Hasta La Gadget!

Professional photographers know the drill: every few years, Canon or Nikon announces a game-changing DSLR, often prompting top photogs to unload their complete kits and switch to another system in a never-ending attempt to shoot with the best. This time, Canon is first out of the gate, with its flagship EOS-1D X — the latest in a series that dates back to 2001 with the EOS-1D. As you’ve probably noticed, the company’s new top model looks virtually identical to its decade-old ancestor, but is otherwise a far cry from that four megapixel CCD sensor-sporting dinosaur. We’ve been anxiously awaiting an opportunity to check out Canon’s new $6,800 18.1 megapixel full-frame model since first getting word of the beastly camera last week, and just had a chance to go hands-on during the company’s Pro Solutions event in London. Jump past the break for our impressions and a video walkthrough.

Continue reading Canon EOS-1D X first hands-on (video)

Canon EOS-1D X first hands-on (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 25 Oct 2011 07:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No, the iPhone 4S won't replace your pricy DSLR, but it does take great HD video. Image: Robino Films

The iPhone 4S is receiving rave reviews for its fantastic camera, which can record surprisingly good video at 1080p. One videographer, in fact, was so impressed with the camera’s performance, he decided to test how it measures up to a full-fledged DSLR camera used for HD video capture.

Robino Films compared the HD video shot with an iPhone 4S with the video from a Canon 5D MK II, a popular DSLR, on similar settings. The iPhone 4S, which can shoot 1080p video at 30 frames per second, could theoretically give amateurs a great way to capture high-quality video, even in various tricky lighting situations — much like the iPhone 4 did for still photography.

“I was blown away by how good the video quality was,” said Robino Jones of the iPhone 4S’ video capabilities. “The resolution was nice. There was very little aliasing and moire was not visible. I really think that Apple made an amazing 1080p video camera, and to be able to carry that much power in your pocket is awesome.”

Knowing that the iPhone was “crippled” in comparison to the DSLR, Robino did his best to use similar settings when comparing the two cameras. The Canon 5D Mark II was set with an ISO of 160 to 640 and an F-stop of 7 to 22 (varied to match that of the iPhone). The DSLR was also set to a shutter speed of 1/60 of a second, automatic white balance, standard picture style, and 1080p at 30 fps.

Despite its great-for-a-smartphone camera specs (which we describe below), Robino Films said the iPhone fell short of the DSLR in six areas: compression (the iPhone 4S produces noisy video, even in daytime shots); sensor size (the iPhone’s is extremely small); lens quality (great for a smartphone, but nowhere near that of a DSLR); and the inability to adjust frame rate, shutter speed or picture style. However, Jones said, “the iPhone 4S is holding very well against the 5D’s standard picture style.” The smartphone also produces a warmer image overall.

Jones said the iPhone scores points on resolution (which is better than on the 5D) and portability. He also praised really great dynamic range. The 5D’s video has a softer overall look, and more aliasing and moire.

In a comment on Vimeo, Jones said, “This test is really only to show that the 4S is coming close to the 5D but in NO WAY is it better. The iPhone is a great 1080p pocket camera and shows us where technology is heading. Give it two, three years, and we should see some interesting micro high performance cameras.”

As for the iPhone camera of today, the 4S features impressive specs. It shoots 1080p video with real-time image stabilization (to help mitigate the problems of a wobbly hand) as well as temporal noise reduction (to enhance low-light capture). The camera boasts a maximum aperture of f/2.4 and five lenses for sharper, brighter photos with a shallower field of focus. A backside-illuminated sensor paired with an image-processor on the phone’s A5 chip help things run quickly and smoothly.

Check out the video below to see how the iPhone 4S and Canon 5D Mark II’s 1080p video footage measures up side-by-side. Vimeo’s HD content only goes up to 720p, but you can download the 1080p footage to check it out yourself.

iPhone 4S / Canon 5d MKII Side by Side Comparison from Robino Films on Vimeo.

via TUAW

Stick a piece of gaffer tape over the unmistakable X, and Canon’s latest EOS-1D pro-level camera will look virtually identical to every 1D model that came before it. But once you flip up the power slider, this new king of the jungle will hum like no other. Canon’s phenomenally powerful EOS-1D X really sounds like the DSLR to rule them all. Its 18 megapixel full-frame sensor uses oversized pixels to battle noise and is supported by a pair of Digic 5+ imaging processors, which also help drive a 61-point high density reticular AF system, a top ISO setting of 204,000 (51,200 native), a 252-zone metering system, a 14 fps JPEG (or 12 fps RAW) burst mode and a built-in wired gigabit LAN connection, for remote shooting and image transfer. The camera’s curious single-letter name represents a trio of industry milestones: the X is the 10th generation Canon professional SLR (dating back to the F1 in the 1970s), it’s a crossover model, filling in for both the 1D Mark IV and 1Ds Mark III (which has been discontinued), and, well, it sounds to be pretty darn “Xtreme.”

