Messages

61

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 5D Mark III focus points off center

« on: May 15, 2013, 02:36:27 PM »

Yes but it sounds like he is comparing the viewfinder square with what is displayed on the LCD screen on the back.  They are two different things not linked together...at least not on the 5D3.

The red AF point markers on the rear LCD are not tied to the point in the viewfinder...though they attempt to show you which AF point was activated during the shot, they are not calibrated to the PD sensor.

Sounds like he's comparing the selected AF point with the red marker displayed during image playback (with that function enabled).  While they're not 'calibrated' if the center AF point was used, that red marker will be dead center in the image.  If the shot was taken with a feature under the center AF point, and that feature isn't under the red box on review, there's a misalignment.

Note that it should be tested properly - on a tripod, etc., since if the camera is moved between half and full shutter button press (unintentional focus/recompose) the camera doesn't know that (unless it's a Hasselblad) and that will appear as misalignment.

I doubt that these two modes have separate AF systems with different AF point locations.

Your doubt is misplaced.  Phase detect AF (viewfinder) uses a dedicated AF sensor, whereas contrast detect AF (live view) uses the image sensor itself to determine focus (which takes much longer).

62

Lenses / Re: 50 f1.4 vs 85 f1.8.....

« on: May 15, 2013, 01:42:28 PM »

A lot of my photos are head or head & torso shots, so I could go either way, just am not sure which is a better lens as the 50 is pretty old, but people say it's still great. When comparing them on the Digital Pic website, the 85 looked to have a better result on the charts.

The 85/1.8 is better, as long as you keep specular highlights out of the pics (LoCA is bad).

63

Lenses / Re: 50 f1.4 vs 85 f1.8.....

« on: May 15, 2013, 12:39:02 PM »

I'm about to purchase a prime and am wondering which lens would be the best to get. I'm shooting with a 60d and  currently have a 15-85 ef-s and the 70-200 f4 is. I'm in a class doing portrait photography, indoors  and outdoors. thoughts as to which lens you would is on crop body? thanks

Personally, I'd pick the 85/1.8 - but that's my style, not yours. You have the 15-85 - set it to 50mm for a while, then to 85mm for a while...  See which framing you prefer, then get that lens.

64

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 5D Mark III focus points off center

« on: May 15, 2013, 11:58:46 AM »

Ok you are worrying about a problem that doesn't exist.  First off phase detect uses a separate sensor near the focus screen.  Contrast detect uses the actual sensor to perform the AF.  In live view the mirror is locked up and therefor PD sensors  are out of the picture.

They don't have to be in alignment because both are not used at the same time.

I don't think the worry was about phase vs. contrast detect. Rather, as you look through the VF at the focus screen (transmissive LCD) representation of an AF point, if that point (the whole array, really) is sufficiently misaligned with the AF sensor, that is a problem.  For example, when framing a tight portrait an AF point (the real one on the AF sensor) pretty much covers an eye - if I put the VF representation of that point on the eye, but misalignment results in the selected AF point in the AF sensor being over the ear, the thin DoF of a fast prime shot at a wide aperture means the subject's eyes are OOF, and that's a missed/throwaway shot.

65

Lenses / Re: EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x Announcement Tonight

« on: May 15, 2013, 09:34:04 AM »

Canon seems to add 1/3rd of the "base price" as an early adopter's premium, for expensive lenses that is a lot of $$$ in absolute terms while for a Rebel it's just a couple of bucks - the price will drop after the first year on the market and when sufficient quantities are stockpiled.

I think you overstate.  The MkII supertele lenses are widely available now, the 300/400 have been out over a year, and prices have dropped at most ~7%.  The 600 II is 1.5% cheaper now than when I bought it last August.

So yes, there's an early adopter premium - but the supertele lenses don't drop all that much.

