Canon and Sony News for Mar 2021
Based on the email I have been receiving, it seems that a growing number of photographers with DSLR kits are interested in having the benefits of the latest high-performing mirrorless cameras. Especially the Canon EOS R5 and EOS R6 and their impressive AF systems are drawing DSLR kit owners' attention. What is holding these DSLR owners back is their often-extensive investments in DSLR lenses.
Fortunately, that resistance to migrate is unnecessary.
If you have a Canon DSLR kit but want the benefits of a mirrorless camera, get the camera(s) and use Canon EF-EOS R Mount Adapters to make all of your current lenses compatible.
With many photographers currently using this migration strategy, these adapters are hard to find right now. The best course of action is to get in line. Place orders with a few of our recommended retailers (B&H | Adorama | Amazon | Canon USA) and cancel any unshipped orders when your desired number of adapters ship.
If you don't want to wait, consider the in-stock Vello adapter at B&H.
Sure, the Canon RF Lenses are always better than their corresponding DSLR lens model, and you will likely want to migrate to those models eventually. In the meantime, you might be surprised at how well your current DSLR lenses perform when a mirrorless camera is behind them. Expect the EOS R5 and R6 to focus your current lenses as fast as your DSLR and with better accuracy, especially when using the game-changing eye AF feature.
From Delkin:
Delkin’s New BLACK CFexpress™ Type B Cards Deliver Up to 1700 MB/s Sustained Speeds
POWAY, CA, MARCH 30, 2021 - Delkin Devices, a manufacturer of flash storage solutions and camera accessories, announced today the newest addition to their top-selling line of memory cards: BLACK CFexpress™ Type B memory cards. Specially designed to meet the ever-growing demands of today’s broadcast, cinema and photography industries, Delkin’s BLACK CFexpress™ cards leverage today’s latest technology in order to provide the fastest speeds on the market.
Other competing CFexpress™ Type B cards may state a maximum write speed, but BLACK takes things further with sustained sequential write speeds of at least 1400 MB/s (higher depending on capacity). This sustained speed versus potential write speeds is what guarantees flawless cinema-quality video capture, including DCI 8K RAW 12-Bit @ 30fps (2600 Mbps) in the Canon R5. This is especially valuable during events like weddings, sport meets, concerts and other situations you cannot redo. The cards are also capable of offloading data at speeds reaching up to 1730 MB/s, ensuring the quickest, most efficient data transfer from card to computer for immediate file access and sooner post-production.
Maximum Write Speed – Defined as the Maximum Capable Write Speed – Potential Peaks & Valleys Sustained Sequential Write Speed – Defined as the Continuous Write Speed – No Peaks & Valleys
“With more camera manufacturers deciding to integrate support for CFexpress™ Type B memory cards into their new camera models, we felt the need to provide camera owners with a card that they could trust to protect and preserve their precious memories” says Jenn Sherry, Delkin's Retail Sales & Marketing Manager, “As cameras continue to advance and new data-heavy modes are introduced, it has become even more important for storage mediums to be able to keep up. We believe that BLACK CFexpress™ is the solution for complete video capture, just as the creator envisioned.”
Each BLACK CFexpress™ Type B memory card has undergone extensive testing to ensure full functionality and performance in today’s high-end cinematic hosts, including ones from Canon® (C300 Mark III, C500 Mark II, 1D X Mark III & R5) and Nikon® (D6, Z6 II & Z7 II). Select hosts originally designed with native support for XQD cards can also accept CFexpress™ Type B cards via firmware upgrade.
In addition to their “Lifetime Warranty” policy, Delkin continues to offer a unique built-in insurance policy for their BLACK memory cards, known as the “48-Hour Replacement Guarantee”. Delkin will replace any non-working BLACK card within 48 hours or less (not including weekends - in the US and UK), prior to receiving the non-working card. Cards can also be replaced over-the-counter at any authorized Delkin BLACK reseller.
Orders
Delkin BLACK memory cards are in stock at B&H.
From Sony:
Sony Electronics’ “Visual Story™” App Features New Updates to Empower Event Photographers
Updated Visual Story App Version 1.1 Now Includes Live Galleries and Remote Viewing Capabilities with Expanded Support and Camera Compatibility
SAN DIEGO, CA – March 30, 2021 – Sony Electronics Inc. today announced new updates to “Visual Story” – a mobile application for professional event photographers that simplifies the process of delivering photos to their clients immediately after an event through automatic gallery creation, AI (artificial intelligence) image selection and web delivery[i]. The new application version 1.1 for “Visual Story” offers expanded support and a new “Live gallery” feature that makes remote viewing and participation more accessible.
New Live Gallery Feature for Socially Distanced Live Events
Visual Story Version 1.1’s new Live Gallery feature allows professional event photographers to meet the growing demand for remote participation during the actual event. This enables the photographer’s clients to share photo galleries with their friends, family and colleagues, to then view photos of their event, such as a wedding, corporate, school or sporting event, in real time to create a more immersive experience.
Live Gallery helps simplify a professional workflow by allowing Auto transfer while shooting with a compatible Sony Alpha brand camera[ii], automated image selection using AI, and applying edit presets to all images within a live gallery at the same time. Live Gallery viewers can also like specific photos, which the photographer can use to choose final image selections to deliver to their client.
Upgraded Selection Options
The newly updated Visual Story app also now includes an object detection filter to easily locate images focusing on specific items such as a cake, food, tableware and jewelry. The photographer can also choose images that are only included in a live gallery or those with likes.
Compatibility and Availability
Visual Story Version 1.1 is available now for iOS in the App Store for free and is compatible with select Sony cameras including: Alpha 7C, Alpha 7R IV, Alpha 7S III, Alpha 9, Alpha 9 II as well as Alpha 7 III (updated to firmware Version 4.0 or later), Alpha 1 and FX3i.
Sony’s new Visual Story is available to download for free HERE, and development on additional platforms is under discussion.
Learn more about Visual Story HERE.
Notes:
[i] Membership to “Visual Story” account and app on smartphone required with connection to Wi-Fi. See “Visual Story” terms and conditions/privacy policy for details. Download app at the App Store. Network services, content, and operating system and software subject to terms and conditions and may be changed, interrupted or discontinued at any time and may require fees, registration and credit card information.
[ii] Please refer to the website for a full list of compatible models. Firmware must be updated on cameras to ensure compatibility.
From Canon USA:
Building on user feedback, Canon’s firmware unleashes new photographic and video possibilities for the EOS R5, EOS R6, and EOS-1D X Mark III cameras
Canon is introducing a firmware update for three of its EOS cameras in response to customer feedback. Users of the EOS R5 (firmware v1.3), EOS R6 (firmware v1.3), and EOS-1D X Mark III (firmware v1.4) cameras have access to several feature updates helping to streamline workflows and provide users with greater creative freedom.
Increased Image Quality and Usability
The EOS R5 camera will benefit from several upgrades offered with the firmware update, including Full HD 120p and support for greater customization of the camera. Users will now be able to save personalized and preferred camera settings to a memory card, which can be copied to a different camera or used when the settings are adjusted. There is also the option to turn the LCD monitor off during shooting and use it for playback only, providing a familiar DSLR-style operation. For both the EOS R5 and EOS R6 cameras, the firmware achieves full-time manual support update for select* RF lenses, allowing photographers to override the focus of RF lenses manually when in One Shot and Servo AF mode.
*RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM and RF70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM
Streamlined Professional Workflows
For the EOS R5 camera, professional photographers can safeguard and quickly share photos with the new Protect Image Transfer function allowing protected images to be locked - preventing them from accidentally being deleted - and transferred via FTP. Users of the EOS-1D X Mark III and EOS R5 cameras can now see FTP Transfer status on the LCD screen, clearly displaying how long it will take to transfer pictures.
Enhanced Video Functionality
The firmware enables low-bit rate RAW movies, which reduces the size of RAW video files allowing for faster file transfer rates for users of the EOS R5 and EOS-1D X Mark III cameras. The update also provides enhanced video capabilities for the EOS R5 camera with the addition of Canon Log 3 – a log gamma curve enabling greater dynamic range, superb color editing capabilities, and easier file management. For even greater flexibility of video formats across all cameras, the firmware unlocks a lower bit rate IPB movie option creating small, easily shareable video files.
Several software updates have also been released today to complement the firmware upgrades and bring forth support for Apple M1 processors via Rosetta for Digital Photo Professional (DPP) with v4.14 and EOS Utility with v3.13.1.
Canon’s commitment to photographers and videographers will continue through further plans to bring new functionality to these three models based on user feedback, including bringing Canon Log 3 to the EOS-1D X Mark III camera in a future update.
