Weekend Recaps
I spent a good part of this weekend with my extended family. We celebrated our annual "Christmas at Grandma's" on Saturday. As such, I didn't quite complete the video portion of this week's Recap. Oh well – enjoy the script if you want a rundown of the week's events!
"This is The-Digital-Picture.com's Weekend Recap for the week ending December 21st, 2013.In the news...
On Wednesday, we highlighted a fast and easy way to resize and share your photos – with CoolTweak. Using CoolTweak, you can create custom right-click mouse actions for resizing, watermarking, or publishing your images to social media. I highly recommend trying it out!
On Friday, we learned that Lenstag had published mobile apps for iOS and Android. Using the Lenstag app, you can register your own gear, check the serial numbers of used items you wish to purchase, or flag your own gear as stolen. The Lenstag service is free, so there’s no reason not to protect your gear through registration with the site!
Also on Friday, we posted a YouTube video created by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center which explained the sequence of events that led up to Apollo 8’s iconic “Earthrise” photo. As it turns out, the photo would never have been captured if it weren’t for a fortunate coincidence and some quick teamwork by the astronaut crew.
In site news and reviews...
On Monday, Bryan posted his full review of the Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 EX DG HSM Lens. Wide open, the Sigma is not a stellar performer. But its relatively low price and solid build quality will prove enticing for many photographers. Check out Bryan’s review for all the details.
On Tuesday, Bryan posted image quality results and some eye candy for the Sigma 17-70mm DC Macro OS Contemporary Lens. Tests results now available include ISO resolution, flare, vignetting and distortion.
On Wednesday, Bryan posted his review of the Think Tank Photo My 2nd Brain 15 Laptop Bag. Bryan liked the case’s compact design, rugged build quality and surprising amount of storage space. Check out the My 2nd Brain review for more information.
And, for our deal(s) of the week…
Instead of just picking one deal this week, I’m going tip my hat to Adorama for all their fantastic Canon camera and lens deals we posted on Thursday. Some of them are still active, yet even better – now with overnight shipping. Scroll through our news pages if you're needing a special gift to go under the tree!
This has been the The-Digital-Picture.com’s Weekend Recap. Thanks for listening, and as always, happy shooting!"
"This is The-Digital-Picture.com's Weekend Recap for the week ending December 14th, 2013.In the news...
On Tuesday, we learned that Nikon’s newest firmware updates may have contained an undocumented modification. Users report cameras with the new firmwares no longer work with 3rd party batteries. Did Nikon purposefully attempt to kill 3rd party battery compatibility or was this an unanticipated side effect of the updates?
On a related note, we shared our own experience with 3rd party batteries being incompatible with Canon’s newest LC-E6 battery chargers. That got us wondering – did Nikon take a page out of Canon’s playbook?
On Thursday, we learned about Zeiss’s plans produce an 85mm f/1.4 OTUS lens. Zeiss outed the lens’s development via a Facebook comment displayed on their own website.
In site news and reviews...
On Tuesday, we posted a full review of the Pocketwizard PlusX Radio Transceivers. In short, the PlusX transceivers offer a rugged build quality with a limited, yet attractive feature set that will surely grow Pocketwizard’s fan base.
On Wednesday, we posted our standard image quality test results for the Sigma 180mm f/2.8 EX DG OS HSM Macro Lens. Tests available for viewing include ISO resolution, vignetting and distortion [flare results are also available].
On Thursday, Bryan posted his full review of the Sigma 24-105mm f/4.0 DG OS HSM Art Lens. To sum up the review, Sigma’s new 24-105mm lens follows in step with all their recent Global Vision releases – meaning excellent image quality, sound build quality and a moderate price tag. Check out Bryan’s review for all the details.
And, for our deal of the week…
On Sunday, we posted a deal from BuyDig.com where you could get a Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens for $1,679.00 after rebate. That’s a $620.00 savings off the normal MSRP.
This has been the The-Digital-Picture.com’s Weekend Recap. Thanks for listening, and as always, happy shooting!"
"This is The-Digital-Picture.com's Weekend Recap for the week ending December 7th, 2013.In the news...
On Tuesday, Canon announced the EOS M2 to its Asian markets. The next iteration in Canon’s mirrorless lineup will feature a faster AF system, slightly faster burst rate, built-in Wi-Fi and a slimmer body. The camera will be available to the Asian market in mid-December. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like the EOS M2 will be coming to North America. However, I’m sure Canon’s plans could change depending on demand.
Our thoughts? Well, on the one hand, we’re glad to see Canon’s commitment to improving their mirrorless lineup. On the other hand, we think this incremental upgrade would have looked a lot more enticing if it had included the Dual Pixel sensor found in Canon 70D. EOS M3, anyone?
On Friday, Samyang announced its 10mm f/2.8 lens for crop sensor cameras featuring nano crystal anti-reflection coatings. Unfortunately, price and release date are as of yet unknown.
In site news and reviews...
On Monday, Bryan posted his extensive “What I Want for Christmas from Canon” list. His holiday wishes included a Sharp camera mode, exposure compensation with Auto ISO, a more user friendly electronic level, and of course – a stabilized 24-70mm f/2.8L – as well as quite a few other things. Check out Bryan’s full post to see all of his Christmas requests.
After Bryan’s post we asked you – “What do you want from Canon for Christmas?” Some of your answers included RAW video via official firmware, a higher resolution 6D, a retro styled Canon body and the most popular response, a 7D Mark II.
And, for our deal of the week…
On Wednesday, we posted a deal from Adorama where you could get a 5D Mark III, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, PIXMA PRO-100 and photo paper for $3,347.00 with free shipping after $400.00 mail-in rebate. Considering that the 5D Mark III body-only is going for a shade under $2,900 right now, the bundle was an exceptional deal.
