Messages

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Reviews / Re: Review - Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD with Pictures

« on: March 19, 2013, 01:45:03 PM »

Of course, the big advantage of the Tamron comes either in low light situations (this link has an image I took in the DC Metro handheld at .8 seconds!) http://www.dustinabbott.net/2013/03/metro-arrival/ or when you want shallow depth of field.  I really love the lens for that type of shot because I find the transition from focus to ooF very smooth with the Tamron.  I often will pack a prime with me for this types of shots, and I didn't miss not having one with me at all on this trip.

Love the shot in the DC Metro!  I took one similar to that when I was there a couple years ago but I like yours better for the way the train is almost invisible.  My shot has a "standard shot" blurred fast moving train with my family in the foreground.

Great responses!  Thanks!  I suspect this may be my next lens - eventually.

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Reviews / Re: Review - Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD with Pictures

« on: March 19, 2013, 09:56:13 AM »

Oh, and did you do a lot of tourist stuff in DC?  I'm thinking the Tamron 24-70 worked great in the Library of Congress, Smithsonian, etc.

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Reviews / Re: Review - Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD with Pictures

« on: March 19, 2013, 09:55:07 AM »

Thank you for sharing!

Nice place!  Great colors!  While I enjoy viewing this image and I think you did a great job capturing it, I can't help thinking that wide tight aperture landscape shots like this don't necc show the best qualities of the lens.  As much as I like the image, don't you think that it would look pretty much the same with most other decent quality lenses?  (24-105L comes to mind.)

Educate me about how this lens made the image better.  Was it the low light of that time of day that would have otherwise come out way too dark (hence blurry) without this lens?  Is it the color rendition or the more controlled CA that another lens can't match?  The VC?

Please understand that I'm not trying to insult your post, quite the opposite.  I'm interested in what challenges you faced in taking the picture and how the lens helped you overcome them.  In short, how would having the 6D + this lens help me  to get a picture similar to this when faced with a similar situation?

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Canon General / Re: Which eye do you shoot with?

« on: March 13, 2013, 08:28:47 PM »

Left eye.  It's my dominant eye, meaning it's the primary eye that I use for vision.  This may come as a surprise to most readers, but nearly all of us have dominant eyes.  Normally, the dominant eye is on the same side of you as your dominant hand.  So, most right handed people are right eye dominant and vice versa.  I'm part of the 20% of the population that is cross-dominant, meaning that I'm right handed but my dominant eye is my left eye.   Curiously, my vision is weaker in my left eye than my right eye, although with glasses it corrects to 20/20.

Here's a simple test to determine which of your eyes is the dominant one.  Extend your dominant arm completely and raise the first finger.  Look at it with both eyes.  Close one eye while watching the finger.  Then, open that eye and close the other eye.  Does the finger appear to move when one of your eyes is closed and remain still when that eye is open and the other is closed?  When the finger doesn't appear to move you're looking at it with your dominant eye.

Ditto for me on cross dominance and the discussion on dominant eyes.  My left eye is more in focus and dominant over my right eye but I am right handed.  I use my left eye 95% of the time for my photography and close the right eye when I really need to concentrate.

HOWEVER - There are more ways to check eye dominance and I have found some ways can give conflicting results.  The way most firearms instructors test eye dominance is to focus on a distant point - make a triangle hole between both hands held at arms' length together with thumbs out at 90 degrees (make an "L" with both hands) and thumbs crossed.  Block out everything except the distant point in the hole.  Slowly move your hands toward your face and the eye the hole ends up at is your dominant eye.  I have personally found the vertical finger method or the "A-OK" thumb/finger circle method results change depending on which hand you use.

I also use my left shoulder to steady the camera on in low light and I tend to hold my breath as a hold over habit from firearms shooting practice.

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Software & Accessories / Re: RECHARGEABLE - POWER-EX - ENLOOP - IMEDION

« on: March 11, 2013, 05:30:58 PM »

Ditto on all the positive eneloops comments.  I got mine online, Amazon, locally at Costco, etc.  Unlike most things, they just work.   

