Messages

1

Lenses / Re: Canon 85L II AF speed on 5D III???

« on: May 02, 2013, 06:20:10 PM »

I think some people are overstating the fact when they say the focus speed on the 85 1.2 is really slow.  I have this lens(mkII) and the 1.8 non-L version, as well.  I think the 1.8's focus speed is faster(and MOD is closer), but the 1.2 isn't as bad as it has been made out to be.  For the type of photography that most people will use this lens for, it's more than adequate. 

I will tell you two things that I learned early on with this lens, though:

1). It is not a 70-200 2.8 vII.  You aren't going to "track" anything with servo focus (especially anything moving towards you) and get it "in focus".

2). I've found I get the best focus results shooting with One-Shot Center Point Four Point Expansion.

2

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Shutter Issue with 5D Mk3

« on: October 31, 2012, 11:20:04 PM »

Sounds like it's just the buffer filling.

3

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 5D3 - problem?

« on: September 26, 2012, 07:03:49 PM »

I hate that button.  I've lost a lot of the feeling in my hands and can't easily operate buttons.  In 14 years of using DSLR's. I've never had the dial turn by accident.  I wonder what it might cost to heve it removed

I bought my first 5DMKII in '08 and have two plus a MKIII. I have NEVER turned the mode dial by accident on either MKII.  I don't know if I hate the button on the MKIII, but to me it is definitely more of a hinderance than a help.  I would definitely prefer the camera without it.

4

Lenses / Re: Best way of doing AF MA?

« on: September 14, 2012, 06:32:42 PM »

FoCal

5

Software & Accessories / Re: Question about Cards for dual slots on 5D III

« on: August 25, 2012, 03:11:41 PM »

Lexar Pro 32GB 600x CF and SD.  RAW to CF and JPEG to SD(for easy viewing on an iPad) unless I need more speed and to clear the buffer faster, then I just write RAW to CF.  I am seriously thinking about getting some 32GB 1000x CF's while there is still a rebate, though. 

6

Sports / Re: Shooting the Grand Rapids Mud Run tomorrow!

« on: August 24, 2012, 11:09:03 PM »

My GF started doing "mud runs" last year and is crazy about them(I've been to two of them with her and shot).  All the people that do them are crazy, too.  You couldn't pay me enough to participate in one, but I will say one thing that is great about them is that a lot of them benefit good causes.  She has run in one that benefits MS, twice.  I don't remember the other.

7

EOS Bodies / Re: 1dX dust in viewfinder

« on: August 18, 2012, 11:05:32 PM »

They have a service center in VA, as well.

8

Third Party Manufacturers / Re: Good Wireless Mic For Video??

« on: August 18, 2012, 10:51:57 PM »

I can't recommend anything in that low price range, but I can tell you NOT to go cheap on wireless gear.  Like anything else, you get what you pay.  I work in television and all of my wireless gear, since I started freelancing in the 90's, is Lectrosonics and it's the majority of what you will see in the field being used professionally(for a reason).  Audio, unfortunately, is an afterthought a lot of times.  It's not "sexy" like a camera or lens, but it is just as important.  Lectro gear is not cheap.  For someone with my needs, you are looking at about $7K or so for a complete two-channel system.  But they have "entry level" systems, too.  You can get into a single channel set-up for under $1,500.  You are much better off spending a little more on an entry level Lectro system that is built to last than a plastic Azden or Sennheiser or Shure system that's in the "$600" range.

9

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: People with a 5D3 from first batch, did you get the light leak issue fixed?

« on: August 14, 2012, 11:36:08 PM »

Nope. Non-issue.

10

Software & Accessories / Re: FoCal Pro version 1.5 and the 5D Mark III

« on: August 04, 2012, 07:12:58 PM »

FoCal assigns a numeric IQ(image quality) value to each AFMA value.  The higher the numeric IQ value, the better the IQ.  Has anyone else noticed that the recommended AFMA value is usually NOT the one with the highest numeric IQ value?

