Adam photographing Landon as he is taking a picture to show dust.

The five different technologies it takes for Adam to do this are: Eye-Fi SDHC card, Verizon USB727 EVDO modem, Cradlepoint CTR-350 Mobile Router, BixNet 5V Li-Ion battery, and a SmugMug/Flickr account. Larry Gonzales and Jeremiah Njoroge from Eye-Fi were on hand to answer questions and explain how the Eye-Fi technology works. From what Adam was showing us, it seems to be a very cool concept especially when the need of getting images on the web as fast as possible is very, very important. Using his Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II shooting wit small JPEG (4 MP equivalent files of about ~1 MB) he was able to burst off a number of shots and have them appear quite quickly in his SmugMug account. Even at the medium setting, the images took no more than a few seconds to appear. Quite impressive. One thing to note is that the Eye-Fi does not support RAW, only JPEGs will be uploaded. The Eye-Fi SDHC is a very impressive invention. I had, at one time, considered getting one for my 1D bodies and after Adam’s demonstration, I’m tempted again.

Wedding photography was mentioned as a good candidate, but I disagree as you probably don’t want your raw, unedited images available; not the best way to make a good impression. I think the better candidate for this technology would be photojournalist who don’t alter their images at all. This certainly offers a whole new level of live blogging: live photobloging. To read more in-depth on this and Adam’s thoughts, check out his blog posting [link to post]. Check out Adam’s live photoblogging session at COBA on his SmugMug [link]. The only complaint I have about this whole setup is that it is expensive. The equipment alone cost about $200 and the Verizon wi-fi plan is $60 a month, so the cost can add up quickly.

Sensor Cleaning

J.C. Dill and Landon were discussing their favorite method of sensor cleaning: Dust-Aid Sensor Cleaner. They swear that these have produced the best results in their continual endevaor for a clean sensor. This is the product they use exclusively for their Canon EOS 1D Mark III, Canon EOS 1D Mark IIn, Canon EOS 5D, and Canon EOS 20Da. The neat thing about the Dust-Aid Sensor cleaner is that it does not use any cleaning solution so thus won’t leave smear marks. I do have to say I am a bit scared of doing my own sensor cleaning, but after their demonstration and seeing the results, I’m sold. The Dust-Aid also seems to be the least scariest of all the other cleaning methods such as the Artic Butterfly and Visible Dust System. It is also the cheapest at ~$27.

Seem really good, I may end up purchasing one of the Dust-Aid to try since both my 1D bodies have collected some noticeable dust and it is starting to take a lot more time to clean out in Adobe Lightroom.

April K. Tse and Shootsac

Canon EOS 40D with Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM in Shootsac.

April brought her Shootsac to show me. An interesting “hip-pack” concept to store/carry your camera and lens without it looking noticeably like a camera/lens bag. The Shootsac is created by wedding photographer extraordinaire Jessica Claire. You can wear it one of two ways: as a purse or around your hip.

It’s designed to carry 3-6 lenses and is quite portable and made of neoprene. It seems you can only carry 3 pro lenses at most or risk breaking the seams or your back from the weight.

I can’t say I’m terribly impressed or would want to get one, but that’s just me. You can also purchase different front flaps so you can change it as often as your mood or outfits. The Shootsac isn’t cheap at $179 and neither are the front flaps costing anywhere from $30-$60 depending on the design.

COBA Pictures

You can see all the pictures from COBA at my SmugMug [link].

Q. What is the purpose of the Canon Professional Services Program and can anybody become a member?

A. Canon U.S.A., Inc. offers benefits program designed for professional photographers. CPS offer members the opportunity to borrow equipment on a short term basis for evaluation prior to purchase. Additionally, expedited CPS Pro Rush Service provides a 3-5 day turnaround time for members in good standing with a valid CPS Number. Membership is renewable every two years.

Q. What constitutes a professional photographer?

A. professional photographer is defined as someone who derives at least 51% of his or her annual income from photography.

Q. I qualify as a professional photographer. How do I become a CPS member?

A. Email or call for a CPS Membership Introduction Package. Fill out and sign the CPS Membership Application and Member Information form. Return both along with all required credentials. Credentials are required by CPS to substantiate your professional status so they we may offer priority service for professionals whose livelihood depends on their Canon equipment. Every application is considered on a case by case basis. Please allow two to four weeks for processing. Once your application is approved, you will recieve a “Welcome Packet” contained a certified CPS Membership Card with your CPS Number, as well as, supplemental CPS information.

