To me photography is much more than just a Hobby, it resumes my artistic passion. gbphotographyusa@gmail.com www.gbphotographyusa.com
Thursday, January 27, 2011
An excellent tripod for a medium range price SEE R...
An excellent tripod for a medium range price SEE R...: "Manfrotto 190XPROB 3-Section Tripod with 322RC2 Ball Head Kit 190XPROB Tripod 322RC2 Head Supports 11 lbs ..."
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Photographing local people
How to avoid embarrassing situations while trying to take pictures in other countries
By Derek Doeffinger
Do as I do now and not as I did then, and maybe a certain street flower lady in La Paz, Boliva won’t swat you upside the head with a bouquet of gladiolus.
When you find somebody you’d like to photograph don’t ambush or surprise them with your camera. It will be perceived as rude (mainly because it is) and they may not react as you expect.
Before you begin your photographic endeavors, remind yourself that while women strolling with baskets of fruit on their heads or men guiding burros along a cobblestone street may seem fresh and unique to you, the converse is not true. You are the umpteenth camera-toting tourist they’ve seen and while the locals may endure being gawked at they don’t usually consider it an honor that you want to photograph them.
So what should you do? How should you behave? The most important technique to photographing people is respect. This is especially true in Hispanic cultures. If you want to photograph somebody, ask their permission. You can ask permission by smiling and pointing to your camera, or by asking them in Spanish (see the upcoming article on 10 essential Spanish phrases for photographers). If they agree, proceed.
Worth it: I paid this gentleman about $7 for his mariachi band to play a few songs while I took pictures—what a bargain!
“Modeling fees”
And don’t be surprised if you’re asked for money. Faced with so many tourists taking their pictures, many street people have learned they have a chance to make some money. So if you’re stopping off at villages in Peru’s Sacred Valley and see older women in colorful costumes walking along the street carrying a lamb or baby llama, don’t think how cute. Instead, realize you’re actually looking at street models who are ready to pose for pictures—if the fee is right.
Usually the fee is right—only a dollar or two in that country’s currency. In some places, you’ll find the fee a prerequisite for cooperation, so when you ask if you can take a picture, mention or show the amount you’re willing to pay. And if you’re going to take up much of their time or ask them to pose or move to another area, offer a few dollars more. Which means you should always bring along enough small change or bills to cover at least five transactions. Some photographers may balk at this, considering street people out in the public as fair game for their cameras. However, I don’t begrudge them a few dollars. Most are struggling to get by and you are likely getting a treasured photo. A few bucks seems like a fair exchange.
If you are going to be in the same destination for several days, you may want to use the print kiosk at the local drug store to make a few prints of your photos and hand them out to your past subjects and show them to potential subjects to gain cooperation. Typically a 5 x 7 costs $0.50 or less. But people greatly appreciate such gestures and will be more likely respond to your overtures.
Heavenly timing: This nun simply appeared in the doorway as I was walking by. My camera was ready for action so I was able to grab the shot.
Surreptitious shooting
True street photographers are probably blanching at the advice above. How on earth can you get a realistic, spontaneous shot of people in their environment if you first ask them if you can take a picture? And they’re right.
I use two approaches when striving for spontaneous street life shots. But my overall philosophy remains the same: Respect the subject. If somebody realizes I am taking their picture and objects, I stop.
Technique one—near and nonchalant
Set your camera up before you begin strolling the street. This approach is based on using a fast shutter speed and shooting from the hip or a dangling arm. So set a high ISO (1600), a high shutter speed (1/1000 second or faster), and use a wide-angle lens. Experience will show whether your autofocus system is quiet and fast enough to produce the results you want. If not, set focus to manual and preset the focus distance to approximately eight feet.
If the intended subject is busy, you may be able to grab the shot with normal technique and not be noticed if you shoot extremely quickly. Don’t linger. More often you may want to be in the vicinity of the subject. Don’t face him or her. Fiddle with your camera while actually angling it towards the subject and taking a picture or two. As long as you don’t look at the subject, the act of lingering may disguise your intent. But don’t overdo it. If you’ve got that high shutter speed set, you can even stroll by with the camera in the hand of your dangling arm and shoot as you walk by. It’s a hit and miss technique that can give interesting results.
