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Exclusive interview: Behind the scenes with Canon at the Rio Olympics

05 Aug

Behind the scenes with Canon at the Rio Olympics

As sports fans around the world get ready for the official opening of the 2016 Rio Olympics, Canon’s Professional Services team are preparing too.

We spoke to Elizabeth Pratt, Director of Professional Products Marketing at Canon Professional Services about how Canon is preparing for the biggest event in the sporting calendar.

Behind the scenes with Canon at the Rio Olympics

The first shift of CPS staff, starting at 7:30AM, pauses to pose for a group photo.

What exactly are you doing in Rio right now?

I’m down here with Canon Professional Services, and there are also some folks here from our broadcast team. CPS provides event support for all kinds of things, any time a lot of media gathers — events like the Super Bowl, the Indy 500, the Kentucky Derby, the political conventions that we recently attended. These are very important assignments for photographers and we want to be on-site to ensure everything goes smoothly.

Elizabeth Pratt, Director of Professional Products Marketing at Canon Professional Services.

Elizabeth is currently in Rio for the 2016 Summer Olympics

We offer cleaning and checks on equipment to make sure that everything is working at factory spec. Also in situations like this, for someone shooting with an older model camera we like to give them the opportunity to shoot with the latest equipment.

And then of course photographers also have a need for remote cameras, but not everybody takes six cameras to an event so they can use four of them as remotes. So we loan additional cameras to help them out.

Behind the scenes with Canon at the Rio Olympics

With over 70 Canon staff supporting photographers and broadcasters, coordinating schedules is no easy task.

How long does it take to plan your presence at an event as big as the Olympics?

We started planning at least a year ago, just trying to determine how much equipment we were going to need to be able to support all of our customers, how we were going to get it all into and out of the country, through customs… It’s a collaboration between the home country, the CPS folks who are based in Rio, Canon USA is supporting with a lot of equipment, Canon Europe is contributing to the equipment as well, and we’re all sending staff. So the planning really starts at least a year in advance.

Behind the scenes with Canon at the Rio Olympics

Racks of lenses and professional Canon DSLRs, ready to be distributed to photographers at the 2016 Olympics in Rio.

Can you give us an idea of exactly how much equipment you’re sending?

Almost 1600 lenses and about 900 DSLR bodies. That’s EOS 7D II, EOS-1D X II and EOS 5DS cameras. We also have 78 staff. We have what we call our Professional Market Specialists, whose job is to support professional photographers and filmmakers by answering questions and giving people advice and support. In addition to these people we have logistics folks on site, and then actual technicians who are working on the cameras.

At most events we just do cleaning and checks, but here in Rio we have virtually a complete repair center set up where we’re doing much more extensive repairs than we normally do on-site.

How many languages do you have represented among your staff over there?

Twelve languages including English.

Behind the scenes with Canon at the Rio Olympics

The EOS-1D X II is a capable video camera, as well as being designed to capture fast sequences of still images.

Are you supporting any photographers in Rio who are using the EOS-1D X II for video, or for broadcast?

There are plenty of people shooting video with the EOS-1D X II – not necessarily for broadcast, but certainly several independent agencies and teams. Under the terms of the IOC, photographers are not permitted to shoot video at the Olympics but our big clients like Getty and AP are incorporating video more and more. We talk about video a lot to photographers and they’re being asked to shoot more video and to learn about video.

We’re starting to see newspapers and publications even merge departments and cross-train people [for stills and video].

Behind the scenes with Canon at the Rio Olympics

Canon has worked with Getty, which is creating a submersible remote camera setup using the EOS-1D X II and the 11-24mm wide-angle zoom, specifically to shoot underwater events at the Olympics.

How closely do you work with agency clients ahead of big events like this?

We’ve worked very closely with the big agencies in preparation for the Olympics. We have some robotic cameras down here and we worked with the agencies to develop them for their needs. These robotic solutions are amazing. You can shoot remotely on them from the press center with multiple remote cameras attached to one computer, and switch back and forth. It allows perspectives on the Olympics that we’ve never seen before.

We’ve been helping to support an underwater system, which was developed by Getty. It’s an EOS-1D X Mark II and 11-24mm lens. The camera is in an underwater housing, and it’s networked so that it can be controlled remotely. The flexibility of control is exceptional, and the 11-24mm has really nice distortion correction — you don’t have the kind of distortion at the frame edges that you might get with other wide-angle lenses.

Behind the scenes with Canon at the Rio Olympics

A Canon technician uses an illuminated loupe to check for dust on the sensor of an EOS-1D X II.

How many of this sort of major events have you personally been involved in?

I started off as a professional market specialist with Canon and my first Olympics was Athens in 2004.

We’re much more collaborative now in the way that we work with clients. We reach out to them well in advance and talk to them about their workflow and how their needs are changing. Then we customize solutions to meet those needs.

When I started with Canon years ago, we just made cameras and said ‘here you go’. Our whole mindset has really changed, to try and figure out how to change and adapt as the industry changes.

How will the next Olympics in 2020 be different?

I think we’re at a very interesting place now with technology, with the integration of 4K into DSLRs and the ability to grab incredibly high resolution, beautiful frames from that video. I think there’s potential to change the way that photographers work. I don’t want to try to predict the future but I think that’s probably going to be one of the biggest factors that influences what’s going to change and what new equipment will bring in the next four years.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Canon EOS-1D X Mark II Field Test: DPReview goes to the rodeo

01 Aug

The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II is a professional full-frame DSLR, and Canon’s fastest, toughest and most capable camera ever. To test out its blazingly fast shooting speeds and advanced autofocus we needed a shooting situation that would really stretch the camera’s abilities.

So saddle up, ya’ll – DPReview is headed to the rodeo…

This is sponsored content, created with the support of Canon. What does this mean?

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Flagships compared: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II versus Nikon D5

31 Jul

Flagships compared: Canon EOS-1D X Mark II versus Nikon D5

2016 is an Olympics year, and while Brazil may be scrambling to get everything ready, Canon and Nikon are fully prepared. Both manufacturers launched brand new flagship DSLRs this spring, just in time for the world’s sports and action photographers to learn how to use them ahead of the games, which start next month.

Having two major DSLRs launched into the same marketplace aimed at the same kind of photographers at the same time is a good opportunity to see how they compare. We’ve recently published full, detailed reviews of both the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II and Nikon D5, but in this article we’ll be highlighting the major differences between the two models.

