Canon & Nikon News and What's New (Excluding Deals) (Page 8) Report News & Deals

Canon Japan has just published sample images and videos from the newly announced EOS Rebel SL1 Digital SLR Camera.
 
Preorder Opportunities:
 
SL1 Body: B&H | Adorama | Amazon
SL1 with 18-55mm IS STM Lens: B&H | Adorama | Amazon

Canon Japan has just published sample images and videos from the newly announced EOS Rebel T5i DSLR Camera.
 
Preorder Opportunities:
 
T5i Body: B&H | Adorama | Amazon
T5i with EF-S 18-55mm IS STM Lens: B&H | Adorama | Amazon
T5i with EF-S 18-135mm IS STM Lens: B&H | Adorama | Amazon

B&H has the Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6G ED VR Lens in stock with 2% Rewards and free shipping.

Amazon (via OneCall) has the Nikon COOLPIX A Digital Camera in stock (limited quantity available).

From Canon:
 
MELVILLE, N.Y., March 21, 2013 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced that its parent company, Canon Inc., has placed on Fortune Magazine's 2013 World's Most Admired Companies list. Moving up one spot in 2013 to fourth globally in the Computers category, Canon ranked in the top three for innovation, financial soundness and long-term investment. In addition, the company placed first among corporations based internationally.
 
Close to 700 companies from 30 countries around the world were analyzed and ranked with the input from 3,800 executives, directors and analysts. The 2013 list was separated into 57 industries ranging from aerospace and defense to trucking, transportation and logistics.
 
"The companies ranked by Fortune are the most innovative and influential around the world," said Bunji Yano, senior director and general manager, Corporate Communications, Canon U.S.A. "To simply be a part of this list is an honor in itself, yet to rank so highly exemplifies our dedication to not only our customers, but our employees and the communities we serve."
 
For 2013, companies were judged in nine different attributes of recognition including global competitiveness, use of corporate assets and people management.

From Nikon:
 
Nikon Corporation (Makoto Kimura, President) is pleased to announce the establishment of a new factory in the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Laos) to reinforce its digital SLR camera manufacturing organization and reduce costs. Operations are scheduled to commence in October 2013.
 
Entry-level and mid-class digital SLR cameras, and some interchangeable lenses are manufactured by Nikon (Thailand) Co., Ltd. in the Ayutthaya province of Thailand. With the establishment of this new factory in Laos, a part of the production for digital SLR cameras which are completed as final products at Nikon (Thailand) will be done in Laos.
 
Company Overview

Name	Nikon Lao Co., Ltd.
Address	KM 28, Savan-Seno Special Economic Zone, Savannakhet Province, Lao P.D.R.
Capital	LAK 60,000,000,000 (approx. ¥ 600,000,000)
Ownership	Nikon (Thailand) Co., Ltd. (Approximately 99.99%) and other
Representative director	Nobuyuki Muraishi *Part-time service. Also serves as Managing Director of Nikon (Thailand) Co., Ltd.
Site area	Approximately 12,500 m2
Floor space	Approximately 10,000 m2
No. of employees	Approximately 800 (planned) when operations commence
Start of operations	Scheduled for October 2013
Primary activities	Assembly of digital SLR camera units

From Canon UK:
 
Canon has updated its Project 1709 beta, introducing version 1.1 that offers users the option of full Flickr integration, as well as new management and organisation features.
 
United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, 20 March 2013 – Project 1709 version 1.1 now makes it possible to publish images and comments directly to Flickr from within the Project 1709 interface, as well as to pull in images already stored on Flickr, allowing users to enjoy their photographs from an even wider range of social networks.
 
A series of enhanced functions and management tools have also been added providing greater flexibility to manage and organise images. Project 1709 now includes the ability to edit file names, rotate and delete images and create albums, along with improved search functionality, allowing users to filter images by ‘All’ and ‘Any’ tags.
 
These new features and functionalities have been added to Project 1709 following feedback and requests from photography enthusiasts who have joined the beta programme since its launch at Photokina in September 2012. Canon will continue development of the service in the run up to a full public launch in 2013.
 
Consumers interested in participating in the beta can register at www.Project1709.com
 
Project 1709 - key features

• Store a lifetime of your images
• Find any image when you need it
• Access all your photos anytime, everywhere
• Enjoy and make the most of your photos
• Improve your photos to make them the best they can be

From DxO:
 
03/20/2013
 
Discover DxO ViewPoint in this one-hour session led by Hector Martinez, who will teach you how to best use its tools for correcting keystoning and other problems with perspective, as well as share with you his professional advice and tips!
 
