Canon News (Page 5)
While the stars are not unusual for Pennsylvania, the Northern Lights are. As I shared recently, the epic Northern Lights in Pennsylvania was worthy of a distraction.
While I love the look of the Northern Lights fully contained in the frame (though even the Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM Lens couldn't always contain all this light show), I also appreciate tighter framing of the lights.
In this case, the Sony FE 24mm F1.4 GM Lens captured a transition area that features stars (part of the Milky Way) in the upper-left corner of the frame. The shoreline's vertical position in the frame was based on the termination of visible color at the bottom of the frame (a dark border included) combined with alignment on the lower 1/3 line in the viewfinder. The balance of the frame illustrates the incredible color of the lights.
We are at or approaching a solar maximum when the Northern Lights are strongest and most frequent. Don't expect much notice before the next show. Do you have the right lenses in your kit? Here are some recommendations:
The Best Canon Astrophotography Lens
The Best Canon Astrophotography DSLR Lens
The Best Sony Astrophotography Lens
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From Canon USA:
Canon collaborates with Adobe to bring native Frame.io Camera to Cloud integrations to select cameras
Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is excited to announce a new collaboration with Adobe to bring Frame.io’s Camera to Cloud connectivity to select cameras, starting with the EOS C400 and EOS C80, enabling users to send proxy files directly from the camera for a faster and more secure path from production to post. The new feature, activated in-camera, will be included in a free firmware update scheduled for a Winter 2024 release from Canon USA. It will be available for download on the Canon USA Website.
The update supports simultaneous proxy file transmission to Camera to Cloud from the EOS C400 and EOS C80 cameras while recording original camera files (OCF) and proxy files internally. The proxy files can be sent over wireless or a wired Ethernet connection.
Canon's proxy files match the same filename, timecode stream, and metadata fields as the original camera files, and are natively supported for playback on Frame.io. The efficient proxy files are available to view, share, and edit remotely without requiring additional processing or conversion. The proxy files can be uploaded to the cloud, automatically, allowing for a more streamlined workflow, with videographers in one location able to quickly share proxy files with their team in a separate location.
Availability
This free firmware update for the Canon EOS C400 and EOS C80 cameras are scheduled for Winter 2024.
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I had a distraction this week. The space weather forecast was redlined. It couldn't get much better. A long period of Kp 8 was predicted from sunset into the next day (as I shared with you in a news post).
A Kp 8 could be visible from my yard in central Pennsylvania. But then, I remembered Bryan's Law of Astronomical Events: If there is an astronomical event happening, all locations within a reasonable drive will be totally cloud-covered.
So, shocking was the National Weather Service forecast for 0% cloud cover and 0% wind speed, an unbelievable combination for an unusual night sky event I'm chasing, and that forecast was for the duration of the Kp 8 prediction. Game on. An adventure began.
Reasonable Northern Lights displays are rare in central PA, and I didn't have a go-to location list prepared for this opportunity. I needed good visibility of the sky and wanted dark skies, especially to the north, with a foreground subject being a bonus.
Shooting from home was an option. A nearby field provided the desired visibility, and our sky is moderately dark, especially when the air clarity is high. I could drive a short distance from the house and be shooting in minutes.
Still, the forecast was outstanding enough to make researching an even better location worthwhile. That my wife hadn't seen the Northern Lights in about two decades and had recently asked to see them again raised the bar on location selection.
Scouting the Pennsylvania state forest maps for vistas looking north and online scouting via images captured from those locations provided a few good options within a couple-of-hour drive. However, a high elevation (for PA) lake I scouted for Milky Way photography earlier in the summer was in a dark sky location with no close towns to the north. Most subjects are even better when their reflection is included, and the rare 0 mph wind forecast made the lake option seem especially great. A bonus was that the lake was a 1.5-hour drive north, deeper into the Northern Lights visibility range.
The lake was a perfect location. It was calm, and we (and a pack of loud coyotes) had it to ourselves for the entire night.
Reaching Kp 8.5+, the 10/10/2024 Northern Lights show was a 10. I've had the privilege of viewing and photographing the Northern Lights numerous times, but this show was different from what I normally see. The lights did not have a strong structure and they were not hte brightest I've seen, but the color was wild, with the reds and even some blues being especially amazing.
