Transparent Agenda

Canon G9 for sale

Posted by admin under gfurry

I just received my LX3 so now my gently used Canon G9 is for sale. If you are interested post a comment and I will get back with you. Comes with an extra battery and a Gordy’s strap. I will even toss in a 2GB memory card. The G9 was replaced by the G10 and some folks are saying they prefer the G9 over the newer model. I noticed prices at Amazon are going up now that the camera is discontinued.

The G9 is a heck of a camera and built like a tank. I just wanted something with a wider angle lens that worked better is lower light. The LX3 seems to fit the bill so far.

Here is a review that should answer any questions you may have about the camera.

UPDATE My G9 has been sold

Canon EOS 5D MKII first look

Posted by admin under gfurry

When Nikon came out with the Nikon D90 it looked like it was a game changer. Everyone knew the Canon EOS 5D MKII wasn’t far behind but I don’t think anyone thought it would be this good. Vinvent Laforet take a first look at the video side of the camera at his blog. Sounds amazing. I know if I had a Canon body and lenses instead of Nikon this would probably already be on pre-order for me. See a nice little video on the Canon site showing the big bullet features.

UPDATE Vincent posted his video. See his blog or Canon

Canon G10

Posted by admin under gfurry

Canon today also updated the photopro favorite G9 to the G10. Looks like some nice improvements as well as at least one questionable upgrade.

The PowerShot G10 is the first G-series camera to offer wide-angle imaging via a 5x (28mm-140) zoom with optical Image Stabilizer. (G9 is 35-210) The addition of a 14.7 Megapixel sensor and Canon’s new DIGIC 4 image processor ensures exacting image quality. More megapixels? Why? I think the Panasonic approach makes more sense than squeezing more pixels into a tiny sensor trying to hit some line on a spec sheet. With the G9 you can go to 1600 ISO but anything above 400 is worthless.

For immediate, fingertip access to key settings, the PowerShot G10 includes a new dedicated Exposure Compensation dial and dual ISO/shooting mode dial.

Features at a glance:

* 14.7 Megapixel CCD sensor

* 5x wide-angle (28mm) optical zoom lens with optical Image Stabilizer

* RAW image recording plus support for Canon Digital Photo Professional

* DIGIC 4 for clear, sharp images, high-speed AF (including Servo AF) and fast response times

* Targets all the main causes of blur with High ISO Auto, optical

Image Stabilizer, Motion Detection Technology and Auto ISO shift

* Great people shots with improved Face Detection AF/AE/FE/WB plus

Face Select & Track and FaceSelf-Timer

* 3.0” PureColor LCD II (461k dots resolution) with wide viewing angle and optical viewfinder

* i-Contrast boosts brightness and retains detail in dark areas

* Dedicated Exposure Compensation and ISO dials

* 26 shooting modes with manual control and custom settings

* Accessories include tele-converter, Speedlite flashes and waterproof case

* Smooth, 30fps VGA movies

Read more at DPreview
Other thoughts The G10 is bigger and heavier than the G9 which is already a brick. It now shoots video in the H2.64 instead of the crappy AVI format of the G9

Canon 5D mark II

Posted by admin under gfurry

Well the most anticipated new DSLR has finally been announced and it looks like a winner. Today Canon spilled the details on the Canon Mark II .

Here are the good parts from the press release.

Lets get to the features first up it has a DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor that powers the camera’s fast 14-bit analog-to-digital conversion for smooth color tones and exceptional gradation. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR offers a full-frame 24 x 36mm, 21.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and continuous shooting at 3.9 frames per second (fps) for an unlimited number of full-resolution JPEGs to the capacity of the memory card or up to 14 RAW images in a single burst when using a UDMA CF card. This looks great but just like the original 5D this is not a sports shooter at less then 4fps. The Nikon D700 is only 5 frames but that goes to 8 with the MD-10 adapter.

