Thursday, January 31, 2013

February Only Sigma 30mm f1.4 Lens Only $249 at BH Photo


This is a brief excerpt from F-Stoppers




One of our favorite lenses for cropped DSLR cameras is currently on sale at BH Photo for a ridiculously low price of $289 (Next lowest price is Amazon at $349). If you’ve been looking at getting a nice wide angle lens for low light or super shallow depth of field, this lens is one to consider. We’ve shot a lot of Fstoppers Originals with this prime lens and it’s a great choice for those wedding fusion videos in extremely low light situations. Comes in versions for Canon, Nikon, and Sony.



By: Patrick Hall


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Rode launch $60 smartLav mic for iOS devices – a low cost solution interview audio solution?


This is a brief excerpt from DSLR News Shooter






By site editor Dan Chung:


Place the new Rode smartLav on your subject, plug it directly into the headphone jack of your iPhone, start up the Rode Rec app and hit record. That is the new, simple and inexpensive solution Rode is offering for recording clean audio for presenters, interviews and actuality.


Hot on the heels of the Rode iXY mic the new smartLav lavalier mic is designed for use exclusively with Apple iOS devices such as the iPhone and iPad. It works with the Rode Rec app but also other 3rd party recording apps and video camera apps.

At a mere $60 this mic is certainly very interesting proposition for news shooters on a budget and students.

This solution does of course require you to sync the recorded audio with the video from your camera in post production. Popular tools such as Pluraleyes now make this relatively straightforward. It also makes monitoring of audio hard as there is no easy way for the operator to hear what is being recorded, or adjust audio levels on the fly. You also have to turn on the airplane mode of the iOS device to stop interruptions and interference. For these reasons I would …



By: Dan Chung


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Fuji X-Pro 1 and X-E1 Firmware Updates Now Available!


This is a brief excerpt from F-Stoppers




Fuji previously released firmware updates that upgraded the X-Pro 1′s autofocus performance, among other things, turning it into another kind of beast. Now, they again promise AF accuracy improvements and more for the X-Pro 1, X-E1, and XF 35mm f1.4 lens.

The firmware updates allow for use of the new 14mm XF lens on the X-Pro 1 and X-E1 bodies in addition to various AF improvements for both models and audio improvements for the X-E1. The update for the 35mm XF lens improves AF accuracy. Let us know how drastic these changes are. Can you tell if it makes a difference?

Download the X-Pro 1 firmware update 2.03

Download the X-E1 firmware update 1.04

Download the 35mm XF lens firmware update 2.02 (firmware update for X-Pro 1 and/or X-E1 required for full benefits)



By: Adam Ottke


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Google Patent Shows Multiple LED Flash Units on Back of Smartphone


This is a brief excerpt from PetaPixel




The “flash units” found on the backs of smartphones may be getting more powerful, but the general idea has largely remained the same: use a powerful LED light that can illuminate a scene when you need a little extra light. The power output doesn’t really stack up to the flashes found on compact cameras, but Google has one solution for making the flash a bit brighter.

In a recently published patent, the company outlines the idea of placing multiple LED flashes on smartphones, perhaps in a ring around the camera unit.Patent #8,363,157, titled “Mobile communication device with multiple flashpoints“, has the following description:

[...] a camera lens in an aperture in the housing and arranged on a first side of the wireless communication device and located at least partially in the housing, and serving as a centerpoint for an intersection of a pair of axes that define four quadrants; and a plurality of flash generating devices on the first side of, and on the outer surface of, the wireless communication device, two of the flash generating devices located in quadrants that are positioned opposite of, and not adjacent to, each other.

The document then goes on to show/describe a …



By: Michael Zhang


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Behold the Magnificence of These Early 1900′s Autochromes from Paris, France


This is a brief excerpt from thePhoBlographer




Notre Dame – 1920


Going back to the early days of photography is not always enjoyable. The oldest photographs of mankind are dark, undetailed, monochrome pictures that seem to show hardly anything. Only at a fifth glance and with an explanation provided by an expert will you be able to see anything in them. However, humans’ first forays into color photography were pretty amazing from the start — like these ‘Autochrome’ color photographies from early 1900′s Paris.


‘Autochrome‘ was one of the earliest color photography techniques, and was basically a glass plate coated with dyed potato starch and silver halide. The technique was invented by the Lumière brothers, whose French name fittingly translates as ‘light’. While autochromes still look pretty rough compared to modern color slide film, back in its day it was a revolutionary technology. And the pictures are still amazing to look at.

