Canon and Sony News for Jan 2015 (Page 4)
From the B&H YouTube Channel:
Everyone has different needs when it comes to image processing. Whether your final output is a website, a digital c-print or an inkjet print tailoring your workflow is essential to insuring the quality of your work. In this class X-Rite’s Jeff Lazell uses his decade of experience as a production manager in NYC premier wedding and portrait studio to help you build an effective, color managed post-production workflow.
B&H carries X-Rite Color Management products.
My life does not currently afford me to constantly be flying to exotic locations, so I'm continuously looking for opportunities closer to home to give photo gear a workout. One landscape type not readily found in my home base of Pennsylvania is the water-eroded bare-earth look so common in the American Southwest. After gaining permission to photograph at a local limestone quarry after hours, I came upon a huge screenings pile (a small mountain really). The fine stone was fast-eroding and the erosion created a very Southwest-appearing landscape.
After scouting the pile and trying many good perspectives, I came to prefer this one. I moved in close to one of the wider areas of non-erosion and framed to let the strongly-contrasting lines (courtesy of shadows from a late-day sun) move through the frame in a pleasing manner. I didn't use the widest focal length available to me to prevent the background details from becoming too small.
If I hadn't told you, where would you have said this image was captured?
A larger version of this image is available on Google+, Flickr and Facebook. Also, if reading from a news feed reader, click through to see the framed image.
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The excellent Canon PIXMA PRO-100 Printer bundle deals that are currently live are scheduled to end in less than two weeks. Be sure to take advantage of them before they expire January 31.
Canon PIXMA PRO-100 Printer & Photo Paper Bundles
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III – $2,449.00 AR (also includes extra third-party battery, 16GB SD card and gadget bag)
- Canon EOS 5D Mark III + EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM – $3,049.00 AR (also includes extra third-party battery, 16GB SD card and gadget bag)
- Canon EOS-1D X – $5,649.00 AR (also includes 32GB CF card, shoulder bag and Vello ShutterBoss)
- Canon EOS 70D – $799.00 AR
At the 2:40 min mark in this video, a quote from actor W.C. Fields came to mind, "Never work with animals or children." Lucky for us, those subjects provide ample opportunities for great pictures (but they may require a great amount of patience that W.C. Fields seemingly lacked).
From the Karl Tayler YouTube Channel:
A Harris Hawk in flight… What a fantastic first shoot for the new studio!
It was great to welcome Robert and his incredible friend Freyja the hawk back. This time though we had all the space needed to nail the shot that I couldn’t achieve last year in our previous studio.
Relevant Gear
From the Canon USA YouTube Channel:
Take a peek at this video montage of all of our Explorer of Lights who presented at the Canon booth!
From PocketWizard:
You must be using PocketWizard Utility version 1.54 or later before installing the latest firmware.
Canon MiniTT1 & FlexTT5 – 7D Mark II (beta)
The current Canon ControlTL beta firmware version is 6.726 and is available through the PocketWizard Utility right now. It adds support for Canon's latest DSLR, the Canon EOS 7D Mark II, and corrects a few issues. See the release notes for more information.
Nikon MiniTT1 & FlexTT5 – D750 / SB-500 (beta)
You should install the latest camera firmware, C:1.01, in your Nikon D750 before continuing.
The current Nikon ControlTL beta firmware version is 3.707 and is available through the PocketWizard Utility right now. It adds support for Nikon's latest DSLR, the Nikon D750, as well as the SB-500 Speedlight. It also corrects a few issues. See the release notes for more information.
B&H carries PocketWizard products.
From the B&H YouTube Channel:
The Flex is a 10”x10” flexible light panel with 166 LED diodes which are dimmable 5600k daylight balanced, or there’s a model with 3200k tungsten LEDs.
B&H carries the Wescott Flex LED Light Panel.
I generally prefer to avoid the hand-of-man in my wildlife images and when setting up at the Conowingo Dam, I positioned myself to best avoid the dam, wires and other non-natural objects in my backgrounds. But ... those man-made objects were not always avoidable and ... the Conowingo Dam is a big reason why the eagles are there in the first place. And, it is a landmark among bird photographers. It is not unusual to find half a million dollars worth of gear on the shoreline below this dam. So, I find it fitting to include the dam in the background of a bald eagle image. In this example, I like the evenly-repeating pattern of the heavily blurred dam in the background.
