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Canon 5D Mark III hits US retailers, available in stores today
Well, that didn't take long at all. Hours after our Canon 5D Mark III review went live, we've received word that the camera is already available for purchase, and if you happen to live in New York City and can make it to B&H before 7PM, you could even take one home today! A call to the retailer confirmed that there are just three kits available, each with a 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM lens in the box for $4,299. If you're looking for a body-only version, you'll need to hang tight, but if you don't mind splurging on the pricey duo, now would be the time to cancel those Thursday night dinner plans in favor of some low-light NYC shooting.
Canon EOS 5D Mark III field review
Shoot in the dark. That's essentially what you can do with the Canon 5D Mark III -- with a top sensitivity of ISO 102,400, what was once unfathomable could soon become an acceptable standard. While point-and-shoot manufacturers are adding WiFi and GPS, and tweaking algorithms in an effort to boost sensitivity beyond the 6400 mark, Canon and Nikon are making clear cases for a DSLR upgrade, by drastically improving image quality. The 5D Mark II had an excellent three-year run, but with its 22.3-megapixel sensor, 1.04M-dot 3.2-inch LCD, improved autofocus and high-performance video capabilities, Canon's latest full-frame DSLR is an entirely different beast, and a very compelling successor. We spent two glorious weeks with a pre-production 5D Mark III before reluctantly shipping it back to Canon. The biggest benefit (for us, at least) has been high-ISO shooting. While the former 5D could theoretically handle ISO 25,600 captures as well, its native range topped out at 6400 -- venturing beyond that territory meant taking a hit on image quality, making it a seldom-used feature that benefited the camera's spec sheet far more than our low-light snap collection. With this latest iteration, we were able to capture sharp images in environments where there was far too little light to make out details with the naked eye, just as we have with the larger (and pricier) Nikon D3S. Our resulting scenes look like they were lit with sophisticated rigs, or in an environment that allotted far more natural light than was actually available. Low-light shooting is but one benefit of the Mark III, however, so join us past the break for a closer look in our field review.
Mercedes slaps sheet of LEDs on the side of an F-Cell, turns car into a chameleon
It's not often that folks want to hide the fact that they're driving a Mercedes, what with plenty of them being among of the finest motorcars on the road. However, as part of a marketing plan to call attention to its zero-emissions F-Cell model, the German marque swathed a side of one in LEDs to give it the ultimate in camouflage. You see, in addition to that makeshift display, a Canon 5D Mark II was mounted on the other side of the car so that video of its surroundings could be shown on the LED bodywork -- rendering the car all but invisible to onlookers, as long as they're staring at the left side, of course. Go ahead, head on down to see the magic of digital camo for yourself in the video after the break.
Canon 5D Mark II goes back in time with circa-1908 lens
Old camera lenses being re-purposed on modern DSLRs is hardly anything new, but Canon 5D Mark II user Timor Civan's latest bit of kit is anything but common. He came into the possession of a circa 1908 Wollensak 35mm F5.0 Cine-Velostigmat lens (for a hand-cranked film camera) by way of a Russian lens technician described as a "mad scientist," who also managed to fit the lens to the 5D after about six hours of work. Needless to say, the results speak for themselves. Hit up the source link below for a collection of samples, and a closer look at the lens itself.
HDR video accomplished using dual 5D Mark IIs, is exactly what it sounds like
Are you ready for a wave of HDR to crash over the consumer electronics industry, leaving nothing but oversaturated photos and full-to-the-brim Flickr groups in its wake? We've got a sneaky suspicion that Apple's inclusion of HDR in the iPhone is one of those telling warning signs that you ignore at your own risk, and now we've got HDR video to cower from behind our fast-aging current gen devices. As you might expect, HDR video looks just like HDR stills (an underexposed and an overexposed image combined into one), except in motion. The effect has been accomplished by Soviet Montage Productions, who used two Canon EOS 5D Mark II DSLRs and a beam splitter, which allows each camera to look at the exact same subject, to accomplish the effect. They're short on details on the post-processing end, but we're sure there will be "an app for that" before too long. Sample is after the break. [Thanks, Mike]
Canon updates EOS-1D Mark IV and Rebel T2i / 550D firmware, squashes manual exposure movie bug
When we asked fine readers like yourself how you'd improve the EOS-1D Mark IV and Rebel T2i not a soul mentioned manually exposed video, but if you were personally plagued by a jittery aperture when shooting said footage with certain lenses (a bug that previously appeared in the 5D Mark II) you'll be happy to hear Canon diligently decided to fix the issue anyhow. The 1.0.8 firmware updates for both aforementioned DSLRs are now available at our source link, but unless you've personally had a problem they may not be worth your time; Canon's changelog shows aside from fixing a few menu misspellings, the new code does absolutely nothing else.
Canon 5D Mark II used to shoot entire House season finale, director says it's 'the future'
May 17, folks. That's the date when the grumpy doctor you wish you were and the snazzy camera you wish you owned will join forces on American network television. The final episode in this season's run of House has been shot exclusively using Canon's 5D Mark II, and the show's director Greg Yaitanes has been taking questions about the experience on Twitter. PetaPixel have helpfully collated the Q&A session into a coherent pseudo-interview, which you'll be able to find at the source below. The major takeaway is that the crew liked the experience and didn't have to do an overwhelming amount of work to adapt to the different shooting method. Guess after SNL and its own movie, the 5D Mark II just had to go and do a guest appearance on its favorite TV show. [Thanks, Ben K]
Canon 5D Mark II helmet mount attracts Hollywood's attention
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.
Waterproof 5D Mark II housing allows for 1080p under the sea
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]
