This is something that’s been puzzling me for some time now. Why are eBook reader programs so crude and amateur-looking? Why are there no decent, workable tools for producing ePub books? Why are so many ePub conversions utterly unreadable? Why is ePub itself such an awful and primitive standard? Why does nobody seem to care?
We’re told that the future of publishing is the electronic realm, yet ePub feels like a throwback to Web sites circa 1995. PDF files are fine, but aren’t very navigable or usable on a lot of cheaper readers. The whole thing is a really sad pathetic mess.
It’s quite weird to me. I mean, web pages and browsers have been around for ages. It’s not like some sort of bizarre intractable problem.
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No, it’s not a resurrection of the strange manual-focus semi-EOS film body from 20 years ago… EF-M now refers to the new line of Canon mirrorless cameras that’s rumoured to debut this coming Monday.
Rumoured specs from this Japanese site.
Summary: APS-C size chip, 18 megapixels and touchscreen for the base model, EOS M as the marketing name, introductory lenses pancake 22mm and an 18-55mm.
Interesting piece on the ongoing myth that flash photography can damage artwork.
Personally I feel that museums should ban the use of flash, simply because it’s incredibly annoying to have bright bursts of light fired off while you’re trying to contemplate art. However, the way this tends to translate to blanket bans on photography altogether is frustrating.
The ever-prolific Roger Cicala has a new blog piece devoted to an area shrouded in a lot of mystery: adjusting lens optics. Very interesting read for those curious about such things, which normally isn’t discussed much in public since it’s usually done behind closed doors in camera repair shops.
So I’m pleased to announce that my new book, The Lens: A Practical Guide for the Creative Photographer, is heading to the printers! Like my previous book, this one is being published by the awesome folks at Rocky Nook in Santa Barbara, California.
The Lens is basically one of those books that I wish I’d had when I was starting out. It covers everything you need to know about camera lenses for still photography, focusing on practical things that matter.
I’m pretty excited about it, and will be talking more about it soon!
(The book also explains the big quiet patch in my blog of late)
