Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Canon 5D Mark III and 5D Mark II Get Price Drops

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Canon 5D Mark III

B&H has dropped the prices on the Canon 5D Mark III and Mark II models.

The 5D Mark III is priced at $3199 now (down from $3459).

The 5D mark II is priced at $1699 now (down from $1799).

It looks like Amazon and Adorama are also showing the same prices on the 5D Mark III, which means this comes from Canon and makes me wonder if Canon is feeling the pressure from Nikon and not moving as many of the higher-priced 5D Mark IIIs in comparison to Nikon’s D800 (which is still cheaper, BTW).

At $1699, the 5D Mark II is the cheapest full frame camera by a long shot over the new, “affordable” Canon 6D and Nikon D600.  And, despite its age, is still a very solid camera.

 

Canon 5D Mark III Firmware Update Offers Uncompressed HDMI Output & Improved AF

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Canon 5D Mark III

Canon just announced a powerful firmware update for the 5D Mark III.  The new firmware, due April 2013, will provide uncompressed HDMI output for 4:2:2 8-bit video capture via an external recorder.

Additionally, the 5D Mark III will gain the ability to autofocus at f/8 when equipped with Canon teleconverters (akin to the recent firmware update of the Canon 1D X).

A bit ironic that Canon announced this right after the new Magic Lantern firmware update that unlocks HDMI-out for the 5D Mark III, no?

You can read the full Canon press release below. [Read more…]

Canon 5D Mark III Magic Lantern Update Adds Clean HDMI and HDR Video

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5D Mark III

Magic Lantern, the advanced (and unofficial) HDSLR firmware developers, just keeps cranking out the good stuff for Canon HDSLRs.  In this second Alpha update for Canon 5D Mark III, the new powerhouse camera gets even more power with a clean HDMI output and HDR video mode.  Other additions include gradual exposure, focus assist tools, display tweaks and more.

Here’s a short sample of HDR video mode on the 5D Mark III:

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjtGenTSfX8&w=640&h=360]

There are more details, along with download and installation instructions, available on the Magic Lantern website.

Magic Lantern Firmware for Canon 5D Mark III Alpha Version Released

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The Magic Lantern crew have been knocking it out of the park lately.  The first public alpha build of Magic Lantern firmware is now available for the Canon 5D Mark III.

Magic Lantern 2.3 recently launched for other Canon DSLRs and delivered some impressive and stable new features.

Magic Lantern 5D Mark III Firmware

While the first alpha build of Magic Lantern for the 5D Mark III doesn’t quite offer all the features of version 2.3 on the 5D Mark II, it still presents some features that many HDSLRs want to see. [Read more…]

Amazing Time Lapse of Paris

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[vimeo https://vimeo.com/46106624 w=640&h=360]

Mayeul Akpovi shot this incredible moving time lapse of Paris.  The video is a culmination of 3000 images captured with a 5D Mark II and 5D Mark III.

The the moving shots, he physically picked up the tripod and moved it for each shot.  The resulting parallax created a beautiful dolly-esque camera move it what feels like an impossible time lapse of these great Paris scenes.

Lenses used include the Sigma 15mm f/2.8 EX DG Fisheye, Samyang 14mm f/2.8 and Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD, along with a range of ND2 to ND400 filters.

Thanks for sending this in Mayeul.  You can check out more of Mayeul’s work here on Vimeo.

PocketWizard MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 Support for 5D Mark III May Arrive in 2 Weeks

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PocketWizard has provided an update on the MiniTT1 and FlexTT5 support for the 5D Mark III.  I know a lot of you are interested in this update because I’ve received numerous questions about it since the recent PocketWizard firmware update for Nikon models added support for the D800 and D4.

They currently have a firmware version that looks promising and are in the process of testing all of the features with all Canon DSLR models to ensure support across the product line.  The guys at PocketWizard have literally stopped answering the phones, checking email and answering questions on Facebook in order to finalize this firmware update and get it out the door.

Right now, their hope is to have a release “within the next couple of weeks” but no promises on a firm date.

Stay tuned for the latest.

[via PocketWizard]

Canon EOS 3D Rumored as 46MP Resolution King

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Canon EOS 3D Rumors

Rumors of a high megapixel DSLR from Canon have really been heating up since the 1D X launched with “only” 18.1MP.  The rumors persisted after the 5D Mark III rolled in at roughly the same resolution as its predecessor.

Now comes a spec list from Canon Rumors for a Canon EOS 3D rumored to weigh in at a whopping 46MP . . . that’s 10MP more than the current resolution king – the Nikon D800.

Canon EOS 3D Spec Rumors

  • 46 MP
  • 3.7 frame per second
  • Dual DIGIC 5+
  • ISO: (25) 50-6400 (12800)
  • AF: Same as 1DX
  • USB 3
  • CF+SD

Even though I used to joke about cameras with resolution at 40MP, Canon has plenty more room to work with on a full frame image sensor given that it developed a 120MP APS-H sensor more than two years ago.  And we just thought the megapixel wars were over . . . .

Who would pick up a 46MP Canon DSLR?  What price would you be willing to pay for this camera?

New Microsoft Camera Codec Pack Released

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Nikon D800

Microsoft has released a new camera codec pack that will allow RAW files for supported cameras to be viewable in Windows Explorer and other software that’s based on Windows Imaging Codecs.

Loads of new and old cameras are supported, including the latest models like the Canon 5D mark III and Nikon D800.  More details on Microsoft’s website.