Messages

1

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

« on: May 16, 2013, 01:01:25 PM »

I don't mind a push-pull design in general, but the implementation on the 100-400L is just flat horrible.  You can't lock the zoom without moving the focus ring.  It's also hard to hold the lens so that you're hand isn't on either the focus ring or the lock ring (which, when unlocked, moves the focus ring with it) which creates accidental focus movements when you are zooming.  The focus ring should be on the outside and the grip on the inside - just like the 70-200s are.  Also, you can't have your thumb on the switches when your hand is on the zoom slider.

It's just a sub-optimal design.

2

EOS Bodies / Re: EOS 70D & EOS 7D Mark II

« on: May 16, 2013, 09:31:23 AM »

I wonder if we paid them some more money if they could move a little slower for us.

3

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

« on: May 16, 2013, 09:29:51 AM »

7 years ago I didn't buy the 100-400L because it was old, had poor IS and badly needed an update.  I now own one at work, and my original opinion has been reinforced by my ownership of this lens.  It feels like Canon is moving through quicksand lately.

4

Pricewatch Deals / Re: Preorder the EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x TC

« on: May 14, 2013, 09:50:42 AM »

$12k and you don't even get a case?

This lens is $8k over-priced.  They'll still sell a handful but, the Sigma 120-300/2.8 OS is a far better deal for about the same aperture (100mm) and zoom range.

5

PowerShot / Re: A New Large Sensor PowerShot Coming [CR1]

« on: May 10, 2013, 10:21:24 AM »

There was a quote from a Canon-Japan guy that he still though the S100 (or one in that series) was huge.  That's great news to me because my Elph 500 HS is a great size and still f/2 at the wide end, but with a smaller sensor and the lens is slow at the long end.  If they could manage a high-end compact in a size smaller than the S100 (like the size - and shape - of my Elph), that would be interesting.  But I do need some zoom range.  The 24-105 range on my Elph is pretty nice.

6

PowerShot / Re: A New Large Sensor PowerShot Coming [CR1]

« on: May 09, 2013, 09:52:31 AM »

F/1.8 is ALWAYS f/1.8!! Some people are more interested in shooting in Low Light than having oh-so-trendy paper-thin DOF. YMMV.

So, my compact starts at f/2.  Is f/2 on my compact just as good in low-light as f/2 on my 5D?  Nope!  The 5D has the same noise at ISO 3200 as my compact does at ISO 200.  So I can really shoot at 16 times faster shutter speed with the 5D at f/2 compared to my compact at f/2 if I want the same image quality.

So not all f/2's are equal!

7

PowerShot / Re: A New Large Sensor PowerShot Coming [CR1]

« on: May 08, 2013, 11:40:47 PM »

What is a short zoom?  Are we talking about a narrow zoom range or a short focal length?

Something like. 24-70 or something like 16-35?  (Equivalents).

8

EOS Bodies / Re: No 7D Mark II in 2013? [CR2]

« on: May 06, 2013, 09:08:09 AM »

I am guessing that getting the new 18 micron process thang is not going as well as they would like...

18 micron?  You mean 0.18 micron = 180 nanometer?  That's a really old process and should be no problem these days to get going.

9

EOS Bodies / Re: No 7D Mark II in 2013? [CR2]

« on: May 06, 2013, 09:06:42 AM »

What in the holy hell is Canon doing?  To many stupid cinema cams and lenses and idiotic mirrorless bodies and lenses?

They're already way, way late to the party and they're delaying again?

We need some low read-noise sensors, some high-pixel-count sensors (cropping is a big deal for me), and some new bodies.  The 5DIII is a great camera, but has high read noise.  The 7D is old, has the old 18MP sensor (not bad, but not outstanding either) and the new AF systems are better.

I want a 7DII with near-zero read noise sensor and a 5DIIIn with nothing new but the low read-noise technology in the fall!

Oh, and while we're at it, VIDEO CROP MODE!!!!  And expanded version with infinite steps and smooth zooming in any resolution would be really, really helpful!

