Canon SLRs

Canon EOS 70D - Test Flight at CES 2014 . . . and a cool deal on this cool camera

rick sammon.jpeg

At the CES show last month in Las Vegas, and during an after-hours shoot, I had the opportunity to take my new Canon EOS 70D on a test flight, so to speak. Here are some of my favorite images, along with some tips. But first, if you are interested in a great deal on this cool camera, check out this sale.

Above: Brandy Cox, Canon's on-stage MC at the show, takes a well-deserved break aboard the jet that was parked in the hanger in which we shot at the airport. Tip: Don't be afraid to boost the ISO on the awesome and affordable Canon 70D camera. I shot this picture at ISO 6400 and see very little noise. Also, when you remove the color from a scene, you remove some of the reality. When you remove some of the realty, a picture can look more artistic and creative.

rick sammon 2.jpg

Above: Here's another shot of Brandy, the enhance version and the original. Tip: Cropping can give an image more impact; plug-ins can soften and change the mood of a picture. Also, see the light, as well as the shadows in a scene. I teach that stuff in my KelbyOne class, Light - the main element in every photograph. All my KelbyOne classes are listed here.

rick sammon copy 3.jpg

Above: The awesome hanger in which we shot. The shoot was set up by my fellow Canon Explorer of Light Clay Blackmore. Tip: When you don't have a wide-enough lens to capture a scene, shoot a pano. 

rick sammon.jpg

Above: Speaking of the awesome Clay Blackmore, here's Clay in action helping the photographers control the light. Tip: Control the contrast range of a scene by using a reflector or diffuser. I use a Westcott 6-in-1 kit.

© Rick Sammon.jpg

Above: Thanks Clay for helping me make this cool image of one of our models who was posed on the Batmobile. I enhanced the image with the Duplex Filter in Nik Color Efex Pro. (I am teaching plug-ins at Photoshop World in Atlanta in April. Hope you can join the session, as well as my travel photography session.) Tip: Get Clay Blackmore as your assistant. :-)

rick sammon copy.jpg

Above: Here are two photographs I made on stage at the Canon booth at the show. Thank you Chip Pearce for all your help with the lighting. You are amazing, and fun. Tip: Remember that a photograph is not a picture of a subject or object, it's a recording of light on an object. Also, if you want an interesting photograph, don't light the entire subject.

rick.jpg

Above: During my on-stage sessions I also invited people who had never used the Canon 70D on stage to shoot - to demonstrate the speed of the camera's AF system and the accuracy of the exposure system. Everyone got the shot – in less than one or two seconds, and that includes Jeff Cable, who is pictured shooting in this picture.

I also talked about the camera's Wi-Fi capabilities, filp out/touch screen, and full-HD video capabilities.

rick+by+steve.jpg

Above: That's me on stage at the show. (Pano by Canon's Steven Inglima, who heads up the Canon Explorer of Light program). Thanks to the folks who attended my talks. Tip: Come to one of my free seminars. As you will see, I like to make learning fun. For more hands-on learning, check out my workshops.

Explore the light,
Rick

P.S. At the show I met, for the first time, Shane Hurlbut. Check out the awesome work of this super talented Canon Explorer of Light.

 

6 Reasons to Check Out the Canon EOS 6D

Screen Shot 2012-12-28 at 12.54.29 PM.jpg

Canon recently introduced the Canon EOS 6D. Man o man does this camera look awesome - as a main camera and as a back up camera for pro photographers who have top-of-the-line models.

The camera is loaded with cool features. Here are my personal top six:

1) Newly designed 20.2 megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor with DIGIC 5+ image processor for reduced noise reduction.

6d_feature_01b.jpg

2) ISO up to 25,600 and up to ISO 102,400 when set to H2. That's more than kinda amazing!

3) New 11-point AF system for accurate focusing even in low light.

4) Built-in Wi-Fi and GPS so you can get your pictures out of your camera effortlessly, and mark where you took 'em.

waterfall low res.jpg

5) Built-in HDR for easy HDR imaging.

6) 63-zone duel-layering metering system for accurate exposures even in tricky lighting conditions.

Readers of my blog and the photographers on my workshops know that my favorite lens is the Canon 24-105mm IS lens. Adorama has a special price on the camera and the lens and some other goodies. Info here.

I'm not trading in my Canon EOS 5D Mark III cameras, but the new 6D will soon be in my bag.

Speaking of HDR, the image above is a Canon 5D Mark III HDR image I made in Iceland. If you want to learn HDR, I teach it on all my workshops. If you can't make a workshop, my HDR app, iHDR, is loaded with HDR tips, tricks and techniques.

Explore the light,
Rick