Hasta La Gadget!

We thought the vast majority of our EOS 7D’s image problems were over, fixed in November’s firmware, but just to nip any final nuances in the bud, Canon’s released another update for the DSLR that fixes, among other things, “a phenomenon in which vertical magenta-colored banding appears in still images taken in movie-shooting mode.” And here you thought your MGMT concert footage was just naturally that stylish. Download via the source link.

[Thanks, Daniel]

Canon EOS 7D firmware kills the magenta phenomenon originally appeared on Engadget on Sat, 17 Apr 2010 07:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Got a first-gen iPhone with nothing to do and nothing to hope for? Don’t throw it out just yet, you might be able to recycle it as an extremely fancy readout display for the Redrock Micro “focus control system.” The microRemote is, fundamentally, a focus ring detached from the DSLR it controls. It can operate all by its lonesome, but the big attraction here is adding an iPhone or iPod touch to provide visual clues to the aspiring focus master. You get aperture, zoom, and some focusing assists on the display, and then make your selection using some familiar twirling action on the knob to the side. Starting at around $1,000 this summer, this setup can hardly be considered an impulse buy, but we’re sure somebody somewhere has a usage scenario that would justify the cash layout. Check out the microRemote on video after the break.

Continue reading microRemote DSLR focus controller uses iPhone for visual readouts (video)

microRemote DSLR focus controller uses iPhone for visual readouts (video) originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 14 Apr 2010 05:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s half retro, half compact, and chock full of adventure. It’s Olympus’ PEN E-PL1, and it’s the first Micro Four Thirds camera from the company to boast an MSRP that you aren’t terrified to tell your friends about. We’ve spent some quality time with one here over the past month or so, and aside from a few minor quirks, we were fairly pleased with the overall package. But let’s be frank — that’s absolutely not why you’re here. You’re here to tell us how you’d change things if given the chance, and how you’d differentiate the E-PL1 from all those wannabes that seem to crop up every other month. Bump the megapixels? Improve the ISO performance? Offer it in neon green? The sky’s the limit, and comments are the place to dream.

How would you change Olympus’ E-PL1? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 09 Apr 2010 23:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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We know, you’re packing furiously for your next shoot tomorrow, but look — you need to sit back for 12 seconds, give this article a once-over, chime in below and take one of the biggest sighs of your life. As unprepared as you feel, everything’s going to be alright. We promise. Now that we’ve got you in a proper state of mind, we’re curious to know how you’d change Canon EOS-1D Mark IV. The outfit’s latest and greatest professional DSLR has come out shining in nearly every review we’ve seen, and while it’s rather massive in stature, it’s loaded with features. For nearly five grand, we suspect that you’ll be pretty critical on it, and that’s exactly how it should be. Is the low-light performance satisfactory? How’s the speed and handling? Has it revolutionized your business? Are you a Canon fanboy (or girl) for life now? Spill all down below, cool?

How would you change Canon’s EOS-1D Mark IV DSLR? originally appeared on Engadget on Fri, 26 Mar 2010 22:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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It’s not déjà vu, it’s just all happening again. Just over a year after Canon had to bow its head in shame due to a black dot / banding issue that plagued the EOS 5D Mark II, along comes yet another heartache surrounding one of the company’s finest DSLRs. The v2.0.3 firmware update that was issued earlier in the week is apparently causing audio problems for some users, with the actual quirk going a little something like this:

“Recently we have discovered a malfunction that occurs with Firmware Version 2.0.3, in which the manual recording levels for C1/C2/C3 are changed and the camera becomes unable to record audio if the power is turned off (or if Auto power off takes effect) after registering “Sound Recording: Manual” in the camera user settings. We apologize very sincerely for the inconvenience, but we are going to stop making this firmware available for download. For customers who have already updated to the new firmware, when using the camera with the mode dial set to C1/C2/C3, please either set the sound recording settings to Auto.”

In the meanwhile, Canon has pulled the update from its support site while it works on a new firmware version to patch things up, but aside from a promise of “soon,” there’s no way to tell when exactly the new file will hit the pipes.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Canon EOS 5D Mark II 2.0.3 firmware yanked due to audio issues, fix is on the way originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 15:54:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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