Canon and Sony News for Feb 2022 (Page 2)
I shared a pair of weasel images (Curious Weasel, Weasel Carrying Ground Squirrel) captured while hanging out with (mostly waiting for) a pair of weasels in Rocky Mountain National Park. One of my favorite aspects of these images is the strong background blur that makes the subject boldly stand out.
While many of you following this site might find this advice basic, the basics are important, especially for those starting out, so let's talk about some background blur basics today.
1. Get Closer to the Subject
Moving closer requires a shorter focus distance. The shorter focus distance takes the background out of focus, increasing the blur.
2. Position Against a More Distant Background
Positioning the camera and lens so that the background is farther from the plane of sharp focus increases the blur. Orienting the shooting position to avoid the closer background trees, rocks, buildings, etc., makes a more significant blur happen.
3. Use a Longer Focal Length Lens
A longer focal length increases the magnification of the background details, which increases the blur.
4. Use a Wider Aperture
A wider aperture creates a shallower depth of field. That effect increases the background (and foreground) blur.
5. Use a Camera with a Larger Imaging Sensor
A full-frame camera takes in a wider angle of view than an APS-C model using the same focal length lens. A wider angle of view requires a 1.5x (Sony) or 1.6x (Canon) longer focal length or a position considerably closer for the subject to remain the equivalent size in the frame. Both of those options are already on this list.
Today, the interchangeable lens most adept at blurring the background is the Sigma APO 200-500mm f/2.8 EX DG Lens set to 500mm f/2.8. However, a reality check after looking at that behemoth's price and specs (B&H | Adorama | Amazon) leads us to consider the second most background blurring capable lens. The next best choice is one of the 600mm f/4 options.
While not small or inexpensive, the 600mm f/4 lenses reward the owner (or renter) for their expense and carrying effort by creating differentiation in their photos. A 600mm f/4 lens on a full-frame camera, such as the outstanding Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS Lens and Sony Alpha 1 Camera combination used for this example can melt the background into a pleasant color blur. That blur can make a subject pop from even a busy, distracting environment.
Keeping small subjects such as the weasels relatively large in the frame makes the getting close blur aspect happen by default. Of course, keeping these hyper little creatures in the frame at this distance is quite challenging. Fortunately, I guessed right at this time, being in the ideal position when the weasel paused to look around.
A larger version of this image is available here.
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Image quality, vignetting, and distortion test results along with specs, measurements, and standard product images are now available on the Sigma 20mm F2 DG DN Contemporary Lens page.
Here are some comparisons to get you started:
Compared to the Sony FE 20mm F1.8 G Lens
Compared to the Sigma 20mm F2 DG DN Contemporary Lens
Order the Sigma 20mm F2 DG DN Contemporary Lens from B&H | Adorama | WEX
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A late May snowstorm left a dusting of snow at lower elevations in Rocky Mountain National Park. The ponderosa pines filtered the snow, leaving an interesting pattern of white among the trunks, which called for a photo. I always look for excuses to include these red-colored trunks in the frame, and the snow opportunity seemed a good one.
Thick clouds provided even lighting, but the bright white sky seemed to detract from this composition. Thus, keeping the sky out of the frame was a goal, and achieving that goal meant selecting a long enough focal length to exclude the white.
The three tree trunks positioned 1/3 into the frame worked well for the foreground, and the camera position was adjusted to optimize juxtaposition of the remaining trunks in the frame. A fully leveled camera kept the trunks as straight in the frame as possible.
With the desired composition established and locked down on a Really Right Stuff TVC-24L Mk2 Carbon Fiber Tripod and BH-40 Ball Head, the remaining issue was achieving the desired depth of field. For this image, I wanted everything in the frame to be sharp. Unfortunately, at 35mm, that was not happening at the still-sharp apertures (I seldom use an EOS R5 aperture narrower than f/11).
Fortunately, the Canon EOS R5's focus bracketing feature made capturing the motionless scene in sharp focus easy. Focused on the closest foreground in the frame with Focus Bracketing enabled, the camera automatically captured the set of photos necessary to cumulatively have the entire depth of the scene in sharp focus.
Selecting the stack of images and then the Depth Compositing Tools menu option in Canon Digital Photo Professional (DPP) created the all-in-focus 16-bit TIFF file that was further edited in Photoshop. Primarily, spot sharpening some of the merged image seams in the image finalized the stacking task.