The pictures below are the colorful witnesses of times long gone by. Being used to pictures from the first half of the last century (and even beyond) usually being monochrome, these autochromes come as somewhat of a revelation. Life was indeed colorful back then! And seeing some of those familiar places, like the Cathédrale de Notre Dame …



By: Felix Esser


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Photographer Mark Gee Captures An Absolutely Beautiful Real-Time Moonrise At 1300mm


This is a brief excerpt from F-Stoppers




Now here’s something I’ve never seen before. Photographer Mark Gee shot this footage of the moon rising in real time at Mt Victoria in Wellington, New Zealand. The video, shot with a Canon 1d Mark IV, 500mm lens and 2x teleconverter from over 2km away used the extremely long focal length to create an incredibly surreal look, which silhoutted a group of people on a lookout platform against an enormous moon. Due to the long focal length, the moon moves rapidly across the frame, like something straight out of a sci-fi film. This is planet earth, folks! Mark says that the video was not edited in any way – this is just straight out of the camera. Great work, Mark!



By: Mike Kelley


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Lomography’s New LomoChrome Purple Film Snaps Infrared-esque Photos


This is a brief excerpt from PetaPixel




Michael Zhang · Jan 31, 2013


Lomography has announced a brand new line of film called LomoChrome, and the first product is LomoChrome Purple 400. Available in both 35mm and 120 formats, the film allows photographers to shoot infrared-style photographs without any special gear or filters.Although the resulting photographs look quite different from standard color negative film, Purple 400 is developed using the same C-41 process, meaning you’ll be able to drop it off at your local photo lab for developing.

The new film mimics the style of Kodak’s old Aerochrome film line, which was used by the US military for infrared-style aerial photographs. It was more recently used by photographer Richard Mosse for his images documenting Eastern Congo.

Aerochrome was killed off in 2007, and now Lomography has brought a very similar kind of film back into the spotlight with the Purple 400.

Film development lead Georg Thaler tells The Phoblographer that the company spent years figuring out how to shift the colors of ordinary color negative film.

Lomography says that it’s making a limited batch (4000 rolls of 120 and 3500 rolls of 35mm) of the film available for customers who would like to pre-order it, which will ensure delivery by July 2013.

The first wave …



By: Michael Zhang


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Cheap Photo: $200 Rebate on the Original Sigma 30mm f1.4 EX


This is a brief excerpt from thePhoBlographer




Get yours in Canon, Nikon, Sony, or Pentax.

Also, remember that if you’re looking for something fun, Rigu is the spot to go. Enter the code PHOBLOG10 when purchasing for an extra 10% off your purchase.



By: Chris Gampat


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Rokinon Cine Lens Bundled Discounts


This is a brief excerpt from CheesyCam






Tweet

Anyone thinking about investing in a set of Rokinon Cine Lenses could save a few bucks if purchased in one of the Rokinon Cine Lens Bundled Deals. Also a nice way to save with an organized group buy. Available bundles include variations of the Rokinon 85mm T/1.5, 35mm T/.5, 24mm T/1.5, and 14mm T/3.1. Check out the three different offerings via eBay (click here).

Rokinon Cine Lens Kits – Bundled Deals


Tags: rokinon cine lens bundle, rokinon deal discount

Shopping: Amazon.com (USA), Amazon.co.uk (EU), BHPhotoVideo.com, eBay.com



By: Emm


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The Intimate Work of Jenny Woods (NSFW)


This is a brief excerpt from F-Stoppers




Sometimes a Journey song can wax poetic. “Small town girl…lonely word.” We’ve heard it before. But for whatever reason, it’s the song I can’t get out of my head while I’m sitting with Jenny Woods in a small, Persian restaurant in the Upper West Side of Manhattan. Standing a towering five-foot-nothing and with a demeanor that couldn’t ruffle a sleeping kitten, Jenny, or Bunny Jenny, as she goes by, is a photographer from a very small town in Florida. She represents a new breed of photographer – one that couldn’t have existed ten years ago. Although to be fair, ten years ago, she wasn’t out of elementary school.

Jenny doesn’t consider herself a very technical shooter. In fact, her images can both frustrate and amaze those who are. There is an inherent sophistication in her images, and they have the power make you feel like you know what it’s actually like inside a sad girl’s mind. It’s easy to see that sad, lonely girl in her images…but you also see someone who dreams.


And this is why she and others like her are so important. For the first …



By: Chris Knight


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FocusMaker – A unique focusing tool for stills lenses


This is a brief excerpt from FreshDV




Here’s a tool that I don’t really know how to classify…it’s called the FocusMaker, and it’s a simple $89 device that straps directly on to a camera lens, and gives you a few focus indicators and stops. It seems to be aimed specifically at Canon zoom lenses, though appears would work on any lens it can physically fit.

The question is, where exactly would you use this system? The manufacturer talks about the FocusMaker as a follow focus tool, but to me it doesn’t really accomplish what a traditional follow focus is designed for. At first glance, it appears to be a solution looking for a problem.

Digging deeper, I see this as more of a hybrid focus marking tool for one-man-band type shooters. The kind of shooter who doesn’t want to mess with rods and a camera rig, and just needs a quick way to set a couple marks on a DSLR lens. The kind of shooter that doesn’t mind resetting the marks if the lens focus ring gets bumped past infinity, or swapping this device on different lenses. The advantages of something like this is that it’s small, lightweight, and …



By:


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Big Winners: The SmallHD Story


This is a brief excerpt from the Hurlbut Visuals blog




By Julien Lasseur

While I was working at Hurlbut Visuals, Lydia came up with the idea of interviewing our sponsors for the blog and gave me the opportunity to direct those spots, as it was my dream to direct.

