Maximus Photography

Life is like a Camera

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Fri, 23 May 2014 22:03:00 +0000

"Life is like a camera, just focus on what's important, capture the good times, develop from the negatives and if things don't work out, just take another shot."

7 Simple Photography Hacks

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Tue, 06 May 2014 23:23:00 +0000

Composition....The 10 Second Rule

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 18:07:00 +0000

Composition....The 10 Second Rule

January 8, 2013| Posted by lightism in Uncategorized| 0 comments

Getting your composition right is one of the biggest and easiest
improvements you can make in your photography.

Here’s a link to a lesson that explains the principles of composition.

Last week by happy accident I discovered a great little exercise to help you improve your composition.

It sounds simple, but give it a try:

1) Turn your self timer on
(my phone apps allows up to 10 seconds)

2) Compose your picture as usual

3) Take your picture

4) You’ll now have a few extra seconds before the shutter clicks to have a second look at your existing composition & more importantly chance to adjust it.

5) Move your device around little, can you move your horizon or subject to exploit the rule of thirds. Can you get closer or lower?

You need to repeat this exercise a few times ideally with a static subject and then you’ll start to retrain your eye.

Even as a professional I was surprised how I could improve my image especially when using a smartphone.

Tamron SP AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II LD Lens Review

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 18:06:00 +0000

Tamron SP AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II LD Lens Review

Manufacturer ID: B001C700Review Date: 2011/03/18

The biggest advantage the Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens has over the other ultra-wide angle lenses is its price. The 10-24's USA price varies based on the amount of the rebate that, at review time, is typically available for it - but a $50-$100 price advantage over the next-most inexpensive lens, the Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC Lens is not unusual.

I've been rather hard on the Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens in the recent ultra-wide angle lens reviews I've been creating. This lens and I got off to a rough start. The first two copies I purchased had to be returned due to significant focus calibration problems. The first copy front-focused and the second copy front focused at 24mm. Fortunately, the third copy is focusing accurately most of the time.

The bigger reason for my negative tone for this lens is the poor wide open image quality it delivers. I include results for two copies of the Tamron 10-24 in the ISO 12233 chart tool. Both show very soft wide open results and results are still not impressive even at f/8 at 24mm. I'll discuss this aspect in more detail later in the review.

The Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens sample picture above was taken with a Canon EOS 60D at 10mm, f/8. Notice the perspective distortion achieved by angling the camera upward from a close vantage point.

Getting the proper focal length or focal length range is a very important criterion when selecting a lens. And the first attraction to any ultra-wide zoom lens is in fact the ultra-wide focal length range, so let's review what this focal length range looks like. Being a Tamron "Di II" (Digital Camera) lens, the Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens has a smaller-than-full-frame image circle designed to work only on APS-C/1.6x/1.5x FOVCF DSLRs. All of the ultra-wide angle lenses compared in this review are the same in regards to this smaller image circle. Thus, the focal lengths shown for all of the lenses below are similar to 1.6x longer focal lengths on a full frame SLR or DSLR. The Tamron's 10-24mm focal length range frames like a 16-38.4mm lens frames on a full frame DSLR.

All of the following sample images were shot from the same tripod-mounted camera position. These uncropped-but-greatly-reduced images were shot using the Standard Picture Style, AWB (Auto White Balance) and a manual exposure of 1/160 and f/11. Exposures were reduced by .67 EV and a small amount of saturation was added using DPP (Canon's Digital Photo Professional).

Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 DI II Lens10mm | 13mm | 15mm | 18mm | 20mm | 24mm

Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM Lens 8mm | 10mm | 12mm | 14mm | 16mm

Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM Lens10mm | 12mm | 14mm | 16mm | 20mm

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens10mm | 12mm | 14mm | 16mm | 20mm

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX Lens11mm | 12mm | 13mm | 14mm | 15mm | 16mm

For most people, the ultra-wide angle zoom lenses are so wide that they are not going to be the ideal general purpose lens. But they do make a great complement to a general purpose lens.

You likely have an APS-C general purpose lens with a 17 or 18mm wide end - or perhaps a full frame lens with a 24mm wide focal length. You can match (or closely match) one of the sample results above with your widest focal length to determine how the rest of the available focal lengths align with what you already have. When deciding which focal length range is best for you, consider the lens(es) you already have and how the ultra-wide angle zoom focal length range aligns with it. Also consider which focal length range you need in the lens that is mounted while using this lens (with no lens change required).

In terms of focal length ranges, the focal length numbers mostly tell the difference. 8mm is wider than 10mm and 24mm is longer than 20mm. The Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens has the longest overall focal length range of this comparison group.

Use ultra-wide angle focal lengths to emphasize a foreground subject in relation to a mostly-in-focus background. Landscape and architecture (indoor and outdoor) photographers are two groups with a need for such angles of view. If photographing people is your goal, keep your distance when using this lens - unless perspective distortion is also your goal.

Know that built-in flash coverage on most DSLRs will not be wide enough to cover much of the focal length range of this lens. Plan on an alternative method of flash lighting/diffusion if planning to use flash with this lens.

Like most of the lenses in this class, the Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens has a relatively narrow max aperture, and the max aperture changes over the focal length range. This means that wide open aperture exposure values will change as the lens is zoomed to longer focal lengths.

Here is a table that compares the max aperture for these lenses.

Model	f/2.8	f/3.2	f/3.5	f/4.0	f/4.5	f/5.0	f/5.6
Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens			10mm	13mm	18mm
Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM Lens					8mm	8mm	13mm
Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM Lens			10mm
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens				10mm	11mm	12mm	16mm
Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 DI II Lens			10mm	14mm	21mm
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX Lens	11mm

The two fixed max aperture lenses in this group, the Sigma 10-22 f/3.5 and the Tokina 11-16 f/2.8, hold the aperture advantage. The Tamron 10-24's max apertures are 1/3 stop wider than the Canon 10-22's max apertures at 4 focal lengths, giving this lens a slight advantage over the other variable max aperture lenses in this group.

While Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens may have comparably favorable max aperture settings available, you may not want to use them. The image quality the Tamron 10-24 delivers at these wide open apertures is poor - images are very soft across the frame. Stopping down to f/5.6 makes a big difference in the quality of the image. At f/5.6, only the corners are soft at 10mm. The center of the frame remains sharp at f/5.6 through 24mm, but the corners and mid-frame areas grow softer with the focal length increase until only the very center of the frame is sharp at 24mm. Slight additional improvement is seen at f/8, but 24mm results remain unexciting.

Usual for this type of lens is a moderate amount of barrel distortion at the wide end of the focal length range. Unusual for this type of lens is that a slight amount of barrel distortion remains at the long end of the focal length range. Far more typical is for pincushion distortion to be present from the mid through long segment of the focal length range.

CA (Chromatic Aberration) is noticeable through the entire focal length range - primarily in the corners and stronger at the wide end.

With a wide open aperture, the Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens has about 2 stops of peripheral shading at 10mm with between 1 and 1.2 stops of shading over the balance of the focal length range. Wide open, the Tamron 10-24 compares well against the other lenses in this class in this regard. Surprising is how little vignetting is reduced when a stopped down aperture is used.

A bright light, such as the sun, in the frame at 10mm is going to result in strong flare effects in your image. The amount of flare effects seen diminishes to nearly none at 24mm.

Bokeh (background blur quality) is not easy to discern in a lens this wide - and is not real important for the uses I have for a lens such as this one. In the 10-24mm range, OOF details generally remain tiny, but this 7-aperture-blade lens does not produce especially nice blur quality.

Unless you are using manual focus, focus accuracy is very important to final image quality. I have encountered focus accuracy problems with many 3rd party lenses and, as I said at the beginning of this review, I had to return my first two Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lenses. The third lens focuses accurately most of the time.

The Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens internally focuses slowly and audibly. The focus ring turns during AF and FTM (Full Time Manual) focusing is not available. The filter rings do not rotate with focusing.

The raised AF/M switch is easy to reach with the left thumb. Force required to rotate the adequately-sized manual focus ring ranges from light at infinity to moderately-firm at the closer distances. While not the smoothest ring, it has no play or wobble in it. The Tamron 10-24 focus ring turns in the opposite direction of Canon's focus rings. Focus distances are well marked and printed on the focus ring. Focus breathing (image changes size when focusing) is not an issue with this lens.

In the short distance focusing category, the Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens turns in best-in-class performance.

Model	MFD		MM
Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens	9.4"	(240mm)	0.17x
Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM Lens	9.4"	(239mm)	0.13x
Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM Lens	9.4"	(240mm)	0.15x
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens	9.4"	(240mm)	0.15x
Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 DI II Lens	9.4"	(240mm)	0.20x
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX Lens	11.8"	(300mm)	0.09x

A .20x MM (Maximum Magnification) value will not cause this lens to be confused with a macro lens, but the value is easily high enough to produce a dramatic perspective at 10mm.

Review Lens: MFD | ∞ MFD | ∞ w/ Hood: MFD | ∞ MFD | ∞ Rotated Compare >

The rear-positioned (where I like it), strongly-ribbed zoom ring is adequately sized and has a nice amount of rotation. This is not the smoothest zoom ring available, but it is not bad - and has no play or wobble. Zoom ring rotation is in the opposite direction of Canon lenses (the same as Nikon lenses). The Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens does change size slightly when zooming, reaching full extension 20mm and full retraction at 14mm.

The overall shape of this lens is smooth with ribs raised slightly higher on the focus ring than on the zoom ring. The objective end of the lens has a wider diameter than the rest of the lens.

The petal-shaped lens hood is included. Tamron's center-and-side-pinch front lens caps are very nice, but the install-in-one-position-only rear caps are not my favorite.

The Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens, like the others in its class, is nicely sized for use. Compare the size and shape of the Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens with some other lenses in its class below. Lenses arranged from short to tall in retracted position, are the:

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens
Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 DI II Lens
Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX Lens
Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM Lens
Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM Lens

The physical size differences between these lenses are not significant. The same lenses are shown below fully extended with their hoods in place.

Again, the physical size differences between these lenses are not significant - and all of these lenses have a very nice-to-use size.

Model	Weight		Dimensions w/o Hood		Filter	Year
Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens	13.6 oz	(385g)	3.3 x 3.5"	(84.0 x 90.0mm)	77mm	2004
Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM Lens	19.6 oz	(555g)	3.0 x 4.2"	(75.0 x 105.7mm)	na	2010
Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM Lens	18.4 oz	(520g)	3.4 x 3.5"	(87.3 x 88.2mm)	82mm	2010
Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens	16.6 oz	(470g)	3.3 x 3.2"	(83.3 x 81.0mm)	77mm	2008
Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 DI II Lens	14.3 oz	(406g)	3.3 x 3.4"	(83.2 x 86.5mm)	77mm	2010
Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX Lens	19.8 oz	(560g)	3.3 x 3.5"	(84.0 x 89.2mm)	77mm

The Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens has a plastic feel to it, but the overall build quality appears to be good. A weight of 14.3 oz (406g) places this lens near the bottom of the class.

The 77mm filter size is a very common one. If considering the use of a circular polarizer filter, be aware that very uneven results are likely when used at 10mm on this lens.

For many more comparisons, review the complete Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens Specifications using the site's Lens Spec tool.

Here is one more look at these lenses on a Canon EOS 60D with a Canon BG-E9 Battery Grip.

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX Lens No Hood | Hood

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens No Hood | Hood

Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM Lens No Hood | Hood

Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM Lens No Hood | Hood

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens No Hood | Hood

Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 DI II Lens No Hood | Hood

I created an image quality comparison that I have included in the other ultra-wide lens reviews and will again include it here in the Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens review. I have divided the comparison into two sets of results - one for wide focal lengths and one for long. These images were captured under a clear sky with a Canon EOS Rebel T2i. RAW image format was used along with the Standard Picture Style. Sharpness was set down to "1" (very low).

Shown are 100% crops from a position very close to the lower left corner of the frame (the ISO 12233 image quality comparison tool uses crops from the center and the right side of the frame). The corner of the frame is typically where image quality is at its worst. The camera was positioned such that this scene remained in the same area of the frame for each lens/focal length change. Identical focal lengths are not always being compared - use discernment when comparing images with differently-enlarged details. Note that the effects of diffraction become noticeable at f/11 and especially f/16 in these Rebel T2i examples.

I am comparing a lot of lenses in this review, but I'm going to include an additional set of Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens-specific mouseover bars above the first comparison (the balance of the links require a mouse-click).

Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 DI II Lens10mmf/3.5 | f/4.0 | f/5.6 | f/8.0 | f/11.0 | f/16.0

Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 DI II Lens24mmf/4.5 | f/5.6 | f/8.0 | f/11.0 | f/16.0

Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM Lens 8mmf/4.5 | f/5.6 | f/8.0 | f/11.0 | f/16.0

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens10mmf/3.5 | f/4.0 | f/5.6 | f/8.0 | f/11.0 | f/16.0

Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM Lens10mmf/3.5 | f/4.0 | f/5.6 | f/8.0 | f/11.0 | f/16.0

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens10mmf/4.0 | f/5.6 | f/8.0 | f/11.0 | f/16.0

Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 DI II Lens10mmf/3.5 | f/4.0 | f/5.6 | f/8.0 | f/11.0 | f/16.0

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX Lens11mmf/2.8 | f/4.0 | f/5.6 | f/8.0 | f/11.0 | f/16.0

Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM Lens12mmf/5.0 | f/5.6 | f/8.0 | f/11.0 | f/16.0

Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM Lens16mmf/5.6 | f/8.0 | f/11.0 | f/16.0

Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX Lens16mmf/2.8 | f/4.0 | f/5.6 | f/8.0 | f/11.0 | f/16.0

Sigma 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM Lens20mmf/3.5 | f/4.0 | f/5.6 | f/8.0 | f/11.0 | f/16.0

Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens20mmf/5.6 | f/8.0 | f/11.0 | f/16.0

Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens22mmf/4.5 | f/5.6 | f/8.0 | f/11.0 | f/16.0

Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 DI II Lens24mmf/4.5 | f/5.6 | f/8.0 | f/11.0 | f/16.0

Here are some comparison thoughts:

The Sigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM Lens shifts the focal length range to the wide end. The Tamron has a wider aperture than the Sigma 8-16, but the Tamron's wide open image quality is far worse. Stopped down to match the Sigma 8-16's aperture, the Tamron puts forth a much better showing, but still lags behind the Sigma 8-16's image quality at the long end of the 8-16's range - especially in the corners. Sigma's HSM AF is nicer than Tamron's AF. The Tamron has noticeably more CA, slightly more flare, is a bit lighter and accepts front filters. The Tamron is easily the least expensive lens in this comparison.

The Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens is a sharper lens and has a better AF system. The Tamron has less vignetting at wide open apertures though the two lenses are similar in this regard when stopped down. Again, the Tamron is easily the least expensive lens in this comparison.

The Sigma's 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM Lens I purchased performs worse on the left side of the frame than on the right - even after being sent to Sigma Service. So, the Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens competes reasonably well in the above comparison - but I think that the Sigma is a better lens. The Sigma turns in, overall, better image quality. Except at 10mm, the Tamron has less vignetting at wide open apertures. Stopped down, the two are similar, but the Sigma has the edge at 10mm. The Sigma also has the edge in the flare comparison at 10mm. The Tamron's 10mm barrel distortion is easier to correct than the Sigma's 10mm wave-type barrel distortion. Sigma's HSM AF is nicer than the Tamron's AF. To the Tamron's advantage are lower cost, slightly lighter weight and an extra 4mm of focal length on the long end.

The Sigma 10-20mm f/4-5.6 EX DC HSM Lens is the second least expensive lens in this group. Wide open, the Sigma produces a much sharper image. However, the Tamron has a generally-wider max aperture. This comparison is closer at f/5.6, but I still give the Sigma my vote. The Sigma has more vignetting. Sigma's HSM AF is nicer than the Tamron's AF. To the Tamron's advantage are lower cost, slightly lighter weight and an extra 4mm of focal length on the long end.

The Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX Lens has a significant max aperture advantage over all of the other lenses in this test group, making it a better choice for stopping action in low light. The Tokina is a sharper lens and shows less vignetting, but tends to show flare more easily. The Tokina does not extend. The Tamron has a longer focal length range, is lighter and again, less expensive.

The Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens is available in Canon (reviewed), Nikon, Pentax and Sony/Minolta mounts. My standard disclaimer: There are some potential issues with third party lenses. Since Tamron reverse engineers (vs. licenses) manufacturer AF routines, there is always the possibility that a DSLR body might not support a (likely older) third party lens. Sometimes a lens can be made compatible by the manufacturer, sometimes not. There is also the risk of a problem that results in the lens and body manufacturers directing blame at each other. Tamron USA's 6-year warranty is far superior to Canon's standard 1 year warranty (Tamron's international warranty is also 1 year).

Picking the best ultra-wide angle lens for your needs is not easy. I've liked the Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM Lens since it became available - it remains one of the best choices. TheSigma 8-16mm f/4.5-5.6 DC HSM Lens is also a good option - I especially like its extremely wide angles of view. The Tokina 11-16mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro DX Lens' f/2.8 aperture is very nice. And the two Sigma 10-20mm lenses are more fine options from this review list.

My experience with the Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens leads me to recommend one of these other just-listed options for your ultra-wide angle lens unless your budget is your primary concern. And if you decide that the Tamron 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II Lens is what you can afford, you will likely be happy with what you get for your money. Shoot stopped down and avoid the longest focal lengths. If you don't have an ultra-wide angle lens for your APS-C DSLR, definitely get one.

Get the full and actual review here http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Tamron-10-24mm-f-3.5-4.5-DI-II-Lens-Review.aspx

Canon 7D vs. Nikon D7000

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 18:02:00 +0000

http://snapsort.com/compare/Canon_EOS_7D-vs-Nikon_D7000

Tie	NIKOND7000

"The 'feel' of the new camera is far closer to the D300S though, thanks to its heavy-duty magnesium alloy construction."

dpreview.com | talking about the D7000's build-quality

"The D7000 is very similar to the D90. This makes it an easy upgrade for D90 users that want a more 'serious' camera, but don't have the inclination to relearn a whole new ergonomics."

dpreview.com | talking about the D7000's feel

Reasons to buy the Nikon D7000

	Great image quality
	80.0

	Great color depth
	23.5 bits

	Wide dynamic range
	13.9 EV

	Weather sealed
	Shoot in extreme weather

	Movie continuous focus
	Makes it easy to get in-focus movies

	Autofocuses shooting video
	Contrast detection

Tie	CANON EOS7D

"Class-leading detail and resolution at base ISO, good per-pixel sharpness"

dpreview.com | talking about the 7D's image-quality

"Very good low-light performance, low noise levels and good retention of detail"

dpreview.com | talking about the 7D's iso-noise

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 7D

	Weather sealed
	Shoot in extreme weather

	Rapid fire
	8 fps

	Autofocuses shooting video
	Contrast detection

	Barely any delay taking photos
	131 ms shutter lag

	Many cross-type focus points
	19

	Great viewfinder coverage
	100%

differences

Advantages of the Canon 7D

Less shutter lag

131 ms

238 ms

More than 40% less delay when taking photos

More cross-type focus points

Grab focus in difficult situations

Shoots faster

8 fps

6 fps

More than 30% faster continuous shooting

Higher true resolution

17.9 MP

16.1 MP

Capture more than 10% more detail in your photos

Thinner

2.9"

Almost the same

Learn more about
the Canon 7D

Advantages of the Nikon D7000

Significantly better image quality

80.0

66.0

More than 20% better image quality

More dynamic range

13.9 EV

11.7 EV

2.2 f-stops more dynamic range

Better color depth

23.5 bits

22 bits

Distinguishes 1.5 more bits of color

Lower noise at high ISO

1,167 ISO

854 ISO

The D7000 has a slight edge (0.5 f-stops) in low noise, high ISO performance

Continuous video focus

Yes

Record movies without worrying about focus

More focus points

Set focus accurately within the frame

Longer battery life

1050 shots

800 shots

More than 30% more shots per battery charge

Has more storage slots

More slots allows storing more images without switching memory cards

Smaller

132x105x77 mm

148x111x74 mm

More than 10% smaller

Slightly larger sensor

APS-C 23.6x15.6mm

APS-C 22.3x14.9mm

More than 10% larger sensor

Slightly more lenses available

169 lenses

162 lenses

Almost the same

Better boost ISO

25,600 ISO

12,800 ISO

The D7000's boost ISO is 1 f-stop better

Lighter

780 g

860 g

Around 10% lighter

Slightly cheaper

$1,099.99

$1,420.88

The best price we've seen is $321 cheaper (more than 20% less)

Learn more about
the Nikon D7000

recommendations

Relative to the best recent DSLRs, and ignoring price

CANON EOS7D

68	VS	70
Explain scores

NIKOND7000

Too close to call! Snapsort considers these cameras too competitive to make a clear recommendation. This recommendation, however, should be taken with a grain of salt since it doesn't always make sense to compare a pro DSLR with a entry-level DSLR.

	RANK	OUT OF	SCORE
CANON EOS 7D	#7	34	68
NIKON D7000	#6	34	70

DXO MARK SCORES
	Canon EOS 7D						Nikon D7000
			SCORE		WEIGHT				SCORE		WEIGHT

Low light performance		854 ISO	20.0	x	100.0	=	20.0	1,167 ISO	30.0	x	100.0	=	30.0
Color depth		22 bits	75.0	x	25.0	=	18.8	23.5 bits	95.0	x	25.0	=	23.7
Dynamic range		11.7 EV	60.0	x	25.0	=	15.0	13.9 EV	100.0	x	25.0	=	25.0

MISC

Cross type focus points		19	50.0	x	37.5	=	18.8	9	25.0	x	37.5	=	9.4
Shutter lag		131 ms	55.0	x	37.5	=	20.6	238 ms	20.0	x	37.5	=	7.5
Viewfinder size		0.62x	70.0	x	37.5	=	26.2	0.62x	70.0	x	37.5	=	26.2
Popularity		43 037 309	35.0	x	20.0	=	7.0	73 108 857	60.0	x	20.0	=	12.0

SCREEN

Screen resolution		920k dots	90.0	x	25.0	=	22.5	920k dots	90.0	x	25.0	=	22.5
Screen size		3.0"	90.0	x	25.0	=	22.5	3.0"	90.0	x	25.0	=	22.5
Touch screen		No	0.0	x	12.5	=	0.0	No	0.0	x	12.5	=	0.0

ADVANCED

Image stabilization		None	0.0	x	25.0	=	0.0	None	0.0	x	25.0	=	0.0
Continuous shooting		8 fps	55.0	x	12.5	=	6.9	6 fps	40.0	x	12.5	=	5.0

FORM FACTOR

Viewfinder		Pentaprism	100.0	x	25.0	=	25.0	Pentaprism	100.0	x	25.0	=	25.0
Lens availability		162 lenses	100.0	x	5.0	=	5.0	169 lenses	100.0	x	5.0	=	5.0

MOVIES

Movie format		1080p @ 30fps	25.0	x	25.0	=	6.2	1080p @ 24fps	25.0	x	25.0	=	6.2


	TOTAL						214.5	TOTAL					220.1
	BEST TOTAL						311.0	BEST TOTAL					311.0
	CANON EOS 7D SCORE						68	NIKON D7000 SCORE					70

SmartDeblur

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sun, 02 Dec 2012 03:11:00 +0000

SmartDeblur

The SmartDeblur is a tool for restoration of defocused and blurred images.
Written on C++ using Qt 4.8. Algorithm based on several deconvolution technics (Wiener, Tikhonov, Total Variation prior). Supported defect types:

Out of Focus blur (with kernel deep tuning)
Motion blur
Gaussian blur

SmartDeblur uses the FFTW library which provides fast fourier tranformation implementation.
See fftw.org for details.
The latest sources and binaries are available on GitHub:
https://github.com/Y-Vladimir/SmartDeblur/downloads
All source files are under the GPL v3 license.

Screenshot of the main window:

Main functions:

High speed. Processing of an image with the size of 2048*1500 pixels takes about 300ms in the Preview mode (when adjustment sliders can move). But high-quality processing may take a few minutes
Real-time parameters changes applying (without any preview button)
Full resolution processing (without small preview window)
Deep tuning of kernel parameters
Easy and friendly user interface
Help screen with image example
Deconvolution methods: Wiener, Tikhonov, Total Variation prior

Detailed description of algorithms and methods you can see at my articles:
Restoration of defocused and blurred images (part 1) - theory
Restoration of defocused and blurred images (part 2) - practice

How To Transfer Prints To Wood

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 17:26:00 +0000

How To Transfer Prints To Wood

JUNE 19, 2012

If you have a picture that you want to transfer onto wood you have two options, pay for a service to do it, or have a go at it yourself.

Photographer James Brandon shows how to transfer a print onto wood at the leisure of your home, using a laser jet print and a gel medium. (Yes, it has to be laser, inkjent won't cut it for this project).

The results are gorgeous and the entire project is fairly simple.

You can read the entire tutorial on DPS, or watch a video demo after the jump.

Thanks for the heads up, Karen

[How To Transfer Prints To Wood: An Awesome Photography DIY Project on Digital Photography School]

How To Transfer Prints To Wood: An Awesome Photography DIY Project

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Wed, 31 Oct 2012 16:56:00 +0000

How To Transfer Prints To Wood: An Awesome Photography DIY Project

by James Brandon

One thing I love about my family is that there never seems to be a shortness of creativity floating around. My wife Kristin works with her mother Lori running a website over at Katie’s Rose Cottage and this project was really just right up their alley. At the time of writing this article Kristin is less than a week away from giving birth to our first child and son Isaac. It’s almost a guarantee that by the time you read this I will be a father! So suffice it to say that Kristin has been doing quite a bit of nesting to get ready for baby Isaac. My father-in-law has a small Cessna and I’ve been working towards getting my pilot’s license for some time now, so because aviation is fast becoming a tradition in our family we decided to do an aviation theme for Isaac’s room.

I have several aviation photos in my portfolio and Kristin said she wanted to print the photo on wood. I had no idea what she was talking about or how that was even possible but I listened and let her do her thing. So here’s how to get from the ‘Before’ image to the ‘After’ image, you’re gonna love it!

Step 1: Needed Supplies

Here’s a list of supplies we used. You don’t have to necessarily use the exact same ones in every case but if you do I’ll let you know.

Laser printed photo
Wood cut to the same size as photo
Gel Medium (must be an acrylic gel medium)
Brush to apply gel medium to wood
Butter knife or flat instrument to smooth out print onto wood
Wood stain (optional) and rags
Pigment (optional)
Sander or sand paper
Soft Wax or Mod Podge to smooth and seal print
Brush to apply wax
Hanging brackets
Fastening brackets (if multiple pieces of wood are used)

Step 2: Finding A Print And Choosing A Look

The first step is obviously to find just the right print that you want transfered over to wood. If you took a look at my wife’s website then you can see that a lot of their stuff is very distressed and vintage looking. So my high resolution, vibrant and clean looking airplane photo just wasn’t going to work in it’s current state. So I took the image into Lightroom and converted it to black and white, bumped up the contrast quite a bit and added some film grain.

Step 3: Getting A Print Made And Getting Some Wood

This is VERY important: The image that you print for this project MUST be a laser jet print. Ink Jet will not work with this process so don’t even try it. We decided to get a 20×30 print made so we went up to Staples to have it made from a file we brought up there on a thumb drive. The 20×30 laser jet print cost us a mere $2.14 including tax and looked impressive for such a bargain!

Next we went to Home Depot to get some wood made. Kristin just got two pieces of wood that together measured 20×30. She wanted two separate pieces of wood but you could just as easily use a single piece of wood. Just whatever your preference is.

Step 4: Apply Gel Medium To Wood

This is really the most crucial step. Apply a single layer of the gel medium to the entire surface of the wood. Not too thin but not gloopy either. If you get the layer too thick the paper will be hard to get off when it’s done setting. Too thin and the paper won’t stick at certain points and the print may not transfer. So you’ll just have to eyeball it here and do your best to make a nice, even layer.

After the gel medium is applied, it’s time to place the print face down onto the wood. This is just as nerve racking as trying to put a protective shield over your iPad or iPhone but it’s a step you have to take! There will no doubt be air bubbles in the print. Do your best to smooth out and eliminate as many of these as you can. We used a plastic tool that we found laying around but you can also use a butter knife, a ruler, a roller or anything you can find that you think might work.

Once the print is applied to the wood, let it sit overnight and make sure it nobody messes with it!

Step 5: Remove Paper From The Wood To Reveal Print

This is the really fun part. To remove the paper we just got the paper wet with water and used our fingers to rub it off. This is a pretty messy process and there might be a better way but fingers seemed to work best for us. Some parts of the print will come off easier than others so just know that your fingers and hands might be a little tired at the end. This whole process might have to be repeated several times and will probably take around 10-20 minutes. But it is really exciting to see the print come to life on the wood. Be sure to have a vacuum cleaner on stand by because there will be a mess to clean up!

Step 6: Finishing the Print

This step is where Kristin took some creative freedom to get the look she wanted for Isaac’s room. She wanted the print to look old and vintage so that’s what she did. First we applied a single layer of wood stain to the entire surface. You have to be careful with wood stain though. The longer you leave it on the wood the darker the stains effect is so we would apply the stain with a rag, let it set for a few seconds and then rub it off with the same rag.

Next we sanded the edges to remove the excess gel and to distress the wood. Then we used a product called Pigment to distress the edges of the print (almost like a grungy textured vignette). Just use a sponge to apply this. It’s much darker than the wood stain so use it sparingly! This isn’t required but we liked the effect.

Finally, we added a layer of a product called Soft Wax to seal the print and make it all nice and smooth. Use a brush to apply a thin layer to the print. Just like waxing a car, let it dry and then buff it out with a cloth to smooth it out. The wax we used was, obviously, a soft wax. Not too glossy, not too matte.

Step 7: Hanging The Print.

Since we used two pieces of wood, we needed some fastening brackets to make sure the wood stuck together. You can pick these up at any hardware store. I used four at different angles to make sure they never come apart!

Next I screwed in some mounting brackets to hang it on a wall. You can use any kind you want but I chose these. One thing to note: Be sure that the screws you use to mount the brackets to the back aren’t longer than your print is thick! I made sure of this before I screwed them in and still placed my hand under the print as I slowly screwed the bracket on to make sure I didn’t feel the wood expanding.

Conclusion

Well that’s it! The total cost of this project is around $95. If you use a product called Mod Podge instead of the Soft Wax you can save over $50 because you won’t have to use the wax or the expensive brush in the picture. Mod Podge is another product that can be applied with a sponge brush. It won’t look quite as nice but it still acts as a sealant. You also have to consider that this is the initial cost. The more prints you make on wood, the cheaper it gets since you would just have to buy a print, wood and gel medium the next time around. I hope this will inspire you to go out and try it for yourself! Once more, be sure to check out Katie’s Rose Cottage, they are always creating new things and you may just find something you want for your home.

If you’re not already, be sure to follow me on Google+ and Twitter. You can also follow Lori and Kristin too, I’m sure they’d love to hear from you!

Read more from our Photography Tips and Tutorials Category

James Brandon is a photographer located in Dallas and a lover of iced tea, Chipotle and his wife Kristin (but not in that order). You can find him on his website, his photo blog, onGoogle+ or on twitter at @jamesdbrandon.

Nifty Fifties – Why I Love 50mm Prime Lenses

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 16:20:00 +0000

Nifty Fifties – Why I Love 50mm Prime Lenses

by Darren Rowse

This article was written by Andrew S Gibson, the author of Understanding Lenses: Part II, and is part of a series of lessons about camera lenses. Links to the others are at the bottom of the article.

Before zoom lenses became the norm most cameras came with a 50mm lens as standard. Since then, the humble 50mm prime has fallen somewhat out of favour. Which is a shame, because 50mm prime lenses can give you high quality and versatility at a low price point. On an APS-C camera it’s one of my favourite focal lengths. Let’s take a look at why.

