The de-haze feature makes its way to Photoshop Elements 14.

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Polaroid introduces the Z2300 instant digital camera at the 2012 CEA Line Show taking place June 27-28 at the Metropolitan Pavilion and Altman Building in New York City.
The newest addition to the Polaroid instant digital camera line, the Z2300 features an integrated printer with ZINK® Technology, enabling users to instantly capture, edit and in less than a minute print full color, 2x3” prints.  Along with the ability to easily upload images to any social media platform, the Z2300 combines a compact form factor with a host of fun, easy-to-use features to create the ultimate social media machine.
The camera is available in white and black and houses a 10 megapixel image sensor. The large 3.0” LCD display makes it easy to frame and review images and capture video in virtually any setting.
Ever since the introduction of the Polaroid Land Camera in1948, people around the world have enjoyed the magic of Polaroid instant photography. Polaroid continues instant sharing in the 21st century with the Polaroid Z2300 camera which allows the user to take and instantly share pictures digitally and in print.
“Polaroid invented instant photography, and for the past 75 years the brand has been synonymous with instant gratification, ease-of-use and fun,” said Graeme Chapman, MD of Polaroid’s sole UK imaging licensee C&A Marketing. “The Z2300 represents the next step in the evolution of that proud tradition and it was designed to fully integrate the classic Polaroid instant photography experience into today’s digital, social world. Portability, creative expression and the ability to share your most memorable moments in digital or print form all come standard in the Polaroid Z2300 camera’s compact body.”
The Polaroid Z2300 instant digital camera has a suggested retail price of £129.99 and will be available in August from Dixons, ASDA, Harrods, Selfridges, Digital Depot and all good photographic stores. The camera can be pre-ordered from www.polaroid.co.uk until the end of July.

