Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS “Unicorn” Lens in the Works?

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Canon 24-70mm f/2.8L IS Rumors

For the better part of a decade, there have been rumors and wishes spread around the interwebs for a 24-70mm f/2.8 IS lens to come about from Canon. Recently, we’ve seen Tamron introduce such a lens that is available for Canon DSLRs. Despite its positive reception, it’s still not a Canon L lens.

A lot of Canon shooters figured all hope was lost when Canon introduced the EF 24-70mm f/4L IS lens earlier this Fall. For many, this was not the lens they were hoping for and the 24-70mm f/2.8 lens with Image Stabilization seemed like a pipe dream even more than before.

However, new rumors of the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS lens point to an actual announcement in the next 18 months – most likely around the end of next year. Canon Rumors reports that two sources have confirmed the lens’ existence and that it really will make it to market.

Is the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L IS lens the one you’ve been waiting for? What are you willing to pay for it? (BTW, my guess would be that it retails just south of $3k given the $2300 retail of the current non-IS version.)

 

Fuji X200 Coming to CES 2013?

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It looks like the excellent Fuji X100 is finally getting a proper successor. A recent article on the Fuji X-E1, written by Tony Bridge (who is sponsored by Fujifilm), mentioned that the replacement for the X100 is due out “early next year.” Given Fuji’s historically solid showing at CES, there’s a good chance that the next X-series camera with a leaf shutter will show up at CES 2013 in the first few days of January. [Read more…]

Polaroid iM1386 Android 4.0 Camera with Interchangeable Lenses Coming to CES 2013

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Polaroid appears to be set to launch a new mirrorless camera at CES 2013, the iM1386, that will be powered by the Android operating system and bear a striking stylistic resemblance to the Nikon 1 J2. Leaked specifications point to an 18.1MP sensor, Android 4 OS, a 3.5″ touchscreen LCD and built-in WiFi. [Read more…]

Instagram Wants to Sell Your Photos . . . Without Paying You . . . and Hold You Liable for Model Releases and Infringing Others’ Rights

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Instagram just went off the deep end with its latest terms of service update, which allows the company to sell your images without paying your at all for their use.

The relevant provision regarding the sale of your images is found under Item 2 of “Rights” in the Terms of Service as follows:

To help us deliver interesting paid or sponsored content or promotions, you agree that a business or other entity may pay us to display your username, likeness, photos (along with any associated metadata), and/or actions you take, in connection with paid or sponsored content or promotions, without any compensation to you.

This provision on its own doesn’t bother me so much as a casual user. It grates me a bit, but I’m not really sweating Instagram’s use of my images reposted as advertisements or promoted content on the service. However, I recognize that a lot of photographers out there use Instagram as a more serious marketing endeavor or have licensing issues with their images that they can’t allow such use without otherwise jeopardizing their business.

The major hiccup for me comes under Item 4 of “Rights” as excerpted below: [Read more…]

Nikon Patents Digital Back for 35mm Film Cameras

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Nikon has filed a patent that makes way for a digital back to convert 35mm film SLRs into the full-fledged DSLRs. The rear door that covers the film holder would be removed and replaced with a digital back equipped with an image sensor.

An excerpt from the patent:

The camera back exchange type camera which images the object image acquired by the photographing optical system by the side of a camera body, and obtains electronic image data is known by replacing with the rear lid with which the camera body was equipped, and equipping a camera body with the camera back having an image sensor.

In the camera back of the description to this Patent document 1, when the moving mechanism to which the position of an image sensor is moved, and the position detection sensor which detects the position of an image sensor are provided and a moving mechanism moves an image sensor based on the output of a position detection sensor, The image sensor to the photographing optical system by the side of a camera body is positioned.

Are you ready to convert your Nikon F6 yet? [Read more…]

Triggertrap Mobile App is Now Free for iOS and Android

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Triggertrap

The Triggertrap app that turns your iPhone, iPad or Android device into a remote trigger for your camera is now free. Previously, it was $4.99; however, it will be free at least through the holiday season. (Note that there is a limited-feature “free version” available, but this is the premium version that has now been made free.)

You need a $25 cable to make it work with your DSLR, but it does a whole lot more than a standard cable release remote for that price. I’ve used it with my Canon 5D Mark II and it works very well. Additionally, if you don’t get the dongle, some of the modes (like timelapse) will work with the iPhone’s built-in camera. So, it’s worth having for free anyway.

The Triggertrap apps is available for iOS on the iTunes App Store, and available for Android on the Google Play Store.

Below are some of the triggering methods you can use with Triggertrap. [Read more…]