This has been the The-Digital-Picture.com’s Weekend Recap. Thanks for listening, and as always, happy shooting!"
This is The-Digital-Picture.com's Weekend Recap for the week ending November 30th, 2013.In the news...
This week began with a flood of holiday deals. Amazon kicked off the week by starting their Black Friday deals the Sunday before Thanksgiving. The unprecedented move led to many retailers starting their Black Friday deals early as well – like Adorama, who started their Black Friday deals the following Wednesday.
In other news, on Thursday Canon released their firmware update for the EOS C300 Cinema Camera. Canon originally released the firmware update on November 12th but later pulled the update from their site because of discrepancies in color balance caused by the new firmware. The re-released firmware fixes the color balance issues associated with the previous version.
In site news and reviews...
On Monday, Bryan posted some Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM “Art” lens eye candy. The review page now features many original images for site visitors to enjoy.
On Wednesday, Bryan posted the highly-anticipated image quality results for the Sigma 24-105. Check out the Sigma 24-105’s Review Page for all our standardized tests including image quality, vignetting and distortion.
And, for our deal of the week…
Being the week of Black Friday, picking a deal of the week was no small task. We were flooded with tremendous deals from many of our favorite retailers. While many of the deals would qualify for recognition, I picked this week’s deal based on two things: the value represented by the deal and the fact that it’s still available at the time of the Weekend Recap’s publication…
On that note, this Saturday we posted a deal from Amazon where you could get the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens for $1,799.00 after $300.00 mail-in rebate. Considering that the lens normally retails for $2,499.00, this price represents an excellent value for one of Canon’s most useful, high-performing zoom lenses.
This has been the The-Digital-Picture.com’s Weekend Recap. Thanks for listening, and as always, happy shooting!
"This is The-Digital-Picture.com's Weekend Recap for the week ending November 16th, 2013.In the news...
On Wednesday, Canon released firmware updates for the C100 and C300 cinema cameras. The firmware updates included several user-interface improvements as well as expanding the maximum ISO setting and peripheral illumination database. Unfortunately, the firmware updates caused discrepancies in color balance leading to Canon removing them from their site late Thursday. Expect the fixed firmware updates to be available once again very soon.
On Thursday, Canon Japan finally introduced the body Asia has been hinting at since late last week – a white Kiss X7 (aka Rebel SL1) with matching special edition EF 40mm f/2.8 STM lens. The camera is set to be available in Japan at the end of this month. Whether or not Canon will be releasing a white SL1 aimed at the North American market is, as of yet, unknown.
In site news and reviews...
On Tuesday, Bryan posted his full review of the Zeiss 15mm f/2.8 Distagon T* ZE lens. In short, the Zeiss 15mm lens has found a permanent home in Bryan’s landscape lens collection because of its superb image quality, durable build quality, and compatibility with front mounted screw-in filters. See Bryan’s full review for more details.
On Thursday, Bryan updated the Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM review to address concerns about focus shift. Bryan found the lens does exhibit a rearward focus shift; however, the focus shift is unlikely to cause significant issues for most shooters.
And, for our deal of the week…
On Tuesday, we posted a deal from Adorama where you could get a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens for $1,899.00 with free shipping after $300.00 mail-in rebate. That’s a $300.00 savings off the normal after-rebate price.
This has been the The-Digital-Picture.com’s Weekend Recap. Thanks for listening, and as always, happy shooting!"
"This is The-Digital-Picture.com's Weekend Recap for the week ending October 26th, 2013.In the news...
On Tuesday, Canon announced the development of firmware updates for the EOS 1D X and 1D C DSLR cameras. The 1D X will receive several AF improvements as well as a feature Bryan’s been requesting for ages – exposure compensation when using Auto ISO.
The 1D C firmware update will improve communication between the camera body and EF lenses as well as allow audio recording from Line inputs. The 1D C firmware will be available in November of this year, with the 1D X firmware’s availability scheduled for January 2014.
On Wednesday, DxO announced Optics Pro 9. The headline feature in Optics Pro 9 is PRIME denoising. The PRIME algorithm allows Optics Pro 9 to better distinguish between noise and fine details – thereby preserving those details while reducing high ISO noise.
DxO allowed me to test drive the software a couple of weeks before its release. I must say, I was quite impressed with Optics Pro 9’s overall user experience in addition to its PRIME noise reduction. DxO Optics Pro 9 is available now at photography retailers.
Also on Wednesday, LensRentals announced the first annual Photogeek Geek Photo Contest. A few of the categories include Sharpest Corner, Bokehliciousness & Largest Number of Accessories Between the Lens and the Camera. If that sounds a bit odd to you, then you should really check out the prizes as well! And while you’re on the LensRentals Blog, check out a familiar name in the judges list.
On Friday, one of the biggest questions regarding the Sigma 24-105mm f/4 DG OS HSM lens was finally answered – its price. The lens will carry an MSRP of $899.00 and will be available in November.
In site news and reviews...
On Wednesday, Bryan posted his full review of the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens. The lens proved to be a significant upgrade to its predecessor – especially in the areas of autofocus and image quality. For the entry-level price, this lens turns in surprisingly good results. Check out Bryan’s full review for all the details.
And, for our deals of the week…
On Monday, BigValueInc posted two incredibly good deals on eBay. First, the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM for $639.99. Second, the 5D Mark III for only $2,549.99. Both deals featured free shipping and significant savings compared to traditional retail price.
This has been the The-Digital-Picture.com’s Weekend Recap. Thanks for listening, and as always, happy shooting!"
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