Canon DSLR Video Reviews and Advice Blog for 5D2,7D,550D,600D and 60D

Free Canon Digital Photo Professional tutorials

2012-05-20T16:15:00.001+01:00

Are you looking for free Canon Digital Photo Professional tutorials? I'm trying to guage the level of interest in some video and image based tutorials showing shortcuts and ways to use DPP - Canon Digital Photo Professional.

I've been using the Canon Digital Photo Professional software since 2005 and find it an incredible tool for editing photos quickly and it fits my workflow perfectly.

If you are interested in free Canon Digital Photo Professional tutorials then please leave a comment and if I get enough interest I will add some to this blog and YouTube.

Cheap Nikon D800 DSLR Cameras

2012-05-16T21:44:00.001+01:00

Are you looking for a cheap Nikon D800 DSLR Camera? The Nikon D800 is the highest pixel count DLSR camera currently available other than medium format cameras and has had huge demand.

Websites such as SLR Hut may sell the Nikon D800 but you have no idea what you are getting or the final price. The price of the D800 is very much lower in the USA even taking into account the exchange rate. On Amazon.com the D800 is listed at $2999. On Amazon.co.uk the Nikon D800 is listed at £2599.

With the $/£ exchange rate at 1.6 this would give the dollar price as £1874. Even with VAT at 20% this is still £2249 which is a saving of £350 off the UK price.

At the moment these are academic as the D800 is in such demand that it seems to be unavailable everywhere but worth looking into once availability improves.

TV show for E4 – THE 2012 ALTERNATIVE GAMES – ABROAD!

2012-05-14T13:21:00.001+01:00

We are currently casting for a new TV show for E4 – THE 2012 ALTERNATIVE GAMES – ABROAD!

WE ARE LOOKING FOR:
Girls & Guys aged between 18 – 35 who are confident & competitive with a wild side! If you fancy a fantastic trip ABROAD somewhere hot & sunny and the chance to win a BIG cash prize then get in touch now!
AUDITIONS FOR THE SHOW ARE HAPPENING NOW SO DON’T MISS OUT - GET IN TOUCH!

I wondered if you would be able to assist us in getting the word out there please. Would it be possible for you to send our details out to your database of staff/members, or post up on your website or even forward onto friends and family who may be interested please?

Any girls & guys interested in finding out more about the show should email us at E4reality@channel4.com with their name, contact details, location, occupation, relationship status & a recent photo of themselves.

Please find our advert attached which details more about the show and how to get in touch with us.

E4 – BAD BOYFRIEND BOOTCAMP – ABROAD!

2012-05-11T17:53:00.002+01:00

We are currently casting for a new TV show for E4 – BAD BOYFRIEND BOOTCAMP – ABROAD!

WE ARE LOOKING FOR:

Girls aged between 18 – 35 who are in a relationship and want to give their boyfriends a lesson in love! We want confident & competitive girls with a wild side to pack their bags for a trip of a lifetime!

If you fancy a fantastic trip abroad to somewhere hot & sunny and the chance to win a BIG cash prize then get in touch now!

AUDITIONS FOR THE SHOW ARE HAPPENING NOW SO DON’T MISS OUT - GET IN TOUCH!

NB. IT IS CRUCIAL THAT YOUR BOYFRIEND DOESN’T KNOW YOU HAVE APPLIED FOR THE SHOW OR YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO TAKE PART IN THE SHOW.

I wondered if you would be able to assist us in getting the word out there please. Would it be possible for you to send our details out to your database of staff/members, or post up on your website or even forward onto friends and family who may be interested please?

Any girls interested in finding out more about the show should email us at apply@objectiveproductions.com with their name, contact details, location, occupation, relationship status & a recent photo of them and their boyfriend.

Please find our advert attached which details more about the show and how to get in touch with us.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Best wishes,

Bad Boyfriend Bootcamp Team

Cineform Neoscene V5 for Canon 600D - No Sound on AVI Files

2012-04-22T20:01:00.002+01:00

I've found that although the MOV files produced from the Canon 600D can be processed with Cineform Neoscene in the same workflow that I use for files from the Canon 5D Mark 2 once processed the AVI files produced have no sound in them.

