Canon and Sony News for Dec 2012 (Page 3)
Canon Digital Photo Professional version 3.12.52, EOS Utility version 2.12.3 and Picture Style Editor version 1.12.2 updaters are now available for download.
Changes for Digital Photo Professional 3.12.52 Updater for Windows:
- Supports images taken with EOS 6D.
- Supports new lens (EF24-70mm F4L IS USM).
- Supports read-in of Picture Style files (.pf3) created in Picture Style Editor 1.12.2 and later.
- Corrects shooting date error in other manufacturer`s image files when sent to Easy-PhotoPrintEX from Digital Photo Professional via plug-in print.
Changes for EOS Utility 2.12.3 Updater for Windows:
- Supports EOS 6D.
- Supports read-in of Picture Style files (.pf3) created in Picture Style Editor 1.12.2 and later.
Changes for Picture Style Editor 1.12.2 Updater for Windows:
- Supports EOS 6D, EOS M.
- Applied Noise Reduction processing to when displaying images.
- Added support for the new Picture Style file (.pf3).
- Changed the user interface of the Tool Palette.
- Added the Tone curve (RGB) function.
- Added the Six Color-Axes adjustment function.
The new Microsoft Camera Codec Pack adds RAW image support for the following cameras:
Canon:
- EOS M
- EOS 1D X
- PowerShot G1 X
- PowerShot G12
- PowerShot G15
- PowerShot S100
- PowerShot S110
Nikon:
- 1 J2
- COOLPIX P7000
- COOLPIX P7100
For more information, see the Microsoft Camera Codec Pack Download Page.
Adobe's upgrade pricing [for stand-alone software] from CS3 and CS4 ends Dec. 31, 2012.
Or join Creative Cloud, featuring all CS6 tools and more, now 40% off for current Creative Suite customers.
Taking advantage of the 40% off Creative Cloud deal would save you $240.00 for a 1-year subscription.
From Carl Zeiss:
Carl Zeiss Photo Contest 2012 seeks moments without limits
Entries until January 15, 2013 on Flickr
Oberkochen/Germany, 12.12.2012
“The moment that knows no limits” is the motto of the Carl Zeiss Photo Contest 2012, which begins today and runs until January 15, 2013. As in every year, the contest is open to anyone, as long as pictures are taken with a ZEISS lens. It does not matter if an image has been created with an SLR reflex camera or with a Nokia smartphone with a built-in ZEISS lens.
The theme
There are moments in life when suddenly everything is possible. In such a moment, nothing can hold you back – no routine, no comfort, no walls and no boundaries in this world. “We want to see moments that are so full of energy that they create room for something completely new,” explains Martin Dominicus, Head of Marketing for the Carl Zeiss Camera Lens Division.
Carl Zeiss invites photographers from around the world to look for these moments and to submit an image that fits the theme by January 15. “We intentionally chose to keep the theme relatively open so that photographers can interpret it in very different and creative ways. We are very curious what we will receive,” says Dominicus.
As in 2011, the contest can be followed on Flickr, the online photo community. Participants should upload their best image to the theme “The moment that knows no limits” on the OFFICIAL Carl Zeiss Lenses Group on Flickr(www.flickr.com/groups/carlzeisslenses) and tag it with the keyword “ZEISSContest2012”.
The jury
After January 15, a jury with Carl Zeiss employees and professional photographers will select the best images and nominate the photographers for the shortlist. The jury will evaluate both the idea behind the image as well as the execution. The jury will in particular look for images that have been consciously composed and that play with photographic stylistic elements. The most prominent jury member will be the light artist and photographer JanLeonardo Woellert. He knows all about moments that cannot hold him back: In his images, Woellert extends the boundaries of perception, sometimes even walking through fire. Woellert is the recipient of the “German Prize for Scientific Photography.” His clients include well-known global brands and pop bands.
The jury will award the highest amount of points to images that have been consciously composed and in which one can recognize a story. From the jury’s shortlist, the Flickr community will be invited to select the ten best photographers. The images that receive the most “favorites” on Flickr will win.
For more information about the contest and the terms of conditions, please visit www.zeiss.com/photo/contest.
