Articles from Jaron Schneider

Canon has just filed for a patent for a 100% coverage optical viewfinder, which wouldn't be that exciting except that this one is tiny. Instead of the traditional physical adjustment, this patent focuses on an electronically switched transmission / non-transmission of the liquid crystal. This seems to give merit to the rumors last week regarding an updated EOS M with a viewfinder, as that would likely be the only camera small enough to take advantage of this patent.

That headline basically says it all, but in case you needed confirmation: yes, today Adobe is pushing retina support to all Illustrator and Photoshop users on the Creative Cloud and perpetual customers (those using discs). Unfortunately, if you're on a PC this update does not affect you, but I think we all could have predicted that since this kind of addresses a Mac specific problem.

Today (make sure you watch this CreateNow event that you could register for last week) Adobe is unveiling a host of changes to Photoshop and the Creative Cloud. There is a good amount of new stuff, but I'm going to highlight the things I think you guys will find most useful and stuff that I found to be the most interesting as far as a a lot of power and flexibility in a program. As much as I might say, if you have the time I really suggest taking part in their live stream, as they will go into more detail than I will.

Do you wish your strap was more comfortable? Still using that uncomfortable strap that came with your camera? Well our friends at JOBY have launched a new camera strap line including the revolutionary UltraFit Sling Strap and the 3-Way Camera Strap. The comfortable UltraFit Sling Strap allows fast access to every shot and hands free-stability when on the move.

The Canon T4i, which is a good beginner camera as well as a solid second video camera option, is on sale for $600 with a lens and a bag, one of the lowest prices I've seen on this camera yet. Also the Rokinon 85mm f/1.4, Sony memory cards, and a Lumix digital body round out more deals of the day.

Fewer things get me as excited and enthusiastic about gear in my studio than something reliable. I just want it to work. Part of the reason I haven’t shot much on a Nikon is that it takes too much thinking for me. Having shot on Canon for 10 years, I just like using something that my hands just understand. The same goes for tripods, lights, and most definitely applies to lenses. For me, the Sigma 35mm f/1.4 lens just works, and might be have the best combination of speed and sharpness in and auto focus-enabled lens I have ever had the pleasure of shooting.

Canon USA has published a service advisory regarding issues users are reporting when trying to watch uploaded videos on YouTube. It's a relatively minor issue, and I'm glad it's not as big a deal as the D600 dust concerns. However, I just wish Canon and Nikon would put out cameras that were truly complete, and had no widespread issues to speak of in their first few weeks on the market.

Snapseed saw an update in the past 24 hours that brings it into the fold of Google products, along with the newly refurbished (and dramatically improved) Gmail app. Snapseed's logo has changed and loading screen now shows the Google+ name. The app also saw the addition of a new filter and new frames. Most importantly, Snapseed is now free.

UPDATE: Apparently video was removed from Youtube. Link to original CollegeHumor video is here. Taking a break from any serious discussion about whether or not Instagram is a good thing, let's all take a moment to appreciate the hilarity that is this video, which pokes fun at Instagram to the tune of Nickelback. I remember when I actually liked this song... a lot.

Never thought I would see this again, but Ilford has announced a set of black and white disposable film cameras that shoot at 400 ISO film, each giving up to 27 exposures per camera. You have to be somewhat impressed with this, since as much as Kodak continues to discontinue products, Ilford seems determined to keep film alive.

Epson today announced the availability of the SureLab D-Series dry printers, aimed at studios who produce a high volume of prints and are looking to bring that in house. This is Epson's first foray into this kind of high volume, high quality printing and it should end up on the radar of many studios around the country.

Adobe has a smattering of changes and updates coming to Photoshop and the Creative Cloud next week, and they are hosting a live online event to go over all of the expected changes. We've been given a sneak peak of what they're going to cover and though we can't specify yet, we can say that some of the updates are significant.

Some rumors have surfaced regarding the possibility of an updated EOS M with a built-in EVF, but not until late 2013 sources say. That makes sense given the timeline release for the original M. The sources also are reporting that Canon's original reason for not including the viewfinder (stating it wasn't necessary for a mirrorless camera) was fluff, and that the real reason was that Canon lacked the tech this year.

B&H just updated the price of the Canon 50mm f/1.4 lens, one of our recommended gifts under $500, and has dropped the price to $299 when it's added to your cart. That's a pretty good discount if you're looking to pick up a normal lens for yourself or for someone on your gift list this holiday season.

This morning our pals at PopPhoto tweeted, "The most popular photography story this morning is the Exif of Reuters' best images of the year. Not the pictures. Doing it wrong." I have to agree with them here. Instead of focusing on the images, the story is instead focused on what they were shot with. Is that what we are reduced to? Oogling over gear?

If you're like me, you still haven't decided what the perfect gif tis for the photographer in your life. Well if you've got a little to spend, we have compiled the best gifts between $200 and $500. Speedlights, softboxes, tripods, tablets, lenses, and more, you're bound to find something here that will really impress.

Our contest has ended, and the winner of their choice of ONA bag is Elyse Frelinger, Twitter handle @lingerfree! Congratulations! Elyse gets her choice of either the Palma or the Brixton bag from ONA.

Adobe is having a sale at their online store for Photoshop Lightroom 4, Photoshop Elements 11 and Premiere Elements 11. Lightroom is discounted down to only $199, while the Elements are only $60 each. You can also grab both elements programs as a bundle for only $90. All great bargains, but only until November 28!