It appears that the older version of Neoscene is not compatible with later Canon MOV files and an upgrade is needed from v1.6 to v5. Fortunately this upgrade is substantially less than the basic software price of $129 and comes in at $49 which at current exchange rates works out about £36.

Neoscene Activation Fails

Having downloaded & installed V5 of Neoscene the next challenge was to activate it. The screens for activation are different from most other software and unhelpfully are not the same as the website. There are two hardware codes given on the Neoscene activation and the activation gives no clue as to which to use. Typically the one chosen was incorrect so for reference the code to use for Activating Neoscene is the ENH code not the STD code.

Firstly you need to go to the Cineform website www.cineform.com/activate.aspx which
which will allow you to enter your hardware code from above (ENH value) along with your serial number and name. This will generate an email to you with your activation code that needs to be entered into Neoscene to use it once the trial period is over.

Using Neoscene to convert Canon 600D MOV files into AVI resolves the problem of jumpy/jerky video when playing Canon 600D MOV files on your PC and also allows you to edit Canon 600D video footage with Windows Movie Maker.

A Missed Opportunity in Case of Mistaken Identity - Britain's worst wedding photos

2012-04-21T09:22:00.000+01:00

The papers today have been full of a story of "the worst wedding photos ever" by a photography company known as Westgate Photography run by Ian McCloskey. Despite the hype that the papers have put on it there are plenty of worse wedding photos when some of the ones shown could have been rescued with some basic editing. Thomas and Anneka Geary paid £750 for their wedding photos which probably gives some idea of the likely quality to expect. The type of story is nothing new and we covered something very similar in our blog about choosing your wedding photographer carefully back in 2010.

Hopefully not the worst wedding photography ever - from one of our weddings

Unfortunately another wedding photographer also trades under the name Westgate Photography and appear at number 1 in Google if you search for Westgate Photography. They appear to have realised the connection and placed a banner stating they are not linked.

However with this perfect opportunity to promote their wedding photography and the benefits of hiring a professional with the right kit, experience and insurance they seem to have totally missed the mark. The most recent post on their blog is 15 February 2012, blogs are so easy to update at very short notice there is no excuse not to react to the latest news if it could benefit your business. With social media and promotion the key is to move fast while the traffic is searching for the story. Wait even 24 or 48 hours and the story is old news and in newpaper terms will be wrapping someones fish & chips.

With the human canonball tragedy that happened a year ago this week the spike in traffic was amazing. Our YouTube channel had over 400,000 hits in just over 24 hours and our daily blog traffic increased 10 times overnight. With a story like the "the worst wedding photos ever" that has been so widely covered across both print media, online and social networks such as Facebook and Twitter the potential promotion loss to Westgate Photography has been huge.

So the moral of the story is - if you see the potential for a story - act fast and make the most of the aspects of the news to promote yourself even if the original aspect could have been negative.

Scammed by A Fake Model Agency?

2012-04-18T23:04:00.002+01:00

If you've been ripped off by a company you thought was a model agency like Candi Models, UK Models, Diesel Models, Form Models or Mint Models and have been fobbed off getting a refund of your money then this new BBC series might be able to help you. They are looking for people to help take these companies to the small claims court to get a refund.

See details below if you are interested:

========================================================================

New BBC1 consumer series The Legalizer is interested in hearing from people who feel they have been ripped off, cheated or are in a dispute. The series aims to show consumers that they have rights and can get justice for themselves by guiding them through the Small Claims Court process.

The Legalizer would like to hear from people who feel they have had a bad experience with a modelling agency/photo studio. If you or someone you know has been effected and is thinking of taking the case further then please contact us on 0203 372 8523 or at thelegalizer@fulcrumtv.com

All 3 Canon 5D High ISO Compared - All Three Versions of the Canon 5D Compared Mark 1 - 2 -3

2012-04-15T23:05:00.001+01:00

This review gives a comparison of the high ISO noise performance across all 3 versions of the Canon 5D from Canon Mark 1 through Canon 5D Mark 2 and Canon 5D Mark 3.