The firmware and software updates are now available to download on each product page:
Canon EOS R5 Firmware Update 1.3.0
Firmware Version 1.3.0 incorporates the following fixes and enhancements:
- Adds [Canon Log 3] to [Canon Log settings]. You can select [Canon Log] or [Canon Log 3] from [Canon Log settings] in the Shooting tab of the menu.
- Support for RAW movies shot with Canon Log3 and RAW (Light) will be available in Cinema RAW Development and in Digital Photo Professional version in a future update.
- Digital Photo Professional will also support the processing of RAW movies shot in Canon Log3 settings and the application of Viewing LUT in future update. - Adds [RAW (Light)] to the movie recording size and [IPB (Light)] to 8K/4K to enable lower bit rate shooting. These settings can also be selected when RAW+MP4 is set.
- Adds a high frame rate of 119.9 fps/100.0 fps to the Full HD movie recording size.
- Adds [Electronic full-time MF] to the AF tab of the menu. When a lens is attached, manual focus adjustment is always possible with both One-shot AF and Servo AF.
- Adds [6: Monitor Off] to [Shooting info. disp.: Screen info. settings] in the Shooting tab of the menu. This update makes it possible for the camera's monitor to be turned off at all times during shooting.
- The transfer time (estimated value) now displays on the camera monitor during FTP transfer.
- Adds the ability, when transferring images via FTP, to select protected images that failed to be transferred and protected images that have not yet been transferred and transfer them all at once.
- Adds [Save/load cam settings on card] to the Function settings tab of the menu. This allows you to save the camera settings to a card, or load a saved file and restore the camera to the settings you saved to a card.
- Fixes a phenomenon, in which, in rare instances, the camera does not function normally when using certain CFexpress cards.
- Fixes a phenomenon, in which in rare instances, the camera cannot function normally when the drive mode is set to "High-speed continuous shooting" to shoot still images continuously.
- Fixes a phenomenon in which the power may become suspended when the camera is powered via USB for an extended period of time.
Canon EOS R6 Firmware Update 1.3.1
Firmware Version 1.3.0 incorporates the following fixes and enhancements:
- Adds [IPB (Light)] to 4K to enable lower bit rate shooting.
- Adds [Electronic full-time MF] to the AF tab of the menu. When a lens is attached, manual focus adjustment is always possible with both One-shot AF and Servo AF.
- The transfer time (estimated value) now displays on the camera monitor during FTP transfer.
- Fixes a phenomenon, in which in rare instances, the camera cannot function normally when the drive mode is set to "High-speed continuous shooting" to shoot still images continuously.
- Fixes a phenomenon that may corrupt the image displayed in the viewfinder.
- Fixes a phenomenon in which the power may become suspended when the camera is powered via USB for an extended period of time.
Canon EOS-1D X Mark III Firmware Update 1.4.0
Firmware Version 1.4.0 incorporates the following fixes and enhancements:
- Adds [RAW (Light)] to the movie recording size and [IPB (Light)] to 4K to enable lower bit rate shooting. These settings can also be selected when RAW+MP4 is set.
- The transfer time (estimated value) now displays on the camera monitor during FTP transfer.
- Improves communication reliability when using FTP and USB simultaneously.
Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS Lens Firmware Update 1.1.0
Firmware Version 1.1.0 incorporates the following fixes and enhancements:
- Adds a digital full-time manual focus function (a function that enables constant manual focus adjustment in both One-shot AF and Servo AF).
- Improves a phenomenon in which the background is not blurred when performing slow panning with the IS (Image Stabilization) mode set to Mode 2 or Mode 3.
Canon RF 100-500mm L IS Lens Firmware Update 1.0.9
Firmware Version 1.0.9 incorporates the following fixes and enhancements:
- Adds a digital full-time manual focus function (a function that enables constant manual focus adjustment in both One-shot AF and Servo AF).
- Improves a phenomenon in which the background is not blurred when performing slow panning with the IS (Image Stabilization) mode set to Mode 2 or Mode 3.
Last week's goal was to put a significantly challenging subject in front of the Sony Alpha a1's AF system.
This project started with 350+ images of whitetail deer captured with the outstanding Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS Lens. At f/4, this lens produces a shallow depth of field that presents an AF challenge. Initially, the deer were milling about (erratic motion), but the game was quickly upped when a large group of deer came in fast, primarily single file, leaping toward the camera position. With animal eye detection and the entire AF area selected, the a1 easily and impressively tracked these subjects' eyes and produced an extremely high in-focus rate, including when the deer were leaping at close distances.
Despite the in-focus aspect of the image, none of these pics were worth keeping as the deer were shedding their winter coats and looking shaggy. I needed pictures that would look good in a review. From a wildlife perspective, birds, primarily ducks, were the acceptable subject I had access to.
After watching the weather forecast and the migration reports for some hotspot locations within driving distance, I made a final decision. On this day, the temperature was going well above freezing, and clear skies were forecasted. Bright sunlight brings out birds' iridescent colors, and the sky color reflects in the water, which, in this case, provided a surrounding blue color in the image (deep blue late in the day). The wind speed was supposed to be light for calmer water. The temperature was going to be comfortable — sitting in the water in the wind and sub-freezing temperatures complicates duck photography.
On this morning, I drove to the closest of the four selected locations, about 2.5 hours away. Unfortunately, the perfect subjects, the wood ducks reliably found there, were not there. While Canada geese were plentiful, I was looking for something different.
Plan B was immediately implemented. The Chesapeake Bay location was 2+ hours farther away, but this location is best in the afternoon, so there was still time to make it there for the ideal lighting.
Upon arrival, I discovered that the huge winter flock of ducks was down to a small fraction of the count. I expected a reduced count, but not this reduced. Fortunately, a selection of the ideal species was there, and with fewer birds, it was easier to isolate individual subjects, making the situation was ideal.
The scenario was ideal except for some wind that made the water choppy. Ideally, swimming duck photography is done at the water level, with the camera just above the water. This low camera position provides a side view of the duck, with a more-distant background, meaning the background has a stronger blur, making the subject pop.
When photographing floating ducks, getting the camera low involves sitting in the water, with chest waders and thick insulated pants required at this time of the year. With the high-frequency wind chop, splashing salt water was an issue, requiring a slightly higher camera position (a LensCoat rain cover protected most of the camera and lens). An unexpected wind complication was that bobbing with the ducks while looking into the viewfinder contributed to a strong sense of motion sickness.
Ducks floating on water may seem a low challenge to photograph (the proverbial sitting duck), but this scenario was the completel opposite. Many near-1' (0.3m) waves rocking the already-twitchy, constantly-erratically moving ducks and me (at different frequencies) made keeping a duck in the 600mm frame (I started at 840mm with a 1.4x teleconverter) extremely challenging (especially when the duck was obscured by a wave). I monitored image sharpness until becoming confident that a 1/3200 shutter speed eliminated motion blur in most pictures.
One of the biggest wildlife (and portrait) photography challenges is to keep the proper AF point selected. A motionless subject permits a focus and recompose strategy, but moving subjects require selecting a specific AF point that produces the optimal composition while remaining on the subject's eye. Fast AF point selection is an especially big challenge for unpredictable wildlife. Tracking a twitchy, bobbing duck with a specific focus point held on the eye would have been nearly impossible. However, the 600mm, f/4, close distance combination's shallow depth of field made focusing precisely on the eye a requirement.
Eye AF eliminates this challenge for a significant percentage of subjects. With the Sony Alpha a1's eye AF enabled, bird selected as the subject, and the entire AF area chosen (most of the frame), I was left to concentrate primarily on framing the scene and timing the shutter release press. Note that, when eye AF is locking on the subject, gloves are no longer an impediment to cold-weather wildlife pursuits.
When many changes are happening simultaneously, a fast frame rate has your back. I began shooting in the 30 fps drive mode but backed off to 20 fps when I saw how fast the image count was increasing.
Twenty fps is still an exceptionally fast frame rate. Most 20 fps shot sequences captured, minimally, a properly-framed duck image, and often, many well-framed shots, despite all of the motion (ducks would sometimes bob from one frame border to another during a short burst). With 20 fps capture, I didn't feel the need to repair closed necessitating membranes as the previous or next image still had the ideal pose. The foreground and background matter, and wave and reflection nuances vary constantly. These elements can be the deciding factor for selection, and the 20 and 30 fps capture rate provides considerable options in this regard.
That the a1's viewfinder responded fast enough to keep the birds in the frame was remarkable, and the lack of viewfinder blackout was also critical. Even more remarkable was the extremely-high in-focus rate the a1 delivered. In this 3:45 shoot, 8,985 images were captured, and in almost all of them, the eye was in sharp focus – even when the eye bounced into the periphery of the frame.
