Messages

91

Lenses / Re: Canon Announces New Lens Caps!

« on: November 07, 2012, 09:43:53 AM »

I'm still trying to wrap my head around why someone would argue against using lens caps...
Every lens i've sold has been mint, not because i didn't use the daylights out of it but because I lens capped them and always used a hood, and I don't keep filters on my lenses for protection.

92

Lenses / Re: Canon 24-70 II Or Primes Particularly 50MM 1.2L

« on: November 06, 2012, 02:48:59 PM »

Until this year when i got the 24L The 24-70 was a workhorse! I bought the 24LII because when going thru my images 24 and 70 were my most used focal lengths on the 24-70L F2.8 and the 1DM3 with a 24-70 was bangin out an average of 1300 images per wedding. Now If i was only FF i'd be using the 35mm most as the focal length on a 1dm3 is around 31mm. On occasion putting the 24 on the 5dm3 is necessary but not often. I also went with 24 rather than 35 because in the long run having wider is better than pressing against walls as far as you can to make things fit at 35mm focal lengths. When you need it its there. The 24L is so dreamy, I really like it. It is now taking 1/3 of all my wedding images.
For you selling it and spending $1000- $1300 just to get a good zoom seems like it doesn't add up. Plus, you will not be able to go below F2.8 with the 24-70. When its dark it can be a light saver, and a life saver lol.

93

Lenses / Re: Canon Announces New Lens Caps!

« on: November 06, 2012, 02:31:23 PM »

I got more than a few chuckles out of the silly banter about the caps lol. Hopefully its not true but people are upset because they don't look cool? Do your lenses sit out on display because the current lens caps are so beautifully minimalist? I personally never think about that. I have in a pinch bought an off market lens cap and it is cheap and ugly but i didn't care. What i did care about was that its clamping mechanism didn't stay locked on the lens so I don't want to use it now but its a backup. The thing that excites me is that I always use a lens hood when shooting no matter what. I'm not a fan of lens filters covering my L glass and the hood offers protection as well as lens flare protection. That said a lens cap I can take off without tapping into my plastic man capabilities thereby shrinking and flattening my fingers to add or remove a lens cap will be an amazing convenience.
I do like the idea of not removing the lens cap and its a clear shoot thru cap. 

94

Lenses / Re: Hold out for EF 35/2 IS or jump in with classic 35 1.4L

« on: November 06, 2012, 02:10:15 PM »

Uh oh, I read up first thing this morning and got cross modginated. I apologize for my lack of truth on the gasket that was the 24-70 F4L. So sorry. I'm an idiot.

95

Lenses / Re: Next lens, round 2

« on: November 06, 2012, 01:56:13 PM »

I'd do it this way, 24-70 on 5dm3. 50 or 85 on the t4i camera since a 50 is close to optimum portrait length on a 1.6 crop body. You want a lens that will cover you in most situations with a body that you want to use the most. The 17-55 is a great lens but you will use it more than anything else in a wedding situation and that means your 5dm3 gets lonely. I would prioritize my use of lenses and shooting around the best camera, the 24-70 fits that slot best. Besides if you do want to shoot some portraits you can throw it on the t4i and not miss anything while using your other longer focal lengths when doing portraits. I would personally unload anything non-FF in your lens lineup but thats how i do it.
The 24-100 i have no experience with but I just prefer every lens to be F2.8 or larger aperture. The 35L can be your normal lens on the t4i when you want low light stuff.
During the ceremony a 70-200 is indispensable and having IS also is, some churches are black holes. You want closer up shots of the rings being put on and the pouring of sand or candle lighting, if you need to close the distance up even more the t4i will give you even more reach. The 70-200 is also best used during toasts as it can be difficult to be close to the bride and groom without standing in front of someone often times so the 70-200 allows you to be at a distance which is handy.
Always, always no matter what have a second body especially if someone is paying you to cover an event like a wedding. I have had a camera shutter go down mid wedding and had to shoot with the 5d and 24-70 and although it was not my ideal it worked very well considering the situation. Also having two cameras with different lens ranges is important because you don't have time to be farting around with lens changes all the time and a 24-70 will solve that problem. When you first get into weddings i recommend using good zoom lenses until you become proficient and don't feel forced when using primes. I am actually pretty comfortable going to using 2 prime lenses one on each body for weddings this year. I was using the 24L on 1dm3 and 5DM3 with 50L and now am using 1DM3 with 24L and 85LII on the 5DM3. I didn't even pull out the 70-200 at all but then i didn't need to because i could get close enough to the couple without being in anyones way or distracting too much.
Rehash
Use a most used lens on a most used body and switch things out with the "other camera".

96

Lenses / Re: New 50 Finally on the Way? [CR1]

« on: November 06, 2012, 01:24:35 PM »

You don't need to even be super smart or have a crystal ball, the next mid range 50 will have IS. Every one of their mid range lenses will have is so your next step is Cinema lenses one day if you get serious about it. It seems like they are trying to price non-L primes just under $1000 and above $500. I also believe they are updating the prime lenses with the L versions coming later, kinda a marketing move actually. I see the logic in it anyways. I am curious what they would do if they designed a new 50L as its pretty amazing as it is. None of their L primes are really left wanting other than adding some gasketing to some.
A trend i am really pleased about is their design efforts with aperture blades, they are finally making them circular as a standard even on the cheaper ones. I believe all the ones they released this year are circular if i am not mistaken. I imagine all new L primes will be 9 bladed circular aperture blades.

97

Lenses / Re: About to buy the 135L, and then saw this....

