Canon and Sony News for Aug 2017 (Page 3)

From Think Tank Photo:

With our new Spectral shoulder bags, you can remain inconspicuous while shooting, knowing your valuable cameras and lenses are safer from theft and the elements. A magnetic Fidlock clasp enables quiet, one-handed access to gear — and then locks automatically when closing the flap. An additional zippered closure gives peace of mind while traveling and can be tucked away when actively shooting. Constructed with durable yet stylish materials, the Spectral Shoulder Bag offers Think Tank quality and ingenuity at a reasonable price.

The Spectral 8 fits one standard size DSLR body with a wide or short zoom, a 24–70mm f/2.8 detached, plus one to two small extra lens, and an eight-inch tablet. Or, it fits a Mirrorless kit with three to four lenses, including the 50–140mm. The Spectral 10 fits one standard size DSLR body with 24–70mm attached, a 70–200mm detached, one to three extra lenses, and a 10” tablet. The Spectral 15 fits one standard size DSLR body with 24–70mm attached, a 70–200mm detached, two to four extra lenses, flash, a 10” tablet, and a 15” laptop.

KEY ADDITIONAL FEATURES

• 15” Laptop compartment (Spectral 15 only)
• Tablet pocket (Spectral 8: 8”, Spectral 10 & 15: 10”)
• Phone pocket sized for today’s large phones
• Tripod attachment points and straps
• Highest quality materials (metal hardware, YKK RC Fuse zippers, 420D velocity nylon) and the highest quality construction
• Luggage handle pass-through
• Comfortably padded non-slip shoulder strap for all day comfort
• Customizable divider layout with dividers for stacking short lenses
• Internal pockets to hold batteries, card wallets and other accessories
• Water bottle pocket
• Seam-sealed rain cover included

MATERIALS

Exterior: All fabric exterior treated with durable water resistant coating while fabric underside is coated with polyurethane for superior water resistance. The bag also has YKK® RC Fuse (abrasion resistant) zippers, 420D velocity nylon, double PU coated P600D, heavy-duty nylon tarpaulin, UltraMesh pockets, antique plated metal hardware, Fidlock® mangetic buckle, 350G 3D air mesh, 3-ply bonded nylon thread

Interior: PE board reinforced removable closed cell foam dividers, 200D liner, PU backed nylex liner, 2x PU coated nylon 210T seam-sealed taffeta rain cover, 3-ply bonded nylon thread

PRODUCT SPECIFICATIONS

Spectral 8

• Internal Dimensions: 10.2” W x 7.5” H x 4.9” D (26 x 19 x 12.5 cm)
• Exterior Dimensions: 11” W x 8.3” H x 6.1” D (28 x 21.2 x 15.5 cm)
• Tablet Compartment: 8.3” W x 5.5” H x 0.6” D (21 x 14 x 1.5 cm)
• Weight: 1.7 lbs (0.8 kg)

Spectral 10

• Internal Dimensions: 13” W x 9.1” H x 4.9” D (33 x 23 x 12.5 cm)
• Exterior Dimensions: 13.8” W x 10” H x 6.1” D (35 x 25.5 x 15.5 cm)
• Tablet Compartment: 10.4” W x 7.6” H x 0.6” D (26.5 x 19.2 x 1.5 cm)
• Weight: 2.2 lbs (1.1 kg)

Spectral 15

• Internal Dimensions: 15.3” W x 9.8” H x 5.1” D (39 x 25 x 13 cm)
• Exterior Dimensions: 16.1” W x 12.6” H x 6.3” D (41 x 32 x 16 cm)
• Tablet Compartment: 12.6” W x 7.6” H x 0.8” D (32 x 19.2 x 2 cm)
• Laptop Compartment: 14.1” W x 9.6” H x 1” D (36 x 24.5 x 2.5 cm)
• Weight: 2.5 lbs (1.2 kg)

Think Tank Photo has the Spectral series bags in stock.

With about 1300 miles under his belt (and counting), Bryan has still not arrived home from his eclipse adventure. Thankfully, the distance I traveled to see the total eclipse – as well as the traffic I faced – was significantly less.

