Topics

1

Software & Accessories / Honda to start selling ONLY stretch limos

« on: May 07, 2013, 08:31:00 PM »

Popular car maker Honda announced today that it will stop making such popular cars as the Civic, Accord and Odyssey, and will begin producing only one vehicle:  a super stretch limousine.  Honda's press release states that its customers will actually break even, or possibly come out ahead.  This calculation assumes that the customer would have purchased one new model of each of the 11 different vehicles Honda makes every year, and would of course have crushed all its previous-year Hondas into metal cubes for recycling every year. 

Critics point out that very few existing Honda customers actually buy a whole fleet of Hondas each year, as it would be cost-prohibitive and also more vehicles than any one person would typically use.  Most people, consumer advocates contend, would only purchase one or two Honda models, and would ordinarily hold onto them somewhat longer.

As an added incentive, each of the new hulking 40-person limousines comes with a large, roomy 6' x 12' U-haul trailer to tow behind the enormous limousines, for useful storage.

Honda dismisses criticism as short-sighted, and "the grumbling of a lot of low-value casual drivers of one or two vehicles", as they pursue their more-valued top 2% customers.  When asked for comment, representatives from Ford, GM, Nissan, Toyota and Chrysler all said they would be happy to welcome the discarded 98% of Honda's customer base into a dealership to view their own selection of much lower-priced, and individually-available vehicles.

2

Third Party Manufacturers / Waiting for a Sigma 50 "A" like their 35 to appear?

« on: April 20, 2013, 09:57:44 AM »

It seems like there's a big demand for a new 50 mm lens.  The old sigma 50 mm got mixed reviews, and even the Canon 50 mm lenses get mixed reviews.  If sigma could make a 50 mm lens that is as well made as their new 35mm lens, it should sell like hot cakes, right?

3

Third Party Manufacturers / Will Sigma make a tele "S" lens as good as its "A" lens (35 1.4) is?

« on: March 24, 2013, 10:05:31 AM »

Sigma's first shot with the new A, S, and C lenses has been widely acclaimed as being as good or frankly better than the Big manufacturers' equivalent offerings.   It was an Art lens in their new terms. What will the next "letter lens" be?

 I wonder how good their first Sport lens will be, and what it will be.  They could really score a hit with a high quality 300 or 400 lens at f/2.8 if it were top quality and priced lower than the big boys. Maybe it is safer to stick with making really good primes for the first several releases and not trying to compete in zooms right away.

4

Canon General / With the Yen plunging, will we see price drops now?

« on: February 15, 2013, 10:28:42 AM »

We heard a lot (a LOT!) of people defending percieved high Canon pricing, saying it is due to the run up in the value of the Yen that ended in 2011.  Sometimes this was said with the kind of absolute certainty that can only come from someone with no training in a subject. 

Now Japan is printing money to achieve 2% inflation in their economy, and the Yen is plunging as a result.  See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-21468587

Question:  If the High Yen = High Canon Prices argument was as valid as was asserted so many times, will we now expect to see this effect working in reverse?  Or will prices stay the same, and the True Believers simply latch onto some other factor to explain it?

5

EOS Bodies - For Stills / 6D flash sync problem? not reporting flash to body?

« on: January 19, 2013, 09:05:54 PM »

I was shooting my 6D today at the aviary.  I believe I was in TV mode.  Had my Canon 320EX speedlite on.  I had been shooting with the flash off but turned it on.  The shutter was set at 1/400th.  The ISO was, I know, still set from the last room I was in, which was dark, so it is at ISO 3200.

Anyway, the camera failed to reduce the shutter to the camera's max sync speed (1/180) like you expect it to do.  As a result, the flash was clearly out of sync with the shutter. 

Also, the metadata says "flash did not fire".  But obviously it did fire.



Could this be a firmware glitch?  Bad camera?  Some obvious user error I am overlooking?

Thanks.

