Canon and Sony News for Nov 2011 (Page 2)

John Reilly (neuroanatomist, from the forums) presents: Canon EOS DSLR Autofocus Explained

ISO 12233 Chart results have been added to the Tokina 17-35mm f/4 AT-X Pro FX Lens Review page.

Manfrotto has announced a new L-Bracket.

Looks like a very useful product if you are using the Manfrotto quick release system. I'm still hoping they migrate to or add the Arca-Swiss standard.

B&H carries Manfrotto.

dc.watch.impress.co.jp has posted an interview with the developers of the Canon EOS-1D X. The article, being in Japanese, is completely illegible to me - but Kaz sent me a summary of what he felt was new information. Here are his notes:

1) The 1D X is the first time they were able to combine the features of the 1D and 1Ds, which they couldn't do before due to technological issues. It was a "finally" kind of feeling after 10 years of development.

2) They knew some people would ask for more MP even when they announced the 1D X, but have their ears open and will keep thinking about what the market needs.

3) They're always considering the possibility of MF, but have no current plans to enter that market.

4) Timing of the 1D X announcement was to quell questions about the 1Ds replacement and to warn pros before the Olympics, and in consideration of Nikon, which they consider to be their biggest competitor when it comes to pros.

5) The earthquake had some effect on the 1D X release date, but it's not that. They actually wanted to release it earlier than March, which they feel is still a bit late for the August Olympics.

6) Although they can't say they'll never use them in the future, they are stopping production of APS-H sensors.

7) The APS-H size was more to allow for high-speed shooting, so they're moving fully to full-frame, to focus more on image quality.

8) The Digic 5 is 6 times faster than the Digic 4. The Digic 5+ is 3 times faster than the Digic 5, making it 17 times faster than the Digic 4, allowing for a lot of processing to be done in hardware rather than software.

9) ISO 204800 isn't overkill, as some feel, because some photojournalists need that kind of sensitivity.

10) Noise levels of the 1D X should be 2 stops better in all ISOs compared to the 1D IV.

11) The Digic 4 is now used as an image recognition processor, so it should be more than plenty to deal with the mere 100,000 pixels used for the AE sensor.

12) They know some people want the low-pass filter removed. The low-pass filter in the 1D X is fundamentally the same as previous models, and they decided to keep it in because the benefits outweigh the drawbacks for the pro segment that will use the 1D X.

13) Weather sealing is about the same as previous models.

14) HDR and some lens corrections still can't be done in-body due to processing power issues. But they may be added in future models.

15) Lots of consideration was given to the duplication of buttons in the portrait orientation, as well as preventing accidental pushing of some buttons (like the trash button).

16) Quieting the dial and buttons was also considered for video use.

17) Contrast AF speed is the same as in previous models.

18) The jello effect of the rolling shutter is slightly improved.

19) As for mirrorless, they definitely see the utility of a small camera, but have nothing to report at this time.

Thanks Kaz!

One of the benefits of using the Think Tank Photo banners on this site for placing your Think Tank Photo order is that you get a free gift.

I'm happy to relay the news that the Think Tank Photo free gift promotion just received a nice upgrade:

Think Tank Photo is offering up 11 camera pouches and memory card holders worth almost $300 that you can have added for free to your purchases. Every time you place an order with Think Tank, when you check out you will be asked which one of the items listed below you wish you receive for free. There is no limit on the number of orders you can place. You receive free gear with every order.

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LARGE Lens Drop In ($31.96)
Whip It Out ($35.96)
Skin 50 ($22.36)
Skin 75 Pop Down ($28.80)
Skin Double Wide ($35.96)
Skin Strobe ($28.80)
Skin Chimp Cage ($31.96)
Pixel Pocket Rocket ($18.75)
Security Tag ($25.00)

One of the tasks that I am far behind on is adding sample pictures to the site. To begin addressing this issue, I have added a batch of sample pictures to the site.

Many Canon EOS DSLRs and many lens brands and models are represented in this batch. I hope to add many more pictures in the near future.

Be sure to read the tips and other comments below each picture.

Nikon has posted the following firmware updates:

1 NIKKOR VR 10-30mm f/3.5-5.6L Firmware Update 1.02: USA | Europe

1 NIKKOR VR 10-100mm f/4.5-5.6 PD-ZOOM L Firmware Update 1.01: USA | Europe

1 NIKKOR VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6 L Firmware Update 1.02 : USA | Europe

Modifications enabled with L firmware Ver. 1.02

An issue that sometimes caused the aperture value recorded in image data to differ from the actual aperture value at which the image was shot has been resolved.