The 7D II performed very well this day. I used the 600 L II IS lens for maximum reach and used the 1.4x III extender some of the time. The 1344mm effective angle of view proved challenging for tracking the erratically-flying eagles and I eventually removed the extender. However, some of my favorite shots of the day would not have been nearly as good without the extender in place. So, the with or without extender decision must be weighed in light of circumstances.
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From the Canon USA YouTube Channel:
With some significant steps up in speed, flexibility and responsiveness from previous EOS 5D Series cameras, you'll see why the Canon EOS 5D Mark III deserves your serious consideration.
B&H has a Canon EOS 5D Mark III Bundle that's available for $2,499.00 after rebate.
From the Canon Digital Learning Center:
"There’s nothing like a fresh snowfall to make a landscape truly dramatic! Snow is an inspiring photographic subject, whether you’re shooting mountain vistas, or single flakes. But it’s also a tricky subject, and many photographers find that the glowingly bright snow scene in front of their lens mysteriously turns into a depressingly gray photo after they take the shot.This article explains why that happens, and how to avoid it, for wonderful snow photos this winter season!"Check out the entire article on the Canon Digital Learning Center.
by Sean Setters
Ever since posting about the Canon EOS 7D L on April Fool's Day back in 2013, we receive the occasional email from site visitors who are truly interested in a camera they can operate with their left hand. More often than not, the user has experienced a trauma or some other condition which has left them partially (or completely) disabled on the right side of their body.
Being able to use both hands with relative equal dexterity is a blessing that I (as well as most of us, I'm sure) take for granted. I can scarcely imagine the obstacles and challenges of completing everyday tasks with one hand. And photography gear, with its overwhelming preference for right-handed design, becomes especially challenging to use if you do not have complete functionality on your right side.
As such, we wanted to provide a solution for those photographers who may not have full use of their right hand. What we came up with appears at the top of this post.
It's a Flip Flash Bracket from Alzo Digital with their Flash Bracket Shutter Release.
Normally speaking, the flash bracket and shutter release are designed to be used in a right-handed fashion. However, if you simply mount the camera backwards and then change the direction of the shutter release (so that it points the other way), the bracket can be held with the left hand and the shutter can be triggered with the left index finger.
One benefit of this solution is that it is camera body agnostic – it can be used with any camera body that has a tripod socket and a remote sync port (Alzo Digital sells several different versions of the shutter release to fit all types of cameras). Also, it's a relatively inexpensive solution at around $100.00.
Is it a perfect solution? Not really. In order to change camera settings, the user will need to set the camera down and go through the rather clunky process of changing settings with the left hand. However, this camera bracket does at least provide a viable solution for holding and triggering the camera for those who may only have the use of their left hand.
From Adobe:
Tonight we’re announcing the immediate availability of Lightroom mobile for Android phones.
Lightroom mobile extends your existing workflows beyond the desktop, allowing you to utilize your Android phone to review and edit your images and have the changes sync back to your Lightroom catalog at home, including:
- access images in your Lightroom catalog
- make selects, reject unworthy photos
- apply a preset
- fine tunes your images using the Basic panel
- import new photos directly from the Gallery
Once you’ve told Lightroom a collection of pictures should be sent to Lightroom mobile, the process is handled automatically and the pictures will become available on your Android phone once it is connected to the internet. Any changes you make in Lightroom mobile will be automatically synced and updated back to the Lightroom catalog on your desktop.
Lightroom mobile utilizes Smart Previews to provide raw editing functionality on the go. Smart Previews are:
- Based on the DNG file format
- Limited to 2560 pixels on the long edge
- Smaller versions original raw files
- Can be used to make adjustments even when the original files aren’t available locally
- Adjustments made to Smart Previews are applied to the original when the original files are available
How to get started:
Download the latest version of Lightroom 5
Lightroom mobile is a companion to Lightroom desktop. Please update to the latest version of Lightroom 5 using either the Creative Cloud app or by clicking on the “Help-> Check for Updates” menu option.
