This Week On Examiner

Well, the bugs seem be slowly disappearing and the page views are starting to rise (albeit much too slowly!) once again. Still though, in case you've missed what I've been up to on Examiner, here's what was from the past week.

Astronomy
Watch Jack Horkheimer's last 'Stargazer' episode
The tiny Full Moon
Psychics claim to find life on Mars
The 'two moons' hoax resurfaces
No 'double moon,' just a single moon, a king, and 4 sinful satellites
Take a walk in space with your iPhone
Love, War, and the Virgin
Is China militarizing space?

Photography
Why don't camera prices ever seem to go down?
Miss Universe 2010: you be the judge
Miss Universe 2010 winner galleries
A career in photos: Sean Connery turns 80
Canon's latest dSLR sure to disappoint
Cleveland Indians go to the dogs
Governments spying on people from space
Glenn Beck's Restoring Honor rally in photos



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Canon Launches Dumbed-Down EOS 60D, 8 New Lenses

The Canon 60D: devolution in action

R.I.P. Canon xxD line as we know it. After 2 years, the long-lived Canon EOS 50D finally gets a successor, sort of, in a dumbed-down EOS 60D.

So why all the gloom at the new camera?

To put it bluntly, the new 60D is no true successor to the 50D at all. In fact, when compared to the camera it "replaces," the 60D is actually quite a bit of a devolution in technology that is more like a high-end rebel than the semi-pro body the 50D was. Obviously, the Canon development strategy had to be thinking something along these lines: the 7D is too close to the xxD line as-is, and we don't want a 60D cannibalizing 7D sales, so let's dumb down the camera and slot it in between the 50D and Rebel T2i, instead.

Result: a camera a lot of 50D buyers won't even be considering. Brilliant!

First big change, the 60D loses the metal body that was first introduced way back with the EOS 10D in 2003. Instead, it gains a plastic shell like the Rebels that will hardly inspire confidence. Second, the continuous shooting is slower, a lot slower. While the 50D could do 6.3 frames a second with a continuous burst of up to 16 RAWs and 90 JPEGs, the 60D can only shoot at 5.3 fps and, while it can do 16 RAWs, too, it can only manage 58 JPEG files. Another huge gripe for 50D and ancestor model owners hoping to upgrade their camera is the fact that the 60D uses SD memory cards, not the CF cards that the xxD line has used for its entire existence.

Another feature (or lack thereof) sure to disappoint: no AF microadjust! Yes, this feature is one that most people will probably never have to use, but should you buy a lens that just doesn't want to focus where it should, this can save a lot on shipping fees and asprin, too. Truly, this is the one feature short of full frame that may lead me to consider dumping the 30D as it does everything else I need it to do.

Now, onto the controls.

By looking at the buttons on the camera, one can see that there are a lot less, which means more diving into LCD screen menus to change settings. Yuck! On top of the camera, the dual function buttons are gone, replaced by single function ones. Obviously, without adding buttons to the top of the camera, two of the dual functions seen on previous xxD models had to go: the white balance control (also gone from the top LCD screen along with file quality setting) and the exposure compensation. Onto the back of the camera. Another change to the 60D's functionality is the fact that it loses the joystick that was seen on the other xxD models through the 50D. Instead, a button setup designed for the same function is placed inside the rear quick control dial (which, thankfully, remains!). Unfortunately, one has to tap this button (rather than simply move it in a given direction) to get it to work. Other losses include the second custom setting position on the right dial, the function button, and the picture style button. Instead, users are forced to use an on-screen Q menu to do things that, on the older cameras, could be done with the touch of a button. Now, for the buttons that haven't been removed, haven't been removed, they've been rearranged all over the rear of the camera.

Oh boy, isn't change great!

Okay, enough griping, now for some changes that aren't bad, but not really improvements, either. The 60D adds the 3:2 aspect ratio (same as the pictures themselves) LCD screen first seen on the Rebel T2i. Unlike the Rebel, though, the 60D's screen articulates, which is something many other camera makers have been doing for some time now. Oh yes, the pixel count goes up to 18Mp, too. As a last 'you decide' change, the rear control wheel is now unlocked via button rather than switch. AS an added feature designed to help shooters keep track of their images, there is now an organization function that allows photographers to assign each picture a 'star' value, ranging from 1-5.

Now, for a real improvements in functionality. The 60D shows 3 stops of exposure compensation rather than the 2 seen on the 50D, which is good. Naturally, as befits all other dSLRs of today, the 60D adds a video mode, thus expanding photographic applications. With the new mode comes a dedicated movie button and a position on the mode dial, too. Another addition that has trickled down from the 7D is an electronic level to ensure that your horizons are indeed horizontal.

So, after this extensive analysis, who is the 60D for?

