So, while PocketWizard’s two TTL solutions for Canon have been available for a while now, but the often-promised Nikon ones seem to keep encountering constant delays. So, it’s with much joy that a video showing them surfaces. OK, sure, they’re apparently pre-alpha, which leaves some time before we get our excited little hands on any, but it also puts them a step farther from vaporware. So, yay, all around.
Posts Tagged ‘roberts’
All A-Titter on Twitter
March 10th, 2010 by Derek
So, who remembers when we used to post on the website what manufacturer’s had more stuff go up that day? Anybody? Didn’t think so. But, I still think it was a good service. I also think there should be a better way to let you know what products are just added to the site, and maybe throw in some transparency about the site itself, development, changes, things we’re working on. You know, talk to you all. Stay in touch. Ask about your mum. And we all know neither Nick or I’s feelings will be hurt by sticking around for coffee.
So, we also have this Twitter thing, which we’ve not really had a good idea what to do with. Luckily, now we do. For those of you who want the real inside beat: site changes, new ideas, new products, stock changes, and even more, be sure to check us out on Twitter, @robertsimaging. Just one more way we’re working to make this whole online experience more personal, tear down a few walls between us and you. Because, really, this is all about us being there for you.
Lee Filters Coming Out With Adapter for Nikon’s 14-24mm Leviathon
March 10th, 2010 by DerekSo, this is up on El YouTube, voyeuristic capitan of everything video, but doesn’t seem to be up on Lee’s site yet, but apparently Lee Filters hasn’t taken the conundrum of how to put a filter over the bulging eye of Nikon’s 14-24mm f2.8 lens lying down. No sir, showing a resolve the likes of which is unknown to lesser men, they walked away from the intimidating lack of filter threads unscathed and instead created a three-piece compression mount system. Very clever. Don’t believe me? Check out the video here:
Panasonic Announces Cameras, Since It Was a Sunday We Slept Through It
March 10th, 2010 by Derek
Panasonic DMC-G2
So, not having any apparent consideration for us 9-5 types, Panasonic announced its new products this past Sunday. Now, don’t get me wrong, I’m something of a tech junkie, so while I was still clearing the sleep from my eyes I read about them in my feed reader. But, then, see, I slept again after that. So, I just remembered them again this morning, just in time for them to be old news, but better late than never, I suppose.
So, first up let’s tackle the G2. The G2 is clearly positioned as the replacement to Panasonic’s first m4/3 shooter, the G1. The nitty-gritty? Well, it’s mostly the same, same form factor (mini-DSLR-style with an electronic viewfinder of some repute), 12 megapixels, 3″ swivel LCD. New? Well, that swiveling LCD screen is now a 3″ swiveling LCD touchscreen. So, that pushes this to the first interchangeable lens device I’ve ever heard of with a touch interface (and for all you nay-sayers, there’re still buttons too), so it’ll be interesting to see what that adds to the experience.
Oh, and they added video, in the form of 720p MPEG. Not their fanciest showing for HD recording, but I reckon they don’t want to step on their GH1’s toes, especially since it’s so well-designed for video anyway.
Panasonic DMC-G10
Up second is the G10, which maybe we should call by it’s full name of DMC-G10 to help decrease confusion between it and Canon’s infamous PowerShot G10. The DMC-G10 is kinda like the G2, but without the swively touchy screen. It instead opts for the more pedestrian fixed LCD. It will also be available in red, black, and blue, making it the new go-to kid at the bottom of Panasonic’s m4/3 line-up.
Panasonic 14 - 42 mm f3.5-5.6 Lumix G Vario
What? Not enough news you say? OK, fine. How about an update to the standard kit lens? Will that do? Good, ’cause Panasonic also announced a new 14-42mm f3.5-5.6 lens with Mega OIS, which is pictured on both of the new bodies. Previously Panasonic had debuted a 14-45mm, and 14-42mm is a classic focal length for Olympus, who’s offering shares the same mount, so I will admit to a little confusion as to this lens ‘existence, but, when it comes to lens line-ups the more the merrier, I say.
Gadget Lab Casually Reviews Lensbaby Fisheye and Soft Focus Optics
March 9th, 2010 by Derek
Lensbaby Soft-Focus Optic
So, Charlie Sorrel, Gadget Lab’s resident camera nut, has finished his casual hands-on review of Lensbaby’s two newest optics, the soft-focus and fisheye swappable optics for all of the current generation Lensbaby lenses. And, he tries them on a D700 and a Panasonic GF1, so you get both ends of the sensor-size spectrum.
