Canon and Sony News for Feb 2016

Image quality results from the EOS 5Ds R and EOS 7D Mark II have been added to the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Lens Review.

Lots of comparisons are able to be made using this lens.

B&H has the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM Lens in stock with a $150.00 instant rebate and 4% reward.

From Canon:

TOKYO, February 29, 2016—Canon Inc. announced today that seven Canon product designs were recognized by iF International Forum Design GmbH with prestigious 2016 iF Design Awards. Notably, Canon’s XC10 4K camcorder was selected for the iF Gold Product Design Award 2016, the highest honor in the product category.

iF Gold Product Design Award 2016 winner

• XC10 4K Camcorder

iF Product Design Award 2016 winners

• EOS 5DS / EOS 5DS R
• EF 11-24mm f/4L USM
• EOS M3
• PowerShot G3 X
• PIXMA MX490 Series Inkjet printer
• i-SENSYS MF220/210 Series Laser multifunction printer

Established in 1953, the iF Design Awards are recognized internationally as one of the most prestigious awards within the field of design, with outstanding industrial designs chosen from all over the world each year. This year 5,295 entries from 53 countries and regions were judged by internationally active design experts across seven disciplines: product, packaging, communication, interior architecture, architecture, service design, and professional concept.

This year marks Canon’s 22nd consecutive year of winning iF Design Awards. Encouraged by the recognition of the Company’s design excellence, Canon will continue striving to realize products that combine the highest levels of performance and design.

B&H carries Canon's iF Design Award winning products.

From the B&H YouTube Channel:

In this video, Chase from Zacuto briefly demonstrates cinematic lighting set ups that filmmakers can use for 4 popular film genres: Noir, Romance, Horror and Sci-fi. Starting with sci-fi, the team creates a colorful, other-worldly look with textured backgrounds and multiple lights. For noir, they demonstrate what can be done with just one powerful light along with careful placement of light modifiers to create a classic look. The romance look teaches the importance of soft, high-key light, and how to turn set pieces into diffused light sources. Lastly, the horror look shows how to create a frightening atmosphere with shadows and fog, plus you’ll get to see a clever practical light trick.

As you might ave guessed, B&H carries most of the supplies needed for these cinematic lighting setups.

USA TODAY photographers Robert Hanashiro and Dan MacMedan give us the scoop on what it takes to shoot the Oscars--from red carpet arrivals to emotional moments backstage.

From Nikon:

TOKYO –February 23, 2016 – Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce the release of its renewed online photo sharing service, "NIKON IMAGE SPACE". This latest version of the service was launched on February 22, 2016.

Originally launched in January, 2013, "NIKON IMAGE SPACE", the name of which expresses the fact that it is a space for sharing and appreciating images, is a free online image sharing and storage service open to anyone who enjoys taking photos or recording movies.

With this renewal, we have made "NIKON IMAGE SPACE" easier to use and more practical.

We have equipped "NIKON IMAGE SPACE" with three new modes that allow users to enjoy photos from a variety of angles. "View" mode supports intuitive browsing of photos, and the new "Report" mode enables analysis of aspects such as photographic tendencies from shooting information for uploaded photos and feedback on shared photos. "Organize" mode (computer version only), also available prior to the renewal, has been improved to enable easier and more natural photo organization with a left-and-right pane layout.

Photo sharing functions have also been improved. Users can specify a period of time for which images are shared (share duration), and the service has also been equipped with a function for receiving applause from those with whom images are shared. In addition to the ability to set the share duration, images can also be password protected. What's more, a browsing function that enables automatic display of photos to which the same tags have been attached, much like an album, has been added.

We plan to offer collaboration with SnapBridge, our new app announced in January, 2016, that enables constant connection between a Nikon digital camera and a smart device using Bluetooth low energy. This will enable automatic upload of an unlimited number of 2-MP images to "NIKON IMAGE SPACE" from SnapBridge with a registered Nikon ID.

From the National Geographic YouTube Channel:

Franz Josef Land is the northernmost archipelago in the world, only 560 miles (900 kilometers) from the North Pole in the Russian Arctic. It is uninhabited by humans—except for a few scientists working in the nature reserve—and the wildlife population is robust. The rugged environment is home to thousands of walruses, whales and polar bears.

