Canon and Sony News for Nov 2015 (Page 3)

Image quality results from the 1Ds III, 5Ds R and 7D Mark II have been added to the Zeiss Milvus 21mm f/2.8 Lens page.

This beautiful lens is using the same optical design as its predecessor, the Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 Distagon T* Lens, with a new coating technology. Although the center was extremely sharp on the first copy we tested, I wasn't happy with the mid and outer image circle performance. The second copy of the lens, shown by default in the image quality tools, performs more evenly across the frame.

B&H has the Zeiss Milvus 21mm f/2.8 Lens in stock.

From SmugMug Films YouTube Channel:

Death-defying adventure, stunning landscapes, and rarely-documented feats of physical endurance and skill. Watch photographer Tim Kemple and master climbers scale the frigid crags of Iceland. **Selected as a Finalist in the 40th Banff Mountain Film Festival**

Get photo and climbing tips, plus life lessons from Tim at www.smugmug.com/films/tim-kemple.

Featured Climbers: Klemen Premrl and Rahel Schelb
Special Thanks to Björgvin Hilmarsson and Black Diamond

Note: Be advised that there are a couple of instances of abrupt language in the 16 minute video.

From Canon USA:

MELVILLE, N.Y., — Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced that Canon Marketing Japan Inc. (CMJ) has recently released 12 new free filters and editing functions that include copying and resizing text for the PERSTEXT iOS app that inserts dynamic text into photos so you can enjoy new types of expression.

CMJ is offering PERSTEXT as a free photo editing app for iPhone/iPad on the App Store. With PERSTEXT you can insert dynamic text into photos to convey a message and a greater design sense, and enjoy a new form of expression and communication.

This time, with 12 free filters that make it possible to express changes in color tone, and special effects, as well as the addition of copying and resizing text editing functions, you can enjoy expressing images that suit you with even greater freedom. The new version is available for download at canon.jp/perstext.

In addition to filters that adjust the color tone, a total of 12 filters to express special effects such as diorama, vignette, and zoom have been added. By changing the filter, it is possible to enjoy a variety of different impressions even with the same image. And, by using the text copy function, the photographer can insert their signature into images brimming with originality when uploading to SNS.

About PERSTEXT
PERSTEXT is a free app for iPhone/iPad/iPod touch1 that makes it possible insert dynamic text into photos, and share them easily on various SNS. With the simple operations of just entering text and specifying the perspective lines with your fingers, you can easily enjoy creating works of art.

By copying edited text, it is now possible to paste into a different image. By pasting text into various works, it can be used for the photo's signature and help expand the range of expression. Also, a function that can retain the format of edited text when resized has been added, providing even better freedom of layout.

From the ExpoImaging YouTube Channel:

Erik Valind demonstrates how to create a quick, easy setup for on-location or in-studio senior portraits with two speedlights, a couple FlashBender 2 XL Pro Lighting Systems and a reflector. Flash photography lighting video tutorial, techniques and tips.

B&H carries ExpoImaging Rogue products.

The MTF Chart Comparison Tool has some fresh data from the following lenses:

Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8E AF-S VR Nikkor Lens
Zeiss Milvus 50mm f/1.4 Lens
Zeiss Milvus 85mm f/1.4 Lens
Zeiss Milvus 100mm f/2M Lens

There are many comparisons waiting to be made with these lenses. I'll get you started:

Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8 VR vs. Non-VR Lens
Zeiss Milvus 50mm f1.4 vs. Sigma 50mm f/1.4 Art Lens
Zeiss Milvus 85mm f/1.4 vs. Canon 85mm f/1.2L (at f/1.2)
Zeiss Milvus 100mm f/1.4 vs. Canon 100mm f/2.8L (at f/2.8)

Also be sure to compare the new Zeiss lenses against their former models and to the Otus options.

From Eyefi:

Photo management leader adds photo-enthusiast community app to its suite of products and services; challenges photographers to push the envelope of their creative style, and engage with and inspire other photographers.

Mountain View, Calif.—November 12, 2015— Eyefi, the global leader in digital photo-management apps and services, has acquired OKDOTHIS, the app that pioneered idea-sharing for photographers with its unique way of inspiring photographers to stretch their creativity. The acquisition expands Eyefi’s scope into a new area of digital photography: engaging directly with photographers to inspire creativity and the exchange of ideas. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

OKDOTHIS popularized the idea of a daily photography “DO” – an idea or suggestion designed to trigger creative inspiration for photographers. OKDOTHIS was created through a partnership between Nashville, Tennessee based Aloompa and Jeremy Cowart, acclaimed photographer and founder of See University. In 2014 Jeremy was recognized as the most Socially Influential Photographer on the Web. His body of work includes portraits of many familiar names such as Taylor Swift, Kelly Clarkson, Tim Tebow, Sting and many others.

