david southcott quail images

How to Increase the Performance of Your Canon Kit Lens

2012-02-11T09:40:00.000+02:00

How to Increase the Performance of Your Canon Kit Lens (ourtesy of petapixel)

Nicolaj Ma · Feb 09, 2012

This is your standard kit lens that comes with most entry-level DSLRs from Canon. It does an okay job for most things, but here’s how to make it better. (Read on...)

How to Increase the Performance of Your Canon Kit Lens

World Press Photo of the Year Winners Announced | PhotographyBLOG

2012-02-11T08:15:00.000+02:00

The winners of the World Press Photo of the Year contest have been announced: (Read more...)

World Press Photo of the Year Winners Announced | PhotographyBLOG

Urban Landscape Photography Tips

2012-02-10T08:33:00.000+02:00

Last week I was reading an issue of Digital Photographer Magazine (issue 50) which had a good feature on Urban Landscapes.

In it they interviewed an urban landscape photographer (Mark Bury) and asked him for his top 5 tips on his craft. I thought I’d share them here.

The headings are his the descriptions are my paraphrases of his tips combined with some of my own thoughts.:

Interview with Self Portrait and 365 Photographer – Anna Gay

2012-02-10T08:31:00.000+02:00

I first came across the photography of Anna Gay on her Flickr Account when doing some research for a post on self portraiture and the 365 project. I don’t remember which image first grabbed me but do remember surfing through the work in her 365 day challenge archives and being impressed by the quality of her photography, the dedication it must take to take self portraits every day for a year (twice) and being interested to learn more about her workflow.

20 Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay Photography

2012-02-10T08:29:00.000+02:00

20 Beautiful Examples of Urban Decay Photography

Nikon D700 and D300s Discontinued | PhotographyBLOG

2012-01-26T17:14:00.000+02:00

Nikon D700 and D300s Discontinued PhotographyBLOG

Learning about Exposure – The Exposure Triangle

2011-12-18T08:18:00.000+02:00

Bryan Peterson has written a book titled Understanding Exposure which is a highly recommended read if you’re wanting to venture out of the Auto mode on your digital camera and experiment with it’s manual settings.

In it Bryan illustrates the three main elements that need to be considered when playing around with exposure by calling them ‘the exposure triangle’.

Each of the three aspects of the triangle relate to light and how it enters and interacts with the camera.

Read more: http://www.digital-photography-school.com/learning-exposure-in-digital-photography#ixzz1greodAHy

from digital Photography School

Double Exposure: Canon vs. Nikon

2011-12-16T14:08:00.000+02:00

PhotographyTalk | Don't Shoot Black and White

2011-12-05T15:20:00.000+02:00

Or: How to make use of the Channel Mixer to produce better Monochrome images

Throughout the history of black and white photography one of the skills that has separated the great black and white photographers from the not so great is their ability to visualise a scene in black and white: to be able to look at the world and know which shots will work, and which won't; to be able to know up-front which combination of film and filter will produce the most striking result. In short, they can 'see' in black and white. (photographytalk.com)

Gamut Warnings and What to Do About Them - Photo Tips @ Earthbound Light

2011-11-16T13:57:00.000+02:00

Printers can only display a limited range of colors, known as their gamut. Photoshop can provide warnings for image colors that lie outside your printer's gamut via soft proofing. But the real question is, what do you do about them once you identify them? Read more...

The Incredible Hanging Monastery of Mount Heng

2011-11-14T17:05:00.000+02:00

One of the world's treasures – often forgotten among so many others – this incredible temple clings to a sheer cliff face 246 feet off the ground. Located near Datong, China, the Hanging Temple of Hengshan was built 1,500 years ago...Read more...

Famous Photography Quotes

2011-11-08T07:34:00.000+02:00

“photographers deal in things which are continually vanishing and when they have vanished there is no contrivance on earth which can make them come back again,”

Henri-Cartier Bresson

Taking Stock of Life and other things...

