Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Archives for October 2009

 

Kata CS-15 and CS-17

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Kata has added the CS-15 and CS-17 to its GDC camera satchel bag lineup.  The CS-15 can hold a DSLR with lens attached, up to 2 lenses (the largest being a 70-200mm 2.8 with reversed hood), accessories and up to a 15.4” laptop computer.  The CS-17 can hold a DSLR with lens attached, up to 2 lenses (the largest being a 70-200mm 2.8 with reversed hood), accessories and up to a 17” laptop computer.

More details in the press release below. [Read more…]

Tips to Keep Your Inspiration Alive Through Photographic Exercises

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The Colors

Let your little light shine! As a photographer, you often can get either bored with what you’re shooting, totally demotivated, or may even run dry of your inspiration. If you shoot professionally, this is not good at all. If you’re a semi-pro or amateur, it can be a real drag for your hobby. I experienced such a problem recently after shooting for three years and I dedicated my time to ensure that the photographer in me doesn’t die out the way being a musician did for me. Here are my tips to ensure that you keep trudging and moving towards the light at the end of the tunnel during the hard times.

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Canon 7D Service Notice Re: Residual Image in Picture

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Canon USA has issued a service notice regarding a phenomenon where traces of the immediately preceding frame may be visible in an image file from the Canon 7D.  This has apparently occurred in situations using continuous shooting mode.  According to Canon, the problem “is not noticeable in an image with optimal exposure.”

As the notice states, “Canon is currently investigating and analyzing the cause of this phenomenon, and we are planning to release a firmware update to address this issue.”

I have been unable to reproduce this effect in testing the 7D today; however, an unofficial discussion and sample images demonstrating the problem appear in DPR forums here.  According to one observer, optimal conditions for reproducing this error include the following:

1. Shoot with maximum continuous shooting rate.(8.05fps)
2. Shoot with fast shutter speed.(>1/500s ?)
3. Image’s back ground is flat and bright.(Blue sky,etc)
4. Target is a fast moving object.(Bird,Jet fighter,etc)
5. 2nd or later frame image has a ghost of previous frame image.

You can read the entire service notice on Canon’s website.

Canon 7D vs Nikon D300s ISO Test

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A couple of years ago, after Canon announced the 40D, Nikon dropped a bomb with the D300 and D3 combo.  I remember the cover of Popular Photography read in bold print “Nikon Strikes Back.”  That was a very fitting description in the face of what many thought was a rather mild upgrade to the Canon 30D, which was in turn a mild upgrade to the 20D.   A year later, Canon failed to really “wow” us with the 50D; however, I found the 50D to be an excellent performer.

Fast forward to Summer 2009 and the stage is set for both Nikon and Canon to take another turn at “wowing” us.  The D300s is mostly a rehash of the D300, along with video capture.  Canon, however, stepped out with the feature-packed 7D, which also featured video, but added a spec-list that made it look like a 5D Mark II Jr.

Since the introduction of the D300 was Nikon’s turn to “Strike Back,” will the Canon 7D, in response to the D300s, be “Return of the Jedi Canon”?  Keep on reading this first round of comparisons, which takes a side-by-side look at the ISO performance of these two prosumer cameras. [Read more…]

Nikon D3s Hands-On Review

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The Nikon D3s is the successor to the Nikon D3. The camera is not much of a change from the previous model except for higher ISO settings and the addition of a new video mode. Nikon users will still appreciate that much of their beloved D3 has not been touched and that this camera is still meant for its intended audience. Sports shooters and photojournalists alike will very much so enjoy the capabilities offered to them on this camera.

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Hands-on: Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 85mm F3.5G ED VR

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The Nikon AF-S DX Nikkor 85mm F3.5G ED VR that was recently announced received some fondling by me at this year’s Photo Plus. If you’re a Nikon shooter, you will appreciate quite a bit of the design, weight and engineering that went into the lens. Seemingly targeted more towards the lower-end prosumer audience, Nikon D300s users especially will love this lens. [Read more…]

Leica X1 Hands-On Review

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The Leica X1 is a compact camera with a fixed lens and an APS-C sized sensor. The camera has the largest sensor in it’s class, dwarfing Micro Four Thirds and the Sigma Foveon. I received some personal hands-on time with the camera. While I wasn’t able to put a card in to take samples (I handled a prototype) the short experience with the camera was overall quite positive and, in fact, it may very well be a camera that will put more pressure on other companies to start really developing their technology to do just the same thing.

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Leica M9 Hands-On Review

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Since the announcement of the Leica M9, there has been much interest in the powerful but little camera. The main reason for this is the full frame sensor in such a small body. I had the pleasure and opportunity to finally fondle the Leica M9. I previously brought up the issue of really needing a rangefinder for street photography, and while I have not solved that question yet, I can tell you that the M9 has characteristics that surely can help with doing such things even at close range. However, it is not perfect. [Read more…]