Archive for August, 2010

Zeiss ZE 35 f/1.4 Tomorrow

Zeiss ZE 35 f/1.4 Tomorrow?

Joy
Zeiss continues to add to their Canon mount (ZE) lineup with a 35mm f/1.4.

Apparently this lens will be announced tomorrow.

Thanks Dubuis

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Canon Develops World’s Largest CMOS Sensor

The new sensor beside a 35mm Full Frame Sensor

Canon succeeds in developing world’s largest CMOS image sensor, with ultra-high sensitivity

TOKYO, August 31, 2010-Canon Inc. announced today that it has successfully developed the world’s largest*1 CMOS image sensor, with a chip size measuring 202 x 205 mm. Because its expanded size enables greater light-gathering capability, the sensor is capable of capturing images in one one-hundredth the amount of light required by a professional-model digital SLR camera.

At 202 x 205 mm, the newly developed CMOS sensor is among the largest chips that can be produced from a 12-inch (300 mm) wafer, and is approximately 40 times the size of Canon’s largest commercial CMOS sensor.*2

In the past, enlarging the size of the sensor resulted in an increase in the amount of time required between the receiving and transmission of data signals, which posed a challenge to achieving high-speed readout. Canon, however, solved this problem through an innovative circuit design, making possible the realization of a massive video-compatible CMOS sensor. Additionally, by ensuring the cleanest of cleanroom environments during the production process, the sensor minimizes image imperfections and dust.

Because the increased size of the new CMOS sensor allows more light to be gathered, it enables shooting in low-light environments. The sensor makes possible the image capture in one one-hundredth the amount of light required by a 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor, facilitating the shooting of 60 frame-per-second video with a mere 0.3 lux of illumination.

Potential applications for the new high-sensitivity CMOS sensor include the video recording of stars in the night sky and nocturnal animal behavior.

Through the further development of distinctive CMOS image sensors, Canon will break new ground in the world of new image expression, in the area of still images as well as video.

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Photographer Profile: Stephanie Borcard & Nicolas Metraux

Stephanie Borcard & Nicolas Metraux
It’s time to meet the photographers behind our long overdue 2nd photographer profile.

This couple travels the globe capturing the human condition. They aspire to be full-time photographers in a very difficult photography field to make a living.

I love their work and I hope you do too.

Read The Interview

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The 60D Needs AF Microadjustment

No Microadjustment in the 60D
I just learned today that there is no AF microadjustment in the pre-production 60D. There is a great thread on the forum about it.

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php/topic,127.msg1785/topicseen.html#new

I think it’s crazy for the camera not to have the feature. I know it’s a “super rebel”, but it will be a 2nd body for a lot of pros and the first “prosumer” body for a lot of people as well. This might be a camera I own myself.

Please contact Canon in your country asking for the feature. Most people assume it could just be a firmware update.

Canon has proven in the last 12-24 months that they are listening to customers.

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1Ds Mark IV & More [CR1]

1Ds Mark IV @ Photokina
Receiving a few tidbits of information about an upcoming 1Ds body.

Everything points to it launching before Photokina. We’ve even seen claims it could launch as early as this week.

I also received one emailing claiming it would be launched with 1 lens. No word on what lens that would be.

The 1D Mark IV didn’t launch with a lens, however the 70-200 f/2.8L IS II did launch a couple of months earlier on its own.

A new 24-70 is obviously a lens that would make sense to launch with a new 1Ds.

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Pre Order Fun!

New Stuff Goodness
You can preorder all the new Canon cameras now. I’m still waiting on the lens pricing to appear. Canon Canada still lists the pricing as “TBD” (To be decided).

Even if it lists them as “in-stock” consider it pre-orders until at least the middle of September.

