When it comes to creative control, it's handy to be able to tinker with the laws of optics when the need arises, and that's what tilt-shift lenses enable you to do. By rotating, tilting, and/or shifting the forward section of the lens, tilt-shift optics enable you to selectively expand or reduce the plane-of-focus as well as reposition the subject within the frame from a fixed camera position.

If you're looking to purchase a compact – and reliable – lighting system that's easy pack up and ideal for travel and location shooting, we currently have a nice selection of factory refurbished Profoto CPS ComPact Monolights. Rated at 300WS, Profoto CPS ComPacts can be used to build a compact lighting system that's ideal for portraits or still-life photography, or as an economical way to 'beef-up' your existing lighting system.

If you shoot on 'both sides of the pond' you'll appreciate the ability to tap into an AC power range of 90- 260VAC. Other features include a recycle time of under 0.8-seconds, a proportional modeling light, centralized umbrella socket for even illumination, and a built-in optical slave.

New, Profoto CPS ComPacts sell for $589.50 without a

As a Panasonic AG-HVX200 owner, I'm quite familiar with their line of P2 cameras. In 2004, the company was the first to bring a broadcast-quality codec to the Prosumer market. Fast forward five years and they've done it again. This time in the form of the AG-HPX300, an impressive camera that blurs the lines between the professional and the Prosumer. At its price point, I can't really think of anything like it. Keep in mind, everything on the HPX300 is included; the lens is not an add-on. How cool is that? The most noticeable features are the ENG form factor and three 1080p resolution CMOS sensors. Most importantly the HPX300 incorporates Panasonic's new flagship full raster 10-bit 4:2:2 codec, AVC-Intra. If that sounds like a mouthful, don't worry, I'll explain.

The EOS 5D Mark II, one of the latest offerings from Canon, is the world's first dSLR camera to offer Full HD video recording capability. But what if you want to capture great sounding audio to accompany your great looking video? The 5D MkII records stunning video clips at a 1080p resolution with a frame rate of 30fps, but the audio is recorded with a tiny built-in mono microphone. Thankfully the camera also includes a stereo 3.5mm microphone input that will enable you to capture much better audio than that offered by the built-in mic. Shooting video on the MkII is very easy.

Nikon's newest offering, the D3X might best be viewed as a 'co-flagship' camera that compliments rather than supplants the Nikon D3. In terms of performance, appearance, and structure, both cameras exemplify state-of-the-art pro-quality DSLRs designed for two specific markets.The Nikon D3 is living proof you can

capture lush, full-bodied image files without sacrificing high performance levels. The new D3X is aimed at shooters seeking to capture image files that approach the sort of resolving power one expects from medium-format capture backs without sacrificing the handling and performance characteristics of a pro-quality '35 mm' DSLR.

A good tripod is an accessory overlooked by photographers of all skill levels. Matching the right tripod with your camera, location, and budget is very important. There are heaps of tripods out there, and selecting the right one to support your camera is tricky. We can help with a quick peek at a handful of newly introduced and specially priced models.

The PortaBrace Director's Cut Series consists of specially modified versions of PortaBrace's most popular cases. Fine details such as soft deerskin suede accents, antiqued bronze-finish hardware, micro-suede lining, suede shoulder strap with memory foam core, and rubber Slip-Not (anti-slip) bottom are some of the enhancements over the traditional blue PortaBrace line. The Director's Cut Series utilizes suede and champagne colors, offset against a contrasting black body color to distinguish them visually. This updated line of professional camera cases are featured exclusively at B&H, and as such we should take a closer look at some of the twelve models that make up the series. Before we do, an examination at one distinguishing feature is required – the leather.