Far-out close-up: Set to 200 mm, I used my 70-300 mm zoom to take several shots of this gentleman from a distance.
Technique two—far with a telephoto
Perhaps the safest approach is to use a 200 mm or 300 mm telephoto and sit on a bench or street corner and watch as city life unfolds around you. If you sit for a while, you’ll eventually blend in and can quickly snap pictures without being noticed. Many people don’t seem to object to being photographed if you don’t invade their personal space—as long as you don’t overdo it.
But again, if they object, respect their wishes, and move on.
When you find somebody you’d like to photograph don’t ambush or surprise them with your camera. It will be perceived as rude (mainly because it is) and they may not react as you expect.
Before you begin your photographic endeavors, remind yourself that while women strolling with baskets of fruit on their heads or men guiding burros along a cobblestone street may seem fresh and unique to you, the converse is not true. You are the umpteenth camera-toting tourist they’ve seen and while the locals may endure being gawked at they don’t usually consider it an honor that you want to photograph them.
So what should you do? How should you behave? The most important technique to photographing people is respect. This is especially true in Hispanic cultures. If you want to photograph somebody, ask their permission. You can ask permission by smiling and pointing to your camera, or by asking them in Spanish (see the upcoming article on 10 essential Spanish phrases for photographers). If they agree, proceed.
“Modeling fees”
And don’t be surprised if you’re asked for money. Faced with so many tourists taking their pictures, many street people have learned they have a chance to make some money. So if you’re stopping off at villages in Peru’s Sacred Valley and see older women in colorful costumes walking along the street carrying a lamb or baby llama, don’t think how cute. Instead, realize you’re actually looking at street models who are ready to pose for pictures—if the fee is right.
Usually the fee is right—only a dollar or two in that country’s currency. In some places, you’ll find the fee a prerequisite for cooperation, so when you ask if you can take a picture, mention or show the amount you’re willing to pay. And if you’re going to take up much of their time or ask them to pose or move to another area, offer a few dollars more. Which means you should always bring along enough small change or bills to cover at least five transactions. Some photographers may balk at this, considering street people out in the public as fair game for their cameras. However, I don’t begrudge them a few dollars. Most are struggling to get by and you are likely getting a treasured photo. A few bucks seems like a fair exchange.
If you are going to be in the same destination for several days, you may want to use the print kiosk at the local drug store to make a few prints of your photos and hand them out to your past subjects and show them to potential subjects to gain cooperation. Typically a 5 x 7 costs $0.50 or less. But people greatly appreciate such gestures and will be more likely respond to your overtures.
Surreptitious shooting
True street photographers are probably blanching at the advice above. How on earth can you get a realistic, spontaneous shot of people in their environment if you first ask them if you can take a picture? And they’re right.
I use two approaches when striving for spontaneous street life shots. But my overall philosophy remains the same: Respect the subject. If somebody realizes I am taking their picture and objects, I stop.
Technique one—near and nonchalant
Set your camera up before you begin strolling the street. This approach is based on using a fast shutter speed and shooting from the hip or a dangling arm. So set a high ISO (1600), a high shutter speed (1/1000 second or faster), and use a wide-angle lens. Experience will show whether your autofocus system is quiet and fast enough to produce the results you want. If not, set focus to manual and preset the focus distance to approximately eight feet.
If the intended subject is busy, you may be able to grab the shot with normal technique and not be noticed if you shoot extremely quickly. Don’t linger. More often you may want to be in the vicinity of the subject. Don’t face him or her. Fiddle with your camera while actually angling it towards the subject and taking a picture or two. As long as you don’t look at the subject, the act of lingering may disguise your intent. But don’t overdo it. If you’ve got that high shutter speed set, you can even stroll by with the camera in the hand of your dangling arm and shoot as you walk by. It’s a hit and miss technique that can give interesting results.
