Canon and Sony News for May 2017 (Page 2)

The Canon USA YouTube Channel has released yet another round of videos featuring its Explorers of Light.

New Canon Explorers of Light Videos

• Douglas Kirkland
• Jeremy Cowart (shown above)
• Damian Strohmeyer
• Stephanie Sinclair
• Michel Tcherevkoff

Previously Published Canon Explorers of Light Videos

• Vincent Laforet
• Michele Celentano
• Sue Bryce
• Ken Sklute
• Roberto Valenzuela
• Rick Sammon
• Joel Grimes
• Jack Reznicki
• Jimmy Chin
• Bruce Dorn
• Lindsay Adler
• David Bergman
• Hanson Fong
• Stephen Johnson
• Bob Davis
• Charles Glatzer
• Sandy Puc'
• Clay Blackmore
• Eddie Tapp
• Tyler Stableford
• Denis Reggie
• Joe Buissink
• Parish Kohanim

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

by Rudy Winston

Today’s digital SLR cameras usually have two distinct Autofocus systems — what we now think of as traditional AF you get through the optical viewfinder; and (usually) a separate AF system for focus using the LCD monitor to view your scene, when shooting with Live View or recording video. They’re very different:

Viewfinder AF:
Usually relies on a totally separate AF sensor for focus detection, and always uses what’s called Phase Detection technology.

Live View and video AF:
Uses pixels on the actual camera imaging sensor to read focus information. Early systems simply read blurriness or sharpness off the image sensor; this is called Contrast Detection AF. (This is still used in some competitive brand interchangeable-lens cameras.) More sophisticated systems utilize individual pixels, or groups of pixels, on the image sensor and make comparisons of data to detect when a subject is focused or not…this approach is also called Phase Detection.

We’ll discuss the many advantages that traditional through-the-viewfinder AF systems offer in this series of AF articles. But before we dive in, it may be helpful to have a quick understanding of how AF has typically worked in our SLR cameras since these systems were introduced back in the mid-1980s.

It's a slow news day, so let's have a little fun. Can you guess the lighting setup for the self-portrait shown above incuding the number of lights, their positions and modifiers used (including colored gels)? Hint: There were 3 individual gels used, but none of them were CTB (blue).

Click on the image to download a higher resolution version (looking closely at catchlights in the eyes can provide clues to lighting).

Post your guesses in the comments. I'll reveal the lighting setup around 4:00pm Eastern Time unless someone makes a correct guess, at which time I'll confirm the setup.

Lighting Setup Answer

Several of the commenters got very close in their guesses on the setup. As some guessed, the camera's white balance was set to a value to render un-gelled flashes very blue. As I only wanted one flash in the setup to be warm, shifting the white balance saved me the trouble of having to gel three different lights with CTB gels.

There were actually 4 flashes/monolights in the scene. The main light came from Canon Speedlite 580EX flash diffused by a small 16" softbox camera left. It had (2) full CTO gels on it (1 to offset the camera's white balance setting, the other to add warmth). I felt that the 16" softbox was just too big for what I wanted, so I ended up draping a black t-shirt over most of it and leaving a strip about 2" wide uncovered along the edge.

The fill light camera right was provided by a 580EX bounced into a white umbrella (with black backing). This light was gelled with a 1/2 green gel and positioned so that any shadows cast on the background would fall outside the composition (even when left in the original 2:3 ratio). The fill light is what's responsible for illuminating the background (white/collapsible).

The rim lights (camera left and right, behind subject) were monolights fitted with gridded strip boxes. They were ungelled. They appear as different colors because each of the rim lights is mixing with a different colored light from the front.

You might wonder why I decided to add a 1/2 green gel to my fill light. My inspiration for testing out this lighting setup came from David Hobby's recent Lighting 103 post where he discusses several of Greg Heisler's techniques for lighting with color for a more natural, seemingly organic look. Greg often adds a plusgreen gel to a CTB in order to give it a more realistic, believable (less perfectly blue) color.

I originally shot the scene with the camera set to Tungsten white balance, but I ended up pushing the white balance a little cooler in post processing to lessen the CTO's effect slightly.

From the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom YouTube Channel:

Lightroom tips and tricks in 60 seconds or less from longtime Lightroom team member Benjamin Warde.

