Messages

1

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III with Continuous RAW Video Recording

« on: May 13, 2013, 05:30:53 PM »

I keep seeing occasional posts about how Canon should put these guys on the payroll.

Frankly, at the rate they're going in the direction of high bitrate recording, the company who should seriously consider subsidizing ML is LEXAR

 

2

EOS Bodies / Re: A New Cinema EOS DSLR Body in 2013? [CR1]

« on: December 28, 2012, 05:47:57 PM »

I hope it's a 7D-C, with 12bit raw, priced to compete directly with the BMC Camera.

Yes.  12bit raw would have me drooling.  Although I'd personally prefer full frame or APS-H, and perhaps 2.5K instead of 1080p

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EOS Bodies / Re: A New Cinema EOS DSLR Body in 2013? [CR1]

« on: December 27, 2012, 06:58:00 PM »

To be frank, any "cinema" body that doesn't shoot 4k or above should be DOA as of now.  The new 4k delivery specs specifically stipulate no upresing, so if you shoot cinema below 4k, you can never deliver at 4k, which would be horribly stupid on a big-budget enterprise (i.e. one that would use "cinema" cameras and not just dSLRs).

When a $300 gopro can shoot 4k, there's no longer an excuse for a cinema camera not to.

The GoPro is a jittery 15fps at 4K (or something like that).  No 4K also has me scratching my head a bit on this one.  Why bother?  2.5K RAW video and a pricetag to match or beat the BMCC, and it could find a fanbase.  More 1080p low bitrate, and yeah, what's the point...

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EOS Bodies / Re: Canon Cannot Keep Screwing It's Customers Over

« on: December 21, 2012, 05:01:19 PM »

What a stupid thread.

Don't buy any new tech.  Ever.  Problem solved.  Welcome to earth

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Pricewatch Deals / Re: Canon EOS-1D C Available for Preorder from B&H Photo

« on: December 03, 2012, 03:51:03 PM »

The specs-nerd in me would be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed at 8bit and no RAW.  For a camera this pricey, that's a let down.  FS700-style framerates would also be in line with the price tag.

...but the hybrid shooter in me who already wants a 1DX - I spend about half my time shooting stills, and half my time doing video - would be lying if I said I didn't want it anyway.

6

Animal Kingdom / Re: Zoo Pics

« on: November 29, 2012, 04:18:35 PM »

Earn?

Going to the zoo is probably the only way many people will ever be able to afford to photograph oh... an African elephant. Ponying up 5 figures to fly to Africa doesn't make a picture of one more legitimate. It's just a wallet test.

Often times wildlife photography is luck. Right place, right time. By happenstance, I was able to take this photo of a mother grizzly rear up to check out a loud sound. My plans that day were go from lake yellowstone to lamar valley. The road through dunraven peak was closed due to ice, so I had to go counterclockwise around the park rather than take the direct route north. Had the road been open, I'd never have seen this. I didn't earn the opportunity.

You seem to be ignoring my distinction between "zoo pics" and zoo pics that are being referred to as "wildlife photography".   I have no issue with people taking pics at the zoo.  Shoot away.  It's great practice

In fact, I don't disagree with anything you just said, aside from "Ponying up 5 figures to fly to Africa doesn't make a picture of one more legitimate."  Sorry, but if the photographer is referring to their pic of an elephant as "wildlife photography", as I stated in my post, yes, it does. 

Also I don't agree at all, that you "didn't earn" that bear shot.  GREAT shot, by the way.  Sure you earned it.  And that IS "wildlife" photography.  I simply think people should be honest with others (and themselves), and acknowledge that what they're doing is very different from what you did, or what true wildlife photographers do.

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Animal Kingdom / Re: Zoo Pics

« on: November 29, 2012, 11:51:38 AM »

Nice pics!  Somehow, I'd like to see all these creatures in the wild.  I'd like taking pictures of animals inside the zoo but something in me becomes sad when I see them caged.  Hopefully I'll be able to save money to go to a real safari someday.

I'm with you.  Something irks me about "zoo shots".  Especially when people refer to them as "wildlife photography".  Seriously?  That's like waiting in line at a book signing, then telling people that you know the author.  Like buying a lapdance then saying you hit second base with a model.  I suppose it's an OK way to practice, but that "wildlife" has been put on display, you didn't track it, you didn't "earn it".  It's just a gear test.

