Canon and Sony News for May 2017 (Page 4)

From the LensRentals Blog:

By Roger Cicala

Yes, I’m sick of filter articles, too. But I come today not to educate you, but to mock others. Because yes, people continue to try to save a few bucks by putting a cheap filter in front of their $1,000 lens. And also because they buy what they think are good filters off of Fleabay or some used place and these filters aren’t what they think. This can particularly happen when you purchase a brand that makes different filters of differing quality.

How bad can it be, you ask? Well, today we’ll show you. Because someone had a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens that had been nice and sharp and then returned it because it suddenly got soft. They were kind enough to return it with their protective filter in place.

Note from Sean: We've often advised site visitors not to skimp on their filter purchases. From our perspective, it doesn't make sense to invest in an expensive (often L-series) lens just to negate its high end performance with a cheap, low quality filter affixed to the front of it.

If you want to protect a lens and retain its image quality, be sure to use high quality filters with it, like B+W XS-Pro filters (our personal favorites).

From Canon USA:

Thank you for using Canon products.

We have determined that some EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM lenses exhibit an AF operation-related malfunction. The details of the phenomenon and Canon’s service policy are described below.

We would like to offer our sincere apologies to users who have been inconvenienced by this issue. Going forward, we will spare no effort in our quality management to make sure our customers can use our products with confidence.

Phenomenon

At the wide-angle end, focus is not achieved properly when a peripheral AF points are selected, regardless of the AF area selection mode.

Affected Lenses

If the first two digits in the serial number (see the image below) of your lens are ”48”, ”49”, ”50” or ”51”, then your lens MAY POSSIBLY be affected.

1. Click the search link below to display the serial number input screen.
2. Input your lens’ serial number (10 digits) and then click the [Submit] button.
   * Please double check the serial number you entered before you click the [Submit] button.
3. One of the following three messages will be displayed.
• “Your lens is NOT an affected product”
• “Your lens is an affected product”
• “Invalid number”

Support

As soon as preparations have been completed, we will inform users about the start date for accepting support requests for lenses affected by this issue.

Potentially affected products will be inspected and repaired free of charge. If you own one of the potentially affected products please contact our Customer Support Center.

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 Canon UK:

Canon UK commissioned the research to mark the launch of its 365 Days of Summer competition to find a storyteller to spend a year identifying and living 365 new stories across the globe as part of its new Live For The Story brand positioning.

Roald Dahl, the creator of classics such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and James and the Giant Peach has topped the poll of the greatest authors, songwriters, artists and photographers. Visual storytellers including graffiti artist Banksy, Jurassic Park director Steven Spielberg and legendary cartoonist Walt Disney also featured in the top 50.

The research also showed a staggering 94 per cent of adults enjoy a good story with the average adult telling four stories a day, through words, conversation and with photos.

Matthew Searle – Country Director, Canon UK and Ireland said: “You can’t beat a good story, whether it’s words in a book, photographs, film or simply through conversation. Roald Dahl in particular may be well known for his words, but the images which accompanied many of his children’s books have helped to paint a picture for children for generations.

“As technology evolves, stories are now so much more than just the written word and people today have a variety of ways to tell their story and make sure it lives on. Whether they are to inform, relay a message or just to entertain, there are stories which will go on to be told for generations to come. At Canon we celebrate storytelling in all its forms and with the launch of our Live For The Story campaign we want to encourage people to tell their story and live every experience to the fullest no matter how insignificant.”

Canon is looking for someone to fill a very unique position as it begins its search for the ultimate storyteller. The lucky person will spend a year chasing summer across the globe in order to identify 365 inspiring stories. Applications for this unique role will be taken via Instagram and judged by actress, producer, musician and storyteller, Zoë Kravitz.

The successful candidate will chase summer all over the world, visiting destinations from Lisbon to Melbourne to Brazil, curating their own story of the summer.