Roger Cicala of LensRentals (who really likes to be the first person to get something up whenever new tech hits his store) has published his initial feelings on the new Sigma 35mm f/1.4. The good news for me is that all of you who have called me a "Sigma fanboy" have one more person to lump into that group. To quote, it's the beginning of a "new world order," and "This lens kicks butt, takes names, and basically posterizes the manufacturers who make the cameras this lens will fit on."

We stumbled onto this video that points out the biggest issue with the Nikon D600 right now: the dust accumulation. Bloggers and reviewers across the internet are crying foul at the issue, and in case you are unfamiliar (unlikely) or just curious (most probable) about the issue, this simple video does a really good job of showing what a brand new D600 suffers from. Biggest deal to me? He never changed lenses. All the dust is internal.

The wonderfully affordable and easy-to-use mobile printing app for the photos on your phones has arrived for Android. I personally love this app because of... well, everything. It does everything right, and the final product is of great quality. For those of you originally disappointed that it was only on iOS, be disappointed no more.

Ah... tis the season of giving! Last week we introduced you to some great gift ideas under $100. We are continuing our Gear Guide this week with ideas that cost just a bit more. For those of you who have a little bit of a budget and you want to make sure you're spending it wisely, we wholeheartedly support that endeavor with these fantastic gift ideas that will keep you under $200 but still put a big grin on your favorite photographer's face.

Canon UK has published five images taken with the two new lenses announced earlier this month. Three images were posted for the 24-70mm f/4 and two for the 35mm f/2. A couple I recognize from the low resolution samples available on the day of announcement, but it's nice that now high resolution samples are available for inspection.

Right now, the Canon 5D Mark III is on sale on Ebay for $2,886, which is $400 less than other retailers even after the current $200 instant rebate. If you missed your chance to buy Canon before they cracked down on MAP pricing and are kicking yourself, it looks like you just got another chance. If you're shopping for the perfect gift, this is a great chance to grab it while it's discounted.

Well that was a longer wait that we originally anticipated, but the Canon EOS M mirrorless camera and all the accessories are finally in stock coast to coast. BorrowLenses.com got them in house on November 10 and B&H just confirmed stock of the camera today.

If you've been paying attention to Sigma over the past five months, you know that they have been producing better and higher quality lenses than ever before. I personally have been extremely impressed with the pro-level glass that Sigma is producing, with few complaints during testing. Recently, their new lens lineup has piqued a significant amount of interest from you readers, so we took a few minutes to sit down with Sigma and pose some of your burning questions regarding their new lenses, the business, and what we can expect in the future.

Many of you were clamoring for some samples taken with the new Sigma 35mm f/1.4, and we got them for you. These six images, all taken with the new lens, show a lot of promise. I'm not going to say much more of my opinion here. I want to hear from you guys. Do you like what you see?

It's becoming that time of year again, and we photographers are difficult to buy for. There is just so much in the market, it's hard to know what we will love. Not to worry, Fstoppers is here to help. Not only are we compiling a list of the best stuff for photographers, we break it down by price so you don't break the bank. Over the next few weeks we will be releasing updates to our Holiday Gear Guide, first starting with the lower-cost items and working our way up to the premium stuff. This week, let's look at the best ideas under $100.

When it comes to portable cameras, it's hard to ignore phones. They're everywhere, you have one on you all the time, and in recent years they have gotten to be pretty darn good quality as well. Camera Awesome today released a this sweet infographic that can help you get the most out of your smartphone camera.

Today ONA released two new bags that, as far as I am concerned, just look freaking sexy: the Brixton and the Palma. Both bags are over-the-shoulder design and seem to be trying to appeal to our desire to not only shoot, but shoot in style. I can't speak to the comfort, usability or lifespan of the product (as I haven't gotten my hands on one of the bags yet), but I can say that they certainly are pleasant to look at. Did I mention they're pretty?

A little earlier this year, Fotodiox released a new series of filter systems for use specifically for wide angle lenses, lenses that traditionally are unable to accept filters due to a protruding front element. Though somewhat pricey, the WonderPana line addresses a need that I'm certain some of you have been looking for.

Leica's latest offerings, the V-LUX 4, the D-LUX 6 and the M-E Digital Rangefinder were part of a lot of buzz surrounding Leica back at Photokina. The cameras are now available for those of you looking to add a Leica to your camera collection.

Victory for Canadian photographers! Photogs now own the rights to all images they take, regardless of if they were commissioned or not. In Canada, all other artists have already owned the copyrights to their work and thanks to this new law, Canadian photographers, albeit the last in the industrialized world, now have all legal rights to their images.

Sigma has just released the pricing of the highly anticipated 35mm f/1.4 DG HSM lens, something we have all been curious about since we first heard about this lens. It's available "immediately" for $900 MAP. Given the release of the Canon 35mm f/2 less than 48 hours ago, it is going to be hard to not to compare these two lenses.

Tamron's updated 90mm f/2.8 1:1 macro lens that was announced at Photokina got a price tag today, and will ship on November 30 of this year. You can get this new lens for a pretty low $850, which is great considering the prices that Canon and Nikon can ask for their branded lenses. Tamron also released the pricing for their new 70-200mm f/2.8 lens released at the same time for $1500.