Messages

1

Lenses / Re: Telezoom lens (70-300L vs 70-200 vs 100-400)- Advice

« on: May 19, 2013, 04:10:24 AM »

Hi Jens,

I probably shoot similar to you, landscape / travel, and bought the 70-300L for the reasons of weight, size, zoom range & quality, in that order.

I already have an old Sigma 70-200 2.8, which is ok, but I don't use it that much (my style preference is wide angle) and the weight of a 2.8 lens is considerable. It was mainly used for motorsport pics.

I did think about the 100-400 but again prefer the wider end of the range, smaller size, better IS & more modern design.

With my 5d3 or 7d, I can crop in quite a bit with the excellent IQ of the 70-300L to get the 'pic'!

I can't praise this lenses quality high enough, and you will see other posts saying the same...

Regards

Martin

2

Canon General / Re: Random Thoughts

« on: April 12, 2013, 08:41:59 AM »

For the photolab ask them what color profile they use and then save your image with with those settings. For example adobe rgb or srgb whatever. Calibrate your moniter (should be doing this anyway if you are a working pro). Then order a few small test prints and check if they match. If not you could adjust the image to match. For example - print is colder in tone than your screen then just change your white balance. (Its always bloody white balance!).

Also add extra sharpness in post for print.

For picky customers just explain that you're a photographer and those kinda things are not what you do. (You record the scene as it is).

Photoshop is good though for portrait retouching. I would learn that aspect as you might need to remove a zit or two and get rid of bags under eye.

Good advice... also a good idea to only retouch 'temporary' blemishes on portraits unless the client agrees / requests. You may think straightening someones wonky teeth is a must do but the owner might be proud of them and take offence!

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Canon General / Re: Random Thoughts

« on: April 12, 2013, 08:06:03 AM »

@DCM1024

Here as some ears for you  ( Hope they're the right colour   )

Haha, very good... or you could always use the salt shakers as the new ears...

4

Lenses / Re: 2 filters jammed together

« on: April 12, 2013, 07:45:32 AM »

Often when trying to seperate them, applying too much grip can cause distortion and binding. Try very gently to apply light but even pressure around them and twist them apart. Another tip I came across was to use a sheet of rubber flat on a desk and place the filter / lens down onto it and twist it off instead, you can also use the grippy sole of a shoe! (Not much use for your two filters or a polariser, but more for a stuck UV on lens scenario).

Gentle heating of the UV (female thread) and cooling (ice) of the polariser (male thread) may help... or leave them stuck together and use them both when needing the polariser!

5

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Charge new LP-E6 batter over night?

« on: April 10, 2013, 06:43:51 PM »

Having used lipo & liIon batteries for other things, in my experience they do not suffer any memory effect. What kills them is allowing them to discharge well below the minimum cell voltages. So, you can safely let the camera die, but don't then leave the cell for months on end without at least giving it some charge or it will continue to self discharge to the point of failure.
This is especially important when these cells are put into packs, such as laptops, as the cells can become unbalanced over time and lead to one or more cells discharging below their min voltage.
The Canon (single) cells seem to tolerate a fair bit of abuse and should last fine as long as there is some charge kept in them, as per comsense's post, fully recharge them after draining them.

6

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Tutorial on Auto ISO

« on: March 24, 2013, 09:16:55 AM »

The auto ISO menus allow differing setups depending on the model, which RGF has not mentioned.
If my memory serves me correctly, my 7d does not allow minimum shutter speeds, only max ISO, unlike my 5d which allows more customisation.

7

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Chasing Tack Sharp ... Just can't get there

« on: March 20, 2013, 11:11:48 AM »

I have no issues with sharpness with my 7D, what I did find was I had to get exposure bang on and avoid under exposing to avoid noise. I also have the 5D3 and it has better latitude of exposure.
I was originally disappointed with my 7D, like others until I used AF expansion instead of 'all zones', and also using live view to focus.
I have the 50 1.4 and don't think it is particularly sharp.

Digital paradise - great pics, and good advice regarding PP.

You may have difficulty achieving everything in frame sharp if shooting close range. I find selective sharpening can create a good illusion of increased sharpness when other areas are softened.

Good luck but IMHO you don't need to trade in your 7D!

Edit- good advice privatebydesign! My thoughts too!

8

Lenses / Re: New wide angle lens for FF

« on: March 14, 2013, 05:32:30 AM »

Hi Alex,

Not sure that a fast AF is a big deal in landscape shooting, I now use live view for getting focus and composition nailed.

if you like primes, give the 24 TSE lens some consideration. It is pricey and manual focussing, but for landscape, giving focal plane (depth control) and sharpness, it's hard to better.
I use a 17-40 at the moment without complaint, although the corners could be better. Some have said it is sharper and is certainly cheaper, than the 16-35.
I am intrigued with the rumours regarding a Canon 12-24...
Other folks rate the Samyang wides or you could adapt a Nikon 14-24, both of course would be manual.

9

Lenses / Re: I'd love a little adivce...

« on: March 06, 2013, 01:36:39 PM »

80mm is 'standard' only on a MF body, and will be a short tele on the 5d. Ed will need a 35mm lens, no matter what make, as long as it can fit and have an imaging circle large enough.

10

Canon General / Re: What am I doing wrong???

« on: February 25, 2013, 03:45:26 AM »

As Eli has said above, are you using 'one shot' and toddler or you moving?

11

Canon General / Re: What am I doing wrong???

« on: February 25, 2013, 03:18:09 AM »

These all look like the focus is just in front of the face, not movement blurring, so shutter speed won't help. The 50 1.4 has very shallow depth of field and a my Canon one is a bit hit and miss when focussing close. I would recommend manual focus and just moving your body to achieve focus - not too easy with toddlers! Using f2  - f4 may help without gaining too much depth...
If you can, check the lens focus calibration using AFMA, if your body can do this.

12

Landscape / Re: Critique needed

« on: February 12, 2013, 06:46:16 PM »

Nice. How about darkening the foreground (road) to black, this will accentuate the sky & water and remove any distractions?

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Canon General / Re: Post-Processing Woes

« on: February 10, 2013, 12:19:55 PM »

Almost every time!

A lot depends on my mood as well, I do like dark pics... Having your monitor profiled and ambient lighting adjusted is important.

I've noticed an awful lot of images seem to have their colour saturation boosted too far, IMHO, these days. I'm guilty of that too and often go back to tweak them down.

14

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: canon 20d

« on: February 08, 2013, 07:49:01 AM »

I still have my 20D, took great pics with it. The LCD lets it down for me, too small now and no live view...
I have thought about converting it to infra red.

15

Lenses / Re: Have 5D3, will shoot... but which lens?

« on: January 25, 2013, 01:37:34 PM »

24-105 - Great standard lens.

The 17-40 is also great but as Neuro said, will be wide on FF. Haven't heard such good reports about the 24-70 f4, better with the f2.8 - your budget will dictate!

I mainly shoot landscape, so the lens choice is used to 'balance' foreground / background - perspective, not maybe such an issue with architecture, where distortion and 'getting it in' may be more important.

My thoughts are if you can afford a 5d3, then don't skimp on getting the best glass that you will really use most of the time.