A larger version of this image is available here.
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All Sony A-Mount DSLR lenses are denoted "This product is no longer available at the Sony Store" at Sony Japan.
You can still get your Sony A-mount lens at B&H.
From WD:
Western Digital Comments on Production Status of its Joint Venture Flash Memory Manufacturing Facilities
San Jose, Calif. - February 09, 2022
Western Digital Corp. (Nasdaq: WDC) today announced that contamination of certain material used in its manufacturing processes has occurred and is affecting production operations at both its Yokkaichi and Kitakami joint venture, flash fabrication facilities.
Western Digital's current assessment of the impact is a reduction of its flash availability of at least 6.5 exabytes. The company is working closely with its joint venture partner, Kioxia, to implement necessary measures that will restore the facilities to normal operational status as quickly as possible.
About Western Digital
Western Digital creates environments for data to thrive. As a leader in data infrastructure, the company is driving the innovation needed to help customers capture, preserve, access and
transform an ever-increasing diversity of data.
Everywhere data lives, from advanced data centers to mobile sensors to personal devices, our industry-leading solutions deliver the possibilities of data.
Our data-centric solutions are comprised of the Western Digital®, G-Technology™, SanDisk®, and WD® brands.
Ordering any needed WD, Western Digital, G-Technology, and SanDisk flash products immediately from B&H seems like a logical plan. Also logical would be for the supply of alternative options to be impacted.
From Canon USA:
Canon U.S.A., Inc. Successfully Stops a New Method of Importing Counterfeit Goods Into the United States
MELVILLE, NY, February 9, 2022 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., and its parent company, Canon Inc. of Japan, are pleased to announce that they have successfully reached an agreement with one of China’s leading logistics and fulfillment companies in a dispute over the warehousing and shipping of counterfeit "Canon" camera batteries into the United States for China-based sellers. As part of the settlement, the fulfillment/shipping company agreed to cease distribution of infringing products to consumers in the United States.
Over the last two years, Canon’s investigation into counterfeiting uncovered a new shipping method that China-based sellers are using to bring their infringing goods into the United States. Instead of shipping the goods directly to consumers in the United States, China-based sellers are now sending their goods in bulk to large fulfillment warehouses that are located in the United States. These warehouses then ship the infringing goods to consumers in the United States. This new method not only enables China-based merchants to indirectly ship their counterfeit goods swiftly to American and Canadian consumers, but also makes it harder for branded manufacturers to track and prevent the flow of counterfeit goods.
"After we discovered that China-based infringers were using this new shipment method to bring counterfeit Canon batteries into the United States, we started working on a creative strategy to remove these counterfeit products from the market. We were able to find an innovative solution by proceeding directly against the fulfillment/warehouser to halt the distribution of these fake goods in the United States," said Seymour Liebman, Executive Vice President, Chief Administrative Officer & General Counsel of Canon U.S.A., Inc. "We believe that we are the first intellectual property owner to successfully stop this new method of importation and distribution, and we hope other companies will follow our lead and utilize this novel approach to stopping counterfeiters."
The Canon companies are represented by Mark Schonfeld, a partner in the Boston office of Burns & Levinson LLP, who negotiated the settlement with the U.S.-based fulfillment company.
Canon aggressively pursues counterfeiters in the United States and around the world to protect its customers from potentially unsafe products that unlawfully use the Canon name, as well as to protect the value, trusted reputation and loyalty that the Canon brand has acquired over decades in producing high quality, safe and reliable products.
For more information about Canon’s anti-counterfeiting measures, please visit https://global.canon/en/intellectual-property/anti-counterfeit/.
From Delkin Devices:
Delkin Launches 8K-Ready BLACK CFexpress™ Type A Memory Cards
A different form factor than CFexpress™ Type B (physically smaller) yet still capable of utilizing the same PCI Express technology, Delkin’s BLACK CFexpress™ Type A memory cards boast recording speeds reaching up to 790 MB/s for flawless cinema-quality video capture, including UHD 8K @ 30fps (400 Mbps) in the Sony a1. They also support RAW continuous-burst shooting without delay, never missing those precious split-second moments!
