was working for here that taught Farace about deadlines. „Races were often run on Sunday and copy and photos had to be delivered by hand to the editorial office ˜ long before the days of fax and email,‰ said Farace.
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DO IT YOURSELF: Bracketing
Fool proof techniques for achieving the perfect exposure.

Many digital cameras have an auto-bracketing feature that allows three images (sometimes more) to be shot in rapid succession, each at a different exposure. The first picture is taken at the exposure the camera‚s light meter determines to be correct, followed by one under-exposed and another over-exposed. You can usually preset the amount of exposure difference between shots and sometimes even choose a different order, for example, „under-correct-over‰ or „over-correct-under.‰
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FEATURE: America 24/7
Behind the scenes at the massive, all-digital photo book project.

If by now you haven't seen or at least heard of America 24/7, you've probably been off the planet for awhile. This massive, 304-page, over-sized book chronicles a week in the lives of Americans; every shot was made with a digital camera. In essence, American 24/7 has written the epitaph for film.
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