February 2017's News
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Nikon: D5 D810 D500 D750 D610 D7200 Lenses Canon: 1DX2 5DS/R 5D Mk IV 6D 7D II Lenses
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26 February 2017, Sunday
Olympus Trade-In Sale
Trade in any camera or lens to B&H. Buy any of these cameras or lenses and use the promo code TRADENTIME, and you will receive an extra $200 off each item.
Better, get the special bundle Olympus E-M1 II DGTL CAM/12-40mm f2.8 PRO M and get an extra $300 off by using the promo code TRADENTIME for a total of $500 off!
These are also at Adorama, with an additional 4% rewards.
22 February 2017, Wednesday
NEW: Fujinon Cine 15-55mm T/2.9 MK E-mount.
This is for pro video shooting on Sony E-mount cameras. Also announced is a 50-135mm we can't get until summer 2017.
21 February 2017, Tuesday
Sony FE 85mm f/1.4 GM.
NEW: Sony 85mm f/1.4 GM Review.
The timeless classic revitalized for E-Mount.
Deals
Zeiss Distagon T* 18mm F/3.5 ZF.2 (Nikon or Canon): $995, get 4% rewards and free shipping.
Zeiss Distagon T* 15mm f/2.8 ZE (Nikon or Canon): $1,999, get 4% rewards and free shipping.
Zeiss Distagon T* 35mm f/2 ZE: $799, Canon mount only (Nikon mount discontinued), get 4% rewards and free shipping.
Zeiss 135mm f/2 Apo Sonnar T* (Nikon or Canon): $1,499 & get 4% rewards and free shipping.
MeFOTO GlobeTrotter Carbon Fiber Tripod Kit: $295.99 (Reg $399), with free shipping.
Rotolight NEO On-camera LED Lighting Fixture: $250 (Reg $344), with free shipping.
OKI Data MC362w Wireless MF Color Laser Printer: $349.99 (Originally $550), with free shipping.
19 February 2017, Sunday
Sony Sale!
For instance, get the A6500 with 16-50mm for $1,546 and the A6500 with 16-50mm and 55-210mm for $1,696.
16 February 2017, Thursday
NEW: Sony A7 II vs. Nikon DX Comparison.
I compared the A7II, D5600 and D3300 — and I pitted the exquisite Sony 24-70/2.8 GM against and the puny plastic Nikon 18-55mm AFP — and the lightweight plastic $450 Nikon combo turns out to be as good as the $3,700 Sony behemoth combo!
I expected this; in daylight, everything with the same rated resolution is about the same.
I compared the iPhone 6S Plus to other state-of-the-art cameras a year ago and they were about the same, too.
Where we see differences are under fringe conditions, like low light, fast action, or needing extreme wide angle or telephoto lenses. These are the conditions under which we need a good DSLR and lenses, while in daylight, it's all good.
Pro Lighting Deal
Elinchrom Ranger Quadra Hybrid with Lead Acid Battery for $799 — with free shipping! (regularly $1,389).
15 February 2017, Wednesday
New from Canon
Canon just announced their new 77D & T7i DSLRs & M6 mirrorless cameras.
All start shipping March 31 — but only if you order now.
Both the 77D and T7i run at 6 FPS, have 24MP APS-C sensors, ISO 100~25,600, 3" LCDs, digital movie stabilization, HDR & time-lapse movies, 45-point AF systems and WiFi, Bluetooth & NFC for moving your pictures around.
The T7i is the first Rebel to have 45 AF points in the finder.
The 77D is just above the Rebels and just below Canon's other DSLRs. It has a Quick Control Dial, a top LCD, a 7,650 pixel light meter, and can shoot-through flickering light.
The M6 has no finder unless you buy the optional EVF-DC2. The M6 has a 24MP APS-C sensor, runs 7 FPS with tracking AF, ISO 100~25,600, WiFi, NFC and Bluetooth and a 3" touch LCD.
Canon 77D
Canon 77D and 18-135mm. bigger.
Canon Rebel T7i DSLR
EOS M6 Mirrorless
Canon EOS M6, 15-45mm and optional EVF-DC2 Electronic Viewfinder. bigger.
Canon EOS M6. bigger.
Canon EOS M6 body, also in silver. Also at B&H in black and at B&H in silver.
