Canon PowerShot SX50 HS Review (Imaging Resource)

PowerShot SX50

Canon PowerShot SX50 HS
B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

Imaging resource reviewed the Canon PowerShot SX50 HS. The cam features a whooping 50x zoom, equivalent to 24-1200mm, and Canon’s Intelligent IS optical image stabilization technology. The reviewer

was extremely happy with the quality of the 12-megapixel images I took with the Canon SX50 HS, especially those I captured at ISO 400 and below. For the most part, the photos — even at full 50x zoom — were pretty sharp and dynamic.

In the conclusion they write:

In most ways the Canon SX50 HS proved to be the long-reaching camera I had longed to use for capturing images of Spring Training baseball. And I strongly suspect it would be as perfect for shooting daytime travel, street, architecture, landscape and wildlife photography as it was for capturing the sights and action of a sunny ballgame.

It was also an equally impressive travel companion in terms of its size, simplicity to use and shooting flexibility. […] The Canon SX50 HS proved to have ample image quality and advanced features to make it a great second or travel camera for serious shooters, and plenty of flexibility to make it a great primary camera for beginning and casual photographers.

The review comes with many sample shots, test charts etc. Specifications (taken from Adorama’s product page):

  • World’s first 50x Optical Zoom (24-1200mm) and 24mm Wide-Angle lens with Optical Image Stabilizer delivers magnificent images whether you are up close or far away
  • 12.1 Megapixel High-Sensitivity CMOS sensor combined with a DIGIC 5 Image Processor creates the Canon HS SYSTEM for improved low-light performance up to ISO 6400 and enhanced image quality
  • Capture stunning 1080p Full HD video in stereo sound with a dedicated movie button; zoom while shooting and play back videos on an HDTV via the HDMI output
  • High Speed AF greatly improves focus speed and High-Speed Burst HQ allows for continuous capture at a maximum of 10 frames while maintaining superb image quality
  • Intelligent IS automatically chooses from six different modes to optimize image stabilization for the shooting condition
  • Bright 2.8-inch Vari-angle LCD with 461,000 dots for shooting at a variety of angles, plus an Electronic Viewfinder
  • Smart AUTO intelligently selects the proper camera settings based on 58 predefined shooting situations and the Face ID function adjusts focus and exposure priority based on pre-registered faces
  • Full range of shooting and recording modes including RAW+JPEG for the ultimate creative control
  • Built-in hot shoe allows compatibility with optional Speedlite flashes for additional lighting options

Canon PIXMA PRO-10 Review And Super Deal ($299), and EOS 6D ($1638), and 24-105 f/4L IS ($725)

pixma pro-10

dpreview reviewed Canon’s PIXMA PRO-10 printer and gave it a Gold Award. They liked:

  • Excellent print quality, both in color and B&W
  • Chroma optimizer reduces gloss differential, bronzing
  • Metamerism is minimal
  • Solid feel and high quality construction
  • Strong support from Canon for third party papers
  • Profiling software included
  • Wi-fi connectivity in addition to USB & Ethernet

Super deal at Adorama: The WiFi-enabled Canon PIXMA PRO-10 Professional Photo Inkjet Printer is on sale just $299 (click here) after $200 instant rebate and $200 mail-in rebate. Limited stock so hurry up! Free shipping and free photo paper.

And there is more!!

Top rated eBay seller getitdigital (42127, 99.6% positive) has the Canon EOS 6D body only on sale for and they have the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS lens for .; That’s more than $420 off the regular price.

Even more deals. On Amazon, for limited time only, save $148 on select Canon EOS Rebel T5i and SL1 SLR Camera bundles on Amazon.com.

  • Canon EOS Rebel T5i (EOS 700D) with 18-55mm EF-S IS STM Lens and EF-S 55-250mm IS II Telephoto Zoom Lens – $1,050 (click here)
  • Canon EOS Rebel SL1 (EOS 100D) with 18-55mm EF-S IS STM Lens and EF-S 55-250mm IS II – $950 (click here)
  • Canon EOS Rebel T51 (EOS 700D) with 18-135mm EF-S IS STM Lens and EF-S 55-250mm IS II Telephoto Zoom Lens – $1,249 (click here)

Top rated eBay seller vstarsales (13721 ratings, 99.7% positive) has the Rokinon/Samyang/Bower 35mm T1.5 Wide Angle Cine Lens with de-clicked aperture for . Compare at $549. A lens cleaning pen and kit are included.

Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM Review (Imaging Resource)

Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC

Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM
[shopcountry 13357]

Specifications (from B&H’s product page)

  • Aperture Range: f/2.8-22
  • Hyper Sonic AF Motor
  • Optical Stabilizer
  • Macro Capabilities
  • Compact and Lightweight TSC Construction
  • FLD, SLD, and Aspherical Lens Elements
  • Super Multi-Layer Coating
  • Compatible with Sigma USB Dock

The Imaging Resource reviewed Sigma’s latest addition to their “Contemporary” line-up, the Sigma 17-70mm f/2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM. Some excerpts:

  • The Sigma 17-70mm “C” is surprisingly sharp, especially when compared to its predecessor
  • Chromatic aberration is handled quite well outside of the extremes in the focal ranges capable of the lens (23-50mm), but at the 17mm and 70mm ends we note some considerable chromatic aberration
  • Corner shading is only a problem in two cases: when the lens is used at 17mm, or when the lens is used at any other focal length and at its widest aperture
  • […] the lens was able to focus between infinity, close-focus and back to infinity in around one second
  • 0.34x magnification [for macro]
  • With the new “Contemporary” 17-70mm ƒ/2.8-4 OS HSM “C”, Sigma’s created a smart and stylish upgrade to its kit-lens alternative. There’s a good recipe for sales here: make it look awesome, and don’t jack up the price too much.

 

Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM 1.4x Review (PetaPixel)

 EF 200-400mm f/4L

Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS Extender 1.4x
Amazon | Adorama | B&H

Product description (from B&H’s product page)

  • High-Performance Telephoto Zoom Lens
  • Canon EF Mount
  • Aperture Range f/4-32
  • Built-in 1.4x Extender
  • Three-Mode Optical Image Stabilization
  • Ring USM Autofocus & Internal Focusing System
  • Power Focus Mode for Smooth Focus Shift
  • One Fluorite and Four UD Lens Elements
  • Fluorine Front & Rear Lens Coating
  • Highly Resistant to Dust and Water

PetaPixel reviewed Canon’s new super-telezoom monster that costs like a small car, the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS Extender 1.4x. Lots of sample images, also to test the built-in 1.4x extender. Some excerpts from the review:

  • The image quality of the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L is, in a word, excellent. Even when shot wide-open at f/4 or f/5.6, the contrast and sharpness of the lens is very good.
  • Autofocus is very fast and decisive, even on the EOS 5D Mk IIIbody
  • “Sharpness” is the middle name of the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L.
  • […] the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x lens is very sharp, very fast with autofocus and very versatile in terms of focal length.
  • Crisp, tack sharp and contrasty, the photos are what [you] would never have expected from a super telephoto zoom with an extender.
  • […] Canon priced the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x lens at exactly what it is worth.
Ef 200-400mm f/4L
Three stabilizer modes (image courtesy: PetaPIxel)
EF 200-400mm f/4L
The EF 200-400mm f/4L IS 1.4x has “Power Focus”, good for videography (image courtesy: PetaPixel)
[via PetaPixel]

Rokinon 35mm T1.5 Wide Angle Cine Lens Review And Deal – $480

Top rated eBay seller vstarsales (13721 ratings, 99.7% positive) has the Rokinon/Samyang/Bower 35mm T1.5 Wide Angle Cine Lens with de-clicked aperture for . Compare at $549. A lens cleaning pen and kit are included.

The Phoblographer reviewed the Rokinon 35mm T1.5:

If you are looking for an affordable option for a cine-like lens, this is a one to  consider. You have a sturdy build for the barrel, nice color, although in my use, this depends on what profile you use.Aesthetically this lens is handsome. I do really wish that if you are going to give me a wide open T stop of 1.5 that it would be just a little bit sharper.

How To Install Magic Lantern – A Step-By-Step Video Guide

Given all the (justified) hype around Magic Lantern’s RAW hack more and more Canon users want to install the firmware hack. The most amazing results are obtained with the EOS 5D Mark III, but also a five year old camera that was never thought to shot video, the EOS 50D (here on eBay), can produce amazing results with the Magic Lantern hack.

Dave Dugdale from Learning DSLR Video made a video that shows step-by-step how to install the Magic Lantern hack. As Dave suggests, it is best to install first the stable version of Magic Lantern before playing around with the alpha-releases (or nightly builds) that deliver the RAW video output.

Be sure that the battery is fully charged before starting the installation process. You have to reset the camera to factory settings, then you have to format the memory card. After that you plug the card in you computer and copy the downloaded files on it. Finally, the card goes back in your camera, where you navigate to the firmware update menu. When all is done correctly you will see the screen output below.

magic lantern

[ISO 1200 via PetaPixel]