Portraits and Actor's Headshots

If you are thinking of pursuing an acting career, please do keep in mind that movie productions and talent agencies aren’t only searching for good looking people; lots of extras and actors are marketable because of their unique characters and features. These are a few of the qualities that makes them interesting and therefore successful in getting noticed. Danny Devito is one great example…Don’t you love him? He is one of my favorite actors and despite being 5′ tall, overweight (and balding), he has managed to become one of Hollywood’s most versatile actors! With all the new motion pictures coming to New Orleans, the needs for extras it’s only gonna get greater, ( check the Louisiana Entertainment and the New Orleans Office of Film & Video sites!) so be yourself and do market yourself for who you really are, nobody better than you knows what your strenghts are!

Rates and Details

Photo shoots are priced at $150 if done at City Park in New Orleans or at Lafreniere Park in Metairie and $200 in the French Quarter and includes:

1. Photo session on location (up to one hour of actual shooting)
2. Maximum of 200 exposures (shots)
3. One 8×12 photo printed on Kodak Professional Supra Endura VC Digital Paper. With this paper don’t worry about prints fading. The standard archival value is 100 years in home display and 200 years in dark storage.
4. FIVE of the best images from you photo shoot will be cropped and professionally adjusted, (including minor touch ups) and will be posted online in your own public or password protected gallery. You will then be able do download the FIVE digital files for free and select one which will be printed at 8×12 and mailed to you via USPS (printing and shipping included!).

Additional prints (not included in the above rates) can be ordered and delivered to anyone from the online gallery.

To qualify for this unique package deal you will have to sign a model release so I will be able to use your images to promote my business online...Let’s Go!

Portraits and Actor's Headshots

Michiel Huisman as Sonny and Lucia Micarelli as Annie on HBO Treme second line set

To view all the shots and/or purchase high quality prints, please visit  www.nolaPIC.com

Brass band on the HBO Treme Second Line (New Orleans)

To view all the shots and/or purchase high quality prints, please visit  www.nolaPIC.com

Second Lining on the HBO Treme shoot in New Orleans

On January 30, 2010 I attended a killer Second Line in Treme, New Orleans. Although it was very cold  (for Louisiana standards that is) I had the opportunity to take some killer and unique shots while HBO was filming for their new tv series: Treme. To view all the shots and/or purchase high quality prints, please visit my other site www.nolaPIC.com. and If you are not familiar with HBO ’s Treme please read below.

If  you lived in New Orleans, you would have known by now, that soon another motion pictures will be added to the long list of the many others that have already been shot in the Big Easy. Treme, is the name of the new HBO series, co-created by “The Wire” David Simon, (among its writers is also New Orlenian Tom Piazza) takes place three months after Hurricane Katrina, where the residents of New Orleans, including musicians, chefs, Mardi Gras Indians and ordinary New Orleanians try to rebuild their lives, their homes and their unique culture in the aftermath of the 2005 hurricane. The series is scheduled to premiere April 11th 2010 on HBO. The video below lives me salivating for more, it says so much without saying much at all…oh and the music…Does Wynton Marsalis ring a bell?!

Whatever is out of focus will be rendered with the bokeh shape that you applied to your lens.

Same shot as above (slightly different angle) but focused on the foreground instead.

From Wikipedia: In photography, bokeh is the blur, or the aesthetic quality of the blur, in out-of-focus areas of an image, or “the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light”. Differences in  and  shape cause some lens designs to blur the image in a way that is pleasing to the eye, while others produce blurring that is unpleasant or distracting— “good” or “bad” bokeh, respectively. Bokeh occurs for parts of the scene that lie outside the depth of field. Photographers sometimes deliberately use a shallow focus technique to create images with prominent out-of-focus.

What lenses are best for a good bokeh? A large aperture lens with a fast or very fast aperture (smaller nunbers=larger maximum aperture) would be necessary so a lens with a maximum aperture of 1.8 or 1.4 will be very good, I use most of times a 85 mm 1.2, which is indeed super fast and bright but again 1.4 or 1.8 is good already and  it won’t break your bank account!

