Night Vision Module For Canon DSLRs

Übergizmo says:
Electrophysics has release a new high performance night vision module that will play nice with digital SLR cameras from Canon, including the EOS-1Ds Mark III and EOS 5D Mark II. Used in conjunction with the new AstroScope 9350EOS-FF, these digital cameras will offer bright, high-resolution green images of night-time scenes. You won't suffer from a drop in image quality since the night vision module itself will fit between the camera body and SLR lens, keeping all the lens electrical connections together in order to offer features like optical image stabilization even in night vision mode. These modules are able to offer optimum performance, sharp detail and highest quality full-frame images with no vignetting. Get this if you love going out on night safaris and the ilk.

Canon announces manual exposure video control for EOS 5D Mark II

Canon announced a firmware upgrade that will add full manual exposure control for video — including ISO, aperture, and shutter speed — to the Canon EOS 5D Mark II. The mid-range professional dSLR has been lauded for its excellent HD video capture capabilities (1920×1080,16:9 at 30 fps) since its release last September, but after everyone got over the initial excitement of getting near-professional-quality HD video from a dSLR, folks immediately started complaining about the lack of manual controls in video mode. The newsletter, in the form of a mock movie poster, indicates that there has been popular demand for manual controls, and that the new update will leave “no need to compromise with inferior workarounds.”

A press release from Canon Europe, provided a few more details, listing a June 2 date for download from Canon Europe’s support web site and stating that the manual controls when shooting video would include full aperture selection, ISO speeds from 100 to 6400 and H1, and shutter speed ranging from 1/30th to 1/4000th of a second.

Canon did not announce plans to add similar functionality to its other video-shooting SLR, the EOS Rebel T1i, but entry-level consumer users of the T1i may be less inclined to use manual controls for video.

Via ZDNet / Janice Chen

Canon EOS 5D mkII reviewed

Nicholas Blachford at OSnews.com has a new review of the Canon EOS 5D MkII. See belo

The 5D2 is an awesome camera, the pictures it produces are quite simply superb, the level of detail is really quite incredible. The quality of the video is also superb.

The Camera is a good size and well made, it’s also easy to operate, but read the manual as there things that will catch you out. If you are upgrading from an older DSLR you’ll find a lot of new features and improvements on the old ones. It’ll also be faster, the battery lasts longer and it takes better pictures ...but you might need a new computer! You might also need a new lens, EF-S lenses will not fit the 5D2.

The 5D2 is probably very good for video but this really depends on if you can handle the lack of manual control and put up with the hacks to get around this limitation if you need it. For most people it probably isn’t an issue, for more serious film makers this is a very big deal.

The 5D2 is a very expensive camera but you certainly get what you pay for. I’d recommend it to anyone who is serious about their photography.

Check out OSnews for the full review.

Shooting HD Video with DSLR Cameras

Business World Online says:

While the new DSLR cameras lack some crucial features of a camcorder, they have chips for large, high-resolution imaging and can shoot video that looks good on a large TV screen.

They also allow videographers to pick from a wide variety of lenses from fisheye to telephoto.

Some recent DSLR models that offer high-definition (HD) video include Nikon’s D90 and Canon’s 5D Mark II. Manufacturers such as Fujifilm are also offering compact cameras with HD video.

Ambitious amateur photographers have long been attracted to DSLR cameras, which — although bulkier than compact cameras — offer more flexibility with interchangeable lenses and higher degree of control over the technical aspects of taking a picture.

Check out the full article here.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II review at Imaging Resource

Reviewed by Shawn Barnett, Dave Etchells, and Zig Weidelich

The Canon EOS-5D Mark II raises the standards of the entire EOS line, as it is the first EOS digital SLR camera to offer both still and video capture. The Canon 5D Mark II also includes most of the hardware and software upgrades that the company introduced on the Canon 50D.

Its upgrades are welcome, because though the Canon 5D leads the race for overall image quality for many photographers, it lags behind in a few key areas, most of which improve with the 5D Mark II.

Basic Specifications
Resolution:	21.10 Megapixels
Kit Lens:	n/a
Viewfinder:	Optical / LCD
LCD Size:	3.0 inch
ISO:	50-25600
Shutter:	30-1/8000
Max Aperture:	n/a
Mem Type:	CF1 / CF2 / Microdrive
Battery:	Custom LiIon
Dimensions:	6.0x4.5x3.0in (152x114x75mm)
Weight:	32.5 oz (920 g)
MSRP:	$2,699
Availability:	11/2008

Buy Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

Read the full review here.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II reviewed by Steve's Digicams

A DSLR with HD movie recording capabilities, plus all the goodies you expect from the top Canon body, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II give you the best a man can get in the field of Full-Frame Digital SLR photography.

From the review:
"The anticipation surrounding the launch of this camera model has exceeded our greatest expectations, and we believe our loyal customers will be awed by the level of innovation and features built into the new EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR. Once they have the chance to experience the camera, we believe they will agree that it was worth the wait," stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A.

Among the many advancements in Canon's new EOS 5D Mark II camera is the Company's proprietary DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor that powers the camera's fast 14-bit analog-to-digital conversion for smooth color tones and exceptional gradation. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR offers a full-frame 24 x 36mm, 21.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and continuous shooting at 3.9 frames per second (fps) for an unlimited number of full-resolution JPEGs to the capacity of the memory card or up to 14 RAW images in a single burst when using a UDMA CF card. The camera includes a 15-point Autofocus (AF) sensor with nine selectable AF points plus six additional Assist AF points (three center AF points sensitive to f/2.8 lenses) with enhanced light source detection and AF microadjustment for greater autofocus performance. The EOS 5D Mark II camera also features a large, clear 3.0-inch Clear View LCD screen with 920,000 dot/VGA resolution, four times the pixel count of the EOS 5D camera's 2.5-inch screen, for enhanced clarity and color when viewing images. The new camera is equipped with a high-performance, high-magnification optical viewfinder providing 98 percent coverage, giving a new dimension to the saying, "what you see is what you get." Professional photographers will also appreciate the enhanced 150,000-cycle shutter durability of the EOS 5D Mark II camera.

Buy Canon EOS 5D Mark II 21.1MP Full Frame CMOS Digital SLR Camera (Body Only)

Check out more here.