In another widely anticipated move, Canon has finally announced an update to the firmware for their extremely popular Canon EOS 5D Mark II SLR camera. This update is mainly aimed at the video users that have been very disappointed (and very vocal about it) with the video controls that were included with the original camera.

This update brings several updates and improvements to the video controls for the camera, including manual control over the audio input level, and several new recording formats as well:

NOTE – Firmware Version 2.0.3 was very quickly superseded by 2.04 which fixed a few bugs that were introduced in 2.0.3. The major changes in 2.0.4 are the same as in 2.0.3.

Firmware Version 2.0.4 incorporates five enhancements to the
movie function and a fix to the manual sensor cleaning function
of the EOS 5D Mark II camera.

1. Adds or changes the following movie frame rates
   NTSC:
   1920×1080:30 fps (changed – actual 29.97fps)
   1920×1080:24 fps (added – actual 23.976 fps)
   640×480:30 fps (changed – actual 29.97fps)
   PAL:
   1920×1080:25 fps (added – actual 25.0 fps)
   1920×1080:24 fps (added – actual 23.976 fps)
   640×480:25 fps (added – actual 25.0 fps)
2. Adds a function for manually adjusting the sound recording level (64 levels).
3. Adds a histogram display (brightness or RGB) for shooting movies in manual exposure.
4. Adds shutter-priority AE mode (Tv) and aperture-priority AE (Av) mode to the exposure modes for shooting movies.
5. Changes the audio sampling frequency from 44.1 KHz to 48 KHz.
6. Fixes a phenomenon where communication between the camera and the attached lens is sometimes interrupted after manual sensor cleaning. (This phenomenon only affects units with Firmware Version 1.2.4.)

For all the details about the firmware update including a download and installation instructions head over to the official Canon site.

This will be the third and final article in an ongoing series I’ve been writing about the recently announced Canon EOS 7D. As I have previously mentioned, I am very excited about the 7D because it looks like it will be a very impressive camera. The features it brings to the Canon camera lineup will only get better and more exciting as newer cameras are released. The competition between Canon and Nikon over the last couple of years has been fierce and it seems that Canon regained their lead with the 5D Mark II and now the 7D extends that margin. Competition has been very good for our industry and I have no doubt that Nikon will reply shortly…

I really like the look of the 7D; however, I have also stated that I probably won’t buy one. Here are a few reasons why I might consider buying the 7D after all:

1. The Hype: Canon fans around the world are very excited about this camera. I haven’t seen hype like this for a camera since the Nikon D3 was released. That was the first time in a long time that Nikon had sent a camera out that was really competetive with anything Canon had, and the Nikon users were on fire for months afterwards. Sure the 5D Mark II release was exciting, but everybody knew it was coming. In many ways the 7D trumps the 5D and it has tongues wagging all over the interwebs.
2. The Timing: In a perfect world I would wait for the pending expected successor to the 1D Mark III (presumably the 1D Mark IV) to be released, but nobody knows for sure when that will be. The pundits on the rumour sites are pointing to a spring 2010 release. I can probably wait that long, but I definitely don’t want to wait until fall 2010.
3. Improved Autofocus: I am becoming increasingly disappointed with the autofocus performance of my 40D, especially in lower light situations. The new 19 point AF system on the 7D looks amazing and I can only assume that it will be vastly better than the technology built into the 40D.
4. High ISO Performance: I used to be an absolute nut about image noise, taking my shooting to such extreme lengths to avoid ISO 400 even, never mind taking it up to ISO 800. I’m much better now and I actually use ISO 800 all the time; however, I’m really looking forward to having a new camera that has a useful ISO 1600. From the test images I’ve seen and the reports that I’ve read, the ISO performance of the 7D is very good.
5. 1.6x Crop Factor Sensor: There are lots of things to love about full frame cameras like the 5D (most notably the low image noise, the extreme wide angle field of view, and the beautiful bokeh), but crop sensor cameras have one thing that really trumps all of that for me: longer equivalent focal length. I mainly shoot birds and wildlife and for that purpose focal length is king. At this time I simply can’t afford (or justify) to buy the 500mm f/4L, 600mm f/4L, or 800mm f/5.6L Super Telephoto lenses that I really want. For now I would really prefer to stick with a crop sensor camera. Hopefully the 1D Mark IV will stick with the APS-H (1.3x) format currently in use in the 1D Mark III which would be an acceptable trade-off for me between the 1x of the full frame sensors and the 1.6x of the APS-C sensors.