Bokeh, bokeh shapes and boke filters:
Recently, photographers have found how to exploit the shape of the bokeh by creating a simple mask out of card with the shape that the photographer wishes the bokeh to be, and placing it over the lens. Common shapes are stars and hearts, but it is possible to create it with almost any shape imagined.

After owning that fast lens ( and  a camera..DUH!) you will need the following:

1. Spare Camera lens cap to fit the size of the lens you will be using to do bokeh shots with
2. Squeeze paper Punch (pictured here is a 3/4″ x 3/4″ square  puncher)
3. One thin sheet of black carboard
4. Knife
5. Candle
6. Tape or glue
7. Black Marker (if using a light color cardboard)

Punch the cardboard with your shape puncher. Here above I folded the carboard in half and included about 3/4 of the square cut shape in the puncher in order to get a rectangular shape, since I wanted a rectangular bokeh and not a squared one like in the puncher :) Then with a black marker cover both sides of the cardboard.

Light up a candle and after your knife is super HOT cut the rectangular shape in your lens cape roughfly in the middle of the cap. Don’t worry if it’s not super straight or super smooth, since the cardboard mask that you have previously made with the puncher is what is gonna give you the clean bokeh edges that you want. Do not try to cut the bokeh shape/mask with scissors or an exacto knife, otherwise your bokeh will look fuzzy and imperfect (basically like crap!). All you need to worry is that the cut in the cap will be fairly large and larger than your actual carboard mask with the bokeh shape. The puncher shown here has a hole of 3/4″ x 3/4″

Do keep in mind that the smaller the bokeh mask hole you ‘ll make, the less the light it’s going to get to your lens, forcing you to either:

• Shoot with a higher ISO and therefore getting a grainier picture
• Use a tripod or even worse get a blurry shot instead

As you can see the cut is pretty rough on the lens cap, but it doesn't matter as long as the bokeh mask does have super clean edges and the cardboard is clean cut. That is the reason why is very important to use a hole puncher and don't cut the shape with scissors or a blade!

After you cut the lens cap sand it off and make smooth on the inside (the side facing the lens) so you can glue your bokeh mask in there, you really only have to worry about placing the bokeh mask cenetered, since you are gonna be able to rotate the lens cap and make it horizontal as you please, once your bokeh filter is on the camera.

There you have it! Your own cinematic custom bokeh filter for a few bucks!

Last but not least, do not forget that to get the most evident bokeh you’ll always need to keep these 3 very simple rules in mind and try to apply all of them when shooting for bokeh, and you will become a bokeh king like myself!

1. Use the brightest lens you have and use it wide open (with the smallest numer, set to that number) 2.0, or  1.8,  or even 1.4
2. Stay as close as possible to the subject, as close as your lens allows you to focus that is!
3. Try to keep your subject as far as possible from the highlights in the background that will become your bokeh, move the subject when you can the further for the background, or position yourself somewhere else so the background will be further from your object.

Please see some other bokeh shots of mine here at www.nolaPIC.com and click on the gallery named “Bokeh Addiction”.

Lensbaby The Composer for Canon EF mount Digital SLR Cameras

All Lensbaby selective focus SLR camera lenses provide photographers with a new way to control depth of field by bringing one area of a photo into sharpest focus with that Sweet Spot surrounded by graduated blur. By bending the Lensbaby lens, the photographer moves the sharp area around the photo for customized creative effects. Read all the reviews and great ratings Lensbaby gets from people who bought it (scroll on the bottom of page once there on the Amazon page). Make sure that you get a Nikon mount Lensbaby if you are buying it for a Nikon DSLR user! Price: $ 269.95 + free shipping

Canon TC80N3 Timer Remote Control

This Canon TC80N3 timer remote controller for EOS is equipped with quick-lock remote control socket (Shutter release function is provided). It connects to the camera via 80 cm (2.6 ft) cord and the mode button sets the mode and the convenient Jog dial that allows entering values with a single thumb sets the time or number of exposures. With this remote you can set a self-timer, intervalometer or interval timer, long-release or long exposure timer (for Bulb exposure). The Canon TC80N3 timer can be set for any time from 1 sec. to 99 hrs, 59 min, 59 sec. The LCD panel can also be illuminated for easy reading.

