Messages

1021

EOS Bodies / Re: How many of you would....

« on: December 24, 2011, 02:58:44 AM »

I'm not quite sure I'm getting this, but if the quality is better and the quantity is less, doesn't that make the background more in focus and more cluttered, therefore the image dosen't look as soft and smooth on crop as on FF? That is my experience, so I would always prefer the LESS dof and more blurred background to the quality of the bokeh, because imo, you can't have one without the other.

For example, I use the 70-200 mkII on both 5d2 and the mk4, and I like the less dof of the 5d2, it just looks better, can't say I have thought more of it than that, if the actual highlightspeckels are a different shape it doesn't come across as more intruding than more depth I get from the mk4..

Anyway, Merry Christmas everyone!

1022

EOS Bodies / Re: How many of you would....

« on: December 23, 2011, 05:59:04 PM »

Do we just leave out that the aps-h doesn't accept ef-s lenses? Canon will never give up their main group of ef-s lens buyers.. 7 with H sensor will never happen... plus you get no wideangle..

I was just saying APS-H in a 7d "type" body. I am not saying you have to change the whole 7d line. Call it a 6d...call it whatever.
Give up their ef-s buyers? What $3000+ camera uses ef-s lenses now?

No room in the lineup for that camera. Why don't you just buy my mk4 when I FINALLY get the 1d X with proper AF and FF?

You see what happened with the 60d, everybody started bitching about it being less of a camera than a 50d, but what should Canon do to place a camera between the 7d and the 550d... So if they should both have a 1d X, a "7d" with H-sensor, and the 5d3 AND the 7d2, how would you spec them to make prices in between each other. Doesn't make sense.. If the 5d3 get proper AF, you have it too close to the 1d X, this is what happened, with IQ of the 5d2 and the 1ds3, they killed each other. And the 7d is a BIG seller, and so is the 5d2. Most people don't need 10 or 12 fps, or that insane tracking capibility, well, they need it, they just don't want to shell out that kind of money. And if they do, they buy a 1d X which is MUCH cheaper than most people thought it would be, comparing to the 1ds3. They will end up too close to each other, or you feel that one of these camera is only spec'd to fit a market, not to actually be proper camera filling a gap. Why do you think Canon killed the H-sensor? mk3 owners or would be mk4 owners started getting the 7d, Canon needs to make space, not fill gaps as I see it. Should they also release a camera between the g12 and s95/s100?

IF you get a 7d type body with H-sensor and 7-8 fps, I would still buy a used mk4, because it was made to be as good as it gets... And if you haven't opened up a 1d and see the inside, you really have no idea how stuffed it is to make it work like they do. And when you see what they have done with the 1d X, and only two stop better iso, it takes some serious engineering to move on from each better model, and then to half all that in size in $3000 dollar body? "the technology exist"? I don't think so...

1023

EOS Bodies / Re: How many of you would....

« on: December 23, 2011, 02:28:19 PM »

Do we just leave out that the aps-h doesn't accept ef-s lenses? Canon will never give up their main group of ef-s lens buyers.. 7 with H sensor will never happen... plus you get no wideangle..

1024

EOS Bodies / Re: Thoughts From Canon on a Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Camera

« on: December 23, 2011, 04:53:24 AM »

Why bother with a mirror? Wow....

If you try burst mode and af between frames on a A77 and 7D, that will answer your question. The day I can't by a camera with optical VF, it's the day I find another hobby. The EVF suck.... Plus, the way Sony have done it is by reducing the amount of light in by 30%, yeah, that's what we need for photo, LESS light....

Why are we so desperate to get rid of the mirror? You don't buy a 1-series Canon despite of it's size and weight and mirror and af and FF, you buy it because of all those things. The hybrids are glorified lens-caps.

For those who just don't get the advantage of a mirror and Phase-AF, there's always a NEX or a GF3, but to claim we should loose the mirror-system all together is a completely two-cans-short-of a six-pack-statement...

1025

EOS Bodies / Re: When will Canon 1D-X release?

« on: December 22, 2011, 04:31:39 PM »

surelly the 1Dx isnt going to be that much better, and with reports of it saying its 2 stops better than before that only at best equals the D3s

Don't mean to avoid initial question, I think it will be delayed until late April.

As for ISO-improvement, I don't get the "only" two stops either. If we look at previous 1-series:

The mk4 is two stops better than the mkIII, well, so far so good, only that is the SAME size sensor with a 60% INCREASE in resolution.