B&H carries Adobe Photography Plan subscriptions.

From the Manfrotto Imagine More YouTube Channel:

Manfrotto’s new Pro Light Bumblebee bags are perfect for professional photographers and videographers who work outdoors and want a reliable carrying solution that lets them stay comfortable in the harshest of conditions, despite high temperatures, extreme cold or high humidity.

B&H carries Manfrotto Pro Light Bumblebee camera bags.

Santa Rosa, Calif. – Ideal for a casual day of shooting with a DSLR or Mirrorless system, Think Tank Photo’s slim, body-conforming TurnStyle V2.0 sling bag allow photographers to move and shoot freely. The updated version of this popular series offers a new stabilizer strap that holds the bag steady while actively shooting or tucks away when not in use. Think Tank’s sling bags’ design promotes easy rotation for rapid access to gear and accessories.

The TurnStyle 5 fits a mirrorless body plus two to four lenses, and an eight-inch tablet. The TurnStyle 10 fits a standard size DSLR plus one to two lenses, and an eight-inch tablet. The TurnStyle 20 fits a standard size DSLR plus one to three lenses, and a 10” tablet. These new version releases come in the traditional Charcoal and in a new color, Indigo Blue.

“This new version of our popular TurnStyle sling bags reinforces their reputation as the ideal ‘grab and go’ camera bag,” said Doug Murdoch, Think Tank Photo’s CEO and lead designer. “One thing we’ve learned from serving professional photographers for so long is that they always need one, pre-conformed gear kit that gives them access to their core gear. The TurnStyle is that bag.”

KEY ADDITIONAL FEATURES

• Slim, contoured, body-conforming design with a wide shoulder strap provides a very comfortable fit
• Lightweight materials and construction
• Breathable 320G air-mesh back panel keeps your back cool during long days
• Easily accessible front organizer pocket for batteries, memory cards or other small accessories
• Rear internal pocket holds documents
• Fully customizable interior dividers
• Seam-sealed rain cover included in dedicated pocket

MATERIALS

Exterior: All fabric exterior is treated with a durable water resistant coating while fabric underside is coated with polyurethane for superior water resistance, YKK RC Fuse zippers, 420D velocity nylon, 550D polyspun, 320g air mesh, nylon webbing, 3-ply bonded nylon thread.

Interior: Removable closed-cell foam dividers, P210D, polyurethane backed velex liner, 2x polyurethane coated 210T seam-sealed taffeta rain cover, nylon binding tape,3-ply bonded nylon thread.

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

TurnStyle 5 V2.0
Interior Dimension: 6.3” W x 11” H x 3.5” D (16 x 28 x 9 cm)
Exterior Dimension: 7.1” W x 13.8” H x 3.9” D (18 x 35 x 10 cm)
Small tablet compartment: 6.3” x 8.7” x 0.4” (16 x 22 x 1 cm)
Maximum weight (with all accessories): 0.8 lb. (0.3 kg)
Shoulder strap length: 32–64.5” (includes length of product)
Stability strap length: 58.3” (includes length of product)

TurnStyle 10 V2.0
Interior Dimension: 7.1” W x 12.6” H x 4.8” D (18 x 32 x 12.2 cm)
Exterior Dimension: 8.3” W x 15.4” H x 5.2” D (21 x 39 x 13.2 cm)
Small tablet compartment: 6.3” x 8.7” x 0.4” (16 x 22 x 1 cm)
Maximum weight (with all accessories): 1.0 lb. (0.4 kg)
Shoulder strap length: 35–68.3” (includes length of product)
Stability strap length: 59.3” (includes length of product)

TurnStyle 20 V2.0
Interior Dimension: 8.3” W x 15” H x 4.8” D (21 x 38 x 12.2 cm)
Exterior Dimension: 9.3” W x 17.3” H x 5.4” D (23.5 x 44 x 13.7 cm)
Small tablet compartment: 8.1” x 10.2” x 0.6” (20.5 x 26 x 1.5 cm)
Maximum weight (with all accessories): 1.2 lb. (0.5 kg)
Shoulder strap length: 36.5–73” (includes length of product)
Stability strap length: 60” Maximum (includes length of product)

Think Tank Photo has the new TurnStyle V2 bags in stock.

