Since Christmas is near, I thought I would put together my letter to Santa (or Canon Santa) on what I would like to have on the new Canon flagship camera the 1DX Mark III. Since Canon made the announcement that it is developing the 1DX Mark III, I have been anxiously looking forward to its release, and thinking about what I hope the camera comes with.

 

I know that the press release was pretty vague on details, but some of the rumours are that the sensor will remain at 20.2 megapixels. This is a disappointment to some, but I think it is a sufficient number of megapixels, especially for someone like me that spends the majority of their time shooting hand-held, a bunch of really tiny pixels are a disadvantage.  Also, if you want more megapixels, there is always the 5D Mark IV, or the rumoured 75 megapixel mirrorless camera.  My hope is actually that there isn’t significant changes in the number of megapixels.

 

One of the details that was provided by Canon in the press release is that Canon has increased the size of the autofocus sensor.  I don’t think you can ever have too fast of autofocus on a camera.  I am really looking forward to trying out the newer, faster autofocus, to see how it performs.

 

I am also looking forward to seeing how the camera will perform with the new card types, and how that improves the buffer rate.  I can tell you, when you are shooting next to a bunch of Nikon shooters, and your camera buffers out, it is a real bummer.

 

Given that the majority of my photography is done on the coast of British Columbia, and sometimes in dark, and rainy weather, improved ISO performance is at the top of my list.  I am hoping for improved noise performance and dynamic range at the high ISOs (over ISO 3200).

 

Another nice to have in the new flagship camera with be in body stabilization (IBIS).  While I am not overly optimistic that the camera will come with this, given that the mirrorless camera (EOSR) didn’t have it, I don’t think I will bet on it.  But some of the rumours are that the camera may come with it.

 

And my final wish, that Canon will just release the 1DX Mark III already, and have sufficient supply so I can get one quickly!

 

Feel free to share your wishes (or any rumors you have) with me at [email protected].

I picked up my 90D this fall, and so far I have had just a few opportunities to get out and start shooting with it. I am looking forward to getting the chance to use it even more in Yellowstone coming up.

 

The first thing I wanted to assess is what the noise is like on the 90D. Given that it is 32.5 megapixels on a cropped sensor, I had a feeling that I would not see much of an improvement in noise, compared to what I experienced with the Canon 7D Mark II.  Well my assumption was correct.  The noise performance falls behind that of what I experienced with the 7D Mark II.

 

This photo of a Great Gray Owl taken at ISO 6400 is quite noisy, however it’s not easy to see on the web version of the photo.  I have not done any noise reduction on the image, I took it from Lightroom, and performed a few small edits in Photoshop, and compressed to to 2400 pixels on the long end.  That being said, the noise is manageable in the post production, and you are able to make a cleaner, less noisy image with it.

 

I also had the chance to compare the 90D with the D500 to compare the ISO performance on the two cameras (using 70-200 f/2.8 lenses).  And I am sad to report that the noise performance on the 90D falls behind the Nikon D500.    When looking at the test images, the Canon is almost a full-stop behind the Nikon D500, so the noise at the Nikon at ISO 6400 is more comparable to ISO 3200 on the Canon 90D.  I attribute this partly to the more reasonable sensor size of the Nikon having only 20.8 megapixels.

 

The following are the images of the Canon 90D at various high ISOs and the sample of the D500 at ISO 6400.  These were all compressed to 2400 on the long end in photoshop using bicubic.

Canon 90D @ ISO 3200

Canon 90D @ ISO 6400

Canon 90D @ ISO 12800

Nikon D500 @ ISO 6400

 

Also, here are two comparisons of ISO 6400 between the D500 and 90D, with the images cropped to 2400 pixels (no other adjustment made to image size).

Canon 90D @ ISO 6400

Nikon D500 @ ISO 6400

 

As you can see, the Nikon is less noisy.