50mm prime lens vs. kit lens

If you own a kit lens or zoom that covers the 50mm focal length you may be wondering why you would buy a 50mm prime. After all, you already have that focal length covered. The answer is that 50mm lenses have some advantages that kit lenses don’t:

Better image quality

50mm lenses are simple beasts from a design point of view. Lens designers figured out a long time ago how to make a good quality 50mm lens, and the result is that the optical performance of even the least expensive 50mm prime outshines many zooms.

I used a Canon EF 50mm f1.8 II lens (Canon’s cheapest) on a full-frame camera to take the photo below, my first time using it for photographing architecture, and I was amazed at the detail it captured when I enlarged it to 100%.

Price

50mm lenses are simple. They tend to have six to eight elements inside – zoom lenses may have more than double that. That means manufacturing costs are lower. It is likely that the cheapest lens in your camera manufacturer’s range is a 50mm prime. Most 50mm lenses represent excellent value for money.

However, when making a purchase (of any lens, not just a 50mm) it is wise bear in mind that more expensive models of the same lens have better build quality, autofocus performance, weatherproofing and maybe a wider maximum aperture.

Canon, for example, has three 50mm prime lenses (plus a 50mm macro lens) in its current range. You may not notice much difference in image quality between the 50mm f1.8 II and 50mm f1.2L – but you will notice the difference in build quality and autofocus performance. I opted for the middle option and bought the mid-range 50mm f1.4.

Wide maximum apertures

For me this is the most exciting aspect of 50mm primes (indeed, any prime lens). If you have a kit lens the long end (around 55mm) has an aperture of f5.6 or thereabouts. A prime 50mm lens has an aperture of f1.8 or wider. That’s over three stops. It makes a difference when shooting in low light as you can open up the lens rather than increasing ISO. It also helps you take photos with shallow depth-of-field.

This photo was taken at f1.8 with a 50mm lens:

Getting the best out of a 50mm prime lens

Once you have a 50mm prime lens the next step is learning to get the best out of it. These are the things that I use my 50mm lens for:

Walk-around lens

A 50mm lens is a nice walk-around lens to take on a day out. I took these photos with my 50mm f1.4 lens in China. On a full-frame camera it’s a convenient focal length for this very casual style of photography. On an APS-C camera it will help you close in on interesting details.

Portraits

On an APS-C camera a 50mm prime lens effectively becomes a short telephoto lens, ideal for portraits. It works well on a full-frame camera as well, as long as you don’t mind a little distortion. The photos below show a couple of portraits taken with an 85mm lens.

Close-up photography

You can use a close-up lens or extension tubes with a 50mm lens to take close-up photos. You can also reverse mount it onto another lens to take macro photos (the techniques are covered in detail in the linked articles). This greatly increases the versatility of the lens. If you already own a 50mm lens these are cheaper options than buying a macro lens.

These are the previous articles in the series:

Why your Kit Lens is Better than You Think

7 Ways to Get More Out of a Wide-angle Lens

Why Lens Quality Doesn’t Matter Quite as Much as You Think it Does

How to Prevent Lens Flare

How a Humble 85mm Lens Became my Favourite

Understanding Lenses: Part II

If you liked this article then take a look at my latest eBook, Understanding Lenses: Part II – A guide to Canon normal and telephoto lenses. If you hurry, you’ll get a discount – scroll down for details.

Why I Hate My Camera - Steve Giralt

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Tue, 10 Jul 2012 02:18:00 +0000

TOP STORIES Full size PHOTOGRAPHY JUL 9, 2012 5:00 PM 2,496 6 SHARE GET OUR TOP STORIES FOLLOW GIZMODO Why I Hate My Camera Steve Giralt Steve Giralt is a pro photographer in NYC. But just because his life revolves around his camera doesn't mean it's a love fest. Here's why he has beef with his photo gear. Unlike most photographers, I hate my camera. I have read hundreds of stories on the internet where photographers argue about which cameras are the best and why. There are stories trying to prove Canon is better than Nikon, or that 4X5 film is better than medium format digital. Camera review websites show scientific style photographs displaying how much detail they have captured in a dollar bill, or pictures of color checkers and skin tones. They will also show "real-world" and studio tests illustrating how camera A is better than camera B and write long narratives explaining why. The comments area of the page is where the real battle begins. It's a fight between the skeptics, the cynics, and the undoubting believer. The undoubting believer loves everything he reads about in the article and drools over the amazing new camera. He will defend to the death that this is absolutely the best new camera out there. Then the skeptic throws some punches. The skeptic will pick on a few problems the camera has and will say that under certain circumstances this may be a great camera, but under other conditions it may not be. "This is a great camera for sports, but not for the studio" or something along those lines. The height of the battle is when the cynic steps into the ring. No matter what the article states, the cynic doesn't believe any of it. One would think that the cynic has a PhD in online camera reviewing. The Cynic goes on to talk about how bad this camera is in comparison to others, how overpriced it is, and how it's worse than its predecessor. The funny thing is that this person has never actually used the new camera. Blow after blow the cynic obsesses over what is wrong about this camera. The cynic will bash the undoubting believer and the skeptic to no avail. They will alternate turns bashing each other until they get completely off topic and start speaking incoherently. Once the dust settles you realize that none of the comments have added a single ounce of useful information to the review: It's a battle where all the soldiers die and the civilians of the neighboring towns are left watching in bewilderment, wondering what the purpose of the battle was in the first place. The reason why nobody ever wins is because no matter how great a camera may be in the reviews, it will never be perfect. Every camera has advantages and disadvantages in comparison to others and it's likely that no matter what they are, the camera will not make you a better photographer. No matter how good reviewers say a camera is, I still hate it. The camera is always the one thing which gets in the way of me making the picture I have envisioned or I am witnessing before me. I am in front of an amazing sunset but the image the camera makes often doesn't quite live up to what it was like to be on that beach watching that sunset. Is it even possible to make a picture of an amazing sunset that lives up to the moment? I think so, but most of the time the image just a disappointment. When I download images from a shoot onto my computer, I sometimes realize that the shot I thought I captured, which embodied the most amazing moment from that shoot, is out of focus or something is just slightly not right. More often than not, the camera gets in the way of the feeling I had when when I pushed that shutter button. For the short time period when the shutter was open and the mirror was up, I am in the dark and can't see with certainty that I captured what I thought I captured until I see the image later. Even if I did capture the moment I was hoping to capture, more often than not the image I shot doesn't quite convey what I felt when I took that picture. This is why I love photography but hate my camera. It can be frustrating, but I still love the challenge of trying to use a clunky piece of technology to capture images even with the odds stacked up against me. Trying to fit a person, experience, or piece of the world onto the surface of a digital sensor or piece of film is such a challenge. As photographers we take the three dimensional world and turning it into a two dimensional photograph. No matter how good a camera may be, or how good the reviews may be, it is still just a tool which allows me to make photographs. Even a camera with the very best reviews can easily make horrible photographs. I'll tell you one thing for sure, sitting around arguing about why one camera is better than another will not make you a better photographer, but it sure can be entertaining.

An attepmt at something different

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 02:46:00 +0000

This is one of my first attempts to actually do something different with my photos that I take. Its not much but I blew it up and had it framed and I love looking at it on my walls daily.. I like the way its all black & white but seems to go in to another world right at the end, too bad it wasn't true.. Anyways enjoy and if You ever get to Castlegar, check it out, very scenic

Canon Finally Addressing Audio in a New Firmware Update for the 7D

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 20:30:00 +0000

Canon Finally Addressing Audio in a New Firmware Update for the 7D

Joe Marine

06.10.12 @ 12:24PM Tags : 7d, canon, canon7d

In a press release that briefly leaked on a Canon CPN site, it was revealed that Canon will address a number of issues in the popular 7D. Having used the Canon 7D on all of the NoFilmSchool NAB videos, my biggest issue was the lack of manual audio controls. It’s been a long time coming, but Canon will finally address this problem in a new firmware update. In addition to manual audio controls, a number of still photography features will be fixed.

Here is a little bit from that press release on the new audio controls:

MANUAL ADJUSTMENT FOR AUDIO RECORDING LEVELSDuring EOS Movie shooting you will be able to manually adjust the audio recording levels to one of 64 levels, whilst the sound volume during playback can be set to one of 11 levels. During movie recording noise from the aperture is reduced and the camera also has an automatic wind cut filter.

This is the entire list of updated features:

Improved RAW Maximum burst – from 15 frames to 26 frames
In-Camera RAW Conversion – RAW images can be edited in-camera and options can be changed before saving the finished file as a ready-to-print JPEG
Image Rating Capabilities
Auto ISO Maximum Setting – ISO 400-6400
Manual Adjustment for Audio Recording Levels
JPEG Resizing
Support for the GP-E2 GPS Unit
Quick Control During Playback
File Name Setting – First 3 or 4 characters in the file name can be adjusted, depending on the setting
Time Zone Setting
Faster Scrolling of Magnified Images

It’s interesting that Canon is going back to support a camera that will likely be replaced sometime this year, but it’s certainly possible they will hold off until 2013 to introduce a new 7D. It’s clear that Canon does listen to its customers, as manual audio has been one of the major features that customers have been vocal about.

On a film production with dual-system sound, the only major upgrade for 7D owners is the ability to adjust file names in the camera. The first three or four characters can be adjusted depending on the user setting, and when three characters is selected, the fourth will be adjusted automatically for recording quality. This will make life easier on set and in post, and it will make the data wrangling process a bit more organized — assuming, of course, that the Director of Photography and ACs set the file names correctly in-camera. There’s no word yet on when this update might be released, but considering they had a press release completed, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say that it won’t be far off.

[via Canon Rumors]

How Much Do Specs Matter?

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Wed, 13 Jun 2012 20:25:00 +0000

How Much Do Specs Matter? A Real-World Canon 5D Mark III and Canon T2i Comparison

Joe Marine

06.12.12 @ 11:59PM Tags : 5dmarkiii, canon, canon5dmarkiii, canont2i, dslr, hdslr, t2i

We all like to think the latest and greatest high-end cameras will save our production or propel us into stardom…or something like that. Cameras are tools, and just because one costs more than another, doesn’t mean that the final result will necessarily be all that different. I’ve used pretty much all of the popular DSLRs out there, and you can get great results from any of them. The question is, once these videos go to YouTube or Vimeo, how much of a difference will there be? Dave Dugdale from Learning DSLR Video asks this very question as he compares the relatively new Canon 5D Mark III to the inexpensive Canon T2i.

As Dave points out, the biggest difference between the two cameras is ISO performance. This can be a deal-breaker for many people, as they might be shooting in a situation that requires that extra stop or two of ISO performance. Canon’s ALL-I codec has been getting mixed results, but the IPB codec in the Mark III should perform better than the codec in the T2i. On paper, the specs of the 5D Mark III run circles around the T2i, but in this real-world example, they aren’t very far off, and in many cases, you’d be hard-pressed to tell the difference (apart from high-ISO).

For my shooting, usability is a far more important factor. The 5D handles much nicer and has more buttons that allow for quicker access to functions. I much prefer the ability to change the camera functions by using the top LCD. The HDMI output is also higher resolution on the Mark III than it is on the T2i. Again, these have almost nothing to do with specs — they have to do with actually using the camera. I prefer a heavier body that fits better in my hands, but for many situations the T2i would work just fine. In the end, they are going to produce a relatively similar result once you apply web compression — so just because you’re “stuck” with the lowly T2i or the new T4i, doesn’t mean you can’t produce great results if you take care with what you’re shooting.

For some people, spending that extra $3000 may not be a smart investment. You can make any camera look great provided that you learn how to shoot and light properly — both of which take time and practice.

Canon EOS 7D From Wikipedia

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 16:26:00 +0000

Canon EOS 7D

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Canon EOS 7D

Type	Digital single-lens reflex camera
Sensor	22.3 × 14.9 mm CMOS
Maximumresolution	5,184 × 3,456 (17.9 recorded megapixels)
Lens	Interchangeable (EF, EF-S)
Shutter	Electronic focal-plane
Shutter speed range	30 to 1/8000 s
Exposure metering	TTL, full aperture, 63 zones
Exposure modes	Full auto, programmed, shutter priority,aperture priority, manual
Metering modes	Evaluative, Partial, Spot, C/Wgt Average
Focus areas	19 cross-type AF points
Focusmodes	One-shot, AI Servo, AI-Focus, Manual
Continuous shooting	up to 8.0 frame/s.
Viewfinder	Optical pentaprism with 100% coverage and electronic (Live View)
ASA/ISO range	100–6400 (expansion up to 12,800)
Rear LCD monitor	3.0 inches (76 mm), 640×480 (921,600 dots)
Storage	CompactFlash (CF) (Type I or Type II)
Battery	Li-Ion LP-E6 Rechargeable (1800mAh)
Weight	820 g (body only)
List price	$1699.00^[1]
Optional battery packs	BG-E7 grip allows use of 6 AA cells, a single LP-E6 or two LP-E6 batteries
Made in	Japan

The Canon EOS 7D is an 18.0 effective megapixel APS-C crop CMOS digital single-lens reflex cameramade by Canon.^[2] It was announced on 1 September 2009 with a suggested retail price of US$1,699.^[3]^[1]Its particularly notable features are HD video recording, its 8.0 frames per second continuous shooting, new viewfinder which offers 1.0X magnification and 100% coverage^[4] 19 point auto-focus system, movie mode, and built-in Speedlite transmitter.^[2]

[hide]

[edit]Features

18.0 effective megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor
Dual DIGIC 4 image processors with 14-bit processing^[2]
Liveview mode
100% viewfinder frame coverage with 1.0× magnification
1080p HD video recording at 24p, 25p and 30p with drop frame timing
720p HD video recording at 50p (50 Hz) and 60p (59.94 Hz)^[5]
480p ED video recording at 50p (50 Hz) and 60p (59.94 Hz)
8.0 frames per second continuous shooting
ISO sensitivity 100–6400 (expandable to 12,800)
3.0-inch Clear View II LCD screen with 640 × 480 (921,600 dots) resolution
19 point auto-focus system, all cross-type
63 zone color sensitive metering system
built-in Speedlite transmitter
Magnesium alloy body
Popup flash
Weather Sealing

[edit]Autofocus and metering

The 7D has 19 autofocus points arranged in a horizontal diamond pattern. The AF system is a new design which uses a translucent LCD display in the viewfinder. The camera uses TTL 63 zone color sensitive metering system with four variations (evaluative, center-weighted, partial, spot) and exposure compensation of −3 EV to +3 EV in steps of 1/3 EV.E-TTL II flash metering is provided. The translucent LCD can also display guide lines and the spot metering area circle. As with most other video-capable DSLRs, the Canon EOS 7D’s autofocusing function does not work while recording video. Instead, you can only trigger a contrast-detect AF cycle before recording process by hitting the AF button on the camera's rear panel. You can manually focus the lens during a recording.^[6]

[edit]Shutter

The shutter is rated to 150,000 shots, and is capable of speeds up to 1/8000 sec, with a flash sync speed of 1/250 sec.

[edit]Ergonomics

The 7D has roughly the same dimension as the 5D Mark II, with the button layout having gone through an update. It also features a 100% viewfinder with 1x magnification.

The 7D was the first Canon camera with a dedicated movie mode switch, the preceding 5D Mark II and 500D movie recording being done in live view.

[edit]Speed

Rear view.

The dual Digic IV processors let the 7D reach 8 frames per second continuous shooting; the buffer throughput allows up to 94 frames in large JPEG mode, and up to 15 frames in RAW. But with UDMA CF-cards this can be increased somewhat (currently the fastest UDMA card has a 100MB/s write rate, Oct 2011).