Santa Rosa, Calif. – Legendary durability and award winning comfort have made Think Tank Photo’s StreetWalker series one of the most sought-after products in the photographic world. Now Think Tank announces the new StreetWalker Rolling Backpack V2.0, featuring the ability to switch from a backpack to a roller. Also released are upgraded versions of all three classic StreetWalker backpacks. Photographers get the same comfort and quality as the original series but with new features such as increased depth for modern DSLR systems, and dedicated pockets for both tablets and smartphones.

The new StreetWalker Rolling Backpack V2.0 is so spacious, it will fit two DSLR bodies with lenses attached (including a 200-400mm f/4), and a 15” laptop. The StreetWalker HardDrive V2.0 backpack fits two bodies with lenses attached or a gripped body with a 200–400mm f/4 attached, a 15” laptop and a 13” tablet. The StreetWalker Pro V2.0 backpack fits two bodies with lens attached or a 400mm f/2.8 unattached, and a 10” table. And, the StreetWalker V2.0 backpack fits one gripped DSLR with 70–200mm f/2.8 attached, one standard DSLR with 24–70mm f/2.8 attached, a 16–35mm f/2.8, and a 10” tablet.

“With the release of the new StreetWalker Rolling Backpack and the new versions of the three classic StreetWalker backpacks, we made three of the best pro-level backpacks in the photo industry even better,” said Doug Murdoch, Think Tank Photo’s CEO and lead designer. “The one thing we’ve heard over and over since they first launched is how comfortable and durable they are. Now, with the hybrid rolling backpack and the upgraded core backpacks, we’ve integrated even more photographer feedback to expand their functionality.”

KEY FEATURES

StreetWalker Rolling Backpack V2.0

• Comfortable harness system allows you to roll the bag or carry it on your back
• Dedicated laptop compartment that holds up to a 15” laptop
• Fits two bodies with lenses attached including a 200–400mm f/4
• Specially designed interior to maximize gear for carry-on, meets most U.S. and International airline carry-on requirements
• Reinforced telescoping handle with rubberized touch points
• Tripod mount on front panel
• Dedicated smartphone pocket fits today’s large phones with a 5.5” (14cm) screen size
• Lockable YKK RC Fuse zipper sliders (lock not included)
• Two side water bottle pockets and two side zippered pockets
• YKK RC Fuse zippers, ballistic nylon, high-density velex and closed cell PU foam are the highest quality materials in the industry
• Custom-designed, high-performance, 80mm wheels with sealed ABEC grade 5 bearings for quiet rolling
• Seam-sealed rain cover included
• User-replaceable retractable handle, wheels, wheel housings, feet and kick plate extends product life
• Adjustable dividers allow a customized fit for your DSLR or Mirrorless gear
• Hypalon reinforced rear panel for increased durability
• Shoulder harness pockets, D-rings, daisy chain and adjustable sternum strap

StreetWalker Backpacks V2.0

• Tripod mount on front panel (tripod cup for larger tripods included on Pro and HardDrive versions)
• Padded shoulder straps comfortable for all day trekking
• YKK RC Fuse zippers, ballistic nylon, high density velex and closed-cell PU foam are the highest quality materials in the industry
• Seam-sealed rain cover included
• Adjustable dividers allow you to customize the fit of your DSLR or Mirrorless gear
• Two side water bottle pockets and two side zippered pockets
• Dedicated smartphone pocket fits today’s large phones with a 5.5” (14cm) screen size
• Removable webbing waist belt detaches easily
• Lockable YKK RC Fuse zipper sliders (lock not included)
• Interior clear zippered pockets for accessories
• Organizer pocket
• Shoulder harness pockets, D-rings, daisy chain and adjustable sternum strap
• Clear business card holder on top panel for identification
• Compatible with Camera Support Straps (sold separately)
• Compatible with our Thin Skin and Pro Speed Camera Belts (sold separately)

MATERIALS

Exterior

• Durable water-repellant (DWR) coating
• Polyurethane coating
• 1680D ballistic nylon
• YKK RC Fuse (abrasion-resistant) zippers
• 420D velocity nylon
• 550D poly-spun
• 320G air mesh
• Ultra-stretch pockets
• Y-buckles
• Antique plated metal hardware
• Nylon webbing
• 3-ply bonded nylon thread