Current xxD shooters may want to skip this one and just spring for the 7D instead, as the 60D is, in many ways, a devolution from your current camera when it comes to user-friendliness. That, plus the need to buy new memory cards, may not sit well with a lot of people. However, for current Rebel users/prospective Canon buyers, the 60D has a lot to offer. The user-friendliness is, without doubt, a step above that of the Rebels and many of the capabilities of the camera are clear-cut improvements, too. Are they worth the extra $200? That's up for you to decide.

Me you ask? As a 30D shooter, I sure won't be buying a 60D.

Now for some good news all Canon shooters can appreciate: new glass!
Canon 70-300 f4-5.6L (said to be 'affordable')

Canon 8-15 f4 fisheye (world's first fisheye zoom as far as I know)

'II' versions of the 300 and 400 2.8Ls

'II' versions of the 500 and 600Ls (press release)

'III' versions of the 1.4 and 2x teleconverters

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Canon 120 Megapixel Sensor: Just What The World Needs

Canon's 120Mp Monster

Taking the old notion that too much of a good thing is no good at all, Canon has just invented a 120Mp, yes, you read that right 120 MEGAPIXEL sensor in APS-H (1.3x crop) format.

Holy cow! That's a lot of pixels in a tiny space!

In its official press release, Canon stated that the sensor can shoot full HD video using just 1/60th of its surface area and is capable of 9.5 frames per second continuous shooting. The new sensor is praised for its ability to offer resolution that surpasses all film formats, its capability to offer photographers previously unheard of cropping ability, and the ability to revolutionize dSLR video capability. In all, the sensor offers 2.4x improvement in resolution over Canon's current high MP full frame cameras: the 5DII and 1Ds III.

Do we need all those pixels? Probably not. The problems created by such a sensor are twofold:

First, all of those pixels crammed onto a small sensor means extremely high pixel density, which is basically the relationship between the amount of pixels on a sensor and the size of the sensor itself. Example: let's compare two 12Mp cameras: a Nikon D3 and any generic 12Mp point and shoot. Okay, pixel density is all about the pixel count to sensor area ratio. So, the D3 uses a sensor that measures 24x36mm, the same size as 35mm film. So, divide the Mp count by area and you get a very low pixel density of 1.5Mp per sq. cm. pixel density, which is the lowest thing going. Next, compare the P&S camera, which will have a tiny sensor. The P&S pixel density for 12Mp: around 40Mp per sq. cm.

Okay, one sensor packs pixels more tightly than the other, so what?

Why it matters: signal to noise ratio. All electronic sensors have some background noise to them, this is just the function of it being an electronic device. Now, let's assume that the D3 and the P&S have the same inherent noise levels in the sensor. Being unscientific, let's say they both produce 5 units of noise. With its very large pixels, each individual pixel on the D3 captures a lot of light, more than enough to completely drown out the noise and produce a grain-free image. Let's say the D3 captures 100 units of signal to only 5 of noise, that's a difference of 95 units. Onto the P&S and its tiny sensor. To get the same amount of pixels into a smaller area, one must shrink the pixels themselves. Now let's say that the P&S pixel only captures 10 units of signal per pixel. That's a 10 signal to 5 noise ratio. Bottom line: the noise will be a lot more apparent in the P&S image. That's why P&S cams are terrible in low light/high ISO conditions.

Problem 2: lenses. With today's highest pixel count cameras over 20Mp, the lenses just can't keep up. Basically, in lower Mp days, one could stop down a lens to get optimal sharpness. Now, even at slow apertures of f8-f11, the images still look mushy. Why? The lens simply can't resolve all of the detail that the sensor captures. So, if a lens can't produce a crisp image at 20Mp, how on Earth is it going to it at 120Mp?

Those lens engineers better start getting to work!

Now, after all this griping, there is a very positive side to the 120Mp sensor besides the fact that there are no plans to put it into production (okay, done bashing the sensor now, promise!). The good news: Canon claims that the 120Mp sensor can shoot 9.5 frames per second. Obviously, a 120Mp image is a lot of data and for such a huge file (a 24Mp RAW file from a Nikon D3x is over 1GB) to be processed that quickly means that Canon must have one mega processor behind the sensor. What does this mean? If this ultra high-speed processing ability does trickle down into production models, the only real limit for continuous shooting may be how fast the mirror in the camera can physically move, not the amount of data the camera can process and write to a memory card.

Now that's some good news!

For more good news:

Yes, the Tokina 28-70 review is almost done

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This Week On Examiner

Some of my stuff on Examiner seems to be disappearing into a black hole!