The Canon 5D went to ISO 1600 as standard and 3200 in Hi
The Canon 5D Mark II went to ISO 6400 and then 12800/25600 in Hi1/Hi2
The Canon 5D Mark 3 goes to ISO 25600 then to ISO 51200 and 102400 in Hi1/Hi2 extended ISO mode

This comparison between ISO performance at ISO 200, ISO 800, ISO 1600, ISO 6400 and ISO 25600. Other ISO values to follow. Where the Canon 5D does not reach the ISO level of the Canon 5D Mark II or Canon 5D Mark III the image from the highest ISO available (ISO3200)

Canon 5D ISO Comparison ISO 200

Canon 5D 1/2/3 ISO Comparison ISO 800

Canon 5D ISO Comparison ISO 25600

Leucistic Mottled Blackbird White Feathers

2012-04-15T21:39:00.001+01:00

We recently spotted a mottled blackbird in our garden with white feathers. It appears that this is a leucistic Blackbird with the White feathers, similar to albino but with distinct differences such as the eyes not being red.

Leucistic Blackbird Black White feather blackbird

Leucistic Blackbird - Leucistic Blackbird

Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story Musical at Hazlitt Theatre Maidstone

2012-04-15T21:29:00.000+01:00

Airbrush Productions performed Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story Musical at Hazlitt Theatre Maidstone in April 2012. This video was shot during the final show featuring Maybe Baby/Peggy Sue/Heartbeat.

Casting for New Series of The Batchelor

2012-04-09T22:36:00.002+01:00

THE BACHELOR

Following the success of Channel 5’s hit show we are currently casting for the second series.

Last year, one of the country’s most eligible bachelors, Gavin Henson found love after dating 25 of the most desirable women in the UK, from beautiful models to ambitious career women.

This year there will be a new eligible Bachelor and we’re looking for single ladies who want to find love to take part in the series. This glamorous dating show involves international travel and a once in a lifetime opportunity to meet the man of your dreams.

We are looking for a variety of single ladies in various professions. If you are ready to meet your Mr right and would like to take part or know of anyone who might be interested please contact us by emailingthebachelor@ricochet.co.uk or call us on 01273 224 813 now. We’re looking forward to hearing from you.

Kodak Digital GEM Airbrush - Won't Load with Adobe Photoshop CS4 Error

2012-04-04T18:00:00.002+01:00

For many years I've used Kodak Digital GEM Airbrush as a great tool for smoothing skin on photos following shoots but since I upgraded to Adobe Photoshop CS4 I have been unable to use the plugin as it is not visible in the Filter list. This is being used on Windows Vista 64 bit.

Kodak Digital GEM Airbrush software error working on Photoshop CS4

There was no error message shown and the Kodak Digital GEM Airbrush software installed as normal. Looking online there were various posts that suggested adding the Kodak folder to the Additional filters in Adobe Photoshop CS4 preferences but this made no difference, the Kodak Digital GEM Airbrush was still not available in the list of filters in Photoshop.

Finally I found a post online that reminded me that there were two versions of Adobe Photoshop CS4 that install on your PC when you load the software, the 32bit and also the 64bit version. As I use Windows Vista 64 bit I have only used the 64bit version of Adobe Photoshop CS4.

Kodak Digital GEM Airbrush software working on Photoshop CS4

As soon as I launched the 32bit version of Adobe Photoshop CS4 and checked the filters the Kodak GEM Airbrush was available again. An easy fix and now I don't need to run CS3 in a virtual PC in order to use the Airbrush plug in.

For most editing I will still want to use Adobe Photoshop CS4 to make use of the 8Gb RAM that my PC has but at least the mystery of Kodak Digital GEM Airbrush software is now resolved.

