Messages

1

Lenses / Re: Can someone explain the Canon 50mmL f/1.2 "backfocus problem" ?

« on: November 08, 2012, 05:33:41 PM »

What I don't get is how this focus shift happens.

Wide open and focussed, all the rays passing through all parts of the lens focus (I think this is a pretty sharp lens?) to a sharp point on the sensor plane.  Occlude some of the rays by stopping down the iris and the unoccluded rays seem to have their paths changed so they focus off the sensor plane.

Don't see how that could happen - maybe there's something different going on.  Can soemone educate me on that?

2

Sports / Re: Kiteboarding

« on: August 24, 2012, 11:17:30 PM »

Nice shots nitsujwalker.  How natural is the green colour of the surf?

Here's my effort from the more subdued end of the spectrum.

(BTW "subdued" meaning from a more remote perspective rather than referring to colour - I was just interested to know if the green tint was a local phenomenon.)

3

5D MK III Sample Images / Re: Where am I ?

« on: August 18, 2012, 07:33:13 PM »

Never takes more than a moment for people to realise where this is, but it's certainly not the usual view...

4

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: AFMA Callibration - How much is too much?

« on: August 03, 2012, 07:59:04 PM »

"perfect when it came back"

Do you mean after calibration it needed 0 AFMA on both of the cameras?

5

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon 1DX pricing in Australia

« on: January 16, 2012, 03:34:15 AM »

It's advertised for $9,999.00 at Digidirect.com.au

 Hopefully that bodes well for the 1DX price in Australia.  Of course the G1X and 1DX target totally different market segments, so Canon Australia could have totally different pricing strategies for the two.

I hope it bodes well too.....but seems unlikely.  Canon Australia has been forced to reduce prices of the lower end gear to international levels - e.g. I think 60Ds are pretty much the same here as anywhere.  If you go higher up the totem pole the gap is still there. 

Anything up to $1000 you can import grey with no GST - so that makes a big difference which Canon has to fight with more aggressive pricing here. 

I think the most important thing is that if you're buying a "cheap" camera (of course that's relative!!) you might be happy to risk a non-Canon repair if something breaks.  But if you've shelled out big bucks for your dream camera and lens(es) and you're not quite sure if it's working perfectly and you want to be able to take it to Canon and ask them to check it out - well you can't if it's grey.  (For L lenses they will apparently honour international warranty, but not bodies).  You could probably pay for them to check it out, but it's possible that they might just refuse to touch it - they are under no (legal) obligation.

So you can pay a fair (grey market) price and hope for the best, or pay Canon Australia a few hundred (or thousand) $ extra "insurance" for a Canon warranty. 

Or be happy with what you've got and not upgrade at all!

6

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon 1DX pricing in Australia

« on: January 14, 2012, 06:51:27 PM »

Taxes and duties here in Oz have some impact, but there are similar taxes in other countries as well.  Simple fact is that it's a marketing decision taken by Canon to charge more wholesale in Australia than in other markets (obviously pushing up retail and even used prices). 

E.g. if they decided to charge 10% less, they would sell more gear, but they might need to sell something like 25-30% more units to make up the margin $ (plus more because of increased financing and other unit costs).  There are lots of components to the pricing decision (competitors/market share; pro vs consumer; grey market/isolation; warranties etc), but ultimately Canon takes a decision to charge what it thinks will maximise profit in a particular market, and unfortunately we here in Oz have a reputation of being prepared to pay more.  So we get it in the neck on cameras, cars and lots of other stuff.

I downloaded the trials of LR and PS a couple of weeks ago - just to have a play.  Even though it's a download and there are no issues with distribution costs, they still cost hundreds of dollars more here - no reason other than Adobe charging what they think will maximise profit.  So I'll keep on with DPP and GIMP (should get it right in the camera anyway!!!) as a matter of principle.

Canon knows perfectly well that I and others would go out tomorrow and spend $$$$ on new gear if we could get an equitable price - but they would loose on all the pros (who will buy anyway) paying less - it's not personal (even though it feels like it!!!) it's just business.    So, I'll stick with my 40D (good camera!) and Sigma and Tamron lenses - maybe one day it will change (it already is on the lower priced consumer gear - that's pretty much at parity with world pricing.  Just the higher end bodies and L lenses, where the market forces are different.)

Waiting to buy a 5DII (or III?) + 16-35 + 24-70 + 70-210  - as soon as the price is equitable!!!