Happy Holidays!

All of us here at Tallyn's Professional Photographic would like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a safe and joyous New Year!

We will be closing at 2pm CST this afternoon for Christmas Eve, will be closed all day tomorrow, and then will close once again next Thursday for New Year's Day. If you have orders you want to get in before the end of the year for tax purposes you have just under one week left!

5D Mark II Shipping Update

Another shipment of Canon EOS 5D Mark II's have arrived today. Since our first shipment just before Thanksgiving, we have received a shipment just about every week.

We have been receiving new orders about as quickly as we have been able to fill the earliest orders. We are calling each customer personally as their camera arrives to finalize the order. If you must know where you stand in line, please feel free to email Craig@tallyns.com and I will get you a personal update regarding your specific place in line.

SYNC - Senior & Youth National Conference

Capture the High School Senior Market!

SYNC - Senior & Youth National Conference - is a new and exciting innovative event. SYNC will feature lectures and events which specialize in shooting and marketing to Gen Y & High School Seniors.

Started by industry leaders Darty Hines and Colleen Gonsar, this convention will be the one to attend in 2009 - Two and a half days packed full with great speakers and fun events. Many of the top speakers on Senior Portraits will be on stage discussing how to survive in today's economy and ever changing market.

Featured speakers include:

Darty Hines - Collene Gonsar - Jen Hillenga

Dave Junion - Rachel Marten - Joe Schulz - Nick Wheeler

Stephanie Deveau - Tina Sluser-Ley & More

SYNC will also hold an interactive event each evening with hands-on training by top senior portrait photographers. A print competition, award show, and trade show round out the SYNC event. You do NOT want to miss the premier of SYNC. Over 200 photographers have already registered!

More Information & Registration at www.syncseniors.com!

Canon 5D Mark II's Are Shipping!

As posted on Monday, the initial shipments of EOS 5D Mark II's did ship out of Canon's facilities yesterday and have arrived in stores today. We received our first shipment this morning and have already processed the sales to our first preorder customers.


Due to the incredible demand and the number of customers with preorders, if you have not already been contacted personally, then your camera was not in the first shipment. We will be contacting customers via phone and email as your specific camera becomes available as well as making updates here on our blog.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II Update

There's new information regarding the coming first shipments of Canon EOS 5D Mark II's. Rob Galbraith reports today:

Shipments of the Canon EOS 5D Mark II will begin leaving Canon USA's distribution centres en route to U.S. dealers starting November 25, 2008, says Chuck Westfall, Technical Advisor at Canon USA.

As of this writing, we can't confirm if key 5D Mark II accessories are also beginning to ship to retailers tomorrow in the U.S. Earlier this month, however, Westfall had indicated items such as extra Battery Pack LP-E6s, Battery Grip BG-E6, Wireless File Transmitter WFT-E4/E4A and EG-series focusing screens were expected to ship at about the same time as the camera body.

As Tallyn's reported here earlier this month, we are not expecting this to be a huge first shipment, but we would love to be proven wrong. Our first preorders were placed in early to mid September, so any orders placed in October or November will most likely not be receiving cameras in the first shipment. We were told by Canon that allocations amongst stores should be fairly even, so we would expect other dealers to be in similar situations as well. Tallyn's customers will be contacted directly and individually by phone when their camera becomes available.

Links: Rob Galbraith's Full Report / Tallyn's 5D Mark II Preorder Page

Wacom Offers Discounted Photoshop CS4

Wacom & Adobe have teamed up to provide photographer's an incredible deal on the new Photoshop CS4. If you purchase any Intuos3 Pen Tablet or Cintiq Display you can upgrade the bundled Photoshop Elements to Photoshop CS4 for just $299!


With this offer you can save more than 50% on Photoshop CS4! Tallyn's has Intuos3 Pen Tablets in stock so order today to take advantage of this deep discount.

Links: Tallyn's Selection of Wacom Tablets / Wacom's Photoshop Offer Page / Wacom's Photoshop Purchase Page

Updates Mk II.0

Canon has posted updates for most of their EOS software. Updates, pertaing mostly to the soon to be released 5D Mark II, include new versions of Digital Photo Professional, WFT Utility, Picture Style Editor, EOS Utility and RAW Codec for the 5D Mark II. To download the updates, go to Canon's 5D Mark II product page, click the "Driver's & Downloads" tab and select the operating system that needs to be updated.

New Tech Tips Video!

