Messages

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Canon General / Re: Canon Experience Stores Coming Soon [CR3]

« on: January 11, 2013, 11:49:09 AM »

There's been a "Canon Experience" showroom in Taipei, Taiwan for about two years already.

It has most of the current camera bodies (Rebels, 5d2, 5d3, 6d, 7d) available for testing, though the lens pairings are set and the staff doesn't want to attach any of the other lenses on show in the store. There's a small stage with long white tele Lenses for those of us who are never going to use them in real life. Initially, there were a couple of 1d3 bodies attached to those, but they've been switched for 5d2s.

All the company's compact cameras and most printers are on show as well and the local distributor uses the storefront as a service and RMA counter.

Interestingly, though - the store doesn't actually SELL anything  .

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Pricewatch Deals / Re: Deal: Canon EOS 5D Mark III Body for $2899

« on: November 16, 2012, 01:42:10 AM »

Any chance you guys could show just a little humility and remember we’re not all privy to the American advantage 
Any chance Adorama would open up shop in the UK please 

That's the price we pay for mandatory 2-year warranty (and a lot of other extra taxes). Not pretty, but may be worth it to some.

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Lenses / Re: Minimum Aperture

« on: September 28, 2012, 02:45:57 PM »

It's typically a matter of image quality - and depends on lens design and intended use.

It has to be said that a suitably small aperture affects image quality because of diffraction patterns when the opening gets small enough. This can be optimized when the lens uses a high quality optical formula (such as the 70-200, but for worse lenses, the diffraction noise effectively precludes such small apertures, as image sharpness drops drastically.

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EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Canon EOS 5D Mark III vs Blackmagic Design Cinema Camera

« on: September 22, 2012, 02:57:03 PM »

I really wonder what a comparison of 1D-C footage would look like. Canon should be able to pull out more color detail using different raw processing, but I'm skeptical about matching the dynamic range.

I'm not forgetting about the 5x higher price that Canon is asking for 4K video, but I wonder if the quality is really there...

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: A Quick Color & Noise Comparison: Canon EOS-1D X vs Canon EOS 5D Mark III

« on: September 22, 2012, 09:37:44 AM »

IMHO, there is a noticeable difference in lighting color - as evidenced by the reflection in the windshield.
One minute can make a huge difference during sunset, and given that the shots aren't perfectly aligned, I'd wager that each camera measured the light somewhere else.

The difference between their high ISO performance is vast, but I'd prefer to see a slightly more reasonable exposure. Pulling 1/6400s just to be able to use ISO 25600 during the day seems a bit outlandish and quite unlikely in most settings.

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EOS Bodies / Re: Hands on 6D AF comparison

« on: September 20, 2012, 02:26:43 PM »

You can't test AF like that. The hands-on make you understand that it work fast, but will it work well? Who knows. Certain is that unless Canon is using a new, ground-breaking AF technology (in a bottom-line camera?), then the performance can be easily guessed.

Overall the 5D2 is a devil-you-know, is better built, and better specced for photos. And costs less (even less if you buy it used) and is available already.

Personally, I would also add the "in your face, Canon!" factor

I'm giving Canon the benefit of doubt. Naturally, we don't yet have enough data to fully evaluate the AF performance - specifically, in what modes does it perform best, and what is it's tracking performance.

However, having fast response times in a dark setting without an assist light does actually sound like a major improvement and if it does perform this well using all of its 11 points, many photographers could be easily satisfied with that.

Yes, there are some features I'd have liked in the camera at this price level, since I hail from the 7D - but AF performance is not just about the number of focusing points.

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EOS Bodies / Re: 6D or 5D Mk II

« on: September 17, 2012, 04:52:38 AM »

A hidden jewel might be present in the built-in Wi-Fi with Android/iOS remote shooting functionality. I believe that people who love to shoot technically challenging scenes, timelapse and macro photography may find the 6D more than adequate - they rarely use AF anyway.

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EOS Bodies / Re: 6D or 5D Mk II

« on: September 17, 2012, 04:17:11 AM »

I'd wait for real life ISO performance and comparison of the AF systems, otherwise the two cameras appear quite comparable. No mention of AFMA on 6D, which may be an issue on FF sensors - but there's simply not enough info available yet to make an informed decision.

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Lenses / Re: The Raw Data: The EF 24-70 f/2.8L II is the Sharpest Zoom Canon Has Ever Made

« on: September 11, 2012, 09:25:45 PM »

As you can see, the new EF 24-70 f/2.8L IS II is an absolute resolution monster. It really looks like it’s the best zoom Canon has ever made optically. There is a small note that distortion at 24mm is slightly worse than version 1, but that’s what software is for.

Now if it only didn't cost both arms and a leg...

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: OUT: DSLR // IN: Micro 4/3

« on: August 20, 2012, 03:48:58 PM »

matter of priorities.

If you like the feel and operation of m4/3, go ahead, but I prefer the full frame IQ and DOF. I wonder why did you own a TS-E if you are not going to miss it.

Also - if you shoot anything that moves fast, mirrorless is still NOT the way to go.

If the key limiting factor for you is weight and size of your gear, then you might actually win by going small.

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Video & Movie / Re: Real Estate Video 5D mkIII Bower 14mm, 60D Tokina 11-16mm - Luneta Drive

« on: August 04, 2012, 09:04:03 PM »

I suggest alternating slow/fast cuts in the video (e.g. on the promenade), this does feel a bit frenzied - but the footage is generally very nice. I also felt that the introduction was a bit too long; I wanted to at least peek inside  the house a bit sooner. You might consider that as you develop the script next time.

Photo colors look a bit unrealistic as mentioned before, and I'd appreciate correct verticals in at least some of the outdoor shots.

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Lenses / Re: Aperture pronunciation - "F one point four" or "F one four" ?

« on: July 23, 2012, 11:07:01 PM »

Funny that you mention it, since the aperture should really be F over one point four - as in F:1.4 (F/1.4) or F 1:1.4

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EOS Bodies / Re: first pic of canon mirrorless?

« on: July 20, 2012, 10:01:40 AM »

I can guess its same old aps-c 18mp sensor, either from 7d or t4i.
same old candy wrapped in new shape. Canon is playing this kind of a game from couple of years.

I'm guessing T4i  sensor since they bothered with the on-chip phase detect AF. Having seen T4i's live view AF performance, though, I doubt it will be even in the ballpark of V1/NEX/GFx unless Canon has been seriously hiding things from EOS users these 5 years. 

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EOS Bodies / Re: first pic of canon mirrorless?

« on: July 20, 2012, 09:28:47 AM »

If it really host the barrage of EF lenses I will own this camera. I never thought I'd say that, but having all this glass it'd be so fun to be able to put that on such a small camera on stay a little more discrete when shooting. 

I doubt that with most Lenses attached this will be enough to stay discrete, save for shutter noise. 

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EOS Bodies / Re: first pic of canon mirrorless?

« on: July 20, 2012, 08:47:37 AM »

I'm afraid this one will die on controls.

The blurred shot of the back suggests there is a thin clickable wheel around the fourway buttons - the same one I found utterly unreliable and clumsy to use on the G1 series. If this turns out to be true, the camera will be completely useless to anyone with bigger hands used to handling 40D/7D/5D+ bodies. (Doesn't Canon do product testing outside Japan as well?)

Other than that, most EOS users will be jealous of what appears to be the focus assist lamp on the mirrorless... Why can't Canon copy at least that feature from Nikon?