Adobe Lightroom CC 2015.8 released, adds EOS M5 support and tethering for EOS 5D Mark IV

Above: an overview on “Reference View” in Lightroom CC 2015.8 by LoriGraceAz

From Adobe Lightroom Journal:

Today Lightroom CC(2015.8) / 6.8, Adobe Camera Raw 9.8 and updates to Lightroom for mobile are now available.  Please click here to read the Camera Raw release notes and click here to read all the Lightroom for mobile news.

Introducing Reference View

Reference View is a new view mode available in the Develop Module that allows you to compare 2 different images in order to make them visually consistent.  This is helpful when making a group of images from a single event look similar or setting the white balance appropriately in mixed lighting conditions.

To get started,

  1. Go to the Develop Module
  2. Click on Reference View.  Its on the Toolbar, and you may need to show the Toolbar if hidden
  3. Drag and Drop your Reference Photo onto the left pane.  You can change your Reference Photo by either dragging a different image onto the left pane or using the “Set as Reference Photo” context menu in the Library Module.
  4. Edit the active photo. Use the Reference Photo to guide your editing decisions.

Click here for more information on Reference View.

Performance Improvements

Lightroom CC (2015.8) / 6.8 includes ‘under-the-hood’ changes designed to improve the responsiveness of your Lightroom experience.  You should notice improvements in image editing responsiveness when background tasks (such as Preview Generation) are running, moving files between folders, running catalog backups.

Fit/Fill Improvements

You can now zoom to fit and zoom to fill.  Particularly when using ultra high-resolution (i.e. 4K and 5K) monitors, prior versions of Lightroom would not completely fill the Loupe window.

Additional Features

  • Ability to filter or create a Smart Collection for images that have Snapshots associated with them.
  • Export a Collection Set as a new catalog.
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Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD deal – $799 (reg. $1,069, today only, B&H)

Tamron SP 150-600mm
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At a glance:

  • Canon EF Lens Mount
  • Aperture Range: f/5 to f/40
  • Three Low Dispersion Glass Elements
  • eBAND and BBAR Coatings
  • VC Image Stabilization
  • Ultrasonic Silent Drive Autofocus Motor
  • Full-Time Manual Focus Mechanism
  • Nine-Blade Circular Diaphragm
  • Removable Tripod Mount

The Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD is B&H Photo’s DealZone deal of the day, and it’s only for today. The Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD is on sale at $799, that’a $270 saving over the regular $1,069.

Today’s Gold Box and one day only deals at Amazon US, Amazon DE, Amazon UK, B&H Photo, eBay and Adorama

Canon’s New hdAlbum EZ Service Can Transform Traditional Photo Book Creation Process

hdalbum ez

Press release:

Users can create stylish layouts with storylines for photo books with hdAlbum EZ app

MELVILLE, N.Y., December 7, 2016 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the new hdAlbum EZ service, an innovative software solution that allows users to quickly and easily create a photo book keepsake that captures their memories. Building upon the success of the hdAlbum service launched in January 2015, this new hdAlbum EZ service features Canon’s new advanced EAGiAL technology, which automatically selects a user’s photos based on lighting, composition, and face recognition, and creates an elegantly, styled layout with a storyline. The hdAlbum EZ service offers users high-quality printing on the Canon DreamLabo 5000 inkjet production photo printer which produces images with rich, vibrant color and impeccable detail.

Accessible through the hdAlbum EZ App, the software helps reduce the amount of time needed to select shots from a large collection of photos, as well as create and edit a photo book. The hdAlbum EZ App even has a built-in function to automatically capture still frames from video files. This automatic feature has been included in response to the increase of users creating videos in recent years. This technology provides another way to capture compelling, live-action images. The hdAlbum EZ App will be available for compatible computers, tablets and smartphones.

“Sorting through files and selecting quality photos can be one of the most time-consuming steps in photo album creation,” said Toyotsugu Kuwamura, executive vice president and general manager, Business Imaging Solutions Group, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “The hdAlbum EZ automated software automatically detects and chooses photos for album creation. This time-saving solution provides an intuitive platform for users to best tell their story, while also allowing more time for creativity.”

For a look at hdAlbum EZ’s streamlined design and intuitive process, please click here. Visit shop.usa.canon.com/photobooks for the latest promotions and to get started on your own hdAlbum EZ photo book.