Tallyn's Tech Tips Video Series is back with another entry, this time a brief overview of background lighting techniques, featuring both Tallyn's custom background gels and F-16 Turbospot Plus:



Links: All Tallyn's Tech Tips Articles & Videos / Tallyn's F-16 Turbospot Plus Projector / Tallyn's Custom Gels

Web Clearance Sale This Week

Through next Sunday, every item on Tallyn's Web Clearance is 20% off! Used equipment, demo gear, customer trade-ins, overstocks and more are all available at deep discounts.

EOS 5D Updates - Part 2

We have been given an update from our Canon rep regarding the release of the 5D Mark II. Allocations are expected to be tight, as in three to five bodies in the first shipment expected around Thanksgiving. Shipment quantities are supposed to "get better" through the month of December, but no definite information could be given.

EOS 5D Updates

The official pricing for the EOS 5D Mark II has been announced, and our preorder price was correct: $2,699 for the Body Alone, $3,499 for the 24-105 IS Lens Kit.

Also confirmed and just added to our online catalog are the various 5D specific accessories including the new LP-E6 battery and BG-E6 grip. Pricing is already available at tallyns.com and we are anticipating the accessories being available as soon as the cameras themselves are.

If you have already placed your pre-order for the 5D Mark II, please feel free to give us a call at (800)433-8685 and we can add to your order. You can also place a second order on our website and we will be sure to combine it with your existing order and save you the shipping costs.

As of this time there is still no official word regarding release dates.

Tallyn Series Print Competition Cases

After a breif absence from our catalog, Tallyn's Print Competition Cases are back!


These super-heavy-duty nylon cases are designed to be packed and shipped without any additional boxes or padding. The sturdy outer shell can withstand rough transport and still keep your prints pristine. This is a MUST HAVE for photographers entering professional competitions or shipping portfolios to potential clients.

We currently have the 16"x20" cases in stock and ready to ship with 20"x24" cases soon to arrive. More information and photos are available at Tallyns.com.

Canon EOS 50D Firmware 1.0.3

Canon released new firmware for the EOS 50D late yesterday.

According to Canon's website, this firmware update (Version 1.0.3) incorporates the following fixes:

- Corrects a phenomenon in which an image becomes overexposed when C.Fn.II-3 Highlight tone priority is set to "1" together with other camera settings. (This correction has already been incorporated in the Version 1.0.2 and later firmware.)
- Corrects a rare phenomenon in which "busy" blinks on the camera's display panel and the shutter cannot be released due to the timing of battery installation.
- Corrects a rare phenomenon in which "Err 99" appears on the camera's display panel and LCD monitor and the shutter cannot be released due to the timing of pressing the shutter button.

Firmware Version 1.0.3 is for cameras with firmware up to Version 1.0.2. If the camera's firmware is already Version 1.0.3, it is not necessary to update the firmware.

PhotoPlus Expo - Wrapup Part 1

- Scott picked up an Eye-Fi Wireless SD Card at PhotoPlus to try out here at Tallyn's, and it only took about five minutes to realize that this thing is pretty spectacular. After an incredibly quick and simple setup process, the Eye-Fi automatically uploads directly from the camera to a designated folder on your home wireless network. The ease of setup and the price puts it over the top in comparison to other wireless file transfer systems out there. It's geared towards personal and home photography, but surely professionals could benefit from it. The Eye-Fi Wireless SD is going to be rebranded soon through Lexar and will be available from Tallyn's upon it's release later this year.

PhotoPlus Expo - Day 2

- Lastolite is introducing a new reflector setup; The Uplite 4:1 is a floor-level kicker reflector. The telescoping arm allows you to control the angle, and since both panels are dual-sided reflectors, you have multiple options for surfaces. It seems to me this would work well for children's portraits or perhaps low-angle shots.



- OpTech is also set to introduce a new version of the Rain Sleeve built to allow the use of an on-camera flash. A redesigned lens mount cap also caught Scott's eye - it's designed to hold two lenses end for storage and features an o-ring seal for added protection. Both of these items should become available on our site soon.

- And since everyone can't get out to the big photo expos every year, Digital Photo Pro Magazine is hosting their 3rd Annual Virtual Photo Expo through the end of December. Check out our page if you haven't been introduced to our Data Recovery or Custom Rail System Design Services.

David Ziser's "My Cheatin' Flash"

By way of Strobist.com, David Ziser and Digital Pro Talk has put together a video detailing his technique for dramatic outdoor shooting - going beyond your camera's rated flash sync speed and thinking outside the box to take advantage of the results.


Original Post here.

