Canon eStore

"Boo." But first, it's about time that Canon actually allows customers to buy products directly from them. It's surprising that their website didn't allow online purchases to be made. The allowability for this via the new Canon eStore is a good addition to the online market. Yet, the eStore is limited in what they sell. It's market is for the consumer, not the professional. The items for sale fall in the range of pocket cameras (point-and-shoot), printers, and photo paper. No SLRs and no new lens for sale. For this I say "boo" but maybe in time they'll expand their market to include pros and prosumers alike.

Photo Flea Market

Professional Photographers of Hawaii Association
is holding their annual flea market

Oct 19, 2008
10am - 3pm
University of Hawaii Art Building

Buy pre-owned camera lens, tripods, bodies, lights, and anything you can think of.
Hosting your own booth is $20 for members, $25 non-members.

Spoof on the Canon 5D Mark II

The All-In-One Camera

Supposedly the upcoming November 2008 release of Canon's full framed pro-lined camera is said "to do it all." This spoof shows that Canon cameras certainly live up to their promise. (See the various buttons on the camera) [click on image to see full view].

x

Photo Geek - Nikon vs. Canon

Photo Geek - The Fight is On

Camera enthusiasts fall into one of two camps: they are either Nikon supporters or Canon loyalists. Both companies are solid and have rivaled against each other in the photo industry. This is good news for consumers, for it ensures ever improving products at competitive prices.

The skinny on the debate--They are both great camera that perform well. When it all boils down, the basic Pro's and Con's between each line are:

Nikon
(+) More lens coatings = More contrast, more saturated colors (particularly deep reds and yellows)
(-) Internal Camera Technology: Less depth in digital images (flat, less of a 3-D effect)

Canon
(+) Good speed = Fast and Sharp. Technology is way ahead of other competitors. Nikon enthusiasts admit that Nikon will not catch up in the next two decades.
(-) Flatter color, images soft (not as sharp as Nikon)


Philosophical Differences
The Canon line was founded on prioritizing speed which was a gamble back in the 1950s. No one else had done this, yet it's this philosophy that distinguished Canon from other pro competitors who had always privileged Apeture over Speed (Nikon, Pentax, Minolta). Canon felt that anyone can take a good photo, but what will make the biggest difference is camera shake (related to speed). So they focused on excelling in this. Nikon and others felt that the main purpose and pleasure of photography lay in the ability to compose well (hence their emphasis on apeture and coloring). Canon's speed has earned a reputation among sports photographers (around 90% use Canon) while visual artists tend to prefer Nikon.

So...it's your choice. Depending on your preferences, purposes, and aligned philosophy, you might come away being a Nikon or Canon enthusiast.

I personally, use Canon. Call it brand loyalty--my first camera was a Brownie and thereafter my parents bought me a canon camera (as a third or sixth grade Christmas gift...I forget). While I took my little Brownie to family camping trips across the country, it was the Canon that I took to my first trip to Europe when I was 15. Since then, I've loved Canons and probably will never think to switch otherwise.

Carnival - Night Photography

Andrew and I went to the Honolulu Family Festival at Magic Island to practice digital photography at night. It was a frustrating experience trying to take a) night time shots b) with motion and c) with lights while learning how to d) use manual mode for the first time e) accounting for both shutter speed, lighting and apeture.

These are taken with my Canon 17-85mm lens and a compact tri-pod (too light with stand the weight of the camera/lens). Forgot the shutter release at home.