Dynamic range

The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II offers greater dynamic range at base ISO than the Nikon D5 – and than any previous Canon DSLR. Source: Bill Claff

On the face of it, the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II and Nikon D5 offer a very similar sensor specification. And at 20 and 21MP respectively, their output resolution is indeed almost identical, but there are differences.

Unusually, in the contest between Canon and Nikon, the EOS-1D X Mark II’s sensor has the wider dynamic range at base ISO, which represents a major step forward for Canon’s pro lineup. Although not a match for the best-in-class performance offered by Sony’s current full-frame sensors, the 1D X Mark II bests the D5 by around one stop. Oddly, in terms of dynamic range, the D5 has moved backwards compared to its predecessor, the D4S.

The practical upshot of this is that the EOS-1D X Mark II is much more suitable for the sort of ‘expose for the highlights and pull the shadows up later’ approach to photography that makes sense in tricky lighting conditions. With the D5, you have to chose. Expose for highlight detail and color and lose definition in midtones and shadows, or expose for midtones and say goodbye to the brighter areas. With the EOS-1D X Mark II, while not best-in-class, Raw files are much more flexible.

High ISO performance

Even at ISO 64,000 the Nikon D5’s image quality is superb, and the AF system is capable of 3D Tracking in near darkness.

Of course, not everyone requires super-wide dynamic range from Raw files. For some photographers (and we suspect most photojournalists) high ISO Raw, and particularly JPEG, image quality will be more important. In this respect the D5 offers marginally superior performance to the EOS-1D X Mark II, although the difference isn’t that great within what any sensible photographer would consider a ‘normal’ ISO sensitivity span.

The D5 yields better quality JPEGs at ISO 409,600 (the EOS-1D X Mark II’s maximum setting) but above this, its additional ISO sensitivity settings (all the way up to 3.28 million) become progressively less useable. More useful is the D5’s backlighting of major controls, which is a huge benefit when changing settings at night.

Autofocus

The Nikon D5’s 153-point AF system is the most capable that we have ever seen.

As flagship sports and action cameras, the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II and Nikon D5 incorporate the best autofocus systems that their respective manufacturers know how to make.

In Canon’s case that’s a 61-point AF system, supported by a 360,000-pixel metering sensor to aid with subject tracking (‘iTR’ in Canon-speak) and face detection. Of the full 61 points, 41 are cross-type and the center point is sensitive down to -3EV in single-shot AF mode. Additionally, the 5 central points are dual-cross type, containing a long base-line x sensor in addition to the and + cross sensor for enhanced AF precision with F2.8 and faster lenses. Indeed, we’ve found these 5 points to have nearly mirrorless (contrast-detect) levels of precision, important for shallow depth-of-field photography.

The D5’s AF system features 153 points, 99 of which are cross-type, and of which 55 can be directly manually selected. The entire AF array is sensitive down to a rated -3EV, and the center point can still be used at -4EV. The D5’s metering sensor features 180,000 pixels, and works with the autofocus to create a ‘3D AF tracking’ system with face detection.

While the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II’s autofocus is very good, and leagues ahead of earlier-generation professional Canon cameras, the D5 leaves it in the dust. The D5’s AF system is without question the most capable of any camera that we have ever seen. The almost spooky reliability of 3D AF tracking, despite a lower resolution metering sensor for subject analysis, is a game-changer for all kinds of photography – not just fast action.

Easy to miss in the D5 (partly because Nikon hides it so well) is automatic AF point calibration. This is a massive time-saver when calibrating fast lenses for accurate focus, and a major selling point over the EOS-1D X Mark II (and earlier Nikon cameras).

Video

Both the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II and Nikon D5 offer 4K video, but the Canon is the better video camera. Its 1.34X crop in 4K mode is less aggressive and Dual Pixel AF transforms performance.

Again, in terms of video specification the EOS-1D X Mark II and D5 might appear to offer a very similar set of features. Both can shoot high-definition video, and both also boast 4K recording. But the exact breakdown of features – and how they are implemented – is quite different.

Of the two cameras, the EOS-1D X Mark II is unequivocally the better choice for video. Canon has been producing high-end video cameras for a long time (although in the DSLR market, Nikon got there first – just – with the D90) and the company’s experience in this field really shows. The EOS-1D X Mark II can shoot HD footage up to 120fps, which is great for slow-motion capture, and 4K at up to 60p. The D5 tops out at 60p and 30p respectively.

The EOS-1D X Mark II also imposes a less aggressive crop factor in 4K video mode: 1.34X as opposed to ~1.5X. This isn’t a huge difference, but it does mean that it’s easier to shoot wide-angle footage on the 1D X II. In addition, the EOS-1D X Mark II’s Dual Pixel AF system works brilliantly well in video mode, both in terms of speed and accuracy of AF acquisition, and also tracking. The combination of DPAF and touch-to-focus makes for a very refined shooting experience, and even swift and accurate AF for static subjects in stills. The D5’s contrast-detection AF system in live view and video is primitive by comparison.

There are a couple of points in Nikon’s favor though – unlike the EOS-1D X Mark II the D5 can offer zebra striping for highlight monitoring, and it can output clean 4K footage over HDMI to an external recorder. In addition, the D5’s entire ISO sensitivity span is available in 4K video recording, whereas by default, the EOS-1D X Mark II caps ISO at 12,800 (expandable to 204,800 with a custom function).

Rear LCD

The Nikon D5’s rear LCD screen offers 2.36-million dot resolution, color calibration, and a broad range of touch-sensitivity features.

The rear screens on the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II and Nikon D5 are the same size, but the D5’s display offers significantly higher resolution, at 2.36 million dots (to the 1.62 million dots of the 1D X II). Although the Canon’s screen is very sharp and detailed, the D5’s is noticeably better when compared side by side.

It’s not all about resolution though, and the D5 has a couple of extra tricks up its sleeve. If you find that how pictures look on the back of the camera is different to how they appear on a profiled computer, the D5’s rear LCD can be calibrated using a blue-amber, magenta-green color wheel.

And while the screens on the back of both cameras are touch-sensitive, the implementation of touch features on the Nikon D5 is much broader. In the EOS-1D X Mark II, pretty much the only thing you can do by touch is to set AF point in live view. In combination with Dual Pixel AF this works brilliantly, but touch-sensitivity is much more deeply integrated into the Nikon D5’s ergonomics. Move to the next slide to read more.

Operation and Handling

The Nikon D5’s touch-sensitive feature set is much more useful than the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II. In review mode, images can be scrolled or ‘scrubbed’ through and focus can be checked with a double-tap.