Our vision was to tell the story of the people who create the tools that we use to tell our own stories. So the quest began! I stumbled across the very unique story of two of our sponsors, Wes Phillips and Dale Backus from SmallHD. During our discussions of how we were going to conduct the interview, being that they were located all the way out in North Carolina, I heard the incredible story of how they succeeded in winning the legendary “Doritos: Crash The Superbowl Contest” not once… but twice and then how they used their earnings to fund the growth of SmallHD! Wow… as soon as Wes told me the whole story, I called Lydia and said, “We gotta make a documentary about this!” and she was all in.

A couple of months after my discussion with Wes, I found myself flying to North Carolina with a 5DMkII, a 24-70mm l series, a 70-200mm l series, some …



By: Shane


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Beast Mode: A Sony RX1 with a Russian Turret Universal Optical Viewfinder


This is a brief excerpt from PetaPixel




Michael Zhang · Jan 31, 2013


Disappointed that the full-frame Sony RX1 compact camera doesn’t come with an optical viewfinder? Don’t worry: you can use the camera’s hot shoe to attach a sweet/strange-looking universal turret viewfinder! That’s how DSLR Magazine customized theirs in a recently published review.Universal viewfinders were created decades ago to allow photographers to carry around a single viewfinder that can be used for a number of prime lens focal lengths. Instead of swapping viewfinders at the same time as lenses, you could simply adjust the viewfinder every time you switch out a lens.

Zeiss and Leica were the pioneers in developing these strange-looking turret-style viewfinders, but after World War II, the USSR cloned the viewfinder designs for their own rangefinders.


The viewfinders offer five different focal length frames, rangefinder-style (you can see the frame-lines that roughly show how your photo will turn out, along with some extra space on the outside edges of the frame).

You can find a more detailed history of the universal viewfinder over on Alfred’s Camera Page. Want to pick up one for yourself activate beast mode on your own camera? You can find them being sold over on …



By: Michael Zhang


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How to Handle Working for an Asshole


This is a brief excerpt from the Black and Blue (filmmaking tips for Camera Assistants)




“Most people work just hard enough not to get fired and get paid just enough money not to quit.”- George Carlin

Like any job, going to work in the film industry isn’t always fun. Stepping on set can become a chore when you’re stressed from a shoot, feeling pressure from your department, and working extremely long hours.

So the last thing you need in a situation like that is someone treating you poorly: berating you, yelling at you, and generally being a damn asshole.

But it happens.

I wish I could tell you that everyone in the film industry is nice as cherry pie, but statistically that’s impossible and, from personal experience, I know it’s not true. At some point, probably early in your career, you’re going to encounter an asshole. How you deal with them will have a tremendous effect on the path your career takes — for better or worse.


Recently a reader (who wished to remain anonymous) told me a story about her experience with a director of photography (DP) who was treating her terribly:


I’m just wondering, however, if you have any advice on what to do if the guy …



By: Evan Luzi


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How to Handle Working for an Asshole


This is a brief excerpt from the Black and Blue (filmmaking tips for Camera Assistants)




“Most people work just hard enough not to get fired and get paid just enough money not to quit.”- George Carlin

Like any job, going to work in the film industry isn’t always fun. Stepping on set can become a chore when you’re stressed from a shoot, feeling pressure from your department, and working extremely long hours.

So the last thing you need in a situation like that is someone treating you poorly: berating you, yelling at you, and generally being a damn asshole.

But it happens.

I wish I could tell you that everyone in the film industry is nice as cherry pie, but statistically that’s impossible and, from personal experience, I know it’s not true. At some point, probably early in your career, you’re going to encounter an asshole. How you deal with them will have a tremendous effect on the path your career takes — for better or worse.


Recently a reader (who wished to remain anonymous) told me a story about her experience with a director of photography (DP) who was treating her terribly:


I’m just wondering, however, if you have any advice on what to do if the guy …



By: Evan Luzi


Continued… click here!







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Save $200-400 on the Canon 5D Mark III


This is a brief excerpt from DSLR Video Shooter




If you have been meaning to pick up a Canon 5D Mark III now is a great time! You can save $200-400 at B&H. But you only have till February 2nd to make your move!