Topics:

• The philosophy of the software
• Hands-on perspective control tools
• Hints and tips to fine-tune your architecture images
• 3 good reasons to adopt DxO ViewPoint if you already own DxO Optics Pro
• What is volume anamorphosis and how to correct it

Wednesday, March 27, 2013 – 8:00 pm (London). [Register]
Thursday, March 28, 2013 – 8:00 pm (New York) – 5:00 pm (San Francisco). [Register]
Speaker: Hector MARTINEZ
Duration: 60 minutes
 
IMPORTANT INFORMATION: The webinar will take place on Wednesday, May 27 at 8:00 pm London time, not Paris time, as erroneously stated in our previous e-mails.
 
B&H carries DxO Viewpoint software.

B&H has the Nikon MB-D15 Multi Power Battery Pack (for D7100) in stock.

AdoramaTV has published a couple of really good "photo deconstructions" by world-renowned photographer Joe McNally. McNally primarily uses Nikon Speedlights in his work, but the concepts apply to photographers using Canon gear as well.
 
From AdoramaTV:
 
Mimic Big Natural Light With a Speedlight for Environmental Portraits
 
In this episode of Photo on the Go, prepared exclusively for AdoramaTV, JoeMcNally explains how you can take a small speedlight and turn it into natural-looking daylight. He'll show you how he created the light in a scene using small flash units and made it look like it was natural daylight streaming through a window. Using this technique you can shoot more dramatic environmental portraits.
 

 
Tools Used:

• Nikon SB910 Speedlight
• Lastolite Joe McNally Rotate Triflash
• Nikon 85mm f1.4G IF AF-S Nikkor Lens
• Nikon SC29 TTL Extension Cord
• Nikon D800 Digital SLR Camera

 
The Secret to Shooting Dramatic Flash-Lit Portrait Photography That Looks Like Natural Daylight
 
In this episode of Photo On The Go, shot exclusively for AdoramaTV, Joe McNally explains how to create natural looking daylight through a window by bringing in light from two different directions. He explains how he sets up the light to mimic the look of diffused daylight using Nikon Speedlights while lighting details in shadows that might fall on a face if the subject is wearing a wide-rimmed hat. Watch as he shows where he places his light sources to capture all the details of two subjects with a moody midwestern flavor.
 

 
Tools Used:

• Nikon SB910 Speedlight
• Lastolite Joe McNally 24" Uplite Kit
• Lastolite Joe McNally Rotate Triflash
• Nikon 70-200mm f2.8G AF-S VR II Nikkor ED-IF Lens
• Nikon SC29 TTL Extension Cord
• Rubber Lens Hoods

B&H now has Vello Extension Tube Sets (Canon | Nikon) in stock.
 
Extension tubes can provide a great introduction to macro photography. If you are not quite sure about investing in a dedicated macro lens, a set of extension tubes will allow you to explore the world of macro photography quite inexpensively by using the lenses you already own.

If you didn't get the chance to attend Focus on Imaging photography fair, here's your opportunity to see what the Samyang booth looked like - Samyang has posted some images from its booth at the European event.
 
B&H carries Samyang Lenses.

From PMA:
 
Nationally syndicated shows Popular Photography Radio, The Drive with Alan Taylor, Parenting Magazine Live and others to air live, onsite at The Big Photo Show
 
JACKSON, Mich. – PMA – The Worldwide Community of Imaging Associations, announces Entertainment Radio Network will broadcast live from The Big Photo Show in Los Angeles, May 4-5, 2013. Entertainment Radio Network produces nationally syndicated and internet radio shows including Popular Photography Radio, The Drive with Alan Taylor, Parenting Magazine Live, Sound + Vision Radio, and Popular Science Radio – all of which will be broadcasting and recording episodes from The Big Photo Show. Program hosts Mike Etchart, Alan Taylor, and Bettina Bush will be onsite, covering news, technology, equipment, creative photo display and product ideas, and more, as well as interviewing exhibitors, photographers and attendees at the event. Several programs will air live, and others will be recorded for later broadcast.
 
