Canon Digital Learning Center (Page 6)

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

"Since its introduction in the original EOS 7D back in 2009, most high-end Canon EOS DSLRs have offered the ability to reduce the size of an AF point. Spot AF, as it’s called, reduces the size of the AF sampling area at the AF sensor and means that AF can be performed on a more isolated part of a subject or scene. Examples of this might include being able to focus right on the eye that’s closest to the camera in a tight portrait, or on a small drop of water or dew on a flower in a macro shot.

We’ll explore this useful focus option in this article, highlighting strong points like those listed above, as well as its limits and when it may not be the optimal choice."

Cameras Featuring Spot AF

• Canon EOS 7D
• Canon EOS 7D Mark II
• Canon EOS 5D Mark III
• EOS-1D Mark IV (note: possible only via Custom Function, when AF Stop button on a compatible EF super-tele lens was depressed)
• Canon EOS-1D X

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

"Blood Brother is one of those films that lingers with you for a long time after the credits roll. In part, of course, this is due to the truly heart-wrenching, soul-searching and thought-provoking content. But also present in the mind’s eye are the images – truthful, sad, scary, and yet uplifting and enlightening.

“The artistry in Blood Brother is one of the things I'm most proud of,” says Blood Brother’s cinematographer John Pope. 'It might not be the most classically beautiful film. From a cinematography standpoint, it’s sloppy at times, it has such a raw edge to it, but I like that. Those moments of rawness are beautiful. They lend themselves perfectly to the character and human element of the film.'"

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

"As a commercial photographer for over 30+ years, my thought process has leaned towards using large strobe light systems in my studio and location photography and to keep the Speedlites for on-camera projects and mostly people subjects. Working with the Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT along with the Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT over the last year has really opened up my mind into a different way of thinking about exposure control and lighting.

Coming from being trained as a film photographer, lighting is something that I have tried to keep as constant like shutter speed, aperture and ISO. Digital was no different – you still need to get it correct in the camera. When working with strobe lighting, if I was happy with the composition, shutter and F-stop settings and I needed to change the overall exposure of an image, it was time to manually adjust the lighting. If the light were exactly in the right position already, I manually raise or lower the power output until I get exactly what I’m looking for. Now at this point, if lighting or camera settings change, everything would need to be reconfigured. For example, if you wanted to change the F-Stop setting from f/22 to f/2.8 for a selective focus effect, you would now have to manually dial down the lighting with some trial exposures to see if you got the exposure correct for the new settings. If you moved the lights in closer for a different lighting effect, it’s time to reconfigure the exposure again. The lighting and exposure changes can go on and on."

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

Learn how to use the features and functions of the EOS 7D Mark II in these instructional tutorials, hosted by Canon Digital Learning Center Technical Advisor, Rudy Winston. These videos will give you the information you need to make the most of this camera, and hit the ground running in any shooting situation.

Tutorial Videos Include

• Taking advantage of the broad AF area coverage
• Utilize the functions in the intelligent viewfinder
• Controlling AI Servo AF to track your moving subjects
• Using the new Full HD video features in real life situations
• Controlling the look of your images with the new exposure control functions
• Fine tuning custom controls to get it to respond with certain features to the way you like it to work in your hand

B&H has the Canon EOS 7D Mark II available for preorder (with shipments starting today).

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

What is most significant about the Canon EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera, the second-generation version of the popular Canon EOS C100, is that most of the new or improved features compared to its predecessor were added in direct response to feedback from users. Designed as a one-person production beast, the EOS C100 has proven to be a widely popular model, and this new EOS C100 Mark II version tweaks the original’s components in all the right ways. This compact, lightweight camera is equipped with a more powerful image processor, a redesigned OLED display, a larger adjustable viewfinder, advanced autofocus capabilities, dual AVCHD and MP4 file formats with multiple recording options including 1920x1080 60P image capture, and wireless network compatibilities. There's little doubt that with these upgrades, this most recent edition to the Cinema EOS line of professional cameras is sure to get a lot of attention from filmmakers around the world. Let’s take a look at 10 important new features and improvements in the Canon EOS C100 Mark II:

