Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Canon Develops 8″ x 8″ CMOS Image Sensor

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Canon’s R&D group has been eating its Wheaties, as evidenced by the recent 120MP CMOS sensor and the new 8-inch CMOS sensor.  That’s the 8″ sensor above, just to the left of a 35mm sensor.

The new sensor is roughly 40 times the size of the sensor found in the 5D Mark II.  It measures 202 x 205mm, or roughly 8″ x 8″ – holy cow! Canon says that it is “capable of capturing images in one one-hundredth the amount of light required by a professional-model digital SLR camera.”

Don’t expect to see these in your next DSLR though – this is just bragging rights for now.  Get the full tech-speak and marketing buzz in the press release below. [Read more…]

 

Zacuto Quick Draw DSLR Rig Review

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The Zacuto Quick Draw is basically a trimmed-down version of the Zacuto Striker (without the shoulder stock), and actually I don’t even know that you can pick up the Quick Draw as a standalone product anymore.  Nevertheless, Zacuto prices have dropped, and the Striker kit is even in a relatively reasonable price range now.

As far as simple, low-key DSLR support goes, I’m a big fan of the Quick Draw.  I didn’t really think that would be the case going into my use of this rig since it didn’t include a shoulder support.  However, after getting used to the kit with my 5D Mark II, I was very pleased with the flexibility of the Quick Draw.

Read the full review over at Tech Tilt: Zacuto Quick Draw DSLR Rig Review

Canon 1D Mark IV vs. Nikon D3S – Autofocus Performance [Part 1]

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Canon 1D Mark IV vs. Nikon D3s

We all know that the Canon 1D Mark IV and Nikon D3S are geared toward sports photographers.  While the cameras have found their way into many other photography niches, at their core, these cameras are made for shooting sports.  As an action-oriented camera, nothing defines its performance more so than its autofocus speed and accuracy.

When shooting sports, we can forgive images that are a bit noisier in one camera over the other, and we can forgive a camera with lower resolution than its competitor.  What we cannot forgive, however, is out of focus images.  When shooting sports and other action, autofocus performance is a paramount concern. [Read more…]

Rumor Alert: Yet Another New DSLR Coming September 8th

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Just got a tip about a new DSLR that will be announced on September 8.  The source doesn’t provide a model; however, there is an indication that it will be a prosumer or low-end pro model.

This has been a rather busy season for DSLRs, particularly over the past couple of weeks.  I sure don’t see much room for too many more entry-level DSLRs; however, camera manufacturers have been pretty thin on releasing pro-grade gear so far.  I suppose that the Canon 60D fits into the prosumer category, but that’s about it.

We’re all still waiting and hoping for a number of pro and prosumer models . . . Canon 1Ds Mark IV, Sony A700 replacement, Nikon D90 or D700 replacement and pretty much anything from Pentax.  With this in mind, we could still be rather busy in the lead up to Photokina 2010.

Stay tuned for the latest.  And, if you have any additional info on upcoming gear, feel free to drop me a tip via the contact form.

Grow Your Bottom Line and Increase Bookings

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The following post is by DigiLabs Pro General Manager, Stephanie Weber, who offers advice on how to increase bookings by leveraging your network.  Learn more about Stephanie and DigiLabs at the end of this post.

Portrait Sample Gallery

In an economy where every lead is a vital one, many professional photographers are ignoring their biggest sales force – their online networks of friends and professional contacts. This includes anyone from clients to vendors to fellow photographers, all of whom can be valuable marketing assets to pros. By leveraging your network with a few simple initiatives, shooters can become sellers and boost their bottom line. [Read more…]