« on: November 06, 2012, 01:08:11 PM »

I really don't like DXO. I really DO like personal reviews and their images, this tells me more about a lens. Personally I have owned the 135L and there is no flaw, F2 is dead sharp, accuracy results in never a missed shot. You can shoot at F2 and never worry. I only like it on FF personally unless its for sports. The thing is I had the 70-200 too and I was carrying all this equipment and for what? I never or at least can't recall a single shot that didnt look spectacular. The weight is so much nicer than 70-200 and the build is very solid. The glass looks just like my 85L II thick and heavy, not the lens but the glass. You kinda need to expect to be doing head shots and the like more than anything so if you don't shoot stuff like that you might not like the focal length. I recommend getting a plug in for LR4 and having it tell you what focal lengths you use most.
I use this plug in, it tells me focal lengths used. It took a while to read everything but i had it go thru all my wedding photos to determine what lenses i'd like ot limit myself to using given how i used the lenses i have owned.
http://regex.info/blog/lightroom-goodies/data-plot
He does ask for a donation and its totally worth it!

98

Lenses / Re: Hold out for EF 35/2 IS or jump in with classic 35 1.4L

« on: November 06, 2012, 12:16:45 PM »

The price is not super far off from the L however given the other new lenses they have released it probably is sharp at F2. For those merging or adding video to their work its going to be real good for that and the is may be handy for low light since its the hybrid is. The new 35 F1.4 LII that comes out, god knows when, will probably be $1800. The optics are probably designed for the future hi resolution cameras that come out in the next 5 years at least that would make sense. I personally will probably get this lens for shooting finish line shots for sports given that i sold my 24-70 and liked the 35mm focal length for that. However, I want to see reviews and learn more before dropping the cash. The compromise would also be that i would need to use a rain sleeve for my equipment shooting events in bad weather which I havent had to do with my 1dm3 and 24-70 or 70-200, still it is just smart to protect it.
new the 35L is $1,329.00
new the 35F2 is $849.00
If $500 is a lot to you then the F2 is it. Personally I'd get the F2 and if you needed more power or weather proofing built in due to using it in bad weather conditions then the L is it but then I doubt it offers much more than the F2 until or unless they get a F1.2 35mm on the books in which case bam! that would be a must buy but also be $2500 if it did see the light of day.

99

Lenses / Re: Canon Announces New Lens Caps!

« on: November 05, 2012, 11:41:29 PM »

OMG they finally got smart and did it right!

100

Lenses / Re: 85mm 1.2L II on Haute Dogs

« on: November 05, 2012, 11:39:17 PM »

He did offer a link to his full res gallery if you are critiquing and asking then go look. I for one just smiled viewing these.

101

Lenses / Re: 40 2.8 with extension tubes

« on: November 05, 2012, 11:37:17 PM »

Neuro, you rock! Thanks for taking the time to show me your outcome, I am very thankful. This just may be the perfect way for me to do macro shots of rings and if i want a little more in the image i could use the 12mm. This lens may get more use than for my macro stuff from the work i have seen in galleries on the web.

102

Lenses / Re: 40 2.8 with extension tubes

« on: November 05, 2012, 10:51:18 PM »

I ordered one but I am researching it being used with tubes, kinda hard to find but i found a couple links. It looks like it just might be perfect. I sold ,y 24-70 2.8 and my 5d among others to get the 85L II and it did nicely at this weekends wedding. Anyway that said i am saying i gave up the 24-70 lens and shot the entire wedding with 2 primes and it was very good. First wedding i havent pulled the 70-200 out. If the 35F2 focusses fast i may get that for sports finish line shots but we'll see.
here is one link
http://www.andrewsgibson.com/blog/2012/08/up-close-with-canons-40mm-pancake-lens/

103

Lenses / Re: 40 2.8 with extension tubes

« on: November 05, 2012, 10:00:35 PM »

I would like to know how the 40 w extension tubes went. I have the 25 and 12mm canon tubes and i am considering the shorty 40 with tube for ring macros at weddings. Anyone else play around with this? I would like some non-cropped images posted if possible. I really want to see whats possible. It was tricky using the 25mm on the 85L this weekend, forget the 12mm, you can't get close enough. I used to use the 12 with my 50L for great ring shots but i sold the 50L.
Please oh please someone bring somethin to the table.

104

Lenses / Re: Portrait Lens

« on: November 02, 2012, 04:23:24 PM »

...portraits at a wide aperture you might find yourself hooked by what you can achieve that way (and not just on people - flowers, pets, buildings etc. can all benefit) and wish the 24-105 were faster than f/4 (I seldom use my 24-105 for that reason, excellent though it otherwise is).     

Indeed.  I use the 24-105mm for portraits when I have a studio-type backdrop, in which case I'm using f/8-10 with strobes in softboxes, and it's great:


EOS 5D Mark II, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM @ 105mm, 1/200 s, f/9, ISO 100

You can get a nicely blurred background with f/4, but you've got to be really close to the subject, and ideally have a relatively distant background:


EOS 5D Mark II, EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM @ 105mm, 1/160 s, f/4, ISO 100

But for portraits (since that's the title of the thread), I'd really recommend the 135L over either the 24-105L or 100L Macro, assuming you're shooting FF.  It's great for melting the background in action shots, too:


EOS 5D Mark II, EF 135mm f/2L USM, 1/1600 s, f/2.2, ISO 100

Of course, if you want to really melt out a background, try the 85L - it's great for portraits on both FF and APS-C:


EOS 5D Mark II, EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM @ 1/60 s, f/1.8, ISO 400


EOS 7D, EF 85mm f/1.2L II USM, 1/2000 s, f/1.6, ISO 100

Neuro, these made me smile, totally captured the sweetness and beauty of this child in these photos!

105

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon 1D MKIV VS 1DX Cameras

« on: October 30, 2012, 08:08:39 PM »

Ha! I just noticed the 2x 1dx Brent, Dang! I'm jealous.