[Hands-On] EF 24-70 f/2.8L II & EF 24 f/2.8 IS Lenses

This new lenses finally got a quick hands-on review at canonrumors. First impressions are rather good. About the EF 24mm f/2.8L IS:

It’s small, light and feels well built. The AF was fast and it appeared as sharp as any other Canon non-L prime on the surface. This would be a great prime to walk around with on a small body. A mirrorless with an EF adaptor?

About the 24-70mm f/2.8L II:

The new lens feels quite solid in your hand. Though I didn’t find it felt that much lighter, even though it technically is. If I had a version 1 beside it, along with its massive hood, I think I’d probably notice the weight difference then.

The zoom ring is quite smooth, and the lens now extends in telephoto and not at 24mm like the current version.

I tried it out on the 5D Mark III and found the autofocus to be silent and nearly instant to acquire initial focus.

Both lenses are available for pre-order:

EF 24mm f/2.8 IS for $849.99:

EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II for 2,299:

[via CR_1, CR_2]

[Video] EOS 1D-X Used In Extreme Weather Conditions

This is sort of a “making of” of the movie Shattered, by Tyler Stableford. And it features the EOS-1D X, used in extreme weather conditions. The video above is part 1 (the idea is born), the video below is part 2 (putting the idea into motion), next one is part 3 (RAW footage editing). The very last video is the trailer of the movie, which was presented April 2012 at NAB Show in Las Vegas. Latest EOS 1D-X rumor here.

EOS 1D-x preporter options: Adorama (click here), B&H (click here), Amazon US (click here).

 

 

 

[Review] EOS 5D Mark III Gets a Third Degree (by DPreview)

DPreview eventually published its 30 pages review (conclusion here) of the EOS 5D Mark III. I won’t anticipate too much here, just point out that the 5D3 has a “very sophisticated AF system with lots of fine-tuning potential and you’ve […] a super-flexible photographic tool that will get the job done on a wide range of assignments“, and that:

It quickly becomes obvious that the Mark III is a totally new camera with significant improvements over its predecessor. The new model takes many user interface elements of Canon’s flagship APS-C DSLR the EOS 7D and combines them with a 22MP full-frame CMOS sensor that is capable of capturing high quality output up to very high sensitivities.

Nevertheless, at DPreview they didn’t like everything the 5D3 has to offer:

We’re disappointed by how the 5D Mark III renders detail in JPEG files, and low-contrast details […] look rather mushy […]. At higher ISOs, noise reduction is more aggressive […] than we would like, resulting in comparatively clean but disappointingly soft images […]. The 5D Mark III’s sensor is capable of excellent results but if you want to get maximum detail you’ll have to shoot and convert raw files.

Well, if you want to get maximum detail you have to shot RAW with any camera. The review has a page dedicated to the video features of the EOS 5D Mark III (made by the people of EOSHD, see video above, click here to read their opinion on the 5D3 video features). For those who are in a hurry: click here for the high ISO review, here for the HDR mode, IQ high ISO comparison here, RAW IQ comparison here. Finally, the EOS 5D Mark III got 82 points out of 100, same as the Nikon D800.


World-wide EOS 5D Mark III availability and order (or pre-order, outside the US) options:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM & EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Available for Pre-Order (Update)

Canon 500mm f/4L EF IS II USM Lens

Update: Adorama also has both lenses ready for pre-order.

Announced in February, the EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM ($10,499 click here) and the EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM ($12,999 click here) are finally ready for pre-order at B&H. See the press release, and here for more detailed specs.

In short:

  • EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM:

    • Redesigned Fluorite Optics
    • Less Chromatic Aberration
    • Magnesium/Titanium for Lighter Weight
    • 3 IS Modes for 4-Stop Advantage
    • Smooth Focus Change for Video
    • Redesigned, Intuitive Buttons/Switches
  • EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM:
    • Fluorite Optics for Sharper Images
    • Less Chromatic Aberration
    • Magnesium/Titanium for Lighter Weight
    • 3 IS Modes for 4-Stop Advantage
    • Smooth Focus Change for Video
EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM Telephoto Lens

[Rumor] EOS 7D Mark II Specifications Moving Upmarket (?)

As I said in my previous post: May is the Canon Rumor Month so far. :-) I already reported that the next iteration of the 7D will probably be announced in September at Photokina 2012. And there were also some basic specifications for the EOS 7D Mark II: Dual Digic 5 CPU, 100% viewfinder and the outstanding auto-focus system of the EOS 5D Mark III. Now there are some new rumor tidbits about the EOS 7D Mark II:

[…] the 7D replacement is going to move upmarket in specifications. In particular, the build quality, sealing, AF and frame rates are going to be pushed much more to ‘pro’ levels. Test bodies are apparently being wildly tested in sports and wildlife areas. However, specs are still not set, suggesting a camera that’s still some time off. The downside would be that it would come in at a slightly higher price point than the 7D, making room for greater 650D/70D differentiation.

Well, this is really just a rumor, but to me it would make sense for Canon to push the 7D Mark II more to pro levels. The EOS 7D is already a rocking camera, and lots of pro photographers appreciate the advanced features and a price tag that’s lower than Canon full-frame cameras. It has an APS-C sensor, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Lots of sport photographers appreciate the 1.6 crop factor, since the zoom range of their lenses is improved. To push the next high level Canon APS-C camera to a pro level, with more advanced features, could be a good move by Canon. What do you think about a 7D Mark II with the weather sealing and the AF of the shoplink 2431]EOS 5D Mark III[/shoplink], and maybe with an improved 18MP sensor

See the latest EOS 7D pictures uploaded to Flickr clicking here. And when a new iteration of a camera model is around the corner, it is always a good idea to check if there are deals for the “old” model (the EOS 7D in this case). That’s why I provide the continuously updated live-ticker below. Only sellers that have a top rating and satisfy other quality issues are listed.


[via NI]

 

[shariff]