Modifications enabled with L firmware Ver. 1.01

An issue that in some rare cases caused images to be blurred when shot immediately after the camera was shaken or moved quickly has been resolved.

PhotoShelter will email you a free guide to Selling Stock Photography.

Just posted: Lowepro Pro Roller x200 Review

For various reasons, the forums have been migrated to a new software platform utilizing vBulletin forum software. Migration is (mostly) complete, so take a look around.

One of the benefits of the new platform is that the Tapatalk Mobile App is now supported.

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., November 16, 2011 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced updated availability information for three of its EF lenses:

Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXTENDER l.4x lens availability yet to be determined
Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens availability yet to be determined
Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens availability yet to be determined
Additional information regarding the shipping date of each lens will be made available as soon as possible.

Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXTENDER l.4x lens

The EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXTENDER l.4x is being developed as an L-series super-telephoto lens with an integrated 1.4x extender and high-performance Image Stabilizer technology. The new lens will offer exceptional flexibility by incorporating a built-in 1.4x extender that increases the maximum focal length to 560mm for sports and wildlife photography. High-quality images with high levels of resolution and contrast will be possible through the use of advanced optical materials such as fluorite crystal. The new lens will also include dust- and water-resistant construction designed for extended usage under harsh conditions.

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens for Sports and Nature Photography

The Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM offers professional photographers a lighter weight option for those situations that require a long focal length with improved image quality and enhanced durability over its predecessor. Great for a wide range of applications, the EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens is ideal for professional photojournalism, sports photography and nature and wildlife photography. The optical formula of the new lens has been enhanced to include two fluorite lens elements for improved image quality and reduced chromatic aberration. Canon has reduced the overall weight of the lens by 18 percent from 136.5 oz to 112.5 oz.

The Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM lens is expected to be available for an estimated retail price of $10,499.

Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Lens for Wildlife and Photojournalism

The Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM is the successor to the current EF 600mm IS lens first introduced in 1999. This new lens has been engineered for outstanding optical performance and durability and includes two new fluorite lens elements for improved quality and reduced chromatic aberration. Helping photographers in the field, Canon has reduced the overall weight of the lens by a substantial 27 percent from 189.1 oz to 138.3 oz.

The Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM lens is expected to be available for an estimated retail price of $12,999.

Bad news: The Canon EF 500mm f/4.0 L IS II USM Lens, Canon EF 600mm f/4.0 L IS II USM Lens, and Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Ext 1.4x Lens have been delayed indefinitely. Here is my translation with Google's help:

EOS Series Lens release date change information

Thank you for your patronage.

The release date on the announced EOS lenses listed below have been changed.

Summary of Changes

The Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Ext 1.4x Lens was originally expected to be (formally) announced on February 07, 2011 and scheduled for release later this year. This launch has also been delayed indefinitely. A release date for this lens will be announced when it is known.

We appologize for the inconvenience caused by these delays and will continue to make every effort to launch the new lenses. We look forward to your continued patronage.

 
Hopefully I didn't damage that announcement translation too badly (thanks Kaz).

From DxO:

DxO FilmPack 3.1 adds numerous creative renderings and an enhanced user interface

Special discount on DxO FilmPack 3.1, the leader in silver halide simulation software, now through December 24, 2011

Paris – November 15, 2011 – DxO Labs announces the immediate availability DxO FilmPack 3.1, the latest version of its famous silver halide simulation software. DxO FilmPack 3.1 adds a line of 25 new creative renderings and an improved user interface.

For world-renowned photographer Sebastião Salgado, “DxO FilmPack is an indispensible link to my previous photographic work.” DxO FilmPack has allowed him to faithfully reproduce in his digital image workflow the exact look and feel of Kodak® Tri-X film.

DxO FilmPack 3.1 brings to photos all the emotional impact of silver halide photography. Using an intuitive interface, beginners and experts alike can apply the characteristic tint, grain, and rendering of a traditional silver halide film type to any digital image, regardless of its source. Thanks to DxO Labs’ advanced calibration technology, DxO FilmPack 3.1 offers a renderings palette of unparalleled authenticity for 62 legendary film types —positive and negative color, black & white, and cross-processed.

25 NEW CREATIVE RENDERINGS TO ACHIEVE OUTSTANDING IMAGES

DxO FilmPack 3.1 (Expert Edition) offers a line of 25 new creative renderings. The experts at DxO Labs gave utmost consideration to the aesthetic qualities and creative dimensions for each rendering to ensure that they would lend images real emotional impact.

Vintage effects, color nuances, sepia variations, partial desaturations: each rendering is based on a very subtle combination of grain intensity, film style, vignetting, and color filters — “intelligent” renderings for outstanding images.

