Messages

601

Software & Accessories / Re: Capture One 25% off

« on: April 17, 2012, 01:22:02 PM »

I have no idea the advantage of a program like this especially when LR is $150 now.

IMO, color management, color tools, extremely fast workflow to start with. Definitely worth the demo to see for yourself. No 5D3 support yet but should be soon.

Ok then maybe i should ask a diff question, What does it have that makes it a better product than LR4? Also, Software always gets rebated before a new version comes out. Why get this version especially since it doesnt suport the 5dm3? I did know they didn't support this and have investigated this software but never loaded a free trial. It takes time to learn a new system.

602

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Why do 5Diii JPEG File Sizes Decrease So much Between ISO 500 & 640

« on: April 16, 2012, 09:58:00 PM »

Consider shooting without NR, if your images need help do that in post but most will say they look great w/o NR. I tell the people who shoot for me to turn it off because it makes skin muddy and plasticy, more soon the Nikon cameras to be honest, but I have seen the 5dm3 NR and it looks pretty good, still its better to leave that detail control in your hands.
Your file size increases as you go higher in iso. I have no idea why this is but it just is and i am ok with that. Your lower file size is nothing to be concerned about. 

603

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: What is "highlight tone priority" good for anyway?

« on: April 16, 2012, 09:51:32 PM »

I recommend just using your histogram and another level past that the color histogram. This will ensure even your colors aren't clipped.

604

Software & Accessories / Re: Capture One 25% off

« on: April 16, 2012, 09:35:23 PM »

Both the Pro and Express are discounted - $224.25 and $74.25 respectively. License works for Mac's or PC's

http://www.mupromo.com/deal/1828/capture-one-pro  Expires on 4/22

http://www.phaseone.com/en/Image-Software/Capture-One/Pricing.aspx

I hear good things about this program yet few people that i have ever met who use it. I have read Jeff Ascough or someone say its a little weird to get used to using it but he does. All that said he also has aperture and LR. I have no idea the advantage of a program like this especially when LR is $150 now.

605

Software & Accessories / Re: Polarizing filter in wedding photography

« on: April 16, 2012, 09:32:12 PM »

Always always use the lens hoods, never never put shoddy glass on top of top of the line L glass. Lens hoods protect and cut sun flare. If you need a polarizer to make colors pop on a bright day, you are by water or shooting into the sun, i recommend buying the best Circ polarizer you can get.
I use
B+W  77mm Kaesemann XS-Pro Circular Polarizer MRC Nano Filter
https://secure.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?Ntt=BWKCPXSP77&N=0&InitialSearch=yes
you can even see my review.
I have 2 at 77mm one at 72. The 77's are primarily for shooting sports with the 70-200 and 24-70. The 72 i bought for my 50mm when i went hiking in montana shooting nature in the mountains when i went on a 3 day hike.
I don't have any filters on my lenses unless I have a specific need for a polarizer, which is rare. I am usually pressed for time with wedding groups so i don't take much time farting around with that sorta thing.

606

Software & Accessories / Re: Issues with Black Rapid?

« on: April 16, 2012, 09:10:01 PM »

I own a couple black rapids and have tried several other strap brands. I can honestly say they all suck IMO. I got a SpiderPro Dual Camera System and it holds my canons like they are pistols on my side, a time tested way to haul gear w/o making your shoulders, chest and back sweat like mad on a hot day because you have straps on. I used to practically choke myself when i leaned forward at times, no more problems there anymore either.
If you want to check it out its here:
http://www.spiderholster.com/

No i wasn't paid to tell you this, and no this wasn't a commercial. 

607

Software & Accessories / Re: New DPP Next Week

« on: April 16, 2012, 09:03:28 PM »

New DPP is on Canon, Canada's site now.

http://www.canon.ca/inetCA/serviceDetail?m=load&id=45&sid=7&mid=2200924&type=D&opt=1

Thanks for the Tip!

