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Canon Issues Product Advisory for 5D Mark III and 1D X re: Autofocus Speed with Speedlite AF Assist Beam

February 21, 2013 By Eric Reagan

Canon-5D-Mark-III

Following the recent forum posting by a moderator in Canon’s official forums, Canon has issued a product advisory concerning the slow AF speed for the 5D Mark III and 1D X when using a Speedlite AF assist beam.

Firmware updates to address this issue are expected for the 5D Mark III and 1D X in April 2013 and May 2013, respectively.

The full product advisory from Canon is reproduced below. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Canon Tagged With: 1D X, 5d mark iii, af, AF Assist Beam, bug, Canon, dslr, firmware, fix, product advisory, Speedlite

 

Nikon D4 Firmware Update A 1.03 and B 1.02

November 28, 2012 By Eric Reagan

Nikon D4

Nikon has issued a firmware update for the Nikon D4 that increases “focus accuracy when a lens and teleconverter with a combined maximum aperture of f/8 is used.”

You can download the update here on Nikon’s website.

Filed Under: Nikon Tagged With: af, autofocus, d4, dslr, firmware, focus, Nikon

Canon 1D X Firmware Version 1.1.1 Adds AF at f/8 and Red AF Point Illumination

October 18, 2012 By Eric Reagan

Canon 1D X

Canon has issued a firmware update for the 1D X, which adds two important autofocus capabilities – AF point illumination during AI Servo AF and cross-type AF at f/8.

These were huge criticisms of the flagship Canon DSLR when it was released.  And it certainly appears that Canon has heard the complaints with this response; however, the 1D X still only allows AF at f/8 with the center AF point (and using the adjacent four points as cross-type assist points).

You can download the Canon 1D X firmware update from Canon’s website.

More details in the complete press release below.

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., October 17, 2012 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced a new firmware update in response to user requests which further enhances the capabilities of Canon’s flagship EOS-1D X Digital SLR camera. The EOS-1D X will now be capable of AF point illumination during AI Servo AF and cross-type AF for maximum apertures as small as f/8. The new firmware update is available now at no charge from the Canon U.S.A. website and can be downloaded by end users or through Canon Factory Service Centers.

AF Point Illumination During AI Servo AF

To support the needs of wedding, portrait, sports, wildlife, and theatrical performance photographers working in low light, the new firmware allows AF points in the EOS-1D X’s viewfinder to be illuminated in red when the shutter button is pressed halfway during AI Servo AF, for easy viewing of the selected point. This valuable feature will enhance the photographers’ ability to aim the camera accurately in low-light conditions, and when photographing dark subjects. To preserve exposure-metering accuracy, illumination is intermittent, not continuous. Three choices will be selectable from the menu system – Non-illuminated, Illuminated (Normal) and Illuminated (Brighter).

Cross-Type AF Support at f/8

The EOS-1D X is equipped with an innovative 61-point High Density Reticular AF System featuring up to 41 cross-type AF points, depending on the lens in use. The cross-type AF points recognize a wide variety of subject matter, making them highly desirable for maximum autofocus performance. Until now, cross-type AF on the EOS-1D X has been limited to EF lenses and lens/extender combinations with a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or larger. The new firmware allows cross-type autofocusing with the center AF point even when the maximum aperture of a Canon EF lens/extender combination becomes as small as f/8. Ideal for wildlife photographers and others who often use EF super-telephoto lenses with extenders, this new feature greatly expands the range of EF lens/extender combinations that support autofocus when used with the EOS-1D X.

If AF point expansion is selected with an f/8 maximum aperture lens/extender combination, the four AF points surrounding the center point will act as AF Assist points. This option effectively expands the size of the AF detection area to enhance autofocus performance with subjects that are small in the frame and difficult to track, such as small animals and birds in flight. AF points above and below the center will be sensitive to vertical contrast, while points to the left and right will be sensitive to horizontal contrast.