In terms of handling, as always when comparing cameras from different manufacturers, the question of which is ‘better’ is largely subjective. But that’s not to say that there aren’t some measurable differences between the Canon EOS-1D X II and the Nikon D5. For starters, there’s that rear LCD screen.

Canon is determined that no unwary professional photographer should ever do anything by accident. That was the logic behind the original EOS-1D’s ’press button A, press button A again, scroll, stand on your head then press button B’ control logic, and it remains a Canon obsession to this day. As such, the company has basically deactivated the EOS-1D X Mark II’s touch-sensitivity feature except for one action – AF point selection in live view.

Nikon isn’t as stingy in this regard, and on the D5, you can perform several operations by touch – possibly the most useful being scrolling through and zooming (by pinch or double tap) quickly into images in image review mode.

In terms of customization, both of these cameras are highly configurable, but the D5 is a level up from the EOS-1D X Mark II. Nearly every custom button on the D5 gets a comprehensive list of assignable functions, much more generous than that offered by the EOS-1D X II. Furthermore, nearly every custom button can be assigned to activate and initiate any AF mode – uniquely allowing for things like momentary disabling of subject tracking, or the ability to switch between tracking a subject you specify vs. one the camera automatically chooses. This makes it easy to adapt to changing scenarios, or instantly try a different AF mode when one doesn’t work.

Shooting speed

The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II can shoot at up to 14fps with autofocus. This comes in very handy for capturing fast and erratic action like this rodeo rider.

Both the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II and Nikon D5 are – probably – approaching the limit of how fast DSLRs can be made to take pictures before shaking themselves to bits. The EOS-1D X Mark II is the quicker of the two cameras, topping out at 16 fps in live view mode, while the D5 lags a little behind at 14 fps. With autofocus and autoexposure, the Canon can shoot at up to 14 fps, while the D5 maxes out at 12 fps. It’s worth noting the Canon can shoot at 16 fps and still display a review image between each shot – allowing you to follow your subject – while the screen on the Nikon stays blacked-out when firing at its 14 fps maximum frame rate.

Furthermore, the 4K frame grab feature on the EOS-1D X Mark II effectively allows for a 60 fps silent shooting – with AF. Rolling shutter is minimal, so this is actually a usable way of capturing the decisive moment when it comes to very fast action. The D5 can shoot silently at 30 fps for 5s, but you only get 5MP stills out of it in this mode.

On the numbers alone, the EOS-1D X Mark II has the edge in terms of speed – just. But frames per second is only one part of the equation when it comes to action photography. Remember what we said about the two cameras’ AF systems…

Memory cards

Both the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II and Nikon D5 support CompactFlash media, but the EOS-1D X Mark II offers an additional slot for faster CFast media. The Nikon D5 is available in two versions – one with twin CompactFlash slots, and one with twin XQD slots.

Here’s a funny thing – there are actually two Nikon D5s on the market. There’s one with twin CompactFlash slots, and another one with twin XQD card slots. There’s only one version of the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II, and it comes fitted with one CompactFlash slot, and one CFast slot. Confusingly, CF and CFast cards are not mechanically cross-compatible, but the slots for both media – and the cards themselves – look almost identical at a glance.

So the risk of accidentally jamming the wrong card into the wrong slot is certainly higher in the EOS-1D X Mark II than the D5, but which media choice is better?

Currently available XQD and CFast 2.0 cards provide roughly similar performance (400-500mb/s max read speed). The biggest practical difference right now is price: a high-speed (510mb/s read) 128GB CFast 2.0 card costs about twice as much as a 440mb/s XQD card of the same capacity.

Of course if you don’t shoot high frame-rate bursts in Raw mode and don’t want to record 4K video, all of this is academic. Just stick with good old trusty CompactFlash.

Battery life

The Nikon D5’s incredible battery life means that it can shoot for thousands of frames per charge – a huge selling point for action photographers and anyone working in remote conditions.

It goes without saying that the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II and Nikon D5 are tough, durable cameras. Maybe one is tougher than the other, but to be honest we don’t have the time (or the necessary credit limit) to test them to destruction. But there’s more to durability than just physical toughness. A major consideration when using a camera in rough conditions – especially in remote or primitive locations – is battery life.

The Canon EOS-1D X II’s battery life is CIPA rated at 1210 shots per charge. Not bad. But the D5 is rated at an incredible 3780 shots – almost three times as many pictures per charge.

Now, CIPA ratings should be taken with a pinch of salt, since they’re based on a series of use-case tests meant to approximate ‘normal’ use and in our experience, actual battery life is almost always better than the rating. We’ve shot well over 2000 frames per charge on the EOS-1D X Mark II without coming near to running its battery flat. But the Nikon D5’s endurance in normal use really is quite extraordinary. Unless they’re shooting a lot of 4K video, we suspect that most D5 shooters will never need to carry a spare battery.

How do they compare?

Obviously, very few (if any) photographers out there are seriously asking ‘which of these two cameras should I buy?’ For one thing, we suspect that a large portion of of eventual EOS-1D X Mark II and D5 shooters will have had their gear purchased by an agency or publication. Meanwhile, those who pay for their own gear have most likely been locked into one or other system for so long that a comparison between the two flagships is of academic interest only.

But that’s not the point of this article. In examining the two flagship DSLRs from the two biggest camera manufacturers, we’re effectively looking at the state of the art for DSLRs at this point in time. So in the final summing up, how do they compare?

It’s not a huge surprise that overall, both cameras perform very well indeed. Their identical scores and gold awards testify to that. The Canon EOS-1D X Mark II is slightly faster when shooting stills, and significantly better as a video camera. Meanwhile, the Nikon D5 offers a market-leading AF system (for stills, at least) and a much more satisfying touch-screen implementation, with more extensive customization options.

The D5’s extraordinary battery life means also that it can keep shooting for much longer between charges, and it can capture full-color images in conditions literally too dark for the human eye to discern anything. On the other hand, at base ISO in daylight, the EOS-1D X II’s extra Raw dynamic range makes it more useful for shooting in brighter, more contrasty conditions.

Ultimately, on the understanding that the question ‘which should you buy?’ is largely hypothetical in this case, we’d certainly recommend the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II for landscape photography and 4K video. If you need the world’s best AF system, and a camera that can shoot forever and literally see in the dark, then the D5 is the better option.