Technique two—far with a telephoto
Perhaps the safest approach is to use a 200 mm or 300 mm telephoto and sit on a bench or street corner and watch as city life unfolds around you. If you sit for a while, you’ll eventually blend in and can quickly snap pictures without being noticed. Many people don’t seem to object to being photographed if you don’t invade their personal space—as long as you don’t overdo it.
But again, if they object, respect their wishes, and move on.
Tuesday, November 23, 2010
Photographing the Thanksgiving Feast
By Jennifer Gidman Images by Hernan Rodriguez |
There’s probably no other American holiday as closely associated with food as Thanksgiving. Not only is this annual celebration an opportunity to gather with loved ones to acknowledge the blessings in your life—it’s also a chance to enjoy an abundance of traditional dishes that you usually only indulge in on the fourth Thursday in November. |
That’s why no pictorial of your own Thanksgiving gathering would be complete without capturing the bountiful banquet that’s beautifully presented on your dining room table. Portrait and food photographer Hernan Rodriguez uses three different lenses to memorialize his own Thanksgiving meals: The Tamron 90mm macro, the 70-200mm zoom, and the 60mm macro. “Using different focal lengths totally changes the look of the image,” he says. “I’ll use the 90mm to get really close to the food, for example, to get that banana cake right up in your face. Then I’ll maybe switch to the 70-200mm zoom to maybe knock down reflections or to compress the background. And the 60mm macro gives me the latitude to get the whole table.” |
The first thing Rodriguez takes into consideration when scoping out his setup for a holiday meal is the background. “I like to add ambience to the image,” he says. “So I’ll incorporate a lot into the background—what’s behind is important to project what’s in front. I start building up my table starting with the tablecloth and the dishes, setting up a color palette and patterns. Sometimes patterns don’t work too well, but in the case of Thanksgiving, a foliage-patterned tablecloth, for example, works perfectly. In terms of color, I’ll try to complement the food: With the lemon cake, for example, I tried to add some color next to it with the yellow to make it pop. Or in some shots with the cake, I used blue art paper.” |
Once he’s finessed his setup, Rodriguez puts his tripod into position and starts figuring out the best angles. “I start with my focal point, which would be the turkey in this case, to determine the best angle and the best position,” he says. “I go with whatever I think looks best. Sometimes I’m not looking through the viewfinder, though, but simply looking loosely, so it’s important for me to go back and see everything through the lens. My lens choice changes my perspective, too.”  |
When he’s finally ready to shoot, Rodriguez has to work quickly—not only does he have a hungry horde of family members waiting to dig in, but some of the appetizers, side dishes, and desserts apparently have a short shelf life as well. “Certain foods last longer than others, but there are some that you don’t have much time with at all,” he explains. “Salad, for example, withers within about three minutes. In that case, you might want to have four separate bowls ready to go, bringing the first one out just for the test shoot and then the others after that. Cheese is pretty tough, too, if you like to serve cheese as an appetizer—after a few minutes, it starts to melt and eventually turns into a glob. You can do some food-prep tricks to make certain foods last longer, like brushing olive oil onto tomatoes and cucumbers, but in general you’ve just got to work quickly.”  |
It’s most important to keep an eye on the guest of honor. “Don’t overcook the turkey—you don’t want it have too dark of a texture,” says Rodriguez. “You want to watch it as it’s cooking and gauge the color until it’s that nice golden brown. Then just varnish it—put some butter on top, or baste it with its own juices. And make sure you use a really good carving knife. You want to get some shots of the carved bird, but you want the texture of a nice cut, not a jagged one.” |
Isolating a certain dish or even a part of a food item can add an appetizing effect. “I’ll push back everything I don’t want as an emphasis and bring forward the turkey or another main focal point,” he says. “I’ll shoot for a shallow depth-of-field: Sometimes I’ll blur the mashed potatoes in front, for instance. Or maybe I’ll keep just the icing on a cupcake in focus, while the rest of the cupcake is blurred out. I also like to shoot from a lower angle and bring that food item right up to your face.”  |
Ensuring a Sumptuous Spread With the Right Lighting |
