Canon and Sony News for Apr 2015

From the LensRentals Blog:

"Every once in a while we notice something, because of the large quantities of cameras and lenses we buy, that we think people should be aware of. This particular issue won't affect our renters; we've sent the affected cameras back. It may not affect very many people at all, since this is from a relatively small sample size. But I still think it worth mentioning.

The bottom line is that 4 of the Canon T6s and 2 of the T6i cameras we received had to be sent back because of a defect in the sensor stack (the layers of filter glass over the sensor). This is out about 10 copies of each; the others were absolutely perfect."

We checked our own Canon Rebel T6s review camera and there was no indication of the defect. We have no idea how widespread the issue is, so be sure to check your own Rebel T6s / T6i cameras upon receipt.

What do you get when you combine 45 awesome photographers, 12 different countries, and 12,500 stunning photos? The world’s most glorious, globally crowdsourced timelapse film you have ever seen.

After the wild success of LapseLondon back in December, we just couldn’t stop ourselves from holding another timelapse event. And what better opportunity than Earth Day 2015!?

On April 22nd, the Triggertrap Team along with 45 other photographers across 5 continents set out with the same goal: To capture their view of the corner of the world they call home. Our team were out and about in London and Bristol, but they are only 2 out of 31 different towns and cities you can see in the breathtaking EarthLapse film. From windsurfers in South Africa, to traffic in Atlanta, with a couple of city sunsets thrown in for good measure, you can’t help but be amazed at the brilliance of Planet Earth.

In total, 50 staggering crowdsourced timelapse clips all shot during the same day have been brought together to create three and a half minutes of timelapse goodness like you have never seen before! But enough from us, you’d better take a look yourself…

The Triggertrap Mobile Dongle (review) is available direct from the Triggertrap website.

From LensRentals:

Use the promo code EARLYBIRD10 to get 10% off any rental arriving on Monday or Tuesday.

To take advantage of the offer:

1. Select a Monday or Tuesday arrival date.
2. Enter the code EARLYBIRD10 in the Special Instructions box during checkout.
3. SAVE!

• Not stackable with any other promotions
• Discount applies to the rental fees only, and does not discount shipping charges.
• Discount does not apply to purchases.
• If you want to apply the discount to an existing eligible reservation, simply contact us and we'll apply it for you.

To support this site, click on the appropriate product review and then click the button beside the camera/lens you want to rent.

Breakthrough Photography has introduced their new X3 line of ND filters, claiming that "The X3 ND is the world's sharpest and most color neutral ND filter." For validation of that big claim, they sent me a pair of filters in 6 and 10 stop densities. I have included the 10-stop X3 in many of the comparisons shown in the 10 Stop Neutral Density Filter Review and have added more specific X3 information at the end of that page.

This fact should grab your attention: The X3 is less than half the price of the Singh-Ray Mor-Slo 10-Stop ND Filter. When I get time, I will update the neutral density filter review with the results from the 6-stop filter, but ... this filter performs similarly to the 10-Stop version. Excellently.

Breakthrough Photography X3 ND Filters are coming to B&H very soon and are available now at Adorama (77mm and 82mm only at this time) and Amazon (many sizes available).

From the DJI YouTube Channel:

Starring Joel Edgerton (The Great Gatsby, Zero Dark Thirty) and shot on the DJI Ronin-M in less than 7 hours, this short film focuses on the most important connections we make in life and the lasting power of creativity.

Behind the Scenes (must see)

Note from Sean: I was so intrigued by the DJI Ronin that I almost purchased it on a number of occasions. The overall weight of the stabilizer along with the price tag (even reduced) held me back. However, the DJI Ronin-M is lighter (5 lbs), features sufficient max load capacity (8 lbs) and is significantly less expensive. There's a very good chance this stabilizer will end up as part of my video capture kit.

B&H has the DJI Ronin-M available for preorder.

From CreativeLive:

Geddes offers commentary and invaluable tips during free broadcast

Seattle, WA – April 28, 2015 – On Friday, May 8th from 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. (Pacific Time), in a special Mother’s Day Card photo event, photographers, moms, crafters, and fans can watch Anne as she prepares and photographs an unforgettable image celebrating motherhood. To commemorate Mother’s Day, everyone who registers for the live photo shoot will receive a free, exclusive, Mother’s Day e-card created by Anne for CreativeLive during the photo session.

