Messages

16

Lenses / Re: Landscape tips needed on shooting the Grand Canyon

« on: November 13, 2012, 11:52:10 PM »

Lipan Point and Navajo Point along the Desert View drive are great vantage points if you want to get the Colorado River in your shot.  Although you said you are not interested in hiking, the South Kaibab trail down to Ooh-Aah Point or a little further to Cedar Ridge is worth doing and only takes about 2 hours round trip.  We did that during the early afternoon, leaving Lipan and Navajo for sunset. If you actually get accommodations in the park that opens up more possibilities for avoiding mid-day sun.

I had a 60D and used the 10-22 and 15-85 (which is sharper than the 10-22), often doing stitched panos in post with images from the 15-85 so I certainly would advise something wider than the 24-70 unless you want to stitch.

If you are also thinking you want to take in the surrounding areas you mentioned you may want to change "a few" days to "several" days.

Diane

17

Lenses / Re: "Affordable" telephoto lens for wildlife

« on: October 31, 2012, 06:59:10 PM »

Casting my vote for the 70-300L.  It's on my 7D all the time.  Love that lens.
Diane

18

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Unreliable AF on 7D with FW 2.0.3?

« on: October 15, 2012, 08:02:04 PM »

Imagine this marketing meeting at Canon: Q:"how do we get our current satisfied 7D owners to open up their wallets for a new 7DII in 2013?"  A: "let's release a firmware upgrade that breaks their current cameras." Many high-fives ensue and a bright spark gets a promotion.

19

Third Party Manufacturers / Re: SLR-like raw shooting cam - suggestions?

« on: October 15, 2012, 06:03:30 PM »

Sony RX100

20

Software & Accessories / Re: Joby Gorillapod for ground level Macro work?

« on: September 24, 2012, 11:56:17 PM »

I have a bag of rice in an old wool sock that goes wherever my dslr goes - indispensable.
Diane

21

Lighting / Re: Direct Flash - How to make it useful?

« on: September 18, 2012, 10:17:09 PM »

I received my wing light today. They're are a few things I will have to tweak on it but otherwise its the best direct flash I've ever seen.

Will post later when I get some time behind it.

That was fast - looking forward to your assessment and "tweaks"
Diane

22

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 6D Official Specs

« on: September 17, 2012, 07:32:41 PM »

If the 6D was say $1200 the discussion would be entirely different... at that price it's easy to accept that the features are like a top end Rebel but it has a FF sensor.   But's it's not $1200.... it's starting out at $2100 and might come down to $1600 in time but not likely lower... is it a winner anywhere in that price range?

Yup, they are marketing a $1200 camera for $2100.  Maybe someone in Canon marketing is dyslexic   

23

PowerShot / Re: Down to the RX100 or G15...

« on: September 17, 2012, 07:25:00 PM »

I wasn't liking the direction Canon was going and so I am glad I got the RX100.  At first I was a little disappointed that the Sony does not have a macro setting so I decided to see how tight I could crop an image to get macro details.  Sample below with uncropped and cropped image.  For something I can put in my pocket when I don't want to carry my 7D and 100mm lens, I am satisfied with the Sony performance

24

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 6D Official Specs

« on: September 17, 2012, 02:17:13 PM »

This reminds me of what happened when the 60D was announced. 50D owners were hoping for an upgrade and instead Canon put out a more consumerish 60D thus making the logical upgrade to the 50D the vastly more expensive 7D. This seems to be what Canon is doing here where instead of a 5D mark II or FF 7D competitor at a similar price, they have restricted some pro features and added wifi & gps to bring it to more of a rebel upgrade than pro model. Thus 5D mark II owners are forced to upgrade to the vastly more expensive 5D mark III.