[edit]Awards

The Canon EOS 7D won the 2010–2011 European Advanced SLR Camera^[7] and the Technical Image Press Association Best DSLR Expert awards.^[8]

[edit]Video

The Canon EOS 7D's video functions offers an unusually strong feature set that gives the photographer/videographer more control over the videos they create. The camera also offers the ability to record audio from an external source. Both shutter and aperture are available for manual control, and the 7D also provides multiple frame rate options, including three that match the HD television timing specs. Like most DSLR modes, the Canon 7D neglects endless autofocus during video recording, which is a great concern for advanced amateurs with pros likely to focus manually nonetheless. Separate movie clips that are captured by the Canon EOS 7D are limited to twelve minutes in the high definition 1080p and 720p modes, or 24 minutes in the standard definition VGA mode.^[6]

The Canon 7D has acquired significance in the independent filmmaking world as an affordable alternative to digital cinema cameras. The camera was used on feature films, such as Black Swan^[9], Stanley Ka Dabba.^[10] and Vazhakku Enn 18/9^[11]

[edit]Accessories

According to Canon's website,^[12] the EOS 7D model comes equipped with:

EOS 7D Digital SLR Body
Eyecup Eg
Camera Cover R-F-3
Wide Strap EW-EOS7D
Battery Charger LC-E6
Battery Pack LP-E6
Stereo AV Cable AV-DC400ST
Interface Cable IFC-200U

[edit]Notable productions using the Canon EOS 7D

[edit]Film

The Avengers^[13]
Black Swan^[9]
Vazhakku Enn 18/9^[14]
Stanley Ka Dabba^[10]
Not a Love Story^[10]
Chaappa Kurish^[10]
127 Hours^[15]
Like Crazy^[16]^[17]
Red State^[18]
Red Tails^[19]
World of the Dead: The Zombie Diaries^[20]
Act of Valor^[21]
Department^[10]
Tiny Furniture^[22]

[edit]Television

Saturday Night Live portions of the opening title sequence of the 2009 season^[23]
Wilfred^{[citation needed]}
House^{[citation needed]}.

[edit]References

^ ^a ^b "Canon EOS 7D Camera - Full Review". Imaging-resource.com. Retrieved 2012-05-18.
^ ^a ^b ^c "EOS 7D product page at canon.com". Usa.canon.com. 25 May 2006. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
^ "Canon introduces the EOS 7D..." (Press release). Canon UK. 1 September 2009. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
^ "12 Reasons Why a Canon EOS 7D Should Be in Your Camera Bag". Photographytalk.com. Retrieved 2012-05-18.
^ EOS 7D Manual. Canon USA. 4 September 2009. Retrieved 10 November 2009.
^ ^a ^b "Canon EOS 7D Camera Video - Full Review". Imaging-resource.com. Retrieved 2012-05-18.
^ "Canon EOS 550D, 7D and Legria HF M31 win EISA Awards". Ephotozine.com. 16 August 2010. Retrieved 30 December 2010.
^ "Technical Image Press Association – Award Details". TIPA. Retrieved 29 October 2011.
^ ^a ^b "Technical specifications for Black Swan". The Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 8 April 2011.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e Dutta, Nandita. "You can be adventurous and experimental with DSLR: Stanley ka Dabba Cinematographer". Archived from the original on 27 May 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2011.
^ "NEW ATTEMPT IN VAZHAKKU ENN 18/9". Retrieved 7 May 2012.
^ PIXMA MP530. "EOS 7D - Canon Canada Inc". Canon.ca. Retrieved 2012-05-18.
^ "Canon EOS 5D Mark II and EOS 7D Digital SLR Cameras of Choice for Stunts and Action Work on Set of "Marvel's The Avengers"". Retrieved 11 May 2012.
^ "Zooming in". Retrieved 28 April 2012.
^ "127 Hours Technical Details". Retrieved 13 August 2011.
^ Oliver Lyttelton (26 October 2011). "Drake Doremus Says He Shot 'Like Crazy' For $250,000 On A $1,500 Still Camera". IndieWire. Retrieved 13 November 2011.
^ "Like Crazy Technical Details".
^ "Red State Technical Details".
^ "Red Tails Technical Details".
^ "QUIET EARTH: Exclusive set visit - WORLD OF THE DEAD: The Zombie Diaries 2".
^ "Act of Valor Technical Details".
^ "Tiny Furniture Technical Details".
^ "NBC's Saturday Night Live Shoots Opening Title Sequence In Full 1080p HD Video with Canon's EOS Digital SLR Cameras". 11 November 2009. Retrieved 13 August 2011.

[edit]External links

Media related to Canon EOS 7D at Wikimedia Commons

Product Page
Firmware update cures residual image phenomenon (Engadget)
Canon issues EOS 7D firmware update (Dpreview 5 Nov 2009)

Canon EOS 7D

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 16:09:00 +0000

Canon EOS 7D

iFull Review

Camera Reviews > Canon Cameras > Canon EOS

OverviewFeature ComparisonPress Release

Basic Specifications
Resolution:	18.00 Megapixels
Kit Lens:	3.80x zoom 28-135mm (45-216mm eq.)
Viewfinder:	Optical / LCD
LCD Size:	3.0 inch
ISO:	100-12800
Shutter:	30-1/8000
Max Aperture:	3.5
Dimensions:	5.8 x 4.4 x 2.9 in. (148 x 111 x 74 mm)
Weight:	33.3 oz (945 g) includes batteries
MSRP:	$1,699
Availability:	09/2009

18.00 Megapixels	Canon EF, EF-S	3.0 inch LCD

Canon EOS 7D Review

Reviewed by Shawn Barnett, Dave Etchells, Zig Weidelich,
and Mike Tomkins
Hands-on Preview: 09/01/09
Review Posted: 01/15/10

The Canon 7D is the digital SLR that many Canon fans have been waiting for, with a list of long-absent features that the lineup has needed to take on cameras like the Nikon D300.

Not shying away from the megapixel race, the new Canon 7D has a brand new 18-megapixel APS-C sensor with a 1.6x crop factor. Each pixel is 4.3 microns in size, though Canon says that with their gapless microlenses, the new sensor gathers plenty of light.

The Canon 7D is designed for speed, with dual DIGIC 4 chips to speed processing of these large 14-bit files, as well as keep up with the shutter's 8-frame-per-second top speed. Even the sensor had to be tweaked to enable such speed, with an 8-channel readout to more quickly draw the image off the sensor.

The Canon 7D's buffer can handle 94 JPEGs at top speed, or 15 RAW images.

For its part, the Canon 7D's shutter mechanism is rated at 150,000 cycles, and is the same design used by the 1D-series of Canon digital SLRs.

EV compensation has been expanded to five stops in either direction, and the ISO ranges from 100 to 6,400, with an expanded setting up to 12,800. The Canon 7D also sports an HD movie mode that will capture full HD at 30p.

The built-in flash has a wider range to handle up to 15mm wide-angle lenses, like the new EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM, and the flash can also serve as the remote commander for up to three groups of flashes, another first for Canon.

Other new features include an electronic level, a RAW button, and a new Multi-function button for quick, programmable access to various functions. And don't forget the new 19-point autofocus system, complete with a new LCD viewfinder display overlay, complete with a grid, obviating the need for interchangeable screens.

The Canon 7D is expected to ship toward the end of September 2009, and retail body-only for US$1,699. A kit with the 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens will sell for US$1,899.

Canon EOS 7D User Report

by Shawn Barnett

The long-rumored Canon 7D has finally materialized: an advanced subframe digital SLR that Canon says is in the same class as the 5D Mark II. This is not the 60D with a new name, we're told, but a whole new line; whether the 7D supplants the 50D is not clear.

What is clear is that the Canon EOS 7D is replete with features, many of which seem like the fulfillment of an enthusiast checklist. Other features are clear responses to just about every corner of the digital SLR market, features that are heretofore only seen on one or two cameras from Nikon, Pentax, Sony, Olympus, and even Canon's Rebel line. The end result is that much of what Canon users may have admired in other cameras is now available in the Canon 7D.

Competition is good.

The Canon 7D also goes a long way toward tempering fears that the next round of Canon digital SLRs would be full-frame, as several of the advancements take advantage of the sensor's smaller size to achieve greater frame rates. Though the new sensor is 18 megapixels, the Canon 7D is still capable of capturing eight frames per second while maintaining 14-bit analog-to-digital conversion thanks to its dual DIGIC 4 processors. That makes the Canon 7D essentially the company's pro-grade subframe digital camera, going up against the Nikon D300S, leaving the current 50D to compete with the Nikon D90. It's interesting that Canon has essentially had no camera in this category until now.

There's a lot of detail to fill in, but let's get to the walkaround first to provide the usual context. The Canon 7D is similar in size to the EOS 50D, just a little larger, measuring 5.8 x 4.4 x 2.9 inches (148.2 x 110.7 x 73.5mm), and weighing 33.3 ounces (2.08 pounds, 945g) with a battery and CF card. With the 28-135mm kit lens, it weighs 51.75 ounces (3.23 pounds, 1,467g).

Look and feel. Falling somewhere between the 5D Mark II and the 50D, the Canon 7D will feel familiar to either type of user. It has a big, comfortable grip with an indentation for the middle finger. The pentaprism housing is a little larger than the 50D, but a little smaller than the 5D Mark II. That's interesting, because the pentaprism in the 7D is actually larger than the 5D Mark II, to support the 100% viewfinder with 1.0 magnification, something we'll get to shortly. Unlike the 5D Mark II, the Canon 7D has a pop-up flash built in.

Canon has nested an infrared sensor into the front of the grip for remote release, something that they've left out of higher-end EOS cameras, instead confining it to the Rebel series. It's a welcome inclusion, giving new life to my RC-1 remote control that dates back to the 1990's. Upper right are four holes for the microphone. The Canon 7D also has a stereo microphone jack for those who are serious about getting quality audio from the camera's HD video output.

Like the 5D series, the Canon 7D's Mode dial is devoid of Scene modes, the first visible sign that this is a pro sub-frame camera. The good news is that you can build you own Custom modes, thanks to the three Custom positions on the dial (C1, C2, and C3), great for quickly setting the camera to a group of settings you use frequently. (I shoot a lot of product shots, for example, but often use the same camera for casual family photography: I usually assign a Custom mode for each of those, then set the third one to black and white mode.)

The power switch is in an entirely new place, jutting out toward the rear from under the Mode dial. The Status LCD illumination button is upper right of the LCD, as on the 5D, rather than as on the 50D. And the new Multi-Function (M-Fn) button is just behind and left of the shutter release button. This button can be programmed to quickly adjust several camera parameters.

A new LCD design graces the back of the Canon 7D. Canon has eliminated the air gap between the LCD and cover glass by sandwiching a special optical elastic material between the LCD and the cover glass. This optical elastic material has the same high refractive index as the glass itself. The cover glass is also a reinforced glass instead of the acrylic used on the 50D and 5D Mark II, so they also eliminated the special anti-reflective and scratch-resistant coatings found on the other recent EOS cameras. The appearance of the LCD is indeed reminiscent of instruments like a liquid-filled compass, with added contrast and less glare. Better yet, it doesn't give your images a blue cast that makes color harder to judge, especially when outdoors with the 50D or T1i. I really like the new display.

Also new on the back is the Quick menu button, which brings up the Standard status display, allowing easy navigation and adjustment of the various controls. Where the Live View activation button currently exists on the 5D and 50D, a new RAW+JPEG toggle button has been added, an innovation first seen on Pentax digital SLRs. Whether you're in RAW or JPEG mode, pressing this button turns on RAW+JPEG for the next frame, then reverts to whichever mode you had active. Just lower left of the optical viewfinder are three holes for the speaker. Also new is the Live View/Movie mode switch and start button. When the surrounding switch is set to Live View, as shown above, the Start/Stop button enters and exits Live View mode. When set to Movie mode, the Start/Stop button starts and stops recording.

Another welcome change is actually a return to the old, with the five standard buttons aligned to the left of the LCD, rather than their more awkward position beneath the LCD on the 50D.

Because Canon moved the power switch to the upper left under the Mode dial, a new Quick control dial Lock switch was necessary, appearing lower left of the dial. Just upper left of this dial is the ambient light sensor, which the Canon 7D uses to automatically adjust the LCD backlight.

Viewfinder. A significant upgrade to the Canon 7D is its stated 100 percent viewfinder coverage (we've measured it at 98%), something currently only available on a very few competing digital SLR cameras, including the Pentax K7 and the Sony A900. Furthermore, the Canon 7D's viewfinder delivers 1.0x magnification.

The Canon 7D's pentaprism is quite a bit bigger than the Canon 50D's, as shown above.

Much as we've seen in Nikon SLRs, the Canon 7D now uses a Polymer Network LCD as the focusing screen, which includes 19 autofocus points that seem to appear from nothing, rather than the static AF points of old. That also means that gridlines can be turned on and off electronically, rather than requiring a system of interchangeable focusing screens, and the 19 AF points can be clustered as needed.

In low light, a red LED comes on to illuminate the LCD's features, much like the Nikon system, only a little brighter in the early unit I used. In auto mode, the system would detect the light level rather rapidly and switch the LED off and on as light levels dictated. You could also turn this feature off.

Another new feature for Canon includes visible indication of focus tracking as a subject moves across the viewfinder. Canon notes that in very cold weather, the LCD might respond more slowly than the AF system itself is making changes, thanks to the reduced response of LCDs in cold weather. And just like Nikons, the viewfinder gets darker and blurry when you pull the battery, since the liquid crystals go back to a relaxed state without power.

Dual-axis Electronic Level Display

Another feature popping up in more cameras is some form of leveling tool. The Canon 7D has two. The graphic above illustrates what you see in the optical viewfinder, and there's also one in the Canon 7D's Live View mode. Though the above graphic seems cryptic, essentially the AF indicator bubbles become like bubbles in a level. As you tilt the 7D to the left, the bubble floats to the right. One bubble in the center means the camera is level. Two means it's off by one degree, etc. The six AF points top to bottom also indicate pitch in much the same way.

In Live View mode, the leveling feature is easier to understand and considerably more attractive. Looking much like an airplane's attitude indicator, with its artificial horizon line, the lines light up green when your pitch and roll have settled into a nice even state, as seen at right.

This view is also available on the rear LCD in a larger size without Live View mode active. In these latter two modes, the level displays 360 degree roll and 10 degree pitch in one degree increments. Pressing the Info button cycles through the available displays. The Dual-axis Electronic Level display is also available in the Canon 7D's Movie mode.

Sensor. While Canon led the retreat in resolution for the sake of low-light image quality with the announcement of the 10-megapixel PowerShot G11 and S90 in mid-August 2009, the new Canon 7D continues the subframe SLR's charge ahead to 18 megapixels, up from 15.1 in the Canon 50D. The new CMOS sensor's 4.3-micron pixel pitch is the smallest Canon has included in an SLR, but they've improved their sensor performance and image processing sufficiently to handle the smaller size. Canon continues to use gapless microlenses, which are also said to be improved. Sensor dimensions are 22.3 x 14.9mm, with a 1.6x crop factor.

The Canon 7D's new sensor also required a boost in image readout speed, so it's fitted with an 8-channel readout, plus faster reading for each individual column; the 5D Mark II and 50D both have a four-channel readout. Canon has also improved the photodiodes that make up each pixel, reducing the size of the circuitry around each, and allowing a larger photo-sensitive area, resulting in better high-ISO performance. If you make a more sensitive photodiode, though, you're faced with greater chance of overload in bright conditions, so Canon also increased the capacity of each photodiode for better low-ISO performance as well.

Processors. Further increasing the overall throughput are the dual DIGIC 4 chips, making the Canon 7D the fastest sub-frame camera at this price point, capable of capturing up to 8 frames per second, with a burst depth up to 94 JPEGs. With a UDMA CompactFlash card, that average goes up to 126 JPEGs. You can also get 15 RAW images, or 6 RAW+JPEG shots. All of these speeds are possible in the Canon 7D's native 14-bit A/D conversion mode, while the competing Nikon D300S slows from 7 frames per second in 12-bit mode to 2.7 frames per second in 14-bit mode.

For the first time on a non-1D EOS camera, Canon has dedicated two separate processors to Autofocus and A/D conversion, despite the extra power offered by the two DIGIC 4 processors. So Autofocus is not hampered by any work the DIGIC 4 processors are doing to remove noise from the captured images, nor is the Analog-to-digital conversion.

Sensitivity. Ranging from ISO 100 to 6,400, plus a Hi setting of 12,800, the Canon 7D seems to improve on the image quality found in the EOS 50D. The dual DIGIC 4 processors should help speed processing, as well as the results.

Included in the Canon 7D's features are Highlight Tone Priority, which biases the dynamic range to retain more detail in the highlight areas, important for wedding photographs, where typically white dresses often have blown detail. The ISO range for HTP has been expanded to include the range from 200 to 6,400 in the Canon 7D.

