It’s not the size that matters…. it’s how you use it. Right? Well actually size does matter when it comes to sensor sizes and one of Canon’s latest offerings is the Canon 6D which packs a full frame sensor into a smaller and more affordable form factor.

Previously, if you want a full frame digital camera, the Canon 1Ds and 5D series and Nikon’s D3 and D700 had dominated the market, featuring price tags that would discourage some enthusiast and most amateurs. Now manufacturers are recognising that photographers and videographers want the awesomeness of a full frame camera but still want to keep the other kidney when it does come in handy.

To sum up the differences between the Canon 6D and 5D mark III quickly, the Canon 6D has two less megapixels, has 11 AF points compared to 61, a relatively crippled AF system, uses SD cards instead of CF, has a “right hand” only button layout, a smaller and not as vibrant screen and it’s packaged into a smaller lighter body.

In a sense, it’s a cut down 5D mark III with all the bare essentials plus a gizmo or two.

Gizmos? Why yes indeed, my mysterious reader friend. The Canon 6D introduces a built-in GPS and WiFi system. The GPS allows for geotagging which is great for keeping track of your travel photos or if you want to let people know your last whereabouts when they find your body 50 years later because you took a adventurous leap in a canyon and got your hand stuck under a rock.

The WiFi system is an interesting new feature which allows for connectivity to WiFi networks, tablets and smartphones. This opens up a new workflow for untethered setups. You can even monitor a live feed and shoot remotely using the EOS Remote app for iphone and android. There’s still a little bit of lag when shooting via a wireless feed and it’s limited to photos only but its a start to something really cool in the future.

The Canon 6D delivers virtually identical levels of image quality compared to the 5D mark III which is quite impressive. Some high ISO tests show a slight improvement in  performance from the Canon 6D over the 5D III but when it comes to real world usage the difference is negligible to the human eye. Most of these high ISO shots are at insane levels such as 51200 and 102400 which normally don’t see much usage.

The autofocus system is an improvement over the 5D mark II but after using the 5D mark III, sometimes you can’t really go backwards. As a photographer, you’d prefer the 5D mark III for the extra AF cross points for improved focus lock in darker areas and for composition whereas most of the time you’ll be stuck on the 6D’s only cross sensor; the center point. It’s not to say that you can’t focus, lock and recompose but the extra AF points does improve accuracy and speed where it’s needed. Cinematographers need not stress too much since a lot of focusing is done manually. Besides you’ll probably be using some delicious Canon Cine primes on there.

The Canon 6D features a smaller form factor and a simplified build to help keep costs down. The smaller form factor makes it ideal for those who like to travel while the moulded grip still offers good ergonomics. Great for run and gun moments where you’re blasting along shooting one handed. In fact, shooting dangerously out the side of a three wheeled tuktuk was a great way to test the rolling shutter which was virtually non-existant.

The LCD is also slightly smaller at 3.0″ versus 3.2″ which isn’t too bad, especially if you’re used to the 5D mark II. The extra resolution is welcome but the colour space isn’t quite so. On one shoot, I panicked a bit when the images weren’t quite turning out on my 6D. However I noticed when switched the card into my 5D mark III the images were fine. This is probably one of the areas that Canon had skimped on a bit in order to keep costs down. This is fine as you can still review whether your shots were in focus or not so you can keep shooting first then cry later when you get home when you realise how awesome you really aren’t.

Oh and about the crying, I’m finding that cameras of this generation from both the Canon and Nikon camps are getting better and better. You really can’t go wrong and it’s getting harder and harder to blame the camera nowadays. Not that I needed to in the first place…

The guys at Freefly Systems (http://freeflysystems.com/) have developed a new tool for the cinema industry called the ”MōVI.” What is it you might ask?

It has to be the coolest thing ever. Kinda like when the segway first came out. Actually the game changer back then was expected to be a cold fusion device… but we’ll make do. Well now we have a mobile gyroscopically stabilised platform for digital cinema cameras. In other words, a steadicam system that anyone can use within minutes. Yes, minutes. True story.

