Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Faster Autofocus for Canon EOS DSLR Live View Mode

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A patent application filed by Canon was recently published by the USPTO (App. No. 12/188,385) that may give us some insight as to how Canon will solve the abysmal autofocus performance of Canon’s Live View mode.  If you are unfamiliar about how Canon’s Live View AF system currently works (or doesn’t work), you can read my prior rant in Photography Bay’s Canon Rebel XSi Review.  For some insight on how Live View AF should work, see the Sony A350 Review.

Nothing works faster for DSLR autofocus systems than the tried and true phase-difference method.  If you don’t know what phase-difference AF means, the you can read about it on Wikipedia; however, it’s not essential to understand all the technical details to get excited about Canon’s new patent.

The fundamental problem with making phase-difference autofocus work in a Live View mode is that the AF sensor receives light from the mirror, which also reflects light up into the pentaprism for the optical viewfinder.  When you press the shutter button, the mirror flips up and you get a brief moment of black out in the view finder while the shutter opens and exposes the image sensor to the light from the lens. [Read more…]

 

No Canon 1-Series Updates at PMA 2009

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Contrary to prior rumors of a Canon 1Ds Mark IV and 1D Mark IV coming out soon, I received a tip from a reliable source today that there will be no Canon 1-series DSLRs released at PMA 2009.  This person explained where the information originated and I believe it to be accurate.

Unfortunately, that is all the info that I can reveal while keeping the source anonymous, which I agreed to do.  I can say, however, that I still expect a Canon Rebel XSi replacement to be revealed very soon.

Canon 5D Mark II Review at Digital Camera Info

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DCI has published a review of the Canon 5D Mark II.

The full-frame sensor translates to superior flexibility when shooting wide-angle and panoramic scenes, the high megapixel count means more flexibility in cropping and editing files, and the extraordinary level of customizability allows users to tailor the camera features to precisely match their image style desires and shooting preferences.

For the latest news and reviews on the 5D Mark II, be sure to stay tuned to Photography Bay’s Canon 5D Mark II Reviews and Resources.

Canon 5D Mark II Review at PDN Gear Guide

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PDN Gear Guide has posted a review of the Canon 5D Mark II.

While there are some definite stumbles-in particular, the focus system in low light was disappointing-other features live up to the hype. As a very solid low-end full-frame camera, the 5D II is definitely no flash in the pan.

For the latest news and reviews on the 5D Mark II, be sure to stay tuned to Photography Bay’s Canon 5D Mark II Reviews and Resources.

Canon 5D: Main Mirror Detachment Service Notice

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Canon has issued a service notice for the original Canon 5D.  This is not for the Canon 5D Mark II.

From Canon:

We have discovered that, in rare instances, the main mirror of some EOS 5D Digital SLR cameras may detach due to deterioration in the strength of the adhesive. Accordingly, we would like to convey the details and our service policy concerning this phenomenon.

We offer our sincerest apologies to those customers who have been inconvenienced by this issue. Canon always strives to provide the highest quality products to our customers and we will spare no effort in our quality management to make sure our customers can use our products with confidence. We hope our efforts will earn your understanding.

Phenomenon
The main mirror of the camera detaches and images cannot be viewed through the viewfinder.

Affected products
EOS 5D Digital SLR cameras whose main mirror has detached.

User Support
We will repair and reinforce the mirror portion of the affected products free of charge. If you own one of the affected products, please contact our Customer Support Center.

More info from Canon.

Canon 5D Mark II Review at CPN

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Canon Professional Network has published a review of the Canon 5D Mark II, which was written by professional wedding photographer Jeff Ascough.

I can see some of the ‘weaknesses’ it has compared to the 1 series but, those aside, it is really good. For me, the image quality coupled with the size and weight of the camera are very, very appealing.

For the latest news and reviews on the 5D Mark II, be sure to stay tuned to Photography Bay’s Canon 5D Mark II Reviews and Resources.

Canon 5D Mark II Review at Photo.net

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Photo.net has published a review of the Canon 5D Mark II.

It represents an advance in features over the original EOS 5D and the overall image quality is generally higher-though that higher quality may only be revealed in large prints.

For the latest news and reviews on the 5D Mark II, be sure to stay tuned to Photography Bay’s Canon 5D Mark II Reviews and Resources.

Canon G10 Review at Imaging Resource

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Imaging Resource has posted a review of the Canon G10.

Print quality is quite excellent from the Canon G10’s images, with good color. Conservatively, the ISO 80 JPEG images look great at 16×20 inches, and are usable at 20×30 straight out of the camera; sharpening and processing from RAW can sharpen things up considerably at all ISO settings.

For the latest news and reviews, see Photography Bay’s Canon G10 Reviews and Resources.