<p>Canon appears to be developing a new type of brighter focusing screen according to a recent patent.</p>
<p>Keith <a href="http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/canon-camera-rumours-and-info/">over at Northlight</a> appears to have done the legwork in breaking down the patent.</p>
<blockquote><p>A Canon patent looks at making less regularly spaced micro lenses for, amongst other things, a brighter view</p></blockquote>
<p>Improved brightness in a viewfinder will always be a welcomed feature.</p>
<p>If you’re so inclined, you can read the <a href="http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=09557451">full patent text at the USPTO</a>.</p>
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According to NokiShita, Tamron will be announcing a SP 70-300 mm F / 4-5.6 Di VC USD lens this week.</p>
<p><strong>SP 70-300 mm F / 4-5.6 Di VC USD</strong> (Google Translated)</p>
<ul>
<li>Model A 030</li>
<li>Mount: For Canon · For Nikon</li>
<li>Reservation start date: February 3, 2017</li>
</ul>
<p>Last week images of a brand new <a href="http://www.canonrumors.com/new-tamron-sp-70-200mm-f2-8-di-vc-usd-g2-lens-coming-soon/">Tamron SP 70-200mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2</a> were leaked.</p>
<p>Except a lot more announcements in February ahead of CP+ in Yokohama, Japan.</p>
<p><strong>UPDATE</strong></p>
<p>Below is some additional information about the SP 70-300 mm F / 4-5.6 Di VC USD (Google translated)</p>
<ul>
<li><span class="goog-text-highlight">Renewed the exterior design of the A005, the newly adopted anti-fouling coat </span></li>
<li><span class="goog-text-highlight">Improved AF speed and precision, improvement of the camera shake correction function VC </span></li>
<li><span class="goog-text-highlight">Mount: for Canon, for Nikon </span></li>
<li><span class="goog-text-highlight">Release Date: February 23, 2017 </span></li>
<li><span class="goog-text-highlight">Suggested retail price: 60,000 yen + tax </span></li>
<li><span class="goog-text-highlight">Retailers Price: 45,900 yen (tax included)</span></li>
</ul>
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<em>Doubled Capacity Allows Cinematographers, Filmmakers, and Content Creators to Capture Highest-Quality 4K Video and Beyond</em></p>
<p><strong>MILPITAS, Calif., Jan. 31, 2017 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)</strong> — Lexar, a leading global brand of flash memory products, today announced doubled capacity for the Lexar® Professional 3500x CFast™<sup> </sup>2.0 memory card, providing the capacity and speed thresholds needed for cinematographers, filmmakers, and content creators to capture the highest-quality 4K and ProRes video and RAW photos. The new 512GB capacity card is designed to address the exacting demands of today’s top content innovators. The Lexar Professional 3600x CFast 2.0 card line, specifically optimized for ARRI® cameras², will also double in capacity to 512GB in the first half of 2017.</p>
<p>“As professional imaging technology continues to advance, it’s crucial that memory storage formats keep pace with ever-evolving data needs,” said Jennifer Lee, product marketing director, Lexar. “When shooting 200 FPS on a high-end, production-level camera, it’s easy to fill up an entire 256GB card with content in just 17 minutes.₃ Comparatively, the new Professional 512GB 3500x CFast 2.0 card can capture up to more than twice that time. It’s essential that professional content creators shooting in bandwidth-heavy applications such as RAW, 4K, burst-mode, time-lapse, and beyond have access to increasingly higher capacities and faster transfer speeds like those offered by the new 512GB Professional 3500x CFast 2.0 card.”</p>
<p><a href="https://bhpho.to/2kruWeo">Lexar 512GB Professional 3500x CFast 2.0 Memory Card at B&H Photo</a></p>
<p><!--more--></p>
<p>The 512GB Professional 3500x CFast 2.0 card provides write speeds up to 445MB/s, for professionals to capture lots of footage and keep shooting. From the first take through to post-production, content innovators will have the speed and space needed to capture the highest cinema-quality video for their next masterpiece and quickly power through post-production with read transfer speeds up to 525MB/s.¹</p>
<p>The Lexar Professional 3500x CFast 2.0 card includes a lifetime copy of Image Rescue® software to recover most photo and select video files, even if they’ve been erased or the card has been corrupted.