Much like many of you I’ve been eagerly awaiting the arrival of the Canon 5D Mark II. Many things intrigued me and excited me about the camera, but the points that stood out to me personally were: Higher quality/range ISO, increase of resolution, full 1080p video support.
The 5D Mark II is a hard camera to review. On one hand, it betters its predecessors in every respect and pushes the envelope of 35mm photography to new bounds at a relatively accessible price. On the other hand, it is not the photographic second coming that its pre-release hype and anticipation suggested. Given that the original 5D brought full-frame to the masses, the messianic metaphor isn’t altogether misplaced. With this camera, Canon offers us mere mortals elevation into the exalted air of 20+ Megapixels – previously the terrain of MF backs and the über-pricey 1DsIII. This is heady stuff, even in the era of camera-a-minute advancements and galloping Megapixel counts. (more…)
Canon U.S.A. has announced it’s latest rebate program for all things EOS. For the first time in quite a while, you can save up to $700 on your new Canon EOS 40D or EOS 5D Digital SLR Camera. Purchases must be made between May 18, 2008 – July 19, 2008 for all of rebates below.
Canon EOS dSLR Instant Rebates
The following are EOS dSLR instant rebates, which are the best kind since there is no form to forget about:
Canon EOS 5D (body only) – $300 off at both Amazon and B&H Photo.
Canon EOS 5D with EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens – $300 off the kit at both Amazon and B&H Photo.
Canon EOS 40D (body only) – $200 off at both Amazon and B&H Photo.
Canon EOS 40D with EF 28-135mm IS USM Lens – $200 off the kit at both Amazon and B&H Photo.
$50 Upgrade Rebate
For those dSLR Dads who are upgrading from either a Canon Digital Rebel, XT, XTi or XSi camera, you can also qualify for an additional $50 off via a mail-in rebate. Just register your current qualifying Digital Rebel class camera and your new Canon EOS 40D or EOS 5D at http://www.usa.canon.com through July 19, 2008. Then fill out the following form (pdf link) completely and mail it in.
$350 Canon PIXMA Pro9500 Photo Printer Rebate
Finally, you can also save big on the Canon Pixma Pro9500 fine-art pigment printer(also available at Amazon and B&H Photo). You can also receive $350 back when you purchase a new Canon EOS 40D or EOS 5D Digital SLR Camera with the PIXMA Pro9500 (Both printer & camera purchases must appear on the same receipt). Update 2008-6-1: Offer valid on purchases made between May 1, 2008 and June 30, 2008.
As always, do yourself a favor and make a copy of everything you mail in. Also, keep in mind that UPC codes (especially ones from printer boxes) tend to add more thickness than a regular first class letter, so check with your local Post Master on the additional charge.
Great news for you Canon dSLR Dads. Canon has just extended their winter rebate program until February 17, 2008. Now you get a chance to wait until after the big PMA2008 announcements before making your purchase decision. For those of you who are not aware, the 580 EX II flash and the following lenses are discounted:
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM (Amazon, B&H Photo) save $125
This is the kind of ‘review’ I love to bring to you dSLR Dads. Michael Reichmann has posted his detailed insight into the Nikon D3 and Nikon D300 over at the Luminous Landscape. What makes this article completely different and refreshing from all of the others is the focus on how these cameras compare from the Canon perspective. He also makes it perfectly clear that this is not a typical test report with an abundance of side-by-side comparisons at ISO 3200 with 100% crops. That really doesn’t matter. What does matter is how does a photographer use these new tools for photography.
In this essay I look at the new Nikon D3 and D300 though the eyes (mine) of someone who has been shooting with Canon cameras for the past 8 years. Prior to 1999 I used Nikons, shoot film, and used them to make a living in photography for some 30 years. I also used (and still do) Hasselblads and Leicas, and as a magazine reviewer have probably tested and shot with almost every major camera system available since the mid-1960’s. But for several decades prior to the advent of digital, Nikons were my 35mm tool of choice….. (more…)
Canon announced their new EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS lens back on August 20, 2007 along with new EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Amazon,B&H Photo). It is not yet shipping, but Klaus Schroiff over at PhotoZone.de has already picked up a sample for review.<
Technically the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS is a tiny lens with a great performance potential. The resolution is very good across the range. Chromatic aberrations are basically a non-issue. The level of distortions remain moderate. The most obvious flaw is, unsurprisingly, vignetting at large apertures. The build quality is fine for a lens in this class and it is one step up from the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS that we’ve seen here recently. Regarding the target market you may surely forgive the plastic mount. The AF (micro-) motor is pretty fast and silent. So’s everything cool here ? Well, the AF accuracy didn’t really convince in the field – specifically at the wide-end of the zoom range – but to be fair this is much better on an EOS 40D (e.g.) with its improved AF capabilities. I had some trouble with the image stabilizer in the field but according to early reader feedback this impression seems to be an exception to the rule. If so the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS has certainly the potential to be another hot seller.
Happy Holidays everyone. Nikon ramps up production on the D300, and then all of a sudden, Canon lowers the price on the 40D. Right now, you can get the Canon EOS 40D for $1,149 at B&H Photo. That’s $150 off (more…)
PhotoZone puts Canon’s latest entry level EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS lens (Amazon and B&H Photo) through the test, and the results are impressive for a kit lens:
The Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS is the next generation budget “kit” lens for Canon EOS APS-C DSLRs. It is a long awaited and, frankly, urgently needed successor for the rather mediocre EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II which was not able to convince anymore ever since the release of EOS 20D. However, Canon did not only improve the optical design – they also added an image stabilizer, changed the finish and introduced circular aperture blades for a better bokeh (out-of-focus blur). (more…)
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perspective. He also makes it perfectly clear that this is not a typical test report with an abundance of side-by-side comparisons at ISO 3200 with 100% crops. That really doesn’t matter. What does matter is how does a photographer use these new tools for photography.
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