“I am very excited to be a part of this unique learning event presented by CreativeLive,” said Anne Geddes. “The opportunity for me to share my thought process and techniques with a global audience while celebrating the gift of motherhood is something I am very excited about.”

“CreativeLive is both delighted and honored to have the world’s foremost expert on child and baby photography participate in a one-of-a-kind viewing experience for our audience,” said George Varanakis, CreativeLive’s General Manager of Photography. “This presents an incredible learning opportunity, and accessing a piece of this event in the form of a Mother’s Day e-card created by Anne is about as personal as you can get.”

Throughout the shoot, Anne Geddes will offer candid commentary, explain how she approaches her subjects, and provide invaluable tips that can be applied to your own photography, no matter your level of expertise.

RSVP for the Free Live Class

B&H has the DJI Ronin-M 3-Axis Handheld Gimbal Stabilizer available for preorder.

Product Highlights

• Supports Cameras up to 8 Pounds
• Precision of Control: ±0.02°
• Transmitter for Remote Pan/Tilt Control
• Tool-Less Balance Adjustment System
• Assistant Software for iOS and Windows
• Bluetooth Wireless Interface for Setup
• Silent Mode For Quiet Operation
• USB and PowerTap Power Outputs

Just posted: Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM Lens Review.

This is an ultra-light, long telephoto focal length lens with image quality and AF performance that do not disappoint.

B&H has the Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM Lens available for preorder ("backorder" may now be the more appropriate word).

From Spider Holster:

Following a highly successful crowd funding campaign, the much anticipated SpiderPro Hand Strap is now available to the public

Ithaca, NY – April 28, 2015 – Spider Camera Holster, makers of unique, ergonomic camera-carrying solutions for photographers, today announced the availability of their newest and most anticipated product, the SpiderPro Hand Strap. Following the success of their Tilt crowd funding campaign, which raised over 180 percent of their monetary goal, the SpiderPro Hand Strap can be purchased at select retail stores.

Contrary to typical hand straps that lack in function and ergonomics, the SpiderPro Hand Strap’s meticulous design and proprietary materials mark a paradigm shift in how a professional hand strap should look, feel and function. As the world’s first truly universal hand strap, the SpiderPro Hand Strap’s thin and extremely durable materials slide in between the camera body and tripod plate, making it adaptable to any camera system.

“When developing new Spider Holster products, we always have professional photographer’s real-world challenges in mind. We’re confident that the SpiderPro Hand Strap will provide the comfort and support that shooters of any skill level desire, while also changing the way they think of a camera hand strap,” said Shai Eynav, founder and president of Spider Holster. “We’re incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received so far for the SpiderPro Hand Strap’s production, and we are excited to finally be able to offer it to all photographers around the world.”

Photographers constantly battle with hand straps that have flimsy webbing connections, require proprietary plates, use cheap plastic connectors, or employ a “straight line” design that fails to provide real weight support. The SpiderPro Hand Strap combats this issue by providing superior weight support at the proper location on the photographer’s hand: over and away from the knuckles, and closer to the wrist. The unique “S” shape positions the photographer’s hand at the optimal shooting position (45 degrees) while allowing clear access to the battery door and memory card slot. Also, the SpiderPro Hand Strap’s proprietary materials curve and “remember” the shape of the photographer’s hand for long-lasting comfort and reliability.

“Since I’ve started using the SpiderPro Camera System, Spider Holster products have become some of my most trusted tools for every shoot,” said Dan Salvo, Spider Holster ambassador, instructor and owner of Dazzle Photography. “The SpiderPro Hand Strap is perfect for providing a more secure and comfortable grip between you and your camera. I’ve found that the longer I’ve been holding my camera, the more I’ve come to rely on the support that this strap provides.”

Price and Availability
The standard black leather SpiderPro Hand Strap will carry an MSRP of $65.00. Color Hand Straps will be available in retail by summer of 2015. The SpiderPro hand strap can be purchased directly through the company website and at Spider Holster authorized dealers. For more information and a full list of products, visit spiderholster.com.

