The new king on the blog.

ZOMG... Forget the 5D MKII.



The Canon 7D

Here are the (supposed) spec's:

* 18 megapixels (-_-)
* Dual DiG!C 4 imaging processors, 14-bit A/D signal conversion (unconfirmed if full frame)
* 8 FPS (94 Large/Fine JPEGS or 15 RAW) (Just like my 1d MKII ;)
* 19 points cross type AF sensors. Eight-directional double cross central AF point
* ISO 100-6400, extends to 12800
* 100% coverage, 1.0x optical viewfinder with intelligent display, with electronic horizon line.
* 3.0″ LCD, 920,000 dot resolution, 160 degree viewing angle
* New iFCL meter system using high contrast and color detection (63-zone) (I have no idea what this will do, but it sounds good.)
* Newly-designed streamlined body, metallic shutter sound, shutter lifespan approx. 150,000 times (The 1d class has a shutter life of 200k.)
* HD movie, HDMI out, external mic input (1080p/24fps/40mbs?)
* EOS Integrated Dust Removal system
* Live view with Face-priority AF
* Auto Lighting Optimizer
* Auto correction of lens peripheral illumination (vignetting) (Cool)
* New switch for Live View/Video mode
* New 24mm wide-angle built-in flash supporting EOS E-TTL II

So I am not 100% sure this is the true final specifications for the 7D model, but it seems very probable.

Review--

Dual DiG!C 4 sensor
I looked online at what the benefits of having two sensors would bring. Basically it's about buffer size with high res images. You get more frames with a dual sensor, because when one fills up, the other takes over and stores the images before transferring them onto the memory card.

iFCL meter system
Matt Brown once told me, "It's better to keep your images neutral and punch up the color in shop. That way everything stays consistent, and you never have to worry about miscalculations the camera can make."

8 FPS @ 18 megapixels
This would be great for sports photography. I hope the file size is smaller than the 5d MKII's 25 MB file.

High ISO
64'000 to 128'000 sounds insane! I wonder if it can do 25'600?

Size
From the looks of it, the size will be similar to the 5D MKII. Lighter/Smaller/Durable is better.

HD Video Mode
The problem with the 5D MKII's HD video mode is it only records 15 min. at a time. (15 min = 4 GB) This is due to the limited buffer size of the DiG!C 4 sensor. Dual DiG!C sensors would double the buffer size, effectively doubling the record time. However, I have heard it is better to record in short bursts rather than longer intervals.

Overall, I think Canon is changing their body size for better portability. The smaller size will help photojournalists in the field. I take back what I initially said, because I am also a studio photographer.

The day I met Nick Ut.

Holy! I just found a photograph from a year ago that I thought I had lost.
Last year, my photo teacher hosted an event at Cal-State Fullerton. Nick Ut, and other famous photojournalists came to speak at the event.

He told me much about his experience as a photo journalist. The horrors of war photography. The napalm girl. And the psychological toll one goes through.
Nick taught me a lot in the 30 minutes I had with him.

Afterwords I realized, I don't think I can handle what he witnessed.
I idolized guys like Nick



Robert Capa



Kyoichi Sawada



I would much rather work to document humanitarian efforts. To showcase the good and triumphant.



Photographed by Thomas E. Franklin after the attack on 9/11



Photographed by Sal Veder from AP. "Burst of Joy" became an iconic image that symbolized the Vietnam wars end.



Photographed by Renée C. Byer.
"Racing barefooted after kicking off her flip-flops, Cyndie pushes her son Derek Madsen, 10, up and down hallways in the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento on June 21, 2005, successfully distracting him during the dreaded wait before his bone marrow extraction. Doctors want to determine whether he is eligible for a blood stem cell transplant, his best hope for beating neuroblastoma, a rare childhood cancer, which was diagnosed in November 2004."

A guide for student photojournalists pt. 1 - The essential gear for photojournalists

The essential gear for photojournalists.

Its been two years since I took a loan to pay for all my equipment:

1. Macbook
2. Canon 1D MKII
17-35mm 2.8
24-70mm 2.8
50mm 1.4
70-200mm 2.8
580exII
3. Manfrotto Monopod
4. Cables, external monitor, camera backpack etc.

I have since come to realize my mistake in spending. I should have bought the essentials and worked with what I had.

So here is a short list for new photojournalists who are ready to take the plunge and max out their credit cards.

1. Laptop (IT DOESNT HAVE TO BE A MAC)

2. Canon 5D MKII or Rebel T1i. Nikon D300s or D90. (It REALLY does not matter which camera company you go with, just stay loyal to them.)

The semi-pro T1i and the D90 can record video. Video is quickly becoming a must for photojournalists. I do video.



3. 24-70mm 2.8. (This is the only lens you need to buy.)
WHY?
-You get wide and telephoto with this lens.
-2.8 for low light.
-You can rent a 70-200mm for around $30 for the day and $80 for a 300mm.

The Canon 24-70mm I use is durable, light, and small. I always end up using it at events.

4. 1.4x Teleconverter (Adding this onto your 24-70mm 2.8 will extend the range to 33.6-98mm f4 lens. The converter is small, and light. It gives you an added boost whenever you are in the field.)

**Reasons why I would not use a 2x teleconverter.
-the quality degregation is twice as bad
-F stop increases by 1 more than 1.4x
-bulkier
-at 48-140mm f8 I would rather rent a 70-200mm for the day.

5. 430exII. ($170 cheaper than 580exII. Unless you are on a photoshoot, you only need one strobe.)


6. Make shift monopod/steadicam.


7. Camera bag


8. EXTRA BATTERIES and MEMORY CARDS!