Messages

121

EOS Bodies / Re: Buying 5D Mark III from Amazon???

« on: July 09, 2012, 02:21:44 PM »

Nice to see the price on the Mark III starting to drop!   

Maybe I can afford one by the end of the year.

122

EOS Bodies / Re: How much will the 5d3 cost at the end of 2012?

« on: July 04, 2012, 10:05:14 AM »

Sheedoe, thanks for those links.  I'm now more optimistic that I may purchase a Mark III by the end of the year.

123

EOS Bodies / Re: Follow-up poll: If you're not buying a 5D3 due to price....

« on: June 25, 2012, 12:28:01 AM »

+1. Shoot the same bodies here as well. Till my 5Dc breaths it's last breath!

Sorry, I know this isn't a 5D classic thread, but if it weren't for the semi-random autofocus and lack of microfocus, that old body would meet my needs for a long time.  Most of my photos end up on the web - a few make it into print form up to 13x19, maybe 16x20 at most.  The megapixel race has left me behind and I do virtually all my shooting at ISO 100 to 400 so the ISO race doesn't affect me either.  There really isn't a lot of incentive for me to upgrade to the 5D3.  Hmmm, exactly how much is a killer autofocus system worth to me?

124

EOS Bodies / Re: Follow-up poll: If you're not buying a 5D3 due to price....

« on: June 24, 2012, 10:08:58 PM »

I shoot with a 5D classic and a 7D.  Between the two of them, they meet all my needs.  After two years of work and sending them in to Canon service for calibration, they are working properly.  And just as important,  I understand the limitations of each one.  I just have to pick the right one for the job and use it within its limits.  (The poor autofocus on the 5D being the most annoying.)

While waiting for the 5D 3 to appear, I was pretty excited thinking that I could buy a camera with full frame image quality and the fast handling of the 7D.  I even figured out how to pay for it at what I expected to be 3K in US dollars.

The extra $500 may not seem like much, but it was enough of a psychological surprise that it caused me to re-evaluate my need for a new camera and I decided not to purchase one.   It made me feel like Canon was trying to take advantage of my presumed loyalty to the brand.

 I will wait until the end of this year to see if the price drops into my comfort zone.  Maybe when the supply chain is filled and all the early adopters have their Mark 3s, Canon will allow some discounting.

If the price does not come down (and assuming Canon does not come out with a new camera that meets my needs) I will have to think seriously about the full frame Nikons.  Or maybe I'll just keep shooting with my current cameras until they fall apart!

125

Lenses / Re: Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Information.

« on: June 11, 2012, 01:49:13 PM »

I used to have a Pentax 40mm pancake lens that I bought to use with my old Pentax ME Super.  That was a fairly small 35mm camera, about the size of a modern Canon Rebel without the grip.  I made my own very thin case so that I could carry the camera in a coat pocket.  I thought that was so cool!

Unfortunately, shortly after that, I discovered a small zoom lens that was pretty sharp and that quickly became my favorite lens for the ME Super.  The pancake lens stayed on the shelf for many years before I sold all my film camera gear.  I got a good price for it on Ebay.

I am drawn to the new Canon pancake lens for the coolness factor, but realistically, I can't see a use for it in my system.  Putting it on one of my full sized bodies seems pointless, since I would still have a large camera to lug around.

I could put it on my T2i, but the 18-50 kit lens is really light, sharp and has IS.  I've been very happy using this combo as my vacation camera.  I'd miss the zoom capability.

I have an S90 that fits in my pocket for times when I need that.

I just can't think of any use for a pancake lens other than to look cool in the cabinet where I keep my lens collection.

Mike

126

EOS Bodies / Re: When will Amazon start shipping the 5DM3?

« on: May 09, 2012, 08:44:44 PM »

Newegg.com has them in stock as of this moment.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16830120615

127

EOS Bodies / Re: 5Dii refurbished- instock at Canon store for 1500!!!

« on: April 17, 2012, 11:49:05 AM »

Thanks guys!  I just picked up a T2i w/kit lens for a vacation camera.  Both of the codes above worked fine.

Mike

128

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Why no low ISO DSLRs?

« on: March 30, 2012, 04:02:33 PM »

That would be a nice capability to have.

I was doing a studio shoot yesterday and wanted to open up my prime lens to creat shallow DOF, but even with my Alien Bees turned all the way down I was still at about f 4.0 - my 5D classic goes down to ISO 50, but I could have used 25 or even 12 ISO.

I've seen photographers use neutral density filters in that situation.  Guess that is what I'll try next, but it would be great to have the lower ISOs available.

