Magic Lantern And Free Lensing Using Focus Peaking

What is free lensing? Put simply: a way to replicate the tilt-shift look without using a tilt shift lens. Basically, you detach the lens from the body, hold it out and tilt the lens up or down or left or right, get focus and snap the picture. This is feasible if your camera features focus peaking. Canon’s do not but the firmware add-on Magic Lantern does. Magic Lantern is something each serious Canon shooter should consider to install on hers or his DSLR (click here to see which Canon DSLRs are supported). Be aware not to drop your precious lens while doing free lensing :-)

The video below is a free lensing introduction and tutorial.

[via fstoppers]

A Bit Of Everything

Tamron 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC Price Drop: Now $449

The Tamron 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC lens got a price drop: now it’s $499 at Adorama and B&H.

Product description from Adorama’s page:

Tamron 60TH ANNIVERSARY MODEL 18-270MM Di II VC PZD THE WORLD’S LIGHTEST, SMALLEST 15X ZOOM, WITH TAMRON’S FIRST PZD (PIEZO DRIVE) AF SYSTEM 

A light, compact, ultra-high-power 15x zoom lens with PZD (Piezo Drive) the first Piezoelectric internal autofocus motor by Tamron exclusively for digital SLR cameras with APS-C sized sensors.

The acclaimed Tamron 18-270mm VC ultra zoom for APS-C format DSLRs has reached an astonishing new level of compactness, performance,and speed with the addition of PZD (Piezo Drive), an innovative ultrasonic autofocus motor based on an advanced piezoelectric design. The result is a lens that’s considerably lighter, and noticeably shorter and slimmer (filter diameter: 62mm) than any previous lens in its class, and provides faster, quieter auto-focusing.

Signature features that have made this amazingly versatile lens the world standard in its class have been retained. They include a 28-419mm equivalent (15X) zoom range, an improved, lightweight, compact Vibration Compensation (VC) system, macro focusing to 0.49m (19.3 inches) throughout, and, of course, superlative imaging performance.

Compact and Easy to Carry 15X All-in-One Zoom with Outstanding Feature Set 

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In Stock Advisory: Pocket Wizard Plus X Transceiver

Pocket Wizard Plus X Transceiver

B&H has the new Pocket Wizard Plus X Transceiver in stock and ready to ship for $99 (click here). Product description:

• Auto-Sensing Transceiver: Easy to use. No settings to make.

• 10 Channels: 1-4 Classic plus 5-10 low-traffic channels

• Backlit Channel Dial: Easy to set channels in the dark

• Internal Antenna: Compact, more rugged design

• Auto-Relay Mode: Trigger remote camera & flashes simultaneously

• Transmit Only Mode: Positive operation in large groups

• Side View Design : Better subject view on camera

• PocketWizard reliability:  PocketWizard compatibility

Pocket Wizard Plus X Transceiver

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Sigma Lens Promotion Program (Save Up To $200!)

Sigma Lens Promotion

B&H started Sigma lens promotion program. Savings go up to $200. Click here to see all lenses on sale.

Some lenses are of particular interest:

  • Sigma Lens Promotion
    Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG ASP HSM II Wide-Angle Zoom Lens – has a $100 discount, on sale for $849 (click here).

    • Wide-Angle 12-24mm Zoom Lens
    • For Full-Frame/35mm Cameras
    • Compatible with APS-C Cameras
    • Focuses to 11″
    • One Special Low Dispersion Element
    • Four Low Dispersion FLD Elements
    • Multi-Layer Coating Reduces Flare
    • Splash-Proof Design

 

 

  • Sigma Lens Promotion
    Sigma 70mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro AF Lens – has  $50 discount, on sale for $449 (click here)
    The design of this lens makes it suitable for taking pictures in all situations, from infinity to 1:1 macro, both with natural light conditions or flash.

    A Special Low Dispersion (SLD) lens and two high refractive index SLD lenses provide correction for all types of aberrations and produce an exceptional level of optical performance.
    Sigma’s super multi-layer lens coating reduces flare and ghosting, and helps create a natural color balance.
    The floating focus system provides extremely high optical performance from infinity to 1:1 Macro.
    A Focus Limiter Switch in incorporated on the lens, improving the speed and accuracy of autofocus by limiting the focus range.
  • Sigma Lens Promotion
    Sigma 180mm f/2.8 APO Macro EX DG OS HSM Lens – has a $100 discount, on sale for $1,599 (click here)

    • 180mm f/2.8 Macro Lens
    • Canon EF Mount
    • 1:1 Magnification
    • Optical Stabilizer Function
    • FLD Glass Elements Reduce Aberration
    • Floating Inner Focusing System
    • Multi-Coating Reduces Ghosting and Flare
    • Hyper Sonic Motor for Quiet Focusing
    • Focus Distance of 18.5″ / 47cm

Canon Patent For New Mount Type (non rotating elements when lens is not mounted)

Canon Patent For New Mount Type
Courtesy: Egami

Egami (translated) spotted an interesting patent filed by Canon. When mounting a lens on a camera body, and holding the lens, the rotating focus or zoom ring can make the operation more difficult. Imagine you have to switch lenses fast, the rotating elements of the lens can slow down the mounting of the lens. The Canon patent is for a new lens mount type that blocks all rotating elements of a lens when the lens is not mounted on a body, hence making mounting the lens easier (and faster). This is achieved by pins on the lens mount that block the rotating members inside the lens barrel. The new mount type is compatible with existing EOS mounts. That means lenses that will feature this new kind of mount can be used with existing EOS bodies.

Patent description (machine translated)

  • Patent Publication No. 2013-37090
    • 2013.2.21 Release Date
    • 2011.8.5 filing date
  • Rotatable operation unit: a rotating member
    • Ring, other zoom ring, focus ring, aperture
  • Canon patent
    • If you remove the lens from the camera, the rotation is restricted
      • Pins are provided on the surface of the lens mount
      • The boss is attached to (inside the lens barrel) end of the pin
      • Inside the lens barrel, the boss is brought into contact with the rotating member
      • Because of the boss, the rotating member is rotated never
    • When mounted on the camera lens, rotatable
      • Pin is provided on the mounting side of the body
        • Etc. F or mount EOS mount, mount a lot of this method
      • Body side pin, and push the pin on the lens, the position of boss will move
      • To the rotating member does not contact the boss, can be rotated