Mark told you that the Nikon D4 was finally announced, but they also announced an 85mm f1.8 lens at $500.  A lens that will give you lots of speed and creamy bokeh for relatively few dollars.

Canon announced their high-end compact, the G1x.  It shoots RAW; 1080p video; and has a 28-112mm zoom.  It will compete with Nikon’s 1 (although the Canon doesn’t have inter-changeable lenses) and the Fuju X100 (also fixed lens).  Go read Google News about all the photo gadgets that are being introduced in Vegas this week.

But the photo world wasn’t just buzzing over the neat new hardware….  Adobe announced the public beta of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.  There are some major changes, including a revamped Develop panel; a Map panel that connects to Google Earth and let’s you geo-tag any image; and a Book panel to create your own Blurb photobooks.  You can download it here; there is no cost to try it.

I’ve been playing with it all week on some recent photos, and I’m already hooked on the improvements.  It is still a Beta, so you only want to use it on copies of your photographs.  You will probably experience some slowness and crashes, but this is normal in a Beta.  They’ll have that taken care of in the final release.  When does the final release come out?   They haven’t announced that, but the Beta expires on 31 March.  (Isn’t that less than a week after Photoshop World?  Hmmmm.)

You can bet we’ll blog about all the features when it comes out, but let me show you a couple of examples of the new Develop panel.  I really love the changes here.

Here is the York Minster.  A blah sky provides enough light to create a common problem – the camera meter averages the scene, and my sky is too bright and the church is too dark.

In Lightroom 3, I would globally lighten the church and then use the adjustment brush to bring down the brightness of the sky.  This isn’t difficult, but it will take a few minutes of brushing to get the sky the way I want it.

In Lightroom 4, I moved few sliders to give much better results in seconds.  The corrections were so fast, I used the lens correction to minimize the image distortion and still had a much better image in less than one minute.

The clouds have more definition; you can see details in the towers; and the exposure is fixed.  The transformation is really something to watch as you move the sliders.  Of course, I could do this in Photoshop, but that would take even longer.

I had to try it one more time.

Wow!  I really like the way shadow detail can be revealed.  You should download the program and give it a try.  This new Lightroom is going to be fun.

The Aurora Ice Bar is located in Chena Hot Springs, Alaska.  It is just a little bit south of the Arctic Circle.  The resort is open year round for your vacationing pleasure.  They say it’s a great place to see the Aurora Borealis.

The Aurora Ice Bar is kept at about 20 degrees inside a specially designed building, so you can even enjoy it in the summer time.  We were there in August, but the nasty warm weather never bothered us.

The entire bar and stools are made of ice.

The bar is open during the tours, and many of the tourists tried their Apple-tinis.  You can see the glasses – they’re also carved from ice – lined up on the shelves behind the bartender.

The building is filled with ice sculptures.  They have a xylophone made of ice that is playable.  There is a workshop at one end of the building where you can watch current sculptures being made.  The artists there have sculpted jousting knights, ice fish, and the Coca-Cola polar bears.  They never seem to run out of ice up there.

We were only there for an hour because we had lots of other things to see, but we did look around at the two ice bedrooms, complete with an ice outhouse.  (No, the outhouse isn’t ever actually used.)

As you can see from these photos, I was in snapshot mode.  The bar wasn’t on our original schedule, so I was just carrying the camera and one lens.  I was really set back because I didn’t have my flash.  I hope to get back there someday with better preparation.

So, if you’re ever up near the Arctic Circle, looking for a drink, stop by for lots of fun.  Tell them I sent you….

Tonight, we’re going to spend a little money.  Everything here will cost you more than $150 – sometimes, much more.  They say spending money is what we need to do to stimulate our economy, so don’t think of it as being extravagant; think of it as patriotism.  Obviously, the list here is endless, so I’m going to pick from a wide variety of products, with which I’m at least familiar.

Every photographer likes gear.  Chances are you do, too, but how can I know what you want?  There are lots of great lenses and new cameras, this year.  Just remember, that lenses and cameras are only tools – you need more than a saw to be a cabinetmaker.

I could use a Nikon 85mm 1.4 lens (about $1,700) or the nifty, little Nikon JV1 camera (about $1,700, when you throw in the 30-110mm lens and dedicated flash).  You may prefer the new Canon 1d x;  it isn’t shipping, yet, but you can pre-order it.  When it comes in, it is expected to cost around $6,000.  The Canon G12 is a small box camera (smaller than a SLR, but thicker and heavier than most point-and-shoots).  It shoots RAW photos and has HD video for about $380.  Where would you order these wonders?  Now, I have an answer.  I’ve used B&H and Midwest Photo Exchange.  Both are great gear providers.  You can find almost anything you could need/want at either place.