When packing, four batteries seemed a lot, but 4% of the fourth battery was consumed by the time I walked out of the water. That said, capturing nearly 3,000 images per relatively-small battery is great performance.
Similarly, taking a full terabyte of memory cards seemed overkill, but the last 256GB card was half-filled when shade reached the water. As much as I want to purchase CFexpress Type A memory cards for the a1, I can't get past the current price. Let's put a Type A number on this day. As I write this, adequate 160GB Type A memory cards to contain this under-4-hour shoot would have cost $2,394.00.
In comparison, four fast Lexar 256GB Professional 1667x V60 UHS-II SDXC Memory Cards currently cost $300.00.
With these Lexar cards, the a1 was writing the buffer to the card most of the time. This writing prevents some camera features from being accessible, though image playback functions during the writing process.
Ultra-high performance AF combined with an extreme frame rate results in a problem, albeit a great problem — too many excellent images yield a long selection process. You may have foreseen this issue: reviewing nearly 9k photos is a massive project, and the phenomenal in-focus rate makes that job far more difficult. It is hard to delete excellent pictures, but the quality bar must be raised (or considerable hard drive storage space acquired). Again, the a1's extreme performance create a problem you want to have.
I didn't mention the a1's 50MP resolution in this post, but the bouncing ducks were often not ideally framed. This camera's high resolution meant that significant resolution remained even after cropping deeply.
The Robus RC-8860 Vantage Carbon Fiber Tripod (great tripod, excellent value) provided the support for this shoot. With the tripod leveled, the two-way pan and tilt of the smooth-functioning Wimberley WH-200-S Sidemount Head ensured that every shot was level (though the wave action diminished this requirement).
The bottom line is that Sony Alpha a1, and especially its AF system, is an outstanding performer, as expected.
Last week's goal was to put a significantly challenging subject in front of the Sony Alpha a1's AF system.
This project started with 350+ images of whitetail deer captured with the outstanding Sony FE 600mm f/4 GM OSS Lens. At f/4, this lens produces a shallow depth of field that presents an AF challenge. Initially, the deer were milling about (erratic motion), but the game was quickly upped when a large group of deer came in fast, primarily single file, leaping toward the camera position. With animal eye detection and the entire AF area selected, the a1 easily and impressively tracked these subjects' eyes and produced an extremely high in-focus rate, including when the deer were leaping at close distances.
Despite the in-focus aspect of the image, none of these pics were worth keeping as the deer were shedding their winter coats and looking shaggy. I needed pictures that would look good in a review. From a wildlife perspective, birds, primarily ducks, were the acceptable subject I had access to.
After watching the weather forecast and the migration reports for some hotspot locations within driving distance, I made a final decision. On this day, the temperature was going well above freezing, and clear skies were forecasted. Bright sunlight brings out birds' iridescent colors, and the sky color reflects in the water, which, in this case, provided a surrounding blue color in the image (deep blue late in the day). The wind speed was supposed to be light for calmer water. The temperature was going to be comfortable — sitting in the water in the wind and sub-freezing temperatures complicates duck photography.
On this morning, I drove to the closest of the four selected locations, about 2.5 hours away. Unfortunately, the perfect subjects, the wood ducks reliably found there, were not there. While Canada geese were plentiful, I was looking for something different.
Plan B was immediately implemented. The Chesapeake Bay location was 2+ hours farther away, but this location is best in the afternoon, so there was still time to make it there for the ideal lighting.
Upon arrival, I discovered that the huge winter flock of ducks was down to a small fraction of the count. I expected a reduced count, but not this reduced. Fortunately, a selection of the ideal species was there, and with fewer birds, it was easier to isolate individual subjects, making the situation was ideal.
The scenario was ideal except for some wind that made the water choppy. Ideally, swimming duck photography is done at the water level, with the camera just above the water. This low camera position provides a side view of the duck, with a more-distant background, meaning the background has a stronger blur, making the subject pop.
When photographing floating ducks, getting the camera low involves sitting in the water, with chest waders and thick insulated pants required at this time of the year. With the high-frequency wind chop, splashing salt water was an issue, requiring a slightly higher camera position (a LensCoat rain cover protected most of the camera and lens). An unexpected wind complication was that bobbing with the ducks while looking into the viewfinder contributed to a strong sense of motion sickness.
Ducks floating on water may seem a low challenge to photograph (the proverbial sitting duck), but this scenario was the complete opposite. Many near-1' (0.3m) waves rocking the already-twitchy, constantly-erratically moving ducks and me (at different frequencies) made keeping a duck in the 600mm frame (I started at 840mm with a 1.4x teleconverter) extremely challenging (especially when the duck was obscured by a wave). I monitored image sharpness until becoming confident that a 1/3200 shutter speed eliminated motion blur in most pictures.
One of the biggest wildlife (and portrait) photography challenges is to keep the proper AF point selected. A motionless subject permits a focus and recompose strategy, but moving subjects require selecting a specific AF point that produces the optimal composition while remaining on the subject's eye. Fast AF point selection is an especially big challenge for unpredictable wildlife. Tracking a twitchy, bobbing duck with a specific focus point held on the eye would have been nearly impossible. However, the 600mm, f/4, close distance combination's shallow depth of field made focusing precisely on the eye a requirement.
Eye AF eliminates this challenge for a significant percentage of subjects. With the Sony Alpha a1's eye AF enabled, bird selected as the subject, and the entire AF area chosen (most of the frame), I was left to concentrate primarily on framing the scene and timing the shutter release press. Note that, when eye AF is locking on the subject, gloves are no longer an impediment to cold-weather wildlife pursuits.
When many changes are happening simultaneously, a fast frame rate has your back. I began shooting in the 30 fps drive mode but backed off to 20 fps when I saw how fast the image count was increasing.
Twenty fps is still an exceptionally fast frame rate. Most 20 fps shot sequences captured, minimally, a properly-framed duck image, and often, many well-framed shots, despite all of the motion (ducks would sometimes bob from one frame border to another during a short burst). With 20 fps capture, I didn't feel the need to repair closed necessitating membranes as the previous or next image still had the ideal pose. The foreground and background matter, and wave and reflection nuances vary constantly. These elements can be the deciding factor for selection, and the 20 and 30 fps capture rate provides considerable options in this regard.
That the a1's viewfinder responded fast enough to keep the birds in the frame was remarkable, and the lack of viewfinder blackout was also critical. Even more remarkable was the extremely-high in-focus rate the a1 delivered. In this 3:45 shoot, 8,985 images were captured, and in almost all of them, the eye was in sharp focus – even when the eye bounced into the periphery of the frame.
When packing, four batteries seemed a lot, but 4% of the fourth battery was consumed by the time I walked out of the water. That said, capturing nearly 3,000 images per relatively-small battery is great performance.
Similarly, taking a full terabyte of memory cards seemed overkill, but the last 256GB card was half-filled when shade reached the water. As much as I want to purchase CFexpress Type A memory cards for the a1, I can't get past the current price. Let's put a Type A number on this day. As I write this, adequate 160GB Type A memory cards to contain this under-4-hour shoot would have cost $2,394.00.
In comparison, four fast Lexar 256GB Professional 1667x V60 UHS-II SDXC Memory Cards currently cost $300.00.
With these Lexar cards, the a1 was writing the buffer to the card most of the time. This writing prevents some camera features from being accessible, though image playback functions during the writing process.
Ultra-high performance AF combined with an extreme frame rate results in a problem, albeit a great problem — too many excellent images yield a long selection process. You may have foreseen this issue: reviewing nearly 9k photos is a massive project, and the phenomenal in-focus rate makes that job far more difficult. Most of us are not interested in a large volume of images, but we do care about quality. Still, it is hard to delete excellent pictures, and the minimum quality bar must be raised (or considerable hard drive storage space acquired). Again, the a1's extreme performance create a problem you want to have.
I didn't mention the a1's 50MP resolution in this post, but the bouncing ducks were often not ideally framed. This camera's high resolution meant that significant resolution remained even after cropping deeply.
The Robus RC-8860 Vantage Carbon Fiber Tripod (great tripod, excellent value) provided the support for this shoot. With the tripod leveled, the two-way pan and tilt of the smooth-functioning Wimberley WH-200-S Sidemount Head ensured that every shot was level (though the wave action diminished this requirement).
The bottom line is that Sony Alpha a1, and especially its AF system, is an outstanding performer, as expected.
ISO 400
8640 x 5760px
From Canon, Inc.:
Canon celebrates 18th consecutive year of No. 1 share of global interchangeable-lens digital camera market
TOKYO, March 29, 2021—Canon Inc. announced today that the company's interchangeable-lens digital cameras (digital SLR and mirrorless cameras) have maintained the No. 1 share of the global market for 18 consecutive years1 from 2003 to 2020.
