Canon and Sony News for Jun 2016 (Page 3)

 Thursday, June 23, 2016

Image quality results from the Canon EOS 5Ds R and Canon EOS 7D Mark II have been added to the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens Review.

Anyone ready for a version II of this lens? Or is it good enough now?

B&H has the Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM Lens in stock with $100.00 instant savings, 4% B&H reward and 13 months of coverage.

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Posted to: Canon News   Category: Camera Gear Review News
Post Date: 6/23/2016 8:19:17 AM ET   Posted By: Bryan

From the Canon USA YouTube Channel:

See how you can alter the color, contrast and sharpness of your images using any of the five predefined Picture Style settings in any EOS DSLR.

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Posted to: Canon News   Category: Photography Education Videos
Post Date: 6/23/2016 7:20:03 AM ET   Posted By: Sean

From Phase One:

Unprecedented Power, Precision and Quality

COPENHAGEN, June 23, 2016 – Phase One, creator of the world’s finest open-platform high-end camera systems and professional imaging software, today released Capture One Pro 9.2. Known for its outstanding tethered capture capability, high-quality raw conversion, and precision image editing tools, Capture One Pro is already considered by many to be the only image capture application for the serious professional photographer. The release of version 9.2 aims at a better culling workflow from selections and metadata sources to accelerate editing workflow to new levels.

New camera support includes:

  • Pentax K-1
  • Nikon D500
  • Canon EOS M10
  • Canon G5x
  • Canon G7x MkII
  • Canon G9x
Powerful new workflow features include:
  • Access assets quickly and precisely: Select from file list, select by variant position and create album from selection form a large group of improvements under targeted selections;
  • New rate and cull workflow using “Select Set”: Select a number of images for viewer preview, then advance through the browser by the same number. Navigating within the selection to rate and cull makes editing and comparing fast and efficient;
  • Capture One 9.2’s new color management module for Tiffs gives users more accurate preview returned from retouching/round trip applications – making Tiff handling in Capture One better than ever before;
  • Phase One XF camera users can turbocharge focus stacking workflow with a multi-image round trip to the Helicon Focus application. Shoot, organize, group, process and stack -- all in a few clicks;
  • New Shortcut Engine: More functions can be shortcut than ever before! All cursors can now be shortcut, users can navigate the library collections (even when hidden) and shortcut support for the new 9.2 selection methods all help to make the workflow sing.
Pro photographers deserve a strong ally to vanquish workflow issues and give them the most reliable, efficient workflow and performance,” said James Johnson, Software Product manager, “Capture One Pro 9.2 is about workflow, not work!”

For more details on all the new and improved features in Capture One Pro 9.2, including new cameras and lenses supported, please go to: www.phaseone.com/ninetwo

Availability and Pricing

Capture One Pro 9 is available now for the Mac and Windows operating systems from Phase One authorized partners worldwide.

B&H carries Phase One Capture One Pro.

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Posted to: Canon News, Sony News   Category: Phase One News
Post Date: 6/23/2016 7:08:54 AM ET   Posted By: Sean

From Nikon:

Further advance of Nikon D5 digital SLR camera performance through expanded functions

Tokyo - Nikon Corporation has released new firmware, C: Ver. 1.10, that expands the functions of its flagship Nikon FX-format digital SLR camera, the D5.

The D5 has been extremely well received on all fronts, winning such globally prestigious photo and imaging awards as the TIPA Awards 2016, and the Camera GP (Grand Prix) 2016 Readers Award (sponsored by Japan's Camera Journal Press Club), which is selected through voting by users.

Nikon has released new firmware for the D5, C: Ver. 1.10, that enhances D5 performance even further. The new firmware offers a major upgrade to the camera's shooting capabilities, delivering four key improvements. First, the maximum recording time of movies, including for 4K UHD movies, is extended, and three functions — Flicker reduction for still images, 9-point dynamic-area AF AF-area mode, and Electronic VR for movies — are added. In addition to these four major changes, some additional updates* have been applied to the new firmware.

Details regarding "additional updates" are provided on the firmware's free download page (Nikon Download Center).