If you want to try all this fancy equipment before you buy it, or, maybe, just use it once or twice during the year, try renting some gear.  My favorite, in this category, is Lensrentals.com.  Every time I’ve rented cameras and lenses from them, I’ve been happy with the experience.  The equipment has always been in excellent condition, and they deliver it on time with a pre-paid shipping label for the return.  They have almost any kind of photographic equipment you could want to rent.  I know lots of folks who say the same about BorrowLenses.com.  Obviously, the cost varies on the type of gear and term of use, but they are both pretty reasonable.  When I rented the $6,000 Nikon 200-400mm F4 zoom for two weeks in Alaska, it was about $575.  It was worth every penny, since I really don’t shoot wildlife often enough to pay $6,000.

After you take those photos with your new gear, you’re going to need to process the photos.  We’ve talked about Adobe Lightroom enough by now that you know it is our first suggestion.  The suggested retail is $299, but you can find it cheaper lots of places – especially since rumors say that the next version will be out in the spring.

Two other great software tools: NIK and OnOne.  Mark and I have tried and own both, but I prefer NIK ($499), and he prefers OnOne ($399).  These prices are for their complete suites.  You can also buy components separately for about $149 (NIK) or $99 (OnOne) each, but the better deal is certainly the suites.  NIK has Silver Efex Pro for great conversions to black and white.  I use their Color Efex Pro all the time for effects that are easy to apply and adjust.  OnOne also has great effects, and I love their Perfect Portrait software.  Both of these companies provide plug-ins for Lightroom if you aren’t ready to jump into the Photoshop pool.  There are many other programs that will assist in your post-processing, but these are the two I’m most familiar with.

Wow!  I’m getting an itching credit card just thinking about this stuff.  How will you learn to use all this stuff?  Well – aside from the free links we wrote about last week – there are some great paid training sites.  Educating yourself about photographic tools and techniques may be better for you than buying new gear.  Remember the saw/cabinetmaker “wisdom” I laid on you earlier?  (I know, pretty deep….)  There are three entries I know about in this category, and each has a monthly or annual plan to allow you to view the training videos whenever you have the time.  Kelby Training ($199 annually/$24.95 monthly) is the one I favor.  Mark and I have met with many of the trainers and photographers there, and their work is top-notch.  Lynda.com ($250 annually/$25 monthly) also has great content and photographer/instructors I’ve met and appreciate.  This is no second-rate substitute.  These two are sort of like the Canon/Nikon argument; it doesn’t matter which you choose, you win.

I recently heard of another site from This Week in Photography (which we mentioned last week), and they were very positive about their product.  Video2Brain  ($199 annually/$20 monthly) has many detailed lessons for you to try.  I looked through their content and sat through several sample lessons to compare.  The lessons were easy to understand and represented the field well.  All of these choices offer free sample lessons, so you might want to try them all out before you choose one.

Want to meet these instructors; learn first-hand; and have a great time?  Go to Photoshop World!  We harp on this every year.  We have spent some 18 hour days there with lessons, photographer roundtables, and event parties.  This Spring, it is in Washington, DC, 24-26 March.  You can choose classes in Photoshop, Lightroom, Photography, and/or Design.  You can go to any class you want, and leave five minutes into it to go to a different one if it wasn’t what you thought it was.  You get a book with the lesson notes from all the classes. (It’s the size of an old telephone book, if you’re old enough to remember those.)  If you sign up before Feb 17, you’ll save $100 on this treat.  For NAPP members the Early Bird price is $499, vs. $599 for non-NAPP members.  I told you last week that NAPP membership pays for itself in discounts.  Mark and I signed up in October.  We’ll see you there.

I know I’m going long here, but let me complete the shot to print process.  We both really like MPIX for normal printing.  Their work is excellent.  They are usually at Photoshop World to show you their work (as are the next two).

But, every now and then, you want to do something special.  How about putting one of your photographs on canvas?  Artistic Photo Canvas can do you right.  I really like the gallery wraps.  They are easy to hang and don’t need frames which can cost more than the print.  Canvas really enhances the feel of a nice portrait or landscape.  When you go this route, go big.  It makes a nice impact.  I’ve gone as big as 48 inches wide.  Prices vary with size, but you can spend more than $150 easily here – not too much more, but more.

And speaking of making an impact – how about printing on aluminum?  Take a vibrant, colorful image and make it pop at Bay Photo.  You’d be surprised what a difference you see here.  They are stunning with the right photo.  Again, go big, and you’ll easily top $150.  You’ll get more than that value from the pleasure of the constant comments from those who see them.

I know this was longer than usual, but I could easily go longer.  There are so many great ways to spend your money in photography.  C’mon, you deserve it.  Have some fun.

So, tonight, I’m going to give you some ideas.  This won’t be a comprehensive list, just something to get you thinking.  I broke down the suggestions by price, since people are a little price-sensitive these days.

Free Stuff   Who doesn’t like free? You might be surprised what you can get for nothing.  I would be remiss if I didn’t mention blogs.  We prefer you read this one religiously, and drop in a comment now and then.  There are thousands of blogs of various types and degrees of difficulty.  How do you find them?  I search them out, but a great place to start is the Alltop Photography (here).  This is a blog that compiles photography blogs.   There are some really good ones here.

