Messages

601

Software & Accessories / Re: Automatic Microfocus adjustment software

« on: June 01, 2012, 04:12:53 AM »

Adjusted (2nd) copy of the 50 L, shot at f1,6 I think it was, iso 640.



Waaay better than before, it's was, in the words of Kai@DigRev, "Softer than your nan's dinner"

602

Software & Accessories / Re: Adobe Lightroom 4.1 & Camera RAW 7.1 Final Released

« on: June 01, 2012, 03:54:44 AM »

I think noisehandling and overall IQ of the 5d3 is better with Lr 4.1. I don't have an exact science to say what is improved  by how much, but I feel images are sharper, but not seriously dramtically better, I still think DPP will produce sharper images, but I can do a test later. Noise I feel is better handled.

603

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS-1D X Delays [CR2]

« on: May 31, 2012, 06:39:05 PM »

I have owned the 1d3 and the 1d4 so I know very well about setting fps. The thing is, the 1d4 at 10 fps got me less keepers than the 5d3 with 6 fps, so essentially wasting frames. I didn't shot 10 fps to get that critical moment, I shot 10 fps to be sure I had a few sharp images to choose from a sequence. And I have used the 1d X, and for me personally 12 fps means I really have to dig to find something that is THAT fast that I need it, AND the AF has to able to keep up. That is a very hard task to do, and none of the 1d's have done it so far, or any other camera, ever. The X is good, but the AF isn't as fast as your vision and mind. And I think that when shooting a sporting event with the X, you could have gotten by with 6 fps, but you have it set to 12 to be sure, meaning your shooting a huge amount of images not neccesary to catch a critical moment. And then you're still absolutely have to have 100% of those shot perfectly focused. That would be absolutely crazy to have 100% hitrate at all times.

That is why paying double and slowing down doesn't make sense. This is, again, singled out only in the discussion of shutter durabillity taken out of contex when considering the (on paper since no one has used both and compared) way better tracking of the 1d X. Shutter durabillty only 

You might no see the sense behind it - but I do - and that is no doubt why all the faster frame rate cameras offer a slow continuous - yes including Nikon D4 etc

As for you having less keepers, well over the weekend I was taking pictures of planes at 10fps and the problem I had was the extremely high keeper rate. This was with the 1D4 and 600mm (and sometimes with the 1.4).

Do you think the world sports pros would tolerate lots of missed shots? These are those pros that you see with the long white lens.  If they missed shots on a regular basis they would have moved to the D3S - the ones with big black lens that are conspicuously absent at sporting events. So how come you miss shots and slag off Canon when the majority of top pros seem to be happy?

First off, I did not slag off Canon, this was specified as being related to shutter durabillty, and how fast you run through the given actuations guranteed by Canon, nothing else.

"So how come you miss shots and slag off Canon when the majority of top pros seem to be happy?"

Because I don't shoot planes at infinty but close subjects with fast lenses, such as kids at 1,2 aperture.

Did I say the D3s was better? If I recall the D3s and 1d4 scored pretty equally. So you don't have a choice but have to use the best that is out there, now, if the 1d4 gave you the best keeperrate ever, what's the need for a COMPLETELY new AF-system that is better in every which way in the 5d3 and 1d X compared to previous models?

604

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS-1D X Delays [CR2]

« on: May 31, 2012, 04:51:20 PM »

For anyone worried that the life of the 1D X won't be longer because it will run through its 400,000 actuations super fast, there is a custom setting that enables one to adjust the shooting speed. This is one feature that I made careful to verify before ordering my 1D X. I would hate to be stuck shooting ONLY at 12 fps or 3 fps. Thankfully, it can be set anywhere in between as well.

My low speed on the 1D4 is set to 5fps (same as the 1DS3)

heheh funny

but in this case with the difference you can turn that on when you want

When i shoot portraits i tend to take two or three pics to avoid having people with their eyes closed. Why on earth would you use 12fps for this? in two seconds you would have like 20 pics



Yes, pay the double for double framerate and then slow it down... That's like buying a Veyron, and tow it with a Lada to save gas....

Anybody not understanding the usefulness of being able to change the top speed and slow speed is not thinking before posting.
.

