The New Canon EOS 5D Mark II is Here!

September 17, 2008 | Filed Under Articles, Studio News | 2 Comments 

It’s a happy day for photographers!  We’ve been waiting for years to hear this… after much speculation and thousands of internet rumors, check out the legitimate specs from this Info Sync Article…

Canon today introduced the Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera, the successor to the EOS 5D, introduced in 2005. Building upon the EOS 5D, Canon has coupled the creative power of a full-frame CMOS sensor in a relatively compact body (6 by 4.5 by 3 inches, 28.6 ounces), together with Full HD video capture that opens the door to a much wider range of imaging possibilities for photographers.

Among the advancements in the Canon EOS 5D Mark II is the proprietary DIGIC 4 imaging processor that powers the camera’s 14-bit analog-to-digital conversion for smoother color tones and improved gradation. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II offers a full-frame 24 x 36mm, 21.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and continuous shooting at 3.9 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 Canon EOS 5D Mark II 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.

Additionally, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II features a 3-inch VGA screen, four times the pixel count of the EOS 5D camera’s 2.5-inch screen. The new camera is equipped with a high-performance, high-magnification optical viewfinder providing 98 percent coverage.

Utilizing proprietary technology, Canon has reduced noise and expanded the sensitivity of the CMOS sensor up to ISO 25600, which is three full stops higher than the ISO 3200 limit of the original EOS 5D camera. Although the individual pixel dimensions of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II are the same as the 21.1-megapixel CMOS sensor used in the EOS 1Ds Mark III digital SLR, the new sensor incorporates an improved output amplifier and a more advanced color filter that improves light transmission while retaining the color reproduction. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II is promised to achieve the highest level of image quality of any EOS DSLR released to date.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II features 16:9 Full HD video capture at 1920 x 1080 pixels and 30 fps as well as 4:3 standard TV quality video capture at 640 x 480 pixels and 30 fps, both capabilities appearing for the first time in a Canon SLR camera. Video capture is part of the camera’s Live View function, using the Picture Style that has been set for Live View still image shooting. The camera allows users to adjust image sharpness, contrast, color saturation and white balance, and have those settings apply to the movie image.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II will record up to 4GB per clip or a maximum continuous movie capture time of 29 minutes and 59 seconds, whichever comes first. The camera includes a HDMI output for connection HD televisions. While recording video, the camera’s rear LCD screen can be letter-boxed by a semi-transparent border to match the aspect ratio of the movie recording size. More than 60 Canon EF lenses can be used, including everything from ultra-wide angle and fish-eye to macro and super-telephoto lenses. If this is out of your league, it’s worth noting that Nikon recently introduced its Nikon D90 DSLR with 720p video recording capability.

Furthermore, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II automatically conducts peripheral illumination correction when shooting JPEG images, a function that previously could only be accomplished through post-image processing using software. This feature evens brightness across the image field, making an image of a blue sky even toned throughout and reducing light fall-off at image edges.

Canon’s enhanced Auto Lighting Optimizer technology aims to ensure each picture’s subject is clearly visible by analyzing image brightness and automatically adjusting dark areas in images so that they appear brighter. This function is ideal in high-contrast situations such as urban landscapes captured on sunny days, where the tops of buildings are brightly lit while street level details are obscured by heavy shadows.

Recently introduced with the new EOS 50D, Canon’s “CA” Creative Full Auto setting can also be found on the Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera’s mode dial. This setting allows users to make image adjustments such as aperture or shutter speed through a navigation screen on the camera’s LCD menu, allowing them to “blur the background” or “lighten or darken the image.” These image options allow photographers to experiment with image options while still shooting in an automatic mode.

For photographers shooting RAW format images, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II offers two more manageable file size options with sRAW1 and sRAW2 recording formats. At the sRAW1 setting, resolution is 10 megapixels with a file size that is approximately 25 percent smaller than a standard 21.1-megapixel RAW image. With the sRAW2 setting, resolution is 5.2 megapixels at less than half the file size of a standard RAW image.