Shutter. The Canon 7D has a shutter mechanism that's rated at 150,000 cycles. Further, it's described as a rotary magnet shutter, the same design used in the Canon EOS 1v and the EOS 1D Mark II N and Mark III, but resized to fit the Canon 7D's APS-C sensor. This spec alone makes us want to describe the Canon 7D as the budget Canon 1D, as at least its frame rate makes it suitable for sports.

Need for Speed: Here's the Canon 7D ripping away at eight frames per second. I managed to keep it to just 10 frames in this shot. Download the MPEG4 video herefor smoother playback.

The shutter sound is quick and relatively quiet, without a bunch of winding and whirring, something I appreciate. Naturally it's a little louder with the lens off, but here's a sample video of what eight frames per second looks like.

Remember, it was only four years ago, September 2005, that the professional Canon 1D Mark II N hit the scene, offering 10-megapixel, APS-H sized images at eight frames per second for $4,000. Now you can get 18-megapixel, APS-C images at eight frames per second for under $1,700 with the Canon 7D.

Autofocus. The Canon 7D's autofocus system has quite a few new features worth mentioning, and some of them are related to the Metering system, which we'll get to in a moment. First, as we've covered in brief, the AF system has 19 autofocus points, each of them a cross-type, optimized to detect both horizontal and vertical features for greater accuracy across the frame. In the center of the screen is the X-type sensor, designed to detect diagonal lines as well. It also requires lenses of f/2.8 or better, while the other points will work up to f/5.6.

New to the Canon 7D is the ability to cluster AF points, and move them around the screen. You can also select a finer point than usual, called a Spot point, choosing from all 19 across the screen.

There are so many autofocus options that it can become rather troublesome cycling through them. You also have to learn to use the new Multi-function button, which cycles through the five options, one with each press. But Custom function III:6 allows you to disable the ones you don't plan to use so you can save time. A nice feature.

Canon is also making some interesting claims about the AI Servo AF system, which has a new algorithm that is expected to handle irregular movement better than the Canon 50D, which should mean better sports shots.

Another truly unique use of AI Servo technology is employed during Macro shooting. The new system can compensate and track so quickly with certain lenses that it can lock and track focus as you unconsciously move closer to and further from your Macro target, or if your target moves while you're shooting it, like a flower. It essentially adds a third dimension to any IS-capable lens.

And as you're tracking a subject that's moving rapidly, the new AF points will illuminate as your subject moves on the screen, further evidence that the Canon 7D has seen your target and is keeping it in focus.

Speeding things up. The idea of Orientation-linked AF is intriguing, and it goes further than we initially thought. Set with Custom Function III:12, you can select not only the AF point you want to maintain, but also the AF point selection mode while the camera is oriented, say, horizontally. Then, when you rotate the camera to vertical, you can pick a different AF point selection mode and a different point or zone if you like. Once each orientation is set, the Canon 7D will remember both the type and point you selected and switch back automatically. A likely use for me would be switching from shooting horizontal group shots, where I'd want to use Zone AF, to vertical portrait shots, where I'd want to rotate right and use Single-point AF with the point centered on the subject's eye. Rotating instead to the left activates yet another mode, or else perhaps Zone AF again, for vertical group shots.

I tend to use both right and left rotation as I shoot in crowds of people, depending on where I am with respect to others. But this opens up a new use for camera rotation, switching AF modes without having to consult even the Quick menu. Once you learn to use it, it's easy and quite helpful, and would be excellent for the busy wedding photographer who needs to focus more on catching valuable moments than on his gear. Mount a flash bracket, of course, and you might have trouble with one of the vertical orientations, but two out of three ain't bad.

Metering. As I said, the Canon 7D's new AF system is tightly linked to the Metering system, much like recent Nikon systems, and even the concepts are similar; but the uses are not the same. It all comes down to the Canon 7D's iFCL, or Intelligent Focus Color Luminosity metering system.

First the new meter, shown at right, has 63 zones, and they are linked to the 19 autofocus points. Sound familiar? The metering sensor has two layers: the top is sensitive to Red and Green, and the bottom layer to Blue and Green. So it can measure a full spectrum of RGB, rather than just luminosity; and when it compares the data between the AF system and its own color system, the Canon 7D has a better understanding of the image area; not only what colors there are, but what is where.

Nikon uses this same type of data to track objects moving through the image area, augmenting their continuous focus mode. Canon does not. They have other fish to fry. First, they make up for the normal foibles of silicon sensors by detecting Red and compensating for silicon's red sensitivity, which gives it a tendency to overexpose red objects. The Canon 7D's meter, now having color vision, can make the necessary change.

The Canon 7D also uses the color information to better identify objects, merging that information with the AF sensor data -- which tells the Canon 7D not only which AF areas are in focus, but which areas are out of focus -- to calculate an object's total range of distances; in that way it can set the aperture to keep that object in focus, if desired.

The color information also becomes important when trying to focus more accurately when shooting under unusual light sources, like sodium lights, whose unusual spectrum often fools AF systems into backfocusing significantly. When light sources like these are detected, though, the Canon 7D can compensate. For more on this element of the Canon 7D, see our Exposure page.

Flash. The Canon 7D's built-in flash is able to cover a wider angle of up to 15mm, though its range is limited as a result, with a guide number of 39 (12 meters) at ISO 100. The Canon 50D's flash had a guide number of 42 (13 meters), but the extra wide-angle coverage will be appreciated nonetheless.

In another answer to a long-ignored Nikon capability, the Canon 7D is the first EOS camera able to control up to three groups of wireless flashes direct from the built-in pop-up flash, using E-TTL or Manual control. Previously you needed either Canon's high-end flash (550EX, 580EX or 580EX II) or the ST-E2 controller to enable wireless flash control.

Canon sent us some interesting illustrations to outline the basic capabilities of the EOS 7D's wireless flash. They're a little large, though, so I put them all into one graphic, whose thumbnail you can click on at left. I did a little test using the pop-up flash as Master controller for just one 580EX, then expanded it to include three 580EX flashes, which you can see below in my Shooter's Report.

Movie mode. The Canon 7D's Movie mode supports Auto and Manual exposure and multiple frame rates. Maximum resolution is 1,920 x 1,080 pixels at 16:9 aspect ratio, or Full HD. Other resolutions include 720p and 640x480 at 30 frames per second. How you activate your movies has changed from other recent models, with both Movie and Live View modes linked to a single switch and button combination, placed within easy reach of your thumb, shown at right.

Movie mode on all digital SLRs is not really ready to replace the family camcorder, however, because lenses don't focus quietly or quickly enough for the average consumer; as a result, we don't recommend you base a purchase decision on this feature alone. If you want to know a lot more about this feature, though, see our extensive writeup, complete with test videos, on the Canon 7D Video tab of this Review (or click here).

Incidentals. Copyright info can be input into the Canon 7D without connecting it to a computer, unlike all previous EOS cameras, using an on-camera interface. The Canon 7D also includes EICS, or EOS Integrated Cleaning System, which uses special coatings in the camera to reduce dust generation, repels dust from the sensor, and removes dust when the unit is powering on. Software also allows removal after capture.

Shooting the Canon EOS 7D

Where to start? That's a good question with the Canon 7D, because it's a good deal more complicated than any of Canon's previous intermediate digital SLRs. Past designs in the prosumer line, whose last representative model is the 50D, have emphasized reliance on a standard set of controls, with glacial evolution from one model to the next, while the Canon 7D grafts on a new set of controls as requested by advanced users. But the new controls don't draw heavily from Canon's 1D series; instead they contain elements from competing designs and new buttons designed to open up new avenues of control.

While that sounds great, it also means that the user stepping up from the 50D and its predecessors will have a steep learning curve to confront. But as one who's tired of being underwhelmed by interface enhancements to Canon's intermediate line, the 7D offers a welcome challenge.

Dedicated button. First on the list of intelligent changes is the addition of the Quick Control Menu button. The Quick Control Menu itself isn't new -- it was activated by pressing down on the Multi-controller on the 50D -- but the new button gives the very visual, icon-driven interface a clear and visible point of entry. After activation, you still use the Multi-controller to navigate onscreen, and once you've arrived at the item you want to adjust you can either turn the Quick Control dial or the Main dial to change a setting, or press the Set button in the center of the Quick Control dial to go to the full menu screen for each item. Options include Shutter speed, Aperture, ISO, EV, AF point selection, Picture Style, White Balance, Metering mode, Resolution, AF mode, Drive mode, and Custom controls.

It's pretty much all the stuff you can also adjust from the Canon 7D's Status display on the top deck, plus a few additional items you'd have to use the menu to adjust. As one who often has to make adjustments with the camera mounted high on a tripod, I'm grateful for a second interface on the big LCD to make adjustments quickly.

Insurance. A good many working photographers still shoot JPEG, though most would admit there are times they wish they had that RAW backup to rescue moments lost to exposure error. Well, if they think of it in advance of the shot, the Canon 7D now gives them the option to turn RAW on for the next shot with a press of the RAW/JPEG button. If they're shooting in RAW mode, they can likewise add a JPEG shot to the mix. You can choose which JPEG or RAW file size you want to add when you press this button via Record menu 3, under One-touch RAW+JPEG. It's a feature I very much enjoy when shooting Pentax digital SLRs, so I'm happy to see it here. You can't use the button to switch between RAW and JPEG-only, nor to enter RAW+JPEG for more than one shot; for that you have to use the Main or Quick Control menu, or else use the Custom Controls option to assign Resolution to the Set button. As I mentioned, this kind of convenient customization can get complicated.

Truth in viewfinding. I had to make the extra effort to get it all in, including the fringe of the awning, but it was nice to know I could, and would, before tripping the shutter.

100% viewfinder... nearly. Having a real viewfinder that shows you the entire image isn't rare if you're used to shooting only digicams, but when you're used to adding some fudge factor to your mind's eye when framing with a traditional digital SLR, every choice you make becomes more critical. If you don't see something in the viewfinder, you're not going to get it at all. That is quite good, but it's important to remember when you're arching your back over the truck behind you to fit that last important element into your shot. That's what I was doing when I snapped this shot of a favorite storefront, and the extra efforts I made got in just a touch of the awning while maintaining the feet of the chairs (check the plaque on the door to see what kind of business was undertaken at this establishment in 1914; the Canon 7D's 18-megapixel resolution makes it an easy read at 100 percent).

This extremely accurate view isn't quite as accurate as we've been told, at least according to our tests, but it sure seemed like it was to me. That it's at least as close as it is makes another reason to spend the extra money on a Canon 7D, since the many inaccurate optical viewfinders on the market are not just off by a percentage of the frame, they're very often off-center and even tilted from what you'll get from the sensor.

New focusing screen. As a fan of the old EOS focusing screen, I'm still surprised when I put the Canon 7D to my eye and see no AF points etched into the screen. But I have to admit, I like the new screen just fine. The Zone AF system has proven remarkably helpful at times. Though I usually prefer a single point, having a cluster of AF points that I can move around is nice too, and could be more effective, especially with a zoom lens mounted, as they generally have a greater depth of field. Fine brackets mark where the cluster area lies. Here's one where Nikon certainly led the way and Canon picked up a quality feature. (Click on the image at right to see viewfinder callouts.)

Changing AF points. Switching between AF points when in Spot AF, Single, Expansion, and Zone AF is easy and familiar to EOS users. But switching between AF-point modes is new: You have to use the M-Fn button just behind and to the left of the shutter button while looking at the AF screen. It's a toggle that switches from one setting to the other, and unlike most any other Canon control, it does not use the Main or Quick Control dial. It's a bit of a nuisance when you're in a hurry, but use only the 7D and the nuisance factor will wear off quickly.

Flaw in 15-85mm. While I loved the versatility of the new EF-S 15-85mm lens, both Luke and I discovered that the unit we have refuses to focus at infinity, instead front-focusing quite badly. This shot shows the very soft focus at 24mm. When I tried the EF-S 10-22mm lens, however, the Canon 7D found infinity just fine. We're hoping its a defect in our sample of this lens.

Focus troubles. I spent some time shooting with the new EF-S 15-85mm, and got generally good results, except when shooting landscapes at wide-angle, like 15 and 24mm. While shooting a series to later convert to panoramic images, at both of these focal lengths, the Canon 7D didn't focus to infinity. Nether the buildings in the distance nor the closer trees with Christmas lights were in focus across more than a dozen images. Luke noticed this earlier when looking at this lens on his Canon 50D, so it's not likely a problem with the Canon 7D, and we get the same front-focusing from the Canon 20D, so this is likely a problem with the lens, which we've sent back for inspection.

A more troublesome problem showed up when we were using Contrast Detect autofocus to set focus for our Indoor Incandescent test shots (INB): it just didn't work. Using our standard Sigma 70mm f/2.8 lens, the Contrast detect AF system would rack forward and back past the obvious focus point, settle on some very blurry position, and put up the focus confirmation, complete with double beep and green box. We have few additional non-Canon lenses with which to test the EOS 7D, but the Sigma 70mm shows up as Canon EF 50mm f/2.5 Compact Macro when you access the 7D's Microadjustment feature. This suggests that the 7D is making adjustments to the Sigma's focus based on its expectations from the Canon 50mm f/2.5. Other lenses that use this method to "trick" the camera into accepting the lens also might have trouble with the Canon 7D in Contrast Detect AF mode.

The Canon 100mm f/2.8 works well with Contrast-detect autofocus, but it is not perfect, often showing a clear image just before locking focus, then jumping to a position slightly out of focus when the confirmation beep sounds. It can be very frustrating to see the AF system so clearly attain focus only to choose a slightly softer position before you take the shot.

Phase-detect autofocus works fine with both lenses. It's surprising that Contrast-detect doesn't do a better job.

Frame rate and tracking. Capturing at a rate of eight frames per second, the Canon 7D is the first digital SLR to bring meaningful speed for action shooters to a price under $4,000. Focus tracking gave mixed results. I shot a few runs of my kids on a bike and the best I got were about 70% focused, which isn't too bad. But other sequences were only 40% in-focus, which isn't as good. This was under cloudy skies, though, so we also did a another test tracking a car moving at about 30 miles per hour.

Canon 7D tracking a car moving at about 30 miles per hour. At left is a 100% crop of the right headlight. Toward the end of this sequence, it looks like some motion blur is a factor, perhaps when the car hit a bump, or else when I moved. Shutter speed at that point was 1/400 second. Lens used was a Canon 70-200mm f/4. You can see the original shots in the Gallery.

On the first pass, the Canon 7D didn't seem to pick up on the idea that I wanted it to track the oncoming car, instead focusing on the house in the background until the car was quite close. However, it did much better on the second, third, and fourth passes, staying pretty well on target. It was as if the camera were learning as it went. Tracking a black car is a fairly tough test, and the Canon 7D did surprisingly well.

At eight frames per second, the Canon 7D captures a whole lot of what you're shooting. JPEGs seemed to be saved before I could look at the write light on the back of the camera, but RAW+JPEG combos were less forgiving, capturing about six images before requiring a wait of about nine seconds in our lab tests. Shooting RAW only, we got off 16 shots with a wait of 10 seconds. That's not bad, but it adds up quickly at eight frames per second, and a 10 second wait to clear the buffer can seem like long time at the racetrack.

The fastest framerate we captured in our laboratory tests at Continuous High was 7.98 frames per second. I figure that's close enough; but if you're into splitting hairs, or absolutely need 8 fps for some kind of calculation, it might be good to know. Continuous Low, by the way, measured 2.99 frames per second.

Live view. Much easier to activate than on the 50D, the Canon 7D's Live View nevertheless starts up slowly, taking as much as a second an a half to serve up a live image. I need to offer the usual warning that contrast-detect autofocus is often very slow, and with some lenses, like the Sigma 70mm I mentioned earlier, it's downright inaccurate. Switching to Quick mode AF (phase-detect) is faster overall, despite the momentary interruption to the live view, and a good deal more accurate and reliable in my experience. According to our tests, though, both methods are pretty close to one second of shutter lag time. Contrast detect is better used when outdoors in brighter light.

