Excire Foto 2024 Update Released

Excire Photo 2024
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Excire Photo 2024, an AI-powered photo management software got an important update. You can try out Excire Photo 2024 for free.

Press release:

Excire Foto 2024 Update Adds Timesaving Features and Improved Search Functionality
PRC’s Revolutionary Photo-Organizing Software Receives Major Enhancements in Free April 2024 Update

Lübeck, Germany – April 23rd, 2024 – PRC, the AI company behind the award-winning Excire software, has today unveiled a major update to its flagship program, Excire Foto 2024.
Known for its futuristic image-management tools – including a prompt-search AI that allows users to instantly retrieve images by inputting text descriptions and an X-tetics AI that intelligently rates each image based on its aesthetic qualities – Excire Foto 2024 has propelled photographers into a new era of image organization. Now, thanks to enhancements included in the April 2024 update, Excire makes it easier than ever to find, cull, and catalog images so photographers can spend less time behind the computer and more time on their craft.

Improvements to Excire Foto 2024 include:

  • New filters to sort and locate images more effectively (including an option to identify files that have not yet been analyzed by the program)
  • Refinements to the Find by Keyword search selectors; users can now apply OR and NOT operations for increased precision when searching
  • Extension of the text-search feature to selectable metadata so users can locate images from the file path, file description, file headline, and more
  • Additional keywording features, including the option to select, copy, and paste a subset of keywords; drag-and-drop functionality when assigning keywords to photos; and automatic copying of keywords to the clipboard when performing keyword copy-paste operations
  • Significant enhancements for a more streamlined duplicate-search workflow, including a duplicate statistics dialog with intuitive flagging functionality; the option to exclude photo sequences from the AI-powered Find Duplicates search; and the option to select the first photo of each duplicate-search-result cluster to save time when cleaning up folders

Smaller upgrades include:

  • The option to change the loading behavior for lens model metadata
  • An “Invert selection” menu option
  • Keyword tree multiselection
  • A “Manage profiles” option in the “Renaming Profiles” dialog
  • Minor bug fixes, design changes, and improvements

Importantly, the update resets the 14-day trial period. Photographers who previously tested – but did not purchase – Excire Foto 2024 can once again download a 14-day trial of the program and evaluate the software’s updated features.
For customers who already own a copy of Excire Foto 2024, the April 2024 update is complimentary. Users will be prompted to download the update package upon launching Excire Foto 2024. It is recommended that users make a catalog backup before installing the new software.

Canon RF 24-50mm F4.5-6.3 IS Review (frustrating areas of regression, D. Abbott)

RF 24-50mm
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Here is a professional review of the Canon RF 24-50mm F4.5-6.3 IS lens. This is one of the less expensive lenses for the EOS R system (i.e. a kit lens)

The lens at a glance:

  • Full-Frame Lens
  • STM Stepping AF Motor
  • Optical Image Stabilizer
  • Focus Control Ring
  • Two Aspherical Elements
  • Super Spectra Coating
  • 7-Blade Diaphragm
  • Compact and Lightweight Design

Dustin Abbott reviewed the Canon RF 24-50mm F4.5-6.3 IS. Here are his findings. It’s a very exhaustive and complete review, and I suggest you have a look at it (especially if you are pondering to get the RF 24-50mm). From Mr. Abbott’s conclusion:

[the RF 24-50mm] serves a specific purpose, namely to provide a small, lightweight, inexpensive lens for people to add to their Canon EOS R8 (and future cameras) so that they have a lens to actually take pictures with. I remember my first Canon DSLR purchase (the Rebel T1i) and it came with an EF-S 18-55mm IS lens. I didn’t love the lens (sold it fairly quickly), but it gave me something to use in the first couple of months so that I could use my new camera. There are places where Canon has improved things (autofocus is definitely better), but there are also some really frustrating areas of regression. Canon’s maximum aperture range on these type lenses has become decidedly worse, as Canon clearly banks on the improved ISO performance in modern cameras covering for the slower maximum apertures. They’ve also become increasingly reliant on software to cover for the hardware shortcomings, with massive amounts of optical correction needed to make the image usable.

Read the complete review at dustinabbot.net

The review is not very positive. On the other hand, this is a kit lens, and at $299 I guess you can not expect much more. Mr. Abbott’s review comes with test charts, sample photos, ISO test, there is nothing that is missed. And if you’re not into reading reviews, you can watch the video-review below.

More reviews by Dustin Abbott are listed here.

Canon RF 24-50mm IS:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Canon Patent: 14-35mm f/2.8 For Full Frame EOS R Cameras

Canon Patent
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Here is a new Canon patent application, this time for. 14-35mm f/2.8 lens for the RF mount and full frame cameras.

Canon patent application 2024058439 (Japan, published 4/25/2024) discusses optical formulas for a 14-35mm f/2.8 lens.

From the patent literat

  • An object of the present invention is to provide a negative lead type wide-angle zoom lens that is compact, is equipped with an anti-vibration group, and has high optical performance over the entire zoom range.
  • BACKGROUND ART In recent years, zoom lenses used in imaging devices are desired to have a wide angle of view, high optical performance over the entire zoom range, and be compact. Patent Document 1 discloses a negative lead type zoom lens in which a lens group with negative refractive power is arranged on the object side as a zoom lens whose entire system is compact and can easily widen the angle of view.
  • The present invention provides a negative lead type wide-angle zoom lens that is compact, is equipped with an anti-vibration group, and has high optical performance over the entire zoom range.

Example 1

  • Focal length: 14.42-33.91
  • F value: 2.88
  • Half angle of view: 52.67-32.54
  • Image height: 18.91-21.64
  • Total length: 154.50-145.20
  • Back focus: 17.88-37.9

More Canon patents are listed here.