• Ideal for time-lapse photography including blooming flowers and astrophotography
• Remote switch with a 2.6-foot cord
• Self-timer, interval timer, long-exposure timer and exposure-count setting features
• Easily enter the numeric settings with a single thumb
• LCD panel can also be illuminated

If buying for a Nikon user you can purchase the Nikon MC-36 Multi-Function Remote Cord instead. Price $136.61

See this killer time lapse video here below done with a timer remote …Time lapse photography has been hot for quite a while and I don’t see that interest slowing down anytime soon! Do not buy cheaper off brands alternatives anywhere since they don’t last at all and they are a waste of money! Price: $ 135.98

Canon EF 1.4X II Extender ( Telephoto Extender )

Multiply the focal length of your 135mm or longer lens by 1.4x without sacrificing image quality with the Canon EF 1.4x II extender. Optically superb, the lens fits all Canon 135mm fixed focal length lenses (except the 135mm f/2.8 Softfocus lens), along with the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L, 70-200mm f/2.8L, 70-200mm f/4.0L, 70-200mm f/4.0L IS USM, and 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS zoom lenses. In addition, the extender doesn’t sacrifice your autofocus on any EOS camera as long as it’s combined with a lens having an f/4 or faster maximum aperture (the extender reduces the effective aperture by one f-stop). Best of all, this version maintains the outstanding optics of the earlier incarnation, but adds a weather-resistant construction and improved anti-reflective surfaces in the barrel. The EF 1.4x II extender, which measures 2.9 inches in diameter and 1.1 inches long, weighs 7.8 ounces. I do have one, use it often and I strongly suggest to get this instead of the 2.0x extender. The 1.4X II quality is unreal and you only lose one stop of light! Price  $299.99

If buying for a Nikon user you should this consider this instead:
Nikon TC-17E II (1.7x) Teleconverter AF-S for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras

Nikon TC-17E II is the first teleconverter to offer 1.7x performance. Designed exclusively for use with AF-S and AF-I lenses, the AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II completes the Nikon lineup of 1.4x, 1.7x, and 2.0x compact teleconverters.With dimensions of just 66 x 31.5mm (2.6 x 1.2 in.) and a weight of only 250g (8.8oz.)(approx.), the Nikon AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II allows focal length to be extended by a factor of 1.7 times while retaining a sense of overall comfort in the hand. Many such teleconverters can also have a detrimental effect on the speed of the lens, however the AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II makes available f-stops only 1.5 stops slower.The AF-S Teleconverter TC-17E II also has the ability to communicate with the signals from most lenses. Furthermore, it supports the convenient Nikon Vibration Reduction (VR) function, has a design that is consistent with the current TC-14EII and TC-20EII, and Eco-Glass is also used.This product is designed for AF-I & AF-S Lenses only. Price $549.95

Here are some hourly updated lists of Amazon’s that you might find very useful for your HO-HO-HOLIDAY shopping and give you some extra ideas!

1. Bestsellers Point & Shoot Digital Cameras
2. Bestsellers Digital Cameras
3. Most Gifted in Digital SLRs
4. Bestsellers in Digital SLRs
5. Canon Lenses
6. Nikon Lenses
7. Camera Bags
8. Digital Frames
9. 2 TB External Hard drives
10. Compact Flash Memory Cards

Happy Ho-Ho-Holidays!!!