Read our full Canon EOS-1D X Mark II review
Read our full Nikon D5 review

Want to compare more cameras? Click here

Did we miss anything? Let us know in the comments.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Rock Solid: Canon 1D X Mark II Review

28 Jul

The EOS-1D X Mark II is Canon’s newest flagship DSLR aimed at pro-level photographers. A quick glance reveals the camera’s 1D-series heritage, but under the hood there are some exciting upgrades going on. The 1D X II is built around a new 20.2MP full-frame CMOS sensor, now with Canon’s Dual Pixel autofocus system, includes an expanded 61-point autofocus system with 24% more coverage and a 360,000-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor, and is one of the first Canon DSLRs (other than the somewhat niche 1D C) that captures 4K video. Predictably, it’s also built like a brick and performs like a Formula 1 race car.

Canon 1D X Mark II Key Specifications

New 20.2MP CMOS full-frame sensor with Dual Pixel autofocus
14 fps continuous shooting (16 fps in live view)
200+ shot buffer with Raw+JPEG (CFast 2.0)
61-point AF system with 41 cross-type sensors and 24% more coverage
360,000-pixel RGB+IR metering sensor
Native ISO from 100-51,200 (expandable to 50-409,600)
4K/60p video in DCI format (4096 x 2160 pixels) using Motion JPEG
1.62 million dot LCD touch screen
Flicker detection
CFast 2.0 card support
USB 3.0

The 1D X Mark II is a camera that anyone with previous 1D series experience can probably pick up, dial in their favorite settings, and start shooting right away — though as we’ll see on the following pages, in doing so one might overlook advancements that Canon has made in this newest edition. There are a few minor tweaks to the body – all for the better in our opinion – and it takes very little effort to adapt. This conservative approach to design is a testament to the fact that the basic form factor works well. It’s no surprise that the designs of both the Canon 1D and Nixon Dx series are quite similar and haven’t seen many changes to the basic design over the years.

Conservative changes to the body notwithstanding, the 1D X II is full of new and updated technology designed to make the camera one of the top performing models in the world. The new AF system, although still utilizing 61 AF points, now covers 24% more of the frame and is, predictably, extremely fast. There’s also a new 360,000-pixel RGB+IR sensor for face recognition and subject tracking, which Canon refers to as iTR (Intelligent Tracking and Recognition).

The jump to 20MP (vs. the 1D X’s 18MP) isn’t exactly Earth shattering, but this is a completely different sensor than any found in Canon’s previous flagship models. The 1D X II is the first full frame EOS DSLR to include Canon’s Dual Pixel autofocus system, a feature we’ve praised on other cameras. Additionally, Canon has moved to a design that uses on-chip analog to-digital-conversion, which should result in improved dynamic range of the sensor.

Compared to the Nikon D5

The obvious point of comparison to the 1D X II is the Nikon D5. A quick comparison reveals a lot of similarities and a few differences. On the surface it appears that Nikon takes the prize for high ISO and AF specs, while the 1D X II wins on continuous shooting speed and video. On the following pages we’ll try to give you a sense of how they stack up in the real world.

	Canon EOS-1D X II	Canon EOS-1D X	Nikon D5
MSRP	$ 5999	$ 6800	$ 6499
Sensor	20.2MP	18.1 MP	20.8MP
ISO range (expanded)	100 – 51,200 (50 – 409,600)	100 – 51,200 (50 – 204,800)	100 – 102,400 (50 – 3,280,000)
Viewfinder spec	0.76x mag 100% coverage 20mm eyepoint	0.76x mag 100% coverage 20mm eyepoint	0.72x mag 100% coverage 17mm eyepoint
AF points	61 (41 cross-type)	61 (41 cross-type)	153 (99 cross-type)
Live view/video AF	‘Dual Pixel’ phase detection	Contrast detection	Contrast detection
AF working range	-3 – 18 EV	-2 – 18 EV	-4 – 20 EV
RGB metering sensor resolution	360k pixels	100k pixels	180k pixels
LCD	3.2″ 1.62M-dot touch-enabled	3.0″ 1.04m dot	3.2″ 2.36M-dot touch-enabled
Burst rate	14 fps (16 with mirror up)	12 fps	12 fps (14 with mirror up)
Buffer JPEG / Raw / Raw+JPEG	Unlimited 170 81	180 38 17	Unlimited 200 200
Video	DCI 4K/60p	1080/60p	UHD 4K/30p
HDMI Out	1080 8-bit 4:2:2	1080 8-bit 4:2:2	4K/30 8-bit 4:2:2
Headphone socket?	Yes	No	Yes
Card format	1x Compact Flash 1x CFast	2x Compact Flash	2x Compact Flash or 2x XQD variants
Battery life (CIPA)	1210 shots	1120 shots	3780 shots
Dimensions	158 x 168 x 83mm	158 x 164 x 83mm	160 x 159 x 92mm
Weight	1530 g	1530 g	1405 g (XQD)

We doubt that many people are going to seriously contemplate a switch between Canon and Nikon over a few specs on one model or the other unless it’s something absolutely mission critical. Most shooters utilizing this type of camera are likely heavily invested into a system, including lenses, strobes, and even institutional support. At the same time, it’s instructive to see just how advanced both flagship models are getting. We expect that most pros or advanced amateurs could produce great results with either one.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Canon EF-M 28mm F3.5 Macro real-world samples

25 Jul

‘Get closer’ is photo advice that the Canon EF-M 28mm F3.5 takes to heart. It can achieve focus as close as 9.4cm/3.7in, and brings a couple of built-in LEDs to the party to brighten things up. It’s not perfect, but it’s priced attractively and if you’re a Canon EOS M shooter then we think this little lens is a great way to experiment with macro photography. Read more of our impressions on using it and take a look at a full gallery of samples.

Canon EF-M 28mm F3.5 Macro IS STM real-world samples

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

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Getting up close: Canon EF-M 28mm macro hands-on review

24 Jul

Hands-on review: Canon EF-M 28mm Macro

This is the Canon EF-M 28mm F3.5 Macro IS STM. It is a compact, light weight, close-focusing lens designed exclusively for Canon’s EOS M lineup. It’s image-stabilized and uses a quiet stepping motor mechanism for autofocus. It’s priced at $ 299.

Hands-on review: Canon EF-M 28mm Macro

The lens comes with a removable cover for the front

$ 299 places it below a majority of macro primes for cost. However, the Nikon Micro?Nikkor 40mm F2.8 does still beat it out in price by around $ 50, and is 2/3-stop brighter.

