July 22nd, 2008 , No Comments »
Yesterday I wrote about my Nikon wish list. Today I want to write about what I think is missing from the current Canon product portfolio. Some is the same as in my Nikon wish list, like a 4/200-500 zoom lens, but others are unique to Canon.
Recently Nikon has launched some great cameras and Canon is under a lot of pressure now. In about two months, by the end of September, Photokina - the world’s largest exhibition about photography - will open it’s doors. Many expect Canon to introduce one or more new cameras and maybe a few new lenses. Here is what I would like to see.
Successor to the EOS 5D
A successor to Canon’s very successful EOS 5D has been expected for over a year now. In the meantime, Nikon launched the very interesting D700.
I am sure we will see a 5D successor at Photokina 2008. The question is what Canon will put into this model. Just adding a larger sensor (like 16 MP) and some small improvements like sensor cleaning won’t do it to have a real winner over the D700, although the latter does only have 12 MP and the new Canon will probably have several more.
But the D700 is a fully professional camera in a professional body. So the 5D successor should have some or all of the following features to be a real winner:
- about 16 MP
- full weather sealing
- much better AF with the capability to work up to f8
- at least 5 frames per second, up to 7 with battery grip
Those features would make the new camera a true innovation and not just a small upgrade. It will be interesting to see what Canon will have to offer in about two months.
Professional body with 1.6 crop factor
Canon’s EOS 40D is a great camera, but I think there is room for a more professional model with a crop factor of 1.6. I would love to see the following features in such a camera:
- 12 - 14 MP
- 8 frames per second
- full weather sealing
- AF of the 1D Mark III (or an even better system without the problems of the 1D Mark III)
- AF up to at least f8, better f11
Having AF up to at least f8 would be great for using a 4/500 + 2x extender with the camera. The AF will be a bit slower than with just a 1.4x, of course. But this will still be better than focusing manually with a 2x extender under most circumstances.
A camera with the above mentioned features would it put into the same league as the Nikon D300, or even a little above it. It would be a great tool, especially for wildlife and bird photographers. Canon has always been reluctant to introduce a powerful model below it’s EOS 1D cameras. But now that Nikon seems not be afraid to do this (the D700 will cut sales of the D3), maybe Canon will follow.
5.6/400L IS
Canon has a great 5.6/400L, but still not with IS. The IS version is overdue.
4/200-400L IS
Nikon’s 4/200-400 VR is one their most popular lenses. It’s very sharp and has fast AF. On a 1.5 crop body like the D300 it’s like a 4/300-600 VR which is perfect for birds and other wildlife.
But, although the Nikon lens has been out for many years and many Canon photographers have repeatedly said that they really want such a lens, Canon still does not offer one. I hope this will change for Photokina 2008.
4/200-500L IS
Same as with Nikon. Such a lens is really needed for all sports and nature photographers.
5.6/600L IS
Same as with Nikon. Would be great for those who can’t (or don’t) want to afford a 4/600L IS. Would also be much lighter. A 5.6/600 would make a great lens for wildlife and bird photography, even for birds in flight.
5.6/200-600L IS
Many years ago, Canon had a 5.6/150-600 (without AF) and it was very popular. A 5.6/200-600L IS would be a great lens for wildlife and sports photography.
This is just what I think Canon should add to their product portfolio to make nature and sports photographers happy. The next several years will be an interesting race between Canon and Nikon and in the end, the photographers will win, as they get better and better tools.
July 22nd, 2008 , No Comments »
The first reviews of Nikon’s D700 have appeared on the web:
Review of stillephotographie.at
German version:
German Review of stillephotographie.at
This review confirms what was expected anyway. Nikon has another real winner with the D700.
Some more information about the D700:
dpreview Hands-on Preview
Rob Galbraith on the D700
Initial Thoughts on The Nikon D700 on luminous-landscape.com
Thom Hogan on the D700
More reviews will appear in the near future and I will post links to the reviews on this site as soon as I know of them.
Order Nikon D700 from amazon.com:
July 21st, 2008 , No Comments »
At the moment, I use Canon equipment and I am happy with it, but competition is always good and the better Nikon gets, the better Canon will get.
During the last two years, Nikon has really caught up to Canon. The introduction of the super telephoto lenses with VR and especially the amazing D300 and D3 and recently the D700 have put a lot of pressure on Canon. Nikon also has the wonderful 4/200-400 VR for which there is still no equivalent from Canon.
But to be fully ahead of Canon, Nikon is still missing some cameras and lenses. What follows is my suggestions of what I think would be a great addition to the Nikon product portfolio:
D3X
This is probably the item on the wish list that will be added in the very near future to the Nikon camera family. Most rumors on the web expect the D3X (or whatever it will be called) to have a 24 MP full frame sensor in a body that is similar to the D3. That camera would help Nikon not only close the gap to Canon’s 1Ds Mark III, but even get the lead in the megapixel race (maybe together with Sony, who are also supposed to introduce a 24 MP sensor, maybe the same as will be used in the D3X).
