Canon and Sony News for May 2015

For a limited time, B&H has the Hoya 58mm NDx400 9-Stop HMC Filter available for $24.95 with free shipping. Regularly $44.95.

Image quality results have been added to the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens review page.

We know that this lens has the same optics as the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Lens. Here is the Canon 50mm f/1.8 STM compared to the 50mm f/1.8 II.

Look at this lens' image quality at f/4 and then look at the price tag. Very nice.

B&H has the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens in stock.

From X-rite:

Webinar – Adobe Lightroom Tricks & Tips
Date – June 9th 2015, 15:30 GMT
Guest Speaker: Richard Curtis – Adobe Principle Solutions Consultant

The Session will walkthrough features of Lightroom from version 4 to CC and focus on key points in the workflow that can make a huge difference to your photographs. Of course the Creative Cloud Photography plan is much more than the desktop apps, so we will be looking at integrating Lightroom mobile and Adobe slate into the image making process.

Richard Curtis is a Principal Solutions Consultant at Adobe and is focused on the Digital Imaging Solutions in the UK (Lightroom and Photoshop). Richard is also a Photographer with an interest in street, travel and landscape photography, and has been making images for over 20 years.

Richard will also be joined by Andrzej Szkorupinski from X-Rite Photo Europe, who will be discussing colour workflow with the ColorChecker Passport.

Register Now

From Nikon:

What’s New with Version 1.27.0

• The codec now supports NEF (RAW) photos shot with the D810A and Nikon 1 J5.
• Fixed issue in which NEF (RAW) images could no longer be displayed after file info had been edited in the “Details” tab of the Explorer “Properties” window.

Download: Nikon NEF Codec Version 1.27.0

From the Lomography Lomography Petzval 58 Bokeh Control Art Lens Kickstarter Campaign:

Swirl to Freedom with the World’s First Petzval Bokeh Control Lens

Bokeh Like a Boss
Using the Bokeh Control Ring on the New Petzval 58, you’re totally free to determine the strength of the swirly bokeh in your photos. You can now get the characteristic swirly bokeh effect in ways it has NEVER been possible before. This revolutionary component is the first of its kind on a Petzval lens!

58mm Focal Length and Maximum f/1.9 Aperture
The New Petzval 58 Bokeh Control Art Lens has a maximum aperture of f/1.9 and is a 58mm lens, which is a fantastic all-round focal length for portraits, landscapes and photos of your cat doing jumping jacks. We promise you will love shooting every scene with your New Petzval 58 in hand.

Premium Russian Glass Optics in a Beautiful Brass Body
The New Petzval 58 Bokeh Control Art Lens features the finest quality Russian glass optics. Available in a brass or black finish, it’s designed to perfectly mirror the look of original 19th century Petzval lenses.

Look Back to the Future
Joseph Petzval invented his revolutionary Petzval optic in 1840 — a hugely popular portrait lens that changed the world of photography. Now, 175 years later and building on our success with the Lomography New Petzval 85mm Lens in 2013, the New Petzval 58 Bokeh Control Lens is here to join the growing Lomography Art Lens Family. The lens has been specially developed to work with modern analogue and digital cameras and is available in Canon EF and Nikon F mounts (it’s also compatible with multitudes of other cameras such as the Sony A7, Fuji X-Pro 1 and Micro 4/3 Cameras using adapter mounts).

For more info, check out the Lomography Petzval 58 Bokeh Control Art Lens Kickstarter Campaign.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

"This year marks the 10th anniversary of the EOS 5D DSLR series cameras and to celebrate the occasion, we've rounded up some helpful tips, tricks and tutorials related to this impressive series that can help you take your imagemaking skills to the next level"

EOS 5D Mark II

• John Pope on filming "Blood Brother"
• EOS 5D Mark II On-Camera Tutorials
• EOS 5D Mark II Firmware Update
• EOS 5D Mark II: Movie Mode Basics
• EOS 5D Mark II: How to Use Manual Video Exposure
• Shooter's Insight: EOS 5D Mark II, with Tyler Stableford
• Shooter's Insight: EOS 5D Mark II, with David Leeson
• EOS 5D Mark II Shoots House M.D. Season Finale
• EOS 5D Mark II Video: The Last Three Minutes
• EOS 5D Mark II: The Making of The Last Three Minutes
• EOS 5D Mark II Video: A Portrait
• EOS 5D Mark II Video: A Three Act Play
• EOS 5D Mark II Video: Reverie
• EOS 5D Mark II Video: Voyage

