Canon EOS-70D Camera Specification List

Canon EOS-70D camera with BG-E14 grip

* * * Click here to see EOS-70D camera sample photos and reviews * * *

The highly anticipated Canon EOS-70D camera will be announced on July 2, 2013. It will set a new benchmark for APS-C sensor ISO performance. That is welcoming news since the APS-C camera's Achilles heel is its mediocre high ISO performance. The price of the EOS-60D camera has plummeted in recent weeks as camera dealers are getting rid of their inventory in anticipation of the new introduction.

EOS-70D Camera major specifications :

• 20.2 MP sensor, all new
• All-cross type 19-points AF system
• 7 fps burst rate
• Single SD card slot
• 3.0 inch LCD screen
• ISO 100 - 25600 expanded
• Powered by the DIGIC 5 processor
• Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus System, all new. AF five times faster in Live View.
• 1080p HD video capture
• H D R
• Capacity touch screen, similar to the EOS Rebel T5i and SL1
• Creative filters with Live Preview
• Some WiFi capability, similar to EOS-6D
• Magnesium alloy body with some weather sealing 
• Battery Grip BG-E14, Battery LP-E6
• Comes with EF-S 18-55mm and EF-S 18-135mm lens kit  
• US list price - around $1,199 body only

MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon PowerShot SX280 HS Review

Canon PowerShot SX 280 HS camera

The Canon PowerShot SX280 HS is the first camera in the Canon lineup to receive the DIGIC 6 processor. Canon has a strange way of introducing their new technologies. It usually comes out on their lower end products and once it has been field tested on the market and proven itself over time, then Canon will put them on the other cameras and eventually the top-of-the-line EOS-1D camera will get dual DIGIC 6 processors, probably some time in 2015.

Major specifications of the Canon PowerShot SX280 HS :

• 12.1MP High-Sensitivity CMOS Sensor
• DIGIC 6 Image Processor
• 20x Optical Zoom Lens
• 35mm Focal Length Equivalent: 25-500mm
• 3.0 inch LCD Monitor
• Full HD 1080p Video Capture at 60fps
• Built-in Wi-Fi Connectivity
• Intelligent Optical Image Stabilization
• Hybrid Auto Mode
• GPS Tracker
• List price $330 in the United States

Below is an excerpt of the PowerShot SX280 review written by Digital Camera Review :

"The new Canon Powershot SX280 HS is an easily pocketable compact P&S digicam with a long 20x zoom lens. The SX280 HS won't turn any heads or launch any trends. In fact, the polycarbonate bodied SX280 HS is a rather plain looking point and shoot  (especially the black version - the camera is also available in red) that differs only marginally from its predecessor. The SX280 HS (which replaces the SX260 HS in Canon's upscale point and shoot digital camera catalog) features a 12 megapixel (BSI) CMOS sensor, Canon's proprietary HS (high sensitivity) technology, and the SX280 HS is the first of Canon's digicams to feature the new DIGIC VI processor. 

When combined these components give the SX280 HS unique low light capabilities.  Canon claims the SX280 HS produces about the same amount of noise in an ISO1600 image as its predecessor (the SX260 HS) produced in an ISO 400 image -- substantially expanding low light photography options. Another new feature is the built-in Wi-Fi technology which allows users to easily share photos on social networking sites. The SX280 HS also features a built-in GPS receiver that allows users to geo-tag their images, making the SX280 HS (with its compact profile and 20X zoom) an almost perfect travel camera.

Build and Design

Design-wise the SX280 HS looks and handles like a point-and-shoot digital camera, but it doesn't feel cheap or plastic-like -- in fact, though quite compact, this camera feels very stable in your hands. The SX280 HS is a precision built and robustly constructed imaging tool that was obviously designed for serious shooters. The SX280 HS, unlike the auto-everything point-and-shoot digital cameras swamping the high tech marketplace these days, permits lots of individual input into the image making process via an enhanced feature set, plenty of creative flexibility, and manual control of exposure. The SX280 HS (when off) is about the same size and shape as a standard Altoids tin - it measures 2.5 by 4.2 by 1.3 inches and weighs about 8.2 ounces (with battery and SD card). The easily stripped plastic tripod socket of earlier SX models has been replaced by a metal insert. The finger-rail grip is also a nice touch, since few cameras this size include any sort of grip -- even though compact cameras lack the stability of larger cameras.

Ergonomics and Controls

The SX280 HS's user interface is logical and uncomplicated - all buttons and controls are clearly marked, sensibly placed and easily accessed, for right-handed shooters. The mode dial makes it a bit awkward to access the one touch video stop/start button, but otherwise the rear deck control layout is excellent --containing all dedicated controls except for the on/off button, the large silver shutter button, and the zoom toggle. The compass switch (4-way controller) provides direct access to the exposure compensation function, flash settings, macro mode, self-timer, and (in review mode) the delete function. Canon's "func" button offers direct access to WB, ISO, image size, etc. The compass switch is surrounded by a rotary jog dial, press the review button and you can use your right thumb on the rotary jog dial to quickly and easily scroll back and forth through your saved images or push the menu button and use the rotary jog dial to rapidly scroll through menu options. 

Menus and Modes

The Canon PowerShot SX210 IS features a two-tab version of Canon's classic digicam menu system. The menu system, accessed via a dedicated button, is logical and easy to navigate. The SX280 HS provides a comprehensive selection of shooting modes including:

Auto: Point-and-shoot mode with automatic scene selection.

Program: Auto exposure with limited user input (sensitivity, white balance, exposure compensation, etc.).

Live View Mode: Easy picture adjustment to create effects.

Movie Digest (Hybrid Auto) Mode: Create a movie from still images.

Sports: Mode Dial Scene Mode for action shots.

Scene Mode: Portrait, Smart Shutter (Smile, Wink Self-Timer, FaceSelf-Timer), High-speed Burst HQ, Handheld Night Scene, Underwater, Snow, Fireworks, etc.

Fisheye effect: Mimics a fish-eye lens.

Discreet: Turns off all sounds and deactivates the flash.

Aperture priority: Users select the aperture and the camera selects an appropriate shutter speed.

Shutter priority: Users select shutter speed and the camera selects an appropriate aperture.

Manual: Users select all exposure parameters.

Movie: The SX280 HS records HD video at a maximum resolution of 1920x1080 (1080p) @ 30 fps.

