Sigma Aims At Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4 With Their 50mm f/1.4

 

Sigma

Imaging-Resource had a chance to have a talk about the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art lens with Sigma at CES 2014.

The Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art is more than a simple refresh of the previous version of the lens. It is a completely new designed lens, with a performance that Sigma claims is on the same level as the [shoplink 16664]Zeiss Otus 55mm f/1.4[/shoplink]. A bold claim, but given Sigma’s recently released, awesome lenses, this is a claim we should take seriously.

Quoting Imaging-Resource:

[…] the most impressive information we gleaned? When discussing their goals of image quality and sharpness for the lens, Sigma mentioned they’re confident they’ll surpass competitive products from Canon and Nikon and are instead gunning for Zeiss’s new 55mm Otus lens. It’s a serious claim. The Zeiss 55mm f/1.4 Otus lens — with its $4000 price tag — is squarely aimed at high-end professional shooting such as fashion, advertising and editorial work.

We have to wait for the first reviews to see if the Sigma can hold up to the Zeiss. For the time being neither the price nor the release date of the Sigma 50mm f/1.4 DG HSM Art are known. The Zeiss’ optical performance is outstanding, it won’t be easy for the Sigma.
[shoplink 16664]Sigma[/shoplink]

Canon Top Japanese Company in USA Patent Ranking (for the 9th year)

Canon

Canon tops among Japanese companies in U.S. patent rankings for ninth consecutive year

TOKYO, January 15, 2014—Canon Inc. again ranked first among Japanese companies and third overall for the number of U.S. patents awarded in 2013, according to the latest ranking of preliminary patent results issued by IFI CLAIMS Patent Services on January 14, 2014.

Canon actively promotes the globalization of its business and places great value on obtaining patents overseas, carefully adhering to a patent-filing strategy that pursues patents in essential countries and regions while taking into consideration the business strategies and technology and product trends unique to each location. Among these, the United States, with its many high-tech companies and large market scale, represents a particularly important region in terms of business expansion and technology alliances.

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Canon Releases Firmware Update For Rebel T5i/EOS 700D (ver. 1.1.3)

Firmware Update

Canon has released a firmware update for the [shoplink 11242]Rebel T5i/EOS 700D[/shoplink].

Download the new Firmware Version 1.1.3

Details
Firmware Version 1.1.3 incorporates the following fixes:

1. Fixes a phenomenon in which the camera displays Err01 or Err60, or in rare instances will lock-up when in Live View shooting mode (or Movie shooting mode) when attached to the following STM zoom lenses: EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM, EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM, EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM.

2. Corrects some Korean language misspellings displayed on the menu screen.

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How To Get The Canon EOS M2 Wherever You Are (not just in Asia)

[shoplink 18353 ebay]EOS M2[/shoplink]

Despite the fact that the EOS M2 has been released only for the China and Japan market you can get it shipped wherever you are located. You can via eBay.

Top rated plus eBay seller matsuiyastore (99.8% positive ratings) sells and ships the EOS M2 world-wide.

  • Canon EOS M2 body for [shoplink 18353 ebay]$748 (click here)[/shoplink]
  • Canon EOS M2 + EF-M 22 mm f/2 STM + EF-M 18-55mm IS STM for [shoplink 18354 ebay]$998 (click here)[/shoplink]
  • Canon EOS M2 + EF-M 22 mm f/2 STM + EF-M 18-55mm IS STM + EF-M 11-22mm IS STM for [shoplink 18355 ebay]$1298 (click here)[/shoplink]

This appears to be a serious eBay seller with a very good feedback. I am listing US prices, but you have just to click on the links above to see the price for your country.

EOS M2 specs:

  • 18-Mpix APS-C format CMOS sensor
  • ISO 100-12,800 (ISO 25,600 extended)
  • 4.6 fps burst mode with continuous AF
  • 3.0-inch 1.04k-Dot LCD
  • Full HD 1080 video capture at 30/25/24 fps
  • Advanced Hybrid AF System
  • Built-In WiFi
[via photoblogue]

An Introduction To Canon Professional Services (video)

If you are making a living with photography, then a service as Canon Professional Services (CPS) can make a difference. The 3 minutes video above gives you an introduction to CPS.

Canon Professional Services (CPS) provides exceptional support for full-time imaging professionals. CPS members receive exclusive 24/7 phone and e-mail support, expedited and discounted equipment maintenance and repairs, Equipment Evaluation Loans, on-site support at select events and shows, discounts on select Canon Live Learning seminars and workshops, and more.

The basic membership (Silver Member) is free of charge (see below), while “Gold Member” and “Platinum Member” come at $100 and $300, respectively.

Canon Professional Services