Messages

1

Third Party Manufacturers / Re: The Next Zeiss Lenses? [CR2]

« on: March 03, 2013, 02:38:58 PM »

Interesting comment in the film clip which implies they need to improve the Zeiss standard to cope with new sensors - like the D800 I think he mentions.  A lot of people might possibly think Zeiss had some of the best lenses around already especially if you forgive the lack of AF.  Hmmm.  Can't be a throw away comment  as I see it.  And if Zeiss think this perhaps Canon and Nikon think the same.  I think other threads have latched onto this  in terms of speculating the Canon mega pixel camera will be held back until all the lenses are in place.  Can't believe Zeiss are making a 3000 euro  50 mm lens MF unless they see more than the D800 in sight.  Do people who know more about this sort of thing than me have any views?

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Lenses / Re: Canon 70-300L IS + Kenko 1.4x Teleconverter

« on: December 01, 2012, 06:47:09 AM »

I have the 70-300 and the kenko.  Sure the AF hunts a lot in poor light but in good light I have found it OK.  And of course there is MF.....  IQ I think is OK too given the price of the lens and the TC and an effective focal length on a crop of 580mm..I think you would have to spend much more to do better.  For me its a better combination than the 100-400 but then I don't like the push pull zoom or the overall size and most of the time I don't need the extra reach.   I have a 5DIII as well as a 7D so will be interesting to see if the firmware update helps the AF at all.

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Software & Accessories / Focal

« on: November 13, 2012, 10:36:44 AM »

In case interested people haven't seen it, the latest beta of Focal for Mac was released yesterday - I for one was having connection problems which now seem to be resolved

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Lenses / Re: Canon Announces New Lens Caps!

« on: November 06, 2012, 10:28:33 AM »

Ah yes - many a true word.  I have a Zeiss 18mm lens which is a lovely lens and cost a lot of dosh - unfortunately - don't know how, the pinch lens cap dropped a spring - £25 offer from Zeiss to replace the  cap which I have declined.  Finding the right sized spring is no easy matter, perhaps the Canon caps may be cheap enough to cannibalise? Silly really but I wouldn't now buy another Zeiss lens.

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Third Party Manufacturers / Re: Amazon.co.uk's D800 price is killing me!!!

« on: November 05, 2012, 04:42:20 PM »

I have used HDEW and while they may import from HK or wherever you have no risk of import duty ( as they are UK based ) and they bolt on a three year warranty.  It may not be a full Canon warranty but I have had cause to rely on it with an earlier purchase and the camera was repaired quickly, no quibbles and well by what looks to be a reputable repair shop in Glasgow.  So only one experience but one satisfied customer here ( £2000 for a 5D III not too bad )

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Canon General / Re: Europe trip, 1-2 months

« on: October 27, 2012, 10:21:59 AM »

what about some sort of theme to your travels?  What are you/your girlfriend interested in?  Is it rugged scenery or history or museums or battlefields or mountains or whatever.  Or food.....As other posters have indicated there is a huge amount to see so you need something to help you narrow it down - might as well be something you are interested in.  Just a thought.

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 5D III, or 6D+7D combo - your thoughts?

« on: October 17, 2012, 04:43:09 PM »

Uk wise a 7D and a 5D2 is pretty much the price of a 5D3. I would like a 5 D3 and will get one in due course but to give up the 7D even if only to keep the fps is not for me -  here is a Wiggins shot   to my mind impossible at 6 fps - he came round the corner very fast....

8

Lenses / need help

« on: October 14, 2012, 03:53:53 PM »

My present gear is 7D, 5D2, 70-300L, 24-105L, Zeiss 18 and Zeiss 50 plus Kenko 1.4 TC.  I have about £1000 in my camera fund which is sort of earmarked to upgrade the 5D2 to a 5D3.  ( Subject of course to the 45 mp camera not becoming available in two weeks time at £2000 and waiting to see what else might just be around the corner).

But wonders of wonders I have a little old pension policy about to mature which will generate a little extra for the camera fund without my wife getting too excited about it ( say £2000) and early in the new year I might trade down my car which might also add £2000 to the fund.

So happy days! 

I am a pure hobbyist, mainly taking pics of my kid doing sports and general family and travel pics.  So the 7D and the 70-300 are non negotiable as is the Zeiss  18 but after that how best to spend my ill gotten gains?  It needs to be something special.

Thinking the 1 Dx is just too big and showy for what it adds compared with the 5D3 plus lenses?
Thinking people like the new 24-70 but given its price does it really add much for me compared to the 24-105 given how much I love the Zeiss at the wide angle?

Thinking I don't like the 100-400 at all and sold a copy a while ago.
So does it come down to a choice between the 135 and 400 5.6  or the 70-200 II IS. + 2 X TC III ?   Or if both boats come in do I go for a real super tele?

What would everyone suggest?  ( PS I am a Yorkshireman so don't need to spend all  the camera fund even if it is there.....)    Of course there those telling me I should ditch the Canon FF stuff and buy the D800 but I am not convinced.....

9

Animal Kingdom / Re: Cheetah Run: Animal Ark, Reno, Nevada

« on: October 13, 2012, 09:58:49 AM »

here's one of my cheetah shots from hol in South Africa

10

Lenses / Re: Which lenses for cricket?

« on: October 11, 2012, 06:13:44 AM »

I disagree about the 70-300L.  I use this and my 7D for photographing my son's cricket and very happy with the results.  It also did well at the O2 indoor tennis last year at iso 800 and max reach in quite dodgy light.  I have tried it with the 5D 2 - results not bad but I did miss the extra reach -

11

Software & Accessories / Re: What are most people using for processing RAW

« on: October 09, 2012, 12:02:38 PM »

Big thanks to the poster who mentioned Photo Ninja on this thread - I have been playing with it for the last two days on 'difficult' images and I am hugely impressed......

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Software & Accessories / Re: What are most people using for processing RAW

« on: October 03, 2012, 03:27:03 PM »

in terms of Nik I am somewhat of a rookie but liking it so far - it fits into LR the same as PS - there are sharpening, noise reduction, BW conversion, a general exposure saturation editor and a filter/effect component - I doubt there is much you can't do with LR/ACR/PS themselves but you can make some nice changes to an image very fast - their website gives plenty of details and tutorials

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Software & Accessories / Re: What are most people using for processing RAW

« on: October 03, 2012, 11:46:58 AM »

If anyone likes Nik Software ( I do ) - it is very much cheaper for LR  than PS

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EOS Bodies / Re: 6d for underwater photography?

« on: September 27, 2012, 05:16:43 PM »

think about the G1X plus canon underwater case - in Uk terms you could do that for £700 now say $900 or so i guess.  I think a SLR with quality case would be £4000 perhaps and quality better no doubt but 5 times better - I doubt it

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PowerShot Cameras / Re: Anyone have the g1x and are happy with when your dslr is not around?

« on: September 21, 2012, 05:56:10 AM »

on this years holiday I took a G1x with waterproof case for speedboat shots of waterskiing and a 5Dii for general shots - in the end I was using them interchangeably both for stills and video. I wouldn't claim the G1x is as good as a 5Dii but I think it is a brilliant camera and the slow autofocus isn't that bad ( it coped with a bumpy speedboat and a bumpy waterskier....)  target price in the Uk is now £500 or so so it will be interesting to see how they price the G15