The 1d X benefits from a larger sensor, first ever with gapless microlenses, new processor, only a veeeery slight increase in res, and decrease compared to the 1ds3 and 5d2 sensor. So two years later, bigger sensor, new processor, new tech on the sensor itself should, in theory, equal to at least 3,5 stops.... If someone knows why, other than this is what Canon do, small improvements that SHOULD have been more... And I still think that the points are very cluster, although it seems I was right in saying that the previous af-points were too large for precise af, look at the size difference between mk4 points and 1d X...

1026

Lenses / Re: 85mm f/1.8 or 300mm f/4 for baby photos

« on: December 22, 2011, 02:48:16 PM »

Nice shots!

Thanks

1027

Lenses / Re: 85mm f/1.8 or 300mm f/4 for baby photos

« on: December 22, 2011, 04:06:05 AM »

I've just gotten a second child, and what I've learned is that you never want to try shooting them while they're awake, it doesn't work! Make a comfortable place, such as a soft rug or something, build and set up the scene long before the baby gets there, let everyone else take their pictures, and wait for the baby to have eaten, given up, and fallen to sleep. That's when you place the baby in a comfy chair (lying down of course), then you get those nice supports which frames the baby better (armrests) and you want to not use your 580? I say use it for all it's worth, not directly to the baby of course. Set your camera so that the flash only fills slightly in for those soft light shadows, place the chair so you can bounce the flash into a light wall before it bounces off the baby. That way you get soft, not directly on -light, without wireless and diffusers.

Another thing, have it warm enough so you can shoot the baby with only diaper-pants or nothing on, be sure not shoot so that you can see any of the intimte parts, because no one wants to see that, EVER. Plus it's very disturbing and freaky, nuff said.

Use a an elf-hat or some light colored blanket or something to add some light color, make sure the color matches if it's boys or girls.

Try not to pose them too much, they look very peaceful and easy to shoot just as they lay sleeping.

Here's a shot I did of my daughter. It's shot with a double umbrella-setup, wireless, but similiar effect can be done bouncing off the wall. Shot with 85mm at mfd. I like to tune down my flashes, and use wider apertures, or faster shutterspeed to get the shallow dof, and softer overall feel. Hope this helped.

http://photobyviggo.com/random/mariell23.jpg

and one more, same setup:

http://photobyviggo.com/random/example.jpg

1028

Lighting / Re: PocketWizard FlexTT5 and 580exII RF Issues?

« on: December 21, 2011, 04:13:57 PM »

Also one of the reasons why Pocket Wizard will publish up to 500m+ where Odin is 100m+  I trust the Pocket Wizard Band over the 2.4 over distance.

I just lol'd, come on I dare you to set a 580 exII on a Flex TT5 at the finishline of a 1/4 mile drag-strip and the camera at the start and show me it triggers on full ETTL. No cheating... 500m+ no. way! The PlusII's are 1600 ft, but the Flex, nope!

Here's a link to Pw's own page, and how to improve range:

http://www.pocketwizard.com/inspirations/technology/range/

Have some fun reading while I'll go and shoot like this:

http://photobyviggo.com/random/odin.jpg

That's at 91mm focal, and ETTL-mode, this is probably 20 meters from the end of the parking lot I tested at, I still went over the road at the other side and put a tree in the line of sight, still triggered perfectly.

1029

Lighting / Re: PocketWizard FlexTT5 and 580exII RF Issues?

« on: December 21, 2011, 04:06:10 PM »

For instance , join their page on Facebook and read the wallposts there a week or so

... and their page is ?.......

Here you go!

http://www.facebook.com/pocketwizards

If nothing else, some skilled photogs there I see as a great inspiration...

1030

Lighting / Re: PocketWizard FlexTT5 and 580exII RF Issues?

« on: December 20, 2011, 05:29:44 PM »

@ Maui5150

I bought mine from HK so the asian market has it available at least. And the Odin is brand new, so that could be a reason.

For them not to include cables that cost retail 5 bucks isn't annoying and stupid?

Bluetooth is also a VERY common frequency used all over, does it interfere? Nope, because you make your own individual code. Same as when I use my Power point presenter and mouse at the same time, they both run on 2,4 gHz like the Odin, and 400 other people in the same room use the same 2,4, no one is interfering with each other.

I'm glad the Wizards work for a couple of you guys, but if you look around, further than the nose, there are PLENTY of people who can't get them to work. For instance , join their page on Facebook and read the wallposts there a week or so, you see all kinds of different issues.....