"The Entertainment Radio Network strives to capture dynamic events that feature the most compelling brands, technology, and products across all industries and passion points,” said Alan Taylor, CEO of Entertainment Radio Network and host of both The Drive with Alan Taylor and Popular Science Radio. “We feel that The Big Photo Show will be a premier event for both photographers and enthusiasts to network, touch and try new products, and connect with industry leading manufacturers. We are pleased to broadcast live at this event to help consumers discover the most innovative, cutting-edge products on the market."
 
PMA President Allen Showalter commented, “We are thrilled to welcome Entertainment Radio Network to The Big Photo Show, where their huge, national audience will discover the latest innovations from top manufacturers and retailers in the imaging space; hear from our stellar lineup of professional photographer educators; and discover all the amazing things they can do with their images. The Big Photo Show is designed to spur a greater passion for photography among photo enthusiasts and grow the imaging industry. Having Entertainment Radio Network broadcasting live onsite will help us do that.”

From Adobe:
 
Free Creative Cloud Memberships Exceed 2 Million
 
SAN JOSE, Calif. — March 19, 2013 — Adobe Systems Incorporated (Nasdaq:ADBE) today announced that Adobe® Creative Cloud™ has exceeded 500,000 paid individual members. The company also reported that free and trial memberships have exceeded 2 million. Free subscriptions are a proven on-ramp for customers to move to a paid Creative Cloud membership.
 
“Creative Cloud adoption continues to accelerate,” said David Wadhwani, senior vice president, Digital Media Business, Adobe. “Reaching the half-million subscription milestone in less than one year is a strong indication of customer appetite for the ongoing stream of innovation we are delivering.”
 
Adobe’s Creative Cloud is the go-to destination for creative professionals, satisfying their need to access all their creative tools and services as well as sync and store their work and collaborate with fellow creatives. Creative Cloud subscription growth is being driven by its attractive pricing as well as the frequent product, feature and service enhancements the company is providing. Adobe’s recent acquisition of Behance, the leading online social media platform for creatives, accelerates Adobe’s strategy to bring great community features to Creative Cloud.
 
Right now, students and teachers can save 60% on an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription for the first year while existing Creative Suite customers can save 40%.

The Nikon COOLPIX S3500 User's Manual is now available for download.
 
Download the COOLPIX S3500 User's Manual (PDF): English | Spanish
 
B&H has the Nikon COOLPIX S3500 digital camera available for preorder.

B&H has the Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM Lens for Nikon in stock - but inventory is limited. Act now if you want yours in the very near future.

 
From Wacom:
 
Wacom’s Cintiq line draws attention once again with its slim, new 13-inch interactive pen display
 
Boasting high quality HD resolution with advanced control and comfort, the new Cintiq provides an immersive experience consistent with Wacom’s family of interactive pen displays
 
19/03/2013 - Wacom, the industry leader of pen tablets for professional designers, today boosts its lineup of Cintiq interactive pen displays with the addition of the Cintiq 13HD. Aimed at creative professionals working in areas such as design, art and image editing, it combines a 13” HD screen, slim and compact design, simple setup, an adjustable stand and an improved pen for creating directly on the screen. Easily integrated into any environment, the Cintiq 13HD is the ideal tool to support creativity and enhance productivity, offering a natural and immersive experience.
 
Key to the Cintiq 13HD is its compact, slim design and easy setup with both Macs and PCs. For complete comfort, the Cintiq 13HD’s stand is optimised for use in a choice of four settings – flat, 22°, 35° and 50° and is detachable too.
 
Superior screen in HD quality
Perfect for professionals such as artists, graphic designers and photographers, the Cintiq 13HD’s best-in-class screen displays 16.7m colours to ensure life-like colour quality. In addition, the wide-format HD LED display offers a wide viewing angle of 178° and a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels that is particularly beneficial for handling intricate graphics.
 
The full Cintiq experience
As with all Wacom interactive pen displays, the Cintiq 13HD enables users to create directly on the screen for an immersive and seamless process that feels natural and saves time.
 
The new and improved cordless and battery-free Pro Pen offers advanced pen performance, superior comfort, precision and control. With 2,048 levels of pressure and tilt sensitivity, it is perfect for precision work and is ergonomically designed. The Cintiq 13HD comes with a convenient case to securely store the Pro Pen and everything else an artist needs at their fingertips including spare nibs.
 
