Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips
How many of you out there can honestly say that your camera does more work than you do? With PhotoPlus Expo close approaching here in New York City and vendors prepping with meetings with all of us, it may be worthwhile to check out the education lectures and information sessions being offered. Of course, some cameras are more capable than others so there may very well be two sides of this fence that are well defended.
The Gitzo G-1560 Monotrek is a lightweight monopod and hiking stick combo. It has a small built-in ball head with a plastic cover for the head when not in use. I recently took it with me on a 9-mile hike along with the Think Tank Photo Rotation 360 backpack.
As a hiking stick, it works well. I generally don’t hike with such a stick, but I could be persuaded to making it a more regular practice. I found that I really used the Gitzo G-1560 on inclines, which turned out to be quite a bit with over 2900′ elevation gain on the trip. The grip and wrist strap are comfortable and caused no problems for me over the course of my 9-miler.
At 1.0 lb, the Gitzo is a little heavier than some of the other top-rated walking sticks out there, which are commonly in the 10-11 oz. range. I figure that most of the difference, however, is a result of the small, yet effective, ball head that comes with the G-1560. [Read more…]
Canon has announced that it is in the process of developing firmware for the 5D Mark II, which will offer 1080p recording at 24 and 25fps. We won’t get full details on the process or other capabilities until 2010; however, the complaint department has probably been a little high since the release of the EOS 7D, so this news may help curb some of the derogatory remarks from 5D Mark II owners.
Canon’s official statement on the firmware development is below. [Read more…]
Vincent Laforet created a ton of buzz with his Reverie film shot with the Canon 5D Mark II and it looks like he’s onto something again – this time with the new Canon 1D Mark IV. The entire 3 minute segment is shot at ISO 6400 on the new professional DSLR.
Watch it in HD here.
More on the camera on Photography Bay’s Canon 1D Mark IV Reviews and Resources.
Canon has just announced the EOS 1D Mark IV DSLR. The new 1D Mark IV succeeds the 1D Mark III, which was plagued with autofocus flaws from day one. The 1D Mark IV features a completely revised autofocus system with 45 AF points, 39 of which points are high-precision cross-type. Other upgrades include a higher resolution, increased sensitivity, dual DIGIC IV processors, and full HD video.
The Canon Monopod 100 is a basic 4-section monopod that comes with a ball head – all for about $33. That’s not really a bad deal at all considering that it actually performs pretty well.
Keep in mind though that this is an entry-level product and isn’t designed for pro-level shooters who pack around 500mm f/4 lenses. The Canon Monopod 100 just takes care of the basics. [Read more…]
UPDATE 10/20/09: The Canon 1D Mark IV has been announced. Additional info on Photography Bay’s Canon 1D Mark IV Reviews and Resources.
After the recent announcement of the Nikon D3s, it appears that Canon may be ready to introduce a new flagship of its own. Rumors are flying from a variety of sources that Canon will unveil the 1D Mark IV on October 20.
Specification rumors have centered mostly around an APS-H (1.3x crop) sensor in the 16-megapixel range and still image frame capture rates at 10-12fps. Rumors have consistently suggested 1080p video capture with the same capture rates as the Canon 7D.
One poster on the Fred Miranda forums says that Canon Spain has unofficially informed pro shooters that the 1D Mark IV will be released on October 20. Another forum member reports seeing the a retailer’s inventory system that shows the 1D Mark IV and 1Ds Mark IV priced at $4995 and $6995, respectively. Consistent with this rumor, Canon Rumors has received a number of “tips” on the announcement, including a copy of the press invitation above regarding Canon’s celebration of 50 years of its SLRs.
Stay tuned. This looks like it could be the real deal.
Canon has released a firmware update for the EOS 7D. The new version 1.0.9 incorporates the following fixes:
1. Improves AF accuracy during Live View shooting.
2. Corrects a phenomenon where in rare instances, movie images shot by the camera may exhibit abnormal colors.
3. Corrects a phenomenon that at certain timings, the shutter cannot be released when the camera’s built-in flash or an external Speedlite is used for shooting.
To learn more about it or to download the update, see Canon’s website.
I recently reviewed the remarkable Rotation 360 camera backpack from Think Tank Photo. It’s time to unload Photography Bay’s review sample to one of you guys.
Sure, it’s slightly used with a 9 mile hike under its belt and a few photowalks around town in order to put it through the paces for our review, but I assure you that it’s got plenty more miles left in it. And, I promise it doesn’t smell bad ;-)
You want it?
Show us your best “hiking” themed images by following the directions below and we’ll cover shipping anywhere in the US. [Read more…]
A rainy day may ruin your motivation to go out and shoot, but it shouldn’t necessarily ruin your camera and picture taking abilities. Even if your camera isn’t waterproof, weatherproof or weather-sealed there are still ways that you can go out into the rain and shoot to your heart’s desire. In truth, you can capture some gorgeous scenes while you’re out in the rain.