Canon EOS M6 w/EF-M 15-45mm IS STM, also in silver. Also at B&H in black and at B&H in silver.
Canon EOS M6 w/EF-M 18-150mm IS STM, also in silver. Also at B&H in black and at B&H in silver.
Canon EF-S 18-55mm IS STM. This new version is nearly 20 percent smaller than the old 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM, with the same image quality. It offers 4 stops of image stabilization
Accessories
Canon BR-E1 Bluetooth Remote for T7i and 77D: Canon's first Bluetooth remote with about a 15 foot range.
Canon EVF-DC2 Electronic Viewfinder for EOS M6, M3, G1 X Mk II & G3 X, also in silver.
14 February 2017, Valentine's Day
Sony FE 70-200mm f/4 G OSS.
NEW: Sony 70-200mm f/4 G OSS Review.
A swell full-frame lens at a reasonable price. It's perfect for the full-frame Sony cameras.
LEICA Sale: $2,000 off the good stuff!!!
From now through March 31st save $2,000 when ordering select LEICA cameras together with select LEICA lenses. All ship free.
Add any of the three LEICA cameras below to your cart. After adding the camera to your cart, you will have the option to add one of 16 lenses at a $2,000 discount.
To receive your discount, first add your new camera to the cart, and then after you add the body to your cart, a page with these lenses will appear. Add your new lens to your cart to receive your discount.
What's going on here is that LEICA is blowing out their old digital bodies at $2,000 off, and cleverly doing it in a way that makes it look like they're giving the discount on the lenses instead. LEICA lenses are never discounted, and it's also rare to see bodies ever discounted.
If you've ever dreamed of owning LEICA, now's the time; take advantage of LEICA's body blow-out sale. Heck, I haven't checked what you can resell any of these bodies for on eBay, but I bet you can get one of these deals, resell the body, and still come out with a fat discount on the lens you really wanted. In this case, LEICA is offering some of their best lenses of all time on this sale. I own and use my 35/1.4 ASPH FLE and 90/2 APO ASPH as the best 35mm and 90mm lenses ever made by anyone, and I use my 90/4 MACRO ELMAR-M, one of LEICA's most magical and unknown lenses, as an ultrasharp, ultracompact 90mm.
Chose any of these cameras:
Leica M Typ 240, also in black.
Leica M-P Typ 240, also in black
And any of these lenses:
(prices after the $2,000 discount)
LEICA 16-18-21mm f/4 TRI-ELMAR-M ASPH: $3,195.
LEICA 16-18-21mm f/4 TRI-ELMAR-M ASPH with Universal Wide Angle Viewfinder: $3,895.
LEICA 21mm f/1.4 SUMMILUX-M ASPH: $5,395
LEICA 24mm f/1.4 SUMMILUX-M ASPH: $5,195
LEICA 28mm f/2 SUMMICRON-M ASPH: $2,095
LEICA 35mm f/2 SUMMICRON-M ASPH: $1,195
LEICA 35mm f/1.4 SUMMILUX-M ASPH, black: $2,995
LEICA 35mm f/1.4 SUMMILUX-M ASPH, silver $3,195
LEICA 50mm f/1.4 SUMMILUX-M ASPH, black: $1,795.
LEICA 50mm f/1.4 SUMMILUX-M ASPH, silver: $1,995.
LEICA 50mm f/1.4 SUMMILUX-M ASPH: $2,395 (same ASPH optics, but styled to match original black 1961 version).
LEICA 75mm f/2 APO-SUMMICRON-M ASPH: $1,795.
LEICA 90mm f/4 MACRO-ELMAR-M: $1,295
LEICA 90mm f/4 MACRO-ELMAR-M with Angle Finder & Macro Adapter: $1,795.
LEICA 90mm f/2 APO SUMMICRON-M ASPH: $1,995.
LEICA 135mm f3.4 APO-TELYT-M: $1,795.
Here's a new video from my friend Phil Steele explaining everything you ever wanted to know about tripods. He has a ton of great training videos at his site.
13 February 2017, Monday
Nikon D5600
No news here. My D5600 just arrived, and as expected it's a flyweight beauty that takes fantastic pictures for a great price. Pixels per dollar, you can't beat the D3xxx and D5xxx series: same pictures as a D5, just costs less. Just look at the sample images throughout my D3300 review. (Review coming; duh, mine just arrived.)
