unbox | Picturing Change

Canon 70D Unboxing and Hands-On Preview Images

The Canon 70D is hitting the stores today, and I was able to get my first hands-on experience with an actual production model. As with most all of my posts, I will leave the “pixel peeping” to the other sites that do in-depth lab tests of image quality, noise, AF responsiveness, etc., and instead I will present some images and briefly offer some notes on the user experience. While numerous pre-production models of the EOS 70D have been on the loose (for reviewers, etc.) over the past few weeks, it does not appear that there are any major differences with the final, retail version (although the retail version is Firmware 1.1.1, so some menu bugs were likely fixed). Note that larger versions of all these images can be inspected on Flickr here.

Canon 70D unbox unboxing book manual guide tutorial hands on tips tricks
Canon 70D Unboxing, at Newtonville Camera in Newton, Mass. (It was a body only kit, so I threw on the closest 18-135mm lens).

I’ve gotten to know the 70D very well over the past several weeks as I’ve been working on my latest Full Stop camera guide, Canon 70D Experience. This user’s guide goes beyond the manual to explain not only the functions, controls, and menus, but more importantly when and why to use them. Learn more about Canon 70D Experience at my Full Stop website here.

The Canon EOS 70D is the long-awaited upgrade to the EOS 60D. While the xxD line of Canon mid-level dSLR cameras has typically been updated every one-and-a-half years in the past, the 60D has been out for a full three years without an update! This hasn’t been a huge issue, as the 60D was very well-featured and has maintained its popularity, but none-the-less there are some welcomed improvements. I have recently written all about the camera’s specs, features, and new additions in this previous post Introducing the Canon EOS 70D, which you may wish to read first to learn about the camera’s specs, features, and improvements.

Canon 70D image quality detail sample focus autofocus hands on tips tricks
Canon 70D sample image – JPEG straight from camera. See enlarged detail below.

Canon 70D image quality detail sample focus autofocus hands on tips tricks
Canon 70D sample image – JPEG straight from camera. Enlarged detail of above image. If added sharpening is applied, the details will become even crisper.

Canon 70D image quality detail sample focus autofocus hands on tips tricks processed post-process, picture style
Canon 70D sample image – Processed version of above JPEG image.

In actual use, the 70D feels and functions great, as expected, both with a typical 18-135mm kit lens and with a bigger, heavier 24-70mm f/2.8L lens. The surface materials feel great, the camera is solid, the menus are well organized, and the controls are responsive and (for the most part) well-placed. There are a few changes in the controls from the 60D, including the relocation of a few buttons, the addition of the much more convenient Live View/ Movie Switch and button, and of course the addition of the top AF Area Selection Button to allow you to quickly change the AF Area Selection Mode (Single Point AF, Zone AF, 19-Point Automatic Selection). However, it is the addition of the Touch Screen that has the potential to make a significant difference in how you access the menus and settings. While you can still quickly change various settings using the buttons and dials on the camera body, you may soon find it is often easier to hit the [Q] Button or [Q] icon and access the settings and navigate the menus via the Quick Control Screen, using touch. The screen not only uses the multi-touch gestures that you are familiar with from your smart-phone or tablet, it is also an extremely responsive touch screen (which can even be set for more responsiveness if desired). The small menu tabs and options are easy to accurately tap, numerous settings can be changed directly from the shooting Quick Control Screen with taps and swipes, Live View and Movie autofocusing can be accomplished by touching the desired area of the screen (even during filming!), image playback can be done with multi-touch gestures just as on an iPhone, and image processing can be accomplished by making selections directly on the Playback Quick Control Screen.

Canon 70D image quality detail sample focus autofocus hands on tips tricks
Canon 70D sample image – JPEG straight from camera. See enlarged detail below.

Canon 70D image quality detail sample focus autofocus hands on tips tricks
Canon 70D sample image – JPEG straight from camera. Enlarged detail of above image. If added sharpening is applied, the details will become even crisper.