11

EOS Bodies / Re: 5dIII hot pixel question

« on: July 28, 2012, 09:15:08 PM »

This early in and still being within your exchange/return window, send it back.  I have a MKIII and it's been good, so far(got it "opening day").  BUT my first MKII(Dec '08) had hot pixel clusters start to show up within a few months and I ended up sending it in to Canon under warranty.  I have another MKII body I bought in Oct/Nov '11 and it has lit pixel clusters that I started to notice in March/April, about the same length of time, I believe, that the pixels started appearing on my first body.

12

Lenses / Re: Lenses - All Change!

« on: July 28, 2012, 11:00:25 AM »

I have the 85 1.8 and really like it.  It's a good lens for the money.  The CA can be a problem sometimes depending on the scene.  It's really the only thing I don't like about it.  It's sharp, even wide open.  Most of the time I shoot it at 1.8.  Focus is usually spot on.  I did have some issues the other week shooting some things further than the normal distance i use it(I'm usually working close to the MFD), but I don't know if it was a lens or body/AF issue.  I haven't had a chance to AFMA it, yet.  A friend was borrowing it.  I do keep thinking about getting the 85 1.2, though...

13

Software & Accessories / FoCal AFMA Software: What are your techniques and tricks?

« on: July 21, 2012, 07:25:39 PM »

Lately a few threads have popped up about AFMA and FoCal software and since I DL'd it a few days ago, as well, I thought I'd start a thread for those that use it to post what techniques/procedures they are really using and how well they think the results are.

I assume everyone that has it read the documentation and their guidelines/recommendations, etc.  So... Are you doing it "by the book" (50x focal length, FoCal targets, etc.) or other ways such as different target distances(closer/farther away or trying to approximate what distance you use that particular lens the most), non-FoCal target(like a high quality Siemens Star or other back-focus chart/target because the FoCal targets printed w/an inkjet look soft) and for zooms, if you can only set AFMA at one offset(like on a 5DMKII) are you setting it for the wide or long end, or the focal length that you use the most?  And any other tips, tricks, quirks or something I may not have thought of that you've found are welcomed, as well.  Hopefully this is a thread that can help us all.

I've only had it a few days, so I stuck pretty close to "the book".  I calibrated a 5DMKII and MKIII with my 8-15mm f/4L, 15mm f/2.8, 24-105mm f/4L,  100mm f/2.8 macro and 70-200mm f/2.8L IS v2.  I'm waiting for my other MKII body and 16-35mm f/2.8L v2 and 85mm f/1.8 to come back that a friend borrowed for some timelapses.  I tried to get in the 50x focal length range when I could.  Space constraints in my office prohibited that at 200mm on my 70-200mm and on my 100mm macro I calibrated it pretty close to the FoCal target since I'm usually using that pretty darn close to whatever I'm shooting with it.  And my W/A's were right on top of the target as well, otherwise the software wasn't giving me an "A-OK" for the target recognition.

One thing that I did find a little surprising, and this was only ONE test with ONE lens after calibration so I"m not going to read too much into it, was that on the multi-point focus test with the 70-200 on the MKIII, the center point was NOT the most precise.  It indicated that the top-dead-center point and the second down from it were the two best.  Like I said, ONE test with ONE lens, but I figured the dead center point would have easily "won".

So anyway, let's rock 'n roll...

14

Software & Accessories / Re: FoCal Pro version 1.5 and the 5D Mark III

« on: July 21, 2012, 06:23:37 PM »

I wish I would have known about or done a search for discounts... Oh well.  I'll forget about it soon enough.

To the OP, I had the same issue with my settings not being restored after a crash and I unhooked my camera.  Subsequent calibration sessions were fine and my settings were restored(except RAW on my CF card for some reason).

Something that has come in very handy is a USB extension cable that I bought last year for another reason.  It gives me about 10'-15' of extra cable so I don't have to move my laptop around as much.

15

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 5d Mk III focus calibration

« on: July 19, 2012, 06:26:24 PM »

Using it on the 5DMKIII isn't difficult, but it will take longer than the fully automatic session on something like a MKII AND it will take longer than their manual suggests(at least on zooms).  Granted I was running with the "tight" tolerance set, but it took over 20 minutes to do my 70-200 v2 on my 5DMKIII vs. about 10 on my 5DMKII.