Modelling Test Shoot Photos of Maria O'Connor from The Apprentice

2012-03-30T17:37:00.002+01:00

These photos of Maria O'Connor from The Apprentice who was fired by Sir Alan this week were taken at a model test shoot back in 2008. At the time Maria was working at the Shad indian restaurant in Herne Bay. More Photos of Maria here

Modelling Photo of Maria O'Connor from The Apprentice

Modelling test shot of Maria O'Connor from The Apprentice

Picture of Maria O'Connor from The Apprentice

Watermark Factory - Advanced Watermark Factory has stopped working error

2012-03-25T21:34:00.001+01:00

One of my most useful pieces of software is Watermark Factory which is used to add watermarks to images that are used on the website as well as proof images sent to clients. It is exactly what you need from a piece of software to do a specific job - fast and does just what you need without any fuss.

Except it has recently stopped working and generates an error every time that Watermark Factory is launched. The error message is:

Watermark Factory - Advanced Watermark Factory has stopped working

and the software then closes. This is a fully licenced copy of the software and has been working perfectly until now. On further investigation it appears that something in an update to Windows Vista has affected the software

In order to run the software it was necessary to amend the properties set on the launch icon to change to Compatability Mode. I've set mine to Windows XP SP2. As soon as the change was made the software now runs perfectly!

Been Scammed by Fake Model Agency for a Portfolio Photo shoot? Want to get a refund?

2012-03-19T23:46:00.002Z

See details below if you are interested:

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The Producers by Stage Theatre Society - 7-10 March 2012

2012-03-08T21:00:00.003Z

STS The Producers - Opening Night at Hazlitt Theatre Maidstone

The Producers' tells the story of a down-on-his-luck Broadway producer, Max Bialystock, and a nerdy, young accountant, Leo Bloom, who concoct a scheme to raise thousands of dollars from backers and then put on a flop of a show. With all the money that will be leftover, the pair will be rich! Only one thing goes wrong: the show is a gigantic hit!

Canon 5D Mark 3 Review - Is it Worth it Or Get Two Canon 5D Mark 2?

2012-03-02T09:41:00.001Z

The Canon 5D Mark 3 has finally been announced and unlike the previous incarnations of the Canon 5D range it appears to not offer any groundbreaking new features but a lot of incremental improvements.

At a list price of £2999 I can't see a big rush to buy the Canon 5D III when the Canon 5D Mark II is now under £1400 meaning that you could buy two 5D2 cameras instead of one 5D3 or a 5D2 and some excellent lenses.

Canon are now also some way behind Nikon in the high pixel count race with the Nikon D800 maxing out at 36Mp compared to "only" 22Mp for the Canon 5D3. Maybe Canon will release another camera above the 5D3 to compete with Nikon D800 or maybe they are now targeting different areas of the market.

For studio work we still use our Canon 5D mark 1 in preference to the 5D mark2 as the ISO performance is not required and the larger file sizes create more storage and slow down the post processing workflow.

VAT Free Photo Albums and Storybooks - VAT refund on Wedding Albums

2012-02-14T08:50:00.002Z

Following a decision from a VAT tribunal it has been ruled that photo books and wedding albums should not have VAT applied. Loxley Colour our wedding album supplier have contacted us to state that as of 14 Feb 2012 all their albums will be VAT-free and there may be a reclaim for VAT paid in previous years.

VAT on Wedding Albums

If you are a photographer offering albums then you may have some cash to come back from VAT refunds.

Leyland Electronic Store Scam - www.leylandelc.com Reviews

2012-02-11T20:28:00.000Z

Leyland Electronic Store is a scam using a fake website to scam people out of money,

37 HALL STREET, NEW MILLS
HIGH PEAK
DERBYSHIRE
SK22 3BR

The company name has been hijacked and Leyland Electronics Ltd is a real company but not a camera seller. They also use the Company Numbers of 2 real companies that are not associated with the scam

but http://www.leylandelc.com is the scam website

Similar thing recently with Wells Camera.com which used the address of legitimate camera shop to con people out of money.

More info here
http://www.pentaxuser.co.uk/forum/topic/leyland-electronics-32332

View Larger Map

Canon 5DIII - 5D Mark 3 Spotted Testing on Shoot?

