Canon and Sony News for Sep 2015 (Page 2)

I love these types of photography lighting walkthroughs. In this video, Karl Taylor explains each light's role in creating the final exposure and then builds the image up one light at a time so you can see exactly how each light fits into the equation.

If you are interested in lighting or product photography, this is definitely worth a little more than 5 minutes of your time. [Sean]

From the Karl Taylor YouTube Channel:

In this video Karl Taylor demonstrates with Urs Recher his techniques for carefully and precisely lighting a product image of a designer brand mens shoe. With delicate positioning and accurate lighting a stylish image is created using broncolor's range of 'Picolites' for product photography.

B&H carries Broncolor gear.

From Lowepro:

Three Shoulder Bags and Small Backpack Added to Six-Piece Series for Mission-Critical Access to Compact Gear

Petaluma, Calif. – September 22, 2015 – Lowepro, the leading maker of photography carrying solutions, today launched four new models designed for compact camera setups – three shoulder bags and one backpack – as part of its award-winning ProTactic series. The urban-inspired, six-piece collection offers high performance and mission-critical access to professional photographers and enthusiasts who need a bag that delivers on all fronts: accessibility, versatility, comfort and organization.

“We received tremendous, positive feedback on our ProTactic series when it first launched a year ago,” said Tim Grimmer, vice president of brand and product at Lowepro. “Our design team couldn’t wait to expand the series to mirrorless kits as well as professional DSLRs, creating trustworthy bags as powerful as the compact gear carried by journalists, street photographers and enthusiasts.”

The first generation of the ProTactic series launched last year with the 350 AW and 450 AW. The expanded line now includes:

• ProTactic SH 120 AW – A small but robust shoulder bag with room for a mirrorless kit, such as the Olympus OM-D E-M1, with attached lens, extra lens or flash, smartphone and personal essentials.
• ProTactic SH 180 AW – A mid-sized shoulder bag that fits a standard DSLR, such as the Nikon D750, with a 24-70mm lens attached, one to two extra lenses, a tablet, smartphone and small personal items.
• ProTactic SH 200 AW – A modern, photojournalist-style shoulder bag designed to fit a professional DSLR with a classic 70-200mm lens kit, two to three extra lenses or speedlights, up to a 13-inch laptop and tablet, smartphone, and accessories.
• ProTactic BP 250 AW – A scaled-down pack that protects a complete mirrorless kit with a 12-40mm lens attached, space for three to four extra lenses or flashes, an 11-inch MacBook Air, smartphone and accessories.

ProTactic shoulder bags include cinch straps and zippered accessory pouches to expand the amount of gear as needed, SlipLock attachments and built-in memory card pockets. The SH 180 AW and SH 200 AW include a water-resistant top-zip opening as well for fast access to gear.

The new ProTactic BP 250 AW offers multiple modular accessories and cinch straps; back-entry access for easy setup and extra security; a convenient, turret-style top opening; two fast-access side pockets; and Lowepro’s ActivZone harness for targeted comfort and support.

The ProTactic line expansion also includes the photographer-friendly features of the first-generation packs, such as the patent-pending MaxFit system of padded and fully adjustable dividers for fine-tuning gear fit; a multiple-strap build for easily adding capacity; and a patented, built-in All Weather AW Cover to protect gear from the elements.

The ProTactic SH 120 AW (US MSRP $99.95), ProTactic SH 180 AW (US MSRP $129.95), ProTactic SH 200 AW (US MSRP $169.95) and ProTactic BP 250 AW (US MSRP $189.95) are available at select retailers.

From Triggertrap:

• This October, Triggertrap is calling on the global photography community to help create an epic timelapse movie of the city they love.
• Triggertrap are holding events in London, Cape Town, New York City, San Francisco, and Milan to create a crowdsourced timelapse snapshot of a single day in each city.
• The events will bring together photographers of all experiences and include talks from timelapse professionals.

This October, Triggertrap – creators of the world’s most powerful timelapse photography tools – is calling on photographers from around the world to create timelapse movies featuring the cities they love. The timelapse clips will then be combined to create a powerful crowdsourced timelapse film - the biggest international timelapse project ever attempted.

Following the success of 2014’s LapseLondon event, in which London-based photographers teamed up to create a stunning timelapse film of their city, Triggertrap are calling photographers to action in cities all over the world in a bid to create an incredible international timelapse story of urban life. The timelapse events will take place in London, Cape Town, New York City, San Francisco, and Milan, kicking off with this year’s LapseLondon event on 11 October 2015. The events will all be free to attend.

Bringing together photographers of all skill levels and backgrounds, Triggertrap hopes to pool those collective skills and local insights to create the biggest and best internationally crowdsourced timelapse film yet. With footage being shot by teams of photographers in each city and a final film that spans continents, the end result will be a city symphony not to be missed.

Featuring timelapse tips from top photography experts, participating photographers from all backgrounds will be given the tools and the knowhow to create high quality, innovative timelapse footage.

From famous monuments to bustling crowds to office blocks, Triggertrap wants photographers to capture the local views that matter to them, and paint an honest picture of the photographer’s environment. This project is about uniting these photographers across the world with the common goal of celebrating urban life through timelapse photography.