2011-10-30T13:33:00.001+02:00

I have had over the last month some serious health-related setbacks. Many tests, Physician visits, and too many needles stuck in me. The prognosis after all the tests is not good. At first I was scared, worried, and then this turned to indignation "Why me?", and finally to resignation "Now that I have been diagnosed, and am on chronic medication for the foreseeable future, I can finally get on with trying to fix the mess". One sore point stood out for me: I am not the bullet-proof, tough, 350Km/month bike-riding individual I through I was. OK, I am still that bike-riding individual, I hope. Don't take anything for granted. Ever.
I am continuing my photographic career with renewed enthusiasm, but with a number of drastic changes to my lifestyle. I will still train students, and take on new work, whilst maintaining my existing clients and contracts. This will definitely be done at a slower pace than before, as I am not going to run the risk of jeopardising my health any further.
I have already noticed a change in my photographic technique...I have started to slow everything down, and this has in turn done wonders for my imagery. I am learning to really "see" and not just look, or rattle off 20 clicks of the shutter in 3mins. I can spend 30 mins. or more looking at a scene from all conceivable angles, low down, high up, wide angle, telephoto, moving around, until I eventually "see" what I like. It is like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle falling into place...all of a sudden I say "There it is!" and the image with all of its compositional, lighting and aesthetic elements falls into place. If necessary I even mark the spot and go back when the lighting is better, or there is more mood and feel to the scene under different weather conditions.
My post-processing time has been cut drastically, as I don't need to play around in Photoshop, as the image is usually right on the money. Convert the RAW file in Lightroom, then do Clarity, Vibrance, Levels, maybe Curves, Unsharp Mask, and maybe a crop, and the image is done. I may blend a few images and use Masks to reveal or conceal what I want or don't want.
Now it is all about the time spent "seeing" what I should have seen before, if I had taken the time to become immersed in the scene. Then comes the visualisation in my mind of what I want out of the scene. If it is not what I visualise, I will wait, or come back another day.
I want the viewer of my image to see it as I intended it to be, as if looking at it through my eyes.

How to Protect your Camera in Extreme Conditions

2011-10-03T14:53:00.000+02:00

How to Protect your Camera in Extreme Conditions

A quick glance at the car thermometer lets you know that it is 115 degrees outside. You look to your left and outside the car window, the hot desert air is a swirling mess of blowing dust and sand. You’re in Death Valley and the light is epic. Every fiber of your creative being is yelling at you to get out and start snapping, to get that perfect shot! Hurry up; you have maybe 5 minutes left!

Shahidul Alam to Speak at National Geographic Store, London | PhotographyBLOG

2011-10-01T08:43:00.000+02:00

Internationally renowned Bangladeshi photographer, writer, curator and teacher Dr. Shahidul Alam, will lead a free public talk at the National Geographic Store in London next week.

The formative years in a Photographic career

2011-09-29T14:28:00.000+02:00

What do you remember about your first camera, or taking pictures for the first time? This was for me an intensely exciting time. For the first time in my life I could record on film images that I had pointed the camera at. Anyone remember the old Box Brownie, or am I reaching the limits of your memories of photography? I go back to the days of the Nikkormat FT2 and the Nikon F2, both of which I owned and used extensively. Ah, the days of youth! We felt nothing about crawling through bush and grass, in the rain, camera in hand, to capture images of flowers, grasses, etc. from a macro perspective. I spent weekends wandering around the city centre taking pictures of buildings, graffiti, and what ever else took my fancy. There was no Live View mode, and you couldn't look at the results of the images you had just captured in the LCD review on the back of the camera as you do today. You had Aperture and Shutter speeds to adjust the exposures. ISO was set to the speed of the film you were using, and this was never altered, unless you wanted to have the film pushed or pulled in post-processing. For this you would have to take the film to a good professional photo lab, as this option of ISO-altering was not handled by the standard chemist assistant where most took their films to be processed. Then there was the week-long wait to get your slides or prints back, and it was with sweaty shaking hands that you first opened the envelope, and then took first look at the results of your imaging efforts. So Live View/Review back then took a week! Depending on how carefully you had planned and managed your photo shoot, you might find the majority of a 36-exposure roll of film came out pretty well. You studied the photos, and really learned from your mistakes, as it would take another photo shoot and another week's wait to see if you had got it right the second time around. Not to mention forking out more hard-earned money for the second time for the same project! That was of course if you could repeat the shoot...the images might have been from when you were on holiday in Durban! I could reminisce for pages on the early days I enjoyed making my first images, but will save this for a later blog. What are your experiences and memories from your first photographic experiences? Share them with us!