66

Canon General / Re: Announcement: Canon EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x

« on: May 15, 2013, 08:56:24 AM »

Silly price, 45% more than Nikkons offerring  . If this was reasonably priced, around $7500 may have considered it, I think I'll rather save $1000+ and go with a lighter weight and longer reach 500mm, or a faster 400 2.8.

The street price will drop at least 2500 in a few months...

Yes, because that's exactly what happened with the MkII supertele primes.

Oh, wait...it didn't.    The 600 II did drop...by $200, a whopping 1.5% decrease. Woo hoo. The 300 II dropped a bit more.  If you expect this lens to drop by 20% in a few months, I hear there's big bridge for sale in New York that might interest you.

67

Reviews / Re: The Digital Picture Reviews the Tamron 24-70

« on: May 15, 2013, 08:44:17 AM »

If the 3rd party lens did not work as advertised then it would be a simple matter to return it to the place that you bought it from.

Sure. Check the TDP review ... that's exactly what Bryan did, THRICE ...

Not quite.  He bought a copy retail (as usual), it was bad, and he exchanged it for a second retail copy, which was decentered.  He sent that copy in for service, it came back worse than it went in (how's that for quality service?).  He sent it back a second time, and the 'repaired' lens had a new serial number.  Anyone want to bet that Tamron didn't hand pick and pre-test that replacement lens? 

68

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 5D Mark III Live View v Viewfinder Sharpness

« on: May 15, 2013, 07:55:55 AM »

Sounds like you need to do an autofocus microadjustment (AFMA).

Info here: http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Photography-Tips/AF-Microadjustment-Tips.aspx

I'd recommend buying Reikan FoCal.

69

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 5D Mark III focus points off center

« on: May 15, 2013, 07:42:36 AM »

Update - tired again with the 50 1.4 and focus on some keys on my MacBook Pro. Focusing at the closest distance on the ?/ key i focused is from the right at a low angle around 30degrees and nailed the focus on the ? and when reviewing its deffo in focus on the ? although the red af point shows it moved slightly down to the / symbol.
So from what I can see it seems the view finder AF point is accurate and when reviewing the images with AF point displayed its slightly off on one of the bodies which I guess isn't a real issue if the images are focusing ok.
Thoughts?

Not so sure this is a valid 'test'...   The actual AF point (on the AF sensor) is larger than the little box that represents it in the VF. The AF system doesn't know a ? from a /, nor does it know which you want to focus on - if both are under the AF point (even if a little outside that box), it'll lock onto the highest contrast feature at the right orientation.  I even have a suspicion (anecdotal) that if there are two similar high-contrast features at opposite sides of the (real) AF point and at different distances, the system will actually switch from one to the other on successive shots.

It does seem reasonable with assembly tolerances that the VF display array may be slightly misaligned with the AF sensor.  FWIW, my 1D X is perfectly aligned.

70

Speedlites, Printers, Accessories / Re: Advice on 1st flash

« on: May 14, 2013, 08:38:34 PM »

A word of caution though, it is a "gateway drug" to Speedlite dependency. Once you get started down that path, there is very little hope of turning back and one day you will wake up and find yourself in bed with four or five 600 EX RTs.

I started with a 430EX II, an excellent flash (my initial kit was the T1i/500D, 17-55/2.8 IS, 85/1.8, and the 430. Used the 430 with my T1i/500D, then my 7D, then my 5DII.  I eventually added a second 430, then a 600EX-RT.  Then I sold the 430's, bought two more 600's and an ST-E3-RT.  Gateway drug, indeed.

Side note - get yourself a set of eneloops for the flash.

71

Software & Accessories / Re: Quick release plates: RRS v's Manfrotto

« on: May 14, 2013, 07:24:47 PM »

I have been reading CR posts about recommendations. My take so far is RRS or Gitzo legs and AS plates with ballheads from RRS, Markins, Kirk. My question is which is better for the ballhead...lever release or screw-knob clamp.