1. DIGIC DV 4 – A More Powerful Image Processor
2. Improved Viewing: Side Hinged OLED Display and a New Large Adjustable EVF
3. Built-In Dual Pixel CMOS AF and Face AF Autofocus
4. 59.94P/50.00P Recording
5. AVCHD and MP4 File Formats
6. Built-In Wi-Fi for Rapid File Sharing and Remote Camera Control
7. Built–In Microphone in the Camera Body
8. Canon Log LUT for Corrected On-Set Viewing
9. A Cleaner Uncompressed Output over the HDMI
10. …And Ten More Awesome Little Things

B&H has the Canon EOS C100 Mark II Digital Video Camera available for preorder.

From the Canon Canon Digital Learning Center:

"You just took your Canon Image Stabilized lens off the camera and quickly replaced it with another. But as you put it into your camera bag, or later when you take it out, it seems like there’s a soft rattling sound coming from inside the lens. You give it a gentle shake and sure enough, something’s loose in there. Is your next move a call to Canon’s service department? Not necessarily! We’ll describe why in this article."

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

In our new Quick Tips series, you get to watch and learn right from Canon Digital Learning Center experts!

Each video will feature a Canon Technical Advisor offering a helpful imaging tip, sharing a unique product insight, or explaining a key technology. New videos will be added regularly, so check back to keep expanding your Canon knowledge base.

Quick Tips Videos Available

• Highlight Tone Priority
• Dust Delete Data
• Wireless File Transmitter
• RAW Image Fundamentals
• High Speed Sync
• Quick Control Menu
• Picture Style explained
• Radio-Based Wireless Flash
• Radio Wireless Group Mode
• ...and more!

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

"This month, I [photographer Tyler Stableford] undertook a longstanding personal project: an attempt to create underwater fine art images of a beautiful swimmer arcing alongside enormous whale sharks. After a busy year of shooting, I’ve had a welling desire to create imagery that speaks to my deepest soul; and to forge a large-format print for my house.

The project is a co-creation with the swimmer model Ashley Mosher. I chose Ashley for the project as she is a former competitive swimmer (she competed in the U.S. Olympic trials) and has a beautiful grace that is only enhanced when she enters the water."

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

Autumn begins around late September, bringing with it a seasonal change that inspires photographers across the nation: Fall foliage. Autumn’s dramatic landscapes are stunning to behold and the challenge is how to preserve the impact in a still photograph that captures the unique quality of this season.

An autumn-colored tree is a subject unto itself. It is a time where a photograph of a simple tree can stand on its own and, in most cases, break all the rules of composition. There’s just something special about a tree (or landscape full of trees) turning brilliant colors this time of year. However, if you take it a step further — give the tree some dramatic lighting, throw in a compositional aid such as a creek or road, make use of color filter effects, and think carefully about framing and composition — then you’re on the right track to making a great photo that doesn't just rely on pretty colors.

In addition to the Flash and the EOS 7D Mark II article posted earlier, the Canon Digital Learning Center has posted several more informative articles on the newly announced camera.

Recently Posted CDLC Articles

• New Intelligent Viewfinder feature on EOS 7D Mark II
• Auto ISO operation in the EOS 7D Mark II
• First ever anti-flicker technology launches in an EOS DSLR
• Differences between Zone AF and AF Point Expansion
• Flash and the EOS 7D Mark II

B&H has the Canon EOS 7D Mark II available for preorder.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

"Let’s start with the basics: there’s no loss of functionality when it comes to flash, compared to any previous EOS digital SLR camera, with the EOS 7D Mark II. Any EX-series flash unit can be used with it, for E-TTL automatic flash, as well as either traditional optical-type Wireless flash, or Radio Transmission Wireless E-TTL via the Speedlite 600EX-RT and its companion Speedlite Transmitter ST-E3-RT. So if you already own E-TTL-compatible speedlite gear, you can go right ahead and use it with the EOS 7D Mark II.