Seeing Beyond the Apparent - Photo Tips @ Earthbound Light

2011-09-06T13:18:00.000+02:00

Sometimes it's not so important what something actually is, or even what it appears to be when you first look at it. Sometimes you have to get beyond all that and simply look at something without filters and labels. The abstract patterns and flow of nature can be fascinating just as they are. There's more than one way to approach photography. (from Earthbound Light):

Seeing Beyond the Apparent - Photo Tips @ Earthbound Light

Amateur Buyers Purchase Poor Stock Images from Semi-Pro Photographers

2011-08-11T09:51:00.000+02:00

Amateurs have invaded the photography world. They have limited skills, little talent and wouldn’t know a great photo if it were pasted on a billboard next to a headline saying “Great photo!” They’re responsible for bringing down the price of photography for everyone and it’s their fault that the same dull images of grinning models and headset-wearing women appear on page after page and ad after ad. And that’s just the buyers...read more:

Amateur Buyers Purchase Poor Stock Images from Semi-Pro Photographers

Tips on Digital Photo Restoration

2011-06-23T16:55:00.001+02:00

"Digital photo restoration can work miracles by turning a faded old family portrait into an image of seemingly modern quality. Alternatively, this process can work in reverse to give a photograph a timeless feel. Performing either of these transformations yourself is not as difficult as it may seem — you just need to know which restoration tools to use." from Cambridge in Colour. Click on the link below:

Tips on Digital Photo Restoration

Sharpening in Adobe Lightroom 3 - Photo Tips @ Earthbound Light

2011-06-13T10:28:00.000+02:00

"Lightroom can do an outstanding job of sharpening as well. If you're used to sharpening in Photoshop, the technique is similar in Lightroom, but much better. Here's the basic rundown"

Sharpening in Adobe Lightroom 3 - Photo Tips @ Earthbound Light

RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2011 | PhotographyBLOG

2011-06-09T14:59:00.000+02:00

The Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) is calling for young photographers to enter this year’s prestigious RSPCA Young Photographer Awards.

RSPCA Young Photographer Awards 2011 | PhotographyBLOG

Photograph For Yourself Then Ask For Specific Advice

2011-06-06T11:27:00.000+02:00

I found this very though-provoking...hope you all enjoy and note the advice:

Photograph For Yourself Then Ask For Specific Advice

Peter Steedman Exhibits at Lauderdale House | PhotographyBLOG

2011-06-04T09:36:00.000+02:00

Peter Steedman Exhibits at Lauderdale House | PhotographyBLOG

Peter Steedman’s new exhibition at Lauderdale House encompasses a wide variety of themes ranging from landscapes to textures, plant portraits to old buildings. Lauderdale House is located in Waterlow Park on Highgate Hill in north London. The exhibition runs until 12th June, and is open daily from 11.00am to 4.00pm Tuesday to Friday, and midday to 5.00pm on Sunday. Admission is free.

85 Photos of Marilyn Monroe for Her 85th Birthday - TIME

2011-06-04T09:31:00.000+02:00

85 Photos of Marilyn Monroe for Her 85th Birthday - TIME

Happy Birthday Marilyn!

Road Trip! 19 Remarkable ‘Road’ Images

2011-05-19T20:01:00.000+02:00

Road Trip! 19 Remarkable ‘Road’ Images

There are some truly remarkable images of Roads here...enjoy!

The Secret of Creating a Strong Image – 5 Tips for Creating a Story in Your Image

2011-04-19T20:20:00.000+02:00

The Secret of Creating a Strong Image – 5 Tips for Creating a Story in Your Image

How Much to Charge for Your Photography: Negotiating Your Worth

2011-04-19T08:27:00.000+02:00

How Much to Charge for Your Photography: Negotiating Your Worth

An Intro to Redbubble for Photographers

2011-04-08T13:06:00.001+02:00

An Intro to Redbubble for Photographers

A new way of showcasing your work.