Interior

• Closed-cell foam and PE board reinforced dividers
• 200D polyester
• Polyurethane backed “super-stick” velex liner and dividers
• 2x polyurethane coated nylon 210T seam-sealed rain cover
• Laminated clear mesh pockets
• 3-ply bonded nylon thread

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

StreetWalker Rolling Backpack V2.0
Internal Dimensions: 11.8” W x 19.7” H x 6.3–7.1” D (30 x 50 x 16–18 cm)
Exterior Dimensions: 12.6” W x 21.9” H x 9” D (32 x 55.5 x 22.9 cm)
Laptop Compartment: 9.8” W x 14.5” H x 0.9” D (25 x 36.8 x 2.3 cm)
Phone Pocket: 3.9” W x 7.5” H x 0.6” D (10 x 19 x 1.5 cm)
Weight: 8.2 lbs. (3.7 kg)

StreetWalker V2.0
Internal Dimensions: 9.4” W x 16.1” H x 6.3” D (24 x 41 x 16 cm)
Exterior Dimensions: 9.8” W x 17.3” H x 7.1” D (25 x 44 x 18 cm)
Tablet: 7.7” W x 10.4” H x 0.4” D (19.5 × 26.5 × 1 cm)
Phone Pocket: 3.9” W x 7.5” H x 0.6” D (10 × 19 × 1.5 cm)
Weight: 3.3 lbs (1.5 kg)

StreetWalker Pro V2.0
Internal Dimensions: 9.4” W x 17.3” H x 7.5” D (24 x 44 x 19 cm)
Exterior Dimensions: 9.8” W x 18.5” H x 8.3” D (25 x 47 x 21 cm)
Tablet: 7.7” W x 10.4” H x 0.4” D (19.5 × 26.5 × 1 cm)
Phone Pocket: 3.9” W x 7.5” H x 0.6” D (10 × 19 × 1.5 cm)
Weight: 3.5 lbs (1.6 kg)

StreetWalker HardDrive V2.0
Internal Dimensions: 11” W x 19.7” H x 7.1” D (28 x 50 x 18 cm)
Exterior Dimensions: 11.4” W x 20.4” H x 8.7” D (29 x 52 x 22 cm)
Laptop Compartment: 10” W x 16.1” H x 0.9” D (25.5 x 41 x 2.2 cm)
Tablet: 8.9” W x 11.9” H x 0.4” D (22.5 × 30.3 × 1 cm)
Phone Pocket: 3.9” W x 7.5” H x 0.6” D (10 × 19 × 1.5 cm)
Weight: 4.5 lbs (2 kg)

Think Tank Photo has the new StreetWalker V2 Backpacks in stock.

Sony recently rolled out firmware updates for 10 FE lenses and 1 lens adapter with various improvements and/or bug fixes.

Sony FE Lenses with Firmware Updates

• Vario-Tessar T* FE 16-35mm f/4 ZA OSS
• Vario-Tessar T* FE 24-70mm f/4 ZA OSS
• FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM
• FE 24-240mm f/3.5-6.3 OSS
• FE 28-70mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
• FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS
• FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS
• Planar T* FE 50mm f/1.4 ZA
• FE 50mm f/1.8
• FE 85mm f/1.4 GM
• Sony A-Mount to E-Mount Lens Adapter

B&H has the newly announced Microsoft Surface Pro 12.3" Tablets available for preorder with free expedited shipping. The tablets are expected to start shipping June 15.

Canon USA has published a series of educational videos narrated by Rudy Winston featuring the EOS 77D. The introductory video can be seen above while links to the other videos can be found below.

• Canon EOS 77D: The Power of 45-Point AF Area Control
• Canon EOS 77D: HD Video
• Canon EOS 77D: Fine Control with Video Recording
• Canon EOS 77D: Built In Wi-Fi
• Canon EOS 77D: The Wi-Fi Connection Process

B&H carries the Canon EOS 77D DSLR Camera.

The goal of this release is to provide additional camera raw support, lens profile support and address bugs that were introduced in previous releases of Lightroom.

Today, we also released versions of Lr for iOS and Android that provide updated camera support. Check them out here.

