Canon and Sony News for Jun 2016 (Page 6)

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

New Canon Explorers of Light Videos

• Bob Davis (shown above)
• Charles Glatzer
• Sandy Puc'
• Clay Blackmore
• Eddie Tapp

Previously Published Canon Explorers of Light Videos

• Vincent Laforet
• Michele Celentano
• Sue Bryce
• Ken Sklute
• Roberto Valenzuela
• Rick Sammon
• Joel Grimes
• Jack Reznicki
• Jimmy Chin
• Bruce Dorn
• Lindsay Adler
• David Bergman
• Hanson Fong
• Stephen Johnson

From the BBC YouTube Channel:

Look at the photo in the clip. From a picture that contains no colour our brains are able to construct a full colour image.

Acording to the Egami Blog, Canon has patented the optical formula for a 30mm f/2.8 DO lens. However, the blog mentions that the lens has been designed for "Fullsize-Mirrorless," indicating that Canon may be working on a camera system to directly compete with Sony.

Patent Details

• Patent Publication No. 2016-102851
• Published 2016.6.2
• Filing date 2014.11.27
• Zoom ratio 1.00
• Focal length 31.35
• F-number 2.86
• Angle of view 34.61
• Image height 21.64
• Overall length of the lens 85.29
• BF 29.99

From Nikon:

A Helpful Resource for Any Walt Disney World Vacation, Nikon’s “Unforgettable Memories” Page on NikonUSA.com Showcases Iconic Photo Spots and Curated Tips from Nikon Ambassadors

MELVILLE, NY – Recognizing the millions of magical memories made and captured at Walt Disney World Resort every year, Nikon Inc. and Disney have collaborated to offer park guests a guide to capturing precious moments in amazing quality. Located in the “Learn & Explore” area of NikonUSA.com, Nikon’s new “Unforgettable Memories” page is a resource for guests and their loved ones to document their adventures at Walt Disney World Resort and preserve their memories for generations to come.

On the “Unforgettable Memories” page, Nikon, the Official Walt Disney World Camera and the Official Disneyland Camera, lends its expertise in the world of imaging to offer highlights of “must-have” shots at a variety of locations throughout the resort, alongside practical photography tips that will allow guests to capture the people and things they love with confidence. Also included are real-world how-to videos curated by Nikon Ambassadors, an elite group of influential visual artists and leaders in modern photography, that will help even novice photographers get the most out of their vacation photos.

“A Walt Disney World vacation is a magical experience for visitors from around the world and Nikon remains as committed as ever to giving them the tools to capture and share the love and happiness of the vacation in the quality they deserve,” said Masahiro Horie, Director of Marketing and Planning, Nikon Inc. “Building upon our alliance with Walt Disney World Resort, the ‘Unforgettable Memories’ page serves as a one-stop destination for helping families preserve precious moments that can last a lifetime.”

The site showcases the most iconic locations to document one’s journey throughout Magic Kingdom Park, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, Epcot and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Visitors can also access a complimentary photography checklist, curated by Nikon, to take with them on their next Walt Disney World Resort vacation.

In 2013, Nikon Inc., Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort announced a multi-year strategic alliance, bringing together a global leader in imaging and the world’s leading family vacation destinations. Through the relationship, Nikon was named the “Official Walt Disney World Camera” and the “Official Disneyland Camera” and the brand has become fully integrated in the parks through Nikon-branded Picture Spots and Disney PhotoPass Service, where Disney PhotoPass Photographers are exclusively equipped with Nikon cameras and accessories. Disney Fine Art Photographers at Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings & Honeymoons, as well as Adventure Guides with Adventures by Disney, are also exclusively outfitted with Nikon cameras.

For full details on how to help capture “Unforgettable Memories” at Walt Disney World Resort, please visit: www.nikonusa.com/disneyparks

Image quality results from the Canon EOS 5Ds R and Canon EOS 7D Mark II have been added to the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens Review.

Here is the Canon 100mm Macro vs. Canon 100mm L IS Macro comparison.

B&H has the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens in stock.