Canon EOS 60D Body
As of January 27th, 2012, the Canon EOS 60D is in-stock at ($899), Crutchfield ($899), Abe’s ($939), Amazon ($995), B&H ($999), J&R ($999), Calumet ($999), Photo 4 Less ($999), Best Buy ($999), and is out-of-stock at Camera Canada ($889), BuyDig ($899), Beach ($899), Cameta ($899), Newegg ($949), ($999), OneCall ($999).

Canon PowerShot S95
As of January 26th, 2012, the Canon PowerShot S95 is in-stock at ($329), B&H ($339), BuyDig ($339), Amazon ($340), J&R ($349), Crutchfield ($359), Beach ($369), Photo 4 Less ($399), ($399), and is out-of-stock at Best Buy ($298), Newegg ($339), ($347), Calumet ($359), Cameta ($359), Abe’s ($379), OneCall ($399), Canon Store ($399), Camera Canada ($449).

Canon PowerShot SD4500 IS
As of December 13th, 2011, the Canon PowerShot SD4500 IS is in-stock at B&H ($139), Amazon ($148), ($149), BuyDig ($149), Calumet ($149), Beach ($149), Abe’s ($217), J&R ($229), ($298), and is out-of-stock at Crutchfield ($169), Canon Store ($279), Newegg ($349), Camera Canada ($379).

Canon PowerShot SX130 IS
As of October 31st, 2011, the Canon PowerShot SX130 IS is in-stock at Amazon ($127), BuyDig ($134), B&H ($139), Photo 4 Less ($149), Beach ($169), Abe’s ($179), J&R ($199), ($199), ($219), and is out-of-stock at Crutchfield ($199), Newegg ($199), OneCall ($209), Best Buy ($209), Canon Store ($209), Cameta ($219), Camera Canada ($228), TigerDirect ($229), Calumet ($249).

The price watch pages have also been updated with the new camera bodies.

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Fun Announcements

Will that be all?
We’ll find out soon enough if Canon is done for Photokina.

I’ll go ahead and say no, there are definitely new PowerShots coming, G12 and SX30 anyone? Will they be announced alongside a 1Ds Mark IV or beside a 2000D?

Right & Wrong
So how’d we do rumor wise on this round of announcements.

60D
- We pretty much nailed this camera.

70-300 f/4-5.6L IS
- We sort of got this correct. I reported that a 70-300 replacement was coming a while ago, then we found a 100-300 rumor on a web site.

I think this lens will be a great addition to the Canon line-up. The old 70-300 was a bit misplaced.

8-15 f/4L Fisheye
- Really had no clue a fisheye zoom was coming. We saw a report of an 8-15, but that’s about it. This is a darn cool lens based on specs.

300 f/2.8L IS II & 400 f/2.8L IS II
- Nailed the 300 and knew a second super telephoto was coming. Noted they’d be replaced in pairs. Nailed this one a while ago. Very happy about these lenses!

New Teleconverters
- Knew about them a while ago.

Marriage
I’m getting married today, so this is me signing off. I really won’t be blogging before, during or after the wedding today.

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Canon Updates EOS E1 Video Plug-in

London, UK, 26th August 2010 – Canon today announces a new plug-in further enhancing quicker and easier editing of EOS MOVIE footage in Apple’s software suite, Final Cut Pro. The update will be available to download for free from mid-September.

EOS Movie Plug-in-E1 for Final Cut Pro version 1.1 will add to the recently released Plug-in-E1 by providing support for the Canon EOS 60D, the latest addition to the EOS range. The plug-in will allow users to view metadata and EXIF data for movie files. It will also provide support for multi-core processing, allowing even faster conversations with the latest generation of Macs.

The original plug-in was designed to convert EOS MOVIE footage from Canon’s EOS 5D Mark II, EOS 7D and EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR cameras to Apple’s high-quality ProRes 422 codec at approximately twice the speed of Apple’s standard conversion. Users will still have the benefits of being able to add timecode and reel names to footage quickly and easily.

