Messages

1

Underwater / Re: Advice on inexpensive underwater system

« on: December 19, 2012, 05:39:22 PM »

Do not start out underwater photography with your 5d.   Your chances of a flood are highest early on in your career.

Image quality wise, your main limits on that early on are the water quality, ability, and the presence or absence of strobes unless using filters or diving under 3 meters.  A compact has many advantages when you're starting out, not least of which is portability for travel.

If you're going to the GBR, one obvious possibility is rental of housing or entire setup as an experiment, there are several uwp shops in cairns you could access.   Another possibility is olympus mirror less, they have extremely good low cost housings.

Finally, consider second hand, many people sell off extremely good systems in order to have the newest and greatest.

Otara

2

Lenses / Re: New EF-S Lenses Are Coming [CR2]

« on: November 21, 2012, 03:38:04 PM »

An EF-S fisheye zoom? Does the Tokina 10-17mm sell that well? After years of not making any circular fisheye lenses (note there was one for the FD mount), does Canon suddenly see a market for those on both FF & APS-C? Wouldn't it compete with both the upgraded EF-S 10-22mm and the EF 8-15mm L, which serves as diagonal fisheye lens for APS-C?

Very popular underwater lens.  Bit niche admittedly.

Otara

3

Canon General / Re: DxOMark vs. Reality

« on: October 10, 2012, 04:01:21 AM »

Noone thinks it might just be that Canon is mostly selling 18MP sensors, and Nikon is mostly selling 16MP sensors at the low end of the DSLR market?

The market tends to go for simple differentiation rather than the more complex arguments Im seeing, particularly when there isnt an easier way to tell which one is really better.

Otara

4

EOS Bodies / Re: 6d for underwater photography?

« on: September 29, 2012, 05:52:10 PM »

I looked at the 2011 page, out of 8 shots, 2 were 7D, one was a 500D, ie 3 APS-C sensors.  Half of the shots used a strobe.   Many of the rest were older cameras, that site should at least show you dont need the latest and greatest to win prizes.

The prize is oriented towards 'nature' so is looking for 'natural' pictures rather than the many other forms of underwater photography. 

Splits generally need a reasonable sized dome.  If you're trying to do that with a bag, you're probably going to find it tough going.

5

EOS Bodies / Re: 6d for underwater photography?

« on: September 27, 2012, 09:52:06 PM »

True to some extent, but theres the lens you're going to be using as well to consider - big diff between the Canon fisheye and the Tokina.  Look theres no definite answer, but overall the big trend now is towards smaller systems, as they're easier underwater, less travel problems etc and the major limit on image quality is often water rather than camera anyhow.  I find my 7D to be at the limit sizewise, and if anything find systems like the Olympus OM-5 more the direction Id be going for my next system than towards full-frame if the 7D mark II doesnt do the job.

But some people are arguing APS-C is going to move towards entry level, so its really a question of your personal priorities and really, what the reviews actually say about the 6D, so its all a bit early really.

6

EOS Bodies / Re: 6d for underwater photography?

« on: September 27, 2012, 07:44:15 PM »

His profile on Wetpixel says 7D.  Same here.

Otara

7

EOS Bodies / Re: 6d for underwater photography?

« on: September 27, 2012, 06:42:48 PM »

Steve above is a very experienced underwater shooter.

One thing to mention is high ISO is less important than you'd think for a lot of underwater photography, as most of the time you're using strobes to provide light for your main subject rather than relying on ambient light alone.  Which is also why higher sync speeds are so important.  The other issue is floods which are most likely when early on with underwater DSLR as a friend of mine just found out.  Getting the most camera for your buck can leave you with no ability to replace it if the worst happens.

And finally there are some real advantages to APS-C underwater, not least is access to the Tokina 10-17mm, one of the most popular underwater lenses around.  The EF-S 60mm macro is also a fantastic all rounder.

Wetpixel would be one place to try to find out more.  It also depends whether above water or below water is your major priority.

8

EOS Bodies / Re: 6D Sync speed only 1/180s?

« on: September 19, 2012, 06:36:43 AM »

For underwater photographers lower X-sync is often a pain, eg for sunball shots where you're lighting a foreground subject too.  The aperture is often already fairly high, so going even higher isnt the preferred solution, and high speed sync isnt an option either.

A small segment of photography and one that probably isnt too interested in the 6D anyhow - the cost of going DSLR is enough that stopping there probably isnt worth it if full frame is whats wanted, and theres the 5D anyhow.   But if the sensor is a reasonable jump over the 5D II, there will be a few sad faces, self included.

9

Lenses / Re: The 50mm f/1.4: Conclusion

« on: September 10, 2012, 09:41:27 PM »

Who did the work?  I'm not aware of a Factory Authorized repair in Spokane.  Canon did away with all but a tiny few of really large ones.
Canon has a fixed price for repairing the lens, it was $90 when I had mine fixed about 2 or three years back, but it is up a few more dollars now.  Certainly nowhere near the price of a new one.

Only true in the US unfortunately, cost me about half the cost of a new one to get it done in Oz, ie $200+. 

When it goes again Ill be getting something else.   Three feet rule makes sense as a a bit of give when it hits, thanks for that.

10

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS M Specs

« on: July 22, 2012, 06:43:43 PM »

No body IS.

I guess it was a given, but doesnt pretty much every other mirrorless out there have it?

Maybe saving it for the more expensive body, like Olympus did with the 410 and 510.

I know Im dreaming.  To me its just one of the obvious advantages of an electronic screen - you can see the effects of the IS working with body stabilisation.

Otara

11

EOS Bodies / Re: first pic of canon mirrorless?

« on: July 21, 2012, 06:07:58 PM »

18-55mm has IS ('Image') written on barrel, strongly suggests no in-body IS?  And greater chance of EF/EF-S compatibility somehow. 

Otara

12

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Canon 50D vs 7D

« on: July 15, 2012, 11:17:34 PM »

I had a 50D, and flooded it in underwater photography then got the 7D to replace it.

I love it, but cant really say it was night and day.   Some of the things that annoyed me most in the 40D had already been fixed, ie no microadjust, and preview for RAW pictures.  Video is of course something thats nice to have, and has been fantastic to have the option underwater in particular - not sure how good the magic lantern version is on the 50D.