Canon develops the key imaging system components featured in its EOS series of digital interchangeable-lens cameras—CMOS image sensors, image processors and interchangeable lenses—under the core concept of, "Speed, Comfort and High Image Quality." Putting together a wide-ranging product lineup—from high-performance flagship models that are highly trusted by professionals to entry-level models that allow users to enjoy high-image-quality shooting with easy operation, as well as a rich selection of 1182 combined RF and EF series lenses that make possible a wealth of creative expression—Canon continues to support the diverse needs of customers.
During the dawn of digital SLR cameras, Canon introduced its breakthrough EOS Kiss Digital (EOS Digital Rebel or EOS 300D in other regions) in September 2003. This groundbreaking camera, which was competitively priced and featured a compact, lightweight design, captured the top share of the global market and set the stage for growth in the digital SLR market. Since that time, Canon has continued to launch a range of groundbreaking products, including the professional-model EOS-1D series and the EOS 5D series, which paved the way for digital SLR video recording. In October 2018, Canon announced the EOS R system—including the EOS R full-frame mirrorless camera and RF lenses that fully leverage their optical technologies—that further expanded the range of imaging creativity and opened up new possibilities for visual expression. Over a long history beginning in the age of film, and with the support of loyal users, in 2019, the EOS series achieved the remarkable milestone of 100 million3 total EOS cameras sold.
In July 20204, Canon launched the EOS R5 full-frame mirrorless camera, equipped with cutting-edge technology in pursuit of next-generation visual expression. In striving to further expand its lineup, Canon managed to secure the No. 1 share of the global market for the 18th consecutive year.
Canon will continue to refine its diverse imaging technologies based on its core optical technology while further strengthening and expanding the EOS series of cameras and RF/EF series of lenses, opening up new avenues of image capture to meet the needs of increasingly diverse users and to promote the spread of photo and video culture.
1 Based on a Canon survey.
2 Includes 30 EF Cinema lenses (EF mount/PL mount) for visual productions and 4 lens extenders. As of march 29, 2021.
3 Including cinema cameras for visual productions.
4 Also in 2020, Canon released the following digital interchangeable-lens cameras: the EOS-1D X Mark III (February), the EOS Kiss X10i/EOS REBEL T8i/EOS 850D (June), the EOS R5 (July), the EOS R6 (August) and the EOS Kiss M2/EOS M50 Mark II (November).
From Sigma:
Firmware update for SIGMA Global Vision lenses in SONY E-mount 2021.03.26
Thank you for purchasing and using our products.
We would like to announce that a new firmware update is now available for SIGMA Global Vision lenses in SONY E-mount listed below.
[Applicable product]
·SIGMA 24-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Art in SONY E-mount
[Benefits of the update]
·It has fixed the issue whereby the MF Assist is cancelled on the SONY a7S III when shooting in the manual focus (MF) or direct manual focus (DMF) mode.
To update the firmware, please refer to the following link; https://www.sigma-global.com/en/lenses/a019_24_70_28/?tab=support&local=firmware
[Applicable product]
·SIGMA 45mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary in SONY E-mount
[Benefits of the update]
·It has improved focusing accuracy in single AF (AF-S)
To update the firmware, please refer to the following link; https://www.sigma-global.com/en/lenses/c019_45_28/?tab=support&local=firmware
* After the update is complete, be sure to remove the camera battery pack and reinsert it.
For further information, please contact your nearest authorized SIGMA subsidiary / distributor. https://www.sigma-global.com/en/world-network/
We appreciate your continued support for our company and products.
From Sigma:
Important Notice
Potential issue of ghost resistance deterioration of the SIGMA 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary
Dear valued customers
Thank you for your purchase and continued support of our products.
We have become aware of a potential issue with our recently released SIGMA 28-70 F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary, which could lead to increased ghosting over time in certain shooting conditions. This falls short of our usual high standards so we are acting as quickly as possible to rectify the issue.
Applicable Product and Serial Number
– Applicable product:SIGMA 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary (for L-mount, Sony E mount)
– Serial Number: serial number prior to 55488834, regardless of mount
The phenomenon has been identified early, so only a small number of customers are affected. Anyone who has already received a 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary (which has only started shipping in some countries) can check their lens’s serial number to see if it is affected.
How to check the serial number
You can find the serial number printed on the side of the lens, and also on the box. If your serial number is higher than 55488834 you can be assured it is not affected by this issue.
Cause of phenomenon
Our optical engineers are working hard to identify and eradicate the underlying cause of the phenomenon, and we expect to have this resolved within a month.
Treatment on this issue
We will suspend all shipments of the applicable product until the cause of this matter has been identified. Once we know the cause, we will be in touch with the small number of affected customers to advise on whether we will repair their lens or replace it, and how this process will work.
In the meantime, all customers can continue to use the 28-70mm F2.8 DG DN | Contemporary with confidence. If you have any questions please contact your local authorized SIGMA Service Station at https://www.sigma-global.com/en/world-network/, who will be happy to assist.
For customers in the US requiring more information, please contact our Service and Support team at info@sigmaphoto.com.
We apologize for any inconvenience this has caused and we assure you that we will put this issue right as soon as possible.
SIGMA corporation
"The prime lens packs the high image quality and beautiful bokeh of the G Lens into a compact design with intuitive operability and a sophisticated finish. The fast, precise and quiet AF is ideal for shooting both stills and movies, ensuring capture of those vital moments." [Sony]
Sony Electronics Introduces Three New High-Performance G Lenses™ to its Full-Frame E-mount Lens Lineup
Sony Electronics - 03/23/2021
SAN DIEGO, March 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Sony Electronics Inc. has announced the addition of three new G Lenses™ to its impressive E-mount line-up – the FE 50mm F2.5 G (model SEL50F25G), FE 40mm F2.5 G (model SEL40F25G) and FE 24mm F2.8 G (model SEL24F28G). All three lenses deliver high image quality and beautiful bokeh in a lightweight and compact design, perfect for photographers and videographers needing high image quality combined with easy mobility.
Sony Electronics Introduces Three New High-Performance G Lenses™ to its Full-Frame E-mount Lens Lineup
When paired with a Sony full-frame or APS-C camera, all three lenses offer high resolution, intuitive operability, and fast, precise and quiet AF (autofocus) capabilities. The lenses were designed for a wide range of photo and video uses including portraiture, landscape, street photography and more.
"At Sony we are constantly innovating to develop the best tools that allow photographers and video creators to realize their artistic vision," said Neal Manowitz, deputy president for Imaging Products and Solutions Americas at Sony Electronics. "With these three dynamic lenses, our customers can capture a wide range of perspectives with the excellent resolution and beautiful bokeh that Sony's G lenses are known for."
As a set, the FE 50mm F2.5 G, FE 40mm F2.5 G and FE 24mm F2.8 G deliver an ideal focal length for any shoot, from wide-angle landscapes or establishing shots on the 24mm, to a closer versatile perspective with the 40mm and a normal field of view ideal for portraits and closer shots on the 50mm. With their intuitive operability and superb build quality, this lens set is perfect for a variety of needs for any content creator.
The three lenses are all the same size (2.68 in diameter x 1.77 in), all have the same filter diameter (49mm) and are almost all the same weight (FE 50mm F2.5 G 6.1 oz, FE 40mm F2.5 G 6.1 oz and FE 24mm F2.8 G 5.7 oz), allowing the user to easily switch between all three lenses when using a gimbal without needing to rebalance each time. Moreover, each lens focuses internally, which means the front element does not move in and out to focus, enabling all three lenses to balance well when using a gimbal. They all feature the same stylish exterior design with focal lengths that are clearly marked to easily switch from lens to lens.
High Resolution in a Compact Design
The FE 50mm F2.5 G, FE 40mm F2.5 G and FE 24mm F2.8 G combine the high image quality of a G Lens with a compact and lightweight form factor. The image quality is achieved by state-of-the-art optics using aspherical elements and ED (Extra-low Dispersion) glass elements,i delivering high resolution and suppressing color fringing from corner to corner, even from the widest aperture, with a shallow depth of field.
The stunning bokeh of the G lenses is achieved with the optimization of a circular aperture and is delivered at the widest point of each lens (FE 50mm F2.5 G, FE 40mm F2.5 G, and the FE 24mm F2.8 G).
Focus Distances
The FE 50mm F2.5 G has a minimum focus distance of 0.35m (AF) / 0.31m (MF) and maximum magnification of up to 0.18x (AF) / 0.21x (MF), which is ideal for a variety of shooting environments and subjects.
