Messages

1

Lenses / Re: Do you wish your 70-200L were black?

« on: Today at 06:59:40 PM »

The relationship between colour and temperature of bodies receiving radiation is not as straightforward as 99% of postings on the net say. Although black absorbs heat better than white, it correspondingly radiates heat better. The inescapable consequence is that black and white bodies reach the same temperature when they are in sunlight but black gets there faster.  Conversely, the black body will cool down faster when taken out of sunlight.  So, the Nikon lens heats up faster than the Canon L, but both eventually reach the same temperature and the Nikon cools down faster.

I think chemistry ≠ physics. 

While you're correct that the black object will both absorb and radiate heat faster, you are incorrect that they will reach the same equilibrium temperature under constant illumination by sunlight.  You're not considering reflection, and the 'white' paint will reflect more of the incoming solar radiation than the black paint, meaning the equilibrium temperature (combination of the effects of absorption/radiation and reflection) will be higher for the black lens.

Try a simple empirical test - go to a decent-sized parking lot on a sunny day, find a black car and a white car parked next to each other that have been there for a while, and put one hand on the hood (or perhaps bonnet in your case?) of each.  Your statements suggest that they will be the same temperature, but you'll find that's not the case.  Don't leave your hand on the black one too long...

2

Lenses / Re: When is the New 100-400 Coming?

« on: Today at 06:49:57 PM »

Evidently, no one but me saw today's press release.  I wonder how CRguy and everyone else missed it?

Canon U.S.A. Announces The Availability Of The Versatile EF 100-400mm F/4-5.6L IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens

MELVILLE, N.Y., May 22, 2013 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced a dynamic new telephoto zoom lens, the EF 100-400mm f/4-5.6L IS USM. Designed for use with all Canon EOS Digital SLR cameras, the new L-series lens has high-performance Image Stabilization technology, offering exceptional shooting flexibility and range, ideal for sports or wildlife photography.

To help deliver beautiful, soft, image backgrounds, the lens features a 9-blade circular aperture. The lens also utilizes inner focusing, ring USM, a high-speed CPU and optimized AF algorithms for fast and accurate autofocusing.

Using advanced optical materials such as fluorite crystal and UD glass, the new lens provides excellent correction of chromatic aberration throughout the entire zoom range, and delivers high-quality images with high levels of resolution, color fidelity and contrast. The new lens also includes dust- and water-resistant construction designed for extended usage under harsh conditions.

The EF 100-400mm f/4-5.6L IS USM zoom lens is expected to be available on the 6th Tuesday of November or when pigs fly over snowbanks in hell, whichever comes first, for an estimated retail price of $2,799.00.

For more information about Canon's new EF 100-400mm f/4L IS USM lens, and a full list of product specifications, hold your breath until you turn blue then visit www.usa.canon.com.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc., is a leading provider of consumer, business-to-business, and industrial digital imaging solutions. With approximately $40 billion in global revenue, its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), ranks third overall in U.S. patents registered in 2012† and is one of Fortune Magazine's World’s Most Admired Companies in 2013. In 2012, Canon U.S.A. has received the PCMag.com Readers' Choice Award for Service and Reliability in the digital camera and printer categories for the ninth consecutive year, and for camcorders for the past two years. Canon U.S.A. is committed to the highest level of customer satisfaction and loyalty, providing 100 percent U.S.-based consumer service and support for all of the products it distributes. Canon U.S.A. is dedicated to its Kyosei philosophy of social and environmental responsibility. To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/rss.

3

Software & Accessories / Re: Flickr is now 1 Terabytes!! For everyone!!

« on: Today at 06:42:04 PM »

Looks like Flickr clarified the situation backpedaled on their plans for non-recurring Pro users...

http://petapixel.com/2013/05/22/flickr-backpedals-gives-all-pro-users-the-chance-to-renew-and-keep-their-benefits/

...and the word from the horse's mouth alternate orifice (from which came the statement that pro photogs no longer exist, hey, did I mention that I might still be a little bitter?):

http://www.flickr.com/help/limits/#150487675

Anyone who was a Pro member on 20-May can retain Pro features, if not a recurring member (automatic renewals) they need to switch to a recurring account.

4

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: AF - one shot with 5dmkIII or 1dx

« on: Today at 07:23:12 AM »

Custom modes are good for this, but you can't change between them in fast pace. The basic assumption is that the photographer knows before hand when to use servo.

Well, on the 5DIII you cannot.  On my 1D X, I have mode selection assigned to the M.Fn button, which is right next to the shutter button.  C2 is One Shot with single point selection, C3 is AI Servo with 61pt auto selection and a faster minimum shutter speed.  A slight move of my index finger and one button press, I'm good to go.

5

Lenses / Re: Can the 70-200 2.8L II IS replace my 100L and 135L?

« on: Today at 05:57:08 AM »

Yes on the 100L (although all bets are off if we're talking macro). 

For 1:1 macro, true.  But put a 500D close up lens on the 70-200 II and you get 0.6x magnification - personally, I had a hard time distinguishing the two on IQ (but the 100L is much more convenient, since the 500D means a fixed working distance).

6

Third Party Manufacturers / Re: Is the Sigma 35 supposed to be as sharp as the 70-200L?

« on: Today at 05:05:19 AM »

The point is, test results are not comparable across different systems. Maybe it's the scientist in me, I just seem to have this innate tendency to ignore results from test methodologies which are not valid, and to ignore conclusions based on invalid interpretations of the data. I don't really understand how you can state the results 'should be comparable,' when the person who did the testing states explicitly that they are not.  If you had cited photozone data to support the conclusion that the 85L II was sharper than the 85L, I would 'ignore' those results, too, since the former was tested on the 50D and the latter was tested on the 350D.  If/when Klaus tests the Canon mount version of the Sigma 35/1.4, we can use those data as a valid comparison.