Filed Under: Canon Tagged With: 1D X, af, Canon, f/8, firmware

Sony A99 AF System Diagram

September 3, 2012 By Eric Reagan

Sony-a99-AF-system-explained

Check out this image nabbed by Photo Rumors that breaks down the AF-point distribution on the upcoming Sony A99.

The new SLT Alpha A99 will feature 39 ordinary phase-detection AF points (11 are cross-type points) and 63 AF points directly on the A99’s full frame sensor. That’s a total of 102 phase-detection AF points on the Sony A99.

Filed Under: Sony Tagged With: A99, af, alpha, cross-type AF, dslr, slt, Sony, Sony rumors

Some Older Canon Lenses Have AF Limitations With 7D, 60D, 50D and 40D

February 26, 2011 By Eric Reagan

Canon 7D

Canon UK has indicated on a support page that the Canon 7D, 60D, 50D and 40D have AF problems with certain older Canon EF zoom lenses. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Canon Tagged With: 40d, 50d, 60D, 7d, af, autofocus, Canon

Nikon D3100 Continuous AF

September 29, 2010 By Eric Reagan

One of the big features touted for the new Nikon D3100 has been the continuous AF feature, something that has been lacking on prior Canon and Nikon cameras.  Check out the sample video below to see how well it works. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Nikon Tagged With: 3100, af, autofocus, continuous af, digital cameras, dslr, hdslr, Nikon, photography, video

Canon 1D Mark IV vs. Nikon D3S – Autofocus Performance [Part 3]

September 6, 2010 By Eric Reagan

Canon  1D Mark IV vs. Nikon D3s

In Parts 1 and 2 of this series, I provided an introduction to this autofocus evaluation, as well as a brief overview of the Canon 1D Mark IV and Nikon D3S AF systems.  If you have not read the previous installments in this series, you can do so now by clicking the links below:

  1. Canon 1D Mark IV vs. Nikon D3S – Autofocus Performance [Part 1]
  2. Canon 1D Mark IV vs. Nikon D3S – Autofocus Performance [Part 2]

In Part 3 below, we will look more in-depth at images captured during basketball games with the 1D Mark IV and D3S. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Canon, Nikon Tagged With: 1D Mark IV, af, autofocus, basketball, Canon, d3s, digital cameras, dslr, Nikon, photography, sports photography

Canon 1D Mark IV vs. Nikon D3S – Autofocus Performance [Part 2]

September 1, 2010 By Eric Reagan

Canon 1D Mark IV vs. Nikon D3s

In Part 1 of this series, I provided an introduction to this autofocus evaluation, as well as a brief overview of the Canon 1D Mark IV AF system.  If you have not read part 1 of this series, you can do so now by clicking here:

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

In Part 2 below, I provide a brief overview of the Nikon D3S AF system as it relates to sports photography concerns. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Canon, Nikon Tagged With: 1D Mark IV, af, autofocus, Canon, d3s, dslr, Nikon, photography, sports photography

Canon 1D Mark IV Firmware Update Version 1.0.6

January 28, 2010 By Eric Reagan

Canon 1D Mark IV

Canon has released a firmware update for the EOS 1D Mark IV.  The firmware upgrade includes the following:

  1. Firmware Version 1.0.6 enhances the AF tracking performance.*
  2. *AF performance has been enhances for receding subjects and for subjects that are approaching at a low speed.

The firmware can be downloaded from Canon’s website.

Filed Under: Canon Tagged With: 1D Mark IV, af, af speed, auto focus, autofocus, Canon, digital cameras, dslr, firmware, photography

Canon 1D Mark IV Firmware Version 1.0.6 Coming Soon

January 23, 2010 By Eric Reagan

Canon 1D Mark IV

Canon Europe has announced a new firmware update that will be coming soon for the EOS 1D Mark IV.  The firmware version 1.0.6 will address the following issues:

AF performance has been enhanced for receding subjects and for subjects that are approaching at a low speed.

Stay tuned for more details on the availability of the firmware update.

[via Canon Europe]

Filed Under: Canon Tagged With: 1D Mark IV, af, autofocus, Canon, digital camera, dslr, firmware, photography

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