Display/Viewfinder

Like most of today's Point and Shoot digital cameras, the SX80 HS doesn't provide an optical viewfinder, so shooters must use the 3.0 inch LCD (with 461K resolution) for all framing/composition, captured image review and menu navigation chores. Most casual shooters don't use optical viewfinders anyway and in many shooting scenarios (macro and portraits, for example), it is often quicker and easier to watch the decisive moment come together on the LCD screen than it is through an optical viewfinder.

The SX280 HS's LCD screen is relatively bright, hue accurate (what you see color-wise is what you get), and fluid.  However, even though the SX280 HS features Wi-Fi and GPS--it does not feature a touch screen.  I had a couple of folks I showed the camera to express mild amazement that Canon had left out one of the big three ubiquitous (but mostly useless) new "hot ticket" features. The SX280 HS's LCD screen displays a standard 4:3 aspect ratio when shooting still images, but users get the full 16:9 widescreen display on the LCD when shooting/reviewing in movie mode. The SX280 HS's LCD, like all LCD monitors, is subject to fading and glare/reflections in bright outdoor lighting, sometimes making outdoor composition difficult--LCD brightness and contrast ratios are both noticeably lower than one would expect from a $300.00 premium Point and Shoot digital camera."

You can read the whole article by visiting their website.

MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon Working On Full Frame Compact Camera?

Is Canon working on a large sensor, full frame, compact camera like the Sony RX1? Canon France has a page suggesting this may be happening and there are apparently compact camera developments involving both full frame and APS-C sensors. You can read the article on Canon France's website.

It will be interesting to see if Canon may be branching out with more offerings from their compact PowerShot camera lines. Perhaps this 'major event' that Canon has been sending out invitations for may touch on this development. Keep checking back for more news.

MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon EOS-70D Announcement - July 2, 2013

* * * Click here to see EOS-70D camera sample photos and reviews * * *

The highly anticipated Canon EOS-70D should be announced on July 2, 2013. The price of the EOS-60D camera has plummeted in recent weeks so camera dealers seem to be getting rid of their inventory in anticipation of the new introduction.

EOS-70D expected major specifications :

• 20.2 MP sensor, apparently all new
• All-cross type 19-points AF system
• 7 fps burst rate
• Single SD card slot
• 3.0 inch LCD screen
• ISO 100 - 25600 expanded
• Powered by the DIGIC 5 processor
• Dual Pixel CMOS Autofocus
• 1080p HD video capture
• H D R
• Capacity touch screen, similar to the EOS Rebel T5i and SL1
• Creative filters with Live Preview
• Some WiFi capability, similar to EOS-6D
• Magnesium alloy body with some weather sealing 
• Battery Grip BG-E14, Battery LP-E6
• Comes with EF-S 18-55mm and EF-S 18-135mm lens kit  
• US list price - around $1,199 body only

Keep checking back for the latest information. We should know even more soon.

MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon EOS-M Firmware Version 2.0.2

Canon has just released the latest Firmware, Version 2.0.2 for the EOS-M camera. The new software is a big improvement and AF is dramatically improved. You can download the firmware from Canon's website.

Firmware Version 2.0.2 incorporates the following fixes and improvements :

• Improves focusing speed in One-Shot AF mode.
• Now supports EF-M11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM.
• When placing the EF-M11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM without conducting the firmware update, at times the EOS M will not function. However this is rare.
• Corrects errors in the Simplified Chinese, Hungarian, Traditional Chinese and Korean language menus.

MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS Lens - $699

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS Lens

One of my favorite, all around Canon lens is on sale for $699 on eBay. This is an excellent value and a must have lens in my Equipment Bag. Take a look at my lens recommendation page for more suggestions.

MichaelDanielHo.com

How To Protect Against Camera Gear Theft

Bengal tiger in Bandhavgarh National Park, India

As my readers know, I have been a wildlife photographer for 25 years and have gone on numerous photo shoots in many parts of the world. When I bring out my gear (Canon), like the Super Telephoto EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x lens or the EOS-1D X camera, it always seems to attract attention. Many people have commented on the size and price of these equipment on my trips but I always give them my standard answer - "These are cheap photographic gear. The manufacturer don't even bother to match the paint color of the lens to the camera."

In my experience, if one remains vigilant and takes normal, common sense precautions with one's photographic gear and remains low key, one is unlikely to be a victim of theft or even armed robbery. You can take a look at my equipment bag and see my works on MichaelDanielHo.com. I have never experienced a theft, threat or attempted robbery in all my years of wildlife photography but for those who may want to explore further on how to protect themselves, the following article, (a bit long, perhaps) written by Roger Cicala, may be of interest to them.


"In case you don’t know it, cameras and lenses are prime theft targets. You may never think it’s going to happen to you, but almost every day I hear from someone who is missing thousands of dollars worth of gear with no hope of getting it back.

My gear rental company has lots of experience with preventing theft and recovering stolen items. I’m not going to give specifics about all the exact measures we take; that would be like leaving a blueprint for those who want to steal our gear. But we’ve learned a lot and have at least tried everything I’m going to talk about today.

Some of the things I’ll describe are total overkill for someone who owns a camera and a couple of lenses, but could be quite useful for someone else who has most of their net worth and future income tied up in their equipment.

By the way, in case you are one of those people who just got a ‘too good to be true’ deal on a Craigslist or eBay lens, you might want to read the section about recovering stolen gear. In most states, if the original owner finds out you have their stolen lens they can take it back and don’t have to pay you a dime. (For those of you who are thinking “over my dead body”, I’ll just say that’s never necessary.)

Insurance

First and foremost, if you don’t have insurance, please look into it. The expense is minimal compared to the coverage you get. With most policies you not only get theft and loss coverage, but also damage insurance and even coverage of gear you’ve rented or borrowed. There are dozens of different companies offering photography insurance (Google is your friend). Be sure to compare rates and coverage, they vary quite a bit. Joining an organization like PPA can give you access to even more insurance options.

Some people get coverage through a rider on their homeowners or renters policies, but the cost and availability vary greatly depending on what company you’re with. It’s a convenient option if available, but not always the best option. If you make a claim or two for stolen photo equipment you may well end up finding your entire homeowners policy has been reclassified to higher risk or cancelled altogether. The chances of this vary depending on the company, but it’s something worth looking into.

