Posts tagged with canon

Canon EOS 5D Mark II firmware 2.0.3 fix

Posted on March 19, 2010 7:16 AM

We just posted about the audio recording issue concerning Canon's EOS 5D Mark II firmware 2.0.3 earlier today, and the folks at Canon have already fixed it - at least in Japan, where version 2.0.4 is now ready to be downloaded. Expect this fix to hit the global network shortly (if it hasn't done so already), letting you sleep easy at night, knowing that you can record in High Definition in just the way you want it. [Translated Page]

Canon EOS 5D Mark II 2.0.3 firmware update has fair share of troubles

Posted on March 19, 2010 1:29 AM

Looks like the recently unveiled Canon EOS 5D Mark II 2.0.3 firmware update did not only improve image quality, but it also came with its fair share of troubles, where selected users saw a malfunction which resulted in the camera being unable to record audio under selected circumstances. This has led Canon to remove the firmware update from its website, while providing a warning to folks who have already installed it to set the sound recording settings to Auto whenever the camera has its mode dial set to C1/C2/C3. This advisory is because a malfunction occurs when manual recording levels for C1/C2/C3 are changed and the camera becomes unable to record audio if the power is turned off. Hopefully a fix to this supposed fix will happen - soon.

Canon To Apply For .canon Top Level Domain

Posted on March 17, 2010 2:58 AM

Is this a genius marketing strategy by Canon, or an arrogant move? Word is out that Canon wants to be the first company to acquire its own Internet top-level domain (TLD) after its name. With that in mind, the company will be applying to ICANN to get the .canon TLD. According to the official announcement, the company “has made the official decision to begin necessary procedures to acquire ‘dot-canon’ upon the introduction of the new system.” It’s expected the company will have to shell out at least $500,000 to prepare and submit the application, and the recurring annual fees looks to be a few tens of thousands. So what will Canon’s future webpage be? www.canon.canon?

Official announcement.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II firmware 2.0.3 update

Posted on March 15, 2010 9:27 PM

Canon has finally made available the EOS 5D Mark II firmware 2.0.3 update which will finally offer 29.97 FPS as well as 24 FPS recording in full HD resolution, where both VGA and PAL modes receive a 29.97 FPS and 25 FPS, respectively. Other improvements would include a manual volume adjustment, shutter and aperture priority modes in movie shooting mode as well as improved audio sampling among others. Guess this update would mean you are no longer exempt from capturing sub-par images, eh?

Control Your DSLR Via A Nintendo DS With The Open Camera Controller Hack

Posted on March 14, 2010 7:03 PM

Some folks over at the HDRLabs have come up with a rather cool hack for their DSLR camera and Nintendo DS. Dubbed the Open Camera Controller (OCC), it uses an older Nintendo DS to control the functions of Canon DSLR cameras, though Olympus and Sigma cameras are also supported. The best part is, this device can make connected cameras perform functions that the manufacturers didn’t add in by default on the camera, such as the ability to capture time lapse shots with a built-in alarm and triggering the shutter by clapping your hands instead of pressing the shutter button. If you’re interested in coming up with one of these yourself, instructions on how to do so have been posted by HDRLabs. The OCC was tested with the Canon 30D, 40D, 50D, 5D and 5D Mark II, Sigma DSLRs, the Casio EX-FX1 and the Olympus E-P1.

Canon REALiS SX7 Mark II announced

Posted on March 8, 2010 9:48 AM

Canon has a brand new projector in town - the REALiS SX7 Mark II which was just announced, targeting business applications with its 4,000 ANSI lumens brightness, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio and SXGA+ (1,400 x 1,050) resolution. Thanks to its added brightness, it enables the projector to see action in brightly lit rooms without having to drop the blinds or turn off the lights. What makes the REALiS SX7 Mark II stand out would be its new Photo Image Mode that enables users to make changes on-the-fly where projected content is concerned. Out later next month, expect to fork out no more than $7,000 for the Canon REALiS SX7 Mark II. [Press Release]

Thermos comes in Canon zoom lens shape

Posted on March 4, 2010 8:55 AM

From afar, chances are you will be fooled into thinking that this thermos is actually a real Canon 70-200mm L-series lens, where the Japanese company was giving it out for free at the Olympic Press Center. None of them are on eBay at point of publishing, although we're not too sure whether it will remain this way for long. Granted, this is one of the cooler thermos designs to date, catering to geeks and shutterbugs alike who love to have a hot cup of joe at hand all the time.