All the trump cards held by the Micro-Nikkor fold when other features of the EF-M 28mm Macro are brought in to consideration, though. First, even though it is a wider FOV lens, its nearest focus distance is 3.7″, nearly 3″ closer than the Micro-Nikkor. Even taking the slightly longer field of view of the Micro-Nikkor in to account, the Canon is able to achieve a 1.2x magnification in “Super Macro” mode over the Nikkor’s 1x magnification.

When working at such diminutive focus distances, there’s an inherent issue that many experienced macro photographers have learned to work around. The camera, lens, and sometimes even photographer start blocking light from the itty bitty subject. To get around this, macro photographers will use specialized lights, typically ring lights mounted to the filter thread.

Canon has gone the extra mile (inch?) and included a pair of LED lights (hidden under their cover in this shot) mounted on the left and right hand side of the front of the lens, diffused by a clear white ring, eliminating the additional requirement of a macro light kit for those extreme close-ups.

Hands-on review: Canon EF-M 28mm Macro

3.7″ is quite an extreme working distance, and this means a maximum reproduction ratio of 1.2x in ‘Super Macro’ mode. Image stabilization is included and is effective for shooting in a wide range of scenarios, although for the extreme close-ups it’s better left switched off and replaced with a tripod.

A subject at minimum focus distance illuminated by the two LED’s together receives about 8.9 EV illumination in normal macro and 9.1 EV in super macro mode when measured with an incident light meter. The lights have two levels of brightness, and are switched on via a button on the lens barrel. Both come on with a single press, and a press and hold switches to one light only. Sadly, there’s no ability to have just one LED on at full brightness and the other dimmed. They’re either both on at the same power level, or illuminated independently.

The lightweight construction and STM focus motor also help this lens focus reasonably quickly, especially when compared to the painfully slow-focusing macro lenses of yore. It isn’t as fast as some of the quickest we’ve seen, but does very well, especially considering how close its MFD is.

Hands-on review: Canon EF-M 28mm Macro

By itself, this lens weighs 130 grams, making it so light Canon boasts about the 28mm F3.5 being the ‘world’s lightest autofocus macro lens for an ILC system.’ When mounted to the EOS M3 the total weight is a featherweight 492 grams, exemplifying the lightness and convenience benefit of mirrorless systems compared to DSLRs. By comparison, a Nikon D5500 body weighs 420 grams. Add another 235 grams for the 40mm Micro lens, then another 200+ for an LED macro light kit, and the total comes out to 855 grams, or nearly double the weight of the Canon kit.

This diminutive size means weight can also be saved when making a tripod selection, as long as it is sturdy enough for work that is incredibly sensitive to vibrations.

Less weight means less fatigue and more reasons to bring the camera on location.

It resolves well…

This graph shows the maximum resolution (as a percent of Nyquist) attained by our copy of the lens at various apertures. It uses MTF-10 criteria, which is a measure of the finest detail that can be resolved with at least 10% contrast. If that sounds complicated, just keep in mind this figure is well correlated to total resolution, though isn’t as great a representation of perceived sharpness, which correlates more with MTF-50 measurements (more on that on the next slide).

Our results here show that center resolution peaks at 80% the linear resolution that can be theoretically attained, at F5.6 – a decent result. If this were resolved across the frame, you’d get about a 16MP image from this 24MP sensor. Of course it’s not, but corners aren’t too far behind, at 67% by F6.3. Not bad when you consider the higher resolving power demands placed on the lens by the smaller APS-C sensor… but what about perceived sharpness?

… and is fairly sharp

The MTF-50 result – better correlated with perceived sharpness – tells a slightly different story, indicating only around 875 line pairs per picture height resolved, which translates to ~4.6MP, or 19% of the total sensor resolution. It’s not a terrible result, but does indicate that while the lens resolves a lot of detail, it doesn’t quite maintain as much contrast as a higher performing lens might. This is no surprise, given the lens’ size, weight, and price.

While performance isn’t state of the art in terms of macro lenses (the Sony FE 90mm F2.8 deserves a shout out here), it does a good job throughout the aperture range, with good field uniformity, and fair ability to resolve fine detail, particularly when you factor in the disadvantages of the smaller APS-C sensor (which places high demands on lens’ resolving power). It doesn’t have L-series levels of contrast and perceived sharpness – but we wouldn’t expect it to.

See our gallery for a set of infinity shots to see how this tiny macro resolves real-world detail on a flat plane.

How well does it work with EOS M3?

The EOS M3’s articulating touch screen is great for close-up work when using this lens. It takes a lot of strain out of working low when one doesn’t need to peer through a viewfinder or crouch low to see the screen. Magnifying the image for focus checking also works brilliantly on the M3. There’s no pixel binning or frame rate drops in 100% magnification mode, which helps the touch-enabled panning function to operate quickly and smoothly, helping ensure the narrow focus plane is placed exactly where you want it.

It’s creative

Even club soda can make an interesting photo when shooting this close

Or rather, it can be used creatively. 1.2x magnification means that objects are 1.2 times their actual size on the sensor plane. This means objects, details or textures can completely fill the frame, creating wonderful abstract shots that aren’t usually possible without a fair bit of kit. Combine this ability with a set up that is easily carried around and opportunities for interesting shots begin to pop up everywhere, as it offers a whole new view on the seemingly mundane.

It isn’t perfect…

This image was taken with just the built-in LED lights for illumination, and was cropped and brightened in post.

Well, for $ 300, expecting absolute perfection is unrealistic, especially in the photo world.

First, it isn’t the sharpest lens out there. It’s pretty good, but in the macro world there are better options. That said, none of them have those lovely lights and will probably cost more.

The lights and image stabilization aren’t powerful enough to make this a hand-holdable macro, so don’t make the mistake of expecting that. The handheld spider shot above illustrates the pitfalls of lighting exclusively with the on board LEDs.

First, the light cast by the LEDs isn’t particularly intense. It’s bright enough to light subjects at minimum focus distance outdoors, but only when its overcast. Any direct sunlight will overpower the light and will make the lens’ shadow very obvious. By itself, the light needs to be combined with a tripod, and should be thought of as a way to avoid the complications of a ring light system (batteries, cables, etc) instead of an all-purpose fill light.

Second, when working with a high reproduction ratio, depth of field is inherently incredibly shallow. The LED lights aren’t bright enough to allow for stopping down for deep depth of field while shooting handheld in dim ambient light.

…but is still very usable

Using a narrow aperture can achieve deep depth of field when close focusing, but diffraction will decrease sharpness, as can be seen in this shot at F18.