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September 2010 | Barnaby Britton Preview based on a pre-production Nikon D7000 Stop the rumor mill - the D95 D7000 is here! The much-anticipated successor to the D90 new DSLR isn't quite what a lot of internet pundits expected, but that doesn't mean that there isn't a lot to get excited about if you're a D90 user impatient for an upgrade. In fact, that's exactly what the D7000 is - an upgrade option for D90 and D5000 users, which occupies a new position in Nikon's DSLR lineup, between the D90 and D300S. Although ergonomically, the D7000 is a very close match for the D90, its overall 'feel' is considerably more serious, thanks to a magnesium alloy body shell and thicker rubber coating on the hand grip and rear of the camera. In terms of its specification, the D7000 actually outguns the D300S in many respects, and at 16.2Mp it offers the second highest resolution of any Nikon DSLR, behind only the 24Mp D3X. All of these pixels are packed onto a newly developed CMOS sensor, which is almost certainly the same or very similar to that in the Sony Alpha SLT-A55. As well as extra resolution, the new sensor also offers a higher 'standard' ISO span of 100-6400, expandable up to the equivalent of ISO 25,600. The D7000's AF and metering systems are also new, and represent a significant upgrade to those used in the D90. The new camera boasts a 39-point AF array with 9 cross-type AF points and works in collaboration with a new 2016-pixel RGB metering sensor to allow 3D AF tracking (essentially tracking by subject color,explained here). Other changes include the same combined live view/movie switch control as the recently announced D3100, and a significantly upgraded movie specification, up to 'full HD' - 1920x1080 resolution at 24fps. Unlike the D90, the D7000 can also maintain AF during live view and movie shooting, thanks to its AF-F ('full time') AF mode. D90 owners have been waiting for a replacement camera for a while, and although the D90 isn't set for retirement quite yet, the D7000 certainly represents a compelling upgrade. We've been using a pre-production D7000 for a few days - just long enough to compile our impressions into a 7-page hands-on preview article. Read on for an in-depth look at Nikon's newest DSLR... Nikon D7000 Key Features 16.2MP CMOS sensor 1080p HD video recording with mic jack for external microphone ISO 100-6400 (plus H1 and H2 equivalent to ISO 12,800/25,600) 39-point AF system with 3D tracking 2016 pixel metering sensor Scene Recognition System (see 2016 pixel sensor, above) aids metering + focus accuracy Twin SD card slots 3.0 inch 921k dot LCD screen New Live View/movie shooting switch Full-time AF in Live View/movie modes Up to 6fps continuous shooting Lockable shooting mode dial Built-in intervalometer Electronic virtual horizon Shutter tested to 150K actuations Positioned alongside the D90 and D300S, the D7000 is clearly a lot closer to the former than the latter in terms of its size and control layout. The similarities between the D90 and D7000 don't run much deeper than the surface level though - where specifications are concerned, on paper, the D7000 at least matches and frequently surpasses the abilities of the D300S in several key areas. Nikon D7000 and Nikon D90: Key differences The D7000 sits above the D90 in Nikon's current lineup, and as befits its new position in the range, the D7000 combines elements of the D90 with elements of the D300S - Nikon's current APS-C flagship. The most obvious physical clue to its new position is a magnesium alloy body shell, which up to now has been reserved for Nikon's top-end APS-C and full frame cameras. 'Under the hood' though the differences are legion - a new 16.2MP CMOS sensor, dual card slots, a new 39-point AF array, 'true' HD movie mode with full-time AF and more customization options, some of which are inherited from Nikon's professional DSLRs. Like the D90, the D7000 supports AF with Nikon's older AF and AF-D lenses (lower-end models are limited to compatibility with AF-S and AF-I optics only) but additionally, because the D7000 has an Ai indexing tab on its lens mount, up to 9 'non-CPU' lenses can also be registered with the camera. This allows the use of virtually any Ai specification or later lens to be used in aperture priority or manual mode with the P7000, with almost no loss of functionality (apart from AF). Novice DSLR users might never look beyond the horizons offered by their kit lenses, but for the enthusiast, legacy support like this could