Canon’s own Chuck Westfall confirmed to Photography Bay “that there will be no new Canon DSLR announcements this week.” Shame!
At the moment, the Canon’s announcements for NAB are:
– video lenses and 3D firmware upgrade for the XF300 and XF305 camcorders;
– the Technicolor CineStyle profile that should be available for free download on April 30, 2011 on Technicolor’s website;
– the update to the EOS Movie Plugin-E1 for Final Cut Pro.
Version 1.2 of the EOS Movie Plug-in-E1 for Final Cut Pro will be available to download for free on April 25, 2011.

Waiting for new Canon, have a look at 5D Mark II: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

“Creative Suite 5.5 will drive the development of new digital experiences across devices, including all major smartphones and tablets” said Shantanu Narayen, president and chief executive officer, Adobe.

Adobe announced today the ultimate solution for advanced digital imaging: Adobe Creative Suite 5.5.

As emphasizes Photographyblog “from a photographer’s point of view, the most important news related to the CS 5.5 release is the introduction of a new Adobe Photoshop Touch SDK that enables developers to build tablet applications that interact with Photoshop from Android, BlackBerry PlayBook and iOS devices. Adobe also announced three new iPad applications that demonstrate the creative possibilities of using tablets to drive common Photoshop workflows – Adobe Color Lava for Photoshop, Adobe Eazel for Photoshop and Adobe Nav for Photoshop.”

Below the Adobe press release.

Canon released a new updated EOS Movie Plugin-E1 for FCP:
“Canon announces latest update for EOS Movie Plug-in-E1 for Final Cut Pro
United Kingdom, Republic of Ireland, 8th April 2011 – Canon today announces the latest update for EOS Movie Plug-in-E1 for Final Cut Pro – the company’s custom-developed software application that provides quicker and easier editing of EOS Movie footage in Apple’s Final Cut Pro software suite.
Launching to coincide with the start of the 2011 National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show in Las Vegas, EOS Movie Plug-in-E1 for Final Cut Pro version 1.2 will make the importing of EOS Movie files even easier, allowing users to transfer files from any folder, without needing to mirror the folder structure on the camera itself.
The update also enables smoother importing from Canon’s EOS 7D, EOS 5D Mark II and EOS-1D Mark IV models, allowing users to import footage without requiring the THM file generated by the camera.
Originally launched in February 2010, EOS Movie Plug-in-E1 for Final Cut Pro is designed to quickly and seamlessly convert EOS Movie footage from Canon’s leading range of EOS DSLR cameras to Apple’s high-quality ProRes 422 codec. The plug-in allows users to convert footage at approximately twice the speed of Apple’s standard conversion, creating a smoother workflow for the rapidly growing number of videographers shooting HD video content on DSLR cameras.
EOS Movie Plug-in-E1 for Final Cut Pro version 1.2 will be available to download for free from 25th April 2011. ” (via Photographyblog)
An interesting article about the plugin is available at Canon USA.

Click those direct links to check the price:
Final Cut Pro: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA EOS-1D Mark IV price: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA EOS 5D Mark II: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA EOS 7D: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA EOS 60D: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

Surprise Surprise! Right before the start of the NABshow in Las Vegas Canon announced two new PL-mount Cine lenses. Those High-quality Cine lenses can deliver a full 4K performance. The two lenses specs:
14.5-60mm f/2.6
30-300mm (no info about the aperture)

I guess many of our Canon readers would have loved to see such monster-zoom lenses with EOS instead of PL mount. Imagine the 14.5-60mm f/2.6 zoom on your Canon 5D markII. Every filmmaker would buy it!

Read the press release to learn more:

Canon makes a major step towards cinema and low budget cinematographers dream.

Alliance Technicolor & Canon USA
Technicolor (Euronext Paris: TCH) announced that “it has formed a strategic alliance with Canon USA, Inc. to leverage Technicolor’s color-science in the development of a suite of creative tools for cinematographers to facilitate greater usability and integration of Canon EOS DSLR cameras into the motion picture and television production pipeline.

The new suite of creative tools will be inaugurated with Technicolor’s CineStyle, that coupled with Technicolor’s Digital Printer Lights™, will provide a more seamless pipeline, from principal photography into editorial, for projects filmed using Canon EOS DSLR cameras. Technical tests have been conducted with various camera-lens configurations under the supervision of Technicolor color-scientists with a number of renowned cinematographers.

Technicolor, once again, is taking an innovative leadership position by their very forward-looking development of tools and workflows to support the deployment of Canon’s EOS DSLR’s into motion picture production,” stated cinematographer, and past ASC president, Daryn Okada.”

Read the press release from Technicolor.

Doh! Barclays”predicts” that “Canon’s earnings this year will probably be 27 percent lower than previously estimated after last month’s earthquake and tsunami in Japan damaged factories and choked supply of components“. The cause are the “extensive damage at Canon’s plant in Utsunomiya, Tochigi prefecture, and difficulty in getting parts and materials will likely pressure production of cameras, lenses, copiers and chip- making equipment“.
And if the Fukisuhima power plant will be fixed than “production will probably return to normal from the quarter starting in July“.

Let’s cross the finger…