Canon and Sony News for Mar 2015 (Page 4)

I have updated the Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM Lens review with the following:

• Manhattan cityscape sample image added
• Additional focal length angle of view example included
• Replaced the 100% corner crops with a better set of examples
• Distinguished between the two versions of the Samyang 14mm Lens
• More info regarding the Canon 8-15mm fisheye lens

I'm loving this lens. I spent a cold Thursday in New York City with the 11-24, arriving home at 3:00 AM. I had a blast – and had to force myself to occasionally turn the zoom ring beyond 11mm.

Join the fun – get your Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM Lens from B&H (preorder with deliveries expected soon).

From Think Tank Photo:

Sometimes all you need is just enough storage to hold one back-up battery and a CF or SD card. In April, we will release the CF/SD + Battery Wallet, a lightweight, secure, and convenient wallet for carrying a spare memory card and battery. No more fumbling for essentials, it’s all here in this compact package. Its organization makes this a must-have for anyone seeking small accessory management.

KEY STORAGE

• The same place for 1 back–up battery and 1 CF or SD card
• Clear window helps to identify empty vs. full cards
• Hook/loop closures keep your valuables secure
• Attachment loop
• Premium, long lasting materials
• Durable, water-repellant coating

MATERIALS

Exterior: For superior water resistance, all exterior fabric has a durable water-repellant coating, plus the underside of the fabric has a polyurethane coating. It also has 420D diamond rip–stop nylon, 420D high–density nylon, nylon binding, and 3–ply bonded nylon thread.

From the Canon Professional Network:

"Canon Explorer David Noton was the first landscape photographer in the world to get the opportunity to work with the 50.6 Megapixel EOS 5DS DSLR and he promptly jumped on a plane to South Africa to photograph the stunning western Cape region and discover exactly what the camera was capable of. In an exclusive CPN interview and film he reveals his first impressions of working with a camera that combines easy portability and intuitive handling with high-resolution image quality never before seen in a DSLR..."

From Flashpoint:

Flashpoint’s Ring Li-on is a lithium-powered, self-contained ring flash system designed for on- and off-camera photography

New York, NY – March 12, 2015 – Flashpoint, a leading manufacturer of professional photography and video equipment, is now selling the Ring Li-on ring flash, the newest addition to its Flashpoint lithium ion family of on- and off-camera strobes. The Flashpoint Ring Li-on is a 400ws lithium powered, self-contained ring flash system optimized to meet the ever-innovative professional photographer’s vision.

As photography expert Gavin Hoey suggests in his tutorial video on the Adorama Learning Center, photographers can take advantage of numerous unique benefits when using a ring flash, and the Ring Li-on is a groundbreaking spin on the typical model. It produces even illumination and shadow-free light – a necessity for nature and field shooters in macro and close-up situations. Its shape also provides a creative bonus for fashion or portrait shooters who want to add circular catch lights in their subjects’ eyes. A compact, cordless flash system, the Ring Li-on can easily be used with any DSLR or medium format camera equipped with lenses up to 3.5 inches in diameter.

With a crystal clear LCD panel on the rear of the flash, photographers can easily view a number of settings on the Flashpoint Ring Li-on, such as indicators for battery level, LED model/video lamp power, audio confirmations and mode selection (manual, intelligent and standard optical slave, and stroboscopic). Photographers can also view power levels on the large panel, which are adjustable in third stop increments from full (400ws) to 1/128th power (3ws). The Ring Li-on’s sleek body also includes built-in overheat protection guards against setting the repetitive flashes too high, safeguarding against damage to the advanced flash head during shooting. An included diffuser provides even softer effects, and the remote power control Flashpoint Commander allows users to wirelessly change their flash power output on the fly from 150+ feet away for off-camera work.

Thanks to its generous internal interchangeable 11.1-volt lithium ion battery, this model from Flashpoint can deliver approximately 450 full power flashes per charge with a recycle range of .05 to 2.8 seconds. An excellent light source for fashion sequences and specialty lighting requiring edge-to-edge illumination, the Ring Li-on is a spectacular option with a solid guide number of 82 (ft. @ ISO 100) – rare power for portable ring flashes.

