Canon 7D’s magnesium body

November 7, 2009 @ 5:47 pm


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I’ve been happily shooting with a Canon EOS 7D for over a week now. I have nothing but good things to say about this camera and I am more than happy about the choice I made in the end over the Canon 5D Mark II.

DPReview seems to agree with me in this respect and says that the 7D is in some ways better than the 5D Mark II (obvious difference between the two being that the 5D has a full-frame sensor). Their 31-page review is impressive (I mean…it’s 31 pages long) and gives anybody hoping to learn more about the Canon 7D a complete view of the camera inside and out.

The EOS 7D is powered by Dual Digic 4 processors and it shows. The camera’s overall performance is nothing short of impressive, especially in this segment of the market. The two processors are pushing the huge 18 megapixel files through the imaging and processing pipeline in an extremely swift manner. Instead of asking if this camera is fast enough for you, you should probably be slightly concerned if you are fast enough for the 7D.

The DPReview emphasizes that image quality for a camera like this is directly related to the glass that you’re using, so they highly discourage the use of the kit lenses if you’re shooting for the utmost image quality and sharpness. But assuming that you’ve got good lenses, this camera is definitely a great choice if you’re looking for a new SLR. I endorse it, and apparently, so does DPReview.

SkyShutter Aericam by Jason Lam

November 2, 2009 @ 1:22 am

A photographer named Jason Lam has created the SkyShutter Aericam, a Erector Set-like remote control helicopter that you can mount a digital SLR to in order to film aerial shots easily and cheaply.

It’s probably not the safest way to get your best shot, but it is a huge money-saver in terms of hiring a full crew. The rig is about 30 pounds and can carry a payload/camera up to 7 pounds. The entire camera and helicopter require two people to control — one to steer the helicopter and the other to control the movement and direction of the camera. A kit costs $9000 and a completely assembled version costs $12,000.

If you want to check out some sample shots from this setup, watch the video below. Otherwise, enjoy the nice looking photos after the video.

Aerial Photography New York from Jason Lam on Vimeo.

Learn 2 shoot great video on your Canon 7D with Philip Bloom

November 1, 2009 @ 2:00 am

Philip Bloom’s instructional video on how to best use the Canon 7D to shoot great looking video looks tempting. But at $135, I’m not sure I can justify that sort of spending on something that’s simply a digital download. I’ll wait for the actual DVD to be released (which should be real soon).

San Francisco’s People by Philip Bloom

November 1, 2009 @ 1:39 am

San Francisco’s People. Canon 5DmkII 24p from Philip Bloom on Vimeo.

A great looking video with a soothing soundtrack. Philip Bloom shot this one on a Canon 5D Mark II with a 50mm f/1.2

WOW (the Lightscoop is amazing)!!

November 1, 2009 @ 1:12 am


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I posted briefly about the Lightscoop just a few days ago and today I received a review unit from them to test out and I am just floored by the quality of light I am getting off of this relatively cheap camera flash accessory.

I am planning a full review of the Lightscoop real soon, but for now, just look at the difference that this $35 add-on does for an SLR’s on-camera flash. It’s incredible! The top photo was taken WITH the Lightscoop and the photo below is taken with direct on-camera flash.

Stay tuned for the full review soon.


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Red Tattoo digital still and video camera

October 31, 2009 @ 3:15 am

Engadget just got word of at least two brand-new RED digital still and motion cameras, one of which is the EPIC-X modular camera. RED has posted several press photos of a prototype version called “Tattoo” that costs about $28,000.

I’m not going to sit here and pretend I know what I’m writing about when it comes to RED technology and gear. Simply put, I just don’t understand it. It flies way over my head in everything and I end up judging the company based on their product images (which I have to say are damn good). See the gallery below of the Tattoo and some optional gear you can mod the camera with.