Canon and Sony News for Oct 2016 (Page 2)
Sports photography allows you to record pivotal game-changing momentum swings, capture the thrill of victory or illustrate the agony of defeat. When it comes to sports, being well prepared (and comfortable) can make the difference in getting key shots or missing golden opportunities. Following is a list of five key accessories to help outdoor sports photographers stay on the top of their game (pun intended).
1. Monopod
Take a look at the sidelines in any large field pro sport and you'll likely see a collection of big white lenses and the monopods used to support them. Typically speaking, camera supports are used to stabilize the camera so that longer shutter speeds can be used. However, because sports photographers generally use very fast shutter speeds to freeze action, the primary benefit of using a monopod is to reduce fatigue. Anyone who has handheld a Canon super telephoto lens for an extended period of time knows how exhausting it can be. A monopod relieves the photographer's arms by transferring much of the support responsibility to the ground, yet it is easy to set up, adjust or break down allowing for maximum versatility compared to a tripod.
2. Photography Backpack
These days there are a number of options when it comes to photography gear transport. And while hard cases, rolling cases & messenger style bags certainly have their uses, many sports photographers prefer a good old fashioned backpack.
Why? Because sports photography may require you to constantly move in order to follow the action. I've shot several football games over the last few years and the ability to stay mobile is a big plus. Using a backpack means that your gear moves with you relieving the worry that your expensive gear may suddenly go missing if unattended.
3. Sling Strap Especially when photographing large field sports, you may find your long telephoto lens limiting when it comes to capturing other aspects of the event, such as sideline interactions, the crowd, fireworks and halftime demonstrations (just to name a few). That's why many sports photographers carry a second (and possibly third) body with a general purpose or wide angle lens attached to cover these needs.
My particular favorite is the BlackRapid Sport Breathe Camera Strap (an update to the RS-Sport Extreme). This strap dramatically lessens the burden of carrying a camera for long periods of time and even feels comfortable (to me, at least) while wearing a backpack at the same time.
4. Weather/Dust Protection
Yes, it's true that the Canon L-series lenses typically used for sports photography feature some type of weather sealing. While the sealing can protect your gear from the unexpected storm, it's not a feature you should rely on for extended exposure to the elements. A simple rain cover is easy to pack, relatively inexpensive and can save your gear from damage when the light rain turns into a massive downpour. But not only can a rain cover protect from downpours, it can also shield your camera from the fine dust particles that fill the air at events such as dirt track racing. Trust me – cleaning a plastic bag after events like this is 10x easier than cleaning your DSLR camera and/or lens.
5. LCD Loupe
Trying to review images in the bright sun can be problematic (to say the least) because of glare. The solution is simple – use an LCD Loupe to provide glare-free viewing of your images. My particular favorite is the Hoodman Compact HoodLoupe Optical Viewfinder for 3.2" LCD Screens which packs down to a compact size for storage and features a strap for hanging around the neck for easy access.
If you can't decide on which lens to use for sports photography, check out Bryan's Canon Outdoor Sports Lens Recommendations.
So that's our top 5 sports photography accessories. Do you have other suggestions? Let us know in the comments.
Canon has released their 3Q 2016 financial results.
- Conference on results for 3Q 2016 Presentation material (PDF)
- Speech Summary (PDF)
- Results for 3Q 2016 (PDF)
An excerpt from the speech summary details some of the issues Canon faced this quarter:
The U.S. economy, despite showing signs of weakness in investment and other areas, remained on a path of gradual recovery, supported by continued improvement in employment and consumer spending. As for the European economy, although consumer spending and export activity was firm, we could not take an optimistic view as there are concerns over the U.K.’s withdrawal from the EU. In Japan, and in emerging countries like China, no material changes in economic activity were seen. Overall, the global economy was limited to gradual recovery.Additional Resources (Source: Reuters)Under these conditions, the yen, which at one point in August fell below the 100 yen-to-U.S. dollar mark and remained high throughout the quarter, had a large negative impact on net sales and profits. On top of this, within our businesses, sales of laser printer consumables declined significantly, as they did in the first half of the year, and for cameras, we recorded a 50% decline in compact camera sales. As a result, net sales and profits declined.