Assessing Your Photography Market

2011-04-07T09:37:00.000+02:00

Assessing Your Photography Market

Canon EOS 7D continued...

2011-01-28T18:35:00.001+02:00

I have had more time to work with this camera now, so have some more up-to-date observations and insights:

It is a big and heavy camera, especially when coupled with an "L" class Telephoto lens and Battery Grip. Make no mistake...it makes it's presence felt on all but the shortest of photography assignments. The new metering, and iFCL focussing systems introduced in this camera do need a lot of thought and hindsight before pressing the shutter release. It is not a camera for beginners or casual amateurs. The number of settings, buttons and menu items will put off all but the most dedicated photographer. If you get a setting wrong, the camera will punish you with a bad image. This camera offers no margin or allowance for error, so be careful and really think about what you are doing and what you want to achieve before hitting the shutter release. However, get everything right, the 7D will reward you with exceptional imagery. It did after all, receive numerous camera of the year awards from all over the world, so treat it in a sensible and professional manner, and it will return the favour!

Noise Reduction By Image Averaging

2011-01-23T17:38:00.000+02:00

Noise Reduction By Image Averaging

Why I Do HDR – A Fresh Take On A Tired Debate

2011-01-21T18:49:00.000+02:00

Why I Do HDR – A Fresh Take On A Tired Debate

Dealing With Two Light Sources In Photoshop Lightroom

2011-01-12T18:15:00.000+02:00

Dealing With Two Light Sources In Photoshop Lightroom

Geotagging in Adobe Lightroom - Photo Tips @ Earthbound Light

2011-01-10T12:44:00.000+02:00

Geotagging in Adobe Lightroom - Photo Tips @ Earthbound Light

Pictures of the Week - - TIME

2011-01-08T12:59:00.000+02:00

Pictures of the Week - - TIME

Brilliant imaging...enjoy!

Charity Auction for New Photographer’s Gallery | PhotographyBLOG

2011-01-08T09:12:00.000+02:00

Charity Auction for New Photographer’s Gallery | PhotographyBLOG

Photographers Turn to Fair Trade to Beat Microstock

2011-01-08T08:58:00.000+02:00

Photographers Turn to Fair Trade to Beat Microstock

2010

2010-12-15T11:34:00.001+02:00

Well here we are at the end of another event-filled year. Whoever thought we would be cleaning up the biggest oil spill in history, and that some of the rescued Chilean miners, almost given up for dead, are getting the opportunity of a lifetime to train with Manchester United!

2010 has also has had it's fair share of ups and downs in the Photographic industry. Unlimited brilliant images and blogs out there, and yet so many Professionals are struggling to make ends meet. The proliferation of cameras in all forms and sizes, and wonderful work from Enthusiasts has even made Image Stock houses like Getty and others re-think their payment structures with contributors. There is just so much good advice out there for Pro's and yet work is perceived to be becoming harder and harder to come by. Not if you stick to your plans and get out and look for new work. Photographers are sharing studios, and the Photographic rental industry is doing well...why lay out a fortune on equipment when you can rent for a day, or even a week or two. I know of Pro's selling off their equipment to put capital in the bank, and renting when required. Existing clients are like gold right now. Nurture your relationships with them, reward their loyalty, and try just that little bit harder to go the extra mile for them. There will always be work for those who stick to their marketing plans, adapt when necessary, and never say die. Whoever said the Photographic industry was boring and without challenges? Not one dedicated Photographer as far as I know. There is nothing else in the world I would rather be doing right now than being behind that lens! Enjoy what is left of the year, and here's to an optimistic and cheerful outlook on 2011!