The 1D X is being marketed to every category of professional photographer, from commercial studio shooters to newspaper photogs. It’s familiar, with a similar control layout, yet different, thanks to its completely redesigned system menu — accessed using the 3.2-inch, 1,040,000-dot LCD. There’s also an incredibly sharp intelligent optical viewfinder, with an on-demand grid, AF status indicator, a dual-axis electronic level and a shooting mode readout. Video shooters can choose between 1080p video capture at 24 (23.97), 25 or 30 fps, or 720p at 50 or 60 fps. Canon has also eliminated the 4GB clip limit, though individual clips are limited to 29:59, in order to avoid European tax rates affecting HD cameras that can capture single HD video clips longer than 30 minutes. We’re anxiously awaiting a chance to go hands-on with the EOS-1D X, and you’ll have to wait until March before adding this $6,800 beauty to your gear collection, but jump past the break for the meaty rundown from Canon, and click through the rather thin product gallery below.

Continue reading Canon announces EOS-1D X: full-frame 18MP sensor, 14 fps, 204,800 top ISO, $6,800 price tag

Canon announces EOS-1D X: full-frame 18MP sensor, 14 fps, 204,800 top ISO, $6,800 price tag originally appeared on Engadget on Tue, 18 Oct 2011 01:00:00 EDT. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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For $100, you get what you see above the knurled knob. Everything else is extra

It seems that movie makers just aren’t happy unless they’re spending the same sky-high sums on gear as they used to before DSLRs shot great, high-quality video. Luckily, companies like LockCircle exist to bleed their money from them, one over-specced accessory at a time.

Joining the LockCircle — a $100 body cap for Canon SLRs — comes the LockPort, a $100 HDMI adapter for the Canon 5D MkII. This adapter consists of a thick plate that screws into the tripod mount, and a “rock-solid” adapter which slides snugly into the HDMI port on the side of the camera, offering a full-sized HDMI socket at 90-degrees to the original. The adapter also clamps down onto a RedRock Micro DSLR Baseplate, should you have one, to integrate with a full RedRock system.

The idea is that the constant plugging and unplugging of cables can harm the poor port, and as the port will cost more than $100 to have repaired, this adapter becomes a bargain.

And this reveals the reason for the high-priced gear used by the pro filmmakers. They need it to work, not to break, and if paying a lot of money guarantees performance, then it probably is a bargain. The 5D MkII version is already available, with a 7D version on its way.

LockPort product page [LockCircle]

See Also:

• LockCircle, a $100 Body Cap for Canon
• RedRock Micro
• MicroRemote Uses iPhone to Keep Movies in Focus
• Nano' Mounts Turn SLRs into Movie-Cameras on the Cheap …

It’s not pretty, but it’ll get the job done

One thing I love about Micro Four Thirds cameras is that you can mount all kinds of lenses on them using simple, cheap adapters. In fact, I’m just about to sell my Nikon D700 because I almost never use it, but I’m keeping my lenses to use on a Panasonic GF1.

But until now, Canon users had to without aperture control when using lenses on other bodies. Canon EF mount lenses need power to activate their aperture leaves, and passive adapters simply leave the lenses stuck wide open. RedRock Micro solves this with the LiveLens Active Mount, a powered converter that lets you use your lens as it was supposed to be.

Aperture is controlled by a panel on the adapter itself, not by the camera. You do lose autofocus functions, but as the adapter is primarily meant for people shooting video, you’ll be focusing manually anyway.

The LiveLens is pretty expensive, at $488. This compares to sub-$50 passive adapters. Given that Canon owners looking to shoot pro-level video will likely opt for a Canon body, the market for this seems small. If you’re starting from scratch, it would be much smarter to choose a cheaper Nikon adapter and pick from the larger range of second-hand Nikon glass which still have manual aperture rings.

Still, it’s kinda neat, and perhaps signals the day where old SLR lenses can sit on Micro Four Thirds bodies with all electronic functions intact.

LiveLens MFT Active Lens Mount [RedRock Micro via Derrick Story]

See Also:

• Nano' Mounts Turn SLRs into Movie-Cameras on the Cheap …
• Leaked Sony Lens Adapter Has Mirror and Speed-Boosting AF …
• Lens Adapters Put Leica, Nikon, Canon Lenses on Sony NEX …