Yes, I was going to put “rock your world” in the headline, but that seemed a little unwise when I’m about to talk about an image stabilizer created to prevent that very thing. Canon has been doing lens-based image stabilization since 1995, when its first IS lens came out, the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM. They’ve been improving the technology and have now added a second sensor to the bargain.

I can only imagine this will make their IS lenses that much more expensive. Great.

Augmented reality (AR), also known as mixed reality, is currently a hot topic in the technology world after it has been regarded as too futuristic for the last couple of years. The idea has been around for quite some time now: Combine the real world with computer-generated data, for example graphics.

But it probably takes companies of Canon’s caliber to raise awareness that AR isn’t some second “virtual reality” hype but has the potential to become a technology that can change our lives. The company is stepping up research in this area, as demonstrated during a virtual reality expo that took place in Tokyo last month.

Hmmm. Are these the specs for the Canon 1D Mark IV? They all look right expect for the megapixel count. The rumor mentions a video mode, ISO up to 26,500, and a quicker overall speed. But the rumor states that the camera will be around 16MPs. That doesn’t make sense at all. The 1Ds Mark III and 5D Mark II both shoot at 21.1MP. Why would the the in between model have something different?

Got a hankering for some 20fps DSLR video but don’t have the scrilla to pick up a T1i? Well, you may be in luck, my comrade-in-poverty. Rumors are swirling that a stripped-down version of Canon’s consumer DSLR will find itself announced as early as June 9th.

The T1/2000D (why didn’t Canon standardize its names with this latest change?) will probably have about the same relationship to the T1i/500D as the XS/1000D has to the XSi/450D. Got that? Here it is in SAT form:

T1/200D:T1i/500D::XS/1000D:XSi/450D

If you own a 5D Mark II, your probably had today marked on your calander as the day that Canon was going to update your camera. Afterall this firmware is a big deal as it adds the manual exporsure control that should have came with the camera originally. So if you 5D Mark II owners haven’t already, jump over to Canon’s website and download the latest firmware. Just make sure to hop back here when you’re finished. Thanks.

Half of you are probably asleep after reading a headline with “firmware” and “manual exposure control” in it, but it’s seriously a major update. Exposure control is a must-have if you’re doing any serious shooting, and since the 5D is so popular among people who think they’re serious shooters (I kid, I kid), this is an important update.

Japan has chosen its camera of the year 2009 (pretty early) and Canon was awarded top honors. The full HD EOS 5D Mark II, equipped with a 21.1MP 35mm full-frame CMOS sensor, has been named “Camera of the Year” in the Japanese Camera Grand Prix 2009.

Time to break out the expense account, ladies and gentlemen. This is the Sea & Sea MDX-PRO 5D Mark II. It’s a fancy waterproof cover for the Canon 5D Mark II. It costs ¥280,000, or just under $3,000. Yeah

Sony gave up on FED displays a few weeks ago, practically burying the technology that was supposed to become a competitor for the OLED standard. But there is also SED, surface-conduction electron-emitter displays, which has been around for a while and mostly flew under the radar since. But now Canon seems to step up research efforts to further develop SED technology.

New firmware time, shutterbugs! It’s a big firmware for the 50D and addresses the vertical banding issues that have plagued the otherwise fantastic digicam. Plus, the new firmware updates all three cameras so they will support the AF assist beam feature of the new flash, Speedlite 270 EX, which is scheduled to be released sometime this month.

Canon via PhotographyBay

Who wouldn’t want an OLED screen in their digicam? Seriously, it would be like turning down a free hot dog from a dented, stainless steel cart on a NYC street corner; everyone wants a free tube steak and no one would turn it down. It’s because OLED screens offer better picture quality at a lower power consumption rate, which make them perfect for DSLRs. CNET nailed down Canon’s Chuck Westfall who revealed a bunch about the companies intentions to use the high quality screens sometime soon in its cameras.

It seems that FED (field emission display) technology is not going to be the successor of LCD and plasma. Toshiba gave up on FED and SED, respectively, as early as January 2007. The company stopped a joint venture with Canon, which also seems to have more or less stopped development in that area (at least there were no FED or SED-related news from Canon in the last couple of months).

Now FED gets the Sony axe, too.

Canon may have decided to take the digital recording to the next level. There’s been some pretty amazing stuff being done with the Canon 5D mkII, and there have been some leaks about where they might be going with this.

Keep in mind, this a rumor only and unconfirmed, it could very easily be a fanboy hoax. But if the rumor is true, Canon is working on a pro-level video camera using their 1x APS-C CMOS sensor that will let them capture up to 120 full frames per second at 12.1 megapixels.

Andrew Disney’s “Searching for Sonny” hopes to be the first feature film shot entirely with a Canon 5d Mark II. If the teaser trailer is any indication of things to come then Disney might have an indie film worth watching. According to his Vimeo page, cameraman Jeffrey Waldron mostly used a Nikon 50mm lens for the teaser with a Canon body. A full trailer shot with the Canon 5d Mark II is expected to drop on April 15.

Adding on to that hot new Rebel rumor from the other day: Canon may well release a new EF 50mm f/1.4 II USM lens alongside the Rebel. Evidence of this: the [old] 50 f/1.4 is on back order [in Canada], and has been for a few months now. Don’t surprised if the new lens has image stabilization.