Yes, does seem like deja vu

25

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Canon EOS 6D High Resolution Photo and Video Samples

« on: September 17, 2012, 12:39:54 PM »

Here are 100% crops taken with both the Nikon D600 and Canon 6D using 135mm & 85mm portrait lenses @ f3.2

Hmm, Nikon looks crisper and cleaner to my eye between these two images

It's definitely sharper, but a tad less flattering too - just look at the tiny blonde hairs at the bridge of the nose and above the upper lip too, sort of reminiscent of initial criticisms of the D800

Different tastes, I guess.  I prefer seeing those tiny hairs rather than the smudgy look of the Canon image because when doing macro work, I want to see those tiny hairs on an insect.  I can always smooth out skin in PP, but for when I want the detail it needs to be there first place since I can't manufacture it in PP.  Actually the Canon images looks like a rather amateurish PP job like I used to do when first learning photoshop  Just my $.02

26

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Canon EOS 6D High Resolution Photo and Video Samples

« on: September 17, 2012, 12:24:26 PM »

Here are 100% crops taken with both the Nikon D600 and Canon 6D using 135mm & 85mm portrait lenses @ f3.2

Hmm, Nikon looks crisper and cleaner to my eye between these two images

27

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 6D Official Specs

« on: September 17, 2012, 01:59:57 AM »

I said in an earlier post that is very possible that canon will discontinue the 7D series due to the new 6D FF camera.

With those specs i really believe that we will see a 7D2 in the near future ( 1 or 2 Q 2013).

I'm betting not.  Why would they have gone to all the trouble with the firmware upgrade, and then fix that upgrade's bug if they were just going to replace it with a 7D2 soon?  No, I think we will be waiting quite a while for that refresh to happen  .  The only real short-coming the 7D has is the sensor and I just have a feeling that Canon is really struggling in it's R&D for a better sensor for its top of the line crop body and they bought themselves more time with the firmware upgrade.

Kinda of a big shortcoming, don'tcha think? I agree it might be a while though. Too bad they can buy sensors from sony too. Sony sensor in an awesome canon body = the perfect camera.

Yup, real BIG shortcoming.  And as long as Canon won't admit that Sony has the best sensor technology right now and swallow their pride and just starting buying from Sony, we all lose.  I love Canon glass + I think I would really like the D600 = baaad place to be 

28

EOS Bodies / Re: Adorama is Taking Pre-Orders for EOS 6D

« on: September 17, 2012, 01:48:22 AM »

Well, to be fair, crApple has played the same Canon game ("pay more for less") and it hasn't stopped the bandwagoneering, carpetbagging stock market analysts to continue to pump&dump their shares in anticipation of blockbuster sales numbers. Unfortunately for Canon, the consumers in this gadget segment aren't as tech-ignorant.

Yes, the similarities between Canon and Apple are not lost on me either.  I equate the beauty of Mac machines with the beauty of L lens, and unfortunately both companies seem to have developed an unwarranted sense of infallability.  And doubly unfortunate I happen to be both a Mac and Canon user  .

29

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 6D Official Specs

« on: September 17, 2012, 01:42:41 AM »

I said in an earlier post that is very possible that canon will discontinue the 7D series due to the new 6D FF camera.

With those specs i really believe that we will see a 7D2 in the near future ( 1 or 2 Q 2013).

I'm betting not.  Why would they have gone to all the trouble with the firmware upgrade, and then fix that upgrade's bug if they were just going to replace it with a 7D2 soon?  No, I think we will be waiting quite a while for that refresh to happen  .  The only real short-coming the 7D has is the sensor and I just have a feeling that Canon is really struggling in it's R&D for a better sensor for its top of the line crop body and they bought themselves more time with the firmware upgrade.

30

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 6D Official Specs

« on: September 17, 2012, 12:08:24 AM »

AFMA?

Hmmm, no mention of AFMA in the specs...yet another (canon)ball dropped 

I highly doubt they will add AFMA because it seems they are clearing marketing it towards the consumer crowd. 

To them the touchy screen is more important that this A. F. M. A. thingy.  Who needs AFMA when you could have a touchy screen?

Sadly, I think this is exactly the thinking involved, both on Canon's part and the market they are aiming this at.  I've been down the 60D route without AFMA and found that so frustrating I ended up picking up a used 7D.  Buying used lenses that are not local sales where you can try them out are just not wise without AFMA.  Oh well, I may as well stop ranting...I'm not buying a 6D, so it's time for me to "let go"