EOS 5D Mark III

• Multiple-exposure photography with the EOS 5D Mark III
• EOS 5D Mark III On-Camera Tutorials
• Rapid Switching Between AF Point Functions
• Shooting on-location: How to prep for a multi-camera shoot
• Utilizing the Multi function Lock Switch in the EOS 5D Mark III
• In-Camera Culling with the EOS 5D Mark III
• Adding a Magnification Button location on the EOS-1D C and 5D Mark III with Custom Controls
• Christian Oth: Wedding Photography with the EOS-1D X and 5D Mark III
• An overview of the Intelligent Viewfinder Display system in the EOS-1D X and EOS 5D Mark III
• Silent Control during video recording
• Understanding EOS HD Compression Options
• EOS 5D Mark III Firmware Update: Clean HDMI Output and AF Improvements Explained
• Using multiple AF points in the EOS-1D X and 5D Mark III
• New HD video features in the EOS 5D Mark III
• HDR (High Dynamic Range) in the EOS 5D Mark III
• Multiple-exposure shooting with the EOS 5D Mark III and EOS-1D X
• EOS-1D X and EOS 5D Mark III AF Menu System
• User-friendly AF Adjustment with the EOS-1D X and EOS 5D Mark III AF Configuration Tool

EOS 5DS & 5DS R

• Introducing EOS 5DS & EOS 5DS R
• From the EOS 5D Mark III to EOS 5DS/5DS R -- What's New
• Getting the most out of EOS 5DS and 5DS R files

B&H carries the 5D Mark III and has the 5Ds / 5Ds R available for preorder.

Image quality results from a second lens have been added to the Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD Lens review page.

The results from the first Tamron 28-300 VC we tested were ... not good. The second lens is "clearly" superior to the first and the results from this lens are now shown as the default sample "1". Here is a comparison between the two Tamron 28-300mm VC PZD lenses.

Here is an interesting image quality comparison: Tamron 28-300mm VC PZD Lens compared to the Canon 28-300mm L IS Lens.

Specifications, measurements and standard product images along with a variety of on-camera imagery are also now available for this lens. Here is an interesting size comparison: Tamron 28-300mm VC PZD Lens vs. Canon 28-300mm L IS Lens.

The price differential is nearly as large. B&H has the Tamron 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 Di VC PZD Lens in stock.

From Canon USA:

One will inspire a short film starring Hutcherson

MELVILLE, N.Y., May 27, 2015 - Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, along with Ron Howard (two-time Academy Award Winner) and Josh Hutcherson (star of "The Hunger Games" franchise), have announced the names of 15 finalists in the Project Imagination: The Trailer contest. The contest, which drew a flood of submissions, encouraged people of all skill levels to turn their photos and video footage into movie trailers with titles, Hollywood style voice-overs and epic soundtracks.

The public is now able to vote through June 10 on the 15 finalists at imagination.usa.canon.com and then Ron Howard and Josh Hutcherson will select one winning trailer based on its overall impression, inspiration and imagination. The film is set to go into production this summer and will be written and directed by Kat Candler ("Hellion").

"As a veteran filmmaker, I appreciate the value of edge-of-your seat creativity in filmmaking, and that's what Project Imagination: The Trailer is all about," said Howard. "Josh and Kat are the perfect complements to what's sure to be an exhilarating exploration into the inspirational value of trailers."

"What's most exciting about this process is that I don't know what to expect," said Hutcherson.

"We were thrilled by the number of truly creative trailers that were submitted," said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. "And, we know that Ron, Josh and Kat will honor the power of everyday moments to inspire something really fascinating."

The 15 chosen finalists are:

• JR Poli of North Lauderdale, Fla., with "Everything is Mean"
• Anna Fuller of Louisville, Ky., with "A Reader and a Writer"
• Jan Garcia of Union City, Calif., with "The Life and Times"
• Ben Alagna of Los Angeles, Calif., with "Siren"
• Ryan McDowell of Campbell, Calif., with "Borderless"
• Mina Park of Los Angeles, Calif., with "Calling Card"
• Rachel Bingham of Sandy, Utah, with "Ninja School"
• Zack Murray of Odessa, Fla., with "Spin"
• Jonathan Spencer of Charleston, Mass., with "The 18-Hour Proposal"
• Matt Sconce of Oakhurst, Calif., with "The Hunt"
• Ryan Lawson of Chicago, Ill., with "Bubbles"
• Giordan Moore of Springfield, Mass., with "The Clumsy Shoveler"
• Marc Geiger of Lancaster, Calif., with "Stuck"
• Mark Mukherjee of Tampa, Fla., with "Tainted Water"
• Nic Thorson of Sherman Oaks, Calif., with "Project Six"

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.

From Canon:

TOKYO, May 28, 2015 — Canon Inc. announced today the celebration this year of the 10th anniversary of the introduction of the Company’s EOS 5D series of digital single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras. Launched in September 2005, the EOS 5D enabled advanced-amateur users to take advantage of the impressive high-image-quality performance and photographic expression unique to digital SLR cameras equipped with a 35 mm full-frame sensor, which, at the time, primarily targeted only professional-level users.

