Messages

1

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Making your expensive gear look like crap while traveling

« on: May 27, 2013, 10:19:03 AM »

I live in a S___-hole of a city, I still carry my 7d and 70-200 f4, I still carry my 5Diii and 70-200 f2.8....

None of them are taped.....I just use common sense of where/when I go somewhere....I don't avoid places, but if there is a choice between a dark alley or a lit street I choose the safer option...

Where I live, the people who are going to snatch or steal, don't care what you have it's just opportunistic, once they have it they will then decide if it has value...

Commonsense will do more for you, than a roll of gaffers tape...

2

Sports / Re: Cars cars cars (and some bikes)

« on: May 11, 2013, 01:55:36 PM »

From an afternoon walk

3

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

« on: May 06, 2013, 10:31:22 AM »

Hmmm, disappointed, Yes and No...was looking forward to seeing images/specs and reviews sooner....

On the other hand my current 5Diii and 7D are doing me fine, at least now it leaves some financial breathing space to add the Fuji x100s, sooner than I thought..

4

Lenses / Re: Keep my 70-200 f/4 IS?

« on: April 14, 2013, 08:47:50 AM »

I have both also, I kept my f/4 which is most often on my 7D, it's a brilliant lens, the weight saving compared to the f/2.8 is also a bonus...the f/2.8 is most often used on my 5DmkIII...
Hang on to it, it may come in handy...

Another bonus is my f/4 is sharp on the 7D at both the wide and tele end no need for AFMA, can't say that about some of my other lenses...too bad you can only AFMA at one point on the 7D...

5

Canon General / Re: Curious Distraction: Explain your username, avatar picture, etc...

« on: January 25, 2013, 10:00:35 PM »

Mine comes from my days of competitive bodybuilding, needed a contact name when I moved to live and train in Thailand....Actually competed as Super Heavy, but that was too long as a contact...+ year of birth 1967.

Still live in Thailand, retired from competitive bodybuilding and all the associated chemicals...

6

Street & City / Re: Your best street shots of any kind.

« on: January 23, 2013, 12:45:34 AM »

On the streets where I live....

7

Portrait / Re: Post your best portraits(street, studio, candid etc...).

« on: January 16, 2013, 10:35:37 AM »

One I like....

8

HDR - High Dynamic Range / Re: Sepia Tone or Black and White HDR's

« on: January 13, 2013, 04:35:54 AM »

The Jeweller...

9

Third Party Manufacturers / Re: Anyone else intrigued by the new Fuji X20 and X100s

« on: January 08, 2013, 09:59:58 PM »

Definitely, maybe buy both....currently have X10 as my walkaround, amazing little camera....have been putting off on purchasing the X100 until I saw what was to come next, now the X100s will be in my kit at some point soon..

10

EOS Bodies / Re: 6D's Wifi Drain on Battery (?)

« on: December 29, 2012, 07:37:20 PM »

Have to agree with Marsu on this one, all those extras that manufacturers seem to add on for our convenience just draw that power that is essential for what this (Canon 6D ) is designed to do, that is take pictures...

Sometimes the gimmicks (added extras) may seem appealing but they soon loose their lustre, when you're walking back home without any photos...(at least you will have a track log so you can see where you didn't take photos)

As a light room user, I can download track logs from my GPS or smartphone, this is my workaround....

11

Contests / Re: Gura Gear Giveaway!

« on: December 08, 2012, 05:20:36 PM »

I would like to win, because Neuro has more stuff than me...

12

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Chasing exposure

« on: September 25, 2012, 12:50:12 PM »

Thanks for the replies and entering the conversation, this is the type of discussion I was hoping for...

I'm aware that exposure is subjective, what I think is exposed correctly others may disagree.

My photos and My vision will be different from others, how I view a scene will be different to others.

Starting the thread was a way to "pick the brains" of forum members, there is a huge knowledge base within the CR forum.

As there are so many variables I like to improve my knowledge, this way I have a resource pool to pick from when the need requires, as well as being able to pass on this knowledge as I have two daughters that show great interest in photography.

The internet is a great tool for learning, but, sometimes you have to sort through allot of CRAP to find what you want.

CR is generally a great place to start for the information I seek.

