The Canon 1D Mark IV is Canon's latest pro-level digital camera.

The Photo Dictionary, we must admit, has been off the ball in the last couple of weeks. This is primarily due to the redesign of ThePhotoDictionary.com.  Since Canon announced the release of the 1D Mark IV a little over a month ago, rumors on what Canon is doing next–the rumornuts seem to think it’s going to be a “60D” (I’m inclined to think that the 7D is the 60D, we shall see).

Fortunately, Canon keeps us stimulated with something to read, releasing their “white book” for the latest and greatest (and it is great) Canon 1D Mark IV.

The manual, which is located on canon’s website as a 123 page PDF file, covers many of the 1D’s upgrades and improvements including the new sensor, auto focus system, and the first ever HD video capture capability on a 1 series camera.

UPDATE 9/1/09 9:30AM CST:

Rob Galbraith has reviewed a pre-release 7D

” The 7D represents Canon’s most interesting attempt in awhile to provide working photographers with a camera that incorporates a useful complement of pro features at a midrange camera price.”

UPDATE 9/1/09 8:00AM CST:

Imaging-resource.com has gotten its hands on a 7D and has uploaded hundreds of pictures taken with the 7D. Check it out here: http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/E7D/E7DTHMB.HTM

ISO 12800 anyone? Lets just say, very clean

Dpreview.com has also posted some samples

http://www.dpreview.com/gallery/canoneos7d_preview/

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Canon has announced today the long suspected EOS 7D. The 7D appears to be the answer to many photographers request of a camera similar to the old EOS 3.  The 7D is poised to be a mid level camera body that provides near pro-body level performance.  Below is the official press release from canon

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CANON U.S.A. REDEFINES MID-RANGE DSLR CATEGORY WITH THE NEW EOS 7D DIGITAL SLR CAMERA

The EOS 7D Features Fast Eight fps Continuous Shooting, Class-Leading 18-Megapixel Resolution and Full HD Video Recording with Variable Frame Rates and Manual Exposure Control

Lake Success, N.Y., September 1, 2009 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today introduced a revolutionary camera that redefines the highly competitive mid-range DSLR product category: the Canon EOS 7D Digital SLR camera. Professional photographers and advanced amateurs have been demanding higher performance and more diverse functions in their cameras, and Canon has answered – with the new EOS 7D. Far more than a slight improvement from a previous model, the EOS 7D DSLR is a brand new product that stands on its own with new features never before seen in any Canon camera. Whether it’s shooting at eight frames per second (fps), focusing with the new Zone AF mode or recording 24p Full HD video, the EOS 7D DSLR camera satisfies the most rigorous professional requirements with durability, flexibility, high-resolution images and customizable controls. With its unprecedented out-of-the-box performance and high-end feature set, the EOS 7D is poised as the ultimate step-up camera for serious photographers or a second camera for professionals in the field.
The EOS 7D boasts significant EOS advancements including a completely new 19-point Autofocus system, a new Canon iFCL Metering System (Intelligent Focus, Color, Luminance) and a new Intelligent Viewfinder. An 18-megapixel Canon CMOS sensor and Dual DIGIC 4 Imaging Processors fuel the EOS 7D’s 14-bit A/D data conversion and its ability to freeze fast motion in high-resolution with eight fps continuous shooting up to 126 Large JPEGS using a UDMA CF card, positioning this camera for the studio as well as the sideline. The EOS 7D captures beautiful low-light images with or without a flash, at occasions such as a dance recital or wedding reception, thanks to a wide range of ISO speed settings from 100-6400 (expandable to 12,800). In addition to its new still capture capabilities, the EOS 7D features Full HD video capture at 1920 x 1080 resolution with selectable frame rates of 24p, 25p or 30p. Native 24p recording helps videographers achieve a more cinema-style look for their footage without the need for post-processing.

“The EOS 7D represents a completely new chapter in digital photography and Canon product development. This camera stands alone as the most functional and innovative DSLR Canon has released to-date, bringing together all of the best professional features offered, along with numerous user requests at a price-point everyone can appreciate,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A.

The Evolution of Vision, the EOS 7D’s New Autofocus System
The Canon EOS 7D boasts the most advanced AF system ever seen in an EOS SLR. The completely re-designed system includes a new multi-axis cross-type 19-point AF grid, where the focusing points are evenly spread out across the image plane and clearly displayed through Canon’s new Intelligent Viewfinder. All 19 points are f/5.6-sensitive for both horizontal and vertical cross-type focusing, while the center AF point adds high-precision diagonal cross-type sensitivity for f/2.8 and larger aperture lenses. The Canon EOS 7D Digital SLR camera is the first EOS SLR to feature 19 cross-type focusing points that remain fully functional with maximum apertures as small as f/5.6, which brings the performance of the AF system to unprecedented levels for assignments as varied as fast-moving sports action or low-light wedding ceremonies.