If you have fairly low exposure to theft, insurance may be all the protection you need or want. People at higher risk of getting equipment stolen (because of what you have, what you do, or where you do it) some further precautions might be in order. Insurance doesn’t cover the inconvenience of being without equipment while the claim is settled, or help get back the images on your stolen memory cards.

Ownership Registration

When you buy something, chances are pretty high the manufacturer gives you the option to register yourself as owner. It can’t hurt. It may help, especially if what your registering is an expensive piece of gear from a smaller company like Zeiss or RED. These usually have fairly personal relationships with their dealers and repair centers and will often send out the serial numbers of stolen gear to their networks. The more mass-market an item is, though, the less likely it is that this will be much help unless you need to actually prove ownership.

There are also online services that let you register your photo equipment by serial number and then make a report if it’s ever stolen (or check to see if that great Craigslist deal you’re about to pull the trigger on has been reported stolen). Stolenproperty.com has a simple serial number database that allows you to report your stolen gear and for potential buyers to check the list, as does stolenlostfound.org.

LensTag is a new one strictly for photo gear that should be opening very soon. With LensTag, your registration will be verified to ensure you actually have the equipment in your possession that you are registering. If you flag an item in your account as stolen/missing, LensTag will create a public page containing information about the item and contact form that gets indexed by search engines, letting the world know that the item is missing or stolen.

I encourage people to register their gear somewhere. Is it likely to get it back if it’s stolen? Not yet, but if we all used them more it would be a lot more useful. Want another reason? If you haven’t registered your gear and someone steals it, then the thief has the option to register it and make it appear to be really his/hers.

It goes without saying that you should also save all receipts for your equipment. If the receipt does not have a serial number for the equipment listed directly on it, make sure you also include a picture or other document that shows irrefutable proof that you own the equipment in question. The last thing you want to do is find your stolen equipment and not be able to prove that you own it.

Preventing Theft

You can’t absolutely prevent theft, but there are things you can do that lessen your risks. Of course, the first thing is keeping your gear secured both when stored at home and when out shooting. NEVER send your photography gear in a checked bag if you can possibly avoid it; carry it on the plane with you. Don’t set your backpack full of lenses down while you walk off to shoot an interesting scene 20 yards away, and all that other stuff.

But reality is we can’t completely secure our gear all of the time. Wedding photographers, for example, have to set some gear down somewhere while they’re shooting the wedding. A reasonably sized video shoot has gear scattered all around the set. Even on vacation, I can’t sit down to eat without taking off my backpack full of gear.

Here are a few things I’ve found useful. None of them are going to absolutely prevent theft, but all can be useful (at least they make me feel better).

Movement Alarms

Wedding photographers, cinematographers, and photographers on busy sets with lots of equipment, simply can’t keep all of their gear strapped to them at all times. Nothing’s worse than coming back to where you left that Pelican case with the other 4 Zeiss CP.2 lenses and finding it’s gone.

Proximity and motion alarms can give you a little piece of mind in these situations. The simplest form of alarm is a basic tilt or motion-detection alarm. Put it inside your case or bag and it’s siren will emit a significant alarm if someone picks it up and walks off. A sturdy and reliable one is Tool Guard. It’s made for alarming tool boxes but works just fine inside a large backpack, camera bag, or Pelican case. The on-off button is on a little black key fob that you carry so you can arm and disarm the alarm from a few feet away.

Have a jib, tripod and fluid head, or other tubular item you want to alarm? Get a bicycle motion alarm. There are tons of them available for less than $50. They’re made to bolt around bicycle frame tubes, which works quite well on photography equipment with legs.

Proximity Smart Alarms

Smart phone and proximity alarms go a step further. I like hipKey because I have an iPhone, but there are similar devices for other phones. Download the App to your phone and put the dongle in your camera bag. You can set it to alarm if it the bag is moved, or if your phone and the bag become separated more than a certain distance. (I find the distance alarm quite useful because I have a habit of walking out of restaurants and leaving my backpack under the table.) You can set it just to buzz your phone, for the dongle to emit an audible alarm, or both.

GPS Alarm/Locators

There are a number of different GPS locating devices available, but my favorites are the PocketFinder and the Garmin GTU 10. They’re small enough to tuck into the foam of a Pelican case, the lining of a large camera bag, or underneath the molded plastic of a supertelephoto case.

These are a more expensive items than a simple motion alarm. In addition to the purchase price (around $150) there is a monthly fee for GPS tracking on a proprietary app. Personally, I justify the expense partly because it’s a multiple-use device. It’s been hung on my 11-year old’s neck during those times, like the community carnival, when he needs to make sure none of his peers know he has parents but we need to know where he is. It also spends a fair amount of time on my dog’s collar.

These aren’t worthwhile (and are too large) to protect a $600 camera with a kit lens, but if you have, say, a 600mm f/4 or a set of cinema lenses you want to protect they’re worth considering. If you’ve ever had anything stolen, you know the police don’t have recovering your lens as their top priority of the day. But if you can show them “my stolen lens is at 123 Main Street” chances are they’ll be very interested (first in how you know that, then in getting it back). It can also be set as a proximity alarm, buzzing your phone if your equipment moves.

The pocket finder can be controlled remotely from a smartphone or iPad; you can set it to check in only occasionally to save battery life, but increase GPS location to every few minutes if you find your gear suddenly missing. It’s not perfect – for example it may not be able to locate from inside a building (in my experience they can lock on from within a frame house or a car, but probably not within a high-rise apartment building). Obviously a thief could find the GPS unit and ditch it, but my (fairly extensive) experience with thieves is they’re generally neither bright nor curious. If they steal something that comes in a nice case, they’ll leave the case alone figuring it adds to the value.

Tagging Your Gear?

Tagging your gear may, or may not, be a good option for you. It provides two possible benefits. First, a thief may pass on theft-deterrent-labelled gear simply because it’s harder to sell. Second, the label may help you recover stolen gear, either because someone has noticed it or because you can easily identify it as YOUR equipment. (If you think the police have a simple way to figure out that Canon 5DII serial number 123456789 belongs to John Doe, you are incorrect. That lens can sit in the recovered property room for a year.)

Labels

Some people are very hesitant to label their gear because it might hurt the resale value of their equipment. For people who buy and sell equipment frequently this may be a pertinent point. On the other hand, showing the theft-deterrent label and offering to transfer the registration with the sale might actually be a positive selling point. It might also help a transaction in other ways (I will transfer the theft-deterrent code to your name after you have accepted the item and found it satisfactory).