At the time of its launch in September 2005, full-frame CMOS sensors were only made available in professional-level models. In addition to being the first advanced-amateur digital SLR camera to incorporate a sensor of this size, the EOS 5D was offered at a competitive price, contributing to the popularization of full-frame-sensor cameras.

Furthermore, in November 2008, Canon launched the second-generation model in the series: the EOS 5D Mark II. The camera, which was the first in the EOS series to include a function enabling the capture of Full HD video, facilitated the widespread adoption of digital SLR cameras as a tool for capturing video. The EOS 5D Mark II made big waves in the motion picture and video production industries by delivering the exceptional image quality and impressive subject background blur unique to SLR cameras, while also allowing users to take advantage of Canon’s rich interchangeable EF lens lineup spanning over 64 models, enabling a wide spectrum of imaging expression possibilities.

In March 2012, Canon introduced the EOS 5D Mark III, featuring dramatic improvements in still-image and video quality as well as enhanced AF precision and a faster maximum continuous shooting speed. Since its launch, the EOS 5D Mark III has garnered high acclaim in the market and, as the Company’s core advanced-amateur digital SLR camera, has come to serve as a driving force for the EOS series.

Canon, through the in-house production of all key parts for its EOS series digital cameras, has made possible a highly robust lineup, ensuring that each and every model within the series, including EOS 5D-series models, is equipped with the optimal sensor. To support the diverse needs of users, Canon will further strengthen its entire EOS-series interchangeable-lens camera lineup, including the EOS 5D series, which enjoys the widespread support of professional and advanced-amateur users alike, with the aim of contributing to expanding the photographic and video imaging culture.

B&H carries the 5D Mark III and has the 5Ds / 5Ds R available for preorder.

Update: Check out the B&H Explora article covering the 10th Anniversary of the 5D series cameras.

From Nikon USA:

As Part of Nikon’s “I AM Generation Image” Campaign, Nikon Will Offer Free Newlywed Portraits Outside of the NYC Marriage Bureau Captured by Nikon Ambassador Joe McNally

MELVILLE, NY – On June 4 and June 5, Nikon will bring the Nikon Wedding Truck Studio to New York City Hall (Office of the City Clerk), offering couples getting married the timeless keepsake of amazing images to help commemorate the start of the next chapter in their story together. Nikon is working with famous photographer and Nikon Ambassador Joe McNally to convert a truck into a fully functional photo studio, where couples getting married at the Office of the City Clerk that week are invited to get a professional portrait session at no cost.

“One of the most memorable and marvelous experiences l have had was capturing the wedding of my friends getting married at City Hall. People of all types were there to announce and share with the world that this was their beloved,” said McNally “Working with Nikon to bring this pop-up studio to life gives us a chance to celebrate this real emotion and provide couples with a stunning set of wedding photos to help remember their special day.”

The Nikon Wedding Truck Studio is part of Nikon’s “I AM Generation Image” Campaign, which inspires people to make their stories stand out through incredible imagery. Nikon will provide participating couples with high-quality portraits to keep and share with friends and family to remember their wedding day. McNally will be shooting with the Nikon D750 DSLR camera, NIKKOR lenses and Nikon Speedlights, giving couples the highest quality images as wedding-day keepsakes.

“A wedding is a joyous occasion and deserves to be documented, so that our children and grandchildren can experience the happiness and true emotions of a couple’s special day. High-quality images help to re-tell the story of that day to later generations, as if they were actually there,” said Lisa Baxt, Associate General Manager of Communications, Nikon Inc. “With the help of amazing images captured by Joe McNally, these newlyweds will receive beautiful images that will stand the test of time.”

The event will take place on June 4 and June 5 outside of the Office of the City Clerk, near 141 Worth Street in New York City. The portrait sessions will be free of charge, provided on a first come-first serve basis. Couples will leave with their images so that they can be shared with their loved ones.

Participating couples must have a valid New York State marriage certificate validating that they were married at City Hall during the week of June 1 to June 5 2015.

B&H carries Nikon DSLR camera equipment.

From Canon USA:

Highlights Include New EOS C300 Mark II Digital Cinema Camera, XC10 4K Camcorder, and DP-V2410 4K Reference Monitor

MELVILLE, N.Y, MAY 27, 2015 - Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, will showcase its latest 4K digital cinema products for professionals in the motion picture, television production, and video content creation industries in Booth #12 at Cine Gear Expo Los Angeles 2015 from Friday, June 5 through Saturday, June 6.

Located at the Studios at Paramount Pictures in Hollywood, CA, visitors to the Canon booth will have an opportunity to receive hands-on experience with the latest cinema equipment offerings including the new EOS C300 Mark II Digital Cinema Camera, XC10 4K Digital Camcorder, and DP-V2410 4K Reference Display introduced in April. Canon will also have its new CINE-SERVO 50-1000mm T5.0-8.9 ultra-telephoto 4K zoom lens on display, the only lens of its kind in the industry. In addition, the new 50.6 megapixel, high-resolution EOS 5DS and 5DS R Digital SLR cameras will be shown.

