Messages

1

EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: The First Canon EOS 6D Video Footage

« on: November 29, 2012, 11:23:57 AM »

I talked to a Canon representative two weeks ago here in Ottawa at a photography show about the 6D which I had in my hands, and he was honnest. He said the 6D was designed for people wanting a full frame for the image quality, while family travelling, hence the size, I can see the video quality and features being adequate for that purpose. I currently own a 40D, and use 70-200 f/2.8 IS USM II lens 99% of time on it to shoot sports, and for sports portrait I was thinking of getting the 6D, he told me that the AF speed would be a tad faster than my 40D, but that's it, and I can see while on a family trip that being quite sufficient.

I think the video will be just fine for shooting some video on trip while carrying one body, and a full frame with that.

Pardon, but 2,100$ for family travelling and tad faster AF speed? Greece is in very bad shape, but I don't think that the rest of the world is in much better shape for customers to spend that amount for family travelling.

2

Canon General / Re: Canon's MAP Pricing Goes Into Full Effect Today

« on: November 01, 2012, 03:37:11 PM »

People are mixing apples and oranges here.

Apples: Canon's retail prices.

Oranges: Canon's minimum advertised price policies.

On the "apples" side: legitimate questions can be made and debated about whether or not Canon is charging too much for some products in relation to either market demand or perceived value. That's a constant subject of debate on this forum with opinions ranging from the delusional and paranoid to those who have no financial constraints and would buy anything with a Canon brand on it. Regardless of what you think the "proper" price should be, that really has no relevance to MAP pricing policies.

On the "oranges" side: Canon is moving to enforce its Minimum Advertised Price policies, which exist to bring price uniformity to its dealer network. On a related thread, another individual posted a link to a Wikipedia article that explains the legal history of MAP pretty well. No point in repeating that. They are legal and they are used by many manufacturers. The simplest summary might be to say that manufacturers cannot tell a retailer what price to actually charge for a product – which is a private transaction between the buyer and seller. But, they can say what price the retailer can advertise the product for sale at.

MAP, as others have pointed out, has absolutely no bearing on Canon's own profit margin. The price that Canon charges its resellers is not being increased.

Why have MAP? To level the playing field between retailers. It is not in the best interests of either the manufacturer or the consumer to allow a single large retailer to undercut all other sellers to the point that they drive the other sellers out of business and create a monopolistic situation where the manufacturer and customer are both totally depending on the whims of one retailer.

Using the 5DIII as an example, we can all see how the lax enforcement of MAP has impacted pricing and the market over the past several months. Canon's MSRP has never changed, but the "street price" has fluctuated wildly. Great news for individual buyers, but a real problem for the network because retailers have no assurance that when they play by the rules they won't be undercut by someone who is gaming the system.

Canon has a dilemma here. If they turn a blind eye to the violators, they risk alienating their dealer network and undercutting their own ability to compete in the marketplace. So, they have moved to enforce what they view as the "real" and "correct" prices for their products.

Which brings us all back to the "apples." The recent "bargain" pricing of the 5DIII seems to show that the "correct" price may be out of line with the marketplace. If that is the case, it will correct itself over time and there is little that either Canon or its dealer network can do to stop that.

Let the marketplace sort it out. If Canon's prices are too high, demand will drop. Canon will be forced to adjust the price and retailers will find new ways around MAP.

Thanks very much for this great explanation. You made it all clear.

3

Pricewatch Deals / Re: Norman Camera Updates Their 5D Mark III Giveaway

« on: October 10, 2012, 04:35:34 PM »

*Contest only open to US residents.

Offtopic: Why does quoting an html message does not display the quoted message properly, rather it displays it as html source?

4

Canon General / Re: Hasselblad anounced a new 24.3 mirorless APS-C camera

« on: September 22, 2012, 04:51:30 PM »

Im'really interested in the IQ.... Hasselblad in well knowed for their very high image quality cameras....

It's using Sony's NEX7 sensor. As I understood the only difference is in the materials used to create the camera.

5

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Canon EOS 6D High Resolution Photo and Video Samples

« on: September 22, 2012, 04:43:19 PM »

Image 4=ISO 6400 (61-sec. Bulb exposure, why include that pic???, horrible blotchy color noise in the shadows)

http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/samples/eos6d/

This is the first time I am going to say this in a forum: "Seriously! WTF?!"

6

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Canon EOS 6D High Resolution Photo and Video Samples

« on: September 18, 2012, 02:41:38 PM »

Canon has posted a bunch of images and videos made with the new Canon EOS 6D. As suspected, their results are terrific.