well be a deal-breaker. The overall dimensions of the D7000 are very similar to the older D90, but the heavier, magnesium alloy body shell and thicker rubber on the hand grip lend it a noticeably more 'serious' feel. Higher resolution sensor (16.2MP vs. 12.3MP) Choice of 12-bit or 14-bit NEF (RAW) 1080p HD movie mode Limited movie editing functionality AF possible during video shooting (but we're not over-optimistic on this score) Live View switch (basically the same as D3100) Faster AF in live view mode. Twin SD card slots Non-CPU lens data function (allows registration of up to 9 non-G lenses with manual apertures) Magnesium alloy body shell Wider ISO span (100-25,600 including 'H1' and 'H2') Newly developed 39-point AF system 'Quiet' single frame advance mode 'Proper' mirror lock-up (as distinct from 'exposure delay mode') Lockable drive mode dial Higher maximum frame rate (6fps) with a Continuous Lo shooting option (1-5fps) 100% viewfinder Choice of 12-bit or 14-bit NEF (RAW) recording in compressed or lossless compressed formats Up to 9 'non-CPU' lenses can be registered (same as D300s/D3s/D3X) New EN-EL15 lithium-ion battery New MB-D11 battery pack (magnesium alloy construction) Ergonomically, the D7000 and D90 are quite similar, and as you can see from this view of the back of the two cameras, in terms of its control layout, the D7000 is very close to the D90. Some controls have changed slightly (the D90's 'Lv' button becomes a spring-loaded switch for example) but the number of control points is the same and everything is basically in the same place. Compared to the D90 and D300S: core feature and specification differences Nikon D7000 Nikon D90 Nikon D300S Construction Magnesium alloy body Polycarbonate Magnesium alloy body Sensor • 23.6 x 15.6 mm CMOS sensor • RGB color filter array • Built-in fixed low-pass filter (with self-cleaning unit) • 16.2 million effective pixels • RGB Color Filter Array • 14-bit A/D converter • 23.6 x 15.8 mm CMOS sensor • RGB color filter array • Built-in fixed low-pass filter (with self-cleaning unit) • 12.3 million effective pixels • RGB Color Filter Array • 12-bit A/D converter • 23.6 x 15.8 mm CMOS sensor • RGB color filter array • Built-in fixed low-pass filter (with self-cleaning unit) • 12.3 million effective pixels • RGB Color Filter Array • 14-bit A/D converter ISO range • Auto ISO (100-Hi2) • ISO 100-6400 in 0.3 or 1.0 EV increments • H1 and H2 (ISO 12800 and 25600) expansion • Adjustable Auto ISO limit • Auto ISO (400-H1) • ISO 200 -3200 in 0.3 or 1.0 EV increments  • L1 (ISO 100) and H1 (ISO 6400) expansion • Adjustable Auto ISO limit • Auto ISO (400-H1) • ISO 200 -3200 in 0.3 or 1.0 EV increments  • L1 (ISO 100) and H1 (ISO 6400) expansion • Adjustable Auto ISO limit Movie resolution* • 1920 x 1080p (24fps) • 1280 x 720p (30, 25, 24fps) • 640 x 424p (30, 25fps) • 1280 x 720p (24 fps) • 640 x 424p (24 fps) • 320 x 216p (24 fps) • 1280 x 720p (24 fps) • 640 x 424p (24 fps) • 320 x 216p (24 fps) AF sensor • 39 AF points • 9 cross-type sensors • 11 AF points • 1 cross-type sensor • 51 focus points • 15 cross-type sensors Metering sensor • TTL exposure metering using 2016-pixel RGB sensor • Metering range: EV 0 - 20 EV • TTL exposure metering using 403-pixel RGB sensor • Metering range: EV 0 - 20 EV • TTL exposure metering using 1005-pixel RGB sensor • Metering range: EV 0 - 20 EV Viewfinder • Eye-level pentaprism • 100% frame coverage • Magnification: 0.94x • Eyepoint: 19.5 mm • Type B BriteView Clear Matte screen Mark II with AF area brackets • Built-in diopter adjustment (-3 to +1.0m-1) • Eye-level pentaprism • 96% (horizontal and vertical) frame coverage • Magnification: 0.94x • Eyepoint: 19.5 mm • B-type BrightView Clear Matte Screen II with AF area brackets • Built-in diopter adjustment (-2 to +1m-1) • Eye-level pentaprism • 100% frame coverage • Magnification: 0.94x • Eyepoint: 19.5 mm • B-type BrightView Clear Matte Screen II with AF area brackets • Built-in diopter adjustment (-2 to +1m-1) Continuous shooting rate • Approx 6 fps max • Approx 4.5 fps max • Up to approx 8fps with AC adapter or MB-D10 pack and batteries other than EN-EL3e Memory format • SD/SDHC/SDXC (dual slots) • SD/SDHC • Compact Flash (type I and UDMA) (dual SD/CF slots) Dimensions Approx 132 x 105 x 77mm (5.2 x 4.1 x 3.0in) Approx 132 x 103 x 77 mm (5.2 x 4.1 x 3.0 in.) Approx 147 x 114 x 74 mm (5.8 x 4.5 x 2.9 in) Weight (inc battery) 780 g (1.7 lb.) 704 g (1.5 lb.) 918 g (2.2 lb.) *In movie mode, 30fps is actually 29.97fps, 24 is actually 23.976fps.