My one predicted gripe that I mentioned in the previous 70D post is indeed true – I’m a much bigger fan of the thumb-joystick Multi-Controller on the 7D and 5DIII rather than the Multi-Controller touch pad of the 60D and 70D. I find the joystick better positioned for selecting an AF Point while working through the viewfinder. Not to mention that you have to be careful when navigating menus with the 70D Multi-Controller thumb-pad and surrounding Quick Control Dial, as your finger may easily touch one or the other during an operation, and you may suddenly jump away from the menu item or settings option you were attempting to set.

What the manual fails to mention is that there are often several controls options that can be used to navigate menus, Quick Control Screens, and settings options. While the manual may tell you, for example, to press left and right on the Multi-Controller, often you can also use the top Main Dial and / or rear Quick Control Dial to accomplish the same thing. While there are some settings that require the use of one of these specific controls, you will find that with many other settings they can be used interchangeably. So be sure to try out the various options and use the controls that work most intuitively for you. There is also a nearly-hidden feature of the 70D that you may not pick up in the manual. There is a new Level icon in the Viewfinder that you can enable and then use with the camera in either the horizontal (landscape) or vertical (portrait) orientation, which you will likely come across. But what you may not realize is that you can use the Custom Controls to set the Depth of Field Button to enable a Level also – however, this level makes use of the autofocus points in the viewfinder rather than the Level icon. (There is also the Level on the rear LCD Monitor that can be viewed by pressing the INFO Button a couple times.)

Regarding some of the other customizations you can make to the camera’s controls, I’ve written a post called Tips and Tricks for the 70D about taking advantage of the camera’s Custom Controls. These will allow you to better set up the camera for your needs and shooting style.

Canon 70D image quality detail sample focus autofocus hands on tips tricks
Canon 70D sample image – JPEG straight from camera.

As with most current dSLR cameras, the 70D has a few menu settings “quirks” or conflicts that may drive you crazy if you are not aware why they are occurring. Most notably, some settings will be inaccessible or greyed-out in the menus, and you will not be able to select them if a “conflicting” setting is enabled. These are actually not arbitrary quirks, but are typically due to logical conflicts or camera limitations. Examples include certain functions like Multi-Shot Noise Reduction, Handheld Night Scene, HDR Backlight Control, or Live View Creative Filters, which are not accessible when the camera is set to capture files in the RAW or RAW+JPEG image format. You must then set the Image Quality to one of the JPEG-only settings. The use of Auto Exposure Bracketing, White Balance Bracketing, or Long Exposure Noise Reduction will also conflict with other settings including Multi-Shot Noise Reduction or the use of the Creative Filters. Similarly, the use of Auto Exposure Bracketing, White Balance Bracketing, Multi-Shot Noise Reduction, or Multiple Exposure will conflict with using the built-in HDR function. And Multiple Exposure cannot be set if White Balance Bracketing, Multi-Shot Noise Reduction, or HDR is set, or if Wi-Fi is enabled. In addition, Wi-Fi must be disabled in order to shoot a video.

While it is obviously not realistic for you to remember all of these conflicts, you can begin to see a pattern in the examples above. If you do encounter an inaccessible menu item, remember to check your Image Quality setting (RAW vs. JPEG), that Wi-Fi is disabled, and then make sure any of the above mentioned functions are disabled, as many of the same ones simply conflict with each other.

The 70D now offers a 3x-10x movie Digital Zoom feature, which will allow you to digitally extend the range of your lens and thus get closer to the action. However, when you enable this the framing will automatically jump to the 3X zoom. You can then use the controls or touch screen to zoom-in further. But it is important to remember that Movie Servo AF (automatic continuous focus) will not function when Digital Zoom is in use. And the camera will not make use of the advanced Dual Pixel CMOS AF phase-detection autofocusing during Digital Zoom, but rather will use the slower contrast-detection autofocusing. Also, for movie shooting, if you activate manual control of the audio level, you can adjust the level directly from the rear LCD screen via the [Q] Button or icon and then by pressing or selecting the Audio Level icon. This is an improvement over other recent models which required you to go into the menu to manually adjust the audio level.

Canon 70D unbox unboxing book manual guide tutorial hands on tips tricks
Canon 70D Unboxing, at Newtonville Camera in Newton, Mass.

