Photography Bay

Digital Camera News, Reviews and Tips

Canon EOS MOVIE Plugin-E1 for Final Cut Pro

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Canon 1D Mark IV

The Canon EOS MOVIE Plugin-E1 for Final Cut Pro is a plug-in currently in development that is intended to allow footage from EOS DSLRs to be edited more quickly and easily in Final Cut Pro.  The plug-in will be introduced in a free Beta release in March 2010.

Key features of the plug-in includes the enabling of the “log and transfer” of footage from the 5D Mark II, 7D and 1D Mark IV.  Moreover, the plug-in converts Canon EOS DSLR footage to Apple’s ProRes 4:2:2 at twice the speed of what you get out of the box with Final Cut Pro.  Adding timecode, reel names and metadata to footage will also be a faster and smoother task.

Stay tuned for updates on the availability of the EOS Movie Plugin-E1 for Final Cut Pro.

 

Ricoh CX3 Reviews and Resources

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Ricoh CX3

The Ricoh CX3 is a 10MP point and shoot camera with a back-illuminated CMOS sensor, a 10.7x optical zoom (28-300mm equivalent) and has the ability to capture HD video.  The CX3 should be available in February 2010 at an initial retail price of $399.99.

Ricoh CX3 Availability

Amazon

Adorama

Ricoh CX3 Reviews

Cnet UK

Digicam Review

PhotographyBLOG

Photo Review

Ricoh CX3 Press Release

Ricoh today launched its latest model in the acclaimed CX series of digital compact cameras. With a pedigree of award-winning predecessors, the new CX3 features a host of innovative features, this time including a back-illuminated CMOS sensor to deliver a new level of detail in low light photography.

The essential difference between conventional sensors and the CX3’s improved CMOS sensor is its construction. Using a revolutionary structure to more efficiently capture light coming through the lens, this new sensor greatly increases sensitivity while also reducing noise. When combined with new noise-reducing technology borrowed from the Ricoh GR Digital III, the result is dramatic – beautiful images that have maintained their original resolution, tone characteristics and colour saturation, even at night.

While image quality has been addressed, Ricoh’s commitment to bringing professional photos within reach of the amateur continues with the CX3. A new “scene auto mode” has been added which identifies the image subject and automatically selects the most appropriate scene mode. Whether taking photographs of panoramic landscapes, portraits of the family, action shots at the tennis or getting up close with wildlife, the CX3 takes the guess work and hassle out of mode selection.

Ricoh has also made an effort to increase shooting options with the eagerly-anticipated addition of a 1280 x 720 pixel HD movie function. Adding to its cinematic appeal, the CX3 offers a number of aspect ratios including 16:9 which creates images in a size that delivers maximum impact on a wide-screen television.

Among the other key features, the popular dynamic range double shot mode has been further refined. Using this mode, the camera takes two images with different exposures almost simultaneously, then combines the best exposed parts of each image into a final recorded version. With the introduction of the CX3, photographers are now able to specify the tone range to be given priority – whether it be the highlights or the shadows. Five new settings have also been added to control the dynamic range expansion effect – choose ‘auto’ or four levels ranging from very weak to strong. In scenes which include mixed light, for example, a bright sunlit background with people in the shadowed foreground, images are faithfully recreated with the same detail seen by the naked eye.

The CX3 inherits the 10.7x (28-300 mm equivalent) optical wide-angle zoom lens from its predecessor which, when combined with super-fast continuous shooting speeds of 5 frames per second, user-friendly auto focus (AF) functions which automatically respond to subject movement and scene modes including ‘pets’, ‘high contrast black & white’ and ‘miniaturise’, the photo possibilities are endless.

Available from leading electronics retailers and camera specialists from February 19, the Ricoh CX3 features an inlay handgrip and is available in black, violet and two-tone grey-pink.

Olympus SP-800UZ Reviews and Resources

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Olympus SP-800UZ

The Olympus SP-800UZ is a compact bridge camera that is situated between traditional point and shoot cameras and larger DSLRs.  The SP-800UZ features a 14MP sensor with sensor-shift image stabilization, a 30x optical zoom lens and the ability to capture 720p HD video.

Check out my Olympus SP-800UZ Hands-On Review.

The SP-800UZ should be available in March 2010.  Check availability on Amazon.com.

Olympus SP-800UZ Reviews

PhotographyBLOG [Read more…]

Pointless Example of Canon 1D Mark IV Shutter Speed at 10 fps

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This video of the Canon 1D Mark IV firing at 10 frames per second is mostly pointless; however, I still find myself watching it over and over thanks to the gadget nut in me.

Looks a little grainy, doesn’t it?  That’s because it was shot at ISO 25600 on a Nikon D3S.  A single overhead tungsten bulb supplied the light.