“When I meet photographers around the world, one common theme emerges: exploring new ideas to evolve their skills and get more enjoyment and satisfaction from their photography. That was the idea that led to the creation of OKDOTHIS,” said Jeremy Cowart. “Being a part of Eyefi means we can scale this idea and bring OKDTOTHIS to photographers everywhere.”

“We are delighted that the OKDOTHIS team has joined Eyefi,” said Matt DiMaria, CEO of Eyefi. “Eyefi has always focused on helping photographers be more productive so they can focus on creativity. With OKDOTHIS, we’re adding the power of social interaction and engagement among photographers to inspire them to challenge and learn from each other.”

OKDOTHIS Challenges Photographers to be More Creative

OKDOTHIS is an innovative community of photographers who, every day, celebrate the role of creativity in the art of photography. The app is designed to get them out of the rut of taking the same picture over and over again by providing a “DO” — a specific idea of what subjects to shoot and what mood, topic, theme or attribute to highlight. OKDOTHIS encourages photographers to ‘stretch’ beyond their standard shooting styles. There are several categories of DOs, ranging from art & design, sports, work, life highlights, etc. Examples of some thought-provoking DOs include:

• Defy gravity!
• Doors that you wish could talk
• Epitomize a city in one photograph
• Tenebrism: violent contrasts of light and dark, where darkness dominates the image

Photographers can simply browse, select a DO, and use their phone to take and post the photo on the spot. Alternatively, a photographer might want to plan a day of DOs — select a few on which to focus for the day, head out with a preferred digital camera, and shoot. With the Eyefi Cloud integrated with the OKDOTHIS mobile app, photographers can now use photos from their digital camera (with a Mobi WiFi SD card) or their WiFi camera to submit a photo for one of the challenges.

B&H carries Eyefi Wireless Memory Cards.

B&H has the newly announced Apple iPad Pro available for preorder.

Product Highlights

• 12.9" Multi-Touch Retina Display
• 2732 x 2048 Screen Resolution (264 ppi)
• Apple A9X 64-bit SoC with M9 Coprocessor
• Front 1.2MP FaceTime HD Camera
• Rear 8MP iSight Camera
• Four-Speaker Audio Design
• Touch ID Fingerprint Sensor
• Lightning Connector, Smart Connector
• iOS 9

From Canon USA:

Environmental Sustainability Initiative Achieved Goal of Contributing to the Planting of 50,000 Trees in 2015

MELVILLE, N.Y., — As part of its ongoing commitment to environmental sustainability, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is proud to announce that the Company’s partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation has helped contribute to the planting of 50,000 trees this year. The achievement is the latest result of Canon U.S.A.’s long-lasting support of the Arbor Day Foundation’s Community Tree Recovery Program, which helps to rebuild communities affected by natural disasters through the planting of trees.

Since 2009, Canon U.S.A.’s contributions to Arbor Day’s reforestation efforts and the Community Tree Recovery Program have helped in the planting of over 360,000 trees across national forests and communities that have been impacted by natural disasters.

“As a cornerstone of our corporate philosophy of Kyosei, Canon is a strong believer in community involvement,” said Junichi Yoshitake, senior vice president and general manager, Business Imaging Solutions Group, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “Through our partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, we are proud to have achieved this goal in helping communities where natural disasters have struck.”

This year, the Community Tree Recovery Program has provided recovery support to 11 states across the nation, including New Jersey, Kentucky, Texas and Washington. Through the Canon Forest Program, which supports the Community Tree Recovery Program, Canon supported the planting of one tree for every eligible imageRUNNER ADVANCE multifunction system sold from April 1, 2015, up to the now-achieved goal of 50,000 trees planted. Various imageRUNNER ADVANCE multifunction systems have achieved outstanding Total Energy Consumption (TEC) ratings, received ENERGY STAR certifications, and have also received various EPEATi ratings, which is the global registry for greener electronics.

