Canon just announced the availability of a new firmware (v1.2.2) for the Canon EOS 7D.

Main features:

• Fixes a phenomenon in which the set aperture moves when shooting movies in manual exposure mode using some Canon lenses (such as macro lenses).
• Fixes the AF point-selection behavior of the C.Fn III-7 (Manual AF pt. selec. pattern) custom function when set to [1].
• Fixes the AF point display for the viewfinder electronic level when shooting in the vertical position.
• Corrects misspellings in the Spanish and Thai menus for applicable products.

Firmware Downloads from the Canon (Japan) web site: Canon EOS 7D firmware.

photo credit: eirikso

Canon launches two new firmwares (surprisingly, both hold the same version number v1.0.8, but they are really two different firmwares split at birth for two different cameras).

For the Canon EOS 1D Mk-IV, this is the correction of a bug around the aperture management in video mode.
For the Canon EOS 550D, menus have to be corrected/updated.

As usual, the downloads will take place from the Canon Japanese web site:

• Download Firmware Update 1.0.8 pour Canon EOS 550D
• Download Firmware Update 1.0.8 pour Canon EOS 1D Mk-IV

IrfanView v4.27

The excellent images handling software program, IrfanView, has just been upgraded to version 4.27.

• Command line options to handle images with scripts (actions) or filters.
• Addition of a border or a frame.
• Addition of new filters and file formats.
• The screen copies options now allow to handle larger objects like a full web page (auto-scroll is included).

Even better, it stays free.

It is no longer possible to list all the web sites that offer you the possibility to assemble a photo collage in a form that is appreciated by so many photographers despite its simplicity. Many web sites are characterized by the needed payments they request, but the idea has come a long way and what could be easily done with scissors and a glue stick, is now available on a computer near you. So, here are just two ideas I liked.

• PhotoVisi offers about the usual services with the main difference that you can freely download the image file in 1600×1200 pixels.
• ShapeCollage is letting your imagination roam freely with its huge choice of templates taking the form of nearly anything and because it is a free download software.

If, after that, you do not have ideas for your next photos, I’ll resign…

It’s been quite some time that I wanted to mention the existence of a powerful HDR tool that is available for Mac: HDRtist is free and seems quite able. Unfortunately, it comes from the family of HDR tools which prefer to produce unrealistic images, but it can be tweaked.

The new version of HDRtist, v1.2, is available for free download.

GIMP is an excellent image edition software which could (should?) attract all those who do not want to pay the full price of Photoshop, while they work with Apple, Windows or Linux. the differences are real, but the most obvious one is certainly the interface (and Adobe clearly did a nice work on it). So, why not try to prep up your GIMP to make it look like a near-clone of Photoshop?

photo credit: See-ming Lee ��明 SML

Blair Mathis decided to reduce the distance between them by the installation of several plugins on GIMP. And the result is astonishingly interesting. All the more because the process is fully documented step-by-step, which makes it little more than a longer software installation.

1. PSPI
2. Layers
3. Separate+ from Yellowmagic
4. Liquid Rescale from Wikidot (for an image rescale without deformation as in CS4)
5. Additional brushes from Blendfu
6. GIMP Animation Package
7. Enable GEGL

But if this is not enough, there are also a few hacked versions of GIMP that have been already prepared for the Photoshop lovers. The most renowned are:

• GimpShop whose interface is specially good
• GimPhoto is slightly less convincing but is based on a more recent (and more powerful) GIMP version

Once again, here is how you can (nearly) download Photoshop for free, while being well on the right side of law.

Aviary, one of the best online graphics edition software, just changed its pricing model. Instead of the subscriptions previously used, they went for a new price structure: 100% free. Supported by new financial partners, they offer their tools for free. Impressive free tool suite.

The announcement on the Aviary blog.

The user manual for the Pentax K-x is now available for free download (at Pentax Japan).

• Pentax K-x User Manual

EXIF date changer

The EXIF data hold a lot of useful technical information about your photos. One of these is the date and hour of the snapshot. This is quite pleasant, useful and nice up to the moment when your camera internal clock fails or starts lagging. Or when you need very precise synchronization with another device (like a GPS geo-marker, for example). Here, you need to correct precisely the hour (or worse, the date) written in your photos and -generally- you have to do it on dozens of photos at once.

How to do this? Under Windows, ask to EXIF Date Changer from Relik Software. This utility program will allow to correct this information in a matter of seconds.

Actually, Lightroom 3 is in beta phase and you can get a beta version for free until April 30th 2010. It already seems like a very long time and if you wanted to test it or to discover this good photographic software, it may be time for it.

But, please, remember that even if this is perfectly legal, beta-quality software may contain some bugs and glitches that are not backed up by a manufacturer’s warranty. You’re just helping Adobe make Lightroom 3 into a better Lightroom.

Download Lightroom 3 public beta for free.

Via DownloadSquad.

Photofunia is a fun way to transform your photos in a way that is technically interesting. You will surprise your friends with dozens of cool (and free) effects.

For example, I created this weirder than weird image of Michael Jackson (from the thumbnail shown below).

Photoshop is not the only photo editing tool on the market, but it is definitely a leader. Despite this, or because it has to be the best tool for so many people, it takes a very long time to start Photoshop on your computer.

On Windows, Photoshop SpeedUp is a freeware that can solve part of this issue. It gives all the tools to reduce load times for the big Adobe Photoshop tool.

Photoshop SpeedUP