Stay tuned for more serious content on both of these new work horses.  In the mean time, watch the video again. ;-)

Camera Phones Get 14MP and 1080p HD

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While these specs aren’t out of the ordinary for point and shoot cameras, you might raise an eyebrow at a 14MP camera phone that captures 1080p video as well.  Well, expect them soon.

Omnivision has developed a 14MP HD sensor to be used in cell phones, as well as a sibling sensor with the same pixel count for use in compact cameras.  Given the noisy images produced by much lower MP-count sensors of the same size, you have to be concerned about what kind of grain a 14MP sensor on a mobile phone camera is going to produce.  Maybe the backside illumination of the sensors will help ease the noise.

According to Omnivision, the new sensors are capable of producing 1080p video at 60 frames per second.  These new sensors go into mass production in the second quarter of 2010.

More details on the new sensors in the press release below. [Read more…]

Canon 7D as a Video Camera

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You knew the Canon 7D could capture video, right?  The better question is whether you know how to take advantage of this capability.

In case you missed it, Chad Mumm of Engadget posted a nice little piece on his impressions of the Canon 7D as a filmmaking tool.  Chad’s the video producer over at Engadget and he clearly knows a little more than the average bear when it comes to shooting video.  He’s also got some great advice about working with mics and sound.

His points will largely apply to the Canon 5D Mark II as well.

So, if video DSLRs are your thing, you might want to check out Mumm’s word on the 7D.

Canon 1D Mark IV Hands-On Review

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After getting some hands on time with the 7D before, my impressions going into Photo Plus with the 1D Mark IV were that it was basically a “grown up” version of that camera. In some ways I’m wrong, and in some ways I’m right. The 1D Mark IV is a camera that Canon users of all types and backgrounds will drool over. From the amazing high ISO photos to the lovely HD video modes, there is lots to love in this camera.

[Read more…]

Vincent Laforet “Nocturne” Shot with Canon 1D Mark IV

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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.

Magic Lantern Firmware Update for Canon 5D MK II

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Magic Lantern firmware introduction from Trammell Hudson on Vimeo.

If you’re a Canon user, the camera that you probably dream about is the Canon 5D MK II. Despite the fact that B&H and Adorama never have units because it moves so fast, the camera does have its flaws. Adding onto the recent manual control firmware update by Canon (blogged about earlier by Eric), users and potential buyers of the 5D MK II may want to consider the Magic Lantern Firmware update.

The programmers state that, “Within some limitations, we can fix many of the Canon firmware problems and plan to write widgets to address the requirements of the film users of this amazing camera.”

The Magic Lantern update is similar to the Canon Hacking Development Kit, known as the CHDK to photographers.  As such, it is not officially recognized by Canon as an official update to the camera’s software (and users know that it isn’t perfect either.) The features that are added are common to what may be found on professional camcorders and could prove very valuable to photojournalists, indie filmmakers, and others that really appreciate the ability to capture beautiful video from the large sensor. A truly useful add-on is the on-screen audio meters for monitoring sound recording levels–which is instrumental because there 5D MK II doesn’t have a headphone jack. Additionally there are zebra stripes to help compose a more balanced image (which is a bit laggy as seen in the video), on-screen crop marks for different aspect ratios (16:9, 2.35:1 and 4:3) and the ability to switch off the Auto Gain Control and control video gain manually. That means that image noise/grain will be reduced and less work will be done in post to get rid of it.

Like the CHDK though, it’s not all perfect for everyone. Users will need to reload the firmware after the camera is switched off, goes to sleep or you remove the CF card, and you should remove the battery after each use lest the hacked processes continue to run in the background and kill the battery. However, keep in mind that the update s in it’s beta stages. Like the CHDK, the firmware will constantly be tweaked and initial issues will be resolved until the recording capabilities and usage issues meet the needs of the users. Another plus is the fact that it’s free, possibly stemming from the fact that it is a homebrew solution to the problems encountered while using the camera.

I’ve used the CHDK before on a Canon S5 IS superzoom, and was very pleased with the results–especially the RAW image capture capabilities. Granted, the 5D MK II has all that, but supercharging your camera is always an awesome alternative that can help you out without the need for extra equipment that you (and me) may not be able to afford. Additionally, you won’t be burdened down by external monitors, beachtek adapters, etc. In my tests with the Canon 5D MK II when it was first shown off at PhotoPlus Expo 08, I found it to pair very nicely with a Rode Shotgun mic for my needs–which are photojournalistic. Monitoring audio levels and singling out the exact sounds that you want/need is sometimes a problem with this camera. Perhaps the Magic Lantern update may push Canon to release another firmware update since bodies continue to move off the shelves.