Messages

16

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 6D viewfinder too big ?

« on: April 23, 2013, 03:45:45 PM »

Even the 5D3's viewfinder image is small compared to old-style film SLRs' viewfinder images.

My Olympus OM2SP's viewfinder image is much larger. I wish the 5D3's image were that size!

I think the OM2SP's image magnification is about 1.0X, whereas the 5D3's is quite a lot less than that.

But the 5D3 has to fit other things like digital readouts underneath the image; maybe that's why they made the actual image area smaller.

17

Technical Support / Re: MacBook Pro : Best RAW Processing Software?

« on: April 17, 2013, 05:37:29 PM »

Thanks for all your advice.

I've downloaded the LR5 beta, and I'll have a play with it.

18

Technical Support / Re: MacBook Pro : Best RAW Processing Software?

« on: April 16, 2013, 07:24:52 PM »

Sorry, I don't know how to post the pictures full-size on here, because the site only allows up to 4MB files, and the full-size jpgs are much bigger than that.

You can't see much difference between the above 2 pictures, because they've been reduced in size so much, but on the big computer monitor, the RAW-converted images is sharper and I've played with the levels a bit to make the image have more "pop", to me, anyway.

19

Technical Support / Re: MacBook Pro : Best RAW Processing Software?

« on: April 16, 2013, 07:20:40 PM »

And here's the SOOC jpg.

20

Technical Support / Re: MacBook Pro : Best RAW Processing Software?

« on: April 16, 2013, 07:19:53 PM »

I've been running LR4 on 30 day trial this evening.

Here's the result of the photo I've been working on.

21

Technical Support / MacBook Pro : Best RAW Processing Software?

« on: April 16, 2013, 12:00:25 PM »

Hi.

I've just upgraded my computer system to a 13" MacBook Pro Retina 3GHz and a 27" 2560x1440 monitor.

I haven't really done RAW processing before. Now my new computer is all set up, I've installed DPP onto it, and updated it to version 13.3.

But I have the impression that people here mainly use other software for their RAW processing.

I have heard people talk here about "Aperture" (I believe it is Apple software?), and Lightroom.

Which is best? I have a 5D3. How much do they cost?

I have had a quick play in DPP with sharpening a couple of pics, and I was impressed by the result. Much better than the SOOC jpg. I set sharpness to 0 on the 5D3, to get rid of those "black dot in the centre of small bright points" problem (IIRC). There was a nasty sharpening artefact problem with in-camera sharpening.

So. Which RAW software should I use? I have a feeling that the serious people seem to use "Lightroom"; is that so? If so, why?

Thanks.

22

Technical Support / Re: Constantly flashing read/access light on 5D3

« on: April 03, 2013, 03:22:47 AM »

I have seen this after deleting a lot of files from the CF card while the camera was connected to my computer.

Next time the camera is switched on, the light blinks for a while.

I always assumed that the camera was defragging the card.

23

Lenses / Re: Canon 24-105 F/4L

« on: March 29, 2013, 04:11:51 PM »

I'm on my second 24-105, not because there was any problem, but rather that I sold the first one for more than the difference between a 5d3 body and a 5d3 kit.

Geez, I wish I had thought of doing that when I bought my 5D3 in December. I've had my 24-105 for 7+ years, and even though it still takes great shots, it suffers from zoom creep, which I haven't been able to remedy.

Black insulation tape, round the extending barrel part. Put it at the end of the barrel that will keep the barrel in its retracted position, when you retract it.

Mine's been working just great like this for a while now.

Naysayers and doomcasters will warn you that this remedy will kill the lens, murder your wife, and be rude to your aunties.

Rubbish. It's a simple, easy, common-sense fix, and carefully-done, looks just fine too.

24

Lenses / Re: EF 600mm f/4L IS II USM or EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM

« on: March 05, 2013, 07:59:42 AM »

If you're worried about reach, get the 1.4X teleconverter too, and then you'll have effectively a 560mm f/4 lens, for when you need the extra length.

25

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: How sharp should pics from 5D3 +24-105 be?

« on: March 03, 2013, 10:08:52 AM »

I had the 24-105L back when I had the 7D. I wasn't that impressed with it then, despite the camera being APS-C, so that it should've been using the "best" part of the image circle. There was quite a bit of red fringing towards the edges.

I was expecting it to be worse when I got the 5D3, because of the larger sensor using even-more-peripheral parts of the image circle.

Instead I was surprised to find that the lens came alive with the 5D3 and seems sharper. Some of this will be because of the larger pixel size of the 5D3, and some may be thanks to the in-camera lens aberration correction.

As it is now, I am much more pleased with the 24-105L. I have selected best shots printed at 18"x12", and those taken with the 24-105L are plenty sharp enough for me, and the red-fringing problem seems to have gone away. It does what I need it to do just fine!

So I am happy! So I would now really struggle to justify splashing out for the 24-70mm f/2.8 L II. To lose reach and lose IS just for a sharper and faster lens... And to have to lay out nearly £2k for it... I'd really struggle.

Anyway, next in my sights is the 85/1.2L II, so that'll keep my savings account busy for a couple of months yet.

26

Lenses / Re: Canon 100-400 f/4-5.6L IS II Design Idea

« on: March 03, 2013, 10:00:05 AM »

at least its got a lens hood as part of the package, a lot that canon could learn from on many lenses possibly   

As far as I am aware, all "L" lenses come with a hood (if one can be used with the lens, anyway) and a pouch or other container. (The 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II comes with a very nice zip-up white semi-stiff-fabric carrying container.)

Also, some time ago on here, it emerged that in some markets (far-east, IIRC) at least some of the non-L lenses come with hoods, but not here in the UK.

27

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 7D Noise Reduction Tips

« on: January 23, 2013, 02:20:58 PM »

Cool. It. Down.

Carefully, gradually, and without condensation.

Cooler=quieter, with sensors.

In practice, this means taking your camera to the coldest room in the house and letting it cool down there, before going out with it. Assuming "out" is where you are going with it. If you're wanting to shoot indoors with humid steamy people around, it might be harder to do satisfactorily.

Pumping your 7D with liquid nitrogen or stuffing it with dry ice are both probably bad ideas.

28

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Can you reprogram the rate button on the 5d3?

« on: January 14, 2013, 08:01:26 AM »

You can make it do "Protect image" instead.

That's all, AFAIK.

29

EOS Bodies / Re: Remaining Time on Video mode on 5d3

« on: January 09, 2013, 07:51:43 AM »

Are you asking why it always says that the remaining time available is 29m59s, even though you have an enormous 64GB card in the camera, and you're expecting to be able to record more than half an hour of video?

If so, I believe the camera restricts the possible length of each video recording (file) to 29m59s for some legal reason. I don't know the details but I read a long time ago that in certain countries, the government (or someone) would slap on a hefty tax if the camera was capable of recording more than that. Adding that tax to the retail price would price the camera out of its intended market, which would be A Bad Thing for Canon - and potential customers.

That's what I read, anyway.

Martin - Who never shoots video

30

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon DSLR Body Rumors for 2013

« on: January 01, 2013, 03:00:50 PM »

Hey guys

I need a bit of an education from you guys.

What effects noise at higher ISO or longer shutter speeds? Is it purely processor related or does the pixel size of an APS-C body contribute as well?

I own a 500D and I was put off by the 7D not having a definite advantage when it came to noise.

I so hope this is the one area they focus on. The top Canon APS-C body, that many will attach their 400mm+ glass to should be just better.

Sensor temperature - quite strongly, apparently.