From Canon:

MELVILLE, N.Y., JUNE 1, 2016 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, announced today its partnership with Emmy Award nominee Candace Cameron Bure, host of TV’s The View and star of the hit Netflix series Fuller House, in support of the Canon Little League Photo Contest powered by PIXMA Printers. As part of the "Picture Perfect Season” initiative that kicked off last month, Bure will be on hand at the Little League Baseball World Series in South Williamsport, PA, on August 21 to meet the winners and unveil the winning photos.

“As a mom and sports enthusiast, I’m a huge fan of activities that bring families together to create special memories,” said Bure. “I’m excited to join Canon and Little League in this celebration of family photos, and showcase the love of the game.”

Fans are encouraged to make the season last a lifetime by submitting some of their favorite photo moments to the Canon Little League Photo Contest. By submitting photos through June 30, fans will have the chance to win one of three trips to join Candace in South Williamsport, PA, and see their photos on display 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 delighted to welcome Candace to this year’s Little League World Series, to join us as we encourage fans everywhere to capture and share quality memories of this exciting sporting event,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “She is a great supporter who understands the power of the printed image and the importance of sharing those images with fans worldwide.”

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

So whether it’s a whole crowd cheering in the stands or a victorious Little League team on the field, all images should capture the spirit of what it means to be a fan. Entries will be judged on the use of the theme and on the quality of the image and overall impression.

For tips and tricks on capturing the winning shot, fans are encouraged to print PIXMA’s “Picture Perfect Season Toolkit”.

Canon Little League Photo Contest: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open only to legal residents of the 50 United States and the District of Columbia who are age 18 and older and a legal adult at the time of entry. The photo contest started at 9:00 a.m. ET on May 2, 2016 and ends at 9:00 p.m. ET on June 30, 2016. See OfficialRules for complete entry details and restrictions, photo guidelines and prize descriptions. Void where prohibited. Sponsored by Canon U.S.A., Inc.

From Adobe:

Lightroom CC 2015.6 and Lightroom 6.6 are now available. The goal of this release is to provide additional camera raw support, lens profile support and address bugs that were introduced in previous releases of Lightroom. This release also includes a new Guided Upright feature for Creative Cloud members.

Thank you for all your feedback and passion for Lightroom.

Introducing Guided Upright

We included Upright as a tool that helped Lightroom customers easily straighten images, fix horizons, and reduce or eliminate the keystone effect in buildings. Upright works well when there are prominent vertical and horizontal lines. Not all images contain prominent lines, limiting the effectiveness of Upright.

Starting with Lightroom CC 2015.6, Guided Upright allows you to provide ‘hints’ that enable Upright to work its magic. You draw the vertical and horizontal lines directly on the image and Upright will automatically transform the image. Here’s how to get started.

1. Select an image and click on the Develop Module.
2. Enable Lens Profile Corrections. Upright works better with Lens Profile Corrections.
3. Notice that there is a new “Transform” Panel. Transform includes both Upright and the manual perspective correction sliders together in a convenient place.
4. Within Transform, click on the “Guided” button.
5. Draw 2-4 guides on the image. Upright will transform the image once you draw at least 2 guides.
6. Fine tune the results (if needed) with the manual transform slides, including the new X and Y transform sliders. They can be used for repositioning/moving the image within the canvas after applying strong perspective corrections to choose which part of the (warped, non-rectangular) image to show within the rectangular canvas.

New Camera Support in Lightroom CC 2015.6 / 6.6

• Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II
• Leica M-D (Typ 262)
• Nikon COOLPIX B700
• Panasonic DMC-GX85 (DMC-GX80, DMC-GX7MK2)

Also please note that Lightroom CC 2015.6/6.6 also includes camera matching color profiles for the Pentax 645Z, Pentax K-1, and Pentax K-3 II cameras.

Additional Updates in Lightroom CC 2015.6 / 6.6

• Merge to Panorama and HDR now works with Smart Previews. Previously, Lightroom required the use of original images for the Merge to Panorama or HDR features.
• The Preferences -> Lightroom mobile section now contains a “Pending Sync Activity” section. This area is useful for helping identify any potential issues related to image sync across the Lightroom family of applications (desktop, mobile and web).