“Smaller and even more powerful than SD cards, CFexpress™ Type A memory cards are establishing a new standard for future storage solutions” says Jenn Sherry, Delkin's Retail Sales & Marketing Manager, “With mirrorless cameras slowly moving more into the cinema realm, offering modes that are extremely data-heavy, it has become even more essential to provide a memory card that can meet these demands. The market is small at the moment, but we are optimistic about the potential growth of CFexpress™ Type A and its future adoption in the next-generation of cameras.”
Delkin BLACK CFexpress™ Type A memory cards are also capable of offloading data at speeds reaching up to 880 MB/s, ensuring the quickest, most efficient data transfer from card to computer for immediate file access and sooner post-production start time. Each BLACK CFexpress™ Type A memory card has undergone extensive testing to ensure full functionality and performance in today’s high-end cinematic hosts, including the Sony® a1, a7S III, a7 IV, FX3 & FX6.
In addition to their “Lifetime Warranty” policy, Delkin continues to offer a unique built-in insurance policy for their BLACK memory cards, known as the “48-Hour Replacement Guarantee”. Delkin will replace any non-working BLACK card within 48 hours or less (not including weekends - in the US and UK), prior to receiving the non-working card. Cards can also be replaced over-the-counter at any authorized Delkin BLACK reseller. Additional information on Delkin BLACK CFexpress™ Type A memory cards can be found here: www.delkindevices.com/cfexpress-type-a.
If BLACK wasn't enough, Delkin is also offering an alternative option under their POWER line. Delkin POWER CFexpress™ Type A memory cards provide the same pro-level performance as BLACK, but do not include the added benefits of serialization or the company's 48-Hour Replacement Guarantee. These cards have also undergone the same testing as the BLACK cards, so users can rest assured and feel confident that what they are using will work as expected in their camera.
Order Delkin CFexpress memory cards from B&H (Type A cards coming soon).
Tamron has posted Full Year 2021 Financial Results.
Page 4 provides a quick-read summary.
From Sigma Corporation of America:
SIGMA Announces 20mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary, the 7th and Widest Lens in the All-Metal I series of Premium Compact Primes
Ronkonkoma, NY – February 9, 2021 – SIGMA Corporation of America, the US subsidiary of SIGMA Corporation (CEO: Kazuto Yamaki. Headquarters: Asao-ku, Kawasaki-shi, Kanagawa, Japan) is pleased to announce the upcoming release of the SIGMA 20mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary lens, part of SIGMA's I series.
This new lens is the widest in the I series released to date. Equipped with a metal, knurled, petal-type lens hood, this ultra-wide prime is compatible with 62mm threaded front filters. It is also an addition to the fast F2 aperture group of I series lenses alongside the 24mm F2 DG DN | C, 35mm F2 DG DN | C, and 65mm F2 DG DN | C. All F2 I series lenses feature a distinctive arc-type AF/MF switch and stylized barrel design near the "Made in Japan" marking.
The fast F2 maximum aperture and total optical performance makes this a natural choice for astrophotography, along with landscapes, cityscapes, street photography, low-light interiors, and other nighttime situations. Due to its wide focal length and compact size, this 20mm lens is also an ideal choice for handheld vlogging and video streaming. And the ability to mount front filters, such as neutral density filters, for video and long-exposure landscapes on such a fast-aperture ultra-wide will be appreciated by many content creators.
The SIGMA 20mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary lens will be available in the U.S. at SIGMA Authorized Dealers for a retail price of $699 on February 25, 2022.
Preorders
Preorder the Sigma 20mm F2 DG DN Contemporary Lens from B&H | Adorama | WEX
Exclusively for mirrorless cameras | Compatible with full-frame cameras
Dynamism in the palm of your hand
- I series | Premium Compact Primes for mirrorless users
- New standards of optical performance for the Contemporary line
- Exceptional I series build quality with a compact form-factor
Supplied accessories:
Magnetic metal lens cap (LCF62-01M), Petal-type lens hood (LH656-03), Front Cap (LCF-62III), Rear Cap (LCRII)
Available mounts:
L-Mount, Sony E-mount
* The appearance and specifications of the product are subject to change.
* This product is developed, manufactured and sold based on the specifications of E-mount which was disclosed by Sony Corporation under the license agreement with Sony Corporation.
* L-Mount is a registered trademark of Leica Camera AG.
