30 July 2013

Firmware updates for Canon EOS-1D Mark III & IV and EOS-1Ds Mark III


Canon just posted a firmware update for their EOS-1D Mark III, EOS-1D Mark IV, and EOS-1Ds Mark III DSLR cameras.

The new firmware addresses the following two issues:
  1. Resolves the following phenomenon: when the camera is not attached to a lens, power consumption may be higher than usual, causing premature battery drain.
  2. Resolves a phenomenon in which "Err 70" ("Err 02" on the 1D Mark IV) may be displayed when the shutter is released without a lens attached.

You can download the new firmwares from the Canon USA website:

18 July 2013

Nikon posts distortion control data firmware update L1.009

Nikon has released an update of the distortion control data. Distortion control data are used to correct barrel and pincushion distortion during shooting and editing in-camera. The following Nikon cameras make use of distortion control data:
  • D90
  • D3100 / D3200
  • D5000 / D5100 / D5200
  • D7000 / D7100
  • D600
  • D800 / D800E
  • D4

You can download the L1.009 firmware update from Nikon here: Mac OS X / Windows.
Installation instructions can be found here: Mac OS X / Windows.

While there is no changelog from the previous (L1.006) version, this new L1.009 version seems to at least have added support for the new AF-S 800mm f/5.6 and its specific TC800-1.25E ED teleconverter.

2 July 2013

Canon unveils new EOS 70D camera with dual pixel sensor

Canon today unveiled their newest camera, the EOS 70D. Perhaps the most exciting feature of this new camera is the sensor. Making use of the dual pixel technology allows much faster autofocusing when using live-view as in addition to the relatively slow contrast-detect AF, it can now also make use of the much faster phase-detect AF.

The rest of the specifications of the new Canon EOS 70D are pretty good too. Here are some of the key features:
  • 20.2 megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor and DIGIC 5+
  • 19 point cross-type AF System and 7 fps shooting*
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF**
  • Instant sharing and remote control with Wi-Fi
  • ISO 12800 (H:25600)
  • Vari-angle 7.7cm ClearView II LCD touch screen
  • Intelligent viewfinder (98%coverage, 0.95 magnification)
  • Full-HD movies (30/25/24fps 1080p, 60/50/30/25/24fps 720p)
*UHS-I card required for maximum burst duration
**Dual Pixel CMOS AF is possible over 80 per cent of the width and height of the Live View frame