Canon 5D Body only ($200 off)


Canon 5D With 24-105mmL ($400 off)


Tagged as: 5D Mark III, B&H, Deals



By: Caleb Pike


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Blind in the Dark: Blackberry Should Have Fed Its Z10 Smartphone More Carrots


This is a brief excerpt from PetaPixel




Michael Zhang · Jan 31, 2013


The company formerly known as RIM changed its name to Blackberry yesterday, and launched a new flagship smartphone called the Z10. While the the phone is getting decent marks among reviewers, one weakness is sticking out as a sore thumb: the camera’s low-light performance. Gizmodo writes,

The Z10 didn’t even hold the dimmest, most-pathetic light to the other cameras in our test. Look at that photo above on the left. It is an abject and miserable failure. Because this is a particularly difficult shooting setting, all of the photos have problems with noise, distortion, and detail, but we’ve haven’t seen something so crummy as the Z10 in a long time. The Z10 even has a “night” setting that was completely useless. This is some four-years-ago crap.

It’d be interesting to find out who Blackberry chose as the supplier of its camera sensor.

BlackBerry Z10 Camera: The Worst Low-Light Performance We’ve Seen in a Long Time [Gizmodo]



By: Michael Zhang


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Edelkrone SliderPLUS XL provides even more camera movement


This is a brief excerpt from DSLR News Shooter




Reported by Mat Gallagher


Just over a month ago, we brought you news of Edelkrone’s SliderPLUS+, a slider that offered 521mm of travel from just a 385mm unit. Edelkrone has now announced a bigger brother to this in the form of the SliderPLUS XL. This features a slightly longer 544mm body but gives a generous 914mm (3ft) of movement in return. Like the original SliderPLUS+ the magic comes from the clever roller bearing system and means that in addition to the camera moving along the rail, the rail moves independently, providing the extra distance.

The unit weighs 2.2kg and can support a load of up to 7.25kg. Both SliderPLUS units feature an extension port to which a DC motor can be attached for time lapse and motion control. However, there is no confirmation as to when this accessory will be made available or at what price. The Edelkrone SliderPLUS XL will retail at $699 US and is available via their website now.


Posted on January 31st, 2013 by Mat Gallagher | Category: DSLR video news, SIiders | Permalink



By: Mat Gallagher


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Nikon D5200 review – Digital Camera – Trusted Reviews


This is from planet5D HDSLR scoop news – Click to read story




Nikon D5200 Digital Camera review: The Nikon D5200 is an upper entry-level APS-C DSLR that offers 24.1MP of resolution.










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CamRanger is Offering Canon and Nikon DSLR Users Pro-quality Wireless Photography from an iPad, iPhone and now Mac Computer


This is from planet5D HDSLR scoop news – Click to read story




PR Web (press release)

CamRanger is Offering Canon and Nikon DSLR Users Pro-quality Wireless …



planetMitch’s insight:


Looks cool in that it has incremental focus change ability so you don’t have to just trust the camera’s focus









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Canon 6D for $1,899 – Deal Alert


This is a brief excerpt from PhotographyBay




The Canon 6D body is currently available for $1,899 from B&H and includes a free Lexar Pro UHS-I SDHC card and a Lowepro camera bag. Check it out here at B&H Photo.

Likewise, the Canon 6D and 24-105mm f/4L IS kit can be had for $2,449 with the same free Lexar Pro card and Lowepro bag. Check it out here at B&H Photo.

At least part of these deals are scheduled to expire on Feb. 2, 2013.


No related posts.

Tagged as: 6d, b&H, b&h photo, Canon, deal, sale



By: Eric Reagan


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Composition Basics For Photographers – Leading Lines


This is a brief excerpt from PhotoFocus




Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons


If you ever wonder why you’re drawn to lines don’t worry, it’s normal. As humans we tend to prefer certain shapes and leading lines are one of our favorite distractions. Some people see them better than others. But those who do see them are immediately drawn to them. And for that reason alone, leading lines are a valuable compositional tool in photography.


Photo by Scott Bourne – Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs Creative Commons


I made these two images a few years ago for the Tacoma Glass Museum. I wanted to show off the architecture without doing a cheesy postcard shot. So I got my wide-angle lens out and leaned against the building, pointed up and BAM – leading lines. Lots of them.

Leading lines help guide the viewer through a photograph. When composed well, they may even hold the viewer in an endless loop – sort of like a crop maze. They’re a powerful way to draw the eye into, through and out of a photograph.

Next time you have 20 minutes to spare, grab your camera and go for a photo walk in your own neighborhood. Find out how many leading line images you can …



By: scottbourne


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Review: User-friendly Canon T4i boosts performance for both still images and video | TechHive


This is from planet5D HDSLR scoop news – Click to read story




The first DSLR to offer a touchscreen LCD, the Canon T4i is brimming with photographic innovation.










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Cosina Voigtländer Unveil Two New Fast Lenses for Micro Four Thirds and M-Mount


This is a brief excerpt from thePhoBlographer




Picture courtesy of DC Watch


The inventive people over at Cosina never stop working and thinking up new stuff, it seems. At CP+, the big Japanese photo show, the company just unveiled a new superfast lens for Micro Four Thirds, and another fast normal lens for M-mount. As always with Cosina, both lenses come totally unexpected, with no rumors about their future appearance spread through the interwebs beforehand. There also isn’t much information available yet, except for product pictures over at DC Watch. Of course you are curious now what these two new lenses are, right? Well, head past the break to find out!