In the Paramount Theatre during the Expo will be three Canon-hosted educational panel discussions, featuring industry professionals discussing their craft, and how Canon products have helped power their work. The panel discussion schedule is as follows:

• Friday, June 5, 5:30 - 6:30 pm - Amazon Studios' Transparent: Capturing Intimate Scenes in 4K with the EOS C500 Camera featuring Jim Frohna (DP), Corinne Bogdanowicz (Colorist), and Zoe Van Brunt (2nd AC).
• Saturday June 6, 12:45 - 1:45 pm - A First Look at the EOS C300 Mark II Camera with Gale Tattersall featuring Gale Tattersall (DP), Tony Gutierrez (1st AC) and Ari Robbins (Steadicam Operator).
• Saturday June 6, 4:30 - 5:30 pm - Documentary Panel Discussion featuring Jenna Rosher (DP, "An Open Secret", "Janis: Little Girl Blue"), Svetlana Cvetko (DP, "Brand: A Second Coming", "Inequality for All") and Jerry Henry (DP, "City of Gold").

For more information about Canon at Cine Gear Expo LA 2015 please visit: pro.usa.canon.com/cinegear2015.

From WD:

New My Passport Drives Now Feature Up to 3 TB Capacity, Easier Backup Software and Personalization Options

IRVINE, Calif. – May 27, 2015 – WD, a Western Digital (NASDAQ:WDC) company, and world leader in storage solutions, today introduced the new, redesigned My Passport Ultra portable hard drives and My Passport for Mac drives. With the My Passport line now in its 7th generation, the My Passport Ultra and My Passport for Mac portable hard drives are now available in capacities up to 3 TB1 and in four stylish colors2 - Classic Black, Brilliant White, Wild Berry and Noble Blue. WD is also introducing a new optional accessory – WD Grip Pack – a soft band, available in a variety of colors, which encircles the drive, offering consumers an easy way to personalize their My Passport drives.

“With more photos being taken than ever before, it’s critical to have a high capacity, reliable external storage solution that you can carry everywhere,” said Tony Tate, general manager and vice president of Content Storage Solutions at WD. “The latest generation My Passport drives deliver an easier automatic back-up experience, hardware-based encryption for security and higher capacities than ever before. Consumers can keep all their content in their pockets, while expressing their personal styles with the colors and WD Grip Pack.”

My Passport Ultra portable drives come in 3 TB, 2 TB, 1 TB and 500 GB capacities and feature 256-bit AES hardware encryption3 – delivering a high level of security with no impact to write-speed or CPU activity. If your My Passport Ultra falls into the wrong hands, the 256-bit AES hardware encryption protects users’ files, folders, photos, videos and music with a password known only to them. USB 3.0 compatibility provides fast data transfer rates of up to 5 gigabits per second, while being backwardly compatible with USB 2.0. My Passport for Mac portable drives are available in capacities of 3 TB, 2 TB, 1 TB and also feature 256-bit AES hardware encryption with USB 3.0 connectivity.

Sold separately, the WD Grip Pack accessory for My Passport Ultra is available in five colors (smoke, slate, grape, sky and fuchsia) and, when wrapped around one of the four colors of My Passport Ultra drives, enables consumers to create a total of twenty possible color combinations. The WD Grip Pack comes with a color-matched 18-inch flat USB 3.0 cable, creating a stylish complete solution.

My Passport Ultra’s built-in WD Backup software is a simple-to-use application with focus on reducing frustration when setting up a backup plan to preserve data. Since 31% of devices have had malware at some point, having your data safely backed up onto a secondary device like a My Passport drive is critical to preserving precious data.

Pricing and Availability

My Passport Ultra and My Passport for Mac portable drives are available today at select retailers, including Amazon (My Passport Ultra) and distributors. My Passport Ultra and My Passport for Mac have a Manufacturer’s Suggest Retail Price (MSRP) ranging from $79.99 up to $199.99 depending on capacity (3 TB capacity available next month). Both the My Passport Ultra and My Passport for Mac will offer a 3-year limited warranty. Terms and conditions of WD’s limited warranty may be found at support.wdc.com/warranty. WD Grip Pack accessories will be available in June and will have an MSRP of $12.99.

B&H carries the new WD My Passport Ultra drives.

