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First Canon EOS-1D MKIV footage on display, 5D MKII will join the fun with new 24 / 25 fps firmware next year

by Paul Miller posted Oct 20th 2009 at 2:53PM

Double good news on the Canon front. First off we've got sample footage shot with a brand new Canon EOS-1D Mark IV, which does a good job of showing what the camera can handle under low lighting conditions, as well as serving as a poignant morality tale for skaters, who should never get in cars with strangers. But perhaps even more exciting is word that Canon is developing its own firmware update for the 5D Mark II that will take it into the indie filmmaker-friendly territory of 24 fps and 25 fps -- something that's always been assumed doable since the camera already shoots at 30. Details are scarce, and the firmware won't hit until the "first half of 2010," but if anything it should up the resale value on that 5D of yours while you claw against your credit limit for an EOS-1D Mark IV.

Read - First Canon EOS-1D MKIV movie from Vincent Laforet
Read - Canon EOS 5D Mark II to get 24 and 25fps in a firmware update!

New SNL title sequence and segments shot using Canon EOS 7D, 5D Mark II

by Nilay Patel posted Oct 2nd 2009 at 12:22PM

Sure, we'd heard of indie flicks and rumors of studio films being shot on Canon's EOS 5D Mark II, but DSLR video just got a big kick into the mainstream: Saturday Night Live's new opening title sequence was shot using an EOS 7D. SNL director of photography Alex Buono saw that Dublin's People short and was so impressed that he switched over -- and what's more, he's even using the 5D and 7D to shoot various segments, like the faux-mercial for "Bladivan" embedded below. That's a big win for this new breed of video cameras -- and while we're stoked to see new tech take over the old, we're also patiently waiting for someone to start a site dedicated to identifying jelly-motion on network television.

[Thanks, Malkmus]

Continue reading New SNL title sequence and segments shot using Canon EOS 7D, 5D Mark II

Canon 5D Mark II helmet mount attracts Hollywood's attention

by Donald Melanson posted Jul 20th 2009 at 4:29PM

Details are a bit light on this one, but the Planet 5D blog has received an email from the director of photography on 24, who himself received an email from the DP of Dollhouse, who passed on a video of a Canon 5D Mark II helmet mount built by the folks at Panavision. The rig was apparently designed specifically for use in fight scenes and other instances where a very close camera point-of-view is beneficial, and of course for "parachute drops and the like." The story also goes that the mount might have actually been used on Iron Man, although that's yet to be confirmed. Hit up the read link below to check out the video for yourself, although it unfortunately doesn't actually include any sample footage taken with the rig.

Magic Lantern EOS 5D Mark II firmware tweaks video mode, adds more manual controls

by Nilay Patel posted Jun 24th 2009 at 2:11PM

It's hacky and requires some fiddling, but EOS 5D Mark II owners interested in maxing out their video abilities will want to check out the new Magic Lantern firmware developed by Trammell Hudson. The new code adds a tons of features, including on-screen audio meters, audio and video gain control with the option to disable the auto settings, zebra stripe masking of overexposed areas, and on-screen aspect ratio overlays -- and what's more, it's billed as an "open platform," so there should be many more plugins and tweaks forthcoming. Caveats apply with this early release, though: you need to reload the firmware if the camera so much as goes to sleep, and battery drain appears to be an unresolved issue. Still, we're certain these problems will be fixed over time, since we're guessing there's gonna be tons of interest in this -- if Canon would just throw us some autofocus in addition to those new manual exposure controls, we'd be all set.

[Via Wired]

Continue reading Magic Lantern EOS 5D Mark II firmware tweaks video mode, adds more manual controls

Canon EOS 5D Mark II update with manual video exposure controls now available

by Nilay Patel posted Jun 1st 2009 at 10:31PM

We'd heard it was coming and now it's here -- the just-released EOS 5D Mark II 1.1.0 firmware update adds a much-longed-for manual exposure control to the video mode. That ought to warm some budding filmmaker hearts our there -- and the rest of us can enjoy a few other minor enhancements. Fun for the whole family!

