Canon rebates in Canada
Canon are offering price drops and rebates in Canada reports Canon Rumors. There are price drops across low end kits for the Rebel XS & XSi. The rebates apply also to some XS/XSi kits but also the new 50D and 40D.
Apparently Canon sales have been soft so these are aimed no doubt to give them a boost. Will the credit crunch see prices fall across consumer products fall further?
Rebates in Canada are;
Rebel XS
XS w/18-55 IS $599.99 (-$50)
XS w/18-55 IS & 55-250 IS $899.99 (-$50)
XS w/18-55 IS & 75-300 $799.99 (-$50)
Rebel XSi
XSi Body Only $679.99 (-$50)
XSi w/18-55 IS $799.99 (-$50)
XSi w/18-200 IS $1299.99 (-$50)
XSi w/18-55 IS & 55-250 IS $1099.99 (-$50)
XSi w/18-55 & 75-300 $999.99 (-$50)
November 1 - December 31 Retailer Rebates
50D w/70-300 IS - $150 (This is also available Oct 17 - Oct 24)
40D w 70-300 IS - $120
XSi w/55-250 IS - $100 (2 lens kit will be down to $999.99)
XSi w/75-300 - $100 (2 lens kit will be down to $899.99)
XS w/55-250 IS - $100 (2 lens kit will be down to $799.99)
XS w/75-300 - $100 (2 lens kit will be down to $699.99)
Body only kits are included in these rebates
Canon 50D reviewed in Amateur Photographer magazine
The Canon 50D has been reviewed in print. I sat down this evening in Starbucks to read the first print review that I have seen, in UK based photography magazine Amateur Photographer.
It’s an in depth review some 7 pages long with data and images. Unsurprisingly it begins with the comparisons to the 40D but soon moves on to the 50D and the new features and specs, images and data. Obviously the new screen gets a thumbs up as does the new layout of the user interface, with the one exception of the mirror lock up function being still hidden in the depths of the menus.
There were positives with the detail of the images in the main but then comments on the noise at ISO settings higher than ISO 800. In ISO settings of 2000 and over there were reports of banding in darker areas, this isn’t the first time this has been mentioned by new owners. As has been seen across many forums there are conflicting comments on the performance, some happy, some not. The magazine reads as they are not unhappy, perhaps disappointed at the performance but do say that the images can be cleaned up in software, perhaps with some loss of some fine detail. They don’t forget that of course the higher megapixel sensor accounts for some of this. I’ve seen plenty of good high ISO postings on various forums, shot’s that I’d accept.
It scores 90/100 just two points behind the D300 and two above the 40D. A note of realism is in their summary (paraphrased), if you don’t spend lots of time shooting photos at ISO 800 or over then you’ve nothing to worry about.
I keep reading about high ISO and I do use it but accept it’s limitations but in the main part I don’t so maybe it’s the new camera for me.
Canon rebates in UK
Canon UK are offering cashback rebates on three of the low end DLSR’s in their range. The offer runs until the 12th January 09.
The cameras are
EOS 1000D £30
EOS 450D £50
EOS 40D £60
Imaging Resource post 50D review
Imaging resource has posted their first review images from a production model of the 50D along with a review of the camera. I think this is the first of the major sites to be posting review images. They have also stated that there will be more to follow most likely on Monday along with test data, though there are many test images so far. So far they say they are impressed and it looks like a winner. News that Canon is sure to be happy about.
Have a good look.
new Flickr 5D mk2 shots
If you want to see more 5D mk2 shots then follow the link to Flickr where Raffy Yllana has posted a number of shots. They are all pretty much taken with L series lenses so it is going to show off the best it can do (providing the photographer does his bit right). The IQ looks pretty good.
They are also mixed in with Video, which is no surprise, it’s going to be something anyone who gets their hands on the new camera dabbles with even if they don’t really want this feature.
http://flickr.com/photos/novellsteel/
User Canon 50D review
The new Canon 50D is reviewed on the ‘The World According to Roland’ blog written by Roland Lim. It is in comparison to the 40D with lots of side by side photo comparisons
The review does a good summary of the new features and differences to the 40D though I have to say it doesn’t give a good view of image quality overall – that’s not a negative, it just would be nice to see more photos to review tone reproduction, detail etc.
In summary there is a question of whether the camera is a worthwhile upgrade from the 40D. It is a definite Yes if you want more Megapixels to crop e.g. wildlife, a better LCD to review shots in detail, Autofocus adjustment for lenses or want to upgrade from a 350D, 400D, 400D, 20D or 30D. However it’s not an automatic upgrade from a 40D, it isn’t that different, it is better though. For me after reading this review then if thinking about upgrading from a 40D I would be looking to see where the price settles at in a few months. It has to come down surely to below the D300 price and if it does then maybe it is a worthwhile investment while selling on the 40D
http://rolandlim.wordpress.com/2008/09/30/canon-eos-50d-review/
5D mk2 stills from Vincent Lafloret
5D mk2 stills from Vincent Lafloret
Canon have posted some mk2 stills from the recent Vincent Lafloret Reverie shoot. They are all shot with a pre-production camera and are posted in full jpeg without any post processing. As you’d expect they are shot with L series glass, and most of them primes so they are going to be the best quality you can get out of the camera in good hands.