Release overview

The new firmware is available for download from June 23, 2016. It can be downloaded free of charge from the following URL.

New firmware for the D5, C: Ver.1.10

Four major improvements

1. Maximum movie recording time, including for 4K UHD movies, extended to 29 min. 59 s

Movies up to 29 minutes 59 seconds in length can now be recorded at all Movie quality and Frame size/frame rate settings. The new firmware increases the maximum recording time of even 4K UHD (3840x2160) movies from 3 minutes to 29 minutes 59 seconds. In addition, movies are recorded to up to eight separate files, each of which has a file size of up to 4 GB. Separate movie files can be combined to create a single movie using ViewNX-Movie Editor.

The maximum recording time for 4K UHD time-lapse movies is 3 minutes.

2. Flicker reduction for still images added for more stable exposure under lighting that flickers

When shooting under fluorescent and some other types of artificial lighting, flickering may cause uneven exposure in parts of images and/or variations in exposure and color reproduction characteristics between individual images captured continuously or in quick succession. We have equipped the new firmware with a Flicker reduction function for still images*1 that reduces these effects. When Flicker reduction is enabled, the camera detects peak brightness as light flickers and automatically times shutter release with these peaks in brightness for stable exposure and color reproduction characteristics. This function is effective when continuous shooting is used for indoor sporting events or similar situations captured at fast shutter speeds*2

*1 Still images captured during viewfinder photography (not available with mirror up mode).
*2 The continuous shooting rate may decrease.

3. 9-point dynamic-area AF AF-area mode added for focusing on a limited portion of a moving subject

With dynamic-area AF, the camera focuses based on information from surrounding focus points* if the subject briefly leaves the focus point selected by the photographer. The D5 originally supported 25-point, 72-point and 153-point dynamic-area AF. A 9-point dynamic-area AF option has been added with the new firmware. This new option is effective for focusing on a more specific portion of a moving subject.

* In dynamic-area AF with 9, 25 or 72 points, the number of focus points actually used may be fewer than 9, 25 or 72, depending on the selected primary focus point.

4. Electronic vibration reduction function, effective with hand-held recording, added (for HD and full-HD*1 movie recording)

The new firmware has been equipped with an Electronic VR function that reduces the effects of camera shake with hand-held recording of movies in the FX- or DX-based movie formats (image areas)*2. The effects of camera shake in three directions — vertical (up and down), horizontal (left and right), and rotational (around the center of the lens) — are reduced. This function is effective when recording movies in places or situations in which use of a tripod is prohibited or inconvenient, or when there simply isn't time to set one up. In addition, electronic VR can be used in combination with the optical vibration reduction (VR) built into a NIKKOR lens for more effective reduction of the effects of camera shake.

*1 Not available with 1920 x 1080 crop settings.
*2 The angle of view will be reduced slightly.

The effects of electronic VR are also reflected when photos are captured during movie recording (Live frame grab).
When Electronic VR is enabled, the maximum sensitivity allowed is ISO 102400, even if ISO sensitivity is set to Hi 0.3 or higher.

B&H carries the Nikon D5.

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Posted to:    Category: Nikon Firmware Updates
Post Date: 6/23/2016 5:58:44 AM ET   Posted By: Sean

From Nikon:

Changes from “C” Firmware Version 1.00 to 1.10

  • The camera can now record movies up to 29 minutes and 59 seconds long. Movies are recorded across up to 8 files, each up to 4 GB size, which can be joined together using the ViewNX-Movie Editor option in ViewNX-i version 1.2.0 or later. *
  • An Electronic VR option has been added to the MOVIE SHOOTING MENU. Note that electronic vibration reduction is not available at frame sizes of 3840×2160 or 1920×1080 crop, and that the angle of view is slightly reduced when electronic vibration reduction is in effect. *
  • A Flicker reduction option has been added to the PHOTO SHOOTING MENU. *
  • Dynamic-area AF (9 points) has been added to the AF-area mode options available during viewfinder photography. *
  • The chief changes to viewfinder photography autofocus are:
    • Improved camera response when the button assigned Auto-area AF using Custom Setting f1 (Custom control assignment) > AF-area mode or AF-area mode + AF-ON is pressed to temporarily select auto-area AF.
    • Improved tracking when Wide is selected for Custom Setting a5 (3D-tracking watch area) and 3D-tracking is selected for AF-area mode.

