Canon and Sony News for Oct 2017 (Page 5)

Superior Image Quality, Interchangeable Lenses, and a New Color System Deliver Complete Creative Freedom

October 11, 2017 – DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, today introduced the Zenmuse X7, the world’s first Super 35 digital film camera optimized for professional aerial cinematography. Designed to work seamlessly with the DJI Inspire 2 drone, the Zenmuse X7 delivers superior image quality, interchangeable lenses, and a new DJI Cinema Color System for post-production to give film and video professionals more creative freedom.

“The Zenmuse X7 offers everything professional content creators need to make their aerial footage as stunning and vivid as they demand,” said Paul Pan, Senior Product Manager at DJI. “From the large Super 35 sensor to a new mount, lenses, and color system, the Zenmuse X7 gives cinematographers and professional photographers an unmatched set of tools that work seamlessly with the DJI Inspire 2 drone to capture high-quality footage that is easily integrated into projects shot with industry-leading handheld cameras.”

Greater Expressive Freedom

The Zenmuse X7 is equipped with a Super 35 video sensor featuring 14 stops of dynamic range for more detail in low-light conditions. Its low-noise image capture enhances grading flexibility by preserving details in both highlight and dark areas while enabling a shallow cinematic depth of field.

To meet the rigorous requirements of filmmakers and television production professionals, the Zenmuse X7 captures the highest image resolutions ever for an integrated drone camera. It is capable of shooting 6K CinemaDNG RAW or 5.2K Apple ProRes at up to 30 FPS, as well as 3.9K CinemaDNG RAW or 2.7K ProRes at up to 59.94 FPS to integrate seamlessly into industry-standard post-production workflows.

Enhanced Imaging Potential

The Zenmuse X7 uses a dedicated aerial mount system, the DJI DL-Mount, featuring an ultra-short flange focal distance to carry prime lenses optimally. Available with focal lengths of 16 mm, 24 mm, 35 mm, and 50 mm, each lens has a maximum aperture of F/2.8 and is crafted out of carbon fiber, making them durable and lightweight for high-performance aerial cinematography with the DJI Inspire 2 drone.

To allow for advanced setting adjustment and fine-tuning, the 16mm lens is equipped with a built-in ND 4 filter, and the 24 mm, 35 mm, and 50 mm lenses feature a mechanical shutter.

Higher Flexibility in Post-Production

DJI has also introduced a new DJI Cinema Color System (DCCS) making the Zenmuse X7 an asset on every film set for movies, TV series, commercials, documentaries, and more.

“For the Zenmuse X7, we took our color science to the next level,” continued Pan. “We consulted the world leading authorities in color science, Technicolor. With their guidance, our engineers developed an optimized curve for the X7 allowing more latitude without sacrificing image quality.”

DCCS features a new D-Log Curve and D-Gamut RGB color space to give more flexibility and color options during the post-production process. The D-Log further extends the dynamic range, while the D-Gamut RGB color space preserves more color information to support the most demanding filmmaking scenarios, providing accurate color for quick and easy post-processing.

The new EI Mode mimics the way a film camera works to help cinematographers capture as much information as possible in every scene while balancing the dynamic range and noise with different log curves for more flexibility during the post-production process.

The Zenmuse X7 gimbal system weighs just 631 grams with the 16 mm lens. The DJI Inspire 2 has a flight time of up to 23 minutes with the Zenmuse X7.

Price and Availability

The Zenmuse X7 camera is priced at $2,699 USD. The 16 mm, 24 mm and 35 mm lenses will be available for $1,299 each, and the 50 mm for $1,199. Customers can purchase the Zenmuse X7 prime lens combo including all 4 lenses for $4,299. The Zenmuse X7 will start shipping in early November 2017 from DJI Authorized Dealers worldwide.

B&H will carry the DJI Zenmuse X7.

From the LensRentals Blog:

I posted an article about circular polarizing filters recently, letting you see some data I obtained for Lensrentals when they were reviewing which of the polarizing filters were among the best. I concluded that they all polarized light really well. I also said that none of the CPs I tested seemed to cause optical problems at 200mm and under, that some transmitted more light than others, and that you could tell that just by looking at them.

Which brings me to Roger’s First Rule of This Blog.

Rule #1: I am not responsible for what someone else says I said. If I say something wrong, I’ll correct it. If they say I said something I didn’t say to drive some click-bait, THEY said it. Not me.

