Messages

6181

Lenses / Re: 24mm 1.4L ii vs 35mm 1.4L vs 50mm 1.2L

« on: January 10, 2012, 01:25:47 PM »

...it does very well on an APS-C sensor, it's like having an 80mm 1.2 with the minimum focusing distance of a 50L

Well, it's more like an 80mm f/1.9 on APS-C...

6182

Lenses / Re: 14 mm EF II - Filter ideas anyone ??

« on: January 10, 2012, 01:23:52 PM »

i think they just want you to use the gel slot in the rear.

Not going to work graduated ND filter...

6183

Lenses / Re: 14 mm EF II - Filter ideas anyone ??

« on: January 10, 2012, 12:45:05 PM »

In that case, a Wimberley Plamp with the large clamp on a tripod leg and some adhesive-backed rubber 'grippy' pieces on the small clamp to hold the filter (or a pair of Plamps, if you prefer). 

6184

Lenses / Re: 14 mm EF II - Filter ideas anyone ??

« on: January 10, 2012, 12:00:57 PM »

You can just hand-hold them in front of the lens.

6185

Canon General / Re: New lens: need filter advice

« on: January 10, 2012, 11:57:28 AM »

Only issues with "Stacking" filters is it can cause vignetting. 

I also heard the the B+W CPL MRC can introduce a bit of this as well and have been debating going to the slim for my CPL instead to negate this

Actually, that depends on the lens being used.  Some time back, I tested several lenses for the effect of stacking filters on vignetting.  Surprisingly, many lenses can tolerate a pretty thick stack of filters.  For example, the 35L at f/1.4 shows no mechanical vignetting even with 3 F-Pro filters stacked on it. On the other hand, the 16-35L II will vignette with an XS-Pro plus F-Pro, meaning a standard CPL will vignette, as will an XS-Pro with a slim CPL stacked, but the slim CPL alone will not.

Here are the lenses that I tested, and the results:

• EF 35mm f/1.4L
• EF 85mm f/1.2L II
• EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II
• EF 24-105mm f/4L IS
• EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS

6186

Lighting / Re: Trouble shooting on the 430 EXII (HELP!)

« on: January 10, 2012, 10:59:13 AM »

Yep, most common is AI Servo, the assist lamp is disabled.

6187

Lighting / Re: Trouble shooting on the 430 EXII (HELP!)

« on: January 10, 2012, 10:49:05 AM »

While 'we' are troubleshooting the 430, can someone simply walk through how to use it as AF assist on a 7D.  I've heard about it but never took the time to read how to do it. Will it send out a weak flash output or simply an invisible IR pulse?  I'd like to improve my autofocus capture rate shooting indoor sports w/o the flash going off. Thanks in advance.

Just the AF assist lamp projecting a grid, although its visible red, not invisible IR.  Don't have my 7D with me, but IIRC it's in 1st shooting menu > flash control > external flash C.Fn settings, there's one for AF assist only.

6188

PowerShot Cameras / Re: Powershot Gx? [CR1]

« on: January 10, 2012, 10:05:33 AM »

Not me, clearly. 

The big sensor definitely makes it an interesting offering!

6189

Canon General / Re: New lens: need filter advice

« on: January 10, 2012, 09:29:35 AM »

Oh, also, most L lenses "require" a filter to be screwed in to "complete the weather sealing", so something interesting to note while you're outdoors.

That's actually debatable for 'most' L lenses.  A filter is definitely required to complete the sealing of a few lenses - 3 current lenses, to be exact. Lenses with exposed internally moving focus or zoom elements have that requirement listed in the manuals - 16-35L II, 17-40L, and 50L.  A filter is definitely not required for the super telephoto lenses, since they do not take front filters, but they are weather sealed lenses.  For all of the other L series lenses, there's no 'official' statement that a filter is required to complete the sealing. However, in an email exchange with Chuck Westfall he recommended using a filter.