Live view has lost some of its novelty, but it's still useful when shooting in odd, off-angle situations. The Canon 7D's excellent high-resolution LCD screen is absolutely gorgeous, though, which makes framing your images a pleasure. I'm a little disappointed that they still don't have a translucent histogram for the Live View mode, because activating the histogram covers around one-sixth of the screen.

When shooting in Quick AF mode, which uses the traditional phase-detect AF sensors, you have to leave Live View to change selected AF points, which is cumbersome to say the least.

Movie mode. Operated off of the same switch, the Canon 7D's Movie mode is more easy to access than ever. While shooting stills, it's a quick motion of the thumb to flip the 7D into movie mode, whether you're in normal or Live View mode. It took me awhile to get used to the idea that this serious still camera had a movie mode, so I don't have any usable examples of when I saw a moment more worthy of video and made the switch, but it has happened, and there have been more times when I wished I'd have remembered. So bottom line, if you remember, Movie mode is right there at any time, and you can capture video snippets as quickly as you can a photograph with just a flick and a press of the Start/Stop button.

HD video. Just a simple sample of HD video shot with the Canon 7D. Note that only very recent computers will be able to play the file. File Size: 45.5MB

Capturing stills while shooting movies is even easier: Just press the shutter button! The still is inserted into the video while a full-size image is saved to the card and movie recording commences. This is a favorite feature of mine, mostly because it keeps the still option open. Oddly, the manual says that if you shoot stills while recording a video, the still image will have a mask, but I think they mean the still that's inserted into the video, not the final, full-res image.

It's more important when you're shooting with a narrow depth of field, of course; and in the end, that's the advantage that shooting video with an SLR gives you, so my main warning is to be very aware of your aperture and focus, and shoot in short clips whenever possible, because the Canon 7D can't focus while you're shooting.

The flip side of that is that the Canon 7D won't start seeking for focus while you shoot video in low light like most camcorders are wont to do, so you have more control. For more on the Canon 7D's video ance, see ourVideo page.

Flash as master. After years of leaving Nikon users an important advantage when it came to wireless flash control on a budget, the Canon 7D's pop-up flash will finally serve as a master controller when used with Canon's various wireless flashes (though, of course, the Canon 7D isn't necessarily the most economical choice when on a budget). Since it is so new, I decided to take the new system for a spin with a trio of 580EX flashes.

There are some limitations to how the Canon 7D's flash works with other flashes, and the new system creates some unnecessary confusion along the way. The Canon flash system uses the concept of power ratios rather than exposure values as on the Nikon flash system; Canon's method will be more familiar to studio photographers, but can be a little unusual at first to consumer photographers.

Though I had three flashes, I first wanted to try a two-light system, using the on-camera flash as fill (A), and an off-camera 580EX (B) as a key light.

I mounted the 580EX on a light stand with a Photoflex Shoemount Multi-clamp, added a 32-inch umbrella, and aimed the wireless sensor toward where I'd be shooting, then entered the Flash settings menu on the EOS 7D to make my settings.


1:1 (Key:Fill)	2:1

4:1	8:1
The shots above were all made with a simple setup: One 580EX serving as a keylight off to the right, aimed into a 32-inch umbrella. The bare pop-up flash serves as fill. (Note that ratio seems backwards, as it represents 580EX:Pop-up flash, or Key:Fill.) The Pop-up flash unfortunately throws a shadow behind the subject, but it nearly disappears at 8:1. All exposures are 1/125, f/5.6, ISO 100, with the EF-S 60mm f/2.8 Macro, and flashes set to E-TTL.

1:8 (Fill:Key) with backlight (A:B C, with C set at -1 EV)	1:8 (Fill:Key) with hairlight (A:B C, with C set at -2 EV)
Here I used three 580EX flashes, with the Pop-up flash serving as Master, but not contributing to the exposure. The keylight uses the same 32-inch umbrella, and for fill, I have a 580EX overhead in a 3x4-foot softbox. In the left image a 580EX is on the floor, washing up into my background, with the zoom set to 14mm. For image at right, I've mounted the same 580EX about eight feet up on a light stand, blasting snootless onto her hair. If you enlarge and look into her eyes, you can see the relative strength of the fill to the keylight, so low that I could have probably done away with the fill altogether. You can also see a remnant of the pop-up's controlling burst as it continues to shine just a little during the exposure. Those on a budget could also do away with key and fill flashes, using just the one 580EX on a stand high over the shoulder, using a large white foamcore board as fill, set on a chair about 3 to 5 feet from the subject's right. Note that I don't hold any of these shots out as great portraiture, but just a quick demonstration of what's possible with Canon's wireless flashes with about 15 minutes of setup time. Umbrellas and soft boxes are easily substituted with white walls or simple reflectors.
At right is the same basic setup using my DynaLite studio lights. Though they're considerably more powerful than the Canon Speedlites -- and recycle faster -- they also require a little more adjustment to get the same effect. In the end, I should have moved the fill light back a bit, or else turned it off to get closer to the 1:8 ratio shot above right; this is more like 1:4. 1/125, f/11, ISO 100.

If you're using a 580EX as master, you can move from 8:1 ratio to 1:8, but with the Canon 7D's on-camera flash, you're limited by its lower power when compared to the 580EX. In a keylight arrangement, that's okay, because you want to vary the power of your keylight, using your on-camera flash as a consistent fill light. So with the on-camera flash as A and the off-camera flash as B, you can go from a relative power ratio of 1:1 to 1:2, 1:4, and 1:8, right?

Ultimately, yes, but that's not how the 7D refers to it. Because instead of calling the on-camera flash "A" and the off-camera flash "B," in a standard A:B configuration, they show an icon for the off-camera flash first, then an icon for the on-camera flash, separated by a colon: [off camera flash]:[on-camera flash]. So when you're setting your flash ratios, you have to do it backwards: B:A. That makes your power options: 1:1, 2:1, 4:1, and 8:1, again with the first number representing the power of the off-camera flash. The drag about this is that it becomes confusing when you switch back to using a 580EX as master in a multi-flash arrangement, where the meaning of these ratios is reversed.

After some trial and error, I got pretty good results with the two-flash arrangement, but I didn't like the shadow that was cast on my background from the pop-up flash, even at an 8:1 Key:Fill ratio, so I tried to switch to an A:B C mode to add a background flash. Given my limited time, I went ahead employed all three 580EX flashes, remote controlled by the Canon 7D's pop-up flash and captured the fifth shot shown here. After that, I moved the third 580EX, or Group C, to serve as a hairlight.

The seventh shot shows how my DynaLite studio flash does with the same large softbox and umbrella to modify the light, an apt comparison.

The Canon wireless flash shots look pretty good. Flash brackets, stands, soft boxes and umbrellas are fairly inexpensive, travel pretty easily, and make these small flashes seem like studio lights without the cords.

Adequately modifying the Canon 7D's pop-up flash to remove shadows is a little more difficult, though, especially if you're shooting vertically as I was. Had I shot horizontally, the shadow would have largely disappeared behind her head thanks to her hair, but the same would not be true for people with shorter hair, so I recommend using a second 580EX as a master controller for best results if you're going to do a Key:Fill combo as you see here. The pop-up flash can also be used to control an off-camera flash or flashes while providing no light of its own to the exposure, a handy technique for product shots and other situations where fill flash is not wanted.

Adding the flash control feature to the Canon 7D shaved at least $200 off the price when compared to the Canon 50D, as controlling external flashes would require at least an ST-E2 infrared flash controller; shave a total of $400 if you would have gone for a 580EX II, which provides both master control and on-camera fill or bounce flash. Of course, if you never use this wireless flash feature, that point is moot. It's important to note that the Canon 7D's built-in flash is also a little less powerful than the 580EX when it comes to its control range. It can control a flash at a maximum of 23 feet away from the camera, while the 580EX will control a flash from up to 32.8 feet from the camera.

I have three complaints about using the pop-up flash and 580EX flashes wirelessly on the 7D. My first complaint is the noise made by the pop-up flash. It isn't the pop, but the loud servo sound emanating from somewhere inside the Canon 7D. It really draws attention in a quiet room. It's about as loud, but significantly longer than the shutter sound, and also lasts longer than it takes the flash to pop up. I can't imagine why it makes so much noise. My second complaint is with flash recycle time on the 580EX units, which kept me from shooting as spontaneously as I can with the DynaLite packs. But of course you'd want to invest in external battery packs to mitigate that problem. Finally, drilling down into the menu to make all these settings requires too many steps. I assigned it a spot in MyMenu, but even then it takes three steps to get to where I can finally select and change a flash setting, while it's more readily accessible on the back of a 580EX.

Otherwise, shooting the Canon 7D with wireless flashes is pretty fun and effective. As Joe McNally has ably demonstrated with the Nikon Creative Lighting System, you can do a lot with these little strobes; and while they're not cheap to the average consumer, they are generally cheaper and easier to bring along than most studio lighting equipment, and you can achieve greater power by adding more flashes to one of the three groups. The Canon 7D's Flash menu is pretty easy to use, too. Though you have to scroll quite a bit, you can easily adjust all three groups to get the result you want in short order.

Canon 7D Image Quality

Overall, the Canon 7D's image quality is impressive, as are its printed results. It compares almost evenly to its competition at ISO 1,600, both from Canon and Nikon, but as expected there's a noticeable difference when we compare this APS-C sensor to its full-frame rivals the Canon 5D and Nikon D3x, both of which earn the extra money their makers charge. Remembering that the Canon 7D costs quite a bit less than these full-frame cameras brings it back into perspective. In the end, the Canon 7D gives you a little more detail than its 15 and 12-megapixel competition, while maintaining impressively low noise, even at the highest ISOs.

Canon 7D vs Canon 50D at ISO 1,600




Canon 7D at ISO 1,600	Canon 50D at ISO 1,600
The reason I make these three crops at ISO 1,600 becomes clear right off the bat, because few cameras take the lead in all three shots. The Mas Portel bottle crop on top could almost be an enlargement of the 50D's image, with the addition of a random white dot here and there, but the middle shot of the mosaic label shows significantly more detail than you could get from the 50D. And finally, the red leaf pattern cloth is less distinct in the Canon 7D than on the 50D. Overall, you get more detail from the 7D's sensor, except when the subject is dark-red-on-red.

Canon 7D vs Nikon D300S at ISO 1,600




Canon 7D at ISO 1,600	Nikon D300S at ISO 1,600
The Nikon D300S has slightly higher contrast than the Canon 7D, but the 7D still offers more detail. The Nikon D300S, just like the Canon 50D, is more faithful to the leaf pattern than the 7D.

Canon 7D vs Nikon D700 at ISO 1,600




Canon 7D at ISO 1,600	Nikon D700 at ISO 1,600
It's hard to characterize the difference between the Canon 7D and Nikon D700, but it's noticeable. Though the 7D has more resolution, the D700 does a lot more with what it has. Remember that though the D700 is a 12-megapixel sensor, it's also full-frame, while the 7D is APS-C. That means the Nikon D700 can be a lot more confident with each pixel, a truth that shows up quite clearly in the red leaf fabric swatch, which is better rendered than in any of the APS-C-sized sensors shown above.

Canon 7D vs Canon 5D II at ISO 1,600




Canon 7D at ISO 1,600	Canon 5D II at ISO 1,600
It's almost unfair to compare the 7D to the 5D Mark II, but if you're looking for a high-end photographic solution, it's a comparison you should make. At ISO 1,600, the comparison is like night and day. The 5D Mark II image is buttery smooth, even the red leaf swatch, while the Canon 7D suddenly looks like it's breaking a sweat just trying to keep up. This is relative, of course, but it shows again the advantage to full-frame over smaller sensors. After all, the 5D II is about the same size as the 7D, but quite a bit more capable in terms of light gathering, for about $800 more. If high ISO shooting were more important to you than a fast framerate, the 5D Mark II might be worth saving a little longer.

Canon 7D vs Nikon D3x at ISO 1,600




Canon 7D at ISO 1,600	Nikon D3x at ISO 1,600
Speaking of unfair, how about a comparison to an $8,000, 24.5-megapixel, full-frame, professional monster camera? Since the Nikon D3x is also the leader in high ISO image quality, it does seem like a good choice. It's easy to see why they charge what they do here, but I think the 7D does well considering that it's less than one-quarter the price and captures an extra three frames per second.

Canon 7D vs 50D, D300S, D700, 5D, and D3x




Canon 7D ISO 100 ISO 3200 ISO12800	Canon 50D ISO 100 ISO 3200 ISO12800	Nikon D300S ISO 100 ISO 3200 ISO 6400	Nikon D700 ISO 100 ISO 3200 ISO12800	Canon 5D II ISO 100 ISO 3200 ISO12800	Nikon D3x ISO 100 ISO 3200 ISO 6400
Detail comparison. Since there really is no true comparison to the Canon 7D's 18-megapixel sensor, all I can do is compare it to its nearest competitors in the market, one 15, two 12, one 21, and one 24-megapixel sensor. The latter two are clearly superior thanks to their full-size 35mm-equivalent status, and they should be superior. The 7D holds up just about right against its lower-res foes, even the full-frame Nikon D700. At 3,200 and their highest settings, you could convince me that raising the resolution would produce almost the same result, but at ISO 100, the Canon 7D has the lead. Also note that the Nikon D300S and D3x top out at ISO 6,400. All six are cameras that get our highest recommendations.

Printed results. Around here, we learned long ago that peeping at pixels onscreen is only worth so much. It's when we print the images that we get to the relevant performance of a camera's lens and sensor. And the Canon 7D's images print remarkably well.

The range from ISO 100 to 800 can produce a 20x30-inch print with ease. Yes, I said ISO 800. Most cameras have results that are limited to 11x14 at that setting. By ISO 1,600 we need a slight reduction to 16x20 inches. That's really crazy, and by that I mean good. ISO 3,200 shots are great at 13x19-inches. ISO 6,400 shots increase in contrast and noise, but are still usable at 11x14 inches, and with the same comments, the ISO 12,800 shots are quite usable at 8x10.

We also processed ISO 100 images in Canon's Digital Photo Pro, sharpening in Photoshop, and came up with an image that is truly tack sharp printed at 20x30 inches. By extension, you could process the other ISO settings from RAW and surely get better results. It's one of the best printed performances we've seen.

One minor note we noticed after a few portrait shoots: skin tones can come out a bit cooler than we're used to from Canon SLRs, both onscreen and in prints. Our Imatest results bear this out as well.

Analysis. The Canon 7D is long overdue. It's been rumored for something like five years, though most of those rumors spec'd it as a full-frame camera. But I think this is just right: I don't think they could have included another important feature without making the Canon 7D look absurd. Okay, maybe a real AF-assist lamp is all that's missing. Everything else is in there. Simple things like a RAW button, a programmable Multi Function button, and a Quick-menu button for easy navigation on the rear Status display all make using the Canon 7D easier, without having to delve so often into the menus. And I think Canon has figured out a good solution for Live View and Movie modes, building-in a button for both, with a switch to select between them.

Nikon users have for too long been able to get away with buying just one flash to create interesting lighting with their cameras, while Canon users have had to buy at least two to take advantage of the company's powerful wireless flash system. Now, with the wireless flash control built into the Canon 7D, Canon fans just have to buy one of the more expensive -- but certainly more affordable -- digital SLRs in the lineup. Indeed, now you can have an 18-megapixel digital camera that does eight frames per second for under $2,000! Before now, you couldn't have one at any price.

This is the camera that Canon enthusiasts, indeed many camera enthusiasts, have been waiting for, and I suspect it will sell very well. Our extensive testing shows the Canon 7D to be an excellent camera, and our printed results emphatically reinforce that conclusion.

Be sure to check the rest of this review's tabs, at top or below.