B&H has the SpiderPro Hand Strap available for preorder.

by Sean Setters

I'm always on the lookout for picturesque locations that can be utilized for future portrait sessions. While traveling to photograph a nearby waterfall a couple of weeks ago, a stark tree set upon the crest of a hill with dark, brooding skies caught my eye. I immediately imagined a portrait where the subject and the tree were equally prominent, yet balanced, within the composition. The kind of shot I imagined was a departure from my normal style. I typically like closer up, tighter cropped images that feature my subject against a strongly blurred, yet still beautiful backdrop. That's the kind of picture I'm most comfortable producing. But I needed to break out of my comfort zone, and my imagination was leading the way.

The location looked well suited for a portrait session because there was no fence between the the field and the road and there was a small parking area (enough for a couple of cars) nearby. I filed away the location in the back of my mind with the intent of using it whenever the opportunity came up.

That opportunity arrived in the form of a text message less than week later. Samantha, someone I've worked with on a couple of occasions, was in town and wanting a shot to bolster her portfolio. I told her I had the perfect place in mind but didn't yet have permission to use the land for a photoshoot. I told her we'd need to get permission before shooting but I didn't think that would be a problem. Trusting my judgement (and relatively vague description of the location), she readily agreed.

We met up at a gas station about 4 miles from the location and caravanned to the parking spot along the road. When we arrived at the location, I quickly assessed the situation. On the plus side, the afternoon skies had gone from party cloudy early in the afternoon to mostly cloudy later in the day. This coincidence meant that the shot I had in my head – with dark, brooding skies – could potentially be realized. One downside, though, was that the tree which had been completely bare the week before now showed signs of life in the form of small growths of leaves forming at the end of the branches. Thankfully the growth wasn't substantial enough to completely hide the beautiful shape of the tree outlined by its branches.

After parking I walked to a nearby house and acquired permission to use the land. As it turns out, the land is rented out seasonally to a farmer who grows various crops on it. However, as the crops had not yet been planted this year, there was no reason to be concerned about us shooting in the field. With permission obtained, the shoot was underway.

I set up a Vagabond II powered White Lightning x3200 monolight mounted with a Mola Demi beauty dish (with stacked PAD and Opal diffusers) as the main light. I chose the beauty dish because there was a decent amount of wind and I knew that any large modifier (softbox, octabox, umbrella, etc.) would quickly become a wind sail. I've had more than a fair share of light stands blow over in the wind (even when I thought they were adequately sandbagged). I knew the position of the beauty dish, being relatively far away from the subject, meant that the typical beauty dish look would be lost on the scene. However, I thought that the warmth and diffusion of the dish would look better than a standard silver reflector or silver beauty dish (both of which I had brought along with me). I initially only set up the monolight but later decided that I needed some fill light. Therefore I set up a Canon 580EX Speedlite, bare, on the right side (just out of the frame) zoomed to 85mm. The speedlite made a huge impact in allowing details to be visible in the shadows.

Contrary to my typical style, I chose a relatively narrow aperture so that the background did not become blurred into oblivion. The f/7.1 aperture combined with a low ISO allowed me to underexpose the scene to make it look as if it were captured at a much later time (this image was taken at 5:25pm CDT with sunset occurring at 7:21pm). I chose to use the EOS 5D Mark III paired with the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art because it's an extremely sharp lens and the focal length seemed optimal for obtaining the perspective I wanted.

Below is a setup picture taken just after we ended shooting. I didn't change camera settings for the setup image but lifted the shadows substantially in Photoshop Camera Raw so that the equipment would be easily identifiable.

I had every intention of removing the power lines in post-processing while the shoot was underway. However, after removing the power lines in post, I felt like the two subjects were too isolated from one another. The picture had lost something.

I flipped back and forth between the two versions (with and without power lines) and came to the conclusion that the power lines helped draw my eye into the image. They also connected the primary subjects (the girl and the tree) in a subconscious way. Even though I typically despise power lines in landscape and portrait images, this (I felt) was an exception to the rule. Therefore, the power lines stayed.

Conclusion

We, as photographers, are very fortunate in that we see a world with endless possibilities and beauty. I'm sure I'm not alone in always keeping an eye out for a fresh location in which to shoot. Unfortunately, it's really easy to get stuck in a rut shooting the same types of images – in the same sort of style – over and over. So when your imagination leads you on a creative tangent that leads out of your comfort zone, take advantage of the inspiration and press onward. You may surprise yourself when you try something completely different than what you're used to, and you may find yourself questioning how you ever got in a rut to begin with.