6190

Software & Accessories / Re: Tripod case for airplane carry-on

« on: January 10, 2012, 07:33:18 AM »

Heres a question though... Can Tripods be carry on luggage? Wouldn't it be considered a dangerous object... what with it being quite close to a stick...

TSA doesn't have a specific rule on tripods.  Personally, I've carried on a tripod or a monopod on several flights in the US with no issues, always with camera gear in the case as well.

6191

PowerShot Cameras / Re: Canon PowerShot G1 X Announced

« on: January 09, 2012, 10:52:56 PM »

Why did Canon build it this way?
"Better performance at all ISO's than 7d"

Just to clarify, that applies to JPG images and is because of Digic5.  No info on RAW performance, yet. 

Other notables pulled from the Q&A with Chuck Westfall:

• No manual control for video shooting - autoexposure only
• Contrast detect AF is 'a little faster'
• Lens performance on par with EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

Regarding the lens performance comment, I'd call the performance of the 18-135mm almost decent when stopped down to f/8 or so, but not very good wide open.  Here's a comparison of the 18-135 to the much better 15-85mm at 24mm f/4; if you set the dropdown for the 18-135mm to f/8, you'll see that at that point, it's getting closer to the 15-85mm wide open, but still noticeably worse away from the center.   Keep in mind that the G1X sensor is close to APS-C and the pixel pitch is the same as current 18 MP sensor - that's enough to expose flaws in a lens, and IMO, if this lens is similar to or even a little better than the 18-135mm, there are plenty of flaws to expose (in particular, not very sharp in the center, mushy corners, lots of vignetting, and a fair bit of CA.

6192

Software & Accessories / Re: Canon Handstrap

« on: January 09, 2012, 09:59:32 PM »

Last shots -- really good fake or just a crappy run?

I notice a few differences between the two.  First, the cut is different (the one actually on the camera has an inward curve at the lower left, the free strap is straight).  Second, the stitching is different - the one on the camera is 'coarser' and closer to the center of the folded-over portion, while the free one has finer stitching that's closer to the free edge.  Finally, the leather of the one on the camera has more obvious texture.

I got two of them from B&H about several months apart, and both are identical and match the one attached to the camera.

Unfortunately, I think it's probably a fake.  If you didn't have two of them, you'd probably never notice...  I suppose it's also possible that Canon changed the style of the strap slightly. 

6193

PowerShot Cameras / Re: Canon PowerShot G1 X Announced

« on: January 09, 2012, 04:48:11 PM »

In use, true. But body only (no battery/card), the G1X is actually 3 g heavier than the T3. 

6194

Lenses / Re: Wide Angle Lens - 16-28 F2.8 Tokina vs Canon 17-40 F4

« on: January 09, 2012, 04:33:58 PM »

Haven't used the Tokina, but photozone.de has reviewed it.  Better than the Canon 16-35 II for distortion and vignetting, slightly better center resolution but the Canon is much better in the corners until both are stopped down to f/5.6, and the Canon is much better on CA.

Canon is also weather sealed and takes filters.  I use a B+W XS-Pro UV to complete the weather sealing, a B+W Käsemann CPL sometimes (at wider focal lengths, the sky is unevenly polarized), and a Schneider Optics (B+W's parent company) 10-stop ND for long exposures, especially helpful to eliminate people from shots. 82mm filters are expensive, but at least I can share the CPL and ND with my TS-E 24mm II.

I definitely agree with the utility of f/2.8 for evening/night handheld shooting, especially with the high ISO capability of FF.  Here's an example:


EOS 5D Mark II, EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM @ 27mm, 1/25 s, f/2.8, ISO 3200

6195

Software & Accessories / Re: Canon Handstrap

« on: January 09, 2012, 04:17:17 PM »

I bought the E2 from B&H (linked above) a few months ago and love it.

Agreed. I use E1 straps on both my gripped bodies.