Consistency and accuracy: superior E-TTL flash exposure
Here’s an area where the 7D Mark II makes a huge advance over all previous EOS cameras, other than the EOS-1D X (which has approximately 100,000 pixel RGB metering). EOS 7D Mark II uses a brand-new 150,000-pixel RGB plus IR metering sensor, and we expect this high-resolution color metering system to provide superb, consistent flash exposure, whether using a single flash on-camera, or any number of off-camera speedlites via Wireless E-TTL..."

B&H has the Canon EOS 7D Mark II available for preorder.

Are you shooting a video and want a good illustration of how different camera and focal length combinations will render a scene? Check out this cool Field of View Comparator Tool on the Canon Digital Learning Center.

All you need to do is choose your focal length and the two cameras you want to compare. The tool gives you a visual representation showing the difference between the two setups – sample angles of view, crop factors and what focal lengths you need in order to match one scene to the other are all readily displayed.

Camera Systems Available in the Tool

• Canon EOS C100/C300/C500
• Canon EOS-1D Mark IV/1D C (4K)
• Canon EOS 6D/5D Mark III/1D X/1D C (HD)
• Canon EOS 60D/70D/7D/Rebel Series
• Canon XF300/305 / XF100/105 / XA10
• Arri Alexa/Amira
• Black Magic Digital Cinema Camera
• Film Super 16 16x9
• Film Super 35 16x9
• Panasonic AF100
• Panavision Genesis
• Phantom Flex / V642
• Phanton HD Gold
• Phantom Miro
• Red Epic / Red Scarlet-X
• Red Dragon
• Red One / Mysterium
• Red One / Mysterium-X
• Silicon Imaging SI-2K
• Sony F35/F3/FS100/FS700
• Sony F55/F5
• Sony F65
• 2/3" HD
• 1/2" HD
• 1/3" HD
• 1/4" HD

Eric Stoner has written an informative article for the Canon Digital Learning Center with helpful tips for capturing better cycling photos.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

As a cycling enthusiast, I also really enjoy the opportunity to photograph a pro cycling event. Since 1985, there has been a pro cycling race in my hometown of Philadelphia every June. It’s sort of a yearly ritual for me to photograph the event and this year was no exception.

Preparation is a major key to great sports photography and it certainly pays to do your homework before an event like this. Learning the road course BEFORE the race is the key to knowing where the best shots may occur. Knowing where the sun will be at certain locations on the course will prove valuable, so driving the race route will allow you to pre-visualize your shots..."

The Canon Digital Learning Center has published a lengthy Quick Tips page for Underwater Photography.

"With its richly colored landscapes and fascinating sea creatures, there are few places more beautiful to photograph than the underwater world. Whether you’re scuba diving among sharks or snorkeling along a reef, the photographic possibilities are endless and intriguing.

Of course, underwater photography can be a little intimidating since it presents unique photographic challenges. But you’ll get immediate feedback with your digital SLR, so you can make adjustments when necessary and it won’t be long before you’ll be showing off images of your underwater adventures to fellow divers, snorkelers and land-locked shutterbugs. To help you gear up and grab those once-in-a lifetime shots, here are some guidelines and tips to get you started."

Check out the Underwater Photography Tips on CDLC for a tidal wave of information. :-)

Commercial advertising photographer Jim Divitale has written a short but informative article for Canon's Digital Learning Center: Perspective Control with Tilt Shift Lenses.

"When photographers want quality in their images, they know it starts with as much attention and detail as possible before the shutter clicks. We know we have post-production there to enhance the images, but it should be used like an artist with a fine brush, not like a construction worker with a jackhammer.

I am a big believer in the nondestructive workflow to its fullest degree and refer to my approach to this as “the way of the fast retreat,” which requires being ready for any change with the least amount of backtracking as possible. It comes after a career of working with advertising photography projects that need to have as many options for last minute changes as possible. We used techniques like creating HDR images from multiple exposures, stitching panoramic images, and depth of field image stacking to increase both the quality and dynamic range of our images. But the most important factor is to get the best possible original image captured. One way to maintain the highest quality in a photograph is the ability to control the image perspective before the image is taken."

Check out the entire article on the Canon Digital Learning Center for more info and example pictures.

