Here's Kai's take on the new lens:

http://www.digitalrev.com/article/canon-ef-24-70mm-f/NDA4MTk1OTc_A

Hmmm, hands up all those who want one? 8)

I've been using the 1D X for a month and a half now...
For 9 years, I used 1D series cameras. My last was 1D IV.
I already put out about 15K photos on it. Yes, I work a lot...
Anyway. I am actually worried about the focusing on the camera. I would say that in 20% of the photos, the camera fails to focus or it is soft. I only have one lens, a 24-70 F2.8L I've been using for 6 years. I never shoot in AI Servo mode. Always in One Shot and I haven't changed the way I work. I move around a lot and manually change the focus points with the joystick, on the fly. I can't seem to find a reliable focusing method. I tried all of the new focusing modes. Zone Focusing, cross type, individual, etc... I am NOT getting the same accuracy I was getting on the 1D IV.
Even at F8.0, the focus is sharp on the focusing point but the rest of the image is blurry. Again, I am using the very same lens. Unfortunately I sold my 1D IV so I can't compare them side by side, but I am not used to having these issues and getting too many useless images...
I hope it is not a Full Frame issue. The cropped sensor, being smaller, might be sharper all around. I don't know. I am also seeing more distortion, vignetting and blur on the edges. Something i never got on a 1.3 crop sensor...
I though it might be an issue with the "old" lens not being able to keep up with the new 1DX focusing speed.
10 year-old technology...
:-\
Please share your thoughts and experiences. I would like to know which focusing mode you find faster and more accurate.
I am getting the 24-70 F2.8L II tomorrow from Adorama. I will test it out. Hopefully, the camera and the lens will really work well together.
Cheers

Patrick

Hey Folks,
I see a number have people have received the aforementioned lens. Wondering if anyone in Canada has got theirs...specifically, from Henry's. I ordered mine at the beginning of March, and as of this am, Henry's has no date listed on their system for the arrival of this lens.
Kinda hemmed to Henry's as I have 3k gift card.

I saw that the Nikon D600 has a crop feature where you can move down to 10MP and get the extra reach offered by an APS-C camera.

Is it possible the 6D could be a 7D replacement that matches or exceeds the current 7D in crop mode, but also provides for a full frame mode?

I would like to stay with APS-C primarily as I do a lot of sports and wildlife photography but I would love to have FF where speed and reach or not required.

Is this too much to ask? There are some great deals on the 7D right now but I feel reluctant to pull the trigger, mainly because it's low light performance isn't that much greater than a Rebel. If I didn't have a Rebel, then buying the current 7D would be a no brainer, but as I have a Rebel there is still a significant premium to upgrade to the 7D when you factor in the low resale value of the Rebel.

It seems the only real advantages of the current 7D over the latest Rebel is the FPS and the focus system, but even there the latest Rebel has closed the gap.

Hello, about 2 years ago I was asked to photograph a friends wedding. For a number of years I've been a product photographer in a studio so I assume that's why she asked. I said yes as it was a few months away. I then thought I'd best go and buy my own camera and flash (canon 500D + jessops flash with 18-55 & 70-300 tamron kit). I got some books and practiced pretty hard...

my current website is www.lewismaxwell.co.uk although I'm in the process of setting up a proper wedding photography site and only have my first 3 weddings on there...

10 weddings later and I'm thinking of starting to charge for them.

I basically limit myself to a 7D with a 17-85mm and a 60D with a 28mm

I carry all my other lenses just in case but they rarely come out of the bag. I'm waiting until next month to see if this 6D comes out, if not then I'll get a 5D mk ii. I'm not rich by any means and treat my photography out of the company I work for (as a commercial product photographer) as a hobby, hence the free weddings.

How much should I be charging as pretty much a beginner/non pro? I do make people aware that that it's not my proper job.

I've had a few enquiries for weddings next summer and quoted £400, but I think that may put some people off.

I am planning of buyina a 5d m3 and I am considering if it is cheaper to flight to USA and buy it from there. The price is much cheaper even if we add the cost of the trip and the customs will allow a dslr if it is not closed in its box as brand new. What is your opinion? Also another option to buy it from Dubai where it is again much cheaper. Any personal experience? Will the guarantee be valid in EU?

Price is based from Amazon:
Canon 5D Mark III + 24-70 II --> $3500+$2300 = $5800
Nikon D600 + 24-70 + 14-24 --> $2100 + $1900 + $2000 = $6000

Maybe it's time to switch to Nikon or Sony, unless canon can react fast. They are lossing the price war to Nikon and Sony(A99), plus their sensor is not as good as Sony's which are used by some of the Nikon models...

I guess Canon is focusing more on the video camera than still camera...

BTW, I just cancel my pre-order for EOS-M and ordered Sony Nex 6, the CMOS sensor (image quality) used in EOS M is not as good as Sony's previous generation Nex 5N.

