Messages

406

EOS Bodies / Re: *UPDATED* Big Megapixel Camera Next Week.

« on: August 19, 2011, 01:34:15 AM »

His eyes lifted, "since we got the 5D2 - 3 years ago, we haven't sold a single 1DsIII. At 3 years the 5D3 would be more than a suitable release and more than able to match most of Nikons plans, It doesn't even need that much work to get them selling in volumes quicker than Canon can produce them, and certainly the equal of any D800 nikon might have to offer! This would leave Canon till Christmas to sort out their 1D stragey ready for the games..."

You've actually raised an interesting point:

There is a rather limited market for the 1DsIII - most shops, with the exception of pro dealers would not have sold many 1DsIIIs anyhow.  On the other hand the 5DII sells like hotcakes.

Even if the 5DII has cannibalised a lot of 1DsIII sales, the net result for Canon has probably been a good one.

It would not surprise me if the higher volumes make for better margins on the 5DII.  Is there anyone who has specific knowledge of this?  (I mean margins for Canon, not for distributors and retailers.)  Canon cannot go to market without the 1DsIII though, as then they would give up ground to Nikon.

If however Canon appeal more to the medium format market with the 1DsIV, that may change things.

407

EOS Bodies / Re: 1D Mark V Spec List [CR1]

« on: August 17, 2011, 09:11:03 PM »

This is fairly inline with what we’ve heard previously.

If you take a FF 32.4 MP sensor and run it in a hypothetical 'APS-C mode' you don't get a 32.4 ÷ 1.6 = 20.3 MP image.  The 'crop factor' is a diagonal measure that impacts field of view, but real pixels on a sensor have both x and y dimensions, so when you scale a FF 32.4 MP sensor to that 'APS-C mode' you get a 32.4 ÷ 1.6² = 12.6 MP image.

Please, go waste someone else's time, or come back when you're smarter.

I declare shennigans!!

Agreed, this one deserves a CR0, I think.

408

Lens Gallery / Re: Canon EF24-105mm f/4L IS USM

« on: August 14, 2011, 09:39:59 PM »

On the way back from Collingwood last Friday I could not help but get off the tram to take walk along Gertrude street and through the Carlton Gardens to enjoy the morning mist.


Gertrude street: magnolias in bloom.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/specular-images/6034537623/in/photostream

Carlton Gardens with the Royal Exhibition Centre just visible in the mist.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/specular-images/6041527678/in/photostream/

(Both shot with a 5DmkII.)

409

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III, 1D Mark V & 1Ds Mark IV Tidbits

« on: August 05, 2011, 12:33:42 AM »

Canon Australia has recently reduced the RRP of the 5DmkII, while the RRP of the 7D has stayed steady.  (The fact that the 7D has stayed steady might be construed to mean that the price adjustments are not being made to compensate for the strong Aussie Dollar.)

410

EOS Bodies / Re: Why Do You Need 250 60D's?

« on: July 28, 2011, 11:21:39 PM »

Most expensive cold shoes I have ever seen....

411

Canon General / Re: Portrait photography - suggestions

« on: July 19, 2011, 08:45:56 AM »

You need to modify the light. The simplest and easiest way to do that is with an umbrella. Very easy to use and gives very nice, soft light. Buy one that allows you to convert from shoot-through to reflective, so you can practice with both techniques.

After a few weeks with one strobe and an umbrella, you'll want a second and then a third strobe. Then you also start wanting other light modifiers (soft boxes, snoots, bounce adapters, etc. etc.).

I would agree with that too - a brolly, lightstand and bracket with a coldshoe and brolly holder plus a flash trigger should probably be first on your list.  Then get a piece of white polystyrene to use as a reflector  (or even just buy a foldable reflector - they are not outrageously expensive).

Upgrade your camera and lenses when you find that they are limiting you.

To give an idea - this image was shot with a Powershot G11, using a single Speedlite with a shoot-through brolly and a reflector (which happened to be a monolight with a softbox that was powered off - I was too lazy to use a proper reflector).


http://www.flickr.com/photos/specular-images/5872620108/


If you assume that I could have used a white piece of polystyrene instead of the softbox as a reflector and any piece of black material instead of a studio backdrop then this shot required under $1000 worth of gear.  Not that I would recommend a Powershot as a portrait camera, but it proves the point that camera and lenses are not everything.

412

Lenses / Re: EF 24-70 f/2.8L II Patent Published

« on: July 19, 2011, 07:21:43 AM »

what? no 24-70f2.8 IS II? why no IS. i will be so angry.

