Here Is What Next Firmware Updates For Canon EOS R5, EOS R6 and EOS-1D X III Will Deliver

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Some pretty interesting firmware updates coming for the Canon EOS R5, Canon EOS R6 and Canon EOS-1D X Mark III. Downloads should be available soon. Courtesy of Canon New Zealand.

A lot of the interesting stuff is related to autofocus, as improved head detection performance to support helmets or goggles in winter sports, or vehicle AF. It’s all listed below.

EOS R5 Firmware Update Version 1.5.0

Firmware Version 1.5.0 incorporates the following fixes and enhancements:

1. Improves head detection performance to support helmets or goggles in winter sports.

2. Adds [Vehicles] selection to [Subject to detect] selection in the [AF] tab to support the detection of automobiles and motorcycles in motorsports. Adds [Spot detection] when [Vehicles] is selected as the helmet of the driver or rider*.

 *Detection may not be possible for ordinary passenger cars or bicycles, or for motorcyclists performing stunts or kicking up dirt and dust.

3. Improves detection performance for eye detection when:
 - there are shadows on the face.
 - hair is hanging over the eyes.

4. Adds support for torso detection of a person. If the eyes, face or head are hidden or cannot be detected, a person’s torso will be detected and tracked continuously.

5. Adds the ability to import manual white balance (MWB) data from the Quick Control screen when capturing still images.

6. Eliminates the center press operation of the multi-controller to prevent accidentally transferring images during FTP transfer.

7. Adds the ability, when using EOS Utility or Browser Remote for remote shooting with two cards inserted, to set the recording method and to select which card to be recorded to.

8. Adds [Suppress lower frame rate] to [Smooth] in [Disp. performance], enabling the shooting screen to be displayed with less drop frame rate even in dark locations.

9. Adds support for the RF 5.2mm F2.8 L Dual Fisheye lens.

10. Changes the default value of [FTP server] → [Passive mode] to [Enable].

11. Improves operation stability during FTP transfer.

12. Optimizes controls of In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS) when using specific EF lenses not equipped with the image stabilization function.

13. Fixes an issue, in which noise occurs along the edges of bright subjects when using Canon Log for movie recording.

EOS R6 Firmware Update Version 1.5.0

Firmware Version 1.5.0 incorporates the following fixes and enhancements:

1. Improves head detection performance to support helmets or goggles in winter sports.

2. Adds [Vehicles] selection to [Subject to detect] selection in the [AF] tab to support the detection of automobiles and motorcycles in motorsports. Adds [Spot detection] when [Vehicles] is selected as the helmet of the driver or rider*.

 *Detection may not be possible for ordinary passenger cars or bicycles, or for motorcyclists performing stunts or kicking up dirt and dust.

3. Improves detection performance for eye detection when:
 - there are shadows on the face.
 - hair is hanging over the eyes.

4. Adds support for torso detection of a person. If the eyes, face or head are hidden or cannot be detected, a person’s torso will be detected and tracked continuously.

5. Adds the ability to import manual white balance (MWB) data from the Quick Control screen when capturing still images.

6. Eliminates the center press operation of the multi-controller to prevent accidentally transferring images during FTP transfer.

7. Adds the ability, when using EOS Utility or Browser Remote for remote shooting with two cards inserted, to set the recording method and to select which card to be recorded to.

8. Adds [Suppress lower frame rate] to [Smooth] in [Disp. performance], enabling the shooting screen to be displayed with less drop frame rate even in dark locations.

9. Changes the default value of [FTP server] → [Passive mode] to [Enable].

10. Improves operation stability during FTP transfer.

11. Optimizes controls of In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS) when using specific EF lenses not equipped with the image stabilization function.

12. Fixes an issue, in which noise occurs along the edges of bright subjects when using Canon Log for movie recording.

EOS-1D X Mark III Firmware Update, Version 1.6.0

Firmware Version 1.6.0 incorporates the following fixes and enhancements:

1. Improves head detection performance to support helmets or goggles in winter sports.

2. Eliminates the center press operation of the multi-controller to prevent accidentally transferring images during FTP transfer.

3. Adds the ability, when the Rating function is assigned to the Protect/Voice memo button, for voice memos to now be recorded by pressing and holding the button.

4. Adds the ability, when using EOS Utility or Browser Remote for remote shooting with two cards inserted, to set the recording method and to select which card to be recorded to.

