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Image quality results from the Canon EOS 7D Mark II have been added to the Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens page.
 
I'll leave the comparison lens selection up to you, but ... certain is that there is no directly comparable lens available.
 
B&H has the Sigma 50-100mm f/1.8 DC HSM Art Lens in stock.

ISO Noise and resolution test results have been added to the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Review page.
 
Here are some comparisons (initialized at ISO 3200):
 
Canon EOS-1D X Mark II compared to the 1D X
Canon EOS-1D X Mark II compared to the 1D Mark IV
Canon EOS-1D X Mark II compared to the 5D Mark III
Canon EOS-1D X Mark II compared to the 5Ds R downsized
Canon EOS-1D X Mark II compared to the 7D Mark II
Canon EOS-1D X Mark II compared to the 1D Mark III
Canon EOS-1D X Mark II compared to the 1Ds Mark III
 
I'll further explain and add commentary to the entire 15 sets (13 samples each) of results soon.
 
I'm totally loving this camera so far. I have photographed a couple of soccer games (including one under the lights) and a round of prom pictures with the 1D X II and very much look forward to a full sports schedule week ahead of me for further testing.
 
B&H has the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II available for preorder. Order the Premium Kit ($300 value for no extra cost at the moment).
 
Retailers with 1D X II Premium Kit In Stock
Canon Store | Adorama | Focus Camera

I drove to the UPS shipping terminal first thing this morning to pick up my 1D X Mark II body just arriving from B&H. I couldn't wait to get my hands on it and, with an under-the-lights soccer game on my schedule for this evening, I chose to not wait for the brown truck to arrive late this afternoon (and risk it not arriving in time). Hearing the sound of this camera is always good for a smile and I put it in front of the mic for a first test.

Canon rates the 1D X Mark II buffer depth at up to 170 RAW images, with the highest number requiring a CFast 2.0 Memory Card. CFast cards were a new requirement for my kit and Transcend was anxious for me to try out one of their CFX650 256GB CFast 2.0 Memory Cards (Max. Read/Write Speed: 510/370 MB/s) in this camera. I didn't have to think too long to accept that offer and, while I have yet to use another card in this camera, I can tell you that this one and the 1D X Mark II perform very impressively together.

With the Transcend card installed, the 1D X Mark II captured an incredible 14 frames per second until I got bored holding the shutter release down over 6 minutes later. The 14 fps converts to 840 fpm and, in 6:01.35, I had a VERY impressive 5,068 RAW images on the CFast card. With this card installed, the camera never filled its buffer. And, the sound is, as expected, awesome:

Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Burst Mode
Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Burst Mode Extended Version (the full 6 minutes)

Here is a burst rate comparison between the 1D X Mark II and several other current or recent models:

Burst Comparison: 80D, 7D Mark II, 1D X Mark II and 1D X

The fine print: the test camera was configured to use ISO 100, a 1/8000 shutter speed (no waiting for the shutter operation), a wide open aperture (no time lost due to aperture blades closing) and manual focus (no focus lock delay). The lens cap remained on (insuring a black file and the smallest file size) and a freshly-formatted fast memory card was loaded. Camera sounds were recorded using a Tascam DR-07mkII Portable Digital Audio Recorder with record levels set to 50% at -12db gain and positioned 1" behind the rear LCD.

Completing the full 1D X review is of course a high priority for me – I'll have much more to share in the near future. Check out the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II page for more information.
 
B&H has the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II available for preorder.
 
Retailers with 1D X II Premium Kit In Stock
Adorama | Focus Camera

As has become my habit when setting up a new DSLR, I recorded my setup steps for the recently-received Canon EOS Rebel T6. Following are the 24 steps I took to make an out-of-the-box Rebel T6 ready for use.
 

