Canon 7D

Not too long ago, Canon officially announced the new EOS 7D. If you would like to see Canon's product page, go here. It is my belief that this camera is a game changer, not just in the still photography world, but in the world of film. First about the still photography side. Just looking at the specs, this is going to be a killer camera for the price. Shooting 8 frames per second, which is more than enough, and having an ISO of up to 12,800, this camera could become a great backup or maybe even primary camera for sports, wildlife, and any other photographer that needs the high frame rate. Oh yeah, it's also shooting 18 megapixel files while cranking out 8 frames per second. Again, killer camera. It definitely looks like Canon has stepped up to take on Nikon's D300(s) directly in the still photography market. But what about that other feature that all the big manufacturers are including on their cameras these days? High definition video! I think this camera has something that can please even the most discerning cinematographer. With an APS-C sized sensor, fully manual control, and 24p frame rate, shooting at 1080p this could just be the perfect crossover camera for an independent film maker. I wonder how long until a major release is shot on a 7D? We are definitely living in exciting times for the photography world. Now, not only are we producing killer still images, now we're also shooting videos with the ability to have that great Hollywood style selective focus and we can use the same camera and lens setup for both. So is anyone else ready for the 7D to hit store shelves?

A wish for an iPhone app

Today I read a post by Tech blogger Terry White reviewing the HyperDrive Colorspace UDMA Photo Backup device. While the review convinced me that a backup device like this will probably be my next photo gear purchase, it was actually one of the cons that really made me start thinking about a product that doesn't even exist. Mr. White lists as one of the cons of this device is that it is a separate device. He goes on to suggest a developer producing a hardware device to connect to an iPhone/iPod Touch that would interface with an application on the device so that photos could be backed up to a device that many people carry with them on a daily basis. I for one would appreciate the ability to take a photo with my DSLR, transfer the image to my iPhone, then email the image to a friend or client for review. But I can foresee an even greater audience for such an application. Imagine if a photojournalist being sent out to cover a breaking news event with just an hour of time to spare before deadline. Currently this situation would require the journalist taking a laptop/netbook that is equipped with a cellular data network access card or the journalist would be required to find a Wi-Fi hotspot. Once the journalist was connected to the computer, the files would have to be transfered to the computer and then emailed to an editor. This is a process that is currently very familiar for many photojournalist that work in sport coverage. While this is a feasible solution, imagine having the ability to do all of this from your iPhone. There's no longer a need to carry a laptop/netbook. Any writing assignments can be completed on the iPhone when away from the office, interviews can be recorded using the bundled "Voice Memos" application, now all that is needed is the ability to transfer photos back to the office from a location. And while the company is writing the application, how about including the ability to transfer video files as well?