Q. How do I borrow equipment from CPS?

A. You may request a loan by emailing or calling CPS in New York at least two weeks in advance. All loans are issued on a first-come, first-served basis, usually 14 days including shipping time. Please realize that often the demand for loan equipment is greater than supply. Canon’s intention is to accommodate as many photographers as possible. Therefore, it may be necessary to limit the amount of equipment, duration and frequency of loans requested. CPS staff members will determine when a specific item is available and will communicate the loan date period prior to shipment. There is usually a two to four week waiting list. In the unfortunate event that your equipment is lost, stolen or will be delayed in the Service Center, CPS will attempt to provide emergency back-up equipment on a short-term loan basis. The CPS program is not to be used for the permanent replacement of personal photographic equipment.

Q. How often may I borrow a particular item?

A. We have a limit on the number of times you can borrow the same piece of equipment. Canon feels that if you have had the opportunity to try the equipment on two separate occasions, you should be able to make a decision as to whether or not it is suitable for your needs. This is primarily a Try Before You Buy program. Do Not rely on our equipment to be available on a specific date for your assignment. Our computerized “member history” monitors your loans. We do, however, permit you to try other items in our inventory.

Q. Can I borrow equipment to cover my assignments?

A. Equipment loans are on a first-come, first-served basis and are subject to availability. CPS Staff will determine the loan period of the item you are requesting. In the event that loan period coincides with your assignment, CPS suggests that you back yourself up with your own equipment. Although we do all we can to keep out equipment functioning properly, it is borrowed and used extensively. C.P.S. and Canon U.S.A., Inc. will not be responsible for lost images or revenue due to the malfunction of borrowed equipment.

Q. Who is responsible for the borrowed equipment and accessories?

A. According to the Loan Agreement, the CPS Member is responsible for all cameras, lenses and accessories borrowed including, but not limited to caps, straps, hoods, cases, covers, batteries, cables, etc… . CPS equipment sent to you includes all appropriate accessories. Damage to/or loss of any item while in your possession will be charged back to you. Insurance on borrowed equipment is the CPS Member’s responsibility! In addition, the CPS Member is solely responsible for covering the cost of the return shipment to Canon CPS Headquarters in Lake Success, New York. The FedEx Two-Day Economy shipment to you is covered by Canon.

Q. Can I call CPS to request a loan at any time during the year?

A. CPS tries to maintain a pool of available loan equipment that is sufficient to cover your emergency needs. However, there are several times during the year when major events are taking place and certain loan equipment might be unavailable. Please understand that you may not be able to get the loan equipment you want during this time period although we make every effort to accommodate you.

Q. When on location at an event, may I borrow Canon CPS cameras and lenses?

A. CPS is present at many events throughout the year with professional equipment avaialble for loan. Please be aware, though, that the loan program is designed to let CPS Members test various products prior to purchase. CPS will provide loaner cameras adn lenses during preliminaries. On the actual event day, however, we will only supply additional lenses to supplement your exisiting equipment and emergency backup cameras to cover your repairs.

Q. Should I contact CPS with my change of address?

A. For your own protection, we require you send change of address to CPS by email, in writing, or by fax. Include your signature and CPS Number. This eliminates the possibility of someone else calling with your name and giving us their address for shipping purposes.

Q. Is it possible to buy used Canon photo equipment from the CPS program?

A. No, Canon does not sell directly to the end user whether the equipment is brand new or used. Although, Canon occasionally offers rebate programs, CPS can not offer additional discounts.

Q. How do I renew my CPS membership?

A. Prior to the expiration of your one year membership term, you will automatically be sent a renewal Membership Application and full instructions. Return all requested materials as soon as possible to substantiate your continuing professional status. When your application is approved, you will be sent a new “Welcome Packet” including a new CPS Membership Card and supplemental CPS information. Your membership will then continue without interruption. If you do not receive one, contact cpsmember@cusa.canon.com.

Q. If I need technical information or advice regarding use of my Canon equipment who should I call?

A. Canon has Regional Offices across the U.S. The Canon Professional Markets Representative from your local region will be able to assist you. Although our Canon Reps travel frequently, please email your Rep first and leave a detailed message. They will respond as soon as possible. If you need immediate assistance, you may contact the Technology Information Department in New York.

To Obtain A CPS Membership Introduction Package

Email: cpsmember@cusa.canon.com, or call 516-328-4283, or fax 516-327-2166, or write to

CANON PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Consumer Imaging Group
Canon U.S.A. Inc.
Lake Success, New York 11042

To Request A CPS Equipment Loan

Email: cpsloan@cusa.canon.com, or call 516-328-4837, or fax 516-327-2166.

For yesterday’s meeting, our agenda was about a product called AutoMate and Camera Insurance.

