Canon and Sony News for Aug 2015 (Page 4)
Image quality results have been added to the Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art Lens Review page.
Test results from the EOS 5Ds R are coming.
B&H has the Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art Lens Canon mount in stock. The Nikon mount version is available for preorder (expected in stock Aug 24th).
From the B&H YouTube Channel:
Adobe Worldwide Creative Cloud Evangelist Terry White will show you the newest tips and techniques in Lightroom and Photoshop CC to help you increase your productivity and make it easier than ever to deliver images your clients will love. Learn how to best manage your files, make enhancements to images that define your personal style and take advantage of presets, templates and batch processing to expedite your workflow.
For a limited time, B&H has a 1-Year Subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan available for $99.88. Regularly $119.88.
Don't like shooting in the extreme heat and humidity of summer? Be like the birds – migrate! For most of us northern hemisphere residents, the preferred direction is north.
I was recently privileged to do just that, spending a week 26 miles from the grid in the North Maine Woods, just below the Canadian border. The temperature here in late July was very pleasant during my entire stay.
The North Maine Woods are sometimes referred to as the "Silent Woods" by my family, referencing specifically the lack of crickets, cicadas, katydids, etc. making the loud night music we are accustomed to at home. But that declaration is not completely true. Along with some frogs, the clear, eerie call of the loon is a common night sound heard around the silent, pristine northern Maine lakes. It is a sound that I love to hear and a photo of that audio source brings back great memories.
I have photos of common loons, but ... none that stood out to me. I have wanted change that problem on this trip and to do so, I spent just over hour early each of four mornings attempting to photograph these beautiful birds.
My craft was a canoe. Being solo in the canoe with light and changing winds added to the challenge of positioning for the photos. Getting close enough for adequate frame filling while positioning between the loons and the sun all while not concerning the not-too-tame birds was not easy. A light wind being able to rapidly turn the canoe was definitely not helpful.
My case was a Pelican. As it is only fitting to use a case named after a bird while photographing birds, I stored the camera and lenses in a "Pelican" 1510 while in transit between shore and actively photographing the birds. While the Pelican case lacks official approval as a PFD, it floats very nicely in the event of a worst case scenario. There was no worry about water from the paddle dripping on it and no worry about water on the floor of the boat reaching the gear.
The Canon EF 100-400mm L IS II was my Lens choice for these outings. While a 600mm lens would have been more ideal from a focal length perspective (due to the distance that the loons were comfortable with), it would not have been easy to handle this lens in the canoe, especially when alternating between paddling and photographing. The 1.4x behind the 100-400 L II would have also been helpful, but ... that option was not available to me.
The Canon EOS 5Ds R was my camera choice. Having the tremendous resolution of the 5Ds R allowed me to crop deep into the frame with significant pixel dimension remaining. At least 24 megapixels remained in most final images and some required no cropping for a frame-filling loon. Framing loosely had some advantages. For one, the loons were seldom still. And, by sticking one leg straight out the side, loons can change directions 180° almost instantly. That is much faster than I could change the canoe's direction and faster than I could change an AF point to the opposite side. With the center AF point locked on the bird's head, I was ready for any direction change with the bird (often) remaining (relatively) easy to keep entirely in the frame with only slight recomposition needed.
While I cropped the loons rather tightly in most images, being able to go back to the RAW file means that I can open images up if/when more space is needed around the birds such as for titles and text. The background, primarily reflections of the forest with some sky, are beautiful in their own right and in this photo, I especially liked the reflected colors of the forest being hit with early morning light. The white birch tree reflection is another key location identifier to me.
Photo trips such as this one provide extremely educational firsthand experience. One of my take-aways from this loon photography experience is that loons blink a LOT after surfacing into bright sunlight. Once I noticed that behavior, I was careful to time the shutter release with an open eye (and utilized burst mode more frequently).
Crossing this photo off of my bucket list was not a small effort (some might say that I went "loony"), but the pile of keeper-grade loon images I brought home was a bit daunting to sort through. Selecting the one to share with you first was an even bigger challenge. Being in a far north latitude meant that this effort was "no sweat."
