Lens ban at the Olympics?

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) may ban photographers from taking large lenses into Olympic events in 2012. A section from the terms and conditions associated with the Olympic tickets bans 'large photographic equipment (including tripods)', however their definition of "large photographic equipment" is still to be decided. This is expected later this year.


Amateurphotography reported: "Photography enthusiast Alan Peers wrote to LOCOG asking whether he would be allowed take a DSLR into the East London venue but did not get a direct answer to his enquiry. In an emailed reply he was told: 'LOCOG has yet to finalise the spectator filming and photography guidelines.'"


LOCOG has already stated that flash may not be used in some events, and photography will not be allowed in the shooting event.


Whilst LOGOC's statement is understandable, since photographers will probably be paid by the Olympic organisers to have the privilege to take photos, I hope they will allow amateur photographers the opportunity to take some snaps. A good zoom lens will definitely help, as I expect some of the seats will be some distance away. 

Novia N8 - "the world’s best camera phone"

Nokia is trying to prove mobile photography is not just for grainy snaps when you see something amusing on your way to the bus stop. Nokia is working with Jason Hawkes and This is Mission to take aerial photos of Britain's most noticeable and unusual landscapes. To do this Jason will be using the Nokia N8 (as shown on the left), which has a 12MP camera with Karl Zeiss optics and a large sensor that, so says Nokia, "rivals those found in compact digital cameras". You will be able to follow Jason's progress through Facebook and Twitter. I appreciate what Nokia is trying to do here, show that mobile photography is not just for those grainy snaps I mentioned earlier. Will it take over from compact cameras...maybe. With 16Gb of inbuilt storage, space will not be a problem on mobiles. Will it take over from (D)SLRs? No. Although Nokia has taken a step forward by using quality optics, a lens on a mobile will never be able to compete with a nice big 18 - 300mm lens!

Photojojo's Ring Flash Attachment

Want a cheap way of getting a ring flash? Photojojo's ring flash is an attachment that fits onto your external flash to provide you with studio-like illumination, without any extra cables. A similar flash attachment is shown on the left (this is a macro flash ring for Nikon cameras available on amazon, Canon attachments are available). I'm all for cheap extras for your photography - I have a cheap fisheye lens. They do not produce professional results (most of the time), but they are a great way of seeing what a product can do. If you are really impressed by it you can then go out and buy a more professional, more expensive product. What are your experiences of cheap versions of photography products?

Ipad 2

Have you heard the news? The Apple ipad 2 has been announced! I have heard a range of release dates, but they are all in March 2011 so expect it this month! This is Apple's successor to its extremely succesful ipad (shown on left). Apple are expecting it to be popular and have ordered 6 million units per month! The ipad2 (or i-paddy as I think it should be nicknamed) is thinner, has a fast, dual-core, processor and two video cameras for video calling. The i-paddy is even thinner than the iphone 4, at 8.8mm. The cameras allow photo taking, video recording and face time. It will be available in 2 colours, white and black, and you will be able to connect it to an HD TV. A new, clever feature, is the magnetic cover. When on, micro-fibres clean the screen and magnets correctly align the cover over the screen. When rolled up it doubles as a stand, either in portrait or landscape mode. With improved processor power I can see this as being an aid for on-the-fly photography editing.

Compact System Cameras

Are compact system camerastaking over from DSLRs? CSCs are effectively point and shoot cameras but they have interchangeable lenses. A report by GfK Retail and Technology Ltd says there has been a 160% rise in sales compared to February last year.

Is it just me (a Nikon D60owner), or do these cameras feel like fake, wanna-be DSLRs? If you go to the length to get a camera with interchangeable lenses, costing around £300 to £400, why not get a DSLR? It will take up pretty much the same amount of space, since you will be carrying around your spare lenses, cost the same but give you better results.

Wildlife Photographer of the Year

The Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2010 Exhibition, hosted at the Natural History Museum (London) will be finishing soon. The exhibition ends on 11 March 2011. The event is ticketed so, if you want to guarantee you will be able to see the exhibition, you can book a time slot online here. I think you can also turn up to the museum and book at ticket there.

Tickets cost £4.50 for children or £9 for adults. If you get a group of 10 together you can get a 15% discount. This is what I did for my visit, going with a group of friends, and the exhibition was a good start to the night. I doubt you will like every photo, but there will definitely be something which you want to see again (and you can do this with some of the photos by buying a print either from the museum's shop or online through their website). As you're walking around have a listen to people's comments, you can normally pick up on something amusing or someone trying to show off their photographic knowledge!

Welcome!

Hi all, welcome to Range101's blog!

The main aim behind this blog is to provide you with some photographic information, mixed in with a few other ideas I have up my sleeve! Blogs may not be daily but should be fairly regular to keep you entertained and informed.

Please leave any comments/suggestions you have as I will appreciate your feedback. I'll kick things off tomorrow, 1st March!

Happy reading!

Range101