The Great Fire Dragon: cameras

Showing posts with label cameras. Show all posts

Friday, April 3, 2015

Run Linux on Your Canon DSLR

Hat Tip: PetaPixel

The developers over at Magic Lantern have announced that they have gotten the Linux OS to successfully boot on Canon DSLR cameras.

The Magic Lantern team wasn't able to get beyond getting Linux to boot. That would require experience with modifying the Linux kernel and the developers at Magic Lantern apparently have no experience doing so.

They have released the information on how they accomplished this publicly. That means developers with Linux kernel experience should be able to develop a version of Linux capable of running on Canon DSLR cameras.

This creates the possibility of a great deal of customization when it comes to the software running on the cameras, including adding features not envisioned by Canon programmers.

Wednesday, February 25, 2015

Higher Megapixel Count Not Necessarily Bettter

Shutterbug has an interesting article today on just what increasing megapixel counts actually means when it comes to digital photography.

The article is largely in response to Canon's introduction of a full-frame camera boasting 50 megapixel resolution. That pixel count puts the full-frame camera in the same league as many medium format cameras, but Canon can offer their camera at a much lower price.

The Canon 5DS and 5DS R have price tags under $4,000. The cheapest medium format camera with at least 50 MP resolution costs just over twice that. As an additional bonus, the lenses should also have similar price differences. (The lenses for the smaller full-frame cameras need smaller lenses. Less glass usually equals lower price. Emphasis on "usually").

The 50 MP offerings from Canon do look like an attempt to compete with medium format cameras without actually creating a medium format camera. The move makes a certain amount of sense given all the Canon lenses currently available for Canon full-frame cameras.

There is a drawback here, though.

A 50 megapixel full-frame sensor requires smaller individual photoreceptors when compared to a 50 megapixel medium format camera. This impacts performance at higher ISO settings. Some photographers will find a camera with a lower pixel count more suitable for the images the capture.

Friday, February 6, 2015

Canon Dominating Photography News Today

The news on the various photography web sites has been largely dominated by the latest releases announced by Canon.

This includes the announcement of

A new Canon 11-24mm F/4L USM Wide-Angle Zoom Lens

2 new Canon Rebel cameras

2 new Canon EOS 5DS Cameras (50MP sensors.)

(Pop Photo just happens to be the first site in my RSS feed. The other sites cover the announcements as well. I just didn't see the need to link to all the articles.)

I'm also a bit amused at the timing of the posts. The posts were all times to be published at roughly 10:00pm Central last night. On most of the sites that announced the releases, not just Pop Photo. Apparently that's when Canon's news embargo was lifted.

There are a few product announcements not covered by Pop Photo. Imaging Resource has a post on the PowerShot SX 410 IS, ELPH 350 HS, and G3 X.

They also have first impression reviews on the EOS 5DS cameras (the links are at the bottom of the post.)

Digital Camera world goes into detail comparing the new Canon 5DS full-frame cameras to Nikon's D810. While the Canon now offers larger resolution (50.6mp vs. 36.3) there are still valid reasons to choose the Nikon over the Canon. The higher resolution requires certain concessions in other areas and those concessions could result in the Nikon being a better choice for some photographers.

Canon also announced the EOS M3. This is a mirrorless camera that will only be available in Asia for the time being.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Nikon D750 Service Advisory

Nikon has finally announced an official service advisory for the D750.

The service advisory page will allow D750 owners to check whether their camera is one affected by the banding issue (it only shows with strong back lighting so some photographers may not have noticed the banding even on affected cameras.)

Only cameras with certain serial numbers are affected. Some of those cameras were serviced before being sold. Those cameras will have a black dot inside the tripos socket.

One caveat from Nikon.

All DSLR cameras are subject to a certain extent to the type of artifact seen in the D750.

It's just that the effect seen in some D750 models was exceptionally pronounced and needed to be addressed.

Friday, January 16, 2015

If You've Never Experienced Megapixel Envy...

For those photographers that have never experienced megapixel envy, take a look at this camera.

Granted, it'sthe size of a car but it still has a 3200 megapixel resolution. That's roughly 100 times the resolution of your typical full frame DSLR.

The camera is set to be part of the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope and is scheduled for completion in 2022. It is being funded jointly by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy. (Don't ask me why the DOE is involved. It certainly doesn't seem to involve anything energy related.)

The current plan is to place the telescope and camera on Cerro Pachón in Chile.

The camera still needs to achieve final funding approval by the DOE. The decision on actually funding should occur this summer.

Tuesday, January 6, 2015

2015 CES Product Announcement Updates

For those interested in keeping up with product announcements, Amateur Photographer has a blog dedicated to the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show that is currently ongoing in Las Vegas.