5. Changes the default value of [Connection option settings], [FTP transfer settings], and [Power saving] to [Disable].

6. Changes the default value of [FTP server] → [Passive mode] to [Enable].

7. Improves operation stability during FTP transfer.

8. Fixes an issue, in which noise occurs along the edges of bright subjects when using Canon Log for movie recording.

Canon Announced A 4K/HDR Professional Reference Display, It’s $14,299 And It Has A Handle

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Canon announced a 4K/HDR professional reference display that will sell for $14,299. But it is portable ;-)

Canon press release:

Canon’s New DP-V1830 18.4-inch 4K/HDR Professional Reference Display Features Improved Blacks, Wide Color Gamut and Wider Viewing Angles

The New 4K/HDR Professional Reference Display is Ideal for Use Inside Broadcast Relay Vehicles, Sub-Control Rooms, and On-Set HDR Monitoring

MELVILLE, NY, December 1, 2021 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the launch of the DP-V1830, an 18.4-inch professional 4K reference display that features improved core components such as a high-quality display engine, a revamped set of high-resolution algorithms, new panels and a new backlighting system — all of which deliver an increase in image quality over previous Canon displays. Adhering to HDR standards1, the display features a compact and lightweight 18.4-inch panel that can be ideal for use in tight working spaces, including outside broadcast (ob) vans, sub-control rooms, and on-set production tents. The new reference display is poised to be a versatile tool for demanding industry professionals and can help support efficient workflows in a wide variety of working environments.

The display achieves a peak luminance of 1,000 cd/m2 for white luminance, which meets the parameters defined in ITU-R BT.2100 for HDR, as well as featuring an improved imaging engine. Compared to previous models, the display offers enhanced control over backlight illumination to better delineate dark and light portions of high contrast. With the help of these improvements, it is possible to accurately represent stronger and darker blacks, isolated black portions, and brilliant bright colors, even in challenging scenes.

Canon developed a unique LED backlighting system that produces a wide color gamut and supports the ITU-R BT.20202 standard. Additionally, Canon’s proprietary optical configuration helps mitigate luminance and color variations, providing an angle of view for the display that is wide enough to deliver accurate images when several people are viewing the monitor at the same time.

The DP-V1830 has a shallow form factor and weighs approximately 16.5 lbs. The display can be installed on 19-inch racks compatible with EIA standards3. This allows professionals the ability to use the display in existing broadcast and video production workplaces, as well as easy transportation to on-location worksites and production tents.

Summer 2022 Enhancements

The Canon DP-V1830 reference display is scheduled to receive a product enhancement in the summer of 2022 via a free firmware update that will include:

  • 2-screen / 4-screen individual image quality setting of input video signal
  • Chromaticity diagram (distribution display of all pixels)
  • Waveform monitor RGB Parade
  • SD-SDI support

The Canon DP-V1830 18.4-inch 4K/HDR Professional Reference Display is currently scheduled to be available in January 2022 for an estimated retail price of $14,299.00*. For more information, please visit, usa.canon.com/provideo, or watch our launch video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKh2ow3DrEU.

Canon ZOOM Digital Monocular Can Now Be Preordered ($319.99, ships 12/8/2021)

Canon ZOOM Digital Monocular
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Canon’s ZOOM Digital Monocular can now be preordered at $319.99. It will ship starting December 8th, and has a whooping 100-400mm optical zoom.

At a glance:

  • 12.1MP CMOS Sensor
  • 100-400mm Equivalent Optical Zoom
  • One-Touch Switchable Zoom
  • Full HD 1080p Video at 30 fps
  • Optical Image Stabilization
  • 2.36m-Dot Electronic Viewfinder
  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Connectivity
  • 2x Digital Zoom, 800mm Equivalent
  • Internal Battery and USB Type-C Charging
  • Included microSDHC Memory Card

B&H Photo has the Canon ZOOM Digital Monocular ready for preorder at $319.99. Seems to be a nice gadget, alone for the amazing optical reach.

Canon ZOOM Digital Monocular Overview

Long-range viewing and recording with a compact, pocketable design, the Canon ZOOM Digital Monocular is a unique blend of a digital camera and a stabilized monocular. Helping to easily and clearly see distant subjects, the ZOOM incorporates a 12MP CMOS sensor and an impressive 100-400mm-equivalent zoom lens, with 2x digital zoom possible, for handheld viewing of birds, wildlife, and sports subjects.

