Category Archives: Equipment

Equipment, News, Software

New Drivers (finally) Resolve Mac OS X 10.6 Epson 2200 Printing Problems

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(IMPORTANT NOTE: I generally do not remove old articles from this web site since search engines and other links tend to point to them. This short article and link to Epson 2200 printer drivers was accurate when it was originally posted, but you should consult current information sources and perhaps contact Epson directly for update information. In all likelihood, based on my past experience, this printer and other older Epson printers will not be supported indefinitely by Epson. For my part, I would not get a 2200 at this point, no matter how cheap it was – and I have not owned a 2200 since perhaps 2010 or so.)

A while back I posted about serious problems with the Epson 2200 printer when used with Apple’s Mac OS X 10.6.x “Snow Leopard” operating system. I won’t recount the whole story here (that’s what links are for!) but the short version is that Epson had not updated their drivers when Apple released the OS update, and then Epson failed to communicate with their customers or update the drivers in a timely fashion – leaving photographers who used several of their printers including the 2200 “high and dry.”

The good news is that Epson did release updated drivers during the past week. The updated driver appears to resolve the very serious printing problems that rendered the 2200 essentially unusable for several months.

Equipment

New Instant Rebates on Canon Lenses

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A number of Canon lenses are currently eligible for a rebate (“instant savings”). Here is an updated list that includes the rebate amounts and links to the lenses at B&H Photo/Video. Given the recent increases in Canon lens list prices, this may be a good opportunity to save some money on that lens you have been waiting to purchase.

(Note: Some of these links may go to pages that also include items not eligible for the “instant savings” and it is possible that the links may change – check the pages you arrive at via these links to verify that they are the right ones before you buy!)

Highlights from this list?

  • Obviously, all four of the excellent EF 70-200mm lenses are on many photographers’ “must have” lists – and all of them are included in this program.
  • The 24-70 f/2.8 is a “core lens” for many full-frame shooters. (I shoot the 24-105, but that is a matter of personal preference, not an indication that one is better than the other.)
  • Both of the ultra-wide (on full frame, or just “wide” on cropped sensor) L  lenses are on sale. The 17-40 is a wonderful lens for stopped down landscape and similar shooting on full frame bodies, and the 16-35 is a great choice on full frame if your main need is for shooting hand held in very low light.
  • The 85mm f/1.2 L is certainly a fine lens, and for the very small number of people who actually need it this is a good savings. (Frankly, the vast majority of 85mm prime users will be at least as well served by the much less expensive non-L f/1.8 edition.)
  • For cropped sensor camera shooters looking for (what I regard as) the “best” lens for high quality general use, the EFS 17-55mm f/2.8 IS may be ideal. For most cropped sensor camera shooters – even the most “serious” – I think it is a better choice that either the 17-40 or 16-35 L lenses.
  • The EFS 10-22 is pretty much the only Canon option for those who want ultra-wide angle coverage on cropped sensor bodies, and many people (especially landscape shooters) rely on this lens.

(If you find this information and other resources posted at this site to be useful, please consider purchasing through these B&H Photo/Video links in the post. You’ll get the same price and your purchase will help support the operation of this site. Thanks!)

Commentary, Equipment

New Canon Instant Rebates on Lenses

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It looks like new rebates are available on Canon lenses, at least via B&H Photo/Video. Given the recent increases in Canon lens list prices, this may be a good opportunity to save some money on that lens you have been waiting for. The list of eligible lenses includes some very popular ones.

If you are ready to spend over $5000 on a 200mm f/2 lens (!) you can save $500. Many other lenses offer instant rebates in the $100-$150 range with some less-expensive lenses offering smaller rebates. Lenses available under this offer include:

Commentary, Equipment

Canon 7D – shows how little I know!

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Earlier I posted some pre-announcement thoughts about the Canon EOS 7D – including my uninformed speculation about a move to full frame sensors which, I now have to admit, didn’t amount to much… ;-)

The new 7D seems to me to be the logical replacement for or repositioning of the X0D series bodies, Canon’s best-equipped 1.6x cropped sensor bodies. My feeling is that this camera is the camera that would have followed next in the XOD series – e.g. – it could have been a 60D – but that Canon has several reasons for now identifying it as a 7D instead. These might include: Continue reading Canon 7D – shows how little I know! →