Gear Update
Our round-up of the latest digital photography must-haves
Explore the latest Canon related gear you should fill your stocking with
01 Canon EOS Ra Canon launches its first astro camera since 2012’s EOS 60Da specialist DSLR £2599/$2499 www.canon.co.uk
THE EOS Ra is a modified version of the EOS R and is the first Canon full-frame camera designed for astrophotography. The EOS Ra is also unique in that it doesn’t require an external power source or a tethered computer connection in order to record those star-studded skies. It inherits the EOS R’s key tech specs, but adds a new infrared blocking filter which allows higher hydrogen alpha light to reach the imaging sensor. This enables the EOS Ra to capture the distinct red colour of nebula that would otherwise be blocked by the UV/IR cut filters in a normal camera.
02 DJI Mavic Mini Meet DJI’S lightest-ever drone £369/$399 www.dji.com
WITH the UK, USA, Canada & China now requiring registration of drones over 250g, the featherweight 249g Mavic Mini promises hassle-free drone enjoyment. Despite the diet, it still crams in a 12Mp camera with the ability to capture video at up to 2.7k (topping out at 30fps), or 1080p at 60fps. Flight time is up to 30 minutes, with a theoretical 4km control range, plus there’s GPS and collision sensors.
03 Hoya Starscape filters Cut out unwanted colour casts £TBA/$TBA hoyafilter.com
HOYA Starscape Light-pollution filters selectively filter out the greeny-yellow hues of light pollution for more natural-looking nighttime and astro shots, and with the added benefit of improved contrast. Using a filter to alter the actual exposure saves significant time trying to correct a colour cast in Photoshop, especially when working with multiple images taken to form a time-lapse sequence.
04 Lensbaby OMNI filter system Just when you thought you’d seen it all £89/$100 lensbaby.com
IMAGING innovator Lensbaby has a whole new concept in filter effects that makes all traditional filters look tame. The new Omni system comes with three effect ‘wands’ that clip magnetically to the filter adaptor, and can be moved around freely. You use them individually or in combination, shooting through them to produce various prismatic light flare effects. The standard pack (£89/$100) includes three effects wands called ‘Crystal Seahorse’, ‘Stretch Glass’ and ‘Rainbow Film’.
05 Loupedeck CT Sound and graphics control galore £469/$549 www.loupedeck.com
THE Loupedeck Creative Tool retains the buttons and dials of previous models that give you a faster and ergonomic way to interface with your software, rather than just using your computer’s keyboard and mouse. But now there’s also the addition of LED backlighting and touchscreens to make the console even more intuitive, especially at a glance.
06 Lume Cube 2.0 A much-improved and handy LED light From £90/$90 lumecube.com
THE device appears very similar to the original Lume Cube, with an aluminium body just 4cm-cubed and only 99g. But this version 2.0 Cube now boasts a 5600K daylight-balanced output, a very impressive 95+ color rendering index, and an increased 80-degree beam angle for more even lighting. Battery life is hugely boosted, now rated at up to 90 minutes at 100% brightness, and the Cube 2.0 is able to operate when plugged in, making it ideal for home/studio use.
07 Samyang AF 14mm f/2.8 RF The first third-party AF lens for the EOS R £629/$799 www.samyanglensglobal.com
THE Samyang AF 14mm f/2.8 RF is a millimeter wider than Canon’s wide-angle 15-35mm L-series, making this the widest AF lens available for the RF mount. The 14 elements in 10 groups consist of six special lenses to reduce aberration, three aspherical lenses, two extra-low dispersion lenses and one high-reflection lens. There’s also weather sealing, along with an unusual mount-based rear filter holder.