Tethered Camera Support for the following cameras:

• Canon EOS-1D X Mark II
• Canon EOS 80D
• Canon EOS 1300D / Canon Rebel T6

New Lens Profile Support in Lightroom CC 2015.6 / 6.6*

Customer reported issues resolved

• The “As Shot” White Balance showed different values when using the Adobe Standard color profile and other camera matching color profiles. Please note that this only occurred with the Canon EOS IDx MKII, Canon EOS 80D, and Canon EOS Rebel T6 cameras
• Error: “The file appears to be damaged” When opening a Pano merge result from HDR merge sources
• DNG Flat Field plug-in would not work if the source image contained GPS metadata
• Added support for automatic lens profile corrections for Tokina and Tamron lenses on Canon and Nikon camera bodies
• Exif version info is removed while exporting
• Unable to export user-created / custom Develop presets. Please note that this only occurred on Mac
• Unable to create panoramas using Smart Previews when originals are unavailable or offline
• Tethered shooting with Canon 5D did not work on MacOS 10.11 El Capitan
• Unable to see the New Folder preview inside the Destination panel within the Import Dialog
• “Print to File” feature does not work if the default filename was changed by the customer. Please note that this only occurred on Mac OSX 10.11.3
• Removing Virtual Copy Smart Preview also deleted original’s smart preview
• Older files expanded using the Recover Edges plug-in fail to merge with “Unknown Errors”
• Scrollbars missing from book module. Please note that this only occurred on Windows
• Lightroom would crash when using tethered shooting with certain Canon camera models
• Removing face tags causes photos to get stuck in “To Be Republished” state when using Publish Service Plugins such as Smugmug
• Inconsistent dialog behavior when using full-screen mode in Mac OSX 10.11
• Text overlays within the Slideshow Module appeared fuzzy

Installation Instructions

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

B&H carries Adobe Photography Plan subscriptions.

From Adobe:

Support for the following cameras has been added. Visit the Camera Raw page for a complete list of supported cameras.

• Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II
• Leica M-D (Typ 262)
• Nikon COOLPIX B700
• Panasonic DMC-GX85 (DMC-GX80, DMC-GX7MK2)

Download: Adobe DNG Converter 9.6 – Windows | Macintosh

From the The Jungle Diaries YouTube Channel:

We wanted to get a photo of a jaguar... it didn't go so well. The ants had their way. Click subscribe to see more jungle adventures!

If you anticipate leaving a camera in the Amazon rainforest for any length of time, Amazon carries plastic food storage containers. :-)

Just posted: Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens Review.

When a newly introduced lens has no equal on the market, it is probably exciting.

B&H has the Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens in stock.

From Think Tank Photo:

We have released the most well thought-out, comfortable, and protective backpack for users of DJI Inspire or other similarly sized quadcopters. The Helipak for DJI Inspire easily holds a DJI Inspire (parked with gimbal and rotors detached), Zenmuse gimbal with 3 lenses, 6x batteries, 2x controllers, 2 x 8” tablets, lots of extra propellers, and a 17” laptop and charger

Movable dividers allow users to customize the fit of their gear in this fully featured backpack. The contoured tuck-away harness with lumbar support, cut-away air-channel, the adjustable sternum strap, and the removable padded waistbelt allow for extreme comfort while trekking into remote areas or simply pulling it from the car.

ADDITIONAL KEY FEATURES

• Large front pocket fits auxiliary items for the day’s outing: light jacket, 17” laptop pocket or a large tablet
• Lockable zippers
• Internal see-through mesh pockets for small accessories: propellers, screwdriver, cables, etc.
• Deluxe organizer for smart phone, wallet, pens, keys, business cards, etc.
• Water bottle pocket on side
• Height adjustable sternum strap
• Elastic pockets on shoulder straps for phone, energy bar, etc.
• Robust handles on three sides ensure rapid and easy retrieval from airline overhead bins, car trunks, etc.
• Seam-sealed rain cover helps to protect gear and stows away inside backpack when not in use

MATERIALS

Exterior: For superior water-resistance, all exterior fabric has a durable water-repellant (DWR) coating, plus the underside of the fabric has a polyurethane coating. It also has YKK RC Fuse (abrasion-resistant) zippers, 1680D ballistic nylon bottom panel, 600D polyester, 420D velocity nylon, 3D air mesh, ultra-stretch pockets, Y-buckles, antique finish metal hardware, nylon webbing, and 3-ply bonded nylon thread.

