Since I had my Leica M9 (object of an up coming detailed post) I must admit that I have “stepped” away a bit from the SLR world. The feeling of shooting with Leica gears can only be understood when you actually shoot with Leica. It the sort of things that are hard to explain but very easy to understand once you are “confronted” to it.

But let’s get back to our topic of today’s post.
This is no scientific reviews and we are mainly focusing on the use of the Canon EF 100 Macro USM and the 100L Macro IS USM for HANDHELD video.

The camera used for this out of the box, literally, I just got home with this lens (Canon EF 100L Macro IS USM), is the Canon 5D Mark II in Av mode with an aperture set to f/3.2 and ISO set on AUTO. You will notice that he ISO will go up sometimes up to 3200.

The lighting is not what I’d call the most sexiest lighting because it is just a pain energy saver bulb with a disgusting colour temperature. The WB on the Canon 5D Mark II is set to AWB.

Shamelessly, the photos below of the gears are taken with an iPhone 4 under the same yucky lighting conditions.

With all the gears that I use, I can here some people yelling for scandal but with so much excitement, I didn’t want to waste time setting up a proper studio setting and to be honest, this is not about how the gear look like (you’ll find tons of them on the net) but how they perform in a “real” shooting situation, with mix and yucky lights.

Canon EF 100 f/2.8 Macro USM vs Canon EF 100 f/2.8L Macro IS USM

Canon 5D Mark II with the Varavon viewfinder, Canon EF 100 f/2.8 Macro USM and Canon EF 100 f/2.8L Macro IS USM

Canon 5D Mark II with the Varavon viewfinder, Canon EF 100 f/2.8 Macro USM and Canon EF 100 f/2.8L Macro IS USM

At first, being a tech and new toys freak, I’d say that newer is better and when I saw the first images of the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, I suddenly felt that my Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM had some problems.

I have never been a big fan of the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM design, especially the top of the lens, but being the only 100 Canon macro lens at the time, it’s not like I had the choice and picked the “wrong” one.

So, I was willing to have the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM as a second macro lens and was trying to find a good reason to get it. I didn’t find any because I don’t use the macro lens that much, especially at this focal length.

Only recently, from a short chat on a social network that I found out that the new Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM had something that I didn’t know about (I said that I stepped away from SLR since the Leica M9 remember?) and that was the “Hybrid” IS on the new macro lens.

After a few searches online I had to find out by myself: I rang my local dealer and luckily he had a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM in stock and that I could borrow.

This is one of the big benefit from buying local. You may pay for a bit extra but you are close to the people, real people, and you will have the service and support that you will not have when dealing with a website.

I’d like to thank Greg from Ted’s Camera in Canberra for this. You needs gears? Talk to Greg at Ted’s Camera Store in Canberra.

Now, obviously, I started playing around with the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM on the Canon 5D Mark II. I also use a Varazon viewfinder on the Canon 5D Mark II for focusing and for composition.

…

I was a bit skeptical about the “Hybrid” IS and was pleasantly surprise to hear that the IS is automatically activated when you go live view with the camera. The IS noise is at very low level and changes following the steadiness of the camera. The IS noise gets louder, but very reasonable, when I tried to shake the camera a bit.

That being said, I would suspect that using the combination of the lens, the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM, and live view would drain your battery a bit quicker and more importantly what would be the life expectancy of the IS inside the lens if you decide that this lens is your main lens for HD video? Remember that when shooting for photos (do we still shoot photos with cameras?) IS will be active during (auto)focusing and IS would remain active for a short time (less than a second) after capture, when the shutter release is fully pushed. Let me  know if you have any idea on this.

Look and feel, as mentioned, for me “newer is better” and the design of the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM is really more sexy than the non L version.

Manual focusing with this lens is more pleasant, for me, than with the non L version. Looking through the Varazon viewfinder, in live view mode, it was a wow at first view as the view is really steady.

I moved the camera from left to right and up and down and can clearly see that the IS is its job briliantly.

I shot a short clip with manual focus and a bit of panning to see if vertical movement are compensated. It is.

The focusing ring is a pleasure to use and the lens is very well balanced in hand.

