Canon News: EOS 1D-X Firmware updated to v2.0.7

Canon have released an updated firmware release (to 2.0.7) for their flagship EOS 1D-X.

Canon EOS 1D-X

The changes incorporated are:

1. Improves the AF controllability when shooting in Live View mode with a wide-angle lens (fixed focal length or zoom).
2. Fixes a phenomenon in which, when shooting long exposures (several minutes), vertical lines appear on the right edge of captured images (still photos).
3. Fixes a phenomenon in which the Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB) may not perform as intended when in continuous shooting mode and where the shutter speed is longer than 1 second.
4. Improves the reliability of the control mechanism for the Picture Style Auto setting.
5. Fixes a phenomenon in which the electronic level indicator does not work correctly.
6. Fixes a phenomenon in which, when using the "Save and read camera settings" function, the color space data that is selected in "Custom shooting mode (C1-C3)" is not saved. *1
7. Corrects some incorrect indications on the "English" and "Russian" menu screens.

*1 As a result of this fix, cameras with Firmware Version 2.0.7 will not be able to read the "camera settings file" created with cameras running Firmware Version 2.0.3 (or earlier). If you require the "camera settings file", please create it after updating to firmware version 2.0.7.


One upgraded, you will be unable to revert to a previous version of the firmware.

The firmware is available to download for Mac or Windows here.

Canon News: EOS 5D Mark III Firmware v1.3.3

Canon have released an updated firmware release (to 1.3.3) for their popular full-frame DSLR, the EOS 5D Mark III.

Canon EOS 5D Mark III

The changes incorporated are:

1. Improves the AF controllability when shooting in Live View mode with a wide-angle lens (fixed focal length or zoom).
2. Corrects some incorrect indications on the "English" and "Russian" menu screens.

One upgraded, you will be unable to revert to a previous version of the firmware.  This may of course have implications for those running any non-Canon 'hacks', such as Magic Lantern.

The firmware is available to download for Mac or Windows here.

RSPB Big Garden Watch 2015

This weekend was the RSPB's Annual Big Garden Watch, the world's largest wildlife survey, which has been tracking changes in the UK's garden bird population for 36 years.  I treated myself to a giant cup of tea and settled down for an hour to see what I could record.

My garden is near some diverse habitats - a city centre, small woods, and a river, so I've been lucky enough historically to see a large variety of birds, often flying low overhead:

Peregrine Falcon with extra wings

... and sometimes enjoying the berries from our holly tree:

Redwing enjoying a holly berry

But with the Garden Watch, the 'rules' are to simply count the maximum concurrent number of each species seen in (not over) the garden in an allotted hour.

A few of the usual suspects were of course around - Great Tits, Dunnock, Blackbird and Robin.  I was also lucky enough to get my first ever photo of a tiny Wren, and a reappearance of a female blackcap, which I had first seen late last year.

Blackcap (female)

Blue Tit

Wren

And just beyond the garden, I saw 10 Magpie in a tree - but only one popped into the garden for the hour.

A tidings(?) of Magpies

In the allotted hour, I wasn't able to record any sightings of other frequent visitors to the garden, like Nuthatch, but maybe next year!

More details of the birdwatch are available on the RSPB's website.

Canon News: 6D firmware (v 1.1.6) released

Canon have launched new firmware (1.1.6) for their budget full-frame 6D.  It addresses the following aspects:

• Fixes a phenomenon in which the camera may not first use the center AF point to focus, when the AF point selection is set to automatic in AI Servo AF mode.
• Fixes a phenomenon in which focus cannot be finely adjusted with specific lenses when shooting remotely with EOS Utility software.
• Corrects some Ukrainian language displayed on the menu for ISO Setting.

UK users can download the firmware from here.
US users can download the firmware from here.