A compact digital camera with the sensor—and sensibility—of a D-SLR

Sigma is best known for its wide line of lenses, but the company has also produced a series of film and digital SLRs. Now, it has taken the big sensor from its latest D-SLR and put it into a compact digital camera body with a lens designed specifically for the sensor. The compact size and D-SLR image quality make this a great camera when you want to travel very light.

Between the pro and entry-level models lies a paradise of high-performance features, ease of use and excellent value

"Sweet-spot" D-SLRs are those between the entry-level models and the often much pricier, larger and heavier pro models. They're in the sweet spot because, though they're much closer to the entry-level models in price, they share a lot of features with pro models. That makes them great choices for many photographers, including pros on a budget and enthusiasts alike.

Compact cameras offer quick shooting, easy portability and advanced features

The best camera is the one you actually take with you. It's true that for ultimate image quality and control, compact cameras can't beat digital SLRs, but advances in technology have made pocketable models a terrific alternative for many situations. We're not suggesting that you replace your D-SLR, but rather that you give yourself the option of a smaller system when size and weight matter. With sensor sizes hitting the 12-megapixel range, compacts are a great solution for occasions when a D-SLR and its various accessories would be a burden.

What exactly are “designed for digital” lenses, and what makes them ideally suited for D-SLRs?

Far from simple marketing hype, the term "designed for digital" encompasses the entirety of lens technologies unique to the demands of image sensors and their various sizes. Unlike film, image sensors have a shiny, flat surface. That surface is prone to causing internal reflections of light that bounce back and forth between the image sensor and the elements within the lens, otherwise known as ghosting and flare.

Add dramatic effects and visual impact to your images without spending hours in photoshop

The trouble with creativity in Photoshop—going beyond the basics to more imaginative, artistic changes—is knowing where to start. The possibilities are almost endless and therein lies the rub. That's where Photoshop plug-ins like Nik Color Efex Pro 3 provide a launchpad for experimenting with a variety of effects that can add drama and graphic punch to your images.

Together, these two powerful programs offer the ultimate in file management and image enhancement

Check out the opening image for this installment of Quick Fix. It's the result of using both Adobe Photoshop Lightroom and Adobe Photoshop CS3 on enhancing a photograph that I took in Cappadocia, Turkey, during a 2007 family vacation.

Pick your approach

Follow these tips to finish your image enhancements in less time

I think most photographers have a somewhat love-hate relationship with Photoshop. It's a great program, to be sure, and it offers the most comprehensive and expandable set of tools for photographers. But on the other hand, it takes time to learn and use, and working on a computer isn't what most photographers wanted to do when they began photographing. There are ways to make your workflow in Photoshop go faster so that you can spend more time with photography and less time trying to work through software. Here's how you can accomplish that.

Use these techniques to get the most out of even the trickiest exposures

Constructed in a remote area of Peru in the 15th century, the lost city of Machu Picchu, the grandest of all Inca sites, is truly one of the photographic wonders of the world. Adobe Photoshop and its little sister, Adobe Photoshop Elements, can be considered wonders of the photographic world, too—wonders for creative photographers who want to get the most out of their images. In fact, much like Hiram Bingham, who discovered the famous lost city, photographers can discover and recover seemingly lost details in their images.

For the best prints, get your printer and monitor on the same page

The path to getting a better print starts with a color-managed workflow. Calibrating your monitor is an important first step, but for the ultimate in control, you'll also want to create ICC profiles for your printer.

Try this library of edges, brushes and effects to give your photos an artist’s touch

Fine-art effects can add a lot of visual excitement to your photography, but mastering the illustration tools to achieve those effects can take a lot of time and practice. That's where creative software filters and effects can be a terrific help.