Mike

129

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D III focus accuracy with fast primes wide open

« on: March 26, 2012, 06:54:19 PM »

I would also like to see some responses to this question.

I use a 5D classic and have learned to live with poor autofocus results when using primes wide open.  I tried manual focus with two special focus screens including a split prism one and did not get repeatable results.

My main reason for considering an upgrade to the Mark III or perhaps another new Canon full frame camera this year is strictly for better autofocus performance.

Mike

130

Lenses / Re: "Walkaround" prime for FF?

« on: March 11, 2012, 12:56:02 AM »

I love using my 50mm lens or even the 85 on my 5D for portraits, but for walking around, I think a wider lens would be better.  With modern full frame DSLRs, you can do so much cropping that is is almost like having a zoom lens.   

The combat photographer Michael Yon used a wide prime on his 1Ds instead of a zoom, because he found that he could crop down to the image he wanted.  It saved him from carrying the extra weight and bulk of an L series zoom.

A 28mm lens seems a bit wide to me, since the perspective is so easily distorted.  35mm would be good.

I've been reading reports that Canon is coming out with a low priced 40mm prime soon.  I believe it is supposed to be an F2.8 pancake (flat/short) lens that would be very lightweight and easy to carry around at Disneyland.

One thing I laugh at are the tourists who carry their full size DSLRs with huge zoom lenses as they walk around at theme parks and other touristy places.  I know how much that combination weighs and it doesn't get any lighter after a couple of hours of walking around.  A pancake lens might help you have more fun at the park instead of feeling like a beast of burden.

Mike

131

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon Refurbished Equipment

« on: March 09, 2012, 07:06:28 PM »

I got my 7D through the loyalty program about a year ago.  I think it's a great program.    Just two things to suggest.

1.  Canon charges sales tax (not sure what state gets it) but it does not charge shipping. They do send you a free shipping label to send in your old POS Canon.

2.  If your new camera body acts in the least bit strange, send it in to Canon service for calibration during the 90 day warranty.  Lots of bodies need focus calibration, mine did and I did not realize it until after the warranty period.

132

EOS Bodies / Re: Buy T3i or Wait for T4i?

« on: March 09, 2012, 05:24:50 PM »

Depends on what camera you have now and how well it is meeting your needs.  Do you feel it is holding you back?

Mike

133

EOS Bodies / Re: Are you happy with the 5D III Specs?

« on: March 09, 2012, 04:27:34 PM »

I'm somewhere between advanced prosumer and semi-pro, if you can figure that out!  Most of my serious photography is portrait, glamour and boudoir.  I currently use a 5D classic and a 7D.

I prefer the images from the 5D when shooting people (when the images are in focus), because the higher res of the 7D makes a lot more work for me in post.  I shoot mostly real people, not models, so I don't want every pimple and pore to pop out of the photo at me.  Seriously, it is a real problem with the 7D and takes up a lot of time with the spot removal tool, among others.

I also love the ability to create shallow DOF with the 5D - I have several prime lenses that I use when possible.

My only two complaints about the 5D classic are the erratic focus system that lacks microadjust and slow writing-to-the-card.

I skipped the 5D Mark 2 since it did not seem like enough of an improvement, but I am definitely going to pick up a Mark 3 sometime this year.

I'm overjoyed at the new focus system and it might occasionally be fun to have better high-ISO performance.  I'm hoping that the increased dynamic range will allow me to make larger exposure adjustments in Lightroom when I screw up and underexpose an otherwise good image.

I am also very pleased to see that Canon did not give us a megapixel monster.  I have no use whatsoever for anything more than roughly 15 megapixels.  And I do consider myself a pixel peeper!

I'm a motorcyclist as well as a photographer.  There are riders who insist that their machine must be a "torque monster" or it just isn't worth owning.  I've never been able to understand that, since even a modest motorcycle will give you far more performance than you can use in the real world.  I think photography is like that.  Hopefully Canon will give the "pixel monster" guys what they want, even if I don't understand their desire.  In today's market, there is no need for a one size fits all product line.

Mike in Portland

134

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D III microfocus?

« on: March 02, 2012, 06:50:27 PM »

Oh no!  You guys just cost me $3500!  My Mark 3 lust is now out of control.   

135

EOS Bodies / 5D III microfocus?

« on: March 02, 2012, 06:16:34 PM »

I'm hoping that the 5D mark III will have the type of microfocus adjustment system that allows you to set different values for both ends of a zoom range.  No mention of that so far in any reports I have seen.

If anyone sees any reference to this feature in a review, please post a link.

Thanks!

Mike