Messages

1

Lenses / Re: 16-35L or related primes

« on: December 10, 2012, 08:28:20 AM »

Hi Mads!

The beauty of the 16-35 II is that it is also weather sealed, along with not having to swap lenses in non-perfect environments, really cuts down on the chance of sensor contamination (per your comment on snowmobiling, BMX, etc.). If you can hold on to that and add the others as needed, you may find that you do indeed still use it.

Best of luck in your quest!

2

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Pro's who use 5D MkII

« on: December 06, 2012, 07:19:25 PM »

Stan she shoots products and landscapes.
I think its a middle of the range Olympus about 3yrs old. I know its 2 x crop and it does take a decent photo.

Hey Stu, I would think if she doesn't have a lot invested in UHG Olympus glass, it would be a pretty easy switch to at least the 5D MkII. Not to throw a monkey wrench in this, but there are some great deals on 1Ds MkIII's out there which gives her better weather sealing for being out in the wild, a slight increase in dynamic range, better focus and dual cards slots. If she's not so worried about the weather sealing than either of the last two iterations of the 5D. One thing that could also push her over the edge is the ability to use the Canon tilt-shift lenses for both product and landscapes. Hey, it's only money, right? 

As far as Olympus stuff, just know that my wife still shoots with an old E-500 8mpx and the kit lens for our travels in Italy & France and the files print up beautifully as 30x40's. I'm even thinking of adding one of the OM-D EM-5's with a couple of lenses for travel.

Good luck!

3

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Pro's who use 5D MkII

« on: December 04, 2012, 07:45:50 AM »

You haven't mentioned what your photographer friend shoots (subject). For a camera that is brilliant out in the field, the Oly pro DSLR's are hard to beat, especially coupled with their SHG optics. I never dust-spotted a singe image from 2003-2010 (over 500,000 images shot), with travels around the country and Europe including some very dusty race tracks.
We switched over to Canon in the fall of 2010, as I was doing the majority of in-studio work as well as needing the capabilities of tilt-shift lenses. Dust is a major issue on my 1Ds MkIII & 5D MkII, especially when shooting for catalog with smaller apertures on plain backgrounds.
Just remember, it's just a tool, and getting the right one for the job at hand is the priority, no matter the make! If I had the extra money, I would add an E-5 and a handful of lenses in a heartbeat for my travel and inclement weather work.

4

Lenses / Re: Best Lens for Tabletop Dinnerware Shoot

« on: June 30, 2012, 03:38:53 PM »

For smaller items, the TS-E 90mm is ideal. For larger items, the TS-E 45mm would be the way to go.

Agreed, they both are superb and tack sharp. This, plus good lighting should do the trick. Remember since it is metal, not to flat light everything, but give it some depth in highlight / shadows by biasing your lighting.

Good luck with it and have fun!

5

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: How much does a dual-card slot matter?

« on: June 30, 2012, 03:30:21 PM »

I guess for me, having dual cards makes sense where possible, since this is how I make my living . I usually shoot with the 1Ds MkIII and will normally have the SD card set to take overflow so I don't have to switch cards at an inopportune time (like today; shooting for a new commercial client with a model I have never worked with before)
The other reason I'll run both cards is to have the CF recording RAW and the SD recording JPEG's to add in presentations straight away. There have only been a few times when I'll set both to record RAW, when it's a "once in a lifetime" event. For general shooting and having fun, I wouldn't think it would matter in the least bit. Brand name cards usually don't fail that often. I have always liked shooting with high speed 4 gig CF cards and have recently been forced to move up to 8 gig. I guess it's a bit easier to take if only a $50 card with 153 images goes down vs a $235 card with the whole shoot (not that this has ever happened).

Now if you're talking better AF and 100% viewfinder, that's worth the price of admission for me. I haven't picked up the 5D MkIII yet, as I had hoped the 1DX would have become available by now. Thankfully the 1Ds MkIII & 5D MkII still can crank out a few usable images ;-)

6

Lighting / Re: 580ex II or 600EX-RT

« on: March 31, 2012, 12:02:39 PM »

The reason the cord is plugged back into the camera is so that you can trigger the shutter remotely as well, using the new system.