Those who think they have what it takes to inspire people to find their own stories can apply by sharing their most memorable summer story on Instagram with the story behind it (no more than 50 words), tagging @CanonUK and #liveforthestory. Submissions will be judged on a number of elements including storytelling ability, visual appeal, originality and inspirational qualities. The successful candidate will be required to travel the world chasing summer in order to identify 365 inspiring stories throughout the course of the job. The role is all expenses paid and, of course, offers a holiday allowance of 365 days per annum.

Canon’s storyteller will be tasked with identifying 365 new summer stories throughout the year, bringing back the art of storytelling and inspiring people to make the most of every moment in their life. The journey they choose is for them to decide, it will be their story to create and inspire.

Matthew Searle – Country Director, Canon UK and Ireland said: “Every moment has the potential to be important, even more so in the summer when we are open to new challenges and experiences. We are on the hunt for someone to inspire us, to help us ‘Live For The Story’ every day and ensure none of us miss those special moments.”

From Sigma:

Thank you for purchasing and using our products.

We would like to announce the availability of a new firmware update for the following Canon mount lenses. The lens firmware updates improve the AF accuracy when it is mounted on the SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11 EF-E, and offers the improved usability for video shooting.For customers who own the following applicable products and the SIGMA USB DOCK, please update the lens firmware using SIGMA Optimization Pro.

Applicable products

• SIGMA 24-105mm F4 DG OS HSM | Art CANON
• SIGMA 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM | Contemporary CANON
• SIGMA 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM | Contemporary CANON
• SIGMA 18-300mm F3.5-6.3 DC MACRO OS HSM | Contemporary CANON

Benefits of this firmware update

• It has improved the AF accuracy when the lens is attached with the SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11.
  * It is necessary to use the SIGMA USB DOCK for Canon ver.1.02 or later to update the firmware.
  *For customers who own SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11 EF-E, it is necessary to update this to the latest firmware ver. 1.05.
• It has reduced the operating sound of the lens diaphragm blades when attached with the SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11 EF-E and used for video shooting.
• It has improved the AF accuracy when the lens is used for video shooting as well as with Live View mode of EOS DIGITAL SLR cameras.*1
• It has reduced the operating sound of the lens diaphragm blades when the lens is used for video shooting on EOS DIGITAL SLR cameras. *1
• It has become compatible with the Canon Digital Cinema Camera EOS C300 Mark II.

*1 The degree of improvement may differ depending on the camera used.

Before updating the lens firmware, please ensure SIGMA Optimization Pro has been updated to ver. 1.4.1 or later for Windows, and ver. 1.4.0 or later for Macintosh from the following download page.

SIGMA Optimization Pro Download page

From Nikon:

Changes from Firmware Version 1.3 to 1.4

• Fixed an issue that could result in rapid depletion of the battery if the camera was left unused after being fully charged using the supplied charging AC adapter and USB cable.

Download: Nikon COOLPIX W100 Firmware v.1.4

From the Greg Benz YouTube Channel:

Images of the ocean are some of my favorites, but often some of the most difficult to capture. In this Photoshop tutorial, you'll learn how to blend multiple exposures of waves into an epic seascape.

If you currently have a Rebel/***D or **D series camera, the Canon EOS 6D and EOS 80D are logical upgrade candidates you may be considering. Or, if you already own a 1D-series or 5D-series camera, the 6D or 80D may be considered for backup purposes. Either way, while they share a similar size and weight, they are very different cameras from a features standpoint. Let's take a look at these two DSLR bodies to see which upgrade/backup option may be right for your needs.

First, let's consider the EOS 6D's benefits over the 80D:

• Full frame sensor capable of cleaner imagery at higher ISOs and stronger a background blur
• Larger ISO range: Auto (100-25600), 100-25600, L: 50, H1: 51200, H2: 102400 vs. Auto (100-16000), 100-16000, H1: 25600
• Built-in GPS vs. optional accessory
• Slightly higher battery life: Approx. 1090 (at 23°C, AE 50%, FE 50%) vs. 960

And here are the EOS 80D's advantages over the 6D:

• Higher resolution: 24.2 MP vs. 20.2
• Compatability with EF-S lenses
• Dual Pixel CMOS AF Sensor
• Pop-up master flash vs. No flash
• Ambience priority / White priority AWB vs. Ambience only
• Touch screen Vari-angle 7.7cm (3.0") 3:2 Clear View II TFT LCD vs. fixed LCD
• Headphone socket vs. None
• More powerful image processing: DIGIC 6 vs. DIGIC 5+
• More advanced AF system: 45-point all cross-type AF (f/2.8 dual cross-type AF point at center, 27 active AF points at f/8) vs. 11 points (f/5.6 cross type at center, extra sensitivity at f/2.8)
• Newer/more advanced metering system: 7560-pixel RGB+IR 63 zone vs. 63 zone Dual Layer SPC
• Faster continuous shooting and larger RAW buffer: Max 7 fps (110 JPEG, 25 RAW) vs. 4.5 fps (1250 JPEG, 17 RAW)
• Faster max. shutter speed: 1/8000 sec. vs. 1/4000
• Larger viewfinder coverage: 100% vs. 97%
• More movie encoding options: .MOV & .MP4 (max. 1920 x 1080 [59.94, 50 fps] inter-frame) vs. .MOV (max. 1920 x 1080 [29.97, 25 fps] intra or inter frame), no .MP4 option
• Built-in Wi-Fi and NFC vs. Wi-Fi only
• Lower price

Essentially, you're looking at a comparison between Canon's low-end, budget conscious full-frame camera and their mid-range APS-C model. As evidenced by the above lists of advantages, the 80D provides a notable superset of features over 6D.

Who should opt for the EOS 6D?

If you are looking for the absolute best image quality, especially at higher ISOs, you will certainly benefit from the 6D's full frame sensor. If who want a true 35mm angle of view from Canon's EF, TS-E & MP-E lenses, the choice is easy – get the 6D. The 6D makes for an excellent dedicated studio/portraiture/landscape body.

Who should opt for the EOS 80D?

With many features not included in the EOS 6D, the 80D could be considered a more general purpose camera in this comparison. And if you're upgrading from another APS-C body, the 80D allows for a seamless transition because of its compatibility with designed-for-crop-sensor, EF-S lenses, while still being compatible with EF, TS-E & MP-E lenses.

If you shoot sports or wildlife, the 80D's advanced AF system, faster 7 fps burst rate, larger RAW continuous shooting buffer and 27 active AF points at f/8 will prove advantageous. And with the 80D's more pixel dense sensor, you'll have much more resolution when compared to taking the same image at the same shooting location with the 6D and cropping to the equivalent 1.6x focal length. If you're interested in filmmaking with your DSLR, the 80D's expanded movie options, headphone socket and excellent Dual Pixel CMOS AF – allowing for superb focus tracking in movie mode – are huge benefits.

Summary

As is typical of Canon DSLRs, either one of these cameras can be employed to create stunning imagery. Your personal priorities and intended subject matter will ultimately determine which of these bodies is the best investment for capitalizing on your photographic opportunities. Hopefully, the comparison above has provided some insight into which of these bodies is the right addition for your camera kit. If not, check out our full reviews for more in-depth information on these (and many more) cameras.

Shopping Links

Canon EOS 6D – B&H | Amazon | Adorama | Wex Photographic
Canon EOS 80D – B&H | Amazon | Adorama | Wex Photographic

For those who are unaware, GNU Image Manipulation Program (GIMP) is a free and open source Photoshop-like program for image editing. The recent update includes bug fixes and performance enhancements. [Sean]

From GIMP:

We are releasing GIMP 2.8.22 with various bug fixes.

All platforms will benefit from a change to the image window hierarchy in single window mode, which improves painting performance when certain GTK+ themes are used.

This version fixes an ancient CVE bug, CVE-2007-3126. Due to this bug, the ICO file import plug-in could be crashed by specially crafted image files. Our attempts to reproduce the bug failed with 2.8 and thus the impact had likely been minimal for years, but now it is gone for good.