New Camera Support in Lightroom CC 2015.10.1 / 6.10.1

• Panasonic LUMIX DC-ZS70 (DC-TZ90,DC-TZ91, DC-TZ92, DC-T93)
• Sony A9 (ILCE-9)

New Lens Profile Support in Lightroom CC 2015.10.1 / 6.10.1

• Edit in Photoshop Erroneous Message Fixed
• Fixed issue causing color cast on images from some Fujifilm X series cameras shot in CH/CL modes.
• Fixed issue where images taken on the Fujifilm GFX 50s with top 3 extended ISOs appear over exposed.
• Fixed issue where some images converted to DNG from the Hasselblad H6 contained a color cast.
• Fixed issue with Hasselblad X1D images losing highlight details at high ISOs.

Known Issues

• We have an issue where customers are unable to use the Develop module with GPU enabled. This only occurs when using an AMD graphics card using driver Version 17.4.4 (released 4/23/2017) on Windows. Please see this note for more details and workarounds.

Installation Instructions

Please select Help > Updates to use the update mechanism in the Creative Cloud app.

Give us feedback

Once you’ve updated to the latest version of Lightroom, don’t forget to leave us feedback about your experiences. Lightroom wouldn’t be what it is today without our passionate and loyal customers around the world. Giving us regular feedback helps us to find and fix issues that we may otherwise not know about. We are listening.

Here are a few ways that you can send us feedback:

Report bugs and suggest features

Discuss workflow and get help with how-to questions or basic troubleshooting

B&H carries Adobe Photography Plan subscriptions.

From Profoto:

Unfortunately, we have discovered a potential safety issue with our new Li-Ion Battery MkII for B1 and B1X (product number 100399). We have therefore decided to execute a product recall for product number 100399 with manufacturing dates 2017-09 and 2017-16 (YYYY-WW).

Note that the recall only concerns the battery, but it affects all B1X kits and B1X batteries that you might have purchased. Please do not use your new B1X or your B1 with the new B1X batteries (product number 100399).

You can, however, use your B1X unit with the B1 battery (product number 100323).

If you have a battery affected by the recall, your local dealer will supply you with a B1 battery so that you can use your B1X in the meantime. Please contact your local dealer for information on how to replace your battery with a B1 battery.

Keep the battery still. Do not move or handle the battery. More information regarding how the handover of the recalled B1X batteries will be handled will be available soon.

If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to contact our local offices

We are very sorry about the inconvenience this may cause.

Sincerely,

Profoto AB

This is how you identify a B1X battery

The serial number label on the Li-Ion battery MkII for B1 and B1X (100399) is marked with "Date of manufacture”.

All batteries with Date of manufacture 2017-09 and 2017-16 are recalled. See example below.

The Li-Ion battery for B1 (100323) does not have any “Date of manufacture” marked on the serial number label. These batteries are not recalled, and they can be used with both B1 and B1X. See example below.

From the DJI YouTube Channel:

Meet Spark, DJI’s first ever mini drone. Signature technologies, new gesture control, and unbelievable portability make your aerials more fun and intuitive than ever before. With five different colors, there’s a Spark for everyone.

Product Highlights

• 2-Axis Stabilized Gimbal Camera
• 12MP Still Photos / 1080p/30 Video
• 3D Obstacle-Detection System
• GPS and Indoor Navigation
• 2.4 / 5.8 GHz Radio Maximizes Reception
• Up to 1.2 Mile Control Range
• Top Speed of 31 mph in Sport Mode
• Up to 16 Minutes Flying Time

B&H has the DJI Spark available for preorder.

From TH Swiss:

TH Swiss company, listening to the requests and inqueries from their customers, officially announces the availability of the updated correction profiles for Irix 11mm and 15mm lenses to use with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom software.

The update concerns the improvement of the correction data for distortion and vignetting. Moreover, the way of displaying the profiles inside of Adobe program has changed. Earlier versions of the profiles required finding Irix lenses in camera's manufacturer tab, while in current version you can find both models of Irix lenses listed in dedicated tab called 'Irix'”. The profiles package for both lenses is now ready to download from the website irixlens.com on subpage: Updates --> Downloads --> Others.

Especially for Irix lenses users, TH Swiss prepared two video tutorials to explain how to install and use Irix profiles on Windows and Mac Computers. These video tutorials can be found on Irix YouTube channel: www.youtube.com/irixlens

B&H carries the Irix lenses.