Canon Rebel T4i and EF 40mm F/2.8 STM Video Test

Beach days are back again along with more Canon Rebel T4i/650D and EF 40mm f/2.8 STM pancake lens video tests. My kids and their cousins hit the ground running at Clearwater Beach, Florida with open arms despite the heat and high humidity.



A 1080p video shot with the Canon EOS Rebel T4i/650D paired with the Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM pancake lens at 29.97fps. Edited with Final Cut Pro 6.0.6 with the Canon E-1 Movie plugin to transcode to AppleProRes422. I used Compressor to export my timeline for a 800mb h264 video file. For audio capture, I used a Senneheiser MKE400 shotgun microphone. For support, I used Benro 3580 tripod legs with a Manfrotto 701 HDV video head. To control the incoming exposure in direct sunlight, I used a FADER HD variable ND filter on the "shorty forty" lens.



The Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM pancake lens is an affordable, portable and super sharp lens that gives great color and contrast. A great value is an understatement describing this lens for still and video purposes. The "shorty forty' is a must have for your camera bag.



Just like I mentioned in my full Canon Rebel T4i/650D Verdict and Video Review, I found the lack of AF Quick in video mode rather disappointing along with other big features. The AF Flexizone Single Point in the T4i is no replacement for the faster AF Quick mode of the previous T3i.



The AF Flexizone Single Point uses an enhanced contrast detect sensor in the CMOS chip to maintain focus automatically or on demand. It is simply not fast enough for my taste, but fortunately it is just as accurate as AF Quick of the T3i. Shooting in the direct sunlight of the beach was a great test of the AF of the T4i. Rejoice!



Just like my kids and their cousins, the Canon Rebel T4i and the EF 40mm f/2.8 STM lens make a great pair together. The "shorty forty" on the T4i's crop sensor give a focal equivalent of 64mm. A perfect focal length for portraits with dreamy out of focus background. A match made in heaven!



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Classroom of the Sea

You can only learn so much from a textbook. My daughter's recent school field trip to Tampa Bay Watch in Fort De Soto, Florida brought the classroom directly to the ocean. Number 2 pencils are replaced with life jackets and hands on experience with sea life from ocean to your lap.



A ten minute boat ride to open water surfaces salt water creatures of all shapes and sizes. From slimy algae, to spiky puffer fish, to angelic starfish and adorable dwarf sea horses, the mystery of the deep is unlocked to sea legged students.



I lied. There has to be some classroom time in a real building. Microscopes are not conducive to a marine environment, especially when examining smaller than life plankton.



Marine sciences were overwhelmed by the culinary arts for the moment. Scalpel and tweezers were replaced by flour and a touch of salt for deep fried calamari. You cannot learn new things on an empty stomach!



Tampa Bay Watch with their Estuary EDventures program educates through hands on experience environmental responsibility. Life, big and small, need love also. Who would not love my baby daughter with a dirty diaper? Tough love.



You can view more in my Tampa Bay Watch Experience Gallery shot with the Canon 5D Mark II paired with the Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS lens.



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Mark and Gabby Visit Florida !

I don't think my longtime family friends from Los Angeles, California spend too much time in the sun. It has been at least 6 years since the last time they visited the Sunshine State of Florida.



To celebrate their arrival we brought them to where the sun was the most intense, the beach. I did not choose any regular beach, I chose one of our frequently visited watering holes in Sarasota, FL. Lido Beach is a rare jewel on the west coast of Florida. Powdery fine sand mixed with nearby parking and a collection of shops and restaurants called St. Armand's Circle.



Lido Beach is the jewel of the Florida coast and Kilwin's Chocolate and Ice Cream is the jewel of St. Armand's Circle. Their toasted coconut ice cream in a homemade waffle cone is well worth the trip from California.



Hopefully, it will be sooner than six years until Mark and Gabby visit Florida again. Until then, I can only PhotoBlog my many scoops of Kilwin's ice cream all the way to Los Angeles.