With a forecast of partly cloudy with a 15% chance of rain at 2:00pm ET, I decided to brave the slightly concerning weather conditions and head to Santee, SC around 9:30am from Savannah, GA. The trip typically takes about 1 hr 45 min, but... it took significantly longer because of traffic.

Not surprisingly, Santee – with a population of less than a thousand people and relatively close to the "dead center" zone – was a bit stretched as far as resources were concerned, but the crowd of people I joined in the Civic Center parking lot were all amiable and generous with conversation and supplies (several were giving away extra pairs of solar eclipse glasses to anyone that needed them).

Thankfully, the clouds dissapated as the eclipse started and never proved to be an issue. I got to see the total eclise in all its glory, and its something I won't likely forget.

With the longest lens I had topping out at 300mm, I didn't necessarily focus all of my attention photographing the event (especially totality). Instead, I sat and enjoyed the company of other totality-seekers and simply snapped a photo every now and then of the progress of the partial eclipse. As totality began, I removed the solar filter and set my camera – a tripod mounted Canon 7D Mark II – to capture bracketed exposures in burst mode so that I could enjoy the eclipse while the camera took care of the rest. In post processing, I combined a few partial eclipse images with a total eclipse exposure bracket to get what you see above.

So how was your eclipse experience? And what was your favorite image from the event? Did you do anything unique? Share your stories and images in the comments.

From Canon:

New Printer Series Includes Improved Premium Color Ink Systems and Bluetooth® Connectivity for Compatible Mobile Devices

ME LVILLE, N.Y., August 22, 2017 – Packing even more features in a small package, Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, announced today five new PIXMA TS-series Wireless Inkjet All-In-One (AIO) printers. The PIXMA TS9120, TS8120, TS6120, TS5120 and TS3120 Printers deliver a host of new features, while maintaining the sleek, compact body and versatile print, copy and scan functionalities of their predecessors. Each new model is equipped with a high-quality ink system, Bluetooth®2 connectivity for wireless printing and scanning, and the new, interactive Message in Print app3, soon to be available for users of compatible iOS devices in the fall of 2017. These new models are the ideal tools for tech gadget lovers, creative crafters and image makers to print and scan their creations in the most beautiful fashion.

“At Canon U.S.A. we are continuously striving to provide the highest quality and experience for our customers,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “Expanding on our previous PIXMA models, this new series will help make photos and at-home projects even more memorable with an advanced color ink system and the new Message in Print app.”

The new line of printers preserves popular features from the previous series of PIXMA TS All-in-One printers, including but not limited to cloud printing capabilities through a compatible smartphone or tablet device using Canon PIXMA Cloud Link5 and high-resolution scanning and support for a variety of paper sizes and types. The TS9120 and TS8120, like previous flagship models, provide easy-to-use super-sized 5-inch and 4.3-inch LCD touch panel screen to allow users to simply select copy, scan or print, as well as two-way paper feeding and an auto-duplex printing option.

New improvements to the PIXMA TS-series Wireless Inkjet All-in-One printers include:

• Bluetooth connectivity, allowing users of compatible mobile devices to print and scan wirelessly from the new printers with ease using the Canon Print App; improving the overall user experience.
• The Message in Print App for compatible iOS devices, offering a new level of personalization when sharing photos – Simply embed a code onto a customized photo through the app, print and send The app allows embedded messages to appear on the screen of the recipient’s device when holding it over the printed photo received. Messages can range from videos or photos with animation and background music and may include text, dates, location information and URLs. The result combines a physical photo with an enhanced digital component such as music or video and ultimately, makes sharing memories that much more memorable.
• Attractive new colors are available throughout the lineup that will further enhance the room’s interior. The PIXMA TS9120 is available in a sleek gray, gold or red. The PIXMA TS8120 is available in black, white or red. The PIXMA TS6120 and PIXMA TS5120 are available in black or white and the PIXMA TS3120 is \\$79.99 MSRP and available in white.

The TS9120 and TS8120 also feature upgrades such as:

• Six-way premium color system with a new Photo Blue ink to reduce graininess that can be found in bright colored prints from blues to whites, to deliver beautiful, high quality photos.
• Direct print allows users to print photos directly from a compatible SD card or digital camera without a computer.
• Disc label printing allows users to print directly to BD/DVD/CD labels.