There are two lighting approaches you can take when illuminating this special repast. “Your lighting will be dictated by what you’re trying to do,” Rodriguez explains. “If you’re trying to show the whole table from front to back and you need all of that in focus, you need a lot of wattage and power; I’d use flash in that situation. But for something where you want more of a mood, where you want to project the plates of food, I’d use a lot of continuous light. In shots like that, I set up my Westcott Spiderlites, which are daylight-balanced fluorescent lights, and put them in huge softboxes.”  |
To create the best look, Rodriguez lights the food from behind to increase the shadows up front. “I think the reason a lot of food images look unappetizing is because of a lack of shadows,” he explains. “Shadows are just as important as the highlights. By lighting from behind, it creates more depth as the shadows come forward. Then I get cards, boards, or little mirrors to highlight certain spots of the food; I bring the boards in the front for fill. Plus, with continuous light, what you see is what you get: If it’s too bright, you can see it and pull it back a little bit.”  |
Rodriguez loves the color that’s often prevalent on a well-appointed Thanksgiving table, but it can be difficult to ensure that the colors of all of these different victuals remain intact. “You want to limit your light sources,” he says. “If you’re shooting with continuous lights, for example, you have to kill all other lights, like the overhead lights or light coming in a window. When I’m shooting with continuous lights, I’m usually shooting at 1/30 of a second, and if I have light coming from different places, I’m going to get different temperature shifts. I’ll also white-balance with a gray card.”  |
While Thanksgiving is a time to reflect, certain foods prove more difficult to photograph due to their own reflective nature. “Cranberries, for instance, are shiny and have their own juice,” Rodriguez explains. “A wine bottle is also quite reflective—it’s going to serve as a mirror of sorts. This can be a problem when you’ve got a turkey (which you want to light a little more to show its texture) and a bowl of cranberries right next to it.” |
To combat this problem, Rodriguez advises “feathering” the light onto more specular objects. “The angle of incidence is the angle of reflection,” he says. “Where the light hits on a product like a wine bottle or a bowl of cranberries is what’s going to reflect back onto the lens. Therefore, don’t have direct light hit the actual reflective object—angle it away from the reflective item and just have the edges of the light, a gradated light, fall on that object. That way, the shadows and highlights are on that item, but direct light isn’t, so it doesn’t reflect back so brightly. Another easy thing that anyone can do is bring out little 8x10 cards to use as reflectors: They really brighten the front end by creating specular highlights in the front.”  |
In the end, though, Thanksgiving isn’t Thanksgiving without a picture of the family gathered around the festive feast. After you’ve taken all of your “posed” food shots, it’s time to congregate the clan and freeze this special moment in time. The challenge is how to best capture two competing subjects: the dinner and the folks about to eat it. “Your biggest concern is how deep the shot is going to go—you have to choose the right aperture to carry the depth from the front to the back,” says Rodriguez. “You might want to shoot at, say, f/8 and shoot with a wider-angle lens rather than a zoom to get that depth and get everyone in focus.” |
Your lighting should also shift at this point, according to Rodriguez. “You should concentrate on making sure the people in your shots are well lit, because the viewer is going to automatically be drawn to the people in the shot first, and the food on the table second,” he says. “This is where you want them to be looking—to get a sense of the feeling around the table.” |
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
Click hereWednesday, November 3, 2010
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Tuesday, November 2, 2010
SanDisk Extreme Secure Digital (SD) Card with a $ 10 rebate
The SanDisk Extreme Secure Digital (SD) Card is designed specifically for high-end, professional photographers who work under extreme conditions and expect the very best in products and support services. It has a minimum of 30MB/second sequential write and read speed (based on SanDisk internal testing), which allows for faster capturing of large image files to the card, faster viewing of images and faster data transfer rates.
SanDisk Secure Digital Cards can be used in a variety of digital products including digital music players, cellular phones, handheld PCs, digital cameras, digital video camcorders, smart phones, car navigation systems and electronic books, and is rated Class 10 for speed and performance. The SDHC Card also contains a security feature for the protection of copyrighted data.
- Cutting Edge Technology
- Features ESP Technology (Enhanced Super-Parallel Processing Technology), which provides best-in-class performance.