[via asobinet]

Here Are The IDs Of Four Registered Yet Unannounced Canon Products

Nab 2023 Canon Eos R5 Mark Ii Canon Eos R8 CP+ 2024 Mark Ii Canon EOS Rf 24-50mm R6 Mark Ii Rf Mount Eos R6 Mark Ii Rf 300mm Rf 35mm Canon Eos R100 Rf 24mm F/1.8 Rf-s Canon Eos R7 Eos R100 Canon High Resolution Eos R R10 Eos C5 Canon Canon Eos R1 Eos R5c Canon Rf 16mm Rf 35mm F/1.2L EF Lenses Tilt-shift Lenses Rumor
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Canon registered four products that have not yet been announced. All four refer to video gear, according to a blogger from Cina.

Usually well informed Weibo user E8M_8888 posted the list of the registration IDs:

  • ID174 registered on April 19, 2024
  • ID179 Registered on February 04, 2024
  • DS126922 Registered on February 04, 2024
  • DS126928 Registered on March 29, 2024

Now the funny part. E8M_8888 writes (machine translated):

Some influential overseas entry stations form a unique point of view in order to snatch information without knowing the history of Canon products and then making a conclusion. Here I want to correct it: ID sequence registration information is all video products.

If you wonder what or who the “influential overseas entry stations” are, it’s the well known hysterical rumor sites we all know 😀. According to E8M_8888 they are all wrong in their speculations: all four IDs refer to video gear. The products have been registered at a WiFi registration authority.

Time will tell. In the meantime forget rumors and go out snapping photos.

Finally: SIGMA Launches Interchangeable Lenses for Canon RF Mount

Sigma
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I guess many of us were waiting for this: the possibility to use Sigma’s excellent lenses natively on the EOS R system, i.e. RF mount. Well, it seems we are there.

Control algorithm including AF drive and communication speed optimization has been developed specifically for Canon RF Mount interchangeable lenses. In addition to realizing high-speed AF, the lens also supports AF-C (Continuous AF), in-camera aberration correction and in-camera image stabilization. The mount is rubber-sealed to cater for use in a variety of environments.

Sigma press release:

SIGMA Corporation (CEO: Kazuto Yamaki) is pleased to announce the upcoming launch of interchangeable lenses for Canon RF Mount system. This addition allows users to enjoy high performance, and high quality SIGMA lenses in native mount on their Canon RF Mount system.

Lineup

For detailed product information, please refer to the links below.

[ Launch in July 2024 ]

SIGMA 18-50mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary

Petal Type Lens Hood (LH582-02) supplied

Product information：https://www.sigma-global.com/en/lenses/c021_18_50_28/

[ Launch in fall of 2024 and onwards ]

SIGMA 10-18mm F2.8 DC DN | Contemporary

Push-on Petal Type Lens Hood (LH706-02) supplied

Product information：https://www.sigma-global.com/en/lenses/c023_10_18_28/

SIGMA 16mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary

Petal Type Lens Hood (LH716-01) supplied

Product information：https://www.sigma-global.com/en/lenses/c017_16_14/

SIGMA 23mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary

Petal Type Lens Hood (LH554-01) supplied

Product information：https://www.sigma-global.com/en/lenses/c023_23_14/

SIGMA 30mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary

Lens Hood (LH586-01) supplied

Product information：https://www.sigma-global.com/en/lenses/c016_30_14/

SIGMA 56mm F1.4 DC DN | Contemporary

Lens Hood (LH582-01) supplied

Product information：https://www.sigma-global.com/en/lenses/c018_56_14/

* These products are developed, manufactured and sold under license from Canon Inc.

Canon EOS R8 Review (does a lot of things really well, D. Abbott)

Canon EOS R8 Review
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Here is a Canon EOS R8 review by our favourite gear reviewer.

Canon EOS R8 at a glance:

  • 24.2MP Full-Frame CMOS Sensor
  • 4K60p 10-Bit Internal Video, Canon Log 3
  • 2.36m-Dot OLED Electronic Viewfinder
  • 3.0″ 1.62m-Dot Vari-Angle Touchscreen
  • Dual Pixel CMOS AF II
  • 40 fps Electronic Shutter
  • Movie Digital IS
  • Vertical Movie Mode
  • Microphone Input, Headphone Output
  • Multi-Function Shoe, Wi-Fi & Bluetooth

Dustin Abbott reviewed the Canon EOS R8, and here are his findings. Please note that Mr. Abbott’s review are thorough and exhaustive and you shouldn’t stop at what we feature here. The review covers everything you might want to know about the EOS R8 and I encourage you to have a closer look. From the conclusion:

[given its price] the EOS R8 is destined to be one of Canon’s best selling cameras. Most of the time the camera options near this price point have a smaller APS-C sensor, so this will almost certainly entice some people to take the plunge to the larger full frame sensor and the resulting image quality that comes with it.

If you like the form factor of the EOS RP but are ready for an upgrade, the EOS R8 is a great option. It has a much better sensor, a much better focus system, and far better video specs (this was a real weakness in the EOS RP). There are still some limitations, but this camera does a lot of things really well and can make beautiful images…and be a lot of fun doing it.

My single greatest regret here is the lack of in-body-image-stabilization, as this has become a fairly ubiquitous feature on competing cameras and some of Canon’s best lens matches for this camera don’t have lens stabilization. But other than that I definitely prefer the Canon EOS R8’s ergonomics to, say, Sony’s a7C series of cameras, and the Canon costs less, too. 

Read the review at dustinabbott.net

Mr. Abbott also provides a video-review, see below.

There a lot of people who likes to be called “reviewer”. Dustin Abbott is one of the few I check when I am about to buy new gear. More Canon EOS R8 review stuff is listed here.

Canon EOS R8:

America: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE