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So all you want is to put some nice frames around some nice pictures so they'll look nice, right? You don't want Layers or Vectors or Sampling; you just want to...OK, we've been through all that, and we hear you. So did ABB Helmond. Its PictureFrame Wizard does what you want: it puts good-looking digital frames around your (we hope) good-looking snaps to make something nice enough for your desktop or an album or a special e-mail greeting. That's all.

But that includes automatic date labeling, image tools like resizing and color correction and enhancement, … Read more

In Molly Wood's recent roundup of gadget gifts for Mother's Day, she mentions a few items you shouldn't get for Mom. Among them: a digital photo frame. Her take: "They're over. They're complicated. They're annoying. No one ever updates the pictures on them."

Say it ain't so, Molly!

I've always liked the idea of the digital photo frame, if not the execution. Most models are indeed a pain to use, requiring you to copy photos over from your PC or a memory card.

Then I got my hands on a … Read more

Our chums over at CNET Australia have an early in-depth review of the $5,995 Nikon D4, a powerhouse full-frame dSLR with a 16.2-megapixel sensor and boisterous ISO speed of 204,800.

"The Nikon D4 offers many significant improvements from previous professional-grade SLRs, such as the D3S, as well as excellent shooting performance, autofocusing speed and video recording," writes CNET Australia reviewer Lexy Savvides. "This is a serious pro tool designed for the likes of sports and editorial photographers, and its many usability tweaks will ensure that every shooting situation is catered for."

The review goes into the important changes in the Nikon D4's design, connectivity, performance, image quality, and video implementation. Also, be sure to check out CNET Australia's Nikon D4 review video, unboxing, image samples, and video samples.

Read more of CNET Australia's Nikon D4 review here.… Read more

German camera manufacturer Leica today announced a limited-edition white M9-P digital camera -- quite limited, actually; only 50 will be available. The special release coincides with the recent launch of the Leica Daimaru camera store in Tokyo.

The 18.5-megapixel Leica M9-P full-frame digital camera features an astounding feature set that normally commands a retail price around $7,995. However, this limited-edition run carries a much heftier price of 2,620,000 Japanese yen, which translates to an astounding $31,792. … Read more

A notice from Nikon Japan today indicates troubling times for those aiming to purchase the upcoming D800 dSLR.

Due for release Thursday, the highly anticipated 36.3-megapixel full-frame D800 features a dizzying array of features, and up to 1080/30p video recording.

With reservations and demand "far above expectations," the company said in a statement that it is facing D800 supply shortages until further notice.… Read more

Because of its lack of video capabilities and its relatively low resolution, the Nikon D700 never attained the level of buzz the Canon EOS 5D Mark II did, despite being an excellent camera. With the D800, Nikon looks poised to catch up to, if not overtake, Canon in the hearts and minds of full-frame devotees.

With all the information about the D800 having leaked in advance, it's easy to tell what's been most attention-grabbing: the high-resolution sensor and the D800E sibling model, which incorporates a modified low-pass filter system that results in little to no antialiasing. There's no doubt that the combination should appeal to professionals like studio and wedding photographers.

However it's notable that the sensor's pixel size is 4.88 x 4.88 microns (compared to 6.4 x 6.4 for the 5DM2) and hits a comparatively low maximum sensitivity of ISO 25,600. That said, cameras for this target market don't need the really high, gain-pushing ISO sensitivities of more action-oriented models; they need the highest clean setting. And Nikon has a history of clean high ISO images for its pro models. But even if the D800 manages impressive video, I suspect that the D800E will be less video friendly--aliasing can be a real problem in video and it's much harder to correct in post-production, so you need that low-pass filter. Medium-format cameras and AA-filter-free models like the Fujifilm X100 usually don't support video or don't produce professional-quality results.

Here's how the current full-frame landscape looks for Nikon's product line and the competitive Canon:… Read more

It looks like Nikon's highly anticipated D800, a large-sensor SLR that supplants the three-year-old D700, will cater to photographers who want to leave behind that mixed blessing of digital photography, the antialiasing filter.

The job of that filter is to remove moire artifacts--wavy lines and other visual distractions that can occur when an image sensor's grid of pixels captures an image with repeating elements such as fabric patterns. The antialiasing filter works by slightly blurring the image, which is convenient when moire is a problem but which degrades sharpness in the many situations where it's not. … Read more

One of my all-time favorite products--seriously--is the Kodak Pulse digital photo frame. After buying one for myself, I hooked up my parents, my sister, and even a few other relatives. We're all head-over-heels in love with the thing. I'll explain why in a minute.

For what promises to be a limited time, Wal-Mart has the refurbished Kodak Pulse 7-inch digital photo frame for $69, plus sales tax and $4 for shipping. (You can also opt for free in-store pickup.)

But wait, there's more. In addition to the Pulse, you get an 8GB Centon SDHC memory card and … Read more

Photo Frames & Effects Free is a basic image editor with a handful of special image enhancements. It's definitely not the most impressive or comprehensive image editor we've seen, but for simple tweaks and effects it's not a bad choice.

The program's interface is plain and intuitive, with a tabbed menu giving users access to editing features, effects, and filters. The editing menu contains the basics, such as rotating and resizing tools and white balance and contrast controls, though we were surprised to find that the program doesn't seem to have a cropping feature. The … Read more