- Reliable
- Tested in extreme temperature ranges from -13 to +185± Fahrenheit so that they can be used on photo shoots in any weather conditions.
- Durable
- Shock and vibration tested, constructed with industrial-grade RTV silicone for rugged use.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Till 10-30 you can get a free printer with this camera LQQK
Free Printer with the purchase of a Canon Camera
For the first time on an EOS camera, the EOS 60D DSLR boasts a three-inch Vari-Angle Clear View LCD screen, EOS Full HD video recording with manual overrides including audio level control, and in-camera functionality for RAW image processing plus Creative Filters to manipulate images after taking them. Designed primarily for advanced amateurs, the EOS 60D replaces the EOS 50D.
Press here
Another first for the EOS system is the EOS 60D camera’s new Multi-Control Dial, which places a Multi-Controller and Set button inside the Quick Control Dial. This new control layout streamlines camera navigation for vertical as well as horizontal shooting and enables a cleaner camera design. Responding to customer requests, the EOS 60D also features a locking mode dial, which makes camera operation more secure by preventing inadvertent changes to the photographer’s selected shooting mode.
While the photography mantra of “get it right in the camera” still stands true, Canon’s new EOS 60D gives advanced photographers an edge with new in-camera features that enable users to enhance their images without a computer even after they have been shot. For the first time ever in an EOS camera, the EOS 60D features in-camera processing of RAW image files, new reduced resolution image copies, and post-processing creative image filters for exceptional flexibility in digital image rendering.
In-camera RAW image processing features include Picture Style, White Balance (WB), Color Space, High-ISO Noise Reduction, Peripheral Illumination Correction, linear distortion correction and chromatic aberration correction. These powerful in-camera editing tools will allow photographers in the field to produce optimized images on the spot and generate JPEG files at various resolution and compression settings for immediate sharing, without affecting the original RAW data.
Another great new feature for photographers-on-the-go is Canon’s new image resizing function. After capturing full resolution or smaller JPEG images, the camera can generate lower-resolution copies using menu commands. New lower-resolution settings include 1920 x 1280 for optimal display on HD televisions, or 720 x 480, ideal for immediate uploading to social networking and other photo sharing web sites. The original high resolution files remain unaffected by the image resizing function.
Available for the first time in an EOS camera are Canon’s new creative image filters. Familiar to Canon PowerShot users, these fun photo effects help make a great image more dynamic, even after it has been shot. Canon provides four artistic filters that allow photographers to capture an image and then create and manipulate a digital copy of it.
• The Soft Focus effect filter helps dramatize an image and smooth over shiny reflections.
• The Grainy Black and White filter can give a different nostalgic perspective to any shot.
• Canon’s “Toy Camera” filter deliberately adds vignetting and color shift for a creative option when shooting a colorful scene.
• Users can also make a scene appear like a small-scale model, simulating the look from a tilt-shift lens, with Canon’s Miniature Effect filter, great when shooting any scene from a high vantage point.
Each of these filters can be applied to a captured still image in-camera to create a second “filtered” JPEG version, leaving the original RAW or JPEG file unaffected.
Another addition to the camera’s Live View function is Canon’s new Aspect Ratio feature whereby the Live View screen can display cropping lines for 1:1, 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratios in addition to the standard 3:2 ratio. These cropping lines make it easier to compose images in Live View, and they can help to expedite printing when using Canon’s supplied Digital Photo Professional software. Custom aspect ratios are also applied to JPEG images whether captured directly in-camera or created with the EOS 60D’s in-camera RAW image processing function.
EOS HD Video: Continuing the Video Paradigm Shift
In addition to its new still capture capabilities, the EOS 60D features Full HD video capture at 1920 x 1080 resolution with selectable frame rates of 24p, 25p or 30p. Native 24p recording helps videographers achieve a more cinema-style look for their footage without the need for post-processing. The EOS 60D builds upon the great video capabilities Canon has introduced in recent DSLR cameras and packs them into a camera photo enthusiasts will love. Full HD video capture, along with selectable cinematic frame rates for both NTSC (National Television System Committee) and PAL (Phase Altering Line) standards, will help the EOS 60D to be the camera of choice among film students and photography students alike.
