A Bit Of Everything (Sigma 35mm f/1.4, Canon In East Africa, And More)

Sigma 35mm f/1.4

Two new Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM reviews for you. The terrific Sigma 35mm f/1.4 (price & specs), part of Sigma’s “Art” line-up, is getting a lot of positive feedbacks from photographers and reviewers.

Cameralabs writes in their verdict:

The Sigma 35/1.4 DG HSM is a very exciting lens. You can produce shots with image quality you might think were impossible at a wide open aperture of f1.4. Plus the build-quality and the new design support Sigma’s claim to have developed and manufactured a lens to professional standards.

The pros of the Sigma, according to cameralabs:

Outstanding performance in the corners of a high-resolution full-frame sensor even wide open.
Good build quality.
Quiet and fast AF operation.
Relatively low price compared to the big names.

Next, photographer Justin Wojtczak of 375photography.com (source: fstoppers) made a video-review of the lens.

Generic tidbits…:

  • Canon establishes Kenyan arm with eyes on East Africa: (source: businessdailyafrica), in summary:
  • The regional arm of Japanese firm Canon Inc that is banking on new office to oversee seven African countries will strengthen its position across the rapidly growing markets of eastern Africa.
  • Having a dedicated entity in Kenya is meant to further reinforce the company’s ‘closer to customer’ strategy and offer enhanced support services to partners and customers across East Africa,
  • Canon Kenya will provide marketing and channel development services in Kenya, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Somalia, Eritrea, Rwanda and Burundi.

 

Have a nice day….

Happy Birthday Ansel Adams

Ansel Adams

Well, it’s not Canon related, but I hope you appreciate.

Today is Ansel Adam’s birthday, he would turn 111 years old if he were still alive today. Quoting The Huffington Post:

Adams began his career as a photographer in the early 20th century selling snapshots of Yosemite National Park. Obsessed with fine-tuning his craft, the San Francisco-born artist was known to dabble in everything from soft-focus imagery to etching before settling on a photographic style marked by sharp contrast and intense exposures. Over the course of his 60-year career, he worked closely with fellow photographers Fred Archer and Alfred Stieglitz, showed his work at a major retrospective at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and helped to found the major photography magazine, Aperture.

[via Huffington Post]

Canon Product Advisory For Speedlite AF Assist Beam Issue on EOS 5D Mark III and EOS -1D X

Speedlite AF assist beam

Ok, Canon reacted to the problem of the auto-focus beam issue observed using Speedlite AF assist beam with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III (price & specs) or Canon EOS-1D X (price & specs). Everything started when a user posted about the problem in the Canon USA EOS forum, getting the following answer from a forum moderator (I reported about this here):

Canon has confirmed that, depending upon the shooting conditions, it may take slightly longer for the EOS 5D Mark III and EOS-1D X digital SLR cameras to acquire focus when using the Speedlite’s AF Assist Beam, compared with that of the EOS 5D Mark II and EOS-1D Mark IV digital SLR cameras using the Speedlite’s AF Assist Beam. We are developing a firmware update to enhance the focusing feature for the EOS 5D Mark III and the EOS-1D X. The schedule for release of this firmware update will be announced shortly.

Yesterday Canon USA released the following product advisory:

Thank you for using Canon products.

Affected Products

EOS 5D Mark III Digital SLR Camera

EOS-1D X Digital SLR Camera

Details

Depending upon the shooting conditions, it may take slightly longer for the EOS 5D Mark III and EOS-1D X digital SLR cameras to acquire focus when using the Speedlite’s AF Assist Beam, compared with that of the EOS 5D Mark II and EOS-1D Mark IV digital SLR cameras using the Speedlite’s AF Assist Beam.

We are developing a solution to enhance the focusing feature for the EOS 5D Mark III and EOS-1D X and plan to release a firmware update based on following estimated schedule:

EOS 5D Mark III: (estimated) Late April, 2013

EOS-1D X: (estimated) Late May, 2013

Support

This information is for residents of the United States and Puerto Rico only. If you do not reside in the USA or Puerto Rico, please contact the Canon Customer Support Center in your region.

If you have not already done so, please register your Canon EOS 5D Mark III Digital SLR Camera or your Canon EOS-1D X. Digital SLR Camera. By registering, we will be able to notify you via email about future service upgrades.

Thank you,

Customer Support Operations

Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Contact Information for Inquiries

Canon Customer Support Center

Phone: 1-855-CINE-EOS (toll free)

1-855-246-3367

TDD: 1-866-251-3752

Email: [email protected]

For additional support options: pro.usa.canon.com/support

Canon EOS 5D Mark III price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA Canon EOS-1D X price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA

A Bit Of Everything

We Like That: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM For $840

Yes we do, we really like such good deals when they come from a reliable seller. Top rated plus eBay seller getitdigital (39235 ratings, 99.6% positive) has the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM on sale for . That’s around $200 less than usual, even with the Canon Rebates going on. As free bonus items you get an UV filter and a lens cap keeper. Free shipping and USA warranty.

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM core specs:

  • 24-105mm standard zoom lens with f/4 maximum aperture for Canon EOS SLR cameras
  • 1 Super UD glass element and 3 aspherical lenses minimize chromatic aberration and distortion
  • Ring-type USM system delivers silent but quick autofocus (AF); full-time manual focus
  • Image Stabilizer technology steadies camera shake at up to 3 stops; weighs 23.6 ounces
  • Dust- and moisture-resistant; measures 3.3 inches in diameter and 4.2 inches long; 1-year warranty

Image Stabilizer – Ideal for handheld work, IS Image Stabilizer allows use of shutter speeds up to 3-stops slower with no perceptible increase in image blur.
Fixed Aperture – With no change in aperture over the full focal length range, photographers can set exposure at the widest aperture and zoom through to 105mm without slowing shutter speed.
Super UD and Aspherical Lens Elements – Constructed with one Super-UD glass element and three aspherical lenses, this lens minimizes chromatic aberration and distortion. The result is excellent picture quality, even at wide apertures.
Ring USM – Ring USM (Ultrasonic motor) uses ultrasonic frequency vibrations to drive responsive, near-silent high speed auto focus. Good holding torque stops the focusing lens group with precision without overshoot. Full time manual focus override is available without having to switch out of AF.
Super Spectra Coatings – Optimized Super Spectra lens coatings and lens element shaping suppress flare and ghosting – more prone to occur with digital cameras due to reflection off the image sensor. Coatings also help achieve true color balance and increase contrast for vivid hi-fidelity images.

Specifications
Weight: 1.5 lb (670 g)
Length: 4.2″ (107mm)
Filter Size: 77mm
F/Stop Range: 4-22
Minimum Focus Distance: 1.48′ (0.45 m)
Magnification: 1:4.3
Angle of View: 84 – 23° (full-frame cameras)
Groups/Elements: 13/18
Maximum Diameter: 3.3″ (83.5mm)