Note: You can see a larger version of the image by clicking on the image at the top of this post.

Image quality results have been added to the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens review page.

The first copy of this lens to go through the lab showed a rather strong misalignment issue (Sigma replaced that lens for the owner – great service). As the 150-600 Sports lens model remains unavailable, we have Sigma USA to thank for the loan of this second lens. This new lens also shows some side-to-side variances, but the differences are less-significant than the first model. The left side of the lens is not as sharp as the right in the widest focal length tests and, noticeable in the results presented here, is that the right side is softer at 300mm.

Overall, this lens is a very good performer. I spent lots of time behind it this past weekend, capturing over 2,000 images at the sporting events I covered. I look forward to sharing that experience. In the meantime, here are some comparisons:

Sigma 150-600 Sports vs. Sigma 150-500 OS (be sure to compare the long focal lengths)
Sigma 150-600 Sports vs. Tamron 150-600 VC Lens
Sigma 150-600 Sports vs. Canon 100-400mm L IS II Lens

Demand is still outstripping supply of this lens right. If you want a 150-600 Sports lens in your kit, the best option is to get in line at B&H.

Canon has released its financial results for the first quarter of 2015. We suggest checking out the easy-to-understand, graphically-enhanced Presentation Material.

• Presentation Material for 1Q 2015 (PDF)
• Results for 1Q 2015 (PDF)

Relevant Article:
Canon Q1 profit drops as compact camera demand collapses (Reuters)

From CreativeLive:

Retouch faster and stay organized.

Adobe Lightroom is the industry standard for post-production workflow and in The Ultimate Lightroom CC Workflow, you’ll learn Jared Platt’s gold standard for retouching and managing files quickly and efficiently.

In The Ultimate Lightroom CC Workflow, Jared will show you how to radically cut your workflow time while improving the quality of your product and the organization of your digital world. Jared will teach you how to:

• Protect your images with simple backup strategies
• Manage your files to enable seamless and immediate recall
• Get your computer and software to run faster
• Efficiently cull and retouch photographs
• Create impressive photobooks and slideshows
• Take advantage of video editing tools
• Improve your SEO using Lightroom features
• Deliver and share your images directly from Lightroom

Jared will share tips on improving every phase of your workflow – from shooting to archiving. You’ll learn how to take advantage of the latest Lightroom tools and features and become faster and more skilled at adjusting your images.

Whether you are new to Lightroom or simply ready to improve your process, The Ultimate Lightroom CC Workflow will help you organize your images in Lightroom so you have more time to focus on the other important aspects of your business.

Date: Apr 28-30
Time:9:00am - 4:00pm PDT / 12:00pm - 7:00pm ET

RSVP for the Free Live Class

Adobe's Creative Cloud Photography Plan (USD$9.99 per month) includes Lightroom CC across desktop, web and mobile, Photoshop CC and Photoshop Mix (for iPhone and iPad). Lightroom 6 (stand-alone) is available at B&H.

If you're an American Photo subscriber like me, you'll likely be getting this notice very soon (if you haven't already):

"Dear Reader,

I am sorry to inform you that American Photo magazine has discontinued publication effective with the March/April 2015 issue. The good news is that in its place, you will receive Popular Photography magazine – two copies for every issue owed to you on your American Photo subscription.

Popular Photography delivers great tools, techniques and creative ideas for photographers at every level.

I welcome you as a reader and hope you enjoy all of the exciting issues planned for the coming year.

Sincerely,

Miriam Leuchter
Editor-in-Chief
Popular Photography"

From Photoshelter:

We get it: Search Engine Optimization can seem complicated, and you probably want to throw in the towel on the whole thing if you’ve tried time and again to start showing up on the first page of Google search results. Fortunately, for those who feel a little lost we’ve broken down easy tips and tricks you can do to build your SEO in our recent guide, SEO for Photographers, and we’re hosting a live Google Hangout with tips from it next week, April 29th at 2pm ET. In this live Google Hangout, Allen Murabayashi will be showing examples of photographer websites with good SEO practice, the inner workings of Google Analytics, how to create a free Google Business listing and more.

In this hour Allen will cover:

• How to make sure your site appears properly in Search Engine Result Pages
• The importance of mobile friendly sites
• How/where you can “link to yourself” to boost your SEO
• Creating a keyword list
• How to perform backlink analysis
• How PhotoShelter can boost your SEO

Join us to get ahead in the SEO game, Thursday 4/29, 2pm ET. Register below to receive an email with the link to the Google Hangout.

