Watermark Factory - Advanced Watermark Factory has stopped working error

One of my most useful pieces of software is Watermark Factory which is used to add watermarks to images that are used on the website as well as proof images sent to clients. It is exactly what you need from a piece of software to do a specific job - fast and does just what you need without any fuss.

Except it has recently stopped working and generates an error every time that Watermark Factory is launched. The error message is:

Watermark Factory - Advanced Watermark Factory has stopped working

and the software then closes. This is a fully licenced copy of the software and has been working perfectly until now. On further investigation it appears that something in an update to Windows Vista has affected the software

In order to run the software it was necessary to amend the properties set on the launch icon to change to Compatability Mode. I've set mine to Windows XP SP2. As soon as the change was made the software now runs perfectly!

The Producers by Stage Theatre Society - 7-10 March 2012

 

STS The Producers - Opening Night at Hazlitt Theatre Maidstone

 

The Producers' tells the story of a down-on-his-luck Broadway producer, Max Bialystock, and a nerdy, young accountant, Leo Bloom, who concoct a scheme to raise thousands of dollars from backers and then put on a flop of a show. With all the money that will be leftover, the pair will be rich! Only one thing goes wrong: the show is a gigantic hit!

Canon 5D Mark 3 Review - Is it Worth it Or Get Two Canon 5D Mark 2?

The Canon 5D Mark 3 has finally been announced and unlike the previous incarnations of the Canon 5D range it appears to not offer any groundbreaking new features but a lot of incremental improvements.

At a list price of £2999 I can't see a big rush to buy the Canon 5D III when the Canon 5D Mark II is now under £1400 meaning that you could buy two 5D2 cameras instead of one 5D3 or a 5D2 and some excellent lenses.

Canon are now also some way behind Nikon in the high pixel count race with the Nikon D800 maxing out at 36Mp compared to "only" 22Mp for the Canon 5D3. Maybe Canon will release another camera above the 5D3 to compete with Nikon D800 or maybe they are now targeting different areas of the market.

For studio work we still use our Canon 5D mark 1 in preference to the 5D mark2 as the ISO performance is not required and the larger file sizes create more storage and slow down the post processing workflow.

VAT Free Photo Albums and Storybooks - VAT refund on Wedding Albums

Following a decision from a VAT tribunal it has been ruled that photo books and wedding albums should not have VAT applied. Loxley Colour our wedding album supplier have contacted us to state that as of 14 Feb 2012 all their albums will be VAT-free and there may be a reclaim for VAT paid in previous years.

VAT on Wedding Albums

If you are a photographer offering albums then you may have some cash to come back from VAT refunds.

Canon 5DIII - 5D Mark 3 Spotted Testing on Shoot?

It looks like the Canon 5D Mark 3 might finally have been spotted out being put through its paces on a shoot. Blog "Aperture Academy" has images of an unidentified Canon camera being used with two new lenses.

There are two camera bodies in their images, one looks like it could be the 1DX as it has an integrated battery grip and second display. The other has a separate battery grip which may be the Canon 5DIII or could be a Canon 7D replacement although the 5D3 looks more likely as the camera body pictured doesn't have a built in flash.

http://blog.apertureacademy.com/2012/01/canon-200-400mm-and-600mm-prototype.html

Hama Defender Lens Case / Camera Lens Bag

With a few top end lenses the manufacturer supplies a lens pouch case with them, for many other lenses they are supplied in the box and packing but with nothing to protect once you have taken them out of the box. The Hama Defender Lens case is an ideal way to protect your valuable lenses that didn't come with a manufacturer supplied case.

The Defender lens case has a sturdy zip to keep the lens in place and is extremely well padded around the body of the case. The Canon lens bags are very flimsy in comparison and offer virtually no protection in the event of dropping the bag. I haven't tested it (!!) but from its construction I would imagine that a lens in the Hama lens case will survive a reasonable drop intact due to the padding and build.

Although the packaging of the case shows a Canon white pro lens (it appears to be the 70-200 f2.8) this wouldn't fit in the case as it is too long and wide for it. The case does fit the Canon 50mm f1.4 with lens hood, the Canon 85mm f1.8 and the Canon 24-105 f4 without hoods.

Canon 70-200 f2.8IS lens case side by side with Hama Defender

Camera lens case -
DSLR camera bag - 

Eastman Kodak Files Bankruptcy Protection

Sad news today that Eastman Kodak has filed for Bankruptcy Protection in the USA. My first camera was a Kodak Brownie Reflex as seen here

Kodak was also one of the first companies selling a full frame DSLR at 14 megapixels when the competition at the time were around the 6Mp mark with APS-C size sensors.

Sadly it didn't manage to capitalise on that leading position and shortly afterwards stopped selling any DSLRs.