Don’t forget we have the excellent Photos 2 Canvas service now which is great for Christmas gifts and also an ever-growing collection of prints from our photographic team!

Nearly two years after the introduction of the D80, Nikon has announced its successor, the D90. This new DSLR camera inherits its older brother’s outer dimensions, power source, 11-point AF module and most of its external controls, but adds a newly developed 12 megapixel CMOS sensor, EXPEED image processor, and a bigger, much higher-resolution rear LCD screen. The D90 also features a slightly improved viewfinder coverage, 3D focus tracking, ultrasonic sensor cleaning, 50% faster burst shooting, a larger buffer, Active D-lighting, in-camera raw development, an expanded ISO sensitivity range, HDMI connectivity, geotagging and Live View with Face Priority AF. On top of all that, it’s the first DSLR ever produced to offer an HD movie mode.

The control layout of the D90 is also very similar to the D80, with only the dedicated Live View button and an info button to the bottom right of the screen being completely new. The OK button has moved to the centre of the four-way pad, and the focus selector lock has been changed from a slider to a switch, but that’s it really – the other changes are cosmetic only, affecting the shape of buttons well known from the D80, and the colour of their labels. The similarities extend to the power source and the recording medium as well. The D90 runs on the same proprietary EN-EL3e Lithium-ion battery as the D80, and records images on SD/SDHC cards.

So, what’s new then? Quite a lot, actually. For starters, the D80’s ten megapixel CCD has been superseded by a 12 megapixel CMOS chip capable of providing a Live View feed, recording video and capturing full-resolution stills at 4.5 frames per second, up from 3fps in the D80. Even more importantly, the sensor can now clean itself, by way of high-frequency vibrations that will, at least in theory, shake off any non-adhesive dust particles that may have settled on the low-pass filter during a lens change. You can specify, via an option in the Setup menu, whether you want sensor cleaning to take place at shutdown, startup, both or neither, with the default being ‘both’. The cleaning process had no practical impact on startup times, which were near instant. The new image sensor is complemented by a more powerful processing engine and a larger buffer as well.

While the above changes remain invisible until you put the camera to actual use, there is one development that will be very hard to overlook for anyone taking even a casual look at a D90: the rear screen. The D80 already had a nice, big 2.5” TFT LCD with a resolution of 230,000 dots, but it pales in comparison with the D90’s three-inch, 920,000-dot monitor. On the new camera, the screen is used not only to navigate menus and to review pictures, but can also act as a secondary status display, facilitating the transition for former D50/D40/D60 owners who are not yet used to having a top-mounted status LCD on their cameras. And of course it’s also the rear screen that provides live view for capturing both stills and movies.

One of the extras the D90 offers over the D80 is Live View off the main sensor. While other manufacturers have been implementing this feature across their entire DSLR line, Nikon has, until now, reserved it for their higher-priced models, including the D300, the D3 and the D700. With the D90, Live View has arrived to less well-heeled Nikon fans as well. And while on their other cameras, LV was one of the drive mode options, it now has its own dedicated button. Live View is either delivered on the high-resolution rear monitor or on any LCD panel or plasma screen connected to the camera via an HDMI cable. There is a red rectangle in the middle, which you can move practically anywhere in the frame. When in manual focus mode, you can magnify into this rectangle in five steps simply by repeatedly pressing the button marked with a loupe icon, but this magnification seems to be interpolated rather than real.

Live View is also what’s used for the feature that has arguably generated the most interest in the Nikon D90: its movie mode. The camera records high-definition, wide-screen video in 1280×720 pixel resolution, at a frame rate of 24fps, in AVI format using the motion JPEG codec. The maximum size of a single video clip is 2 gigabytes which, given that movies occupy about 100 megabytes of storage space per minute, would theoretically translate into about 20 minutes of continuous recording, but – apparently because of certain legal regulations in the EU –, Nikon decided to limit the clip length to 5 minutes for high-definition movies. By offering video capture in a DSLR, Nikon has made it possible for filmmakers to play with depth of field the way they never could, taking advantage of the relatively big sensor and the wide assortment of Nikkor lenses.