Says who that they are terrific? Canon or CR admin?

7

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Canon Announces the Canon EOS 6D DSLR

« on: September 17, 2012, 02:17:28 PM »

A question about the focus points. According to specs:

AF Points
11 points

Center: cross-type at f/5.6; vertical line-sensitive at f/2.8.

Upper and lower AF points: vertical line-sensitive AF at f/5.6.

Other AF points: Horizontal line-sensitive AF at f/5.6.

What does "sensitive" in this context mean? The center focus point will work both vertically and horizontally with a f5.6 lens but with a 2.8 lens it will work better vertically?

Generally do you think that it is a major upgrade on 7D?

Offtopic: Can we have the 2 threads on 6D merged?

8

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 6D Specs Leaked?

« on: September 16, 2012, 05:18:23 AM »

Other than the 11 AF with 1 cross type I don't see anything that is a disappointment from a lower cost FF DSLR. What did you guys want. A MkIII at $1500?

All new FF DSLRs should have dual slots, preferably of the same type

That way you can save to 2 cards at the same time for added safety. The first wedding you shoot where the card gets damaged before dumping the shots - you'll agree with me.

Wouldn't having built-in wireless eliminate the need for a back-up card slot, though?

The problem isn't one of backups, the problem is that feature X is present on camera Y and thus user Z wants in on camera W too.

If your cards are getting damaged at a wedding shoot then surely you have to call into question the procedures being used before the equipment itself.

Oh wait, no, that would mean actually accepting responsibility for something bad happening and Americans seem allergic to anything where they need to take personal responsibility for their actions.

I am not an American, but what does an American have to do with a camera with a damaged memory card? Unless you were sarcastic in which case I apologize.

9

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 6D Announcement Soon? [CR1]

« on: September 10, 2012, 03:44:19 PM »

What would sell?  IMO, Take the 7D body and slap a FF sensor in it and either stay with the Dual Digic 4 or use the 5 or 5+ while keeping everything else the same.  Call it the 7Ds (just like the 1Ds is the FF version of the 1D) and slap a $500 premium for the FF which will put it smack in the $1500-2000 vacant price point between the 7D and the 5D3 where the 5D2 is going extinct.  I think people would buy a FF body capable of 6-8fps.  Forget new vs old technology, what product is missing from their lines?  A poor man's 1Dx.

I'd buy that in an instant and so would a ton of other people. And that would be the problem for Canon:  the market for the 5D3 would shrink substantially.

I don't think so. Most pros who wanted/needed 5DIII must have bought it already. I am making a wild guess that those who haven't bought it already are waiting for the price to drop or can't justify buying it or are in waiting list. I belong in the first 2 categories. I really wonder how many bodies Canon has sold up to now.

10

Pricewatch Deals / Re: Canon EF 500 f/4L IS II & EF 600 f/4L IS II Available for Preorder

« on: June 01, 2012, 04:28:19 PM »

This thread may turn into a legendary one.
On a serious note now...

Bah! Only f/4? That's waaaay too slow. I'd pay $13k for a 600 f/1.4, but not for a 600 f/4....

b&

I don't think that a 600/1.4 lens is physically possible

Oh, it's no problem. Well, a bit of an engineering challenge, but that's all.

It's only when you get to a 600 f/1.2 that the gravitational field is enough to form a black hole -- and, even then, only with a gripped 5-series or a 1-series.

Cheers,

b&

oops. Didn't get it in the first place 

11

Third Party Manufacturers / Re: Canon are you listening...?? NIKON D600

« on: May 27, 2012, 02:50:08 AM »

Just to add to that. I bought yesterday my first L lens (24-105 f4, YAY!) and the man at the store (one of Athens' most popular) was very much puzzled on Canon's marketing policy. He even told me, that he most probably won't stock any of new Canon L lenses because they are pretty much more expensive than the older models or Nikon's counterparts. I admit though that Greece is not Canon's primary target so that won't matter much to Canon.

It's might be not Greece, but the kind of shop - many retailers have not the kind of customers who buy L lenses at $1500+ and thus are well-advised to stock aps-c, kits or 3rd party gear. But still - I'm interested to see how many shops in Berlin will have Canon's 24-70ii on display and in stock.

Off topic, and if for the reason alone this might actually be helpful: You know the 24-105L is the one L lens that is to be found rather cheap used because it's a kit lens and many people dump it for this reason? If you want to save some money, I guess you can still return it and look on ebay, craiglist or whatever else you've got down there.