To learn more about using your Canon 70D and how to take full advantage of all its features, functions and controls – including back-button focusing, plus taking control of the autofocus system, making use of the various metering modes, and understanding the elements of exposure – have a look at my e-book guide called Canon 70D Experience. As with all my dSLR guides, Canon 70D Experience will help you to learn not only how but more importantly when and why to use the features, functions, and controls of the 70D. Learn more about the guide on my Full Stop website here.

PURCHASING: And if you are planning to purchase your Canon 70D online, please consider using my affiliate links and help support this blog – thanks!

Order your Canon EOS 70D from Amazon or B and H Photo:

Amazon:

Canon 70D – Body or with choice of kit lenses – $1,199 to $1,549

B and H Photo:

Canon 70D – Body only – $1,199

Canon 70D – with 18-135mm STM lens – $1,549

Canon 70D – with 18-55mm STM lens – $1,349

Nikon D600 – The First Affordable Full-Frame dSLR (and the updated Nikon D610)

Introducing the Nikon D600 Full Frame dSLR Camera and the updated Nikon D610:

(With additions made at the end of this article to explain the features added to the updated Nikon D610)

(First, I have been corrected on the title of this post – the Sony a850 was the first “affordable” full frame (meaning ~$2000 price at introduction). But as I unfortunately only have time in my work day to mostly follow, research, and write about Canon and Nikon news and dSLR cameras, this one slipped by me!)

The day has finally arrived! For a couple years I have been suggesting to my readers that when choosing lenses they anticipate the time that, someday soon, full-frame cameras will be more affordable. This was both to address the possibility that certain DX lenses could not be used on an FX body, plus how a lens’ field of view will be affected by a full frame vs. a cropped APS-C sensor. Well that day has now arrived with the introduction of the Nikon D600. Initially priced at $2100 (body only), it can certainly be considered the first enthusiast full-frame (or in Nikon terminology, FX Format) camera – and which should also be more than rugged enough and capable enough for a semi-pro or a second body. And as icing on the cake, DX lenses are indeed compatible with this new FX camera (although the resulting image will be a 10MP DX crop).

(Of course the full-frame Canon 5D Mark II is under $2000 at this time, but that is due to it recently being replaced by the 5D Mark III. When the 5D Mark II was new, it was priced at around $2700, and didn’t go below $2400 for most of its active life. And you don’t want the 5D Mk II anymore – its continuous frame rate is slow and its AF system isn’t so hot, especially compared to current models.)

Nikon D600 full frame dSLR camera, shown with kit lens Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR – Image by author. Special thanks to Newtonville Camera of Newton, Mass.

Sensor, Viewfinder: The D600 sits between the D7000 and the recent D800, being closer – I would say – to a full-frame version of the D7000 (with a few more megapixels). It boasts a 24.3 megapixel image sensor (over the 16.2 MP of the D7000) and the same 39 point autofocus system with 9 cross type points and similar custom settings options as the D7000. This full-frame size sensor delivers not only improved resolution but also increased dynamic range and improved low light / high ISO performance (6400 max. ISO expandable up to 25,600). As noted above, the full-frame sensor will also affect the field of view of your lenses. For those coming from an APS-C sized sensor camera, a 50mm lens will now act as a true 50mm lens – no more 1.5x crop factor to consider. This means that your wide angle lenses will now act as true wide angle lenses, but your telephoto lenses will no longer have quite as much reach as you may be used to. However, the D600 offers a DX setting so that you can act as if you have a DX sized sensor. This camera also has a nice big and bright 100% view viewfinder so that one can easily see their subject, make use of the AF Points, and frame their images.

Interface and Controls: Much of the user interface (menus, displays) as well as the controls are also similar to the D7000, with a few changes such as the addition of the Live View/ Movie switch, a locking Mode Dial switch, and the addition of a Picture Control button. The newly locking Mode Dial contains the customizable user modes U1 and U2 so that you can set up the camera to quickly switch to your desired mode and settings, including your desired Custom Settings parameters. In the“why did they do that?” category, Nikon has swapped the position of the Image Zoom [+] and [-] buttons used during image review. So overall, any D7000 user will be immediately comfortable and familiar with this D600 body. Changing the AF Mode and AF Area Mode of the D600 is done with the “hidden” button inside the AF/M switch at the base of the lens, in conjunction with the Command Dials (as with the D7000). The D600 offers two customizable Function Buttons on the front of the camera to set for whichever functions you desire.