  • The following changes have been made to the shooting display in the web browser when Silent photography is selected in HTTP server mode:
    • An “SL” (“silent”) icon has been added to the release mode button.
    • The “number of shots remaining” display for continuous release modes now shows the time remaining.
    • Exposure compensation can now be adjusted by up to ±3.

  • The file name (extension “.NDF”) is now displayed in HTTP server mode when Image Dust Off data are displayed in a web browser either full frame or in the image viewer.
  • The web browser displays for computers, iPads, and Android OS now identify white balance presets 1 through 6 by number when preset manual white balance is selected in HTTP server mode.
  • If movie recording is started while the camera is focusing in movie live view, the camera will now stop focusing before beginning recording.
  • Fixed the following issues:
    • The camera would sometimes record the date of recording incorrectly during leap years and the like.
    • The Save/load settings option in the SETUP MENU would only load up to 10 of the up to 20 items that could be stored in “My Menu”.
    • The camera would display the encryption key for Direct (access point) connections when searching for wireless networks using Search for wireless network with Direct (access point) selected in the SETUP MENU > Network connection wizard.
    • The device would sometimes be unable to connect to the D5 when Connect and exit wizard was chosen with Direct (access point) selected in the SETUP MENU > Network connection wizard.
    • The OS X edition of the Wireless Transmitter Utility would not function as expected when used to edit or add profiles for a camera connected via USB if Password protection was enabled for wireless or Ethernet LANs in the Network > Network settings menu.
    • The camera would sometimes not correctly display pictures created using the Trim option in the RETOUCH MENU.
    • If playback zoom was activated while the memory card access lamp was lit, the picture would sometimes not display correctly or the camera would zoom in on a point other than the active focus point if:
      • RAW Slot 1 - JPEG Slot 2 was selected for Role played by card in Slot 2 in the PHOTO SHOOTING MENU,
      • On was selected for Image review in the PLAYBACK MENU,
      • Memory cards were inserted in Slots both 1 and 2, and
      • The NEF (RAW) and JPEG images were different sizes

* Details can be found in an updated edition of the camera manual.

Download: Nikon D5 Firmware v1.10

B&H carries the Nikon D5.

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Posted to:    Category: Nikon Firmware Updates
Post Date: 6/23/2016 5:43:49 AM ET   Posted By: Sean
 Wednesday, June 22, 2016

From the DSLR Video Shooter YouTube Channel:

Today I upgrade my camera bags and cases with new zipper pulls. Seems simple, but these new zipper pulls make a big difference.

Here is the paracord I used for this easy project.

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Post Date: 6/22/2016 1:20:07 PM ET   Posted By: Sean

To capture its latest luxery car marketing image, Bently used the same gigapixel image technology that NASA currently uses to compile panoramic images of the Martian landscape to capture a sweeping image of a Mulsanne crossing the Golden Gate Bridge. At its widest (seen above), the bridge appears to the be the main subject of the image.

Looking a little closer, we can see a luxery car at the center of the image.

Bentley Mulsanne Picture Zoomed In1

The image seen on the Bentley's website is comprised of 697 images and allows you to zoom in all the way to the embroidered logo on the sleek leather seats where you can see every individual thread.

Bentley Mulsanne Picture Zoomed In2

Note that I didn't zoom all the way in for the last screenshot shown here. Instead, I opted to keep a bit of the headrest in the shot to provide context for the logo.

Want to know more about how photographer Simon Stock (and his team) captured the image? See the behind-the-scenes information here. If you want the Bentley Mulsanne Extended featured in the image, be ready to shell out a little more than $400,000.00.

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Posted to: Canon News, Sony News   
Post Date: 6/22/2016 12:16:33 PM ET   Posted By: Sean

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory has devloped an algorithm that is designed to determine just how memorable an image is.

