Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM in Use at Olympics

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Canon 200-400mm

Canon apparently has some loaners of the upcoming EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM lens on hand at the Olympics.  The development of this lens was announced alongside the official unveiling of the new EF 500mm F/4L IS II USM and EF 600mm F/4L IS II USM lenses – both of which are now starting to trickle into commercial availability.

As I was reading Jeff Cable’s update from London today, I noticed that he dropped by the Canon loan desk to borrow one of these new lenses.

I contacted Jeff to see what his thoughts are on the lens; however, I know he’s busy over there and it may be a few days before I hear back.  In the mean time, you can follow Jeff’s action in London over on his blog.

Hopefully, this is a good sign for the availability of this lens and Canon will begin shipping it out to the mass market sooner rather than later.

Stay tuned.

 

‘Camera Warfare’ Sends DSLRs to War!

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[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYZmFo3_F1g&w=640&h=360]

In this fun video, Devin Graham puts DSLRs in the middle of a WWII firefight . . . and the DSLRs are the weapons.

After watching all the Canons go to war, check out the BTS video below for a peek into the making of this epic battle.

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NlGX1qsY8BE&w=640&h=360]

[via PetaPixel]

OS X Mountain Lion and Adobe CS Compatibility

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If you are a Mac user, then you probably are well aware that Apple released OS X 10.8 Mountain Lion this week.  By all accounts, it’s an improvement over 10.7 Lion.

If you are a holdout (like I was), then you may still be using OS X 10.6.8 Snow Leopard.  I was concerned about losing 32-bit app compatibility, quirks in other 64-bit apps and the death of Spaces (something I use all day, everyday).

Having mulled Mountain Lion over for several weeks, I bit the bullet this week and upgraded from Snow Leopard.  Based on most of what I had read, CS6 app stability and speed improves with Mountain Lion.  Since that’s the software suite I use more than anything else, I went for it.   [Read more…]

Callouts 1.2 for Final Cut Pro X

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Callouts for Final Cut Pro X

Noise Industries has released Callouts 1.2 for Final Cut Pro X.  Available as an FX Factory plugin, Callouts 1.2 “allows you to add arrows, shapes, magnifiers, animated map trajectories, speech and thought bubbles, checklists and much more to your next video project.  Callouts 1.2 adds two new effects and it is a free update for existing customers.”  New users can buy it fo $49 here at Ripple Training.

Check out the demo video below for an idea of what you can do with Callouts 1.2. [Read more…]

More Canon Low-End Full Frame DSLR Rumors

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Canon Full Frame 7D Mark II Rumors

Northlight Images has received some new information concerning a cheaper full frame Canon DSLR. Rumors suggest either an 18MP sensor or a 22MP sensor, which leads to further speculation of a repurposed Canon 1D X or Canon 5D Mark III sensor, respectively.

Additional specs make the new model look a lot more like a full frame iteration of the Canon 7D, as opposed to the 5D Mark III.  A smaller overall body design with a built-in flash would make it more of a prosumer design.

Other rumored features are as follows: [Read more…]

SOLOSHOT Robotic Tripod Head Lets You Shoot Yourself

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SOLOSHOT is a new tripod-mounted automatic pan head that tracks subjects using a remote wristband.  It was built with capturing surfing in mind; however, it works for a ton of different types of moving subjects.

SOLOSHOT Key Features

  • Tracks at distances up to 2000 feet (half a kilometer).
  • The maximum pan speed is over 40 degrees per second.
  • The fastest object tested so far was a race car going 143 mph.
  • Batteries last 5+ hours.
  • A super bright tracking LED lets you know SOLOSHOT is pointing at you.
  • A security feature gives you an access point to lock your camera to the Base, and the tripod can be locked to stationary objects (the same as you would lock up a bicycle).
  • The pairing process allows multiple people to each use their own SOLOSHOT near each other.  Each Base will only follow the Armband that it is paired to.

Check out the demo video below that pretty well explains how SOLOSHOT works. [Read more…]

Magic Lantern v2.3 is Out and It’s No Longer Being Called a “Hack”

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Magic Lantern

The Magic Lantern team has released version 2.3 of its impressive Canon HDSLR enhanced firmware.  It’s reportedly more stable and more feature-packed than ever.

Magic Lantern v2.3 represents an important milestone – professionals from all around the world are already trusting it for their paid work. We can safely say it’s no longer a hack, but it’s strongly heading towards a solid piece of engineering that you can trust.

We have worked a lot on bug-fixing and usability improvements and we sincerely hope you will find it a great companion for all your shooting sessions – from hobbyist to professional.

Currently, Magic Lantern is available to those users who are willing to make a donation of $10 or more.  Beginning on August 13, 2012, it will be free for everyone to download. [Read more…]