I recently reviewed the Phottix Cleon wireless remote, which was released by Phottix in February 2008. Since that time, Phottix have not been resting on their laurels, but were busy designing a new and improved version.

A new model, the Phottix Cleon II, was released earlier this year, in January 2009. It provides a number of improvements and enhancements since the Cleon.


This allows Phottix to manufacture a single model of receiver, and just provide different cables to suit different model cameras (this approach has also been taken with the Phottix Nikos digital timer remote).

I'll be taking a closer look at other differences between the Cleon and Cleon II in subsequent parts of this review.

A quick search on eBay indicates the Phottix Cleon II typically retails for about AUD$56 (approx USD$36), which is about AUD$10 more than the previous model Cleon.


Specifications (as listed on the packaging):

Name of Product	Transmitter	Receiver
Power	12V / 23A	3V / CR2
Life of Battery	up to 3 years	20,000 Times
Smart Code System	16 000 000 combination codes
Range	100m (320ft) without obstacles
Monitor Light	Two color LEDs	Two color LEDs
Frequency	433 MHz

To summarise the differences between Cleon and Cleon II, I've listed them in a table. Note that this table does not include functionality that exists in the Cleon and in the Cleon II; it only lists the differences between the two models.

Name of Product	Cleon	Cleon II
release date	February 2008	January 2009
frequency	315 MHz	433 MHz
number of channels	16 (set with DIP switches)	16,000,000 (preset in transmitter)
transmitter-camera cable	hard-wired into transmitter	removable with 2.5mm plug
transmitter antenna length	75 mm	125 mm
2S switch	configured on receiver	configured on transmitter
multiple frames option	none	configured on transmitter
receiver power switch	4-position slide switch	hold down on switch for 3 seconds
terminate wireless bulb mode	half-press on transmitter	half-press or full press on transmitter

The Cleon II supports 16,000,000 different channels, and I found that I had to synchronise the receiver and transmitter before they would communicate. Once this synchronisation operation has been completed, it shouldn't be necessary to re-synchronise each time you use the Cleon II.

• turn receiver on by holding down "set/power" button for ~3 seconds until right hand side LED turns on
• press "set/power" button on receiver 5 times until LED on left hand side flashes red
• press shutter button on transmitter
• LED on left hand side of receiver should turn off

Now that the synchronisation has been completed, half-depressing the shutter button on the transmitter should result in the LED on the left hand side of the receiver going green, and a full press of the button should result in this LED going red.

Note that multiple receivers can be programmed to respond to a single transmitter, allowing you to trigger multiple cameras with a single transmitter.

After removing the receiver's battery for several minutes, I re-installed it, and confirmed that the receiver was still synchronised to the transmitter, so it appears that the synchronisation is a once-off exercise that won't need to be repeated (unless you want to synchronise the receiver to a different transmitter).


As with the original Cleon, the receiver can be used as a dumb wired remote, using the shutter button on the receiver. Moving the receiver mode switch to "Hold" allows it to be used for long bulb-mode exposures without having to hold the shutter button down.
Note that there is no need to power on the receiver when using it as a wired remote.

• S/B - single exposures or bulb mode (hold transmitter button down for 3 seconds to lock the shutter open in bulb mode)
• 2S - single exposures with a 2 second delay
• multiple exposures - when triggered by transmitter, receiver will take 5 exposures

After having reviewed and compared the Cleon and Cleon II, I believe the Cleon II is definitely an improvement over the Cleon, for the following reasons:

• auto code setting with 16,000,000 possibilities, no DIP switches required
• no unnecessary power-off switch on transmitter
• receiver cable is not hard-wired into receiver
• 2S (2 second delay) mode is now selected on transmitter, not receiver
• 5 frame setting on transmitter
• transmitter antenna is longer, and should provide a longer range
• wireless bulb mode can be terminated with half-press or full press on transmitter 

However, with the Cleon II, either a full-press or a half-press on the transmitter button will terminate bulb mode, and this is a bit user-friendlier.


There's still no way to hang the receiver from your tripod if your camera's hotshoe is occupied with a flash or a flash trigger. However, that can be fairly easily rectified by drilling a small hole in the receiver case to attach a small lanyard, or tying something to the hotshoe adaptor on the receiver.

The Phottix Cleon II has numerous improvements over its predecessor, the Cleon, so if you are intending to purchase a Cleon, be sure to order the Cleon II, rather than the superseded Cleon.

