Things are never boring in the world of digital SLRs especially with combatants like Canon and Nikon vying for world supremacy! Canon’s latest blow is the announcement of its brand new top-end digital SLR for professional photographers, the Canon EOS-1D X. With jaw-dropping features such as ability to shoot autofocus at 12 fps, being powered by two of the new DiG!C 5+ image processors, ISO range up to 51200, 61 AF points, full HD movie video industry compliant recording capability and all in glorious full-frame 18.1 MP, Canon have yet again set the standard for all to follow.

continue reading "Canon Announce the Canon EOS-1D X Digital SLR: My Next Camera?"

I am a huge fan of my Canon 5D Mark II digital SLR. I become an even happier fanboy with the availability of new Canon 5D Mark II firmware that will allow me to record 1080p videos at amazing frame rates (see below). Other major enhancements are related to sound, display options and communication bug fixes.

Thank you Canon.

Firmware Version 2.0.3 incorporates five enhancements to the movie function and a fix to the manual sensor cleaning function of the EOS 5D Mark II camera.

1. Adds or changes the following movie frame rates.
   • 1920×1080 : 30 fps (changed – actual 29.97 fps)
   • 1920×1080 : 24 fps (added – actual 23.976 fps)
   • 640×480 : 30 fps (changed – actual 29.97 fps)
   • 1920×1080 : 25 fps (added – actual 25.0 fps)
   • 1920×1080 : 24 fps (added – actual 23.976 fps)
   • 640×480 : 25 fps (added – actual 25.0 fps)

NTSC: PAL:

2. Adds a function for manually adjusting the sound recording level (64 levels).
3. Adds a histogram display (brightness or RGB) for shooting movies in manual exposure.
4. Adds shutter-priority AE mode (Tv) and aperture-priority AE (Av) mode to the exposure modes for shooting movies.
5. Changes the audio sampling frequency from 44.1 KHz to 48 KHz.
6. Fixes a phenomenon where communication between the camera and the attached lens is sometimes interrupted after manual sensor cleaning. (This phenomenon only affects units with Firmware Version 1.2.4.)

Firmware Version 2.0.3 is for cameras with firmware up to version 1.2.4. If the camera’s firmware is already version 2.0.3, it is not necessary to update the firmware.

Movies captured using EOS 5D Mark II cameras with Firmware Version 1.1.0 to 1.2.4 can be played back on cameras updated with Firmware Version 2.0.3. However, if you try to play back movies captured with a camera with the new firmare on a camera with a previous firmare version, a message, Cannot play back image, appears on the camera’s LCD monitor.

It is recommended that you use the latest Canon applications*1 to edit movies captured with EOS 5D Mark II cameras that have the latest firmare because some previous versions do not support movie-editing functions and the frame rates that are added or changed by the latest firmware. You can download the latest Canon applications from our Web site.
*1 ZoomBrowser EX Version 6.5.0 or later (compatible operating systems : Windows XP/Vista/7)
ImageBrowser Version 6.5.0 or later (compatible operating systems : Mac OS X v10.4/10.5/10.6)

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Firmware Update.

Yes. Just got off the phone with JB HiFi in Melbourne and they have assured me that stock of the eagerly anticipated Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR is slowly trickling in. I pre-ordered approximately 4 weeks ago and I am 13th on the list. Hopefully I’ll be giving some feedback on this spanking camera in the latter part of this week.

What makes the Canon EOS 5D Mark II so special?

There are many minor improvements with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II that I’ve talked about over the last couple of months, but for me the deal-clincher was the ability to record HD movies. Here’s one of the latest Canon 5D Mark II videos by Vincent LaForet -it is a MUST see.

For a thorough run-down on the Canon 5D Mark II and it’s specifications please check out this page at Digital Photography Review.

Our Setting was pretty simple, we use a Canon 5D Mark II, with the following Canon lenses :
- 14mm f2.8L II
- 17-40mm f4L
- 50mm f1.4
- 90mm TS-E f2.8
- 135mm f2.0L

Akihabara News .com via Engadget

Our friends at Engadget were tipped off on another salivating Canon EOS 5D Mark II tidbit: it can display the capacities of multiple LP-E6 batteries!

continue reading "Canon’s 5D Mark II displays multiple LP-E6 battery capacities"

You know when your interest in digital SLRs becomes an unhealthy obsession when you release weird sounds and salivate at news of a release of a new model. In my case, official news of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR triggered the aforementioned phenomenon. Earlier this year, it was news of the Canon 1Ds Mark III…

I’ve been wanting a full-frame SLR for a couple of years now but two things have held me back: price and skill. Although some may view the US$2699 price-tag as over-the-top, avid digital SLR photographers will know that for all the features that come with the Canon 5D Mark II, it’s actually good value. As for my skill, well that’s something that still needs work, but I believe after 3 years practicing on my Canon 350D aka Rebel, I at least have a better understanding of the basics: composition, shutter-speed, aperture and lighting.

continue reading "Canon 5D Mark II Digital SLR Details : Grunt, drool, WOOT!"