The best theft-proof labels are going to be obvious, and I’d also recommend you put a label on the outside of the case (and your camera bag), just hoping it might make a thief decide to move to a better target before he’s made off with your gear.

Immobilize.net luggage tag

If you decide to label your gear, it’s best to choose a label that covers all bases. Bar code labels are smaller and these days you don’t even need a separate device to read a bar code; your smart phone will do. A number of companies offer tamper proof bar code labels and websites where you can log on and register the items you’ve tagged with each barcode. If a law enforcement agency or reputable pawn shop owner calls or logs in, the company will notify you where your gear is and notify them it has been reported stolen.

There are dozens of brands, but I think the ones from STOP are excellent. Once applied they are almost impossible to remove. If a thief does manage to chisel them off, they leave an indelible tattoo that says “Stolen Property” in bright red. The company has a registration website where you can register your items by barcode, etc. They make labels as small as 2″ by 3/4″, which will work for most SLR cameras and lenses, but may be a bit too large for mirrorless gear. There are several other companies that make smaller, tamper resistant bar codes that will work for smaller items.

There also is the option of using a small bar code for future identification should your gear turn up missing. They can be put in inconspicuous places on the item — thieves frequently scrape off or alter the serial numbers before selling the item, but may well miss a bar code. If you’re handy, you can even put it inside of the lens mount or bottom plate of a camera. That does nothing to prevent theft, obviously, but it might increase your chance of recovery of a stolen item.

Immobilize makes a line of microdot-sized bar codes in kits that include large, removable “all items in here are traceable” stickers (for the outside of gear bags), along with a web based registration system. All of the microdot-size bar codes you purchase have a single number that you register. That way any stolen gear has the same traceable number, which simplifies things quite a bit if you get an entire camera bag full of gear stolen.

There are other, simpler options. You can buy felt-tip markers that write in invisible ink that only shows up under UV light, for example. (As a warning, I’m told bright summer sunlight can sometimes make UV-visible ink show up, so you probably don’t want to write your phone number on the hood of your 500 f/4 lens. Or maybe you do.)

RFID Tags

Unless you have lots of gear that might be stolen, RFID tags aren’t as practical as simple labels. They do have one major advantage over labels, though. In theory, a person with a scanner can identify a tagged item several feet away. Let’s imagine you’re pretty sure you know who is in possession of your stolen equipment. A law-enforcement agent or private investigator with a scanner could positively identify that your lens is inside a camera bag or mounted to that tripod. I emphasize law-enforcement agent or other recovery professional because trying to reclaim stolen gear yourself is amazingly stupid. People get hurt that way. People get arrested for assault that way.

There are hundreds of RFID tags and readers available. Some tag-reader combinations can be read at fairly long distances (10 meters) but they require specialized equipment that’s not widely available. More practical tags can only be read at distances of a couple of feet, but still can be worthwhile. Tags similar to the chips implanted in pets are available at reasonably low cost ($10 – $15 per tag or so) and can be read by equipment available almost anywhere.

For example, if you buy an expensive guitar or even surfboard, there’s a good chance it has an implanted security RFID chip (they simply drill a small hole, put the chip in, and glue the hole shut before they paint and finish the item). These are truly tiny devices and much less likely to be found by a thief than a barcode. Snagg sells these devices and maintains a website where you can register anything that you’ve ‘chipped’.

There are a ton of places you can put such a chip in camera gear: make a small slit and push it inside the rubber padding around a viewfinder, glue it inside a lens hood, glue it between the straps of your camera where it folds back and forth. If you’re even slightly handy you can open the rear mount of a lens or any of the plates of a camera and glue it inside (or your local camera repair shop can do it for you in about 5 minutes). Again, I wouldn’t spend this kind of money protecting my point-and-shoot, but do consider it with a piece of expensive gear.

After the Gear is Stolen - Reporting Your Gear as Stolen

If your gear does get stolen, the quicker you get to work the better your chance of recovery. Make a police report immediately. In busy police jurisdictions they aren’t going to be nearly as excited about your theft as you are. Insist on making a report, even if you have to travel to the precinct to do it. Make sure the report includes serial numbers and information about any theft deterrent measures, like tags or barcodes. This is the most important thing you can do because chances are the numbers will get entered into a database of stolen items somewhere. That’s probably all the investigation you’re going to get. The NCIS van is not going to pull up to lift footprints and do chemical analysis of the crime scene.

You might want to check and see if the area had any video surveillance. If there was, tell the police, it may (or may not) perk their interest. You might also ask the security camera’s owner if they’d be willing to review their footage for you.

Locating Your Gear

In most cases, the person stealing your equipment isn’t going to be camera savvy. A guy who breaks into your car or house and takes your camera bag probably isn’t going to look to the major photography forums as a first resort for selling stolen gear. Watch the local Craigslist and eBay like a hawk. Thieves put stuff up quickly. We’ve actually had items ‘rented’ from us listed for sale on Craigslist before they were even delivered.

It’s worthwhile to search the local pawnshops, too. I would not march in announcing that you are looking for your stolen gear. Once you make that announcement, you’ve told the pawnshop owner that any information he gives out can only cause him problems. Just ask, for example, if they have any Nikon D800s (or whatever it is you are missing). Most shops can’t sell an item for a certain amount of time after they accept it, so they may tell you “we’ll have one we can sell in 2 weeks” or something similar.

If it was a camera that was stolen, remember the serial number may well be in the EXIF data. Search online to see if any photos have been posted with it after the theft. Stolencamerafinder.com and CameraTrace.com are awesome for this. Both found about a dozen of the 50 or so images I’d posted with my latest camera in about a second. They also keep a registry of stolen cameras and Camera Trace also sells permanent tags like those discussed above. It’s not much help for lenses, but we’ve recovered of cameras this way (unfortunately, usually from the person who bought them on Craigslist, not the original thief).

The best tip when trying to locate your stolen gear is: Be patient.

In common law countries such as the U.S., there is a general rule of law called the nemo dat rule. To boil it down, it means that no one who has no ownership title in the goods cannot give title to a purchaser, even if the purchaser is unaware that the seller does not have title. What does that mean for you? Generally (there are exceptions, and every state has slightly different laws), it means that if the thief sells your equipment to someone else, even if that person has no reason to know the equipment was stolen, it still belongs to you. Sure, some poor guy who bought it off Craigslist is going to get screwed, but that’s the risk you take when you buy used gear from untrusted sources.