Sign In
Lightroom mobile utilizes cloud services to sync Smart Previews and changes between Lightroom desktop and Lightroom mobile. Lightroom mobile requires a qualifying Creative Cloud or Photoshop Photography Plan subscription:
- Creative Cloud Photography plan
- Creative Cloud complete plan
- Creative Cloud Student and Teacher Edition
- Creative Cloud for teams complete plan
Sync a collection
Lightroom mobile is organized around Collections. Images within Collections will be synced and be available in Lightroom mobile.
Download Lightroom mobile
Visit the Google Play store and download Lightroom mobile. Once you login with the same Creative Cloud account, you’ll see all of your synced Collections.
Check out your photos at lightroom.adobe.com
In addition to Lightroom mobile, we’ve also launched Lightroom web, a new way to view and share your images from any web browser. Available at http://lightroom.adobe.com.
System Requirements
- Processor : Quad Core CPU with 1.7 GHZ ARMv7 architecture
- RAM : 1 GB
- Internal Storage: 8 GB
- Android Jellybean, KitKat, or Lollipop
Adobe's Creative Cloud Photography Plan (Photoshop CC + Lightroom 5) is only $9.99 per month.
From Canon:
Thank you for using Canon products.
The purpose of this announcement is to inform our customers of the details of the phenomenon described below, as well as of the actions Canon is taking to address this phenomenon. Because we value the trust our customers have placed in us, we are dedicated to delivering industry-leading service and support for our products. We offer our sincerest apologies to any customer who may be inconvenienced.
Phenomenon
In rare instances, it is possible that units of the Potentially Affected Products listed below may exhibit the following operation errors, depending on usage conditions, due to insufficient contact between the camera’s battery terminal and the battery, even when the battery has sufficient power remaining.
- The message “Charge the battery” appears immediately.
- The power sometimes does not turn on.
- The power turns off during use.
Potentially Affected Product
Please confirm whether your camera may be a Potentially Affected Product by checking the sixth digit from the left in the serial number which is located on the bottom of the camera body.
| Product | Location of serial number | Potentially Affected units |
| PowerShot ELPH 135 |  | Products whose sixth digit from the left is “0” may be affected. |
| PowerShot ELPH 150 IS |  | Products whose sixth digit from the left is “0” may be affected. |
| PowerShot ELPH 340 HS |  | Products whose sixth digit from the left is “0” may be affected. |
| PowerShot SX280 HS |  | Products whose sixth digit from the left is “0” to “4” may be affected. |
| PowerShot S120 |  | Products whose sixth digit from the left is “0” or “1” may be affected. |
| PowerShot ELPH 140 IS |  | Products whose sixth digit from the left is “0” may be affected. |
Among products with the serial numbers described above, if there is a marking inside the battery cover like the ones in the images below, the issue has already been corrected, and you may continue to use your camera as is with no further action required.
| Product | Example Image | Marking Position |
| PowerShot ELPH 135 |  | Marking is on the inside of battery cover. |
| PowerShot ELPH 150 IS |  | Marking is on the inside of battery cover. |
| PowerShot ELPH 340 HS |  | Marking is on the inside of battery cover. |
| PowerShot SX280 HS |  | Marking is on the inside of battery cover. |
| PowerShot S120 |  | Marking is on the inside of battery cover. |
| PowerShot ELPH 140 IS |  | Marking is on the inside of battery cover. |
Support
If your camera exhibits the phenomenon described in this announcement, your camera, battery pack and battery charger will be inspected, and repaired or replaced with a refurbished product (in Canon’s sole discretion), free of charge. Moreover, if you paid repair fees to have your camera repaired specifically for this phenomenon, Canon will refund the fee paid, subject to Canon's confirmation that the repair was performed. If you own a camera that exhibits this phenomenon, or if you have a question about whether your camera is a Potentially Affected Product, please contact our Customer Support Center.
Please note that the support above will be available until the end of 2019 only.
This information is for residents of the United States and Puerto Rico only. If you do not reside in the USA or Puerto Rico, please contact the Canon Customer Support Center in your region.