Canon firmware update for EOS 5D Mark II camera

Posted on March 1, 2010 8:38 PM

Canon will be releasing its firmware update version 2.0.3 for its EOS 5D Mark II camera, where you will find new changes such as its video frame rate that adds a 24p mode while bringing the 30p speed down to 29.97 in order to comply with television production standards. Apart from that, audio capabilities have also benefited with the inclusion of manual controls for the input levels. Recording is processed via a 48KHz sampling frequency instead of its 44.1KHz previously. Shutterbugs will also be pleased to find a new histogram display which allows easy monitoring after snapping a photo. Hold your horses as Canon is tipped to release its 5D Mark II firmware v2.0.3 later this month.

Canon unveils new PowerShots at PMA 2010

Posted on February 8, 2010 9:16 AM

Just as you will see plenty of cellphone announcements at Mobile World Congress, PMA 2010 is the place to be if you fancy digital cameras. Canon has unveiled a quartet of new PowerShots there, where two of those are highly advanced models which we'll look at. The SX210 IS will target advanced users as it boasts an extremely long-range 14X (28-392mm equivalent) lens and a 14-megapixel sensor. You can also record 720p videos on it, while storage shouldn't be a problem with it playing nice with the new SDXC memory card format. Available in bright black, gold and purple colors, the Canon PowerShot SX210 IS will retail for $350 when it ships later next month. More on the Canon PowerShot SD3500 IS in the extended post.

Canon Rebel T2i Announced

Posted on February 8, 2010 7:59 AM

Considering that Canon released its Rebel T1i/500D not too long ago, the announcement of the Rebel T2i is probably going to surprise many folks out there, especially those who just bought a Rebel T1i. While the T1i is a good camera, the T2i bumps the specs up ever so slightly. So now instead of 15.1-megapixels, you’ll get 18-megapixels. The T2i can shoot also up to 1080p 30fps videos, which certainly seems like fun. The Canon EOS Rebel T2i is scheduled to be delivered to US dealers in early March; it’ll be sold in a body-only configuration for around $800, while the version with the kit lens should be going for around $899.99. If you want to know the full details, you might want to read up on the full report regarding this.

Canon Rebel T2i To Be Announced Next Week?

Posted on February 1, 2010 8:39 PM

Shutterbugs out there are certainly waiting for a replacement for the Rebel T1i, and now rumor is going around that the new Rebel that will be announced next week will be dubbed the T2i. Details aren’t confirmed yet, but specifications of the camera should include:

A new higher resolution LCD display
New build quality and shape
(Unfortunately) no articulating screen
LP-E8 battery
New battery grip

Too bad there doesn’t seem to some of the cooler stuff such as a touchscreen display, or the recently patented dual image viewfinder.

Upcoming Canon EOS 60D could have swivel display

Posted on January 29, 2010 6:42 AM

Rumors abound that February is the month where Canon will make an announcement concerning a brand new DSLR alongside an update to the Rebel line of digital cameras. We're talking about the Canon EOS 60D DSLR here, where it and the new range of Rebel digital cameras will most probably come with swivel-screen displays in order to keep up with the Joneses - or to be more exact, Nikon. We will most probably see whether these rumors hold any water at the upcoming PMA 2010 event in California on February 20th.

Canon Coming Up With DSLRs With Dual Image Viewfinders

Posted on January 25, 2010 5:55 PM

Canon has recently submitted a patent that might hint of a dual viewfinder system in future DSLRs. The technology patented uses a rather interesting viewfinder system, with a small backlit LCD (or OLED) inside the finder to project the previously captured images onto a mirror on the pentaprism, allowing you to see the picture you just took in the (traditionally optical) viewfinder. So instead of you taking a picture, and having to take your face away from the camera to check out the picture on the display, you can keep your face glued to the viewfinder, and see the picture you just took! If you’re into details, check out the patent filing.

