About Us >
News and Event

Thanks for visiting our event page. We're constantly updating this page with both national and local photo contests, conventions, workshops, classes, demonstrations, and anything else the photo community may have an interest in. Feel free to email us about something you'd like to share.


Upcoming Classes

February 3, 2008: Canon USA informing VIPs of new EOS-1D Mark III AF fix

Starting on February 1, 2008, Canon USA began informing key photographers and key organizations using the EOS-1D Mark III that engineers at Canon in Japan have developed a new fix for the camera's autofocus, a fix that's in addition to the change in the sub-mirror mechanism and firmware updates introduced in 2007.

In closed door meetings at the PMA 2008 trade show in Las Vegas, at Super Bowl XLII in Phoenix, Arizona and on the phone, by our count it's a minimum of four different professional market reps that have revealed to photographers or managers at seven different sites using the EOS-1D Mark III that a new fix is in the works. In other words, Canon USA reps have been directed by their superiors to begin contacting VIP customers, and to tell those customers that there's good news pending on the EOS-1D Mark III autofocus front.

Details are scant right now. Here's some of what's being said by Canon USA reps:

Canon's autofocus engineers have determined the root cause of the EOS-1D Mark III's warm/sunny autofocus problems. They now know precisely what's wrong, and can completely correct it with the new autofocus solution. The phrase "root cause" or "underlying root cause" seems to be common to most or all of the briefings, suggesting the upcoming solution is meant to go well beyond the improvements introduced with the sub-mirror repair and the algorithm changes rolled into firmware v1.1.3.
Some are being told that the new fix is comprised of both a hardware change and new firmware, others are being told that it's not known yet at Canon USA whether the fix is comprised of hardware, firmware or both. This apparent discrepancy in what reps are saying is probably indicative of how new this information is to them, and how little information they themselves have been given so far by higher ups in the Canon organization. Canon USA reps aren't sharing any other specifics about the nature of the new fix.
VIP customers are not being told when the new fix will come available, or when Canon in the U.S. and elsewhere will begin broadcasting this news more widely, though some have been told that a public announcement will be made.

Historically, whispers like this from reps are followed fairly closely by an official release of information, since whispers have a way of spreading like wildfire among pro shooters. Particularly when large numbers of them congregate at events like this weekend's Super Bowl. It therefore seems likely that a Canon website posting or press announcement will come sooner rather than later, and that the announcement is likely to contain a bit more about the what and the when of Canon's newest effort to improve EOS-1D Mark III autofocus. The level of detail in any Canon announcement will probably be driven by how far out in the future the new fix's availability is.

Click to enlarge image. Photo depicts cancer with a white halo.

 

This letter was sent to Jerry Sullivan from Maria Pezzente.

I am writing to you as a photograph helped diagnose our son Leo with an eye cancer last summer. We first noticed a strange hue over his eye when reviewing photographs we had just taken on our digital camera. After a bit of research on the internet we immediately developed the photographs and headed to the emergency at Sick Kids Hospital here in Toronto with them in hand. Leo was assessed by several ophthalmologists and as this was a true emergency, his eye was enucleated within days, In short, those photographs might very well have saved his life.

Astonishingly enough, parents are most often the first to notice signs of retinoblastoma. The flash of the camera can make the tumor(s) visible in photographs, appearing as a white hue known as leukocoria, rather then seeing red eye reflex as in a normal healthy eye. Of course now that we are aware of this, like many other retinoblastoma parents we can see the tumor in photographs from a much earlier time.

We are hoping you would consider launching an awareness campaign as you have the unique ability to reach parents directly as they are purchasing cameras, editing images and developing photographs, If parents were made aware of what to look out for it would undoubtedly spare numerous children from having to undergo extensive painful treatments, help eliminate avoidable vision loss, help prevent the unnecessary removal of an eye or both eyes and could very well save their lives. Similarly it would be important to make parents aware of the recommendation of pediatric ophthalmologists to take a monthly photograph in a dimly lit room of children under the age of 5 without the red eye reflex feature.

Retinoblastoma is a childhood eye cancer typically affecting infants and children up to 5 years of age. It accounts for approximately 3% of pediatric cancers and affects 1 in 15,000 live births. It can be inherited or sporadic as in Leo's case. It is one of the most malignant forms of cancer spreading quickly to the brain through the optic nerve if left untreated. Parental awareness is essential as this condition often goes undiagnosed by pediatricians until it is at a more advanced stage.

Unfortunately Leo's story doesn't end there. He has now been re-diagnosed with trilateral retinoblastoma which means that in addition to having malignant tumor in both eyes, he also has a malignant brain tumor. This is a particularly dangerous and a very rare presentation of the disease as he is only the second child in Canada in the past few decades to suffer from it. Leo is currently undergoing chemotherapy treatments and will have a bone marrow transplant later this month just before his first birthday.

We hope that something positive can come from Leo's RB diagnosis and would most sincerely appreciate any awareness you would be willing to create. Should you be interested, I would welcome the opportunity to discuss ideas further. Please do not hesitate to contact me. When emailing remove brackets with conventional email characters. This is done to usurp spybots/email harvesters.

Sincerely, Maria Pezzente

Upcoming Classes and Training Oppurtunities:

Suggestions on up coming class topics?
 Email us and if we can get enough people to sign up, we will offer it.

Registration: Registration is required for all classes with tuition. You should register at least 48 hours before the start of the class. To register for a class, follow the 'Register' link in the description, and then add the class to your basket as you would with any product and checkout. Your registration will be confirmed via e-mail.

Cancellation Policy: For a full refund, cancellations must be made within 24 hours of the class date. Rescheduling is possible but no guarantees will be made. All reimbursements will be made from our corporate offices. Please allow 1 billing cycle for credit to appear on your account, credit card, or check to be issued.

Legendary Photographer and Filmmaker Gordon Parks Dies at 93

Legendary photographer, filmmaker, and musician Gordon Parks has died. Parks captured America as a photographer for Life magazine for 20 years, and he will be missed.

Gordon Parks' 1942 photo "Children with Doll" (right) and his 1966 photo of boxer Muhammad Ali only hint at the diversity of the images he captured in a decades-long photojournalism career. He also was known for his work as a writer and filmmaker.