13

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Chasing exposure

« on: September 25, 2012, 06:40:02 AM »

It seems the further I delve into photography the more there is to learn, gone are the days of just Pointing and Shooting and accepting what the camera chooses...
These were the days I would look at photos taken by pros and hope that one day I could achieve similar.

Everyday I try to learn something and then attempt to put it into practice...

My latest reading is in relation to the "Zone System"...at least the simplified for digital version of it...

As much as I enjoy using this system for obtaining the correct (subjective exposure) it doesn't seem to be "everyday practical" (again subjective, as it depends on your everyday needs).
Spot Meter, choose your tone, Spot meter, choose your tone...the system seems to work best if you have the time to take numerous meter readings, to determine where your shadows and highlights will fall.
Obviously this system is dependant on choosing and knowing where your tonal values fall, and for colour, knowing which colours are Zone 5 (18%)

Then there is the ETTR school of thought, push the exposure to the right but avoid clipping the highlights (or at least the highlights that matter), this seems to be the quickest method, quick look at the preview and histogram and adjust...

Even though it seems quickest is it the best, my luminance histogram will show clipping based on the JPEG, not the raw file, so I need to know how far I can push ETTR, but this luminance histogram doesn't show the possible RGB clipping.

Questions:
1. Am I over thinking this
2. Is there a preferred method.

What got me thinking about this?....I live in a tourist town, I watch people all day everyday taking photos, from camera phones through to 1Dx, rarely do I see anyone consider composition or exposure, everything is left to AUTO mode (yes, even on some of the very high end cameras I see people use)

So I started thinking, was I better off knowing less about photography and never understanding 18% grey....or am I better off knowing more but always chasing the "Perfect exposure"...

Photography and Golf, both pursuits that drive you crazy seeking the perfect game ( I gave up golf early on, realising it would drive me mad)

 

14

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: EOS 7D FW2.0: Problems anyone?

« on: September 21, 2012, 04:28:40 AM »

I updated to FW 2.0 and had no problems, I noticed the thread re 2.0.3...initially I thought Nahhhhh, won't update as I had no issues with 2.0, in the end I succumbed and decided to update to 2.0.3...
The update completed with no apparent issues...

The next day I went out shooting, when reviewing some pics the quick selector/toggle button started to play up, I couldn't scroll up from the central position, I couldn't scroll diagonally, going into the menu, I couldn't scroll left or right or up.

I removed and replaced the batteries, which did nothing, turned the camera on and off again nothing..

After about 20 minutes trying various remedies I gave up and was reconsidering reinstalling 2.0 or 2.0.3 when I returned home.

I left the camera for another 20 minutes or so, checked it again and noticed that the "glitch" had repaired itself and the toggle button now worked....

I've had my 7D for a little over a year now, it is used every day, I've had no issues until the 2.0.3 update...

I haven't been able to repeat this issue (nor do I want to)...guess will have to wait and see if it occurs again..

15

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Want to start shooting professionally aNy suggestions?

« on: September 18, 2012, 03:39:02 AM »

There is always a danger of turning a hobby into a business, that one thing that you loved to do so much soon loses it's shine when it becomes a "have to" not "want to"...

That being said, like many starting out, you need to know your market or "if" there is a market...and if that market will provide the income you need to pay the bills and keep the family fed.

From my observations it seems that now "everyone" thinks they are "pro grade" photographers, so this is something to keep in mind, as many on this forum have stated in the past one of the biggest hurdles in the photography business is "Uncle Bob"...

It seems that anyone that can afford a half decent camera is now opening a business, I think this is where it becomes difficult to get your foot in the door (the salesman in you has to step in at this point), good portfolio, good website.

i.e...just recently a friend of mine got married (low cost) she posted a link on FB of the wedding photographers website,  I have to say I was shocked at the poor quality of the photo's this person had used to promote their  business...even though they were cheap $1000 for the Premium Package, I would expect better quality (photo's & PP)

You mentioned that you would eventually like to "sub-contract" work to others, maybe this is a place you could start...Find a similar business and see if they will take you on as a "subbie"...

This way you get experience, you get the companies contacts and knowledge, you can probably pick and choose your jobs or hours... If you find that it's what you want to do, in the future you can go out on your own (maybe don't sign too many contracts that may prevent you from moving out on your own).

Photography is a rapidly changing business, those 8x10 that once were framed and hung proudly are now Instagram on FB.