608

Software & Accessories / Re: New FW 800 CF Reader Available

« on: April 16, 2012, 08:46:03 PM »

Great Find! My Sandisk FW reader stopped working on snow leopard, or just stopped working...I contacted Sandisk and they sent me a new and updated one. Looks the same. Works great! Its nice to know if i need more readers i can still get them. They were smart to make this, cuz i wouldn't buy any other type myself, they transport images faster than anything I can get for my mac w/o installing HW on my mac pro.

609

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mk III vs D800/E, is the 5D3 better at anything?

« on: April 15, 2012, 09:58:05 PM »

I shot a car race recently, and afterwards, the client wanted to downloaded jpegs straight onto his laptop. I know only amateurs and soccer moms shoot jpeg, but the ability to hand over high quality jpegs on a whim, when you don't have to opportunity to touch raw files up in post, is a huge benefit at times. To me, the out-of-camera Nikon files look like ass. That would bother me a heck of a lot more than, and take up more of my time to fix in post, than the 5DIII's disadvantage in DR.   

The strange thing is that most Pros I know switch to Jpeg once they are shooting events where they are taking large amounts of pictures and not doing dedicated (set up) work like fashion or product photography (when they usually would not use any equipment currently offered by Nikon or Canon ... MF anyone ?), as they also don't have the time to work with hundreds of raws ...

On a side note imagine the following not completely unimaginable scenario: Doing a one to two week photography trip where you would take 5 to 10k pictures ... do you still like 80MB raws afterwards with you limited processing power of a consumer notebook/mac ? I really don't think so and that is for what I need and want my camera to function perfectly ...       

When i shoot sports its always small jpegs. Ya need the buffer and ya don't need a tons of info. Even at 1- 1.5 mg our lab uses fractals and creates nice poster sized images. Our prints really do look excellent. For weddings, i don't worry about buffer or file sizes.
I am tempted to shoot both and use jpegs unless i need help with some files. Like the guy said in the video when he is done with editing the raws they pretty much look like jpegs anyway. The 5dm3 jpegs i am getting havent needed post processing which is pretty dang phenomenal but then i havent shot in a 3 diff light source poorly lit stadium either.

610

EOS Bodies / Re: Letter to Mr Rockwell in regards to his 5Dmkiii review

« on: April 15, 2012, 08:02:01 PM »

I wasn't going to post anything more because Frankly i don't care one way or the other about Ken Rockwell. Love the saturated version of KR as he would shoot it. Also really enjoyed the "Ishoot Raw" guy and the shooting target being KR with "I shoot Jpeg" on the front.

V8 and others using the Dos Equis guy quotes! My fav commercials!
"Stay sharp and saturated my friends" was an original concept by KR but later removed during filming the commercial. They found the Protege more suited to fit the "most interesting man in the world" category since he owned a puma.

611

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: What is "highlight tone priority" good for anyway?

« on: April 15, 2012, 03:24:43 PM »

Basically, I don't need it but I have had some crazy backlit wedding portraits that killed some of the hair detail but rim light is something to enhance an image and giving up some detail is part of that equation. I havent had too many wedding dresses loose detail without HTP being on but that said there are a few but only in crazy light. I may have a few photos that would have benefitted from it but thats not enough to justify having it on for me.
If i did use it It would be in a case where there weren't a ton a shadowy areas to begin with then i wouldn't be giving up any detail info in the darker areas. I think snow-lit scenes and beach scenes may benefit the most. Does anyone else have thoughts on where they would use it?

612

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: What is "highlight tone priority" good for anyway?

« on: April 15, 2012, 02:56:46 PM »

I recommend doing the research in Google. If you need more look it up.

I already knew and wrote what htp does, I've taken tenth of thousands of pictures with it. And I'm perfectly able to type something into google, but as you may or may not have discovered that not everything an internet search returns is very reliable. So I guessed it'd do no harm asking here if anyone has separated the usual user theories from the real information, no need for anybody to reply...

That being said, thanks for the links. But my question still is: If it's just an in-camera tone curve, why does it raise the iso value? Is it really 100% something that can be done in postprocessing?