Now, maybe it’s just my love of everything Dave McKean has ever done, but I do think the soft-focus lens is more useful and desirable than Charlie does, but I agree whole-heartedly with his assessment of the fisheye optic as a cheap route for those who want that and already have a Lensbaby.
Also, I never found the optics to be all so finicky to swap around, but your mileage may vary, of course.
Anyway, not much to say otherwise, if you want to know his thoughts you should really just hit the external link below.
Olympus E-P1 Gets Firmware Update
March 3rd, 2010 by Derek
Olympus has issued a firmware update for it’s E-P1 M43 shooter. According to their site:
E-P1 Firmware Ver1.3 has incorporated the following upgrade.
[Modification]
- Resolved issue in firmware version 1.2 where LEVEL GAUGE display did not move when using MF (manual focus).
If you’ve never updated an Olympus before, you’ll need to dig up the USB cable that shipped with your camera, plug it into your computer, then fire up either Olympus Studio or Master. The firmware updates will be in the menus of either of those programs, be sure to follow all the on-screen instructions and leave your camera turned on and plugged in until clearly told it’s OK to do otherwise.
Canon Pre-Announces Better Video Firmware for 5D Mk II
March 3rd, 2010 by Derek
Seriously Canon? How do you pre-announce something? It was weird enough when Olympus did this for the E-3. Teases.
Anyway, Canon yesterday mentioned it’s going to grace your 5D Mark II’s with even better controls for video, such as adding 24fps (well, 23.976 fps) and 25fps options, changing the 30fps to the NTSC-standard 29.97fps, adding levels on the screen, sound sampling is being bumped from 44.1KHz to 48KHz, new histograms, and more.
So, “mid-March” seems to be the drop-date, nice and specific. I don’t own a 5D Mark II, nor do I shoot video, but I still think this is a very solid set of promises, and well worth spending the next couple weeks eagerly awaiting.
More as it comes…
Olympus Posts Slew of E-PL1 Videos
March 3rd, 2010 by Derek
Olympus, maker of tough, waterproof point-and-shoots and DSLR’s that I’ve been famously known to run under a sink and stand-on at parties, only to then photograph the onlookers, and co-pioneers of the mirror-less compact interchangeable lens camera frontier, sent us an email today telling us about their new YouTube video spots about their E-PL1.
These 11 short videos are aimed to help you all through the various highlights of the E-PL1, and to help explain what it offers over regular compacts (‘point and shoots”), or the full-blown DSLR boat anchors like I carry. So, if you’ve got a few minutes and an interest in one of the hottest new camera types in decades, why not hop over and watch a few?
Nikon 70-200mm VR II Gets Thouroughly Reviewed
February 25th, 2010 by Derek
AF-S NIKKOR 70-200mm f/2.8G ED VR II
So, Nikon’s new top-pro standard telephoto zoom, the AF-S Nikkor 70-200mm 1:2.8G ED VR II, has been reviewed by the venerable review staff over at DPReview. The conclusions are so unsurprisingly positive as to be pedestrian, but they’ve got their really useful sliding charts for sharpness at all focal lengths and apertures, so that’s worth checking it out alone.
If ya wanna read it yourself, your hyperlink chariot awaits: http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/nikon_70-200_2p8_vrii_n15/
Nikon D3s firmware now v1.01
February 23rd, 2010 by Nick
From Nikon’s Firmware update page:
The following improvements have been made in A and B firmware Ver. 1.01
- Movie recording specifications have been modified as follows and an issue that, in some rare cases, caused movie playback to appear to have stopped has been resolved.
- When exposure preview is enabled in live view tripod mode, information + histogram display is possible, but the histogram is no longer displayed while movies are recorded.
- When the live view button is pressed with the Audio Video Cable EG-D2 connected, the image is displayed in both the television and camera monitor, but the camera monitor now turns off during movie recording. The camera monitor turns on again when the Audio Video Cable EG-D2 is disconnected from the camera.
- Some simplified Chinese menus and help displays have been revised.
- When some memory cards were inserted in the camera, “CHA” was displayed in the top control panel and images could not be captured. This issue has been resolved.
Woo hoo. As always, check your current firmware version prior to downloading and installing the update because if it ain’t broke…