I have owned the 1d3 and the 1d4 so I know very well about setting fps. The thing is, the 1d4 at 10 fps got me less keepers than the 5d3 with 6 fps, so essentially wasting frames. I didn't shot 10 fps to get that critical moment, I shot 10 fps to be sure I had a few sharp images to choose from a sequence. And I have used the 1d X, and for me personally 12 fps means I really have to dig to find something that is THAT fast that I need it, AND the AF has to able to keep up. That is a very hard task to do, and none of the 1d's have done it so far, or any other camera, ever. The X is good, but the AF isn't as fast as your vision and mind. And I think that when shooting a sporting event with the X, you could have gotten by with 6 fps, but you have it set to 12 to be sure, meaning your shooting a huge amount of images not neccesary to catch a critical moment. And then you're still absolutely have to have 100% of those shot perfectly focused. That would be absolutely crazy to have 100% hitrate at all times.

That is why paying double and slowing down doesn't make sense. This is, again, singled out only in the discussion of shutter durabillity taken out of contex when considering the (on paper since no one has used both and compared) way better tracking of the 1d X. Shutter durabillty only 

605

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS-1D X Delays [CR2]

« on: May 31, 2012, 02:01:43 PM »

For anyone worried that the life of the 1D X won't be longer because it will run through its 400,000 actuations super fast, there is a custom setting that enables one to adjust the shooting speed. This is one feature that I made careful to verify before ordering my 1D X. I would hate to be stuck shooting ONLY at 12 fps or 3 fps. Thankfully, it can be set anywhere in between as well.

My low speed on the 1D4 is set to 5fps (same as the 1DS3)

Yes, pay the double for double framerate and then slow it down... That's like buying a Veyron, and tow it with a Lada to save gas....

606

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS-1D X Delays [CR2]

« on: May 31, 2012, 05:16:38 AM »

Maybe we'll have red af points and f8 in the revised version.

My money would be on this too.

This is also one of the reasons I think it's feeling old. People already want new features, and frankly, they should have been there already. But I think it's VERY unlikely that they add something of extreme significance. People, including me, are going to be dissapointed to see the entire list of things we're hope to be added, just wiped away, and we are stuck with what we already know about features. So if canon made it right from the start, and announced and produced and it hit the shelfs in january, this would have been a fantastic camera. Now it will be an anti-climax.

607

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS-1D X Delays [CR2]

« on: May 31, 2012, 04:50:44 AM »

Call me crazy, but eventhough it's a new camera, with all this delays and everything, I have the feeling this camera is old!

+1 ! If it's only that much better than the 5d3 like we've seen, with obvious better noisehandling, but not much else, and it essentially is what was announced and all this time was just spent fixing what they promised soon to be a year ago, I agree with you. It feels old, we've know what it suppose to do, but can't do it.

I don't invite people to a stuntshow promising I can jump 60 buses on a dirt-bike while I draw the people watching while I'm doing backflips and when people show up I simply say "Oh, but, uhm, I need to practice first, I have never been on a bike like this..."

608

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS-1D X Delays [CR2]

« on: May 31, 2012, 04:41:17 AM »

At 12 fps you would run through those 400k actuations at the same time it takes the 5d3 to run through the 150k. And that being said, the less strain on the shutter, the longer it lasts (over what canon guarantees) We've seen the thread were people have put 1 million actuations on a 50d. I'm not worried about running out on the 5d3. Plus, that shutter will be way less expensive to replace.

This is of course a stand alone point. If you HAVE TO HAVE 12 fps for your fast action work, the 5d isn't an option. But for me who have always loved and used 1d's, I couldn't be happier that the X was delayed long enough for me to jump on a 5d3. I LOVE that thing.

609

EOS Bodies / Re: Chinese Alternative BG-E11 for 5D III not as bad

« on: May 29, 2012, 04:40:38 PM »

What matters is the weathersealing...  they're usually good enough quality for me, but if they're not sealed, I can't use it..,

610

Lenses / Re: 50mm 1.2

« on: May 28, 2012, 04:37:49 PM »

I have the 50 L on the 5d3 very much of the time. BUT only after adjusting it with Reikan FoCal software. It was impossible to do with SpyderLens Cal and other manual tools. I bought a second copy with more STABLE focus, but not adjusted properly. After the software adjustment it is fantastic! I have always loved the lens, the hardest of all Canon lenses to use by far, with all it's faults, sorry, "it's a feature, not a fault", lol. Learn to use it and adjust it properly, and it gives you bokeh, color, contrast and wide open IQ that can't be matched by another 50. And it is very close to my 85 wide open now, which hasn't even been close to before.

Superb lens when adjusted, what will shorten your life dramtically or even kill you with frustration when it's not. Many people buy this lens and trade it off again because it is so hard to control. If you want a wide aperture normal'ish lens, the 85 and 35 will be better alternatives and WAY easier to get great results with, but only the 50 L is the best 50.