Anyone who has linked to my Examiner.com page in the past will have noticed that Examiner itself underwent a major redesign last weekend. As a result of the new formal, new URLs, and bugs that have arose from the all-new website, many of my articles are quickly becoming lost in cyberspace! Don't fear, though, I'll be linking to all my new stuff for the past week every Sunday (if I get ambitious, I may do it daily), at least until the bugs get fixed.

So without further delay, here's what I have written for the past week on Examiner:

Astronomy:
Abandon Earth!
Brazil to release UFO files
50 years of SETI
50-year old skydiving record may soon fall
Are aliens out to kill us, mine planet for resources? Experts divided
Mary J. Blige: NASA's newest recruit
The Moon is shrinking
Watch the 'Demon Star' wink
'Stargazer' Jack Horkheimer Dies


Photography:
Terrorists tired of being treated like photographers
Nikon rumors run wild
Baby with bong pic gets mom arrested
More Nikon gossip
Protect your teen from pornographers, 'sextortion'



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The New $1,800 Camera That No One Seemed To Notice

This week, there has been a lot of hype about Nikon, namely its new entry-level dSLR, the D3100. While bottom of the totem pole dSLRs don't get too much attention that often, the D3100 is different because it leapfrogs the higher-level D5000 and D90. Besides the camera, there are four new Nikkor lenses, too. While this is all good (higher-level Nikons will be even better, other makers will be pushed to do better), all the Nikon news has drowned out a new Canon model that costs $1,800: the EOS 7D SV.

How did that happen?

Well, first of all, the 7D SV is really a 7D thrown in the microwave and reheated, there is nothing revolutionary about the camera in the way the original 7D broke new ground for Canon. However, that is not to say that the 7D SV isn't cool in its own way.

Unlike the original, the new 7D is aimed squarely at professionals, but not for what one may think. Instead of increased photographic capabilities, the 7D SV boasts new features designed to aid in the workflow of high-volume professional shooting.

The first new feature are control locks that come in four levels. This allows the photographer to lock in certain levels of functionality and block out other, unwanted ones. The end result: a simplified camera that should help professionals in busy settings get more consistent results time and time again.

A second, really cool organizing feature, is called the Barcode Solution System, which allows the photographer to embed customer data right into the EXIF data, which is designed to streamline organization of digital files.

The new 7D will come in two versions: a camera with a barcode kit (WFT-E5A unit-which will need a firmware upgrade), which will sell at $2,599 and a plain 7D SV body only, which will sell for $1,899. However, don't go looking fr the camera on store shelves as both kits can be bought by special order only (they are for pros).

Looking at the cameras, I can foresee other manufacturers (especially Nikon) taking on this new smart cam trend as there is a lot more to professional shooting than pressing the shutter button.



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Tokina 28-70 f2.8-2.6 ATX PRO Review Coming

The Tokina 28-70 mounted on my 30D

It's been a long time coming, but the Tokina 28-70 f2.8-2.6 ATX PRO review is finally on its way. Is this oldie a goody? Look for the full review to appear in the next few days and find out!


Update: 9/7/2010
The in-depth review (best for this lens on web?) is done, check it out!



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July 2010 Astrophotos

Here they are: July's astrophotos. The early part of the month was pretty much a bonanza of clear nights without an interfering Moon, good times! I may be adding a few more to this gallery, who knows what's still on my little Olympus. . .

Anyway, enjoy!

The Dumbbell Nebula (M27)

The Wild Duck Cluster (M11)

M52 open cluster in Cassiopeia

M56 globular cluster in Lyra

Aquila and the mid Milky Way, not bad for a semi-humid summer night!

Jupiter and moons through the ED80.

M15 glibular cluster in Pegasus

Venus with the little Olympus



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Washington Post Takes Up Photographers' Rights

Unless explicitly prohibited, photography is assumed to be legal in the U.S.

Yes, this article is a couple of weeks old, but it's intersting that a major U.S. Newspaper is taking up the case of photographers' rights.

For the full article, go here. For the gist and commentary, read on.

Ever since the 9/11 terror attacks, many civil libertarians have accused the government (under both Democratic and Republican leadership) of being overly vigilant at best and at worst, outright Big Brotherish. One unexpected target of this increased “vigilance” are people with cameras in public places.

Sure, there are very practical restrictions on photography, such as in preventing voyeurism and maintaining secrecy of sensitive military instillations. These are common sense restrictions. However, increased scrutiny of people with cameras in public places doing neither of these things (or anything remotely of the sort) is what has many people concerned.

To put it in the shortest, simplest way, people in the United States are allowed to photograph anything/anyone they wish so long as the person/thing is in public space (street, sidewalk, public park), is visible from such a space, and where no expectation of privacy exists (such as someone in a home but visible through a window). That's the law in its broadest sense. So when is taking pictures allowed and when is it prohibited? Bottom line: in America, the assumption is that, unless photography is explicitly prohibited, it is allowed.