From the LaMem website

Progress in estimating visual memorability has been limited by the small scale and lack of variety of benchmark data. Here, we introduce a novel experimental procedure to objectively measure human memory, allowing us to build LaMem, the largest annotated image memorability dataset to date (containing 60,000 images from diverse sources). Using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs), we show that fine-tuned deep features outperform all other features by a large margin, reaching a rank correlation of 0.64, near human consistency (0.68). Analysis of the responses of the high-level CNN layers shows which objects and regions are positively, and negatively, correlated with memorability, allowing us to create memorability maps for each image and provide a concrete method to perform image memorability manipulation. This work demonstrates that one can now robustly estimate the memorability of images from many different classes, positioning memorability and deep memorability features as prime candidates to estimate the utility of information for cognitive systems.
Ready to give it a try? Just click here.

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Posted to: Canon News, Sony News   
Post Date: 6/22/2016 10:59:14 AM ET   Posted By: Sean

One of the keys to getting good wildlife photos around the house is of course having wildlife around the house. With even small yards able to attract wildlife (especially birds), the next key is having a camera with a good wildlife lens mounted and ready for immediate use when the wildlife shows up.
 
The incredible combination of the 1D X Mark II and EF 200-400mm f/4L IS lens has been taking on this duty for me recently. I have had a very high number of black bear sightings this spring (most frequently after the sun sets), and the range of focal lengths this lens has, including up to 560mm with the built-in extender, along with the f/4 aperture has been valuable.
 
On this rainy Wednesday, it was an ovenbird that made my day. This bird is typically found deep in the forest. While they tend to be low to the ground, the light levels there are dismal. On this day, heavy cloud cover provided reasonably bright and very soft lighting at the edge of the forest where this bird happened to be. The wet conditions provided a saturation boost and some tiny water droplets on the bird. The situation was ideal.
 
I quickly grabbed the camera and lens combo, threw the switch to place the extender in the optical path and went into action. I worked into a position that gave me an attractive background with a clear view of the bird, initially a profile. While I captured some ideal profile images, the bird began hopping into different positions and in this one, the tail wind ruffled its feathers. I'm still undecided between which of the two poses I like best, but decided to share this one as it appears more lively.
 
What is in the ovenbird's mouth? Good question. One item is an insect leg, perhaps from a grasshopper. The other is unknown, but perhaps a piece of moss or similar.
 
On this day, having a camera and lens ready to use for wildlife gave me a nice set of photos out of a very brief encounter with circumstances aligning nicely. The entire session only took a few minutes out of my day. Be ready and when opportunities arise, make the effort to go after them.


A larger version of this image is available on Flickr, Google+, Facebook and 500px. If reading from a news feed reader, click through to see the framed image.

 
Camera and Lens Settings
560mm  f/7.1  1/200s
ISO 2500
5472 x 3648px
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Posted to: Canon News, Sony News   Category: Photo Tips and Stories
Post Date: 6/22/2016 10:23:03 AM ET   Posted By: Bryan

Image quality results from the Canon EOS 5Ds R and Canon EOS 7D Mark II have been added to the Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM Lens Review.

With a TDP popularity rank of 63 among Canon EF and EF-S lenses, only 4 places higher than the EF 20mm f/2.8, this lens is not a favorite of many. Make some comparisons at 28mm and see if you think this one deserves better.

This lens, aside from the center of the frame, was not good enough for the EOS-1Ds III and the higher density sensor DSLRs are far less kind to its even relatively wide aperture results. Stopped down, this lens needs a lot of CA correction.

There is no other 28mm lens with an aperture wider than f/2.8 in Canon's lineup. Does this lens deserve to remain a current model?

B&H has the Canon EF 28mm f/1.8 USM Lens in stock.

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Posted to: Canon News   Category: Camera Gear Review News
Post Date: 6/22/2016 7:32:36 AM ET   Posted By: Bryan
 Tuesday, June 21, 2016

From the Federal Aviation Administration:

Regulations will create new opportunities for business and government to use drones

WASHINGTON – Today, the Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration has finalized the first operational rules (PDF) for routine commercial use of small unmanned aircraft systems (UAS or “drones”), opening pathways towards fully integrating UAS into the nation’s airspace. These new regulations work to harness new innovations safely, to spur job growth, advance critical scientific research and save lives.