1. Open the box, find the battery and charger and plug it in. The battery likely comes partially charged, but it is nice to start out with a fully charged battery.
2. While the battery is charging, unpack the other items you want from the box.
3. Download the Canon Solution Disk software from Canon's website and install on your computer to get support for the latest camera(s). Canon Digital Photo Pro (DPP), EOS Utility, Photostitch and Lens Registration Utility are the options I manually include in the install.
4. Attach the neck strap.
5. Insert the battery (after charging completes – if you can wait that long).
6. Power the camera on.
7. The date and time setup screen will show at startup the first time. Use the Rear Control dial and the Set button to update this information.
8. Insert a memory card (don't forget to format the card via the tools menu option before taking pictures).
9. Set the camera's mode to Av, Tv or M (some modes provide only a small subset of available menu options).
10. Scroll through all of the menu tabs to configure the cameras as follows:
11. Shooting Menu, Tab 1: Image quality: "RAW"
12. Shooting Menu, Tab 1: Beep: Disable
13. Shooting Menu, Tab 1: Release without card: Disable/off (I highly recommend this setting)
14. Shooting Menu, Tab 1: Image review: 4 sec.
15. Shooting Menu, Tab 1: Peripheral illumination correction: disabled
16. Shooting Menu, Tab 2: Picture Style: Neutral with Sharpness Strength set to "1" (Note: the low contrast "Neutral" picture style provides a histogram on the back of the camera that most-accurately shows me blown highlights and blocked shadows on the camera LCD. I usually change the Picture Style to "Standard" in DPP after capture.)
17. Shooting Menu, Tab 1: ISO Auto: 6400
18. Shooting Menu, Tab 1: Grid display: Grid 1 (3x3)
19. Playback Menu, Tab 2: Histogram disp: RGB (I want to monitor all three color channels for blown or blocked pixels)
20. Tools Menu, Tab 1: Auto rotate: On/Computer only (this provides the largest playback image size on the camera LCD)
21. Tools Menu, Tab 3: C.Fn I: Exposure: ISO Expansion: On
22. Tools Menu, Tab 3: Long exposure noise reduction: I usually have this option set to "Auto", but my choice varies for the situation.
23. Tools Menu, Tab 3: High ISO speed noise reduction: Off (noise reduction is destructive to images details - I prefer to add NR sparingly in post)
24. My Menu: Register the following options: Long exposure noise reduction, Format card, Date/Time/Zone (great for monitoring what time it is), Sensor cleaning (Clean manually), Expo.comp./AEB (back up near the top of the list)

I of course make other menu and setting changes based on current shooting scenarios, but this list covers my initial camera setup process.
 
To copy this configuration would mean that you intend to shoot similar to how I shoot - including shooting in RAW-only format. While my setup works great for me, your best use of this list may be for tweaking your own setup.
 
If you can't remember your own menu setup parameters, keeping an up-to-date list such as this one is a good idea. Anytime your camera goes in for a service visit, the camera will be returned in a reset-to-factory state (unless you request otherwise). Your list will ensure that you do not miss an important setting when putting the camera back into service.
 
More Information
 
Canon EOS Rebel T6

Image quality results from the EOS 5Ds R and the EOS 7D Mark II have been added to the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Macro F017 Lens page.
 
Image quality results from the Canon EOS Rebel T6 / 1300D are now available. A wide range of Canon EOS models can be compared with the Canon EF 200mm f/2L IS USM Lens (T6-tested) and/or the Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM Lens selected (use f/4).
 
The Rebel T6 is available only in a kit with the Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS II Lens, so while we had this lens in the labs, we captured Image quality results from it mounted to the EOS 7D Mark II.
 
Image quality results from the EOS 7D Mark II are available in the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x Lens Review. This is a venerable combination for sports and wildlife.
 
As usual, all of the above-mentioned items are available at B&H. Your continued support of the site by using the provided B&H and other retailer links to make purchases (of anything) continues to make these tests possible.

Image quality results from the Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III have been added to the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Macro F017 Lens page.
 