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Reviews / Re: Review - Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD with Pictures

« on: March 03, 2013, 03:10:37 PM »

Great!  Thanks for that.  Very good point.  The ooF transition is something that isn't often discussed.  That's a great example.  Shots like that make a world of difference in understanding more about the personality of the lens.  I hope you have a great Sunday and get a chance to relax and enjoy it.  Cheers!

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Reviews / Re: Review - Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD with Pictures

« on: March 03, 2013, 01:16:07 PM »

Great response and what I was wanting.  I have always preferred a warmer tone but in the past year I have realized I probably like it a bit too warm and have started moving a tiny bit cooler to hopefully make a "better" image.  The lens that stays on my camera the most is the 16-35L v1.  After that it's the 24-105L or the 24-70L.  So the new Tamron makes sense.  My biggest concern at this point is the Tamron QA and consistency on this lens.  It seems pretty common to hear folks having to go through several copies to find one that is ideal.  This is a bummer and something I don't have the time to deal with at the moment.  Maybe in a couple months.  I'm sort of hoping Tamron gets their act together and maybe I can jump in later when things get more consistent and whatever issues exist are corrected.  Thank you so much for the quick and informative replies.  I'm sure many who read this will benefit.

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Reviews / Re: Review - Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD with Pictures

« on: March 03, 2013, 10:41:09 AM »

Wow.  Fast reply.  On a Sunday.  Thought you'd be in church!!   

Thanks for sharing.  I like the way you caught her head in the light wash on the wall behind her as a background enhancement.  (I assume you would likely crop the light fixture above out.)  Yes, tricky lighting.

If you were to compare the Tamron 24-70 to either the Canon 24-70 or the 24-105, how would you rate it with regard to your real world use in these type situations?  In other words, for someone who owns those lenses already, what was your impression of the Tamron 24-70 difference in actual use?  Good, bad or otherwise?  I'm trying to decide if I should spend the money (or not) in order to achieve a potential (but unknown) XX% improvement for the cost.  I hope I'm not asking something directly covered in your review.  If so, sorry!!

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Reviews / Re: Review - Tamron SP 24-70mm f/2.8 Di VC USD with Pictures

« on: March 03, 2013, 09:41:03 AM »

Dustin, I like the shots you have shared and I am increasingly finding your writing style and thought process about your photography and equipment to be respectable and worth reading.  I'm glad you are willing to spend some of your time helping others gain perspective about building their own kits and craft.  (Not to mention putting your name on the line for others to judge you and your methods.)

How much have you used the Tamron 24-70 for journalistic style handheld people shooting, esp indoor with available light?  IMHO, this is a bigger challenge for any lens, esp at larger apertures.  No offense but shooting large landscapes doesn't expose a lens' faults quite as much as up close shots in low light.  Don't you agree?  Comments?

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 5D Mark III - Sensor Cleaning - Clean Now

« on: March 01, 2013, 09:44:21 AM »

I think Canon somehow inadvertently sent me a pre-release beta tester 5D3 that was built before main production.  Here's a picture of my sensor cleaner.  (Somehow my camera captured this image by "mistake"!)  I guess the internal design team was having fun testing different sensor cleaners before they settled on one to use for main production.   Sometimes my sensor is a little dirty but for some reason I never seem to care.    All I know is that I may never get rid of this 5D3 now.  Have a great Friday!

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 5D Mark III - Sensor Cleaning - Clean Now

« on: March 01, 2013, 09:32:24 AM »

I think what you are hearing is a different sound from the 40D because...

The 40D used an ultrasonic vibration to shake debris off of the sensor and let it collect in an adhesive trough.

The 5D3 uses two tiny highly experienced and fast window washer guys that run out, set up their ladders, open the shutter and clean the hell out of the sensor then reverse everything and get back in their hidy holes lickety split.  That's why it takes slightly longer and makes a different noise.  The reason it takes longer one time over another is that those guys have to routinely sit and have a really quick beer after they're done or they would eventually start doing a poor job due to poor work conditions.

Don't believe me?  Put a clear cap on the body, set up a high speed camera and run the process.   

