This week's stories: More tempting f/4 pro lenses. Do our high ISO camera bodies make these zooms the smart choice? A review of my day at Macworld/iWorld. What I'm recording right now in Carpinteria at lynda.com. Plus Photo Assignment winners!

Story #1 - Is f/4 Right for You? Both Canon and Nikon have recently updated their stable of pro f/4 lenses, with Nikon touting the The Nikkor 70-200mm f/4G ED VR and Canon released the 24-70mm f/4L IS USM. This has prompted many serious photographers to consider these lighter, less expensive alternatives to f/2.8 maximum aperture lenses, and for good reason.

The Canon 24-70 f/4 costs $1,500 and weighs 1.32 lb compared to $2,300 and 1.77 lb. Plus you get image stabilization with the f/4 model.

The Nikkor 70-200mm f/4G ED VR costs $1,400 and weighs in at 1.87 lb compared to $2,400 and 3.39 lb.

I personally own both the Canon f/4 and f/2.8 70-200mm zooms, and have found myself using the 70-200mm f/4 at least as often as the f/2.8.

With the improved high ISO performance of today's Canon and Nikon bodies, there are many situations where the f/4 models will produce fantastic results. You do lose that one stop of "soft depth of field," but other than that, these new f/4 models are worth considering, especially if the budget is tight.

Story #2 - My Day at Macworld/iWorld - I was able to attend Day 1 of Macworld/iWorld at Moscone West in San Francisco last week. The big thing that jumped out at me is that the event is really iWorld. The focus is on mobility with iOS hardware and apps. This is in-step with surging interest in iPads and the continued love affair with iPhones.

I covered the expo floor in about an hour. But I also enjoyed many of the live events upstairs and catching up with TDS members who attended, and of course tech friends I've known for years. All in all, it was an enjoyable day.

Story #3 - Recording at lynda.com - I'm in Carpinteria right now recording a new "iPhoto & Aperture" title. What's cool about this, is that we're using the absolute current versions of both apps, and showing how they stack up against each other for a variety of tasks. This is perfect for those considering moving up to Aperture from iPhoto. Plus, I show how to use the two applications together, drawing from the strengths of each.

Listen to the Podcast

You can also download the podcast here (27 minutes). Or better yet, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes. You can support this podcast by purchasing the TDS iPhone App for only $2.99 from the Apple App Store.

Monthly Photo Assignment

The February 2013 photo assignment is Furry Friends.

More Ways to Participate

Want to share photos and talk with other members in our virtual camera club? Check out our Flickr Public Group. And from those images, I choose the TDS Member Photo of the Day.

Podcast Sponsors

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