Photoshelter's Boost your SEO: 8 Tips To Get You Started Webinar

Image quality results from the EOS 7D Mark II have been added to the Zeiss 15mm f/2.8 Distagon T* ZE Lens review.

Great lens, though I doubt it will become highly popular on the APS-C format.

B&H has the Zeiss 15mm f/2.8 Distagon T* ZE Lens in stock.

From LensProToGo:

Now through April 30, 2015, take $20 off rental orders of $150 or more . To take advantage of this discount, use code 20OFF150 in your cart!

Not spending $150? No worries! Use code 10OFFAPRIL to take 10% off your order total.

As a reminder, we are officially in our ‘busy season’. With many wedding photographers and filmmakers renting gear for their weekend shoots, we recommend placing your orders at least a week in advance to assure you will be getting the gear you would like. We cannot guarantee gear, especially orders that come in and are due to ship the same day. As always, we do our absolute best to get you the exact gear you request, however when we are not able to, we will also assist you in recommending other products that are available.

Discounts above cannot be combined with any other offer. Rentals must be placed between 4.23.15 and 4.30.15 and must be delivered by 4.30.15. Valid only on rentals.

From Adobe:

Camera Raw 9.0 is now available as a final release through the update mechanism in Photoshop CS6 and Photoshop CC.

As mentioned here, updates to Camera Raw for Photoshop CS6 only include new camera support, lens profile support, and bug fixes. The new features listed in the release notes are only available in Photoshop CC.

New Features

Merge to HDR and Panorama

Combine your photos to produce panoramas and HDR images in ACR. The merged result is a DNG file and is saved to disk alongside the input images. If you are merging raw files, then the merge is performed using raw image data and the resulting DNG is just as much a raw file as the originals (and retains all the editing flexibility that comes with shooting raw). Because of this, you no longer need to edit your photos before merging. To see the new Merge feature in action, check out these videos: Merge to Pano | Merge to HDR

Usage Instructions:

1. To merge files in ACR, select the photos that you want to merge then press the “Merge…” button at the top of the filmstrip. Select “Panorama” or “HDR” from the pop-up menu.
2. After a preview of the merge is generated, select desired options in the merge preview dialog and click the “Merge” button to start a full-size merge.
3. The full-size merge is performed in the background so you can continue to edit other photos or start other merges while you wait. To view status, or cancel a merge, press the link in the lower left area of the main ACR window (it will say “1 remaining” if you’ve started a merge).
4. Once the full-size merge is complete, the resulting DNG file will be added to the bottom of the filmstrip and be available for further editing.
5. HDR deghosting has three amounts: low, medium, and high. In order to make it easier to select the best option for a given image, a visualization option is also available

1. Color artifacts in deep shadow areas of some HDR merges with deghosting and HDR panorama merges.
2. If the merged pano result is larger than ACR’s largest supported image size then you will get an error. In future builds we plan on adding an option to scale the result so that it’s within ACR size limits.

Camera Raw can now use the Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) to speed up interactive image editing. The GPU is particularly helpful when using high-resolution screens, such as 4K and 5K displays.

Minimum system requirements:

• 64-bit only
• Mac OS 10.9 and higher or Windows 7 and higher

Usage Instructions:

• Ensure then GPU support is enabled by visiting the Camera Raw Preferences dialog and check the “Use Graphics Processor” box at the bottom.
• When this box is checked, Camera Raw will automatically determine whether the system’s GPU (if any) can be used to accelerate image drawing. If yes, Camera Raw will display the name of your graphics card below the checkbox. Otherwise, Camera Raw will display an error message.
• Note that the GPU options in Photoshop’s Preferences and Bridge’s Preferences have no effect on Camera Raw.
• Camera Raw’s GPU implementation is used only to accelerate the drawing of the main preview image within the Camera Raw dialog. It is not used for other tasks, such as saving images to disk, or opening images into Photoshop.
• Scrubby Zoom: Camera Raw offers a “Scrubby Zoom” option in GPU mode. With the Zoom tool selected, click on the Zoom menu (bottom-left of the image preview). Select “Scrubby Zoom” from the bottom of the menu to toggle scrubby zoom behavior on/off. When enabled, click-dragging on an image with the zoom tool will zoom smoothly in and out.