Nikon D90, with its self-cleaning sensor, excellent meter, sophisticated multi-point AF system, large viewfinder, 4.5fps continuous shooting speed, wireless flash options and great degree of cusomisability is hard to beat, especially at its price point of around £679 for body only.

Read the full review over at PhotographyBlog.com

Our favourite photograph this month comes from our team member Don Tiffney and is entitled Safe Haven. Despite a very early morning start in the summer and a tricky combination of light sources Don has expertly worked his magic to make such a great image. A three minute exposure meant a steady tripod was required to keep the photograph nice and sharp!

He tells us “A flat calm North Sea reflects the beam from the Flamborough Head lighthouse & the sodium lights cast a comforting glow over the weathered stonework on the harbour wall. This was photographed at 2am but it’s not always as quiet as this!”.

Camera Model: Fuji S5 Pro
Lens: Sigma 18-50EX
Focal Length: 18mm
Shutter Speed: 3 Mins. 9secs.
Aperture: f14
ISO: 100

This stunning and original image can be purchased in a range of sizes and finishes such as our quality canvas wall art, the sleek acrylic prints or as an art poster ready to frame. The image can be found in our Fine Art Scenes section. It works wonders as a three part triptych canvas but there are many choices to suit your room and decor.

Great work Don

Whether you are a professional photographer who wants to offer your clients a new print solution or you just have some great photos that you want to hang on your walls, our new Photos on Canvas service is going to be very handy indeed.

This new feature to the Fotoviva site is so simple - just a few clicks is all it takes to have your own image printed onto canvas. You can upload the digital file, choose your preferred size, finish and details, then we will do the rest.

Everyone has holiday snaps, lovable pet photos or family pictures - so why not show them off in style by letting us print your photos to canvas so you can hang them on your walls in all their glory! And with Christmas coming up they make unique presents for friends and family.

Yes you can save a few pounds getting them printed onto canvas elsewhere, but why risk having sub-standard frames and print quality? We use professional materials, our wooden frames are from sustainable forests, all our canvases are made in the UK and they are still great value for money.

As with the main art collection, we can also print your digital photos on non-standard sizes or as triptych canvases so if you would prefer this please contact us and we will provide you with our best quote.

Uk born photographer Michael Veerasingham is the latest to join the Fotoviva Team and we really like his work! Inspired by nature and open spaces, photography has followed Michael closely throughout his life and his travels. Starting out as a child with a ‘hand me down’ box camera and black and white film, he was introduced to the basic skills of capturing images and their subsequent development by his father. With the advent of the digital age, Michael now uses digital equipment to both take and process his images.

His landscape photography work is subtle yet stunning with a fine collection of additions to our Black and White section. His composition skills and fine exposure help create atmospheric images that will bring a serene feeling to any room.

He is currently based in the rolling foothills of the Basque Pyreneean mountains. British born and of Basque descent he has been familiar with the Basque Country, ‘Euskual Herria’ since early childhood. To this day he remains in awe of this outstandingly beautiful area, which covers parts of both North Eastern Spain and South Western France. He tries to capture the essence of its hills, forests, mountains, lakes, beaches, and rugged coastline. Spoilt for choice in terms of the photographic opportunities the Basque Country provides, he also ventures further afield to maximise the variety of locations and material he is able to shoot. Generally working in low light conditions, he endeavours to bring out the best in his images through the use of both monochrome and colour mediums.

Michael has a selection of his prints available to purchase on Fotoviva and also has his own website at www.koko-images.com

So the Fotoviva Art Collection continues to grow from strength to strength and we have just reached our 300th image. No prizes to him but Martyn Starkey’s equestrian picture ‘White’ is the photograph which happens to be the 300th - and what a shot it is!

A truly magical atmosphere was created with the sepia toning and elegant composition of the horse that shows the grace and beauty these magnificent creatures possess. If you like horses this is an art print you really must own! It is available printed on canvas, acrylic or poster art in a range of sizes to suit your walls.
Congratulations to Martyn and to the rest of the Fotoviva team who continue to help build the ‘quality not quantity’ collection with stunning photographic art that makes your jaw drop!