Don’t believe me? Well have a look at this short clip.

Yes, it is someone performing some sort of sorcery with a Red Epic and a Canon Cine lenses attached to it. No doubt you have the urge to now perform some of this sorcery.

Vincent Laforet got his lucky paws on a kit and filmed a short, entirely handheld with the MōVI, a Canon EOS 1D-C, a Canon Cine 24mm 1.3 Prime and a Zeiss 18mm CP.2.

Here is also a behind the scenes look at the making of the short

As you can see, the MōVI is a super versatile rig with it uses only limited by the imagination. Does this spell the end of Steadicams and Glidecams? I don’t think so… traditional steadicams will still have their place in the industry for those who need those extended shots. Unless Freefly comes out with a vest for the MōVI, steadicams with vests are still a much better option for those who needed to operate something as heavy as a fully rigged Alexa or bigger.

At the moment, the MōVI does command a fairly steep price tag but hopefully we can grab a kit or two in the shop for some affordable rentals

There’s been a bit of debate lately regarding the traditional still photography and grabbing stills from high resolution video footage. Some have also speculated that this will also end up killing off the photographer. Well as a photographer myself, I was keen to have a look myself.

First lets look at the reasons why you would want to extracts stills from a video.

1. Capturing the moment. Though photographic stills can freeze a moment in time up to 1/8000 sec, it’s a very small window to get the shot that tells the story. Say the first kiss at a wedding, or the moment you smack a water balloon in your mate’s face. Shooting video allows you to have constant footage of the scene, which allows for a bigger margin on error whilst shooting.
2. Killing two birds with one take. By this I mean you could just fire away on your film production as per normal without the need of an extra photographer since you can simply extract stills from your footage. Whilst shooting on 1080p still produces a resolution that’s higher than most consumer monitors, printing two megapixel enlargements isn’t quite ideal. An 8 Megapixel extracted still can technically produce acceptable results when enlarged up to 20×30
3. Because it’s hip.

Or is it?… Maybe it might be a little bit of marketing where photographers have crossed the boundaries into videography ever since the 5D mark II. So maybe videographers are trying to bite back a bit.

Well here’s a quick test which compares the image quality of the Canon 1D-C’s video codec versus the RAW photo files. All shots use the exact same settings as listed below the images. The lens used for the test is the Canon EF 24-70mm F2.8L II which is one of the sharpest lenses that Canon has ever produced. Picture styles was also set to Standard.

RAWs were processed through Lightroom with no changes applied and video stills were extracted using VLC media player.

Our model Marcel posing for the camera: ISO 2000, F/4, 1/50

@100% crop, though both still fantastic results, the video loses out slightly in detail

I’ve gotta admit, I’m pretty impressed with how much detail is retained in the video footage. Resize down the image for web viewing and you won’t be able to tell the difference. For the pixel peepers, there’s a very slight loss in detail, especially amongst the hair. For commercial shoots and enlargement this might pop up, but then again you’d probably be using a Hasselblad for those sorts of gigs anyway.

A construction yard in the distance: 53mm @ ISO 160, F/8, 1/200

RAW file @100% Crop

Video Extract @ 100% Crop, note the extra contrast on edges

Shooting a construction yard in the distance, there’s a slight boost in contrast in the video extracts compared to the RAW files. This helps a bit to create the illusion of detail, maybe some sharpening has been applied in the video codec to help compensate for this. Then again, this is only noticeable to the pixel peeper.

In conclusion, I still don’t think video still extraction will ever replace photographic stills. Not because of the image quality (which is pretty darn good), but mainly in terms of operation.

Autofocus options are limited during video operations. Though live focus systems are improving nowadays, in low light situations they tend to struggle and manual focus can be difficult at times, especially with the shallow depth of field produced by the larger 35mm sensor.