The Canon EOS 7D’s AF system allows numerous AF area selection modes never seen before in an EOS SLR camera. New modes include:
• Spot AF mode reduces the size of a single AF point to focus on small subjects like an animal in a cage.
• AF Point Expansion mode uses a cluster of AF points adjacent to the selected AF point to automatically assist focusing on moving subjects, such as an athlete on the run.
• Zone AF divides the 19 AF points into five selectable focusing zones and makes it easier to achieve focus with subjects that are difficult to track with Single Point AF or AF point expansion, such as birds in flight.

Additional AF improvements include a revised Automatic AF point selection sequence that allows a user to pick any one of the 19 AF points as a starting point for tracking moving subjects in AI Servo mode. (Previous EOS models required the subject to first be acquired by the center focusing point.) If the subject moves away, the camera will continue to track the movement with the remaining points and display the active focusing point in the viewfinder. Also, a time-saving feature is AF Point Switching, which allows photographers to select and register one AF point for horizontal compositions and a second AF point for vertical shooting, ideal for studio and portrait photographers.

To complement the new AF system, the exposure metering system for the EOS 7D has been completely re-designed to take color information into account, another first for an EOS system. Canon’s iFCL metering includes a 63-zone dual-layer metering sensor that reads both illumination and color for consistent results in all lighting conditions, keeping exposure levels stable from shot to shot, even as the light source changes.

Canon’s new Intelligent Viewfinder uses a liquid crystal overlay to provide clear and precise displays of focusing points and zones, on-demand grid lines and a spot metering circle. The LCD overlay can also be illuminated in extreme low-light situations or turned off completely. The EOS 7D camera’s viewfinder includes a large all-glass pentaprism with an antireflective coating to maximize clarity and provide a brighter display. The EOS 7D’s Intelligent Viewfinder features 1.0x magnification with 100 percent coverage for accurate composition and checking of detail.

EOS HD Movie: Empowering the World of Videography
Canon has blazed new trails in HD video capture with the 5D Mark II. Now, the EOS 7D takes DSLR video to new heights with Full HD capture featuring fully manual exposure control, and selectable cinematic frame rates for both NTSC (National Television System Committee) and PAL (Phase Altering Line) standards. Compatible with more than 60 Canon EF and EF-S lenses, the EOS 7D lets videographers take full advantage of the camera’s large CMOS sensor to achieve the dramatic frame composition they desire. At the heart of the EOS 7D are two key proprietary Canon technologies, Dual DIGIC 4 Imaging Processors and a large APS-C-sized CMOS sensor, helping to render stunning color reproduction, amazing depth of field and fine detail, even in low-light conditions. The Canon EOS 7D allows for three video recording modes – Full HD and HD in a 16:9 aspect ratio and Standard Definition (SD) in a 4:3 aspect ratio, all at selectable frame rates. The EOS 7D Digital SLR camera will record Full HD at 1920 x 1080 pixels in selectable frame rates of 24p (23.976), 25p, or 30p (29.97); 720p HD recording at 50p or 60p (59.94) and SD video at frame rates of 50p or 60p (59.94). The EOS 7D features a new dedicated button to initiate live view for both video and still shooting. Once engaged, the same dedicated button will start and stop video recording. Like the EOS 5D Mark II, the Canon EOS 7D Digital SLR camera provides users with the capability to use an external stereo microphone for professional audio effects or a built-in monaural microphone for convenience.

The Features You Asked For
A helpful new tool for architectural and landscape photography where angles and perspective are critical is Canon’s new built-in Dual Axis Electronic Level, featuring an artificial horizon over the image on the rear LCD screen in Live View or in the viewfinder using illuminated AF points for easy leveling while shooting. The dual axis electronic level shows both horizontal roll and vertical pitch, making it easy to identify when the camera is in a fixed level shooting position and ready to take the shot.

The EOS 7D’s pop-up flash features a built-in Integrated Speedlite Transmitter for control of multiple off-camera EOS Speedlites without the need for an external transmitter. This built-in wireless option is a compact and economical solution for studio and wedding photography with multiple flash set-ups.

A new Intelligent Macro Tracking function helps reduce blur during macro shooting by recognizing when a macro lens is attached and automatically adjusting the AI Servo sampling frequency. This AI Servo adjustment accounts for camera movement forward and back, a typical occurrence when moving in close for a macro shot as photographers rock back and forth, or a flower blows in the wind.