New Camera Support in Camera Raw 9

• Canon EOS 5DS
• Canon EOS 5DS R
• Canon EOS 750D (Rebel T6i, Kiss X8i)
• Canon EOS 760D (Rebel T6s, Kiss 8000D)
• Canon EOS M3
• Casio EX-ZR3500
• Fujifilm X-A2
• Fujifilm XQ2
• Hasselblad Stellar II
• Nikon D5500
• Nikon D7200
• Olympus OM-D E-M5 II
• Olympus Stylus SH-2
• Olympus Tough TG-4
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-GF7
• Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS50 (DMC-TZ70, DMC-TZ71)
• Samsung NX500

New Lens Profiles in Camera Raw 9

Download Links
Camera Raw 9 – Please use the update mechanism in Photoshop CS6
DNG Converter 9: Macintosh | Windows

Please note – If you have trouble updating to the latest ACR update via the Creative Cloud application, please refer to the following plugin installation:
http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/multi/camera-raw-plug-in-installer.html

Adobe's Creative Cloud Photography Plan (USD$9.99 per month) includes Lightroom CC across desktop, web and mobile, Photoshop CC and Photoshop Mix (for iPhone and iPad).

LONDON, 23 APRIL 2015 – Canon Europe today announces that it is acquiring London-based digital start-up Lifecake, marking a major step in the development of Canon’s digital consumer services business. This brings Canon closer to its ambition to play a part in every image taken no matter what device is being used, and enables the business to establish a presence within London’s ‘Tech City’.

Lifecake is the company behind the Lifecake photo-sharing app for families, which allows parents to store, organise, share and relive key moments of their children’s lives. With Lifecake, parents can create photo and video timelines that the whole family can experience on smartphones, tablets, computers and in printed photobooks.

Alberto Spinelli, Director of Digital Services at Canon Europe, says: “Today, we are all taking more photos on more devices than ever before but often become overwhelmed and even disconnected from them. We would all like to be able to quickly find our photo as we remember a moment – at the swipe of a finger – and relive it on any screen, or print it to hold. At Canon, we are building digital services to help people do just that with tailored experiences.

“Lifecake is an extremely exciting addition to the Canon Group providing a digital service that makes it easy for families to take control of their ever-increasing number of photos. This acquisition fits perfectly with our vision to give everyone taking photos the tools to bring their stories and experiences to life – and engage with them whenever and wherever they choose.”

CEO and co-founder of Lifecake, Nicholas Babaian comments: “With the reach and technology of Canon, we’ll strap booster rockets onto our service. At the same time, our team will accelerate the growth of Canon’s digital services ecosystem. But we’re most delighted that our existing and potential customers will know their precious memories are safe with one of the most trusted brands in photography – a company that’s helped families capture and relive moments for nearly 80 years and will continue to do so for generations to come.”

Lifecake is currently available in English language worldwide. Today sees the launch of additional language versions in French, German, Spanish and Italian.

If you're wanting a more in-depth look at Adobe's newest version of Lightroom, look no further than the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom YouTube Channel where they added more than 50 videos since yesterday (and that's in addition to the 4 videos I posted about yesterday)..

B&H has the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 6 DVD available for preorder. However, you can purchase the download version for even faster delivery.

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

From Nikon:

A convenient tool that offers various information on interchangeable lenses and accessories for Nikon cameras

TOKYO - Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce that it has developed and released the "NIKKOR & ACC" app (exclusively for iPad) that introduces NIKKOR lenses for cameras with interchangeable lenses and a variety of accessories. The "NIKKOR & ACC" app can be downloaded free of charge from Apple's App Store. In addition, a short movie has also been released for introduction of the contents of the app.

NIKKOR & ACC

Installing the "NIKKOR & ACC" app makes it possible to download the contents of "Digital Catalog". "Digital Catalog" that includes the entire lineup of NIKKOR lenses is a convenient app that allows users to search for lenses based on lens type, technology used, specifications and sample images. Quick confirmation of lens information helps users who are considering the purchase of new lenses to find those most desired or most appropriate for their purposes.