2012-01-28T18:01:00.001Z

It looks like the Canon 5D Mark 3 might finally have been spotted out being put through its paces on a shoot. Blog "Aperture Academy" has images of an unidentified Canon camera being used with two new lenses.

There are two camera bodies in their images, one looks like it could be the 1DX as it has an integrated battery grip and second display. The other has a separate battery grip which may be the Canon 5DIII or could be a Canon 7D replacement although the 5D3 looks more likely as the camera body pictured doesn't have a built in flash.

http://blog.apertureacademy.com/2012/01/canon-200-400mm-and-600mm-prototype.html

Hama Defender Lens Case / Camera Lens Bag

2012-01-22T17:09:00.002Z

With a few top end lenses the manufacturer supplies a lens pouch case with them, for many other lenses they are supplied in the box and packing but with nothing to protect once you have taken them out of the box. The Hama Defender Lens case is an ideal way to protect your valuable lenses that didn't come with a manufacturer supplied case.

The Defender lens case has a sturdy zip to keep the lens in place and is extremely well padded around the body of the case. The Canon lens bags are very flimsy in comparison and offer virtually no protection in the event of dropping the bag. I haven't tested it (!!) but from its construction I would imagine that a lens in the Hama lens case will survive a reasonable drop intact due to the padding and build.

Although the packaging of the case shows a Canon white pro lens (it appears to be the 70-200 f2.8) this wouldn't fit in the case as it is too long and wide for it. The case does fit the Canon 50mm f1.4 with lens hood, the Canon 85mm f1.8 and the Canon 24-105 f4 without hoods.

Canon 70-200 f2.8IS lens case side by side with Hama Defender

Camera lens case -
DSLR camera bag -

Eastman Kodak Files Bankruptcy Protection

2012-01-19T22:46:00.000Z

Sad news today that Eastman Kodak has filed for Bankruptcy Protection in the USA. My first camera was a Kodak Brownie Reflex as seen here

Kodak was also one of the first companies selling a full frame DSLR at 14 megapixels when the competition at the time were around the 6Mp mark with APS-C size sensors.

Sadly it didn't manage to capitalise on that leading position and shortly afterwards stopped selling any DSLRs.

Is Wells Camera A Scam? - Wells Camera Review of Complaints about Fake Bargain Camera Shop

2012-01-04T19:32:00.001Z

There is very little to review abouts Wells-Camera.com as it is Scam.

Fake website Wells Camera .com is cleverly using the address of a legitimate camera business in Tunbridge Wells Kent to scam people into sending money to a Barclays Bank account for cameras at ridiculously low prices. Once you send your money you won't see the camera or your money ever again. If a camera price seems too good to be true - then remember the saying - it is! Complaints by customers who have sent money and never received their cameras are many.

This is a map showing the real shop that is at 5 Monson Road called Red Box Cameras. They are a genuine camera dealer who has nothing to do with the scam by Wells Cameras using their address. This is exactly the same sort of scam that multizoneav.eu carried out earlier last year using the genuine name of Multizone AV

Redbox Cameras
5 Monson Road
Tunbridge Wells
Kent
United Kingdom
TN1 1LS

View Larger Map

Red Box have stated : It has been brought to our attention that the web site named above claim to trade at the same address as Redboxcameras and also are in some way connected. This is NOT the case. Redbox Cameras has no connection or involvment in any way with Wells-Cameras.com

Hama Maxi Multi Card Case Review

2011-12-30T09:17:00.002Z

The Hama Maxi Multi Card Case is a storage wallet for your compact flash and SD memory cards as well as batteries and memory sticks. The case has plenty of space for memory cards and will fit 8 CF (Compact Flash) cards as well as up to 12 SD cards inside.

The case has plenty of space for memory cards and will fit 8 CF (Compact Flash) cards as well as up to 12 SD cards inside.

The Hama Multi card case also allows you to store up to 5 AA or AAA batteries inside as well as the CF cards giving flexible storage options when carrying equipment in your camera bag.

There is also a net pocket that can store other small items of equipment such as a filter in its case or smaller flat batteries.

The whole case zips up to protect the contents and prevent them falling out loose in your bag.