Once in your hands, you can immediately feel the ergonomic improvements of the Canon EOS 7D camera, starting with a new super-fluid body design with continuous curves outlining the top of the camera and a revised grip that fits better in a user’s hand. The camera has a new Quick Control Button, which opens an easy-to-navigate menu on the camera’s LCD screen. From this menu, users can adjust all camera settings including AF modes as well as set custom button functions, an insightful new feature that can easily customize each button’s function to the photographer’s preference. Another new feature is the RAW/JPEG toggle button providing quick dual-format shooting, allowing photographers to quickly add large JPEG or RAW file formats to their already selected shooting mode at the touch of a button.

The Canon EOS 7D camera also features a new large, clear 3.0-inch solid structure Clear View II LCD screen with 920,000 dot/VGA resolution for enhanced clarity and color when viewing images. The camera’s nine internal seals enhance weather resistance, and its 150,000-cycle shutter durability positions the EOS 7D as a “workhorse” for professionals in any photography discipline.

New Wireless Connectivity
Canon is announcing the availability of the new WFT-E5A wireless file transmitter (WFT) exclusively for the EOS 7D Digital SLR camera. The WFT-E5A wireless transmitter offers professional photographers a wide range of digital connectivity options including IEEE802.11a/b/g and Ethernet, ideal for commercial and studio work. The WFT-E5A wireless file transmitter opens the door to new possibilities in remote and Geotagged shooting applications. Photographers can fire up to 10 cameras simultaneously from across the room or across the country while maintaining control over camera settings and remote live view on a laptop or smart phone.i The WFT-E5A wireless transmitter can also transfer and display images on DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance) compatible televisions and photo frames. Geotagging is now possible via Bluetooth, using compatible GPS devices to append coordinate data to the images.

Pricing and Availability
The Canon EOS 7D Digital SLR camera is scheduled to be delivered to U.S. dealers at the end of September, and will be sold in a body-only configuration at an estimated retail price of $1,699.00ii. It will also be offered in a kit version with Canon’s EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM zoom lens at an estimated retail price of $1,899.00iii. The Canon WFT-E5A wireless file transmitter is scheduled to be available in early November and sell at an estimated retail price of $699.99iv.

Canon Digital Learning Center
Online visitors and Web surfers are encouraged to browse the Canon Digital Learning Center and take advantage of the various educational resources that Canon has to offer for novices and advanced photographers alike. The Canon Digital Learning Center provides a schedule for a wide variety of Live Learning classes across the country with renowned photographers as well as online resources and tips. The site also features online tutorials for beginners and professionals to learn their way around a digital SLR camera and inkjet printer and unlock the full creative control of digital photography. To learn more about each program and register, please visit: www.usa.canon.com/canonlivelearning

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranked third overall in the U.S. in 2008†, with global revenues of US $45 billion, is listed as number four in the computer industry on Fortune Magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies 2009 list, and is on the 2008 BusinessWeek list of “Top 100 Brands.” At Canon, we care because caring is essential to living together in harmony. Founded upon a corporate philosophy of Kyosei – “all people, regardless of race, religion or culture, harmoniously living and working together into the future” – Canon U.S.A. supports a number of social, youth, educational and other programs, including environmental and recycling initiatives. Additional information about these programs can be found at www.usa.canon.com/kyosei. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss.

Chinese look at falling stock prices on an electronic board at the stock market in Zhengzhou, China Monday June 4, 2007. China's main stock index plunged 8.3 percent on Monday in its biggest one-day drop since a February fall that triggered a global sell-off.

–Canon Joins the “Bad Economy Bandwagon”

There is no doubt that the global economy is in shambles. Individuals and the companies they work (or worked) for are suffering big time. Unemployment claims are at a record pace and the stock market has pretty much been in shambles itself.

As much us photographers would like to think that photography as an industry is fine, the simple truth is that it too is suffering. Not only are newspapers, which employ many of the worlds photographers, struggling to stay afloat, independent photographers are wondering if they need to adjust their prices due to the economy. It should come as no surprise then that some of the heavy hitters in the photography industry are struggling.

This week Canon announced that its profits have taken a heavy hit. The fourth quarter profits, canon says, are down 91% while profits on the year are down 37%. Canon expects digital camera sales to be down 7% this year and as a result, revenue and profits should continue to fall.

–For those of us who won’t be upgrading our camera’s this year

Last fall Canon released its update to the 5D, cleverly named the 5D Mark II. Many canon “fanboys” weren’t very happy with Canon’s update, arguing that the camera lacked important improvements (perhaps most annoyingly, an updated auto focus system).

