Pinoy Photographer

Manual Video Controls on the Canon 5D Mark II… Coming soon!

Posted by tekgik under kaBlog, News, Tips & Tricks

Well well well! I saw it coming! And Canon is treating its loyal customers by giving the most demanding feature of  video capable 5d mark II, MANUAL CONTROLS.

I know how frustrating the auto-exposure of the video is. I was commisioned filming a music video few months ago and it was very hard to always AEL and do the nasty hand block tricks!

But by 1st week of June 2009 Canon will be releasing a new firmware that ends all this misery!

Kudos to Canon!

Time to reconsider those video rig again!!!

Poster via www.canonusa.com

Dpreview overview

Dinagyang 2009…IloIlo

Posted by tekgik under kaBlog, Travel

Yeah! Im going. I booked my flight last year to get some good deals off the air fare and here it is now 26 hours to depart from Manila to Iloilo. Its been two years since I shot a provincial festival, that was in Sinulog 2007, Cebu. Im really curious on Dinagyang because some friends said, It is the best performance wise. Il be with some of my friends from PiPho Org on this trip and hopefully we can do some travelscape within our stay, I didnt prepared for an itinerary this time. Bahala na!

The opened bag right here is the Lowepro Rolling Computrekker Plus, it is one the biggest bag of Lowepro but i wont be using this huge bag instead I transferred almost all of my gears to my old Computrekker AW. Along with this Il bring my belt bag the Inverse 100 AW. Of course the 5D Mark II will be there, 40D, 70-200 f2.8 IS, 24-70 f.28, 17-40 f4 and 50 f1.4. Oh yes the LX3! Il be leaving the 100mm macro and some other accessories. Theres a bonus gear that il be bringing  and il pick it up at Canon office tomorrow. Its one of the fastest camera today. My shouldnt worry because il just borrow it

Im really excited now and i already have some ideas in mind, composition, the videos and time lapse. Il be online every night to check out my online life PiPho, facebook, emails and this of course.

“1 minute drive” video

Posted by tekgik under kaBlog, Video

An hour drive time lapsed to “1 minute drive” on my way home. You’ll see EDSA and NLEX here in this video.

The video is composed of 1,046 still images of Canon EOS 5D Mark II @ iso 6400 mounted with EF 24-70 f 2.8 L lens @ 24 mm.

PiPho Org Post Xmas Partee! [The Video]

Posted by tekgik under kaBlog, People, Video

After a “few” drinks you get to sing the most beautiful songs on earth . A first attempt on recording docu videos (or wahtever you call that)

All with ambient dim lights only. The 5D Mark II high ISO’s reigns on both stills and video. I edited it in iMovie ’08

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Firware Update

Posted by tekgik under kaBlog, News, Tech, Tips & Tricks

Firmware Update Version 1.0.7 improves and mitigates the following two types of image quality phenomena that occur under certain shooting conditions.

1. “Black dot” phenomenon (the right side of point light sources become black)
2. Vertical banding noise

Firmware Version 1.0.7 is for EOS 5D Mark II cameras with firmware up to version 1.0.6. If the camera’s firmware is already version 1.0.7, it is not necessary to update the firmware.

Notes:
When updating to Firmware Version 1.0.7, please also update the Digital Photo Professional and Picture Style Editor software. Firmware Version 1.0.7 can be downloaded from the bottom of this page. Updates for Digital Photo Professional and Picture Style Editor can be downloaded from the following Web site.

I dont like the idea of that magenta cast on sRAW file. The black dots is no biggie to me so Il probably wait for the “complete” that includes the magenta issue on sRAW’s.

See the complate firmware update page here

The Live View and 2 sec. timer

Posted by tekgik under kaBlog, Reviews, Tech

The Live View of this 21mp monster is a joy to use. The simulation exposure and quick mode AF of the 5D Mark II are some of the very practical feats that need to maximized with this cam, I don’t need to stoop-bend-etc just to compose a shot. Moreover the 10x up to 15x focus check feature is a heaven sent for the non-perfect 20 / 20 eyed photographer. Hi-res and 920 dots LCD you say? Canon made this even better with their new anti-reflective technology and an inteliigent atuo brightness feature. I noticed these nifty features when I reviewed the EOS 50D last spetember, I can say now that their Live View functions are very identical.

The Live View will have its use for the style of photography (ehem videography) I do, In fact I already did with that “Mimosa overnight sensation” trip.. Video coming soon (im still reading the Final Cut Express tutorial)!

What about the 2 seconds timer? I purposely left my shutter release. But I know that it is a primary consideration that you should not use the cameras shutter button on a tripod if you are below the minimum acceptable speed, but it came out pretty handy, 1-1000.. 2-1000 then you I have my shot..

These are the nice things that Canon should have done 3 years ago

Take a grip…

Posted by tekgik under kaBlog, Reviews

I took a grip. The EOS 5D Mark II BG-E6 battery grip. From my very first DSLR the 300D to my previous 5D Mark I, I just cannot have but buy a battery grip, it stabilizes the handling of the camera with heavy lenses. I admit that the 5D’s gripless body is already heavy but again it counterweights the 70-200 2.8′s lenses most specially the IS version.

Some observations…

The BG E6 is a little bit different from the 5D Mark I’s battery grip BG E4. Canon added the AF-ON button which is pretty handy for locking focus vertically. It came with the 2AA battery cartridge that comes out very helpful at times when you ran out of power. This battery grip has two separated terminals that reports LP E6 info’s to the camera. More over if you check out the battery info on the LCD it reports those two battery informations, very cool IMHO. Its built like a tank, it is still made out of part magnesium alloy and hard plastic. It doesnt feel squeeky or plasticky. A must have accessory. Its quite expensive I know, but I can’t live without it. Thats the beauty of the 5D form factor grip or without a grip you have an option.

HD Video “Lens Test” EOS 5D Mark II

Posted by tekgik under kaBlog, Macro, Video

This is one of my first “filming” test. Recorded last week for the traditional “oh-i-got-my-new-gadget-now-il-play-with-it-all-night-long”