As expected and with no surprise, when switching the lens with the Canon EF 100 f/2.8 Macro USM, at same settings, I saw almost the same thing in term of movement due to camera shake for the first few seconds. The view through the LCD screen in live view starts jiggling with my hand shake and my breathing.  The absence of IS in the early version is very perceptible at this focal length. Of course camera shake will amplify with the distance to subject.

The Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM would be undeniably a better lens for macro photography handheld with its 4 stop image stabilisation. In video mode, it will help you achieve better results hand-holding. I will be heading out tomorrow for more testing with photo and video samples.

In the mean time, no images from taken with these lenses yet, because I only want to check the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM in HANDHELD video.

Check out the video below. Could you say which video is using which lens?

The second video is shot exclusively with the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM with IS ON and OFF. I noticed during this short test that if you tilt the camera down, the IS noise is more perceptible than if the lens is held horizontally.

HD Video Contest By Canon

Introducing the first user-generated HD Video Contest where photographers become filmmakers, and we all see beyond the still. To kick off the contest, Canon asked photographer, Vincent Laforet, to interpret what story lives beyond this still and to tell that story with the new Canon EOS 7D. His will be the first chapter of seven, each ending with a still photograph for the next aspiring filmmaker to interpret. Posing the question to everyone, what do you see beyond the still?

Link to Vincent Laforet’s, Nocturne, video here.

Canon press release:

Canon U.S.A. Kicks Off Innovative “Story Beyond The Still” Digital Image Contest On Vimeo.Com

Lake Success, N.Y., January 15, 2010 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today announced the commencement of “The Story Beyond The Still Contest,” allowing photographers and videographers to showcase their creativity in a new style of filmmaking that blends still and video images into a continuous cinematic piece begun by Canon Explorer of Light . The contest, sponsored by Canon and hosted by Vimeo, the online video sharing site hosting one of the largest collections of HD content on the Web, invites participants to use the HD video capability of their camera to create short, two to four minute videos that tell a story based on the final still frame from Laforet’s piece, and then from each successive winning “chapter.” Videos can be submitted to and viewed on a dedicated site within the Vimeo online community before they are judged.

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After the disastrous 1D Mark III with its “hazardous” AF system, Canon has no room for errors with the AF system on the newly released Canon 1D Mark IV.
It appears that Canon finally got it right with its new AF system.
Here are a few images from a burst of image @ 10 fps and in AI Servo Mode.

Images copyright Mangin Photography – Images by Brad Mangin

Check out the full review on the field here: http://manginphotography.net/2009/12/finally-canon-gets-it-right-with-mark-iv/

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• Photographers bless improved Canon autofocus (news.cnet.com)
• Canon D1 Mark IV Rumors (ubergizmo.com)

As Canon’s new high-speed-flag-ship camera, the Canon 1D Mark IV, started to ship early January around the Globe, one starts seeing some awesome videos about this new prodige.

Check out this video showing off the Canon 1D Mark IV image quality. It’s just breath taking.
PS: Don’t forget to flick the full screen button.

Image courtesy of Rob Galbraith (www.robgalbraith.com)

After the announcements and release of Nikons’ zoom lenses, I was expecting the same from Canon.

As expected Canon just announced the relooking of their best seller 70-200 f/2.8 L IS USM in to the 70-200 f/208L IS II USM lens.

On the list of the lifting there are some improvement in the design (same look as the 100 f/2.8 L Macro at the filter end) and some additional low dispersion lens to avoid CA.

Better IS and faster AF.

Canon’s Press Release:

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., January 5, 2010 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, introduces the new EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens. Arguably the most popular focal range in Canon’s telephoto arsenal and a staple lens for any professional photographer, the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens provides the focal length, maximum aperture and zoom power for capturing everything from fast-action sports to studio portraits. Built for the professional, the body structure of the new EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens has been enhanced to provide better durability and strength without a significant increase in weight. Canon has improved optical performance on the new EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens by redesigning the internal elements, incorporating a fluorite element and a fifth UD element. The use of the fluorite element and five UD elements helps to minimize secondary chromatic aberrations and produce better image quality with improved contrast and resolution through the entire zoom range; the end result is an optically precise lens worthy of becoming the leader of Canon’s L-series lenses.