D3H
With the D700, Nikon has put the D3’s full frame sensor in a D300 body. Maybe it would also be great to put the D300 sensor in a D3 body. With the D300’s sensor and 10 frames per seconds and a (even) faster AF than the D300 (due to more powerful CPUs), such a camera might be the ultimate camera for sport and bird shooters.
f4 versions of some of its f2.8 lenses
Nikon has a wonderful 2.8/14-24 and another wonderful 2.8/24-70 which where introduced with the D3. Nikon also has a 2.8/70-200 which is considered to be a great lens. It seems to have some problems with the full frame sensor of the D3, though.
The problem with those lenses is, that they are very heavy, especially if you have to carry them over long distances (like when photographing in the mountains). A f4 version of those lenses would be very welcome. Either with the same zoom range, or maybe something different like a 4/16-50 and 4/50-200 VR (that would be a killer combination).
Canon offers an 4/17-40, 4/24-105 IS and 4/70-200 (two versions, one with and the other without IS). Those are great lenses and compared to the 2.8 versions much lighter (and cheaper!).
Currently, Nikon does not offer those f4 lenses in professional quality like the 2.8 lenses mentioned above.
To be fair, Nikon has a 3.5-4.5/18-35mm which is not bad, but a new f4 version designed for use with the full frame sensors would still be great.
4/300 VR
Nikon’s 4/300 still does not have VR. A new version with VR is really overdue. An interesting alternative would be a 4/100-300 VR, which would be a real advantage over Canon’s 4/300 IS prime lens.
5.6/400 VR
Canon has a wonderfully sharp and light 5.6/400 (although still not with IS). Nikon should add such a lens to its portfolio, too. That would make a great (and affordable) lens for sport and nature photographers, especially for birds in flight.
5.6/600 VR
That doesn’t exist from Canon, either. But it would be a great alternative for people who want a long telephoto lens, but cannot afford a 4/600. A 5.6/600 would also be much lighter.
4/200-500 VR
Another lens, that does not exist in the product family of any manufacturer. Sigma has a 2.8/200-500, but that is nonsense for most photographers as you would need a mule to carry it and an elephant to lift it.
A 4/200-500 VR would be the nature and sports photographers dream and that lens alone would make many people move from Canon to Nikon (or from Nikon to Canon if Canon comes out with one first).
Nikon builds a wonderful 4/200-400 VR, so they should be able to build a 4/200-500 VR.
5.6/200-600 VR
An alternative to a 4/200-500 VR which would probably be lighter and cheaper.
5.6/300-800 VR
More an exotic beast, that one would still be very helpful for some nature and sport photographers, at least when you don’t have to carry it over long distances. Sigma has a very popular and sharp 5.6/300-800 but it lacks VR (IS) and does not have the fastest AF motor (although it’s not bad, either).
This was my Nikon wish list. Tomorrow I will post my Canon wish list. What are your thought’s? What do you want to see Nikon adding to there product family in the near future?
July 20th, 2008 , No Comments »
In this post I want to review the book Digital Nature Photography: The Art and the Scienceby John and Barbara Gerlach.
This book, written by professional nature photographers, is a no nonsense book about how to photograph nature in the digital age. It contains twelve chapters, covering all important topics on nature photography, including the following:
- Choosing a camera
- How to use lenses
- Exposure
- Image composition
- Using Flash
and more.
The book has almost 190 pages and contains many wonderful pictures who alone are worth the price of the book as they can be a great inspiration. Most of the pictures were taken in North America, but there are also shots from other places of the world, like Africa.
This book is not a book about using Photoshop to improve your pictures. And thats a very good thing. There are already many books out there doing this. Instead, this book focuses on the photography part, on how to use your equipment most effectively to get the shots right not on the computer but when you are out in the field.
I won’t cover all that’s in the book in this review, but pick just a few things that I especially liked.
One of the best tips in the book is to became a better naturalist. Many beginning nature photographers make the mistake to think all they need is a good camera and an expensive lens. But equally important is to know your subject, be it a bird, a dragonfly or anything else. The more you know about the biology of your subject, the better your results will be. Many books don’t mention this, so I was very glad to find it in this one.
In the chapter about getting sharp images, the authors stress the importance of a good tripod. I’ve seen photographers carrying heavy lenses like a 2.8/300 (or heavier) and then mount it on a really cheap and bad tripod. John and Barbara Gerlach convince the reader that tripods are important and also explain how to choose a good one.
My favorite chapters are those on using light and on composition. Again this is not found in many other books or only treated shortly there. The image examples in those chapters are a wonderful selection of great shots that really show the various ways to use light and to compose your pictures.
A very practical chapter is the one which covers how to carry your gear in the field. The tips there are very useful, even if not all can be used by all people (like using mules and horses to carry large equipment).
I’ve read many books on nature photography and this one is definitely among my top five. I highly recommend it.