The FE 40mm F2.5 G has a minimum focus distance of 0.28m (AF) / 0.25m (MF) and maximum magnification of up to 0.20x (AF) / 0.23x (MF). Particularly for movie shooting, 40mm is the preferred angle of view as it corresponds to the natural field of vision. For stills, 40mm allows subjects to stand out against backgrounds.
With a wide 24mm angle of view, the FE 24mm F2.8 G has a minimum focus distance of 0.24m (AF) / 0.18m (MF) and maximum magnification of up to 0.13x (AF) / 0.19x (MF), the user can easily shoot close-ups with a blurred background.
High Operability and Reliability
The lenses feature a focus hold button, focus mode switch, aperture ring, and aperture click switch for ideal operability. The focus hold button is customizable from the camera menu and can be assigned based on users' preferences. The aperture ring provides an intuitive and direct feel, compared to operating the aperture from the camera body. The aperture also provides switchable click stops that can be turned off for movie shooting using the aperture click switch. Furthermore, with Linear Response MF, the focus ring responds precisely and linearly when focusing manually, so control feels immediate and intuitive, directly reflecting the intent of the photographer and allowing delicate focus adjustments.
The aluminum exterior ensures a premium, sophisticated finish and provides increased strength and durability. Conveniently, the diameter of the filter threads on the hood and the lens barrel are equalii (49mm), allowing the same cap and filter to be attached to both the hood and the lens barrel. The lenses are also designed to be dust and moisture resistantiii to ensure usability in any outdoor environment.
Fast, Precise and Quiet Autofocus
The FE 50mm F2.5 G, FE 40mm F2.5 G and FE 24mm F2.8 G feature two linear motors to deliver fast, precise AF with excellent tracking performance which is maintained despite instantaneous changes in subject motion - making the lens ideal for tracking moving subjects. The AF is also quiet, so works for both still and movie shooting.
Pricing and Availability
The FE 50mm F2.5 G will be available in May and will be sold for approximately $600.00 USD and $800.00 CAD. It will be sold at a variety of Sony's authorized dealers throughout North America.
The FE 40mm F2.5 G will be available in May and will be sold for approximately $600.00 USD and $800.00 CAD. It will be sold at a variety of Sony's authorized dealers throughout North America.
The FE 24mm F2.8 G will be available in May and will be sold for approximately $600.00 USD and $800.00 CAD. It will be sold at a variety of Sony's authorized dealers throughout North America.
Notes:
i FE 24mm F2.8 G 1 x ED, 3 x aspherical elements, FE 40mm F2.5 G 3 x aspherical elements, FE 50mm F2.5 G 1 x ED, 2 x aspherical elements
ii This does not apply to FE 24mm F2.8 G
iii Not guaranteed to be 100% dust and moisture proof
Orders
Preorders go live at 10am ET, Wed Mar 24.
Order the Sony Compact Prime Lenses from B&H.
More precisely, a big beautiful bedded bull elk bugling in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Stay with an elk long enough, and it will bed down, and a stationary subject is easier to photograph than a moving one.
However, once bedded, obstructions (such as grass or trees) are often an issue. This cooperative bull opted to bed in a meadow with short grass, meaning that foreground obstructions were not an issue.
The background can typically be counted on to present a challenge, and distractions are among the most frequently encountered issues.
In this image, the first background distraction avoidance strategy was to blur it away. The Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens rises to that challenge. The bokeh capability of many ultra-wide aperture lenses is raved about, but the 600mm f/4 combination is unsurpassed for diffusely blurring the background. The 600mm f/4 combination smooths the strong contrasting background lines, such as trees, that would otherwise catch the viewer's eye, distracting from the subject.
The big in-the-field challenge is aligning the subject within the background. Once it is bedded down, you know where the animal will be for at least a short time — usually long enough time to allow perfecting of the composition. In this scenario, the goal was to avoid strong lines and color differences intersecting the animal's body and antlers.
I love a low shooting position when photographing elk (and most animals). While this image was captured from a low position, the position was high enough for the elk's back to remain below the brush behind it.
For many, it is all about the antlers. The camera position that placed the rack between the background trees also worked well for the animal.
A sleeping animal is usually not too exciting (unless it is a baby). Fortunately, during the rut, bull elk make use of their downtime. When bugling (one of my favorite sounds), elk raise their heads which lowers their antlers for my also-favorite elk body position.
A larger version of this image is available on Flickr.
ISO 200
8223 x 5596px
The Sony Alpha a1 is here, and it is time to set up this camera for use. Following are the 37 steps I took to make an out-of-the-box a1 ready for use.
- Charge battery
- Record serial number and add camera to insurance policy
- Download and install Capture One (for Sony) and/or Sony Imaging Edge (unless your current favorite RAW image processing software supports this camera)
- Insert charged battery, and power on the camera
- Set the timezone, date, time, timeformat
- insert memory card(s)
- Select M mode, press "Menu", and configure the camera as follows:
- Shooting Menu, 1 Image Quality: Image Quality Settings: File Format: RAW, RAW File Type: Lossless Comp (full image quality, reduced file size, ensure your software supports this format)
- Shooting Menu, 1 Image Quality: Long Exposure NR: Off (I'll enable this option for very long exposures)
- Shooting Menu, 1 Image Quality: Lens Compensation: Shading, Chromatic Aberration, and Distortion Comp: All Off (I use the RAW processing software to enable any lens compensation, with CA correction frequently selected)
- Shooting Menu, 2 Media: Format (ensure there are no important files on the card(s) prior to formating)
- Shooting Menu, 3 File: Copyright Info: Write Copyright Info: On, Set Photographer: [your name], Set Copyright: [as desired], Write Serial Number: On (note: entering this information on the touchscreen may be a painful process)
- Shooting Menu, 5 Drive Mode: Con. Shooting Speed: Lo(E-Shutter): 10 images/sec (I will use 10 fps more than the default 5 fps)
- Shooting Menu, 5 Drive Mode: Bracket Settings: Bracket order: ->0>+ (considerably enhances image selection for HDR processing)
- Shooting Menu, 6 Shutter/Silent: Release w/o Lens: Disable
- Shooting Menu, 6 Shutter/Silent: Release w/o Card: Disable (why is this not the default?)
- Shooting Menu, 9 Shooting Display: Grid Line Display: On (Rule of Thirds selected)
- Exposure/Color Menu, 3 Metering: Spot Metering Point: Focus Point Link
- Exposure/Color Menu, 6 Color/Tone: D-Range Optimizer: Off
- Exposure/Color Menu, 6 Color/Tone: Creative Look: NT (Neutral), Sharpness = 1 (this setting provides a lower contrast histogram. I usually process with the Natural creative style in Capture One)
- Focus Menu, 1 AF/MF: Priority Set in AF-S: AF
- Focus Menu, 1 AF/MF: Priority Set in AF-C: AF
- Focus Menu, 2 Focus Area: Focus Area: Spot
- Focus Menu, 2 Switch V/H AF Area: AF Point Only
- Focus Menu, 3 Face/Eye AF: Face/Eye Frame Disp: On
- Playback Menu, 4 Delete: "Delete" first
- Playback Menu, 7 Playback Option: Display Rotation: Off (image fills LCD)
- Network Menu: 1 Smartphone Connection: Smartphone Connection: Off
- Network Menu: 7 Network Menu: Airplane Mode: Off
- Setup Menu: 3 Operation Customize: DISP (Screen Disp) Set: Monitor: Uncheck For viewfinder and Monitor Off, press [enter]
- Setup Menu: 3 Operation Customize: Custom Key Setting: Top: 3: Image Quality Settings (allows quick access to the RAW file type, availing the Compressed option access 30 fps)
- Setup Menu: 4 Dial Customize: Av/Tv Assign in M: TV/Av (I adjust the shutter speed more frequently and urgently than aperture and the front dial is easier to access quickly)
- Setup Menu: 5 Touch Operations: Touch Panel/Pad: Both Valid
- Setup Menu: 5 Touch Operations: Touch Pad Settings: Touch Position Mode: Relative Position, Operation Area: Whole Screen
- Setup Menu 9, Sound Option: Audio signals: Off (how to turn off the loud and usually-annoying AF beep sound)
- My Menu: Format; Px. Shift Multi Shoot; Shutter Type; Anti-flicker Set.; Steady Shot; Flash Comp.; Face/Eye Subject, Bracket Settings
- With a lens mounted and a subject in focus, adjust the viewfinder diopter until the scene is sharp
I make additional menu and other setting changes based on current shooting scenarios, but this list covers my initial camera setup process.
To copy this configuration means you intend to shoot as I do — including in RAW-only format. While this setup works great for me, you should tweak these steps as needed.