The PIXMA TS9120 Wireless Inkjet All-In-One Printer is $199.99 MSRP and the PIXMA TS8120 Wireless Inkjet All-In-One Printer is $179.99 MSRP.The PIXMA TS6120 Wireless Inkjet All-In-One Printer is $149.99 MSRP,the PIXMA TS5120 Wireless Inkjet All-In-One Printer is $99.99 MSRP and the PIXMA TS3120 Wireless Inkjet All-In-One Printer is $79.99 MSRP and available in white.

B&H' carries Canon PIXMA printers.

An additional set of Image quality test results, from both the Canon EOS 5Ds R and the Canon EOS 7D Mark II, have been added to the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens Review.

I was not completely satisfied with the image quality results we obtained from our previous copy of this lens and have been wanting to try another. That re-test has been completed and ... the new lens indeed performs better, though only slightly so. The results from the latest evaluation lens now show as defaults for this lens model (Sample 1).

The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro Lens is in stock at B&H | Amazon | Adorama.

The Canon EOS Rebel SL2 / 200D and Rebel T6 / 1300D represent the brand's budget level DSLR offerings, and while high level features are certainly compromised, thankfully, image quality – at least from an APS-C/crop sensor perspective – is not. To aid in your decision making between the two cameras, let's dive into their differences to see which may be the best fit for your needs.

Let's first take a look at the Rebel SL2's advantages in this comparison.

Advantages of the EOS Rebel SL2 over the EOS Rebel T6:

• More resolution: 24.2 MP vs. 18
• DIGIC 7 processor vs. DIGIC 4+
• Evaluative, partial, center-weighted & spot metering vs. evaluative, center-weighted & partial
• Larger ISO range: 100-25600, H:51200 vs. 100-6400, H: 12800
• Larger viewfinder magnification: 0.87x vs. 0.80x
• Vari-angle touchscreen 7.7 cm (3.0"), approx. 1040k dots vs. non-vari-angle, non-touchscreen 7.5cm (3.0") TFT, approx. 920k dots
• Slightly more powerful pop-up flash: 9.8 GN vs. 9.2
• Fine Detail Picture Style vs. N/A
• Continuous shooting (2-10 shots) after 10-second timer vs. N/A
• Faster burst rate: 5 fps vs. 3
• 1080p 60fps vs. 1080p 30fps
• Better Live View focus: Dual Pixel CMOS AF vs. contrast AF
• Timelapse movie recording vs. N/A
• Wi-Fi, NFC & Bluetooth vs. Wi-Fi & NFC
• 3.5mm microphone terminal vs. N/A
• Better battery life: approx. 650 shots vs. 500
• Smaller and lighter: 4.82 x 3.65 x 2.75" (122.4 x 92.6 x 69.8mm), 15.98 oz (453g) vs. 5.08 x 3.99 x 3.06" (129.0 x 101.3 x 77.6mm), 17.1 oz (485g)

And now let's look at the Rebel T6's advantages.

Advantages of the EOS Rebel T6 over the EOS Rebel SL2:

• Faster pop-up flash recycling time: approx 2 sec. vs. 3
• Lower cost

Another difference between the two cameras is that the Rebel SL2 records video in .MP4 format for normal recording (.MOV for timelapses) while the Rebel T6 records in .MOV format. Either format may be a Pro/Con depending on one's desired recording preference.

Who should opt for the Canon EOS Rebel SL2

With the Rebel SL2's numerous feature benefits over the Rebel T6, anyone whose budget extends to the SL2 and can shoot with the body comfortably (not necessarily everyone can), the choice is easy – get the Rebel SL2.

Who should opt for the Canon EOS Rebel T6

Considering the Rebel SL2's strong list of advantages over the T6, there are still groups of photographers who may be inclined to purchase Rebel T6 over the SL2, including:

• Those whose budget is a primary limiting factor.
• Those with larger hands who will prefer the T6's larger body.
• Those who will be using the camera in risky situations, such as remote setups or a gifting to a youth photographer-in-training.

Summary

Few camera comparisons are as clear-cut as this one. Almost any of the Rebel SL2's benefits listed above could easily justify its higher, but still-very-reasonable price tag over the Rebel T6, with the sum of those benefits providing an excellent overall value for consumers. However, while the Rebel T6's larger body may be appreciated by select photographers, its very low price tag will likely prove to be the ultimate deciding factor for the majority who add it to their kits, or more likely, begin their photography kits with.