Friday Quotes

2010-11-26T16:06:00.000+02:00

No matter how advanced your camera you still need to be responsible for getting it to the right place at the right time and pointing it in the right direction to get the photo you want.
Ken Rockwell

Photography records the gamut of feelings written on the human face, the beauty of the earth and skies that man has inherited and the wealth and confusion man has created.
Edward Steichen

I took to photography like a duck to water. I never wanted to do anything else. Excitement about the subject is the voltage which pushes me over the mountain of drudgery necessary to produce the final photograph.
Berenice Abbott

Black & White Photography

2010-11-21T20:21:00.001+02:00

Making and studying black and white images has always been my passion. I am working far more in mono at present, building up what I hope, will be a portfolio which I will be able to call worthy of being in the black and white genre of photography.
Images in mono appear so simple in their make-up, and yet are so intense and complicated in their conception and intention. Contrast, lighting and composition are laid bare, as there is no colour to hide behind. This said, there is thus no place for the photographer to hide either, and the compositions and tonal ranges have to be as perfect as the photographer can make them. Shadows, midtones and highlights must compliment each other in such a way that the image conveys the thought and passion behind it. Nothing must be left to doubt. Working in mono has the ability to transform a good colour subject into a truly exceptional black and white image. The subject, mood and thought process behind the image has to be spot on though, otherwise it will fail dismally. Unlike B&W television which was consigned to the scrapheap when colour arrived, black and white imaging has continued to flourish side-by-side with colour. The works of the Grand Masters in photography, like Ansel Adams, Man Ray, Edward Steichen, Edward Weston, and many others attest to the legacy that black and white imaging has given us. A legacy that must never be neglected or forgotten.
There is nothing like a stunning black and white image to convey to the viewer the mood in a scene in ways that colour never can. Click on the title of this post for some examples of truly brilliant black and white photography.

More Photograpy Quotes

2010-11-19T14:30:00.004+02:00

"For a war correspondent to miss an invasion is like refusing a date with Lana Turner." (Robert Capa)

“Photography is a way of feeling, of touching, of loving. What you have caught on film is captured forever... it remembers little things, long after you have forgotten everything.” (Aaron Siskind)

"The virtue of the camera is not the power it has to transform the photographer into an artist, but the impulse it gives him to keep on looking." (Brooks Atkinson)

"Objects in pictures should so be arranged as by their very position to tell their own story." (Johann Wolfgang van Goethe)

London 360deg Panorama

2010-11-18T20:44:00.001+02:00

Wondering how the amazing 80 Gigapixel image of London was created? Check out this link: http://lat.ms/c4GsLh Truly amazing.

You've never seen London like this before!!

2010-11-17T21:17:00.001+02:00

This is a link to a 80 Gigapixel panoramic image of London, made up of over 7000 individual images taken over a 3 day period...absolutely amazing! You can select a spot and zoom right in to see individual people and objects! http://bit.ly/bTnnSs

Wonderful Insight into Photography

2010-11-13T14:43:00.002+02:00

Capture A Moment - Before It Goes Away Forever: wp.me/pu7xa-3qi

More Photographic Quotes

2010-11-13T14:42:00.002+02:00

“Landscape photography is the supreme test of the photographer - and often the supreme disappointment.” Ansel Adams

“Photography to the amateur is recreation, to the professional it is work, and hard work too, no matter how pleasurable it my be.” Weston

Cloud formations before today's thunderstorm

2010-11-05T18:32:00.000+02:00

Halo around the Sun

2010-11-02T11:58:00.000+02:00

Anyone in Gauteng, South Africa would have been able to see this interesting phenomenon on the 1st November 2010 at around 11:00am. This is caused by diffraction of light through ice crystals in the troposphere. Pretty rare for South Africa in summer time! http://www.flickr.com/photos/reej/5135336794/ The scientific explanation is here: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/22_degree_halo

This weekend's images (click image for larger rendering)

