Canon announces new pro camera body

Juvenile American Bald Eagle WINTER'S FLIGHT (Hailiaeetus leucocephalus, Pygarge a tete blanche, BAEA) Kachemak Bay (near Homer), Alaska ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS 1DX, 300mm F2.8 L IS USM with Jobu L-Bracket  Hand Held ISO 2,000, f/2.8 @ 1/3,200s Manual mode. Click HERE to order a print or license image for publication.

Here's a juvenile Bald Eagle from last year's epic Bald Eagle workshop. There are still a couple of spots available for this trip of a lifetime from March 7-11, 2014. Both March 12-16 and 17-21 trips are sold-out. Learn more and sign-up for my Bald Eagles of Homer, Alaska Workshop HERE.


Canon announces new pro camera body

Well, not really a new pro camera body, but this firmware update sure will make the already awesome 1DX feel like a brand new camera - and it's a free upgrade!

Canon has released a firmware update for the EOS-1D X Digital SLR Camera.
Details
Firmware Version 2.0.3 incorporates the following functional improvements and fixes.

  • Auto focusing performance under low-light conditions has been enhanced when performing focusing before shooting in AI Servo AF mode. The enhancement comes from the improvement in tracking capability for the first image in the low-light conditions.
  • The number of release parameters settings for the “AI Servo AF 2nd image priority” AF function has been increased to enable improved AF tracking in low light or maintain consistent high frames rates during continuous shooting.
  • The number of parameters for acceleration/deceleration tracking in the AF Configuration Tool will has been increased.
  • Exposure compensation can be performed when using manual exposure and ISO Auto.
  • The minimum shutter speed limit for ISO Auto has been increased with shutter speeds up to 1/8000.
  • A new function to keep the exposure constant by altering the ISO or shutter speed in manual exposure, when the aperture value changes when zooming or changing lenses has been added. This is an awesome and very useful feature!
  • A new option has been added to orientation linked AF point to enable only the AF point to switch as you change orientation rather than both AF point/ AF area settings
  • A new option to continue to use the previously manually selected AF point as the initial starting AF point when switching to 61-point automatic selection has been added.
  • New customization of the Exposure metering and AF controls has been added for more flexibility.
  • The number of possibilities for controls to switch between one-shot AF and AI Servo AF using custom controls has been increased.
  • A function has been added to allow the playback and review of protected images only.
  • A phenomenon has been fixed in which the white balance may be disturbed by the timing of the shutter release when the drive mode is single shooting and a flash (E-TTL）is used.

This update truly makes an amazing camera even better. The update arrives at a time when many were expecting a new camera announcement and continues Canon's recent trend of offering substantial free firmware upgrades for current camera models and incorporating user feedback.

DOWNLOAD Firmware version 2.0.3 for the 1DX HERE

DOWNLOAD Updated users manual HERE Always a good idea to keep a PDF on your smartphone for reference

Read the Canon product advisory HERE

Great Grey Owl CLOUDY BRIGHT EXPOSURE MAGIC

Great Grey Owl CLOSE ENOUGH? (Strix nebulosa, Chouette Lapone, GGOW) Ottawa, Ontario ©Christopher Dodds All Rights Reserved. Canon EOS Canon EOS 1DX, 500mm F4 L IS, Tripod & Jobu Jr. 3 ISO 2,500, f/5.6 @ 1/2,500s Manual mode. Click HERE to order a print or license image for publication.

Snowy Winter Owl Workshops/safaris

I am having amazing times with my Snowy Winter Owl Workshops Safaris. Some amazing opportunities with Great Grey Owls this year! I have only two spots left from February 25 to March 1 this year, with only limited space left for next winter. Check it out HERE!

Cloudy bright f/5.6 rule

This is not magic - it's science! It is amazing to realize how few people have heard of the sunny 16 rule; some actually know the rule for sunny conditions, but few know what to do when it's not sunny. This is an easy way to set the correct exposure without even thinking about it with no meter and no fumbling! In cloudy conditions (when you no longer see your shadow), simply set your camera to f/5.6 and the shutter speed to the nearest to the reciprocal of the film speed (or an equivalent exposure). Take a look at the camera settings I chose for the image above, and see I used f/5.6, ISO 2,500 and 1/2,500s. Check-out my earlier post about the Sunny 16 Rule to get a better understanding and impress your photo buddies.

Canon 1DX Firmware update

Firmware Version 1.2.1 for the EOS-1D X incorporates the following improvements and fixes:

  • The function to disable the Image size selection button has been added.
  • Fixes a phenomenon in which Err 70 and Err 80 may occur in very rare instances depending on the camera settings or shooting scene.

To download the latest firmware, visit Canon Canada EOS 1DX Driver page

Photo Geek Christmas Party in MARCH!

BUY TICKETS ONLINE HERE

Please do book your tickets soon to avoid disappointment.

Join me, Canadian nature photographer Christopher Dodds, on March 9, 2013 at 6:30 PM at the Casgrain Theatre (CEGEP John Abbot College 21275 Lakeshore Road, Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Québec H9X 3L9, Canada) for an hour and a half long slideshow presentation to benefit Le Nichoire. The show is designed to be entertaining and informative to all; nature lovers and photographers alike. Stories of adventure, natural history facts and information are all on the menu and this show is designed to offer helpful tips & techniques sure to improve your photography efforts with everything from a camera phone, point & shoot camera or professional SLR camera system. Over one hundred of his images will be projected, many unseen.  Everyone is welcome!
Hurry! Only 280 seats. Tickets are only $18.00 each and are available for advance purchase only - every penny is collected by, and goes to Le Nichoir. Please call or email Le Nichoir (communication@lenichoir.org 450-458-2809) to secure your tickets, or make a donation if you can't make it (be sure to tell them it's on behalf of Chris' Photo Geek Christmas Party) Major credit cards and cheques accepted. There will be ample time to mingle, meet my friends and contacts and share some of your images with others, so feel free to bring prints, iPads or laptops with your favourite images to share. I hope to see you there and PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD!

The door prizes were over the top last year, and thanks to my good friends and sponsors, we have secured an even better stash for this year.

If you would like to contribute door prizes for, or sponsor, this worthy cause, please email me (chris@chrisdoddsphoto.com) to discuss. It's a great way to have your product or brand mentioned in every blog post until the main event while helping an awesome cause!

Last year we raised over $2,500.00 and I am asking for your help to at least double that!