Expert Advice From Pros On Picking The Best ISO Rating
August 11, 2011
ISO Ratings and Nature
Nature photographers usually have to contend with poor lighting conditions and subject movement. While a fast shutter speed is essential to freeze movement and eliminate camera shake, exposure is compromised for photographers to shoot.
Since flash is usually the last option because of its tendency to destroy the natural feel, raising the ISO is an option. While we avoid using anything above ISO 800, a sufficient ISO would be ISO 400, especially when combined with an image stabilizing lens. But in a worst case scenario, a slightly noisy image is nearly always preferable over a blurred one.
ISO Ratings and Portraits
While the general rule of thumb is to bump up the ISO rating when conditions are dark and knock it down when it is bright, when it comes to portraits, depth of field plays a part. Since the optimum aperture is usually known, ISO ratings are adjusted to ensure that photographers have a workable shutter speed for the shooting conditions and to avoid camera shake.
Shooting a single child can allow photographers to get away with very low ISO ratings but shooting a couple of people together will require a great depth of field and medium ISO rating (about ISO 400).
ISO Ratings and Landscapes
When shooting landscapes, photographers are usually armed with tripods. Hence, a small aperture and low ISO is great despite the slow shutter speeds.
Plants shot on a windy day with a slow shutter speed can display movement in an image, while shooting animals will require a slightly higher ISO rating to compensate for the small aperture and maximum depth of field.
At the end of the day, landscape photography is about keeping a balance between the highest quality image and the most aesthetically pleasing effect.
Canon Will Exhibit The Prototype Of A New Super-Telephoto Zoom Lens At The CP+ Event: The EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXTENDER 1.4x Lens
March 20, 2011
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., February 7, 2011 – Canon Inc. today announced the development of a new super-telephoto lens, the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXTENDER l.4x, for use with all EOS SLR cameras. A prototype of the new lens will be exhibited at the CP+ tradeshow, held in Pacifico Yokohama, from February 9 – 12, 2011.
The EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXTENDER l.4x is being developed as an L-series super-telephoto lens with an integrated 1.4x extender and high-performance Image Stabilizer technology. The new lens will offer exceptional flexibility by incorporating a built-in 1.4x extender that increases the maximum focal length to 560mm for sports and wildlife photography. High-quality images with high levels of resolution and contrast will be possible through the use of advanced optical materials such as fluorite crystal. The new lens will also include dust- and water-resistant construction designed for extended usage under harsh conditions.
Canon will continue to respond to the needs of various users ranging from beginners and advanced amateurs to professional photographers, in an effort to enrich their photographic expression with SLR cameras by continuing to develop attractive new lenses with improved optical technology.
Source : Canon USA
Canon Empowers The Masses To Take Better Photographs And Video With The New EOS Rebel T3i And EOS Rebel T3 Digital SLR Cameras
March 2, 2011
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., February 7, 2011 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announced the EOS Rebel T3i and EOS Rebel T3 Digital SLR Cameras, providing numerous intelligent high-end features at attractive price points. Complementing the award-winning EOS Rebel T2i DSLR, the EOS Rebel T3i, Canon’s new flagship Rebel, offers fun and easy-to-use features for beginning photographers, and the EOS Rebel T3 provides a more attractively priced option for those looking to experience the pleasure of shooting with a DSLR camera. For the young enthusiast learning photography or the adult looking to learn more, Canon’s new Feature Guide instruction will walk Rebel T3i users through functions and provide recommendations for various settings, a great hands-on learning tool. Point-and-Shoot users looking to step-up to a DSLR will enjoy the T3i camera’s Scene Intelligent Auto mode, the most intuitive automatic camera mode available in a Canon Rebel camera to date, providing complete scene analysis and optimized settings. One of the most sought-after and requested features for a DSLR camera is now part of the new EOS Rebel T3i, Canon’s three-inch Vari-Angle Clear View LCD screen, ideal for properly composing those difficult overhead shots. Comfortable, lightweight and affordable, Canon’s new EOS Rebel T3 is a great camera to welcome users to the world of DSLR photography.
“Everyone today is a photographer, and for those looking to capture stunning images and do more with photography, Canon has introduced the EOS Rebel T3i and T3, offering the right balance of high-end features and easy-to-use guidance at a great price. So regardless of experience level or budget, there is a Canon Rebel camera suited to a user’s needs and lifestyle,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Imaging Technologies and Communications Group, Canon U.S.A.