That should also be a lesson to everyone out there: unless you are positive you are dealing with the original owner of equipment, there is always the chance you are buying stolen equipment and that the original owner might come calling. Often times, when you see big resellers on eBay and the like, they’ve bought their equipment on forums and on Craiglist, and are simply reselling it on eBay, which means it is just as likely to be stolen as it is if you are buying it directly from the sketchy guy on Craigslist.

Recovery

If you find your stolen items listed for sale, do not take action yourself, even if you are Billy BadA** and have a posse of equally bad buddies. Just Google “Craigslist shootings” to see how that can work out – the last time I checked there were about 15 pages of news articles on Craigslist-deals-gone-bad that ended in gunplay. Notify the police. If the police aren’t interested you can consider hiring a private investigator or bounty hunter to make contact. If the equipment involved isn’t worth their fee, you need think long and hard about why you’d put yourself at risk over that amount of money.

If the police aren’t interested in a ‘sting’ and you don’t want to hire a PI, you can notify Craigslist or eBay of the stolen items listed for sale. They may take the add down or flag the account internally. It won’t get you your gear back but may inconvenience the thief.

If the items have been pawned, your rights vary greatly depending upon the state’s laws. If you find your equipment in a pawn shop, and you’ve followed our instructions than you’ve already filed a police report and you’ve got documentation in the form of purchase receipts and photographs that can positively identify the equipment as your own.

You’ll need to contact the police and tell them the situation. Be wary here, many police will tell you your only option is to buy back the equipment from the pawnbroker. While that may be true, that is not necessarily true. That is the default answer from the police because most items that are pawned don’t have unique serial numbers like camera equipment. Unfortunately, while you might not have to buy it back from the pawnbroker, you may be better off doing so than dealing with the headache of trying to get it back from them otherwise. Depending on the state and their pawn laws, it will usually take hiring a lawyer and having a court hearing to get your equipment back from the broker.

If you find your stolen gear in the possession of a photographer who has either bought it second-hand (or perhaps is the thief) you still have options. Remember the nemo dat rule! From our experience, if you find someone who has innocently bought your stolen equipment, you’ll have a greater chance of success if you act nicely. Asking the person for whatever information they have on the thief is a good way to start. If the person has used Paypal or some other protected form of payment when they bought the equipment from the thief, they may be able to recover their payment directly from the payment processor. Offering a reward often eases the sting for that person and makes them cooperative.

If they aren’t cooperative you still have options, but you need to decide if they are worthwhile. If the police don’t want to get involved, you’ll need to consult a lawyer to determine exactly how to go about regaining your equipment in your state. You’ll spend some money, but in the case of expensive equipment it may be worthwhile."

MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon Ad Campaign Against SmartPhone Photography

The times they are changing. Apparently, Canon is 'concerned' enough that the latest smartphones may have enough photographic technology to challenge the point-n-shoot cameras and seriously make a dent in their sales. Thus, they have embarked on an ad campaign, with the tag line 'Don't Let A Call Interrupt Your Photo' to try and stem the tide.

Apple, Samsung and others are coming up with optical zoom and LED flash technology in their smartphones to even try and challenge the low end DSLR cameras. Read my latest post on this topic. Frankly, I think this 'fear' is a tempest in a teapot, just like the prominence of image sharing websites are supposed to diminish the appeal of still photography. My philosophy is simple. There are always those who will choose simplicity and multitasking capabilities in a piece of equipment over the pursuit of excellence with a dedicated purpose.

Unique and high quality still photography will always be in demand. The people and equipment manufacturers responsible for making this happen will be secure in the knowledge that they just need to do one thing, and do it the best. The rest will take care of itself. You can see my work with smart cameras on MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM Lens Preview

Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM Lens

Canon has now introduced three EF-M lenses for the EOS-M camera recently. The latest one is the EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM. This camera will have a new Firmware 2.0 available on June 26. You can read the latest post on this topic here. This lens is available for pre-order on Amazon Germany, France, Japan, WexPhotographic - UK, Hong Kong and many other Internet retailers. However, this lens is currently not available for the US market.

Main Features of the EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM Lens

• Ultra-wide 11-22mm EF-M zoom lens
• Compact, retractable lens design
• Smooth, quiet STM focusing in movies
• Dynamic IS for steady movies
• 3-stop optical Image Stabilizer
• Manual focus ring
• Lens Construction: 12 elements in 9 groups
• Closest Focusing Distance: 0.15m
• Filter Size: 55mm
• Max. Diameter x Length: 60.9 x 58.2mm
• Weight: 220g

DPReview has posted a preview of the EF-M 11-22mm lens. Below is an excerpt from their article :

"It's now almost a year since Canon unveiled its first foray into the mirrorless camera sector, the EOS M. The camera was launched with two lenses, the EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM kit zoom and the EF-M 22mm f/2 STM 'pancake' prime. But while most other manufactures have gone out of their way to provide 'roadmaps' of upcoming lens releases in an attempt to convince potential buyers of their commitment to these new systems, Canon has remained stubbornly quiet. But now EOS M owners have a new lens to consider: the EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM wideangle zoom. Note though that the lens hasn't been officially released in the USA, and we have no indication whether it will ever be sold in this market.

The lens offers a zoom range equivalent to 18-36mm on full frame, which is a little less ambitious than its closest competitor, the Sony E 10-18mm F4 OSS (15-24mm equiv). To an extent this is a trade-off for its relatively compact design; it uses a retracting barrel reminiscent of the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 9-18mm 1:4.0-5.6, and is about the same size as the 18-55mm kit zoom. This means it's much smaller than Canon's EF-S 10-22mm f/4-5.6 USM wideangle zoom for its APS-C SLRs. One oddity is a 55mm filter size that's not shared with any of Canon's other current lenses.

The 11-22mm is Canon's first wide zoom with image stabilization, which the company claims will allow shooting at shutter speeds three stops slower than usual without the image being degraded by blurring from camera shake. It also includes Canon's 'Dynamic IS', which offers a wider range of correction during movie shooting. Focusing - both auto and manual - is handled by a linear stepper motor, which promises silent operation during movie recording.

Canon is making grand claims for the 11-22mm's optical quality, and saying that its 12 element / 9 group design will offer significantly better image quality than the (already well-regarded) EF-S 10-22mm. The lens we used to prepare this preview wasn't sufficiently finalized for Canon to allow us to shoot sample images, but we'll look at how well it performs just as soon as we can. Until then, read on to find out more about the lens's design and operation.

The EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM is Canon's third lens for its mirrorless EOS M camera, and adds a useful wideangle capability in a package that's impressively compact - especially considering that it's got optical image stabilisation too. Our initial feeling is that it's a rather nice little lens that's pretty well-built, and a good match for the EOS M. It could well offer an interesting alternative for landscape or travel photographers who want a wide zoom, but wish to reduce the weight of the kit they're carrying.

Arguably the bigger question, though, is whether Firmware 2.0.0 will improve the EOS M's focusing performance to make it a more credible contender in this market. Because, however good the 11-22mm turns out to be, at the moment it only works on a single camera that's just a little underwhelming compared its peers - especially in terms of autofocus performance. If Canon really wants to compete seriously in this increasingly popular segment, it'll surely have to get up to speed sooner rather than later."

You can read the entire article here on DPReview's website.

MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon EOS-M Firmware 2.0 with EF 11-22mm Lens

Mr. Daero Lee from Korea has tested the Canon EOS-M, loaded with the latest Firmware 2.0, and the new EF 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens. As you can see from the above video, the AF speed definitely improved dramatically. The latest Firmware will be released on June 27, 2013 and should help to quell some of the discontentment with the EOS-M camera until the replacement comes out later this year. Read the latest post on this topic.

MichaelDanielHo.com 

Canon Preparing 'Big' Product Launch Soon

Canon is apparently preparing for a 'big' product launch in the next month or so by sending out invitations to dealers and VIPs. Most likely, it will be the release of the EOS-70D camera and perhaps accompanied by one or two lenses. Read the latest post on this topic.

We should be hearing more leaks in a couple of weeks or so. Keep checking back here for the latest information.

MichaelDanielHo.com 

Canon EF 35mm f/1.4L II Lens Coming?

The recent lens introductions by Sigma have generated a lot of buzz and good reviews. See earlier post for this topic. For example, the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 DG lens has received excellent reviews and seems to be taking sales away from Canon's venerable but older EF 35mm f/1.4L.

Now word is Canon is testing a replacement to this lens, the EF 35mm f/1.4L II but no release date has been mentioned. It may come after Canon releases a few more wide angle, full frame lenses to round out their EF lens lineup first. Read the earlier post for this topic.

MichaelDanielHo.com

Wildlife Photography - Polar Bears, Lord Of The Arctic

The Polar bear is the largest living land carnivore, with adult males growing up to over 8 feet in length and some weighing close to one ton. It is immediately recognizable from the distinctive white color of its thick fur. The only parts of the body not covered by fur are the foot pads and the tip of its nose, which are black, revealing the dark color of the skin underneath the pelt. The neck of the Polar bear is longer than in other species of bears, and the elongated head has small ears. Polar bears have large strong limbs and huge front paws which are used as paddles for swimming. The toes are not webbed, but are excellent for walking on snow as they bear non-retractable claws which dig into the snow like ice-picks.

Females are about half the size of males, although a pregnant female with stored fat can exceed 1,000 pounds in weight. They usually give birth to two, sometimes three cubs but the survival rate for first year cubs are no better than 50 percent. Polar bear cubs weigh about 2 lbs at birth. They look similar in appearance to adults, though they have much thinner fur.

Polar bears are found throughout the circumpolar Arctic on ice-covered waters, from Canada, to Norway, parts of the US, the former USSR and Greenland. The furthest south the Polar bears occur all year round is James Bay in Canada, which is about the same latitude as London. During the winter, when the ice extends further south, Polar bears move as far south as Newfoundland and into the northern Bering Sea. A few accessible places to photograph Polar Bears are the Canadian tundra, Barter Island in the National Arctic Wildlife Refuge in Alaska and Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago inside the Arctic Circle.

These places are served by charter and regular airlines and local guides are readily available for bespoke and organized small group tours. The cost will not be inexpensive and the photographic equipment should be professional grade to withstand the extreme cold and wind, depending on the time of year. Seeing and photographing Polar bears closeup is one of my favorite wildlife encounters. Visit my Polar Bear page to see more photos from previous trips and see what equipment I use on my photo shoots.

MichaelDanielHo.com

Wildlife Photography - Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright

The Tiger is an iconic symbol of conservation. It is a heavily muscled, powerful predator that stalks and ambushes large prey, camouflaged by its stripy coat. Unlike other cats, Tigers are good swimmers and often cool off in lakes and streams during the heat of the day.  Nine different subspecies of this carnivore are recognized, three of which became extinct in the latter part of the 20th century : the Bali , Javan and Caspian Tigers. The remaining subspecies are the Siberian, South China, Sumatran, Indochinese, Malayan and Bengal Tigers. Their characteristic dark, vertical stripes patterning the body vary in their width, spacing, and length, and whether they are single or double stripes. The pattern and distribution of the stripes is unique to each Tiger.  Poaching and habitat loss have occurred throughout much of the Tiger's range and is now severely threatening its survival; as land becomes rapidly developed to meet the increasing demands of the Asian population, Tiger populations become isolated in remaining fragments of wilderness and will ultimately die out.

India is one of the most interesting and last remaining countries to view and photograph Tigers. It is a land of controlled chaos, teaming with sights and sounds, plus a profusion of cultures and races.  The country is also rich in other wildlife, with hundreds of species of birds, plus Leopards, Asiatic Lions, Rhinos, Elephants, Bears, Gaurs and Wild Dogs, just to name a few. Visiting India is quite an exhausting flight for those who live in North America. It takes about 2 days, including layover to get there by plane. From Western Europe, it is about an 8 hour flight. Careful planning is required in order to get the most out of this long journey. 

The two central Indian National Parks of Bandhavgarh and Kanha offer the best opportunity to view and photograph Tigers in their natural habitat. The duration of time spent in each park should be at least two to three full days to maximize one's chances of seeing Tigers and other wildlife. Safaris in open top Jeeps, along with elephant-back rides, help track Tigers and other animals. The parks' regulations require a guide to accompany any vehicle entering. The guides are generally very helpful and is a resource in tracking and finding wildlife although it is recommended to bring your own expert guide, if possible. 