Consider the Northern Lights a fast-moving subject, as they are often pulsing and dancing. A wide aperture lens is needed to avoid strong motion blur, the smearing of the aurora details.
My favorite two aurora lenses, the Sony FE 14mm F1.8 GM and FE 24mm F1.4 GM Lens, each mounted to an Alpha 1 body for fast switching, were in the MindShift Gear BackLight 26L. Both lenses performed superbly as always.
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This bull was significantly obstructed and facing away as it thrashed an alder, providing poor photo opportunities. So, planning for its next move became the priority.
The bull had moved away from a cow to threaten an opponent, so, logically, it would go back to the cow. If that option was chosen, the bull would most likely come through a specific opening, and positioning for a supporting background behind that opening became the plan. That optimal position included getting low to ensure most of the close, in-focus foreground was out of the frame, that the mountains were prominently included, and that the catchlight in the bull's eye was enlarged (reflecting more sky).
As predicted, the bull came into the opening, and better than expected, it stopped to provide a variety of poses.
The Canon EOS R5 Mark II and RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM Lens are an outstanding combination for on-the-move wildlife photography.
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The Northern Lights are a spectacular sight, and I do not remember seeing a stronger forecast than the one for tonight (currently reaching Kp 8 for an extended duration).
"The Northern Lights may become visible as far south as Alabama to northern California" [NOAA]
Northern Lights forecasting is not accurate, and the lights could be a no-show tonight, but the incoming storm is strong enough to prompt NOAA to hold a media briefing. I didn't watch the 1-hour recording, but view it here if you are interested.
Put a plan in place.
Select a dark sky location with good sky visibility, especially to the north, and a clear weather forecast.
The Aurora forecast link (higher Kp is better) tells you when to be at that location. Note that the lights may not be visible for the entire forecasted duration (perhaps for only a few minutes), and the activity will likely increase and decrease throughout the visibility duration, so plan to hang out in your location (dress adequately and take food and drink).
Usually, your widest angle and widest aperture lenses are the best choice for Northern Lights photography. 14mm f/1.8 and 24mm f/1.4 lenses are my favorite options.
Use a tripod, and for exposure, chase the show's intensity with shutter speed and ISO (watch the histogram and avoid burying a color onto the right wall of the chart). If the lights are bright and pulsing fast, attempt to get the shutter speed down to as short as 0.5 seconds to capture the structure and avoid a smear of color.
I have a growing stack of Northern Lights photos to share with you, but I still need more time to process them.
While the camera will see the colors better than your eyes, a strong aurora is easily visible and worth taking your non-photographer friends to see.
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The Fantastic Fall Deals Sale at B&H ends today.
Probably, the items you want are on sale.
Don't forget the B&H PayBoo offer Through Oct 31st, save an additional 5% on select Canon cameras and lenses at B&H when checking out with the PayBoo card. The extra 5% is on top of the current Canon promotions, including $500.00 off of the R6 II, and the usual PayBoo sales tax savings applies. Get the details here.
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Highlighting some just-arriving gear in the B&H Used Department:
| Category | In Stock at the Moment |
|---|---|
| Canon EOS Cameras | R3, R5, R7, R8, R100 kit |
| Canon RF Lenses | 15-35, 24-105 F4, 24-240, 28-70, 70-200 F4 |
| Sony Alpha Cameras | with lower prices: a1, a7R V, a7C R, a7 IV, a7C II |
| Sony FE Lenses | 12-24, 24-70 II, 70-200 F2.8 II, 100-400, 50 F1.2, 300 F2.8, 600 F4 |
| Really Right Stuff | TVC-24L Mk2, BH-55, BH-25, B2-LLR-II 80mm Lever-Release Clamp |
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Browse the 2 Day Fantastic Fall Deals Sale at B&H!
Many of the items you want are on sale.
Don't forget the B&H PayBoo offer Through Oct 31st, save an additional 5% on select Canon cameras and lenses at B&H when checking out with the PayBoo card. The extra 5% is on top of the current Canon promotions, including $500.00 off of the R6 II, and the usual PayBoo sales tax savings applies. Get the details here.
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