If you can't remember your menu setup parameters, keeping an up-to-date list such as this one is a great idea. Anytime your camera is reset to factory state for some reason, such as when being serviced or when acquiring an additonal camera, you will be ready to create your setup quickly while ensuring that an important setting is not omitted. If you purchase another same or similar camera, you will be able to set it up quickly. Note that the a1 enables camera settings to be saved and loaded, a timesaving feature.
More Information
The Sony Alpha a1 is available for order at
B&H |
Adorama |
Amazon.
Rent the Sony Alpha a1 from
Lensrentals.
The Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Lens Review page is filled with expectations for this exciting new lens.
The Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Lens is available for order at B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA
Rent the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Lens from Lensrentals.
Check out the new Canon EOS Webcam Accessories Starter Kit available for order at B&H.
Kits are available for the Canon EOS RP, Rebel T3, Rebel T5, Rebel T6, Rebel T7, M50, M50 Mark II & M200 Digital Cameras. Included in the kits:
- Canon AC-E6N AC Adapter
- Canon DC Coupler DR-E18
- Canon IFC-100U Interface Cable (39.4")
"Turn your EOS RP Mirrorless Digital Camera into a high-performance webcam and enhance the quality of your content with the EOS Webcam Accessories Starter Kit from Canon. Simply download the freely available EOS Webcam Utility software, connect the camera to a compatible laptop or desktop computer with the provided IFC-100U Interface Cable, power it with the included AC-E6N AC Adapter and the supplied DR-E18 DC Coupler using a standard home outlet, and you'll be on your way to longer continuous shooting and outstanding clarity. Whether you're working, teaching, livestreaming, or just reaching out to friends and family, your audience will be able to clearly see you. This kit gives you everything you need in one convenient package, and lets you put yourself out there with the quality and ease you desire."
From Canon U.S.A: Canon U.S.A. Launches a Line of 4K UHD PTZ Cameras Ready For Integration Into a Variety of Environments
The Company Also Introduced the RC-IP100 Remote Camera Controller That Allows for the Control of Multiple Canon PTZ Cameras at Once
MELVILLE, NY, March 17, 2021– Designed for use in a wide-range of applications in broadcast, education, house of worship, sports, and corporate environments, Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is excited to introduce the company’s first line of 4K UHD PTZ cameras – the CR-N500 and CR-N300 for indoor live-streaming and the outdoor CR-X500.
This new line of cameras capitalizes on Canon’s digital imaging and operational expertise from both professional camcorders and network cameras. This enables the cameras to not only deliver brilliant 4K imagery thanks to Canon’s CMOS sensors, DIGIC DV 6 Image Processor, and optical zoom lenses, but also smooth pan, tilt and zoom functionality that allows for on-air camera movement. The new indoor PTZ cameras support various video interfaces, including HDMI, IP, and 3G-SDI, and are also compatible with popular live production protocols like NDI|HX®, RTMP and more. The new outdoor PTZ camera supports 12G-SDI, and includes a durable, IP55 rated weather-resistant housing. In addition to the cameras, Canon has also introduced a new remote camera controller, the RC-IP100, which supports IP and serial connections and can operate camera functions such as pan, tilt, zoom, focus, and iris.
“In 2020, Canon introduced the System Integrator Program with the goal of developing strategic relationships with integrators, providing the organizations world-class support and cutting-edge digital imaging equipment,” said Tatsuro “Tony” Kano, executive vice president and general manager of Canon U.S.A.’s Imaging Technologies & Communications Group. “These new PTZ cameras and remote camera controller were designed with the system integrator market squarely in mind. We are eager to see how these cameras are incorporated into the creative solutions that they develop for end users.”
The Vivid CR-N500 4K UHD PTZ Camera
When combined, the 1.0-inch CMOS sensor, 3.2µm pixel pitch, and DIGIC DV 6 image processor featured in the CR-N500 4K UHD PTZ camera provide users with the capability to capture images with high sensitivity, low noise, and a minimum subject illumination of approximately 1.5 lux1.
Utilizing a 15x optical zoom 4K UHD lens, users will also experience cinematic images with shallow depth-of-field and beautifully blurred backgrounds with brilliant image quality. The 15x optical zoom covers a 35mm equivalent focal range of 25.5-382.5mm, and the camera is capable of a variable pan and tilt speed from 0.1° - 100° per second to support smooth on-air movement or fast preset transitions. An independent, built-in three-density ND filter and nine-bladed iris create natural bokeh effects, with diffused, diffracted light. The CR-N500 features Dual Pixel CMOS AF with dual pixel focus guide, as well as face detection and tracking. The CR-N500 also supports Canon Log 3 for color grading and wide dynamic range gamma of 800%, along with image quality mode and adjustment functions to enhance an operator’s image customization capabilities from capture to post-production.
The Versatile CR-N300 4K UHD PTZ Camera
The CR-N300 4K UHD PTZ camera uses a 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, DIGIC DV 6 image processor, and a 20x optical zoom lens with a 35mm equivalent focal range of 29.3-601mm. The camera features Canon’s Hybrid AF system that combines high-precision contrast AF and high-speed phase-difference AF, allowing operators to gain focus and lock-in subjects even in dim or dark situations. The variable pan speed of the camera clocks in at 0.2° - 300° per second and the variable tilt speed is 0.2° - 170° per second. The CR-N300 can also be used as a webcam via a USB connection.
The CR-N300 is equipped with four unique scene modes: portrait, sports, low-light, and spotlight, which allows users to select the mode most suitable for the desired subject.
- Portrait Mode achieves sharp focus while blurring the background.
- Sports Mode enhances the ability to capture moving objects.
- Low-Light Mode brightens images when in dim or dark shooting situations.
- Spotlight Mode allows users to capture beautiful images in brightly lit situations.
- The CR-N300 and the CR-N500 both offer peace of mind, being backed by Canon’s 3-year limited warranty. (See website for more information)
The All-Weather CR-X500 4K UHD PTZ Camera
The Canon CR-X500 4K UHD PTZ is rated IP55 for water and dust resistance, and is designed for outdoor uses including sports, news/weather coverage, and television production. The camera features a 1.0-inch CMOS sensor that captures 4K UHD images in 60p/4:2:2/10-bit. The sensor’s 3.2µm pixel pitch combined with dual DIGIC DV 6 image processors produces improved signal-to-noise ratio from previous HD models and a minimum subject illuminance of 3 lux. The camera features a 15x 4K UHD lens with an optical 35mm equivalent zoom range of 25.5-382mm. When the camera is in FHD mode, operators can use the camera’s 4K multi-pixel sensors for up to a 30x advanced zoom. Dual Pixel CMOS AF, Canon’s renowned and popular autofocus system, allows for superb tracking performance and successfully captures 4K scenes where outstanding accuracy is required. Image Stabilization mode helps to reduce camera shake and produces stable and clear images even in windy conditions, and a built-in wiper helps to clear away rain from the camera. The camera also supports Canon Log 3 for color grading and a wide dynamic range gamma of 800%, as well as image quality mode and adjustment functions to enhance an operator’s image customization capabilities.
Features of the Canon RC-IP100 Camera Remote Controller
The Canon RC-IP100 camera remote controller supports IP and serial connections and is compatible with all three of the new PTZ cameras, allowing operators to control multiple cameras simultaneously. By virtue of the control and seesaw zoom levers and 7-inch touch panel, users can control each camera’s functions such as pan, tilt, zoom, focus, and iris. When connected via IP, it is possible to control up to 99 CR-N500/CR-N300 cameras, and when connected via serial, an outdoor CR-X500 can be controlled, allowing for a total of 100 cameras.
Included with the Indoor PTZ Cameras is the Remote Camera Control Application software which allows PC users to register up to 20 cameras, viewing up to nine different cameras live at once. Full camera control, including setting trace functions and presets, is easily accessible with the click of a mouse.
Along with the new PTZ cameras and controller, Canon is also introducing a newly-developed XC Protocol2 that offers control and communication with select Canon video production devices for high quality video streaming over IP. Later this year, Canon will look to release new firmware to introduce the new XC protocol to select Cinema EOS System cameras.
Availability
The Canon CR-N500, CR-N300, CR-X500 4K UHD PTZ cameras and RC-IP100 camera remote controller are scheduled to be available in the Summer of 2021*.
# # #
†Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office
®NDI is a trademark or registered trademark of NewTek, Inc. in the United States and other countries
* Specifications and availability are subject to change without notice
1 3840 × 2160: Approx. 1.5 lux (shutter speed 1/30 sec., frame rate 29.97P, gain 33.0 dB)
1920 ×1080: Approx. 3 lux (shutter speed 1/60 sec., frame rate 59.94P, gain 33.0 dB)
2 CR-X500 is not supported
Orders
Order your Canon 4K UHD PTZ Camera at B&H
Just posted: Sigma 24mm f/3.5 DG DN Contemporary Lens Review.