#SIGMA #SIGMA20mmF2Contemporary #SIGMAContemporary #SIGMAContemporaryPrime #SIGMADGDN #Iseries #SIGMAIseries
Exceptional optical performance and superb build quality give photographers the joy of creating images – introducing the new ultra-wide SIGMA 20mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary
This all-new full-frame premium compact prime for mirrorless systems is the latest addition to SIGMA's I series lineup, combining a bright maximum aperture of F2, an ultra-wide 20mm focal length and stunning optical performance. The lens boasts an exceptionally small form factor, weighing in at just 370g and measuring just 72.4mm in length*, which makes it a highly practical optic that is portable enough for everyday shooting. It's ideal for landscapes, wide-angle portraits, weddings and interiors, and is particularly well-suited to astrophotography owing to its very well-controlled sagittal coma flare. It is the fourth I series lens with an F2 aperture, joining a 24mm, 35mm and 65mm, which together make a well-matched lens set for L-Mount and Sony E-mount users. *Figures are for L-Mount
Remarkably, the 20mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary is almost identical in size and weight to the very compact SIGMA 24mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary. A sleek, all-metal design, with a signature I series magnetic lens cap, a manual aperture ring and exceptional production quality means using this lens is a highly intuitive and satisfying experience, making the photo-taking process even more enjoyable. This sharp and beautifully built I series prime, the SIGMA 20mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary captures the essence of the I series, bringing a new level of user experience – the pleasure of owning and using a lens.
[Key Features]
1. I series | "Premium Compact Primes" for mirrorless users
The SIGMA I series features full-frame compatible lenses that offer new value to mirrorless systems. The combination of superb optical performance with a level of compactness that is perfectly suited to smaller and lighter modern mirrorless cameras will bring you new opportunities for a perfect shot.
SIGMA is aware that in today's world we have a wide range of camera choices, especially with the increase in mobile phone ownership. But with many photographers looking for something more than something that simply captures images when they choose to own a camera and lens, I series lenses offer the ultimate combination of superb optical performance, outstanding usability and compact form-factor.
SIGMA's excellence in development and production technologies has been built up since our founding in 1961 and became increasingly sophisticated with the introduction of the SIGMA Global Vision brand in 2012. With this as a base, SIGMA has given careful thought to the quality of the products, the feeling of using it and the pleasure of owning it. This is how the I series was born.
2. New standards of optical performance for the Contemporary line
The 20mm F2 DG DN | Contemporary achieves the highest level of optical performance even at the widest aperture setting of F2 from the center of the image to the periphery. Based on the latest optical design technology, the lens construction includes three high-precision glass-molded aspherical lens elements, one SLD element, and one FLD element to suppress a range of optical aberrations. The result is clear and sharp images even in the extreme corners of the frame. By focusing on the suppression of sagittal coma flare, which is difficult to correct in post-processing, accurate reproduction of very bright points of light has been achieved. This also provides extremely detailed results across the entire image, especially important for night sky photography.
The lens' optical design, as well as its Super Multi-Layer Coating and Nano Porous Coating (NPC), ensures very minimal flare and ghosting even when shooting into bright light sources. This makes it much easier to photograph backlit subjects and still achieve punchy, high contrast results.
3. Exceptional I series build quality with a compact form-factor
All I series lenses have an all-metal construction. The precision-cut aluminum parts not only give the barrel a sleek, stylish finish, but provide superb durability that improves the quality of the entire product. Metal materials are also used in internal structures that slide with the operation ring for added robustness.
These high-precision components crafted with SIGMA's cutting-edge metalworking technology are also used in SIGMA's CINE LENS lineup for professional cinematographers and provide a tactile, ergonomic feel that make the lens a pleasure to use. The cover ring between the focus ring and the aperture ring has hairline processing that is also used for the rear cylinder of the Art line. This covering functions as a finger hold when attaching or detaching the lens.
