Canon Announced New Firmware Updates For Cinema EOS C300 and C300 Mk II Camcorders

Sealed with a kiss - Polar bears on the tundra in Hudson Bay, Canada

* * *  'Before The Flood' documentary shot with Canon C300 Mark II camera  * * *

Just back from my Polar bear photo tour in Hudson Bay, Canada. It was quite a successful trip even though the weather was 'mild' by sub Arctic standard and the bears were not able to find sea ice to hunt seals even in mid November. Came across sows with cubs, sub adult and full grown males with reasonably healthy looking weight, this time of the year.

In past years, they would have been able to start heading out to the bay and try and replenish their weight by actively hunting seals. I came across the BBC2 film crew filming and broadcasting the Arctic Live series on the tundra.

Now back to my daily routine of photo processing and blog writing until the next wildlife photo tour. You can follow my travels on Facebook , Twitter and see my works on MichaelDanielHo.com.


MELVILLE, N.Y., November 9, 2016 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced firmware updates for both the Canon EOS C300 and EOS C300 Mark II Digital Cinema Cameras being showcased at NAB Show New York 2016, November 9 and 10 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in New York City. These firmware updates support a number of feature updates for users including improvement of accessory support, ease of use, Dual Pixel CMOS AF (DAF) and creative flexibility.

Firmware updates are as follows :

The EOS C300 Mark II Digital Cinema Camera (EF-Mount) updates will allow various functions such as support for the Canon EVF-V70 OLED Electronic Viewfinder, WFT-E8 Wireless File Transmitter, Shutter Angle Priority, support for Zebra range at 65 percent or below, 2K Crop Audio Recording, Built-In Mic Audio off, and Peripheral Illumination Correction when using the new EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM lens.

The EOS C300 Mark II Digital Cinema Camera (PL-Mount) updates will allow various functions such as support for the Canon EVF-V70 OLED Electronic Viewfinder, WFT-E8 Wireless File Transmitter, Shutter Angle Priority, support for Zebra range at 65 percent or below, 2K Crop Audio Recording, and Built-In Mic Audio off.

The EOS C300 Digital Cinema Camera (EF-Mount) updates will allow various functions such as support for the WFT-E8 Wireless File Transmitter, Shutter Angle Priority, Grip Zoom Function when using CINE-SERVO 17-120mm EF-mount, CINE-SERVO 50-1000mm EF-Mount and COMPACT SERVO 18-80mm lenses, Auto Iris and Push Iris when using CINE-SERVO 17-120mm EF-mount, CINE-SERVO 50-1000mm EF-Mount and COMPACT SERVO 18-80mm lenses and Peripheral Illumination Correction when using the new EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM lens.

The EOS C300 Digital Cinema Camera DAF (EF-Mount) updates will allow various functions such as support for the WFT-E8 Wireless File Transmitter, Shutter Angle Priority, Dual Pixel CMOS AF (DAF) when using CINE-SERVO 17-120mm EF-Mount and COMPACT SERVO 18-80mm lenses, Grip Zoom Function when using CINE-SERVO 17-120mm EF-mount, CINE-SERVO 50-1000mm EF-Mount and COMPACT SERVO 18-80mm lenses, Auto Iris and Push Iris when using CINE-SERVO 17-120mm EF-mount, CINE-SERVO 50-1000mm EF-Mount and COMPACT SERVO 18-80mm lenses and Peripheral Illumination Correction when using the new EF 24-105mm f/4L IS II USM lens.

The EOS C300 Digital Cinema Camera (PL-Mount) updates will allow various functions such as support for the WFT-E8 Wireless File Transmitter and Shutter Angle Priority.
To learn more about the firmware updates, please visit usa.canon.com/nabny2016firmware.

These firmware updates are scheduled to be available on December 13, 2016. To see these products with the firmware updates mentioned above at NAB Show New York 2016, visit Canon U.S.A., Inc. at Booth #1133. Follow Canon throughout the show on Instagram at @CanonUSA and Twitter at @CanonUSApro.

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

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L I S II USM lens

The Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS is my favorite walk about, all round lens. It is reasonably fast and offers me the best range of wide to short focal length. When the Series II lens was announced, I ordered it immediately and the delivery was supposed to start on October 31.

