New(ish) magazine for Canon dSLR owners

[Bayla]

Whilst browsing in the bookshop at the airport in the UK on my way to the US I found issue 4 of a photography/Photoshop magazine called Photoplus for Canon dSLR owners. I bought it and was VERY impressed (and bought issue 5 on my way home!) It's a mixture of photography and Photoshop techniques, and gives instructions for both PSE & CS2 & gives workarounds where necessary. Comes with a video CD as well. There's also reviews on equipment, printers etc. There were a couple of special subscription offers in my magazine - if you go to www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/ppo/c003 (http://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/ppo/c003) there is an offer to get the first three months for just £3 (& then £9.99 per quarter after that) or alternatively www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/ppo/p005 (http://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/ppo/p005) gets you a free 20" Lastolite reflector along with your subscription.

There were a few things in it that irked me, but on the whole I really liked it. I think it would appeal to anyone wanting to take their Canon out of auto mode...it gives very clear descriptions and explanations and there's a glossary down the side of nearly every page explaining all the different terms. I don't subscribe to a photography magazine so I thought I'd try this one.

Bayla

[NickLewis]

Coincidentally, I picked up a copy of Issue 5 on Wednesday - but in a more mundane way - in Sainsbury's.

I thought it was very good as well. Not so much because the content's differnt from other mags, but because it was focused on one camera and image editing software brand respectively. Particularly good for anyone who isn't far enough along the learning curve to do the mental gymnastics translating from a different brand.

I did have to smile though, when page 3 (no, not that Page 3!) said "we don't assume you're a millionaire. We focus on the D-SLR's most people buy". Then the very first feature article was a Pro-Am tutorial on landscapes. The pro was using a 1DMkII, and the aspiring amateur had.....wait for it....a 1DsMkII!!! :eek: What was that, £5k or so...... And he couldn't work the histogram.....:confused:

In all fairness, though, the techniques shown were just as valid for pretty well any camera.

Good mag.

Nick

[Bayla]

Nick,

I've not had a chance to open issue 5 yet...I'm incredibly jetlagged and haven't quite finished unpacking.

One thing that bugged me in #4 though - someone had written in asking what to do as her brush tool had mysteriously changed into a crosshair....there was a whole answer complete with 3 or 4 pictures about going into preferences and making sure the right boxes were checked....I'll bet you anything you like the poor girl just needed to be told 'take off Caps Lock'!!

Bayla

[NickLewis]

LOL!!

I am eternally grateful to whoever it was here (TonyW??) that gave me the tip about setting up my PC to beep when I hit CapsLock........

Nick

[NMarti]

Bayla :D my first thought too! I picked up the first issue and got a great photoshop tutorial cd with it at Borders. I looked the last couple of times I was there and they didn't have it. It either sells out quick or they decided against carrying it. I'm going to have to ask when I go in tomorrow.

[nkeevers]

Hey, thanks for sharing! Sounds like a great magazine and I'm definitely going to subscribe!

[CalamityJanet]

I also found one issue a while back at Borders and haven't been able to find more. I just tried to subscribe and they do NOT ship to the U.S. :mad:Bummer....

[Codebreaker]

Well, I'll be sitting in the airport on Sunday so I may take a look on the magazine stand for it.

Would you say it was loaded with too many adds?

Colin

[NickLewis]

Colin, No quite the opposite. I actually commented to my wife that it was a pleasant change to pick up a photo mag that wasn't that way.

Half a dozen pages gathered at the back, and few in-house ads mingled in the editorial pages.

I'm a little worried about its viability because of that, but , hey, that's not my problem!

Nick

[DMurray407]

I also found one issue a while back at Borders and haven't been able to find more. I just tried to subscribe and they do NOT ship to the U.S. :mad:Bummer....

Calamity, I think they ship subscriptions to the US-it's just really expensive. I've been able to find all the issues except for one at my Barnes and Noble-I just got the Dec issue last week (#5, I think). I ordered the one issue I was missing from the UK-I'm not sure how much it was (I was afraid to convert the currency-I just gave them my CC# and went for it). The Dec issue has a really good article on using curves-even in PSE. I love this magazine!

[NickLewis]

I also found one issue a while back at Borders and haven't been able to find more. I just tried to subscribe and they do NOT ship to the U.S. :mad:Bummer....Their website (http://www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk/store/displayitem.asp?sid=549&id=16930&custid=18@01@200869072@848588984&setext=magazine) says they ship subscriptions worldwide. Shipping's steep though - the worldwide sub is £72/$140 for 13 magazines.

Edit: I've just realised that the newstand price for 13 issues over here would total £52, so perhaps that's not so bad after all. Just quite a lot more than a UK sub.

Nick

[CalamityJanet]

Thanks for the info, Deb and Nick! I'll go look again but I'm pretty sure the website wouldn't let me subscribe. It does say they ship worldwide but when I chose United States from the dropdown menu a message popped up saying they are currently not shipping to the US. I'll try again!

[CalamityJanet]

Well...when I tried the links that Bayla posted I was not able to subscribe, BUT when I tried with the link that Nick posted it accepted my subscription. :confused:It seems that stores here that sell mags from the UK add quite a bit to the newstand price so I figured I may as well pay for the subscription. :)

Thanks again guys!

[NickLewis]

Ah - well obviously I didn't get that far. Strange, if they are selling the magazine over with you.

Nick

Oh - just seen you've succeeeded. Great!

[NMarti]

I stopped in Borders at lunch and while I had to search quite a bit for it I did find it. It was $11.50 US but I had a coupon just like last time so I got it cheaper. They also had one geared to just Nikon cameras. It looked to be by the same publisher but I didn't have time to look at it very carefully.

[Grafix]

Nancy,

Just curious as to what type of coupon you were able to use on this magazine, at Borders.

Any coupons I've had from Borders has listed "periodicals" as one of the exceptions.:( When I asked them why, as these UK magazines are alot more expensive than some books; they told me that all magazines are considered periodicals, regardless of price! Same holds true with Barnes & Noble.

Thanks:)

[CalamityJanet]

Hi Diane,

I've used coupons from Borders and B&N for magazines. I have a "membership" card to each one and they email coupons at least once a week. The Borders card is free and doesn't give a "member discount". The B&N is not free but you get lots of member discounts. Maybe it's only the coupons you'd get as a member that can be applied to mags?

[Grafix]

Hi Janet,

Thanks for your reply. I only have the free Borders Rewards membership card and I do get email coupons about once a week, as you stated. I just got one today: "Borders Rewards Exclusive Offer -- 30% off the list price of one item with purchase of $10 or more -- valid thru 4/6/08." Then underneath all that it lists the restrictions which includes "magazines." Is this the same type of coupon you get? It states it's valid with Borders Rewards membership card only.

I do know the B&N card is not free, as my son used to work there and he was encouraged to sell them! This was the only period of time I did get the magazines at 30% off because he could buy them for me with his employee discount!

I could see how magazines would be discounted with a paid membership--but how do you get the discount with Borders? Maybe it's only in select states, and yours is one of them? :rolleyes: (I'm in NJ).

Thanks.

[CalamityJanet]

Diane, I just got the same Borders coupon that excludes magazines (and a whole lot of other stuff). I seem to remember that not all the coupons have the same conditions...like maybe you get one after accumulating so many rewards points...and it is a little less restricted because you've spent a good deal of $$$ in their store? Or maybe I just got my bookstores mixed up.:(

[Grafix]

Janet,

I will attempt to find out more about both stores' member card services, and if I can clear up this issue, I will let you know!