Along with its redesigned optical elements, the new lens design features improved AF speed due to a new focusing algorithm and has reduced the minimum focusing distance to 3.9 feet (1.2 meters) through the entire zoom range, allowing photographers to capture tighter portraiture shots in a small studio space. The previous lens model’s minimum focusing distance was 4.6 feet (1.4 meters), whereas now photographers can stand nearly 8 inches closer to their subject and achieve sharp focus and tight crops. Canon has also enhanced the Image Stabilization allowing it to compensate for shutter speeds up to four steps slower than 1/focal length, a one step improvement over the previous lens model.

“Canon’s core has always been our optics, and we are constantly challenging ourselves to produce better and more advanced optical systems for our customers. The new EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens incorporates the best advancements in Canon lens technology from the past few years and packages it into what we believe will be the most popular lens for professionals and advanced photographers,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A.

The enhanced magnesium alloy barrel design of the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens features added strength with a minimal 20-gram increase in weight compared with the previous model (1490g vs. 1470g) and retains Canon’s protective seals and fittings providing dust and water resistance for those photographers working in adverse conditions. A new bayonet mount on the front of the lens includes a locking mechanism to ensure the supplied lens hood remains securely in place. Other noticeable improvements include a wider focusing ring, and sleeker design by reducing the thickness of any protruding elements such as the switch panel. The new lens is also compatible with Canon’s existing EF1.4X II and EF2X II Extenders as well as EF Extension Tubes and the 77mm Close-Up Lens 500D.

Pricing and Availability
The Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens is supplied with a detachable tripod collar, a reversible bayonet mount lens hood and a lens pouch. The new lens is scheduled to be delivered to U.S. dealers in April, price to be determined.

Canon Digital Learning Center
Online visitors and Web surfers are encouraged to browse the Canon Digital Learning Center and take advantage of the various educational resources that Canon has to offer for novices and advanced photographers alike. The Canon Digital Learning Center provides a schedule for a wide variety of Live Learning classes across the country with renowned photographers as well as online resources and tips. The site also features online tutorials for beginners and professionals to learn their way around a digital SLR camera and inkjet printer and unlock the full creative control of digital photography. To learn more about each program and register, please visit: www.usa.canon.com/canonlivelearning

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranked third overall in the U.S. in 2008†, with global revenues of US $45 billion, is listed as number four in the computer industry on Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies 2009 list, and is on the 2009 BusinessWeek list of “100 Best Global Brands.” Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest levels of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. At Canon, we care because caring is essential to living together in harmony. Founded upon a corporate philosophy of Kyosei – “all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future” – Canon U.S.A. supports a number of social, youth, educational and other programs, including environmental and recycling initiatives. Additional information about these programs can be found at www.usa.canon.com/kyosei. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss.

†Based on weekly patent counts issued by United States Patent and Trademark Office.

One after another, camera manufacturers start releasing top notch techno in their cameras allowing more than just image capture features.

After the Canon 7D and Nikon D3s announcement and released. Canon strikes back with their high speed flag ship the Canon 1D Mark IV.

Check out the press release below.

INTRODUCING THE ULTIMATE MULTIMEDIA IMAGING SOLUTION: THE NEW CANON EOS-1D MARK IV DIGITAL SLR CAMERA

The EOS-1D Mark IV Features a Completely Redesigned 45-Point Autofocus System, Fast 10 fps Continuous Shooting, 16-Megapixel Resolution, Outstanding ISO Sensitivity, and Full HD Video Recording at Selectable Frame Rates

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., October 20, 2009 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, is proud to introduce the next evolution in the EOS 1D series of cameras: the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR camera. The EOS-1D Mark IV is a high-speed multimedia performance monster with a 16-megapixel Canon CMOS sensor, Dual DIGIC 4 Imaging Processors, and 14-bit A/D data conversion, all at 10 frames-per-second (fps), with the widest ISO range Canon has produced to date. This new camera also features 1080p Full High-Definition video capture at selectable frame rates packaged in Canon’s most rugged and durable professional camera body.