"We are thankful for the partnership with Canon as they help in the rebuild of communities across the country," said Dan Lambe, Arbor Day Foundation, president. "Planting trees is a powerfully inspiring experience that will help to bring hope and healing back to the good people affected by these natural disasters."

For more information about the Canon Forest Program and Canon's other environmental initiatives, visit: www.usa.canon.com/internet/portal/us/home/about/corporate-social-responsibility/environment/arbor-day-foundation

For more information on the communities supported by the Community Tree Recovery Program, visit: http://www.arborday.org/takeaction/community-tree-recovery/

by Sean Setters

I've been a photographer for many years but somehow never got around to adding a set of Christmas lights to my kit – until now. On a recent trip to CVS Pharmacy, I wondered down the newly stocked holiday seasonal aisle to find dozens of sets of Christmas lights.

When my eyes landed on a set of "icicle" lights, I immediately thought about how great they'd look as a background for a shallow depth-of-field portrait. After a quick checkout I was ready to set up a portrait session with Amanda.

I used an Avenger D600 Mini Boom attached to a light stand to suspend the lights in front of an Impact 5x7 Black/White Collapsible Background. For lighting the subject, I used a Canon 580EX Speedlite in a 24" collapsible softbox (similar product) above camera and a 580EX diffused by a 43" Westcott Optical White Collapsible Umbrella below the camera to complete the clamshell lighting setup. I used an Avenger F600 Baby Offset Arm to allow me to position the softbox above the camera while remaining unencumbered by its light stand.

I gelled both flashes with a full CTO so that the light hitting the subject would closely match the light emanating from the warm, tungsten Christmas lights. Gelling the flashes with a full CTO helped to create the illusion that the light hitting the subject's face might have been caused by another string of Christmas lights just behind the camera. I know that's a bit of a stretch, but at least the color of the light hitting the subject is at least somewhat motivated by the components within the scene. And with the color of light closely matching, I could use a global color correction to dial in just the amount of warmth I wanted in the image.

For the camera and lens, I used a tripod mounted Canon EOS 5D Mark III and an EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM. The 85L II worked perfectly in the relatively small amount of space, providing a field of view narrow enough to fill the frame with the collapsible background and an aperture wide enough to throw the background out of focus.

Here's a shot of the setup that I took this morning:

At the end of the evening, I was really glad I had finally added a set of Christmas lights to my kit. They're fun, relatively inexpensive and a great source of creative inspiration – be sure to pick some up this holiday season for enjoyment year round!

You can click on the image atop this post to see a larger version on Flickr.

Just posted: Tamron 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD Lens Review.

Is this lens as similar to the Tamron 45mm f/1.8 Di VC USD Lens as expected? Read the review to find out how one similarity caused me trouble.

B&H has the Tamron 35mm f/1.8 Di VC USD Lens in stock.

Breakthrough Photography, makers of our favorite 10-stop neutral density filter, have introduced a Kickstarter campaign to jumpstart production of their X3 circular polarizer, billed as the world's sharpest and most color-neutral CPL filter.

Considering the quality of their ND filters we have no reason to doubt the claims regarding their X3 circular polarizing filter. Supporting the Kickstarter campaign will allow you to get an X3 CPL filter at a nice discount vs. retail pricing.

From the Breakthrough Photography:

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA – Breakthrough Photography, a San Francisco-based research and manufacturing startup, has announced a new circular polarizer called the X3 CPL. They claim the X3 CPL to be “the world’s sharpest and most color neutral circular polarizer.”

Aimed at professional outdoor photographers, the X3 CPL features SCHOTT B270 optical glass, MRC16, nanotec nano coatings and an all-new internally developed circular polarizing film, called CrystalVision, manufactured in California.

Coming off the success of the X3 Neutral Density filter launched on Kickstarter last year, the X3 CPL adapts the same proven weather-sealed “traction frame” design as the company’s X3 ND, which is CNC machined from brass.

“We took all that we learned from the success of the X3 ND and adapted it to a circular polarizer. At the core of the X3 CPL lies our internally developed, American-made CPL film, and it sets the X3 CPL apart from all other competing circular polarizers. And we’ve even designed a X3 CPL specifically for Leica shooters, and for Canon’s CINE Lens Lineup, too.” said founder and photographer Graham Clark.

