Messages

46

Software & Accessories / Re: using lights for first time and not sure what set up to get??

« on: August 04, 2011, 09:49:04 AM »

I just have to jump in.  The response that leGreve gave above (well, and below too) is perfect.  It's helpful, insightful, not demeaning and exactly what learners need.  I see way too much slamming people when they ask a question, do something not perfect in a picture or have an idea that doesn't match with somebody else.  Thanks leGreve for your response!

Eric

I do those kinds of shots 8 hours a day 7 days a week... You can get by with 2 lamps.
We use 2400watts to use in cooperation with daylight.

We shoot with reflectors most the time and for textiles I would even use a grid to really make the texture pop.
For the white outs we shoot 1 lamp with reflector through a large 230cm x 130cm homemade diffuser made from frost filter and a wooden frame and then soften the shot with 1 or 2 white boards.

One thing you have to remember is that the world only has one lamp... once you start messing with lighting from several directions you start bending the truth and pretty fast photos of products will look out of place or unnatural.

The environment shots I would definately shoot as daylight and then an indirect lamp whose light will support the daylight direction. For softening I would again use a white board.

The white boards we have are large styrofoam 1.5 inch thick boards. They can probably be bought from most large retailers of photographic and video equipment.

Two examples of something I did this week... Copyrighted ofcourse.

Bedroom:
Lamp at camera left bouncing on walls and window > aids the light direction and makes it a bit softer.
Whiteboard camera right > in fact a couple I think. Adjust the distance per taste.
Depending on motive: F8 - F11/16 not higher... it get tideous shooting more than one second (our Sinars with ancient PhaseOne backs are touchy about shutter speeds longer than 1 second for some reason).

White out:
Lamp through diffuser camera right pretty high up. Adjust height per taste of shadow.
White board camera left completely up against the table, just out of camera view.
High aperture unless client wants DOF... We shoot F16-22 on almost all of these.

47

Software & Accessories / Re: advice on CF brand

« on: June 08, 2011, 10:59:28 PM »

I've used SanDisk for a long time, but have noticed that their performance wasn't up to snuff on my 5D II, recently bought a Lexar 16GB 600x and have had no problems.  Check Adorama and B&H frequently as they seem to put cards on sale often.

The Lexar came with recovery software and a lifetime guarantee.  Quite happy with it after 6 months or so.

48

Software & Accessories / Re: Mac software to backup one external hard drive to second externaln hard drive

« on: June 07, 2011, 09:28:27 PM »

Carbon Copy Cloner can do what you are looking for.  Even copies bootable drives

49

EOS Bodies / Re: Which companion camera do you have or recommend?

« on: June 02, 2011, 05:54:49 PM »

I got a Canon G11 about 18 months ago to use as a travel camera.  I've been very happy with it, and it's built solid.  What got me to choose this is that John Fielder, a well known Colorado nature photographer, shot a lot of his recent book with a G9.

Recently, I purchased a G12 for my father.  He had a heart attack late last year and didn't feel up to lugging around his 5DII anymore.  He's very happy with the G12, especially the macro capability.

Go to a good camera store and try some out.  I'm convinced that we are living in the golden age of cameras.  The IQ and capabilities are getting better and better and at a reasonable price.  Remember, the only bad pictures are the ones you aren't going to take if you didn't bring your camera with you.  So, find something that has the quality and features and size you are looking for and shoot all you can.

50

Canon General / Re: Ultrafast wide angles

« on: April 16, 2011, 10:04:49 AM »

There's alway a trade off - wide apertures let in more light, but have a shallower depth of field.  However, that trade off is actually minimized with wide angle lenses, which have a deeper DoF reesulting from the short focal length.  At 16mm f/2.8 focused at 10 feet, everything from 5 feet to infinity is within the DoF, and you get twice the light of f/4. 

Also, a fast wide angle lens with a close subject can still deliver shallow DoF at that wide angle, for an interesting perspective.  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


Outstanding photo, explanation and response!

For me, choosing the 16-35mm f/2.8 over the 17-40mm f/4 was about flexibility - the ability to shoot in low light when needed.  A lens can always be stopped down, right?

51

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D3, 1D5 and 1Ds4 Timeline [CR1]

« on: March 29, 2011, 04:14:15 PM »

Chewy,

I'd recommend you look at bootcamp or perhaps VMWare's fusion.  I bootcamped my Macbook Pro and the response under windows 7 is impressive.  You have to give up some disk space, but I now keep photos on a small portable USB drive.

What I'd like rather than more pixels in the 5DIII is greater dynamic range and less noise at higher ISO.  I have friends who shoot Nikon and have less noise than the Canon.  I'd also like to have a better AF like the Nikon has.  Donning my fireproof suit now!  LOL

52

EOS Bodies / Re: 1Ds3 Changes on Canon USA Website

« on: January 16, 2011, 07:49:40 AM »

With 28 MP or more, it's clear that it's going to require a new processing chip to clear the sensor quickly enough to support any reasonable rate, i.e. 5 in the 5D III and higher 8 or 9 in a FF sports shooter.  Any word on the DigicV yet?

53

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III [CR1]

« on: December 26, 2010, 02:54:02 PM »

Sales of the 5D MK II far exceeded their forecasts

What is your basis for saying that?

Looks like it's time to start saving some $$ for a new body and some of those hoodman 675x CF cards if we are going to be getting sustained 104mb/sec.