Apparently it has been delayed due to heavy demand. The lens also comes as a kit with the EOS-5D Mark IV camera. That is apparently where the initial production quantity will go first to fill the orders. I bring this lens on all my travel and wildlife photography shoots. Heading out on a Polar bear tour soon. Will update my blog with some photos if I have time. You can follow my travels on Facebook, Twitter and see my equipment bag and works on MichaelDanielHo.com     

Wildlife Photography - International Polar Bear Day, February 27

Every year, on February 27, the world celebrates International Polar Bear Day. With our planet's gradual warming in the last few decades or so due to climate change, the plight of Polar bears have become the proverbial Canary in the Coal Mine for our fragile planet.

The Polar bear is the largest living land carnivore, with adult males growing to over 8 feet in length and some weighing close to one ton. The heaviest recorded bear was about 2,300 lbs. There is also evidence the largest Kodiak Brown bears in Alaska can grow to about the same weight. The Polar bear 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. 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.

Although Polar bears have no natural predators, male bears sometimes kill young cubs for food or to try and mate with their mothers. In addition, there are also isolated poaching incidents and limited trophy hunting permitted by law. Another big threat to these endangered animals is the warming of the Arctic region and pack ice are forming later and later every year. Polar bears depend on the pack ice to hunt seals and the early ice melt is forcing them to spend more time and energy looking for food and finding fewer seals. They face an uncertain future as the sea ice melt faster and faster in the summer.

My readers know I am The Wildlife Ho-tographer. One of my favorite animals in wildlife photography is the Polar bear. You can see my equipment bag and works on MichaelDanielHo.com  

Canon U.S.A. Has A New Website

Canon U.S.A. introduced a new website. Try it out and let me know what you think. Still on my Polar Bear Photo Tour in the Canadian sub Arctic. Weather is quite unpredictable here. You can get a bit of sunshine followed by a dense layer of clouds and fog, perhaps even snow flurry, or any combination of the above, all in a matter of hours or in the same day.

Click here to see Polar bear photos from my previous tours. You can follow my travels on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram and see my works on MichaelDanielHo.com. I will be providing updates on the tour as time and condition permit.

I love you THIS much

Wildlife Photography - Polar Bear Photo Tour, Day Eight

Still on my Polar Bear tour in Hudson Bay. Weather started out rather 'mild' but the winds are picking up and the temperatures are dropping. The bay should start to freeze up in about a week and the bears will start to head out to hunt seals.

So far, this year is about the same as last. Encounters with females and cubs, sub adults and adult bears are all normal. Have not come across any emaciated bears so far, which may be a good sign but there was at least one tragic death I know of. A Polar bear mom with cub was accidentally killed when someone fired a banger warning shot at her. Her cub was sent to the zoo for care.

Came across a decent Aurora Borealis the other night but I am a novice when it comes to photographing the heavens. Very little time to look at the photos. Just a few pics to update my tour and stay in touch. Will be going out a few more times on the tundra before heading home.

Click here to see Polar bear photos from my previous tours. You can follow my travels on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram and see my works on MichaelDanielHo.com. I will be providing updates on the tour as time and condition permit.

Wildlife Photography - Polar Bear Photo Tour in Canadian Sub Arctic

* * *  Read the latest post on my Polar Bear Photo Tour  * * *

I am off to the Canadian sub Arctic, Hudson Bay for a Polar bear photo tour. Although this region is called the sub Arctic, the temperatures are generally even colder than the high Arctic, like Svalbard. The cold winds from the North Pole can bring temperatures down to -40+ degrees Fahrenheit starting in mid Autumn and lasting through late Winter.

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 unfurred parts of the body 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 forepaws 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. Polar bear cubs weigh about 2 lbs at birth. They look similar in appearance to adults, though they have much thinner fur.

There are five countries with Polar bear populations - U.S.A., Russia, Denmark (Greenland), Norway (Svalbard) and Canada. 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, England. During the winter, when the ice extends further south, Polar bears move as far south as Newfoundland and into the northern Bering Sea.

Although Polar bears have no natural predators, male bears sometimes kill young cubs for food or to try and mate with their mothers. Sadly, Polar bears are still being hunted on a quota system by indigenous people and sometime big game hunters. Another big threat to these endangered animals is the warming of the Arctic region and pack ice are forming later and later every year. Polar bears depend on the pack ice to hunt seals and the early ice melt is forcing them to spend more time and energy looking for food and finding fewer seals. They face an uncertain future as the sea ice melt faster and faster in the summer.

Photographing Polar bears is one of the most exciting thing a wildlife photographer can do. They have little fear of man and are highly curious. I have come face too face with them and they are large, powerful apex predators. Click here to see Polar bear photos from my previous tours. You can follow my travels on Facebook , Twitter and Instagram and see my works on MichaelDanielHo.com. I will be providing updates on the tour as time and condition permit.