Enter the attacks on photographers' rights.

The unfortunate truth is that, while both courts and law enforcement agencies have backed up the right to take photographs in public, word does not always make it to the police officers/security guards out on the beat. The result: people perfectly within their legal right to take pictures are being intimidated, detained, and sometimes even arrested for taking pictures where no legal authority to do so exists at all! A main focus of such false restrictions: government buildings (a local federal office building), transportation hubs (airports, train stations), and infrastructure (power plants).

So what can you do?

First, keep a cool head. Police are, at least on the spot, the law. Staying calm and keeping courteous can go a long way in getting out of an uncomfortable situation. Whatever you do, don't smart off, be honest about what you're doing (the truth is your friend), and, if told to stop taking pictures, just stop because failure to comply with a police order can be legal grounds for arrest. Unless you are out to martyr yourself on the altar of First Amendment rights, just seek to get out of the situation as easily as possible. True, while police have no legal right to take your camera and search images (they can take it, but need a warrant to do any searching), just showing the officer your pictures can defuse the situation quickly (what criminal would willingly do this?). As a last resort, if you are told to delete images, just do it, as there are many image recovery programs out there.

Confrontation over, if you feel as though your rights were violated, don't hesitate to file a formal complaint with the official's supervisor or even contact a lawyer/legal organization. The media (which lives on the First Amendment), would also be a willing ear for your story, too.

Yes, the world is becoming hostile to cameras, but America is not George Orwell's 1984 yet.



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Aurora Season Is Coming!

For reasons scientists still do not fully understand, spring and fall are the best time for viewing auroras. However, despite still being only mid summer, aurora season kicked off dramatically last night with a stunning, far South reaching display of the Northern Lights.

For anyone living at mid Northern latitudes, keep an eye on the sky tonight, too.

The lights are caused by high-energy particles from the Sun coming into contact with Earth's upper atmosphere. The energy released by the colliding atoms/molecules releases photons of light, which we see as aurora. Why are aurora so many different colors? Simple, each different element gives off a different color when it reacts with the solar particles.

Oxygen: red aurora at high altitudes, yellow to green at mid
Nitrogen: red, often seen at bases of auroral curtains
Hydrogen: blue/purple
Helium: blue/purple

For an added bit of fun, if you are lucky enough to see aurora, why not try and photograph them? Who knows, you may make the front page of Spaceweather like I did with my Young Moon shot.



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Christmas in July For Photographers!

For the photographic industry, mid July through mid October is the start of the Christmas season. It is during these months that camera makers start announcing new products in order to drum up excitement about their latest offerings and give themselves time to produce adequate stock (and possibly work out the bugs) of their latest cameras, which are generally in the "pre-production" stage at this time, which means that while the camera has been announced, it is not ready to ship to retailers just yet.

This year is no exception.

Last week saw a flood of new cameras from Panasonic, Fujifilm, and Samsung. Then there were lenses from Panasonic and Sony, too. In total, more cameras were announced last week than since February and the lead-up to the PMA show. Of all the cameras, none really stand out except two of the Fujifilm offerings (F300 and Z800), which promise fast autofocus speed because they incorporate a hybrid focus system that uses the traditional point and shoot contrast detection and the faster phase detection used in digital SLRs, which is an industry first. The hope: an end to the snail's pace P&S autofocus.

On the lens front, it was pretty much good and bad. Panasonic just announced a 3D interchangeable lens for its Micro Four Thirds cameras. Go here to learn more. For Sony, three new lenses were launched, a 24mm f1.4, 35mm f1.8, and 85mm f2.8. Of all the lenses, the 24 1.4 looks the best, due in part to its $1400 MSRP. Unfortunately, this lens still lacks a weather seal (boo!), which to me is insanity as Sony offers two weather sealed cameras, the A850 and A900. Get on the ball, Sony or the outdoor pros will never come to you! On the other hand, the 35 and 85 look cheap, right down to the plastic (they look it) lens mounts. Hopefully they'll take after the "night fifty" Canon 50 1.8 which, despite being probably one of the cheapest built manufacturer lenses in history, boasts great optics.

This should be just the beginning of the 2010 Christmas war. To sweeten the deal this year, there is also the Photokina show, set for September 21-26 in Cologne, Germany. So, with this major, biannual show, expect the heavy hitters out by the end of September.

So, opening shots fired, let the war for Christmas 2010 begin!

New Panasonic cameras
DMC-TS10
DMC-FX700
DMC FZ40/45
DMC Lumix FZ1000

New Samsung cameras
PL200
ST600/100
ST80

New Fujifilm cameras
Finepix 2800HD
Z800EXR
F300EXR



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