Interior: 6mm ABS twinwall, removable closed cell foam dividers with PE board reinforcement, 200D polyester, polyurethane-backed 3-layer velex liner, 2x polyurethane coated nylon 210T seam-sealed rain cover, Belly-O mesh pockets, and 3-ply bonded nylon thread.

TECHNICAL SPECIFICATIONS

Exterior Dimensions: 19.3” W x 24” H x 9.4” D (49 × 61 × 24cm)
Interior Dimensions: 17.3” W x 21.7” H x 7.9” D (44 × 55 × 20cm)
Laptop Compartment: 12.6” W x 16.9” H x 1.2” D (32 × 43 × 3cm)
Weight (with all accessories): 8.5 lbs. (3.9 kg)

B&H has the Think Tank Photo Helipak Backpack for DJI Inspire 1 available for preorder.

From Nikon UK:

London, UK, 6th June 2016: Nikon UK today announces the appointment of two new photographers to its Ambassador line-up, Richard Peters and Helen Sloan.

Richard Peters is an award winning wildlife photographer with a wealth of experience in his field. Richard recently completed and published an e-book documenting his back garden safari project, an inspiring series of wildlife imagery captured in his back garden.

Helen Sloan is a film and TV stills photographer who most notably works on the popular HBO series Game of Thrones, capturing character stills from the set and plenty of behind the scenes action.

The Nikon Ambassador initiative was introduced in 2013 to celebrate class-leading photographers working in specific fields of photography, whilst inspiring people to pick up their camera and reach their creative potential. The Ambassadors work with Nikon on a range of activities, from seminars at key events to social media and PR campaigns.

Richard and Helen join current Nikon Ambassadors to complete this year’s line-up: David Yarrow – fine art wildlife photographer known for capturing the beauty of the planet’s remote landscapes and endangered animals, Jeremy Walker - award-winning professional photographer specialising in landscape and location photography and Leon Neal - news photographer with a wealth of experience and a staff photographer for AFP News.

Nikon would like to thank photographers Bob Martin and Kate Hopewell-Smith for their excellent work and support over the past two years as we continue to work with them as part of Nikon’s prestigious Ambassador Alumni.

Jeremy Gilbert, Group Marketing Manager, at Nikon UK says: “We are delighted to announce the appointment of Richard Peters and Helen Sloan to our Ambassador scheme. Since the launch of the Ambassador scheme in 2013 we have seen some amazing talent in our line-up and it continues to go from strength to strength. Through the ambassadors we are able to engage with our customers but most importantly, encourage enthusiasts to take a step up with their photography.”

He adds: “The scheme has allowed us to formally acknowledge some of the country’s leading photographers in their fields and collaborate with them creatively to inspire and engage budding photographers.”

For more information about the Nikon UK Ambassadors please visit: https://nikoninframe.co.uk/ambassadors/

From Nikon:

IMPORTANT: Firmware updates cannot be performed if Enable is currently selected for Network > Network connection in the SETUP MENU. Select Disable for Network connection before proceeding.

Changes from “C” Firmware Version 1.30 to 1.31

Fixed an issue that occurred with WR-R10 wireless remote controller firmware version 3.00. In rare cases, the camera would fail to display the number of exposures remaining or would take about a minute to power down when the WR-R10 was connected.

Download: Nikon D4s Firmware v.1.31

From Canon USA:

Canon Online Learning Courses Designed to Support and Develop Imaging Skills for Passionate Photographers of All Levels

MELVILLE, N.Y., June 7, 2016 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is launching Canon Online Learning, a new program of immersive digital courses designed to help photo and video enthusiasts of all levels develop their skills at their own pace. The program, which expands upon Canon’s robust mix of existing free and paid educational offerings, looks to educate parents, travelers, imaging hobbyists and working professionals with proven techniques from recognizable industry talents.

Available now are these initial seven courses, suitable for all skill levels:

• Understanding EOS Camera Operations
• Photo 101: How to Take Great Pictures
• Printing Basics & Beyond
• Great Landscapes Made Easy
• Child’s Play: Simple Tips for Photographing Children
• Getting Started with Flash Photography
• Canon Insider Guide: EOS Rebel Series

These first seven courses, and subsequent classes to follow, will include video guides unique to each course with the option to download or print PDF materials. With the exception of Canon Insider Guide: EOS Rebel Series, courses will also include complementary resources such as bonus video content, lighting/shooting diagrams, shot lists, resource guides and interviews with course instructors. Additional interactive materials may include quizzes, assignments, interactive images and diagrams.