7

Third Party Manufacturers / Re: [advice] My last tripod

« on: Today at 04:34:55 AM »

I'd see anodised as a maintenance liability, with painted, you can administer an easier repair.

Perhaps...but repair what?  My cookware is anodized aluminum (Calphalon commercial grade).  It was a wedding gift, it's now seen one month shy of 20 years of use and the finish is fine.

8

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 1DX and 5D3 RAW files

« on: May 21, 2013, 11:08:30 PM »

Have you considered the possibility that people shooting with a 1dx are just more adept (on average) at getting the most out of their gear?  A priori, I think this is the most likely explanation for what the OP observes.  A pro with a 1dx will take a better shot and post-process it better than a doofus with a 5d iii like me The reason you see more in the processed image is because there is more there to start with. I expect if you switched the cameras so that the pro had the 5d iii, you would find that the 5d iii magically started producing much better raw images (that could be pushed further).

Well, the OP has a 5DIII and a pair of 1D X bodies, and is therefore speaking from personal experience of shooting similar scenes (gymnasium sports with f/2.8 supertele primes, needing fast shutter speeds in the typically poor lighting of such venues) with both cameras personally.  He's processing his own RAW files from the two cameras, and the needs of the shots often demand careful work in post (if you've shot basketball, volleyball, etc., in a gym, you're familiar with the need for high ISO, the crappy color of the inadequate-for-photography lighting, etc.). He's commented in several threads on the difference in how far he can push files from the two cameras.

So in this case, I don't think your explanation is the likely one.

9

Software & Accessories / Re: Flickr is now 1 Terabytes!! For everyone!!

« on: May 21, 2013, 04:09:40 PM »

I'm actually mostly ok with the new layout/design.  The Photostream now matches the iPhone app, which I am used to and works decently.  I find the Contacts > Recent Photos layout to be the most useful for keeping up with everyone's activity, and I pointed my bookmark to that view.

My beef is with keeping it ad free for myself and my viewers, keeping the stats functionality, ability to replace images, etc. - i.e. the Pro feature set.  I'm going to wait and see how (if) they address grandfathering of non-recurring Pro accounts (mine currently expires in September), and in the meantime, I'll be looking into 500px, SmugMug, and Zenfolio.  Leaning toward 500px ATM.

EDIT: digging more into 500px, I may just port over there regardless of what Yahoo does or does not do with Flickr Pro (besides saying that Pros don't exist anymore, which hints rather strongly at what they won't do for Flickr Pro users).

10

Software & Accessories / Re: Flickr is now 1 Terabytes!! For everyone!!

« on: May 21, 2013, 03:48:16 PM »

Anyone figured out where the "Actions" tab is now on flickr (sure hope it's there there!) where one could choose "View Exif info"?

Click the '3-dots' icon at the bottom right. 

11

Software & Accessories / Re: Flickr is now 1 Terabytes!! For everyone!!

« on: May 21, 2013, 02:53:36 PM »

Hmm what happened to viewing by collections??? It has to be by photostream or sets only now??? What if you made special sports collections and landscape collections and so on? Wide gamut collections? Now way to organize everything? It's just all photos dumped at once or by sets all dumped out at once?? No way to organize?

Collections are there...but the UI is the 'old' one with the new header.  Clearly, they haven't bothered to update that feature for the new look. 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dr_brain/collections/

Since Collections were only available for Pro users, and they've pretty much abandoned the Pro users, it would not surprise me if they don't ever get around to updating the feature for the current UI.

12

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 6D accessories?

« on: May 21, 2013, 01:45:49 PM »

Neuro, thanks for your suggestions.  What is the largest lens you have mounted, when using your "pro holster"?  I assume it's not from spider.

Sorry for the confusion - I was referring to the Spider Pro holster (to distinguish it from their less robust 'black widow' setup).  I routinely hang a large white zoom from it (70-200/2.8L IS II, 28-300L or 100-400L) with the 1D X. 

I have no plans to try hanging the 600 II from it. 

13

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 1DX and 5D3 RAW files

« on: May 21, 2013, 12:52:03 PM »

Failure of the amplifier to pull photons from the background noise.

Not even close to explaining your statement which was (and I'll add some emphasis)... "FAILURE of the amplifier to PULL photons from the background noise".  All you've done is tell us with your analogy that for low signal levels the SNR would be high.  Please enlighten us how even the best amplifier in the world, even a hypothetically perfect amplifier, will "PULL photons from the background noise".

But wait, he stated,

I  am quite done with this.

When an individual's metacognition is insufficiently developed to understand when s/he has moved on from a concept, others may question that individuals understanding of more complex issues.

14

Lenses / Re: Recommended Lenses for 60D

« on: May 21, 2013, 09:22:01 AM »

Define necessary...   You can take nice portraits with the 100/2.8L, but you'll get better subject isolation with an f/1.8 lens which is 1.33-stops faster.  If you have good physical separation between subject and background, the 15-85 at f/5.6 would work ok, too. But when you don't have control over a busy background, a fast aperture is very useful.

15

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 1DX and 5D3 RAW files

« on: May 21, 2013, 08:45:34 AM »

No it's not false and it precisely answers your question.  High pixel density captures less photons per pixel.

If that's the whole story, the 12 MP original 5D would have the most 'stretchable' RAW files. Does it?  The 20D would have the same latitude as the 5DII, since the pixel density is the same. Does it?