Streetcar on Canal Street in New Orleans

I just added on my gallery site www.nolaPIC.com quite a few images I have taken in the French Quarter (Jackson Square, St. Louis  Cathedral, Bourbon Street and along Canal Street in New Orleans last week. It was rainy and…Beautiful! All fine art prints are also available framed and with non glare glass with or without a mat. The prints of the Streetcars are available in regular formats from 10″ x 15″ to 24″ x 36″ size or in square  format of 10″ x 10″ or 20″ x 20″. To see  more New Orleans photography and purchase high quality prints please visit www.nolaPIC.com

Streetcar on Canal Street in New Orleans

I have been waiting for these type of moody and gloomy light for quite a while and if you live here, you are well aware that it does not happen that often. I walked in the French Quarter for a long time, I was sore and soaked but as you will see from the photos it was well worth it. Let’s pray for some snow on the South Shore now.

Streetcar on Sr. Charles Avenue - New Orleans

To see  more New Orleans photography and purchase high quality prints please visit www.nolaPIC.com

St Louis Cathedral

To see  more New Orleans photography and purchase high quality prints please visit www.nolaPIC.com

St Louis Cathedral

To see  more New Orleans photography and purchase high quality prints please visit www.nolaPIC.com

Bourbon St. in the French Quarter of New Orleans

To see  more New Orleans photography and purchase high quality prints please visit www.nolaPIC.com

Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans

Please visit my site www.nolaPIC.com to purchase these high quality fine art prints at a very affordable price…Many more are available on the site, and don’t forget that you can deliver the prints to anyone.

Bourbon Street in the French Quarter of New Orleans

To see  more New Orleans photography and purchase high quality prints please visit www.nolaPIC.com

French Quarter Building in New Orleans

To see  more New Orleans photography and purchase high quality prints please visit www.nolaPIC.com

I just added three new pictures of the Holt cemetery in New Orleans to the Gallery named “New Orleans Cemeteries” on my e-commerce site www.nolaPIC.com! To see  more New Orleans photography and purchase high quality prints please visit www.nolaPIC.com

The same gallery contains other images taken at Lake Lawn cemetery and Cypress Grove cemetery in New Orleans. High quality edition prints can be ordered online, framed, matted and with non-glare glass at very affordable prices. Many other different Louisiana subjects are available online as well, including Fine Art pictures of the French Quarter, City Park and Second Lines in New Orleans.

Now…About Holt Cemetery: It’s basically a potter’s field– the final resting place for some of New Orleans poor and indigent peoples for over a century. Because it’s a cemetery for the poor, people are buried in the ground rather than housed in the mausoleums you see throughout the city’s scenic cemeteries. More prosperous dead people rot in fancy tombs, but most of the graves here are personally decorated with bed frames, brightly-painted piles of earthly possessions, wooden headstones, and planter boxes, among other touching displays.

I recently did this photo shoot at The Plant Gallery in New Orleans of their wedding bouquets. The light was just perfect for this type of subjects, since the cloudy sky provided a huge natural soft box, decreasing the contrast.I’m pleased with the results (they were too:).

Click the thumbnails to see larger size images.

All Pictures Taken with  a Canon EOS 5D Mark II body and Canon EF 85mm f1.2L II USM with the Canon Eg-S super precision focusing screen (the only picture taken with the Canon EF 24mm f/1.4 L USM II is the one of the hand held bouquet).

While you will see some photography samples on this blog, to purchase online high quality open edition prints by Alfonso “Pompo” Bresciani, please visit my e-commerce and secure site: www.nolaPIC.com where all the high quality prints are displayed and updated often as they become available. All of the open edition prints can now be ordered online, framed, matted and with non-glare glass! These above and below are just a few samples of the many ordering options available online at www.nolaPIC.com

Airline Motors Restaurant in LaPlace, LA

To see  more New Orleans photography and purchase high quality prints please visit www.nolaPIC.com

Streetcar on Canal Street in New Orleans

To see  more New Orleans photography and purchase high quality prints please visit www.nolaPIC.com

Streetcar on Canal Street in New Orleans

Streetcar on Sr. Charles Avenue - New Orleans

To see  more New Orleans photography and purchase high quality prints please visit www.nolaPIC.com

St Louis Cathedral in the French Quarter of New Orleans

To see  more New Orleans photography and purchase high quality prints please visit www.nolaPIC.com

Basically after the delivery truck pulls up by you house all you have to do is hang the framed pictures up!

