<p>Roger and Aaron at LensRentals.com finally had the opportunity to tear apart the brand new Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II. Most of us want to know if Canon actually did make the new lens the gold standard for build quality like the marketing department would like us to believe.</p>
<p>It looks like there’s truth in the marketing:</p>
<blockquote><p>…This lens is massively over-engineered compared to any other prime we’ve ever disassembled. It’s built like a tank where it counts; on the inside. Moving parts are huge and robust. Six big screws are used in locations where 3 smalls screws are common in other lenses. Heavy roller bearings move the focusing group, it doesn’t slide on little nylon collars.</p>
<p>…If I had to summarize the mechanical design of this lens, I would say simply that no expense was spared, no corner was cut.</p>
<p>Sometimes things are expensive because they’re worth it. Sometimes they’re heavy because they’re so solidly constructed. This is one of those times. <a href="http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2015/12/canon-35mm-f1-4-mk-ii-teardown" target="_blank">Read the full article</a></p></blockquote>
<p><strong>Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II $1799: <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1180801-REG/canon_9523b002_35mm_f_1_4l_ii_usm.html/BI/2466/KBID/3296" target="_blank">B&H Photo</a> | <a href="http://www.adorama.com/CA35142.html?utm_term=UbK24x0al34oSlvW4eT8QxjoUkX3mDVXeWC-Ug0&utm_medium=Affiliate&utm_campaign=Other&utm_source=rflaid64393&cvosrc=affiliate.64393" target="_blank">Adorama</a> | <a href="http://amzn.to/1Uehm5w" target="_blank">Amazon</a></strong></p>

<em>From Adobe:</em></p>
<p>Camera Raw 9.3.1 is now available through the update mechanism in Photoshop CC and the Creative Cloud application.  This version fixes a bug that resulted in inaccurate tiles, such as black or white squares when not expected, when opening images in Photoshop. Please note that this bug typically only appeared when using both the Camera Raw plug-in and Photoshop for long running sessions.</p>
<p>Thank you for all your assistance in helping us find and fix this issue!  Thanks!</p>
<p><strong>Download Links: </strong><a href="http://swupdl.adobe.com/updates/oobe/aam20/mac/PhotoshopCameraRaw8-8.0/9.3.48/setup.dmg" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">OSX</a> | <a href="http://swupdl.adobe.com/updates/oobe/aam20/win/PhotoshopCameraRaw8-8.0/9.3.48/setup.zip" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">Windows</a></p>
<p>Camera Raw 9 – Please select Help>Updates to use the update mechanism in the Creative Cloud app.</p>
<p>Please note – If you have trouble updating to the latest ACR update via the Creative Cloud application, please refer to the following plugin installation:</p>
<p class="p2"><span class="s2"><a href="http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/multi/camera-raw-plug-in-installer.html">http://helpx.adobe.com/x-productkb/multi/camera-raw-plug-in-installer.html</a></span></p>

<p>Over the last few months we’ve received a few mentions of a replacement for the EF 135mm f/2L being in active development, with a possible announcement in 2016. A couple of the mentions have said the lens could possibly be an f/1.8, as opposed to a straight f/2 replacement of this classic Canon lens. There have been no mention of the lens getting IS, which I’d wager is the case.</p>
<p>The current EF 135mm f/2L was announced almost 20 years ago and could definitely use some modernization in build and optics.</p>
<p>We do think we’ll see an updated 50mm lens, either the f/1.4 or f/1.2L before we see any other high performance prime getting a refresh.</p>

According to Photography Bay, Canon USA has filed an amended complaint against F&E Trading (BigValueInc, Electronic Valley & Others).</p>
<p>Photography Bay explains the amended complaint:</p>
<blockquote><p>In its Amended Complaint, Canon USA doesn’t really add on any additional egregious actions, but rather takes aim at pinning the alleged misconduct on Albert Houllou, who appears to be the principal owner/operator of F & E Trading.</p>
<p>As someone who used to practice corporate law, I can tell you that it is always a big win to get an individual (typically an owner or executive) on the hook for the wrongdoing (aka “piercing the corporate veil”). This allows the plaintiff (<em>e.g.</em>, Canon USA) to hold a person (not just a company) personally liable for the wrongdoing. If you can get at a person’s assets, then you can apply a whole lot more pressure in settlement negotiations or drive them into bankruptcy.</p></blockquote>
<p>According to Photography Bay, the following YouTube video is being cited by Canon USA as proof that Albert Houllou is the controlling party for all of the companies’ actions.</p>
<p><iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/i1i-R563tdg" width="728" height="409" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></p>
<p><a href="http://www.photographybay.com/2015/12/06/canon-v-gray-market-retailers-lawsuits-update/" target="_blank">Read the full breakdown</a> and view the amended complaint at Photography Bay.</p>

<p><a href="http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/cameras/Canon_rumours.html" target="_blank">Northlight Images</a> has posted 3 more patents and a simple breakdown of each.</p>
<p>From Northlight:</p>
<ul>
<li>Patent shows more tricks you can do with split pixels for AF [<a href="http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?PageNum=0&docid=09204067">USPTO</a>]</li>
<li>Patent about dividing longer exposures into shorter ones and adding them together [<a href="http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=09204055">USPTO</a>]</li>
<li>Patent about moving the sensor micro lens array forwards/backwards to match up with main lens [<a href="http://pdfpiw.uspto.gov/.piw?Docid=09201289">USPTO</a>]</li>
</ul>
<p>We all expect the next generation of full frame Canon sensors to be a big leap forward in performance. In our opinion, Canon has no other choice.</p>

<strong>Tokyo, Japan, December 4th, 2015</strong> — Based on the memorandum of understanding entered into between Sony Corporation (“Sony”) and Toshiba Corporation (“Toshiba”) on October 28, 2015, the parties today announced that they have signed definitive agreements to transfer to Sony and to Sony Semiconductor Corporation (“SCK”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sony, certain Toshiba-owned semiconductor fabrication facilities, equipment and related assets in its Oita Operations facility, as well as other related equipment and assets owned by Toshiba (the “Transfer”).</p>
<p>Under the agreements, Toshiba will transfer semiconductor fabrication facilities, equipment and related assets of Toshiba’s 300mm wafer production line, mainly located at its Oita Operations facility. The purchase price of the Transfer is 19 billion yen. Sony and Toshiba aim to complete the Transfer within the fiscal year ending March 31, 2016, subject to any required regulatory approvals.</p>
<p>Following the Transfer, Sony and SCK plan to operate the semiconductor fabrication facilities as fabrication facilities of SCK, primarily for manufacturing CMOS image sensors.</p>
<p>The parties expect to offer the employees of Toshiba and its affiliates employed at the fabrication facilities to be transferred, as well as certain employees involved in areas such as CMOS image sensor engineering and design (approximately 1,100 employees in total), employment within the Sony Group, upon the completion of the Transfer.</p>
<p><strong>Outline of 300mm wafer fabrication facilities, Toshiba Oita Operations</strong></p>
<ul>
<li>Building completion: February, 2004</li>
<li>Location: 3500 Oaza Matsuoka, Oita City, Oita Prefecture, Japan</li>
<li>Building area: 24,100 m2</li>
<li>Total floor space: 48,800 m2</li>
<li>Main products: CMOS image sensors, memory controllers</li>
</ul>