Apologies for possibly offending you there brother. Perhaps I could have written that better.
Here is Chuck Westfalls info on some Canon Tech.
http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0902/tech-tips.html
"Highlight Tone Priority (HTP) is available with all current EOS models excluding the Rebel XS/1000D. HTP has no effect on the actual dynamic range of the image sensor. It's just an alternative method of image processing that preserves more highlight detail than Canon's standard processing, without significantly altering midtones or shadows. The effect of HTP is enhanced by Canon's 14-bit A/D converter, which provides finer tonal gradations than the previous 12-bit system. HTP is a Custom Function with a simple on/off setting, and the available range of ISO speed settings is slightly limited when it is on. Take a look at the following Web page for some sample images that show the capabilities of Highlight Tone Priority:
HTP affects RAW data as well as in-camera JPEGs. It is very useful in high-key shooting conditions such as wedding photography and certain kinds of sunsets. ALO can be combined with HTP with cameras that have both features."

613

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 5D Mark III Product Advisory

« on: April 15, 2012, 02:28:36 PM »

I've been busy using my camera and didn't know it had a problem until I read it here. The product advisory has given people an opportunity to be mad about many things. A lot of people online are really mad about stuff.
Some believe Canon rushed the new camera, others are pissed they had to wait so long.  Others want a bunch of new features as long as the price stays low.  And why isn't it just like the new Nikon ? Some say they will never purchase Canon cameras again but visit this website every day. 

I want to start using perfect cameras, can someone suggest a model or brand ?

For years I've driven Honda sedans. Great cars. Recently I received a recall notice for an airbag problem. I brought it to the dealer and they corrected it quickly at no charge.  I appreciate the safety notification and the quick, friendly service, but I'm considering being mad. I spent a lot of money for that car and it should be perfect like a Toyota.

Canon may come up with a reasonable solution to this issue, and I may never hear of anyone having a serious problem with the camera, but I just might become mad anyway.  If I send my camera in once in a while to be cleaned or for a new shutter I'll get by, but if there's any kind of recall, I'm switching to Nikon !

I'm taking this as being a joke right?

614

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: What is "highlight tone priority" good for anyway?

« on: April 15, 2012, 11:47:10 AM »

I don't know if this is implemented in more expensive bodies than my 60d - but htp doubles the iso and applies a non-linear curve so that highlights get more resolution while the shadows are compressed. In good light, I used to use it all the time at the beginning ("why not?"), but then discovered that the darks get so little resolution that raising them in postprocessing introduces noise or banding.

Nowadays, I'm using it on shots that have very bright highlights that I don't want to blow - like an animal's fur with the sun behind it or white flowers when shooting a macro of an insect on them. I've read some about htp elsewhere, but I have to admit the only people with a clue seem to be around here... thus the questions:

* Why does htp raise the iso value - does htp increase dynamic range (it doesn't exchange the sensor behind your back...)? Or is it just a convenience that saves you heavy underexposing and thus you are able to see the result on the camera screen and not only later after postprocessing?

* Do you use htp at all? If yes, what for?

I'm wondering because htp is the only camera gimmick that is applied to raw, too - so it might be something to it after all...

I recommend doing the research in Google. If you need more look it up. To sum it up, you lose info in shadow details and lose the use of iso's lower than 200. You gain more info in highlight detail with the setting on. The info is embedded in raw and jpg. This is something you can do in post if needed. Essentially Chuck Westfall from Canon says it is a Curve applied in camera rather than in photoshop. I have tried using it but don't like adding limitations to my camera and i do my best to get proper exposures when i shoot. All that said it does work and makes me consider the idea of using it if my output on a super sunny day could use some help.
http://www.imaging-resource.com/PRODS/E1DMK3/E1DMK3EXPOSURE_HTPMODE.HTM
http://digitalprotalk.blogspot.com/2007/10/highlight-tone-priority-image-salvation.html

615

Lenses / Re: Double camera, lens choices.

« on: April 13, 2012, 03:55:50 PM »

24 II, you have the other ranges already, 35 is too close to 50. A 24 II looks like the bokeh of an 85 but wide angle.