Users can use the same settings as for film renderings to fully customize each creative rendering, thus offering the possibility of numerous possible combinations. Batch processing allows for a huge increase in productivity.

SHARING THE IMPACT

Thanks to DxO FilmPack 3.1’s large number of presets, photographers can give free rein to their creativity by combining, for example, the color settings of one film rendering with the grain of another, thus creating their own personalized film look. A new import rendering function including in the Elite Edition of DxO FilmPack 3.1 lets DxO FilmPack users share one another’s customized film looks. Users can simply import custom renderings, rename them, and save the parameters of intensity, grain, contrast, and so on in their own settings library to apply to their own images.

AN INTUITIVE INTERFACE FOR UNLIMITED EXPLORATION

Designed to satisfy both beginners and experts, DxO FilmPack 3.1’s easy-to use interface allows users to freely explore all the possibilities of the film and creative renderings provided.

Thanks to its resizable filmstrip-style preview system, DxO FilmPack 3.1 allows users to better visualize renderings before applying them to their images.

DxO FilmPack 3.1 now offers a full-screen mode for greater comfort. Among the many other improvements to the interface, the channel mixer now incorporates color sliders, making their use even more intuitive.

EDITIONS

Compatible with Mac and Windows, DxO FilmPack 3.1 comes in 2 editions — Essential and Expert — which differ in terms of number of film renditions and features.

The two editions of DxO FilmPack 3.1 are available as standalone applications and as plugins for DxO Optics Pro®, Adobe® Photoshop CS®, Adobe® Lightroom® and Apple® Aperture®.

AVAILABILITY AND SPECIAL YEAR-END OFFER

Both the Essential and Expert editions of DxO FilmPack v3.1 are now available for purchase in the DxO Labs online store (www.dxo.com) and at photo resellers at a special discount from now through December 24, 2011:

USD:
• DxO FilmPack 3 Essential Edition: $49 instead of $79
• DxO FilmPack 3 Expert Edition: $99 instead of $129
• DxO FilmPack 3 Expert Upgrade from DxO FilmPack 1 or 2: $39 instead of $49

EUR:
• DxO FilmPack 3 Essential Edition: 49€ instead of 79€
• DxO FilmPack 3 Expert Edition: 99€ instead of 129€
• DxO FilmPack 3 Expert Upgrade from DxO FilmPack 1 or 2: 39€ instead of 49€
(Suggested retail prices, including VAT)

GBP:
• DxO FilmPack 3 Essential Edition: £49, instead of £69
• DxO FilmPack 3 Expert Edition: £79, instead of £99
• DxO FilmPack 3 Expert Upgrade from DxO FilmPack 1 or 2: £29 instead of £39
(Suggested retail prices, including VAT)

Upgrade to version 3.1 is free of charge to owners of DxO FilmPack version 3.0.

Save $30 through December 24th: Get your DxO FilmPack from B&H.

Adobe has announced that it's Touch Apps are now available in the Android Market. Click here (BusinessWire) for more information.

Toshiba Press Release:

INCJ, Hitachi, Sony and Toshiba Sign Definitive Agreements Regarding Integration of Small- and Medium-Sized Display Businesses

TOKYO, November 15, 2011 – Innovation Network Corporation of Japan ("INCJ"), Hitachi, Ltd. ("Hitachi"), Sony Corporation ("Sony") and Toshiba Corporation ("Toshiba") announced today that they have signed definitive agreements to integrate their small- and medium-sized display businesses in a new company to be established and operated by INCJ, which is planned to be named Japan Display Inc. ("Japan Display").

Pursuant to the definitive agreements, all of the issued shares of certain subsidiaries of Hitachi, Sony and Toshiba engaged in the small- and medium-sized display business (i.e., Hitachi Displays, Ltd., Sony Mobile Display Corporation and one other Sony subsidiary*, and Toshiba Mobile Display Co., Ltd., collectively referred to as the "Subject Subsidiaries") and other assets are planned to be transferred to Japan Display, in which each of the four companies INCJ, Sony, Toshiba and Hitachi will invest. INCJ, as a public-private partnership that provides financial, technological and management support for next-generation businesses, will invest a total of 200 billion yen in Japan Display in exchange for shares to be newly issued to INCJ by Japan Display as a third-party allotment.

Japan Display is expected to utilize the world's best high value-added technologies of the Subject Subsidiaries and establish new production lines by utilizing funds provided by INCJ, in order to meet the market demand for high value-added products. In addition, through efficient use of the existing production capabilities of the Subject Subsidiaries, Japan Display aims to improve its cost competitiveness to solidify its position as a global leading company in the small- and medium-sized display market. The business is scheduled to begin operations in Spring of 2012, subject to the receipt of any necessary government approvals.