More Information

• Canon EOS Rebel SL2 / 200D Review
• Canon EOS Rebel T6 / 1300D Review

See our full list of Camera Gear Comparisons to aid in other purchasing decisions.

From Sigma:

Thank you for purchasing and using our products.

We would like to announce that a firmware update for the SIGMA 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | Art for SIGMA and CANON, as well as a firmware update for the SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11 SA-E and EF-E is now available.

This firmware update corrects the phenomenon that the OS mechanism does not operate properly when attached to the SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11 SA-E / EF-E.

For customers who own the SIGMA USB DOCK, please update the firmware via SIGMA Optimization Pro. For those who own the SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11 SA-E / EF-E, please update the firmware via SIGMA Optimization Pro by connecting it to a computer using the supplied USB Cable.

Before updating the MC-11 firmware, please ensure SIGMA Optimization Pro has been updated to ver. 1.4.1 or later for Windows, and ver. 1.4.0 or later for Macintosh from the following download page.

Applicable Product

• SIGMA 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | Art for SIGMA / CANON

Benefit of this firmware update

• It has corrected the phenomenon that the OS mechanism does not operate properly when attached to the SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11 SA-E / EF-E.

Applicable Product

• SIGMA MOUNT CONVERTER MC-11 SA-E / EF-E

Benefit of this firmware update

• It has become compatible with the SIGMA 24-70mm F2.8 DG OS HSM | Art for SIGMA / CANON (ver. 1.01).

SIGMA Optimization Pro Download page

From the Canon Digital Learnin Center:

By Rudy Winston

Bringing full-frame imagery to event photography — whether you’re a serious photo enthusiast, a budding professional, or even a full-fledged pro wedding shooter — is a great way to raise the quality of your images. And while the original EOS 6D certainly acquitted itself well in terms of its picture quality, the new focus and performance features in the new EOS 6D Mark II make it a very appealing step-up for these fast-paced situations. We’ll look at the Mark II’s new-found features, and see how they might apply to users who shoot events regularly.

Suggested Retailers: B&H | Amazon | Adorama | Canon USA Store | Wex Photographic

From Nikon:

Changes from Firmware Version 1.3 to 1.4

• Improved pairing and connectivity between the camera and Android OS devices running the SnapBridge 360/170 app.

Download: Nikon KeyMission 360 Firmware v.1.4

B&H carries the Nikon KeyMission action cameras.

San Diego, CA - August 15, 2017 — Macphun, the California-based developer known for making complex photo editing software simple and fun, today announced the release of Aurora HDR 2018, the one-stop solution for HDR photography. To sign up for pre-order announcements and more, please visit aurorahdr.com/2018.

Aurora HDR, co-developed with the renowned HDR photographer Trey Ratcliff, made the complex task of HDR editing effortless and unintimidating. Aurora HDR became the industry standard for HDR photo editing on Mac and reached 1.7 million downloads since its launch in November 2015.

In less than 2 years over 100 million photos have been edited in Aurora HDR and 72% of current users have made Aurora HDR their primary HDR photo editor?, switching from other software. Today, Aurora HDR is the go-to editing software for such well-known photographers as Trey Ratcliff, Serge Ramelli, Captain Kimo and many others.

“Since the launch of Aurora HDR, Macphun has released more than 10 updates containing tons of new features and improved performance,” commented Trey Ratcliff. “Today, I'm very excited to announce the launch of Aurora HDR 2018. It's completely new, significantly faster and has even more powerful tools. Plus the BIG news is that it's now available for Microsoft Windows as well. It's truly the best HDR software for both Mac and PCs”, concluded Ratcliff.

Aurora HDR is not just a tool for merging brackets: it brings countless options to create perfect HDR photos - from one-click presets and advanced tone-mapping, to layers, noise reduction and powerful luminosity masking controls.