This is a sharp lens. Results from other camera models are coming soon. Here are some macro lens comparisons you may find interesting:
 
Tamron 90mm VC compared to Canon 100mm L IS Lens
Tamron 90mm VC compared to Canon 100mm non-L Lens
Tamron 90mm VC compared to Sigma 105mm OS Lens
Tamron 90mm VC compared to previous version Tamron 90mm VC Lens
Tamron 90mm VC compared to Tokina 100mm Lens
Tamron 90mm VC compared to Zeiss Milvus 100mm f/2 Lens
 
B&H has the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 Di VC USD Macro F017 Lens in stock.

Image quality (D3x and D810), vignetting, flare and distortion test results along with specs and measurements have been added to the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8E AF-S VR Lens page.
 
There is a bit of a backstory to this post. This is the third copy of this lens we've put through the lab. I was not satisfied with the 50-70mm performance of the first copy, so I brought a second lens in. The results from the second lens were about the same as the first with great wide angle sharpness and not so great long end performance.
 
What to do next was the dilemma. Was this performance indicative of what you should expect from this lens? Did we get two duds in a row? Was there an issue with the Nikon D3x test camera? Perhaps something was not working well with the camera and lens combination?
 
Being unsettled, I opted to clean house and try again. I purchased a new Nikon D810 and brought in a third copy of the 24-70 VR. Here are the results of the 3rd lens on the D810 compared to the 2nd lens on the D3x.
 
Many comparisons can be made. I'll let you decide which of those to make.
 
Nikon D810 test results from more lenses are planned for the future, though it will take a long time to work all previously-tested lens models through the lab. Remember, all lens aberration correction is turned off for these tests (CA, if present, will be especially noticeable at high resolution). The same sharpness settings being used for the D3x (initially setup to match or perhaps slightly exceed the Canon settings) are being used for the D810. We will be looking more closely at this setting, probably after bringing in a 200 f/2 VR for testing (the original base lens used for sharpness setting selection).
 
Don't forget: we really need your support to keep the camera and lens tests coming in. Especially when copy quality is questioned, these tests become very expensive to conduct. Please use the site's links to make your purchases! Even buying diapers at Amazon helps.
 
B&H has the Nikon 24-70mm f/2.8E AF-S VR Lens in stock.

Test results for the Canon EOS Rebel T6 and the Canon EOS M3 are now available in the site's ISO noise comparison tool.
 
Hare are some comparisons that may be of interest:
 
Canon EOS Rebel T6 compared to Rebel T5
Canon EOS Rebel T6 compared to Rebel T6i
Canon EOS Rebel T6 compared to 80D
Canon EOS M3 compared to Rebel T6i
 
B&H (still on holiday break) has the Canon EOS Rebel T6 and the Canon EOS M3 in stock.

Just posted: MindShift Gear FirstLight 40L Camera Backpack Review.
 
I've been looking for a great long lens backpack for a long time. This is the one I was waiting for. It works great for holding large amounts of smaller gear as well.
 
B&H has the MindShift Gear FirstLight 40L in stock. Or, buy directly from MindShift Gear.

Image quality results from the EOS 7D Mark II have been added to the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM Lens Review.
 
This is a great lens to have in the kit. I use it quite frequently.
 
B&H has the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM Lens in stock with a $100.00 instant rebate and 4% rewards.

Just posted: Tamron 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD Lens Review
 
B&H has the Tamron 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD Lens in stock.

The balance of the standard test results, including vignetting, flare and distortion, along with specs, measurements and standard product images, are now available on the Tamron 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD Lens review page.
 
I expect to have the review of this interetsing lens completed very soon.
 
B&H has the Tamron 85mm f/1.8 Di VC USD Lens in stock.

I was recently privileged to spend over a week photographing in Middle and North Caicos, Turks and Caicos, British West Indies. Landscape photography was the primary pursuit and I packed an arguably best-available kit for this purpose. Seen in the lead image is my primary pack for this trip, a MindShift Gear BackLight 26L.
 
This pack is well under the carry-on size limitation of many flights and holds a substantial amount of gear along with clothes, water bottles and other items. Though nicely-sized, this backpack is not heavy. It has proven comfortable to carry on easy hikes (such as through airports) and very long, difficult ones (such as over the pure-evil rocks on the cliffs along the Mudjin Harbor coast) alike.
 
