Exploring the hidden features of your Canon Powershot

I came accross this nice Linux development project called 'CHDK'.
It is a bunch of software that you can load onto most (not all) canon powershot compact digital
cameras in order to release their hidden potential!
It can make your camerea do long exposures (up to 65 secs) or very fast exposures (1/25,000 sec),
you can record images in RAW format and display a live histogram. You can even run scripts to take bracketing pictures or on motion detection.
At linux.com you can find a nice overview by Nathan Willis.
Unfortunately, my camera is not supported (yet). But if anyone fancies trying it on your (older) powershot let me know how it works out.

Canon launches European wide Photographic Competition...

Being as some of our members have had competition success in the past I thought you may like to know about Canons European photography competition called "The Assignment" which challenges photographers from all over Europe to enter their best images in the categories - Portrait, Landscape, Sport and Macro.

Each participant will be given the choice of competing nationally (only eligible to win Canon equipment) or internationally (also eligible to be selected to participate in the Assignment). Further details can be found in the press release below.

I didn't read anywhere that you could only use Canon equipment so I don't see why the Nikonians amongst us can't participate as well.

Pre-registration is required and has already been open since the18th February and closes on the 17th March after which you can upload your image, the competition itself running until 1st May.

Anyway, as I said before check out the press release below plus the website indicated to get up to date with all the details (and if you prefer it in spanish you can go here).... and above all.... good luck !

... and no, I won't accept entering this competition as an excuse for not presenting images at the club themes ;-)

Canon UK Press Release

United Kingdom / Republic of Ireland, 19 February, 2008: Canon is pleased to announce The Assignment, the European photography competition that is set to take the continent by storm. Pre-registration for the contest – which offers four overall winners once-in-a-lifetime prizes – is now open at http://www.canon-europe.com/theassignment.
Across 19 European countries, Austria, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK. The Assignment challenges amateur photographers to submit their best work in one of four categories: Portrait, Landscape, Sport and Macro. In every country, winning images will be selected by a distinguished judging panel from a shortlist created by online public voting; the winners will receive €2,000 worth of Canon EOS kit as a reward.
Each national category winner will also be judged against those from all other competing countries by the expert panel, chaired by award-winning reportage, portrait and travel photographer Vicki Couchman. The top two winners in Europe per category (Portrait, Landscape, Sport and Macro) will then be taken on a trip to Vienna, to experience the thrills of a match at UEFA EURO 2008™ before competing head-to-head in a photographic shoot out.
The final four European category winners will win the opportunity to plan, then follow their own personal ‘dream assignment’ – each of which will be filmed for broadcast across Europe later in the year.
“The Assignment will help amateur photographers across Europe to realise their ambitions,” said Mogens Jensen, Head of Canon Consumer Imaging, Europe. “Canon EOS has revolutionised D-SLR photography, and with this high-profile competition we hope to inspire even more people to take up this rewarding, creative hobby.”
Pre-registration for The Assignment begins on 18 February at http://www.canon-europe.com/theassignment. Each registrant will gain free access to exclusive online video tutorials with head judge Vicki Couchman.
The competition opens on 17 March and runs until 1 May. Public voting ends two weeks later. For more information, visit http://www.canon-europe.com/theassignment.