A big welcome to Martyn Starkey who has joined the Fotoviva photography team. We are thrilled to have his images available for sale on the site and he has his own unique style of work which compliments our collection.

Martyn lives in the central part of England and mainly shoots around the Nottinghamshire area. Photography and digital art have been a love of his for many years but only recently has he found the time to take some more artistic pictures.

He currently use a Canon 400d camera with various lenses and programs such as Photoshop and Photomatix for post processing. He likes to use the HDR (High Dynamic Range) technique and lots of processing to create very artistic views of the scenes he shoots. Bright colours and soft focussing abound in his work which really draws attention, especially when printed onto canvas and hung on the wall.

Martyn says “I love wide angle landscapes and really enjoy producing dramatic skies which I hope enhance what is already present in the original pictures.”

More of his artistic work will be uploaded in the next few weeks so keep checking back!

The high-speed, 12-channel readout enables the D700 to achieve a fast continuous shooting speed of 5fps, or 8 fps with the Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D10 fitted. The Nikon D700 has a more compact design than the D3, and also features the same integrated dust reduction system as the D300 model. The Nikon D700 will cost £1999.99 and be available from July 2008.

”The Nikon D3 has taken the action photography industry by storm, motivating many pros to change their brand of choice, and we expect the D700 to continue that trend,” said Robert Cristina, Manager Professional Products and NPS at Nikon Europe. He added: “The D700 excels in the extreme low-light and high-contrast conditions under which today’s cameras are judged and affirms Nikon’s ongoing commitment to meeting tomorrow’s imaging needs.”

The D700 inherits the superior image quality of the D3 and uses the same core technologies such as the highly-sensitive 12.1 effective megapixel CMOS image sensor. The D700 also features the same innovative EXPEED high-speed image-processing system, 14-bit A/D conversion and 16-bit processing pipeline to provide the detail and smooth gradation necessary for outstanding print enlargement and reproduction. The D700 is ideal for those seeking a perfectly-balanced DSLR on the move, without compromising durability or environmental resistance to moisture and dust.

The D700 incorporates an image sensor cleaning system that uses high frequency vibrations to reduce the accumulation of dust on the image sensor surface. A responsive 5fps is possible with the compact 1500mAh EN-EL3e lithium-ion battery, with up to 8 fps possible by attaching the optional MB-D10 battery pack using the powerful 2500mAh EN-EL4a battery if desired. The practical i-TTL built-in pop up flash with 24mm lens coverage is ideal for discrete flash lighting when a full size Speedlight might be too cumbersome. Despite its attractive price tag, the D700 boasts a comprehensive range of features that include a highly responsive shutter release time lag of just 40ms, the acclaimed accuracy of the 51-point MultiCAM3500 AF system, DX Crop Mode and Live View with contrast-detect AF displayed on the same high-definition 3-inch TFT monitor used on the D3 and D300.

One of the most significant advantages of FX format cameras is the viewfinder experience which offers outstanding solid glass pentaprism, 95% coverage and adjustable AF point LED illumination for a bright, uninterrupted view. The D700 also has the ability to display the Virtual Horizon level indicator during Live View mode.

System Improvements to the 1,005-pixel RGB sensor have allowed information from the sensor to be utilised for auto exposure, auto white balance and autofocus. 3D-Tracking in AF, for example, achieved by using the Scene Recognition System, tracks subject colour position and automatically shifts the AF points used to match the subject’s movement within the frame. This system also contributes to higher accuracy of auto exposure and auto white balance.

The ultrahigh-definition [920,000-dot VGA (640 x 480)], 3-inch LCD monitor with tempered glass provides a 170° viewing angle. The large monitor is remarkably effective when confirming the focus with enlarged playback images. The wide viewing angle enables easy recomposing of the frame in Handheld mode with Live View. Image Sensor Cleaning Vibrations at four different resonant frequencies steer dust away from the optical low-pass filter in front of the image sensor. This function is automatically activated each time the camera is turned on and off, and can also be activated via the menu.

Ok so that’s some of the technical jargon for you pros out there, but when was the last time Nikon released a bad camera eh? If you have the money and some compatible lenses then you can’t go wrong with this beast of a DSLR.