A whole lot of other people asked me to test something out of the price range I was examining; mainly they wanted to see how inexpensive filters did. That was reasonable, so I bought a couple of inexpensive CP filters and repeated the tests on them. You will need to look at the last article on the $100-$200 range filters to get some perspective before looking at this.

See the entire blog post on the LensRentals Blog.

If you're looking to rent gear in the near future, LensRentals is an excellent choice. To support this site, navigate to the appropriate product review and click the button.

Image quality results from the Sony a7R II have been added to the Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens page.

This looks like an outstanding lens.

Here is a Sony vs. Canon 100-400mm image quality comparison.

The Sony vs. Sigma 100-400mm comparison is another interesting one.

The Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS Lens is in stock at B&H | Amazon | Adorama | WEX.

From Samyang:

October 10th, 2017, Seoul, South Korea – Global optics brand, Samyang Optics is pleased to announce the release of their fourth autofocus lens: AF 35mm F1.4 FE. The bright F1.4 aperture and absolute resolution turn every moment into artwork. This lens now expands Samyang’s autofocus lens line-up to four which includes three existing autofocus lenses, AF 14mm F2.8 FE, AF 35mm F2.8 FE and AF 50mm F1.4 FE.

Aim High, Create Artwork
This new AF 35mm F1.4 FE works in harmony with full frame mirrorless cameras in Sony E mount such as Sony a7 or a9 series. It is designed to appeal to enthusiasts and professionals who are ready to take the next step up in photography. It is the excellent companion to create artworks from everyday moments, while the tiny AF 35mm F2.8 FE released in June of this year is the perfect partner for everyday photographers.

High Performance beyond Expectation
Absolute resolution across the entire image field is the key feature of Samyang AF 35mm F1.4 FE. The lens includes 11 elements in 9 groups and features 2 aspherical lenses and 2 high-refractive lenses, plus Ultra Multi Coating. The optical design minimises various aberrations and unnecessary light dispersion to deliver outstanding resolution. Fast, precise and quiet autofocus performance meets Samyang’s exceptional optical technology to capture any moments clearly. The bright F1.4 secures fast shutter speed and creates shallow depth of focus images in wide-standard angle of view. The new 35mm F1.4 lens is ideal for professional photography including low-light events, landscapes and portraits with expressive characteristics.

Available from November 2017
Samyang AF 35mm F1.4 FE, a lens for photographers aiming high in photography, will be available globally from November and will carry a suggested retail price of EUR 649.

B&H carries Samyang Lenses.

From the Canon Digital Learning Center:

by Jennifer Borget

Keeping up with the coolest new camera gear is almost as challenging as keeping up with kids. As a mom who loves to take pictures of her children I am always excited about new camera gear and eager to see how it can make photographing children easier, or help me take better pictures. If you’re a child photographer looking to take your photography to the next level, the new EOS 6D Mark II is definitely a camera you’ll want to consider.

I’ve had my fair share of cameras and I could see this one becoming a new favorite for a variety of reasons. In this article I’ll break down six reasons why the EOS 6D Mark II is great for family and childhood photography.

B&H carries the Canon EOS 6D Mark II.

Just posted: Really Right Stuff Lever-Release Clamp Review.

Really Right Stuff Lever-Release Clamps are one of my most-used accessories. In fact, I'm not sure any other accessory surpasses my use of this one.

The Really Right Stuff Lever-Release Clamp is available at B&H.

Being red/green colorblind, I'm always interested in new, easy to understand, technically precise ways of color balancing as opposed to just eyeballing it. One method that's helped me over the years is to use a color calibration target, like the X-rite ColorChecker Passport. However, for times when I either forget to photograph the color target or else forget to bring it with me, using a 50% gray layer in Photoshop along with a difference blending mode could enable me to achieve reasonably color balanced results without the calibration target. [Sean]

From the PiXimperfect YouTube Channel:

Just ONE-CLICK and All Your Colors Fall into Place! Learn how to automatically perform Color Correction using Curves in Photoshop within seconds! Whether you have a gray area to sample from or not, in this video, we will learn a very essential technique and the concept behind the same to allow Photoshop to figure out automatically the areas that you can sample from for accurate color correction. The video is a bit long (the narrator describes three different ways to create a 50% gray layer and constantly reiterates certain points), but... it's worth watching to fully understand the concept.

