It's been almost 10 years since Apple brought its first version of Final Cut Pro to market. In that time, the professional, nonlinear video application has seen many improvements and features added. With each subsequent release the software has offered greater stability, reliability, and productivity in the ever-changing moving image space. These updates have always been informed by the latest innovations in both Apple hardware and OS software deployment. Final Cut 7 is no exception.

Traveling with precision tools and instruments has long been a game of seeing how far one can press the limits of government/corporate rules without pushing one-button-too-many of the person behind the ticket counter. Ever tighter carry-on allowances and checked baggage fees of $25, $50, $75, and higher have only made things worse. And do you really want to wave bye-bye to your precious camera gear as it's carried off to a Samsonite version of hell?

You wouldn't want to use any of these pocket-size devices as your primary camcorder to record a major event like a wedding. But if your priority is to get the couple's vows posted to YouTube before the first dance, you can't go wrong with one of these point-and-shooters. They seamlessly integrate software for sharing your videos with the global community.

In our last newsletter we covered a number of products designed to lighten your load when heading out the door with photo gear in tow. Based on your feedback (quite positive, thank you!), we decided to poke around the store a bit further to see what other items we carry for light & compact photo trekking. Compact flash guns and small tripods sturdy enough to use without cussing topped the list, so here goes.

If you've ever flown over the Grand Canyon or Rocky mountains at 35,000 feet, you already know how humbling and enlightening this experience can be. Tall mountains appear small, almost flush to the plains leading up to them. The grandiosity of the Grand Canyon is equally diminished when viewed from high above.  The Rockies and Grand Canyon viewed from ground level appear immense and unconquerable, yet from high above these same geological wonders simply blend into the textures and patterns of the overall landscape. As with most things in life, how we see them is often a matter of perspective.

Sony has introduced successors to its original line-up of compact, APS-C format DSLRs. The new cameras – the Sony Alpha A230, A330, and A380 – are all housed in polycarbonate bodies that are smaller and have lower profiles than the cameras they replace.

In my previous article about in-ear headphones, one model that wasn't explored was the SA6 from Sleek Audio, which is a unique offering from a relatively new contender in the headphone world. What's interesting about the SA6 is that it's a completely modular system, and it has customizable treble and bass response. To my knowledge, this is the only pair of in-ear headphones on the market to offer this feature, and it does so at a pretty reasonable price.