“We are part of a new era in aviation, and the potential for unmanned aircraft will make it safer and easier to do certain jobs, gather information, and deploy disaster relief,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. “We look forward to working with the aviation community to support innovation, while maintaining our standards as the safest and most complex airspace in the world.”

According to industry estimates, the rule could generate more than $82 billion for the U.S. economy and create more than 100,000 new jobs over the next 10 years.

The new rule, which takes effect in late August, offers safety regulations for unmanned aircraft drones weighing less than 55 pounds that are conducting non-hobbyist operations.

The rule’s provisions are designed to minimize risks to other aircraft and people and property on the ground. The regulations require pilots to keep an unmanned aircraft within visual line of sight. Operations are allowed during daylight and during twilight if the drone has anti-collision lights. The new regulations also address height and speed restrictions and other operational limits, such as prohibiting flights over unprotected people on the ground who aren’t directly participating in the UAS operation.

The FAA is offering a process to waive some restrictions if an operator proves the proposed flight will be conducted safely under a waiver. The FAA will make an online portal available to apply for these waivers in the months ahead.

“With this new rule, we are taking a careful and deliberate approach that balances the need to deploy this new technology with the FAA’s mission to protect public safety,” said FAA Administrator Michael Huerta. “But this is just our first step. We’re already working on additional rules that will expand the range of operations.”

Under the final rule, the person actually flying a drone must be at least 16 years old and have a remote pilot certificate with a small UAS rating, or be directly supervised by someone with such a certificate. To qualify for a remote pilot certificate, an individual must either pass an initial aeronautical knowledge test at an FAA-approved knowledge testing center or have an existing non-student Part 61 pilot certificate. If qualifying under the latter provision, a pilot must have completed a flight review in the previous 24 months and must take a UAS online training course provided by the FAA. The TSA will conduct a security background check of all remote pilot applications prior to issuance of a certificate.

Operators are responsible for ensuring a drone is safe before flying, but the FAA is not requiring small UAS to comply with current agency airworthiness standards or aircraft certification. Instead, the remote pilot will simply have to perform a preflight visual and operational check of the small UAS to ensure that safety-pertinent systems are functioning property. This includes checking the communications link between the control station and the UAS.

Although the new rule does not specifically deal with privacy issues in the use of drones, and the FAA does not regulate how UAS gather data on people or property, the FAA is acting to address privacy considerations in this area. The FAA strongly encourages all UAS pilots to check local and state laws before gathering information through remote sensing technology or photography.

As part of a privacy education campaign, the agency will provide all drone users with recommended privacy guidelines as part of the UAS registration process and through the FAA’s B4UFly mobile app. The FAA also will educate all commercial drone pilots on privacy during their pilot certification process; and will issue new guidance to local and state governments on drone privacy issues. The FAA’s effort builds on the privacy “best practices” (PDF) the National Telecommunications and Information Administration published last month as the result of a year-long outreach initiative with privacy advocates and industry.

Part 107 will not apply to model aircraft. Model aircraft operators must continue to satisfy all the criteria specified in Section 336 of Public Law 112-95 (PDF) (which will now be codified in Part 101), including the stipulation they be operated only for hobby or recreational purposes.

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Posted to: Canon News, Sony News   
Post Date: 6/21/2016 12:00:30 PM ET   Posted By: Sean

IRVINE, Calif. – June 21, 2016 – Western Digital Corporation ("Western Digital") (NASDAQ: WDC), a global storage technology and solutions leader, today introduces the WD Pro Series: My Passport Wireless Pro Wi-Fi mobile storage.

My Passport Wireless Pro

My Passport Wireless Pro Wi-Fi mobile storage lets creative professionals and enthusiasts leave the laptop behind when on a shoot. Using the direct Wi-Fi connection, creators can automatically backup files from compatible cameras, as well as save, edit and transfer work seamlessly from up to eight other devices connected to the drive. Tethered connections are also available for faster transfers and include a built-in SD card reader as well as a USB 2.0 port.