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

Waterproof 5D Mark II housing allows for 1080p under the sea

by Darren Murph posted May 21st 2009 at 3:59AM

People are already using Canon's groundbreaking 5D Mark II to shoot feature films, but we never thought we'd see the next Jaws captured with a DSLR. 'Course, whether or not Mr. Spielberg will actually choose to use one remains to be seen, but at least the option's there now. Famed underwater imaging company Sea&Sea has just outed its newest waterproof casing, promising to keep the 1080p-capable DSLR safe for up to 60 meters under the surface. The only issue? It'll set you back almost as much as the camera body, or ¥283,500 ($2,998). Good thing you've got a Hollywood-sized budget, yeah?

[Via Akihabara News]

Searching For Sonny: first feature film shot on a DSLR

by Darren Murph posted Mar 30th 2009 at 10:23AM

What's the world coming too, really? Not only did we see the first official presidential portrait shot with a DSLR this year, but we're also seeing the first feature film to be entirely shot on one as well. Searching For Sonny has grabbed the rights to that latter claim, a little ditty written and directed by one Andrew Disney. As expected, we have Canon's almighty EOS 5D Mark II to thank, though Nikon fanboys will surely love that their lenses were used. Head past the break for a sneak peek, and hit up the read link on April 15th for the full trailer. Indie filmmakers, this is the break you've been waiting for -- don't screw it up.

Continue reading Searching For Sonny: first feature film shot on a DSLR

Canon EOS 5D Mark II flash drive: just 21.1MP shy of awesomeness

by Darren Murph posted Mar 27th 2009 at 9:23AM

You could say that this is the perfect USB flash drive for existing EOS 5D Mark II owners. We'd argue, however, that this is the perfect USB flash drive for those looking to just live vicariously while not shattering the bank. 'Course, $129.99 for a 4GB USB key is pretty absurd, but at least that gets you Live View and a 1080p movie mode. Er, wait...

[Via Zungua]

Canon EOS 5D Mark II firmware update cures 'black dot' ailment

by Ross Miller posted Jan 8th 2009 at 10:10AM

Those equipped with the Canon EOS 5D Mark II might've noticed a few continuity errors between their shots and real life, such as light from a building window missing its right side. The company has released firmware update 1.0.7 to eradicate this "black dot" phenomenon -- which can affect any point light source -- as well as fix a problem with vertical banding noise that appears when recording in sRAW1 format. Hit up the read link for patch instructions. You can go now resume your regularly-scheduled Mark II lovefest.

[Thanks, Jonathan]

Canon EOS 5D Mark II review roundup

by Darren Murph posted Dec 20th 2008 at 1:32PM

This one's been a long time coming, but we wanted to make absolutely sure you had quite enough reading material to make the most informed decision on this incredibly expensive (albeit quite valuable, as you'll soon find out) DSLR. Reviews the web over shout practically the same thing: the EOS 5D Mark II is astounding. In most every important area, the device simply excelled. Image quality was remarkable, the 1080p video capture was stellar (though the lack of Auto Focus was a legitimate knock against it) and low-light performance was simply awesome. Hailed as a respectable upgrade from the original 5D, it was found to strike "a great balance between resolution, quality and performance," and most outlets found it worthwhile even if you're not interested in capturing video. Frankly, we can't even begin to scratch the surface of all the nuances here, but we'll certainly point you in the right directions to get all the knowledge you need.

Read - PhotographyBLOG (5 out of 5)
Read - PopPhoto ("lives up to the hype")
Read - ArtByPhil ("an amazing deal")
Read - Digital Journalist ("a superb still camera, at a reasonable price")
Read - CameraLabs ("one of Canon's most powerful DSLRs to date")
Read - CameraTown ("a revolutionary camera")

Canon acknowledges, doesn't fix black dot and band problems on 5D Mark II

by Tim Stevens posted Dec 19th 2008 at 9:51AM

It's been released, unboxed, and adored by many. But, like other eagerly anticipated bodies from Canon, the 5D Mark II hasn't been entirely trouble-free for the early adopters. The company is at least stepping forward and confirming that the new model's two most commonly reported problems do indeed exist -- but isn't going so far as to fix them just yet. The first issue is called the "Black dot" phenomenon, where bright point light sources (like streetlights at a distance) result in a grouping of dark pixels immediately to their right, as seen above. The second issue is ugly vertical banding, apparently appearing only in sRAW1 mode. Canon has no advice on the first problem, but says you can avoid the other one simply by not shooting in sRAW1. Surely millions of photogs are wondering why they didn't think of that.

