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May/June 2011

This Article Features Photo Zoom

High-End Printer
Make sure your images look as good on paper as they do in-camera by using the Epson Stylus Photo R3000 to print them out. The printer uses the same UltraChrome K3 with Vivid Magenta ink system found in the R2880 and R3880. Unlike those printers, the R3000 automatically switches between Photo and Matte black inks to produce deep blacks and rich color on glossy, matte or fine-art media. Another new feature is a media feeder that allows you to print on fine-art papers up to 1.3mm thick. The eight-channel MicroPiezo AMC Print Head produces smaller ink-droplet sizes for greater precision and accuracy. Connectivity options include Hi-Speed USB 2.0, Ethernet and Wireless-N. Estimated Street Price: $849. Contact: Epson, (800) GO-EPSON, www.epson.com.

Smart Storage
Benefit from the flexibility of a cloud-based storage system without having to store files on an outside host using CloudStor from Buffalo Technology. The slim, network-attached storage device uses Pogoplug software for securely sharing files over the Web to any of your media devices. Files are always stored locally on CloudStor, and the online service is used only to connect you and those who you decide to share with to specified files on the drive. When you want to share with family and friends, simply email them a link. When you're traveling with your laptop, the drive remains accessible as long as you have an Internet connection. Estimated Street Price: $169 (1 TB); $269 (2 TB). Contact: Buffalo Technology, (800) 456-9799, www.buffalotech.com.

Sweet 35
Rotate the aperture dial on the Lensbaby 35mm optic to create a sweet spot of sharp focus that you can move around the photo by tilting your Lensbaby lens. This is the first and only Lensbaby optic to have an internal 12-blade adjustable aperture that goes from ƒ/2.5 to ƒ/22. Since the aperture opening controls the size of the sweet spot, you can see it change through the lens and take photographs you wouldn't have seen otherwise. The size of the sweet spot ranges from 15% at ƒ/2.5 to 40% at ƒ/22 of the total image area on APS-C-sensor cameras. The optic focuses down to 7.5 inches from the front of the lens when used with the Composer and as close as 3 inches with the Muse. Estimated Street Price: $180. Contact: Lensbaby, (877) 536-7222, www.lensbaby.com.

Flash Tools
Light up a shoot with your flash and a Gary Fong Lightsphere Collapsible kit. There are two versions, basic and pro, and both kits are built around the Lightsphere Collapsible diffuser, which attaches to your flash without a strap or band. In addition to the diffuser, the basic kit includes the White Dome, AmberDome and ChromeDome accessories. The domes fit over the diffuser for warming up light or increasing output. The basic kit also comes with gels for adding color. The pro version adds the chrome-plated PowerSnoot with a grid for creating more dramatic lighting effects. Estimated Street Price: $119 (basic); $169 (pro). Contact: Gary Fong, Inc., (800) 906-6447, www.garyfonginc.com.

Remote Fire
Give yourself the flexibility to get even more creative with your images by using an iPad to fire your DSLR. onOne Software's DSLR Camera Remote HD is an iPad app that works with WiFi-enabled computers and is compatible with Canon and Nikon DSLRs. Using your iPad's spacious screen, you can instantly adjust camera settings, fire the shutter, review images, preview through the viewfinder in real time and record video. The browsing function has been improved from the original version to support gestures, so you can zoom and pan by pinching and swiping. Other cool features include an Auto Bracketing mode for expanded exposure brackets and a Burst mode for continuous shooting, and you can save low-res images for emailing and sharing. A computer is required. Estimated Street Price: $49. Contact: onOne Software, (888) 968-1468, www.ononesoftware.com.

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