It is important to remember that shallow depth of field is a challenge with all macro lenses. One way to get around that issue is by focus stacking. There are many software solutions to focus stacking, and Olympus has even gone as far as to include it as an automatic function in some of its cameras. One can only hope Canon does eventually as well.

The only other gripe is with the lights and their configuration. It would be nice to be able to rotate the lights 90 degrees for a sort of “clamshell” lighting instead of being stuck with the “copystand” lighting constantly, or to be able to have them configured either way regardless of wether the camera is being used in portrait or landscape orientation.

As a standard lens, it performs fine in normal working distances, but vignetting is strong wide-open, making the EF-M 22 F2 a better general use prime lens if you don’t need the macro performance.

Hands-on review: Canon EF-M 28mm Macro

This image used a combination of the built-in lights and a back lit semi-transparent surface

For beginners looking to shoot macro, the EF-M 28mm F3.5 Macro is a great place to start. Its close focus abilities mean it has a wide range of macro use cases, and the built-in LEDs mean one doesn’t have to budget for a set of lights when just getting started. It’s a great starting point for learning the challenges and pitfalls of macro photography, and will produce great results when applying those lessons.

Click here to see our Canon EF-M 28mm F3.5 Macro Sample Gallery

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Second Time Around: Canon PowerShot G7 X Mark II Review

20 Jul

Key Features

20MP 1″-type BSI CMOS sensor
24-100mm F1.8-F2.8 lens
3″ tilting touchscreen LCD
Click/click-less front dial
8 fps continuous shooting
1080/60p video capture

For nearly two and a half years, Sony had the 1″-type sensor compact camera segment all to itself with its RX100 series. While Canon had its PowerShot G1 X (and the Mark II that followed), they were anything but pocketable. In September 2014 Canon joined Sony, offering up its PowerShot G7 X. From a pure specifications point of view, the G7 X was toe-to-toe with the Sony RX100 II and RX100 III (the current models at the time it was announced) in most respects, especially in terms of focal range and usability.

Despite being so promising on paper, the G7 X proved a disappointment in a few areas. Performance in Raw mode was sluggish, battery life wasn’t great and, its lens wasn’t as good as those on some of its competitors. Canon has addressed most of those problems on the Mark II, due in large part to its Digic 7 processor, which makes its debut in the G7 X II.

From a performance perspective, the Mark II has faster burst shooting, especially when shooting Raw files, which was a big disappointment on the original model. Where the Mark I shot continuous Raw bursts at just 1 fps, the Mark II can now shoot Raws, JPEGs or both at 8 fps. Canon also claims improvements in subject recognition and tracking, which wasn’t a strong point of the original model, either.

The G7 X II offers what Canon calls ‘Dual Sensing IS’, which uses data from the image sensor (in addition to gyro-scoping sensors) to reduce blur caused by camera shake. The company claims that this system is more effective than on the G7 X, with the ability to reduce shake by four stops. There’s also a new panning IS mode that will adjust the shutter speed to ensure that your subject is ‘frozen.’

In the image quality department, the Digic 7 processor brings improved sharpening and high ISO noise reduction algorithms. We’ll see the results of that later in the review.

Perhaps the G7 X’s biggest problem was battery life, which has been boosted by 25% to 265 shots per charge (CIPA standard). Even with that increase, though, the Canon still lags behind the Sony RX100s and Panasonic Lumix ZS100/TZ100.

The G7 X II uses the same lens and 1″-type sensor as its predecessor. As you can see, the main difference on the front is a much-needed grip. It’s also slightly ‘chunkier’ in general.

Canon has moved the display hinge from the top to the bottom, which allows the screen to tilt downward by 45 degrees, something that the original G7 X could not do.

Cosmetically, the Mark II boasts three major changes. First is the addition of a much-needed grip, as the finish on the camera is quite slippery. Second, while it’s a bit subtle, Canon has moved the hinge on the tilting LCD to the bottom, which allows the screen to tilt downward, itself of just up. Finally, those who can’t decide whether they want the control ring around the lens to be ‘clicky’ or ‘smooth’ can now have both via a toggle switch to the lower-right of the lens.

Spec Comparison

Below is a look at how the key specs vary between the PowerShot G7 X I and II as well as the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-RX100 III, which is arguably the Mk II’s closest competitor.

	Canon G7 X	Canon G7 X II	Sony RX100 III
Sensor	20MP 1″-type BSI CMOS	20MP 1″-type BSI CMOS	20MP 1″-type BSI CMOS
Lens focal range	24-100mm equiv.	24-100mm equiv.	24-70mm equiv.
Max aperture	F1.8 – F2.8	F1.8 – F2.8	F1.8 – F2.8
LCD size/type	3″ tilting (180° up)	3″ tilting (180° up, 45° down)	3″ tilting (180° up, 45° down)
Touchscreen	Yes	Yes	No
Built-in EVF	No	No	Yes
Max burst rate (w/AF lock)	6.5 fps JPEG 1 fps Raw	8 fps JPEG/Raw	10 fps JPEG 6.5 fps Raw
Video	1080/60p/30p	1080/60p/30p/24p	1080/60p/30p/24p
In-camera Raw conversion	No	Yes	No
Battery life (CIPA)	210 shots	265 shots	320 shots
In-camera charging	No	Yes	Yes
Dimensions	103 x 60 x 40mm	106 x 61 x 42mm	102 x 58 x 41mm
Weight (CIPA)	304 g	319 g	290 g

As you can see, lens focal range, touchscreen and battery life are what separate the G7 X II from its competition.

Lens Comparison

The chart below breaks down the equivalent aperture for each camera, as you work your way through the zoom range. Our article here explains the concept of equivalence, but at a high level all you need to know is that the lower the line is on the graph below, the blurrier the backgrounds you’ll be able to get and, typically, the better the overall low-light performance.

As you can see, the G7 X II and RX100 III start off at the same spot, but up until about 50mm the former has a slight equivalent aperture advantage. The two cameras are matched until the RX100 III’s focal range ends up 70mm. The G7 X continues on to 100mm at F2.8 (~F7.6 equiv.), which is one of its big selling points.

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Deep dive: the Canon EOS-1D X Mark II is an underwater ace

19 Jul

Canon 1Dx Mark II Underwater Camera Review

By Backscatter Staff

Backscatter Underwater Video & Photo is the largest underwater imaging equipment supplier in the world. They love the water, and they personally dive and shoot with the gear they sell. This article originally appeared on their website and is reproduced here with their permission.