6

Third Party Manufacturers / Sigma 35 f/1.4 POST-RELEASE hands-on views

« on: January 11, 2013, 01:45:52 AM »

The title of the previous Sigma 1.4 post was about pre-release.  Now The Digital Picture has given it its first unqualified reccomendation vs. the OEM product,
    http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Sigma-35mm-f-1.4-EX-DG-HSM-Lens-Review.aspx

and Lens Rentals has literally gushed over it..   http://www.lensrentals.com/rent/canon/lenses/wide-angle/sigma-35mm-f1.4-dg-hsm-a1-for-canon
  What are we to think?

7

PowerShot / Canon SX 50 v. Panny FZ200; is it just me, or does Canon smoke it for IQ?

« on: January 03, 2013, 04:49:49 PM »

Is it just me, or does the Canon not smoke the Panasonic on image quality in this review?  The reviewer is touting the constant f/2.8 aperture throughout it's 24x (600mm) range, and granted that does give nicer background blur/subject separation, and of course that can give higher shutter speed and all...BUT.  He never talks about the IQ differences in his own comparison shots.

http://www.cameralabs.com/reviews/Panasonic_Lumix_DMC_FZ200/

It just seems like from his shots anyway that the Canon gives much sharper images.

8

Software & Accessories / LR3 and RAW from Canon 6D; when will Adobe support 6D RAW?

« on: December 24, 2012, 06:38:27 PM »

Does anyone know when Adobe will begin offering RAW support for 6D on Lightroom 3?  Mine is definitely not working now, and when I go to "look for updates" it says there are none.  This is as of Christmas Eve.

Thanks.

9

Third Party Manufacturers / 6D and Yongnuo: Anyone used YN-568EX and/or YN 622c triggers on a 6D yet?

« on: December 22, 2012, 10:29:50 PM »

Curious.  Was thinking of getting one, and maybe the YN 622C.  Specific comments on the exact matchup, or even comments on any of the specific pieces.  Thanks!

10

Third Party Manufacturers / Non-Bayer arrays; how is Fuji the only one to have thought of this?

« on: December 20, 2012, 07:47:46 PM »

Is it me?  How is it that most manufacturers are using the simple Bayer pattern on most of their sensors, and everyone has the same image issues as a result, and everyone band-aids it with the clarity-robbing AA filter. 

There is something almost funny that Fuji is able to "stun the world" by going with a slightly more complex pattern.  It just seems amazing that the others have not jumped on that a long time ago.  It's not like Fuji, or anyone, could patent the whole idea of doing something, anything, other than Bayer.

Sony is mucking around with a 4th color in the RGB, I read.  They and others will be innovating on all elements of the sensor and smaller manufacturing processes.  Could something as simple as "non-Bayer" give Canon an easy lower-tech leg up against competition?   Is that some low-hanging fruit Canon could pick?

11

EOS Bodies - For Stills / 6D & 24-105 f/4; AF point works as well with f/4 lens as f/2.8?

« on: December 19, 2012, 12:27:50 AM »

Is there any loss of, well, anything, in the AF function of a 6D when using a lens with max aperture of f/4, vs. its performance with f/2.8 or wider/faster lens?

I have seen here and there that certain AF points (center usually) do things at f/2.8 or better that the point can't do with wider lenses?

Relevant at all with 6D and 24-105 f/4???

Thanks!

12

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Going FF very soon; what to do about lenses?

« on: December 16, 2012, 02:23:43 AM »

Hi,

I am going full frame.  Soon.  Nearly dove in on Cyber Monday.  Now just stalking prices.
I may get 5D3, or I may go 6D.  Either way, I obviously need a new "walking around lens".  I will be keeping the T3i body but I will be selling the wonderful 17-55 f/2.8 zoom lens.  I already have a 70-200 f/2.8 mk2.  I also have the nifty firty 1.8.

