dSLR Dad

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Does the Canon EOS-1D Mark III now offer reliable AI-SERVO autofocus?

Rob Galbraith has updated his endless odyssey on the Canon EOS 1D Mark III autofocus issues.  While this may be his final installment, the questions remain the same:

This entry in our ongoing analysis of EOS-1D Mark III autofocus recaps and updates our experience with the camera and firmware v1.1.3 loaded, compares that to the camera’s autofocus performance with firmware v1.2.3 installed and answers some of the most commonly-asked questions we’ve received in the past few months, including this one: after more than a year, three firmware updates and a hardware fix, does the Canon EOS-1D Mark III now offer reliable autofocus?

Click here to continue reading Rob Galbraith’s August update.

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Now in 1080p High Definition

It has been quite an interesting three years since Canon first released the original EOS 5D. At the time, it was the first full-frame, compact digital SLR that sold at a somewhat affordable price of $3,299 at launch.  It proved popular with dSLR Dads who required really big pixels for their landscape and portrait work.  Remarkably enough, it is only recently that Canon has faced competition in the space it created with the introduction of Nikon’s D700 and Sony’s Alpha A900.  And while those are some mighty fine cameras, Canon has once again decided to set itself apart from the crowd.  With the introduction of the 21.1 Megapixel full-frame EOS 5D Mark II, Canon is also the first to introduce 1080p high-definition video recording in a digital SLR Camera.

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Popular Photography Magazine has published their review of the Nikon D90 dSLR Camera:

Borrowing its 12.3MP APS-C sized CMOS sensor from the higherend D300, the D90 is the fourth successive 12MP Nikon DSLR. Clearly, the company has eased off the megapixel race, instead focusing on other areas of image quality, such as low noise at high ISOs and convenient features. And the results are impressive. In our lab tests, the D90 scored Excellent in overall image quality right up through ISO 3200….

You can read the entire review at PopPhoto.com.

For all of the latest news and reviews, check out the dSLR Dad’s Nikon D90 Resource Guide

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RED Digital Cinema founder Jim Jannard, who recently announced their own Digital Still and Motion Camera has also gotten his hands on a Nikon D90.  The results of it’s motion capture are not impressive:

You can follow Jim’s discussion of CMOS motion video capture in the RED User forum:

The details of the RED DSMC (Digital Still & Motion Camera) will be announced at the end of this year.

Given the announcements and release of still cameras from “others” that now shoot video, RED is excited to enter this game. From our vantage point, it is a lot easier to enter the still market from a motion background than visa-versa. The biggest issue that needs to be solved by the still capture group is skew… slow read-reset of CMOS imagers. This “typical” CMOS issue shows itself by moving the camera during motion capture. It is seen as “jelly movement”. Red has overcome this issue with a rapid read-reset CMOS sensor program. The Monstro Mysterium sensor is the fastest read-reset CMOS known to man enjoying the same motion characteristics as a film camera.

Later on he continues:

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Adobe will introduce the new Creative Suite 4 as a live video webcast on September 23, 2008.  You can register to watch the entire event at Adobe.  The following are the available times for viewing:

• Europe - 11 am CET
• North America - 9 am Eastern
• North America - 9 am Pacific
• Australia - 4 pm AET (9/24)
• Singapore/Hong Kong - 2 pm (9/24)
• India - 11:30 am IST (9/24)

Thanks to Scott Kelby for the heads up.

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The AF-S NIKKOR 50mm f/1.4G prime lens brings a Silent Wave Motor to Nikon’s standard prime lenses.  With an ultra-fast f/1.4 aperture, this lens will allow you to photograph in extremely low light.  The other benefit of a big aperture is it’s very small depth-of-field when wide open.  This gives you those nice out-of-focus backgrounds, helping your subject really stand out.  To get a better sense of this, This Week In Photography has an excellent video which gives a visual presentation of how changing your aperture affects your photos.   Other notable features include:

• AF-S Silent Wave Motor enables autofocus for Nikon D40, D40x, and D60 dSLR Dads.
• Rounded 9-blade aperture diaphragm should help out-of-focus elements blur more natural and not seem blotchy.
• Nikon Super Integrated Coating (SIC) enhances light transmission efficiency and offers superior color consistency and reduced flare. Nikon’s value alternative to ED glass in a standard lens.
• Full-frame design will work with FX and DX formats.
• Minimum focus distance of 1.5 feet.
• At 2.9 by 2.1 inches (Diameter x Length) and 9 ounces, it’s a bit bigger than the 50mm f/1.4D AF Nikkor Lens. However, it is much more compact and lighter than Sigma’s own 50mm F1.4 EX DC HSM Lens.

With an estimated selling price of $440 it is more expensive than the 50mm f/1.4D, but lower than Sigma’s excellent 50mm F1.4 EX DC HSM Lens. But then again, the Sigma and f/1.4D are available now, whereas Nikon’s 50mm f/1.4G doesn’t ship until this December.

