Deal: Canon Rebel T4i/EOS 650D with EF-S 18-55mm and 55-250mm for $899.99

Top rated plus eBay seller getitdigital (>39700 ratings, 99.5% positive) has a good kit on sale: Canon Rebel T4i (EOS 650D in EU) with the EF-S 18-55mm IS & EF-S 55-250mm IS lenses for . Free shipping and USA warranty.

Product description:

The Canon EOS Rebel T4i Digital Camera is the most sophisticated Rebel yet. It is an ideal camera for any level photographer. The new Rebel T4i delivers phenomenal image quality, high performance, and fast, intuitive operation.

This 18.0 megapixel DSLR features an APS-C-sized CMOS sensor and a DIGIC 5 image processor for fast operation and tremendous low light performance to an expanded ISO of 25600. A 9-point all cross-type AF system (including a high-precision dual cross f/2.8 center point) delivers improved autofocus performance, and a new Hybrid CMOS AF System increases autofocus speed when shooting photos and video in Live View.

Full HD 1080p video is supported and features a full-time Movie Servo AF system for continuous auto focusing while using live view to record movies. A built-in stereo microphone and manual audio level adjustment helps ensure that your audio will match the stunning quality of your video.

A 3.0″ Vari-angle touch screen LCD is incorporated and flips out and tilts for viewing from a wide variety of angles. The touch screen operation is highly intuitive and even allows you to control your focus points from the LCD.

The Rebel T4i is compatible with SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards and Canon’s full line of EF and EF-S lenses.

 

Canon Developes New High-Sensitivity Full-Frame Sensor For Video

Full-Frame Sensor
Canon’s new 35mm full frame sensor (image credit: Canon)

This came today as a small suprise. Canon announced the development of a new 35mm equivalent full-frame sensor (picture above) exclusively thought for video. The full-frame sensor is said to be extremely sensitive yet maintaining low-noise imaging performance. In other words: full HD video in exceptionally low-light environments while delivering high-sensitivity, low-noise imaging performance. The immediate field of application seems to be astral photography. Not all press releases are interesting to read. This press release is it, and there is a video showing the sensor’s capabilities on Canon’s site (scroll down to the end of the press release).

Full-Frame Sensor
Prototype camera incorporating the newly
developed 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor (Image credit: Canon)

Press release:

TOKYO, March 4, 2013—Canon Inc. announced today that the company has successfully developed a high-sensitivity 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor exclusively for video recording. Delivering high-sensitivity, low-noise imaging performance, the new Canon 35 mm CMOS sensor*1 enables the capture of Full HD video even in exceptionally low-light environments.

The newly developed CMOS sensor features pixels measuring 19 microns square in size, which is more than 7.5-times the surface area of the pixels on the CMOS sensor incorporated in Canon’s top-of-the-line EOS-1D X and other digital SLR cameras. In addition, the sensor’s pixels and readout circuitry employ new technologies that reduce noise, which tends to increase as pixel size increases. Thanks to these technologies, the sensor facilitates the shooting of clearly visible video images even in dimly lit environments with as little as 0.03 lux of illumination, or approximately the brightness of a crescent moon—a level of brightness in which it is difficult for the naked eye to perceive objects. When recording video of astral bodies, while an electron-multiplying CCD,*2 which realizes approximately the same level of perception as the naked eye, can capture magnitude-6 stars, Canon’s newly developed CMOS sensor is capable of recording faint stars with a magnitude of 8.5 and above.*3

Using a prototype camera employing the newly developed sensor, Canon successfully captured a wide range of test video,*4 such as footage recorded in a room illuminated only by the light from burning incense sticks (approximately 0.05–0.01 lux) and video of the Geminid meteor shower. The company is looking to such future applications for the new sensor as astronomical and natural observation, support for medical research, and use in surveillance and security equipment. Through the further development of innovative CMOS sensors, Canon aims to expand the world of new imaging expression.

Canon Marketing Japan Inc. will be exhibiting a prototype camera that incorporates the newly developed 35 mm full-frame CMOS sensor and sample footage captured with the camera at SECURITY SHOW 2013 (www.shopbiz.jp/en/ss/), which will be held from Tuesday, March 5, to Friday, March 8, at the Tokyo International Exhibition Center in Tokyo, Japan.

*1
An imaging element (aspect ratio: 16:9) that supports the largest image circle size possible when shooting with a Canon EF lens.
*2
A CCD sensor with a readout mechanism that multiplies electrons after being converted from light. Applications include nighttime surveillance and the capture of astral bodies and nighttime nature scenes.
*3
The brightness of a star decreases 2.5-times with each 1 magnitude increase.
*4
Recording of test video footage was made possible through cooperation from ZERO Corporation.

Magic Lantern And Free Lensing Using Focus Peaking

What is free lensing? Put simply: a way to replicate the tilt-shift look without using a tilt shift lens. Basically, you detach the lens from the body, hold it out and tilt the lens up or down or left or right, get focus and snap the picture. This is feasible if your camera features focus peaking. Canon’s do not but the firmware add-on Magic Lantern does. Magic Lantern is something each serious Canon shooter should consider to install on hers or his DSLR (click here to see which Canon DSLRs are supported). Be aware not to drop your precious lens while doing free lensing :-)

The video below is a free lensing introduction and tutorial.

[via fstoppers]

A Bit Of Everything

Tamron 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC Price Drop: Now $449

The Tamron 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 DI-II VC lens got a price drop: now it’s $499 at Adorama and B&H.

Product description from Adorama’s page:

Tamron 60TH ANNIVERSARY MODEL 18-270MM Di II VC PZD THE WORLD’S LIGHTEST, SMALLEST 15X ZOOM, WITH TAMRON’S FIRST PZD (PIEZO DRIVE) AF SYSTEM 

A light, compact, ultra-high-power 15x zoom lens with PZD (Piezo Drive) the first Piezoelectric internal autofocus motor by Tamron exclusively for digital SLR cameras with APS-C sized sensors.

The acclaimed Tamron 18-270mm VC ultra zoom for APS-C format DSLRs has reached an astonishing new level of compactness, performance,and speed with the addition of PZD (Piezo Drive), an innovative ultrasonic autofocus motor based on an advanced piezoelectric design. The result is a lens that’s considerably lighter, and noticeably shorter and slimmer (filter diameter: 62mm) than any previous lens in its class, and provides faster, quieter auto-focusing.

Signature features that have made this amazingly versatile lens the world standard in its class have been retained. They include a 28-419mm equivalent (15X) zoom range, an improved, lightweight, compact Vibration Compensation (VC) system, macro focusing to 0.49m (19.3 inches) throughout, and, of course, superlative imaging performance.

Compact and Easy to Carry 15X All-in-One Zoom with Outstanding Feature Set 

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In Stock Advisory: Pocket Wizard Plus X Transceiver

Pocket Wizard Plus X Transceiver

B&H has the new Pocket Wizard Plus X Transceiver in stock and ready to ship for $99 (click here). Product description:

• Auto-Sensing Transceiver: Easy to use. No settings to make.

• 10 Channels: 1-4 Classic plus 5-10 low-traffic channels

• Backlit Channel Dial: Easy to set channels in the dark

• Internal Antenna: Compact, more rugged design

• Auto-Relay Mode: Trigger remote camera & flashes simultaneously

• Transmit Only Mode: Positive operation in large groups

• Side View Design : Better subject view on camera

• PocketWizard reliability:  PocketWizard compatibility

Pocket Wizard Plus X Transceiver

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