In this video, we will dive deep into the concept of "Difference" blend mode and how it can help us to remove unwanted color casts by figuring out the right areas for sampling. I hope this video helps you. Thank you for watching.

B&H carries Adobe Photography Plan subscriptions.

From Manfrotto UK:

Fast Setup. Perfect shot.

• Smart traveller tripods for photographers who want to learn, experiment and travel free
• Lightweight on your shoulders, stable on the ground.
• Essential design ensures instant set up for an enjoyable shooting experience

Manfrotto, world leader in the photography, imaging equipment and accessories industry, presents Manfrotto Element Carbon. The Manfrotto Element Carbon tripods are the perfect fit for travel photographers who are just starting out and enthusiasts.

The two new Element Carbon traveller tripods are reliable, lightweight and easy to carry. Both feature a compact and sturdy carbon fibre construction that makes them strong but still very portable. The three leg-angle positions mean they are highly versatile so they are perfect for experimenting with all kinds of creative shots. The twist lock mechanism enables photographers to get into the right position fast, in a few, easy moves, while the aluminum ball head is designed to deliver the fast movement when framing and a firm lock for setting equipment up exactly as you need it. The ball head mounts an Arca-type quick release plate with a 1/4"-20 camera screw on top that ensures equipment is balanced even when using zoom lenses.

In addition, the Element Traveller Carbon Big Tripod features a detachable leg that, when removed and attached to the centre column, becomes a full size lightweight monopod.

The Element Carbon Tripods have a payload of 4kg on the small tripod, and 8kg on the big tripod and feature a branded Manfrotto bag, an additional set of spike feet (big tripod only) and an Allen key to fix and tighten your gear.

The Element Carbon Tripods are available from £174.95.

Wex Photographic has the Big Element Carbon Tripod in stock and the small version available for preorder.

Just posted: Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Art Lens Review.

Check out this much-anticipated lens!

The Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Art Lens is in stock (or available for order) at B&H | Amazon | Adorama | WEX.

From Reikan:

Reikan has released FoCal 2.5, an update to its automated focus calibration software for Canon and Nikon DSLRs.

FoCal 2.5 adds support for Canon EOS 6D Mark II and Nikon's D7500 as well as a new Target Distance Tool to make the calibration process more seamless.

The 6D Mark II is now fully supported and like the recent Canon 80D this camera also works in Hands Free Mode, no user input required at all once the calibration has started.

Nikon's D7500 is now fully supported in FoCal 2.5. Along with most other recent cameras this works in User Assisted Mode, large amounts of automation and requires a small amount of user input at points during the calibration.

The new integrated Target Distance Tool means users no long need to find an online tool to provide a calibration, the information is easily at hand directly inside FoCal.

How do I get FoCal 2.5? Download FoCal 2.5 by logging in to the LMS at lms.fo-cal.co.uk. Once logged in, you will see a download link to the software.

FoCal 2.5 is available for Windows (Windows 7 and newer) and Mac (OS X 10.9 – 10.12) operating systems, for users who are still within their Included Updates Period today (5th October 2017). If your Included Updates Period has expired, you can purchase another 12 months by logging in to the LMS at lms.fo-cal.co.uk.

If you don’t own FoCal, you can purchase the software as a download or boxed product, as well as Focal Hard Targets from the store.

The installation package contains the software, target images and a reference manual (also available on the Documents Download page).

From the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom YouTue Channel:

Boundary warp is key! In this week's Lightroom Coffee Break, Ben Warde explains two great things about stitching panoramas in Lightroom.

B&H carries Adobe Photography Plan subscriptions.

From Nikon:

Changes from Version 1.2.8 to Version 1.2.9

• Added support for the D850.
• Added support for the D850’s new White balance > Natural light auto option.

Download: Nikon ViewNX-i v.1.2.9

Along with the formerly shared vignetting, flare and distortion test results along with specs and measurements, image quality test results from two different lenses (one tested on three cameras) have been added to the Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Lens page.

I recently posted about not being satisfied with the results from the first lens we tested and I took those results down soon after assessing them. We have now tested a second lens (one with a notably-higher serial number) and, though the second lens (sample "1") performs modestly better, I think that you will find the two performing rather similarly overall. As the odds of getting two bad lenses with substantially different serial numbers that perform similarly are very low, I am going to share the results with you, at least until I'm convinced that they are not right.