Of course I love my Nikon 35mm f/1.8 DX which lets me shoot in any dim light like this and still be at reasonable filmlike ISOs. Because these are both shot around ISO 400 the camera is still supersharp; noise reduction blurs all cameras at the really high ISOs. This is the eighth anniversary of the introduction of the 35/1.8 DX, and it's still my favorite DX lens: light, tough, fast, sharp, inexpensive and eminently useful.
Ryan pets a skink. (Nikon D5600, Auto White Balance, Picture Control set to Standard with +1 Saturation, Nikon 35mm f/1.8 DX at f/1.8 at 1/125 at Auto ISO 450, Perfectly Clear.) bigger or full-resolution file.
Ryan under a Burmese Python at the Reptile Zoo. (Nikon D5600, Auto White Balance, Picture Control set to Standard with +1 Saturation, Nikon 35mm f/1.8 DX at f/1.8 at 1/125 at Auto ISO 320, Perfectly Clear.) bigger.
07 February 2017, Tuesday
Sony FE 24-70mm f/2.8 GM.
NEW: Sony 24-70/2.8 GM Review.
A superb full-frame lens for a high price.
it has the same high performance as the ultra-pro Canon 24-70/2.8 L II and Nikon 24-70/2.8E VR, for the same price.
Announced Today from Sony
NEW: Sony FE 100mm f/2.8 STF GM OSS. A lens with an internal apodization filter for smoother bokeh. Also at at Adorama.
NEW: Sony FE 85mm f/1.8, also at Adorama.
NEW: Sony HVL-F45RM Wireless Radio Flash. Also at Adorama.
Announced Today from Black Magic
Blackmagic Design Web Presenter.
Blackmagic Design HyperDeck Studio Mini.
Blackmagic Design ATEM Television Studio HD.
Blackmagic Design Studio Camera (Replaces this.).
Blackmagic Design Ultra HD Studio Camera 4K (Replaces this.).
New from Tamron
Tamron 10-24mm for Nikon: $499, also for Canon.
Tamron 70-200mm f/2.8: $1,299, also for Canon.
Tamron claim 5 stops VR on the 70-200, but I don't believe in Tamron lenses. I'd rather save my money or get used Canon or Nikon originals, or do without VR with the much better made Nikon 80-200/2.8 or Canon 80-200/2.8. I'd not throw $1,299 at this Tamron for Canon; I'd save for the state-of-the-art 100-400mm.
New from Rokinon
XEEN 20mm T1.9: $2,495; expected 20 March 2017.
Comes in Canon, Nikon, Micro 4/3, Sony E and Arri PL mounts.
Deals
X-Rite ColorMunki Accurate Monitor Display Calibration: $99.99 (Reg $179).
MeFOTO GlobeTrotter Carbon Fiber Tripod Kit: $295.99 (Reg $399).
Manfrotto PIXI Evo 2 Section mini Tripod - White: $19.88 (Reg $49).
06 February 2017, Monday
80% Canon, 20% Nikon
I know you looked, too.
I saw 80% of the guys at the Superbowl shooting the Canon 1DX Mk II and maybe 20% shooting the Nikon D5. While your count probably varies, I saw no mirrorless, just as I suspected.
Mirrorless is just for fun, not pro sports, regardless of what you see in advertisements for them. No one needed flip screens to shoot from over their heads; real shooters know how to point a camera by feel.
DSLRs rule for serious work; mirrorless is for fun for those with money to burn
What Was New in:
January 2017 (LEICA M10, Fujifilm GFX 50S, Fujifilm X100F, Nikon D5600)
November & December 2016 (Fuji X-A10)
September & October 2016 (Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8 FL, Nikon 19mm PC-E, Sony A6500, Sony RX100 Mk V, Sony Alpha 99 II, Canon EOS M5, Canon EF 70-300 IS II USM, Sony 50mm f/2.8 Macro)
July & August 2016 (Canon 5D Mk IV, 16-35 IS II, 24-105 IS II, Nikon D3400, Nikon 105mm f/1.4, Fuji XT-2)
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Ken