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A Bit of Everything

Above: Kelvin White Balance for Awesome Urban Photography – The PixelHobo

Keep the Focus – A Meditation Guide for Street Photographers (free ebook) – Thomas Ludwig

Panoramic images: Creating panoramic – Canon Professional Network

Gear of the Year: Carey’s choice – Canon PowerShot G9 X – DPReview

Tamron announced a new sensor that Exceeds Far Beyond Human Visual Capability – Mirrorless Rumors

Canon lens construction – Canon Professional Network

100 million EF lenses : Canon Ambassadors reveal their favourites – Canon Europe

How to Take Professional Photos of Your Vacation – Laura Morita/Canon DLC

Which Canon Cameras Maintain Autofocus with Extenders at f/8 Max Aperture? – Shutter Muse

Zeiss Batis 18mm f/2.8 Astrophotography Review – Lonely Speck

The smiles behind the style: an enduring creative partnership – Lorenzo Agius on his career (CPN)

Below: 100 Photographs: The Most Influential Images of All Time Trailer – TIME

Canon patent for EF 600mm f/4 IS DO lens

jpa_428200685_000002

That may become a killer lens if it ever goes to production. Canon files a patent for a n EF 600mm f/4 IS DO lens. “DO” stays for diffractive optics.

Will this lens eventually replace the existing EF 600mm f/4L IS II? Not necessarily. DO optics are usually of smaller size than their counterparts without DO, so the lens referred in the patent could well be an addition to the line-up.

  • Patent publication number 2016-200685
    • Release date 2016.12.1
    • Application date 2015.4.9
  • Example 1
    • Focal length 585.00
    • F number 4.12
    • Half angle of view (degree) 2.12
    • Image height 21.64
    • Lens total length 335.32
    • BF 66.92
[via Egami]

Customers perceive Canon as having Faster Service Times and Higher Tech Support Satisfaction Over Major Competitor, survey suggests

canon

Click for a larger version of the infographic

Canon’s the best! Canon press release:

Canon Releases Survey Results Confirming Consumer Perceptions of Faster Service Times and Higher Tech Support Satisfaction Over Major Competitor

MELVILLE, N.Y., December 5, 2016 – Canon U.S.A., a leader in digital imaging solutions, announced today the findings from a nationwide third-party blind survey that compared customer perceptions concerning the speed of service and quality of tech support offered by Canon and Nikon. The survey was conducted among photographers (primarily professional, semi-professional, and advanced amateur) in November 2016 and found that customers perceive Canon’s service times to be faster than Nikon’s and that customer satisfaction with tech support is higher for Canon than it is for Nikon.

“Our customers need service they can count on,” said Yuichi Ishizuka, President and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “We are very proud of our achievements in delivering world-class service and support. By making customer service an integral part of our business model, we are positioned to meet and exceed the changing needs and expectations of our customers.”

Key Survey Findings

  • Ultra-Fast Service: 76.9 percent of Canon customers who have had a service experience in the last 18 months indicated that the speed of their service was either ultra-fast or fast compared to 64.7 percent for Nikon.
  • Support Matters: 90.4 percent of Canon customers indicated that they were completely satisfied or satisfied with the technical support they received, as compared to 73.7 percent of Nikon’s customers.

Canon has made significant investments in service and support programs and operations, starting with the opening of their first call center in Chesapeake, VA in 1995. The Company prides itself on providing 100 percent in-house U.S. technical support. When it comes to call center operations, keeping all tech support calls in-house allows the Company to tightly control the quality and depth of the tech support provided. Canon maintains full control of its customers’ repair transactions, unlike other industry players that may rely on local third-party service providers to augment their service processing. This is a key differentiator for Canon and is one of the factors that allows the brand to control quick turn-around times and quality service.

About the Ultra-Fast Canon Service & Support Team

  • Support Across the Country: Canon’s Service & Support Network spans from the East to the West Coast (reaching as far as Honolulu, HI) with 10 locations totaling more than 300,000 square feet of space devoted to serving customers. Canon has two call center locations – in Virginia and New Mexico – which boast an average wait time of only 78 seconds to talk to a live tech support representative. There are also three locations in key metropolitan areas that specifically cater to professional customers, in addition to four factory service locations that serve all customers. Canon also has a Customer Care Center, which offers a service drop-off point at its corporate headquarters located in Melville, NY. In the spring of 2017, the Canon Hollywood Professional Technology & Support Center will relocate to Burbank, CA. In this new location, Canon service and support will be enhanced even further to assist the growing number of professional filmmakers and broadcast production clients in Southern California.
  • It’s More Than Just Support: The Canon Experience Center located in Costa Mesa, CA, not only offers service, but is also home to Live Learning workshops and seminars that provide opportunities to learn the latest photography, video, and printing techniques. Additionally, both the Costa Mesa and Lyndhurst, NJ, locations house product showrooms where customers can explore the latest Canon products.
  • 100 Percent U.S.-Based Team: Canon provides 100 percent U.S.-based tech support that is completely in-house staffed with over 600 “all Canon” employees. Canon’s combined nationwide service and support network is comprised of over 1,100 expert service and support team members who maintain full control of service quality and speed of repair transactions.

In addition to announcing the results of this survey, Canon has also launched a new digital advertising campaign that highlights the Company’s knowledgeable tech support staff and efficient service times that average 2.82 days (1.59 days for Canon Professional Services (CPS) Platinum members)1.

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