Watch out for Panasonic's release of the very first 3CCD DVD movie camera, VDR-D400. The 3CCD feature of the camera enables it to capture image data by assigning one color to each chip, resulting in more accurate color information as compared to one CCD cams currently available.

The new Panasonic VDR-D400 boasts of 800,000 pixel with its 20x Leica optical zoom. It also has 2.7 inches LCD, which displays crisp and clear pictures, a joystick control for easier navigation and a 16:9 widescreen recording capability. Other features of this new hot gadget is the SD/Sdhc card slot, O.I.S, built-in LED color enhancement light, a video editing software, Hi-speed USB 2, and MPEG-2 recording in XP/SP/LP modes.

The slick design and the eye-catching silver color of the new Panasonic VDR D400 makes it the perfect gadget to show off to your friends on your next vacation or reunion. It weighs 720g (including the batteries) and measures 70x149x90mm. It is poised to take over the market on 1st of September for a hefty price of ¥120,000 (about $1050). But hey, you wouldn't mind spending that much after you see the envious looks from your friends.

One may see Kurtis Kronk as a creative person, but he himself admits that he is not one. But it does not take an artist to be a great photographer, right? And Kronk's work-related start with the camera has led to a lasting relationship.

Kronk painted his first date with photography: a challenging quest for setting up "a very cheap studio" while trying to decipher manual camera settings. From then on, he never left manual photography. Many may ask why Kronk let himself be stuck with modifying camera settings manually when the camera has an automatic mode that takes pictures 'just fine'. Kronk provides a nice answer, "It is certainly possible to get a nice photo just snapping away in automatic mode, but more often than not what you’ll end up with is a snapshot rather than an expressive photograph."

Indeed, the images that a camera's automatic settings may capture are not always as dramatic or as expressive as the ones captured by settings that you yourself set. With that said, Kronk decided to release a manual that will provide beginners (or automatic settings veterans) a good starting point on embarking on manual photography.

The manual that Kronk has released is just an introduction to manual settings and focuses on Shutter Speed, Aperture, and ISO sensitivity. More tips on manual settings may come our way in the following days. But for now, read the manual (by clicking on the link below) and who knows, with the info Kronk has provided you may already start churning out great photos. Snap away!