Check out iTunes.  Many people think you need an iPhone, iPod, or iPad to use iTunes, but you can open a free account and just use it on your computer.  The only thing you lose is portability.  Download the software, and search the store for the photography podcasts.  I’m a big fan of “The Candid Frame,” “The Grid,” “Photoshop User TV,” and “This Week in Photography.”  There are too many to list, so try some and subscribe for free.

If you have an iPad, try the 500px app as a great source of inspiration.  There are loads of wonderful photos in a never-ending slide show.  You can view them on your computer here, if you don’t have an iPad.  One of my favorite new apps is Trey Ratcliff’s “Stuck on Earth.”  It is a “travel app that brings you the best places in the world to visit, photograph, and experience.”  I should probably do a blog on it.  Great app!  I use these two apps almost every time I fire up the iPad.

Inexpensive Stuff (less than $150)   You don’t have to spend a lot of dollars to get something nice.  To continue from the “Free” list, you can pay for some iPad apps, too.  Most of the prices range from $.99-14.99.  Buy yourself or someone else an iTunes gift card.

Consider joining the National Association of Photoshop Professionals at $99.  You get lots of video tutorials, a magazine, and discounts that can easily make this gift pay for itself.  The magazine and tutorials cover Lightroom, too.  We have both been members for years, so, obviously you don’t have to be a professional to join. 

Everyone should have a 50mm lens for your SLR.  These inexpensive lens used to come with cameras in the film days.  They offer lower light capability, good bokeh, and sharp photos all for a little more than $100.  Many photographers recommend that beginning photographers use only this lens for the first few months while they are learning their cameras.  Get one.

We’ve repeatedly said to get your flash off your camera, but one more thing to pick up for minor ducats is some kind of flash adaptor to soften the burst of light that comes from it.  There are many variants, and I use several, so I won’t recommend here.  Google “flash adapters” or “flash accessories,” and you’ll get lots of examples.

Don’t forget to look at camera bags.  I like Tenba and Lowepro; Mark uses Lowepro.  Visit your bookstore.  I especially like my used bookstore for books about photography.  The subject never gets old (but bypass the photo software books that are almost always out-of-date).  The price is right.

This is turning into a long blog, so I think I’ll save the expensive items for next week.  I could go on all night about buying photo-related products, but you may not be quite as far over-the-edge as me.  This is my definition of fun.

This year’s Kelby Worldwide Photowalk is scheduled for 1 and 2 October.  I am leading the photowalk in Williamsburg, Va.  I got the word from Kelby right before I left for Alaska and just activated the website last weekend, so our Williamsburg walk, on 2 October, still has openings.  The weather will be much more pleasant than last year’s July date. Williamsburg the home of Colonial Williamsburg historical buildings and the College of William and Mary.  It is full of photo opportunities.  Mark will be there, and we would love to fill up the roster to the limit of 50 photographers.  Remember, there is no cost, and the voluntary photo contest has lots of prizes.  You can sign up here.

Photowalks are a chance to hang out with new people; ask questions about techniques; shoot a variety of new subjects; and have fun.

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We’ve talked about how the costs of photographic equipment – new cameras, lenses, flash, tripods – can quickly add up to prohibitive sums of money.  Consider renting the gear to ensure you really want to buy it.  Or, maybe, you need something for a special occasion.  My trip to Alaska, last year, convinced me that I needed a very long lens, but I wasn’t ready to spend $7,000 for a new lens that I wouldn’t use in my usual photography with people as my subjects.  LensRentals.com provided the solution for my dilemma.  It was a Nikkor 200-400mm F4 zoom, and I got it the day before we left for Alaska.  I had used them before, so I knew they were a good company.  They will ship the equipment to your location, on the day you specify.  Once again, everything worked fine.  Yesterday, I shipped the lens back and was sad to see it go. More on that later.

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Speaking of equipment, you should pay attention to what you buy.  We all complain about the prices of camera gear, but I recommend you don’t take short cuts.  When I bought my camera, I bought it with two Nikon batteries.  Later, I decided I needed to have spares and bought two generic camera batteries.  How different can a batteries be, right?  Well, during my trip to Alaska my last generic battery failed.  That’s right, both generics died 18-24 months after purchase, and the original two Nikon batteries are still chugging along, more than three years later.  We were on our way to Anchorage the day after the second generic failed, so I was able to buy a new Nikon battery in Anchorage.   Consider carefully when you buy generic gear.  It wouldn’t have been funny if the battery had failed in the Denali wilderness.

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Finally, if you haven’t been to our Facebook page, facebook.com/efcubed, go over there and “Like” our page.  We post things there that aren’t on the blog, and it’s another way you can get questions answered quickly.

I’ve got a just a few photos from Alaska to share over the next couple of blogs.  See you Thursday.