News posts from 2003 Q1

[Don Parrish]

The orlando sentinel had an ad for it, a lot of lower price events are sold out, I didn't realize the film festival was that pricey. (I guess I can consider myself cheap). I believe the full event ticket was around 600 dollars.

[Chris Hurd]

"Super Night" mode is a small white LCD light mounted below the lens, same as the ZR70MC. Basically it's just a kicker light to enhance the color night-shooting mode.

[Dylan Couper]

I felt ripped off when I found out "Night mode" was just a slower shutter speed, not at all like Sony's NightShot technology, which I thought it would be.

[Frank Granovski]

Gimme back my Optura and my PI. I'd settle for a 100MC too.

Look at the new Optura 10 and Optura 20. Their CCD is still 1/4" in size, with the same old 690K video effective pixels. Geez, the Optura 100MC had this but it's pixels were on a larger, 1/3.6" CCD. That's not all. The lens is now tinier than ever---a far cry from the beautiful wide lens of the Optura 100MC---yes, F1.8 and 37mm filter threads are all you get. Canon still hasn't brought back the progressive scan, nor implemented a decent 16:9 mode (like the Panasonic's MX5000). But wait, there's more. The new and improved Optura has a tiny viewfinder, it's only 0.33" in diameter with a skimpy 113K pixel count---and no focussing ring.

[Will Fastie]

Points are well-taken, but this is a consumer model. From where I sit, the 10 & 20 fit very well into the consumer product line.

Canon models aren't very evident in retail. Sony, Panasonic, JVC, and even Samsung have a bigger presence. The ZRs have gotten better retail exposure than previous models, which tells me that Canon is working to make the line more interesting.

That's more interesting to the Best Buys and Circuit Citys of the world, not necessarily to us.

[Rolando Jose Rodriguez De Leon]

Thats a real festival, you should attend also the Sitges Film festival is great been there twice and one at the Havana.

[Trey Perrone]

Our photographer at http://insidecarolina.com uses this camera pretty much exclusively (he has the film version of it as well) any of the pics that say jim hawkins on the side are taken with it. Any games football or basketball he did

[Don Parrish]

Thanks Trey, I noticed that they were existing light photos, light appears to be from above. Have you had a chance to see anything blown up?

[Trey Perrone]

I have only seen what he has put up on the site, i do video for them. I havent seen any blown up. most of what we do is either natural light from the outdoors, or in the case of basketball, indoor lighting.... it creates more of a challenge. there are some clips in this post i have, mostly of football....good one of me getting run over by a player, ouch!
http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthrea...&threadid=7750

BTW i used to attend UCF 98-2k...just moved back from the area about a year ago...with the winter we have had up here i wish i was back in o-town

[Don Berube]

<<<-- Originally posted by skyonic newyork : kodak will soon release there much delayed 14n @ under 5 grand not bad makes canon look down right expensive.. -->>>

- One thing to keep in mind is Canon's vast experience in electronic digital imaging. Canon invests a great deal of resources in R&D 365 days per year and is consistently one of the top three holders of new imaging technology patents per year. One of the benefits of this is the new Canon EOS 1DS, which was designed from the ground up by Canon and built by Canon (and not some third party manufacturer) in every aspect to excel as a digital camera. This is significant imaging technology being introduced by Canon. There is a reason why such high-end professional photographers such as Greg Gorman, George Lepp, Barbara Bordnick, Michel Tcherevkoff, Stephen Wilkes, James Nachtwey, Rod Evans, Seth Resnick, Dennis Reggie, Rick Billings, Scott Alexander (and many many others) are 'in many situations' replacing their $28000 and $24000 medium format cameras with the EOS 1DS. They are just now reporting that they are seeing things they never saw before with film, due to the increased dynamic range of the 1DS. It is truly amazing and exciting to hear the enthusiastic testimonials from these photographers, some of whom have over 25 or more years of experience. I was fortunate enough to be involved with the production of Canon's upcoming "Digital Workflow" CD-ROM which details the 'digital workflow' of these 11 Canon "Explorers Of Light", of which there are currently 65 total.
http://www.explorers-of-light.com/ma...orer_list.html
This CD-ROM will be available by early April and it is inspiring to hear them discuss why they chose to go digital with the EOS 1DS, especially considering that these Master Photographers can use any camera they choose.