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Canon 6D Wireless Connection Problems to iPhone Solved

« on: March 01, 2013, 09:22:04 AM »

Apple has had a myriad of problems over the years with their WiFi implementations on many different devices.  Their solution (plan?) was always to just point people to the AirPort or whichever Apple Access Point was the current model.  This solution was less realistic with iPhones however because for the first time in history, Apple actually had a product with enormous market share instead of a small niche of dedicated users.  So they had to be more diligent at getting the iPhone WiFi to work in a more universally standard way and for the most part they did but I still see rare instances where (esp a new version) iPhone has trouble.  It will likely go away within a year or so when Apple finally decides to silently fix it in a software update.  Because the problem really doesn't exist until they silently fix it.

And in all reality, WiFi has always been somewhat finicky regardless of the product or the network.  Some are better than others.  I'd love to know which chipset Canon used for their WiFi.  That might explain a lot.  It's possible that Apple changed the WiFi chipset in the iPhone 5 and it doesn't play 100% nice with the Canon chipset and/or that the iPhone 5 internal driver/firmware has a bug with that WiFi chipset.  That might explain why the iPhone 4 worked fine.  My wife's iPhone 4S and my Galaxy SIII both work fine with the 6D.  My office and house WiFi and my Lenovo Intel WiFi all work with the 6D fine as well.

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Hi =) -- Need New Camera -- Need Advice

« on: March 01, 2013, 09:02:18 AM »

FWIW, since I probably can't get the 007 burglar protection on my next DSLR, I would support having an optional security lock code setting that must be entered daily (or some configurable time) similar to a cell phone.  Then have Canon and/or a 3rd party company keep good track of the serial numbers so if someone called in for repair, they could potentially be caught and the camera returned.  (Yeah I know, all of this is a pipe dream, even the lock code.)

Since I'm dreaming, I would also like some kind of product or integrated feature that would allow you to track it similar to a child tracker necklace but more integrated or at least have something that could go in the photo bag in case it gets lifted.  I have considered getting some kind of proximity alarm that sounds if the alarm device moves out of range from me and I might know which direction it went.  But that's another discussion.

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Hi =) -- Need New Camera -- Need Advice

« on: March 01, 2013, 08:46:20 AM »

There are two simple photo backup methods that I use together when I am away from my main photo PC for more than a day.

1. Use smaller CF or SD cards and swap them out often.  Minimize the potential loss from loss or failure.

2.  Use a NEXTO Backup Device.  I take this on all trips that last longer than a weekend.  I take it to summer camps and other outdoor places where I have limited access to power and the battery worked fine to not only back up my 1000's of RAW images but all the other participants' images.  I have tried several devices like this and this device is foolproof, fast and convenient.  The battery lasts a long time, it transfers images off the card faster than anything else I've used and most important - it works every time.  No complicated menus, reboots or failures.  It's does its primary job to perfection and doesn't try to be anything else that requires more software or battery life.  You can easily use whatever 2.5" hard drive or SSD you like.  (I'm probably going to upgrade mine from the 500G HD to a large SSD sometime.)

I have this one (w USB + eSATA):  http://www.nextodi.co.kr/en/product/eXtreme_en.html
Here is another (w USB + FW 800):  http://www.nextodiusa.com/photo2.html
Read the reviews: http://tinyurl.com/cncne8v    http://tinyurl.com/d7snuz4

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Hi =) -- Need New Camera -- Need Advice

« on: February 28, 2013, 05:30:11 PM »

Ignore the poor 6D reveiws.  Read the good reviews.  I have both the 5D3 and the 6D.  You owe it to yourself to at least rent the 6D and try it.  I love mine.  It will do you fine, you probably don't need the 5D3 unless you plan to do fast sports stuff.  Good luck with your quest.

Sorry for your loss.  Take steps to prevent the next loss by keeping the next camera less noticeable and tethered with a Black Rapid type strap.  Use a non-photo backpack with some low profile lens cases, etc inside so as not to advertise lots of photo equipment.  Change memory cards every day.  Travel with a body guard that can beat the cr*p out of them next time and hand your camera back to you.   Or - have Q from MI-6 install the 007 famous "burglar protected" system in the next camera!   

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