Messages

1

Lenses / Re: 400 f/2.8L IS I vs. 400 f/2.8L IS II

« on: May 19, 2013, 11:44:21 PM »

So if your in Singapore in the next month or two or three, there's a 400f/2.8 Version 2 looking for a home.

Great post, eml58. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. If you do not want to post prices etc here would you mind sending me a message with regards to the price you are looking for, condition, age etc. I am in Singapore quite a bit.

bdunbar79 - if you can afford it, and it fits within your shooting regime, then I think selling the two v1s and getting the 400 v2 sounds like an excellent plan, and it will be great to hear what you think of your new lens once you do get it. Good luck.

2

EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: ALL-I or IPB?

« on: May 19, 2013, 11:22:29 PM »

The NBC station requires me to provide them with digital masters in Pro-Res 422 1080i.

Forgive me if I have misunderstood, but I did not think it was possible to get 422 out of a 5D Mark III or a 1D X?

3

Lenses / Re: Telezoom lens (70-300L vs 70-200 vs 100-400)- Advice

« on: May 19, 2013, 07:18:17 AM »

From everything you write the 70-300L is your lens

I agree.

You should also think about what it is you may be shooting in the future, if you think you may get into sports or shoot 70-300 in poor light then that is when the 70-200 f/2.8 is ii may be best, but for now I would think the 70-300L f/4.5-5.6 IS USM is your best bet.

4

Lenses / Re: Standard Lens for Paris and London holiday.

« on: May 18, 2013, 10:21:13 PM »

keep in mind Paris is simply Lovely at night

It really is, so make sure you take a tripod as it helps with night shots, and now they are pretty small and can fit in your suitcase.

There have been a lot of trip threads recently, so just remember don't pack too much. Choose two good lenses and modify your photography accordingly.

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Lenses / Re: Canon 70 - 200 f2.8L version 2

« on: May 18, 2013, 09:43:25 PM »

Depends on what you want to do with it. I have both the 70-200 and 70-300 you mention but it is the former which gets used the most. In fact I cannot even remember using the 70-300 in recent weeks, but the 70-200 has been extremely busy.

Both are great lenses, and each has advantages and disadvantages over the other, as I say, it really depends on what you want to shoot with them.

6

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Lens for European Trip

« on: May 17, 2013, 10:59:13 PM »

I have the same question for trip to Italy and Switzerland. Was thinking I might take two lenses. I own a 24-105 but am afraid I might want more reach at times so thought of renting a 70-300 or renting that lens and borrowing a friend's 16-35. I have no personal experience with the 70-300 to help me make the decision as far as image quality, size, and weight.

The 70-300L f/4-5.6 USM IS is an excellent lens to travel with as it is light, excellent IQ and gives you excellent reach. That combined with your friend's 16-35 OR your 24-105 are probably the only two lenses you would need.

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Lenses / Re: What the 300mm f/2.8 II did for me

« on: May 17, 2013, 10:43:52 PM »

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

There was no need for a challenge, and if indeed there was one, then that's a pretty childish thing to do.

I do not think there is any doubt about just how great the 300 f/2.8 mark ii is, and as you say it works great with the mark iii TCs. I keep looking at the 300, as it is cheaper than the 400, but I know deep down that it is the 400 f/2.8 mark ii I want and need, and if I splurge on the 300 then it will be even longer before I get the 400 so am trying to resist the "cheaper" option  .

For lens reviews I love TDPs efforts, as he covers everything you could possibly want to know about lenses.

8

Reviews / Re: Review - Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II

« on: May 17, 2013, 08:38:47 AM »

It is more than a year after the the-digital-picture review for example and says less and gives less detail in more words. As for focal length, it says nothing about the performance with the 1.4x and 2xTCs, and doesn't even mention the latter. It says that one con is the weight, but it weighs far less than the 400, 500 and 600mm f/2.8 - f/4 primes and gives IQs not much worse than them with the TCs. The reviewer just doesn't realise that the high quality 300-600mm range in a relatively light package is what this lens is all about.

I have to say I somewhat agree with this. I was quite excited to see that a new review of this lens had been posted (though let's be honest we all know what the conclusion is going to be), and wow those pictures of the owls - amazing! But it was written (as he readily admits) by someone that does not really need, or use that focal length on a regular basis. This is a very expensive lens, though still much cheaper than 400 f/2.8 II, so really the amount of people who are "wondering" whether a 300 f/2.8 is what they need are going to be few and far between, as it is so specialised.

I think the reviewer would have been much better off writing about the 70-300L f/4.5-5.6 IS, because they are focal lengths where he seems to spend more of his time, and as it is much more affordable and versatile it has a much broader potential market base.

When I read it, I found this last part of the conclusion very interesting:

And while my curiosity was piqued, I think for the more specialized super-telephoto focal lengths, I should step aside and let someone else handle those reviews.

I agree wholeheartedly.