Above and beyond the superior dynamic range they achieve over film with the EOS 1DS, they are also taken aback by the technology of the metering system Canon incorporated into the camera. After performing extensive metering tests with the new 1DS, they report that the one image they finally decide upon is typically the same image that the 1DS meter gave them the first time around, even in Full Auto Mode. They are now realizing new ISO and color management possibilities *in camera* that they never had before with film cameras, even medium format cameras. In the past, they would have to carry dozens of rolls of various types and speeds of film and two or three different cameras to capture their unique look and style. Now, these photographers report that they are accomplishing this -and- so much more in many shooting situations with just the EOS 1DS and a handful of Compact Flash cards. This camera was designed from the ground up by Canon for the professional photographer to use every day as their main camera. They are now able to output their images to their clients immediately, often times on the same day as the shoot - something that they could never do before with any film camera. When you realize what the EOS 1DS now allows them to do in a much faster way, you soon realize that it is not an expensive camera at all.

Many of the above photographers state that this is a crucial point in photography and the fact that this type of technology exists today, in the here and now in the 1DS - it is a truly an exciting, inspiring -and- empowering time to be involved in photography. As they are saying, in their own words: "the moment is back".

I look forward to using such a camera in the near future. At the moment, I am scrounging together every spare dollar I can find to buy the new EOS 10D and the new EF 17-40 f/4L USM lens to start off with. Hopefully I will have this in my hands within the next couple of weeks!

- don

[Matt Betea]

There is still something I'm wondering about with the 14n. From what I've read so far, it sounds like it will only be able to capture full resolution images at ISO 80-400? I would hope this isn't the case.

And this quote off of dpreview didn't sit to well with me:

"Designed to be easy to learn and to use, the DCS Pro 14n camera delivers the sharpest images possible today and will receive a number of important enhancements over the next several months through firmware upgrades to optimize its specifications. Firmware upgrades are free to Kodak Professional digital camera customers, and are a compelling part of the DCS Pro 14n camera's value and appeal - the ability to "renew" the camera regularly by adding functional enhancements and new capabilities."

It sounds more like there are a lot of bugs to still be worked out in the thing.

The 10D looks nice for the price, but I don't understand Canon's logic. I forgot the exact term, but you can hook it up to their printers and print photos directly. But as of the pre-production model offer no image settings the user can change when using Adobe RGB.

[Don Berube]

>>>>Originally posted by Matt Betea : There is still something I'm wondering about with the 14n. From what I've read so far, it sounds like it will only be able to capture full resolution images at ISO 80-400? I would hope this isn't the case.

- only 400 ISO? That's no good. On the 10D, you can shoot with excellent results even up to ISO 1600. I guess when Kodak finally commits to putting their camera on the market we will know.

>>>>And this quote off of dpreview didn't sit to well with me:
"Designed to be easy to learn and to use, the DCS Pro 14n camera delivers the sharpest images possible today and will receive a number of important enhancements over the next several months through firmware upgrades to optimize its specifications. Firmware upgrades are free to Kodak Professional digital camera customers, and are a compelling part of the DCS Pro 14n camera's value and appeal - the ability to "renew" the camera regularly by adding functional enhancements and new capabilities."

- see this is the difference between Kodak and Canon. Canon made the commitment years ago to manufacture the best digital camera solutions out there with their own technology. As a whole, Canon spends a few million dollars+ per day, 365 days per year in R&D. We, as the end user, are now reaping the benefits of that commitment that Canon made as an imaging company years ago (to defining the technology and designing their own imaging processors). In fact, in the year 2002 Canon was the most profitable imaging company each quarter, above and beyond that huge investment in resources they spend each day in R&D. That is truly the icing on the cake for Canon. This makes them uniquely capable of actually realizing their mission goal to create the best imaging technology solutions available. Yes, Kodak is another outstanding imaging company and yes, they defined the standards for film stock. But, Kodak's history of offering camera and lens solutions has shown that they have never excelled in camera hardware. The 14N's limited capability with ISO is a somewhat of a throwback to when they sold their Brownie cameras. Yes, the Brownie was a popular consumer camera for beginners, but it was rather limited at best.

>>>>It sounds more like there are a lot of bugs to still be worked out in the thing.

- Agreed. That is because they did not make the same investment in creating their own imaging technology that Canon did years ago. In short, Kodak is still trying to get it right, while Canon got it right the first time with the 1DS.