Available in capacities up to 3TB, the My Passport Wireless Pro device also features up to 10 hours of battery life* and a built-in battery pack that can even be used to charge phones and other devices like digital or video cameras.

To ensure creative professionals can continue to work while in the field, My Passport Wireless Pro devices include compatibility with Adobe's Creative Cloud for mobile photo and video editing, as well as compatibility with Plex Media Server, which is capable of playing up to four streams of content while on-the-go.

B&H carries the WD My Passport Wireless Pro External HDs.

Note: The product image originally posted was not correct. The correct product image is now displayed.

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Posted to: Canon News, Sony News   Categories: Western Digital News, WD News
Post Date: 6/21/2016 11:25:58 AM ET   Posted By: Sean

From Canon USA:

New Canon EOS 80D and EOS M3 Video Creator Kits Provides YouTube Enthusiasts with the High Quality Imaging Tools to Elevate their Videos

MELVILLE, N.Y., June 21, 2016 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, will showcase its new Canon EOS 80D and EOS M3 Video Creator Kits during VidCon 2016 at the Anaheim Convention Center, June 23-25. In addition, visitors to the Canon booth #1801 on the main floor of Hall B at VidCon will have access to engaging live speakers and guest appearances by YouTube content creators like Anna Akana as well as touch-and-try areas where they can see for themselves how Canon cameras and lenses can help them create high-quality videos.

New for VidCon 2016 is the Canon EOS 80D and EOS M3 Video Creator Kits which include the following:

  • Canon EOS 80D Video Creator Kit: Includes an EOS 80D DSLR camera & EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens, an external microphone and 32GB SD card. This kit also includes the Canon Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E1 which allows creators to smoothly control their zoom at the push of a button or right from their compatible smartphone by using the Canon Camera Connect app*.
  • Canon EOS M3 Video Creator Kit: Includes an EOS M3 digital camera & EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens, an external microphone and a 32GB SD card.

The new EOS 80D Video Creator Kit is currently scheduled to be available in August 2016 for an estimated retail price of $2,049.00.

The new EOS M3 Video Creator Kit is currently scheduled to be available in late June 2016 for an estimated retail price of $899.99.

The new kits join a family of Video Creator Kits that include the EOS Rebel T6i, Rebel T5i and EOS 70D.

Canon will also host an on-site social media contest that encourages attendees to share their talents (Fashion/Costume, Beauty, Dance, Skit, or Talent Tricks). Participants will have the chance to create their own unique 30-second video using Canon Video Creator Kits. One lucky winner will be selected to create a video with a YouTube star at the Canon Experience Center in Cosa Mesa, CA and win an EOS Rebel T6i Video Creator Kit!YouTube sensation Anna Akana will discuss various topics, such as how she got her start on YouTube, what inspires her, and the challenges she faces during the creative and filmmaking process. Below is the full Canon speaker schedule for VidCon 2016.

Speaker Schedule

TIMETHURSDAY, JUNE 23FRIDAY, JUNE 24SATURDAY, JUNE 25
10:00AM  Wildlife photographer, filmmaker and host of Nat Geo WILD’s first digital serieswild_life Bertie Gregory
11:00AM Up Your Game: The New Canon Video Creator Kits 
12:00PMUp Your Game: The New Canon Video Creator Kits Sawyer Hartman Q&A
1:00PM Wildlife photographer, filmmaker and host of Nat Geo WILD’s first digital serieswild_life with Bertie GregoryChris Peterson, Director of Photography, LAIKA
2:00PMTiffany Ma Q&A Loey Lane Q&A
3:00PM RJ Aguiar Q&A 
4:30PM Anna Akana Q&A 
5:00PMClarissa May Q&A  

For those with a Creator or Industry Badge for the show, Canon will also have a booth on the second floor of the convention center #205L. Creators will be able to touch and try Canon's professional video products, including the new COMPACT-SERVO 18-80mm T4.4 EF, and have their questions answered by Canon product experts.

B&H carries Canon's Video Creator Kits.