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Nikon has published the 300 page D90 dSLR user manual.  The Nikon D90 User’s Manual - Guide to Digital Photography, can be downloaded at Nikon USA.  You can also find out more about the Nikon D90 in the dSLR Dad Resource Guide.

Note:  The Nikon D90 dSLR Camera with the AF-S DX Nikkor 18-105mm F/3.5-5.6G ED VR Zoom Lens is in stock and shipping from both Amazon.com and B and H Photo.

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The Nikon D90 dSLR Camera with the AF-S DX Nikkor 18-105mm F/3.5-5.6G ED VR Zoom Lens is in stock and shipping for both Amazon.com and B and H Photo.  You can find out more about the Nikon D90 in the dSLR Dad Resource Guide.

As a side note, B&H Photo is now selling the Nikon D80 dSLR body for only $599. A great value for you dSLR Dads who were looking at the D60.

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Red Digital Cinema to Release Digital Still & Motion Camera in 2009

Jim Jannard is the founder of both Oakley and the Red Digital Cinema Company.  If you have not heard of RED, they are responsible for flipping the entire digital cinema industry upside down.  By shipping a camera with the best digital sensor in the industry while still offering a system whose components are entirely upgradable in the future.  After focusing all of their energy at the Cinema industry, Jim Jannard has dropped quite the bombshell on the Camera industry:

We believe, and are developing for late 2009, a replacement for DSLRs. Currently, we call it a DSMC (Digital Still & Motion Camera).

While (insert code name) is not a replacement for Epic or Scarlet, it is strategically targeted at the DSLR space. As Nikon and Canon release their 720P and 1080P, respectively, DSLRs with video capture… RED has a more advanced view of the future. We look forward to rapidly pushing the “big guys” along in feature sets and capabilities.

RED firmly believes in higher resolution, higher S/N, higher DNR, higher frame rates, smaller bodies, more system flexibility, and many more options as we move forward in camera development.

The strength of RED is in our sensor development program, REDCODE, and having no legacy platforms to deal with. That left us free to explore, develop and prepare to deliver a new platform. DSMC.

We think all our customers already know what the future will bring. They are just afraid to wish for it for fear of disappointment. Fear not. Sleep tight. RED is awake…..

…..If people are not stunned by the specs and design, I will retire… truly.

…..We believe it marks the end of DSLRs.

In a prior topic he states:

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You can now buy the 10.2-megapixel Nikon D80 for just $699 at Amazon.com!  At that price,  it still offers many features that make it a better choice for a dSLR Dad compared to the Nikon D60.  Features such as:

• 11-area Autofocus system with wide-area center segment and auto-area AF functions.  This AF system features a center cross-type sensor and excellent low light detection (inherited from the Nikon D200).
• A lens mount with the built-in focus drive motor.  Allowing you to use more than just AF-S lenses.
• Built-in Speedlight with Nikon i-TTL flash metering and two-group wireless commander mode that works with the with the  Nikon SB-900, SB-800, and SB-600 Speedlight Flashes.
• Auto exposure bracketing of 2 to 3 frames.
• A viewfinder that offers a 0.94x magnification (versus the D60’s 0.80x)
• Slightly larger body for those dSLR Dads with bigger hands.
• An available MB-D80 Vertical Battery Grip accessory for those who enjoy using such options.

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This is the first preset package that I ever downloaded to work with Adobe Photoshop Lightroom.  It also happens to be the one that I go back to the most often. onOne Software has a package of 85 Lightroom presets designed by Photoshop Guru Jack Davis which include:

• 8 White Balance presets
• 11 Tone Curve presets
• 4 Vibrance presets
• 18 HSL presets
• 12 Black & White presets
• 5 Warm Tinting presets
• 5 Cool Tinting presets
• 8 Dark Vignette presets
• 8 Light Vignette presets

Oh, and did I mention that you can download the entire set for free.  This is a great way for a dSLR Dad new to Lightroom to get started in the Develop Module.  This, along with other resources, can be found in the dSLR Dad Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Guide.

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Zack Arias, a full time editorial photographer, has published an excellent tutorial on how to set up and photograph a seamless white background.  This five part tutorial is one of the best I have seen:

Part 1: Gear & Space

Part 2: Setting Lights And Exposure

Part 2b: Full Length with OneLight Read the rest of this entry »

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Lightroom Galleries has released their latest web gallery template for Adobe Photoshop Lightroom. The LRG Complete 3.0 template is available as a free download here.  This is a great way for a dSLR Dad to really show off his work online.

A DEMO of the web gallery in action can be found here.

A draft version of the manual has also been released (PDF link).

LRG Complete 3.0 includes:

• All features of the previous versions
• Digital Delivery provided by LinkLok
• Free Image Download option
• Better organized option panels
• Output sharpening for galleries and pages
• Cooliris Enabled
• Bug fixes and code optimizations
• And more!

If you haven’t tried using Adobe Photoshop Lightroom, why not?  Head on over to the dSLR Dad Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 Resource Guide.

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