In this backpack, I took a pair of Canon EOS 5Ds R cameras (sans grips) as shown mounted to an EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM Lens and a Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens, a frequently carried combination for me.
 
Across the top of this case are the Gitzo GH3382QD Series 3 Center Ball Head (one of the best ball heads I've used), the Zeiss 28mm f/1.4 Otus Lens (this was a great opportunity to use this lens while reviewing it) and the Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM Lens, a great landscape lens, especially when handholding.
 
In the smaller sections across the bottom of the case are numerous circular polarizer and neutral density filters, a pile of batteries and misc. other items.
 
Yes, the Zeiss Otus looks a bit big for this pack, but ... the zippers close, even with a 15" laptop in the lid. I actually carried this lens in my personal item pack, but wanted to feature it among the important gear I took with me.
 
My "personal item" carried onto the plane was again a Think Tank Photo StreetWalker Pro. While I had a couple of other lenses, a Canon EOS M3 and some other camera gear in this pack, most of the contents were more support-oriented, including power supplies, chargers, external hard drives, etc.
 
This was a very good trip, featuring some of the most beautiful water and emptiest beaches found anywhere. I hope to share more images from this location soon.
 
Feel free to ask questions in the comments section.
 
Get your MindShift Gear BackLight 26L at B&H or direct from MindShift Gear.

When flying with camera gear, I always carry it on the plane with me. At least the most expensive and highest importance gear goes with me. But, just because I want to carry the gear onto the plane does not prevent the airline from forcing a gate check of a typically-large roller case, even if it falls within dimensional compliance. The scariness of this scenario was reinforced to me recently when I watched gate checked bags sliding down a very long tube, landing with significant force at ground level. So, I take precautions against being forced to turn over a camera case at the gate.
 
The first precaution I often take is using the airline's credit card to buy the flight tickets. This move typically results in priority boarding privileges. United Airlines and American Airlines (my two most-used airlines) charge an annual fee for their cards, but another benefit these cards provide is a certain number of free checked luggage bags on each flight. A flight or two a year generally equalizes the credit card's annual fee.
 
While there are generally a lot of people flying with priority boarding passes, getting in line early within this boarding group has always insured that I can stow my largest case in the overhead storage, avoiding a gate check requirement caused by lack of storage space.
 
Another key to avoid gate checking is knowing the size of the planes that you will be flying on. The smallest plane on your trip is going to be the limiting factor. If flying on a small plane such as a regional jet, this can be a problem (especially if it is the first leg of a multiple flight trip). The isle seat on the side of the plane with the most side-by-side seats may have the largest storage option – under the seat in front of you. In this case, know what size case fits here – a full-size hard or rigid case will often not fit.
 
With large-sized planes booked for all of my commercial airline flights and priority boarding passes in hand, I was comfortable taking a full-size roller bag as my carry-on to Alaska. My choice? The Think Tank Photo Airport Security V 2.0 Rolling Camera Bag. TTP sent me this case a long time ago, and I have used it with great frequency since, leaving many of my other cases to gather dust.
 
This trip involved a mix of travel (including float planes, various boats and an SUV) and in-the-field use of camera gear. While the Airport Security is not my first choice for backpack-style carry, it provides this option and I carried it full of gear for many miles in the Katmai National Park back country on this trip. The straps work fine. Aside from having a large capacity, including the ability to hold a 600mm f/4 lens with a pro-sized camera body attached (snug fit), this case provides very solid protection for the contents and the build quality was something I had a lot of confidence in.
 
The lead image for this post shows most of the primary items I carried in this pack while traveling. I removed a 15" sleeved laptop and some other odds and ends (including some spare clothes) prior to taking this picture. The laptop fits in the outside pocket or, to save some dimensional space, inside in the shown load configuration.
 