The amount of data produced can also be overwhelming. A 5 second clip yielded about 350mb of data which can also increase on higher ISO settings. After that, you’ll have your post processing which may demand the needs of a pretty beefy machine.

Ergonomics plays an important part to the professional as well. Having shot 18 hour weddings, you’ll notice the extra weight on your shoulders by the end of the day. Videography normally demands extra support equipment such as tripods and shoulder rigs versus the photographer who tends to have at most a shoulder strap. What’s more is that photographer tend to use their face to support the camera whilst using the viewfinder. Videographers on the other hand use the rear LCD or an extra monitor and so the chances for shakey or blurry images increase. Normally not noticeable during playback but as a still this can be more prominent.

Then again, I’m a bit of a pixel peeper and I like to have the best possible image quality. So I’ll still stick with photography

The Canon 1D-C is still a brilliant camera, even having a 1-stop advantage over the 5D mark III. Check it out on our site here!

One of the most anticipated lenses of the year, the Canon 24-70mm F2.8 II L lens, offering the exact same focal length, same aperture, weather sealing and autofocus system?

Ok the new lens supposedly brings better design and build quality, improved optics and a hefty price tag. The lens however was announced a while back in February this year and was supposed to ship out around April but delays in production have pushed its released to around October. But now it’s finally here. And man is it awesome. True story.

Though the lens offers similar specs on paper compared to its predecessor, there have been a range of tiny improvements which all add up to make a huge difference in this lens. The Canon 24-70mm F2.8 II L Lens improves on sharpness, colour rendition and contrast. Knowing this lens exists… its hard to go back to its older brother. Just like the 70-200mm F2.8 IS versions 1 and 2 where minor improvements have been made especially the IS system.

According to the MTF charts, this is one of the sharpest lens that Canon has produced, even surpassing their primes. And I have no doubts about that. The resolution even in the corners is amazing. I had recently gotten my hands on a Canon 24mm F3.5 TS-E Lens and I thought that was pretty amazing. But this one takes the bacon.

The lack of an Image Stabilisation system may come as a bit of a disappointment to some, especially to videographers who can really benefit from it. However, pushing up the ISO on the current generation of cameras isn’t much of an issue thanks to the largely improved sensors and the DiGiC 5+ processors.

Anyway, enough about the technical bits. I got the chance to take this abroad to Sri Lanka for a wedding and over the mark 1, this wins hands down any day. The lighter construction also feels much more balanced when coupled with a 5D mark III compared to its older brother, which makes it great for hanging the camera out of a 3-wheeled motorbike or tuktuk taxi at speed.

I’ve normally used a 50mm F1.2L for some of my pretty shots and closed it down to F2.0 to bring back a bit of sharpness and tone down any chromatic abberations. The 24-70mm F2.8 II however does all of that and then some more. The contrast combined with the sharpness makes it hard to tell whether the image has been shot on a prime or a zoom and the barrel distortion is improved hugely over the Canon 24-70mm Mark I. Just as the 5D mark III had fixed all those little things that the Mark II annoyed past users, the 24-70mm Mark II does the same with it predecessor.

At its current price tag of approximately $2400, the lens is aimed mainly at the professional who needs the best. The predecessor is still a great lens and has served enthusiasts and professional well, since its release in 2002. But for those who want the absolute best in quality, you definitely can’t go past this little baby.

The Canon 24-70mm is available for hire here, starting at $75 (exc gst) a day.

All images remain the rights of T5 Photography. Check out T5 Photography here too !

When a boy (or girl) comes of age, they are normally inducted into organisations. Some do so by choice, others like me are forced into one. Some take the side of the empire (Canon) or the alliance ( Nikon.) Others join the elitist (Leica) and some join the rebels (Pentax. ) Some however… join the Unknown…

A99 with 24-70mm @ 1/100, ISO 100, F2.8

Ok well Sony isn’t really that unknown, but they’re relatively new in the DSLR market, having introduced their Alpha range in 2006. Since then, Sony has quickly captured the market, becoming the third largest DSLR company by 2008. Their latest flagship model is the Sony Alpha A99.