Brief Commercial Interruption: Of course I offer a Full Stop e-book user’s guide for the Nikon D610 – Nikon D610 Experience, and one for the D600, Nikon D600 Experience. This first book is currently the highest rated D600 guide on the market, with nearly 50 five star reviews! Click the links to learn more about the guides and all my other e-book camera guides for Nikon and Canon dSLR cameras.

Simulated view of the Nikon D610 / D600 viewfinder showing the location of all 39 autofocus AF Points

Autofocus (AF) System / FPS: As mentioned, the D600 makes use of the 39 point autofocus system with 9 cross-type points of the D7000. For those not familiar with this system, it is somewhat sophisticated in that it offers several combinations of autofocus modes (for still subjects or a variety of situations with moving subjects), autofocus area modes (how many of the AF points are active and how they track), AF related Custom Settings (to tweak the performance of the system to your subject and needs), and customizable controls (to set which buttons do what). There is a bit of a learning curve in order to take full advantage and full control of it, but once mastered it enables a photographer to consistently and successfully capture sharp images of still subjects and to track and capture moving subjects in a variety of ways. You can start to learn about this system in my post explaining how to Take Advantage of the Nikon D7000 Autofocus System. You can put the AF subject tracking to good use as you shoot up to 5.5 frames per second with the D600. This is a great frame rate for most action, sports, or wildlife photography – any slower misses important moments and any faster starts to give you nearly identical multiple shots which become a time and memory space drain when backing up and editing. (Of course if you shoot something like motorsports or professional sports, you likely need the faster frame rate of a full-fledged pro camera!)

Body, Size, Battery, Memory Cards: Regarding size and weight, the D600 is slightly larger than than the D7000, but surprisingly 20g lighter (with the battery.) It shares the same EN-EL 15 battery as the D7000, and offers a new MB-D14 battery grip for the use of two batteries – and to perhaps make the camera more comfortable for some users particularly when using larger lenses or working often in portrait orientation. The top and rear of the camera body are constructed of strong and light magnesium alloy, and the body is weather sealed against dust and moisture (including the battery and memory card doors). Although the entire body isn’t magnesium like the Canon 7D or 5D Mk III, it should prove to be more than rugged and durable enough for most any photographer’s needs. The D600 has two SD memory card slots which can be configured in a variety of ways including overflow (when one card fills images are automatically then saved to the 2nd card), simultaneous back-up (each image is saved on both cards), or stills on one card and movies on the other. The LCD monitor on the rear of the camera is now a slightly larger 3.2 inches (compared to the 3″LCD of the D7000) with 921K pixels, and is optimized for minimum glare and good contrast in sunlight.

Unboxing of the Nikon D600 full frame dSLR camera, shown with kit lens Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR – Image by author. Special thanks to Newtonville Camera of Newton, Mass.

Accessories: Nikon is offering a Wireless Adapter, the WU-1b, which will allow you to immediately share your images through mobile devices, remotely save images, or remotely fire the shutter through a smartphone. It is also compatible with the Nikon GP-1 GPS unit for geo-tagging your images.

Flash: Unlike the full-frame Canon 5D series that forgo the built-in flash, the D600 (like the D800) has a built-in flash that also acts as a wireless Speedlight Commander to control remote flashes (up to two groups). The camera of course has a hotshoe for optional external Speedlights like the Nikon SB-900, SB-800, SB-700, or SB-600.

HD Video: And of course the D600 offers full HD video with manual control and all the usual frame rates (1080p at 30/25/24 fps and 720p at 60/50/30 fps). As with stills, you can switch to DX (as if you were using a smaller DX sized sensor) for a “telephoto boost,” and it is capable of full time autofocus, though most dedicated videographers still prefer manually focusing. The camera records mono audio but is compatible with optional stereo mics, and has a headphone jack for audio monitoring.

Bracketing: The D600 unfortunately only offers the choice of 2 or 3 frame Auto Exposure Bracketing (up to +/- 6 EV), which doesn’t help the HDR shooters who would prefer 5 or 7 bracketed shots. There is a dedicated BKT Bracketing Button on the camera body to initiate this process. There is also a built-in “HDR mode” which combines and processes two images in-camera.