The finished timelapse films and documentary of the events will be available online in November via Triggertrap’s Vimeo page and website.

Additional information

For more information on the events and participating cities, see here: http://triggertrap.com/triggertrap-events/lapseworld2015
Sign up to a timelapse event here: http://eepurl.com/bybp7b
Triggertrap Mobile information: http://www.triggertrap.com/
Triggertrap Timelapse pro app: http://www.triggertrap.com/products/apps/triggertrap-timelapse-pro/

From Canon Australia:

Jenn Cooper, from Canon Collective, talks to the experts at Love Pets Photography about how to capture your pet's unique personality.

Use these helpful tips to create your image for this month's Light Awards brief: bit.ly/1K8Fy4u

Image quality results from the EOS 5Ds R have been added to the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens Review.

Note that Canon does not officially support extenders being used with the 70-300 L lens. However, with-extender results are included in the image quality results for this lens. As this lens is extended to increase focal length, adequate space becomes available for extenders, with their protruding front elements, to physically mount. Care must be taken when using these lens combinations as impact will occur if the 70-300 L is retracted (zoomed out) far enough with an extender mounted behind it.

B&H has the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM Lens in stock.

From Canon USA:

Digital Photo Professional 4.3.1

Changes for Digital Photo Professional 4.3.1:

• Fixes a malfunction where images are not displayed correctly in certain environments when the picture style "Fine Detail" is selected

Download: Canon Digital Photo Professional 4.3.1.

Changes for EOS MOVIE Utility 1.3:

• Supports EOS 5DS, EOS 5DS R.

Download: EOS MOVIE Utility 1.3.

From the SmugMug Films YouTube Channel:

After a devastating motorcycle crash almost took her life, Renee Robyn turned to Photoshop to create surreal and mysterious worlds that stretch the boundaries of imagination. Though her body was immobile, her mind was free to fly. Get tips for how to create epic digital art at https://www.smugmug.com/films/renee-robyn. Browse Renee's photography on SmugMug: http://prints.reneerobynphotography.com.

FYI: B&H has the Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II USM in stock and has already begun shipping lenses to preorder customers.

From PMANewsLine:

"Generations have a significant influence on consumers’ digital and mobile photography habits. According to an InfoTrends’ report, Digital and Mobile Photography in 2015: Millennials vs. Gen X and Boomers, older Millennials, age 23-34 years old, are the most photo-active group when it comes to use of a digital camera and the number of photos taken, writes Ed Lee in an InfoTrends blog post. On the other hand, young Millennials, age 15-22 years old, are most likely to use a smartphone as their primary camera and capture the most photos on their phones."

Image quality results have been added to the Tokina 11-20mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX Lens page.

Based on the requests we have been receiving for test results, the new Tokina 11-20mm has the interest of many. This APS-C format-only lens appears similar in build and specs to the shorter focal length range Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX II Lens. While an image quality comparison between these two lenses (and many others) is available, discernment between test cameras models must be made.

B&H has the Tokina 11-20mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX Lens in stock with a $50 instant rebate available.

Airnef is a Windows/Mac OS/Linux based open-source utility that allows Nikon users to download images from their Wi-fi enabled cameras (built-in or via WU-1a/WU-1b adapters). It even works with Wi-fi enabled Canon devices, too (though Canon's EOS Utility has much of the same functionality, but not all).

From the TestCams YouTube Channel:

Airnef is a free, open-source utility for wirelessly downloading images and videos from your WiFi-equipped Nikon and Canon cameras. airnef runs on the Windows, Mac OSX, and Linux operating systems. Go to http://www.testcams.com/airnef for more information and download links.

Sections:

• 00:00 - Introduction
• 00:45 - Selecting basic method for choosing which images to download
• 00:56 - Selecting images in the camera for download
• 02:14 - Configuring Windows to automatically switch to your camera's network
• 03:07 - What happens after clicking 'Start Download' for images selected in the camera
• 03:55 - Transfer Report after downloads have completed
• 04:37 - Select images on the computer for download
• 06:02 - Automatically skipping files you've already downloaded
• 07:30 - Previewing which files will be downloaded based on selected criteria
• 08:06 - Using verbose logging to see information about skipped files
• 08:32 - Fault tolerance and automatic recovery from failed connections
• 10:40 - Conclusion

USA TODAY photographers Robert Hanashiro and Dan MacMedan talk about how they approach shooting an awards show like the Emmy's.

From B&H Explora:

Epanding the range of lens options for mirrorless shooters, Rokinon has announced a pair of fast primes to round out the already broad range of optics dedicated to APS-C-format and Micro Four Thirds cameras. Filling a gap in the existing lineup, a new 50mm f/1.2 lens will serve as the ideal fast portrait-length lens for selective focus control and a longer-than-normal perspective. On the wider end, a 21mm f/1.4 will offer an equivalent standard wide-angle perspective with a bright maximum aperture to suit working in variable lighting conditions.

