The NEW Canon 5D Mark IV - Should You Upgrade?

It’s been 4 years, 5 months, and 26 days since Canon released the very well-received 5D Mark III but who is counting right? The 5D series of cameras are some of the most respected Digital SLR cameras and are known among professional shooters as being absolute workhorses of the photographic industry.

Canon have just launched the greatly anticipated follow up model - the 5D Mark IV which on the surface appears quite similar.

The question is, what sort of scrumptious new features has Canon packed into the latest model to convince photographers and cinematographers to upgrade to the latest iteration of the 5D series?

The big stand out features for the new Mark IV are:

• ·         The camera’s ability to shoot broadcast quality DCI 4K video which means that you can take full advantage of all the benefits of shooting video in a super high resolution. From stabilising footage in post-production, to exporting 8.8 Megapixel stills from video footage, it opens up a stunning new world of creative opportunities.

• ·         The new Dual Pixel AF points on the sensor which allow much faster autofocus performance in live view mode and when combined with the touch screen can provide incredible video focus pulls and subject tracking.

• ·         The increased sensor resolution that boosts the pixels up to a glorious 30.4 Megapixels providing more detail than ever before, and the inclusion of the Dual Pixel Raw feature that allows for micro focus adjustments in post.

Overall it is a massive upgrade and one that we’ve been waiting patiently (more or less) for Canon to reveal. 

We recently had chance to play with the 5D Mark IV and you can watch as we put the camera through its paces in the video below.

                                

Have more questions? Give our experienced sales team a call on 1300 365 220 or pop into one of our stores for a chat.

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The Old and the New

Written by Daniel Smith

Film... wow the reminiscent quality and grain. Ponder this too much and beware you may be labelled a hipster.

What is it about film that holds such appeal? Is it the romantic notion of an old film camera you used to have, or one that was owned by a friend or relative? We are in an age where the proliferation of imagery is huge. There is the complete saturation of images across our whole waking life and we can take more and more all the time. What I liked about film was the fact that I had a single roll of film, (sometimes more), but often a single roll of film. This had to tell my story.  Like countless photographers before me I had a series of 24 (or 36) frames on which to tell my story. And after shooting this roll of film I had to wait to see the images. Waiting for an image... what a crazy notion!

In an age where Hollywood directors and cinematographers are pushing to shoot their movies on film stock against industry pressure, digital image technology has never been so prolific and accessible. Digital manipulation is often used to emulate the look of film. Instagram, Hipstamatic, Nik software and in-camera effects (amongst others) are all tools that photographers use to give their digital images a film look. This software emulates something beautiful that existed in film. At times we are taking a digital image on a $3000 camera and making it look like it was taken on a light leaking $100 toy camera.

There is a functionality and style that is returning to cameras. After the industry got very caught up with megapixels and zoom size at the advent of digital, a lot of the camera essence was lost. Although dressed in retro garb this essence is coming back. The Nikon Df (pictured) sits as the current leader in this class, with a return to the classic functionality of the camera: aperture, shutter speed and ISO. Now while not the first camera to trade on this ‘old is new again’ simplicity it seems to be the one that gets it the most right. At a much bigger size than the Nikon FM2 film camera (pictured) it is no small camera, but wow does it pack a punch.

The Nikon Df is not without its bells and whistles but it in no way feels weighed down by these bells and whistles. Admittedly it is very different to shooting a roll of film, for one there is a screen on the back.  Put a 50mm manual Nikon prime lens on though and the very act of shooting an image and capturing that moment is reminiscent of the simplicity of a good, old school, solid film camera.

If you are wishing for a return to a simpler time, this may be the camera that you have been looking for.

Below are some other back to basics and retro style cameras. What are your thoughts? Have they hit the mark? We would love to hear from some current or ex-film shooters.

Fujifilm X100S
Fujifilm X-Pro1
Fujifilm X-T1
Olympus PEN E-P5
Olympus OM-D EM-5
Olympus OM-D E-M1
Panasonic GM1
Panasonic GX7
Pentax Q
Nikon Df

ABOVE IMAGE: Somewhat ironically for this blog post about a Nikon digital camera that is designed in a similar style to the older Nikon style film cameras, this shot was taken digitally with a Canon DSLR and then processed to look like a film image on the computer (Nik software).