Users on the Apple macOS platforms will benefit from fixes for crashes during drag&drop and copy&paste operations. On the Microsoft Windows platforms, crashes encountered when using the color picker with special multi-screen setups are gone, and picking the actual color instead of black from anywhere on the screen should finally be possible.

Check out the full list of fixed issues since 2.8.20.

The source code, the Microsoft Windows installer and the Apple Disk Image for GIMP 2.8.22 are available from our downloads page; so yes, this time we made an effort to publish everything in one go.

Download: Gimp v.2.8.22

From Canon USA:

Thank you for using Canon products.

For EOS C300 Mark II/EOS C300 Mark II PL Digital Cinema Cameras equipped with firmware Version 1.0.6.1.00, we have confirmed a phenomenon in which, depending upon the usage conditions, the camera freezes when a VPG 130 CFast card is used simultaneously with a non VPG130 CFast card.

Firmware Version 1.0.7.1.00 (or later) resolves this phenomenon.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to customers, and we ask for your ongoing patience.

Phenomenon

When a VPG130 CFast card is used simultaneously with a non VPG130 CFast card the camera may freeze. If the camera freezes, even if the live view image is displayed, all buttons and switches, including the POWER switch, will no longer respond, and the footage will not be recorded on the cards. (The time code and the recording indicator may continue to work.)

The camera can be released from the freeze condition by detaching it from the power supply (or removing the battery).

Affected Products

EOS C300 Mark II/EOS C300 Mark II PL Digital Cinema Cameras (with Firmware V1.0.6.1.00).

Support

Firmware Version 1.0.7.1.00 (or later) resolves this phenomenon.

From Canon USA:

MELVILLE, N.Y., May 15, 2017 – Former Major League All-Star and New York Yankee, Mark Teixeira, swings back into action with Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, in support of the Canon Little LeaguePhotoContest powered by PIXMA printers. This partnership means Teixeira will be on hand at the Little League Baseball World Series in South Williamsport, PA, on August 27 to meet the winners and unveil the winning photos.

“As a former MLB player, there are countless photos of me playing professionally, but as a father, I now appreciate the importance of capturing the early years – there’s nothing like that first Little League photo of your child,” said Teixeira. “I’m very excited to partner with Canon this year because I understand the power of printed images that can be shared of life’s most exciting moments for years to come.”

Fans are encouraged to make the season last a lifetime by submitting their favorite photos to the Canon Little League Photo Contest. By visiting www.littleleague.org/canonphotocontest and submitting photos through June 30, 2017 fans will have the chance to win one of three grand prizes (one for each theme) including a trip to join Mark in South Williamsport, PA and see their winning photos on display for up to one year in the World of Little League Museum in the Richard “Hank” Bauer, Jr. Little League Photography Exhibit in the World Series Gallery presented by Easton Foundations. “Canon is proud to partner with the Little League World Series and team up with generations of families hoping to capture the moment where their little leaguer’s hard work and character is put on display,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “Canon PIXMA Printers continue to support those looking to make these memorable action-packed moments sharable for generations to come.”

The Canon Little League Photo Contest powered by PIXMA Printers focuses on three themes:

• Stepping Up To The Plate—an in-action game shot
• Fandemonium—a photo that showcases fandom
• Team Spirit—a photo that showcases team spirit

All images should capture the spirit of what it is like to be a baseball fan. Entries will be judged on the use of the theme (50 percent) and on the quality of the image (25 percent) and overall impression (25 percent).

“The Canon Little League Photo Contest serves as a celebration of treasured Little League memories each year,” said Liz DiLullo Brown, Little League’s vice president, marketing & Communications. “Those special moments, captured and cemented in time through photographs, help us to remember how treasured the Little League program is by families around the world.”

From the Photos in Color YouTube Channel:

Everything you need to know about photography in one simpler (funny) song. We all know the song the 12 days of christmas right? Well this is the 12 days of photography and yes it gets faster, more crazy and Ed Gregory has a hard time keeping up.

Just posted: Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD Lens Review.