A larger version of this image is available on Flickr, Google+, 500px and Facebook. Also, if reading from a news feed reader, click through to see the framed image.
ISO 800
7230 x 4820px
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Image quality results have been added to the Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art Lens Review page.
Test results from the EOS 5Ds R are coming.
B&H has the Sigma 24-35mm f/2 DG HSM Art Lens Canon mount in stock. Nikon mount version is available for preorder (expected in stock Aug 24th).
From Gitzo UK:
New Gitzo Center Ball Heads
08/10/2015 – Gitzo, pioneer in developing some of the most advanced and revolutionary technologies for camera accessories and supports, is proud to introduce a completely new range of Center Ball Heads, representing the state-of-the-art in the heads’ field and focusing on ultimate smoothness and precision.
The Center Ball Heads are dedicated to pros and advanced amateur photographers and are engineered and developed to be the ideal complements to Gitzo’s top of the range tripods. The new heads are available in three sizes ideal for Gitzo’s Traveler and Mountaineer tripods.
SMOOTHNESS AND PRECISION
The new Center Ball Heads are coated with tungsten disulphide - one of the smoothest materials around. With an extremely efficient locking mechanism and the use of hard metal components under and around the ball, this mechanism provides comfortable friction onto the ball meaning it can be locked with minimal effort while avoiding unwanted deforming or drifting.
COMFORTABLE CONTROL OF MOVEMENT
All three models feature an independent pan lock, making it possible to take panoramic photos or make horizontal adjustments for perfect framing. Friction control is also available in the GH1382QD and GH3382QD. Located in the ball lock knob it functions independently allowing the ball lock to have a quick locking without sacrificing movement and safety
INTUITIVE QUICK RELEASE SYSTEM
The plate is locked with a screw-knob, which makes the system compact, light, and intuitive, while being flexible to accept most Arca-Swiss style plates.
PERFECT MATCH FOR THE GITZO TRIPODS
The new Center Ball Heads have slim, curved forms and are aesthetically outstanding with a triangular accent, and matte grey plated steel top casings. Dimensions and colourings are designed to match perfectly with Gitzo’s Traveler and Mountaineer Tripods.
The new Center Ball Head range features the following:
- Center Ball Head Series 1 Traveler Quick Release D (GH1382TQD)
- Center Ball Head Series 1 Quick Release D (GH1382QD)
- Center Ball Head Series 3 Quick Release D (GH3382QD) – Available mid November
The new Center Ball Heads are also included in the brand new Traveler Tripod Kits, as well as in Mountaineer Tripod Kits.
B&H has the Gitzo GH1382TQD, GH1382QD & GH3382QD Center Ball Heads available for preorder.
New Gitzo Traveler Tripods Range
08/10/2015 – Gitzo, pioneer in developing some of the most advanced and revolutionary technologies for camera accessories and supports is proud to introduce the new Traveler Tripod range. Boasting the 180° leg folding mechanism pioneered by Gitzo, the range is now even stronger thanks to the state of the art “Carbon eXact” tubes.
The perfect travelling companion for photographers when shooting whilst on trips, the new Traveler range features the slimmest Series 0 for the first time, whilst the Series 1 and 2 models feature an improved height.
CARBON EXACT – STRONGER LEGS
The new Traveler Tripods boast the ground breaking Carbon eXact tubes: stiffer than the antecedents’ Carbon 6X tubes, the new tubes include High Modulus carbon fibre, and have larger tube diameters. For example, the lowest leg section of the Series 1, 5-section tripod has a diameter of 40% larger than the predecessor
TRAVELER G-LOCK – SPACE SAVING AND ERGONOMIC
Traveler G-lock is the new, compact leg lock system dedicated to Traveler Tripods. The new, curved external form provides good grip, whilst the internal O-ring achieves softer operation and reduces dust and grit entering the locks. The more efficient use of space makes it possible to have taller tripods with compact folded lengths.