In the Box

The Canon EOS 7D comes with the following items in the box:

Canon 7D digital SLR camera body
Body cap
EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (if purchased as a kit)
Lens caps (if purchased as a kit; front and back)
Wide strap EW-EOS7D
Battery charger LC-E6
Battery pack LP-E6
Video cable
USB cable
Software CD
Instruction manuals and registration information

Canon EOS 7D Conclusion

Pro:

Con:

Excellent 18-megapixel sensor with impressively low noise and superb detail
Very good high ISO performance, especially for 18-megapixel subframe sensor
Rugged construction with magnesium body and weather sealing
Good ergonomics with highly customizable user interface
Quick Menu system
The usual Canon enhancements: HTP, ALO, Lens Peripheral Illumination
New Live View/Movie mode switch is well-conceived
Live View mode works very well
Live View mode offers a choice between phase-detect, contrast-detect modes, plus Face detect mode
Zoom in five or ten times with Live View
Accurate color and saturation
Saturation and contrast settings work well
Fast autofocus
Fast burst rate of 8 frames per second
14-bit RAW with no speed penalty (unlike D300/D300S)
New AF system with 19 cross-type sensors
AF fine tuning by lens
100% VF (we measured only ~98% though), with 1.0x magnification
Wireless flash support built-into pop-up flash
Fast flash recycling (2.7 seconds)
On-demand viewfinder grid, also shows active AF area in AI Servo (similar to Nikon)
Full HD (1920x1080) movies at 30/25/24p, 60/50p at 1280x720 and 640x480
HDMI output for direct playback on HDTVs
Dust removal technology largely eliminates sensor cleaning chores
3.0-inch, 921,600-dot LCD with a wide viewing angle for better Live View, image sharing, and focus check
Expanded ISO offering raises options in low-light situations
Integrated status display conveys a lot of information
Fast image transfer eliminates the need for a card reader
Picture Styles makes choosing and customizing color modes fast and easy
Compatible with over 50 lenses and accessories
Available WFT-E5 wireless grip
Dual-axis electronic level
Selectable auto-rotation feature rotates on the camera or only in the computer
Shutter button design allows followup shots without refocusing
Print quality is excellent, making sharp 20x30-inch prints
Great shot-to-shot, shutter lag, and cycle time numbers
Enhanced AE Bracketing feature (but still only 3 shots)
Good software bundle that includes Digital Photo Pro RAW conversion software
RAW files serve up incredible detail
Reduced-size RAW options
Supports both wired and wireless remotes
Very good battery life with optical viewfinder
External microphone jack

Switching to Live View mode is slow
No dedicated AF-assist lamp (flash is used), and AF-assist adjustment is buried in the Flash Settings menu
AF not as good in low light as 50D
AE not reliable in very low light
Slow record to display time
No intervalometer or multiple exposure support
No in-camera image stabilization (lens based)
Auto ISO not configurable
Kit lens (28-135mm) isn't quite up to the resolving power of the 18-megapixel sensor, odd focal length for subframe SLR
No in-camera lateral chromatic aberration correction
Flash weaker than 50D; increasing flash EV compensation above 1.0 EV resulted in dimmer image
Battery capacity is reduced with significant use of Live View mode, the larger screen, and dust off system
Live View shutter lag is a little longer than with the optical viewfinder
No continuous autofocus in Movie mode
Auto white balance leaves tungsten lighting too warm
Default high ISO noise suppression has trouble with low-contrast areas, especially in the red channel
Pop-up flash servo is loud

With just about everything this photographer could want and more, the Canon 7D is an impressive digital SLR camera. Canon took a well-established camera design and added several key features that users overwhelmingly requested, raised the resolution and frame rate, and added HD video to create a very capable tool for more serious photographers.

Though the image quality is not quite up to the standard of the $2,600 full-frame EOS 5D Mark II, the crop-frame 7D does stand up quite well to its current competitors, both in resolution and high ISO image quality.

Even when compared to the 5D Mark II, the 7D does have a few advantages of its own. To start with, that eight-frame-per-second frame rate is just what serious photographers on a budget have needed to capture sporting events without an outrageous initial investment. The 7D's large buffer means you can capture more JPEGs and RAW images at a run, and they process and save very quickly, essential for capturing rapid action or model shoots. And the ability to control a full set of flashes with just the built-in flash offers lighting unmatched versatility among EOS camera bodies.

The built-in electronic level is very helpful when shooting landscapes, whether you're shooting handheld or on a tripod, and it even helps as a reality check when shooting indoors, where you can't see the horizon, but it can still help you line the camera up with gravity when necessary.

The new viewfinder system looks great and is easy to work with, and the near-100% field of view inspires more confidence when framing. Likewise, the new Live View and Movie activation button is better conceived than past options, allowing mode changes with the flick of a switch. Adding a RAW or JPEG image to whatever you're shooting at the time is also as easy as pressing a button. Such conveniences are what makes the Canon 7D ideal for the serious photographer.

Image quality finishes the list of the Canon 7D's strengths. Canon managed to exceed the resolution of all competitors while improving image quality at all ISO settings. Even the 12,800 setting is usable when printed at 8x10, straight from the camera. Add some noise processing, and you have a very clean image. That's remarkable, and it makes the Canon 7D a great choice for low light shooting. The Canon 7D's Movie mode is quite good, despite the lack of continuous autofocus, and a viable alternative to the more expensive EOS 5D Mark II.

We did have some issues with focusing in Live View's Contrast-detect mode, especially with our Sigma 70mm benchmark lens. It seems likely that this is due to simple incompatibility between the camera and lens. But we're not sure what was happening with the new EF-S 15-85mm that seemed like such a natural fit for the Canon 7D. It front-focused by a few hundred feet, refusing to focus to infinity when zoomed to 15 and 24mm settings. That, at least, we proved was the lens, not the camera, so be careful to check yours for this bug if you choose this lens.

In short, the Canon 7D is a stunning achievement, a camera we'd buy ourselves, and a clear five-star Dave's Pick.

Understanding HDR Photography [Book Review]

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 15:51:00 +0000

Understanding HDR Photography [Book Review]

by Barrie Smith

In photography I doubt if there is a more controversial topic than the use of HDR — High Dynamic Range photography.

As author David Taylor explains: “A digital camera is a low dynamic range device.” And ever since Daguerre captured his first image photographers have laboured to utilise, expand or ignore this limitation … often times to the betterment of the photographic image, many would say.

However it is impossible to argue against HDR when you view images treated with this technique, as displayed in this book, when you want to use photography to record all the information in a scene.

The problem, and this is where HDR excels, is when you are faced with a subject with a dynamic range impossible to capture on the digital sensor. Some resort to using neutral density filters to adjust the tonal range; some just read the exposure from the highlights and let the shadow areas fall away; others go for the shadow areas and let the highlights burn out.

HDR is a technique where you shoot a series of matching shots with varying exposure levels: sometimes three, five or more. These shots are then blended in software and a composite image created that encompasses all the information the originals contained.

Sensibly, one of the early chapters covers the subjects of sensors, wisely advising that small sensors as found in digi compacts are not ideal for HDR work, presenting problems of noise and low bit depth. It’s only when you reach the level of cameras that can capture 12- or 14-bit images that you can begin to enjoy the full benefits of HDR.

Taking a series of matching, but varying exposure, images is in principle a simple practice: the main thing is that neither the camera nor the subject should move during the series of exposures.

Taylor goes on to describe the basics, recommending that the exposures vary in shutter speed not lens aperture, due to variations in depth with the latter.

He also suggest using the RAW file format for the capture, as this contains all the original data of the image, unlike the compression and reduced detail of a JPEG image.

Suggestions are made as to suitable software for the task: Photoshop is one, Photomatix Pro is another, plus the Exposure Fusion option for Lightroom.

Choice of camera, lenses, filters, software and hardware are discussed, as is the important subject of tripods and heads to support the camera firmly during the matching exposures.

I was surprised to find the book suggests that even a single RAW image can be used to work in HDR: the method suggests you create a series of TIFF files with varying exposures; these can be loaded into the appropriate software and a resulting full tonal range image created.

If HDR interests you, there is arguably no better book on the market to get you started. This series of books is an in ideal ‘carrier’ of information on specific subjects and the information within them is tightly packed but easily accessible and pocketable, thanks to the 18x15cm size.

Author: D Taylor. Publisher: Ammonite Press. DLength: 192 pagesISBN: 978 1 90770 854 1. Price: Get a price on HDR Photography (The Expanded Guide: Techniques)

Depth of Field Test

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 15:47:00 +0000

Depth of Field Test

The first part tests your knowledge of the basic principles of depth-of-field while the second part tests your ability to accurately guess the amount of depth-of-field with a real-world situation.This test is divided into two parts.

Best of luck!

Basic Principles

1. Which camera or lens setting has no effect on depth-of-field?
- T-Stop
- ISO
- Focal Length
- Format
2. When a point in the subject or scene registers also as a point on film or video, it is referred to as being __________.
- Within the zone
- Within the frame
- Inside the circle of confusion
- In critical focus
3. True or false: the size of the finished film or video image (projected, TV, Internet) has an effect on acceptable focus?
- True
- False
4. What is the approximate ratio of depth-of-field in front of and behind a subject you are focused on?
- 1/3 in front; 2/3 behind
- 1/2 in front; 1/2 behind
- 2/3 in front; 1/3 behind
- 3/4 in front; 1/4 behind
5. What is the closest distance at which the far limit of depth-of-field extends to infinity called?
- Superfocal Distance
- Infinity Range
- Critical Focus
- Hyperfocal Distance
6. Stopping down the lens __________ depth-of-field.
- Increases
- Decreases
- Has no effect on
7. Opening up the iris of a lens __________ depth-of-field.
- Increases
- Decreases
- Has no effect on
8. Getting closer to the subject you’re focusing on __________ depth-of-field.
- Increases
- Decreases
- Has no effect on
9. Adding a filter in front of the lens without adjusting the exposure __________ depth-of-field.
- Increases
- Decreases
- Has no effect on
10. Using a 35mm film camera as opposed to a 16mm film camera for the exact same shot would cause depth-of-field to __________.
- Increase
- Decrease
- Stay the same

Guess the Depth-of-Field

In this section, you are given a situation and must guess the depth-of-field you have. You may assume that the camera is shooting 24 frames-per-second with a 180-degree shutter.

11. How much depth-of-field do you have with the settings below?
- 1/2 in. (Half-an-inch)
- 2 in. (Two inches)
- 6 in. (Six inches)
- 15 in. (Fifteen inches)
12. How much depth-of-field do you have with the settings below?
- 1 ft. (One foot)
- 3 ft. (Three feet)
- 6 ft. (Six feet)
- 10 ft. (Ten feet)
13. How much depth-of-field do you have with the settings below?
- 2 ft. 10 in. (Two feet and ten inches)
- 6 ft. 3 in. (Six feet and three inches)
- 10 ft. (Ten feet)
- 20 ft. (Twenty feet)
14. How much depth-of-field do you have with the settings below?
- 1 in. (One inch)
- 3 in. (Three inches)
- 9 in. (Nine inches)
- 12 ft. (Twelve feet)
15. How much depth-of-field do you have with the settings below?
- 5 ft. 6 in. (Five feet and six inches)
- 13 ft. 6 in. (Thirteen feet and six inches)
- 50 ft. 3 in. (Fifty feet and three inches)
- Infinity
16. How much depth-of-field do you have with the settings below?
- 2 in. (Two inches)
- 10 in. (Ten inches)
- 20 in. (Twenty inches)
- 4 ft. (Four feet)
17. How much depth-of-field do you have with the settings below?
- 10 ft. 2 in. (Ten feet and two inches)
- 28 ft. 9 in. (Twenty-eight feet and nine inches)
- 68 ft. 6 in. (Sixty-eight feet and six inches)
- Infinity
18. How much depth-of-field do you have with the settings below?
- 12 ft. 6 in. (Twelve feet and six inches)
- 13 ft. (Thirteen feet)
- 13 ft. 6 in. (Thirteen feet and six inches)
- 14 ft. (Fourteen feet)
19. How much depth-of-field do you have with the settings below?
- 4 in. (Six inches)
- 4 ft. (Four feet)
- 14 ft. (Fourteen feet)
- 40 ft. (Forty feet)
20. How much depth-of-field do you have with the settings below?
- 8 ft. 8 in. (Eight feet and eight inches)
- 18 ft. 8 in. (Eighteen feet and eight inches)
- 88 ft. 8 in. (Eighty-eight feet and eight inches)
- Infinity

Think You Understand Depth of Field? Take the Black and Blue DOF Test to Find Out

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 15:42:00 +0000

Think You Understand Depth of Field? Take the Black and Blue DOF Test to Find Out

Joe Marine

06.4.12 @ 1:29PM Tags : cinematography, depthoffield, dof

Here’s a little bit from Evan on the test:

So you just started using DSLRs and you think you’ve got an idea and you think you’ve got an idea about this newfangled “depth of field.” Or maybe you’re an experienced professional AC and you know the depth of field chart by heart for a 40mm Master Prime. Regardless of your experience level, depth of field is an extremely important concept to wrap your head around if you want to shoot with large sensor cameras (like those DSLRs you might be using DSLRs you might be using). Camera Assistant Evan Luzi over at The Black and Blue The Black and Blue has created a quiz with 20 questions to test quiz with 20 questions to test your depth of field knowledge.

Do you know what depth of field is? Are you able to calculate it with just the power of your mind?

Well, it’s time to put you to the test.

I’ve prepared a 20-question Depth of Field Quiz that’ll scrutinize your knowledge of the basic principles of DOF and your ability to accurately guess the amount of depth of field in camera setups.

It’s not easy — but I have a feeling you’re up to the challenge, so give it a shot:

Depth of field is an essential concept to understand in filmmaking — because if you want people to watch your film, it has to be in focus. Understanding how f-stops, sensor sizes, and distances affect the amount of your frame that is in acceptable focus is an important skill. The artistic choices that can result from expert knowledge of depth of field can enhance the effect that a shot has on the viewer. It’s very common to see super-shallow depth of field in videos online, but razor-thin depth of field is an artistic tool (and a possible by-product of no light and large sensors) like any other that can be used to your advantage. One of the better uses of the shallow depth of field caused by the gigantic sensor in the Canon 5D Mark II (same sensor size as the Canon 5D Mark III) was the season 6 finale of the television show House M.D., which used the depth of field to enhance the emotion in certain scenes.

On the other hand, deep depth of field — even though it has fallen out of fashion thanks to large sensor digital camera — is expertly used in the Orsen Welles film Citizen Kane. While that is the most famous example, there are plenty of films over the years that have utilized greater depth to their advantage. If you would like to see more examples of shallow depth of field used in a professional setting, the DPs of the Starz series Boss with Kelsey Grammer — which happens to be shot on the Arri Alexa — work almost exclusively at T1.3 or T2 with Arri/Zeiss Master Primes.

Does anyone have examples of movies or shows that utilize shallow or deep depth of field to their advantage? If so, feel free share them below in the comments.

7D support Current status

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 23:19:00 +0000

Magic Lantern Firmware Wiki

Random Page Wiki Activity

Watchlist Recent changes

7D support

Current status

7D under development

Added by Autopilot

Support for the Canon EOS 7D is almost frozen, having a running version of Magic Lantern might never happen.

Thanks to an anonymous donor we have a test 7D body and can produce a firmware dump from it.

The problem is handling the 2 instances of DryOS, one for each Digic. Currently we can generate signed firmware images and we have dumped the 7D's ROM for analysis, but we do not know how to hijack task execution on the Master/Slave (2 headed) DryOS instances. We are only able to produce a dumper and some debug functions. See See 7D_internals, 7d_intercom

Apply this bspatch to the 7D 1.1.0 firmware (instructions and details) to generate a dumper firmware with md5sum f9d720f38c7991f9526d4b34e21c7d7c. Follow the normal "Update Firmware" procedure to write out a ROM0.bin file with the memory starting at0xFF00_0000. The entry point is at 0xFF01_0000.

See 7d 1.2.3 dumper
we can produce a dumper for 1.2.5 if needed.

Available firmwaresEdit

EOS 7D fw 1.0.9 (19 Oct 2009)
EOS 7D fw 1.1.0 (5 Nov 2009)
EOS 7D fw 1.2.1 (15 Apr 2010)
EOS 7D fw 1.2.3 (25 Nov 2010)
EOS 7D fw 1.2.5 (26 Apr 2011)

http://www.canonrumors.com/2011/04/firmware-1-2-5-for-eos-7d

http://web.canon.jp/imaging/eosd/firm-e/eos7d/firmware.html

Downgrade from the last two versions available only through EOS Utility!