Fine art and event prints are available for US, Canada, and Europe.

This collection below (named “My Favorites”) is just a sample of
some of the prints that you will find for sale at www.nolaPIC.com

Photo taken with (my favorite lens!)  Canon EF 85mm f1.2L II USM @ f1.4 and a Canon EOS 5D Mark IIwhich is by far my favorite lens.

Canon EOS 7D Available!

October 24, 2009: Finally Amazon is delivering the new Canon EOS 7D! The body only is now available as well as the Canon EOS 7D Kit with the 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Standard Zoom Lens

Get yours while you can and enjoy its killer new features, I could use a better autofocus myself and the 8 fps speed!

Pre-Order Canon EOS 1D Mark IV

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., October 20, 2009 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, is proud to introduce the next evolution in the EOS 1D series of cameras: the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR camera. The EOS-1D Mark IV is a high-speed multimedia performance monster with a 16-megapixel Canon CMOS sensor, Dual DIGIC 4 Imaging Processors, and 14-bit A/D data conversion, all at 10 frames-per-second (fps), with the widest ISO range Canon has produced to date. This new camera also features 1080p Full High-Definition video capture at selectable frame rates packaged in Canon’s most rugged and durable professional camera body.

The crowning achievement of Canon’s 1D Mark IV Digital SLR is its new autofocus system that starts with 45 AF points including 39 high-precision cross-type focusing points capable of tracking fast moving athletes or wildlife accurately at speeds up to 10 frames per second. With greater subject detection capability than ever before plus a newly redesigned AI Servo II AF predictive focusing algorithm, the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV camera sets new standards for autofocus performance among professional digital SLRs.

Whether shooting for the six o’clock news or the front page, the EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR is the quintessential camera to freeze fast-moving action with high-speed stills or capture stunning HD video with dynamic color and image quality. To accompany the new EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR camera, Canon is also announcing a new accessory, the WFT-E2 II A wireless file transmitter providing photographers with a wide range of professional digital connectivity options.

“Canon works hard to be the imaging leader in all our business endeavors. This goal has fueled our innovation and R&D efforts to engineer the most advanced autofocus system Canon has ever produced. We are proud to announce the camera that will deliver the ultimate in imaging quality to professionals working in all areas of multimedia imaging, whether it’s action photography, photojournalism or HD video and cinematography,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A.

The Canon EOS-1D Mark IV camera will intrigue professional photographers in virtually every category from photojournalism and sports through nature, wedding, portrait and fashion to commercial, industrial and law enforcement. What makes the EOS-1D Mark IV camera different from its predecessors, in addition to numerous focusing system and image quality improvements, is its exceptional Full HD video capture capability. With this new level of functionality, the 1D Mark IV Digital SLR is destined to appeal not only to professional still photographers but also to a diverse market of professional videographers and filmmakers who are looking for exceptional Full HD video quality, amazing low-light performance, outstanding portability and a level of durability unheard of in most HD video cameras in this price range.

New 45-Point Autofocus System
The new EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR camera features Canon’s most advanced Autofocus system to date. It is equipped with a newly developed 45-point AF sensor featuring 39 high-precision cross-type AF points, and an all new AI Servo II AF mode that gives still photographers the power and performance to track and focus a fast-moving subject at speeds up to 10 frames per second. With more than twice as many cross-type focusing points as the EOS-1D Mark III and a new AF sensor construction that improves performance in low light and with low contrast subjects, the EOS-1D Mark IV has greater subject detection capabilities than any previous EOS model.