Memory card case

Camera cases

Is SLRHut a Scam? Review of SLRHut.co.uk Complaints

2011-12-28T16:08:00.001Z

Complaints about SLRHut? SLR Hut Reviews

We've been asked for reviews about a retailer called SLR Hut and if they are a scam. There are very few reviews of the SLRhut website and it is hard to find information to check if they are genuine or not although the complaints appear to be that their prices are not genuine and increase when you place the order. There are many reviews on Trustpilot website that appear to be fake and possibly created by SLRhut themselves.

SLR Hut are not a UK company. They are not registered with Companies House so although they show a UK address they operate and send goods from the USA. Electronic goods sent from the USA would not have a European warranty, are likely to be grey imports and possibly may also be used.

The company have a website www.slrhut.co.uk and claim to have been operating in the USA for 10 years although strangely the SLRhut website address was only registered to a STEVEN ASSOULIN in March 2011; indeed both the .co.uk and .com addresses were registered at the same time. Maybe slrhut were trading in the USA under a different name for 10 years but their website makes no mention of what that name was which is strange when companies normally are proud of their history.

Even more curiously the USA version of the website and UK version are identical with the slrhut.com site immediately redirecting to the UK version. This seems very odd for a company trading in the USA having the same site showing UK prices in pounds as the USA version, rather than showing dollar prices which would cause complaints from US customers.

A review of prices on the SLRhut website shows they do not include tax and duties so when you get to the checkout the price with duty is much higher that the apparent site prices. If you order then you are likely to be billed for UK tax and customs duty when the goods arrive from outside the EU.

SLRhut.co.uk show a UK address on their website, however this is not a showroom or office, purely a mail box as can be seen from the photo on Google Maps, between Lucky Fishbar and Cartridge World. Rather misleading to call this "a physical presence now in London"

Despite the London address it appears that the phones for SLRhut are directed to the USA and the phone number given is not in UK format as 203 514-9372 . All the times for their customer service line appear to be based on USA office hours and they are also shut on Saturdays. eg: Monday: 2.30pm to 11.30pm BST

It has been suggested that SLRhut are associated with bait and switch companies in the USA. This is a tactic where when you order from them at the low price, the cheap goods are out of stock or you have to buy expensive accessories in order to place the order. The goods sent from the States are likely to be grey imports that do not have UK/European warranties.

If you are considering using SLRhut then we would advise you to be very cautious and make sure you know exactly what you are buying before you proceed and check with HMRC if you will be charged additional customs taxes on delivery. If you are phoned back to verify your order make sure that you do not end up paying large amounts for insurance or accessories that would negate your saving on the initial price.

Check the price of the cameras on Jessops or Ebay with trusted retailers such as Digital Rev where you can compare realistic prices knowing they are a genuine trader where you can return goods if they are faulty. Customers are likely to complain that returns are subject to a 7.5% deduction plus £31.

Examples of prices - Canon 7D on SLRhut.co.uk is £739.68 (not including import duty and taxes) yet the best price showing on Camera Price Buster is £1049

http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk/prod1170.html

This kind of price difference is in the realms of "too good to be true". The person who registered SLRHut also registered another website called fumfie.com, again the same sort of complaints were made about them.

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1018&message=30842724

SLRHut UK Offices

If you have any concerns whether SLR hut is a scam and want to read some reviews of SLR hut then check this link

http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1018&message=39197106&changemode=1

The poor quality posting by the Business Development Director of SLR hut should be sufficient to make up your mind about how good they are!

The main site that appears to have reviews of slr hut is Trustpilot.co.uk however a quick scan of the reviews reveals that they may not be all they appear at first glance and that at least a few seem to be fake such as female posting photos with a male name and reviews with only a review of slrhut.co.uk

One complaint in a review of slr hut states:

Ordered a Nikkor 55-300mm lens that was advertised at a ridiculously low price. Recieved a phone call to inform me this was a website error,

Not exactly a great sign that their website advertises camera prices lower than they will deliver at - beware if this is a standard tactic from SLRhut.co.uk

Beware of another scam we have been alerted to by Wells Camera .com