50mm f/1.2

The longer of the two lenses, the 50mm f/1.2 is a fast, bright lens offering a long perspective, ranging from a 75mm to 100mm equivalent focal length, depending on mount choice, that is well suited to portraiture. The combination of the longer-than-normal focal length and f/1.2 maximum aperture offers extensive control over focus placement for shallow-depth-of-field applications, and the manual focus design enables precise control over focus as close as 1.6' away. A pair of aspherical elements helps to control chromatic and comatic aberrations and an Ultra Multi-Coating has been applied to all elements to reduce flare and ghosting for increased contrast and clarity. A rounded nine-blade diaphragm further contributes to smooth bokeh quality and the front 62mm filter ring does not rotate during operation, for easier use of circular polarizers or other filters that require specific positioning.

21mm f/1.4

Contrasting the portrait-length perspective of the first lens, this 21mm f/1.4 is a standard wide-angle lens offering an equivalent focal length of 31.5mm to 42mm, depending on mount choice. The bright f/1.4 maximum aperture is well suited to working in a wide variety of lighting conditions and also offers selective focus control to emphasize specific subjects in the frame. A manual focus design is employed here again, along with an internal focus system and non-rotating 58mm front filter mount to both maintain the overall length of the lens during use and prevent filters from rotating when focusing. One extra-low dispersion element and three aspherical elements are incorporated into the optical design to limit color fringing and various aberrations in order to achieve greater sharpness and clarity. The Ultra Multi-Coating has been applied to all elements in this lens, too, and a rounded nine-blade diaphragm contributes to smooth out-of-focus areas when using selective focus techniques.

The Rokinon 50mm f/1.2 and 21mm f/1.4 are available in Canon EF-M, Fujifilm X, Micro Four Thirds, and Sony E mounts, and in black or silver for all mounts except EF-M.

B&H has the Rokinon 50mm f/1.2 and 21mm f/1.4 available for preorder.

Image quality results from the EOS 5Ds R have been added to the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens Review.

This useful lens is relatively small, light and, with a wide aperture paired with image stabilization, is handholdable in very low light levels.

B&H has the Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM Lens in stock with a $50.00 instant rebate available.

From Epson:

New PictureMate PM-400 Delivers 4"x6" and 5"x7" Photos in a Space-Saving Design

LONG BEACH, Calif. – Sept. 17, 2015 – Epson America, Inc. today introduced the PictureMate PM-400 Personal Photo Lab delivering high quality, long-lasting photos in a compact, lightweight, wireless solution. Designed to quickly share milestone memories and special moments – at family gatherings, parties, and more – the PM-400 prints beautiful borderless 4" x 6" and 5" x 7" photos that are smudge, scratch, water, and fade resistant, and last up to 200 years. The PictureMate PM-400 is also a complete wireless solution, with built-in Wi-Fi CERTIFIED n, Wi-Fi Direct as well as seamless printing from an iPad, iPhone, and Android tablet or smartphone.

“Catering to today’s mobile lifestyles, the wireless and space-saving PictureMate PM-400 allows photo enthusiasts and busy families to print and share everyday moments wherever they occur and regardless of which device you are using,” said Stacey Tieu, product manager, Consumer Ink Jets, Epson America, Inc. "Print 4"x6" and 5"x7" photos for school projects, special events, and creative DIY projects – personalized postcards, party invitations and more – easily and quickly with a host of custom printing options."

Featuring a 2.7-inch LCD screen and easy-to-use button formatting for intuitive set up and navigation – all without a PC – the personal photo lab creates beautiful stacks of photos conveniently and quickly, printing 4"x6" photos in as fast as 36 seconds. The PictureMate PM-400 offers a range of photo editing and custom printing options including Auto Photo Correction, removing red eye, printing classic borders or borderless, as well as the ability to print in black-and-white, color or sepia. For added convenience, users have the option to purchase a replacement ink cartridge, or a Print Pack, which contains both replacement ink and 100 sheets of 4" x 6" glossy photo paper.

More about the PictureMate PM-400

This compact wireless printer makes it easy to quickly print beautiful photos with a range of features and capabilities:

• Total wireless solution — print from iPad, iPhone, tablets and smartphones; includes Wi-Fi Direct
• High-quality photos, fast — print vibrant 4" x 6" photos in as fast as 36 seconds
• Share prints for generations to come — durable prints last up to 200 years in album storage
• Worry-free handling — photos are smudge, scratch, water and fade resistant
• Conveniently print stacks of photos — Print Packs available (with ink and paper included)
• Print your favorite photos, PC-free — 2.7-inch color display and built-in card slot to preview and edit photos
• Easily edit photos — get custom prints with Auto Photo Correction; crop, remove red eye and more
• Get your photos, your way — print in color, black-and-white or sepia, with or without borders
• Print or share, anywhere — easily print from a tablet or smartphone with Epson Connect; support includes Android, Apple iPad and iPhone, Chromebook, Fire OS, Mac and Windows devices

Pricing and Availability

The PictureMate PM-400 is now available for $249.99 (MSRP) at major e-tail stores nationwide.

B&H carries the Epson PictureMate PM-400 Personal Photo Lab.