2010-11-01T09:45:00.000+02:00

Recent images

2010-10-29T15:31:00.001+02:00

Workshops & Tutoring

2010-10-29T12:50:00.000+02:00

I have been asked numerous times by clients and strangers alike whether I offer any type of tutoring in photography. I have always answered in the negative, and give them the details of various schools. What is emerging however, is growing unease with the virtually 100% theoretical tutoring that students are receiving from some of these schools. I will be the first to agree that theory is necessary and required (I spent many hours poring through books and Internet links completing projects). This is the groundwork, the "Cornerstone" that every student must understand. They "Graduate" successfully, but are ill-equipped to begin a career in graphic arts, design, or photography, because the minimal training they have had practically in the field. They are theoretically equipped to pick up a camera and take a picture, but are afraid of the many challenges of real-world photography: Lighting is now different to what it looked like in the book, there is a tree in the way, it is too dark to take a picture. These are just some of the "challenges" they perceive.
With this in mind, I am starting a project to teach the practical side of the art. There will be a couple of pages of notes that I have prepared, but no books full of theory. I will be taking students through real-world scenarios out in the field, like the patience required in bird photography, the many different ways you can photograph a stream, etc.
These lessons will be fun, like which kid never wanted to leave the classroom during school and go out and play?
I have already started penning ideas, and will be moving forward with this project quickly so that I can give these students something to look forward to when they go out with a camera...they will have ideas in their minds before they leave home as to what they are going to be taking pictures of today. Previsualisation of an image can begin hours or even days before!

Autumn in Latvia

2010-10-29T11:31:00.000+02:00

Some absolutely stunning images from Latvia, thanks to my friends on Twitter for finding them!
http://englishrussia.com/?p=5981

Lens addition

2010-10-22T12:55:00.001+02:00

I have now added another L lens to my kit. It is the Canon EF 24-105 f/4 L IS USM. Many will no doubt be aware of, or already have this lens. I wanted something with a bit more resolving power to go with the 18Mp sensor of the Canon EOS 7D, which exhibits a very aggressive pixel pitch. First few shots look very promising, but I am going to be testing this lens in more detail soon.

Famous Photographic Quotes and Philosophies Part 2

2010-10-22T10:02:00.000+02:00

You don't take a photograph. You ask, quietly, to borrow it. ~Author Unknown

It's weird that photographers spend years or even a whole lifetime, trying to capture moments that added together, don't even amount to a couple of hours. ~James Lalropui Keivom

When you photograph people in colour you photograph their clothes. But when you photograph people in B&W, you photograph their souls! ~Ted Grant

Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships. ~Ansel Adams

Famous Photographical Quotes and Philosophies

2010-09-27T20:21:00.000+02:00

Our job is to record, each in their own way, this world of light and shadow and time that will never come again exactly as it is today - Edward Abbey

Photography is not about cameras and gadgets and gizmos. Photography is about Photographers. A camera didn't make a great image any more than a typewriter wrote a great novel - Peter Adams

The Philosophy behind the Art of Photography

2010-09-27T20:15:00.000+02:00

I have always thought deeply about the art that is photography. Freezing a scene in space and time forever. That scene, or image, or picture, can never ever be repeated again, as there will always be a difference in the lighting, the composure, and the overall scene, no matter how hard you try to duplicate the original image. This is why a photograph is so precious, no matter the quality or the technique behind it. Cherish your images and keep them safe!

Topaz Labs

2010-09-27T20:06:00.002+02:00

I have recently added the Topaz Labs suite of plugins to my arsenal of photo processing software. I find this software very intuitive, quick to use, and the results are absolutely fantastic. Topaz plugins work with a variety of Photo editing software , like Photoshop, Photoshop Elements, Lightroom, Paint Shop Pro, Irfanview and Gimp. Topaz offers high-quality Exposure, Detail and Colour adjustments, as well as one of the finest Noise reduction plugins on the market today. Check out their site for more details! http://www.topazlabs.com

Internet Explorer 9 Beta released

2010-09-21T19:43:00.002+02:00

Looks as if Microsoft is pushing hard to get themselves back in the driving seat as the top dog Web browser. Internet Explorer 9 Beta has just been released to the public, and from my first impressions, this browser is FAST, and for the first time, has full colour management which reads the icc profiles in images and honours the colours as set by the artist/photographer. GOOD News for us Photogs and our clients out there! It is both icc version 2 and icc version 4 enabled, unlike Firefox, which is icc version 2 only. I have checked a couple of my own images on the web against the originals, and the colour rendering is pretty much spot on. The GUI is a fairly radical departure from Internet Explorer as we know it. The emphasis is on web page real estate, so the toolbars, favourites, etc. are not in plain view anymore. They are still there, but are kept out of the way to give you more web page size. Tabs have now been moved to the top of the screen, under the Menu bar, and the Address bar now serves a dual purpose: type in web addresses, or type in what you are searching for. As this Beta release evolves, I will bring along more snippets of news, features and capabilities. Download it today, and give it a spin. You just might be pleasantly surprised. http://tiny.cc/84rey

Canon EOS 7D

2010-09-17T15:38:00.002+02:00

Before I start, this is by no means a full review, but simply my observations and opinion of this camera.