The "Digital Catalog" menu offers 5 items, specifications, lens categories, focal length, f-number, and a variety of sample images shorted by shooting scenes. By using these items, users can compare various lenses to find the one most desired. "Contents Maps" that allows users to directly select desired contents of "Digital Catalog" is also available. Added to this are the "NIKKOR Lens Technology" movie that introduces Nikon's representative lens technologies and the "The Optical Masterpiece" movie that demonstrates the high-quality and reliability of sophisticated NIKKOR lenses.

In addition to various information such as lens characteristics, primary specifications, illustration of lens construction, MTF curves, sample images, accessories as well as external design included in the introduction of each lens, focal length and angle of view of the lens are illustrated with sample images for easier understanding. The information necessary to select lenses is richly provided so that information on any NIKKOR lens is readily available to users.

Information on lens basics, NIKKOR lens technology, Speedlights, etc. will be added to the contents of "Digital Catalog" in the future to make this app more informative. In addition to the "NIKKOR & ACC" app, Nikon plans to create more apps for Nikon imaging products such as an app for Nikon digital SLR cameras.

Download
NIKKOR & ACC App for iOS

Image quality results from the EOS 7D Mark II have been added to the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x Lens review.

As with the 1Ds III test results for this lens, the "Sample 1" lens shows results without the internal 1.4x extender in the optical path (except for the first set of 560mm results). The "Sample 2" results show the built-in 1.4x extender included in the optical path for all images.

Even with the high-density 7D II sensor behind it, the 200-400 L performs very impressively.

While this is still not an inexpensive lens, the recent $800 price drop definitely makes it more affordable. B&H has the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS Lens in stock.

Save an additional $1,700 on the 200-400 L

B&H a used 200-400mm f/4L IS Lens in "9" condition in stock. Buying used always involves some risk, but buying used from B&H with a "90-Day B&H Used Warranty" dramatically reduces that risk.

Browse the B&H Used Department to find other deals.

From Canon USA:

Real 4K technology goes far beyond the label. Canon 4K optics are born from decades of research and design, creating brilliant, vivid, rich images. And it all begins with the lens.

Note: The factors outlined in this video – resolving power, contrast ratio, lateral chromatic aberration & modulation transfer function – are applicable to all lenses, not just 4K ones. On a side note, isn't it kind of ironic that a movie explaining the aspects of 4K lenses is only available in 720p?

B&H carries Canon lenses.

From Canon USA:

MELVILLE, N.Y., April 22, 2015 – Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging, announced today that Kat Candler, a decorated filmmaker best known for “Hellion” and “Black Metal”, has signed on to Canon’s Project Imagination: The Trailer, a consumer contest helmed by Ron Howard. Howard and actor Josh Hutcherson (“The Hunger Games”) will choose one winning trailer to inspire a Hollywood short film starring Hutcherson and written and directed by Candler. Ron Howard and Josh Hutcherson hand selected Candler for the project who’s film “Hellion” was in the 2014 U.S. Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival and went on to receive Honorable Mention for the Gamechanger Award at the 2014 SXSW Film Festival.

“I’m so excited to work with Kat Candler and after watching ‘Hellion’, it was clear that she is extremely intuitive and can bring thought-provoking work to the screen,” said Josh Hutcherson. “The best part about the project is that I have no idea how the script will unfold with Kat or what type of part I’ll play — it’s totally up for interpretation!”

“Kat’s films are cinematic and she has a very real approach to capturing life experiences in a way that viewers can relate to,” said Ron Howard. “With everyday moments at the crux of this creative experiment, Kat’s technique and skill will lend themselves in the most authentic ways possible.”

“It is an honor to work with Canon, Ron Howard and Josh Hutcherson on this project,” said Kat Candler. “I’m a firm believer that there are many great stories living within each of us and the Project Imagination platform is the perfect opportunity to share and inspire others.”

Project Imagination: The Trailer contest launched in February 2015 and is open for submissions through April 29th. Based on the concept that anything in life can be a movie, and every movie starts with a trailer, even those who have never picked up a camera before can easily turn everyday photo and video footage into a creative movie trailer, with titles, Hollywood style voice-overs and epic soundtracks. Consumers of all skill levels can create and submit trailers of their everyday moments using Canon’s Trailer Editor tool at imagination.usa.canon.com.

For the third iteration of Project Imagination, Francesca Silvestri and Kevin Chinoy of Freestyle Picture Company are once again producing the film, this time with Josh Hutcherson.