Canon Announces 80D... Controlled Descent?

At a moment in time where camera unit sales are in free fall, the 80D feels like an effort at controlling descent rather than lighting up the after-burners.

The specs had leaked a couple of days before the official announcement, and they turned out to be pretty much right. Here are the updates verbatim from Canon’s press release: 

·      New 45-point all cross-type AF system

·      Intelligent Viewfinder with approximately 100% viewfinder coverage

·      Newly Developed 24.2 Megapixel (APS-C) CMOS sensor

·      DIGIC 6 image processor for enhanced image quality

·      Improved Dual Pixel CMOS AF for smooth, fast and accurate autofocus with video and stills

·      Built-in Wi-Fi®2 and NFCTM2 capability for easy transfer of images and movies to compatible mobile devices

·      1080/60p Full HD video to capture brilliant results in MP4 format for easy movie sharing on select social networking sites

·      Vari-angle Touch Screen 3.0-inch Clear View LCD II monitor enables flexible positioning and clear viewing even outdoors

After you finish reading them, you may be wondering: who is this camera designed to satisfy?

Is the 80D Competitive?

Don’t get me wrong: the 80D has Canon quality and ergos (some of the best in the business), and provides access to Canon’s vast array of glass (arguably the biggest and best overall). The improvements over the 70D  are real. There is even a new 18-135mm zoom designed specifically for a power zoom adapter and a new directional mic that slips into the 80D’s hot shoe.

But here’s the thing: none of these items appear to substantively address the shortcomings which placed its predecessor in the lower half of the pack (see, for example, dpreview or DxOMark), especially when it comes to video.

I mean: no 4K, limited dynamic range, limited low-light performance, no focus- or exposure-assists, no in-body image stabilization.

Will the 80D be a compelling alternative to the heretofore comparably priced Panasonic GX8 (originally $1,198 but now reduced by $200 to $997 plus $100 gift card at B&H) or Olympus OM-D E-M5 II (formerly $1,099 now also reduced by $200 to $899 at B&H) for video?

Panasonic Lumix GX8

olympus OM-D E-M5 Mk II

Remember, the GX8 records 4K internally, has a tilting EVF (as well as LCD) and dual image stabilization -- while the Oly has 5-axis IBIS and 40mp high res stills mode (when used on a tripod).

Will the 80D be a compelling alternative to Sony’s a6000 (currently $498 after $50 instant savings at B&H) or its just-announced and soon-to-be-released $998 a6300?

Sony a6000

Sony a6300

Remember, the a6000 had -- until the announcement of the 6300 – arguably the world’s fastest autofocus, along with focus and exposure assists and a 24mp sensor superior to the sensor of the 70D and 7D Mk II. The a6300 not only records 4K internally but shoots up to 120fps in full HD with minimal crop, offers 14 stops of dynamic range with S-Log3 and improved low light sensitivity with a new sensor, and has what Sony is calling the world’s fastest autofocus. Sony’s UWP D11 wireless mic + SMAD-3 Multi-Interface Shoe Adapter not only connects directly without cables but offers a headphone jack, obviating the need for either (the a6000 has neither, while a6300 has a mic jack; even so, both send audio as well as video out through their micro HDMI port, allowing one to monitor sound through a variety of external means). Their $498 XLR-K2M uses that same smart hot shoe connection to add multiple XLR inputs and Sony’s own shotgun mic to the mix.

Then again, the 80D has built-in mic and headphone jacks. 

The reason I draw these particular comparisons is because with the addition of:

• a power zoom adapter;
• relocated on-board mics;
• a new, optional shoe-mounted mic;
• 60fps in HD (up from 30);
• mic and headphone jacks; and
•  a new zoom lens with new motor

most of the updates seem to revolve around video (oddly, the tag line for the camera from Canon is “focus with precision” – speaking of which, whatever happened to the Eye-Control technology of the EOS 3, introduced on that model in 1998? And how many lenses in the Canon line-up can actually take advantage of dual pixel autofocus? HINT: it’s fewer than you think).

So: Who is It For, Really?

Maybe the answer to some of these questions will turn out to be “yes,” especially if you’re already committed to Canon lenses, prefer Canon ergonomics, or really, really like touch screens.

Which is fine.

Maybe you're looking to move up from a point & shoot or a high-end smartphone, and it's easy to go with the market leader or the 80D just feels right in your hand.

And again, that's fine.