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR is scheduled for delivery by the end of November 2008. The camera will be sold in a body-only configuration for $2700, while a kit version with Canon’s EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens will be available for $3500.

Simple Steps for Fighting Fair

January 29, 2008 | Filed Under Articles, Communication, Conflict Resolution, Relationships | Leave a Comment 

“You’re just like your father.”
“How hard is it for you to think of someone else for a change?”
“Can’t you do anything right?”

We’ve all heard phrases like these, or perhaps we’ve even said some ourselves… Words like these are powerful and strong enough to start a fight – usually one that ends bitterly for both sides. But it doesn’t have to be this way. There are tools for identifying and moving beyond destructive conflict patterns and I’d like to share a few I learned during my studies at UNO.

The first and most important aspect of relational conflict is perception. The Lens Model Theory states each person see conflict through a different “lens” or “perspective.” This means what both people see (verbal acts or behavior) may be interpreted radically different depending how each person ascribes meaning to oneself, the other, and their combined relationship.

To complicate matters further, there’s the False Attribution Theory. It states we attribute causes of our behavior to external factors (i.e. “I failed the test because the teacher was unfair”). And we attribute causes of other’s behavior to internal dispositions or character flaws (i.e. “He failed the test because he is lazy and didn’t study”).

With this information in mind, it’s safe to admit our view of others is “off the mark” – especially when compounded with an emotionally charged conflict. Simply checking our perception of the situation and asking the other person, “This is how I see things, is this right?” can help disarm a destructive conflict before it begins.

But what if you are currently in the midst of a serious conflict or trust has eroded to the point where even a question like this would be seen as hostile? Let’s take a look at some common destructive patterns and possible alternatives: Gottman’s 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The name comes from the statistically probability that if these patterns are present in your relationship, the end is near.

Criticism is a generally broad accusation or attack; a sharp and negative attempt to point out fault in another. An example would be,

“You are the most selfish man I know! My mother is sick, maybe terminally, and you can’t stir yourself to drive 30 miles for her birthday. Great. Now I get to tell my Mom that I’m married to a narcissistic jerk! Could you think of someone else for a change?”

We often use criticisms to get someone’s attention. We want the other person to know how awful we feel or to make the conflict important enough to resolve. But it rarely works out that way…

A much better way would be to “turn criticism into a constructive complaint.” By using an “I” statement, we can state how we feel, describe undesirable behavior and ask for change. A constructive complaint also leaves out blame and the idea that there is something wrong with the other person.

“I am upset that we are not going to see my Mom together. I have asked you three times to clear your weekend so we could both go see her. Next weekend is her birthday. She is sick and I want to see her, and I want you to come with me. I am frustrated and impatient with the excuses you’ve given me. I hope you will come. I don’t want to have the kind of marriage where I have to see my folks by myself.”

Defensiveness is basically denial; a tactic that tries to ward off an attack (usually the initial criticism) by deferring blame. It is also an effort to protect oneself “against pain, fear, personal responsibility, or new information (Wilmot and Hocker, 2001).” Defensiveness also creates a readiness to strike back and start a criticizing cycle.

Listen to this exchange in an example from Wilmot and Hocker (2001)…

BARBARA: Every time I try to talk to you about my day, you launch off into complaints and whining about how bad life is for you. You never listen to me. [Notice that Barbara is in fact attacking, criticizing, and blaming.]

MARK: If I didn’t get my two cents’ worth in you’d talk all evening. All you ever do is complain. I decided two weeks ago that every time you come home with some “poor me” tale, I’ll match you. Besides, I have a right to be heard too. You aren’t the only important one in this family.

BARBARA: If things are so rotten for you in this relationship, why are you sticking around? All I’m asking for is a little empathy, but I guess that’s beyond you.

