AlanF said:

1. The diffraction limited aperture on M4/3 with a 20 mpx sensor is 5.9, slightly below the widest aperture of f/6.3 for the lens at 400mm. In practice, the lens has hardly any more real reach, if none at all, than a 400mm on a 7DII or 80D or 5DS, but has a very restricted field of view equivalent to an 800mm on FF, which makes it very difficult to use for birds in flight or even finding them when sitting still in a tree, as well as the drawback of being mirrorless.

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that diffraction-limitation is not too big a deal at these still "normal" apertures, the output is still very good.
for BIF ML may still be a drawback in some shooting scenarios. I don't do this sort of thing enough to appreciate all there is to it.

2. I use the camera and lens as a spotting scope, and this would be more difficult with the GX8 at 400mm, as well as running down the battery very quickly.

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but not so difficult at 100mm and them zooming in with a stabilized display to assist.
battery life - agreed.

There are one or two other problems. I think that you would be restricted to using the lens with Panasonic because the IS on the lens has to be coupled with that on the sensor. Despite being mirrorless, the camera has shutter shock and so has to be used with the electronic shutter at lower speeds.

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we don't yet know if Oly's 5-axis system, designed to work in tandem with the OIS on their new 300mm lens, is also set to work with the 100-400 Pany. It might, at least, provide roll correction using the IBIS.

If you are already into Panasonic, the 100-400mm would be an excellent acquisition and would provide many excellent shots. If you have Canon gear already, you would be sacrificing flexibility and a superior system, but it might be worth it if you didn't want to lug around 2.5 - 3kg.

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I'm considering the 100-400 Pany as an add-on to my EM10, ATM. I may get the EM1 or its v2 eventually, in which case I'd expect a bit better overall performance, but still get the reach with my current MFT body.
OTOH, the 100-400 Fuji on my XT1/10 bodies should work quite decently as well. The new XT2 may have the same or better improvements as the X Pro 2 which could up overall performance a bit more.

I'm tempted to buy a bazooka zoom for my FF Nikon but the uses I generally have for long lenses don't lend themselves to large prints so the overall IQ of the Fuji, or even the MFT systems, would suffice for me.

It's nice to have choices, even if there isn't one all-around perfect match.

Interesting... If you view EXIF in other software (DPP, LR, etc.), are the values 'normal'? I haven't run across the viewer you're using, but there are a lot of data in the EXIF.

For example, when looking at an image in Mac OS X Preview (the default OS viewer), a 1/2500 s, f/6.3 shows those values for Exposure Time and FNumber, but also shows a Shutter Speed Value of 1/2655. The max aperture value for the lens (600/4L IS II + 1.4xIII = f/5.6) is reported as 5.657.

ExodistPhotography said:

I am very interested to see how the new cameras will perform.

That said, I do like how what Sigma is going for here. A mirrorless camera with the ergonomics that DSLR users are used to and it uses existing DSLR lenses.. Thats what I want to see Canon do..

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Why? If you want something that looks and feels like a DSLR then why not just buy a DSLR?

Sigma chose to go Mirrorless as it was the best option for their Foveon sensor to avoid mirror shock and improve focus accuracy. The sensor is very sensitive to unwanted vibrations and it seems like these cameras would greatly benefit by being used on a tripod. So now that negates any size advantage over a DSLR.

Canon overcame a similar issue in the 5DS/r using a sophisticated dampened mirror mechanism.

One day maybe Mirrorless will be the norm but for now we have both technologies side by side and manufacturers will use the best option that suits their needs.

Re: Canon Celebrates 13th Consecutive Year of No. 1 Share of Global Interchangeable-lens Digital Cam

neuroanatomist said:

Maximilian said:

So no fame to the (mis-)reader(s), but also no glory to the marketing department responsible for the easy transfer of the message.

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Canon's marketing team did fine. The problem was the copy/paste by CRguy. In the actual press release, there's an entire 'About Canon' boilerplate section after the body text, then a typographical separator, then the footnotes, so a clear delineation. Still, the formatting on CR is confusing.
...