Voigtländer Nokton 42.5mm f0.95


Picture courtesy of DC Watch


Yes, you read that right. Lens #1 from Cosina is another superfast Nokton lens for Micro Four Thirds. The third installment of Voigtländer’s f0.95 series, after the 25mm and the 17.5mm, comes with an equivalent focal length of 85mm, which designates it as a portrait lens. After Olympus’ 45mm f1.8, this is the second dedicated portrait lens for the Micro Four Thirds system. However, at f0.95, you will be able to achieve much shallower depth of field than with the Olympus lens. Think of …



By: Felix Esser


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A Working Polaroid Instant Camera Built Out of Popsicle Sticks


This is a brief excerpt from PetaPixel




Michael Zhang · Jan 30, 2013


Brighton-based photographer and product designer Maxim Grew recently came up with the idea of building an instant camera out of a Polaroid film holder and a stack of wooden popsicle sticks.The bellows of the camera were created using thick card stock and duct tape, and the lens was salvaged from an old folding camera (the kind you might find at a thrift store).

Grew took photographs at a regular interval as he was building, and created this video showing how the camera came together:


The camera takes Polaroid Type 100 film. Grew had some Fuji-FP 100C lying around, and shot this same photograph showing that the camera actually works:


Focusing the camera is a bit tricky. Grew says that he’d have to stick an external rangefinder onto it if he were to use the camera out and about.

(via Maxim Grew via Photojojo)

Image credits: Photographs and video by Maxim Grew



By: Michael Zhang


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Wednesday, January 30, 2013

New Modeling Agency For The Fugly People


This is a brief excerpt from F-Stoppers



By: Corey Melton


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Review: Apple MacBook Pro 13″ Retina Display Laptop


This is a brief excerpt from thePhoBlographer




The Apple MacBook Pro 13″ Retina has been out for a while and it’s been in use with me since it was announced. Over that time period, I have tested it, pushed it, tweaked it, and travelled with it. Many creative professionals swear by Apple products though some of us have been jumping ship to the PC world due to what we believe is a lack of innovation on part of the company.

But as far as this editor goes, I’ve got no major complaints.


Pros and Cons

Pros

- Excellent resolution for editing photos whether they go on the web or in print

- Calibrates significantly easier with the Spyder Pro 4 than previous Macbook laptops.

- A master multi-tasking machine

- Connects effortlessly to other devices such as Airplay enabled printers, Apple airport express, Apple TV, and the iPad mini.

- Simple resolution tweaking with a couple clicks of a button

- Insanely fast

Cons

- Keyboard wasn’t as comfortable as previous 13 inch Macbooks and took some time to get used to

- The gestures all changed and needed to be relearned.

- Expensive laptop for something that doesn’t have an interchangeable video card

- …



By: Chris Gampat


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Blackmagic Releases Cinema Camera Firmware 1.2, Includes Aperture Display, exFAT, and More


This is a brief excerpt from NoFilmSchool




While we got a sort of non-update a few weeks ago about shipping improving but not quite in full volume yet, it’s clear that more and more people are getting their cameras every day, especially those who pre-ordered very early. We knew this firmware update was coming, but now version 1.2 for the Blackmagic Cinema Camera has arrived without much fanfare — though anyone that has used the camera knows some of these features are incredibly important. Click through for more on the update.

Here are the new features in this firmware version:

New option for time-lapse recording in the Recorder settings

exFAT file system support

F-stop values are displayed when using compatible EF lenses

SDI output now supports RP-188 timecode

Support for Thunderbolt on Windows

These are currently the time-lapse options in the camera (thanks to Randy in the Blackmagic forum):

Frames: 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Seconds: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60

Minutes: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10


I’ve talked about most of my issues with the camera as is, and this does fix a few of the major ones. Seeing your aperture on the display was absolutely essential for the EF mount version of the camera, as it is next to impossible to shoot quickly and efficiently when you have no idea …



By: Joe Marine


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Discounted Panasonic GH3 Camera In Stock?


This is a brief excerpt from CheesyCam






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Just caught this listing for a few Panasonic GH3 camera bodies while I was searching for a second GH3 camera (NAB 2013 coverage). The listing does not show a photo, but the description has everything about the GH3 camera for sale. The eBay seller appears to be from the super store Buy.com, and has 99.7% positive ratings with about 2.5 million Feedback ratings (crazy!).

I just checked the Buy.com website and they show a few kits in stock with lens bundles. This looks very much legit and the best part is they are only selling it for $1211 while others who are still out of stock list the retail for $1299. If you’ve been trying to hunt one down, this seems like a legit buy. Check out the listing (click here).