Backscatter is fortunate to have a large customer base of professional underwater filmmakers. This year our conversations on 4K cinema have revolved around three cameras: Red Weapon/EPIC Dragon, Sony a7R Mark II, and the new Canon EOS-1DX II. We’ve spent many hours underwater with each of these cameras and this article compiles our Canon 1DX II tests from four uniquely skilled underwater professionals.

Canon 1Dx Mark II underwater housing system configured for wide angle.
Nauticam NA-1DXII Underwater Housing, Nauticam 8.5 inch Dome Port, Keldan 8,000 Lumen Video Lights,Canon 1Dx Mark II Camera, Canon 8-15mm Fisheye Lens.

Who is this camera for?

If you’re both an underwater photographer and filmmaker, our test results confirm the Canon 1DX II is hands down the greatest camera we’ve tested to date. It’s a no compromise professional photography camera capable of shooting both 20MP stills at 14fps and 4K 60p video in incredibly low light. While it doesn’t offer the raw video and flexibility of a RED, it shoots broadcast quality 4K motion at a fraction of the size and cost and out performs favorites such as the Sony A7 series in low noise when tasked with the extreme requirements of underwater white balance.

Backscatter has spent over 20 years finding the best underwater cameras and we’ve learned that a chart-topping land camera is not always the best underwater camera. The new Canon 1DX Mark II is a good example. While leading groups such as DxOMark give it a ranking of 21st place, we give the Canon 1DX MK II a clear first place position for underwater applications.

The high ISO and high bit rate of the Canon 1Dx II combine to make smooth blue water transitions without banding or red channel noise even at extreme underwater white balance settings of 50,000K+. This video was shot with Canon 1DX II, Canon 8-15mm lens, and ISO settings from 320-6400. Select HD playback of 4K for full experience. Video by Backscatter staff Berkley White.

Real-world underwater low light performance

ISO performance results can vary greatly between underwater and land environments. Underwater we are forced to use extreme white balance settings of 30,000K – 50,000K or swim around with 10,000 Lumen lights just to illuminate a subject 3 feet from the camera. These underwater requirements can turn land camera test results upside down.

Our previous tests showed the Canon 1Dc was a top performer with a maximum of ISO 1250 for images in blue water and a maximum of ISO 2500 when shooting in high contrast or artificial light. The new Canon 1DX MK II now opens up blue water scenes to ISO 2500 and high contrast shots such as caves or wrecks in ambient light up to ISO 6400 even at extreme white balance settings.

White balance is less of an issue for underwater photography as raw files are easily corrected in post. For this application we do agree that cameras such as the Sony A7 series and Nikon D810 offer better low light performace, but we found the Canon 1DX II’s combination of great white balance capabilities, high bit rate video, and great ISO performance make it the best performing camera for photographer / videographer professionals.

This video was shot at 50 feet underwater with only a manual white balance and no artifical light. Canon remains king when it comes to nailing color underwater with a manual white balance. The live autofocus of the Canon 1DX II was able to stay focused on this grouper, even at lips to lens distances with thin depth of field. Shot with Canon 1DX II and Canon 8-15mm lens. Select HD playback of 4K for full experience. Video by Backscatter Pro Team member Erin Quigley.

The simplicity of underwater white balance – without filters or lights

Most underwater videographers have preferred Canon cameras for a good reason. Red light is lost within the first 10 feet underwater and you’re quickly left with nothing but the blues. To make whites appear white in ambient light, you’ll need an extreme white balance setting of 30,000K – 50,000K or more. Currently only Canon DSLRs offer this extreme white balance range to produce brilliant underwater color in-camera. As our previous testing shows, Sony cameras such as the entire A7 series are unable to white balance below 10 feet without a red filter on the lens as it is limited to 9,900K. Required filter use makes shooting in mixed lighting difficult or logistically impossible underwater. Our latest tests with the new Nikon D500 revealed it to be the best Nikon to date, but it often takes 10 to 20 attempts to register an underwater white balance at depth. RED cameras can white balance without a filter, but even modified with a H2O ELPF can’t match the rich blues that are so easily produced with Canon cameras.

When performed correctly underwater, a manual white balance with the Canon 1DX II will almost eliminate the need for color correction in post and not burden the underwater videographer with filter maintenance or the requirement to always keep subjects within 3 feet of even the brightest underwater lights. If you want to keep it simple underwater, nothing beats a camera that produces great underwater color with a manual white balance.

While Canon’s new autofocus system stunned us in wide angle and on-land tracking tests, it’s still not quite there for real world underwater macro without further experimentation. Stay tuned for our new tests. Video by Backscatter staff Rusty Sanoian.

Autofocus with underwater cinema? Almost!

Canon’s new Dual Pixel Autofocus performed incredibly well on land and we were excited to put it to the test underwater. This new autofocus system includes Flexizone Mode which offers a manually positioned zone at any point on the screen while the new AF Tracking Mode allows the focus zone to follow a moving subject across the frame. Experienced underwater videographers know that autofocus has only spelled certain death with all large sensor cameras to date. Thus, we were stunned to discover that Flexizone AF Mode was not only fast but extremely accurate in underwater wide angle scenes. For example, Erin Quigley’s video of the grouper was shot in full AF Servo mode even at close focus and low depth of field. We were even able to start a clip two meters away from a subject and push in until the subject touched the dome with smooth focus throughout. Flexizone AF Mode was the most accurate and responsive system we’ve seen for underwater wide angle.

We hoped AF Tracking Mode would shine with the razor thin depth of field in underwater macro scenes. This mode worked surprisingly well on land, but was not a slam dunk underwater. First, underwater housings don’t yet offer the ability to use the touchscreen to select focus points and require the user to position the focus zone with the joystick and activate with the set button. Secondly, water motion and passing particles seemed to cause the focus to hunt enough that we preferred to set and lock focus for most macro subjects. While some of Rusty Sanoian’s Monterey macro video used AF Tracking Mode, the majority was captured by locking focus before each shot. We are currently testing lowering the secondary menu options that Canon has cryptically named “When Active” and “AF Speed” to see if we can make AF Tracking a reliable function for underwater macro.

Experienced underwater videographers should also note that the Canon 1Dx Mark II default setting is for Movie Servo AF to be enabled and thus the camera will AF continuously even when not recording. We recommend modifying the custom controls menu to reprogram the Set or the front Function button to Pause Movie Servo AF and always monitor the LCD to verify AF is paused during low contrast pans. Further, it’s important to note that Pause Movie Servo AF will sometimes turn off after the camera goes to sleep or is cycled on and off causing unwanted AF activation. Underwater camera operators might find it best to turn Movie Servo AF off when shooting a full dive in very low contrast conditions.