12MP CMOS Sensor and 100-400mm Zoom Lens

  • A 12.1MP CMOS sensor records both stills and Full HD 1080p video up to 30 fps.
  • One-touch switchable zoom control permits instant switching from 100mm to 400mm positions, and then further to 800mm using 2x digital zoom.
  • Optical Image Stabilization technology helps to steady handheld use for sharper shooting and steadier viewing. Powered IS suits even the most subtle of movement types, like breathing, while Dual Sensing IS corrects stronger movement types and longer viewing times.
  • A single-point AF system provides quick and accurate TTL focusing performance to suit various subject types. Additionally, a Face Tracking feature can be used to detect and track recognized faces to benefit viewing and photographing fast-moving action, like sports.
  • Magnification and Field of View:
    • 100mm (Approx. 1.2x): 102′ / 30m at 100 yd
    • 400mm (Approx. 4.8x): 25.7′ / 7.8m at 100 yd
    • 800mm (Approx. 9.6x): 12.9′ / 3.9m at 100 yd

Portable Design and Intuitive Handling

  • Compact design is pocketable and offers easy one-handed use.
  • Integrated 2.36m-dot OLED electronic viewfinder has a 59.94 fps refresh rate for fluid motion rendering and high clarity.
  • One-touch three-step button makes for fast zoom changes between 100mm, 400mm, and 2x digital (800mm) positions.
  • Dedicated Photo and Rec buttons for stills and video capture.
  • Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity pair with the Canon Camera Connect App for remote live view monitoring and wireless file sharing to a mobile device.
  • Featuring a microSD memory card slot for storing photos and videos and a 16GB microSDHC memory card is included.
  • Internal lithium-ion battery can be charged via the USB Type-C port and the battery provides approximately 150 shots, or two hours of viewing, per charge.

Cyber Monday: Save 40% On Capture One Pro 21, On Sale At $179 (reg. $299)

Another great photo editing software deal. Save 40% on Capture One Pro 21 (Mac and Windows).

At a glance:

  • Image Processing and Raw File Conversion
  • Instant Tethered Capture and Live View
  • Basic Color Editor, Scrolling Tools
  • Updated HDR, Noise Reduction, Crop Tools
  • Layered Workflow and Annotations
  • Luminosity, Gradient, and Radial Masks
  • Catalogs and Sessions, DNG File Support
  • Third-Party Plug-In Support
  • Over 500 Cameras & Raw Files Supported
  • For macOS 11/10.13 and Windows 10/8.1

B&H Photo has Capture One Pro 21 on sale at $179.Compare at regular $299.

Curated and selected Black Friday deals:

Refurbished lenses and DSLRs at Canon Store (best deals might be found here)

Click here to open the rest of the article

Black Friday: Save 60% On Topaz Everything Bundle (Denoise, Sharpen, Gigapixel, Video Enhance)

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Topaz Lab put their Everything bundle on a 60% discount for Black Friday. The bundle includes Denoise AI, Sharpen AI, Gigapixel AI and Video Enhance AI. Rather powerful tools to enhance your photos.

The Topaz Everything bundle is on sale at $199.99. Compare at $559.96. The sale ends on Monday, 11/29. The images and the the video below gives you a pretty good idea how powerful these artificial intelligence powered tools are.

Curated and selected Black Friday deals:

Refurbished lenses and DSLRs at Canon Store (best deals might be found here)

Canon Expands Dragonfly Telephoto Array With 120 EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II Lenses

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We reported about the Dragonfly Telephoto Array in the past. It’s a project developed by the University of Toronto’s Dunlap Institute for Astronomy and Astrophysics for which Canon delivers the optics.

The Dragonfly Telephoto Array started with 10 lenses and is designed to reveal

[…] the faint structure [of the universe] by greatly reducing scattered light and internal reflections within its optics. It achieves this using ten, commercially available Canon 400mm lenses with unprecedented nano-fabricated coatings with sub-wavelength structure on optical glasses.

Now Canon provides 120 (one-hundert-twenty) more EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II lenses to the array. So, now that you got what it is about, here is a more detailed description about the Dragonfly Telephoto Array:

The Dragonfly Telephoto Array is a novel telescope concept designed to image large and extremely faint structures in the night sky. These structures hold important clues to the distribution and nature of dark matter, the elusive substance whose contribution to the total mass-energy density of the Universe is five times higher than that of normal matter. These structure are hard to see with conventional telescopes due to a combination of scattered light from bright stars and their mosaicked detectors. Dragonfly harnesses the power of commercially-available high-end telephoto lenses to address these issues. The latest generation of Canon 400 mm f/2,8 lenses have superb anti-reflection properties, owing to one of the first applications of nano-fabricated coatings with sub-wavelength structures on optical glasses. Furthermore, each lens is equipped with a single monolithic wide-field detector covering six square degrees, and with multiple redundant lines of sight Dragonfly achieves extremely accurate modeling of the night sky emission. 