The X3 CPL is immediately available for pre-order on Kickstarter in limited quantities with a December 2015 delivery schedule. Pre-ordering and product information can be found by visiting the company’s website at http://www.breakthrough.photography/

“We’re really excited to bring the X3 CPL to the photography community on Kickstarter first. We’ll be offering a one-time launch sale price of up to $50 off, in limited quantities, just in time for the holiday season.”says founder and photographer Graham Clark. “If this Kickstarter campaign proves successful, the X3 CPL will be available for purchase on Amazon Prime, B&H and Adorama directly following the Kickstarter campaign.”

X3 CPL Key Features:

• Critically sharp SCHOTT B270 Optical Glass
• American-made CrystalVision CPL film
• MRC16 reduces flaring and ghosting
• nanotec nano coating layers repels elements
• Rugged Ultra-slim Weather-sealed Traction Frame
• 25 Year Support

X3 CPL Size & Retail Pricing:

• 39mm, 46mm, 49mm, 52mm, 58mm, 62mm for $129
• 67mm and 72mm for $139
• 77mm for $149
• 82mm for $159
• 95mm for $189
• 105mm for $199

From Redrock Micro:

Mobile app and parabolic motorized slider combine to speed setup, enhance interview intimacy

Dallas, TX and Hollywood, CA - Redrock Micro, the recognized leader in affordable professional cinema accessories, today announced the release of the new iOS remote app for One Man Crew Director. The mobile app enables wireless setup and control of the One Man Crew motorized parabolic slider, and adds features for streamlining small crew workflow and enhancing on-set intimacy for interviews. The app is available for immediate download from the Apple App store.

Benefits of the iOS One Man Crew Remote App include:

• Faster setup with touch-screen control of all the unit's side panel operations.
• More convenient operation to start and stop camera movement, change speed, and start and stop camera recording, saving time and effort.
• Enhance interview intimacy with the new Gesture Screen to sync camera movements to tempo and mood of interview without looking away from the subject or having additional crew on set.
• Improved support with mobile access to the One Man Crew operating manual.

"The OMC Remote App is fantastic," said Matthew Allard of Newsshooter.com. "It is intuitive and very straightforward to use. This makes operating the One Man Crew Director so much easier. The ability to control your device while standing next to another camera saves you a lot of time and gives you the added versatility of being able to change the speed or modify your parabolic moves..."

Great Interviews for Solo or Small Crews
The iOS remote app works with the award-winning One Man Crew Director, the only parabolic motorized slider that adds camera movement without requiring a dedicated operator while keeping the subject in focus and anchored in frame. This feature makes the One Man Crew Director uniquely well-suited for interviews, reality television, talking head, corporate, and documentary work.

"(We) Love the new One Man Crew Director app. It's really convenient to operate the slider from anywhere on set," said Zach Rutledge, Co-Owner of Songbird Media Group. Songbird Media is a full-scale, state-of-the-art media production company. Songbird relies on gear including the One Man Crew Director to create polished, higher quality interviews for their clients.

The latest version of the iOS Remote App includes an API for developers. Using the API, the One Man Crew Director control can be integrated into third party applications.

The iOS Remote App for One Man Crew joins the Android version of the Remote App that is also available.

Owners of the original One Man Crew can use the Remote app with an upgrade to the One Man Crew Director, currently on sale at $300 discount for a limited time.

B&H carries the Redrock Micro One Man Crew Director.

From the Canon Australia YouTube Channel:

World famous, Vincent Laforet, brings his unique AIR Project to Sydney.

Safe to say is that nearly everyone reading this post has their eye on a piece of camera kit, that one piece that will take their capabilities to the next level. Usually, money is the barrier to taking that next step, so let's talk about increasing available cash. Raising funds generally involves earning money by working, selling something of value and/or spending less.

Sell Your Images and Photography Services

Since photography is our love, most of us will find the best option to raise money for camera gear is to sell our images and/or photography services. This is of course easier said than done, but get a sales channel going and you will have a recurring revenue stream to support your photo kit growth long term. Advertise your portrait services to your Facebook friends. Ask your kid's teammates' parents if they would be interested in spending a few dollars for some great sports action pics. Hang prints for sale in local establishments.

An upside to selling prints and services is that, if you sell enough, your accountant will likely allow you to write-off your gear costs and other expenses, saving you a lot of money by effectively reducing your costs significantly.

Sell Your Old Camera Gear

You have likely been upgrading to the latest camera and lens models as they are released. But, are you cleaning out what doesn't get used any longer? If there is gear in your kit has not been used in a year or two and is not needed for backup purposes, it is probably not worth keeping and is a potential source of funding for the hot new gear.