611

Software & Accessories / Re: Reikan FoCal

« on: May 24, 2012, 02:59:59 AM »

Just bought and tried the pro version with the lenses listed in my profile and all my lenses are adjusted to frontfocus.

For example my 24 I had at +16 and where very happy, so I wanted to see what FoCal would do, it adjusted it to +9 and it's way in front.

The 50 L, oh my, that is the reason I will be sent to an early grave. The ACTUALLY told me, directly from mailing with FoCal, that the 50 L is almost too inconsistent to adjust. They say to try to adjust it 7 EV instead of 10. I didn't help.

It was at +6 and Focal said it should be at 0, and now it's way in front as well.

I had my 85 L at +8 and FoCal wanted it to be at -5, and now it's way in front.


The WORST PART of this whole deal is; It's stated that phase AF is very hard to get right. No matter how much you adjust, it's always going to be very much different from shot to shot (IF you defocus completely between each shot).

So what I have learned is that no matter if you own the baddest that is offered by the biggest brand and paid a kid and a kidney, properly focused images are only guranteed at ONE specific distance in ONE specific light.

"Adjust to your most used distance"

Maybe I will go back to the 5d2 and the Eg-S and some good manual lenses, because AF isn't good enough. What's the damn point in having 61 af points when you can only use the center one, go out on the edges and the 50 is waaaaay in front compared to center.

I'm not sure if the FoCal is to blame, maybe it's just the AF of 2012, but it frontfocused all my lenses. I got better results by just trying myself.

That being said, I will try under daylight and not under artificial light today. I'll update this message if the results change dramatically.

*UPDATE*

So, forget what I said, this software is the greatest thing ever invented. Test invironment is crucial!!!

Here's what NOT TO DO!:

Use artificial light.
Approx distance
Not sturdy setup (tripod)

Here's what TO DO!:

Use daylight bright shadow (10 EV)
Use a very sturdy tripod
Use the correct distance 50x focal.

My god, the 50 L works now, it's the first time I have ever been able to use it for anything. What a lens. The AF isn't the most consistent, but at least now I know if it misses, it's because it misses. Not because of misalignment, and that is A LOT easier to accept.

I had set my 35 to -9 from weeks of testing, I had set my 24 to +16, and FoCal set them to, guess what? -9 and +16.
The 50 I was way off, the 85 L was set in between the value from my first test and my own setting, so I guess that's perfect also.

Buy this software if you have fast lenses, it will save you two heartattacks, 15 years lifeshortening and suicidal moments.

612

EOS Bodies / Re: Some high ISO 5D3 samples from last weekend

« on: May 22, 2012, 04:23:05 AM »

Thanks for posting and great work, skilled stuff.

Lens of choice here?

613

EOS Bodies / Re: Best technique for Micro Focus Ajustment

« on: May 21, 2012, 05:18:29 PM »

Anyone experienced "License error" with Reikan Focal Pro?

I use a 5d3 and just bought a license, and I can see the serial in the program, and I can go into the tools, but as soon as I press "Start" on something I just says "license error". Great fun....

614

EOS Bodies / Re: 5Dmk3 GGS screen protectors

« on: May 21, 2012, 02:08:50 PM »

yay ebay has them now

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/310399800184?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

I have this on my 5DM3. The back LCD fist perfectly, but the top LCD no matter how I install it, I see line of air between the LCD & protector. And it is thick, so whenever your fingers move around you will feel the raised plastic. I am keeping it until I receive a regular protector and will replace the top one only as the back one looks good so far.

Exact same thing here!!

615

Lenses / Re: 50mm 1.2

« on: May 21, 2012, 04:01:08 AM »

I am on my third copy of the 50 L and as much I love parts of this lens I have SERIOUS AF problems....

If I aim at 30 meters the lens is dead on with midpoints and 10 meters in front on the outer points. I adjust to make the outer work, and then it's waaay behind when I use midpoints.

It was the same with the two others, this one is production code UA03, so it's brand new. It's much better than the two others for stabillity, the two others were all over and damn near impossible to MA, never got them to be consistent at one setting.

But it still is the same issue. try the second to last row to the right/left, which are crosstypes (5d3) and it misses both in Ai and One Shot, with spot, single, expanded by four or 9, I can try 40 times, and just doesn't hit. use points closer to the middle and it's sharper than any of the two others, by far.

Anyone else experiencing this ? As I said, three copies used on three different bodies, 1d4, 5d2 and 5d3.

And for the record, neither copies of my 85 L II and 35 had or have this issue.