They are great quality high ISO shots and show great capabilities of the camera but I’d like to see the same effort from someone linked with Canon to produce Portrait & Landscape shots. Ok I know we are at the marketing phase so it’s all seemingly directed at ISO vs Nikon and also HD video but are the likely buyers waiting for high ISO shots? The dynamic range maybe but whatever, Canon is keeping people waiting.
http://www.usa.canon.com/dlc/controller?act=GetArticleAct&articleID=2128
5D mk2 autofocus
The 5D mk2 camera isn’t even in peoples hands, that is to say owning or fully reviewing the camera and it’s there’s widespread speculation in the forums across the web about the autofocus system and whether it is up to scratch.
Understandably with a new high cost and long awaited camera everyone wants a bigger and better version of the prevous, many seem disappointed with the apparent lack of progress against Nikon of the autofocus system. Instead Canon’s efforts appear to have gone into new sensors with higher Megapixels, low noise at high ISO’s and of course HD video.
Many people are believing that the new focus systems isn’t an improvement, and the general feeling from this is that if you shoot landscapes, weddings, portraits etc. then it should still perform well. If you want to take sports shots then with the fps speed and potential concerns on the servo focus speed and reliability then some real hands on reviews and comparisons are going to be eagerly awaited.
One good post shows sports shot’s from an old 5D, so you can see it’s not all that bad. That said they’re not from high speed sports
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/readflat.asp?forum=1032&message=29492305&changemode=1
We’re all waiting I’m sure for people to get production models and get the full reviews posted. Then of course we’ll all know and be wondering whether to hit the credit card!
5D mk2 videos from Vincent Lafloret
Following on from the great 5d mk2 blog post on the image quality are two videos from Vincent Lafloret which are a short ‘film’ and a behind the scenes video about the making of the shots. In his blog he’s said that since this content went up on Saturday there have been over half a million hits!
It’s superb quality and hard to believe that it.s from a camera, ok the production is not your average but the clarity and resolution are great (as is the Moby soundtrack)
Ps you need Quicktime to view these.
http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/2008/09/22/without-further-ado-reverie/
http://blog.vincentlaforet.com/2008/09/23/behind-the-scenes-video/
While video is a departure for Canon, they and the big competitor Nikon are clearly seeing a trend for change. Why spend so much R&D budget if they don’t believe the use of our cameras will change (expand). I’m sure Sony are not going to sit on the shelf but as they already sell video cameras I think it may be some time before they migrate to including the technology into an SLR.
It’s not going to get me interested in cinematography but if the camera is as good with stills then Wow!!
Canon 5d mk2 is ‘Stunning’
I hadn’t heard of Vincent LaFloret until the 5D mk2 arrived. Let me give you a quick CV, He’s won a Pulitzer prize for photography, shoots for the likes of Vanity Fair, Life, National Geographic, is a Canon Explorer of Light (advises/consults with them on cameras!) has won countless awards…. You get the idea.
So, back to the 5D mk2. He has taken the camera out on a commercial shoot and posted the results and thoughts.
The verdict is that the mk2 is stunning, I’ve extracted out the key points direct from the post but I’d say - go take a look, the photo’s are great and it’s a good write up and a good read.
1. The 5D MKII camera produces the best stills in low light that I’ve ever seen - what you can see with you eye in the worst light (such as sodium-vapor street lights at 3 a.m. in Brooklyn) - this camera can capture it with ease.
2. It produces the best video in low light that I’ve ever seen - at 1080p. A top commercial film editor who who regularly edits RED camera footage - and has seen the raw footage from the 5D MKII - says the 5D MKII is “far superior to the RED camera” in terms of low light performance…
3. You can use your prime and zoom lenses from your Canon still cameras with it - and shoot wide open… so you can shoot films with fisheye lenses, 50mm 1.2 as well as the 200mm f2 or 400mm 2.8 that you may already own…
4. This camera is so easy to use - that you can work incredibly quickly, mostly handheld - without a huge production - and using natural light - ergo you don’t need a huge budget and tons of preparation anymore… forget the lighting trucks and generators that take up entire city blocks…
5. This camera will sell for approx. $2,700 - and perform better than many $100K plus video cameras out there…
6. Photojournalists in particular - will be able to take full advantage of this camera’s strengths - because they are used to walking into any room, and finding the best natural “available light” in the room - or knowing how to add a single light source to make it pop… they are used to working quickly and with small or no budgets… which is something this camera is begging you to do…
It has the potential to change our industry.
That’s some verdict. It’s going to take many reviews before people believe the verdict but it’s going to be interesting reading.
Read his blog