More convincing is looking at this lens in comparisons where it competes reasonably well (perhaps the only issue was that my expectations were set too high). Here are some comparisons:

Tamron VC G2 vs. Canon L II
Tamron VC G2 vs. Sigma OS Art
Tamron VC G2 vs. Tamron VC
Tamron VC G2 vs. Tokina

There are far more relevant comparisons to be made, but hopefully the above will get you started.

The Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD G2 Lens is in stock at B&H | Amazon | Adorama | WEX (preorder).

Deal of interest: B&H has a used Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Lens in 9+ condition for $1,519.95.

MELVILLE, N.Y., October 5, 2017 – Travel and photography enthusiasts alike are called to Albuquerque, New Mexico, October 7-15, 2017, to check off the world’s largest hot-air balloon festival from their bucket lists. For the third consecutive year, Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, will serve as the official imaging company and presenting sponsor of the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Attendees are invited to visit the Canon tent, and indulge in Canon’s unique and exciting offerings, exclusive to the festival.

“The nearly 600 hot air balloons that ascend into the sky together every sunrise make the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta a sight to be captured, shared and remembered by all attendees,” said Eliott Peck, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “We hope guests sign up for our photo walks1, test and try our professional products2 and leave with a few jealousy-inducing photos to print, share and look back on fondly with loved ones.”

New to this year’s event, McGruff the Crime Dog, of the National Crime Prevention Council, will celebrate Crime Prevention Month in October by making a guest appearance at the Canon tent for meet and greets and photo ops October 12-14. McGruff will speak with visitors at the Canon tent promoting awareness around the safety risks of using counterfeit products. Canon who recently renewed its partnership with the National Crime Prevention Council—is proud to welcome an iconic symbol of crime prevention.

Located in the center of Main Street, the Canon tent will offer attendees the chance to bring their experience to life via its wide array of products. Canon imaging experts will be on hand to provide tips to help attendees capture photos and videos like never before. Offers available in the Canon tent include:

• Free camera and lens loans²
• Free camera and lens clean and checks³
• Educational photo walks around the fiesta grounds¹
• Free souvenir photo with friends and family
• Exclusive discounts with on-site camera, lens and printer purchases

For Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta video highlights, hot air balloon photography tips from Canon Explorer of Light, Ken Sklute, gear recommendations, ticket information and more, please visit here.

About Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

The Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta is an annual festival of hot air balloons that takes place every October in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. It is the largest gathering of balloons and balloonists in the world. For details on events, schedule, entertainment and photographs visit our website www.balloonfiesta.com and follow us on Twitter @BalloonFiesta and Facebook.

¹ Limited photo walk slots; available on a first-come, first-serve basis. There will be a walk every morning and evening from October 7 to October 13. The morning walk will meet at the Canon tent at 5:30 a.m. and the evening walk will meet in the same location at 5:00 p.m. The walks will last approximately 90 minutes. The Canon team will spend time familiarizing attendees with their cameras and teaching creative photography options using different camera features and photographic techniques. Attendees are welcome to bring their own camera or to borrow one from the Canon loaner program. Group sizes are limited, so sign up in advance at the “Ask the Expert Bar.”

² Restrictions apply. Limited loan quantities available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Visit the Canon Tent for full terms and conditions.

³ Free camera and lens clean and checks will be held at a separate entrance on the side of the Canon tent. Please speak to a Canon representative in the Main Street location for details.

Macphun has released its first update for Aurora HDR 2018 which includes a few bug fixes.

Aurora HDR 2018 version 1.0.1 for MAC:

• Presets tuned and reordered
• Fixed issue with .dng files.
• Added ability to move images between bracket groups in Batch processing.

Aurora HDR 2018 version 1.0.1 for Windows:

• Improved localizations.
• Improved Dodge & Burn filter
• Presets tuned and reordered
• Fixed crash on start
• Added Color Denoise option for RAW files(can be selected in options on HDR Open window).
• Added Lens Correction tool.
• Added Transform tool.
• Added info panel.
• Fixed issues with Drag & Drop on open window.
• Added collapse all filters option
• Fixed issue with absent metadata after using Aurora HDR 2018 as plugin for Adobe Lightroom.
• Fixed “yellow image" issues with .NEF brackets.

To get the update, simply open the standalone app and choose to install the update at the prompt.

Macphun carries Aurora HDR 2018.