Panasonic GH3 Digital Camera


Tags: GH3 camera, Panasonic GH3

Shopping: Amazon.com (USA), Amazon.co.uk (EU), BHPhotoVideo.com, eBay.com



By: Emm


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Canon Lens and Speedlite Rebates End This Week


This is a brief excerpt from PhotographyBay




Canon’s instant rebates are set to expire this coming Saturday, February 2, 2013. After that, prices will go back up to “ordinary” retail price points. If there is a hot DSLR or lens that is high on your list of things to buy, now would be a good time to pick one up.

Canon lens deals can be found here at B&H Photo or here at Amazon. Canon DSLR deals are all listed here on Amazon. Additionally, you can find the full list of Canon lens and flash rebates below.


No related posts.

Tagged as: Canon, deal, dslr, instant rebate, lens, sale, Speedlite



By: Eric Reagan


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Canon USA Rebates End on Saturday


This is a brief excerpt from CanonRumors




Speedlite & Lens Rebates to endThe various rebates that have been going on since before Christmas will expire on February 2, 2013. There’s no sign of an extension of the rebate program in the USA and we may not see another one until the spring.

View Lens & Speedlite Rebates at B&H Photo

EOS 5D Mark III DiscountsThe discounts on the EOS 5D Mark III will also end on February 2, 2013.

5D Mark III Body $2975 (save $200) | 5D Mark III w/24-105 f/4L IS $3499 (save $400)

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By: Canon Rumors


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Final Days for Canon Instant Rebates on Lenses and Speedlights


This is a brief excerpt from CheesyCam






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I haven’t found anything on this list that I really need at the moment, but perhaps some of you who may be ready to invest in new lenses could find something useful. The final days are coming to a close for Canon Instant Rebates on Speedlight Flashes and Lenses (including some of their newest releases) over at B&H. You can check out all of the deals at the Canon Rebate Page (click here).

Canon Instant Rebate Savings Speedlight Flashes and Lenses


Tags: Canon Instant Rebate Coupon, Canon Lens Discount, canon rebate

Shopping: Amazon.com (USA), Amazon.co.uk (EU), BHPhotoVideo.com, eBay.com



By: Emm


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Quirky Portraits of People Surrounded by Swarms of Hanging Objects


This is a brief excerpt from PetaPixel




Michael Zhang · Jan 30, 2013


For her projects titled Égarements and Quotidien, French photographer Cerise Doucède creates elaborate scenes by hanging objects from the ceiling, creating swarms that look computer generated but aren’t.The swarming objects include everything from dishes and tea sets to apples and breakfast, and give each photograph a chaotic look and feel.

Doucède spends up to three days on each photograph, carefully setting things up just the way she wants them. She then waits for her human models to become distracted during the shoot in order to capture them with a gaze that’s fitting for the dreamlike environments. Regarding the strings seen inside each shot: Doucède intentionally leaves them visible in the resulting photographs in order to draw a line between real and fake.


You can find more of this beautiful work over on Doucède’s website.

(via My Modern Met via Laughing Squid)

Image credits: Photographs by Cerise Doucède



By: Michael Zhang


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Gear In 60 Seconds – Formatt Hitech 4×4 Filter Tray


This is a brief excerpt from FreshDV




There are a number of tools that I bring in my gear kit for almost every shoot. One of these is the Formatt Hitech Modular Holder. This is a screw-on filter tray for 4×4 filters, and I use it most often with Formatt’s lightweight resin filters.

This is a great combo for lightweight cameras that lack built-in Neutral Density filters…cameras like DSLRs and the Sony FS100 come to mind. It allows me to clip on a filter tray and resin ND that weigh just a few ounces. And with several stages in the tray, I can stack NDs, or add grad filters to hold a bright skyline. I like the resin filters, as they weigh less than glass filters, as well as being thinner and less fragile when dropped. In my opinion, Formatt offers the perfect filter solution for shooters on the go. Here’s a Gear in 60 Seconds video that shows the system…watch the video and check out pictures below.


Gear in 60 Seconds – Formatt Hitech 100mm Filter Holder from FreshDV on Vimeo.

A few notes that I didn’t cover in the short video above…* I show it with a 77mm adapter; with the right ring …



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Gear In 60 Seconds – Formatt Hitech 4×4 Filter Tray


This is a brief excerpt from FreshDV




There are a number of tools that I bring in my gear kit for almost every shoot. One of these is the Formatt Hitech Modular Holder. This is a screw-on filter tray for 4×4 filters, and I use it most often with Formatt’s lightweight resin filters.

This is a great combo for lightweight cameras that lack built-in Neutral Density filters…cameras like DSLRs and the Sony FS100 come to mind. It allows me to clip on a filter tray and resin ND that weigh just a few ounces. And with several stages in the tray, I can stack NDs, or add grad filters to hold a bright skyline. I like the resin filters, as they weigh less than glass filters, as well as being thinner and less fragile when dropped. In my opinion, Formatt offers the perfect filter solution for shooters on the go. Here’s a Gear in 60 Seconds video that shows the system…watch the video and check out pictures below.