Canon Developing 500 f/4L & 600 f/4L Replacements

London, UK, 26 August 2010 – Canon today announces the development of two new super telephoto lenses for its leading range of EOS Digital SLR cameras – the EF 500mm F/4L IS II USM and the EF 600mm F/4L IS II USM. The new lenses will be displayed for the first time in Europe during Photokina 2010 in Cologne, Germany.

Developed as part of Canon’s acclaimed L-series of professional lenses, the new lenses will achieve new and advanced levels of image quality. Each will include the highest quality components, featuring high specification Image Stabilizer technology alongside the use of optical materials such as Fluorite, to correct aberrations ensuring high resolution images rich in detail and contrast.

Succeeding the widely-respected EF 500mm F/4L IS USM and EF 600mm F/4L IS USM, the EF 500mm F/4L IS II USM and EF 600mm F/4L IS II USM are being developed for photographers who require high performance, fast aperture and a longer focal length. Redesigned, lightweight bodies will provide added mobility alongside enhanced protection against dust and water, making them ideal for the toughest shooting conditions.

Both new lenses have been designed to reflect Canon’s renowned high standards for the elite L-series, combining exceptional-quality optics with easy-to-reach controls and signature designs. The models will be released as part of Canon’s continued development of its EF lens line-up, offering enhanced performance and improved functions that cater for the needs of photographers from beginners through to professionals.

Canon Announces EOS 60D

Canon EOS 60D

London, UK, 26th August 2010 – Canon today announces the latest addition to its world-famous EOS series of Digital SLR (DSLR) cameras – the new EOS 60D. Replacing the EOS 50D, the EOS 60D is designed for photographers who want to take their skills to the next level, offering high performance, a series of creative features, a Vari-angle LCD screen and enhanced ergonomics – empowering photography enthusiasts to capture outstanding stills and Full High Definition (HD) video for unique, creative results.

High speed, high resolution

With an 18 Megapixel APS-C sensor, the EOS 60D offers high levels of detail and a magnification of 1.6x the focal length of the lens to capture poster-size images in a variety of aspect ratios*1. Canon’s powerful DIGIC 4 technology rapidly processes image information captured from the CMOS sensor’s four-channel output, providing outstanding colour reproduction, as well as high-speed shooting at 5.3fps in bursts of 58 full-resolution JPEGs.

A standard ISO range of 100-6400 is extendable to 12800, providing smooth images with minimal noise in low light conditions. A 9-point, all cross-type autofocus (AF) system also provides swift and accurate focusing, with an extra-sensitive centre point for lenses faster than f/2.8, allowing photographers to artistically employ a shallow depth of field during portraiture or for more atmospheric shooting.

The EOS 60D features Canon’s iFCL metering system, first introduced with the acclaimed EOS 7D, with a 63-zone Dual-Layer sensor. Information on subject location is gathered from the Auto Focus system, and is combined with colour and luminance readings for consistent accurate exposures whatever the situation. The Integrated Speedlite transmitter also provides in-camera control of multiple EX flash units for more creative lighting.

Shoot from all angles

A new 7.7cm (3.0”) Vari-angle wide LCD monitor features a 3:2 aspect ratio and a 1,040k dot resolution, providing added flexibility and allowing photographers to view their images in incredible detail. The Vari-angle wide LCD helps frame shots from difficult angles, and can be positioned with Live View enabled to achieve the desired composition if shooting isn’t possible using the viewfinder. The ability to capture wildlife portraits, overhead shots or ground-level photography is instantly enhanced, and the surface of the screen features an anti-reflective, water-repellent coating to protect the screen allows easy viewing in bright light and from a variety of angles.

Empowering creativity

A new Basic + function makes it easy for photographers to add their own creative touch to images without worrying about changing settings. Photographers can add ambiance to a scene by shooting according to lighting and scene type, with Portrait, Landscape, Close-Up, Sport, Night Snapshot or Creative AUTO modes all available. Different effects can be achieved by shooting with Basic + enhancements such as Daylight, Cloudy or Sunset or pre-set Picture Styles including Vivid, Soft, Warm or Monochrome.