Related Reviews

• Canon TS-E 17mm f/4L Tilt-Shift Lens
• Canon TS-E 24mm f/3.5L II Tilt-Shift Lens
• Canon TS-E 45mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift Lens
• Canon TS-E 90mm f/2.8 Tilt-Shift Lens

From Canon Digital Learning Center:

"Everyone has a method of getting critical focus for a shot. There are no right or wrong ways to do it. If you can get the focus you are looking for, then you are doing it the right way for YOU.

Canon’s engineers have included a plethora of tools in recent EOS cameras to aid the photographer in getting that perfect focus. They have included great features such as more autofocus points, smaller Spot type focus points, three options for expanding the size of an AF point, and even a joystick to control them. While each AF Area setting has its place in different shooting situations, what if you want to use two interchangeably from shot to shot without slowing down?"

See the entire article on the Canon Digital Learning Center.

In a recent post on Canon's Digital Learning Center, photographer Jack Reznicki explains how Auto ISO enabled him to greatly improve his "keeper" rate when shooting street photography. Reznicki elaborates on the usefulness of Auto ISO and how it gives him "...maximum control over [his] camera in situations where the light changes dramatically and extremely quickly."

Check out the article – Auto ISO with street shots – on Canon's Digital Learning Center.

From Canon Digital Learning Center:

April 24, 2014 – In our new Quick Tips series, you get to watch and learn right from Canon Digital Learning Center experts!

Each video will feature a Canon Technical Advisor offering a helpful imaging tip, sharing a unique product insight, or explaining a key technology. New videos will be added regularly, so check back to keep expanding your Canon knowledge base.

Quick Tips Videos Available

• Wireless File Transmitter
• RAW Image Fundamentals
• High Speed Sync
• Quick Control Menu
• Picture Style explained
• Radio-Based Wireless Flash
• Radio Wireless Group Mode
• Custom Pictures
• Evaluative Metering
• GPS with EOS Cameras
• Properly Holding a Digital SLR Camera
• Exposure Modes and Flash

Want to know the history and evolution of Canon's cross-type and high precision AF points? Canon pro Rudy Winston has written a great article for the Digital Learning Center that covers the subject quite thoroughly.

From Canon Digital Learning Center:

"One of the important design goals for Canon’s engineers in developing the new 61-point High Density Reticular AF system in the EOS 5D Mark III and EOS-1D X was to truly optimize the performance of each point on the autofocus sensor. It’s easy to toss around terms, but if a photographer is not clear on what they mean, they may miss out on a lot more than a marketing pitch. Knowing the characteristics of the AF array in these cameras puts the photographer in the position to get the most out of the AF system.

Cross-type AF points: what are they?

Certainly a fair question. And all the more so, because it's not something the photographer can see just looking through the viewfinder. Perhaps the easiest way to answer it is to take a trip down memory lane in AF SLR design..."

Read the information-packed article on the Canon Digital Learning Center. (thanks Stuart)

From Canon Digital Learning Center:

Have you been intrigued by the possibilities of close-up and macro shooting, but felt limited by your understanding of lighting? Canon has long provided the EOS photographer with two specialized flashes for close-up shooting, but their operation and possibilities have been a bit of a mystery to users who haven’t experienced them first-hand.

With the launch of Canon’s latest macro flash — the Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX II — Canon, Inc. has developed a guide that explains the unit’s operation and how it can be realistically applied in different situations. Whether you simply want to document a hobby, photograph small objects to display or sell on-line, or even shoot portraits, the combination of this new Macro Ring Lite and a Canon macro lens may be all you need to get creative results.

Written for the photographer who is new to macro shooting, this opens the door to how macro flash may be a lot easier to use than he or she may have previously thought. Examples are as easy to understand as the manner in which the guide is written. Canon’s hope is that with this guidebook, the possibilities and fun of macro shooting with flash will be even more within reach of the casual EOS photographer, as well as the dedicated macro enthusiast.

Download: The Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX II Guidebook (5 MB, PDF)

B&H has the Canon Macro Ring Lite MR-14EX II available for preorder.