It would be a 24-70mm f/2.8L IS or (or maybe and?) a 24-70mm f/2.8L II, since there's no current/MkI version of that lens with IS.  I, for one, would prefer IS to go along with improved coatings and optics.

A reason that I can see why Canon might not build an IS version is that one of the main uses of the 24-70 f/2.8 is event photography - a lot of wedding photographers use it.  To a large degree they need to take into account motion blur from subjects moving around - while not action photography, a lot of the time there is a need to shoot at shutter speeds where IS will not be of benefit on a 70mm lens.  (This is rather different from the 24-105mm f/4 which is more of a general purpose lens.)  The requirement for IS is rather different with the 70-200mm f/2.8, where it is often desirable to shoot at shutter speeds where IS is a necessity - therefor pros are happy to shell out the extra money for the IS version.

413

Software & Accessories / Re: The Future of the Flash? [CR1]

« on: July 18, 2011, 05:43:25 PM »

As somebody who owns four 550EX flashes used as slaves to a 580EX2, I very much hope that Canon introduces a small and cheap interface module that can be attached to the foot of a slave and allow it to be used with a new flash system.

Also, there is a "low energy" version of Bluetooth that seems custom designed for this application: low power requirements, fairly low data rates and low latency.

The idea of a radio receiver for existing flash units would make sense for most of us who have existing E-TTL2 Speedlites.  I just fear that it may not make sense for Canon, who would like to sell us new Speedlites!

Given the cost of Pocketwizards, there is little commercial incentive for Canon to build a receiver for existing Speedlite users.

414

EOS Bodies / Re: 1D Mark V [CR1]

« on: July 12, 2011, 06:45:40 PM »

I'm still not sure that I buy this as something that will come to pass - sounds more like wishes than rumors.  But...a FF camera with at least 8 fps, 1-series build and AF system, and sufficient MP to allow adequate digital crop (at least 16 MP at a 1.3x, so it's no worse than the 1DIV)...IF such a camera comes along, I'm sure it's price point will be closer to the 1Ds, if not more...and I'll still buy one.

Canon haven't revealed their strategy to deal with the D3x and D3s yet, so really, anything is speculation at the moment.  If they stick in the same price range as the D3x, then Canon need to provide performance which is light years ahead of Nikon.  Alternatively, they can do a little bit more than Nikon, and start edging lower on price - assuming that the real money is in lenses.

I have my doubts that they will undercut Nikon.  Which makes me think that the pricing will stay closer to the 1Ds.

This also depends on Canon's strategy for attacking the medium format crowd.  Canon may well merge what we currently perceive as the 1D and 1Ds lines, and come up with something new aimed at cannibalising what is left of the medium format market.  - Keep in mind though that in attacking the medium format segment, Canon is in the territory of diminishing gains, as that segment is so small.  It does bring a lot of marketing value with it though.

I dunno!

415

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon Mirrorless on the Horizon?

« on: July 05, 2011, 11:38:11 PM »

my 5-cents here:
- Digital full-frame version of Canon 7 w/ 50mm f/0.95 to directly compete with M9
- don't really care about lenses mount as long as it can mount some M lenses (via adaptor or not)
- Couple of extra lenses 28/35/50/90mm would be nice

Are there other canon fans that would vote for this?

That will be a fun camera to have. The only question is How many Canon fans will give up the auto focus? I am for it as long as Canon brings back the rangefinder lens with fine focus adjustment With a fine range finder built into the camera.

I think there will ultimately be some challenges that Canon (or any manufacturer needs to address):
- with a fixed lens system (e.g. Fuji X100) a cheaper leaf shutter is viable.  For an interchangeable lens system, the
   the cheapest shutter system is probably a focal plane shutter (since a leaf shutter would need to be built into
   the lens).  A focal plane shutter adds quite a bit of complexity over the type of leaf shutter that the Powershots have.
- Autofocus on mirrorless systems has not been perfected - contrast-detect autofocus does not work as well
  as phase-detect (which requires a reflex mirror).  Leica's solution was to do without autofocus.  With larger sensors,
  using the sensor to do contrast-detect based focusing is a drain on the battery, and creates heat.

These are probably the two biggest technical challenges I can think of.  There are probably more.

I believe that the reason that Canon has not jumped headlong into the mirrorless segment yet is because
the technical problems have, to date, led to solutions which are not appropriate to the market Canon wants
to address.

Maybe Canon are on their way to sorting out the technical issues?  I don't know.