“Canon has always provided industry leading educational resources for our customers. Over the years, we have expanded our offerings to include live workshops, one-on-one in-person sessions and countless free lectures across the country. Now, for those passionate customers looking to take a deeper dive into photography or videography, we have developed a curriculum of content that addresses the various ways our customers use our products today, and it’s available at their convenience online, day or night,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “This new program also helps familiarize the imaging community with our wide range of educational tools, allowing them to learn valuable tips from our technical experts, as well as our Explorers of Light professional photographers.”

Initial course offerings range from $19.99-$59.99. To learn more about Canon Online Learning please visit: http://usa.canon.com/onlinelearningor email learning@cusa.canon.com.

From DxO:

DxO PRIME 2016 noise reduction technology and automated spot weighted corrections are indispensable tools for photographers

PARIS & SAN FRANCISCO—June 1, 2016—DxO, a world leader in digital imaging technologies, announces the immediate availability of DxO OpticsPro 11, a major update to its award-winning photo software for Mac and PC. DxO OpticsPro 11 introduces important enhancements to DxO PRIME, the industry-standard for noise reduction, and new automated tools, such as spot weighted correction, auto microcontrast and auto red-eye that leverage face detection to help bring out the subtle nuances in images — all in just a few clicks and regardless of the original shooting

DxO PRIME 2016, better and faster
DxO OpticsPro 11 features DxO’s proprietary DxO PRIME 2016 noise reduction, which enables photographers to salvage noisy photos thought previously unusable. With DxO OpticsPro 11, photographers can capture new images at an even higher ISO by using a new version of PRIME that is better and faster than ever. DxO PRIME 2016 better preserves bokehs and smooth transitions, retains more details, and more faithfully preserves colors in dark areas, and it does this all automatically by reading each camera’s precise calibration data. And through an intense effort to adapt and optimize this technology, DxO PRIME 2016 is now able to process RAW files up to 4x faster than before — in fact, the higher the ISO, the bigger the benefit of processing time.

“The new DxO PRIME noise reduction is nothing short of amazing,” said professional photographer Mike Mezeul, “it gives me the ability to capture images at incredibly high ISOs and still render out incredibly rich, detailed, and noise-free images.”

Automated Spot Weighted Corrections
The image scientists at DxO have designed a new enhancement to DxO OpticsPro’s Smart Lighting tool that uses face detection to apply an intelligent tone map on the entire image, to better extend the dynamic range, add fill light, and improve contrast while optimizing illumination on faces. The result is genuine spot processing—after capture—with the very same results as spot metering typically provides in camera, but with the added benefit of fine-tuning flexibility.

“The image scientists at DxO have done it again,” said Camilla Ferrari, professional photographer and DxO ambassador, “by using face detection, the new spot weighted correction is able to apply even a very strong level of Smart Lighting, while keeping the people in my images looking much more natural and pleasing to my eye.”

Other enhanced tools, including new full screen mode
DxO OpticsPro 11 also adds a number of other useful tools for photographers, including an auto microcontrast mode that enhances image content while taking care to preserve faces and keep noise under control. The selective tone control produces more natural results, efficiently recovering information in shadows and highlights while avoiding flattening midtones, and there’s also a new tool that uses face and eye detection to automatically apply red eye correction, even as a batch process on multiple photos. In addition, a brand new full screen viewer removes distracting clutter so you can focus more on selecting, rejecting and rating your images, while using new shortcuts designed to help speed up the culling process.

Even more cameras supported
Without any user intervention (apart from simply viewing your image) DxO OpticsPro will read the metadata in your photo, and prompt you to download the appropriate camera/lens module. With that module, OpticsPro automatically and intelligently applies corrections such as distortion, chromatic aberration, vignetting, and lens softness. And with this latest release, DxO OpticsPro 11 adds support for a number of new cameras, including Nikon’s new flagship D5, bringing the total number of supported camera/lens combinations to well over 28,000!

Pricing & Availability
The ESSENTIAL and ELITE editions of DxO OpticsPro 11 for Mac and Windows are immediately available at photo resellers at a special discount through June 30, 2016.

B&H has DxO OpticsPro 11 available for preorder.