AutoMate by The Gadget Works

AutoMate is a really cool hardware and software from The Gadget Works “CEO/CIO/CFO/Janitor” Don French. After spending nearly four years developing AutoMate, he has a great potential tool for photographers. AutoMate are two separate things: a hardware device that is mounted in between the camera and tripod and software that is loaded onto either a laptop or PDA communicating via Bluetooth that allows you to program the hardware and/or trigger manual commands such as firing the shutter or panning horizontally. What AutoMate offers is a much, much simpler way to create extraordinary panoramas like the gigapixel panoramas like Max Lyons. By using a WindowsMobile 6 PDA, you can upload, save, and create “profiles” for the AutoMate hardware to execute. You put in how wide (in degrees) of horizontal panning you want, if you want the images to have any overlap and by how much (in percentages) and then let the machine do all the work of panning horizontally perfectly and vertically while automatically photographing each frame and saving it to the camera’s memory card.

AutoMate isn’t just a panoramic assist, it is also a programmable intervalometer allowing for complex custom programs to create time lapse pictures. One of the cool features of using AutoMate as an intervalometer is that the system sends a wake up pulse at a pre-programmed time that wakes the camera and then fires off the shutter. All the other intervalometer hardware and software require the camera to remain on at all times! Don showed us the intuitive GUI and how easy it is to program custom programs for a variety of uses from panoramic shots to time lapses. AutoMate is relatively easy to setup. There are three sockets: one socket is designed to send a wake up trigger to other items such as strobes (not currently an available option), the middle socket is to trigger the camera’s shutter, and the last socket is to plug in a manual wired remote. AutoMate is powered by four Double AA batteries and also has a DC socket to allow for an external battery source to be plugged into the AutoMate while the main batteries are being changed to save the pre-programmed options. The software is written in VBasic. AutoMate is currently still in beta testing and is open to those interested in being beta testers at a discounted cost of $499. According to Don, after the Gizmodo blog post, he received over 150 beta test request applications in 1 day!

Don demonstrated the AutoMate using his Canon EOS 20D with Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM and it looks and works fantastic! Very, very smooth panning. Don has definitely put a lot of thought and details into this and it shows. Some innovative features is the ability for micro adjustments in case the panning is slightly off. The software looks like there are thousands of combination.

I personally do not do landscape photography, so I’m not that interested in AutoMate, but I do applaud the hard work and the exceptional product that, while still in beta, looks very promising! Thank you for showing us this wonderful product Don! Good luck!

Camera Insurance, A Discussion

The highlight of the night was the discussion on camera insurance. Having camera insurance is important; but having the right insurance is even more important. There are a couple choices depending on what kind of photography you do. If you are a hobbyist or amateur and make no money (not even a cent from time to time), then you can usually add a rider policy onto your home owner or renter’s insurance to cover the cost of damage, lost, or stolen equipment. If you are a hobbyist or amateur who receives money (no matter how little) once in awhile or a professional who is paid, in the eyes of the insurance company, you are considered pro and must get pro insurance, which means higher premiums. One thing that should be mentioned about insuring your photography equipment, especially very expensive equipment, under your home owner’s or renter’s insurance is that you should consider it can be a risk if you make a big claim for loss, stolen, or damage, it can be clause for the insurance company to cancel your entire home owner’s or renter’s policy. $30,000 or less of photography equipment, in my mind, is not worth loosing your home insurance over. Best to get a separate policy just to be on the safe side.

In the meeting, a few people gave examples of what kind of insurance they have relative to what they do. Two professionals have professional insurance, one being Hill & Usher, a company that a lot of professional photographers use. One of the women in our group is insured through State Farm and she recently received a check for the repair cost of a damaged Canon EOS 20D and a hosed Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM from when she accidentally dropped them together on concrete. She said the experience was pain-free, just called them up and explained the situation and they took care of the rest. The one pro who has Hill & Usher let us see his insurance paperwork and contract. His premium is ~$750 annually ($30,000-$50,000 worth of equipment insured) with liability insurance (a big important thing to protect yourself against lawsuits). This being only the base policy, it also comes with rental equipment, pays out for loss profit, etc; seems to be a very good deal for peace of mind. What’s great about photography insurance such as this is that it’s very easy to file and get stuff taken cared of and in a lot of cases, there is no deductible either.

Now for a horror story of why you should never let any insurance lapse. One of the members was detailing back in 2005 when he was shooting a baseball game, somehow someone managed to steal his camera bag (a Domke J-2) from the press area inside which contained several expensive Canon L lenses, lots of compact flash cards, strobes, and other accessories such as backup batteries. Fortunately, he still had his camera body, a Canon EOS 1D, and a Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L USM, which was mounted all on a monopod. Unfortunately he was in-between insurances at this point, and had let the other one lapsed, so $4500 worth of equipment just evaporated!

I’m going to start researching Hill & Usher and price out what it will cost to insure all my equipment under a separate policy and will post details once I’ve got it all figured out.

AutoMate Gallery Images