The new range:Series 0 – Models GT0545T / GK0545T-82TQD (with head):
Added to the Traveler family for the first time the slimmest Series 0 is the lightest tripod in the new Traveler range, but thanks to the stiff Carbon eXact tubes it provides a rigid, stable base when in use. It is a 4-section tripod with short closed length and short extended height.
- Traveler Tripod Series 0 Carbon 4 sections (GT0545T)
- Traveler Kit, Ser.0 4 sec tripod GT0545T + head (GK0545T-82TQD)
Series 1 – Models GT1555T / GK1555T-82TQD (with head) and GT1545T / GK1545T-82TQD (with head):
The Series 1 tripods are the perfect balance between lightweight when carrying, and height and rigidity when shooting. The 5 section Traveler has an outstanding height / closed length ratio, while the 4 section Traveler is much taller than its predecessor thanks to the space efficient Traveler G-lock.
- Traveler Tripod Series 1 Carbon 5 sections (GT1555T)
- Traveler Kit, Ser.1 5 sec tripod GT1555T + head GH1382TQD (GK1555T-82TQD with head)
- Traveler Tripod Series 1 Carbon 4 sections (GT1545T)
- Traveler Kit, Ser.1 4 sec tripod GT1545T + head GH1382TQD (GK1545T-82TQD with head)
Series 2 – Models GT2545T / GK2545T-82QD (with head):
With the largest tube diameters among Traveler tripods, Series 2 is ideal for photographers using longer lenses or requiring the highest stability. The feet are interchangeable with Gitzo’s optional feet, such as spikes and large feet.
- Traveler Tripod Series 2 Carbon 4 sections (GT2545T)
- Traveler Kit, Ser.2 4 sec tripod GT2545T + head GH1382QD (GK2545T-82QD with head)
Series 2 Monopod – GM2562T:
The Series 2 Monopod now features the Carbon eXact Tubes, the Traveler G-Lock and a new, more stable foot.
- Monopod Series 2 Carbon 6 sections Traveler (GM2562T)
Available from 10th August in selected stockists.
B&H has the following new Gitzo items available for purchase:
Series 0 Traveler Tripods
Series 1 Traveler Tripods
Series 2 Traveler Tripods
Series 2 Traveler Monopod
Adorama has the Lensbaby Special Edition Spark 50mm f/2 Selective Focus Lens available for $59.95 with free shipping. Regularly $129.95.
From Adorama: The lens includes three regular apertures and nine specially shaped creative apertures. Shapes cut into the apertures will appear anywhere bright points of light are out of focus in an image (i.e., decorative lights at night or the sun shining through leaves). Apertures drop into the front of the lens and are held in place by shielded magnets. A tool is included to swap out the disks.
Note from Sean: I purchased this lens a couple of weeks ago when B&H featured it as a Daily Deal. It's a bit of a challenge to work with but it can certainly help you create fun and creative images.
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Image quality results from the EOS 5Ds R have been added to the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens Review.
This is one of the most amazing zoom lenses made and its usefulness for a wide variety of subjects and situations makes it one of the most important lenses in my kit.
B&H has the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lens in stock with a $100.00 mail-in rebate available.
From MAC Group USA:
NORTH WHITE PLAINS, NY – AUGUST 11, 2015 – Elinchrom, Phottix and Sekonic have come to be regarded as leaders in their respective areas of expertise. Together they plan on defining an exciting, new future for the lighting category.
The Elinchrom, Phottix and Sekonic design engineers are hard at work on the most revolutionary lighting control system ever.
The key to this epoch-making event is a common “operating system” shared among the three partners incorporating their respective controllers, transmitters and receivers via a shared signal.
Phottix flash systems are currently capable of TTL and manual control with Canon, Nikon and Sony DSLR systems as well as their own Mitros+ hot shoe TTL flash and their portable, TTL monobloc Indra systems. Elinchrom is known for their high performance, portable power systems, exemplified by the ELB 400 and is also renowned for their light-shaping tools. Sekonic is known for their accuracy and reliability of meters for lighting measurement and control. The integration of select existing technologies as well as the joint development of new ones from this global alliance will create a creative lighting toolkit allowing photographers to dramatically expand their repertoire.