Photographer Cory Richards joined the Pristine Seas expedition to Franz Josef Land as a natural history photographer. When it came to making an image of the mighty polar bear, it was trial by fire. "I've been working for over a month to try to capture something that both celebrates the power of this animal, but also celebrates intimacy and gets us in close. This is my first time trying to actually photograph a polar bear in its natural environment. I'm learning. I'm learning every single second."

On one of his final attempts to photograph a polar bear, he decided to get out of the boat and go onto the shore, where he saw a polar bear in the distance. The plan was to set up a camera on the beach and hope that the bear would come over, Richards said. "As I get out of the boat, I'm thinking, 'First of all, this is stupid. There have been fatal attacks on these islands. People have lost their lives here. I'm willfully jumping onto the beach, with a very hungry bear, who has lost the opportunity to escape with the ice pack. I'm now food. I'm part of the food chain. And I'm certainly not the top of it.'" Richards set up a time-lapse camera on the beach, as well as a small video camera. "All that matters right now to me is making an image that has a lasting impact." But the bear was not paying attention to the team or coming any closer—until they launched a drone.

The team quickly got back in the boat to let the bear be, and the bear's curiosity led him right toward the camera on the beach. Richards got the images he was hoping for. "I think polar bears are one of the most special species that we can be looking at right now. Their life, in every way, is threatened. Climate change is affecting their environment. Photographing a polar bear, in the current state of the world, is not only beautiful but deeply important and deeply impactful."

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

In this article series you will learn valuable information for photographing weddings. Weddings can be the most important day of a couple’s life, and the photographic memories are a wonderful gift and keepsake.

If you have a better-than-average camera, someone will eventually ask you to help photograph a wedding. My best advice to you is to let a professional handle this often stressful and difficult task. If however, you feel you are up for the job – the one of capturing the most memorable images of someone’s lifetime – then here are some helpful tips.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

An article by professional child and family photographer Laura Morita

As any parent knows, getting a child to cooperate in front of the camera can be an exercise in futility. Why won't they just do whatever we say and stand wherever we want and smile with just the right number of teeth showing? Do they have to be so difficult? Well, the short answer is yes. They do. So, we can either choose to nag and whine and complain and beg (I'm guilty of all four) or we can try to figure out ways to get them to cooperate.

Whether you are photographing your own kids or someone else's, sometimes those kiddos just aren't interested in posing for you, but here are some tricks I use to get cooperative kids.

From the Canon Professional Network:

Canon is reinforcing its commitment to high levels of service with the announcement of a two year warranty on all EOS-1D and Cinema EOS camera bodies, providing photographers and filmmakers with outstanding cover, free of charge.

The offer consists of a one-year extension on top of the one-year Standard European Warranty System (EWS), under identical terms and conditions, and is absolutely free of charge. This gives you a total warranty period of two years from date of first purchase.

The two-year warranty is valid on products originally distributed by Canon within the EU countries plus Lichtenstein, Norway and Switzerland. To be able to claim the additional year of warranty you must have purchased the product in one of these countries.

For full details and terms and conditions you can download the warranty leaflet by clicking here. To find out more about Canon Professional Services (CPS) just click here.

If you're an existing CPS member you can register your product by clicking here. You can also also register to join the CPS Programme from this link.

Wex Photographic carries Canon Cinema EOS camera bodies.

From Canon UK

LONDON, 18 February 2016 – Canon Europe, leader in imaging solutions, today sends its congratulations to Warren Richardson winner of the World Press Photo of the Year 2015. The winning photograph depicts a man and child attempting to cross the border from Serbia to Hungary at night. The pair were part of a group of people seeking to enter the country before a secure border fence was constructed. Due to the circumstance, Richardson was not able to use flash to capture the image, so the photograph is lit by moonlight alone.

The World Press Photo Contest, now in its 59th year, is internationally seen as the world’s most prestigious competition for photojournalists. The judges of the contest, which has been sponsored by Canon since 1992, selected one image of 82,951 photos submitted by 5,775 professional photographers from 128 countries as the winning Press Photo of the Year 2015. There were seven themed categories, and two long-term project categories, open for contestants to enter this year.

“We are proud to support the world’s best photojournalists in their quest to tell the stories that need to be told through this prestigious and highly anticipated event,” comments Kieran Magee, Director, Professional Imaging, Canon Europe. “Images such as Warren’s play a hugely powerful role in capturing the real impact and human side of a story and importantly, making sure they reach a broader audience. It is for this reason we’re honoured to have been supporting these awards for the past 24 years.”