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Thank you for disclosing this.
I tried to find the original press release, but gave up to soon. My bad :-[

Lee Jay said:

I wouldn't trade my 8-15L (on crop) for this or the Canon 11-24 on full-frame.

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No; those are good lenses BUT if the biggest downside is 5.6 and its sub $1000, there will be plenty of excited buyers... I could trade my 14L for that lens... AFTER I see how much / little distortion

Great photos. For them to have an even more old-time look, I'd like to see how they would appear with perhaps a Tri-X film simulation added.

I'm looking for a railroad museum to photograph that has an example of the old style mechanical/pneumatic lever frame that actuated signals and switches before everything was electric/electronic. Anyone have any suggestions?

Sporgon said:

TWI by Dustin Abbott said:

NWPhil said:

TWI by Dustin Abbott said:

NWPhil said:

TWI by Dustin Abbott said:

P.S. In December a company paid more than 10 times what I spent to acquire the lens that took the picture that they licensed...a MF lens. I guess I was able to dream it

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not that in anyway I doubt, but really would love to see that picture, or point to it if you can. Thanks

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Miller Zell Design paid $525 for the image; I paid $30 (shipped from Russia) for the old Helios 44-2

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Thanks Dustin - a lovely shot, and I can see clearly why they wanted it.
as a foot note, I was thinking that the lens in question was a Otus ... :

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I have had some Otus shots licensed, but nothing [yet] that would have paid outright for one.

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Given the fees from the likes of Getty you're probably better off using gear to the value of a Helios

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True I've been fortunate to have a few direct licenses that were a wee bit more profitable

dilbert said:

Sharlin said:

dilbert said:

Correct. Nobody can remember 30 minutes worth of lines.

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I wonder if you're familiar with the concept of a "stage play"?

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Of course... I wonder how many TV/film actors would be capable on stage in a play?

Which is to say that actors being filmed (rather than on stage) don't need to remember all of their lines in the same way.

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it's interesting how UK SciFi in the 1960's took it's inspiration from the stage (Dr Who) and most shows were shot in a single live performance with a live edit between 4 cameras. Very few cuts and the sfx shots were engineered in the writing to allow the crew and actors to move to the next set. Where as in America, particularly Star trek, the whole show was a series of individual shots, shot out of order and assembled in the editing room like a jigsaw puzzle...a bit like a film. Every close up / conversation between two people was shot twice, with lighting and the camera set up for one half of the dialogue and then repeated but from the other guys dialogue / reactions...with his own lighting and camera.
So yes there is a huge difference between TV / film actors and stage actors. A stage actor has to remember all their dialogue and it's essentially one big take, except for scene changes.

Don Haines said:

And whenever weird stuff happens, reset to default should be early in your debug procedure......

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True. I wonder why Canon TS didnt do this and reported the mother board problem? Every time I get my camera back from service center, all settings were set to default. May be they use hidden (soft) reset function but do not do a hard reset?

Sorry you wont be getting one of those new modern cameras.

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I do not have a need as of now 7D is serving my needs very well. So I wont miss those modern features . Modern lenses, yes I need them, but its a different topic!!!

I may try this on my 40D which displays error 99 after every shot and freezes until I shut the camera off then re and re the battery.

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I do not recollect the error number, but my earlier 450D had this symptom when shutters were broken. Instead of fixing it, bought 7D at that time.


Thanks
Naveena

I kind of always liked underdog Sigma (got two of their lenses), but this lens feels a bit like 'too little too late' to me.

-- peer

well then I am glad I just got mine last month I don't have to worry about missing out.

According to the "Comparometer" at Imaging Resource, it seems quite apparent the 80D sensor hasn't broken new ground. There is not much discernible different in noise at all ISO levels than the 70D. I hope I am wrong, but this seems like another classic case of "over promise; under deliver." The sensor underperforms the latest APS-C sensors of Canon's main competitors.

Hmmm, I wonder what would a future Sigma 85 f/1.4 would be priced at. But then again, the Tamron has VC, so that might be a selling point.

Sharlin said:

axtstern said:

My 80D does not allow to take pictures while having movie mode activated. I was sure that my 60D was still able to do that. Has this feature already disapeared in the age of the 70D?