Selling camera gear direct to a buyer can bring you the most revenue, but ... it doesn't get easier and the risk doesn't get lower than selling to B&H. They take care of everything and you can count on getting paid.

Sell Something Else

For many of us, the camera gear is the priority, so ... what else can you sell? What is taking up space in your house, garage, attic, basement, etc. but has been unused for a year? Are you really going to use it again? Sell it on eBay. The process is easy and you might be surprised at what other people want. Even if you don't make a lot per item, repeat the process enough times and the funds start adding up. Available space in your house also increases. Perhaps enough to make room for a new photo setup, even if it is only a product/macro setup.

Offline, the "Bake sale" suggestion keeps bubbling to the surface around here. Beats selling a body part for sure and a good sandwich sale could finance an L lens.

Get More Money from the Day Job

If your day job is not photography related, I hesitate to recommend that you work more hours as doing so may cut into your photography time, but ... a little overtime in your off season (winter perhaps?) could go a long way in financing some new glass. Another option with longer term payback: spend some time educating yourself to qualify for a position that commands a higher salary.

If your day job is commission based, put in more sales time and effort for a greater compensation reward. Finding a side job that you find enjoyable, even if for only an evening or two each week, can raise considerable funds over a period of time.

I should note here that time with the family should not suffer if you are working more hours. Make your family your highest priority. Take the extra working hours out of your personal time (put away the video games).

Increase Your Rates

Do you charge a rate for the work you do? Being the low-priced option might be necessary for someone starting out in an industry, but the goal is to quickly leave the bargain basement pricing behind you. Increase your rates. Get good enough to become worth more in the eyes of your clients or your employer. Study your craft and deliver the highest quality of work possible. Then educate why your work is better.

Work More Efficiently

The amount of time we have cannot be increased, but better utilizing the time we do have is the goal.

Post processing consumes a large part of many photography jobs and especially with the additional bandwidth requirements of the ultra-high resolution DSLR cameras arriving on the scene, computing performance is a common bottleneck. There are likely few of us who find the anticipation of an image loading to full resolution to be worth the time spent watching it do so. I recently replaced the lab laptop with a model that processes images twice as fast. It is not hard to justify an expense that frees time like this.

Another consideration is to outsource the work that is not core to your services (or that you do not like, or are not good at). This work can include accounting, payroll, lawn mowing, cleaning, etc. Or, hire an assistant that complements your skill set and/or handles the tasks that do not require your skills. Working smart includes working carefully (mistakes are very time consuming), quickly and of course, hard.

Tighten the Budget

Increasing available cash from an existing revenue streams (such as the day job) can be accomplished by tightening the budget. Even a modest $20 per week savings will net over $1,000 in a year in after tax dollars. Pack a lunch a couple of days per week. Give up a few of the fancy cups of coffee each week. Ride a bike to work. Look at where your money is going and stop some of the flow.

How Not to Fund Camera Gear

Your credit card makes it easy to place an order for any gear that you want right now. But, I strongly recommend not using your credit card as the source of a loan for camera gear. While I very highly recommend using credit cards (pick a good rewards card with the warranty extension feature), credit card companies charge extremely high interest rates that can become a long term burden. Pay the credit cards in full every month to avoid this additional cost. Find another source for a loan if necessary.

Get a Loan

I was not going to include this option, but since I strongly discouraged using a credit card as a loan source, I wanted to note that a loan is not always a bad decision for camera and post production gear purchased for business use. If you think that a capital investment in camera gear will allow you to increase your business opportunities and revenue, a loan from a reputable source with a reasonable interest rate may be a valid consideration. Before signing for the cash, make sure that you have a business plan in place that includes loan repayment. Lenses hold their value especially well, meaning that aborting the plan early will not likely prove disastrous. Even so, go into debt only with careful forethought.

Watch for Deals

One of our goals here The-Digital-Picture.com is to maximize your kit improvement per dollar. The retailers we promote (especially B&H) always offer low prices combined with excellent customer service. The highly relevant short term deals we search out and share on the news page/feed range from very good to amazing. Make sure to check in at least daily to insure that you don't miss the opportunity to save on the gear you want or need.

Summary

Basically, the camera gear kit funding strategy is: make more, spend less, sell what you are not using and shop smart. Then watch your kit grow. Sounds simple, right?

What are your kit-funding strategies?