Boasting Canon’s EOS HD video capture, 18-megapixel resolution, a three-inch Vari-Angle Clear View LCD screen, new Scene Intelligent Auto, new Video Snapshot technology and new Feature Guide instruction, the EOS Rebel T3i DSLR has plenty of reasons for Mom and Dad to step up to a DSLR. Canon’s new EOS Rebel T3 DSLR camera offers users a small, lightweight interchangeable lens camera with fun options. The Rebel T3 features HD movie capture, 12-megapixel resolution and Canon’s new informative Feature Guide, to help educate and instruct users as they capture great images, along with the inherent speed and low-light image quality of a Canon DSLR camera. Both new Rebel models are compatible with Canon’s complete line of more than 60 Canon EF and EF-S lenses.
Source : Canon USA
Read the full Canon EOS Rebel T3 review now.
Underwater Photography Tips : How to Choose an Underwater Housing
July 24, 2010
While most camera manufacturers do not offer underwater housing for their SLR or DSLR cameras (Canon does make underwater accessories for most PowerShot models), a variety of third-party companies do. Many of these speciality companies offer dedicated underwater housings, each with different specifications and capabilities depending on the camera they are designed for. Housings are generally constructed of acrylic or aluminum. The former are generally less expensive but are sometimes a little bulkier than their aluminum counterparts and may be a little less durable. Depending on your camera model, you may not have a choice but both materials are perfectly acceptable.
A more important factor to consider is the depth rating. At best, if you take the housing deeper than it’s rated, the camera controls won’t work. At worst, the housing can leak or implode. Consider that, at the surface, air pressure is 14.7 psi (pounds per square inch). Pressure doubles at 33 feet underwater and increases by 14.7 psi for each additional 33 feet of depth. Dive to the bottom of a swimming pool to about 12 feet and you’ll feel the pressure difference in your ears. That gives you a hint about how much pressure your housing needs to withstand to operate at depth. If you’re only going to snorkel, you should be able to get away with a depth rating of about 33 feet (as long as you don’t do any deep free diving). Many DSLR housings have a depth rating of between 200-300 feet, which is deeper than most scuba divers dive but provides a good safety margin for the housing.
After depth rating, perhaps the most important aspect to consider is which controls can be operated when the camera body is in the housing. Check out several different housings to see which one best meet your needs, especially if you plan to use many of the camera’s manual or advanced features. Get some hands-on time with the housing if you can or examine a diagram to see how the controls are positioned. You want control positioning that falls naturally within reach while your hands remain on the housing’s handles.
With the advent of Live View, underwater photographers have another option for composing a shot. Keep in mind, though, that autofocus isn’t as fast with Live View but it does make for easier composing. If your camera is equipped with Live View, test it out to see whether it works for you. Otherwise, you can easily use the camera’s optical viewfinder. Although your eye is separated from the optical viewfinder by the housing and your mask, most housings come with a built-in optical system that provides increased eye relief. This magnification allows you to see the entire image in the viewfinder.
You’ll also need to decide what type(s) of ports to purchase for your housing. Each manufacturer has slightly different specifications and provides a list that matches ports and lenses. Generally, though, you’ll need a dome port for wide angle lenses and a flat port for macro lenses.
Source : Canon.com
Lens of the Month : EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM
June 2, 2010
Many critical photographers have asked for a lighter version of Canon’s popular EF 70-200mm f/2.8 design – with all its virtues of superb optics and durable professional build quality but in a lighter and easier-to-handle package. Here it is: the EF 70-200mm f/4L IS, with up to four stops of stabilization correction, and nearly two pounds lighter than the f/2.8 version.
The 70-200mm f/4L IS lens offers spectacular image quality, and combines that with the real-world advantages of image stabilization, for sharper pictures in hand-held situations at slower shutter speeds. Along with that, it focuses nearly 1 foot closer than the f/2.8 lens, and is far easier to transport, handle and hand-hold. Like the f/2.8 version, it’s compatible with both Canon’s 1.4x II and 2x II tele extenders, for added versatility. It’s impossible to overstate the benefits of this lens to the location shooter who needs portability: it’s a supremely sharp answer for telephoto shooting in the medium telephoto range.
A key to its outstanding sharpness is a large-diameter Fluorite lens element, rare even among L-series zoom lenses and an optical technology unique to Canon among SLR makers. Combined with two UD-glass elements, the result is outstanding contrast and sharpness, even at wide apertures. The lens close-focuses to under four feet – extremely impressive for a lens of this type, and of course it has Canon’s powerful ring-type Ultrasonic Motor for fast, silent AF performance. Finally, nothing has been sacrificed in terms of strength and build quality to keep size and weight down: this is a durable lens with all-metal external construction as well as for key internal components such as focus helicoids, and it offers weather- and dust-resistant gaskets and seals for maximum durability even in harsh environments.