Early in my photography I used to take zooms with me to the zoo.  Now, anytime I go with the family to the zoo, I leave all my telephoto at home, and bring a wide prime, because shots of my kids looking at the animals is all I'll be interested in looking at later.

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EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 5D Mark III Blinking Red AF Point Information

« on: November 15, 2012, 01:26:30 PM »

I'd rather have metering linked to AF point, than a red blinking one anyway.

And I shoot most frequently in very dark circumstances, usually in AI Servo... I've just gotten used to it.  If I don't know where the AF point is, I just move it back and forth (which lights it up a bit).  Thumb is always on the joystick anyway.

The metering at the center, regardless of AF point is what really kills me

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Pricewatch Deals / Re: The 5D Mark II & 5D Mark III Get Cheaper

« on: October 29, 2012, 10:24:22 AM »

So, buying cameras as an investment... how is that working out for all of those that bought the 5D3 already?

-1......NEVER. Buy it as  a tool, not investment.

You obviously don't read a lot of posts on here... people regularly buy cameras and lenses as an investment.

So much dumb finger wagging going on in this thread.  Lenses do hold their value shockingly well, as long as you don't drop em, but anyone who looks at a camera body as an investment doesn't understand the used market.  The body is close to disposable it'll depreciate so fast.  And frankly anyone who bought at release and is angry now... that's the price you pay.  I bought at release fully knowing it'd drop within the first year.  I'm betting we all did.  heh  (if not... uh, welcome to earth)

It is a tool.  My tool paid for itself LONG ago, and I wouldn't change a thing.  I'm pretty happy they've come down because I've been itching to pick up another 5D3. I can hardly stand my 5D2's AF system anymore.

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EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: would this work for video recording on the 5D III

« on: October 25, 2012, 04:10:25 PM »

They're very different units.  One can double as a field monitor and is capable of recording to SSD or (much cheaper) laptop hard drives.  The other is cheaper, but requires a separate monitor and requires SSD drives.

Good comparison here (not a review, just a comparison) http://www.sharbor.com/products-xtra/2244.html

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EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: First Canon EOS C100 Short Hits the Web

« on: October 02, 2012, 04:06:06 PM »

Not sure how this thread has turned into a comparison discussion with the BMC, but...

If we're talking out-of-the-box, apples-to-apples issues here, the sensor size / crop factor is a big one for me. 

I like the occasional wide (or even an ultra-wide) shot in my projects.  I use the 24L on my 5D3 quite often - especially flying steadicam.  The 2.4 crop factor on the BMC's tiny sensor would mean that none of the lenses I currently own would accomplish shots like that.  Even my 14mm would become a more standard wide 33mm.    So a new UWA lens would have to be added to the list of accessories needed to make it workable.  Whereas the 14mm on the C100's 1.5 crop would be ~21mm, more akin to what I'd typically shoot at 24mm on the 5D3.

Now, if you do a lot of wildlife or sports vids - that 2.4 crop might actually be a benefit.  heh

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EOS Bodies / Re: More Big Megapixel Talk [CR1]

« on: September 25, 2012, 04:36:10 PM »

OK, with specific talk on DR, the drooling and daydreaming has already begun.

Very interested to hear some info on price speculation

All of this info points to it being expensive as hell. I'm guessing $6K minimum.

Agreed... if this tops D800 in DR, Canon could have a wallop of a price tag in store.  If it just matches D800, Canon will still probably charge more, but perhaps not quite as much

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EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Who upgraded from 5d mk2 to mk3 ?

« on: September 25, 2012, 02:22:52 PM »

I did as well.  Held on to the 5D2, but have become so fond of the 5D3's AF that I can barely stand to use the 5D2 anymore.  Usually carry it as a second body and every time I pick it up there's a voice in my head that says "GAHHH!!!! where are all my AF points?!?!"

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Lenses / Re: Vintage Lenses: Any Advise?

« on: September 24, 2012, 12:56:59 PM »

I adore my Minolta Rokkor PG 58mm f/1.2

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EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Canon 1DC is IDENTICAL to 1DX other than firmware

« on: September 21, 2012, 02:16:48 PM »

Feeling enraged over something like this is understandable.

Feeling surprised, on the other hand.... welcome to the world.

Call a local bakery (like a private bakery type place, not a grocery store) and ask for a quote for a birthday cake to feed a party of 50.  Now hang up and call them back a half hour later, and ask for a quote for a wedding cake to feed a party of 50.