This industry-redefining partnership will result in new products and processes that will enable photographers to enjoy the portable power and simplicity of Elinchrom, the surety of precise metering with Sekonic and unfailing TTL triggering and power control with Phottix for unmatched lighting control.
Current new products in the works include:
- Phottix and Elinchrom design engineers are collaborating on enhanced features for the next generation of the Skyport transmitter which will include hyper-sync functionality.
- Photographers using the Phottix Indra 360 TTL or Indra 500 TTL lighting systems will soon have the ability to use the broad range of Elinchrom light-shapers, the most popular light-shaping tools in the world.
- Sekonic is collaborating with both Phottix and Elinchrom to finalize two new 478-series LiteMaster Pro flash meters; one for Elinchrom featuring in-meter power control and one for Phottix that allows for triggering of groups from the meter.
Many more exciting collaborative projects are in the works and on the drawing board between these three powerhouses.
Jan Lederman, President of MAC Group US and MAC Group Europe, which will lead the way in marketing this new alliance said: “As children, we were always told to play nice in the sandbox. Now that we are grown, we want to redefine the sandbox. The goal of this revolutionary alliance is to give photographers around the world access to the very best products and technology no matter what their needs, style of shooting or experience level. With these three companies working together, we are creating an all-new future for what’s possible in the photographic lighting category.”
Steve Peer, CEO of Phottix added, “Ours has always been a culture of seeing an opportunity and pursuing it with relentless focus. Together with our new partners at Elinchrom and Sekonic, we will set an all new standard for lighting and control.”
Chris Whittle, President of Elinchrom commented “With so many technological firsts, we at Elinchrom are extremely ambitious for all photographers. We live light, and this new alliance will accelerate a raft of inclusive lighting solutions for Elinchrom mount users Worldwide.”
Harry Harada, Director of Sekonic said, “Our partners’ lighting tools working in concert with Sekonic lighting technology will make photography more enjoyable and controllable. Sekonic is now open to this enhanced partnership.”
From the B&H YouTube Channel:
In this video, Mia McCormick introduces DJI's latest application of 3-axis gimbal technology, originally developed for multi-rotor UAVs. The Ronin-M is a scaled-down version of the original Ronin, weigh about 5lbs unladen, optimal for DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, and even compact cinema camera like the C100.
B&H carris the DJI Ronin-M Gimbal Stabilizer.
For a limited time, students and teachers who have never signed up for Creative Cloud can get the full Adobe Creative Cloud Suite for only $199.00 for the first year – which works out to rougly $16.58 per month, which is the same as getting two free months of service on top of the promotional rate of 60% off ($19.99/mo, $359.88/yr) – when the full one-year membership is paid up front.
This is a great deal as the normal Creative Cloud subscription for students and teachers is regularly $29.99 per month ($49.99/mo for regular customers).
Here are the fine print details from Adobe:
For a limited time between July 31, 2015 and October 30, 2015, eligible students 13 and older and teachers in North America can purchase an annual membership to Adobe Creative Cloud for a reduced price of $199.00 for the first year. After the first year we will renew your contract automatically for another year at the then-current standard annual price [for students and teachers] (currently at $359.88), unless you cancel. This pricing is available for first time membership only and limited to eligible education customers who purchase directly from the Adobe Store or by calling Adobe Sales. This pricing is not available to OEM, commercial or volume licensing customers. This pricing is limited to one (1) purchase of one (1) Creative Cloud annual membership per customer. Offer may not be assigned, exchanged, sold, transferred, or combined with any other discount or offer, or redeemed for cash or other goods and services. This pricing is subject to change without notice. Void where prohibited, taxed or restricted by law.