Agree - RRS or Gitzo legs, head from RRS, Markins, Kirk and I'd add Acratech and Arca Swiss to that list.

Lever or screw is really up to you - many (all the RRS ones, for example) are available with either.  A lever clamp is more convenient and faster to use, IMO.  Here's what RRS has to say:

http://reallyrightstuff.com/WebsiteInfo.aspx?fc=118

I use both - lever clamps on ballheads, screw clamps on the monopod and my Blackrapid straps.

72

Lenses / Re: Canon Tele lenses vs Nikon tele lenses ( both with converters )

« on: May 14, 2013, 07:14:05 PM »

REGARDING  TESTPICTURES I have seen he's test pictures before, http://www.the-digital-picture.com, totally out of control  and no declaration in how many meters etc to the test  target, different combos are optimized for different distance.Different super telephoto lenses are optimized for different distances

Sorry, but your just flat out wrong there. Bryan of TDP is very meticulous. He has also provided a page detailing how he does his ISO chart tests here:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Help/ISO-12233.aspx

According to his explanation, every shot of the test chart is sampled at least 10 times, often 15-20 times. The best shot out of all the samples is used to produce the samples he puts up on his site. Ten to twenty shots is more than enough to get a good reading on how well a lens performs.

True. 

Supertele lenses optimized for different distances?  If so, is that information publicized?  RE the testing distance at TDP, lenses under 460mm are tested on an Applied Image QA-77-4-P-RM chart, which meets the ISO 12233 standard and adds features as well (e.g., squares for SFR analysis).  The 3:2 region of that chart is 1200x800mm, and if you understand ISO 12233 testing, you'll know you need to fill the frame with the chart - so, tested distance can be determined by the angle of view of a given focal length. In fact, if you look at his specs and measurement tool, one of the specs is '1200x800 subject framing distance' - why that spec? It's the testing distance for the ISO 12233 shots.  Lenses longer than 460mm use a smaller chart (QA-77-3, -2 as needed), and the specs page for longer lenses provides those distances for framing the smaller QA-77 charts.  The Applied Image charts are quite nice - I have several sizes (I ran across them originally because they produce excellent standards for characterizing microscopic imaging systems, and I have several for use in the lab).

73

Lenses / Re: +18 AFMA out of the box....return?

« on: May 14, 2013, 06:25:34 PM »

I'd do one or the other. If you just bought it, I'd exchange it.

74

Lenses / Re: Who has pre-ordered or will order 200-400

« on: May 14, 2013, 05:24:53 PM »

Just when I got that 400 mm f/2.8 IS II...

Lol, and I got the 600 II.  But that meets my needs more than the 200-400, since 840mm f/5.6 is better for me than 560mm f/5.6. 

I'd still like an updated 100-400L, though, as a more portable option.

75

Software & Accessories / Re: Quick release plates: RRS v's Manfrotto

« on: May 14, 2013, 05:22:12 PM »

One word of caution, lever action clams are wonderfully quick to use and very solid in their support of your camera, I LOVE my RRS.  They are however very picky about the dimensions of your L-plate dovetail, the RRS clamp will NOT hold a Sunway Photo dovetail firmly, it does however do very nicely with the Kirk components and obviously the RRS ones.  If you have a mixture of plates, I suggest you get the screw type clams such as the Kirk (nice quick action) or RRS's own screw style.  Your mileage may (obviously) vary but you'll love these plates and clamps.

RRS used to recommend only their own, Wimberley, and recent Kirk plates for their lever clamps. However, if you look at some of their clamps on their website, there's this notation:

NOTE: Starting in 2012, the Really Right Stuff B2 LR II clamp automatically adjusts to accept all Arca-Swiss style plates except Arca-Swiss P0 Slidefix plates and plates made by Novoflex. Choose a screw-knob clamp if you have Novoflex plates.

That's for some of the clamps included with their popular heads, give them a call if it's not clear from the site - they're very helpful.