To further improve workflow and productivity, frequently used shortcut commands are available at the user’s fingertips through four customisable and application-specific ExpressKeys and Rocker Ring. Making use of these shortcuts can save valuable time by minimising keyboard dependency.
 
With the existing 22HD, 24HD and 24HD touch, there is a Cintiq interactive pen display to suit anyone’s workflow requirements and budget.
 
Guido Möller, product manager creative products, at Wacom Europe says: “We’ve gained valuable customer feedback in developing our latest Cintiq which will support professionals and help them spur creativity on the 13” high resolution screen. Not only that, it also enhances productivity and saves creator time with new features. As with our entire Cintiq range, the new Cintiq 13HD provides a completely immersive and ergonomic pen-on-screen experience that adapts seamlessly to all working environments and practices.”
 
Pricing and availability
The new Cintiq 13HD will be available for £749.99 (incl. VAT) from April 2013 onwards at Wacom’s eStore and other retailers.
 
Inspiration from the ‘Pioneers of Now’
For further information on what can be achieved with a Wacom Cintiq, check out Wacom’s ‘Pioneers of Now’. The ‘Pioneers’ are inspiring because they have vision, talent, perseverance and stamina. But above all, they have the tools to make their new worlds a reality.
 
B&H carries Wacom Cintiq Pen Displays.

From Tamron:
 
March 18, 2013, Saitama, Japan - Tamron Co., Ltd. (President and CEO: Morio Ono / Headquarters: Saitama City), a leading manufacturer of optical equipment, announced the release of a full-size, high-speed telephoto zoom lens equipped with VC (Vibration Compensation) *1 image stabilization, and USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive) *2 that achieves leading-edge image quality while boasting the most compact*3 design in its class.
 
The SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD (Model A009) for Nikon will be first released in Japan on March 28, 2013 and subsequently elsewhere.
 
B&H has the Tamron SP 70-200mm F/2.8 Di VC USD for Nikon available for preorder.

From ExpoImaging:
 
Create a Strip Box, Soft Box or Shapeable Reflector
 
In Studio or on location, the Rogue XL Pro Lighting Kit gives photographers creative lighting control using speedlights, making a variable width strip box, a low profile soft box, or a multi-surface reflector. This durable, compact system of flash modifers packs flat and takes up very little room in a gear bag.
 
The XL Pro FlashBender Reflector allows you to control directional light by bouncing, curving, and reflecting the light where you want it.
 
The Strip Box Attachment is used in combination with the XL Pro FlashBender for greater edge lighting control. You can adjust the variable width of the strip to control how wide your light source will be and where the edge between highlight and shadow will fall.
 
The Soft Box Attachment is used with the XL Pro FlashBender to create more directional light than the base reflector alone, directing light forward and preventing it from going straight up. The diffusion fabric reduces specular highlights making for a beautiful main light for portraiture.
 
The Silver/Black Reflector Attachment is used with the XL Pro FlashBender to create a higher contrast light than the base reflectors medium contrast white material. The black side of the attachment can be used as a large flag, providing limited reflectivity while the light is directed forward along the reflectors edge.
 
All 4 Pieces are sold together in a single kit:

• 1x XL Pro FlashBender White Reflector
• 1x XL Pro Strip Box Diffuser Attachment
• 1x XL Pro Soft Box Diffuser Attachment
• 1x XL Pro Silver/Black Reflector Attachment

The Rogue XL Pro Lighting Kit will be available at authorized retailers for suggested retail price of $99.95.
 
B&H has the Rogue XL Pro Lighting Kit in stock.

From PocketWizard:
 
March 18, 2013 – PocketWizard, the industry leader in wireless control and synchronization of cameras, flash and light meters, announces today the release of Plus III Firmware 1.200. Firmware 1.200 includes some operational enhancements over the originial firmware version 1.100.

• The Status LED now represents battery level in a more intuitive manner.
• Improved half-press operation when engaging pre-release from a MultiMAX®
• Corrected a situation that only affected a few flash models where remote triggering might stop on a receiving radio when set on a Quad-Triggering channel (17 – 32).

Click here for complete Plus III Firmware 1.200 Release Notes.
 
*This Plus III firmware requires PocketWizard Utility version 1.54 or later, click here to download PocketWizard Utility 1.54 or 1.55
 
When you have installed the latest Utility, connect your Plus III to your computer with a standard Mini-B USB cable. Click “Check For Updates” to begin. Be sure to update all of your radios to the latest version. Your radios will only operate as expected when all radios are using the latest firmware.
 