[Additional Features]
- Lens construction: 13 elements in 11 groups, with 1 FLD, 1 SLD and 3 aspherical lens elements
- Inner focus system
- Compatible with high-speed autofocus
- Stepping motor
- Compatible with Lens Aberration Correction
*Function available on supported cameras only. Available corrections may vary depending on the camera model. - Supports DMF and AF+MF
- Nano Porous Coating
- Super Multi-Layer Coating
- Aperture ring
- Focus mode switch
- Petal-type lens hood (LH656-03)
- Magnetic metal lens cap (LCF62-01M)
- Mount with dust and splash resistant structure
- Support for switching between linear and non-linear focus ring settings (for L-Mount only)
- Compatible with SIGMA USB DOCK UD-11 (sold separately / for L-Mount only)
- Designed to minimize flare and ghosting
- Every single lens undergoes SIGMA's proprietary MTF measuring system
- 9-blade rounded diaphragm
- High-precision, durable brass bayonet mount
- "Made in Japan" craftsmanship
Learn more about SIGMA's craftsmanship here:
https://www.sigma-global.com/en/about/craftsmanship/
[Key Specifications]
The figures below are for L-Mount:
Lens Construction: 11 groups, 13 elements (1 FLD, 1 SLD, 3 aspherical)
Angle of view: 94.5°
Number of diaphragm blades: 9 (rounded diaphragm)
Minimum aperture: F22
Minimum focusing distance: 22cm / 8.7 in.
Maximum magnification ratio: 1:6.7
Filter size: 62mm
Dimensions (Max. Diam. x Length): 70 x 72.4mm / 2.8 x 2.9 in.
Weight: 370g / 13.1 oz.
[Accessories: Supplied]
Product Name / Barcode
Magnetic metal lens cap LCF62-01M: 0085126 938659
FRONT CAP LCF-62 III: 0085126 929817
PETAL-TYPE LENS HOOD LH656-03: 0085126 939809
REAR CAP LCR II (L-Mount): 0085126 937256
REAR CAP LCR II (Sony E-mount): 0085126 929879
[Accessories: Optional]
Product Name / Barcode
SIGMA USB DOCK UD-11 for L-Mount: 0085126 878696
SIGMA WR PROTECTOR 62mm: 0085126 930936
SIGMA PROTECTOR 62mm: 0085126 931063
SIGMA WR UV FILTER 62mm: 0085126 930677
SIGMA WR CIRCULAR PL FILTER 62mm: 0085126 930806
[Announcement]
Canon EOS R3 firmware update version 1.1.1 is available for download.
Firmware Version 1.1.1 incorporates the following fixes and enhancements:
- Adds the ability to use Smart phone link adapter AD-P1.
- Adds the ability, when using EOS Utility or Browser Remote for remote shooting with two cards inserted, to set the recording method and select the card to be recorded to.
- Adds the ability to cancel [Subject Tracking] by pressing the Quick Control and then buttons.
- Adds Ukrainian as an option to the language of "Browser Remote".
- Improves operation stability during FTP transfer.
- Fixes an issue that in rare instances, the camera may become inoperable when shooting in the Servo AF setting while operating the button.
- Fixes an issue, in which the camera cannot be used as an access point if the camera is being used in a region that only support 2.4GHz bandwidth for Wi-Fi connections.
Get the Canon EOS R3 at B&H.
Just posted: Impact Folding Wheeled Base Stand Review.
Why did I wait so long? These light stands are sooo much nicer than what I replaced.
Order the Impact Folding Wheeled Base Stand from B&H (on sale — $63.00 instant savings on the 8.5' model, $33.92 on the 11' model) or Amazon USA.
Adorama has a few Impact Folding Wheeled Base Stand (11') in stock.
Please share!
Do you use VRBO to rent lodging? I do so regularly.
Please use the new VRBO link on the support the site page to order your rentals.
Using the links on this site to make your purchase costs you nothing additional, but the small commission realized from that action helps us continue to serve you. Thanks in advance!
Just posted: Canon RF 400mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens Review.
This lens is very similar to its 600mm counterpart, and much of the 400mm lens review will mirror the RF 600mm lens review.
Order the Canon RF 400mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens from B&H | Adorama | Canon USA (in stock) | Amazon USA | WEX
Rent the Canon RF 400mm F2.8 L IS USM Lens from Lensrentals.
Please share!
B&H has used Canon EOS R5 and Sony Alpha 1 cameras in Stock.
Also, the used Sony lens inventory has grown nicely, with many sought after models available.
I tend to overshoot. While taking too many photos ensures that the optimal shot is on the card, that practice adds to the mental and time challenges of culling the results. The performance of the Canon EOS R5 and RF 600mm F4 L IS USM Lens combination increases that challenge.
In addition to getting the optimal shot, the extra images are sometimes useful for additional purposes. One of those purposes is illustrated here, making panorama processing possible.
After selecting the favorite animal position, I decided that including more background would improve the composition. The two selected images were manually merged in Photoshop.
A larger version of this image is available here.
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