While I would welcome a range finder, I think that most users (the bulk of the market) want autofocus.  Most
people who take snap-shots don't want to spend time on focusing.  Most people under the age of 30 have
probably also never encountered a camera that does not have autofocus! - The first camera I bought - an
EOS650 - had autofocus, but I have used cameras like a Zeiss Ikon and Canon T70 to have the experience of
having to use manual focus.  (The Zeiss will see use again once I put aside the cash to have it overhauled,
as I am currently scared to use it, for fear that it will break after over 20 years in storage.)

416

PowerShot Cameras / Re: PowerShot G13 [CR1]

« on: June 29, 2011, 06:31:43 PM »

I wouldn't think of going to 12 mpix as "back in the MP race". These two cameras are clearly purchased fairly often based on reviews and street credibility, so its a fair bet that the extra megapixels in the updated do improve picture quality measurably.

Personally, I wonder if its not a back-illuminated CMOS instead of a CCD. That would quickly explain the megapixel jump and big jump in video capability.

After all, its not as if Canon can really make a one-off sensor for this segment, which is why Canon has been buying CCDs for this segment from Sony for a while.

Like I said before, these are pretty optimized designs, so evolutionary changes are all I would expect. On the S100, in-camera chromatic aberration correction could quickly yield some extra design freedom on the optics, though.

Makes you wonder about the market that the camera is being positioned to.
The G5, which was very firmly positioned towards the enthusiast segment (because DSLRs were
largely unaffordable then) sported a f/2 lens at the wide end.  A faster lens (especially a zoom)
costs more to build, whereas the happy-snapper market is demanding greater zoom lengths,
regardless of the fact that there is a loss of image quality with super-zooms.

I wonder if the enthusiast compact camera market segment is large enough for Canon to
be really interested, or is it going to be left to the likes of Fuji (and Leica), and possibly the
M4/3 crowd.

I am personally quite happy with 10MP.  I would prefer a bigger sensor, less noise and a brighter
lens as enhancements. Those are factors that would motivate me to buy a new camera, not a 2MP
bump in resolution (which is less than a 10% linear increase in resolution).  Who knows, as well,
whether the lens is sharp enough to cope with more resolution...

Maybe I should wait for the G15 before upgrading my G11, and just quit whining.


G.

417

PowerShot Cameras / Re: Large Sensor PowerShot? [CR1]

« on: June 28, 2011, 05:58:24 PM »

gmzra, sorry, I simply don't belive you, those images could not have been captured intentionally with a G camera.

<snip>

I've also had people tell me a image could not have come from my point and shoot, and they called me a liar.  It certainly lowered my opinion of them.

<snip>

The point I was trying to make is that, given an understanding of the limitations of the tools you are using you can achieve good results.

Macfly: with the horses, I achieved exactly what I wanted - the barrel races are totally predictable, because the course goes around the barrel.  After the first couple of riders, you can work out exactly when to release the shutter - give or take a bit, depending on your own reactions and the skill of the rider.  The bulls are a bit more tricky, because the action is much less predictable.  You do however still get an idea of when the rider is going to fall - the scary moments usually happen just around when he hits the ground.  Admittedly, my keeper rate was not as good as that of my wife, who was shooting with a 5DmkII - still not the ideal camera, but better.

There is no way you could guarantee a success rate necessary for professional action photography with a G series.  That doesn't make the camera a piece of junk.  Much the same way, I prefer to cut wooden sleepers with a circular saw, because I can rip cut a 2.4m long treated pine sleeper in seconds.  I don't have any idea how long the same job would take with a hand saw, and whether I could even cut a straight line that way.  That doesn't mean that my hand saw is a piece of junk.

Don't knock the tool if you are using it outside of its intended range of uses... If you manage to stretch the tool to its limits and get good results, enjoy the satisfaction!

The other point I wanted to make is to make the most of the tools you have, rather than complaining.  Which is why it is fun to leave the DSLRs in the cupboard sometimes and take out the G11.

Oh, and look at Neil van Niekerk's blog post about shooting a wedding with a Fuji X100!:
http://neilvn.com/tangents/2011/06/13/review-fuji-x100-photographing-a-wedding/
Great results - yes. Fun - absolutely yes.  Would he risk doing that for a paying client - never!

418

PowerShot Cameras / Re: Large Sensor PowerShot? [CR1]

« on: June 28, 2011, 08:07:30 AM »

Well it's more than just the sensor, the camera has to work, and based on the aweful G12 I've been messing around with I doubt they're on the right path.

