Tuesday, March 19, 2013

Misc. News with Update!

UPDATE: The US designation for the new Rebel is the SL1, and another feature it has is a touch sensitive rear LCD screen. Canon is also introducing the Rebel T5i. The Rebel SL1 will sell for $649.99 for the body or $799.99 for the SL1 kit with the new EF-S 18-55mm IS STM lens. The T5i will sell for $749.99 as body only and for $899.99 in a kit. Below is an interesting size comparison between the new SL1, the Rebel T4i, and the EOS M, courtesy of Photo Rumors. As you can see, the SL1 is definitely smaller.

A couple of items have come to my attention. First up is a new camera from Canon, the EOS Kiss X7 (Kiss is the European version/designation of the American Rebel camera line), which is intended to compete against some of the Micro 4/3 cameras, in terms of size and portability. And it does seem small. Look at the diameter of the lens mount compared to the body. However, putting regular Canon lenses on it will negate much of its size advantage, compared to the rather petite M 4/3 lenses. And since Canon has their own M 4/3-like camera, the EOS M, you have to wonder about their reasoning. Well, whatever.

But the specs look good: 18 MP sensor, full HD video, pivoting LCD screen, and DIGIC5 processing chip. With the new camera is a new kit lens, the EF-S 18-55mm IS STM, which is optimized for video. And when it comes to the US, the camera will have a different name, of course. If nothing else, it should make a great back-up camera.


 
The Brown Sisters, photograph by Nicholas Nixon 

Then, Ahorn magazine has published an interview with Nicholas Nixon, a documentary photographer whose main camera is an 8x10 view camera. Even though he works with such a large, cumbersome camera, he manages to routinely get intimate people pictures with a lot of heart and presence. Nixon is a fabulous photographer, who frankly isn't as well known as he ought to be and you can read what he has to say about his art here.