Thank you,
Customer Support Operations
Canon U.S.A., Inc
From Lexar:
New Cards Provide High-Performance Capture, Play Back, and Transfer of Photo Files and 1080p Full-HD, 3D, and 4K video
Milpitas, CA – Lexar, a leading global brand of flash memory products, today announced the new Lexar Professional 1000x microSDHC and microSDXC UHS-II cards, offering read transfer speeds up to 150MB per second.* Designed for sports camcorders, tablets, and smartphones, the new microSD cards leverage Ultra High Speed II (U3) to provide faster capture, play back, and transfer of photo and video files. The cards are also an excellent choice for photographers needing multiple memory cards for extended use to capture aerial content with a quadcopter.
Available in 32GB, 64GB, and 128GB capacities, Professional 1000x microSD UHS-II cards can quickly capture, play back, and transfer extended lengths of the highest quality 1080p full-HD, 3D, and 4K video, making it easy to preserve more than 15 hours of your greatest moments and then relive the action.*** As with all Lexar Professional cards, a lifetime copy of Image Rescue software is included to recover any lost or deleted files, and each card is backed by a limited lifetime warranty.****
“As the many uses for microSD cards grow and evolve, we want to provide users with the best possible workflow solution,” said Adam Kaufman, director of memory card product marketing, Lexar. “The Lexar Professional 1000x microSD UHS-II cards allow users to enjoy the benefits of the latest UHS-II devices, while also performing at the maximum speed threshold of UHS-I devices, and provide exceptionally fast file transfer when used with the included reader. Whether it’s with a tablet, smartphone, or quadcopter, the new Professional 1000x microSD UHS-II cards will capture and move content faster than ever before.”
“While the new UHS-II technology allows us to boost read performance in our microSD product line by more than 50%, we’ve retained full backward compatibility to older SD 2.0 and UHS-I SDR-104 hosts, allowing consumers to have full use in older devices while benefitting from the higher read speeds of the new interface,” said Wes Brewer, vice president and general manager, Lexar. “This ability, combined with a unique reader, sets the high performance Lexar Professional microSD cards miles apart from others in the market.”
The Professional 1000x microSDHC and microSDXC UHS-II cards are backwards compatible with UHS-I cameras and readers at UHS-I speeds, as well as non-UHS-I devices at Class 10 speeds. Lexar Professional 1000x microSD UHS-II cards will be available in the first calendar quarter of 2015 with a MSRP of $59.99 (32GB), $109.99 (64GB), and $189.99 (128GB).
B&H carries Lexar memory cards.
It seems that, every time there is an astronomical event scheduled, the sky turns cloudy where I am. I'm sure that this is one of Murphy's laws, but ... sometimes everything works out anyway.
This particular lunar eclipse was happening early in the morning and I setup my gear the evening before. After checking the weather report immediately prior to going to bed, I turned off the alarm. The odds of the cloud cover clearing were very low and I decided that a clear mind from a solid night of sleep was the wiser decision.
Fortunately, my Mother-In-Law was wiser than I was (or more excited about the event) and, upon seeing some clearing in the sky, she called me at 4:30 AM. I crawled out of bed, dressed warmly, hauled the ready-to-go gear out to the front yard and found a chair to sit on. I established the focus distance and changed the lens to MF. I then established the exposure needed to keep the moon very slightly darker than blown (mostly avoiding pure white/blinkies on the LCD). The clouds indeed cleared (mostly) by the time of the event and I was able to capture many good shots.
As is generally the case with landscape photography, I had to embrace what the weather provided me and in this case, some remaining clouds moved across the moon at times during the eclipse. The brightness of the moon was much for the clouds to remain visible in the frame most of the time (except when the moon was very obscured), but I wanted to show the clouds in some images with the moon only slightly obscured. Thus, I used an HDR technique involving two exposures stacked and merged in Photoshop.
The result of this particular image is that the eclipsed portion of the moon is not as dark (due to the presence of the clouds) as those captured without clouds, but the clouds appearing to radiate from the moon yields a different look to this infrequent occurrence.
Obviously, for this lunar eclipse, I opted to fill the frame with just the moon vs. including a landscape in the frame. The 600mm f/4L IS II is a much-appreciated part of my kit, and this was an instance where the 2x extender proved useful.
A larger version of this image is available on Google+, Flickr and Facebook. Also, if reading from a news feed reader, click through to see the framed image.
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