Source: Canon U.S.A.
Master Fill-In Flash: Use Your Pop-Up Flash to Fix Ugly Shadows
June 2, 2010
Fill-in flash is not only one of the easiest flash techniques to master, it will also instantly give your shots a pro edge. And the best part is you won’t have to spend an extra cent on it. You can use your camera’s in-built flash!
It might seem odd, but fill-flash is actually a technique best used in broad daylight – in fact, the brighter it is the more likely that you’ll need to use it. You might solicit some odd looks from non-photographers as you activate your flash in the bright sunlight, but they won’t have realised your photographic brilliance!
Imagine you’re shooting a portrait in the midday light. Unless you’re in an area of open shade, the chances are that the direct, bright sunlight will cause heavy shadows to fall on your subject’s face. These can often be too harsh and unsightly, especially under the eyes.
It’s easy to eliminate these shadows by activating the pop-up flash and using it to ‘fill’ areas of shadow. You could use a flashgun, but the pop-up will be powerful enough on most occasions and saves you carrying additional gear when you’re out and about.
The majority of DSLRs have a flash compensation function, very similar to the Exposure Compensation feature, and this can be used to alter the intensity of the flash. You’ll find that in extremely bright situations you may need to add extra power by dialling-in plus one or more stops of flash compensation.
This can also have the effect of darkening the background of your scene, which can add drama to your shot.
Source: Digital Camera Magazine
Lens of the Month : Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
April 28, 2010
For decades, the classic 50mm fixed focal length lens was regarded as the ideal standard lens for SLR photography. Its natural perspective conforms to human vision, and the compact size and wide maximum apertures of 50mm lenses means there’s almost nowhere that a photographer can’t bring one and shoot pictures with one. In today’s digital SLR world, the Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 lens continues to be characterized by these virtues. With a full-frame digital SLR such as the EOS 1-Ds Mark III or EOS 5D Mark II, this lens produces natural-looking images and lends itself to shots without flash in low-light conditions. Equally important in today’s world are the lens’s characteristics when used on small-chip cameras, such as an EOS 50D or Rebel series model: it’s effectively converted into an 80mm f/1.4 lens that’s almost perfect for portraits, indoors or out, as well as candid images in situations such as wedding photography.
This affordable lens provides great image quality, and does so using a classic Gauss-type optical design. While it’s not an L-series lens, it’s been noted for years for its clarity and sharpness, and of course for its ability to shoot in super low-light conditions, without stretching the budget of most serious photo enthusiasts. It focuses down to about 1.5 feet (0.45m), where it can fill the frame with a subject about the size of a small flower arrangement, when mounted on a full-frame camera. As with so many fixed focal length lenses, its performance, compact size and relative affordability makes it a great addition to zoom lenses that photographers may already own.
Source : Canon
The New Canon Rebel T2i Digital SLR Takes Aspiring Photographers Beyond The Still With Advanced Video Features
March 3, 2010
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., February 8, 2010 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today introduced the new flagship model for the Company’s highly popular Rebel DSLR line: the Canon EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR camera. Today’s photo enthusiast is looking for a camera that will grow with them as they learn, and that is a perfect description of the new EOS Rebel T2i Digital SLR camera. Retaining all of the traditional characteristics that have made the EOS Rebel series beloved by entry-level photographers and an industry best-seller, the new Rebel T2i succeeds in bridging the gap between an entry-level camera and a true pro-sumer camera.
The Rebel T2i Digital SLR camera includes a variety of new features for photographic assignments as varied as grabbing that action shot from the sidelines or creating memorable family portraits, including: 3.7 fps shooting, an ISO range of 100-6400 (expandable to 12,800), a 63-zone Dual Layer Metering System, and Canon’s DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor. There are some moments in our lives where video helps capture the moment better than a still image, and the Rebel T2i offers the best of both worlds with Full HD 1080p video as well as 18-megapixel still images. The Rebel T2i DSLR continues Canon’s industry-leading trend in Full HD DSLR video capture with manual exposure control, selectable frame rates and a new external microphone input. There is also a new feature for standard definition recording, Movie Crop, which provides an approximate 7x additional zoom with no loss of image quality when shooting SD quality video.
“There is no question that HD video is the biggest trend in DSLR technology and because of this we are seeing the creativity of still photographers transferring to the moving image. Still photographers are using the various lenses and accessories they are already familiar with to create amazing video footage,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. “Taking that HD video quality and putting it in the hands of entry-level photographers with cameras like our new EOS Rebel T2i, we are seeing a new generation of creative digital artists emerge.”