 

I am going to take more time to test it out while I am in Yellowstone, but so far, I am not noticing much improvement in ISO performance. Additionally, I want the opportunity to test out the autofocus and overall image quality of the camera.  But at this point I’m not sure if it will get a permanent spot in my camera kit.  I really think that having a cropped sensor with so many megapixels is really the downfall of this camera.  If I get the opportunity to get my hands on the 7D Mark II to compare it to the 90D, I will report on my findings.

 

If you are interested in more information on the 90D, please feel free to email me [email protected] to discuss further.

Canon 1DX Mark III:

  • Improved autofocus
  • 28x Bigger AF Sensor
  • New CMOS Sensor & DIGIC Processor
  • Improved frame rate
  • Dual CF Express Slots
  • Wifi, Bluetooth, & GPS Connectivity

Following in the footsteps of the Nikon “announcement” of the D6, Canon recently announced that it is developing the EOS-1DX Mark III, the successor of the 1DX Mark II, which is the flagship camera body for Canon.  You can read a copy of the Canon Canada press release here.  The announcement is a little light on details, but below are some of the “details” provided.

 

Canon has stated the updated flagship camera body will have improved autofocus speed and accuracy, which as a wildlife photographer (or even for sports shooters) is one of the features that we look forward to the most.  The improved autofocus will be the result of a bigger autofocus sensor, which is 28x bigger than that on the 1DX Mark II.

 

The 1DX Mark III will come with an updated CMOS sensor and DIGIC processor, which they say will improve ISO performance, and also allow for the recording of 4K60p video with the camera.

 

Canon has also advertised the 1DX Mark III as having a faster frame rate, up to 16 frames per second using optical viewfinder, and 20 frames per second in Live View Mode.

 

As part of the announcement Canon mentions that the camera will support dual card slots which will take CFExpress cards.  While I am happy that Canon has finally decided to have two of the same card types in a camera, I am annoyed that I spent money on CFast cards that are no longer going to be useful, and that I will have to invest in more cards and a new card reader.  However, the CFExpress should help contribute to having a faster camera, so the investment will be worth it, and it will be nice to finally not need to have two different cards for one camera, like was required for the 1DX Mark II.

 

Included in the feature list are the connectivity features which include built in wifi, bluetooth, and GPS technology.  These aren’t features that I tend to use that often, however it shows that Canon are continuing to stay up on the technology for photographers that would like these features.

 

What is missing from the announcement is an actual release date for the camera.  I already have my name on the list to get one when the do become available, hopefully before the photo tour season starts next spring, so I can really put it to the test.  If you have questions, feel free to contact me [email protected].

Canon 90D:

  • 32.5 Megapixel cropped sensor
  • DIGIC 8 Image Processor
  • 10 frames per second in viewfinder
  • 7 frames per second in live view
  • 45 cross type AF points
  • 220,000 px sensor for metering
  • High ISO capabilities (to be tested)
  • Face & eye detection
  • Vari-angle Touch LCD
  • 4K Video
  • Weather Sealed

While I was away on my Fall Great Bear Rainforest trip Canon announced the Canon 90D, an updated cropped sensor to replace the Canon 80D, and some are saying that it is also a replacement for the Canon 7D Mark II, and it will be “THE” cropped sensor body.

When I got back from my trip, I got my 90D, and am looking forward to seeing whether it will be a capable compliment to my current camera bodies, the 1DX Mark II, and 5D Mark IV.

The Canon 90D is a 32.5 megapixel cropped sensor with a DIGIC 8 Image Processor.  My first thoughts are, for a cropped sensor, that is a heck of a lot of pixels.  Both the 80D and the 7D Mark II are 24 and 20 megapixels respectively, which to me is a much more reasonable range, especially for a cropped sensor body.  When I get a chance to start using the camera, I have a feeling that it will not be very good at high ISOs, or while hand-held at low shutter speeds.