Designed to provide power for those who wish to extend their creative vision, the EOS 60D features a host of new functions that help capture better images and in-camera effects to add an extra dimension. The powerful DIGIC 4 processor supports in-camera RAW image processing, allowing photographers to edit settings such as brightness, contrast, white balance or correct distortion or chromatic aberration. The edited image can then be resaved as a JPEG, ready to be printed or uploaded to a PC or the web.

For photographers who want to add post-production effects to their images without the need for expensive software, the EOS 60D also features a range of new creative filters that can be applied in-camera. Filters including Grainy B/W, Soft Focus, Toy Camera Effect and Miniature Effect provide images with a different feel, allowing photographers to create a themed collection – using Grainy B/W to give images a reportage style, for example – or easily smooth skin tone in portraits with Soft Focus.

EOS Movies: Full HD video with complete control

Offering photographers the freedom to go beyond stills, the EOS 60D captures 1920x1080p HD video with a variety of user-selectable frame rates, including 30, 25 and 24fps, as well as 720p video at 60 and 50fps. Movie Crop mode is also available, recording with the central 640×480 pixel area of the sensor to create an effective magnification of approximately seven times the focal length of the lens.

Full manual control in Movie mode allows photographers to employ their own exposure and focus settings and take advantage of the effects achieved from Canon’s wide range of EF lenses. An external stereo microphone terminal and the ability to adjust sound recording level ensures the audio track recorded matches the visual quality of the video, capturing broadcast-quality sound.

For those who want to share images with friends and family, an integrated HDMI port is compatible with Consumer Electronics Control (HDMI-CEC), allowing video and images to be viewed on any compatible HD-ready TV and controlled via the TV remote.

Designed for flexibility

The EOS 60D features a completely redesigned body, combining an ergonomically enhanced, curved shape with a new button layout to make it quick and comfortable for photographers to change settings. Frequently used camera controls are grouped together for easy access, while the Quick Control Dial, Multi-controller and SET button have all been merged into one Multi Control Dial, enabling photographers to operate menus and enter settings quickly using their thumb. The mode dial also features a lock button, preventing unintentional changes to settings mid-shoot.

A dedicated Quick Control access button allows photographers to instantly reach the most common shooting settings and playback controls. Customising the functions of a number of buttons is also possible, allowing photographers to tailor the camera to suit their individual needs. To help achieve landscapes with perfectly level horizons, a horizontal Electronic Level can be displayed in the viewfinder or in Live View to assist composition and remove any potential need for post-production correction.

The EOS 60D is one of the latest Canon models to support high-capacity SDXC memory cards, providing up to 2TB of available space, allowing photographers to keep shooting HD video and full resolution RAW and JPEG stills without changing cards. For better management of larger image libraries on the camera, EOS 60D photographers can add a rating of 1 to 5 to their favourite images, allowing them to be easily located and viewed on-screen. Once transferred from the camera to a PC, the tags can also be viewed using a number of image editing and management programs, including Canon’s DPP software.

Share the moment

For photographers who want to transfer content wirelessly, the EOS 60D includes Eye-Fi connected functions*2. The EOS 60D features a dedicated Eye-Fi section in the User Interface allowing WiFi functionality to be turned off when not required to save battery life

EOS 60D features at a glance:

• 18 MP APS-C CMOS sensor
• Advanced creative features with Basic +
• Vari-angle 7.7cm (3.0”) 3:2 ratio LCD
• Full HD movies with manual control
• DIGIC 4
• ISO 100-6400, H:12800
• 5.3fps shooting for up to 58 JPEGs
• 9-point cross type AF System
• iFCL metering with 63-zone Dual-layer Sensor
• Integrated Speedlite transmitter
• In-camera RAW processing