₄ The card is also backed by expert technical support and a limited lifetime warranty. The new card capacity will be available in Q1 of 2017 with an MSRP of $1699.99. The Lexar Professional 3500x CFast 2.0 card line is also available in 32GB, 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB capacities. In addition, the Professional 3600x CFast 2.0 card line is available in 128GB and 256GB capacities. All Lexar products undergo extensive testing in the <a title="Lexar Quality Labs" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=rclNvOSSirrkhm4AwVB5Ri1cZ2BrO9jxjzjAfT1EiwYodZwLim3nmtXBda03OC0uhFAwjE8e3Mdis-EeQQNKzUJ7FU-lLye2i7FF60x12S1dU7SeV6jG_YQxIOwvY34Z" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Lexar Quality Labs</a> to validate performance, quality, compatibility, and reliability with more than 1,200 digital devices. To determine which CFast card is compatible with your preferred camera, please visit <a title="www.lexar.com/cfastcompatibility" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=vJhPR2yacp2Al1rxvWKOyI1q0YfkIlP7Xyf9f3P4z9u_J41BvgBjajcFhX2eS291MADbkATunyePdOTLtoEOV66et4AEUm4OPc7I3UQ3hr387M3YH4ttdZ7ns0LsTJlo" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.lexar.com/cfastcompatibility</a>. For more information about Lexar products, visit <a title="www.lexar.com" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=vJhPR2yacp2Al1rxvWKOyAF0Ilj8lxd31AjW-KIzcfEzqZrlu765AytHqmpshCCTSnZL5oh0vTndmk6hXQrnow==" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">www.lexar.com</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://bhpho.to/2kruWeo">Lexar 512GB Professional 3500x CFast 2.0 Memory Card at B&H Photo</a></p>
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Canon Inc. has released their financials for the year 2016, as well as Q4 results.</p>
<p>You can download all of the financial information directly from Canon below.</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="http://www.canon.com/ir/conference/pdf/conf2016e.pdf" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Canon Inc. FY 2016 Results</a> (PDF)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.canon.com/ir/conference/pdf/conf2016e-sum.pdf" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Fiscal Year 2016 Analyst Meeting Speech Summary</a> (PDF)</li>
<li><a href="http://www.canon.com/ir/results/2016/rslt2016e.pdf" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Results for Q4 & FY 2016</a> (PDF)</li>
</ul>
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LensRentals.com has performed one of their fun tear downs of a new lens, this time it’s the <a href="https://bhpho.to/2jRuLpu">Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS II</a> we get to see the insides of.</p>
<p><strong>FromLensRentals.com</strong></p>
<blockquote><p>Well, we already knew Canon was great at optomechanical engineering, and the <a href="https://www.lensrentals.com/rent/canon-70-300mm-f4-5.6-is-ii">Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II</a> is no exception. And unlike some of their cameras, they don’t seem to have a problem putting all the right features in their consumer grade models. We were impressed by the numerous elements that could be optically adjusted, by the metal collars and rollers, pleasantly modular and robust construction, and the efficient layout. <a href="https://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2017/01/opening-up-the-new-canon-70-300mm-f4-5-6-is-ii/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=cpm&utm_content=Opening+up+the+New+Canon+70-300mm+f/4-5.6+IS+II&utm_campaign=blog+posts">Read the full teardown</a></p></blockquote>
<p>It looks like Canon has released another well made lens, and one you should be happy to put in your kit.</p>
<p>Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS II $549: <a href="https://bhpho.to/2jRuLpu">B&H Photo</a> | <a href="http://amzn.to/2knaxHM">Amazon</a></p>
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The Canon Digital Learning Center has made the AF settings guidebook for the EOS-1D X Mark II available for download.</p>
<p>From Canon DLC</p>
<blockquote><p>This downloadable .PDF guidebook from Canon’s engineers will clarify many of the details about the incredible AF system in the EOS-1D X Mark II camera.  Information about the effect of different AF Cases, and various other menu settings, is spelled-out to help you make the most effective use of this camera and its powerful AF capabilities.  And, keep in mind — the vast majority of these apply to the 61-point AF system in Canon’s EOS 5D Mark IV camera (which uses the exact same AF sensor), so most of this will be useful information to owners of the Mark IV camera as well.  We’re confident having access to this file, on your computer or in a mobile device, will answer many of the questions which may arise as you use either of these cameras.</p></blockquote>
<p><strong><a href="http://www.learn.usa.canon.com/resources/articles/2017/eos_1dx_markii_af_guidebook.shtml">Download the EOS-1D X Mark II AF Settings Guidebook</a></strong> (100mb)</p>
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We’re told that an EF 50mm f/1.4 nano USM lens is finally in active development. Most of the Canon world has been waiting for a replacement to the 25 year old EF 50mm f/1.4. The rumors of replacement have flown since the beginning of this site. We usually ignore most of the 50mm rumors, but this one has some legitimacy to it.</p>
<p>The new lens will not have IS and will use the nano USM motor we’re told.</p>
<p>If this lens does come in 2017, we’re told the announcement would be late into Q4. So it looks like this will be a lens that will ship in 2018.</p>
<p><em>More to come…</em></p>
<p><strong>*Correction*

</strong><em>The post should have said “Nano” instead of “Micro” when describing the USM motor.</em></p>
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