B&H carries the PocketWizard Plus III Transceiver.

 
Because of weekend travel arrangements, the Weekend Update's publication had to be postponed until Monday.

"This is The-Digital-Picture.com's Weekend Recap for the week ending March 16th, 2013.
 
In the news...
 
On Monday, Spider Camera Holster announced the Spider Monkey accessory holster. The Spider Monkey allows photographers to affix commonly needed accessories - like flashes, light meters, or external battery packs - to any belt for fast and easy access.
 
On Tuesday, we reported on Canon’s 1 Million Minutes Watched video posted to YouTube. Canon created the video to celebrate 1 Million Minutes watched on its YouTube channel.
 
On Thursday, Nikon posted firmware updates for its UT-1 Communication Unit and WR-RT10 Remote Controller Transceiver. Both firmware updates provide support for the D7100 and, in the case of the WR-RT10, provide a few additional features when paired with the WR-1.
 
In reviews...
 
On Monday, Bryan posted a review of a backpack with a not-so-obvious pronunciation – the Bataflae 32L from Gura Gear. Bryan reviewed the bag after putting it through its paces during a photographic journey through 'The Aloha State.'
 
Bryan gave the Bataflae 32L high regards because of its convenient size, high quality materials, durable construction, side tripod storage, and comfortable fit.
 
On Tuesday, Bryan posted some notes regarding his experiences using the 5D Mark III camera while in Hawaii. Bryan applauded the 5D III’s lack of sensor dust, built-in horizon level, weather sealing, and high-ISO performance – all of which proved very beneficial while on his trip.
 
And on Wednesday, Bryan added Helicopter Aerial Photography Tips to the website. If you’re planning on photographing Hawaii from the air, be sure to check out Bryan’s helpful hints and find out which aerial charter he personally recommends.
 
And, for our deal of the week…
 
On Saturday, we posted a deal where you could get a Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM lens for $764.99. That’s more than a $280.00 savings over the standard retail price.
 
This has been the The-Digital-Picture.com’s Weekend Recap. Thanks for listening, and as always, happy shooting!"

B&H has the Nikon D7100 Digital SLR Camera Body in stock.

Adobe published a notice regarding updates for Photoshop Lightroom and its DNG Converter. However, the publication dates are listed as "April 2, 2013" and the downloads are currently unavailable.
 
Note: Information on the updates may change before the intended release date.
 
From Adobe:
 
Lightroom 4.4 update
 
April 2, 2013
The Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 4.4 update includes these enhancements:

• Improved demosaic algorithm for better raw file support on cameras with X-Trans sensors. This includes the Fujifilm X-Pro1.
• Additional camera support for 23 cameras including the Canon EOS 1D C, Nikon Coolpix A, and Samsung NX300.
• Corrections and bug fixes for issues introduced in previous versions of Lightroom.

DNG Converter 7.4 update
 
April 2, 2013
This version of the DNG Converter supports over 20 new cameras including the Canon EOS 1D C, Nikon Coolpix A, and Samsung NX300. Visit the Camera Raw page for a complete list of supported cameras.
 
B&H carries Adobe Photoshop Lightroom v4.

From LensRentals:
 
A constant wish amongst our customers is cheaper shipping. Today, we're happy to announce our new subscription shipping program. This program will allow our customers to rent whatever they want, whenever they want, without having to worry about high shipping prices.
 
What is LensRentals HD?
 
LensRentals HD is a shipping discount program. By signing up, you'll get free Standard Shipping on all the orders you place for one year, and you'll even save 50% on all FedEx Overnight shipping.
 
No items are excluded from the program: if we carry it, we'll ship it free. Need a jib in Los Angeles? It's free. Need 10 tripods in Miami? Totally free.
 
Click here to learn more.
 
To support this site, click on the appropriate product review and then click the button beside the camera/lens you want to rent.

 
From PetaPixel:

While messing around with the features of his Nikon V1, EOSHD forum user Javier Sobremazas discovered something pretty awesome about the $220 camera: it can shoot 4k RAW … sort of. The sort of plays in for two reasons. Firstly, it can only shoot 4K for one second at a time; and secondly, it’s actually an extension of the camera’s burst mode.

You can still find the Nikon 1 V1 mirrorless camera on eBay.