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Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Canon 1D X DxO Test Grades Are In – It’s the Best Canon Yet.

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Canon 1D X Comparison

Canon 1D X Comparison via DxO Labs

The Canon 1D X just got its DxO Mark scores published and it scored better than any Canon full frame sensor to date.  That said, it still failed to best the Nikon D4, let alone the Nikon D800.

Canon 1D X vs Nikon D800

Canon 1D X vs. Nikon D800

However, stepping away from the numbers, the Canon 1D X is a heckuva camera that can certainly hold its own in just about any shooting environment.

What do you think about the DxO score and comparisons for the Canon 1D X?  Would these test results sway your opinion of the camera?

[via DxO Labs]

 

Canon EF 24-70 f/4L IS Lens “On the Horizon”

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Canon 24-70mm f4 IS Rumors

After the rumor about a 24-70mm f/2.8L IS lens from Canon a couple days ago, Canon Rumors is now tweaking that rumor with “reliable” info on a f/4 version of that lens.  Apparently, the f/4 version of the lens is on the horizon and could be arriving soon.

Seems like an odd lens to add to the mix, particularly with the solid 24-105mm f/4L IS that’s been selling like hotcakes since its release.  Of course, if the sharpness improvements are as substantial as the 24-70mm f/2.8L II were over the lens it replaced, a smaller and lighter lens might serve as a replacement and more directly compliment the popular 70-200mm lineup.

What would you think about a stabilized 24-70mm f/4L IS lens?  What would be the right price point for you?

Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L IS Rumors

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After the recently-introduced Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II lens, we are now starting to hear rumors of a version of this lens with image stabilization.  Of course, rumors of such a lens have been around for quite some time now, but Canon Rumors has received additional tips recently that point to a possibility that the lens could be in the pipeline.

Tamron has a stabilized 24-70mm f/2.8 lens that has received quite a bit of praise.  Who would be interested in a stabilized version of this lens directly from Canon?  What would be the right price point for you to pull the trigger?

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.

Canon Wins Technology & Engineering Emmy Award

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Canon C300

Thanks to its commitment to cinema production with cameras like the EOS C300, C500 and 1D C, Canon is going to pick up an Emmy Award for “Improvements to Large Format CMOS Imagers for Use in High Definition Broadcast Video Cameras” at the 64th Annual Technology & Engineering Emmy Awards.

The Technology & Engineering Emmy Award will be handed out during CES 2013 on January 10, 2013.

The full press release containing Canon’s bragging rights is below. [Read more…]