The Sony Alpha A99 features a 24 megapixel full frame sensor and is jammed pack with innovative bits of technology. Instead of the traditional optical viewfinder, the A99 instead features an electronic viewfinder which allows users to preview their exposures before taking the shot, or brightness compensation which allows for easier operation in low light situations.  The autofocus system also gets an upgrade with its translucent mirror technology, allowing for faster autofocus locks and frame rates. All of these features are then packaged into an unorthodox design which is smaller and lighter than most of the other full frame offerings.

Sony also worked hard to target this camera at video shooters. The Sony A99 is the first DSLR to offer full HD recording at 50p and 60p. At the time of writing, the only other camera to offer that is the Canon 1D-C which does hurt the wallet a fair bit more…  but then again it is also a fair bit more camera.  Oh and there’s also a GPS unit inside of it if you ever happen to want to track down where you ate that delicious bowl of ramen during that foodie adventure.

70-200 @ 1/250, ISO 3200, F2.8

The flip out tiltable LCD also makes those extreme angled shots easier to work with, saving you those trips to the physiotherapist over sore necks and crooked backs. Also selectable is the video format between AVCHD and MPEG-4. This is ideal for the professional who wants maximum quality for their work or the MP4 codec for the casual shooter on holidays. The autofocus options also gives shooters more creative options such as the ability to ‘rack focus’ or even track whilst recording thanks to the translucent mirror. It’s not the most accurate system in certain situations but it’s definitely a step in the right direction for this technology.

Though I’m used to using Canon and Nikon DSLRs, picking up and shooting the Sony A99 was quick and intuitive. The moulded design had some well thought out ergonomics, especially when using it with the longer Sony 70-200mm F2.8. Whilst shooting, I noticed the Steadyshot in action which is built into the sensor itself, rather than the lenses. This allows for optical stabilisation to be functional at all times, even when fully mechanical lenses are being used.

70-200 @ 1/250, ISO 100, F2.8

The Sony A99 also delivers an impressive dynamic range giving photographers and videographers more data to play with when it comes to delivering the final product.  The resulting images are slightly flatter than what I normally get from my Canon 5D mark III, of which I prefer the colours to. But different people have different tastes in their style of photography and the Sony’s wider dynamic range helps to bring digital one step closer to that filmic look. And that’s something a lot of professionals pay good money for on all of those plugins and editing presets.

Note the details retained inside the dark cockpit and the highlights. 1/60, ISO 125, F4.5

The Sony A99 is a well rounded camera with features to satisfy both photographers and videographers and can certainly give its’ rivals, the Canon 5D mark III and Nikon D800, a run for their money. That said, in my opinion, which ever camera you select of this generation, there’s no excuse for a bad image as they are all certainly amazing bits of kit.

One of the most anticipated cameras and camera lens range (in my books at least) is finally here!

The Canon EOS 1D-C features a full frame sensor capable of recording at 4K resolutions packaged into a small but rugged form factor. The Canon 1 series has normally been reserved for professional photographers who required a fast and accurate camera with a rugged and weather sealed housing. The 1D-C now brings those features to cinematographers in a camera which is virtually identical to the latest Canon 1D-X.

The interface is also relatively simple and intuitive with quick access buttons and dials all over. What’s more is that the 1D-C can also be used as a stills camera, and a darn good one too with it’s super fast and accurate auto focus system and 12 fps RAW shooting speed and insane 14fps JPEG burst mode.

Canon also introduces its Cinema lens range which delivers fantastic images through its high prescision optics, fast t-stops and a smooth 11-bladed aperture. We currently have the CN-E24mm T1.5, CN-E50mm T1.3 and CN-E85mm T1.3 in store and we’ll soon be adding the CN-E14mm T3.1 and CN-E135mm T2.2 lens to our arsenal to meet the needs of any cinematographer.