I have never shot FF before.  I am wondering if for the "normal lens" I should either:

1.)  Get the 24-105 f/4 at the nice discount for package/kit deal, or
2.)  Just get a prime (85mm?) (50mm?) and live with it, or
3.)  Wait for 24-70 f/4?

I know I need a walk-around lens. I worry that only a prime or primes would be too hard to work? 

I am also aware that you get a serious discount if you buy the lens with the camera, so the 24-105 looks great.

I could MAYBE do the 6D plus 24-70 f/2.8 mk2, though it would be a real stretch.

There is no way I could do more than the 24-105 if I bought the 5D3.

Should I go 6d instead?  I know the advice is usually to go lenses first and then bodies.

ALSO, what about a cheap 50mm or 85mm?  Supposedly Sigma is getting good at these for the price?

Sorry for so many questions.

I shoot:
Portraits of my elementary school kids, and
Some non-serious kid soccer, and
Candids of the family, and
misc., and
who knows?

Thanks!

13

EOS Bodies / YN 622; Is this the/a solution to 5D3 + AF beam = slower focus???

« on: December 16, 2012, 01:46:44 AM »

Is this the solution?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Yongnuo-YN-622C-Wireless-TTL-Flash-Trigger-Canon-2-Receivers-/251173637846?_trksid=p2047675.m1850&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D11%26meid%3D4199993506709166129%26pid%3D100011%26prg%3D1005%26rk%3D5%26sd%3D120988902989%26
This trigger/transciever has its own AF beam, which is the same beefy robust pattern shown on the Yongnuo 565ex.  At just $47.00 is this the solution to the 5D3's bad AF beam performance?  Either buy 2 or 3 of these at $47 bucks each, or just buy one to use as a stand-alone AF beam for the 5D3??

BTW I did NOT come up with this; I took it from another of the threads on this subject.  I am about to buy either a 5D3 or a 6D, and I would like to know what others think about this beefy AF beam as a possible solution/aid to AF on 5D3??

14

EOS Bodies / 6D or 5D3 (or wait for 7d2?)

« on: December 08, 2012, 01:27:51 AM »

Too many variables now.  6D or 5D3 or 7D2?

I have a T3i and the 17-55 Efs lens.  I also have the 70-200 f/2.8 mark 2 which is great.  I am 90% sure I want to get a FF body for the high ISO ability alone.

Part of me still wants to wait for the 7D2.

But I would not want to buy a super-crop like 7D2 UNLESS it had at least 1 stop improvement in ISO over old crops, preferably 1.3 or 1.6 stops?  What are the chances on that?

My PRIMARY goal is improving acceptable IQ at high ISO.  I shoot portraits and candids of my girls.  Maybe a little soccer.  FF is great for that, right?  How big a deal should 7D2 be in my thinking? 

I have the $$ ready to buy now, but I don't need to buy now.

Please no one post how if I don't make cash on pictures I should not spend money on equipment!


Thanks.

15

EOS Bodies / Possible positive 6D surprise? Should I wait?

« on: November 24, 2012, 02:26:27 AM »

Various websites are saying the 6D sensor will actually have an advantage in low noise at high ISO vs. the sensor on 5D3. 
I have an itchy trigger finger with all the $2500 give-aways on the 5D3.  If the 6D were really going to stay at or around $2100.00, it would seem like a slam dunk for buying 5D3, UNLESS the new sensor really is better in low light...  I realize the AF seems to have been deliberatively crippled (and overly-so!), but for shooting portraits and candids and casual soccer of my kids, I really don't need the pro athlete or bird-in-flight AF.

Plus, heck, the replacement for the 7D (7D2?) could have a wildly better sensor?

What do CR folks think of this?

I should say you can see my equipment below my name.  I shoot portraits and candids of my 7-year old and 6-y-o and my infant.  They do/will play some peewee soccer, but nothing challenging for another 6-8 years max!  I've never met a bird who would pay fair value for an excelent portrait at 1000 yards, so I don't need too incredible an AF capability.