PhotoPlus Expo - Day 1, Part 2

- Scott was able to get his hands on a pre-production 5D Mark II earlier today and snapped off a couple pictures via camera phone. We wanted to throw a compact flash card into it and get some high ISO captures, but Canon put the kabash on that plan with some well-placed gaffer's tape and a few watchful eyes.




- We have learned that Hyperdrive will be releasing a Colorspace specifically updated for the new Ultra Direct Memory Access (UDMA) technology. UDMA is quickly becoming more and more commonplace, so this is a logical progression. We will have more information when this is officially announced.

- Lumiquest has released a compact and convenient gel holder for compact shoe strobes called the FXtra. A must for any strobist-style shooter. We are expecting them in-stock any time now and have them available for order on our website.

PhotoPlus Expo - Day 1

Today and tomorrow Scott is in NYC for the PhotoPlus Expo. We're working hard to find the best new products in the industry for you, our customers. Expect a few new tools and solutions to become available at Tallyns.com in the coming month.

- Scott's first big visit was with the Hoodman booth, and after first mentioning it at PhotoShop World in early September, Hoodman is finally ready to start shipping the new HoodLoupe 3.0. An update to the prior screen viewing solution, the Hoodloupe is worn around your neck just like a normal loupe. Hoodloupe has a +/-3 diopter to accommodate those with less than perfect vision and only minimal magnification is used to eliminate visual pixilation of your image. The HoodLoupe 3.0 is updated specifically to fit 3.0" LCD screens.


- Update! The HoodLoupe 3.0 is available for order on our website.

- A product we've had our eyes on for a while now is the RayFlash. It's an adapter designed to convert a standard shoe strobe (like a 580EX II or SB-900) into a ring flash. Scott had the opportunity to see one in action this morning at PhotoPlus and was apparently impressed. Strobist did a review of the RayFlash earlier this year but I would still enjoy getting one to experiment with. I would also like to hear from anyone who has any first-hand experience with it. Leave a comment below or email me at Craig@tallyns.com

More to come from PhotoPlus today and tomorrow.

Introducing the New Quantum Q-Flash TRIO

We just received the announcement from Quantum about their new Q-Flash Trio & Q-Flash Pilot. They are going to be available for both the Canon and Nikon systems. There have been rumors of this since Photoshop World, but now it's official:


The New Quantum Q-Flash TRIO
- QTTL Dedicated Camera Adapter Built-in
- Radio Wirelesss TTL Transceiver Built-in
- Guide Number 160 @ ISO 200
- Camera Shoe Mount
- Q-Flash Studio Quality Light
- High Speed Sync capabilities
- Gets 400 Flashes & 1.5 Second Recycle from a Turbo, Compact or Slim Compact
- Gets 700 Flashes & 1 Second Recycle from a 2x2


The New Quantum Q-Flash PILOT
- Command unit to control remote Q-Flashes
- QTTL Dedicated Camera Adapter Built-in
- Radio Wirelesss TTL Transceiver Built-in
- Camera Shoe Mount
- Self powered by AA batteries


They are expected to be available December of this year and will be available for pre-order at Tallyns.com by day's end!

Update! The Q-Flash TRIO is now available for pre-order here. We are still waiting for final pricing to be announced on the Q-Flash PILOT.

New Epson R2880 Printer

Epson recently announced their new R2880 printer which we are offering at Tallyns.com.



This upgrade to the R2400 features the Epson UltraChrome K3™ with Vivid Magenta pigment inkset. The advanced magenta pigments provide astounding reds, blues and purples. It also features a dedicated black and white printing mode, and Epson's PreciseColor calibration system. Check it out on our webstore at Tallyns.com

Tallyn's Web Clearance

Late last week we posted a number of new items to our Web Clearance section. We are offering three different 1D-series Canon's (backups anyone?), a pair of Bogen Autopoles with bases (a steal!), barely-used Aurora soft boxes (w/ free Photogenic Speedrings) and more!

All Available Here

Studio Titan Side Kicks

One of our most popular products which has yet to have any exposure here on the blog is the Studio Titan Side Kick light stand. These stands are so popular that we pretty much have to clean out our supplier every time we place an order.

We just got in a shipment today, so these are in stock and ready to ship right now.


We've had nothing but positive feedback on this stand from studio shooters, especially those who use large softboxes or bulkier light modifiers (such as our F-16 Turbo Spot Plus, which probably deserves it's own feature in due time). And with a separate mounting plate and a Manfrotto tripod head, it can even act as a camera stand.

The Studio Titan Side Kick stand is just one of the items with Special Fall Trade Show pricing this month at Tallyns.com.

50D's Arriving Now!