Maybe it's for the guys that like to have a setup behind a goal, etc.?

....or it was the answer to a question that nobody asked.

That was a very interesting answer    - is there more info on the remote trigger?

I am still waiting for demo units from CPS, but from what (little) I know, you can use the SR-N3 remote cord for triggering, possibly with the ST-E3 RT. I'll be happy to pass along any info once the toys show up. Looks like there has been some delays on getting enough demo units in stock at CPS, and it may even be Q3 before we get to test out the 1Dx..... At least my existing gear still works!

7

Lighting / Re: 580ex II or 600EX-RT

« on: March 30, 2012, 07:59:07 PM »

The reason the cord is plugged back into the camera is so that you can trigger the shutter remotely as well, using the new system.

Maybe it's for the guys that like to have a setup behind a goal, etc.?

....or it was the answer to a question that nobody asked.

8

Lenses / Re: Do I go for the 85mm 1.2 L? Or do I go with this option instead...

« on: March 30, 2012, 04:58:42 PM »

I don't think you would be very disappointed with any of the options. For video and stills, the 85L & 35L are gorgeous on the 5D MkII, but I tend to shoot them around f/4 as the subject can go out of focus by breathing when either of these lenses are shot wide open on video.

As far as the Canon / Sigma debate, part of it comes with how deep are your pockets and do you do this for a living? I happen to have a Sigma 50 1.4 (older finish, for what that's worth) that is sharp wide open and handles quite well. It gives a slightly different look that the Canon 1.4 or 1.2 and has a slightly wider field of view.

Chris brought up a good point though, you may want to wait for the new 24-70L II. I have heard through good sources that it is as sharp as the 70-200 2.8 IS II, which would keep you from having to switch lenses on a shoot (and keep dust out on location).

Last, but not least, erwinrm brought up a very good point on the Rokinon lenses. You can pick up several different focal lengths very inexpensively, and when shooting video, you are in manual focus mode anyway.

Good luck with your search!

9

Technical Support / Re: Building a Studio Cyc...

« on: March 25, 2012, 09:48:39 PM »

+1 ^  MDF will give you a very smooth floor surface and is dense enough to hold up to a lot of abuse. I have also used 3/8 smooth finished plywood over an old cotton warehouse floor that wasn't in the best condition and it worked out quite well.

Here's a shot that I had from our last studio. I'll see if I can dig up some more later.

Ryan Klos (ryanklos.com) has written a book on backdrops, infinity coves and cyc walls. It should be coming out soon and should have some good stuff in it as well.

Even if you don't get it perfect, remember that with just a little more light or some quick work in Aperture / Lightroom, and it'll look just fine! Just don't freak out the first time someone leaves a bunch of marks and scratches on it  , as it will happen sooner than you expect it to!

You might have success with Rosco's Colorcoat or a two part epoxy based floor paint, which are a bit more durable and require less frequent touch-ups than white deck paint.

Good luck with your project!

10

Lenses / Re: Canon 50mm 1.4 AF problem?

« on: March 19, 2012, 06:12:53 AM »

As you most likely have read, if you do get the EF 50 1.4, make sure to install a lens hood and "pinch" type lens cap from the get go. By keeping the lens hood on at all times you will prevent any contact with the front of the lens, and therefore keep it fully functional for many years. My copy is almost indistinguishable from the 50L (both @ f1.4), and is the lightest and smallest footprint of the three 50's I own.

The Sigma 50 1.4 has also been a top performer for me on both the 1Ds MkIII & 5D MkII (and seems to be my favorite walk-about lens, due to its FOV of closer to a 45mm!). Just remember, when shooting wide open, there is a very shallow depth of field which can rear its ugly head when using a center point and recomposing!

I will say that each of the 50's have their own special personality and "look". I don't think you would be disappointed with either of them.

Good luck with your search!