As a wildlife photographer, the goal is to be able to get sharp shots, well really that’s probably the goal of any photographer.  As a wildlife photographed I am often in situations where I am hand-holding lenses, in low light, and with sometimes quite fast moving subjects.  That means ISO capabilities, and autofocus are really critical.
The 90D has 45 autofocus points through the viewfinder, which I think is somewhat low for a wildlife camera, but the benefit is that they are all cross-type AF points, which is a positive.  By comparison, this is the same number of points as the 80D, but improved because they are all cross type, and it is less than the 65 points that come with the 7D Mark II.

To handle the fast moving subjects, the 90D has 10 frames per second shooting through the viewfinder, which is more than the 7 that comes with the 80D and the same as the 7D Mark II.

For anyone that wants the ability to shoot both stills and video, the 90D has 4k capabilities.

After reading the specs, and getting my hands on one, I am not really that confident that I will like this camera any more than I liked the 7D Mark II (which I didn’t own for long before selling), and I still am not sure whether it will be a capable addition to my photography kit. I will be testing both the ISO performance and the autofocus capabilities of the camera over the next couple months and report back.  If you have questions, feel free to contact me [email protected].

This week Canon has announced a firmware update for the EOS R to version 1.4.0.

 

Clam Digging

In Canada the update is available here.

 

Some of the updates in this new firmware are as follows:

1 –  Improvements to “eye detection Auto Focus” to provide for recognition at greater distances

2 – Improvements to the Auto Focus overall, especially for smaller objects.

3 – Improvement in the lag time between the actual Auto Focus and the AF frame rate display for the images

4 – Other “fixes”

 

Obviously the feature that I am the most excited to try out is the improvements to Auto Focus overall, as I am hoping these improvements will take the camera up a notch and allow it to a more complimentary camera body to the rest of my kit.  I have updated my camera and will provide an update on what I think of the firmware update when I have a chance to go shooting (currently snowing, in September!!!). This clam digger image was shot this year in the Khutzeymateen using the EOS R, however part way through the trip I ended up not using the EOS R much because I found the autofocus too slow, so I am looking forward to this update.

 

If you have any questions, feel free to send me an email.

I ended my 2019 photo tour season in mid-September with my final trip into the Great Bear Rainforest.  The Great Bear Rainforest is special to me because it’s the first place I visited on the BC Coast, and is the trip that got me started down the path of leading photo tours.

 

Spin Cycle

I lead this second trip just after one week off from the previous trip, and I was headed in with some expectations based on my experience the week prior.  The salmon run on most of the streams and rivers we visited was going very strong, especially compared to my previous trips, which could have been partly attributed to the fact that I was visiting the area about one month earlier than I normally go.

 

During the trip we were treated to a variety of bears.  Black Bears, Grizzly Bears, including moms with cubs and even the rare Spirit Bears.  Our Spirit Bear sightings didn’t come easy, with the first one we saw only showing up for a brief moment near the end of the day.  Our second sightings allowed us a little more time with the Spirit Bears, and our final sighting was just a brief glimpse of one on the shoreline from the sailboat.  Despite the number of years I have been visiting the area, I still find every Spirit Bear sighting is a rare treat, and I am as excited as the first time I saw one.

 

Fishing from Kelp

One of the other highlights of the trip was just the number of moms with cubs, with both black bears and grizzly bears.  There were a couple of instances where there were more than one mother and cubs out in our sight at the same time. And it was incredible to see how trusting these mother bears, of both species, were of bringing their cubs out around us, and even allowing the cubs to be closer to us than they were to their mother, which shows an incredible amount of trust by the mothers.

 

But as always, the trip is not only about finding bears.  My favorite thing about this trip is that you never know what you are going to see, especially when it comes to the “not bears” species.  One of the most unique experiences I think we had is the opportunity to closely photograph a Great Blue Heron as it fished from kelp.  Besides being able to closely watch and photograph the Great Blue Heron, I also appreciated that our expert guide, and group, was able to leave the Great Blue Heron as it continued to fish, so we did not impact on the fishing.

