Messages

1

EOS Bodies / Re: Patent - Tilt Shift Lens Related

« on: May 06, 2013, 10:05:08 PM »

Ah, here's my interpretation:

• New Tilt/Shift lenses will embed metadata about tilt/shift - in real-time
• Updated firmware could be coming to compatible cameras to display this metadata in LiveView mode or in VF to assist in composition
• Compatible cameras could be 5DIII, 1Dx, etc. because they have LCD VF overlay as well

Cheers

Here is a different translation of the basic claims.  Its a translation into English, and you know what that means
 
[Claim 1]
 It is the imaging device provided with a displaying means which can equip with a tilt lens and displays a captured image, 
 An acquisition means which acquires lens information which shows angle of rotation of a circumference of an optic axis in the aforementioned tilt lens, 
 A control means which controls the aforementioned displaying means to superimpose a line rotated from a horizontal direction or vertical direction to the aforementioned imaging device on the aforementioned captured image, and to display it according to angle of rotation of a circumference of an optic axis which lens information acquired by the aforementioned acquisition means shows 
 An imaging device characterized by preparation ******. 
 

2

EOS Bodies / Re: Patent: EF 400 f/4 DO IS II

« on: April 15, 2013, 06:20:48 AM »

I have been unable to find "Patent Publication No. 2013-64858".  It doesn't seem to be a US application - US2013064858 relates to a polysaccharide for modulating immune response.  Can you tell me where it was published?

I would say Japan (considering Canon is a Japanese company - they would file all initial Patent applications in Japan, and use world-wide agreements on IP protection whilst they filed patents elsewhere)

3

EOS Bodies / Re: A New DSLR Line from Canon? [CR1]

« on: March 12, 2013, 08:47:44 PM »

Maybe it will be a retro style AE-1 lookalike beasty

Maybe what they want to do is channel the Leica M-series idea but with a Canon twist?

4

Technical Support / Re: Photographing paintings for a Catalogue help please

« on: February 20, 2013, 09:03:39 PM »

The specs are:
Tiff
Colour space : RGB
Colour ratio : 24 bit

Either height or width of an image should be more than 2000 pixels.
Image must have a valid ICC profile E.G. sRgb /Adobe Rgb (1998)
Image must have a valid RGB colour space and must be 8/24 bit colour ratio.

Given that you have a 5DmkIII - you should also have the Canon-supplied "Digital Photo Professional" software.
With that software you can select a RAW (CR2) file, and using the menu "File | Convert and Save" select the file format "Exif-TIFF 8bit (*.TIF)" and select the "Embed ICC profile in image" checkbox.

This will give you a TIFF 24-bit (i.e. 8-bit per Red, Green Blue channel) color file tagged with the Color profile (Adobe RBG or sRGB) that you used to take the picture.

Hope this helps

5

Technical Support / Re: Strange pattern in long exposure images

« on: February 18, 2013, 06:49:48 PM »

I was out shooting the Aurora Borealis tonight, and when I got my images on the computer screen I noticed some strange circular patterns in most of the images. Anyone seen this before?

It appears dead center in all the images where there is some light.

EXIF: 5D3, EF 17-40L 4.0 @ 30.0 sec f/ 5.0 ISO 800.

See cropped screenshot attached.

I think this pattern is caused by your lens - or something inside it.
My dim recollection of physics tells me this is a pattern caused by phase interference between curved and flat elements in your lens.

Patterns like this are seen in "interferometry" - I have seen this used by opticians profiling the surface of the human eye for visual correction purposes.

I'm sure it's also used in camera lens analysis and alignment.

Possibly your lens has a defect or alignment issue between some of the elements?

I'm sure there's someone much more knowledgeable (Dr @neuroanatomist?) that can answer this.

6

EOS Bodies / Re: In Camera Naming

« on: January 09, 2013, 06:52:09 AM »

I have two Canon 5D MkIII's. Wondering if one can name each camera via the menu or similar? Wanting to be able to identify each camera simply upon start-up and in post processing other than via serial number. i.e. Camera One. Camera Two.

Each 5DIII has a unique Canon-assigned code that can be used in generating an in-camera file name.
Go to Menu | SET UP 1 (Yellow Wrench) - select File Name, then the first option will show a sequence - maybe something like 0X9F . That code is the unique code of your camera body.
Experiment with the settings - YMMV

Cheers

7

Speedlites, Printers, Accessories / Re: introduction to speedlights/off-camera flash?

« on: January 08, 2013, 12:25:15 AM »

Also, I have found the Speedlighter's Handbook by Syl Arena to be helpful. 

Two good sources for getting into flash photography.

+1 
Syl Arena has a blog on pixsylated.com - there are links to his excellent books as well as his workshops.
I bought his "Speedliters Handbook" on Amazon for my Kindle - in hindsight, I would have better purchased it in hardcopy form - less technology required to enjoy it.

Cheers

8

Lenses / Re: Want 400mm reach (FF) - 70-200 2.8 IS II + 2x III or 400 5.6L?

« on: January 07, 2013, 06:44:54 AM »

Folks,
Thanks to all for your advice and opinions - it has helped me make a simple (mostly financial) decision - I'll add the Extender EF 2x III to my collection.

An additional benefit will be that I will be able to take the 70-200 lens and get into a venue (I live in Sydney, Australia) for Twenty20 cricket whilst keeping the 2xIII in my pocket - and not get hassled for a too-large lens.