Warren Richardson captured his winning image on the Canon EOS 5D Mark II with a EF 24mm f/1.4L USM lens. The winning photograph also won first place in the Spot News category. Other category winning entries taken on Canon cameras include:

• Aftermath of Airstrikes on Syria, taken by Sameer Al-Doumy on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III for the Spot News stories category
• FIS World Championship, taken by Christian Walgram on a Canon EOS-1D Mark II for the Sports singles category
• China’s Coal Addiction, taken by Kevin Frayer on a Canon EOS 5D Mark III for the Daily Life singles category
• Storm Front on Bondi Beach, taken by Rohan Kelly on a Canon EOS-1D Mark II for the Nature singles category
• Tough Times for Oragutans, taken by Tim Laman on a Canon EOS-1D C for the Nature stories category

As winner of the World Press Photo of the Year 2015, Warren Richardson will receive a cash prize of €10,000 from World Press Photo at an awards ceremony in Amsterdam on 25 April. In addition, Canon Europe will award him with the EOS-1D X Mark II, its recently announced flagship camera.

The prize-winning pictures are presented in an exhibition visiting more than 100 cities in over 45 countries over the course of the year and seen by more than 3.5 million people worldwide. This year’s first 2016 World Press Photo exhibition opens in Amsterdam on 16 April. This year’s exhibition displays will be printed on Canon large-format and Arizona flatbed printers.

In addition, in partnership with WPP a series of 80 lectures entitled “Reflections will run in cooperation with universities across Europe telling the story of professional photo journalism and the power of photography”.

Further information about World Press Photo is available at www.worldpressphoto.org.

In this video, the show How It's Made demonstrates how tripods are produced in one of Manfrotto's manufacturing facilities in this quick three minute video.

B&H carries Manfrotto tripods.

From Canon UK:

United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, 24th February 2016 – Canon will be back at The Photography Show in March with its biggest, most engaging stand to date. For the first time Canon will be premiering its very own Live Stage, hosting live and insightful talks from world renown, industry leading photographers and videographers. Canon will also be showcasing the recently announced EOS 1D-X Mark II, demonstrating its awesome power and speed along with a host of award winning products.

Across the course of the show, Canon’s first ever Live Stage will feature professional Canon photographers including the likes of wildlife photography expert Andy Rouse, leading filmmaker Simeon Quarrie and international photographers Lara Jade and Christian Anderl. They will take visitors on an inspiring journey through their photography experiences and share how Canon products have allowed them to take their passion to a professional level.

Experts from Canon’s Professional Services (CPS) team will be on hand throughout the show, offering advice and tips to pros and those looking to take their photography to the next level.

Canon’s largest Photography Show stand yet will also be chocked full of brand new products such as the new EOS 80D and the PowerShot G7 X Mark II.Plus visitors will be able to witness Canon’s range of PIXMA and large format printers including the new A2 inkjet printer, the imagePROGRAF PRO-1000.

Plus Canon is giving people the chance to be part of its show experience, offering lucky fans on its social media pages the chance to win tickets to the show and have their image displayed on the Canon stand. To find out more visit Canon on Facebook and Twitter.

Come and see Canon at The Photography Show from 19th – 22nd March 2016 at Stands D141 and E131.

More information on Canon’s complete presence at The Photography Show 2016 can be found here.

From Sigma:

KANAGAWA, JAPAN--(Marketwired - Feb 23, 2016) - Sigma Corporation of America, a leading DSLR lens, camera, flash and accessories manufacturer, today announced the addition of two high-performance APS-C format lenses to the Sigma Global Vision product line: Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 DC HSM Art Lens and the Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens.

"Sigma's aim is to provide high-performance lens options that lead with innovation and break new boundaries for every photographic scenario our customers can dream up," states Mark Amir-Hamzeh, president of Sigma Corporation of America. "These new lenses build on Global Vision's great IQ technology and reflect this goal, delivering immense value, quality and performance that the Sigma brand is known for."

Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 DC HSM Art

Building on the groundbreaking Sigma Global Vision 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM Art Lens, the new Sigma 50-100 F1.8 (75-150mm on 35mm format) mid-range zoom lens embodies the same engineering prowess to deliver outstanding prime lens-like results. Factoring in the APS-C image circle of 1.5x, the 50-100mm F1.8 covers three popular short tele prime focal lengths: 85mm, 105mm and 135mm. Like the 18-35mm F1.8, the new 50-100mm F1.8 maintains a constant F1.8 aperture yielding exceptional brightness and resolution throughout the zoom, while simultaneously maintaining focus as the lens is zoomed, a feature videographers will greatly appreciate.

Sigma Art Line Image Technology Innovation

• Features three FLD (F Low Dispersion) glass elements, one SLD (Special Low Dispersion) glass element, and one high-refractive index, high-dispersion glass element to minimize aberrations.
• Redesigned and enhanced, the new Hyper Sonic Motor is 30% slimmer and provides fast and accurate AF.
• Highly durable polycarbonate diaphragm made with fluorine; blades feature carbon feather film offering exceptionally smooth operation even during continuous shooting.
• Outstanding Zoom Lens Maneuverability
• Inner focusing and zoom design offer versatile shooting options
• Tripod socket for stable, comfortable operation
• Features 21 elements / 15 groups, Minimum Aperture: F16, 82mm filter thread, Minimum Focus Distance: 37.4in, Dimensions: 3.7x6.7, Weight: 52.6oz
• The new Sigma 50-100mm F1.8 Art will be available in Canon, Nikon and Sigma mounts.

Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary

Combining outstanding optical performance and compact design, the new affordable Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens brings immense value to mirrorless cameras. Boasting superior image quality with F1.4 brightness, the versatile lens covers a wide range of photo and video capture scenarios, delighting users with its beautiful bokeh effects.

Contemporary Line Performance and Value

• Represents first affordable F1.4 performance lens for the mirrorless market
• Sigma engineered quality within a sleek compact design
• Fast, smooth AF stepping motor designed to support video
• Features one aspherical element and one double-sided aspherical element producing imaging quality comparable to the Art line.
• Features 9 elements / 7 groups, Minimum Aperture: F16, 52mm filter thread, Minimum Focus Distance: 11.8in, Weight: 9.3oz, Dimensions: 2.6x2.9in.
• The new Sigma 30mm F1.4 DC DN Contemporary Lens will be available in Sony E-Mount and Micro Four Thirds mount.

Sigma Global Vision lenses including the new 50-100mm F1.8 DC Art and 30mm F1.4 Contemporary lenses can be updated with the latest lens software from a workstation or laptop using the Sigma Optimization Pro software and Sigma USB Dock (sold separately).

Tested for Optimum Performance

Sigma lenses are born of well-thought-out design concepts, exceptional Japanese craftsmanship and manufacturing, and advanced lens performance testing and evaluation. To this end, Sigma has developed its own A1 proprietary MTF (modulation transfer function) measuring system using 46-megapixel Foveon direct image sensors. Even the most elusive high-frequency details are within the scope of Sigma's quality control inspections. Every Global Vision lens is A1 tested, analyzed and approved before leaving the factory ensuring maximum performance out of the box.

For more information on Sigma's industry leading testing, please visit http://blog.sigmaphoto.com/2012/a1-mtf-testing-for-new-sigma-lenses/

Specialized Mount Conversion Services

Ensuring continued ROI, Sigma will convert the current mount of your Sigma Global Vision lens to another of your choice. Sigma lenses currently from the Contemporary, Art or Sports line, in Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Sony, Pentax mounts can be converted to Sigma, Canon, Nikon, Sony or Pentax*. Mirrorless lenses can be converted to Micro Four Thirds and Sony-E Mount. They cannot be converted to either an APS-C or a Full Frame format. *For specific details, please visit http://www.sigmaphoto.com/service-support/mount-conversion-service

Standard test results, including specs and measurements, have been added to the Nikon 16-80mm f/2.8-4E AF-S DX VR Lens page.

The extra focal range and wider maximum aperture of this mid-range zoom will be tempting features for those wanting to upgrade their standard 18-55mm kit lens.

B&H has the Nikon 16-80mm f/2.8-4E AF-S DX VR Lens in stock.

From the B&H YouTube Channel:

In this highlight, Artie and Denise share the methods and techniques that they have developed and used for bird photography.

The full video can be found here.