Is there a new leader of the APS-C wide angle zoom lens class?

The Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II VC HLD Lens is in stock at B&H | Amazon | Adorama.

Canon Japan has officially discontinued the following lenses:

• Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
• Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
• Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

The list of discontinued lenses is unsurprising as the first two have recently been replaced (Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM / Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM) and the third has been heavily marked down for several months (though, curiously enough, is not currently discounted). All of the recently discontinued lenses are still availble at B&H.

Is the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM scheduled to be replaced or is it simply being phased out? Let us know what you think in the comments.

From Profoto:

Ever since Profoto redefined the on-location flash with the creation of the B1, it has become the benchmark. Now the benchmark is about to be set again with the launch of the Profoto B1X.

This is more than an update, it is a significant replacement with improvements in three important areas: power, power and power. A more powerful modelling light, a more powerful battery and extended HSS power range. And when we talk about power in all the right places, we really mean it. Like its predecessor, the B1X is the ultimate on-location flash.

The B1X features a new LED modelling light which adds 80% more light output, while increasing color rendering (CRI) beyond 90. The additional power and improved color rendering make it even more useful as an on-location modelling light, while also becoming an extremely efficient main or effect light, helping you to enhance natural light in dull conditions.

It’s not unusual for shooting days to go on for longer than expected so you need a battery that can do the same. The new battery pack holds an impressive 50% more energy with no extra size or weight. It also fits existing B1s and B1 chargers. And now, in HSS mode, the B1X has the same power range as in normal flash mode - 9 f-stops for all compatible cameras! That makes it the widest HSS range available on any flash so it’s even easier to shape light with flash in all light conditions including sunrise, broad daylight and sunset (existing B1 owners can download and install this as an upgrade free of charge from the Profoto website).

Speaking of power, we’re also launching two new OCF reflectors that add lots of punch and direction to overpower the sun. Adding hard light to the shaping palette of Profoto OCF Light Shaping Tools, the OCF Zoom Reflector and the OCF Magnum Reflector are compact and lightweight, making them ideal for shooting on-location. The OCF Zoom Reflector is so portable it even fits into the B1 case while mounted on the B1 or B1X - a handy timesaver when packing up.

The OCF Zoom Reflector doubles the effective light output at a two meter range, while the slightly larger OCF Magnum Reflector adds even more effective power output making it perfect for throwing light over long distances without being overpowered by natural light. Both reflectors also offer a wide beam angle adjustment range that further extends light shaping opportunities.

The B1X and the two new reflectors continue our dedication to on-location shooting alongside the B2 and our existing range of OCF Light Shaping Tools. In addition, we’ve recently also extended our camera TTL compatibility to four major brands with AirTTL remotes now available for Canon and Nikon, and official Profoto partners Sony and Olympus.

Truth is the only people who can improve on an original are the people who made the original. Born of the B1 come the all new B1X and new Profoto OCF Light Shaping Tools. No matter where you’re shooting, you’ll have power in all the right places.

Features B1X

• Shoot with AirTTL or manual mode and connect wirelessly with other AirTTL flashes.
• Cordless design and wireless controls allow you to shoot without any restraints.
• 10 times as powerful as the average speedlight, with 500Ws adjustable in 1/10 f-stop increments over a 9 f-stop power range.
• Quickly exchangeable and rechargeable Li-Ion battery provides up to 325 full-power flashes and tens of thousands at lowest power.
• Fires up to 20 flashes per second, with flash durations of up to 1/19,000s and fast recycling times of 0.05-1.9s.
• Control ambient light with HSS and create crisp images without motion blur at shutter speeds up to 1/8,000s.
• Can be wirelessly controlled from up to a 300 m range with any optional Air Remote.

B&H has the Profoto B1X available for preorder and will have the new reflectors in stock soon.

Vignetting, flare and distortion test results along with specs, measurements, standard product images and eye candy have been added to the Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art Lens page.

Here is a visual size comparison you might find interesting.

The Sigma 135mm f/1.8 DG HSM Art Lens is in stock at B&H | Amazon | Adorama.