Image of a gorgeous Nikon F taken with the Nikon D600 and kit lens (24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR) Unprocessed JPEG straight from camera (with watermarks added), ISO 2500. Image by author – click to see larger. Special thanks to Newtonville Camera of Newton, Mass.

Of course the D600 offers the usual Metering Modes, Drive Modes, and White Balance options, as well as the familiar Scene Modes, Picture Style settings, Multiple Exposure mode, Interval Timer for time-lapse photography, and in-camera image processing and filter/ art effects.

I expect the Nikon D600 to be an extremely popular camera, offering an affordable full-frame camera for dedicated enthusiasts, aspiring pros, and semi-pros, or a highly competent second body for semi-pros and pros. There is nothing lacking in this camera that would prevent any photographer from capturing the highest quality, professional level images in most every shooting situation, be it general photography, portraits, street photography, studio work, wedding photography, or travel use. Plus it offers the ability, although somewhat limited by its frame rate and centrally clustered AF Points, to capture non-professional sports, wildlife, and other action type situations. (See the image at the bottom of the page for the AF Points locations.)

As I work on a comparison post of the current Nikon dSLR line-up, have a look at these other Nikon related posts, including how to take full advantage of your autofocus system.

The camera is offered as a body-only or with the 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR Lens (image stabilized).

And as I mentioned, I will be coming out with a Full Stop e-book user’s guide for the Nikon D600 – Nikon D600 Experience, possibly as soon as November 2012.

Order your D600 today on Amazon or B and H – it is already available and shipping!

Nikon D600 on Amazon (body only or kit)

Nikon D600 at B and H Photo – body only

Nikon D600 at B and H Photo – with the 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR Lens

Nikon D600 full frame dSLR camera, shown with kit lens Nikkor 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR – Image by author. Special thanks to Newtonville Camera of Newton, Mass.

The Nikon D610 was introduced in October of 2013, and has added a couple minor, but important features to the camera. The D610 incorporates a new shutter mechanism which enables a faster six frames per second (fps) continuous shooting speed and a new Quiet Continuous shutter-release mode for taking a burst of images up to three frames per second and with decreased shutter noise. In addition, the D610 has an improved Auto White Balance setting which promises more natural color reproduction both indoors under artificial lighting and outdoors. As mentioned above, the previous D600 model marked an important moment in the evolution of digital SLR cameras as the first dSLR with a full-frame sized image sensor to also be priced at about $2000 at release, thus putting it within the reach of far more photography enthusiasts. With the D610, Nikon has retained a similar price. And although a number of D600 users reportedly experienced issues with dust or oil spots on the camera’s sensor, it is expected that the new shutter mechanism of the D610 will eliminate this concern.

Another simulated view of the Nikon D610 / D600 viewfinder, showing the location of all 39 autofocus AF Points. Image of Nikon F SLR by author, taken with Nikon D600 with kit lens – 24-85mm f/3.5-4.5G ED VR, ISO 2500. Special thanks to Newtonville Camera of Newton, Mass.

Canon 5D Mark III is Here!

Here are my first quick shots of the Canon EOS 5D Mark III, during the ceremonial unboxing at Newtonville Camera, Newton Mass. (Thanks guys!)

Images copyright by author, taken at Newtonville Camera, Newton, Mass. Please do not use without permission.

I am in the process of working on the first and best (hopefully on both counts) e-book guide for the Canon 5D Mk III called Canon 5D Mark III Experience – The Still Photography Guide to Operation and Image Creation with the Canon EOS 5D Mk III. You can learn more about it by clicking on the title or here:

http://www.dojoklo.com/Full_Stop/Canon_5DMkIII_Experience.htm

I wrote an initial post about the 5D Mk III Specs and What They Mean for real world use, so you can begin to learn about its new and/ or improved features. I’ve also spent a lot of time with the manual, and a little bit of time with the camera itself, and I am thoroughly impressed! I love the new autofocus system and the new menu systems that are far better organized than ever before. The new menus include the new AF Autofocus Menu tab and sub-menus with the pre-set autofocus Cases to make it far easier to configure your camera for your specific subject tracking needs than was previously possible with the Canon 7D menus and Custom Functions. The side-by-side Comparative Image Review is great for comparing two images at once on the nice, wide rear LCD Monitor, or for comparing a full image with a detailed view of part of it.

