eos

Canon 5D Mark III update to unlock high-end HDMI video

Canon plans to release a notable firmware update to its high-end EOS 5D Mark III in April that will let videographers use the SLR to record uncompressed HDMI video.

As the successor to the 5D Mark II that jump-started the video SLR revolution four years ago, the 22-megapixel 5D3 has big shoes to fill. The new update surely will help professionals who need better quality, even if ordinary folks need not care much. Here's what Canon had to say about the news:

When shooting video, HDMI Output makes possible the recording of high-definition uncompressed video data (YCbCr 4:2:… Read more

Lightroom 4.2 supports large swath of new cameras

With the Photokina show in Germany producing so many new high-end cameras, it's evidently been a busy season for Adobe Systems' Lightroom team.

That team just released Lightroom 4.2, which supports 22 new cameras, 43 new lenses, and lets people shoot with 11 new cameras tethered to a computer. It takes work to figure out how to decode each camera's proprietary raw format.

Here's the full list of new cameras supported, but note that the Nikon D600 support is "preliminary and there is a minor risk that the appearance of your images may change when … Read more

Purported catalog pic shows 46-megapixel Canon 3D

Studio photographers dissatisfied with recent events in the world of Canon SLRs might take heart at a fleeting glimpse of a possible 46-megapixel Canon EOS 3D.

That glimpse came from Nine Volt Photo, a maker of equipment to help photographers help take photos with cameras tethered to computers. It said it found a reference at retail powerhouse B&H Photo after an "inadvertent search for a Canon 3D."

The company shared a screenshot of the page list with specifications including a 46.1-megapixel CMOS image sensor, dual Digic 5+ processors, a 3.2-inch LCD, and dual CompactFlash … Read more

Quikdraw your lens for fast shooting

We've heard of holsters for cameras, such as the Roberu leather holster or the Spider holster, but what about one for dSLR lenses?

Compared with typical lens holsters -- which are basically small nylon bags that carry a single lens -- the Quikdraw system allows shutterbugs to quickly swap between multiple lenses.

All you need to do is to strap on a belt and you'll be able to hang several lenses from your waist. The lenses are mounted on the Quikdraw units and dismounted with a twist-and-lock motion, just like what you do when mounting lenses on a camera body. … Read more

Canon announces EOS-1D X release date

When Crave last checked up on the $6,799 Canon EOS-1D X dSLR in February, the company suggested a "late April" release date for the powerhouse camera. The EOS-1D X still shows as unavailable to consumers at major retailers, so it appears Canon made quite a misjudgment with that original claim.

Fortunately, the Japanese imaging giant announced today that June 20 stands as the official release date for the 18-megapixel EOS-1D X. That doesn't mean that everyone who wants the latest and greatest Canon can get one, though. … Read more

How DxO Labs tests hot cameras like Canon's latest SLR

BOULOGNE BILLANCOURT, France -- So you think you're a camera expert? Well, when was the last time you evaluated a camera by spending days analyzing hundreds of test photos?

That's what DxO Labs does, over and over, publishing results so far for 185 cameras on its DxOMark Web site. To see what lies behind those performance scores, CNET visited the company as it put one hotly anticipated camera through its paces: Canon's hot new video-capable SLR, the EOS 5D Mark III.

The results might not surprise close watchers of the camera business: Canon's score of 81 … Read more

Canon 5D Mark III underwhelms on sensor test

Canon's EOS 5D Mark III is a hot item in the camera world. It's the successor to the vaunted 5D Mark II, which ignited the video SLR revolution, but with better autofocus, shooting speed, and low-light performance.

Alas for Canon shooters, though, the 22-megapixel image sensor doesn't rate much better than the 21-megapixel one in the 5D Mark II that arrived more than three years earlier, according to tests by imaging technology DxO Labs.

DxO gave the 5D Mark III sensor a score of 81 on the DxOMark test of image sensor performance when shooting raw photos. … Read more

Canon delays EOS-1D X

Are you patiently awaiting the powerhouse Canon EOS-1D X dSLR?

To those planning to buy the 18-megapixel shooter this March, well, we have some bad news. The release date is now "late April," according to Canon press releases in various regions (including Europe and Japan).

There's not much information explaining the inconvenience, aside from an ambiguous note about a "delay in development."

The company says it's also delaying many EOS-1D X accessories to match the new launch time frame. These include the GPS receiver (GP-E1), wireless file transmitter (WFT-E6B), battery charger (LC-E4N), battery pack (LP-E4N), wide strap (L7), and focusing screen (EC- CV).

(Via AV Watch and Imaging Resource)… Read more

Canon EOS utility updated to work in OS X Lion

If you're a photographer who uses Canon equipment and has been unable to use the Canon EOS utility after installing OS X Lion, some good news: Canon has issued an update to the tool that allows it to run properly in Apple's latest operating system.

The Canon EOS Utility is an application that allows you to interface your Mac with your digital EOS camera, allowing you to not only transfer images from it and manage them but also remotely operate the camera from your computer using Canon's interface cable.

When OS X Lion was released a number … Read more

Cheap zinc air battery promises beefier power grid

Eos Energy Storage is developing a zinc air battery it claims will be able to clear up bottlenecks on the power grid by placing them at office buildings and shopping malls.

The energy storage startup before the end of March plans to close a round of funding from corporate partners which is expected to be at least $5.5 million. It plans to raise $20 million by the end of this year and start making its batteries at a pilot manufacturing facility next year, said President Steve Hellman.

Although it doesn't have a product on the market yet, Eos … Read more