[Via Digital Photography Review, image courtesy of Stephan Hörold]

Canon EOS 5D Mark II unboxed

by Nilay Patel posted Dec 2nd 2008 at 11:54PM

It's been on sale for a couple days now (at least in Shanghai), so it had to happen eventually -- you're witnessing the first tentative breaths of a Canon EOS 5D Mark II as it leaves the box. So many manuals to ignore! So many useless composite video cables and driver CDs to fill your drawers! So much bubble wrap to spend intimate moments with! It all goes down at the read link, kids.

[Thanks, Mikha]

Canon's EOS 5D Mark II reportedly hitting US stores (shelves?) today

by Thomas Ricker posted Nov 25th 2008 at 6:15AM

It's near, the day that Canon's EOS 5D Mark II hits retail shelves (outside of China) is almost upon us. According to Rob Galbraith, the 21 megapixel, full-frame, Full HD-capable EOS 5D Mark II will leave Canon's US distribution centers starting today. That should translate to a body-only $2,699 retail appearance sometime this week if you're lucky. YouTube's new widescreen, high-definition, holiday videos will never be the same.

Canon's EOS 5D Mark II displays multiple LP-E6 battery capacities

by Darren Murph posted Oct 25th 2008 at 8:07AM

You may think you know everything there is to know about Canon's marvelous EOS 5D Mark II, but have you heard of this tidbit? Hailed as the first DSLR to "manage" multiple batteries, this here camera includes technology to read up to six separate LP-E6 batteries and display data about them right on the rear LCD. The LP-E6 cell includes an embedded microchip with a unique 8-character serial number; after it's installed once and "registered" in your EOS 5D Mark II body, the camera then displays each cell's serial number, the last time it was charged, the number of shots taken since the last charge, its remaining capacity in 1% increments and its recharge performance. It's a small inclusion, sure, but for pros who go 18+ hours on a single set, we can imagine this coming in handy when trying to select which battery to use on the next excursion.

[Thanks, Peter]

21.1 megapixel Canon EOS 5D Mark II with Full-Frame, Full-HD video

by Thomas Ricker posted Sep 17th 2008 at 12:30AM

After a brief tease, Canon just got official with its EOS 5D Mark II. The full-frame shooter updates the original 5D introduced back in 2005 with a 24 x 36mm 21.1 megapixel CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 processor with 14-bit analog-to-digital conversion, and the ability to capture Full HD 1,920 x 1,080 video -- take that Nikon D90 and your paltry 720p. We're talking expanded 50-25,600 ISO range,15-point autofocus with 9 selectable AF points, 3-inch Live View LCD offering 4x the pixels of the original 5D, and a 3.9fps burst for unlimited JPEGs or up to 14 RAW images when using a UDMA CF card.

With regard to video ~~leaked~~ predicted by RED CEO last week, the EOS 5D Mark II captures Full HD video at 30fps as well as VGA / 30fps for the first time on any Canon SLR. Of course, it works with any of Canon's 60 EF lenses (and whatever Carl Zeiss cooks up) for ultra-wide-angle, fish-eye, macro, and super-telephoto videography. Video can be recorded at up to 4GB per clip which is equivalent to about 12 minutes of Full HD video or 24 minutes in VGA. Video clips are recorded in .MOV format using MPEG-4 video compression and linear PCM audio. You can even record with external stereo mics attached to an input terminal.

At the end of November, Canon will sell the body-only for $2,699 or bundled with Canon's 24-105mm f/4L IS USM zoom lens for $3,499. Welcome back to the show Canon, we were starting to worry.