One unique improvement was its ability to take high def video, something never before seen from a D-SLR. This is a feature that expands upon the “Live View” feature of its camera’s which was first seen on a special version of the 20D known as the 20Da. Every new DSLR of Canon’s since the 40D has Live View (450D/XSI, 40D, 50D, 1DmkIII 1DsMKIII, 5DMKII) However, the only canon camera that is capable of taking the Live View feature and turning it into HD video, is the 5DmkII–it should also be noted that Nikon’s D90 and Olympus’s E-30 also have this feature.

The feature is neat, at best. It lacks auto focus and an SLR camera is simply not designed to take video (a tripod is a must). That said, it is a very unique and fun tool to have. Fortunately for those of us who aren’t upgrading our camera’s this year (thus contributing to Canon’s lack of profits?) to the 5DmkII, there are workarounds.

A couple of months ago the first attempt surfaced on a Russian website. It is basically just a small program that you download to your computer. With the camera plugged into the computer (via USB), the program activates the Live View feature, and captures what it sees. Many have called this a “hack” but the truth is that it technically isn’t. However, there appears to be an actual hack in the works that will enable you to record video to your CF card–no cables, cords, or computers required.

This is neat. I played around with the program version last night and i must say, i’m impressed. You can watch the youtube video or download the video here.

The growth of what our camera’s can do is amazing. It seems, our DSLR’s are finally catching up to our cell phones, which have long been able to make phone calls, take photo’s and take videos.

–And Congress Hates that

In one of those stories that makes you think to yourself “What are they thinking?” Republican Congressman Peter King  (New York) introduced the Camera Phone Predator Alert Act. The act would require that all cell phones “to make a sound when a photograph is taken.” This would go into place for all phones made after one year of the bill being enacted. You would hate for the Respected Mr. King to worry about real problems, like a financial crisis, actual crime, or any number of things he could be devoting his time to.

One has to wonder how quickly the hacks for those phones would be rolled out…

To learn more about the hack in development click here
For more information on the downloadable program click here

The Nikon D3 is turning heads and winning awards.

For Nearly 10 years there have been two big names in the world of digital SLR photography–and two alone.  Nikon and Canon have dominated the market for one reason: they are simply better.  While their dominance on SLR photography over the past couple of decades is nothing new they always had competitors who pumped out quality film bodies and quality lenses to match.  Their dominance in digital SLR photography (it is important to distinguish SLR’s and point-and-shoots as they are truly a different market) is due to one thing: their camera’s are better.  This is often debated though i tend to feel the debate is futile.

The bottom line is that by removing film and replacing it with a digital sensor, the camera body itself became paramount in determining the image quality of your photographs. This is where Nikon’ and Canon’s competitors have primarily lagged behind.  The simple fact is that for years, if you wanted a clean looking image from your D-SLR you had few choices but Nikon or Canon.  And in that regard, for a very long time Canon has dominated in that regard.  Year after year, Canon released a camera that simply produced cleaner looking images than anything from Nikon.  Some have attributed this to the fact that Nikon’s digital sensor’s are produced by Sony, while Canon produces their own in house.  I think this is not completely accurate but what is true is that Nikon has had to push the bar to compete with Canon and in the last couple of years, many Canon owners (like myself) have been wondering why features on Nikon camera’s are not found on similarly priced Canon models.

Is Canon's dominance on the decline?

This last batch of Nikon Cameras, specifically the D3 and the D700, completely buck the trend entirely.  Not only are the feature rich, but they are producing some of the cleanest and highest ISO images we’ve ever seen.

Users across the internet are blowing people out of the water with their high ISO images captured from the D3. And while the 1D is no slouch, the D3 is simply better.

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iF Product Design award winner of 2009

It should therefore come as no surprise that the D3 is receiving high praise from the people who hand out praise to inovative products every year. The International Forum of Design has awarded the Nikon D3 with its highest honor for 2009, awarding Nikon and its flagship DSLR the iF Product Design Award. What does this mean for most of us? Perhaps nothing–at least in the short term.  In the long term it could mean a closing of the already closing gap between Nikon and Canon. What it could mean for users of either family of camera equpiment is more competition and more competitive pricing. One can hope, at least.

The International Forum Design (iF), based in Hannover Germany, has sponsored the iF Product Design Awards since 1953, selecting industrial products exhibiting superior design from those manufactured the world over, making them highly prestigious and globally respected awards. Aspects including quality of design, functionality, degree of innovation, ease of use, as well as any effects the product may have on the environment are considered with product evaluation and award selection.