Defensiveness drops away when a person can approach the other with a desire to listen and learn about oneself and the other (Paul and Paul 1998). This kind of approach says, “Teach me your perspective and I’ll share with you mine and we’ll both walk away better for it.”

Stonewalling is withdrawing from the conversation (while still being physically there). It withholds “good things” from the other in attempts to get them to “shape up” or “do what I want” in a destructive way. Stonewalling or withholding is common when hostility is sensed or trust hasn’t been built up (Yankelovitch, 1999).

The most effective way to gain trust in a relationship is to lay down your own defenses, share something vulnerable or give information that could hurt you. By allowing your loved one to ability to hurt you, you acknowledge your mutual interdependence and call them to be responsible for their own actions without blaming or criticizing them. They suddenly realize they can hurt you and are forced to ask themselves if that’s what they really want…

Contempt “… is any statement or nonverbal behavior that puts oneself on a higher plane than [another] (Gottman, 1999).” This can be expressed directly in words or actions or in nonverbal cues and tones (even when all the right things are being said). Contempt includes put-downs, name-calling, hostile corrections, mockery, sarcasm, ridicule, hostile joking, and attack on the personhood of the other. The damage of contempt goes deep, it is where human beings stop being human to us. And we start to believe they deserve any harsh treatment they receive from us or anyone else.

Hopefully this short article helps to name and identify the common destructive conflict patterns of: criticism, defensiveness, stonewalling, and contempt, and gives practical alternatives that build rather than tear down. Of course it is usually takes much longer to actually practice avoiding these patterns in real life! But I know if we do so, we’ll find it easier and easier to resolve previously unresolved issues and build stronger relationships.  And that’s something to celebrate!

© 2005, 2008 Kameron Bayne

BIOGRAPHY
Gottman, J. M. (1999). The marriage clinic: A scientifically based marital therapy. New York: W. W. Norton and Co.
Wilmot, W. and J. Hocker. (2001). Interpersonal Conflict. New York: McGraw-Hill Higher Education, 2001
Yankelovich, D. (1999). The magic of dialogue: Transforming conflict into cooperation. New York: Simon and Schuster.

Why are Professional Photographers so Expensive?

January 28, 2008 | Filed Under Articles, Related Tips | Leave a Comment 

Here’s an interesting article originally posted at Caught on Film. It gives a “behind the scenes” snapshot of the amount of time an average professional will spend to get the desired results of great photography. The author says…

In this digital age where everyone has digital cameras, scanners and home “photo printers”, when people upload their photos to a local drug store website and pick them up a few hours later, we hear this all the time - How in the world do Professional Photographers charge $55 for an 8×10 when they cost just $1.50 at the drug store?

Here’s why.

Simply put, you’re not just paying for the actual photograph, you’re paying for time and expertise…

For a two hour portrait session:
- one hour of travel to and from the session
- two hours of shooting
- 30 minutes of setup, preparation, talking to the client etc.
- 30 minutes to load the photos onto a computer (2 - 4 Gb of data)
- 30 minutes to back up the files on an external drive
- 3 - 4 hours of Photoshop time including cropping, contrast, color, sharpening, saving a copy for print and a copy for the internet and backing up the edited photographs
- 2 - 3 hours to talk to the client, answer questions, receive their order and payment, order their prints, receive and verify prints, package prints, schedule shipment and drop package off at Fed Ex.
- For local [clients], we also print a set of all of their photos, and meet them at our studio to review the photos and place their order. Meeting and travel time averages 2 hours.
You can see how one two hour session easily turns into more than ten hours of work from start to finish. So when you see a Photographer charging a $200 session fee for a two hour photo shoot, you are not paying them $100 / hour.

For an eight hour wedding:
- I won’t bore you with the details, but an eight hour wedding typically amounts to at least two to three full 40 hour work weeks worth of time. Again, if they are charging you $4,000 for an eight hour wedding, you are not paying them $500 / hour.