I already have a Manfrotto CF monopod and head - hopefully the gate people won't give me grief about that (no problems last time - I extended it and used it as a walking-stick on the way in!)

Cheers

9

Lenses / Re: AFMA w/ 1.4 extenders

« on: January 07, 2013, 12:08:03 AM »

an you please tell me what distance did you set your camera when doing AFMA with your 70-200?

Thanks.

Mencho

Hi Mencho,
for the plain lens, I used the recommended 20-50x focal length rule. For 70mm I used 4.2m (60x), for 200mm I used 6.8m (34x) - that's all the room I had in my backyard.

When I attached the 1.4x, I did the AFMA at about 9.3m - 33x (I had to put the target at the end of the yard, and the camera in the house, shooting through the open door.

HTH

10

Lenses / Want 400mm reach (FF) - 70-200 2.8 IS II + 2x III or 400 5.6L?

« on: January 06, 2013, 10:41:12 PM »

Hi folks,

I have the excellent 70-200 mm f/2.8 IS II and the TC 1.4x III - which I love, paired to my 5D mark III.

I recently shot some cricket matches, and I think I need more reach than the 280mm available with the 1.4x, and without the bulk (I'm an amateur, and there seem to be restrictions on many games where non-accredited photogs cannot take in big lenses).

I think 400mm would be about right (based on some rough crops of the 280mm), but can't afford the big guns (400mm f/2.8L IS).

The games I would photograph would either take place in bright daylight or under broadcast-standard lighting (1000 lux).

Looking at what's available, the only affordable lens is the EF 400mm f/5.6L. It does seem to be very old, and has no IS.

An alternative is to acquire the TC 2x III - which would give me the same aperture, and add IS with a more modern lens formula / AF combo.

Does anyone have any experience with the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II with the TC 2x III that they would like to share?

Cheers

11

Lenses / Re: AFMA w/ 1.4 extenders

« on: January 06, 2013, 10:11:48 PM »

Hi,
I just did the AFMA on my 5DIII (firmware 1.1.3) with a 70-200 f/2.8L IS II and a 1.4x III, using FoCal Professional, version 1.6.

Like neuro, I have found it registers as a unique combination.

In fact on the 5D mark III, you can register by the lens and TC serial numbers as well - so the AFMA settings are set for Tele and Wide for each lens/combination.
By way of example, my lens AFMA's look like this:

70-200 f/2.8L IS II : AFMA @ 70 = 0, AFMA @ 200 = 2
70-200 f/2.8L IS II + 1.4x III 98 (70 * 1.4)  = -1. AFMA @ 280 (200 * 1.4) = 4

 I had forgotten the need to perform AFMA on the lens/TC combination - when shooting a cricket match recently, I found that there was front-focus when using the 1.4x III that wasn't there using the bare 200 lens.

Cheers

12

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: How to find shutter count on 5D mark III?

« on: December 18, 2012, 06:56:54 PM »

I got my 5D III from 1st patch...and it starts from 99. I'm guessing your had 1300clicks on it - that is nothing if you got some great discount from your dealer.

FoCal also shows shutter count after you run AFMA.

Thanks @Dylan777 - I do have a license for FoCal Pro - and have done AFMA - so I had forgotten that it also shows the shutter count!

Regarding the discount - I got a 5D3 and 24-70LII for a great price at the time (a month ago) - now the market forces are making the difference reduce - BUT - I love the combo and from my point of view, the price you pay is like what you pay for a car - the value is in the use you get from it!

Cheers

13

EOS Bodies - For Stills / How to find shutter count on 5D mark III?

« on: December 18, 2012, 07:04:48 AM »

I recently bought a 5D mark III in Sydney - I just love it!

The retailer (an authorised dealer) offered it at what was a good price at the time although I suspect that the unit had been used as a 'showroom' unit for a little while, because when I took it home and put a brand new memory card in it, the sequence number was around 1400.

That may or may not be the actual shutter count - possibly a card used in another camera had been used by the shop to demo the camera.

I tried EOSinfo (had good results on my older 50D) - but it didn't work  with the 5D III (PC, Windows 7 64-bit)

Does anyone know of a method to find the actual shutter count on a 5D Mark III?

14

Lenses / Re: Canon 80-200 f2.8L Image Quality

« on: December 10, 2012, 06:33:14 AM »

I wish Canon made gray telephoto lenses...

I think we need a more imaginative set of colors!
Maybe lilac, puce, taupe - that way you could color-coordinate things! 

Of course, if what you are trying to achieve is less visibility that you have an expensive lens, maybe one of the commercially-available lens skins could work - you can get them in jungle patterns and various other camouflage too.

15

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Skiing picture advice

« on: December 05, 2012, 01:01:41 AM »

I'll be bringing along my 7D and 5Diii with 70-200 2.8II to the family ski trip this year, but I've never shot snow sports before.  Are there any tips on filters, camera settings or gear that would be smart to bring along?  I expect that shooting in the bright light, with the snow glare, will require adapting... but I'm not sure in what way.

Depending on how you envisage shooting (e.g. taking landscapes, or action shots) may also influence whether you are interested in slower shutter-speed / shallow DoF.

If you want shallow DoF, you'll probably want a strong ND filter, say ND8 or more, to reduce the EV so that you still get suitable shallow DoF.

Glare from the snow can be a problem - try a circular polarizing filter

+1 on this one.