To complete the range of AF improvements, Canon has developed a new AI Servo II AF predictive focusing algorithm that significantly improves responsiveness and stability by making better decisions on focus tracking in a variety of shooting conditions.

Amazing High ISO Performance
Wedding and event photographers shooting in low light without the benefit of a flash can take advantage of Canon’s widest ISO range and highest performance ever. The EOS-1D Mark IV camera’s ISO speed settings range from 100 up to 12,800 in 1/3 or 1/2 stop increments with ISO Expansion settings of L: 50 for bright light or H1: 25,600, H2: 51,200, and H3: 102,400 for even the most dimly lit situations. Photographers and documentary filmmakers working in available light will be impressed by the low-noise image quality of the 1D Mark IV, capturing amazing still images and video footage even at speed settings as high as ISO 12,800. High ISO, low light still images are further enhanced by Canon’s adjustable High ISO Noise Reduction feature, now a default setting in the camera.

The EOS-1D Mark IV, EOS HD Video Powerhouse
Over the past year, Canon’s EOS HD Video technology has changed the way users capture 1080p HD video and opened new doors for multimedia journalists and Hollywood cinematographers alike with full manual exposure control, selectable frame rates, and interchangeable lenses on some of the largest and most sensitive image sensors on the market. Canon continues this innovation trend with the new EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR with Full HD capture and full manual exposure control, plus selectable frame rates on an all-new
APS-H-sized image sensor that’s similar in size to a Super 35mm motion picture film frame. The large sensor allows filmmakers to achieve shallow depth-of-field just as cinematographers have traditionally done using much higher-cost motion picture equipment.

The more than 50 Canon EF lenses compatible with the EOS-1D Mark IV give videographers incredible creative options, including an impressive selection of large-aperture professional L-series primes as well as zoom lenses, macro, Tilt-Shift and Fisheye optics. The Canon EOS-1D Mark IV allows for three video recording resolutions – 1080p Full HD and 720p HD in a 16:9 aspect ratio and Standard Definition (SD) in a 4:3 aspect ratio. The camera will record Full HD at 1920 x 1080 in selectable frame rates of 24p (23.976), 25p, or 30p (29.97); and 720p HD or SD video recording at either 50p or 60p (59.94). SD video can be recorded in either NTSC or PAL standards. Sound is recorded either through the internal monaural microphone or via optional external microphones connected to the stereo microphone input. The camera also provides an in-camera video editing function allowing users to remove the start or ending of a video clip directly in the camera to eliminate unwanted footage and speed up post-production.

Image Quality and Performance
The heart of the EOS-1D Mark IV camera’s outstanding image quality is a newly developed 16.1-Megapixel CMOS sensor featuring Canon’s latest and most advanced proprietary technologies. These technologies include improved photodiode construction to enhance dynamic range and gapless microlenses that are positioned closer to the photodiodes for improved light gathering efficiency. The transmissive quality of the color filter array has been enhanced to improve sensitivity. Canon has also upgraded the sensor circuitry to improve noise reduction before the image data is exported from the CMOS sensor to the rest of the image processing chain.

With 60 percent more pixels than the EOS-1D Mark III, the EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR employs Dual DIGIC 4 Image Processors with approximately six times the processing power of DIGIC III for full 14-bit A/D conversion at 10 fps. High-speed continuous shooting up to 121 Large JPEGs is possible using a UDMA CF card. This camera also features three RAW shooting modes for versatility with Full RAW (approx. 16 million pixels), M-RAW (approx. nine million pixels), and S-RAW (approx. four million pixels). Three additional JPEG recording formats (M1, M2 and Small) are also available.

The 14-bit per channel conversion facilitated by the dual DIGIC 4 Processors provides smoother tonalities in final images capturing all 16,384 distinct tones in each channel (red, green and blue) at the full 10 fps frame rate. RAW images shot on the new Canon EOS-1D Mark IV use the entire 14-bit space when converted to 16-bit TIFF files in Canon Digital Photo Professional (DPP) software, which is supplied with the camera at no extra charge. The 14-bit A/D conversion is also the foundation for Canon’s Highlight Tone Priority feature that takes maximum advantage of the camera’s extensive dynamic range to preserve detail in highlight areas of the image. Canon’s new EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR also features an improved white balance algorithm making colors more accurate when shooting under low color temperature light sources such as household tungsten lamps.

The EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR features Canon’s Peripheral Illumination Correction function which corrects darkening that can occur in the corners of images with most lenses when used at their largest apertures. When activated, it is automatically applied to JPEG images and video clips as they are shot. For RAW images, it can be applied in DPP software.

Other new features include a large three-inch solid structure Clear View II LCD screen with 920,000 dot/VGA resolution and a wide 160-degree viewing angle for enhanced clarity and more precise color when reviewing images and shooting video. The new in-camera copyright information feature helps professionals secure control over images by setting copyright data directly into the camera and appending that information to each image file in the Exif metadata. Additional features include a fluorine coating on the Low Pass Filter to further repel dust and enhance the EOS Integrated Cleaning System.

Minimize Post-Production with Enhanced Canon Auto Lighting Optimizer
Action photography truly is all about speed, capturing a fast subject with fast focusing and fast frame rates. However, all this speed might be wasted if it is slowed down by lengthy post-production procedures to adjust image quality. The EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR helps reduce post-production work with a powerful new Auto Lighting Optimizer (ALO) system. When enabled, Canon’s ALO automatically adjusts the image for optimal brightness and contrast on the fly during in-camera image processing, reducing clipped highlights while keeping shadowed areas as clear and detailed as they actually appear. By optimizing brightness and contrast in-camera, Canon’s ALO system significantly reduces the need for post-production image optimization, and gives photographers image quality they can take directly to press. Demanding professional photographers who tested ALO clearly stated that this one feature will reduce their post-production image optimization process by more than 75 percent. Canon’s ALO works with both RAW[i] and JPEG images as well as video recording.

Rugged Reliability
Canon has taken every measure to ensure that the EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR camera has the highest degree of weather resistance in the EOS line. The 1D Mark IV camera incorporates a wide range of design features that enhance its durability and reliability for professional assignments. For example, the 1D Mark IV’s body, chassis and lens mount are completely weather-resistant and 76 gaskets and seals surround all buttons and seams. The body covers and internal chassis, including the mirror box, are constructed with magnesium-alloy, one of the strongest and rigid metals available for its weight. For added strength, the lens mount is constructed with stainless steel. In fact, when used with Canon’s Speedlite 580EX II and/or most current L-series lenses, the entire camera system remains fully weather resistant, so professionals can concentrate on getting the shot instead of worrying about protecting their gear.

New Wireless Connectivity
Canon is announcing the availability of the new WFT-E2 II A* wireless file transmitter exclusively for the EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR camera. The WFT-E2 II A wireless transmitter is an extremely small and versatile device that offers professional photographers a wide range of digital connectivity options including IEEE802.11a/b/g and Ethernet, ideal for commercial and studio work. In addition to adding the ability to connect to wireless networks over 802.11a, the new WFT-E2 II A adds a wealth of new professional features to the photographer’s tool kit. The new Camera Linking feature allows a single photographer to simultaneously fire up to 10 cameras remotely; and the updated WFT Server mode lets you remotely use Live View, control settings, and fire the EOS-1D Mark IV over the internet from anywhere in the world using a standard Web browser or many Web-enabled smart phones. Additionally, geotagging is now possible via Bluetooth, using compatible GPS devices to append coordinate data to the images.

Pricing and Availability
The Canon EOS-1D Mark IV Digital SLR camera is scheduled to be delivered to U.S. dealers in late December, and will be sold in a body-only configuration at an estimated retail price of $4,999.00[ii]. Final pricing and availability for the Canon WFT-E2 II A wireless file transmitter will be available later this year.

Pre-Order Canon EOS 1D Mark IV