• Lens Correction Tool - The new Lens Correction filter easily fixes all kinds of lens distortion, from barrel and pincushion to chromatic aberration and vignetting.
• New User Interface - Redesigned from scratch, the modern and responsive user interface brings a powerful, yet joyful experience to HDR photo editing.
• Speed improvements - Up to 4x improvement in RAW image processing, and up to 200% faster merging and masking performance means that Aurora HDR 2018 is dramatically faster than the last version.
• Cross-platform version - Aurora HDR 2018 will be available both for Mac and PC userswith interchangeable files, enabling mixed-computer households to share the same product key

A complete list of new features will be announced concurrent with the pre-order.

Availability
Aurora HDR 2018 will be available for pre-order on September 12, and released on September 28. To sign up for pre-order announcements and more, please visit aurorahdr.com/2018.

Pricing
Mixed-computer households can share the same product key for Mac and PC that can be activated on 5 devices.

• Pre-order
• Current users of Aurora HDR may upgrade at a special pre-order price of $49
• New users can purchase Aurora HDR 2018 at a special preorder price of $89
• A collection of bonuses will also be included with every purchase
• Retail Price
• $59 ?for current Aurora HDR users
• $99 ?for new users

Learn more about Aurora HDR 2018 here.

Just posted: Canon EOS Rebel SL2 / 200D Review.

This is a tiny DSLR camera that is big on features and low on price.

The Canon EOS Rebel SL2 / 200D is in stock at B&H | Amazon | Adorama.

LensRentals has added a few DJI drones to its rental fleet, including the Mavic Pro, Phantom 4 Pro and Inspire 2 Pro. For a primer on renting drones from LensRentals, check out their recent blog post.

The Canon Digital Learning Center has posted what seems to be its final solar eclipse article installments, one entitled "The Big Day" and the other featuring a pocket field guide designed to be a handy reference for the aforementioned "big day."

Latest Solar Eclipse Articles

• The Big Day - Final Thoughts
• Solar Eclipse Pocket Field Guide

For a full list of CDLC solar eclipse articles, see here.

With free expedited shipping at B&H, you can still likely get a new telephoto lens in time to capture the event! And if you can't find a solar filter to fit your lens, you may want to try the DIY approach.

Sigma has discounted their telephoto zooms, but... with many solar filters now out of stock, a telephoto zoom without a solar filter (or some type of solar protection) will do you no good for the upcoming eclipse.

However, all is not lost. Amazon still has some Thousand Oaks Solar Filter Sheets that you can use to fashion your own lens filter.

If you already own a square filter holder, you can sandwich a square piece of film between two piece of stiff cardboard with a holes cut out that match the size of the end of your lens. Otherwise, if you don't own a square filter holder, you can make a cardboard filter holder that slides onto the end of your lens that is held in place by gaffers tape or a rubber band.

If you go the DIY approach, safety first! Be sure to guard against light leaks and ensure that your filter will stay in place throughout the event.

Ronkonkoma, NY – August 10, 2017 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading still photo and cinema lens, camera, flash and accessory manufacturer, today announced its “Total Solar Eclipse” promotion that features instant rebates for the following sought-after Sigma Global Vision telephoto lenses and mount converter: the Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary and Sports lens models, the Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary lens, and the Sigma MC-11 Mount Converter for Sony E-mount camera systems. The new Sigma instant rebate program, which pays homage to the rare total solar eclipse phenomenon taking place on August 21st, 2017, provides photo professionals and enthusiasts outstanding deals on three fantastic Sigma Global Vision telephoto lens models and Sony E-mount converter.

Sigma customers will receive a $200 instant rebate off the purchase of a Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports lens (normally $1,999 USD) and a $100 instant rebate off the purchase of a Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary lens (normally $1,089 USD). Sigma customers will also receive a $50 instant rebate off the purchase of a Sigma 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary lens (normally $799 USD). The promotion features an additional $100 instant rebate off the purchase of a Sigma MC-11 Mount Converter for Sony E-mount, full-frame and APS-C sensor cameras (normally $249 USD) when purchased with either of the 150-600mm F5-6.3 or the 100-400mm F5-6.3 lens models.

The “Total Solar Eclipse” promotion ends on August 21st, 2017. Instant rebates are offered off the manufacturer suggested retail price.

B&H carries the following lenses:

• Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports
• Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary
• Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary
• Sigma Sony E-mount Converter Kits