You can get if from amazon here:
July 19th, 2008 , No Comments »
I love my Canon EF 4/500L IS. It is a great lens, very sharp even wide open. IS works great and the AF speed of the lens is amazing. But sometimes when I frame a bird or another subject I am a little too close and it would be great to have 450mm. Or sometimes the birds is a little to small for 500mm but when I add a 1.4x extender it is too big in the frame. Of course I can always crop the shot taken with 500mm but then I will always loose some data and pixels. Sometimes you can get around this problem by slightly moving towards the subject or away from it, but that is often not possible (for example when you are in a hide).
What we really need is a telephoto zoom lens. Nikon offers an amazing 4/200-400 VR which is very sharp and immensely popular among Nikon shooters. I don’t understand why Canon still doesn’t offer such a lens.
The problem with 200-400mm is, that for many animals 400mm is just not long enough. Sigma offers a 5.6/300-800. The range of the focal length is perfect for wildlife and birds. The problem is that this lens is very long and heavy (it is also knows as the “Sigmonster”). Also, it does not have image stabilization.
What we need is a Canon or Nikon 4/200-500 with image stabilization and a closest focusing distance of about 2.5m at 500mm (great for small birds and large insects). If that lens would have a bigger weight than the current 4/500 lenses from Canon and Nikon, I am sure it would be a big seller. Almost every nature photographer who could afford it, would probably buy it. And probably also most sport shooters and any other photographer who needs or wants a long lens.
So far, nothing is in sight. Nikon recently announced new versions of their 2.8/400, 4/500 and 4/600 with VR (finally) so I doubt that they will come up with a zoom in the near future. Canon announced a 5.6/800 IS so maybe there is room for a 4/200-500.
Sigma some time ago announced a 2.8/200-500. But that is nonsense as that lens is way too heavy for practical use. I wonder why they built it. If they had offered a 4/200-500 with image stabilization and fast AF, they would have had a real winner.
So for now, all we can do is to wait and see if sometimes in the future Canon or Nikon (or someone else) will offer a 4/200-500. Next time you see a Canon or Nikon representative ask them for such a lens. If enough photographers keep asking them, maybe someday they will wake up.
July 19th, 2008 , No Comments »
I love my EOS 40D as a camera for action shots. The 6.5 frames per second (or only 6 according to some tests) are a huge benefit when doing action shots. Take this shot for example:
EOS 40D, EF 4/500L IS, 1.4x extender, tripod
The wing beats of the duck (a female mallard) are very fast. The more frames per second your camera can shoot the higher the chances you get the duck with a wing position you like. That’s just simple math.
The number of frames per seconds has constantly improved with Canon prosumer models. My old EOS 10D had only 3, the 20D and 30D had 5 and the new 40D now has 6.5.
Together with a fast lens and the fast AF system of the 40D that camera is a very good but affordable tool for action photography
July 19th, 2008 , No Comments »
Are more megapixels good ? The camera manufacturers at least want you to believe this, as that would help them sell more cameras. As you probably know, many megapixels alone are not enough. Some point-and-shoot cameras have 10 or more megapixels on a very small chip. The small sensor does not deliver the same image quality as the (much) bigger sensor you find in most DSLRs. A Canon 1D Mark III with 10MP delivers a much better image quality than a point-and-shoot camera with 10MP.
But more mega pixels are not bad when you have a good sensor. For example my Canon EOS 40D has about 10MP. This is almost 4MP more than my older EOS 10D (about 6.3 MP). The image quality of the 40D is better than that of the 10D. Technology simply has become better (and cheaper!).
The more mega pixels of the 40D allow me to crop some images and still have enough resolution for a good print.
Take this picture, for example:
This image shows a landing Black-headed Gull in an interesting pose. The Gull is unfortunately not completely parallel to the sensor, but this doesn’t matter here, as I just want to show you the benefits of more mega pixels.
The picture as seen here is not the best. The wooden bar is not the most beautiful and the out of focus gull in the lower left corner doesn’t make this a better picture, either.
Thanks to the 10MP of the 40D I can make a crop with about 5MP and still could make a good looking print of 20×30cm or even more of this picture.
Here is the cropped version:
This is a much better picture as it has no distracting elements. Of course I could also have cropped this image if it had been taken with a 10D, but the result would be about 3MP instead of 5MP, which is quite a difference.If you are photographing a lot of birds you will probably crop from time to time. It’s just not possible to get close-enough to many birds all the time. The more megapixels you have, the easier it is to crop.
Some may say this is cheating but I don’t think so. That picture was taken with my Canon EF 4/500L IS and a 1.4x extender. Isn’t adding an extender also nothing but cropping in the field ? One could also argue that using a camera with a crop factor (like my EOS 40D or Nikons D300) is nothing else but cropping. So for me cropping is absolutely ok. The only disadvantage when cropping with the computer is, that you loose data, whereas you don’t loose data with an extender.
What do you think ?
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