This is a fun little lens.
The Sigma 24mm f/3.5 DG DN Contemporary Lens is in stock at B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA
Please share!
Sony introducing their first f/1.2 FE lens, the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Lens, is exciting, but enabling that massive aperture opening requires large, heavy lens elements. How large and heavy is this lens, especially relative to the Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM Lens?
The Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Lens vs. Canon RF 50mm F1.2 L USM Lens comparison shows these two lenses sharing a length spec and the Sony lens shaving about 3mm from the Canon lens's diameter. Basically, the size of the lenses is not differentiating. From a weight perspective, the Sony is 18% lighter. The 6 oz (172g) difference will be modestly noticeable.
The Sony lens has 11 diaphragm blades vs. 10. The odd blade count number will generate 22-point starbursts when used at narrow apertures vs. 10 points. Which is preferable is a matter of taste. All else equal, more blades result in rounder bokeh effects at narrow apertures.
The Canon lens features a focus limiter switch, enabling a shortened focus distance range for potentially less focus hunting in some scenarios. The Canon lens has a slightly higher maximum magnification capability, 0.19x vs. 0.17x.
The Canon is the more expensive lens — $300.00 more expensive as I write this. Will the higher price be justified? The optical performance comparison potentially holds that answer. From what we've seen from Sony GM lenses so far, the optical performance of the new FE 50 f/1.2 should be similar to that of the impressive Canon option.
From Sony Electronics:
Sony Electronics Strengthens its Alpha System with the Introduction of its 60th E-Mount Lens, FE 50mm F1.2 G Master™
Sony’s newest lens delivers Superb Resolution, Exquisite Bokeh and High-performance Autofocus in a Compact and Lightweight Design
SAN DIEGO, CA – March 16, 2021 – Today, Sony Electronics Inc. unveils the newest addition to its G Master full-frame lens series – the FE 50mm F1.2 GM (model SEL50F12GM) – delivering excellent resolution and dramatic bokeh known to Sony’s G Master line, industry-leading AF (autofocus) capabilities and professional control and reliability in a compact and lightweight design. The lens’s maximum F1.2 aperture combines an impressive shallow depth of field for maximum creative expression with incredible light gathering capabilities, allowing for faster shutter speeds and lower ISO in low light settings, making it ideal for portraits, wedding photography, video and more.
“We’re excited to introduce our 60th E-mount lens – the FE 50mm F1.2 GM – which delivers a new level of expression and usability for still images and video as an F1.2 lens,” said Neal Manowitz, deputy president for Imaging Products and Solutions Americas at Sony Electronics. “We’re always listening to our customer to deliver the best imaging technology. The FE 50mm F1.2 GM, our first F1.2 lens for the a brand, was designed without compromise to meet the changing needs of today’s content creators.”
Excellent Resolution and Beautiful Bokeh
The FE 50mm F1.2 GM features the latest optics, including three XA (extreme aspherical) lens elements, that contribute to high resolution across the entire image and is maintained even when fully opened at F1.2. The new lens also ensures clear images in backlit scenes thanks to Sony’s Nano AR Coating II that effectively minimizes internal reflections so that flare and ghosting do not occur.
The FE 50mm F1.2 GM creates dramatic G Master bokeh at the maximum F1.2 aperture to provide dimensionality to every image. Using the newly developed 11-blade circular aperture unit and fine-tuned optical design with minimal spherical aberration, the lens can achieve smooth, deep bokeh in both the foreground and background.
High Performance AF and Tracking at F1.2
The lens can keep subjects in sharp focus even at an extremely shallow depth-of-field with fast, precise, quiet AF and tracking thanks to the four XD (extreme dynamic) Linear Motors which provide high thrust efficiency. When precise focusing is required, especially when shooting 4K video with human eye tracking, the FE 50mm F1.2 GM allows the user to focus on composition thanks to its excellent response with minimum delay and low vibration. In addition, the lens’s floating focus mechanism, controlled by its dedicated lens drive algorithm, achieves high resolution over the entire focus range, with a minimum focus distance of 1.32 feet.
Professional Control and Reliability in a Compact Form Factor
The FE 50mm F1.2 GM was designed with professional content creators in mind. With convenient controls and functions such as a Linear Response MF (Manual Focus), aperture ring with a click on/off switch, focus mode switch and two customizable focus hold buttons, the FE 50mm F1.2 GM combines easy operation with professional control. The FE 50mm F1.2 GM also features a dust and moisture resistant[i] design and a fluorine front element coating that protects the lens from fingerprints, dust, water, oil and other contaminants. Developed using Sony’s latest simulation technologies and the latest optical design, the lens comes in a surprisingly compact and lightweight form factor (3.5 in x 4.38 in, 27.5 oz.), providing high mobility and easy handling for a 50mm F1.2 lens.
Pricing and Availability
The new FE 50mm F1.2 GM will be available in May and will be sold for approximately $2,000.00 USD and $2,600.00 CAD. It will be sold at a variety of Sony’s authorized dealers throughout North America.
Orders
Order the Sony FE 50mm f/1.2 GM Lens at B&H starting at 10am ET, Wed Mar 17, 2021.
Watch the Video
More Info
Just posted: Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary Lens Review.
Welcome to the Sigma "I-series".
The Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary Lens is in stock at B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA
Rent the Sigma 35mm f/2 DG DN Contemporary Lens from Lensrentals.
Please share!
Resolution test results have been added to the Sony Alpha a1 review, a work in progress.
Here are some comparisons:
In these comparisons, more resolution results in higher image quality. There is nothing surprising about that. Also obvious, especially in the Canon comparison, is that the Sony Alpha cameras continue to produce strong moiré or false color.
Again, image quality commentary (and much more) for the Alpha a1 is available in the "Image Quality" section of the review.
Future Sony Lens Testing
Unless strong objections are voice, I will use the Sony Alpha a1 for future Sony Lens testing. While some visualization skills are required to compare against the existing lower resolution Sony Alpha a7R III test results, the difference seems relatively small from a lens comparison perspective.
If you are interested in purchasing my mint a7R III, let me know.
Noise and dynamic range test results have been added to the Sony Alpha a1 review, a work in progress.
Commentary for these results is available in the "Image Quality" section of the review.
The Sony Alpha a1 provides compressed non-lossy RAW file format, but you may not want to use it — at least not immediately.
I stayed up late last night to capture nearly 300 Sony a1 noise and dynamic range test images. The non-lossy compressed RAW file format seemed a no-brainer to reduce the storage requirements (all of our test images are archived). After completing the tests, I attempted to load the images into Capture One, updated yesterday with support for the Alpha a1 affirmed. Troubling was that only a small number of RAW images and the JPG files would import.
I quickly determined that only the uncompressed and lossy compressed RAW images files were importing. As it turns out, Capture One is not yet compatible with the Sony a1 compressed RAW file format, and that's a show-stopper for my hours of work.
The next step was to attempt opening the files in Lightroom. After downloading the latest Adobe updates (Photoshop and Camera RAW updates were available), I attempted to import the test images into Lightroom. This time only the JPG images came in.
According to Adobe, the a1 is supported in Lightroom Classic version 10.2. The problem is, Lightroom 10.1.1 is the latest Lightroom Classic version available. Thus, at this moment, Lightroom does not support the a1 — unless you shoot in JPG format.
The good news is that yesterday's Adobe updates fully support the a1, including the compressed RAW file format, in Bridge and Photoshop. So, Lightroom should also support these files very soon. However, Lightroom is not the image processor we've used on the previous Sony cameras. So, for comparative reasons, Capture One is the required option.
I'm not patient enough to wait for another Capture One update, so tonight will be another late night of tedious camera testing — using the uncompressed RAW file format.
I should note that Sony's Imaging Edge supports the non-lossy compressed format.
