Skylum Luminar 2018 and Aurora HDR 2018 get updated, get faster, and still have an exclusive discount

Luminar
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Skylum (former Macphun) released updates for their Luminar 2018 and Aurora HDR 2018 software (both Mac & Win).

Updates to Skylum Luminar 2018 and Aurora HDR 2018 are triggered from inside the application. After the break you can see what’s new and what changed.

We are still offering exclusive discounts on Luminar and Aurora HDR:

For more information about the Luminar 2018 update see here, for Aurora HDR 2018 see here. It’s also listed after the break.

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Canon Macro Twin Lite MT-26EX-RT Review (Photography Blog)

Canon MT-26EX-RT Macro Twin Lite
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Canon Macro Twin Lite MT-26EX-RT at a glance:

  • 2.4 GHz Wireless Radio Transmission
  • Compatible with Canon E-TTL / E-TTL II
  • Guide Number: 85.3′ at ISO 100
  • Detachable Heads with 60° Rotation
  • Manual Power Control from 1/1 to 1/512
  • LED Focusing Lamps
  • Recycle Time: 0.1-5.5 Seconds
  • High-Speed Sync Support
  • Runs on 4 AA Batteries
  • Removable Diffusers Included

Photography Blog posted their review of the Canon Macro Twin Lite MT-26EX-RT flash, a specialised piece of gear that isn’t really inexpensive.

From their conclusion:

The Canon Macro Twin Lite MT-26EX-RT is by no means a cheap piece of equipment, but it is intended as specialist kit for professional photographers who specifically need this kind of approach to flash photography.

While it’s true that you can use standard flashguns for macro work, the flexibility here to not only get close to your subject, but to position the two smaller lights in different locations means that you can illuminate your close-subjects exactly how you want them.

Particularly appealing to product photographers, the Macro Twin Lite MT-26 EX RT also has good uses for those who like to photograph flowers or small insects – the fact that the flash has a quick recharge time is particularly useful for quickly capturing subjects that are prone to move between frames. Read the review.

Canon Macro Twin Lite MT-26EX-RT: B&H Photo | Adorama | Amazon (worldwide)

Is a 35mm f/1.8 STM lens for EOS M coming ahead of Photokina 2018?

canon rumorscanon rumors

We have been told (thanks) that Canon may eventually announce the long rumored 35mm f/1.8 STM lens later this year.

We got similar tips in the past (here), and the last time we heard something about such a lens was one year ago. Last week this very rumor got new life. Now we got another hint. Not much to be honest.

Canon might announce an EF-M 35mm f/1.8 STM lens later in 2018, possibly ahead of Photokina 2018 (starting in September 2018).

While we are confident an EF-M 35mm f/1.8 STM lens may indeed be in the works, we are also getting a bit skeptical with rumors about this lens. Since this is a long running rumor, a bit of skepticism isn’t wrong.

It’s getting weird with the EF-M lens line-up. Canon made some powerful mirrorless cameras (and is about to announce the next one) but still fails to deliver outstanding native lenses. It’s true that on Canon MILCs with Dual Pixel AF you can use most of the EF and EF-S lenses. Never the less, having native lenses would make a huge difference.

Canon fires another small rocket into space

canon rumorsNext episode of Canon’s space saga. Previous episodes can be seen here.

As Nikkei Asian Review reports, Canon was set to launch another mini-rocket into space on February 2nd.

TOKYO — A number of Japanese companies have been trying, so far unsuccessfully, to get commercial launches of small rockets off the ground. But they have not given up.

Canon Electronics and Interstellar Technologies both failed in their first attempt to launch a small rocket. Having learned from the missteps, they are set to try again soon. If they succeed before the full enactment in November of a law governing the commercial use of space in Japan, their chances of turning their launch businesses into moneymakers will improve significantly.

Canon Electronics is set to fire off its SS-520 minirocket, possibly as soon as Feb. 3. The rocket, which is a little bigger than a utility pole, was developed by Japan’s space agency, JAXA, and has a control system made by Canon Electronics and others. It will take off from JAXA’s Uchinoura Space Center in Kagoshima Prefecture, in southwestern Japan.

The company’s first launch, in January 2017, was a near miss. The rocket successfully lifted off the launch pad, but ground controllers soon lost contact. Fearing that it might fly out of control, JAXA shut down the engine, plunging the rocket into the sea. The satellite and control system that were scheduled to be tested during the flight sank beneath the waves.

Read the report at Nikkei Asian Review.

It took a tweet to stop the “Canon EOS M50 may be full frame” nonsense

canon rumors

During the last weeks some rumor outlets pushed the possibility that the upcoming Canon EOS M50 may feature a full frame sensor. Conveniently, this came along with another rumor, i.e. that some uber-misterious presentations were arranged to showcase this very camera to a strictly selected and exclusive/elite public. All nonsense. We always told you that feature-wise the EOS M50 is placed somewhere between the EOS M100 and the EOS M5/6. Once more, it appears we were right.

We already saw similar “rumors” in the past, especially ahead of major photographic events. However, a tweet from Japan was enough to put and end to it. Nokishita confirmed what we always wrote, i.e. the EOS M50 has an APS-C sensor, and they did it simply by writing that the EOS M50 will be announced along with the Rebel T7. Seems to have been enough to convince everyone to stop the “EOS M50 may have a FF sensor” rumor, along with the “super secret presentation” rumor. Don’t ask me how and why, but it worked. A pretty powerful tweet, indeed.

Here is the updated list of the gear we expect Canon to announce ahead of CP+ (starting March, 1).

Canon EOS M50

Canon will announce the EOS M50 (coverage) in the next weeks (towards end of February is most likely). The EOS M50 has already leaked through certification authorities, and we got a suggestion from a good source that it will be announced for CP+. We are pretty confident on this one, though we still have no idea where to exactly place the EOS M50. We think it will be some sort of midrange MILC by Canon, i.e. positioned between the EOS M5 () and the EOS M100 ().

New PowerShot cameras (?)

We expected two new Canon PowerShot cameras for CP+, but are no longer 100% sure. The new PowerShots will replace the PowerShot G5 X () and PowerShot G3 X (). We consider these replacements to be most likely. Given Canon’s effort to split the market in as much segments as possible, we wouldn’t be surprised to see entirely new PowerShot cameras. That’s to say we could see more than two new PowerShot cameras soon. It is also possible Canon may announce new PowerShots later in 2018.

New Canon Rebel DSLRs

We also expect two or three new entry-level Canon Rebel DSLRs to be announced. From leaked certification data, we know there may be some Rebel DSLRs named EOS 3000D and EOS 4000D in Europe. And then there is the Rebel T7 (EOS 2000D in EU, likely), the replacement for the Canon Rebel T6 (EOS 1300D in EU, ). The Rebel T7/EOS 2000D too has leaked through certification authorities.

What else?

Here is the stuff we are less confident about. Canon may announce at least one new kit lens for CP+. In the last months there have been many rumors suggesting various lenses. We prefer being cautious on this since in the past we saw rumors related to new Canon lenses spin around for months if not years, only to turn out to be fake. Our personal take is, let’s hope Canon delivers some serious lenses for their EOS M system.

Latest murmurings has it Canon may also announce a new SpeedLite flash, the Speedlite 470EX AI Auto Bounce. For the time being we can not confirm it.

What not?

Don’t expect a full frame mirrorless camera for CP+. The EOS 7D Mark III and EOS 90D will also not be announced any time soon.

Stay tuned!