I’m ready to buy a camera right now, but I really want the next camera in Canon’s professional 1D series. Hopefully that release will come soon, but if it doesn’t then the Canon EOS 7D is a very tempting piece of equipment. It will be interesting to see what the reviews are like as the production models start to actually appear in the wild.

As I have previously mentioned, the Canon EOS 7D looks like a pretty amazing camera. It has an impressive list of features and there are a few things that it brings to the table that have me really excited.

However, amazing as it is, the 7D is still missing several features from my ideal camera, and even more from my list of must-haves for my next camera. Here are a few of the main reasons why I don’t plan to buy the Canon 7D:

1. Autofocus at f/8: Most consumer cameras will only autofocus with lenses that have a maximum aperture of f/5.6 or larger (remember that the smaller the f-stop, the larger the aperture). This may not sound like a big deal since most professional lenses are f/2.8, and even consumer lenses typically range from f/3.5 to f/5.6. However, super zooms are often at f/4 or f/5.6, and if you add a teleconverter to the lens you will lose 1 or 2 stops further. My most used lens is the Canon 100-400mm f/4-5.6 L. It is a fantastic lens under most conditions but simply adding a 1.4x teleconverter takes it up to a maximum aperture of f/8 when fully racked out and so I lose autofocus with most cameras. (Sure, some will argue that this lens is not a good candidate for teleconverters anyway, but sometimes you need all the focal length you can get and the trade-off in image quality is worth the extra zoom). Professional cameras often extend the allowable autofocus range to f/8. If the 7D had this one feature it would be a very strong contender to be my next camera.
2. Integral Battery Grip: I don’t often need more than one battery, even for a full day of shooting, and I’m very happy to carry a spare battery in my pocket. But the really nice thing about having a battery grip on your camera is that it provides an extra set of shooting controls (including a shutter release, main dial, AE lock/FE lock and AF point selection) designed to make vertical shooting easier and more comfortable). You can buy add-on battery grips for most cameras however they are not always the perfect solution. Inadequate weather sealing is one potential drawback, and they also do not always have all of the controls that would be included on an integral grip. One feature in particular that I want in my battery grip is the inclusion of an AF-ON button, but add-on grips typically don’t include one. The 7D doesn’t have an integral grip, and the Canon BG-E7 battery grip designed for the 7D doesn’t include an AF-ON button.
3. Not Enough Megapixels: I already mentioned this in my previous article about the 7D, but it’s worth mentioning here too… Lately lots of people have been crying for the camera companies to stop chasing megapixels and focus more on reduced image noise. Not me. I want both! I shoot lots of birds and wildlife which can often be very small in the frame, and more megapixels would mean that I could crop my images tighter in post, yet still have a large file for multi-purpose use. I was expecting this camera to be at least 21 megapixels, which would be comparable to the Canon 5D Mark II. I really hope the next professional camera from Canon gets back to the winning ways of more and more megapixels.
4. Single Memory Card Slot: I’m a backup freak and the most vulnerable point in any photography storage system is at the time of capture. If a camera has only one memory card slot, then, by definition, at the time of capture there is only one copy of each image that has been created. The simple addition of a second card slot would ensure that there are always at least two copies of every image. This would be a relatively inexpensive feature to add and I’m extremely disappointed that Canon missed this one on the 7D.
5. Exposure Bracketing: Most Canon cameras provide a simple method to create a 3-stop auto-exposure bracket. In traditional film photography bracketing was used almost exclusively to ensure that you got the correct exposure. In digital that’s no longer really necessary because you can easily see the image on the LCD and decide whether you got it or not. Today bracketing is used more for HDR photography than anything else. For this reason it is often desirable to have (many) more than 3 images in the bracket. Personally I prefer 5 shots in one stop increments, so I have to shoot 2 brackets of 3 shots each in order to get all the exposures I need. Nikon cameras and Canon’s professional cameras allow much more control over bracketing. It is such a simple thing to provide (a software change only), so I’m stunned that Canon did not include this feature in the 7D. HDR photography is the hottest and most exciting thing in the photo world today (just do a quick search of HDR on Flickr to see what I mean) and Canon really missed the boat here.

I’m really excited by the possibilities that the Canon EOS 7D opens up, especially with the new autofocus system and with the built-in wireless flash controller. But Canon missed a few features that could have taken this camera from “exciting” to “damn near perfect”. I’m not saying that I will never buy this camera, but for now I’m planning to hold out for the next release in the 1D series (1D mark IV ??). Hopefully it comes sooner than later!!