The prizes
1st prize: The latest rangefinder (ZM) or SLR lens (ZE or ZF.2) of the winner’s choice* as well as matching Carl Zeiss T* UV filter, Carl Zeiss Lens Cleaning Kit and Carl Zeiss Comfort Camera Strap
2nd prize: Carl Zeiss cinemizer OLED, Carl Zeiss Lens Cleaning Kit and Carl Zeiss Comfort Camera Strap
3rd prize: Sony DSC-RX100 camera an Carl Zeiss Lens Cleaning Kit
4th prize: Nokia Lumia 920 smartphone
5th prize: Logitech TV Cam, Carl Zeiss Comfort Camera Strap, Carl Zeiss knapsack, Carl Zeiss watch und Carl Zeiss umbrella
6th – 10th prizes: Carl Zeiss camera carrying straps, Carl Zeiss knapsack, Carl Zeiss watch, Carl Zeiss umbrella and Carl Zeiss Lens Cleaning Kit
*except for the Distagon T* 2,8/15 ZM
ISO 12233 resolution chart results have been added to the Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Lens Review page.
The new Tamron 70-200 VC delivers very impressive image quality - rivaling that from the much-higher-priced Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II USM Lens - until the Canon easily bests the Tamron at 200mm f/2.8. The 200mm comparison is much closer at f/5.6.
B&H is always looking for used camera gear - especially used Canon and Nikon DSLR gear as it is always in short supply.
While you do not get retail-used prices for your gear, B&H does give you a fair price along with a fast, easy/hassle-free and safe transaction - with no listing fees, no final value fees, no PayPal fees and no other selling costs. When you factor in the time it takes to market and transact a direct used gear sale (your time is valuable - you can't buy more of it) and the other selling costs incurred for doing so, the price B&H offers starts looking much better. A high percentage of my used gear goes to B&H.
Go look in your drawers, cabinets and cases. Pull out the gear you no longer need - if you haven't used it in a year, there is a good chance that you don't need it. Send it to B&H. Then start planning how you are going to spend the cash - at B&H of course.
From Adobe:
Explore a brand-new set of rich features when you get Adobe® Photoshop® software through Adobe Creative Cloud™. Instead of waiting for a new version of Photoshop, Creative Cloud members have immediate access* to exclusive new features† — plus storage and sharing capabilities.
Some of the new features include:
Smart Object support for Blur Gallery and Liquify — Smart Object support gives you the freedom of nondestructive editing when using Liquify and the new Blur Gallery effects introduced in Photoshop CS6.
Powerful CSS support — Now you can export CSS code for text and objects and import color swatches from HTML and CSS files to make your web designing faster and easier.
Timesaving features — Be more productive with helpful new features, including a better way to name merged layers, Crop tool refinements, and more.
Adobe is offering Creative Cloud Introductory Pricing for existing CS customers.
B&H has the newly announced PIXMA Printers available for preorder.
New PIXMA Printers:
From DxO:
DxO ViewPoint v1.1 – Restoring the natural proportions and perspectives of your photos has gotten even easier
Special 35% discount through December 25, 2012
December 11, 2012 – DxO Labs announces the immediate availability of DxO ViewPoint v1.1, the new version of its software solution for Windows and Mac, entirely dedicated to correcting keystoning, as well as shape deformations caused by the use of wide-angle lenses. DxO ViewPoint v1.1 improves the accuracy of its perspective and cropping tools, as well as its speed, for an even better user experience.
Based on DxO Labs’ advanced geometrical corrections, DxO ViewPoint corrects the distortion of the subjects on the edges of images — known as “volume anamorphosis” — due to the use of short focal lengths (as with wide-angle lenses). DxO ViewPoint also lets users correct the most complex kinds of perspective problems, including keystoning, without having to resort to costly shift-lenses. Each of these features includes advanced fine-tuning controls to achieve the highest correction precision.
DxO ViewPoint can be used not only as a standalone application for Mac and Windows, but also as a plug-in for Adobe® Photoshop® CS3, CS4, CS5, CS6 and Adobe® Photoshop® Lightroom® 3 and 4.
More accurate tools
DxO ViewPoint v1.1 provides improved keystoning correction tools and more precise automatic recropping.
