If you missed out on the very successful Kickstarter campaign for the KOBRA flash modifier, you can take advantage of their second campaign and savings over at Indiegogo.

You can visit Indiegogo now to learn more about the KOBRA Flash Modifier, the press releases is after the break.

Learn more about the KOBRA Flash Modifier

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A patent showing further improvements for DPAF sensors has appeared. It’s obvious Canon is going to continue to improve one of its core technologies.

According to Canon News: 

One of the problems with any phase detect system whether it be with a separate AF sensor such as with our DSLRs, or with the on sensor phase detect system used by Canon with Dual Pixel AF sensors, or other manufactures with their pixels / rows of phase detect pixels on the sensor is that lens aberrations can throw off the phase difference calculation.

In this patent application, canon processes the AF information as well as the lens information to further quantify the AF information and come up with a more precise value. Read More….

From US Patent Application 20180205873:

A phase difference focus detection method (phase difference AF) is known as an automatic focus detection (AF) method used in an image capturing apparatus. The phase difference AF is an AF which is often used in digital still cameras, and some image sensors are used as focus detection sensors. In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2008-52009, in order to perform focus detection based on the pupil division method, a photoelectric conversion unit of each pixel constituting an image sensor is divided into a plurality of portions, and the divided photoelectric conversion units receive light fluxes having passed through different regions of the pupil of the photographing lens via the lens via a microlens.

The phase difference AF can simultaneously detect the focus detection direction and the focus detection amount based on a pair of signals obtained from focus detection pixels formed in the image sensor, and it is possible to perform focus adjustment at high speed. On the other hand, since the phase difference AF utilizes a phase difference between optical images to perform focus detection, the aberration of the optical system which forms an optical image may cause an error to the focus detection result; therefore, a method for reducing such error has been suggested.

A new patent application showing an improved mechanical shutter has appeared.

According to Canon News, this application describes a shutter with a low power requirement and a fast release time lag.  No mention if it is quieter, which is always nice as well.

From US Patent Application 20180196333:

This embodiment provides a shutter apparatus and an image capturing apparatus, which can restrain a power consumption amount with a shorter release time lag

A shutter apparatus according to one aspect of the present invention includes a shutter base plate having an opening, a light shield movable between a closed state for closing the opening and an open state for opening the opening, a cam member rotatable in a first angle range, a second angle range, and a third angle range between the first angle range and the second angle range, the cam member that rotates in the third angle range rotating the light shield, a motor configured to drive the cam member, a forcing member configured to force the cam member so as to rotate the cam member from the first angle range to the third angle range, and a restricting member configured to restrict the forcing member from forcing the cam member in at least part of the first angle range.

Have you ever noticed that marking on your camera body and wondered what it is? Well ZY Productions explains that interesting symbol on the side of DSLRs and video cameras.

The symbol is very important for video production and less so for photography according to ZY.

Check the video above for the full explanation.

The folks at DPReview have compared the Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC, Canon 70-200mm f/4 IS II & Nikkor 70-200mm f/4 VR to figure out if you would be happy with the Tamron offering over the great and more expensive Canon and Nikon branded 70-200 f/4s.

Comparing the EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II to the Tamron 70-210mm f/4 VC was a pretty easy comparison, if you can afford it, the Canon is the much better lens. Interestingly, it wasn’t as cut and dry with Nikon, as the Tamron performed very favourably against the much more expensive OEM lens.

From DPReview:

70-200mm f/4 zoom lenses may not get as much attention as their faster f/2.8 siblings, but for many photographers these lenses hit the perfect sweet spot of price, performance, and weight.This week, Chris and Jordan go to the Calgary Stampede with pro photographer Kyle Marquardt to shoot the Canon 70-200mm f/4, Nikon 70-200mm f/4, and Tamron 70-210mm f/4. Watch the episode to find out what they think.

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II at Adorama | Tamron 70-210mm f/4 VC at Adorama