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Already there, item "Still shooting" under Movie shooting. The feature is removed from the 80D for an unknown reason.

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The reason is likely: "We need some features to add to the 90D to sell more of those to 80D users."

I can't fault the 16-35mm F4 IS L.
I wouldn't swap it for the Zeiss.
Zoom is very hand in this range.
The Canon is sharp and has nice colour rendition.
I still have the 17-40mm but the 16-35mm is much better all round.
I've found no issue with the build quality.
It's survived some tough weather (cold, wet and heat)

It would be on my highly recommended list along side the 70-200mm F2.8 II L and Canon 100mm L
No regrets about these 3 lens.
All the others have some question mark about them eg: 11-24mm - lovely lens, unusual viewpoint, very heavy , I don't feel inclined to bring it, the bulbous front makes me worry about damaging it. No proper filter solution (almost with the Lee option but not @11mm).

Recently, I got myself the Lee 100x150 2-stops soft filter. I think it's a wise idea to get a few more filters to cover most (not all!) situations and needs in landscape photograpry.

I am considering:

-Big stopper (10 stops)
-Little stopper (6 stops)
-Soft grad 3 stops

Maybe:
-Medium grad 2 or 3 stops
-Blender

Thee LEE site says on Medium: "This filter is soft enough to use over many smaller obstacles in the horizon"
and on Hard: "This filter is soft enough to use over many obstacles in the horizon"
It doesn't make me more wise

How useful is a blender?
How useful is a medium grad? Which one would be more suitable, 2 or 3 stops? Or would you go for soft & hard intead of soft & medium?

Thanks,
Niels

I'd really like to get a Pelican 1620. If an SL2 is released, I'll grab one of those, otherwise an 80D towards the end of the year.

d.

There's an interesting comparison shot from I-R of the D5 vs the (old) 1DX so you can see, at base ISO, how the Canon image has processed all the subtle detail out of the painted wall background cuz, well, you know....

http://www.imaging-resource.com/news/2016/03/28/high-iso-into-the-stratosphere-nikon-d5-first-shots-are-here-including-iso

Cables are a trip hazard anyway. I had a Raven fly off with a video cable. Life is too complicated. Go wireless.

A nice show. Thanks!

Could you upload a few RAW DR tests? Thanks!

Sharlin said:

CaptureWhatYouSee said:

Sharlin said:

ajfotofilmagem said:

A guess without any foundation.

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I'm pretty sure it was meant to be humor.

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I was alluding to the DR charts that are floating around for the 1DXII and D5. Look at these:

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Yes, I presumed the allusion was humorous. It's not like you can make those kinds of changes at this point, and even if you could, Canon would have no incentive to do so.

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True, probably can't make those changes at this point. Canon may desire to since the 1DXII is meant to be used at high ISO, not at low. They could be perceived to be behind.

kraats said:

You only need one shot. Crop in panorama size and you are done. The filesize is more than big enough. That is the beauty of the 5dsr. You Should not worry too much.

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True enough, but just a point: to achieve a similar quality to a stitch from a lower MP camera your technique would have to be spot on, especially no movement. Even then you'd suffer from the lower (focal length) magnification and greater (output ) enlargement in comparison.

Personally I'm still on the fence. Whilst I can see the pleasure in producing pictures of such detail when viewed on a good screen I'm not so convinced on the commercial application in prints. They are just never going to be big enough to make it worthwhile, and if a picture were to be printed that big - I've just licensed my Conisbrough Castle image for producing as a wall mural, so about 18' x 7' - the dpi used is so low it makes no difference.

Excellent captures - well taken.

Terrific shots well composed. Thanks for sharing.

CanoKnight said:

Impressive. I am hoping Canon won't cripple 4k on the 5d4. I have no other reason to get a 5d4 other than this. I don't expect still image quality to be a night and day difference between this and the 5d3.

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I am in the same boat. I would love to see an increase in quality in pictures as well but I pretty happy with my mk3. Based on other rumors here I really see canon making the video do well. I think that it will only be 30fps which is still probably working well for me.