>>>>The 10D looks nice for the price

- This is one sweet camera for the price. The 10D replaces the D60, which is what many of the professional Explorer Of Light digital photographers were shooting with for the past two years before the 1DS was introduced months ago - while many of the sports and news journalists who output mostly to magazines are still using the 1D for the extremely fast frame advance speed capability. Before that, it was the D30. The pro digital photogs who output their images to large prints and posters/ billboards are using the 1DS for the increased image quality. These photogs will not really use the 14N as it is in no way nearly as robust and durable as the 1D or 1DS, and the 14N simply does not have Canon's color management (and very importantly) ISO and metering technology. Don't forget that not only does the 10D replace the older D60 at a significantly more affordable price point, it also has a magnesium shell (and very importantly) Canon's Digic processor with iSaps technology.
http://www.dpreview.com/news/0209/02091601canontech.asp
This processor is dozens of times faster than the more generic processor found in some other competing brands. And, this processor was designed by the ground up by Canon solely for imaging to be used only in a camera, unlike that more generic IC found in some other brands which is often times also used in other consumer electronic devices.

>>>>but I don't understand Canon's logic. I forgot the exact term, but you can hook it up to their printers and print photos directly.

- This is another new technology that Canon helped to pioneer. It is called "Direct Print". The Digic processor allows you to get your picture right the first time *in camera* much like the same way the EOS 1DS metering system is almost "thinking" for you. When you want to output your images, Canon allows you the option of connecting directly to a Canon card photo printer or Bubble Jet printer and the camera will optimize the image for you *in camera* for photographic space print output, rather than having to use a 'middle-man' computer to tweak your levels for print output. This is a 'huge plus' feature. With the CP-100 dye-sublimation printer or Bubble Jet printers, you can shoot your images for your clients with the ability to immediately hand them a true photograph directly from the camera for them to sign off on. This *significantly* reduces the workflow for professional photographers. Clients will see you as 'most valuable' and 'uniquely qualified' if you offer them this as added value with your services. Even the average digital photography enthusiast benefits from this by being able to easily and affordably print their own images directly from their camera, including being able to specify bordered or borderless prints, single or multiple prints, single or multi-image prints and you can crop and trim the image *in camera*.

A few people posted about wanting to see these type of features trickle down into video cameras. Canon does do this, especially with the creation of their Digic processor. On all new video cameras you now have the power of Direct Print technology -and- the power of Canon's "Digic DV".
http://canondv.com/optura10_20/f_digic_dv.html
Think of it like having two separate brains inside your video camera, one that optimizes the video image to be resolved on a screen and the other brain which is there to optimize the video image as a still image for photographic print output. In fact, with the newest Optura cameras, you can shoot video -and- record still images to the memory card *at the same time*. The Digic DV processor is that fast.
http://canondv.com/optura10_20/f_advanced_photo.html

>>>>But as of the pre-production model offer no image settings the user can change when using Adobe RGB.

- People who shoot with Adobe RGB in camera will typically customize and tone their images after they capture the image, rather than in-camera, on a computer using Adobe PhotoShop.

I really like the fact that the 10D includes a highly useable built-in pop-up flash. Who would have thought that we would be able to buy a camera that exceeds the peformance capability of the D60 for half of what the D60 cost?

- don

[Ken Tanaka]

I, too, have been very interested in Canon's 10D. Don's remark, "Who would have thought that we would be able to buy a camera that exceeds the peformance capability of the D60 for half of what the D60 cost?" is an understatement. amazing.

I just want to add that a key reason that Canon can make, and does make, such a large financial committment to electronic imaging R&D is because they can leverage the investment in numerous ways. For example, in addition to still digital cameras and video cameras Canon also has a substantial photocopier business which borrows many of the same acquisition technologies. They also have an expanding medical imaging business. Of course Canon also licenses large amounts of its technologies to other companies.

Kodak has struggled with nearly all aspects of being on the other side of the focal plane for many years. It had to exit the photocopier business quite some time ago (many people never knew they entered it) and has never made earnest inroads into the camera business. Must of what they has used in these segments of their businessees has been licensed. (I've no knowledge whatsoever of their "14n".) But they sure do know every aspect of the photochemical processes that turn light into images!

So Canon does, indeed, have an enormous and persistent advantage with respect to nearlly all aspects of electronic imaging.

[Jeff Donald]

Kodak troubled history goes way back. They are part victim of US anti-trust laws. Kodak lost much its camera business, processing business and even camera stores in the '50's and 60's. Kodak made bad business decisions that only compounded the problems. One can only wonder what the imaging world would be like today if they had not be forced from key markets.

[Charles Papert]

A special "Secret Agent" themed-Instant Films, in honor of our seventh festival, this weekend in Los Angeles.

Information and all the previous films available on the website.

It's getting big, folks...the last screening was standing room only (350 folks in attendance). Come early on Sunday night to check it out!