Bandhavgarh National Park, famous for its 'high'density of Tigers, contains 22 species of mammals and 250 species of birds, including Leopards, Jungle Cat, Muntjac and the only four-horned Antelope in the world, the Chausingha. Hemmed in by the Vindhyan mountain ranges, the Park is located in the state of Madhya Pradesh. Covering an area of 437 sq km, the Park encompasses dense forest, open meadows, wetlands and steep ridges. The Park is named after an ancient fort located in the area. It was once the hunting reserve of the kings of Rewa.

Kanha National Park, with its lush sal and bamboo forests, grassy meadows and ravines, provided inspiration to Rudyard Kipling for his famous novel, "The Jungle Book". The Park is located in the Mandla district of Madhya Pradesh, came into being in 1955 and forms the core of the Kanha Tiger Reserve, created in 1974 under Project Tiger. The Park's landmark achievement is the preservation of the rare hardground Swamp Deer (Barasingha), saving it from near extinction. Stringent conservation programs for the overall protection of the Park's fauna and flora, makes Kanha one of the most well maintained National Parks in Asia. 

The parks are opened from November to June, although the best months to visit are between November to April. The temperatures in the earlier months are a bit more comfortable but to maximize sightings, March and April are the best, due to the warmer weather but May and June may be too hot for most visitors. Deer and other prey animals are forced to visit waterholes more often during the hotter months and this offers plenty of ambush opportunities for Tigers. Safaris start early with the Jeeps queuing up at the park entrance starting around 6 AM. Each trip usually lasts about 3 hours and the mid afternoon is a good time for the second safari. The temperature in the Parks can be very cold in the early mornings and gets warmer and hotter as the day progresses. The roads are unpaved, rough and dusty. Bumpy rides in the Jeep are guaranteed and part of the fun, with no extra charge.  

No one is permitted to wander off on foot inside the parks and the Jeeps are small so a tripod or monopod is of little use. The vegetation is thick and the Tigers are experts in concealment. They can be almost 'invisible' in the thick jungle, just a few feet from you. I generally prefer to use a zoom lens since there is no telling where they may pop up but the best combo is to have two cameras ready. I use the Canon EOS-1D X, EOS-1D Mk IV and the EOS-7D cameras with the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x, EF 400mm f/4 DO IS, EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS or the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS lens. Visit my Equipment Bag on my website to see these gear. Since the lighting is usually fair to poor, I set the apertures of the lenses wide open with ISO setting of 800 and going all the way to 3200 if required.  

It is truly a rare privilege for any photographer to come face to face with a Bengal Tiger in the wild. I came across this one year old cub and we exchanged eye contact for a little while before he disappeared into the bush. It was a very memorable moment for me and I will cherish it for a very long time. Visit my Wild Tigers page to see more exciting photos from India and visit my website MichaelDanielHo.com to see many more wildlife photos from around the world.

Canon PowerShot SX280 vs. Apple iPhone 5S

Apple is expected to be coming out with a low cost iPhone 5 and the iPhone 5S later this year. The iPhone 5S is expected to have an LED flash and a 10+ MP camera on the back. Why are so many phone makers trying to be like camera manufacturers? Will Canon or Nikon add 4G capabilities to their EOS-1D X Mk II or D4 Mk II cameras any time soon? My philosophy for a piece of equipment is, do one thing and do it the best. Multitasking is best left to software.

MichaelDanielHo.com

Choosing Filters For DSLR Filmmaking

Canon Professional Network presents how to choose and use the right filters for creative DSLR filmmaking :

'With the advent of video capture on DSLR cameras the craft of cinematography has moved within the reach of many of those who previously just thought in terms of stills. Carey Duffy (Technical Director of filter company Tiffen in the UK) writes for CPN on what to look for when selecting the right filters for photography and filmmaking...

Prior to the HD video revolution, shooting professional quality motion images was only possible with the use of either a broadcast video camera or a 35mm or 16mm motion picture film camera. For the still photographer the investment to enter this area would have been huge but now technology has opened up the field to a whole new audience, who are having to learn the practical skills required to enter this emerging sector.

The first thing to realise is that, despite apparent similarities in what you are trying to achieve, the techniques you need to master to tackle cinematography and still photography are quite different. Understanding why these differences exist and what is required at a basic level to enable competent recording of an image will always be fundamental to each of these crafts.

For example, a cinematographer may have to consider the changing light conditions that will occur during a camera movement. Add that to the need for continuity as a basic requirement of storytelling and it starts to become clear why cinematographers find themselves having to work to a discipline which is very different to that faced by the still photographer. Exactly how a story is produced and told with a moving camera is defined by the cinematographer’s choice of tools, and there are many specialised products that are dedicated to the video-enabled DSLR to help you get the best results.

Filters are one of the many tools that both a photographer and a cinematographer employ to control the light entering the camera lens, either as a physical necessity, for aesthetic effect or even to achieve both these ends. A good tripod, lenses and a few other tools are likewise common in both disciplines. However, when shooting movement there is a physical difference from stills, in that a constant shutter speed has to be used. Then the question of how to control the intensity of light, especially for exterior shots, means that the use of filters as a primary tool becomes paramount.'

You can read the entire article on the CPN website here.

MichaelDanielHo.com

How a Stunning Aurora Video Was Made

Auroras result from charged particles that are flung off the sun‘s surface during solar storms known as coronal mass ejections. When the particles collide with Earth’s atmosphere, they cause geomagnetic storms that trigger the neon-colored auroras.

Over the past year, Possberg and her husband, Claus Possberg, have traveled four times to the Scandinavian Arctic to photograph the phenomena, which appear as stunning light shows in many northern countries, especially during dark winters.

Claus is a radiologist who is also an avid traveler and photographer, and Anna is a full-time professional filmmaker. The Arctic Lightscape project, which the couple funds independently, resulted in a time-lapse video: a series of still photographs stitched together into a video format and published on Vimeo last week. You can read the Nat Geo article here.

MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon EOS-10D Camera Exploded View

Ever wonder what a digital camera is made of? The EOS 10D was introduced in February 2003. It had a 6.3 MP sensor, a 7-point AF system, magnesium alloy body with ISO 100-1600 (3200) and a 3 fps burst rate.

Engineering students Matthew Farrell, Michelle Pang and Michael Tom from the University of California, Berkeley, produced an exploded view and re-assembling of the Canon EOS-10D camera with a EF 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5 lens to show how complex a digital DSLR body can be. I am fascinated by this clip. Can you imagine what the Canon EOS-1D X camera looks like inside?

