Canon and Sony News for Feb 2014 (Page 7)

From Promote Systems:

Major Firmware Update 3.0 for Promote Control Brings Video Control, Improvements in Time-Lapse and Bulb Ramping Support

HOUSTON, Texas — February 3, 2014 — Promote Systems, designer and manufacturer of electronic accessories for DSLR cameras, announced today a major firmware upgrade for the company’s flagship DSLR remote control, the Promote Control. The Promote Control has long enriched photographers’ creative arsenal with advanced techniques including high-speed HDR bracketing, Focus Stacking, Time-Lapse, high-precision Bulb Ramping with ISO control. Firmware Version 3.0 now adds an exciting video mode, support for Sigma SD1/SD1 Merrill cameras and significant improvements in Time-Lapse and Bulb Ramping modes, making a great device even better.

The new firmware upgrade is available as a free download at http://promote-control.com/support.

OVERVIEW OF KEY NEW FEATURES

Video mode
The Promote Control’s new Video mode allows you to remotely control Canon digital SLR cameras capable of Live View video recording. You can remotely control aperture, ISO, shutter speed and even perform a rack focus while recording.

Repeated Time-Lapse
You can now automatically repeat a Time-Lapse sequence at pre-defined intervals. This highly requested feature is an invaluable addition to the Promote Control’s Time-Lapse mode allowing easy set-up of long-term projects such as capturing the construction of a building or showing the changing season. The Promote Control gives you the flexibility to set intervals as long as several hours or as short as 1/10 of a second, take an unlimited number of frames and create HDR Time Lapses. In addition, for exceptional results, the device can also be paired with most third-party dollies and motion control heads.

FULL LIST OF NEW FEATURES

Video (NEW!)

• Perform a rack focus.
• Remotely start, stop and change exposure (aperture, speed and ISO) both before and while recording.
• Supported cameras: Canon digital SLR cameras capable of Live View and video recording.

HDR

• Automatic switch to Bulb exposure in HDR mode - now with more cameras (Canon 5D Mark II, 7D, 1Dx and more).
• Reverse order for HDR bracketing - take bracketed frames from highlights to shadows (longer to shorter exposures respectively), or vise-versa.
• Optional HDR bracket shifts (e.g. shoot an HDR sequence not around your Mid exposure, but shifted up or down).

Time-Lapse

• Repeated Time-Lapse - automatically repeat a Time-Lapse sequence e.g. every 24 hours, ad infinitum.
• Time-Lapse intervals as short as 1/10 of a second.
• "Time-Lapse exposure setting mode" Setup Setting - elect to set exposure on camera or with Promote Control.

Bulb Ramping

• ND filters can now be specified up to 10EV and with 0.1EV precision.
• Enhanced precision of interval timer.
• Curve shifting - begin the ramping portion sooner or later than originally programmed
• Pause ramping - pictures will continue to be taken, but exposures will remain the same while ramping is paused.
• Intervals can be measured from end of previous exposure to the start of next one. This prevents interval overruns, but may have an effect of your video speeding up or slowing down due to changing the effective interval (when ramping into longer or shorter exposures respectively). Due to this side effect, this interval measuring mode can also be used intentionally for interval ramping.

Other

• "Save/restore camera settings" Setup Setting. If enabled, exposure will be restored to settings from before sequence began.
• Mode switching shortcuts - assign keyboard shortcuts for your favorite Promote Control modes.
• Battery status indicator.
• Nikon/Canon silent / quiet shutter modes are now supported.

SUPPORTED CAMERAS

All modern Nikon and Canon DSLRs, as well as select Sigma and Sony cameras. For a full list, go to http://www.promote-control.com/compatibility.

B&H carries the Promote Control DSLR Remote Controller.

From Sigma:

Sigma Corporation of America to Release Two MTF Charts for Measurement of Lenses

Company releases the data of Geometric and Diffraction MTF charts for Global Vision Lenses

RONKONKOMA, N.Y., — February 3, 2014 – Sigma Corporation of America, a leading researcher, developer, manufacturer and service provider of some of the world's most impressive lines of lenses, cameras and flashes, today announced that the company will now release a Geometrical MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) chart in addition to a Diffraction MTF chart when measuring the performance of all new Global Vision lenses.

MTF charts are important because they help photographers better understand the optical quality of lenses. Sigma has traditionally released Diffraction MTF data because it takes the diffraction quality of light into consideration, which can dramatically affect the data outcome. Diffracted light exists at every aperture, giving photographers a more accurate measurement of how the lens will perform in real life. Although Geometric MTF data is easier to measure and calculate since it does not consider the diffraction quality of light, it tends to show higher values in the graph and less defined results.