In this short video, Canon highlights their trademark red line (though I like the phrase "red ring" better) as an indicator of image quality and professional reliability. Want to know more? See the Canon L Story on Canon Japan's website.
B&H carries Canon L-series lenses.
From Canon:
TOKYO, October 25, 2016—Canon’s initiatives to tackle climate change have been recognized by the international non-profit organization CDP, based in the United Kingdom, earning the Company its first inclusion on the Climate A List.
Since 2003, the CDP has evaluated major companies worldwide on their efforts to tackle climate change. The evaluations are based on information disclosed in response to questions sent to the companies regarding business risks and opportunities associated with greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. In 2016, approximately 6,000 businesses were assessed, of which 500 were Japanese. The evaluation ranks companies on a scale from A to F, with A being the highest, and Canon was declared one of the 193 companies in the world to make the A List.
Under its Action for Green environmental vision, introduced in 2008, Canon set a goal of annually reducing lifecycle CO2 emissions for each product by 3%, and is proactively making efforts through such initiatives as energy-saving activities at manufacturing bases, a modal shift in distribution, reduced energy consumption during product use, product remanufacturing, reusing parts and recycling consumable goods. As a result, in 2015, lifecycle CO2 emissions per product were approximately 30% of those in 2008—successfully achieving an average reduction of approximately 5% a year.
Canon’s Action for Green environmental vision aims to realize a society that promotes both enriched lifestyles and the global environment through technological innovation and improved management efficiency. Throughout the entire product lifecycle—Produce, Use, Recycle—Canon continues to expand activities with its customers and business partners to reduce environmental burden in pursuit of this environmental vision.
by Sean Setters
Let's have some fun this morning with a little guessing game. I photographed the item seen above yesterday in the studio. Here's what I want to know:
- What is the device and what is the device's purpose?
- How was the item lit?
- What post-processing technique was used to create the final look of the image?
For those that frequent the site regularly, the first two answers may be relatively easy to guess. The third [rather vague] question may not be.
Provide your guesses in the comments. I'll post the answers at noon today.
Update: The Reveal
As many of you guessed, the item pictured was indeed a Speedlite flash grid. It was lit using a single, radio triggered Canon 580EX modified with a blue gel. The light was positioned below the grid, but I had to create some distance between the light and the grid so that there would be even illumination across the grid's surface (that's where the glasses come in). I also used a 1-stop ND gel beneath the blue gel to knock down the flash's power even more.
You'll likely also notice the device attached ot the camera. That's my DIY battery operated Wi-Fi tethering solution. With it, I was able to use the DSLR Controller app to capture incrementally focused images used for focus stacking. In all, I combined 65 incrementally focused images in Helicon Focus to achieve the full depth of field I was looking for.
Gear Used
- Canon EOS 7D Mark II
- Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM
- Canon Speedlite 580EX
- Radio Trigger
- Flash Gels (similar product)
EXIF for images: f/32, 1/160 sec. ISO 100
I sharpened the image and brightened the upper half in Photoshop CC.
Sweden's highest court has ruled that unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) with onboard cameras are illegal for use in the country's public spaces unless a permit is obtained. In the same ruling, the Supreme Administrative Court found that video recording devices placed in windshields or on bicycles were permissible because the cameras could be controlled locally rather than remotely.
With the US Federal Aviation Administration [generally] loosening restrictions on drone use, it will be interesting to see if Sweden's ruling will be enough to sway other governments to protect personal privacy over personal liberty.
From the Canon Digital Learning Center:
When’s the best time for photography? When others are sleeping.Read the entire article on the Canon Digital Learning Center.Yes, yes, that extra two hours or so in the morning may be tempting. But don’t fall victim to the siren song of sleep – this really is the best time of the day to photograph.