Videos shot at 60p then slowed down to 30p has the effect of adding more drama to the image. More importantly, underwater shooters can’t always set up a tripod on a pristine reef and slow motion helps us eliminate camera shake for hand held sequences. Video by Backscatter Pro Team member Dustin Adamson.

Why is 4K 60fps amazing for underwater video? Stability!

We’ve all fallen in love with slow motion videos and the hidden world that is exposed when we slow down real time. The Canon 1DX II would not be considered a slow motion camera on land, but 60fps and 120fps video is about all we need in the fluid underwater environment. On land it may be easy to mount a camera to a tripod for rock steady footage, but we can’t always drop a tripod on a pristine reef. Slowing down reality helps us add stability to our shots. Maybe that clip of the mother humpback with her calf caught you unexpectedly and you had some camera shake? Slowing your 60fps video to 30fps will double your clip length and smooth out your camera wobbles. Maybe you were fighting your tripod when a tiny jaw fish was aerating his eggs? Playback your video at 30fps to get 2x the time on a great macro behavior shot with less camera shake. You’ll pay a price on hard drives when shooting higher frame rates, but you’ll double your chances to get the shot.

Cons of large file sizes and issues with new CFast cards

The Canon 1DX II is outfitted with (1) CF and (1) CFast card slot. All 4K 60P recording longer than 10 seconds must be recorded to the new CFast card. At a blistering 6GB per minute, you’ll need to buy 256GB CFast cards to get roughly 40 minutes of recording time per dive. Newcomers to low compression 4K will also need to upgrade their portable and home hard disks in a major way. Hard drives are inexpensive these days, but CFast cards are bleeding edge and still demand a premium price.

Canon recently issued a firmware update to fix issues with Sandisk CFast cards. Our test pilots didn’t experience any of these Sandisk issues, but one had a catastrophic issue with a Lexar 256GB card that was unrecoverable. Currently Backscatter is only recommending Delkin 256GB CFast cards as they have been the only cards without reported issues. Stay tuned for more feedback from the field.

Which 4K camera is best underwater?

Canon 1DX II VS. SONY A7 SERIES CAMERAS

In an era where airline baggage fees have people compromising with smaller cameras, the mirrorless Sony a7R Mark II has been a crowd favorite for good reason. Its large sensor produces beautiful low noise 42MP stills, 4K 30p video, and a complete system is easily carried on a plane all at a great price. It performs best when shooting macro scenes where features such as focus peaking and super 35 mode really shine. The Sony a7R Mark II becomes difficult to use for underwater wide angle. The above-mentioned inability to white balance without a filter makes shooting with or without lights on the same dive almost impossible. Advanced photographers will miss an optical viewfinder when trying to compose wide-angle scenes at upward angles. In these situations the mirrorless screen overexposes and only provides a guess on classic underwater photo compositions. Filmmakers will greatly prefer the 800mbps data rate and 60fps of the Canon 1DX II over the Sony’s 100mbps and 30fps when scaling to larger projects. For most people the choice between these two cameras will be a mater of budget, physical size, and ability to overcome the limitations of the Sony a7R Mark II.

Canon 1DX II VS. RED EPIC DRAGON

If your project has the budget, the RED EPIC DRAGON remains the ultimate “fix it in post camera.” RED continues to offer the greatest dynamic range, bitrate, and lens selection. If your project has skilled editors and colorists, they’ll prefer the flexibility that raw video offers to correct shooting errors and ability to color match a project across a wide range of unpredictable natural light sequences. The H2O OLPF filter and Dragoncolor 2 color space have significantly helped RED reproduce underwater color, but we’d like to see more underwater performance in a system in this price range. While RED remains king of large budget projects, the Canon 1DX II will certainly be the top pick for streamlined underwater productions. Based on our tests, the Canon 1DX II offers better saturated blues and overall lower noise in the blue light (red light starved) underwater environment. Assuming the proper white balance and exposure is attained while in water, the 1Dx Mark II footage looks fantastic out of the camera and is ready to pass to the Director or Producer in the field eliminating the need for expert level grading. If your project is heavy underwater and you have a medium to small budget, the 1Dx Mark II is an easy win.

Canon 1Dx Mark II underwater housing configured for macro.
Nauticam NA-1DXII Underwater Housing, Nauticam Flat Port, Nauticam SMC Macro Lens, Dive & See 5 inch Monitor, Light & Motion Sola Video 2500 Lumen Lights, XIT404 Tripod Plate, XIT404 Tripod Legs, Canon 1Dx Mark II Camera, Canon 100 IS Macro Lens.

We know you have questions – give us a call!

The team here at Backscatter is just like you. We want to spend the least on our personal gear, but still get the most future-proof camera system available. Give our cinema experts a call. We’re happy to walk you through all of the options and guide you towards the best camera for your goals and budget.

Backscatter Underwater Video & Photo is the largest underwater imaging equipment supplier in the world. Since 1994, Backscatter has supported sport divers, filmmakers, and production companies with gear and technical support from its locations in Monterey, California and Derry, New Hampshire. Backscatter is far from a typical retailer and lives by its motto, “We dive, shoot, and service everything we sell” by publishing hundreds of detailed gear reviews from first hand experience and offering instructional seminars and trips around the world.

Backscatter is the only US retailer with a complete in-house warranty service center for all major underwater brands. Backscatter is the US distributor for Olympus in the scuba diving retail channel and also manufacturers its own line of underwater camera accessories such as the FLIP system of color correction optics for GoPro cameras. For more about Backscatter or articles on equipment and technique, please see http://www.backscatter.com

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Under pressure: Canon vs. Nikon in a hydraulic press

08 Jul

It’s a question photographers have been asking since time immemorial – or since the 1970s, at any rate: which is best? Canon or Nikon? The brave souls over at the Hydraulic Press Channel are committed to finding out. And they’re going to do so in the only way they know how – by using a hydraulic press. In the yellow corner: a Nikon FA. In the red corner: a Canon AE-1.

We don’t want to ruin the outcome of this unconventional two-way test before you’ve watched the video (apart from anything else, we’re far from clear on the criteria of the contest) but we dare you to only watch it once.

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Canon G7 X Mark II added to studio scene

05 Jul

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JPEG Performance

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Raw Performance

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These improvements come with many other changes for the G7 X Mark II, which will be covered in our full review. Stay tuned!

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