Reviews are tricky things and my favourites are tdp when it comes to lenses. I do think a lens review should only be written by someone that uses the focal length in question frequently rather than someone who is wondering about the extra reach.

I, for example, am saving for the 400 f/2.8 ii but of course have my eyes open for new reviews on the 300 (hey it's a lot cheaper) and the new 200-400 1.4x (but that is not f/2.8 so I doubt it is a realistic option).

Did I say I love the pictures of the owls! Awesome shots.

9

Lenses / Re: I have a weight limit....what would you bring?

« on: May 17, 2013, 03:37:04 AM »

Right now, I am planning to bring my 70-200 f/4 IS, my 24-104, and my 17-40.

Do you really need to fill that 40-70mm gap? 17-40L + 70-200/4L IS could be enough.

+1, I agree.

Sometimes people travel with way too much stuff. This is fine if you are being paid, or may be paid in the future through stock footage stills etc., but if you are going for a holiday then try to pack as little as possible. Believe me, you will enjoy it a lot more.

10

Lenses / Re: Andy Rouse Reviews the EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x

« on: May 14, 2013, 06:23:12 PM »

Looks like it won't take long for the "forum muppets" to appear

?

What on earth does that mean?

Read Andy's review...

Yawn...

11

Lenses / Re: Andy Rouse Reviews the EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x

« on: May 14, 2013, 06:17:14 PM »

Looks like it won't take long for the "forum muppets" to appear

?

What on earth does that mean?

12

Lenses / Re: Andy Rouse Reviews the EF 200-400 f/4L IS 1.4x

« on: May 14, 2013, 05:50:52 PM »

I hate being cynical, but he has had the lens for 6 months and no doubt would like Canon's next toy for 6 months or so too. That does not tend to happen when one is too critical, or sometimes even negative towards the toys they offer.

Still, an interesting read, and I look forward to reading more from others.

13

Software & Accessories / Re: GoPro Video and Helicopters

« on: May 11, 2013, 10:47:57 PM »

Thanks everyone, I am definitely going to be looking into this a lot more. It just seems like such a great way of getting a few seconds of unique HD video footage.

There is also a lot of fisheye with the hero that becomes distracting.

Here is a photo of helicopter I am using now...

I had not noticed the fisheye effect on the Hero until you mentioned it, but it is very clear in the DJI video that TexPhoto posted.

Using a kite is obviously the cheaper option but I do not see them as a realistic option (for me at least) as there is less control and quite likely to be more buffeting from the wind etc. Nice idea though.

Thanks.

14

Animal Kingdom / Re: Wrong Photography Ethics?

« on: May 11, 2013, 01:34:43 AM »

Interesting thread and I think the worse thing about it is the choice or words in the title. I do not see this as having anything to do with ethics (unless you try to cheat, fraud or break laws etc) and more to do with where the boundaries between art, digital art and photography lie.

I agree with those that say that as soon as you add elements (or take away elements) from a photograph then you are entering the world of make believe, and consequently art. You are creating something that did not exist, but that your mind wanted to see.

One example of this, would be the CR forum member Gary Samples who posted a picture of two eagles fighting. The one on top was pushing the other into a stream. It is an amazing picture, and I would bet money on the fact that Gary changed very, very little and most definitely did not add or subtract anything from the shot (which is in the 1D X image gallery section. I suggested at the time that he enter it into a competition as I had never seen anything like it. That is photography. If he had added a fish to the beak of one and possible added a bear in the background then it becomes digital art. Incidentally if someone were to paint that moment on canvas, I am sure it would make for an amazing painting too. That would be art.

HDR is on the very verge of this, and possibly on the verge of video too, but as it does not actually add, or subtract, elements that did not exist I still see it as photography.

I am quite possibly the worse artist in the world, and that is saying something considering some of the c**p that sells for millions. The camera allows me, and possibly many of us here to be better artists. We recognise the beauty of something, but if you give us paint, canvas and a brush, then it just is not going to come out the way we would like. I admire anyone like Banksie (is that the right spelling?) and I adore his art. I make the best of my limited talents and try to capture moments with a tool which allows me to do so, but I am a billion miles away from ever being an artist. Even digital art is absolutely amazing and requires some very special people to create what they do. Me, I just point and shoot. 

15

Software & Accessories / Re: GoPro Video and Helicopters

« on: May 10, 2013, 08:12:06 PM »

I currently use a Hero 3 on my helicopter. It's fun and works for some projects but I am wanting higher quality results. I recently purchased a Sony NEX 5n. It has an APC sensor and is less than 300 grams with a 16mm lens so it is light enough to fly.

Here is a wedding proposal I shot a few weeks ago with the GoPro and Keychain camera on my helicopter.

Thanks for sharing the video, Chris. It just goes to show what can be accomplished with such a toy.

When you say you want higher quality results, what do you feel the Sony NEX 5n offers you over the GoPro which has the advantage of being weather proof (I believe) and perhaps more shock/crash proof?

It is something I would only use for a few seconds worth of video, but it just adds something quite unique to a project.