Check the blog for updates on the new products announced at the show.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Update on Nikon D750 Lens Flare Issue

Technically, the problem being reported in regards to lens flare banding on the D750 have nothing to do with lens flare. The issue is apparently caused by internal reflection within the camera body.

Light is reflected into the sensor by the body. The problem stems from a lack of reflected light hitting the top portion of the image when light enters the camera at a particular angle.

Imaging Resource takes an extensive look at the issue, including looking at other models to see if they can detect the same issue. The tests did show banding issues with other models, including models from other manufacturers. The D750 just had the most obvious banding issue due to internal reflection.

I's a very long article with image examples.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Potential Lens Flare Issue With Nikok D750

Hat Tip: Shutterbug

Some D750 owners are reporting an issue when dealing with lens flare. In certain circumstances, the lens flare will abruptly stop at the top portion of the image.

The problem can be seen in this video:

Using a lens hood will prevent lens flare, but some photographers like the effect.

The problem appears to lie in the autofocus sensor and apparently doesn't effect all D750 cameras.

Friday, December 12, 2014

Additional Thoughts on Leica's Corrosion Problem

I posted yesterday on the news that Leica was experiencing corrosion issues with the IR filter glass used in its CCD sensor cameras, starting with the M 9.

I was pressed for time yesterday, so I didn't post anything beyond reporting the problem. I have some additional thoughts today.

I'm having a hard time understanding how damaging the coating on the IR filter glass could result in corrosion. Glass is an inert material. It normally doesn't corrode, even when subjected to corrosive materials. That's why it's used to contain acids.

The filter does apparently have a coating, but that coating should be inert as well. (The fact that the filter only corrodes when damaged seems to indicate that the coating normally is inert.)

Somehow, a filter made with two inert materials stops being inert if the surface becomes damaged.

That doesn't seem to make sense.

There are a couple of possible explanations that I can come up with.
(Discalimer: Based on limited information.)

First, the filter might have more than one coating. Having a layer that reacts when exposed to air that is covered by a second protective layer would explain what is happening with the Leica filter. The filter is fine as long as the protective layer is undamaged, but damaging that layer results in the second layer corroding.

Second, there is something in the coating that corrodes the glass when exposed to the environment. There is only one thing I know of that can damage glass this way: Hydrofluoric Acid. Unlike other acids, hydrofluoric acid has the ability to dissolve glass. (One of it's uses is etching glass.)

I suppose it's possible for the glass itself to be damaged if the coating contains a fluorine compound.

Both possibilities have implications.

The first one would suggest that someone overlooked a fairly obvious design flaw. That doesn't bode well for whatever company is responsible for the filter design. (I assume Leica, but that's not necessarily correct.)

The second would have implications when it comes to the use of fluorine compounds in cameras. This would include lenses as well as internal filters. If damaging a fluorine containing coating can result in the underlying glass being damaged, that would make those coating ill-suited for use in cameras and lenses.

Nikon recently developed a fluorine coating for its lenses. It's extremely effective at repelling dust, grease and dirt. Hopefully it doesn't include a risk of corrosion as well.

There is another issue that needs to be addressed as well.

That has to do with Leica's fix. They are offering to replace any sensor effected by the corrosion problem. The key here being "replacing the sensor".

The sensor itself s not actually affected by corrosion, only the filter. Simply replacing the filter would seem to be a much easier and less expensive fix. In fact, replacing the filter with one that doesn't use the faulty coating is the only permanent solution to the problem.

Instead, Leica is replacing the entire sensor and replacing it with one that uses the same faulty filter. That means the corrosion problem could re-occur on any "fixed" camera.

I'm not sure which is harder to understand, how the problem occurred in the first place or Leica's response.

Thursday, December 11, 2014

Leica Admist to Sensor Corrosion Problem, Offers Free Fix

Hat Tip: PetaPixel

This issue has been covered by most, if not all, of the major photography news sites. It turns out that the CCD sensor used in certain Leica digital cameras have a serious design flaw that can lead to corrosion issues.

The problem stems from the IR cover glass used in the sensor. Damage to the coating on the glass can result in corrosion, which shows up in images as white spots.

The corrosion cannot be removed from the sensor by cleaning. The sensor has to be replaced instead. Leica is currently offering to do so free of charge.

Unfortunately, the replacement sensor will be one using the same IR cover glass, making the replacement subject to corrosion issues as well.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

More Christmas Season Camera Recommendations

For those still shopping for cameras, DP Review has come out with it's lists of camera recommendations.

The lists are divided into different categories.

DPReview Recommends:

(The last category would be the one that I would be interested in, if I had the money to purchase a new camera.)