The recent release of the Canon EOS 7D has created quite a stir in the photography community. Initially people weren’t sure where this camera fit into the lineup of existing Canon cameras. From the naming convention it appears to fit somewhere between the 50D and the 5D Mark II; however, the feature set is so impressive that many assumed that it was intended to slot in above the 5D in the hierarchy. As the dust has settled it appears more and more that Canon has created a new product line designed to directly fight the Nikon D300s which is positioned in the market in a place where Canon had no comparable equipment.

Marketing aside, the 7D has a very impressive list of specifications and the image quality appears to be at least as good as the 50D (with increased resolution at 18 megapixels for the 7D vs. 15 megapixels for the 50D). It may not quite match the standard set by the full-frame 5D Mark II, but this is clearly one of the best SLR cameras ever produced.

Here are a few of the main reasons why I’m excited by this addition to the Canon family:

1. New Autofocus System: I’ve had the Canon 40D for almost 2 years (and 70,000 images) and in that time I’ve never really loved the autofocus system. It works well in some situations, poorly in others, and OK in most. But I’ve always felt that it could be faster and more accurate, and could do more to help me achieve critical focus. For the 7D Canon is boasting that the brand new “19-point, all cross-type AF system equipped with dual diagonal cross-type sensors in center at f/2.8 and f/5.6 and AF area selection modes to match various shooting situations” will be exactly what I’ve been asking for: faster and more accurate. I certainly hope they’re right.
2. Low Light / Low Noise Shooting: It seems that I can almost always use a little bit faster shutter speed and so higher ISO’s with lower noise levels are definitely exciting. I use ISO800 all the time with my 40D and the noise in those images is “acceptable” but often much uglier than I want it to be. In my opinion ISO1600 is not at all usable except in those extreme situations where getting any shot is better than getting nothing at all. I was able to test a 50D for an extended period and on that camera I find the images made at ISO1600 to be comparable to those at 800 on my camera, and the 7D is supposed to be even better yet. This is a very good thing and I’m excited at the possibility of having a camera where ISO3200 is a reality, not just a crazy dream!
3. Lots of Megapixels: Lately lots of people have been crying for the camera companies to stop chasing megapixels and focus more on reduced image noise. Not me. I want both! I shoot lots of birds and wildlife which can often be very small in the frame, and more megapixels means that I can crop my images tighter and post yet still have a large file for multi purpose use. So while I’m happy that this camera is 18 megapixels, I’d be even happier with more. Canon, keep the pixels coming!
4. HD Video: This isn’t so much exciting for me as it is very interesting. I don’t shoot a lot of video, but I do want to be able to in a pinch. I’m used to always having a point and shoot nearby to use for the occasional video that I want to shoot, but it would be much nicer to have it built into my SLR. The fact that the 7D includes 1080p High Definition video, with the amazing control over depth of field that only comes with an SLR is really nice. Video has already become a de facto industry standard for SLR’s, but I’m glad that Canon is pushing the quality envelope with the video capabilities implemented in this camera.
5. Wireless Flash Control: I’m saving the best for last with this one… The 7D comes with built-in capability to control multiple external Speedlite flashes wirelessly using TTL metering. That means that the camera can control the output level of each flash where in the past an external flash with Speedlite Master capability, or a dedicated wireless Master controller, had to be mounted on the hotshoe of the camera. These units are heavy, bulky, and expensive! Canon has long been way behind Nikon in this one little detail as most (all?) Nikon SLR’s have been able to control slave flashes wirelessly for a long time. Anyone even remotely aware of the Strobist movement will immediately understand why this is a big deal. It’s not just big, it’s huge!

I don’t necessarily think that the Canon EOS 7D is the perfect camera. In fact it only adds one of the features that I really want in my next camera (AF Microadjustment, which has also already become a de facto industry standard feature). But it is a huge leap over the existing xxD cameras and in many ways an improvement over the much more recent 5D Mark II. The main thing for me is that it shows that Canon hasn’t been sitting on their laurels and that they have some fantastic new technology ready to roll. Upcoming releases in the 1D and 5D series could get very exciting!

This is a huge step in the right direction toward my programmable camera idea… 

Check out the open source project to create new firmware for the Canon 5D Mark II, codenamed Magic Lantern.  This project is still in beta, and they seem to be focusing primarily on improving the video aspects of the camera, but it works!  And I want it for my 40D.  It sounds like Magic Lantern could be quite quickly ported over to the 50D since they use a similar operating system, but the 40D appears to be an ugly stepchild that is difficult to hack.  I’m might just have to upgrade to the 5D (or maybe to the 1D Mark IV that is rumored to be forthcoming in the fall).