In addition to its easy on-camera setup, the Flashpoint Ring Li-on can be mounted to a tripod for simple and sturdy hands-free studio setups. An extremely versatile solution, photographers can use the easily affixed umbrella bracket to add an umbrella for even more lighting options. Plus, the included ¼ x 20” screw mount allows users to add a handle grip for balance when on the move. The Flashpoint Ring Li-On also offers constant LED lighting with three levels of output settings for modeling use or as a constant source for video light at a maximum 440 lux (0.5m). A smart flash, the LED lamps even feature auto shut-off to prevent excessive battery drain.

The rugged, streamlined Flashpoint Ring Li-on lights beautifully in any situation, be it macro detailing, fashion shooting, portrait placement or traditional softbox/umbrella applications, and with its on- and off-camera capabilities, it can be transported anywhere and everywhere for consistent, gorgeous lighting assistance.

Pricing and Availability
The Ring Li-on Ring Flash is now available for just $499.95 USD, exclusively from Adorama.

From the Creative Cloud YouTube Channel:

In honor of the 25th anniversary of Adobe Photoshop, CreativeLive asked 8 Photoshop experts to try their hand at Photoshop 1.0.

Big thanks to Dave Cross, Jared Platt, Ben Willmore, Chris Orwig, Julieanne Kost, Aaron Nace, Tim Grey, Matt Kloskowski, Jason Hoppe! And thank-you Adobe for 25 years of unleashing creativity!

Adobe's Photoshop Photography Program is only $9.99 per month (Photoshop CC + Lightroom).

From Eyefi:

Advanced wireless image transfer features, photo apps and integrated cloud service deliver ultimate convenience for all photographers.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., March 12, 2015 — Eyefi, the global leader in digital photo apps and services, today launched Eyefi Mobi Pro, a new 32GB WiFi SD card — the most powerful WiFi SD card ever. Mobi Pro is the latest in the company's product portfolio and combines advanced wireless transfer features with photo apps and integrated cloud services for photographers who appreciate speed, power and convenience. Eyefi Mobi Pro builds on the success of Eyefi Mobi — the leading WiFi SD card — that combines the quality of a digital camera with the convenience of a smartphone and the power of the cloud.

"Mobi Pro is the foremost product from Eyefi that builds on the state-of-the-art wireless image transfer and syncing we pioneered with Eyefi Mobi and Eyefi Cloud," said Matt DiMaria, CEO of Eyefi. "By adding RAW wireless transfer and workflow features demanded by photography customers around the world as well as powerful, automated photo categorization and search features it is now easier than ever to find, access and enjoy all your photos on any device at any time."

The most advanced WiFi SD card for image transfer
Simple and fast to set up, Mobi Pro provides photographers with unequalled power and flexibility when capturing images.

• Selective transfer. Gives photographers control over which images transfer from their camera to their mobile device or to their computer for editing, sharing and syncing.
• Wireless RAW & JPEG file transfer. Fast, wireless transfer of both RAW and JPEG give photographers the flexibility to work the way they want using the tools they want. Send JPEG images to your mobile device for instant preview, quick editing and sharing with others. Send RAW files directly to desktop for post-processing with tools such as Adobe Lightroom.
• Infrastructure and direct mode network support. Images are securely and automatically transferred whether shooting on location, at home or in a studio. Away from home, Mobi Pro creates its own WiFi hotspot to enable instant transfer. At home, Mobi Pro connects to a local network to transfer images at high speeds.

Integrated apps and services speed workflow
Every Eyefi Mobi and Mobi Pro WiFi SD card includes fully integrated mobile and desktop apps that work from the moment of capture, speed workflow and make it easy to find and access photos anytime, anywhere. With the launch of Mobi Pro, powerful new capabilities have been added to Eyefi Cloud and apps.