Nikon with the D3 and D700 set a new standard for low light photography. Canon fired back with reduced noise and expanded the sensitivity of the CMOS sensor up to ISO 25600, which is three full stops higher than the ISO 3200 limit of the original EOS 5D camera. Although the individual pixel dimensions of the EOS 5D Mark II camera are the same as the 21.1-megapixel CMOS sensor used in the EOS-1Ds Mark III digital SLR, the new sensor incorporates an improved output amplifier and a more advanced color filter that improves light transmission while retaining excellent color reproduction. By applying the same kind of advancements in sensor design and image processing technology as the recently introduced EOS 50D camera, but at higher resolution and with larger pixels, the EOS 5D Mark II achieves the highest level of image quality of any EOS Digital SLR released to date.

Looks like the Nikon D90 was last months big news. Time to step aside for the Canon video. Canon has taken its expertise in imaging, photography and video capture technology to a new level with the EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR. Answering the question of where SLR technology is going next, the EOS 5D Mark II features 16:9 Full HD video capture at 1920 x 1080 pixels and 30 fps as well as 4:3 standard TV quality (SD) video capture at 640 x 480 pixels and 30 fps, both capabilities appearing for the first time in a Canon SLR camera.

The EOS 5D Mark II will record video up to 4GB per clip or a maximum continuous movie capture time of 29 minutes and 59 seconds, whichever comes first. Depending on the level of detail in the scene, a 4GB memory card can record approximately 12 minutes of video at full HD. Video clips are recorded in .MOV format using an MPEG-4 video compression and sound is recorded using linear PCMii without compression. The new camera features an input terminal for external stereo microphones as well as a built-in monaural microphone for convenience. I love this. Unlike the D90 Canon saves as mpeg and has external mic terminal. I am sure it won’t be long before someone shoots a feature movie using only the 5D.

A consumer slant? Not only is video attractive for consumers but it also appears that Canon is aiming in that direction with Canon’s New Creative Auto Mode recently introduced with the new EOS 50D, Canon’s “CA” Creative Full Auto setting can also be found on the EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera’s mode dial. This setting allows users to make image adjustments such as aperture or shutter speed through an easy-to-understand navigation screen on the camera’s LCD menu, allowing them to “blur the background” or “lighten or darken the image.” These easy-to-understand image options allow photographers to experiment with image options while still shooting in an automatic mode.

But what about the giant files? Looks like Canon was thinking here to. One of the major issues with today’s DSLRs are storage space of the RAW files created with every click of the shutter.

Two Small RAW Formats

For photographers seeking the flexibility and creative possibilities of shooting RAW format images, without the large file size, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera offers two more manageable file size options with sRAW1 and sRAW2 recording formats. At the sRAW1 setting, resolution is 10.0-megapixels with a file size that is approximately 25 percent smaller than a standard 21.1-megapixel RAW image. With the sRAW2 setting, resolution is 5.2 megapixels at less than half the file size of a standard RAW image, retaining all of the flexibility and creative possibilities associated with full-size, conventional RAW images. Wedding and portrait photographers, in particular, will appreciate the options of variable resolution and file size which allow them to fine-tune the 5D Mark II’s operation for their specific needs. This seems like an interesting option use smaller file sizes when you don’ t need giant prints. Seems like a good idea but a waste of a good sensor. I shoot as big as I can because you never know when you will get the shot of your life. I would hate to get that shot with my camera set to a smaller file size.

Pricing and Availability

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera is compatible with Canon EF lenses and is scheduled for delivery by the end of November. The EOS 5D Mark II will be sold in a body-only configuration at an estimated retail price of $2,699. It will additionally be offered in a kit version with Canon’s EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM zoom lens at an estimated retail price of $3,499iv

Canon also introduced a New EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Lens

The new EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM lens is the successor to Canon’s EF 24mm f/1.4L USM professional wide-angle lens released in 1997. Targeting professional photographers, the new EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM lens has been introduced to address the advancements high-resolution digital SLR cameras with re-designed optics and use of a new anti-reflection lens coating called SWC (Sub-Wavelength Structure Coating) to minimize ghosting and flare. Features such as dustproof and waterproof construction that have been adopted make this a high-performance lens with specifications that respond to the demands of professional users. A welcome complement to the EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera, the EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM lens is scheduled to be in stores this December at an estimated retail price of $1,699

For more info ship Canon’s lame site and head over to Rob Galbraith’s site or the a hands on at DPreview