Source : Canon Press Room
The New Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR
December 5, 2009
LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., October 20, 2009 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, is proud to introduce the next evolution in the EOS 1D series of cameras: the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR camera. The EOS-1D Mark IV is a high-speed multimedia performance monster with a 16-megapixel Canon CMOS sensor, Dual DIGIC 4 Imaging Processors, and 14-bit A/D data conversion, all at 10 frames-per-second (fps), with the widest ISO range Canon has produced to date. This new camera also features 1080p Full High-Definition video capture at selectable frame rates packaged in Canon’s most rugged and durable professional camera body.
The crowning achievement of Canon’s 1D Mark IV Digital SLR is its new autofocus system that starts with 45 AF points including 39 high-precision cross-type focusing points capable of tracking fast moving athletes or wildlife accurately at speeds up to 10 frames per second. With greater subject detection capability than ever before plus a newly redesigned AI Servo II AF predictive focusing algorithm, the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV camera sets new standards for autofocus performance among professional digital SLRs. Whether shooting for the six o’clock news or the front page, the EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR is the quintessential camera to freeze fast-moving action with high-speed stills or capture stunning HD video with dynamic color and image quality. To accompany the new EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR camera, Canon is also announcing a new accessory, the WFT-E2 II A wireless file transmitter providing photographers with a wide range of professional digital connectivity options.
“Canon works hard to be the imaging leader in all our business endeavors. This goal has fueled our innovation and R&D efforts to engineer the most advanced autofocus system Canon has ever produced. We are proud to announce the camera that will deliver the ultimate in imaging quality to professionals working in all areas of multimedia imaging, whether it’s action photography, photojournalism or HD video and cinematography,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A.
The Canon EOS-1D Mark IV camera will intrigue professional photographers in virtually every category from photojournalism and sports through nature, wedding, portrait and fashion to commercial, industrial and law enforcement. What makes the EOS-1D Mark IV camera different from its predecessors, in addition to numerous focusing system and image quality improvements, is its exceptional Full HD video capture capability. With this new level of functionality, the 1D Mark IV Digital SLR is destined to appeal not only to professional still photographers but also to a diverse market of professional videographers and filmmakers who are looking for exceptional Full HD video quality, amazing low-light performance, outstanding portability and a level of durability unheard of in most HD video cameras in this price range.
Read the full Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Review.
Source : Canon Press Room
Carl Zeiss announces 18mm F3.5 for Canon
October 16, 2009
OBERKOCHEN/Germany, 14.09.2009. : Whether shooting the elegant lines of the Eiffel Tower or the vast expanses of the Grand Canyon, both situations require a lens field wide enough to reveal the unique and full dimensions of each image. With the new Distagon T* 3,5/18 from Carl Zeiss, EOS camera users now have an ultra-wide-angle lens at their disposal while benefiting from all the other optical qualities that ZEISS lenses are well-known for.
The lens’s extremely wide 99°-angle view is suitable especially for full-frame sensor cameras, delivering an array of new creative possibilities. From landscape and architecture photography to advertising images, cameras equipped with the new Carl Zeiss wide-angle lens meticulously capture once-only moments and spectacular perspectives.
Despite its short focal length, the Distagon T* 3,5/18 ZE has an extremely compact design compared to other zoom lenses in its category. Internal focusing also helps to reduce its size while delivering extremely precise and smooth focus control.
To prevent image aberrations during close-ups, internal lens groups are repositioned individually during focusing in what is called a floating elements design. This allows the Distagon T* 3,5/18 ZE to deliver exceptionally high quality—from extreme close-ups to infinity. Thanks to the ZEISS T*s anti-reflective coating and meticulously crafted lenses, the ZEISS T* is not affected by reflections or stray light. The result: razor-sharp images even under the toughest lighting conditions or with wide aperture settings.
Following the Planar T* 1,4/50 ZE and 1,4/85 ZE, already long cherished by photographers around the world, the Distagon T* 3,5/18 ZE is the first wide-range lens with EF bayonet mount on the market.
The Distagon T* 3,5/18 ZE will be available in autumn 2009 at a suggested retail price of EUR 1,049.00 (excluding VAT)*.
Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 3.5/18 specifications
Focal length : 18 mm
Diagonal Angle of view : 99º
Maximum aperture : F3.5
Minimum aperture : F22
Lens Construction : 13 elements/11 groups
Minimum focus : 30 cm
Maximum Magnification Ratio : 1:12
Filter thread : 82 mm
Supplied accessories : Front and rear caps, Lens Hood
Lens Mount : ZF (F bayonet), ZK (K bayonet), ZE (EF bayonet)
Source : dpreview.com