Gear in 60 Seconds – Formatt Hitech 100mm Filter Holder from FreshDV on Vimeo.

A few notes that I didn’t cover in the short video above…* I show it with a 77mm adapter; with the right ring …



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Twitter and Dropbox Each Add New Photo Sharing Features


This is a brief excerpt from PetaPixel




Michael Zhang · Jan 30, 2013


Twitter and Dropbox aren’t really known as premier destinations for sharing photographs online, but both companies are taking steps toward changing that. Both companies unveiled new features today that are geared toward making photo sharing and viewing through their respective services an easier and more enjoyable experience.Twitter announced a new large photo view on profiles and through search results.

Click a photograph on either of those pages, and it will be displayed as a higher-resolution image in a lightbox while keeping the user on the same page.


Dropbox’s announcement was delivered with a little more fanfare than Twitter’s simple blog post. The company summoned journalists to a media event at its San Francisco headquarters, revealing features that focus on treating data as consumable content rather than bits to be archived and forgotten.

Liz Gannes of AllThingsD was on hand, and reports that many of the features are geared toward photo sharing, with one of the big ones being the a new photo album view. The new feature will gather your images from across the folders in your account, displaying them neatly in a unified gallery for your enjoyment.

Photographs can be organized by …



By: Michael Zhang


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Panasonic Lumix GX1 for $319 – Deal Alert


This is a brief excerpt from PhotographyBay




B&H has a solid deal on the Panasonic Lumix GX1 for $319 (compare at $379 on Amazon). Check it out here at B&H Photo.


Related posts:

Panasonic Lumix LX7 for $299 – Black Friday Deal Alert

Panasonic Lumix G3 w/ Lens for $299 – Black Friday Deal Alert

Panasonic Lumix Cameras at $50 Off

Panasonic GF3 w/ Lens for $289 – Deal Alert

Panasonic GX1 for $395 – Deal of the Day

Tagged as: b&H, b&h photo, deal, GX1, Panasonic, sale



By: Eric Reagan


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“To Omit an Alias Filter… Is like Building a Sports Car with No Brakes”


This is a brief excerpt from PetaPixel




Michael Zhang · Jan 30, 2013


Last week, we pointed you to a piece by the New York Times on how Fujifilm is attempting to kill moiré without killing sharpness by designing its sensors in a way that eschews the traditional anti-aliasing filters used in digital cameras. Photographer Martin Doppelbauer disagrees with Fuji’s claims: he has published a piece arguing that, “digital cameras without aliasing filters are cameras with a built-in design flaw“:

To omit an alias filter in front of a digital image sensors is like building a sports car with no brakes. Of course, the car accelerates a little faster due to the lower weight and the cornering ability is also better due to the smaller unsprung weight – but ultimately it lacks an essential functional element.

For analog cameras, an alias filter is not required: ​​Film has no sharply defined limit of resolution. It loses contrast and resolution gradually with increasingly higher frequencies. You could say, the low-pass filter is already incorporated in the film itself.

[...] By omitting the alias filter, the recorded image information [...] does not increase! Even though images of cameras without aliasing filters may appear sharper and crisper: Images of cameras with a proper alias filter can …



By: Michael Zhang


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2013 Lilliput 663 7″ HDMI IPS LCD Video Monitor


This is a brief excerpt from CheesyCam




Jonas writes in and shares the latest Lilliput 663 HDMI Monitor with IPS Screen [Thanks Jonas]. The new IPS screen sports a 1280×800 HD display (cheaper monitors only display 800×480 max), has better viewing angles, and also claims to be almost twice as bright as current competing (sub $300) lcd models. The new Lilliput HDMI Monitor sports an IPS LCD Screen which falls in line with their Flagship 9.7″ HDMI Monitor design (seen here) but the 663 now comes in a more professional aluminum housing.


The 663 seems to be offered in a few different versions. A basic model is simply a high resolution display, while stepping up a few dollars offers popular features of false color, focus peaking, zebra exposure, histogram overlays, etc. Some versions offer HDMI in only and more expensive options include HDMI in/out for pass through. Available in a 7″ version right now (no 5″), and you can find more about the Lilliput 663 HDMI monitors via eBay (click here).

Lilliput 663 2013 HDMI IPS LCD Monitor


Tags: 663 hdmi monitor, 7 inch, dslr video monitor, lilliput 5 inch, lilliput 9 inch, lilliput lcd monitor

Shopping: Amazon.com (USA), Amazon.co.uk (EU), BHPhotoVideo.com, eBay.com



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Fujifilm FinePix JX680 Announced- Slim Camera with 16-Megapixels and 5x Optically Zoom Lens


This is a brief excerpt from CameraTown




Valhalla, N.Y., January 30, 2013 — FUJIFILM North America Corporation today announced the introduction of the FinePix JX680, a slim digital camera with a FUJINON 5x optical zoom lens (26-130mm*1) that is thin enough to fit in your jeans or purse to take wherever you go. It has the perfect combination of advanced features and ease of use, offering Digital Image Stabilization to help eliminate blurry images, and an Advanced Filter function for added creative expression. Additionally, its 16MP CCD sensor ensures that the highest image quality is captured every time and can be easily viewed on its bright 3.0″ LCD screen.

