next * juSt out Among the perks of Flip Video’s MinoHD: simple, touch-sensitive, and backlit controls; a stereo mic; a built-in speaker, and HDMI video out (cable optional). poCKet Hd Push red button, make hi-def video. Repeat. PeeKIng out of your shirt pocket, the Flip Gen 2 MinoHD video recorder looks more like a brushed chrome cell phone: compact, svelte, and—with no tapes, memory cards, connecting cables or software CDs— completely self contained. What’s new in the second generation of this mini cam- PortaBle VIeWerS have been around a while, but the mega storage space and fairly fast offl oad time (up to 40MB/s) makes the MemoryKick Si especially appealing. It will play MP3s, videos, and RAW fi les as well as the usual JPEGs. It also reads most common memory cards—simultaneously for card-to-card transfer. But the real bonus comes with its USB corder? The LCD preview screen is about one-third wider, and the internal fl ash memory has doubled to 8GB for 120 minutes of 720p video. Like the fi rst MinoHD, all the connecting and editing software is built in. Who needs speed-dial-simple HD video? When it’s as cute as the Flip, who doesn’t? flip generation 2 minohd camcorder $229, street www.thefl ip.com BaCKUp to Go View and store your <strong>photo</strong>s on the road, sans laptop memoryKick Si 160–500gB, $300–$430, street www.argraph.com 18 PoPular PhotograPhy January 2010 port. When you’re on the road, you can copy images from your MemoryKick to another hard drive, making doubly sure it’s safe to format your memory cards and continue shooting. >Shooters who use touchscreen cameras now have two glove options for wintertime: Etre’s Touchy gloves, which lack tips on the thumb and forefinger, and Dots Gloves, which have conductive spots on their fingertips. >Intended for Alzheimer’s patients, the wearable Vicon Revue camera will take a <strong>photo</strong> every 30 seconds. Great for those who have trouble remembering, or just want to record their entire lives. >If you hate wearing a camera strap around your neck, try a holster: The SpiderPro system lets you hang your camera from your belt. >Wacky iPhone app alert: 3D Camera helps you shoot 3-D <strong>photo</strong>s with your phone. View them with 3-D glasses or let the app switch rapidly between the two images to simulate a 3-D effect. www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com New Software OnOne FocalPoint 2 Adding realistic lens blur is a complicated project in Adobe Photoshop, so we loved the original version of onone’s FocalPoint plug-in—it let us add blur and create shots that we couldn’t have made in the camera. But its blur wasn’t always fl exible enough. the second iteration should fi x that. More realistic, FocalPoint 2 lets you control highlight bloom and even has a lens simulator that imitates the bokeh of optics you didn’t, or couldn’t, use when shooting. ($160, direct; www.onone software.com) thE LoWdoWn lightroom 3 in Beta last october, adobe put a beta version of lightroom 3 up on its labs site. the free software doesn’t expire until april 30, 2010 , and features an upgraded raW processor, a much more useful import dialog, and plenty of organizing and exporting improvements. don’t miss the chance to tell adobe how to make the program better, and enjoy an extended free trial in the meantime.
MY FRIENDS. MY LIFE. MY IMAGES. M-Y MANFROTTO The M-Y tripod is ideal for: · self portrait · low light shots · long distance shots (zoom) · video recording · traveling (light and compact) For more information visit www.manfrotto.us www.storemags.com & www.fantamag.com Great nights out, great holidays, great memories! Manfrotto’s M-Y tripod lets you capture the moments you want to remember. 7322CY Tripod w/494RC4 Head