I'm deep into reviews of the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports and Contemporary lenses. While their names differ by only one word and their image quality appears very similar, these two lenses are dissimilar in many ways. Here is my list so far:

• Sports lens is nearly 2x more expensive
• Sports lens is significantly more-ruggedly constructed
• Sports lens is significantly heavier – including the hood, measured in-use weights are 6.96 lbs (3.16kg) compared to 4.49 lbs (2.04kg)
• Sports lens is moderately larger in both length and diameter (especially with the hoods in place) and the zoom extension is a bit longer
• Contemporary lens has a 1/3 stop wider aperture over a small subset of the focal length range
• Contemporary lens has a larger zoom ring with no contour in diameter mid-ring
• Sports lens has a more-serious manual focus ring that is significantly larger with much more grip surface
• Contemporary lens utilizes smaller (but still large) 95mm filters vs. 105mm
• Contemporary zoom ring rotates 146° vs. the Sport's 126°
• Sports lens has very rigid aluminum hood with rubberized end and thumbscrew lockdown vs. bayonet mount lightweight plastic hood
• Both lenses feature a rubberized push/pull zoom grip surface, but the Sports has a ridge for a more-sure pull-back grip
• Sports model has a smoother and stronger non-removable tripod mount ring and foot with a better-positioned lock knob, click detents at 90°, a much larger (and removable) foot with 3 threaded inserts (vs. 1) and dual neck strap attachment points
• Contemporary model has a removable tripod mount ring with a rubber-like replacement ring
• Sports model has a classier look
• Contemporary lens has a lower profile switch bank
• Based on side-by-side testing at multiple times, my perception is that the Contemporary focuses slightly faster, but the Sports has been more consistently accurate at the wide end
• Sports lens has integrated shoulder strap on the back of its case while Contemporary lens has removable neck strap that attaches to opposite sides of its case
• Sports lens has dust & splash proof "construction" while the Contemporary has a dust & splash proof "mount"
• Sports lens has two FLD (“F” Low Dispersion with performance similar to flourite) and three SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass elements vs. one FLD and three SLD glass elements
• Sports lens has 24 elements in 16 groups while the Contemporary has 20 in 14
• Sports lens gets water & oil repellent coating on both front & rear elements while the Contemporary gets this coating on the rear element only

I hope to have these full reviews completed soon.

B&H has the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens available for preorder (Sigma mount is in stock).

B&H has the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary Lens in Canon mount in stock with other mounts available for preorder.

From PPA:

PPA’s See The Difference Campaign Educates Consumers on the Value of Hiring a Professional Photographer

Atlanta, Ga. – May 26, 2015 – Photographers looking for a new way to help their clients See The Difference between professionals and amateurs need look no further than Professional Photographers of America (PPA).

Consumers may not have all the necessary information to understand the difference between a professional and an amateur photographer. PPA’s See The Difference campaign shows consumers “the difference” when evaluating photographers. PPA photographers can also download free videos, logos, customizable brochures, and other educational materials to share with their clients.

PPA has rolled out six new videos to help photographers educate their clients and prospects. Whether a photographer specializes in wedding, high school senior or family photography, these new videos will help consumers see the value in hiring a professional.

• #PhotoFail Wedding Video – Brides-to-be read true horror stories and talk about why it’s so important to use professional photographers to capture once-in-a-lifetime moments.
• Moments You Can’t Get Back Video – Real moms share heart-wrenching stories about their families and discuss how professional photographers helped them preserve family memories.
• See The Difference Professional Photographers Make Video – Real moms and newlyweds discuss the benefits of using PPA photographers and are surprised when their photographers walk in with framed photos from a recent session.
• High School Seniors Video – Real high school seniors explain what they are looking for in senior portraits and how hiring a professional photographer gave them great photographs!
• Wedding Video – Newlyweds talk about the importance of investing in professional photographers because at the end of their big day, their wedding photos were all they had left.
• Family Portraits Video – Real families talk about how their photographers captured their families’ unique personalities and the importance of preserving moments they will cherish forever.

Learn more about how PPA photographers can leverage this campaign as well as what else PPA is doing to reach and educate consumers with See The Difference and consider joining PPA.

From Canon USA:

Customer Service and Support Facility Recognized for Environmental Stewardship by the U.S. Green Building Council

MELVILLE, N.Y., May 27, 2015 - Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced that the Canon Experience Center, located in Costa Mesa, California, has been awarded LEED Gold certification, a recognition by the U.S. Green Building Council for the design, construction, operations and maintenance of high-performance green buildings. Officially opened in November 2014, this Center offers award-winning service and support to customers, clients and partners - ranging from repair operations, on-site educational programs and a nearly 5,000 square-foot state-of-the-art showroom that displays products ranging from the PowerShot family to the Cinema EOS lineup to large format imagePROGRAF printers. The 38,000 square-foot facility was renovated with environmentally conscious elements aimed to help secure the certification.

"The Canon Experience Center is yet another example showcasing Canon U.S.A.'s ongoing commitment to sustainable and responsible buildings and operations," said Rick Fedrizzi, CEO and founding chair, U.S. Green Building Council. "By designing and constructing the building to LEED Gold, Canon continues to build on its legacy of looking to the future. Its investment in sustainable building today will pay dividends to all of us for years to come."