“As a family-owned organization, we hold ourselves and the products we design to a very high standard,” said Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. “Our customer’s expect high quality products and by sharing both MTF charts for all our new lenses, we are able to help guide them in making the most informed purchase decisions based on how our lenses will perform in actual photography situations.”

As a leader in technology and innovation, Sigma Corporation is committed to showing the true value and quality standards of all Sigma Global Vision lenses. Every lens is tested with Sigma’s proprietary modulation transfer function (MTF) “A1” measuring system before being shipped from the factory in Japan. By making both MTF charts available, Sigma is providing its customers with accurate measurements of its lenses and giving photographers a chance to see the full potential of Sigma’s lenses.

B&H carries Sigma lenses.

From Canon UK:

United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, 3rd February 2014 – Canon, world-leader in imaging solutions, will be attending The Photography Show 2014 with an aim to excite everybody with a passion for photography. With talks from special guests, access to Canon experts and a vast interactive display of innovative products, Canon is set to bring photography to life (Stand B10).

Hear first-hand and delve into the journeys of seasoned professionals that have been operating in the industry for years. Learn of their experiences and tips with talks from Canon photographers across different areas of the show, including:

• Jeff Ascough, Wedding Photographer & Canon Ambassador, at The Student Conference
• Clive Booth, Fashion Photographer & Canon Explorer, at The Catwalk
• David Noton, Landscape Photographer & Canon Explorer, at The Studio
• Danny Green, Wildlife Photographer & Canon Explorer, at The Studio

Canon is also supporting those looking to take their first big step in photography with hands on experience at Mollie Takes, a brand new workshop from the team at Mollie Makes. This explores a range of shooting techniques and essential skills when it comes to photographing the things you love.

Canon’s team of experts will be on hand to advise how to make to most of your kit to deliver excellence in everything you capture.

Visitors to the Canon stand will be able to experience a broad range of products that meet the modern and evolving needs of photographers. A full DSLR product line up will be showcased alongside an elevated lens bar showing Canon’s wide selection of EF lenses highlighting new standards of performance and reliability. Visitors to the Canon stand can have hands-on experience with the products and see how each lens can give a new perspective.

To complete the plethora of imaging solutions, Canon will be demonstrating how the PIXMA group of printers can take your shots from digital to physical. Take creative control and be the master of your image journey with Canon’s range of PIXMA professional photo printers, the perfect match for exceptional photography.

Susie Donaldson, Consumer Imaging Marketing Director of Canon UK and Ireland, said: “We’re thrilled to be exhibiting the power of image at The Photography Show 2014. By showcasing our offering at an event like this we show how our products can help photographers to consistently deliver the finest results. We’re looking forward to bringing photography to life.”

Birmingham’s NEC is the setting of this inaugural event taking place between Saturday 1st and Tuesday 4th March 2014. Through the highly interactive features, product displays and variety of exhibitions it is set to entertain and engage attendees.

Visit Canon at The Photography Show 2014 from 1st – 4th March at Stand B10.

Well, the flashes did not take their own picture, but they at least self-lit this one. You may recognize the above image from the recently-posted Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT Flash review. I thought you might want to know a little more about the somewhat unusual image.

This shows 6 Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT Flash units lighting themselves. The flashes were triggered from a Canon ST-E3-RT Speedlite Transmitter mounted on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III DSLR with settings of ISO 100, f/11 and 1/200. I used a Sigma 24-105mm f/4.0 DG OS HSM Art Lens set to 57mm.

The six flash units are in their included shoe stands and their heads are angled to -7 degrees (slightly downward). The flashes are sitting on a black back-painted glass desk surface. I am standing on a stool with my feet just under the glass table top and leaning forward until the center AF point was centered in the reflection of the lens. Yes, reflections of me in the glass were an issue. I partly resolved this problem by wrapping a black fleece jacket around my legs.

You would not believe how well this setup lights up dust and other imperfections in the glass. I microfiber-cloth-dusted immediately before and a couple of times during this shoot. But the strong angled light across the black surface still found lots of dust and made it glow. Photoshop's Dust and Scratches noise filter quickly removed most of the dust problem. I used the history brush to restore details that were removed with the dust (including the flash names).

Here is another similar image: Speedlite Art

From RØDE:

The RØDE invisiLav is designed to aid the concealing of the Lavalier and smartLav microphones.

Its soft construction absorbs noise and vibration, while the wide, flat profile provides coverage from the elements and allows for versatile mounting. There's two mounting points in scenarios where a redundant mic is required, and cable management on the side.

Available in either a pack of three or a bulk pack of ten, the invisiLav comes with pre-cut, skinsafe adhesive that can be used to stick the invisiLav to either the body or to fabric. The invisiLav itself is also made from a medical grade skin safe material so it can be mounted on the body without fear of irritation.

B&H carries the RØDE invisaLav.