Commissioned in 2013 with three lenses, the array currently consists of 48 lenses in two clusters of 24. Optically the telescope functions as the equivalent of a 1.0 m diameter refractor with a focal ratio of f/0.4, the largest and by far the most sensitive lens telescope in existence. “Behind the scenes” innovations include the use of AI planning tools to optimize nightly operations and survey design, unit-based basic data processing with compute sticks, the application of Internet of Things operational protocols to communicate with the 48 lenses, and fully automated gate-driven cloud-based data analysis. Our dual goals are to:

​1. Improve our understanding of dark matter through study of the low surface brightness universe

2. Harness the potential of distributed telescopes, combined with advances in information technology, for transformational science

  • The Dragonfly Telephoto Array before 2015
  • Dragonfly Telephoto Array installed in New Mexico - Image by Pieter van Dokkum, Yale University Download HiRes/300 dpi Download LoRes/72 dpi Dragonfly Telephoto Array installed in New Mexico – Image by Pieter van Dokkum, Yale University
  • Assembling the Dragonfly Telephoto Array – the first three lenses
  • Dragonfly Telephoto Array installed in New Mexico – Image by Pieter van Dokkum, Yale University
  • Photo taken with the Dragonfly Telephoto Array. The moon is shown for scale – Image by Pieter van Dokkum, Yale University
  • Dragonfly Telephoto Array installed in New Mexico – Image by Pieter van Dokkum, Yale University

Canon press release:

Canon U.S.A. Inc., to Provide 120 EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM Lenses for Expansion of the Dragonfly Telephoto Array Project

MELVILLE, NY, November 18, 2021 – Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the company will provide technical assistance to Project Dragonfly, an international research team from Yale University, and the University of Toronto, in its plan to expand the Dragonfly Telephoto Array. The company will provide the project with 120 Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM large-aperture super-telephoto single-focal length lenses, and its parent company, Canon Inc., will provide technical assistance.

The Dragonfly Telephoto Array is a telescope array equipped with multiple Canon large-aperture super-telephoto single focal length lenses – specifically, the Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens. The telescope was designed in 2013 by Project Dragonfly, an international research team from Yale University and the University of Toronto. The Dragonfly Telephoto Array is capable of capturing images of galaxies that are so faint and large that they had escaped detection by even the largest conventional telescopes. Its mission is to study the low surface brightness universe to elucidate the nature of dark matter and to utilize the concept of distributed telescopes.

In support of this research, Canon provided technical assistance by supplying 40 Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lenses in 2015, expanding the array to 48 lenses with 24 telescopes bundled on two separate mounts. Since then, the research team has produced significant results in extragalactic astronomy, including discovering the ultra-diffuse galaxy Dragonfly 44 in 2016 and the identification of a galaxy that lacks dark matter, NGC 1052-DF2, in 2018.

This time, Canon will provide technical assistance by supplying 120 Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM lenses to the research team, further expanding the telescope array. With a total of 168 lenses, the telescope array has a light-gathering capability equivalent to that of a refracting telescope of 1.8 meters in diameter, with a focal length of only 40 cm, and is expected to open new windows on the universe.

Canon is committed to contributing to the development of science and technology by leveraging the technological strengths it has cultivated as a leading imaging company.

Message from Professor Pieter van Dokkum of Yale University comments

The Dragonfly Telephoto Array is the pre-eminent survey telescope for finding faint, diffuse objects in the night sky. It has enabled us to discover ultra-diffuse galaxies and other low-surface brightness phenomena—rendering images that deepen our understanding of how galaxies are formed and providing key insights into the nature of dark matter. The initial array was equipped with 48 Canon EF 400mm telephoto lenses featuring anti-reflection coatings that mitigate the effects of light scattering, overcoming the limitations of conventional telescopes in detecting faint structures. The lenses are coupled to monolithic wide-field detectors that permit excellent error control. With the addition of 120 of these lenses, in a newly developed configuration allowing extremely narrow filters to be used, Dragonfly will be the most powerful wide-field spectroscopic line mapping machine in existence. A major goal of the next iteration of the Dragonfly array is to detect and study the faint gas thought to exist around and between galaxies. By opening this new window on the cosmos, Dragonfly will tackle some of the most critical questions in astrophysics today.