The Phottix Cleon is a combination wired and wireless shutter release for cameras. It was released in February 2008 at PMA 2008 (Photo Marketing Association tradeshow).

The Cleon consists of a compact wireless transmitter and wireless receiver, and can be configured to use any one of 16 wireless channels.

The receiver can be used as a wired remote shutter release, and supports single shot mode, as well as bulb mode for long exposures.

A shutter release is designed to allow you to trigger a camera's shutter without having to depress the camera's shutter button itself. This can be particularly important when taking long exposure photos with the camera mounted on a tripod, as the physical action of depressing the shutter button on the camera is likely to result in the camera moving, thus resulting in a photo that is no longer sharp.
A shutter release also allows the camera's shutter to be triggered from a distance.

A wired remote shutter release is the simplest option, and consists of a switch that's connected in parallel with the camera's shutter button, connected via a cable to the camera. However, you're still tethered to the camera with the cable, and need to stay in close proximity to the camera while using the cable release.

A wireless shutter release provides a lot more flexibility, as it un-tethers the remote from the camera, and uses a wireless (RF or infrared) signal to communicate with either the camera itself, or a receiver that's connected to the camera. Depending on the range of the wireless shutter release, it allows you to trigger the camera's shutter from a distance, and can be useful for situations where you've set up the camera on a tripod, and you are some distance away.

An infrared-based wireless remote requires clear line-of-sight between the transmitter and receiver. However, an RF-based wireless remote such as the Phottix Cleon does not require line-of-site between the transmitter and receiver, and hence is much more flexible than an infrared-based wireless remote.



The Phottix Cleon has two primary components, namely the transmitter and the receiver. The receiver has a cable hard-wired into it, and different models of the Cleon come with varying connectors, to suit different cameras.

• C8: for Canon 10D/20D/30D/40D/50D/5D/1D
• C6: for Canon 300D/350D/400D/450D/1000D and Pentax K20D, K200D, K10D , K100D
• N8: for Nikon D100/D200/D300/D700/D3
• N6: for Nikon D70s/D80
• S6: for Sony/KM cameras 

Specifications (as listed on the packaging): 

Name of Product	Transmitter	Receiver
Power	12V / 23A	3V / CR2
Life of Battery	up to 3 years	20,000 Times
Number of channels	16	16
Range	100m (320ft) without obstacles
Monitor Light	Two color LEDs	Two color LEDs
Frequency	315 MHz

