Canon DLC Article: Reading and understanding lens MTF charts

MTF charts
MTF charts of the highly popular [shoplink 230]Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM[/shoplink] lens (image credit: Canon USA)
Canon Digital Learning Center posted an interesting article about MTF (Modulation Transfer Function) Charts.

Most photography and video enthusiasts have seen “MTF” (Modulation Transfer Function) charts for different lenses, but perhaps have not been entirely clear on exactly what they communicate. We know they’re supposed to give an indication of a lens’ expected optical performance, but beyond that it may be a bit of a mystery. We’ll try to move past the technical terms and explain them here in a real-world way.

[via CDLC]

Canon C300 Video-Reviews (P. Bloom and others)

EOS C300

The Canon EOS C300 and C300/PL are discounted to $13,999 at B&H (click here) and Adorama (click here).

Let’s start with a short SciFi movie (That Day) shot by Philip Bloom on the Canon C300. Bloom says (source: creativeplanetnetwork):

For my part as DP, I had to decide which camera I was going to shoot this on, how to shoot it, and what I needed to achieve this. I decided upon the C300…why the C300? Well first off it is my newest camera and I really wanted to see it pushed in this situation. I was looking at the F3 which would have worked great, but for me this camera made more sense. Especially as it’s the EF version and there would be some hand-held work. Those IS lenses are a dream for that.

 

Zac Nicholson shot No Place On Earth, a movie about how 38 Ukrainian Jews hid from the Nazis for 18 months in 1942. About the Canon C300 he says (source: motionvfx):

I had been using the Canon EOS 5D Mark II for a lot of my own documentaries and narrative experimental work. (…) I think Canon was the first to understand what they had created for filmmakers in the DSLR market, and then to push that beyond its boundaries into new areas. For a long time I had been waiting for something I would be comfortable shooting movies with that didn’t use film. The EOS C300 camera was what I had been waiting for. I have heard other filmmakers praise the EOS C300 camera, and everything I saw from it was extraordinary. Plus, I’d be able to use my Canon EF lenses with the EOS C300 camera. As soon as the EOS C300 camera became available I bought one, and it has exceeded my expectations. I have been shooting with it ever since and it’s basically been my workhorse, the camera I hope to shoot with every single time I go out. There were a lot of things that we did with the EOS C300 camera for No Place on Earth that were in environments that were so difficult to shoot in that we could not have physically or logistically done them with a larger digital cinematography camera, especially one requiring assistants. The EOS C300 camera provides a small, almost DSLR-like shape and structure, which is highly portable and maneuverable, and yet it gives you a sensor that can match those of the larger digital cinema cameras.”

 

The utility of the C300 in shooting documentaries is well known. Rick Gershon made the film Surviving the Peace: Angola, documenting the problem of people in Angola, still struggling with landmines 10 years after the end of the civil war. About the C300 he says (source: motionvfx):

Despite the few things that bothered me about the C300, I found it to be a phenomenal verite-style documentary camera. In fact, for this type of work, given the form factor and features of the camera, in my opinion, there is not a better camera out there right now for guys like me. (…) Working with the C300 in a documentary setting was a really great experience. I was truly blown away with just how user friendly the camera was and how quickly I became comfortable with it. And of course the footage speaks for itself.

 

Finally, a short video by Italian filmmaker Aldo Ricci. The video is in Italian and has English subtitles. C300 vs Maserati, good challenge! :-)

 

Reviews: Canon IXUS 255 HS (techradar), Powershot N (cnet) And Powershot SX280 (photographyblog)

Canon ELPH 330 HS
B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

Specs:

  • 12.1MP CMOS Sensor
  • Canon 10x Optical Zoom Lens
  • 35mm Equivalent Focal Length: 24-240mm
  • 3.0″ LCD Monitor
  • Continuous Shooting Rate of 6.2fps
  • Full HD 1920 x 1080 Video
  • Built-In Wi-Fi Connectivity
  • DIGIC 5 Image Processor
  • Intelligent IS Image Stabilization
  • Canon HS SYSTEM

techradar reviewed the WiFi-enabled Canon Powershot IXUS 255 HS (ELPH 330 HS in the US, available with a $30 discount for $199 at B&H and Adorama). In the conclusion they write:

Overall, the Canon IXUS 255 HS is a solid, dependable, easy to use point and shoot camera. With its full price of £230/US$230/AU$280, it sits comfortably in its price bracket, shared by rival cameras such as the rugged Fuji XP200, stylish Nikon Coolpix S9500 and ultra wide-angled Panasonic SZ9.

You can power on and take a shot within a matter of seconds, making it almost as quick to use as your always-to-hand smartphone, but with a resulting image quality that far outstrips its mobile competitors. It also offers an array of useful functions without cramming too much in for gimmick value, making it simple and easy to handle.

The Canon IXUS 255 HS is capable of producing some excellent images, with plenty of detail and vibrant colours. Pleasingly, we also found the HD video shooting to be good, making it useful for those who want to shoot the occasional home movie too.

Canon Powershot N
B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

Specs:

  • 12.1MP High Sensitivity CMOS Sensor
  • DIGIC 5 Image Processor
  • 8x f/3.0 Optical Zoom Lens
  • 28-224mm Focal Length Equivalency
  • 2.8″ Capacitive Tilt-Touch LCD Panel
  • 1080p Full HD Video Capture
  • Built-in Wi-Fi Connectivity
  • One-Touch Mobile Device Connect Button
  • Creative Shot Mode

cnet reviewed the WiFi-enabled Canon Powershot N ($299), a true fun-cam. In the conclusion they write:

The Canon PowerShot N acts as a nice complement to a smartphone camera. You get some optical zoom with excellent optical image stabilization, very good photo and video quality (certainly better than typical phone camera quality), and built-in Wi-Fi so you can still share your shots almost as easily as you can when you shoot with your phone. And it’s all in a tiny attention-grabbing package.

PowerShot SX280 Review
Specs:
  • 12.1MP High-Sensitivity CMOS Sensor
  • DIGIC 6 Image Processor
  • 20x Optical Zoom Lens
  • 35mm Focal Length Equivalent: 25-500mm
  • 3.0″ LCD Monitor
  • Full HD 1080p Video Capture at 60fps
  • Built-in Wi-Fi Connectivity
  • Intelligent Optical Image Stabilization
  • Hybrid Auto Mode
  • GPS Tracker

Finally, photograhpyblog reviewed the WiFi and GPS-enabled Canon PowerShot  SX280 ($329). In the conclusion they write:

The same 25-500mm, 20x zoom lens offers a broad focal range that makes it possible to frame up subjects near or far in pretty much an instant, pretty amazing given the size of the SX280 HS which is only a little larger than most compacts. The GPS system has been speeded-up, so that the waiting time for a lock on the nearest satellite is shorter, while wi-fi makes its first appearance on a Canon travel-zoom. As with Canon’s other wireless compacts, though, it doesn’t offer all of the features of rival systems and is a little difficult to both setup and use. Using both GPS and wi-fi quickly drained the battery, so buy a couple of spares if you want to take full advantage of the camera’s features.

Asia/Eu/Germany Deal: Canon EOS 6D Body Only (Eur 1562) w/ EF 24-105mm IS (Eur 2239)

eos 6d

If you live in Europe you can get the EOS 6D body only or the kit with the EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM lens for a real competitive price at DigitalRev. I calculated the price for Germany, the price may vary slightly for other European countries but is comprehensive of all taxes and custom duties. Free shipping.

For US visitors there is a good EOS 6D eBay deal here.