We’ll be running some tests shortly, but playing it quickly, I can say that performance at ISO25600 is quite impressive and usable and at levels of ISO 204800 the 1D-C virtually has nightvision.

Stay tuned for more news and info! If you have any questions on the camera, or want us to perform any specific (non-destructive) tests post up your comments!

Introducing the new Canon C100, the little brother to the gargantuan C300 and C500 (in comparison.) Keen to take it out for the weekend and give it a whirl, I called up some mates of mine and got some exotic supercars lined up. Sunny skies, clear roads…. and unfortunately at the last minute a couple of the drivers got sick and the shoot was cancelled…

ISO 3200 @ F4

So, still keen to take the Canon C100 for a run, I took it to dinner. I decided to go with a very run and gun setup with just the the camera itself, side and top handle and a Zeiss ZF 35mm F/2.0 lens.

Those familiar with DSLRs will find the interface fairly intuitive with one button + joystick operations and the versatile flip around screen comes in handy for those angled shots. I did find the viewfinder a little moot as the rubber eyepiece is a little bit too small for comfortable usage and that it doesn’t extend either unlike its larger brothers. Still for those static tripod mounted shots it should prove its’ worth in bright sunny conditions.

The top handle features some nifty features like a built in stereo microphone, audio controls, microphone mount and a quick access recording button. Audio levels were set to automatic since I was moreso interested in testing out the camera’s image quality. That said there doesn’t seem to be any severe peaking as seen in the DSLRs so run and gun shooters should be able to appreciate this if they need a quick secondary source of sound.

The camera also features dual SD card slots which is great for wedding shooters who don’t want to go through the nightmare of losing a card’s worth of data for some unforeseen reason. Though SD cards present a slightly lower bit rate compared to the larger CF cards, the 24mbps still holds quite well in retaining detail in higher ISO shots.

The following stills are straight out the camera still extracts from the C100, most shots also had auto white balance on since I was a little busy eating at the time.

Inside at El Bulli, a Spanish tapas restaurant, I’m presented with a fairly dark but festive  environment. Great for trying out some high ISO shots. The cameras of this generation are really pushing the envelope when it comes to image quality. The market is full of different offerings from different manufacturers, all fighting for your hard earned cash. Which is great because in this market only the strongest will survive. Nowadays, it’s just getting harder and harder to blame a bad shot on the camera.

ISO 6400 @ F4

Pushing it straight up to ISO 6400, the camera seems to do quite well and shooting on the 5D mark III for a bit, I figured that the new cinema cameras should be able to perform just as well, if not better, as Canon’s DSLR range. The new Canon C100

ISO 12800 @ F5.6

Dialing in 12800 ISO at f5.6, I lined up a shot artistically at some sardines. The image itself looked fairly clean but I thought it might have been the LCD. You can never be too sure of an image until you’ve gotten it up on the big screen. In this case though, after reviewing it at a workstation, the LCD is quite accurate and the results at ISO12800 are quite impressive. Whilst DSLRs opened up the doors to low light shooting at super wide open apertures, the C100 now allows cinematographers to close up those apertures to retain a workable depth of field in those darker situations.

ISO 20000 @ F8

Pushing the camera to ISO20000 and though the image is still workable, the grain and chromatic noise does become quite apparent. It’s still a remarkable improvement over the Canon 5D mark II at ISO 3200.

Rolling shutters have also been improved with this new sensor. There was virtually no jello effect observed when recording a bit of evening traffic. Here’s a still which shows a truck driving by without looking too cartoony.

In terms of image formats, the only true progressive format is at 1080 at 24p. There are options such as 25PSF which is a mix of interlace and progressive but without the jitters. The C100 is still a pretty impressive camera, especially in a market with so much choice. The small form factor, pricing and image quality makes it an attractive option, especially for run and gun shooters or tricky shots with limited spacing.

The Canon C100 is now available for hire on our website. You can take it out to dinner yourself here!