It is now possible to move grid lines directly in the image without having to reposition each anchor point; with this, the anchor points, as well as the slider settings, can now be directly and very precisely moved by using the keyboard.
The cropping tool now automatically detects the image’s orientation and is also more easily adjustable.
Faster for an enhanced user experience
Even easier to use, DxO ViewPoint v1.1 is now faster and offers several new features to improve workflow.
A new rotation function allows images to be correctly oriented, even when their EXIF data has been damaged.
A shortcut allows users to go from one zoom level to another, and automatically displays the Hand and Arrow tools, depending on the magnification of the image.
The application has also enhanced the recent Close and Open functions in the menus, and now alerts the user when a keystoning correction cannot be applied to the image.
Availability and price
DxO ViewPoint v1.1 for Windows and Mac is immediately available in the DxO Labs online store (www.dxo.com) and at photo resellers at a special discount price through December 25, 2012:
- USD: $49 instead of $79
- EUR: 49€ instead of 79€ (Suggested retail price, including VAT)
- GBP: £49 instead of £69 (Suggested retail price, including VAT)
This upgrade is free for all owners of DxO ViewPoint v1.0.
A fully-functional trial version of DxO ViewPoint v1.1, good for one month, is available on the DxO Labs website (http://www.dxo.com/intl/photo/free_trial_version).
Adorama and Amazon carry DxO ViewPoint software.
From Adobe:
Photoshop 13.0.2 CS6 Update for Macintosh
For convenience and reliability, we highly recommend that you apply this update directly from within Photoshop. To do so, choose Help > Updates in Photoshop CS6 and apply all of the updates listed under Adobe Photoshop CS6 in the Adobe Application Manager.
The Adobe Photoshop 13.0.2 update enables support for new HiDPI displays on the Macintosh platform for a dramatic improvement in image fidelity and resolution. This update applies to all languages of Adobe Photoshop CS6.
Download update: Macintosh
Adobe Illustrator 16.0.3 CS6 Update for Windows/Macintosh
For Windows:
The Adobe Illustrator 16.0.3 update provides several stability fixes.
Download update: Windows 32bit | Windows 64bit
For Macintosh:
Macintosh update adds support for HiDPI Retina Displays.
Download update: Macintosh
With help from friend-of-the-site Norbert, I have updated the Determining the Age of a Canon Lens page. It now appears possible to determine the age of a Canon lens based on the new 10-digit serial number.
I say "appears" as this chart is somewhat of a work in process. The numbers seem to be holding out well (or are at most 1 month behind) for the lenses we've checked to date. We can use your help in testing the chart - Please send us any certain discrepancies you find.
A handful of sample pictures have been added to the following reviews:
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens Review
Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Lens Review
Use promotion code FIREHD89 at Amazon to receive $50.00 off any 8.9" Kindle Fire HD Android tablet.
From Nikon:
Nikon provides aid to the victims of the Typhoon "Bopha" in the Philippines.
December 10, 2012 - Nikon Corporation would like to express its profound sympathy and condolences to the victims of the typhoon "Bopha" in the Philippines.
In response to this tragedy and to extend the immediate support to its victims and affected area, the Nikon group has decided to donate the following assistance:
Cash donation - $20,000 USD
The allocation and timing of the donation are now under consideration.
The Nikon group sincerely hopes for the earliest possible recovery from this disaster.
From Nikon USA:
Q: How do I clean a camera lens?
A: The best way to clean a lens is to use a piece of lint free lens cleaning tissue and a small amount of Lens Cleaning solution. Do not use anything containing abrasives or solvents, only use Lens Cleaning Solution.
First we recommend taking a small blower brush to blow off or brush away loose dust or debris.
Next, place a drop or two of cleaner on the tissue (never directly onto the lens) and then wipe the lens in a circular motion, beginning in the center and working your way outward, removing any marks or smear.
If the above supplies are not available a clean, dry, soft, lint free cloth can be used to clean the lens. Do not breathe on the lens to fog it for cleaning. There are harmful acids in breath that can damage lens coatings. Just use the blower bulb, then brush, and wipe the lens in a circular spiral from the center outward.
The same method can be used to clean the viewfinder eyepiece of Nikon cameras.
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