I have now purchased a Canon EOS 7D, and what a magnificent beast it is! OK, a couple of minor quirks, but on the whole, a totally outstanding camera. This is the true "King of the APS-C's" at the moment. I would have liked to see a programmable button for Mirror Lockup, given the vast array of customisation available on the 7D. Heavier and somewhat larger than the xxD range (40D/50D) and even bigger than the new EOS 60D, which is smaller again than the 40D/50D. It is even heavier than the EOS 5D Mk II, but really feels the business. The EOS 7D has a really tactile feel to it, only bettered by the 1D range. It is solid, built like a tank, and the buttons and adjustment wheels have a solid click to them, like no other camera I have ever used. The new Shutter is rated at 150,000 actuations, and with 8 frames per second continuous shooting, the 7D is really in Pro territory. To drive 8 fps, the 7D employs TWO Digic 4 processors, together with advancements to the pipelining and 14-bit A/D conversion. The 7D also has viewfinder coverage of 100%, a major advance for crop sensor cameras, and also a completely new 19-point crosstype AF system with Transmissive VF display. This means there are no add-in Focussing Screens for the 7D, as grids, etc. are overlayed in the VF, and are customisable. Metering is TTL full aperture metering with 63 zone Dual Layer SPC. Battery life is very good: I have taken over 750 images, with some flash use, etc. and the battery is still displaying 15% remaining. The EOS 7D shares the same battery as the EOS 5D Mk II. The ISO range is from 100 to 6400, expandable to 12800. I am totally amazed how clean images are up to ISO 3200. ISO 6400 and 12800 are fine after some Noise reduction. For an 18 Megapixel sensor, the noise (or lack of) really blew me away. Shutter speeds range from Bulb, 30secs to 1/8000sec. The EOS 7D also features Wireless Flash Control, which means any compatible Speedlite can be triggered without the use of a cable, or a wireless transmitter. This can range from a single Speedlite to 3 groups of Speedlites in various configurations and flash output power. I am mow off to bed, so more on the EOS 7D soon!

Canon EOS 60D announced

2010-09-14T20:30:00.002+02:00

The folk over at Canon have really been busy this year. The new EOS 60D, Powershot G12 and PowerShot SX30IS superzoom have all been announced within 3 weeks of each other. The EOS 60D is the "replacement" for the EOS 50D, and has a number of new features borrowed from both the higher-end EOS 7D, and it's predecessor, the EOS 50D. The EOS 60D is pitched between the Enthusiast series EOS 550D and the Semi-professional EOS 7D. It does not share the same status as it's predecessors the EOS 40D & 50D, as when those two were announced, the EOS 7D was not in the picture yet. The new Powershot G12 is the successor to the highly-successful G11, and is trusted by Professionals the world over. It has new low-light capabilities, 10Mp CCD Sensor, 720p HD Movie mode and Hybrid IS (Image Stabilisation). The Powershot SX30 IS gets 14.1Mp, 720p HD Movie mode, and the huge 35x Zoom range. We will be looking at all of these cameras in detail, as well as new models from other manufacturers as soon as we can get our hands on them!

New Site, exciting times!

2010-08-19T15:52:00.002+02:00

I am pretty excited about setting up this Blog, to stay in touch with everyone. I have come to the decision that a Blog makes more sense for a photographer to share insights, thoughts, ideas, tutorials and photos. So all I can say now is Welcome, and please bear with me as we get this started! I am going to be uploading images of various subjects in the next few days. Critique them...I need the feedback!