The following table shows comparative RAW file sizes for a photo of a standard in-studio setup with a moderately-high amount of detail captured with the referenced camera.
| Model / File Size in MB @ ISO: | (MP) | 100 | 200 | 400 | 800 | 1600 | 3200 | 6400 | 12800 | 25600 | 51200 | 102400 | 204800 |
| Canon EOS-1D X III | (20.1) | 24.7 | 25.2 | 25.4 | 26.0 | 26.9 | 27.8 | 28.9 | 30.3 | 31.9 | 33.7 | 35.9 | 36.3 |
| Canon EOS 5Ds R | (50.6) | 65.2 | 66.4 | 67.6 | 69.8 | 73.0 | 77.2 | 81.9 | 88.4 | ||||
| Canon EOS R5 | (45.0) | 51.6 | 53.1 | 53.6 | 55.6 | 57.7 | 60.1 | 63.0 | 66.4 | 70.5 | 75.1 | 79.5 | |
| Canon EOS R5 CRAW | (45.0) | 28.1 | 29.3 | 29.9 | 31.5 | 33.3 | 35.5 | 36.2 | 35.9 | 36.0 | 36.9 | 37.7 | |
| Canon EOS R6 | (20.1) | 24.1 | 24.7 | 24.9 | 25.6 | 26.4 | 27.3 | 28.4 | 29.8 | 31.4 | 33.3 | 35.5 | 35.9 |
| Canon EOS R6 CRAW | (20.1) | 13.8 | 14.2 | 14.5 | 14.9 | 15.6 | 16.4 | 16.4 | 16.0 | 15.7 | 15.8 | 16.1 | 14.8 |
| Sony a1 Uncomp | (50.1) | 102.2 | 102.2 | 102.1 | 102.1 | 102.2 | 102.5 | 102.4 | 102.6 | 103.4 | 103.4 | 104.4 | |
| Sony a1 Non-Lossy | (50.1) | 64.0 | 64.7 | 65.7 | 67.1 | 69.1 | 71.6 | 74.4 | 78.2 | 80.8 | 96.0 | 93.9 | |
| Sony a1 Lossy | (50.1) | 54.4 | 54.4 | 54.3 | 54.2 | 54.4 | 54.6 | 54.5 | 54.7 | 55.6 | 55.6 | 56.4 | |
| Sony a9 II | (24.2) | 47.2 | 47.2 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.2 | 47.2 | 47.2 | 47.3 |
| Sony a9 | (24.2) | 47.2 | 47.2 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.2 | 47.2 | 47.2 | 47.3 |
| Sony a7R IV | (61.0) | 117.0 | 117.0 | 117.0 | 117.0 | 117.0 | 117.0 | 117.0 | 117.0 | 82.0 | 82.0 | 82.0 | |
| Sony a7R IV CRAW | (61.0) | 59.1 | 59.1 | 59.1 | 59.1 | 59.1 | 59.1 | 59.1 | 59.1 | 59.1 | 59.1 | 59.1 | |
| Sony a7R III | (42.4) | 81.9 | 81.9 | 81.9 | 81.9 | 81.9 | 81.9 | 81.9 | 81.9 | 82.0 | 82.0 | 82.0 | |
| Sony a7R II | (42.4) | 82.8 | 82.8 | 82.8 | 82.8 | 82.8 | 82.8 | 82.8 | 82.8 | 82.8 | 82.8 | 82.8 | |
| Sony a7 III | (24.2) | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.2 | 47.2 | 47.2 |
| Sony a7C | (24.2) | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.1 | 47.2 | 47.2 | 47.2 |
RAW file sizes increase with: 1. Resolution 2. Bit Depth (more is better/larger) 3. Detail (noise adds detail, so high ISO file sizes increase) 4. Lack of compression. Memory and disk are cheap – buy more.
At ISO 100, the Sony non-lossy compressed RAW format results in a huge file size reduction. This file is 63% as large as the uncompressed result, and similar in size to Canon's standard non-lossy compressed 50MP EOS 5Ds R RAW files. At the highest (noisiest) ISO settings, the compression savings is significantly reduced.
The lossy compressed file size is, as expected, smaller than the non-lossy compressed file size. However, the difference is small enough at all except the highest few stops of ISO settings that there is little incentive to drop down to the lossy option.
What I can see so far is that the Sony Alpha a1 images look excellent, including from a dynamic range standpoint.
When planning for the Sony a1 arrival, I wanted to know if an L-plate from a previously available camera would fit the a1. Ideally, an L-plate already in my kit. I find L-plates a necessity. New L-plates designs typically reach the market months after new camera models, and the arrival of a new camera model that uses existing plates can result in already available L-plates going out of stock.
My ProMediaGear PLX3x Universal L-Bracket was undoubtedly going to work as well on the a1 as it does on nearly all cameras. Still, the cameras remaining in my kit eventually all get custom Really Right Stuff L-Plates or Kirk L-Brackets.
That answer did not arrive before the a1 arrived, but I immediately and successfully installed the Really Right Stuff Ultralight Plate for Sony a7R IV, a7S III, and a9 II on the a1. I expect that similarly-designed L-plates will also fit nicely.
Stating this optimistically, I'm considerably less certain that the RRS L-Plate Set's wrap-around design will fit the a1's slightly larger grip. The calipers say the a1's grip is a couple of mm larger, including the area appearing to be inside the L-plate set.
Firmware Updates Bring New Features to Alpha 9 II and Alpha 7 III
Sony has updated firmware for the Alpha 7 III and Alpha 9 II cameras, bringing a range of customer-requested features.
Sony Alpha 9 II
Benefits and Improvements
IMPORTANT: When you update to this version, the camera settings will be reinitialized. Because of this, we recommend that you save the current settings before updating. You can use the Save/Load Settings function to save the current settings to a memory card and write them back after the update.
NOTE: For details on how to save the settings and the items that can be saved, refer to Save/Load Settings in the Help Guide.
- Adds the Crop function to allow you to crop a recorded still image
- Adds the Forced File No. Reset option in the File/Folder Settings (still image) menu to allow you to reset the still image file number and create a new folder
- Other improvements
- Has improved the case where some functions are not registered correctly in the Function menu
- Improves the overall stability of the camera
Sony Alpha 7 III
Benefits and Improvements
IMPORTANT: When you update to this version, FTP transfer setting will be initialized. Please reconfigure after the update.
- Adds new features of FTP transfer
- Allows you to transfer still images during shoot and playback operations.
- Adds the following FTP transfer functions:
- Allows you to narrow down the transfer target, such as protected images or non-transferred images, and transfer the images together as a batch.
- Allows you to transfer only the image being played back by pressing the custom key.
- Allows you to transfer all images automatically while shooting.
- Allows you to select the setting to transfer both RAW file and JPEG taken in RAW+JPEG format to an FTP server.
- Update the destination folder configuration.
- Allows you to register up to nine FTP servers. (Previous was up to 3)
- Allows you to change the destination folder configuration on the FTP server:
- Register the folder configuration same as your camera.
- Save image data directly under the folder that you choose.
- Register the media card slot number in the folder configuration.
- Improved operability of FTP transfer function.
- Allows you to set items under Server Setting by using the smartphone application Transfer & Tagging add-on.
- Improves the overall stability of the camera.
Image quality, vignetting, flare, and distortion test results along with specs, measurements, and standard product images have been added to the Sigma 24mm f/3.5 DG DN Contemporary Lens Review.
You are going to like these results. There are not many 24mm prime lenses this slow, but you can start your comparisons with these two options:
Sigma compared to Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens
Sigma compared to Tamron 24mm f/2.8 Di III OSD M1:2 Lens
The Sigma 24mm f/3.5 DG DN Contemporary Lens is in stock at B&H | Adorama | Amazon USA
Please share!
From Nikon:
Nikon is developing the Nikon Z 9 full-frame flagship mirrorless camera
*The appearance of the camera may differ from the photo shown above.
MELVILLE, NY – Nikon Inc. is pleased to announce the development of the first flagship model for which the Nikon Z mount has been adopted: The Nikon Z 9. The full-frame (Nikon FX-format) mirrorless camera is scheduled for release in 2021, and represents a significant leap in technology and performance.
The Z 9 brings together Nikon's groundbreaking technologies to deliver the best still and video performance in Nikon history, meeting the advanced needs of professionals in a wide range of genres. It utilizes a newly developed FX-format stacked CMOS sensor and new image-processing engine. In response to the growing needs of professionals, advanced enthusiasts and cinematographers, it includes support for 8K video recording as well as various other video specifications that fulfill diverse needs and workflows. The Z 9 embodies ultimate usability as a tool, offering users an unprecedented imaging experience from capture to workflow exceeding that of previous digital-SLR and mirrorless cameras.
Information regarding the release of this product will be announced at a later date.
- Updated: Select Refurbished Cameras and Lenses on Sale at Canon USA, RF 24mm F1.8 In Stock
- Canon Releases DPP 4.18.10 (Minor Update), Updated Neuro Network Tools
- Just Announced: Tamron 17-50mm f/4 Di III VXD Lens for Sony E
- The Canon RF 135mm F1.8 L IS USM Lens is In Stock at Adorama
- Select Refurbished Cameras and Lenses on Sale at Canon USA!
- In Today's B&H Deal Zone: Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM Art Lens – Only $849.00 (Save $750.00)
- New Canon Promo Code Sale at B&H – Save Big on Select Cameras and Lenses
- Adorama Deals of the Day: Canon EOS R6 – Only $2,198.00 with Free Control Ring Adapter, Apple MacBook Pro 16", Sony a7R III Bundle
 |
|