The G12 is such an absolute piece of junk that I won't buy anything expect the absolute top of the range Canon again. I haven't owned such a useless camera since my very first Fed Zorki lll back in the mid 70's. How Canon created such a piece of junk out out what was an almost acceptable platform amazes me. My weekend with at the Montreal F1 GP was so tragic I just started laughing at all the pictures it missed, 19 out of 20, maybe 39 out of 40. No matter what I did to override its silly nanny habits it would still dwell and pause, missing every single bit of action, it was so stunningly useless that I'm actually amazed they sell any of them at all!

So, even if they put a bigger better chip in a pocketable camera, there is no guarantee that it'll be any use at all based on the disaster that is the G12!

I understand your feelings, and see that you believe very strongly that the G12 is a piece of junk.

I own a G11.  Let us work on the basis that the G11 is functionally almost equivalent to the G12.  Actually, it lacks a few features that the G12 has, so it must be a worse piece of junk.

In that light, I would like to present the exhibits below, which prove what a piece of junk the G11 is.





My cousins' bulls were so offended by the lousy G11 that they threw anyone who tried to get onto their backs!

This last one is not a sports shot, but is further proof of just what a lousy camera the G11 is.



#sarcasm off

Seriously, my wife got much better shots of the bulls with the 5DmkII (oh sorry, that is also a lousy camera for sports).
I would not take a Powershot to shoot sports professionally, or to shoot professional studio portraits, or to shoot a wedding.
On the other hand, when you understand its limitations, a camera like the Powershot G11 or G12 can produce amazing results.
That said, I would probably never take a 5DmkII with on my bike as it would not fit in my backpack with my notebook and clothes.

When I want a camera that I can just pocket, without having to cart an entire backpack with me, the G11 gets my vote.  Yes,
it has shortcomings, but every camera on the face of this earth is a compromise.

It's all about horses for courses.

419

EOS Bodies / Re: Camera lets you refocus after photo is taken

« on: June 23, 2011, 06:37:20 PM »

Apparently it (or at least, a similar prototype from 2004-2005) uses a microlens array between the main lens and the sensor. I'm not clear on how that helps, but I'd like to have it explained to me.

It seems that they are somehow capturing the direction information about incoming light, as well as just its intensity.

It looks as though the computation to perform the "digital refocusing" is pretty heavy.

Most of the articles about it refer to a microlens array.
There is another write-up on Wired as well:
http://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2011/06/ren-ng-lytro/

I think the important point that is being alluded to, but not addressed directly is that this technology takes one element of interpretation and moves it from the photographer to the viewer of the image:
Traditionally, the photographer chooses where he/she wishes to place the point of focus, in order to direct the viewer's attention. With this technology, the viewer takes on this control.
From an artistic point of view, this raises an interesting discussion about whether or not the artist wants the viewer to have control of the interpretation of a work. - While the utility of a happy snapper being able to choose the focus point after shooting is something that appeals too many consumers, the interaction of the viewer with the interpretation is a totally different discussion.  Some photographers may not like the idea, because they will choose focus in a way that suits their interpretation of a scene, and they may not want the viewer to interpret a scene differently!

420

PowerShot Cameras / Re: PowerShot Rumor: S95 Replacement [CR2]

« on: June 22, 2011, 10:54:09 PM »

Camera manufacturewrs have had a dismal record of product naming.  They obviously did not forsee the rapid development of digital cameras, and thought that like film cameras, they might pop out a new model every 10 years.

They really need to develop a better plan for naming models.

Well, they went from S80 to S90 to S95 . . . S100 is not inevitable . . .

Honestly, I don't see what's wrong with the MK version. Hell, Honda is so much better than GM just from sticking to a naming convention alone.  The current accord is informally the 8th generation . . . which is perfectly fine as insiders all know what it means, and you can quickly find out with a google search.

Maybe camera manufacturers have wanted to keep people on the upgrade path.
Maybe they think people will get confused if, for instance, an EOS5D was different depending on the model year of the camera.

On the other hand Apple stick with "Macbook" "Macbook Pro" etc. and refresh them every so often, and nobody gets confused, and everybody still wants the latest and greatest.  (On the other hand, Apple have a problem coming when they run out of big cats.)

Canon have a bigger problem:
- Powershot G13 - I think not!
- What comes after Powershot S99?  (S96 has no ring to it anyhow)
- What comes after the EOS 950D?
- What comes after the EOS 90D?

Canon have painted themselves into a corner.  Nikon will take a little bit longer to hit the same problem...