• Instant image compare. Advanced photo visualization tools let photographers quickly compare photos and view detailed image data such as shutter speed and aperture settings (EXIF data) to further enjoy their images and improve their skills.
• Pictures in your pocket. Eyefi mobile apps work with Eyefi Cloud to intelligently retain original resolution images while rendering the best image for the viewing device. As a result, photographers can enjoy their entire photo collection on all their devices at any time. With Eyefi photo-uploading, photographers can even add all their computer-stored photos to their collection and enjoy them on any device.
• Intelligent image categorization. Eyefi Cloud uses advanced image analysis to automatically classify images for instant organization, sharing and search by category. In addition to basic date, time and geo locations, images are automatically identified by subject area such as food, indoor, outdoor and dozens of other attributes making it fast and easy to find photos.

Pricing and availability
Mobi Pro is available worldwide through online and specialty retailers. Priced at $99.99 the card comes with 1 full year of membership to Eyefi Cloud with unlimited syncing and storage — a $49.99 value.

B&H carries the Eyefi 32GB Mobi Pro.

Just posted: the Triggertrap Mobile Dongle review.

This little device has been a part of my [Sean's] kit for the better part of a year now. While there are products that offer similar functionality, I don't know of any that are as versatile as the Triggertrap Mobile Dongle at comparable price point.

The Triggertrap Mobile Dongle is small, easy to pack and gives you tons of options for creative imagery. Check out our full review for more information on this fun little device.

The Triggertrap Mobile Dongle is available direct from the Triggertrap website.

From DxO:

These updates provide support for such new cameras as the Nikon D5500, Canon PowerShot SX60 HS, and Olympus PEN E-PL7, as well as new correction tools and an improved user experience.

New camera support, new DxO Optics Modules available
With this update, the Nikon D5500, Canon PowerShot SX60 HS, and Olympus PEN E-PL7 benefit from DxO OpticsPro’s 10’s numerous tailor-made corrections.

The DxO Optics Modules library benefits from the addition of 422 new camera/lens combinations, thus providing support for such lens manufacturers as Canon, Nikon, and Sony. It also provides support for other third-party brand lenses such as Tamron, Tokina, and Sigma for Canon, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, Samsung, and Sony cameras.

List of new DxO Optics Modules

DxO OpticsPro v10.3: Faster access to images, and refined tools
DxO OpticsPro v10.3’s tools have been optimized both to simplify photographers’ workflow and to boost productivity. A new search engine has been added to the Source Browser to help users easily find and load any folder available on the operating system by simply typing its name.

The OS X version also offers a new drag-and-drop feature that allows photographers to directly open a folder by dragging it into the Image Browser, providing quicker access to images. The correction tools have been revisited, now adding greater finesse and ease to DxO OpticsPro. The Horizon slider now makes small rotations easier to perform, and the Dust tool is also easier to use.

Availability
DxO OpticsPro v10.3, DxO FilmPack v5.1.1, and DxO ViewPoint v2.5.3 are immediately available at authorized photo resellers.

B&H carries DxO OpticsPro 10, FilmPack 5 and ViewPoint 2.

Just posted: The full Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM Lens review.

I'm loving this lens. I have a New York City trip planned for the near future and will (hopefully) capture some better grade 11-24 sample pictures to share.

B&H has the Canon EF 11-24mm f/4L USM Lens available for preorder with deliveries expected soon.

Canon USA has posted several small featurettes highlighting its Project Imagination program.

Project Imagination Videos

• Listen to Ron Howard tell about when he first picked up a camera (embedded above)
• Ron Howard talks about the last time he appeared in a commercial
• Ron Howard gives advice to Project Imagin8ion participants
• Canon Project Imagin8ion Case Study 1
• Canon Project Imagin8ion Case Study 2
• Andre Lascaris Project Imaginat10n Film Contest Tips: Episode 1
• Andre Lascaris Project Imaginat10n Film Contest Tips: Episode 2
• Kelly Shipp Winner Video Blog
• Alan Martelly Winner Video Blog
• Chris Wehner Winner Video Blog
• Jen Berry Winner Video Blog
• Lexia Frank Winner Video Blog
• Brooke Shaden Winner Video Blog
• Mikey L'Heureux Winner Video Blog
• Walter Arnold Winner Video Blog
• Canon: "when you find me"

Image quality results from the EOS 7D Mark II have been added to the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM Lens review.