What we know:

Device ID 0x8000250
USB ID 0x319a

Further USB details in PTP page.

With New Magic Lantern Firmware, Canon DSLRs Get Real-Time HDR Video*

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Tue, 05 Jun 2012 23:14:00 +0000

With New Magic Lantern Firmware, Canon DSLRs Get Real-Time HDR Video*

Ryan Koo

12.21.11 @ 12:28PM Tags : canon, canon60d, canont2i, canont3i, dslr, firmware, hdr, hdrx, hdslr, magiclantern

Is real-time High Dynamic Range imaging, ala RED’sHDRx, coming to Canon DSLRs with the next version of Magic Lantern firmware? Well, yes and no — thus the asterisk. The system they’ve developed splits a 24p stream into two 12FPS exposures, one high and one low, and then interpolates the frames. It’s an interesting hack, demonstrated here:

It should be available tomorrow for the Canon 60D, T2i, and T3i. More details from the Vimeo User Group:

You will get two streams at half frame rate. For example, if you record 25p, you will get two 12.5fps streams. Interpolate them to 25fps and use your favorite HDR software to blend the frames. Our workflow is cross-platform and uses only free software: enfuse, AviSynth, InterFrame and VirtualDub… Will it work on 5D Mark II, 50D and 500D? Maybe. Right now there are some synchronization issues on these cameras. More details coming soon.

While this has a limited application, it looks like an interesting addition, and quite frankly even RED’s more advanced HDRx exposure hack has limited capabilities when shooting motion. More on that soon.

Also coming in the next firmware: variable frame rates. They are limits and the cameras can overheat quickly, but here’s a peak at the feature:

Link: Magic Lantern Wikia page (HDR feature should be available as of 12/22)

[via CheesyCam]

Seven Things I Wish I’d Have Known When I First Became A Photographer

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Tue, 29 May 2012 17:10:00 +0000

Seven Things I Wish I’d Have Known When I First Became A Photographer

MARCH 19, 2012

tags: Scott Bourne, Seven Things I Wish I'd Have Known When I First Became A Photographer

by scottbourne

Photo by Scott Bourne - Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons

They say you master something once you’ve made 10,000 mistakes doing it. If that’s true, then I must be a Grand Master at photography because I seem to have found a way to make 20,000 mistakes. As I talk with young people about photography some of the same misconceptions and questions come up over and over and I realized – I wish someone had taken the time to sit me down and share a few things with me when I first started out that would have saved me at least 5,000 of those mistakes. So here goes nothing. I’m going to let you know what I would have liked that advice to be.

1. Do not spend any time making serious photographs if you are not seriously passionate about it. Every bad photo I ever made started going bad because I wasn’t really into it. I was just going through the motions. It’s like kissing your sister so to speak. You have to care about what you are photographing, how it comes out and what story the image tells or you’re going to be disappointed.

2. Understanding how your camera REALLY works, as in every button, every switch, every menu and sub menu and sub, sub menu, will save your bacon over and over and over. The camera needs to be an extension of your eye – not something that gets between you and your subject. Learn how to use your camera and stop changing systems so often in the great hope that the NEXT big thing will make you better. It won’t. Learning how to get 100% out of what you have right now WILL!

3. Speaking of gear, focus as little as you can on gear and as much as you can on your subject, their story and how you’re going to share it. The “hey you take good pictures – you must have a good camera” line gets old. I guarantee you that it’s not the camera that makes the shot – it’s the photographer. It took me a VERY long time to figure this out. As a geek and a tech head I kept jumping into the science side of photography and the gear and the gadgets thinking THAT would save me. It didn’t. It sent me backwards. I now realize the gear is nothing more than the hammer looking for a naill.

4. Find the light first, the background second and the subject third. This statement will be controversial to many of you – some of you will yell at me because I said it. That’s because you haven’t made the 10,000 mistakes I had to make to understand it so go ahead and yell, but once you stop yelling pay attention and you’ll save yourself some pain. EVERYTHING starts with light. I can have the prettiest subject in ugly light and get no shot. And if the background is distracting, nobody notices the subject. So start with great light. Seek it out. Know it. Search for and yearn for it. Love it. Bathe in it. Dream about it. Then go find it in front of a nice clean background and THEN put your subject right there. You’ll win every time you do that.

5. If you photograph people or make pictures professionally understand that being nice is better than being good. When I listen to the people who primarily buy photographs (women are responsible for most portrait session purchases) they constantly refer to their photographer as nice. I rarely hear them say that he/she is good. My point is not that you don’t have to be good – you do. But concentrate on being nice. It took me far too long to realize how important this is and I am STILL working on it – as many of you can attest.

6. The best photographs in the world happen when the photographer or the subject or the viewer or some combination of the three are in a place where there is solid, real emotion and/or love. I know this sounds corny but if you can learn to love the subjects you photograph, you’ll take more care and make fewer mistakes. If you find real emotion in your work, you’ll cause others to feel those emotions. Thinking this doesn’t matter is the biggest photo-related mistake you can make. It took me 10 years of photography to understand this. Hopefully (and likely) you are smarter than me and you’ll get this right sooner than I did.

7. I have to stop this list somewhere so I’ll stop here with this. Understand that serious photography is about protecting memories, telling stories, keeping moments in time that have passed alive for the future and sharing all of the above. If you can think about that every time you press the shutter, you’ll make fewer mistakes and become a great photographer.

If I could have had this conversation with myself 30 years ago, I’d have become a good photographer MUCH sooner. I hope I at least helped you do that because it’s too late to do it for myself. I had to bungle through this crap on my own. No wonder I”m considered “cantankerous!”

Best wishes!

Adobe Creative Cloud

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 01:21:00 +0000

Adobe Creative Cloud Offers Access To Every CS6 App For $50 Per Month, Including Photoshop

Would you subscribe to your editing software instead of buying it?

BY STAN HORACZEK ON APRIL 23, 2012

ENLARGE

Have you been playing with the Photoshop CS6 beta that was released a couple weeks ago? We have. But today, Adobe announced official release and pricing info. Perhaps more interesting though, are the final details about their new all-you-can-app subscription service, Creative Cloud.

Creative Cloud gives you full access to any app that fits under the CS6 Master Collection, including the big boys like Photoshop Extended, Premiere Pro (video editing), AfterEffects (video and motion graphics), Lightroom (which will come at a later date) and several more. In addition to that, you also get a few new utilities like Typekit for safely using fonts on the web, Edge, which allows you to make animated HTML 5 files, and Muse, which allows you to design websites graphically and then generates the appropriate code for you.

The Creative Cloud also integrates tightly with the Photoshop Touch apps, so you can pull files from the Cloud to view or work on using your tablet as well as your computer. It's a nice conduit between the two platforms, which will only get more interesting as always-on internet becomes more prevalent, especially if we can get 4G speeds.

If you want the $50 monthly rate mentioned above, you have to be willing to sign up for the whole year. The month-to-month option raises the fee to $75. The price includes access to all the apps, software updates, and 20 GB of online storage for your projects. The storage piece is actually fairly interesting in that it lets users share projects with collaborators or clients using a fair bit of control.

Students and educators who qualify for educational pricing will be able to get access to the Creative Cloud for a discounted $30 monthly fee, which will also be extended as an introductory rate for users who are currently on CS3 or higher.

Of course, some users won't buy into the subscription-style pricing, and those users can expect to pay very familiar prices for the new software. Photoshop CS6 costs $699, while Photoshop CS6 Extended is $999. The full Master Collection is still $2,599, while the smaller industry-specific bundles check in at $1,299 or $1,899.

It will certainly be interesting to see how this pricing plan is received. This isn't the first time Adobe has implemented a subscription plan, but it is the first time they've offered an all-inclusive plan like this. With the additional publishing tools, it seems like an excellent deal for the working pro, but does this lower the barrier of entry enough for enthusiasts? Time will tell.

We'll bring you more information about Creative Cloud as well as Photoshop CS6 soon. They will both be available within the next 30 days. Here are the official press releases if you're into reading that kind of thing.

Canon 5D MK III vs Nikon D800 with Nathan Elson ( via TheCameraStoreTV )

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:53:00 +0000

Canon 5D MK III vs Nikon D800 with Nathan Elson ( via TheCameraStoreTV )

| Labels: equipment |

The Canon 5D MkIII and the Nikon D800 are two of the hottest cameras on the market so we put them to the test in our first of three videos. Local commercial photographer Nathan Elson (www.nathanelson.com) joins up with The Camera Store's Chris Niccolls to see how these two cameras stack up in the image quality department.

Special thanks to Mallory McGowan (www.MalloryMcGowan.com), our stylist for this shoot. Kevin Murray and Mark Langridge for their gracious assistance.

Gina Baccari and Alina Cox for being our models, happily working throughout difficult conditions. Special thanks also to Nathan Elson for helping with his photographic expertise and able co-hosting.

Shot and Edited by Jordan Drake
Filmed on the Nikon D4

Silver and light

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 01:08:00 +0000

noreply@blogger.com (Quote Me) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:48:00 +0000

Canon launches EOS 60Da DSLR for astrophotography

Apr 3, 2012 at 07:04:58 GMT

CAMERA NEWS ASTROPHOTOGRAPHY CANON

Canon has launched the EOS 60Da, a variant of its 60D DSLR tuned for astrophotography. The camera features a re-worked infra-red filter leaving the camera more sensitive to a specific emission frequency (656nm) of hydrogen, key to capturing images of features such as nebulae (gas clouds) in space. The 18MP camera continues where 2005's 8MP EOS 20Da left off. It will be available from a limited number of authorized dealers at a price of around $1499.00.

Press Release:

NEW CANON EOS 60Da DSLR CAMERA FOR ASTRONOMY ENTHUSIASTS CAPTURES THE TRUE COLORS OF THE COSMOS

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., April 3, 2012 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today introduced the EOS 60Da Digital SLR Camera, a long-awaited successor to the EOS 20Da that is optimized for astrophotography. This DSLR caters to astronomers and hobbyists who enjoy capturing the beauty of the night sky by offering a modified infrared filter and a low-noise sensor with heightened hydrogen-alpha sensitivity. These modifications allow the camera to capture magnificent photographs of “red hydrogen emission” nebulae and other cosmic phenomena.

“The EOS 60Da is a testament to the constant desire to meet the needs of every customer, including those in specialized fields,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies & Communications Group, Canon U.S.A., “This new camera enables an accurate depiction of a part of our solar system which is hard to achieve with conventional cameras but should be enjoyed and celebrated.”

The Canon EOS 60Da camera packs a powerful 18-megapixel CMOS sensor (APS-C) that produces sharp and high-contrast images of astronomical objects, a major enhancement over the EOS 20Da model’s 8.2-megapixel sensor. The improved infrared-blocking filter is a modification suited specifically toward astronomy enthusiasts to achieve a hydrogen-alpha light sensitivity that is approximately three times higher than that of a normal Canon DSLR camera. This produces a 20-percent higher transmittance of Hydrogen Alpha line, or Hα wavelength, allowing astronomers to capture crisp, clear images of reddish, diffuse nebulae.

Enhanced Features

Crisp images of the stars and planets can be viewed on the EOS 60Da’s improved 3.0-inch Clear View LCD screen with 1,040,000 dots for detailed focusing. The flip-out Vari-angle screen allows photographers to adjust the screen for easy viewing without straining even while the camera is mounted to a telescope via a third-party T-ring adapter. Optimized for stargazing with friends or in an educational setting, astronomy enthusiasts can connect the camera to a TV with the provided AVC-DC400ST Stereo AV Video Cable and display the night sky on a TV monitor using the camera’s Live View mode. Moreover, the EOS 60Da’s Live View mode is equipped with a Silent Shooting feature that eliminates shutter-induced vibration for maximum camera stability when the camera is mounted to a telescope or super-telephoto EF lens.

Enhanced noise reduction on the EOS 60Da sensor offers photographers the ability to experiment with the wide array of ISO settings and increased ISO speeds up to 6400 expandable to 12800. Other features include an intelligent nine-point autofocus system, full manual controls, and RAW, JPEG, and RAW+JPEG image recording capabilities.

Accessories

The EOS 60Da helps capture the wonders of the night sky with its use of Canon’s award-winning EF and EF-S lenses along with other EOS accessories. Additionally, the EOS 60Da is packaged with Canon’s RA-E3 Remote Controller Adapter, providing the ability to connect a Canon Timer Remote Control such as the TC-80N3 (optional accessory). The TC-80N3 is ideal for controlling time exposures longer than 30 seconds as well as capturing a series of consecutive time exposures that can be composited during post-processing for improved image quality. This is especially useful when the camera body is connected to a telescope[i] or an EF super telephoto lens.

Canon has also included an AC adapter kit with the EOS 60Da, allowing the camera to be powered through an AC wall outlet or a battery-powered inverter, ideal for long exposure image or video capture at home or in the field.

Availability

As a specialized product, the EOS 60Da is only available to order from select authorized dealers. The estimated retail price is $1,499.00 and it is expected to be available this month.

Maximus Photography

Life is like a Camera

7 Simple Photography Hacks

Composition....The 10 Second Rule

Tamron SP AF 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5 Di II LD Lens Review

Canon 7D vs. Nikon D7000

Reasons to buy the Nikon D7000

Reasons to buy the Canon EOS 7D

differences

Advantages of the Canon 7D

Advantages of the Nikon D7000

recommendations

Relative to the best recent DSLRs, and ignoring price

SmartDeblur

How To Transfer Prints To Wood

How To Transfer Prints To Wood: An Awesome Photography DIY Project

How To Transfer Prints To Wood: An Awesome Photography DIY Project

Step 1: Needed Supplies

Step 2: Finding A Print And Choosing A Look

Step 3: Getting A Print Made And Getting Some Wood

Step 4: Apply Gel Medium To Wood

Step 6: Finishing the Print

Step 7: Hanging The Print.

Conclusion

Nifty Fifties – Why I Love 50mm Prime Lenses

50mm prime lens vs. kit lens

Better image quality

Price

Wide maximum apertures

Getting the best out of a 50mm prime lens

Walk-around lens

Portraits

Close-up photography

Previous articles

Understanding Lenses: Part II

Why I Hate My Camera - Steve Giralt

An attepmt at something different

Canon Finally Addressing Audio in a New Firmware Update for the 7D

How Much Do Specs Matter?

How Much Do Specs Matter? A Real-World Canon 5D Mark III and Canon T2i Comparison

Canon EOS 7D From Wikipedia

Contents

[edit]Features

[edit]Autofocus and metering

[edit]Shutter

[edit]Ergonomics

[edit]Speed

[edit]Awards

[edit]Video

[edit]Accessories

[edit]Notable productions using the Canon EOS 7D

[edit]Film

[edit]Television

[edit]References

[edit]External links

Canon EOS 7D

Canon EOS 7D User Report

Shooting the Canon EOS 7D

Canon 7D Image Quality

Canon 7D vs Canon 50D at ISO 1,600

Understanding HDR Photography [Book Review]

Depth of Field Test

Basic Principles

1. Which camera or lens setting has no effect on depth-of-field?

2. When a point in the subject or scene registers also as a point on film or video, it is referred to as being __________.

3. True or false: the size of the finished film or video image (projected, TV, Internet) has an effect on acceptable focus?

4. What is the approximate ratio of depth-of-field in front of and behind a subject you are focused on?

5. What is the closest distance at which the far limit of depth-of-field extends to infinity called?

6. Stopping down the lens __________ depth-of-field.

7. Opening up the iris of a lens __________ depth-of-field.

8. Getting closer to the subject you’re focusing on __________ depth-of-field.

9. Adding a filter in front of the lens without adjusting the exposure __________ depth-of-field.

10. Using a 35mm film camera as opposed to a 16mm film camera for the exact same shot would cause depth-of-field to __________.

Guess the Depth-of-Field

11. How much depth-of-field do you have with the settings below?

12. How much depth-of-field do you have with the settings below?

13. How much depth-of-field do you have with the settings below?

14. How much depth-of-field do you have with the settings below?

15. How much depth-of-field do you have with the settings below?

16. How much depth-of-field do you have with the settings below?