This retailer is targetted to serious amateurs /pros. Casual photographers usually buy from Saturn/similar stores.


For the off topic I tried to answer you via pm, but it was rejected. In short I bought the bulk version which is 300 euros cheaper than the retail

12

Third Party Manufacturers / Re: Canon are you listening...?? NIKON D600

« on: May 26, 2012, 01:08:21 PM »

..
For someone purchasing camera gear as a hobby, I sense a lot of anger in your tone. Why get mad about something that you're supposed to be doing for fun? If Nikon has the better product for your needs, just switch and be happy. I don't see what the big stink is about.

Yes, my Canon gear lets me make good and sometimes even amazing pictures. Most of the time doing so is a great experience and fun.

BUT ...
what makes me and so many other Canon users increasingly mad at our current supplier, is what I would call "fully justified buyers remorse".

When I bought my first DSLR in May 2005, I decided on Canon as my system supplier because the 350D was superior to Nikons D70 in virtually every aspect. Canon EOS Cameras all delivered superior image quality and better value than Nikion's competing products then. Canon CMOS sensors and DIGIC processors ruled supreme - resoulution, Hi-ISO noise, image quality, operational speed.  Eyually important, Canon had a much broader and deeper lens lineup, that generally cost about 20% less than roughly equivalent Nikon lenses.

Within the next few years all of that has reversed. Nikon has not only caught up but in 2012 has leapfrogged Canon: more resolution and at the same time better DR, cleaner images at low ISO and even at Hi ISO - and all of this for significantly less money. And Nikon's lens setup today is on par with Canon - with the notable exception of a few special lenses that are more important for Pro-photographers (fisheye zoom, TS-E 17, 24 II, superteles Mk. II). 

I have been watching with growing dismay how Canon is diverting more and more of their attention and resources to all the video crap in DSLRs which I do not need and want, rather than on creating the world's best still photo cameras, competing full blast with Nikon. I am sick and tired of the excessive market differentiation and purposful crippling of cameras even in terms of ultracheapbut useful firmware features [e.g., Auto-ISO on my 7D compared to any Nikon camera!].  I am sick and tired of constant massive price increases with little if any additional value to me as paying customer.  I am sick and tired having to pay extra for every lens hood on evry non-L lens.  I am sick and tired watching, that I could be using better cameras for less money had I only chosen Nikon over Canon. And it amkes me angry that I may end up having to sell my gear at a big loss, just because Canon is not able to effectively compete with Nikon any longer.

And whether you like it or not: I will not ask for your permission before I complain and I will do so as long as I please and certainly as long as Canon does not finally get their act together and sells me cameras and gear  that is clearly better than any competitive product or at least on par AND not more expensive.

Just to add to that. I bought yesterday my first L lens (24-105 f4, YAY!) and the man at the store (one of Athens' most popular) was very much puzzled on Canon's marketing policy. He even told me, that he most probably won't stock any of new Canon L lenses because they are pretty much more expensive than the older models or Nikon's counterparts.
I admit though that Greece is not Canon's primary target so that won't matter much to Canon.

13

Pricewatch Deals / Re: Canon EF 500 f/4L IS II & EF 600 f/4L IS II Available for Preorder

« on: May 26, 2012, 12:33:11 PM »

This thread may turn into a legendary one.
On a serious note now...

Bah! Only f/4? That's waaaay too slow. I'd pay $13k for a 600 f/1.4, but not for a 600 f/4....

b&

I don't think that a 600/1.4 lens is physically possible

14

Canon General / Puzzled about 5d Mark III vs Nikon D800 prices

« on: May 13, 2012, 08:32:47 AM »

Greetings,
First of all pardon for another 5d mIII vs D800 topic but I would like some insight on the pricing of these two bodies across the world. Here in Greece where I live, 5d mIII costs 3600 euros while D800 costs 2650 euros i.e. there is a 950 euro (1200$) difference. In USA though the difference is only $500 (3500$ vs 3000$). Isn't this strange or what? Can anyone give me a possible explanation about this huge difference?

p.s. I am not starting a debate on which body is better or if 5d is overpriced. I can't afford any of them for the time being.

15

EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Canon 5D Mark II & 7D Good Enough for The Avengers

« on: May 11, 2012, 03:51:21 PM »

While amazing, I don't think that most of us bought our Canon SLR for their video capabilities. Didn't we?