Still, given the 80D’s modestly updated specs in such a hotly-contested market segment, it seems to me that the 80D is ultimately designed more for Canon’s shareholders than videographers. Call it the minimum functional update required to move people contemplating  the 70D (now reduced from $1,199 to $999 at B&H) to pony up an extra $200 for the 80D -- or into the much higher-spec'd and priced Cinema EOS line starting with the newly-reduced $4,499 C100 Mk II (though it will cost you a minimum of $5,999 to get into 4K Canon hybrid stills/video camera, the just announced 1D X Mark II.

Gotta protect those margins.

Which, for the last time, is fine. If I were Canon, I might do the same thing.

Then again, maybe I wouldn't.

At a moment in time when camera unit sales are in free fall and smartphones are getting crazy good, the 80D feels like an effort at controlling descent rather than lighting up the after-burners.

If you want after-burners, start by checking out the Sony a6300.

Smartphones Crush Traditional Players, Apple Tops on Flickr 2015

The handwriting is on the wall in bright colors: the halcyon days of point & shoots AND DSLRs for casual, social users are OVER - at least as far as Flickr is concerned.

Precipitous declines in Canon and Nikon use were at the hands of Apple and Samsung -- but especially Apple, as Samsung went flat in 2015. Sony was flat, but this reflects both Sony's acknowledgement that global unit volume of cameras will continue to drop -- and their strategic response of moving up-market with higher value cameras like the RX100 IV  [B&H|Amazon] , a7s II  [B&H|Amazon], a7r II  [B&H|Amazon], and RX1R II  [B&H|Amazon].

Camera phones alone exceed the share of DSLRs as "mirrorless" share grew as well -- but remember, camera phones are mirrorless too -- as are most point and shoots.

Is the Sony FS7 the Last Camera You'll Ever Need? A Five-Part Series

This series is the biggest hands-on evaluation of gear I’ve ever done with the most advanced gear I’ve ever used. I know it is incomplete, limited, and wrong – I just don’t which, where. But this also made it the perfect Three Blind Men and An Elephant project. It allowed me to see the FS7 from many different angles and thus get a little closer to some kind of objective truth not just about one camera, but the entire endeavor of filmmaking. Heads up: there is a TON of video and images in each episode, so stick with them!

But it wasn’t just the FS7 that we tested. The good folks at Zacuto, Atomos, Veydra, and CAME-TV lent us gear to fully kit it out as it was intended, with fascinating results:

·      Zacuto Recoil Rig for the FS7 and Gratical-X OLED EVF

·      Atomos Ninja Assassin 7” HDMI Monitor/4K Recorder

·      Veydra Mini-Primes in Sony E-Mount

·      CAME-TV Wireless Follow Focus Controller

Here’s a top level recap by episode, but I encourage you to visit planet5D where my original series was first published.

Episode 1: "Built Like a Tank" - I find out how tough the FS7 is when the entire setup crashes to the floor

Episode 2: "Brilliant Footage at the Cost of Ergonomics" - the footage looks amazing, but the menus and physical handling are tough for someone coming from the DSLR/ILC world.

Episode 3: "First Footage" - Did I say it looks amazing? I believe I did. But do I really need it? Want it, absolutely. But...

Episode 4: "Enter the Ninja Assassin and the Gratical X" - We respect the Gratical X and love the Ninja.

Episode 5: "The Answer" - We go a little nuts and compare 1080p footage shot with the Veydras on a Sony a6000, 4K footage shot on an iPhone 6s Plus -- and 4K 10-bit 4:2:2 footage shot on the FS7 -- to help get to a final verdict.

You can read the rest of this post on planet5D, where it was originally published.

source: http://blog.planet5d.com/2015/12/is-the-sony-fs7-the-last-camera-youll-ever-need-episode-5-the-answer/

Why An Amazon Ad on Facebook for Leica Accessories Freaks Me Out

During this holiday season, my significant other is presented with an ad from Amazon on her Facebook page proffering the perfect gift — Leica T accessories — not for her, but for me. Whoa, that’s freaky.

You can read the rest of this post on planet5D, where it was originally published.

RED Raven First Footage Looks Incredible – But Then It Would, Wouldn’t It?

RED Cameras are used by people and projects so far beyond my own capabilities – and budget — that I might as well be writing about rocket science. With its new entry-level Raven, however, RED enters the increasingly crowded sub-$10,000 4K market.  The Raven’s footage looks, well, RED stunning just like its more expensive siblings.