10

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: EOS 5D Mark III Firmware 1.2.1 Available for Download

« on: April 30, 2013, 09:39:32 PM »

Enables the center AF point to autofocus when the camera is used with Canon EF lens/extender combinations whose combined maximum aperture is f/8.

Question for owners.

Has anyone tried the f/8 AF system with f/2.8 lenses with stacked teleconverters?

Anyone?

11

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: EOS 5D Mark III Firmware 1.2.1 Available for Download

« on: April 30, 2013, 09:35:15 AM »

Enables the center AF point to autofocus when the camera is used with Canon EF lens/extender combinations whose combined maximum aperture is f/8.

Question for owners.

Has anyone tried the f/8 AF system with f/2.8 lenses with stacked teleconverters?

12

EOS Bodies / Re: The Future of EOS M [CR1]

« on: April 26, 2013, 07:32:30 PM »

I think everyone with a Canon DSLR kit would pick one up just for a back-up body...and then be drawn in to buying some of the smaller lenses.

Everyone?  Wanna bet?

yeah...if Canon can keep the price reasonable (good luck with that, tho), make it focus uber fast, have a great viewfinder and and comes out with some small fast primes people would want it to complement their FF or CF kit...but certainly as I mention in my post (you cut and copied the above out of context just to bash!) as the M is now...I cannot see many people who come to this site considering it for anything. :-)

I wouldn't want it if it could walk on water.  I hate EVFs and non-TTL OVFs, and I hate bodies that are too small for my hands.  This one is too small for my 9-year-old's hands.

13

EOS Bodies / Re: The Future of EOS M [CR1]

« on: April 26, 2013, 02:53:23 PM »

I think everyone with a Canon DSLR kit would pick one up just for a back-up body...and then be drawn in to buying some of the smaller lenses.

Everyone?  Wanna bet?

14

Third Party Manufacturers / Re: Sigma Announces 18-35 f/1.8 DC HSM Art for APS-C

« on: April 19, 2013, 02:07:41 PM »

What makes this lens epic is that there is no equivalent FF lens. In very low light, this can focus when f2.8 cannot!!!

No cameras I know of have f/1.8 AF sensors.  f/2.8 sensors "see" at f/2.8 regardless of the actual f-stop of the lens.  An f/1.4 lens is no brighter to f/2.8 AF sensors than an f/2.8 lens is.

15

Third Party Manufacturers / Re: Sigma Announces 18-35 f/1.8 DC HSM Art for APS-C

« on: April 18, 2013, 10:44:50 AM »

First of all, this is the dumbest gripe I've read in a while.  If you're that unhappy, get a FF with a 24-70 and stop whining. 

Second, it's not even a valid gripe, as Tokina has a 16-28mm constant F2.8 that gets excellent reviews on crop.  Are you really that concerned about the difference between 25.6 and 24?

Yeah, especially since this zoom would do things a 15-85 can't touch; it'd be reasonable to own both as they would be for very different situations.

And since I can't imagine it'd be that great for night photography at 15mm f/1.8 instead of 18mm f/1.8, seems a moot point.

The 17-55 could easily have been a 15-50.  The 18-35 could have been a 15-30.

Well, if you're willing to pay about 40% more, than 15-85 is gettable instead of 17-85. But, if you start adding 40% to all the prices of the Sigma/Tamron/etc lenses that go 17-50, most people wouldn't but them. It's one thing to get a $4-500 OS f/2.8 zoom; but by the time it's $6-700 there are other ways to go. Likewise if the 17-55 was a 15-50 that cost $1500. Going those extra few mm's means bigger glass, and more expensive lenses.

If it was so easy to make 15mm zooms, then why is Canon the only one that does?

Oh, brother.

You realize that 10-20, 10-22, 8-16 and 12-24 are all available in crop lenses, right?

Going a little wider isn't that big a deal, especially if you maintain the total zoom ratio.  Longer is harder with fast lenses as the absolute aperture diameter has to be larger, which is why 70-200s are so expensive.