I'm not telling you what to buy or no to buy. I just posted this because the OP had issues, and so did I , and they never got sorted, so perhaps people don't have to spend three years getting them to work, but can actually get something that works straight away and always....

1031

Lenses / Re: All Around lenses

« on: December 20, 2011, 04:39:01 AM »

I used to be on a photo-page where I a guy from Iceland took the sweetest landscapes, and the only setup he used was 1ds II and a 12-24 Sigma. So I guess the wider the better!

I would bring (on a 60d) a 10-22 Canon and a 70-200 f4 L.

I'm going to Iceland myself, hopefully next summer, as I know some people who have relatives there. And my choice of setup then will my trusted TS-E 17mm and a brand new 1d X 

1032

Lenses / Re: What's the best deal you've ever gotten on a lens? I'll start...

« on: December 20, 2011, 04:05:46 AM »

The prices @BH is aprrox. half off compared to Norway, so everytime someone goes to NY I get the 50% off on new gear, pretty good deal!

Best deal I've done, is on a new 300 f2,8 L IS, it was 44000,- nok's in Norway at the time, which is $7413. And I paid nearly $600 in shipping and insurance, and still only paid $4000 for it!! I was afraid it had been a demo-model or something, but according to the date-code it was made by Canon only 1 month before I purchased it. Best deal ever for me at least.

1033

Lighting / Re: PocketWizard FlexTT5 and 580exII RF Issues?

« on: December 20, 2011, 03:50:01 AM »

Why don't people listen?

Because nobody likes you.




Just kidding.   

Honestly, I have to say that after this experience I'd still prefer to stay with PocketWizard.  Their support for numerous brands of flash, including AlienBees, provides a tremendous amount of versatility and flexibility to photographers - and most importantly - me.  I've yet to find another ETTL radio trigger that is equaled in that regard.  Furthermore, in all their history, the 580exII is the only flash they've encountered repeated problems with.  To me, this information (in conjunction with their white paper) points more to the 580 as the culprit than the PW Flex.   

I'll probably be hanging around with them for a while, and more than likely just switching the make or model of flash units I choose to employ for off-camera use.

Haha, funny stuff Yeah, well, they only reason I tell things like they are, is because I know how insanely mad I get when things don't frikkin' work like they suppose to! And really, me saying that is just to give others a different opinion than what you get from a commercial for a product. Not all things are as good as they claim to be, just saying.

And what do you mean "supporting Alien Bees" ? I haven't used them, but are they ETTL? I didn't think so? The Odin supports ALL studio-flashes, and ETTL is restricted to Canon, JUST like PW's, so I don't get that point. The Odin is the only trigger that works straight out of the box down to 1/8000s with my Elinchromes and other studio-flashes. Did you find those sync-cables in your PW box? nope! That was extra. And you need soft shield, blocking the display, and af-assist, oh wait, pw don't support that  and I see people hanging their PW's from a Canon OC-e3 cable to get distance from the flash, wtf... I mean, I'm an Apple fan, but this seems much like the Iphone-diciples, they want an Iphone4 no matter what it doesn't do. Android does everything better, but I want an Iphone, why? because it's an iphone... I choose stability over a brand name, just me I guess.....

1034

EOS Bodies / Re: any flaws in the canon 60d?

« on: December 20, 2011, 03:39:53 AM »

the 600D, 60D and the 7D all have the same sensor so there is no difference in image quality between them.

If money is an issue i think you are much better off getting the 600D and some good glass eg the 17-55 f2.8

Although that is to some extent true, if you want to shoot at wider apertures in better light or doing sports, you might want to consider that the 550d and 600d only goes down to 1/4000s whilst the 60d and up is 1/8000s... And as everybody has said, the lack of micro-adjust is ridicolous. What's the point in having a razor sharp lens and 18mp, when the picture NEVER is in focus?

1035

Lighting / Re: PocketWizard FlexTT5 and 580exII RF Issues?

« on: December 19, 2011, 05:19:30 PM »

You find them on ebay 

I bought my set from HongKong, they're the fastest and cheapest when it comes to shipping. Everything in order, they mark down the value so I pay less taxes. Never had anything trouble and I buy ALL my accesories from HK. I'm located in Norway (which is pretty far from HK) and it usually take 5-6 days from them to my mailbox, which is crazy, it takes waaaay longer shipping inside of Norway, ironically...