The new EOS 60D camera’s movie mode also includes manual controls for exposure as well as manual audio levels in 64 steps, much like the latest firmware update for the EOS 5D Mark II HD-SLR. Users can set audio levels on the rear menu screen before shooting begins; once recording is initialized, audio adjustments are not possible. In addition, Canon has added an electronic Wind Filter to the audio controls within the movie shooting menu.
Canon has also included an in-camera movie editing feature, allowing users to shorten a video file by clipping segments from the beginning or the end, removing unwanted portions without outside software. This feature can dramatically accelerate workflow by reducing the time needed to upload video clips to a computer for further editing and assembly. The EOS 60D also includes Canon’s Movie Crop mode, which allows users to achieve 7x magnification when shooting SD video. Unlike the digital zoom feature found in many compact digital cameras, Canon’s Movie Crop mode crops the image directly from the CMOS sensor at full SD resolution to preserve image quality and still provide additional telephoto power.
Providing access to the right lens for any given shooting scenario, the EOS 60D DSLR camera is compatible with more than 60 Canon EF and EF-S lenses. The EOS 60D DSLR’s video functions are supported by two key proprietary Canon technologies, a DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor and a large APS-C–sized CMOS sensor capturing fine detail and color with an amazing cinematic depth of field. The Canon EOS 60D allows for three video recording modes – Full HD and HD in a 16:9 aspect ratio and Standard Definition (SD) in a 4:3 aspect ratio, all at selectable frame rates. The EOS 60D Digital SLR camera will record Full HD at 1920 x 1080 pixels in selectable frame rates of 24p (23.976), 25p, or 30p (29.97); 720p HD recording at 50p or 60p (59.94) and SD video at frame rates of 50p or 60p (59.94). The EOS 60D features a dedicated button to initiate live view for both video and still shooting. Once engaged, the same dedicated button will start and stop video recording.
Valuable Additional Features
Along with the adjustable LCD screen, the new EOS 60D DSLR features a class-leading 18-megapixel Canon CMOS sensor, a proprietary DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor, a 9-point Autofocus system and Canon’s exclusive iFCL Metering System (Intelligent Focus, Color, Luminance) giving it the power of a professional-level camera. Capable of capturing fast action, the 60D DSLR can shoot full resolution still images up to 5.3-frames per second (fps). The EOS 60D records its images and video clips to the photographer’s choice of SD, SDHC or new extended capacity SDXC memory cards.
The 9-point AF system on the new EOS 60D features f/5.6-sensitive cross-type focusing on all nine focusing points. Like the EOS 7D, the center AF point is a hybrid of standard cross-type and special diagonally-shaped “X” cross, with high-precision sensitivity for f/2.8 and larger aperture lenses. Complementing the AF system, Canon’s iFCL metering system, identical to that on the EOS 7D and Rebel T2i, takes color information into account and includes a 63-zone dual-layer metering sensor that reads both illumination and color for consistent results in all lighting conditions, keeping exposure levels stable from shot to shot, even as the light source changes.
Photographers will enjoy shooting in low light thanks to the EOS 60D DSLR’s wide ISO range from 100-6400 (adjustable in 1/3-step increments from ISO 100-6400 and expandable to 12,800) allowing it to capture beautiful images without flash during family milestone events such as wedding ceremonies, while still being equipped with a built-in pop-up flash for shooting the cake cutting ceremony and reception. The EOS 60D’s pop-up flash features a built-in Integrated Speedlite Transmitter for control of up to two groups of off-camera EOS Speedlites without the need for an external transmitter, providing an economical solution for multi-flash shoots.
Making accurate composition more convenient, the EOS 60D’s optical viewfinder provides 96 percent coverage along with Canon’s built-in single axis Electronic Level Display, which utilizes the exposure level scale below the picture area to let the photographer know when the camera is level. The Electronic Level Display is also visible on the camera’s LCD screen in both Live View and Movie modes. An artificial horizon display illustrates horizontal roll, allowing the photographer to know when the camera is in a fixed level position. The entire camera has been durability-tested to 100,000 exposures making the EOS 60D a reliable as well as a powerful imaging tool.