Roughly 600 charts have been added to the Lens MTF Comparison Tool since I announced the previous update. Additions include new lenses, stopped-down aperture charts and results for the new Tokina 24-70mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro FX Lens (note: only one copy tested at this point).
The following review pages have new charts available:
Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM Lens
Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Lens
Canon EF 16-35mm f/4 L IS USM Lens
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens
Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Lens
Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L USM Lens
Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Lens
Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8G AF-S Lens
Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports Lens
Sigma 24mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens
Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art Lens
Zeiss 21mm f/2.8 Distagon T* ZE Lens
Zeiss 25mm f/2.0 Distagon T* ZE Lens
Zeiss 35mm f/2.0 Distagon T* ZE Lens
Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 Distagon T* Lens
Zeiss Otus 85mm f/1.4 Distagon T* Lens
Many hours of lens comparison fun are held in MTF Tool. Check it out – share with your friends.
From the B&H YouTube Channel:
NY Times Food Photographer and Director Andrew Scrivani leads a talk about the use and power of social media for photographers and videographers. Andrew discusses both the practical matters of gaining and maintaining a following and the artistic outlet that platforms like Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest and others can be for creatives.
From Rokinon:
New York, NY – August 10, 2015 – Powered by Rokinon, XEEN is an all-new, professional grade cine lens system. It offers the professional optical quality, features, specifications, and performance that are expected of a superior cine lens system with a significantly lower price tag.
The initial three XEEN lenses consist of a 24mm, 50mm, and 85mm. All three feature a constant aperture of T/1.5 and Full Frame coverage. They will be available in mounts for Canon EF, Nikon F, Sony E, Micro Four Thirds and yes, even PL. Additional focal lengths are already scheduled to be introduced throughout 2015 and 2016.
Features common to XEEN lenses appreciated by professionals include:
- 4K+ Ready Optics
- Full Frame Coverage
- Tightly Color Matched
- Durable All Metal Body
- Unified 40° Iris Rotation
- Unified 200° Focus Throw
- Large Easy To Read Markings
- Lens Support Mount (Except PL)
- 11 Bladed Diaphragm for Superb Bokeh
- Xeen Proprietary X-Coating Technology
- Unified 114mm Non-Rotating Front Diameters
- Dual Calibrated Right and Left Side Distance and T-Stop Scales
- Unified Focus and Aperture Gear Positions for Easy Follow Focus Use
- Mounts can be shimmed and are interchangeable by a qualified technician
- Incredibly smooth and fully damped movement of focusing and aperture controls
Engineered and optimized for high use professional cine and video applications, they are all backed by a Three Year Limited Warranty, the longest in the industry.
All three focal lengths are immediately available for purchase from the following authorized XEEN by Rokinon dealers.
XEEN by Rokinon lens mechanics and optics are manufactured and precision assembled in Korea utilizing cutting edge techniques. Offering a MSRP of $2,995 each, they are extraordinary affordable when compared to other true cine lenses in their class.
Preorders:
Rokinon Xeen 24mm T1.5 Lens
Rokinon Xeen 50mm T1.5 Lens
Rokinon Xeen 85mm T1.5 Lens
by Sean Setters
When you need to sell some of your photography equipment to fund upgrades (or in dire cases, pay bills), it's important that you get top dollar when parting with your gear. While selling your used equipment to B&H or Adorama is extremely convenient, an eBay auction can help you get the highest price for your photography gear (even considering eBay and PayPal fees).
As eBay is such a popular choice for those wanting to sell used DSLRs and lenses, it's important to make your auction look as attractive as possible in the search results page to maximize page views and generate auction watchers. The best way to do that is to create an outstanding leading image that stands out from the pack.
Can a great leading image really help? Check out this eBay search for used "L" lenses and take a good look at the leading images. Chances are you'll find several examples of lenses sitting on a hardwood floor, carpet or dining room table with terrible (and many times insufficient) lighting. Even though these sellers own high-quality Canon lenses (assuming a 3rd party isn't handling the sale), most take little care in crafting a compelling leading image for their auction. And, typically speaking, eBay buyers don't want to see a stock image when purchasing used lenses – they want to see the actual items they're buying. All of these factors make creating a high-quality leading image an important and valuable part of the listing process.