Canon 5D Mark III Mk 3 111 eos detail image quality
Quick shot with the 5D MkIII, with a detail of the dew drop I noticed during post-processing. Captured in JPEG – looks even better full size!. Images copyright by author, taken at Newtonville Camera, Newton, Mass. Please do not use without permission.

The feel of the body is great too, more 7D than 5D Mk II, and the sound of the shutter is much more appealing than the “ka-chunk” of the 5D Mk II. The silent Touch Pad control for movie shooting works great, and the in-camera HDR and Multiple Exposures are fun to play with. I will write more about the camera and its features as I get a chance.

Images copyright by author, taken at Newtonville Camera, Newton, Mass. Please do not use without permission. (Sorry for the copyright watermarks, but I had my previous unboxing image widely stolen by unsavory websites.)

Here are some in-camera HDR Mode and in-camera Multiple Exposure Mode experiments:

Canon 5D Mark III mk 3 111 sample image photo in camera HDR mode art embossed lowell house harvard square cambridge ma mass
Lowell House, Harvard Square, Cambridge, Mass. Canon 5D Mark III – in-camera HDR Mode, Art Embossed

Canon 5D mark III mk 3 111 in camera hdr mode sample image art vivid
Lowell House, Harvard Square, Cambridge, Mass. Canon 5D Mark III – in-camera HDR Mode, Art Vivid

Example images of all of the other HDR processing options can be seen here.

Canon 5D Mark III mk 3 111 multiple exposure mode test shot image sample
Neon Sign, Cambridge, Mass. – Canon 5D Mark III Multiple Exposure Mode. Multiple-exposure control: Bright, 3 exposures

Nikon D5100 Unboxed – Hands On

The Nikon D5100 has arrived!
Nikon D5100 dslr camera photo dummies preview review book how to user guide unbox box manual compare vs
Photo by author – copyright 2011 – please do not use without permission!

I’ll be putting together a user’s guide ebook for the D5100, Nikon D5100 Experience, following in the tradition of my popular and well received Nikon D7000 Experience ebook. See here to learn more about the new book, and be sure to check back in the upcoming weeks to see when it will become available!

The Nikon D5100 Reference Manual is available online here. My Nikon D5100 Experience user’s guide builds upon the information found in the manual to help you learn the features, settings, and controls of your camera, plus when and why to use them in your photography!

I wrote a post comparing the new D5100 with the D7000, D90, and D3100, which can hopefully help you decide which model is the right dSLR for you. Below are some brief hands on notes from the first couple days of use. I leave the image quality reviews to the pixel-peepers, or better yet DPReview and dxomark.

Nikon D5100 Hands on Experience: The camera body of the D5100 fits nicely in the hand, and is a little bit taller than the D3100, so the pinky doesn’t fall off the grip quite as easily. The rubber gripping surface and rubber thumb spot work nicely, and help retain the grip on the body, even when holding it at your side or carrying it around without a strap, and the light weight of the camera also adds to this ease of portability. Those who prefer the ergonomics of a larger, more solid feeling camera body will have to look at the D90 or D7000. The Live View switch, placed on the top of the camera at the mode dial, feels and sounds a little plasticy, but works find, and the record button for movies is conveniently placed on the top of the camera, near the shutter button. The FN button, on the front near the lens mount, can be customized to adjust one of a number of settings quickly, like image quality, white balance, HDR, or +RAW (to take a RAW file in addition to a JPEG if set on just JPEG). I prefer to make it an ISO button. The side mounted rear LCD screen is a definite improvement over the bottom mounted, limited screen of the D5000, and rugged and durable. The view through the viewfinder is a bit tiny and cramped, as is typically the case in this level of dSLR. Changing settings is quick and easy with the “i” button and rear LCD screen. Overall, the body, feel, controls, and LCD screen of the D5100 make for a great image taking experience.

See and buy the Nikon D5100 with 18-55mm Lens on Amazon $899

See and buy the Nikon D5100 – Body Only on Amazon $799

First images from the D5100, unedited:
Nikon D5100

Nikon D5100