Pricing and Availability
Canon PIXMA Pro9000 Mark II Inkjet Printer
This printer in normally $ 400
Canon EOS 60D Digital SLR Camera For the first time on an EOS camera, the EOS 60D DSLR boasts a three-inch Vari-Angle Clear View LCD screen, EOS Full HD video recording with manual overrides including audio level control, and in-camera functionality for RAW image processing plus Creative Filters to manipulate images after taking them. Designed primarily for advanced amateurs, the EOS 60D replaces the EOS 50D.
Press here Another first for the EOS system is the EOS 60D camera’s new Multi-Control Dial, which places a Multi-Controller and Set button inside the Quick Control Dial. This new control layout streamlines camera navigation for vertical as well as horizontal shooting and enables a cleaner camera design. Responding to customer requests, the EOS 60D also features a locking mode dial, which makes camera operation more secure by preventing inadvertent changes to the photographer’s selected shooting mode.
While the photography mantra of “get it right in the camera” still stands true, Canon’s new EOS 60D gives advanced photographers an edge with new in-camera features that enable users to enhance their images without a computer even after they have been shot. For the first time ever in an EOS camera, the EOS 60D features in-camera processing of RAW image files, new reduced resolution image copies, and post-processing creative image filters for exceptional flexibility in digital image rendering.
In-camera RAW image processing features include Picture Style, White Balance (WB), Color Space, High-ISO Noise Reduction, Peripheral Illumination Correction, linear distortion correction and chromatic aberration correction. These powerful in-camera editing tools will allow photographers in the field to produce optimized images on the spot and generate JPEG files at various resolution and compression settings for immediate sharing, without affecting the original RAW data.
Another great new feature for photographers-on-the-go is Canon’s new image resizing function. After capturing full resolution or smaller JPEG images, the camera can generate lower-resolution copies using menu commands. New lower-resolution settings include 1920 x 1280 for optimal display on HD televisions, or 720 x 480, ideal for immediate uploading to social networking and other photo sharing web sites. The original high resolution files remain unaffected by the image resizing function.
Available for the first time in an EOS camera are Canon’s new creative image filters. Familiar to Canon PowerShot users, these fun photo effects help make a great image more dynamic, even after it has been shot. Canon provides four artistic filters that allow photographers to capture an image and then create and manipulate a digital copy of it.
• The Soft Focus effect filter helps dramatize an image and smooth over shiny reflections.
• The Grainy Black and White filter can give a different nostalgic perspective to any shot.
• Canon’s “Toy Camera” filter deliberately adds vignetting and color shift for a creative option when shooting a colorful scene.
• Users can also make a scene appear like a small-scale model, simulating the look from a tilt-shift lens, with Canon’s Miniature Effect filter, great when shooting any scene from a high vantage point.
Each of these filters can be applied to a captured still image in-camera to create a second “filtered” JPEG version, leaving the original RAW or JPEG file unaffected.
Another addition to the camera’s Live View function is Canon’s new Aspect Ratio feature whereby the Live View screen can display cropping lines for 1:1, 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratios in addition to the standard 3:2 ratio. These cropping lines make it easier to compose images in Live View, and they can help to expedite printing when using Canon’s supplied Digital Photo Professional software. Custom aspect ratios are also applied to JPEG images whether captured directly in-camera or created with the EOS 60D’s in-camera RAW image processing function.
EOS HD Video: Continuing the Video Paradigm Shift
In addition to its new still capture capabilities, the EOS 60D features Full HD video capture at 1920 x 1080 resolution with selectable frame rates of 24p, 25p or 30p. Native 24p recording helps videographers achieve a more cinema-style look for their footage without the need for post-processing. The EOS 60D builds upon the great video capabilities Canon has introduced in recent DSLR cameras and packs them into a camera photo enthusiasts will love. Full HD video capture, along with selectable cinematic frame rates for both NTSC (National Television System Committee) and PAL (Phase Altering Line) standards, will help the EOS 60D to be the camera of choice among film students and photography students alike.