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Posted to: Canon News   Category: Canon USA News
Post Date: 6/21/2016 11:11:45 AM ET   Posted By: Sean

I love close, frame-filling wildlife photos, but I also love wildlife photos that show animals in their environment. Getting close enough to fill the frame with an animal is often quite challenging, but I often find environmental images even more challenging to obtain. Another thing I love is a challenge and the environmental wildlife portrait challenge one was one I took on during a recent photo trip to the Big Meadows area of Shenandoah National Park.
 
Be in the Right Location
 
Location selection is a big part of environmental wildlife portraits. Basically, you need to photograph wildlife in an environment that invites the type of photos you desire. I would not describe the scenery of all locations that hold wildlife as especially photo-worthy and the tighter-framed option works better in these less-desirable landscapes.
 
Just as important as a photogenic landscape is that wildlife, or more specifically, wildlife that interests you, is in the location. Location selection resources have never been more readily available. Simply search your favorite image sharing site for the subject that has your interest. Then determine where that image was captured.
 
Timing for Photography
 
With the location selection made, timing the photography in that location can be done. If you want fall-colored leaves, there will be a week or two out of the year that needs to be targeted. If baby animals are on your list, there will be an ideal time, likely in late spring.
 
For the example I share here, I knew that early June was a good time to photograph fawns and I knew that Big Meadows in the heart of Shenandoah National Park was a great place to find them. SNP scenery is very nice, though as with most locations, it can be challenging.
 
See the Image Coming
 
Within the chosen location, wildlife cannot be controlled (unless baiting, calling, etc.), so a photographer must work with the animals wherever they decide to be. Learning wildlife behavior goes a long way to set up the ideal shot, but wildlife is generally unpredictable. While locating wildlife, visualizing ideal shots will keep your mind focused on upcoming opportunities, including those that may present themselves at a later time.
 
The key for this white-tailed deer fawn image, in addition to being in a good location at the right time of the year, was thinking ahead. The deer were moving in a general direction and I knew that the white tree trunks in front of ferns and fronted with tall grasses were coming up on their route. The shorter green grass foreground would be ideal and I surmised that these fawns and their mother may pass through this location.
 
Be Ready with the Right Gear
 
I was partly right. The mother went slightly off-angle, but the fawns cooperated briefly by walking, broadside, in line and both within the plane of sharp focus, right into the scene I visualized. I was ready.
 
Under 10 seconds. That is how much time the fawns spent in my scene. That is both extremely short and very long. I had very few other decent opportunities that lasted longer, but 9 seconds is not much time to capture an image of wildlife in motion even when standing (head and ear angles were constantly changing). This was one of the last frames captured before they turned different directions and leaped off to explore somewhere new.
 
The 1D X Mark II was in manual exposure mode with Auto ISO selected. The light levels were changing rapidly due to clouds and both deer and grass are kind to autoexposure, making Auto ISO a great choice. The adorable fawns were running/leaping/frolicking constantly, so I was using a 1/1600 shutter speed most of time. It is usually better to have more noise due to a high ISO setting than to have a motion-blurred subject. With the fawns slowing down and with their distance being greater than usual (their movement was crossing individual sensor pixels at a slower rate), I quickly rolled the shutter speed down to 1/800. Auto ISO took care of the exposure adjustment, immediately selecting a lower noise level ISO 1000. High speed burst mode with Case 1 AI Servo AF and a single AF point placed on the lead fawn worked ideally.
 
The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II and Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Lens combo performed impressively on the entire trip. While this lens has many benefits (including incredible sharpness), being able to zoom to ideally compose a scene, especially one with multiple animals, is a big one. Though this image does not take in a wide, grand landscape, it includes enough surroundings to qualify for at least my own definition of environmental. At 362mm, this lens could be set to an even much wider angle. However, I didn't feel that additional surroundings were going to be positive additions to the image. I had enough angle of view at the chosen focal length.
 
I'll talk more about the 1D X II's amazing frame rate and why it was so important for this location in another post, but ... I made full use of the 14 fps. Just to clarify, there really are two different fawns in this picture. This particular frame taken from a burst captured both in nearly identical positions. Upon a quick glance, my daughter suggested that I may have clone stamped the second deer into the image. I assure you that was not the case – there really were two fawns there. The slightly different leg positions are the biggest clue.
 