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/nikon-d600

Sensor: 24,3MP CMOS Total: 24.7 million

Image size

FX 36mm x 24mm :
6,016 x 4,016 (L) 4,512 x 3,008 (M) 3,008 x 2,008 (S)

DX 24mm x 16mm
3,936 x 2,624 (L) 2,944 x 1,968 (M) 1,968 x 1,312 (S)

FX-format photographs taken in movie live view :
6,016 x 3,376 (L) 4,512 x 2,528 (M) 3,008 x 1,688 (S)

DX-format photographs in movie live view :
3,936 x 2,224 (L) 2,944 x 1,664 (M) 1,968 x 1,112 (S)

ISO 100 ~ 6,400. ( 50 - 25600)

Finder: 100% coverage.

AF: 39 points.

Shutter: 1/4,000 ~ 30 sec, bulb. Carbon fiber and Kevlar, tested to 150,000 cycles.

2,016-Segment RGB Meter

Flash Sync: 1/200. Built-in Flash

Frame Rate: 5,5 FPS.

Rear LCD: Exquisite 3.2," 921,000 pixels.

Video

The Nikon D600 can capture Full HD (1080p; 1,920 x 1,080 pixel) video at either 24, 25 or 30 frames per. For 720p (1,280 x 720 pixel) video, a rate of 60 frames per second is possible. Video can either be shot using data from pixels across the entire width of the image sensor in FX mode, or with a 1.5x (DX-format) focal length crop, taking data from the center of the imager, without affecting the video resolution.

Videos are recorded using H.264 / MPEG-4 AVC format compression, maximum clip length is 29 minutes, 59. Even more unusually, it's possible to have the live feed piped to the D600's HDMI port as an uncompressed full HD signal, allowing it to be recorded using an external device and/or routed to an external monitor. If desired, this signal can be mirrored on the camera's own LCD display at the same time; the off-camera feed doesn't have any overlays added, so as not to impact external recording devices.

And the time-lapse photography function can be used to automatically photograph relatively slow moving action

Hi all,

Been watching this site all year and I thought by now we were supposed to have announcements about the new 200-400 and the updated 100-400 leading into Photokina...?

With nothing being announced by now are we now looking at end of year (Xmas) or even next year?

I have always relied on Sandisk SD cards. Other brands have let me down in not living up to the rated speeds. I have about a dozen Sandisk SD and CF cards.

However, my last two Sandisk SD cards (one an Extreme 32GB and the other an Extreme Pro 32GB) have both been DOA. Neither the camera nor the computer could format the cards. In the Extreme card case, the camera could see it, but reported an error. In the Extreme Pro case, the camera wouldn't even turn on. Had to pull the battery to get the camera back, indicating that the card itself had a short in it.

Had I just been lucky before, or is Sandisk quality slipping?

Regardless, any tips for a different reliable brand?

Hi everyone again. Now that I've received responses on your feed back on picking the 16-35 over the 17-40 from my previous post, I am in need of your input again. Here's my situation.

I shoot w/the 5D Mark II (griped) w/the 430EX
Other lenses I have now are: 1) 70-200 f/2.8 II 2) 24-105 f/4 3) 50 f/1.8 II

I assist with weddings/events, and shoot portraits. I also shoot often on trips and vacations.

Which lens should I get next to better suit my needs:
1) 35 f/1.4 or
2) 16-25 f/2.8
or
3) some other lens you would recommend?

I can only get one for now.

Thanks again for your help!

I ordered on March 20, and it says its in stock and sent to warehouse, so they must received a good number of those... happy happy happy....

Here's one for you photo geeks. How about a simplified digital body that would accept native FD lenses. Sort of
a digital AE1 - no autofocus, no video, no frills, just a base camera that is completely controlled by the user.
Should be priced at or below the price of the cheapest Rebel (T3 is currently about $500). Would appeal to
"basics" crowd, owners of legacy lenses, excellent intro to photography tool for education users, and possibly
others. Oh yea, need not weigh a whole lot more than a mirrorless with eos lens.

As I look out and try to figure out what's going on in the photo market, I'd predict several things coming down
the road. Canon has everything to lose, as the current market leader covering nearly all the bases, any shift
in market share has to effect them the most. They do have a significant advantage however, vertical integration.
In that sense I would predict the leading brands in five years will be Canon, Fuji, Panasonic (probably buying
sickly Olympus) Samsung. Nikon and Leica are too dependent on chip vendors, Sony couldn't market most of
their stuff no matter how good. Pentax/Ricoh has a chance, if they can get their combined act togather.
The point and shoot market will be decreasing in market share due to better smart phone camera integration,
and that will hurt Canon and Nikon most at the benefit of Apple and Samsung. Video capabilities will improve
to the point that dedicated video cameras are redundant - and that will hurt Canon, Panasonic and Sony.
Better ISO performance may decrease the need for fast, and expensive, lenses and optical manufacturing techniques will improve so that high quality lenses can be made in volume - hurting Leica, Nikon and Canon.
Prices will continue to escalate and digital imaging software will continue to improve around the margins to
provide excellent images but without the "feel" of darkroom processing. All told, an exciting time to be interested in photography.