How to Find the Photographer that’s Right for You…

June 22, 2007 | Filed Under Articles, Related Tips | 2 Comments 

No two photographers are alike. That can be both good and bad, depending on the issue. But when you need one for a once-in-a-lifetime-event like a wedding or to document the benchmarks of life (newborns, senior portraits, etc.), it can be an overwhelming decision, especially if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Shopping for anything else is usually about finding the place with the cheapest price because the product itself is basically the same no matter where you go. But that’s not the case with photography. There’s a wide range of technical craftsmanship, experience, personality, price, organizational skill, and artistic vision that determine the value of a particular photographer.

So how do you decide? What do you look for when trying to find the photographer that’s right for you? Here, I’ve compiled some information I hope is helpful in evaluating the marks of a true professional - one who knows how to help you look your best!

Clothing Choices
A good photographer will give clothing recommendations. The most important aspect of a portrait is the human face – more specifically the eyes (see Lighting). Clothes that have stripes or bold designs draw attention away from the face, and can even distort the body (horizontal stripes on a larger person will make them look wider, and vertical stripes on a thin person will make them look unnaturally thin).

The best clothing choices are usually longer sleeved pieces with darker or neutral toned colors. This deemphasizes the rest of the body and allows our interest to linger on the face and eyes of the subject.

Posing
Based on the kind of lens the photographer is using, the camera will always see a distorted reality in one way or another. A good photographer knows how to pose the subject to compensate for this natural distortion so he or she appears natural to the camera.

Beyond that, body language plays a significant role in how we interpret the emotion of an image. Although often subconscious, we can instantly sense how a person feels in a given moment and that invites us to share in those same feelings as the viewer of the image.

Lighting
Light is essential to seeing beauty. It’s what gives shape and reveals the form of a three-dimensional object when viewed on a flat piece of paper. The quality, intensity, and direction of light also dramatically effects the overall mood of the image.

“Painting with light” is literally what photography’s all about - and this is where true skill and artistry come into play. The human eye can distinguish approximately 11 different shades or ranges of light. A digital camera shooting in RAW can record up to seven. But even the best photographic papers can only hold four. A professional photographer knows how to use light to put onto paper what our eye would see naturally.

For example, perhaps you’ve noticed pictures where people have deep dark shadows around the eyes (the “raccoon eyes” look). In person, our eyes wouldn’t see this effect, but the camera and paper together have a limited range of light sensitivity and push the shadows darker and lose detail. A professional can adjust for this by filling in the shadows with an adequate amount of light without over powering the existing or ambient light while avoiding unnatural, harsh or unflattering shadows. A photographer’s portfolio will tell you whether or not he or she understands light or just lets the camera do the work - in which case begs the question, are you looking for a camera-clicker or a professional photographer?

Basic Retouching
Even the most beautiful of folks still get pimples and could probably use a little more sleep the night before, so everyone benefits from basic retouching. Retouching removes blemishes, dark circles under the eyes, stray hairs, distracting elements in the background. It can also enhance the image by reducing unflattering shadows and softening the skin. The best retouching is always subtle even if extensive; otherwise the image appears false and gives us a negative impression.

Creative Enhancements
With the advancements in digital photography, it’s now easier than ever to create something no one has ever seen before. This above all else is what distinguishes one photographer from another – the unique vision of the artist. Even if all professionals had the same level of technical knowledge and skill, their artistic vision would always remain something that could not be duplicated. Each photographer would still see the world differently. And that’s a beautiful thing!

I recommend finding a photographer who’s work connects with you or sparks something in you. As Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn once said, “Some things draw us beyond words. Art can warm even a chilled and sunless soul to an exalted spiritual experience. Through art we occasionally receive - indistinctly, briefly - revelations the likes of which cannot be achieved by rational thought alone.” Art can bring a complete stranger to tears, it can remind us of who we love most, it can give us a vision for better living.  And that’s inspiring to me!

© 2007 Kameron Bayne