MichaelDanielHo.com

New Canon Wide Angle Lenses Coming

The long rumored Canon EF 14-24mm f/2.8L is coming, perhaps by the end of 2013. Nikon already has its AF-S Nikkor 14-24mm f/2.8 lens on the market and Canon is just playing catch up. In addition, the EF 17-40mm f/4L and the EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II are also up for replacement. The new lens may be slightly narrower on the long end but aperture may stay at f/4 and comes with IS.

The schedule of the new lens release may slip into early 2014 but Canon is eager to round out the lineup of its wide angle, full frame lenses now that they have successfully released the Series II and EF 200-400mm Super Telephoto lenses.

MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon EOS-M Firmware Version 2.0 In Action

Canon is expected to release a Firmware update, Version 2.0 for their 'struggling' EOS-M camera, which is plagued by its notoriously slow AF speed. See my earlier post on this topic. The above videos show the AF speed difference with the current and new firmware. The lens used for the test were the EF 18-55mm and EF 22mm. 

Although the Canon EOS-M is selling quite well in Asia, especially in Japan, it is not up to expectations for Canon elsewhere around the globe. Let us see if this new Firmware 2.0, expected to be released on June 27, 2013, will change the perception of EOS-M camera line in the rest of the world. The Firmware 2.0 is available in Korea already. Click on the Canon Korea website to see videos produced by the latest software.

MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon EOS-7D - Best Value in DSLR Camera

Canon EOS-7D camera with EF lenses

The Canon EOS-7D camera has been out for over three years. You can read the specifications of the camera on Canon's website. The EOS-7D Mk II is expected to be announced some time later this year. See my earlier post on this topic.

The 7D has an APS-C size 18 megapixel CMOS sensor and dual DIGIC 4 Image Processors, with ISO range from 100 - 12800 and speeds of up to 8 fps. It comes with the new, all cross-type 19-point AF system with improved AI Servo II AF subject tracking and user-selectable AF area selection modes. It also has an Intelligent Viewfinder, an entirely new technology, provides approximately 100% coverage and displays user-selected AF modes as well as a spot metering circle and on demand grid lines.

What makes this camera so appealing for wildlife photography is its burst rate and advanced AF system, divided into 5 zones plus the ability to select Spot AF. The latter is most useful when photographing birds hidden among branches and leaves. Even the EOS-1D MK IV does not have this feature. Only the EOS-5D MK III and EOS-1D X cameras share this capability.

The only fly-in-the-ointment for me is the EOS-7D's mediocre ISO performance. In good lighting conditions, the camera's performance is hard to beat but when the ISO needs to go above 800 and beyond, the noise level increases 'dramatically'. It can be corrected by post processing software and although the 7D's technology is a bit 'dated', it does not deter me from selecting the camera as the best value in DSLR bodies three years in a row.

The camera lists for $1,499 but one can find sale prices all over the Internet and factory refurbished bodies are selling for about $1,000. I have taken the EOS-7D camera on all my photo shoots worldwide as a backup camera and when I need that extra reach without using extenders. I expect the Mk II version will address its Achilles heel (ISO performance) and make this camera an even better value. Can't wait to get my hands on its successor. Visit my website MichaelDanielHo.com to see many more wildlife photos taken with the EOS-7D from around the world. 

Canon EOS-1D X and EOS-1D C Product Advisory

Autofocus Recall

This notice is to proactively inform our customers of the details of the phenomena described below along with Canon’s support actions. Because we value the trust our customers have placed in us, we are dedicated to continuously improving product quality and delivering industry-leading service and support. We offer our sincerest apologies to any customer who may be inconvenienced.

Affected Products

EOS-1D X Digital SLR Camera
EOS-1D C Cinema EOS Camera

Phenomena

In some units of the models listed below, there is a possibility that the following phenomena may occur due to wear caused by insufficient lubrication within the camera’s driving mechanism.

1. AF searches but does not lock in on the subject.
(Caused by minute particles produced by wear mentioned above.)
2. The image shown in the viewfinder is “blurry” or “not steady”.
(Occurs if wear progresses.)

Potentially Affected Products

1. EOS-1D X: If the sixth digit of the serial number is “1”, “2”, “3”, “4”, “5”, “6” or “7”, the phenomena described above may occur.
2. EOS-1D C: If the sixth digit of the serial number is “1”, the phenomena described above may occur.

NOTE: If the camera’s battery compartment contains one of the markings illustrated below, the camera is NOT affected by the
phenomena described above even if the sixth digit of the serial number is one of the numbers mentioned above.

    Markings of UNAFFECTED cameras

An 'A' mark near battery compartment

Black mark on the silver bracket

Support

Potentially affected cameras will be inspected and repaired free of charge. If you own one of the potentially affected cameras please contact our Customer Support Center.

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.

Please register your EOS-1D X and the EOS-1D C cameras. By registering, we will be able to notify you via email when service updates are available.

Thank you,
Customer Support Operations
Canon U.S.A., Inc

MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon EOS-3D Camera or Joke Of The Day

There is a photo going around the Internet this morning asking could this be the long rumored Canon EOS-3D camera? The 'reasoning' behind this is the Canon strap purportedly showing the letters EOS-3D, albeit partially obstructed. And the source is a Chinese forum called Weibo.

I find this rather fatuous and someone must be trying to jazz up a dull Monday morning by passing this story around as a silly joke and now it has taken on some legs. Would Canon bother to make a strap for the EOS-3D when they have not even decided to introduce the camera? Look at the guy in this photo. Does he look like a photographer who has signed a NDA with Canon to allow him to experiment with the EOS-3D prototype camera? Get ready for Canon to announce the EOS-70D camera in a few weeks. This is the next big story and you can read my latest post on this topic.

MichaelDanielHo.com

Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC Available For Preorder

The Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 DC lens is now available for pre-order. This lens is designed for cropped frame cameras, has received good reviews and is listed for $799. Below are some images taken with the lens and the Canon EOS Rebel T5i camera posted by DigitalCameraReview.

MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L Non-IS Discontinued?

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L Lens

Canon is probably discontinuing the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L lens soon. I have used this lens for a long time and have upgraded it through the years to the current model, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II. Together with the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x lens (my review here) and the EOS-1D X camera, it makes a Wildlife photographer's dream combo because it covers all the important focal lengths with the best available glass. You can read my article on Canon's lens recommendation.

MichaelDanielHo.com