Established by the U.S. Green Building Council, LEED, or Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design, is a green building rating system that recognizes buildings, homes and neighborhoods that are designed, constructed, operated and maintained to be environmentally responsible and resource efficient. The level of LEED certification earned is determined by the number of credits achieved in key areas within each of the LEED credit categories, including sustainable sites, water efficiency, energy and atmosphere, materials and resources, indoor environmental quality, and innovation and design process.

The Canon Experience Center features several environmentally conscious elements that help meet LEED requirements, including:

• More than 95 percent of the existing building was utilized to extend the life cycle of the standing building stock, conserve resources, reduce construction waste and reduce environmental impact during renovation.
• More than 75 percent of all construction waste was diverted from landfills through waste sorting and recycling.
• The use of native vegetation for landscaping helped reduce reliance on irrigation systems and reduced outdoor potable water consumption by over 50 percent.
• The use of efficient, low-flow plumbing fixtures throughout the space helped obtain a 40 percent indoor potable water savings.
• The facility uses 38 percent less energy than conventional buildings through the use of efficient lighting fixtures, motion sensors and an efficient HVAC system.

"Canon is committed to helping to build a more sustainable environment for generations to come," said Yuichi Ishizuka, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. "We are proud to be recognized for our sustainable efforts and conduct operations with our customers in a facility that demonstrates this commitment."

The Canon Experience Center joins two of Canon's other properties that have earned LEED ratings. Canon Americas Headquarters, located in Melville, New York is the largest commercial property on Long Island to achieve LEED Gold certification, and Canon's distribution center in Norcross, Georgia was awarded LEED v4 certification in the "Building Design and Construction - Warehouses and Distribution Centers" category - the first warehouse to receive this version of LEED.

BCCI Construction spearheaded the renovation construction of the Canon Experience Center; Ware Malcomb was responsible for the architecture and interior design. For additional information about the facility and its offerings, visit usa.canon.com/cec.

From Canon UK:

LONDON, 27 May 2015 – Canon, a leader in imaging solutions, is sponsoring the ‘Hack the Visual’ 48-hour hackathon event, to engage with talent in London’s Tech City and support the creation of new digital imaging ideas and applications to enrich people’s lives.

The event, organised by Imaging Mind – 26 to 28 June at IDEALondon – aims to bring together over 100 participants and challenge them to uncover the hidden possibilities of imaging and technology and bring new perspectives on visual culture.

“Digital technology has transformed visual culture over the past couple of decades. With almost one trillion images forecast to be taken this year alone, we believe the way people will live with photos will be profoundly different in the future. We see a huge opportunity to innovate in this field by embracing today’s creative technologists,” says Alberto Spinelli, Director of Digital Services at Canon Europe.

“Last month we acquired London based start-up Lifecake, accelerating the development of our digital consumer services proposition. The Hack the Visual event will help us to build relationships with more talent in this space that we can potentially help nurture and grow and pave the way to broadening our digital ecosystem,” Spinelli continued.

“Anyone with a passion for visuals, regardless of whether that stems from a technology or an art perspective, is welcome. The best ideas are generated when teams come from a diverse mix of backgrounds and experience. We want people to embrace the true spirit of a hackathon, to share, collaborate, have fun and really run wild with their ideas." commented Floris van Eck, CEO, Imaging Mind.

Canon will provide prizes at the event and will continue to look for opportunities to collaborate and further explore the winning concepts with the finalists.

Details on the Hack the Visual event and how to register as a participant in the competition can be found at www.hackthevisual.com

Follow Hack the Visual on twitter @imagingmind

From the ExpoImaging YouTube Channel:

Lindsay Adler demonstrates how to create a classic hollywood glamour, film noir portrait by using off-camera flash and Rogue 3-in1 Flash Grids. Flash photography lighting video tutorial, techniques and tips.

B&H carries ExpoImaging Rogue products.

From Nikon:

Nikon 1 V3 Firmware v.1.10

Changes from “C” Version Firmware 1.00

Camera Control Pro 2 Version 2.22.0 is now supported, allowing the following operations to be performed:

• The settings for connected cameras can be adjusted from Camera Control Pro 2.
• The Camera Control Pro 2 live view window can now be used for still photography and movie recording as well as to select the AF-area and adjust camera settings.
• Camera Control Pro 2 now supports best moment capture.

Download: Nikon 1 V3 Firmware v.1.10

Changes from Firmware Version 2.3

• The D810A is now supported.

Cameras That Can Be Used to Update UT-1 FirmwareUT-1 firmware updates can be performed with the following cameras:

• The D810, D810A, D750, D7200, and D7100
• D800 and D800E firmware versions “A” 1.10/“B” 1.10 or later.

Note: Other cameras can not be used, but updates can be performed for you by a Nikon-authorized service representative.