The 1D X II's AF system performed especially well in the tall grasses the fawns were commonly found in and was ready when the fawns started leaping and playing.
 
Note that I used a monopod exclusively for support on this trip. While a tripod provides better support, a monopod is faster to use. With only one leg to retract or extend and with no leg angles to set, I could quickly move into positions and set up, a key to getting many of the images I captured on this trip. A monopod also means less weight to carry around. The wildlife I was shooting required shutter speeds fast enough to avoid motion blur, especially with the support of the monopod.
 
Seize the Opportunity
 
Be ready to take advantage of all wildlife photo ops made available to you. Even if focused on the environmental images, take the tighter-framed images when availed to you. Wildlife photography is extremely challenging and no opportunity should be passed on. Having a mix of subject framing will make a portfolio or gallery appear more complete.


A larger version of this image is available on 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!

 
Camera and Lens Settings
362mm  f/5.6  1/800s
ISO 1000
5472 x 3648px
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Posted to: Canon News, Sony News   Category: Photo Tips and Stories
Post Date: 6/21/2016 9:08:53 AM ET   Posted By: Bryan

From Adobe:

Application Updates

Better collaboration with Libraries
Manage distribution of read-only Creative Cloud Libraries so they can be used by team members, but not changed or deleted.

Updated Libraries panel
Find the assets you need faster with new filtered search of the Adobe Stock and icons that make it easy to identify licensed Stock assets.

Selection and Masking Space
This new dedicated workspace helps you make precise selections and masks more easily than ever. Use tools like Refine Edge Brush to cleanly separate foreground and background elements.

Everyday tasks, accelerated
Photoshop CC opens documents faster and delivers greater responsiveness. Plus, Content-Aware Fill is up to 3X faster with even better results, and the Font menu shows lists of fonts up to 4X faster.

Content-Aware Crop
Photoshop uses Content-Aware technology to intelligently fill in the gaps when you use the Crop tool to rotate an image or expand your canvas beyond the image's original size.

Match Font
Photoshop can now analyze, identify and match Latin fonts from an image or photo, taking the guesswork out of finding the perfect font for your design.

Improved artboards
Now you can duplicate a layer or layer group into other artboards, quickly change artboard backgrounds, and view artboards with transparent backgrounds.

Export enhancements
A new checkbox makes it a snap to embed color profiles in PNG or JPG files.

Adjust facial features
Face-Aware Liquify automatically identifies eyes, noses, mouths, and other facial features and then makes it easy to adjust them. Great for retouching portraits.

Work easier with glyphs
Apply alternate glyphs for specific characters directly from an in-context menu.

3D printing to Microsoft 3MF
Windows 10 users: Preserve all the rich color and texture of your 3D models by printing directly to Microsoft’s open-source 3MF format.

Create patterns with Capture CC
Use Capture CC on your mobile device to turn any image into a pattern. Save it to a Creative Cloud Library, and then use it as a pattern or pattern fill in your Photoshop projects.

Showcase your work with Adobe Portfolio
Now when you use Adobe Portfolio to create a beautiful website to show off your Photoshop images, you can include custom landing and contact pages to better connect with viewers.

Works with Adobe Experience Design CC (Preview)
Copy and paste your Photoshop CC assets directly into Adobe XD, the new all-in-one tool for designing and prototyping user experiences for websites and mobile apps.

And so much more
Also includes: A new preference to use the legacy Healing Brush, improved responsiveness of touch gestures, new options when exporting artboards, and so much more.

To find out more about these updates, check out the Photoshop Features on Adobe.com.

B&H carries the Adobe Photography Plan Subscription Cards*.

* Note: Adobe has officially ended their affiliate program so we request that you purchase your Adobe CC subscriptions from B&H in order to support the site.

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Posted to: Canon News, Sony News   Categories: Adobe News, Adobe Creative Cloud
Post Date: 6/21/2016 8:26:10 AM ET   Posted By: Sean
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