My day trip to Ricketts Glen was carefully planned. A pair of calls to the park office gave me redundant information. Both individuals indicated that the leaves in the falls ravines were going to be peak and one said that the water flow was good (that was necessary for waterfalls of course). This information aligned perfectly with the weather forecast calling for very light wind (enabling flora to remain still for long exposures), heavy cloud cover (keeps lighting low and free of harsh shadows) and light rain likely throughout the day (keeps the crowds at home, out of the frame and provides saturated colors).
After driving 1.5 hours in the fog, I arrived to find ... no wind. The leaves were indeed peak, but they were peak at the top of the mountain – not down in the deep falls ravines. The fog cleared to a mostly sunny sky and my opinion of a good water flow differs greatly from the person I talked to.
Fortunately, there are always great photo opportunities in this park. And, after photographing in the early morning shade for over an hour, the clouds eventually came and were present for a number of hours, creating good light.
Especially high up in the falls trails, there were some good leaves, but ... many of them were on the ground. However, the ground can be a great place to photograph leaves, especially when they are wet from a stream they have fallen into or nearby. During the fall, especially late in the local fall foliage season, look for colorful leaves on the ground that can be worked into an image.
Don't forget to use a circular polarizer filter to reduce glare and increase saturation of these leaves. The Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM Lens was the only lens I used this day. I didn't need a focal length that it didn't contain and the image quality coming from this lens is very impressive.
Fall, my favorite photography season, has just arrived in the northern hemisphere. Just as photographers consider the bookmarks of daylight to be the golden hours, I have a set of golden weeks of the year, bookmarking the leaf season. The beautiful bright light green new foliage (and abundant water flow) of late spring marks one of them. The other is marked by the changing leaf color of late summer/early fall and this one is easily my favorite.
Read our Fall Photography Tips for ideas and inspiration, select a great location, pack some great gear and go capture some portfolio-grade imagery! Whether that foliage is the primary subject or a backdrop to another subject, we are in the golden weeks.
A larger version of this image is available on SmugMug, Flickr, Google+, Facebook and 500px. If reading from a news feed reader, click through to see the framed image. If you find these tips useful, please share them in your circle of friends!
ISO 100
8688 x 5792px
There are few landscape photography locations more popular than Oxbow Bend, near Moran in Grand Teton National Park. This location is especially favored during the week or two in late summer when the aspen trees take on their brilliant fall colors. However, on a calm morning with interesting clouds in the sky, those colors are just icing on the cake.
When the wind dies down, most often early and late in the day, the Oxbow Bend area of the Snake River becomes glassy and only the jumping fish and feeding ducks remain to mar the mirror-like surface of the water. The highlight of this location is Mount Moran along with the other nearby mountain peaks and a telephoto lens best emphasizes distant mountains. I took a few telephoto pics here, but ... I couldn't resist framing the scene wider, including the reflections of the photogenic clouds present on this great morning.
I always say that a great landscape scene can be made greater by reflecting it and I think this theory holds true at Oxbow Bend. Within this theory, vertically centering the top edge of a large reflecting surface (such as a body of water) usually works very well.
Even though there are many dozens of photographers targeting Oxbow Bend at sunrise, there is plenty of room for everyone to find a good shooting location. Schedule your presence here for mid-late September (this image was captured on the 19th) if you want the yellow aspens in your frame.
I'll likely feel compelled to share a few more images captured at this location on this morning.
A larger version of this image is available on SmugMug, Flickr, Google+, Facebook and 500px. If reading from a news feed reader, click through to see the framed image.
ISO 100
6720 x 4480px
From the Jimmy McIntyre YouTube Channel:
You can download my free sharpening action here.
The buttons you see down the left hand side are quick buttons so I can use Photoshop on my Surface Pro without a keyboard.
Download Raya Pro here.
Download the Free Easy Panel here.