Canon Unveils New PowerShot Cameras At CES

Posted on January 10, 2010 6:11 AM

[CES 2010] Aside from its Vixia camcorder line, Canon has also unveiled 4 new A-series PowerShot cameras at CES, all of which are priced below the $200 line, and should be available in February. The models include the PowerShot A3100 IS, A3000 IS, A495 and A490. The A3000 IS sports the same specifications as the A3100 IS, except that it uses a 10-megapixel sensor. The A495 and A490 both sport 10-megapixel sensors, powered by AA batteries and don’t have optical image stabilization. The A490 will only offer ISO 3200, Smart FE and YouTube modes. Specifications of the A3100 IS include:

Optical image stabilization
12-megapixels
4x optical zoom
2.7-inch LCD display
$180

Canon EOS 3D Rumor Surfaces Again

Posted on December 29, 2009 9:13 AM

It seems that the Canon EOS 3D rumors have started to surface again, and this time with some rumored specifications. EOS 3D rumors have been floating around and surfacing from time to time, so it’s entirely up to you whether you think it’s credible or not. Based on the latest rumor, the 3D will be positions bedween the 5D Mark II and 1D Mark IV and will probably be priced around the $4000 to $4500 range. The camera is said to be aimed towards the wedding photography market, and rumored specs include:

16.7-megapixels
Small magnesium alloy body similar to that of the 5D Mark II
7.2 µm pixel pitch

Canon DSLRs could get touchscreen display

Posted on December 3, 2009 3:01 PM

Canon could very well roll out DSLRs in the near future that comes with a touchscreen display, which might see the game change yet again just like how Live View displays gained traction among DSLR enthusiasts slowly but surely after its introduction, being an indispensable part of a DSLR today. What you see here is part of the US Patent Application No. 12/422,695, which was originally filed by Canon on April 13, 2009 and published by the United States Patent and Trademark Office on October 22, 2009. Guess we can look forward to future Canon DSLRs with anticipation.

Canon EOS 1D Mark IV is official

Posted on October 20, 2009 9:09 AM

After looking into potential improvements for a while, Canon has finally announced the EOS 1D Mk IV. Here are the highlights for this new high-end pro DSLR:

16.1 Megapixel sensor (from 10.1)
Dual Digic 4 image processors
10fps burst shooting
45-points autofocus, 63-zone light metering
Up to ISO 102,400
1080p Video recording up to 30fps, 720p up to 60fps
Official EOS 1D mark IV page

PS: so much for that rumor about Canon skipping "IV" because it's an "unlucky number" (4 is pronounced "shi", which also sounds like "death" in Japanese - although my Japanese is extremely limited)

Canon REALis WUX10 Mark II and SX80 Mark II

Posted on October 6, 2009 7:59 PM

Canon has just released a couple more multimedia projectors to expand its REALiS range, where it will comprise of the WUX10 Mark II and SX80 Mark II. Both models rely on Liquid Crystal on Silicon (LCOS) technology, alongside a new feature known as Photo Image Mode that enables users to perform advanced color management adjustments in order to accommodate ever changing ambient light conditions. You can also set three types of lighting - light intensity, color intensity and color temperature. The REALiS WUX10 Mark II will feature a native resolution of 1,920 x 1,200, 3,200 lumens of brightness, a 1,000:1 contrast ratio and a 40 degree range of digital vertical keystone correction. As for the REALiS SX80 Mark II, it comes with a 1,400 x 1,050 resolution, 3,000 lumens of brightness and a 900:1 contrast ratio. Expect the REALiS WUX10 Mark II and REALis SX80 Mark II to retail for $12,999 and $3,999, respectively, later this October. [Press Release]

Canon VB-C500VD network camera aims for vandal-proof

Posted on September 11, 2009 8:42 AM

Canon doesn't just do printers and photocopy machines, they are also involved in the world of cameras and optics with their latest device being the Vandal Resistant Fixed Mini-Dome Network Camera, also known as the VB-C500VD. Meant for use indoors, the Canon VB-C500VD was specially designed with advanced features that makes it suitable for locations that require a fixed indoor security camera such as elevators, long corridors and other places where such cameras are prone to vandalism or tampering. It boasts an impressive 82-degree wide-angle lens with 2.4x optical zoom (manual to give those stationed in security rooms more "entertainment") and 4x digital zoom (focal length = 2.6mm~6.2mm). Other features built into the VB-C500VD include Motion Detection, Audio Input/Output and a Recording Stream Function. Expect this device to hit the market sometime in the middle of next month onwards for $999.

Canon Wordbank S500 color pocket dictionary

Posted on August 28, 2009 7:46 AM

Canon has released what could be the world's smallest and lightest color pocket dictionary - the Wordbank S500. Measuring a mere 16.3mm thin, the S500 tips the scales at just 114 grams and can support English to Japanese, Japanese To English, Japanese to Japanese and a Kanji Dictionary to get you acquainted with the nuances of several languages in double quick time. Expect Casio to unleash the Wordbank S500 on the infamous September 11th date for approximately €186, although this will largely be a Japan-only affair. No idea on pricing as at press time.