“The FinePix JX680 offers consumers a stylish combination of powerful features and creative options all in a slim and affordable compact digital camera that fits in your pocket,” said David Troy, director of marketing, Digital Cameras, FUJIFILM North America Corporation, Electronic Imaging Division. “Everyday photographers will enjoy this easy-to-use camera with its exciting feature set that includes Digital Image Stabilization, HD movie capture, and large 3.0″ LCD screen.”

Slim Camera with 5x FUJINON Lens and Digital Image Stabilization Despite being ultra-compact (20mm*2), the FinePix JX680 camera offers a wide subject coverage with its 5x FUJINON optical zoom lens, from 26mm*1 ( …



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Cokin Unveils Pure Harmonie, the World’s Skinniest Lens Filters


This is a brief excerpt from PetaPixel




French optical filter company Cokin has launched a new line of lens filters under the brand name Pure Harmonie. The new filters are unique in that they’re the thinnest and lightest in the world — the UV filter in the set measures only 3.3mm (~0.13in) thick!There are currently three filters in the Pure Harmonie stable: the Multi-Coated Anti-UV (UV MC), the Circular Polarizer (C PL), and the Variable Density Neutral Gray (ND X).


As we mentioned above, the smallest and lightest of the three is the UV filter. Cokin calls it “the contact lens of your lens.” Apparently it’s almost invisible when it’s mounted to the front of your lens.

It’s designed to cut down on haze and protect your lens from dust and scratches while barely adding any extra weight or dimension to your kit. The filter is made of “extremely resistant glass,” and Cokin says the thinness of the filter allows it to cut down on lens flare.


At 4.5mm, the Circular Polarizer filter is a bit thicker than the UV. However, it’s still the thinnest and lightest polarizing filter in the world.

Cokin says that despite its small form factor, the filter …



By: Michael Zhang


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Are Your Videos NSFW or SFW? Give Viewers a Heads-Up with Vimeo's New Content Ratings


This is a brief excerpt from NoFilmSchool




The internet is mostly an uncensored place, and this can either be a blessing or a curse depending on the person, situation, and content. If you’ve been noticing a little “Not Yet Rated” or “All Audiences” next to the name on videos you’ve been watching on Vimeo, you might be feeling a bit out of the loop. Vimeo is extremely lenient on the type of content allowed on the site, and for good reason: art is very subjective. That doesn’t mean, however, that all art is appropriate for all audiences at all times of the day, and as a way to help you identify the type of content you’re about to watch, Vimeo is introducing Content Ratings for its videos.

Here is a portion of the post from the Vimeo Staff Blog:

There are sometimes boobs, blood, and curse words on Vimeo. And other stuff.

Though often essential to artistic expression, so-called “mature content” can be decidedly less essential for certain audiences, such as children, office workers with their computer speakers turned up too loud, and people who’d rather not encounter particular things. To make sure Vimeo remains accessible to all audiences, we’re introducing …



By: Joe Marine


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BTS Shoot – Inflatable Cat Unicorn Horn


This is a brief excerpt from F-Stoppers




Here at Fstoppers we love sharing behind the scenes photo shoots with our readers so we can all learn and grow together. Every so often we come across one that while it could have been executed better is still worth sharing. Such is the case with the recent commercial shoot for the McPhee Inflatable Unicorn Horn for cats. I can gather from the video that it is best to shoot unicorn’ed cats against a white seamless, using Pocket Wizards to fire your lights and a number of cat petting assistants. Big props go out to the audio mixer on the video as well. Enjoy!

Apparently from the look of the cat in the video and the photos I can tell that cats really do in fact love it.

[Via Laughing Squid]



By: Trevor Dayley


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A Brilliant Series of Advertising Portraits Promoting Dental Floss


This is a brief excerpt from PetaPixel




Michael Zhang · Jan 30, 2013


The Brazilian advertising agency Y&R recently came up with an extremely clever series of photographs for Colgate to promote the company’s line of Total dental floss. Check out the three couple portraits in the post and see how quickly your eye is drawn to the weirdness.


Did you catch that? No, the “punchline” of the ads actually isn’t the nasty gunk stuck in the teeth of the men. Here are the messages found in the upper right hand corner of each ad (respectively):


Did you catch those things the first time around? If not, go back and take a look at the portraits again! The first guy is missing an ear, the second woman has an extra digit, and the third photo features a phantom limb!

Basically, Colgate wants you to know that having gunk stuck between your teeth is so noticeable and distracting that people who see it might not even notice other things that would otherwise be spotted rather quickly.

Were you fooled?

(via Ads of the World via Fstoppers)



By: Michael Zhang


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