In the case, starting at the top, is the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens mounted to the Canon EOS 5Ds R with a Canon BG-E11 Battery Grip. I talk about my reasoning behind the camera and lens choices here:
 
My Wildlife Lens Selection for Katmai National Park, Alaska
 
My Camera Selection for Katmai National Park, Alaska
 
From left to right across the bottom of the case are the following:
 
The Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM Lens was along for my ultra-wide angle needs (didn't end up using it much). The Zeiss 15mm f/2.8 Lens earned its ticket to travel from its excellent image quality at a wide aperture. Night sky photography its primary intended purpose. The Canon EOS M3 with a Canon EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens mounted made the trip. With Canon EOS Rebel T6i-like image quality, this tiny camera with the 18-55 gave me a very compact general purpose kit to use when I could not (or did not want to) take a full size camera and also provided a backup under the same circumstances. The EOS M3 proved a convenient choice for photographing from commercial airplanes (you do this, right?), from float planes and for a part-day salmon fishing trip.
 
In Lowepro Lens Cases under and beside the M3 are Canon EF 1.4x and 2x III Extenders. While I have no regrets from bringing these, I did not use either on this trip. The 600mm lens was enough, but you never know when a unique situation calls for more reach.
 
An Arca-Swiss Z1 Ball Head is fit into the bottom right divided section of the Airport Security. This head was chosen because ... it is my current favorite – it works great and reliably so. While I don't usually have room for tripods in my carry-on cases, I usually include my primary ball head because of its dense weight. Keeping my checked bag under the 50 lbs. limit is usually a challenge.
 
Numerous circular polarizer and neutral density filters can be seen in the two backpack images shown.
 
My "personal item" carried onto the plane was a Think Tank Photo StreetWalker Pro. This pack is ideal for maximizing the camera gear carried onto the plane and great for lower volume needs on location.
 

 
Shown in this pack are a pair of 5Ds R bodies, one mounted to the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens (amazing lens, again, see the lens selection link above) and one mounted to the Canon EF 24-70mm f/4L IS USM Lens, a great handheld landscape lens. The other two lenses shown in this pack are the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM Lens and the Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens. Both are best-available for landscape and other needs.
 
Lots of additional accessories were along in the carry-on packs including well over 1TB of memory cards, many batteries, chargers, power supplies and including power supplies, charges, external hard drives. I always carry an empty water bottle through security and fill it from a water fountain before the flight, insuring adequate hydration for a long period of time.
 
Not seen in the two backpack images are a pair of tripods that were along for this trip. My favorite all-around tripod is the Gitzo GT3542LS. It is an extremely rigid, strong, lightweight, reliable tripod that is easily up to handling the 600mm lens kit. Nested inside the legs of the larger tripod was the Gitzo GT1542T Traveler Tripod with an Acratech GP-s Ball Head mounted (great little head). The second tripod served as backup, permitted use of two simultaneous tripod setups and offered an ultra-lightweight tripod for those times when the full-size option was too much. This little tripod could have handled the 600mm setup if necessary. A pair of empty Lowepro Toploader Pro cases were placed over both ends of the nested tripods with their open lids providing protection for most of the sides of the tripods. Clothing provided the balance of the protection necessary for the tripods.
 
Large lenses are far easier to use on a gimbal mount and the Wimberley Tripod Head II is my first choice. I packed this head in a padded case inside my checked bag.
 

 
The above image shows the Airport Security in action in coastal Katmai National Park. I like to keep my gear clean – The Airport Security can be seen here on The 1 Cheap Accessory that should be in All of Your Camera Bags. I always have these along.
 
My Alaska trip itinerary, in brief, involved a flight to Anchorage, SUV rental, driving to Seward and then Homer and float plane flight to coastal Katmai National Park where I stayed on boats for 4 nights. After flying back to home, a 1/2-day side trip to fish the Kenai River was in order and then on to Denali National Park for a few days. There is very little I'd change in my packs if I were to do this trip again.
 
Have any questions? Ask them in the comments section below!
 
Get your Think Tank Photo Airport Security at B&H or direct from Think Tank Photo.