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Nikon D610 Full Frame DSLR Now Available for Pre-order!

Nikon’s newly announced D610 is a full-frame masterpiece that bridges the gap for photographers seeking the advanced imaging capabilities of an FX-format without compromising on its compact and lightweight form.  Packed with features including a 24.3 Megapixel FX-format CMOS sensor, EXPEED 3 image processing engine and a generous ISO range of 100 to 6400 (expandable from 50 to 25600), the D610 is engineered for superior performance that will surely answer the needs of enthusiasts and professionals alike.

Available from mid to late October, the Nikon D610 is ready for pre-order right here! As always, our products are 100% Australian Stock with full local Manufacturer’s Warranty so you can be assured that your investment is genuine and covered.  

Key Features

·         24.3 Megapixel FX-format CMOS Sensor

·         3.2” 921k-dot LCD Monitor

·         EXPEED 3 Image Processor

·         Full-frame Coverage

·         Full HD 1920x1080 Video Recording

·         6 FPS Continuous Shooting

·         Dual SD/SDHC/SDXC Card Slots

·         Microphone and Headphone Inputs

·         ISO 100-6400 (Expandable to 50-25600)

·         Built-in Pop-Up Flash

·         Instant Photo Sharing via the WU-1b Wireless Mobile Adapter (Sold Separately)

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Nikon D600 Launch Nights

We held launch nights for the D600 at our Canterbury and Northcote stores this past Wednesday evening, and they were rather successful if we do say so ourselves!

Joined by Nikon representatives, our customers were given a detailed presentation on this revolutionary new camera. We had a great turnout of keen people looking to find out as much as they could on the D600 and get hands on, with quite a few taking the plunge and upgrading to it on the night.

It is nice to see the big manufacturers developing a full frame camera in a more affordable pricing bracket, allowing many enthusiasts to step into the category and get that fantastic 35mm image quality. We could tell a lot of customers were chuffed with this addition to Nikon's lineup. 

                                     D600 Launch Night; Canterbury store in Sydney 19/09/2012                                                                                                     

As with any new release into quite an extensive and polarizing market, there has been some criticism of the price still being a little too high for the included features, or the features not quite having that 'wow' factor. Considering a full frame DSLR was upwards of $4500 just a few years ago with fewer 'bells and whistles' as they say, we'd have to pick the D600 and indeed Canon's 6D as vital elements to the market giving keen photographers a little more opportunity to take the next step in their chosen paths, whether from a creative or professional standpoint. 

We love having these experience nights at our stores, they're a great way to get to know our customer base and invite you to check us out on a more casual basis hopefully taking away a little more knowledge on something rather cool. 

We'll be sure to let you know about our next events, so come on down for a chat and tell us what you think. 

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Nikon D600 - The People's Full Frame!

Yesterday proved an exciting time for Nikonians and lovers of truly revolutionary cameras everywhere.

With the rumour mill churning weeks before anything official, Nikon finally brought the anticipated Nikon D600 to market on September 13.

Camera enthusiasts everywhere hailed it a winning price point for the amount of professional features crammed into it, including but not limited to: 24.3MP FX-format CMOS sensor, EXPEED 3 imaging engine, Full HD 1080p video, 5.5 frames per second continuous shooting and uncompressed HDMI output for video. Insanity at this price!

To celebrate the launch of this powerhouse, we're holding events at our Sydney and Melbourne stores. If you want to meet the D600 in person and talk the ear off a Nikon rep, be sure to RSVP as spots are STRICTLY LIMITED:

Sydney: Canterbury store; 174 Canterbury Road CANTERBURY NSW 2193
September 19 2012
6:30pm for a 7:00pm start.

Melbourne: Northcote store; 367 High Street NORTHCOTE VIC 3070
September 19 2012
6:00pm for a 6:30pm start.

RSVP is essential. Contact DCW Marketing with your preferred location.

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