I realize that not everyone has all the lighting equipment that I have. Therefore, my goal was to create a high-quality eBay leading image for a lens auction – on white – using only one flash (with a modifier) and minimal processing.
For the purposes of this post, I picked the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM to photograph for the hypothetical auction. To begin with, I set up a small foldable table in my studio. Next, I placed a white sheet of glass (Hobby Lobby, $8.00) and a white, bi-fold piece of foam craft board (Hobby Lobby, but I don't remember the price). The craft board served as both a background and a reflector.
Next, the lighting – a radio triggered Canon Speedlite 580EX diffused by a Lumiquest Softbox LTP and affixed to the flash with a Honl Speed Strap. Why the Lumiquest LTp? Because its size seemed just about perfect for this particular setup. Plus, it's designed to be stored in a bag's laptop (or similar) compartment so it's pretty easy to always have on hand. To better even out the lighting in the softbox, I taped a thin sheet of tissue paper to the inside/front of the softbox soon after receiving it several years ago. The DIY diffusion panel has stayed intact remarkably well.
I placed the flash/softbox on a light stand positioned at roughly a 45-degree angle opposite the center of the bi-fold craft board.
It's a good idea to include all of the important elements of your auction in the leading image. In this particular hypothetical sale, I'm selling the lens, UV filter, hood and lens cap. Even if I were including the box with the sale, I wouldn't necessarily include it in the leading image. Don't get me wrong, a retail box can help boost the value of your auction, but I don't think it draws enough clicks on its own to bother with cluttering up the image that gets displayed in search results (keeping in mind that including the box would make the actual lens a smaller part of the overall composition). Also, be sure to thoroughly clean your items before photographing them. A rocket blower can help tremendously for getting rid of pesky dust.
As for the camera and lens, I'm using a tripod-mounted EOS 5D Mark III and an EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM. A macro lens certainly isn't required for this type of image, but it is very sharp and has a long focus throw (I like using manual focus for product imagery).
Below you can see my setup.
The settings used for the leading image were: f/7.1, 1/160 sec, ISO 200. If this were a real auction, I would have taken many more images using the same setup (each item photographed individually with several different shots of the lens).
Here's the leading image straight out of the camera:
I did a decent job of blowing out the background in the initial exposure, but it's not perfectly white (that's especially true for the left side of the frame which was farthest away from the light source). I corrected this by creating a white layer and masking out the areas where the lens and discernable shadows were. After that I simply cleaned up a few of the dust particles I missed when initially cleaning the items. Note that I didn't remove the small blemish above the focus distance window. Removing dust in post-processing is fine, but you shouldn't alter the appearance of the lens in any meaningful way (and any imperfections should be clearly noted in your auction).
The final post-processed image appears at the top of this post, but here it is again for reference purposes:
If you want to help protect your image from being used by others eBay sellers, you can also watermark your image. The problem is that putting a watermark in the white areas is easy to erase, while placing the watermark over the product could lead to hiding a critical detail if you aren't careful. If you want to include a watermark, it might be best to watermark the leading image and leave it absent on subsequent images of individual items included in the sale. Below is the same image with a watermark included.
So with a single off-camera flash, modifier, white piece of glass and a bi-fold craft board you can create professional looking product images for your next eBay sale, thereby increasing consumer interest and maximizing sale profits on your used gear.
Rokinon has recently been hinting about upcoming lens announcements on social media, and now we know why – the Rokinon Xeen 24mm, 50mm and 85mm T1.5 cinema primes are now available for preorder.
Unfortunately, we don't have an official press release regarding the announcement of these lenses, but we'll post the press release should it become available in the near future.
Preorders:
Rokinon Xeen 24mm T1.5 Lens
Rokinon Xeen 50mm T1.5 Lens
Rokinon Xeen 85mm T1.5 Lens
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