 

We also had a couple opportunities to photograph Bald Eagles, Humpback Whales, and Harbor Seals along our travels and while out in the zodiac.

 

If you would like to experience the Great Bear Rainforest trip with us in the future, visit my Photo Tours Page for more information, or contact me for more information.

I just completed my first of two “Into the Great Bear Rainforest” trips.  On this one we started in Bella Bella, British Columbia, and traveled north and ended in Kitimat, stopping at various inlets, and estuaries along the way.

 

One of my favourite things about the Great Bear Rainforest photo tours is that there is a long list of potential wildlife that we could see along the route, but we never know what we will see, and where we will see it.  It’s a true wilderness photo tour.  The other nice thing is, what we enjoy, we enjoy to ourselves, instead of being among a bunch of other photo groups.

 

We started our trip with several Humpback Whales, including one that was lunge feeding and coming quite high out of the water, which was pretty incredible.  However it was a bit hard to predict where he was coming up, and therefore also hard to predict where to point your camera and shoot.

 

Down Low

Throughout the trip we were treated to rivers and streams full of salmon, which had already brought in the Bald Eagles that were lining the trees.  We had the opportunity to photograph them in the pouring rain, sunny days, and even in some fog/mist.  It really provided us the full gamut of Bald Eagles in the Great Bear Rainforest.

 

We also had the opportunity to photograph both Grizzly Bears and Black Bears, including one of each with cubs, so adding a little extra cute factor to the photography.   For the most part the bears were taking advantage of the salmon runs, and trying to start packing on the weight before hibernation.

 

We ended the trip with quite a show from some Transient Killer Whales, who had already started attacking a Stellar Sea Lion when we showed up.  We spent almost two hours watching as they came out of the water and jumped on him, or hit him with their tails, and doing everything they could to get their next meal.  It was the first time that I had witnessed something like this, and while it was incredible to see the Orcas, you were left feeling a little sad for the poor Sea Lion.

 

So if you are interested in a trip along the coast, where you could be treated to both land mammals, and marine mammals, the  Great Bear Rainforest might be a trip for you.  We have several different options, including ones in the spring, summer and fall, with more information available on my Photo Tours page.

 

Stay tuned for Part Two of my blog post after I finish my next trip into the Great Bear Rainforest.

One of my favorite things about our annual Marine Mammals photo tour, is that you never know what to expect.  While we expect to see Humpback Whales, Sea Lions, Sea Otters, and Orcas, we never know when or where they are going to pop up and which is going to steal the show.

 

Crab Dinner

This year, my personal thoughts are the Sea Otters stole the show, but others on the trip might disagree.  We encountered several Sea Otters bringing up various things from the ocean floor, and displaying an all you can eat buffet for us.  Their hauls included various urchins, clams, and even crabs.  It was also a lot of fun to watch them when they brought up a clam and banged them against their special rock to get it.  Besides just eating, we also had the opportunity to watch them preening their fur, with their pups, wrapped in kelp, and surprisingly just hanging out in the middle of the strait (in very deep water).

 

It was not just a trip of Sea Otters though, we also had a lot of other action.  Including Humpback Whales breaching, lunge feeding, and tail lobbing (no, not all by one humpback whale).  When we visited some of the Sea Lion rock haul outs, we got to see a few battles (both in and out of the water), jumping from the rocks, and gathering in a big group and swimming towards our zodiac.

 

The Bald Eagles didn’t want to be out-done by the marine mammals.  We had several opportunities to nab some shots of them while fishing at bait balls, and ended up cursing the gulls that photo-bombed some of our shots.

 

Catching Air

Sticking with the title of this blog post, one of the most unique and unexpected things that we witnessed this year, and it was the very first for our experienced skipper, was Harbor Seals mating.  What we thought was a dead Harbor Seal floating just at the surface, ended up being two in the midst of action.  While it did produce great photos, it was cool to GoPro, and even cooler to just see.

 

So when people ask me what my favourite trip is, and I mention the Marine Mammals, I think you are starting to get a picture as to why.  Even after four trips, I come away each year with different highlights, and unique photos from one year to the next, and I’m already looking forward to next year.

 

I’m starting to post some images from the trip on my Recent Photos page, and will post more as I get through them (there are so many to choose from).

 

I don’t have too much time to relax, as I’m already prepping for my next journey Into the Great Bear Rainforest, where I will be leading two trips this year.

 

If you want to join us on this trip visit my photo tours page for more information or contact me at [email protected] for more details.

If you noticed that I have not been posting images or blog posts so much, it is because I have been a bit busy on photo tours.  I just arrived back from one part of the BC Coast, and I’m spending the month and a half travelling from one part of the British Columbia Coast to the next.

 

Coastal Deer

I started in early July in Gwaii Haanas National Park, this was the first time I have visited this area, so I did not know what to expect (other than what I had read online).  Given that Gwaii Haanas coast is home to over 1.5 million seabirds, I had expected that we would have the opportunity to photograph some birds.

 

Well the trip met my expectation when it came to photographing birds, there was no shortage of Black Oystercatchers or Pigeon Guillemots,  And we got lucky seeing a few different Tufted Puffins, including some fly-bys with fish in the beaks.  Gwaii Haanas has the highest concentration of nesting Bald Eagles, so we had the chance to capture some times of Bald Eagles in various perches, including on rocky islands.

 

In addition to the birds, we also had the opportunity to photograph various mammals that call Gwaii Haanas home such as the Sitka Deer, Black Bears, Stellar Sea Lions and a new one for me the Risso’s Dolphins.  The Black Bears in the area have no predators, and are the largest part of the food chain, which causes them to be some the largest found in North America.

 

The trip wasn’t all about the wildlife of the area, we also had the opportunity to photograph some beautiful landscapes, historic totem poles, and some old grave sites and historic machinery.

 

Bright Eyed

I am now getting ready to head to a different part of the coast, the Johnstone Strait up to the Northern tip of Vancouver Island.  In addition to the beautiful landscapes, this trip is focused on the marine mammals that are in the area, which includes Killer Whales, Humpback Whales, the very adorable Sea Otters, Stellar Sea Lions, and more. Despite focusing on Marine Mammals, we will also be on the lookout for various species of birds while exploring in the zodiac. The Marine Mammals trip is one of my favourites, because it is often action-packed and varied species, and we never know what to expect while traveling along the coast in the beautiful Ocean Light II sailboat.

 

From there I am coming home from a few days, and then leaving again to explore the last bit of coast for my 2019 photo tour season, the Great Bear Rainforest.  I will be leading two separate trips along the coast, where again we will be exploring different areas, hoping to photograph Humpback Whales, Grizzly Bears, Black Bears, and if we get lucky, the unique and rare Spirit Bear.  There are still spaces available on one of the photo tours, so if you are interested in coming along, please send me an email, [email protected].

 

I very much enjoyed my first time visiting Gwaii Haanas, and looking forward to visiting both the Johnstone Strait and Great Bear Rainforest again.  Stay tuned for updates, and images, from my recent adventures.

If you are noticing the lack of action and new photos being posted on my website, and social media, it is because I’m currently on a trip exploring Gwaii Haanas in British Columbia.

 

Huh! What’s Gwaii Haanas? It’s a National Park Reserve and Marine Conservation Area off the coast of British Columbia and protects an archipelago of 138 islands. We are there searching for marine mammals, landscapes, and intertidal photography, in addition to some of the rich cultural history of this area.  This is our first time offering photo tours in the area, so I’m excited to see this new part of the coast.

 

More about Gwaii Haanas can be found on Wikipedia.

 

We have a few spaces available to join us in 2020 when we explore the west side of  Haida Gwaii, more information can be found on my photo tours page, or contact me for more details.