transmitter A single transmitter can be used to trigger multiple receivers, if the receivers are configured to use the same channel. In other words, you can use a single transmitter to trigger multiple cameras, if each camera is connected to a Cleon receiver on the same channel.  The camera cable connected to the Cleon receiver is hard-wired into the receiver, and cannot be removed from the receiver.  The Cleon receiver has a plastic hotshoe connector on its base, and this allows you to attach the receiver onto the camera's hotshoe for convenience, rather than leaving it dangling from the cable. There are no electrical contacts in the hotshoe connector on the Cleon receiver; it's purely a physical connection to hold the receiver.  Cleon receiver on a Canon 50D The Cleon receiver can be oriented to either face the front of the camera, or the rear of the camera, when mounting it in the camera's hotshoe. This allows you to have the status LEDs on the receiver facing either forwards or backwards, so you can see the LEDs if you're standing in front or behind the camera.  Cleon receiver The receiver's mode switch allows various modes to be selected, including: Off - turns the RF receiver off, but receiver can still be used as a wired remote On - turns the RF receiver on, and the transmitter can be used to trigger the camera shutter 2S - turns the RF receiver on, and adds a 2 second lag when the transmitter triggers it B - long exposures in bulb mode when used as a wired remote Cleon transmitter The transmitter has a simple On/Off switch, as well as a telescopic extendable antenna. The wrist strap and clip provided with the Cleon can be attached to the transmitter, if desired.  Using the Receiver as a Wired Shutter Release The receiver can be used as a simple wired remote shutter release, utilising the large button on it to trigger the camera's shutter. The receiver needs to be connected to your camera by plugging the end of the receiver's cable into the camera's remote socket. A half-press of the receiver's button is equivalent to a half-press on the camera's shutter button, and a full press is equivalent to a full press on the camera's shutter button.  The mode switch on the receiver can stay in the "Off" position, and there's no need for a battery in the receiver when it's being used as a wired shutter release.  For long exposures using the camera's bulb mode, rather than holding down the shutter button on the Cleon receiver, moving the receiver's mode switch to "B" will cause it to hold the camera's shutter open. Moving the mode switch back to "Off" will cause the camera's shutter to close.  Using the Cleon Wirelessly To use the Cleon to wirelessly trigger your camera, you'll need to connect the receiver to the camera's remote socket, and optionally mount the receiver unit on the camera's hotshoe. The mode switch on the receiver needs to be switched to "On" if you want the camera to immediately take a photo as soon as the transmitter button is fully depressed, or "2S" if you want the receiver to wait for 2 seconds before taking a photo.  The power switch on the transmitter needs to be set to "On" before it can be used to remotely trigger the receiver.  Cleon transmitter Depending on the distance between the receiver and transmitter, you may also need to extend the antenna on the receiver. The specifications claim a working distance of 100m in an area free of obstacles, but I haven't yet tested the range of the Cleon. When the mode switch on the receiver is set to "On", the LED on the left hand side periodically flashes green, to indicate it's ready for operation. With the mode switch set to "2S", the LED on the right hand side of the receiver periodically flashes red.   half-press: green LED full press: red LED Half-depressing the button on the transmitter causes the status LED on the transmitter to glow green, and the LED on the left hand side of the receiver will also glow green. This is equivalent to a half-press on the camera's shutter button. Fully depressing the button on the transmitter causes the status LED on the transmitter to go red, and the LED on the right hand side of the receiver also goes red as the camera's shutter is triggered. Wireless Bulb Mode with the Cleon The Cleon also supports bulb mode wirelessly, without requiring you to hold the transmitter button down to keep the camera shutter open. To use the Cleon's wireless bulb mode, your camera needs to be configured in bulb mode. To open the camera's shutter, hold the transmitter button down for about 4 seconds. During this time, the transmitter's LED will be red, and will then turn off after 4 seconds. Once the transmitter's LED has turned off, you can release the transmitter button, and the receiver will hold the camera shutter open. The LED on the left hand side of the receiver will remain red while it holds the shutter open. To release the shutter, half-press the button on the transmitter, and the red LED on the receiver should turn off as it releases the camera's shutter. The Verdict The Phottix Cleon provides a cheap and compact wireless remote shutter release, and also offers the flexibility of being able to be used as a wired shutter release. A wireless shutter release allows the camera's shutter to easily be triggered from a greater distance from the camera (upto 100m). The Cleon is well-constructed, and during my testing, it performed flawlessly, with no false triggering occurring during testing (although I all my testing was over short distances). The receiver's plastic hotshoe provides a convenient mechanism to mount the receiver on the camera's hotshoe. However, if you have a flash or a flash trigger mounted on the hotshoe, you cannot mount the Cleon receiver. Having a lug for attaching a small strap to the receiver would be useful in these situations, as you could then hang the receiver from your tripod. I'm not sure why the transmitter requires a power switch, as I don't believe the circuitry is active unless the shutter button is being depressed. However, the power switch ensures the battery will not be drained if the shutter button on the transmitter is accidentally depressed in your camera bag. I have found the convenience of a wireless shutter release to be handy, even in situations where I'm close to the camera. Sunrise and sunset photo shoots often see my camera mounted on a tripod, taking photos as the lighting conditions change. The wireless shutter release allows me to easily trigger the camera's shutter without having to walk upto the camera and tripod, and use a wired shutter release.