The new EOS 60D camera’s movie mode also includes manual controls for exposure as well as manual audio levels in 64 steps, much like the latest firmware update for the EOS 5D Mark II HD-SLR. Users can set audio levels on the rear menu screen before shooting begins; once recording is initialized, audio adjustments are not possible. In addition, Canon has added an electronic Wind Filter to the audio controls within the movie shooting menu.
Canon has also included an in-camera movie editing feature, allowing users to shorten a video file by clipping segments from the beginning or the end, removing unwanted portions without outside software. This feature can dramatically accelerate workflow by reducing the time needed to upload video clips to a computer for further editing and assembly. The EOS 60D also includes Canon’s Movie Crop mode, which allows users to achieve 7x magnification when shooting SD video. Unlike the digital zoom feature found in many compact digital cameras, Canon’s Movie Crop mode crops the image directly from the CMOS sensor at full SD resolution to preserve image quality and still provide additional telephoto power.
Providing access to the right lens for any given shooting scenario, the EOS 60D DSLR camera is compatible with more than 60 Canon EF and EF-S lenses. The EOS 60D DSLR’s video functions are supported by two key proprietary Canon technologies, a DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor and a large APS-C–sized CMOS sensor capturing fine detail and color with an amazing cinematic depth of field. The Canon EOS 60D allows for three video recording modes – Full HD and HD in a 16:9 aspect ratio and Standard Definition (SD) in a 4:3 aspect ratio, all at selectable frame rates. The EOS 60D Digital SLR camera will record Full HD at 1920 x 1080 pixels in selectable frame rates of 24p (23.976), 25p, or 30p (29.97); 720p HD recording at 50p or 60p (59.94) and SD video at frame rates of 50p or 60p (59.94). The EOS 60D features a dedicated button to initiate live view for both video and still shooting. Once engaged, the same dedicated button will start and stop video recording.
Valuable Additional Features
Along with the adjustable LCD screen, the new EOS 60D DSLR features a class-leading 18-megapixel Canon CMOS sensor, a proprietary DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor, a 9-point Autofocus system and Canon’s exclusive iFCL Metering System (Intelligent Focus, Color, Luminance) giving it the power of a professional-level camera. Capable of capturing fast action, the 60D DSLR can shoot full resolution still images up to 5.3-frames per second (fps). The EOS 60D records its images and video clips to the photographer’s choice of SD, SDHC or new extended capacity SDXC memory cards.
The 9-point AF system on the new EOS 60D features f/5.6-sensitive cross-type focusing on all nine focusing points. Like the EOS 7D, the center AF point is a hybrid of standard cross-type and special diagonally-shaped “X” cross, with high-precision sensitivity for f/2.8 and larger aperture lenses. Complementing the AF system, Canon’s iFCL metering system, identical to that on the EOS 7D and Rebel T2i, takes color information into account and includes a 63-zone dual-layer metering sensor that reads both illumination and color for consistent results in all lighting conditions, keeping exposure levels stable from shot to shot, even as the light source changes.
Photographers will enjoy shooting in low light thanks to the EOS 60D DSLR’s wide ISO range from 100-6400 (adjustable in 1/3-step increments from ISO 100-6400 and expandable to 12,800) allowing it to capture beautiful images without flash during family milestone events such as wedding ceremonies, while still being equipped with a built-in pop-up flash for shooting the cake cutting ceremony and reception. The EOS 60D’s pop-up flash features a built-in Integrated Speedlite Transmitter for control of up to two groups of off-camera EOS Speedlites without the need for an external transmitter, providing an economical solution for multi-flash shoots.
Making accurate composition more convenient, the EOS 60D’s optical viewfinder provides 96 percent coverage along with Canon’s built-in single axis Electronic Level Display, which utilizes the exposure level scale below the picture area to let the photographer know when the camera is level. The Electronic Level Display is also visible on the camera’s LCD screen in both Live View and Movie modes. An artificial horizon display illustrates horizontal roll, allowing the photographer to know when the camera is in a fixed level position. The entire camera has been durability-tested to 100,000 exposures making the EOS 60D a reliable as well as a powerful imaging tool.
Pricing and Availability
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