Click here to read Nikon’s Press Release regarding their award

Read more on the iF award here

Now that our camera’s have essentially become computers, it is important that you keep them up to date as problems can crop up and be fixed. Canon and Nikon have released firmware updates for a few of their camera’s.

The Nikon models include the D3, and D700 while Canon has updated its 40D.

Link to the 40D 1.1 firmware update
Link to the D3 2.01 firmware update
Link to D700 1.01 firmware update

Canon has made an update to the 40D that includes the following:

Canon has updated the firmware for the 40D to v. 1.1Firmware update Version 1.1.1 incorporates the following fixes and improvements.

1. Fixes a malfunction that in rare occurrence causes a low battery indication to be displayed when using the EF 85mm F1.2L II USM lens. Depending on the battery check timing of the camera, the battery level displayed on the camera’s LCD data panel may shows Battery will be exhausted soon or Battery must be recharged, even though the battery capacity is sufficient.
2. Fixes a malfunction that in rare occurrence causes an Err 06 Self Cleaning Sensor malfunction to appear on the camera’s LCD monitor and LCD data panel, even when the Self Cleaning Sensor Unit is operating normally. This message may appear depending on the timing of when the camera is switch to the ON position.
3. Fixes a malfunction that prevents correct colors from being printed when direct printing. RAW images captured using the camera’s custom Picture Styles (Emerald, etc.), which have been downloaded from Canon’s Web site and registered under User Def. 2 or User Def. 3.
4. Modifies the level of subject brightness that causes the AF-assist beam to fire when using an external Speedlite.
5. Enables an external flash connected to the camera’s synchro terminal to fire even when the camera’s built-in flash is popped up.

Version 1.1.1 firmware is for EOS 40D cameras with firmware up to Version 1.1.0. If the camera’s firmware is already Version 1.1.1, it is not necessary to update the firmware.

Nikon has made a few changes to two of its camera’s, the D3 and the D700 these updates include:

Nikon has updated the firmware for the D700 to v. 1.01

1. When Custom Setting a4 Focus tracking with lock-on was set to Off in Continuous-servo AF, the lens drive moved gradually without achieving focus. This issue has been resolved.
2. When the Speedlight SB-800 was mounted on the camera with flash mode set to Distance-priority manual (GN) mode, and then the exposure meters were reactivated or the camera was turned on, the distance information displayed on the SB-800 changed. This issue has been resolved.
3. When the Multi-Power Battery Pack MB-D10 was mounted on the camera and an EN-EL3e battery inserted in the camera but no batteries inserted in the MB-D10, and SB-900 flash mode set to TTL auto flash mode, the flash mode changed to A mode when the exposure meters turned off or were reactivated, or the camera was turned off or on. This issue has been resolved.(This issue has also been resolved with SB-900 firmware Ver. 5.02.)
4. An issue that, in extremely rare cases, resulted in noticeable black dots in images captured with Long exp. NR in the shooting menu set to On has been resolved.
5. Manamah, displayed in the Time zone options for the World time item in the setup menu, has been changed to Manama.

Nikon has made a some updates to the Nikon D3:

Nikon has updated the firmware for the D3 to 2.01

1. Geodetic information is now displayed in ViewNX 1.2.0 or later and Capture NX 2 2.1.0 or later shooting information for images captured with the GPS Unit GP-1 mounted on the camera.
2. Autofocus-response performance in focus mode C (Continuous-servo AF mode) with relatively dark subjects has been increased.
3. When the AF-ON button is pressed, the monitor turns off and a focus point can now be selected using the multi selector.
4. Photo information displayed in full-frame playback has been modified as follows:
5. HI-, LO- has been changed to Hi, Lo
6. WARM TONE has been changed to WARM FILTER
7. COLOR CUSTOM has been changed to COLOR BALANCE
8. Manamah, displayed in the Time zone options for the World time item in the setup menu, has been changed to Manama.
9. An issue that, in extremely rare cases, resulted in noticeable black dots in images captured with Long exp. NR in the shooting menu set to On has been resolved.
10. When the Speedlight SB-800 was mounted on the camera with flash mode set to Distance-priority manual (GN) mode, and then the exposure meters were reactivated or the camera was turned on, the distance information displayed on the SB-800 changed.  This issue has been resolved.
11. An issue that, in some rare cases, caused images captured with the following lenses to be under-exposed, has been resolved.AF-S VR Micro-Nikkor 105mm f/2.8G IF-ED
12. AF VR Zoom-Nikkor 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6D ED (5.0x)

To Read more on this topic, check out the links below
http://news.cnet.com…
http://www.dpreview.com…
ttp://www.robgalbraith.com…