Download: UT-1 Communication Unit Firmware Version 2.4

Canon Asia has posted a two-part developer's interview with the team that designed the EOS 5Ds / 5Ds R cameras. There is a lot of technical information in the articles, but I'm finding the material to be quite fascinating so far (I'm about midway through them right now). [Sean]

Canon 5Ds / 5Ds R Developer's Interview Articles

[Part 1] Achieving “Speed”, “Comfort” and “Quality”

Questions Answered:

• First of all, can you tell us more about the development concept of the EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R?
• Can you describe more on the aim and intention on the naming of the models?
• So now there are five models in the full-frame EOS lineup. Please tell us how the new models are positioned and the division of roles among them.
• What are the target subjects respectively for the EOS 5DS and EOS 5 DS R?
• Can I also use these two models for handheld shots and snapshots?
• What about the internal structure of the EOS 5DS and EOS 5DS R? Are they identical except for the availability of a low-pass filter cancellation feature?
• The price for the EOS 5DS R is slightly higher. Why is this so?
• When choosing a lens, what are the points that users need to bear in mind?
• In what ways are the features and performance enhanced by the use of dual DIGIC 6 image processors?
• Is there any reason behind the common number “5” for the 50-megapixel resolution and the continuous shooting speed of 5 fps? Was it intentional?
• Can you tell me more about the enhancements made on the new image sensor, including how you were able to achieve a resolution of about 50 megapixels?
• The pixel count is more than double that of the EOS 5D Mark III. What were the technological breakthroughs that made this possible?
• Wouldn’t it be possible to increase the speed if parallel processing were performed by multiple digital front-end processing circuits?
• Is 16-channel readout drastically different from that by eight channels?
• How different is the depictive power compared to the class of cameras with about 20 megapixels?
• Can you explain how the low-pass filter cancellation feature cancels the low-pass filter effect?
• Besides the restoration process being carried out by low-pass filter 2, is the structure of the EOS 5DS R the same as other models?
• Why is it possible to restore the extraordinary ray?

[Part 2] Technology Behind the “Ultra-High Resolution”

Questions Answered:

• What were the enhancements made to the AF system in response to the larger pixel count?
• What was the reason for not changing the AF sensor? Was it because the performance of the system on the EOS 5D Mark III was good enough?
• The maximum resolution of about 50 megapixels and the continuous shooting speed of about 5 fps are simply remarkable. Are there any efforts that are worth special mention?
• What changes were made to the existing firmware following the upgrade of the pixel count to about 50 megapixels?
• How is the mirror vibration control system different from the existing ones?
• Am I right to say that both the existing and new vibration control systems make use of cams, but differ fundamentally in the way the cams are used?
• Wouldn’t it consume a lot of battery power if the mirror is driven only by the motor?
• Generally, it is said that camera shake becomes more prominent with a higher pixel count. Is it possible to eliminate all shake-related issues simply by raising the shutter speed?
• Is there an easy-to-understand way to determine the shutter speed based on the focal length?
• What are the advantages of the new user-selectable shutter release time lag setting?
• What efforts were devoted to the body structure and material when addressing camera shake?
• I realised that a new “Fine Detail” Picture Style has been added when I looked at the features in greater detail. How is it different from the existing Picture Style effects?
• Can you provide a simple explanation for the entry-level users on the [Fineness], [Strength], and [Threshold] parameters in the sharpness setting?
• Can you tell us how we can make good use of the Crop Shooting feature?
• What does the Customizable Quick Control feature do?
• Compared to the EOS 5D Mark III, what advancements were made to the movie feature?
• What is the biggest reason for inheriting the design of the EOS 5D Mark III?

B&H has the Canon EOS 5Ds /5Ds R available for preorder.

Vignetting, flare and distortion test results along with specs, measurements and standard product images have been added to the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary Lens review page.

Note that product images for this lens are included both large and small lens comparison tools with some images being cropped in the small lens format. Here is an example comparing the Sigma Sports, Sigma Contemporary and Tamron 150-600mm Lens in the small lens tool. These three lenses are also very interesting to compare in the other tools.

B&H has the Sigma 150-600mm OS Contemporary Lens in Canon mount in stock with Nikon and Sigma mount version available for preorder.

I live in a fenced-in property which is situated squarely in the middle of a medium-sized town. I have often used the fence that borders my driveway as a background for various portraits. It's clean, simple, and works well especially when it falls just out of focus.

As the winter months transition into spring, however, sections of the fence would become covered in vines. In previous years, I did everything I could to avoid using those sections of fence for my portraits. I considered them a hindrance for tarnishing my clean-looking background during the warm and inviting seasons perfect for portraiture.

But as I walked to my mailbox last week, it finally hit me. "Why don't I use the vines for a tightly framed portrait? Hmm..."

I must have past that particular section of the fence 500 times over the past three years, but it never occurred to me to actually feature the vines in a portrait. A few days later Amanda and I decided to give it a go.

