Canon software updates

Canon recently updated a number of their photography related applications.

As always, you can download the updates from the Canon website. Unless mentioned otherwise, the updates are for both the Windows and Mac versions of the software.

Digital Photo Professional (DPP) – raw photo editing software: 3.13.51

• Addition of Digital Lens Optimizer applicable lenses.
• Mac version: A phenomenon in which font settings are sometimes not reflected on print contact sheets has been fixed.

EOS Utility – camera communication and control software: 2.13.40

• A function has been added to allow the loading of just protected images into the PC.

Picture style editor – edit and save pictures styles: 1.13.30

• Supports EOS 70D, EOS Kiss X7 / EOS Rebel SL1 / EOS 100D, EOS Kiss X7i / EOS Rebel T5i / EOS 700D, EOS-1D C.

Image Browser EX for Mac OS X – image management software: 1.1.0

• Up to 100,000 images can be registered to the database.
• Organizing and searching image functions are newly added.
• Quicker Search by Faces.

PhotoStitch for Mac OS X – panorama stitcher: 3.2.6

• Support added for Mac OS10.7.
• QuickTimeVR has been removed from the supported image type when saving a composite image.

Nikon releases NikonView 2.8.3

Nikon has released an update to its NikonView 2 application.

Updated in View NX2.8.3

Windows version

• Compatibility with Windows 8.1, Windows 8.1 Pro, and Windows 8.1 Enterprise has been added.

Macintosh version

• Compatibility with Macintosh OS X version 10.9 has been added.
• Support for Mac OS X version 10.6 has been eliminated.

As always you can download the updates from the support sites: EU / US

Tamron announces new 150-600mm Ultra-Telephoto Zoom Lens

Tamron just announced a “revolutionary new 150-600mm Ultra-Telephoto Zoom Lens for full-frame and APS-C format DSLR cameras”. The new SP 150-600mm F/5-6.3 Di VC USD (Model A011) boast a super tele range of 150 to 600mm. The (variable) maximum aperture of 5-6.3 has made it possible for the designers to keep the weight down (it weighs less than 2kg), whilst still allowing enough light to pass through for most autofocus systems to work^*1.

This all-new ultra-telephoto zoom lens features VC (Vibration Compensation) image stabilization, USD (Ultrasonic Silent Drive), and eBAND (Extended Bandwidth & Angular-Dependency) Coating to reduce the unwanted light reflections that cause flare and ghosting. It will be available with a Canon, Nikon, or Sony mount (the Sony model comes without VC as that is built into the Sony cameras already). If you live in Japan, the lens is expected to be available from the 19th, the rest of the world will follow soon thereafter. Price indications for this lens seem to be around $1069, which is pretty cheap for such a nice focal range! If image quality is good, this may be a great lens for sports and wildlife shooters!


^*1 Modern Canon and Nikon cameras actually allow fully functional autofocus of up to f/8 (for some of the AF points). For most cameras, however, AF is fully functional only using lenses with a maximum aperture of up to f/5.6 (or even bigger). Using a lens with a smaller maximum aperture (e.g., f/6.3, like this lens), does not mean AF will not work at all, just that it won't work as fast/reliable as when using a lens with a larger max aperture in similar cases.

Firmware update 2.0.5 for the Canon EOS 7D

Canon has just released a firmware update for their EOS 7D camera. Firmware version 2.0.5 just contains one fix, a fix for “a phenomenon in which the image files cannot be transferred using the FTP protocol via USB cable after the EOS 7D camera has established a wireless connection to the Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E5 (A/B/C/D).”

You can download the update from the Canon Website. (Note that if the 2.0.5 update does not show up under the OS you are currently running, try an earlier OS version)

Adobe releases Lightroom 5.3 and Camera Raw 8.3 (for Photoshop CS6 and CC)

Adobe has just released and update to their raw processing engine. Bringing some new functionality to both Lightroom and Photoshop (note that for Photoshop CS6, the enhancements are limited to new camera support, lens profile support, and bug fixes, you'll need Photoshop CC for the full range of enhancements). If you have an older version of Photoshop, you can make use of the DNG Converter which has been updated to 8.3 as well.

Notice that this will be the last release of ACR compatible with Windows XP, Windows Vista or Mac OSX 10.6. For continued support, you will need to upgrade your OS.