Still, I’ve learned enough over the past 18 months to recognize the non-camera components of this footage that contribute mightily to it, from on-screen talent to lighting, styling, set design – and skill...

You can read the rest of this post on planet5D, where it was originally published.

Is the Sony FS7 the Last Video Camera You’ll Ever Need? Episode 1

The Sony FS7 is the most capable -- and complicated -- camera I've ever used. If you're thinking of moving up from something like the Canon 5D Mk III  [B&H|Amazon] , the Panasonic GH4  [B&H|Amazon] or even the latest Sony a7s II  [B&H|Amazon] , you need to read this!

You can read the rest of this post on planet5D, where it was originally published.

Canon C100 Shooter Jumps Ship for Sony FS5

This is the first instance I've seen of a Canon C100 shooter jumping to the new Sony FS5  [B&H|Amazon]. Fascinating.

What if Samsung is Buying Nikon?

OK, Samsung denies that it is selling its NX1  [B&H|Amazon] technology to Nikon. That DOESN'T mean it isn't licensing the tech to Nikon...or even acquiring Nikon.

Here's why...

Strategic Coup? Rumors Surface Nikon has Acquired Samsung NX1 Technology

The rumor that Nikon has acquired Samsung's NX-1 technology makes a LOT of sense.

Samsung has, by all accounts, excellent sensor technology and user interface in its NX1 APS-C mirrorless camera  [B&H|Amazon]  - but very little mindshare with or lenses for  the prosumer and professional market.

Nikon  [B&H|Amazon] has oodles of mindshare -- a huge marketing presence second only to Canon -- and great lenses, but neither can stem the accelerating erosion of its DSLR-heavy sales.

If the rumors are true, Nikon's acquisition or licensing arrangement with Samsung would be a brilliant strategic move (and makes sense of the recent announcements by Samsung that it is withdrawing the NX1 from several European markets).

In one fell swoop, two highly complementary companies and brands would combine their DNA to leapfrog Canon  [B&H|Amazon] -- and give Sony  [B&H|Amazon] a run for its money -- by creating a serious mirrorless camera with Nikon's cachet and lens catalog .

You can read the rest of this post on EOSHD, where it was originally published.

This is the Best Price We’ve Seen for Canon C100: $2,999 NEW

I know people who love, love, love their original C100, and plenty of other people who think 4K is not where they want to invest their time and money. If you’ve been waiting for the price of a new, first generation Canon Cinema EOS C100 to drop to the bottom, this is probably it...

You can read the rest of this post on planet5D, where it was originally published.

One of Our Favorite Black Friday Deals So Far: Sony a6000 Body Under $400!

The a6000 was my camera of the year in 2014 – I liked it so much that I bought one, and it hastened my exit from Canon. But these prices from Amazon and B&H are the best I’ve ever seen, even less than the asking price when I bought mine.

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: the Sony a6000 [B&H|Amazon] is the best stills/video hybrid for the price anywhere – and it actually punches nose-bleed high above its fighting weight, better in most ways for this purpose than a Canon 5D Mk III  [B&H|Amazon] ...

You can read the rest of this post on planet5D, where it was originally published.

Sony Acknowledges "Black Sun" Problem; Blackmagic, Leica and Others Can Relate

Sony is the latest highly regarded brand to find a problem with a high-end product (in this instance their a7s II  [B&H|Amazon] ) only after it's out in the marketplace. Leica's SL and Blackmagic's Production 4K cameras are just two others that immediately come to mind.  The good news is that Sony has already fixed the problem, barely a week after finding it; Blackmagic has sorted their problem with fine pattern noise and black sun with their newest 4.6K sensor; and Leica is working on a fix for their L-Log problem when shooting internally in 8 bits...

You can read the rest of this post on planet5D, where it was originally published.

From Leica Directly: Here's What's Happening With L-Log on the SL

I spoke with Leica SL product manager Steffen Skopp at PhotoPlus Expo, and when news of a problem with L-log surfaced in the press, I reached out to him directly. I got this reply...

You can read the rest of this post on planet5D, where it was originally published.

The Death of Samsung’s NX1 May Not be Greatly Exaggerated?

When the 4K-recording Samsung NX1  [B&H|Amazon] came out earlier this year, it impressed reviewers.  And yet the question immediately became: "Even with Samsung's resources, how the heck can they go up against not only Canon and Nikon, but Sony?"  Looks like maybe they can't.

You can read the rest of this post on planet5D, where it was originally published.