New Canon EOS 50D's have arrived and are shipping today! If yours is amongst the three you have already been contacted. We are expecting more to arrive through the week.


UPDATED LATE AFTERNOON: Ryan just informed me that Canon has released another 10 bodies due for delivery as soon as tomorrow! This will more than likely leave bodies in stock.

Professional Service Upgrade

Canon has just announced that CPS (Canon Professional Services) will get an upgrade of its own. Canon plans to add two new levels, making it a three tiered program. If you are a Professional who uses Canon products this is a highly recommended program to be involved in. It is also free and will remain free at the base level. The upgraded CPS plans now include different levels of access to repair discounts, service turnaround time and even loaner equipment. You can read more about the new CPS plan at Canon's website.

An Inteview With Scott Tallyn

Back at Photoshop World a couple weeks ago, we crossed paths with the highly respected professional photographer and instructor David Ziser. It wasn't long before David told us that he wanted to feature Tallyn's Data Recovery in an episode of his Digital ProTalk.

Yesterday afternoon David called and did a phone interview with Scott and podcast is already available! Give a listen to David's interview with Scott to hear the latest on hard drive and flash card reliability and failure. Scott's insights and wisdom on the subject may help you avoid what many pros fear most - corrupted cards and hard drive failures. Just tab on the Gcast button to the right of David's post. 

Out With The Old...

Our demo 5D has just been posted to Web Clearance, and even with the advancements coming in the 5D Mark II, that shouldn't take away just how strong the 5D still is. We've taken good care of it and it's in excellent condition, so if you're needing a backup body or $2000+ is out of reach for a full frame sensor, our demo 5D is an excellent deal.

More Canon News & Ideas

One of our Canon Rep's came in this morning to share the official information regarding the Canon EOS 50D and the EOS 5D Mark II.

While he didn't have either of the bodies available for us to see, he did bringus the EF 200 f/2, EF 300 f/2.8 and the 400 f/4 DO to see. The most underrated feature on them is the focus set button, which allows you to establish a focus distance preset, recompose and focus anywhere else and then simply flick a wheel around the front of the barrel and almost instantly return to the preset focus distance. Ideal for sports or event shooting where you have known action to occur at a certain distance (ie first base, the goal line, or front and center on stage) but still need to cover the entire field or venue. The idea was briefly mentioned that they could bring this system to the 70-200 series of lenses.

L to R: Canon Rep Scott Alexander, Ryan, Scott Tallyn, Ted & Craig

Another possible idea for the future we mentioned was to get a battery status indicator into the Speedlites. Used to be that you could listen for the whine of your shoe strobes and hear how much power you have based on how long it took to recycle, but with Canon trying to eliminate the whine, that feedback is gone.

We also discussed whether the 5D Mark II would overtake the current flagship 1Ds Mark III, and while the 5D Mark II will be running the Digic 4 chip and offering the same 21 MP, the 1Ds Mark III still has exclusively the focus system with 19 high-precision cross-type AF points and complete weather sealing (as opposed to just weather resistance).

If you have any questions unanswered about the new Canon bodies, leave us a comment and we'll do what we can to track down an answer for you.

New Listings on Web Clearance

We have two used Canon EOS pro bodies added to our web clearance listings this morning. We are offering both of these with our own 90-day working warranties. These are an excellent opportunity to pick up a pro body for backup use!

1Ds Mark II - Good Condition - Just $3200.00!

1D Mark III - Excellent Condition - Just $3350.00!

In other news, nothing new on the 50D or 5D Mark II fronts to report, but we are taking orders on both of these cameras at (800)433-8685.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Canon Announced today the 5D Mark II, the update the the excellent 5D. It will be a 21.1 MP Full Frame. It's gaining the new Digic 4 Processor, EOS Integrated Cleaning System, the 3.0" Clear View LCD (Same as the 50D screen that amazed me at Photoshop World), and a Magnesium alloy build with additional environmental protection.



We will make it available on our web store as soon as we get confirmed pricing from Canon so keep checking back here for that update. If you really want to get the jump and place an order over the phone, give us a call at (800)433-8685 or email craig@tallyns.com.

Canon EOS 50D Update

We just got word from Canon. The planned shipping date for the Canon EOS 50D will be week of September 22nd! We are still taking pre-orders on our webstore, so get your order in to be part of our first shipment!

Pre-Production Canon EOS 50D

As I said last week, I was able to see a pre-production 50D at the Photoshop World show last week. From best I could tell it was physically about the same size as the 40D, which is to be expected. I had it in my hand just quick enough to snap a shot of the rear for comparison.