From LensRentals:
by Roger CicalaYou can read the entire article on the LensRentals Blog. For a more thorough look at the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM, check out this handy resource.I tend to not get overly excited about new releases. The last few years have seen a lot of incremental upgrades that rarely blow me away. Usually, I end up thinking the new version of whatever is better than the last version. Not “rush out to the store and buy it” better, but “consider upgrading if you use it a lot” better.
Canon, though, (and Sigma) have hit some real home runs with optics lately, so I was a bit excited when Canon decided to upgrade one of their weaker lenses, the 16-35mm f/2.8, to a Mark III version. And if you don’t want to read the article I’ll summarize: rush out to the store and buy it.
B&H has the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM in stock. If you simply want to rent the lens for an upcoming trip, LensRentals has you covered.
From Nikon:
Use the KeyMission 360/170 Utility to copy to your computer, view, and edit beautiful spherical 360° panoramas and 170° wide-angle shots taken with Nikon’s KeyMission cameras. You can choose the angle when viewing spherical 360° content shot with the KeyMission 360 and export the footage to create new movies, export cropped images, add simple effects and background tracks, and create movies for upload to YouTube. You can also change settings for cameras connected via USB.
Download: Nikon KeyMission 360/170 Utility
B&H has the Nikon KeyMission Action Cameras availble for preorder.
In yet another ambitious project, photographer Benjamin Von Wong and his team trek miles through a wasteland to find active lava surface flows for his shaman shoot bringing awareness to climate change.
Just posted: Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM Lens Review
It's a keeper.
B&H has the new Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM Lens in stock.
This lens is also in stock at:
Adorama | Amazon | Beach Camera | BuyDig.com | Canon Store | eBay | WEX Photographic
From Sigma:
Cine High Speed Zoom 18-35mm T2 and 50-100mm T2 lenses begin shipping on December 9 for a retail price of $3999.00 USD
New York, NY – October 20, 2016 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading DSLR lens, camera, flash and accessory manufacturer, announced today that the Cine High Speed Zoom 18-35mm T2 and 50-100mm T2 lenses will begin shipping on December 9, 2016 for a retail price of $3999.00 USD. Born from the new Sigma Cine family of products, the High Speed Zoom lenses leverage the outstanding optical design of the company’s world-renowned Global Vision still photography lenses. Combined with the 100% new mechanical lens body design, the Cine lenses meet needs of advanced 6k and 8k cinema production with the core optical quality DNA that has defined the Sigma benchmark of imaging excellence.
See the Sigma Cine Family of Products at PDN/PPE 2016 Expo
Demonstrated for the first time to the public in the United States, attendees to the 2016 PDN PhotoPlus International Conference + Expo (PPE), held at the Javits Convention Center in New York City from October 20-22, 2016, can see first-hand the new Sigma Cine family of lenses:
Cine High Speed Zoom Line - 18-35mm T2 and 50-100mm T2
The high speed zoom line, which is compatible with the Super35 image size standard, offers the constant aperture of T2 throughout the zoom range with superior optical performance that is capable of high-resolution 6K-8K shooting. Delivering the highest image quality in its class, the High Speed Zoom is ergonomically compact and designed for E, EF and PL camera system mounts.
Cine FF Zoom Line - 24-35mm T2.2 FF
Compatible with a full-frame image sensor, the FF Zoom’s outstanding optical performance also supports 6K-8K shooting. Because so few lenses cater to the requirements of the latest digital cinema cameras’ image sensors, this line provides a rare option for cinematographers. The FF Zoom is designed for E and EF camera system mounts.
Cine FF High Speed Prime Line - 20mm T1.5 FF, 24mm T1.5 FF, 35mm T1.5 FF, 50mm T1.5 FF and 85mm T1.5 FF
The Cine High Speed Prime lineup features lenses ranging from 20mm to 85mm, with all five touting an aperture of T1.5. Highly compact and compatible with full-frame sensors, these lenses offer superior resolution. They bring a consistent level of light to the production, offering greater consistency to any film’s color, contrast and overall look before it enters post-production. The FF High Speed Prime line is designed for E, EF and PL camera system mounts.
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