Here's a photo I shot with two Elinchrom soft boxes and no external / remote flash in cold or hot shoe.

Note the strange phenomenon at the lower part of the photo where you can see a slight gradient from dark to normal as you look upward in the portrait . It took me a bit to figure out why this was happening but ultimately found the answer. I put my Sekonic L-358 meter in "cordless flash" mode (meaning it captured the proper lighting of the two soft boxes when they fired) suggested 1/200 at F 6.3 so there was plenty of light with the recommended settings for manual and I was below the hi-speed sync setting of 1/250. The soft boxes were at 45 degree angles and about 18 inches away from the subject and upward angled position of above 6.5 feet high and 30 degree angled downward. The subject was seated in an armless chair that swiveled left to right. I had a 42" reflector on a swivel arm in front of the subject at waist height for any facial shadow fill ins. I used a Canon 5D Mark III and a 100mm USM L IS Macro lens for this portrait in ISO 50. So what could it be?

Found this spoof on a post and thought I'd share it. I thought it was pretty funny.

LEAKED Official Apple iPhone 5 Promo Video - Keynote 2012

This is a tough choice.
I love primes and got a 24mm F/1.4L II delivered yesterday.
I tried a few test shots @ F/2.8 and it is super sharp on my 5D MK3. Probably the best L lens I've tried to date.

Then I read the LenRentals.com article and Roger claims that @ F/2.8 the new zoom is sharper, particularly in the corners on FF.

There's not a lot in it in the center, but the zoom has more resolution at the edges - 940/750 vs 954/ 831.

The zoom is still a F/2.8 and I wanted the prime for low light too BUT having a lens that sharp and responsive across the whole range has got me wondering if I should return the prime and pick up the zoom.

What would you do?

Cheers

ET

Does anyone know if you pay taxes and shipping from canon shop direct? I live in Minnesota. Another question is how do I qualify for canon loyalty program or take advantage of it? Ive never really used the canon USA site much and I'm pretty lost on the page. Thank you!

Has anyone heard of shipments from Adorama yet? I talked to the guy, said only that they are still backordered....would not give me more feedback. Ordered Feb 8th so I should be close to the top, curious. Thanks.

www.nikonrumors.com
I knew $1500 was a giant pipe dream, but I can't believe it's that close to the d800.

On http://www.nikitin.se/24-70mkii.zip have I posted some RAW files from a Canon 5D mk III and the 24-70/2.8L II if you are interested to download and check. The zip-file is 112MB. The file will be available to 31 of October 2012.

Other companies are gearing up for Photokina... Pentax and Sony have unleashed a barrage of new stuff ready for next week. Nikon have their D600... We have what, some weak rumours.... At this stage I am starting to think Canon won't announce anything (i hope i am wrong)....

5D mk2 or 6D?
pricing should be about the same, and i want to go full frame.

Canon have released firmware version 2.0.3 to the 7D, http://www.canon.co.uk/Support/Consumer_Products/products/cameras/Digital_SLR/EOS_7D.aspx?DLtcmuri=tcm:14-974139&page=1&type=download

They could make a mini 1Dx, thow FF in it and charge $4/$4,500 making it basically a beefed up 5dm3 but designed for sports with 8/10fps. Also allow the Grip attachment to use a 1d series battery for higher voltage output speeding up the focus system like a 1D, they could charge $600 for the grip then. They could always keep the 1dx tracking and face detection out like on the 5dm3. A 6D would however need to be under a 5dm3 so maybe this camera i mention should be a 3D or at least from a number level being 1 the highest level Canon camera and 5D second highest, maybe put something between them. I know this has prob been discussed and i did think the next 7d should be APS-H but this is something else entirely. The market needs this kind of camera. Canon should be in the process of fulfilling something like this i would think. Who cares if it takes some of the share from the 1dx, you want the premium camera you still get the 1dx. This type of camera would be the first to have the power of a 1d series camera by making the grip the extra source for its kick! Then for the wedding photog's like myself we can get by without that grip for weddings but when we need to shoot sports like i do then the grip makes sense to have. So at like $5100 people will struggle with the features and price over the 1dx. From a marketing standpoint people always want the middle package like wedding packages. They can't afford top but they don't want to go cheap either so this like how apple also prices and puts features in their products to force the difficulty it is pure genius to do so.
Sorry if i seem scatter brained its almost 4am lol.