From the front it looked almost identical to the 40D as well. It wasn't specifically marked 50D - it just had a flat black panel where the silver model number usually goes. The Direct Print button above the rear screen has taken on another role as the direct to Live View button, and the buttons below the rear screen have been reshuffled with the loss of the Jump button and the addition of a Function button.

Another noticeable difference was the silver top dial, as opposed to black, though this may simply be a feature of it's being a pre-production model. We are hoping to see shipment end of October at the latest, hopefully earlier in the month than that. We are already taking 50D preorders on our webstore and we will keep you informed of further news & developments.

And Just a reminder, Photokina begins two weeks from today. Historically, many big announcements come at this show, so if there is still anything new from Canon to be announced, expect it around that time.

Photoshop World - Days 2 & 3

Photoshop World was quite the experience (Vegas is a pretty interesting place too). I was able to sit in on a handful of presentations before and after the Tech Expo on Friday.

- Saw Joe Glyda's class on shooting food for commercial. The big thing to take away... Backlight! Backlight! Backlight (and use reflectors)!

- I heard multiple instructors state variations on 'There isn't a main sun, and a fill sun, and a kicker sun and a background sun. There's only one sun. I only use one light.' Sound advice. I know when I introduce multiple lights, I tend to also be adding multiple problems to fix.

- I also got the opportunity to meet Jim Divitale, who has been shooting and traveling the country teaching photography longer than I have been alive. I quickly came to respect him pretty quickly and looking through his food photography portfolio only confirmed my suspicions. I might just have to try some food photography of myself one of these weekends.

- We also got some heads up on other new products from our vendors coming down the pipeline. Keep checking back her for updates on that when we get firm information!

Photoshop World - Day 1

Yesterday afternoon I got a few moments to get away from our booth and explore the Tech Expo at Photoshop World.

- I met Jean-Francois O'Kane who designed the "Photo Master Target" which we will soon be offering on our web store. It has a number of features that out it ahead of similar concepts in the industry.

- Hoodman will soon be releasing a 3" version of their popular Hood Loupe. It's a must have for outdoor viewing of your camera's rear LCD.

- Finally, I got my hands on a pre-production 50D for about five minutes (It didn't even have '50D' on the front. First impression: The rear screen is amazing. The density of the pixels makes the review images pop. It really is a drastic improvement. I'm going to try and get a few more minutes with it again this afternoon.

I'll have more after Day 2 this afternoon.

Photoshop World 2008

Tomorrow morning Scott Tallyn and I (Craig Fager) will be heading to Las Vegas for the 2008 Photoshop World Conference & Expo. We are teaming up with Booth Photographic to offer their studio stands, camera stands and soft boxes as well as to publicize our Data Recovery Services.

If you'll be there, come see us at Booth #136 during the tech expo. If not, we will be making available on our webstore all of our Fall Trade Show Specials starting this Thursday!

We'll be looking for new products and services to offer while we're there, so keep checking back for posts live from Photoshop World 2008!

Canon EOS 50D

The rumors have been all over the internet about successors to the Canon EOS 40D and 5D. I've had many calls asking me what I know, but in all honesty, Canon runs a pretty tight ship and we rarely (if ever) get advance knowledge about new cameras. But this one is official... The Canon EOS 50D.

Just a quick idea of the improvements - This camera boasts a 15.1MP APS-C CMOS sensor, the new Digic 4 processor, a super high-res 3" screen (4x the dots as the 40D screen!) and a new Peripheral Illumination Correction (to compensate for vignetting in lenses). It is our understanding that this is not yet a replacement for the 40D, as that body will continue to be available through the end of the year.

We are officially taking orders on our website as of today. First-come, first-serve, with updates to come as we get an official ship date or other information. DPReview.com (which should be in every photographer's bookmarks tab if it isn't already) has an in-depth hands on preview detailing every new feature from the new Digic 4 processor to the new graphics fade effect on the menu screens.

New Tallyns.com Blog

Tallyn's is one of Central Illinois' biggest professional photographic supply companies. We're photographers ourselves and specialized in digital photography, dedicated to providing the newest technology and best products for photographers in the wedding, portrait & commercial photography fields.

We also offer services in both Data Recovery and Hard Drive Cloning. Using state-of-the-art hardware and programs, we have been able to recover valuable data for police and fire departments, crime scene units, government agencies, and of course, professional photographers of all kinds.

Keep checking back with us here for updates on new products, special offers & interesting photography links from across the web and please check out our web store at www.tallyns.com!