I set up a tripod mounted 7D Mark II with my favorite portrait lens, the EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM. So why would I use the 7D Mark II in place of my primary body, the 5D Mark III? For this particular portrait, there was little appreciable difference between the two bodies. I didn't need the full-frame performance gains at high ISOs (I shot this using ISO 100) and I didn't need the shallow DOF advantage either as I would be using a relatively narrow aperture (f/7.1) to keep the details of the background recognizable.

Considering the f/7.1 aperture, you might wonder why I chose the EF 85mm f/1.2L II. As I said, it's my favorite portrait lens. The fixed 85mm focal length is a flattering focal length for portraits and the lens is especially sharp when stopped down (although, depending on the subject, extreme sharpness may not necessarily be a beneficial quality when it comes to portrait lenses).

For the main light I used a monolight diffused by a Mola Demi beauty dish fitted with a HoneyGrids Universal Grid. The background light was provided by a Canon 580EX Speedlite flash fitted with an Opteka OSG18 1/8-Inch Universal Honeycomb Grid. Using the grid on the main light and positioning it so that it pointed downward limited the amount of light that spilled on the background allowing me to easily control the luminosity of the background with the Speedlite. The grid on the Speedlite kept its light from striking the subject and concentrated its output in a more focused area on the background.

This is what the setup and fence looked like:

When post-processing the final image, I actually reduced the luminosity of the background preferring the leaves to be a little darker than what I captured in-camera. I also used a selective color mask to make the shadows appear cooler/more bluish in tone. I was going for a Renaissance painting look for the portrait, and the edits helped push the image in that direction (in my opinion).

The takeaway from this shoot is aptly summed up by the title. With spring in full swing, beautiful backgrounds are popping up everywhere. Take a minute to scan your surroundings – even in your own yard – to see if there's something you've been overlooking just like me. :-)

From the Vincent Laforet Vimeo Channel:

The complete breakdown of the Project AIR workflow - for detailed information and a gear breakdown go to:

http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/2015/05/26/project-air-workflow/

Gear Used

• SanDisk 128GB Extreme Pro CF Memory Card
• SanDisk 64GBGB Extreme UHS-I microSDXC
• G-Technology 512GB G-Drive SSD
• G-Technology 2TB G-DOCK ev Portable USB 3.0 HDD
• G-Technology G-RAID Thunderbolt 2/USB 3.0 16TB (2 x 8TB)
• Lexar Professional Workflow HR1 Hub
• ShotPut Pro for Macintosh
• G-Technology 64TB (8 x 8TB) G-Speed Studio XL

As you can imagine, things usually work out well for the protagonist when the Canon DSLR is within arm's reach. ;-)

B&H carries Canon DSLR cameras.

Canon USA's Rudy Winston has authored an excellent article for CPS which explains the challenges of shooting with an ultra-high megapixel camera and how to deal with them.

Think 1/focal length is a fast enough shutter speed to stop camera shake? Think again.

This will be an excellent and valuable resource for anyone who has preordered a 5Ds / 5Ds R or anyone considering upgrading to one of these 50.6 megapixel DSLRs.

Check out Rudy's tips on the Canon Professional Services.

B&H has the Canon EOS 5Ds / 5Ds R available for preorder.

Canon USA's Rudy Winston has authored an article for CPS highlighting the differences between the EOS 5Ds / 5Ds R and the 5D III.

From Canon Professional Services:

"Current EOS 5D Mark III shooters, who may be considering moving to the new high-resolution EOS 5DS (or the EOS 5DS R, which removes the effect of low-pass filtration), may wonder if anything changed on these new cameras because the new models look practically identical to the proven Mark III camera. Rest assured, there are some new rewards waiting to greet 5D Mark III owners who step up to the new cameras. We can’t touch on every single one, but we’ll try to give an overview of many of the new details.

Obviously, the biggest is the move to a 50.6 million pixel CMOS image sensor – more than doubling the pixel count from the Mark III model. You’ve no doubt seen discussion of this, so we’ll go a bit more beneath the surface. Everything we discuss here applies to both the EOS 5DS and 5DS R models."

• Shooting Information icons
• Electronic Viewfinder Dual-axis Level
• AF point illumination in AI Servo AF
• Exposure Compensation icon appears any time it’s active
• 150,000 pixel RGB metering sensor
• Flicker Detection
• EOS iTR AF
• Metering during Live View shooting
• Auto White Balance (AWB) — White Priority
• Fineness and Threshold added to each Picture Style setting
• Fine Detail Picture Style
• The mirror and mirror lock options
• Bulb timer; Interval timer
• Custom Quick Control Menu
• USB 3.0 connectivity
• My Menu: Create additional menu screens
• Movie Servo AF
• Time-lapse Movie
• Customize shutter button

Read the entire article on the Canon Professional Services website.

B&H has the Canon EOS 5Ds / 5Ds R available for preorder.