This is one of my favorite lenses (though I most frequently use it on a full frame body).

B&H has the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM Lens in stock with a $100.00 mail-in rebate available.

Canon Asia recently published two new articles on Canon's new ultra-high resolution cameras. [thanks Niklas]

The first article delves into the design of the optical low-pass filter cancellation effect of the 5Ds R, body design differences between the new cameras and the 5D Mark III and the 5Ds / 5Ds R's new Custom Quick Control Screen. The second article covers the crop shooting modes, ambience priority white balance and the fine detail Picture Style.

Canon EOS 5Ds / 5Ds R Articles

• [Part 1] Appearance and New Features
• [Part 2] Enhancements Seen from the Product Specs

If you're like me, you probably have a huge amount of RAW files, JPEGs, and PSDs stored on your hard drive (or multiple hard drives, including backups). The advent of DSLRs able to capture 10 frames-per-second (or more), ever-increasing memory card capacities and the decreasing cost of hard disk drives means that it's more likely than ever that your image library may require multiple terabytes of storage.

When the temperature drops below your comfort threshold, or when weather conditions keep you confined to your home, take some time to go back through your old images. This simple activity can be beneficial in many ways...

One great thing about going through your old images is that you can free up hard drive space by deleting images that no longer meet your quality threshold. As you grow in your photography skill level, your quality cut-off correspondingly increases. Shots that once met your minimum quality level for retention may no longer qualify. While you may want to keep a few as memoirs to remember where you came from, the DELETE key will be easy to hit on many of these images.

You will likely come across some gems when sorting through your old images. More than once I've missed great images when hurriedly reviewing hundreds of shots after a portrait session or event. Going back through your images allows you to analyze each collection with a keen, fresh eye. You will likely find images that you are now better-skilled to post process, allowing you to improve upon an already-good image. This process has the additional benefit of continuing to grow your processing skills.

If nothing else, going through your old images can simply be fun. You will likely come across people that haven't crossed your mind in a long time and places that have long since been forgotten. So while you're going through your images, take a moment to enjoy the flood of memories they bring to the forefront of your mind's eye.

And when you have decided on what to delete, what to reminisce over and ultimately what to save, do yourself a favor – back everything up. Then do it again. If you do not have a backup (or two) of your most important images, they will be lost – it's only a matter of time. External and portable hard drives are great for protecting against drive failures, but cloud storage and off-site backups are optimal for protecting your data from the worst of circumstances (fire, flood, etc.).

Just in case you're curious, the shot above was taken the first week I began working for The-Digital-Picture in September, 2012. The lighting was provided by two gridded strip boxes (slightly behind the subject, used for rim lighting) and a small softbox in front. [Sean]

From the Canon Canon Digital Learning Center:

"Have you ever looked at an image online and thought it to be a still photo, but then suddenly, a little part of it comes to life? Not the whole image, but maybe a smirk of the mouth, a blink of an eye or a wag of a tail while all else remains static? Call them a “Cinemagraph,” a GIF or a picture where something in it moves; these hybrid motion/stills have become ubiquitous. They have an element of the unexpected and further explores how to tell a story in a single frame. And when executed well, they allow the visual story to expand and become infinitely richer and more engaging."

It may not be necessarily photography related, but Amazon has the Roku 3 Streaming Media Player available for $76.99. Compare at $99.99.

Product Highlights

• Faster and more powerful. With up to 1080p HD video* and extended-range, dual-band wireless performance for increased speed
• Amazing remote with headphone jack. Use the included in-ear headphones to crank up that late-night flick while the kids (or parents) sleep
• One-stop search. Find your favorite movies and TV shows all from one place from top TV and Movie services like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video or Hulu Plus.1500+ channels and growing. The best selection of streaming out there.
• Free iOS and Android device app. Use it like a remote. Browse and add new channels. Even stream your music and photos from your phone or tablet to your HDTV

Note: I purchased a Roku 3 in June 2013 and it's been my main source of home entertainment for almost two years now. Some of my favorite Roku channels include Netflix, Amazon Prime Instant Video, Google Play Movies, Sling TV, Pandora and YouTube.