Don't pay too much attention to the "current as of" dates. Some say 2014, others 2013. I suspect the 2013 number is a mistake. The Interchangeable Lens Cameras list is dated 2013, but includes a camera (the Sony a6000) that was introduced until 2014.

The lists also includes links to places where the cameras can be purchased.

DP Review is an Amazon affiliate and following one of the links to Amazon and then purchasing from that site will help support the DP Review web site.

The lists are good starting points for those still deciding what camera to purchase. They include links to specifications, sample images, and reviews (including reader reviews) for each camera.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

More Camera Reviews For Holiday Shoppers

'Tis the season for Holiday shopping reviews.

Today it's DP Review's Consumer SLR Camera Roundup (2014).

(It's actually just a repost of an article from August. The information is still relevant but doesn't cover any cameras introduced since September.)

DP Review also has an Enthusiast Compact Camera Roundup (again, dates back to August 25.)

Update: DP Review has added an Enthusiast mirrorless camera roundup (2014) a High-end pocketable compacts roundup (2014) an Enthusiast DSLR camera roundup (2014) and a Mid-range Mirrorless camera roundup (2014).

Friday, November 14, 2014

First Hasselblad Camera in Space Fetches $275,000 at Auction

This one combines two of my interests: auctions and photography.

More accurately, it was the first Hasselblad camera in space. The camera was used on the Mercury-Atlas 8 and Mercury-Atlas 9 missions. It was recently sold at an auction ran by RR Auctions for $275,000.

The auction company verified the identity of the camera from first hand account from the astronauts and by comparing wear on the camera to wear visible in 1963 pictures of the camera after the flights returned to earth.

View the ePhotozine, Amateur Photography or PetaPixel articles on the sale for more information.

(Articles include photos for those interested. I haven't asked for permission to reuse. The auction company had a page with a huge amount of information on the camera. There's is no guarantee the page will be available in the future.)

Those articles list the price at $281,250 instead of the $275,000 listed on the auction page. The difference may be due to auction fees in addition to the actual price.

As a side note, this isn't the first camera in space. There were missions that sent cameras into space using missiles. Those cameras didn't produce the type of images produced by the Hasselblad used by an actual person.

The Hasselblad is an important part of space history due to some of the iconic images taken using it.

More Gift Ideas: New Products Featured at Photokina

For those not familiar with Photokina, it's a biennial imaging fair. The major imaging companies (including those that produce digital cameras) use the fair to introduce new products, and to hype future products.

SLR Lounge has a list of some of the products introduced at this year's Photokina event that are now available for purchase. The list covers products from Canon, Fuji and Sigma.

Check the list if looking for some gift ideas for the photographer on your list.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Cameras for the Budding Photographer

It's time to start seriously thinking about Christmas Gifts.

For those looking for a camera suited as a gift for a budding photographer try ePhotozine's Top 10 Best DSLR ILC Cameras For Beginners 2014.

These are all interchangeable lens cameras. This is a Biritish web site so prices are listed in pounds. All the cameras are listed for under 500 pounds. (Roughly $750) You can find the current price in the US (or elsewhere) with a quick Internet search.

The cameras listed are often designed with ease of use in mind, making them good choices for someone just getting into interchangeable lens cameras. The list includes both DSLR and mirrorless cameras.

Some use the same lenses and mount system used in more advanced camera models from the same manufacturer. This allows photographers to upgrade by purchasing just a more advanced camera body. No need to by new lenses at the same time.

For additional savings, try purchasing a good used model. Many reputable camera stores sell used cameras. Reputable stores do their absolute best to ensure used cameras are in good working order before selling and will often offer a store warranty for the camera.

Thursday, November 6, 2014

Oh, the Humanity! Canon 7D Mark II Disassembled

Don't worry, it was all in a good cause.

The good people over at LensRentals.com have disassembled a Canon 7D Mark II. You can see all the gory details on their blog.

Why take one apart?

To test Canon's claim on improving the camera's weather resistance. (The claim was that weather sealing was "four times better" than on the original 7D.)

Canon certainly seems to have concentrated on improving the build quality of the 7D, including weather resistance. The Mark II has rubber gaskets not present in the previous model, increasing the camera's ability to resist water penetration. (Pretty much any area that could allow water into the camera has been addressed by Canon.)

There are other build improvements and the Lens Rental article goes into those as well. For example, the CF card reader has been moved to its own board instead of being connected directly to the camera's main board. This means that any damage to the CF card reader can be fixed by simply replacing the daughter board.

Check out the article for all the improvements and for lots and lots of pictures.

Hat Tip: Imaging Resource

Update: While Canon has improved weather resistance and build quality, image quality could apparently use some work at least at lower ISO settings.