Messages

46

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: right time to turn pro...?

« on: June 13, 2012, 12:09:00 PM »

I suggest you find a local photographer or two whose work you admire, and second shoot for them as much as you can. There is so much you can learn from them, just seeing them work. If you can find mentors to teach you and critique your work, even better.

47

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Manual Mode Exposure Question...

« on: June 12, 2012, 04:56:23 PM »

Not to sound flippant or anything, but practice...  usually i have my camera in spot meter mode, If i have green grass or some evenly lit mid tones, i may point my spot there and quickly set my camera realizing its averaging everything to 18% gray...  having it in spot pinpoints the area that it's averaging.  If i dont have a nice predictable midtone, i expose to the dark and compensate 2-3 stops depending on the degree of shadow and fill light... or visa versa for a white or light colored object.  Sometimes when i'm in a pinch with constant changing scenes, i may put the iso in auto...  Many wedding photogs use an expo disc...  fits over the lens, and quickly able to set the proper exposure and take a picture with it on, all of a sudden you have a custom white balance frame to use for your surrounding.  Once you get your base exposure, then you can compensate for how much or how little DOF you want, action or panning, etc...

Exactly this. Watch your meter, turn on your histograms, and practice, and you'll eventually be able to instinctually get "ballpark" accuracy with your exposures. From there, your histograms will guide you to the proper exposures.

I don't think there's anything wrong with Av/Tv modes, but I like knowing that I have full control over the exposure, rather than having the camera guess for me. The camera is usually pretty good at guessing the right exposure, but it's sometimes wrong. In those cases, I choose to rely on the manual settings, because I know it's backlit, I know the subject isn't perfect 18% gray, I know it's a mostly dark setting, etc.

The bottom line for me is that when the exposure is wrong, I know for sure what's to blame (ie. me).

48

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Rebel T4i vs 5D Mark III - $850 vs $3499 - Is it really worth 4 times the price?

« on: June 12, 2012, 12:10:52 AM »

Simply put, I don't think they are designed or intended to be compared to each other. They are intended for two very different types of photographers. I would argue that the 5D3 is at least two, if not three, classes ahead of the T4i. Rebel series, 60D, 7D, 5D3, 1D series.. Although, the differences between the 60D and rebel seem to be shrinking..

(I won't comment on the subjective differences in image quality. Huge can of worms.)

Thanks very much for your thoughts. I am curious though and apologize in advance if it is a can of worms, but what are people's thoughts on the difference in image quality? Right now, there is no other full-frame option and I'm pretty determined to upgrade on that level. But as far as image quality, dynamic range, not so much high ISO ability, but image quality in general- what's the difference between an L-lens on an 4Ti and an L-lens on the Mark III? Any thoughts?

It's hard for me to compare the difference in image quality from a crop sensor body to a full frame body. Once I went to full frame with the classic 5D, I've never looked back, so I really don't know how the rebel cameras perform. I can guess that the "good" crop bodies (ie. 7D) have "good" image quality, and I can say that the 5D bodies have "better" image quality, but by how much? That's entirely subjective. You start getting very hand-wavy, hard-to-quantify answers.

Honestly, the T4i seems to have a great sensor and a great autofocus system (the same 9-cross-type on the 7d?). It looks like a great little camera, so it's entirely possible that the subjective image quality could be comparable to the 7D and any other Canon crop sensor. I think the big questions you have to answer is whether full frame is what you need and whether the build quality is important to you.

You've heard the other benefits of full frame: bokeh, wide angle coverage, etc. Since the "pixels" (or photosites) on the 5D3 sensor are bigger (6.25 micron) than the T3i (4.3 micron, and I assume the T4i has about the same 18MP APS-C sensor), the noise will tend to be better on the 5D3. Sure, the DIGIC 5 will alleviate a lot of that noise, but it will have to work harder on the T4i, giving the 5D3 more opportunity to give you better low light images. Another thing you might be surprised by (I certainly was) is how much brighter and wider the 5D3 viewfinder is. For me, it was a night & day difference when I first looked through my 5D classic's viewfinder. A word of warning, if you decide to go with a combo 5D2+T4i: You might start to feel very cramped by the smaller T4i viewfinder.

If full-frame turns out to be less important to you, I would think the 7D would be a strong consideration, since you want to keep this next camera a while. The materials and construction of the 7D are far better than any plastic rebel, so it will certainly last longer. If you decide you need full frame, you'll automatically get a durable camera, either in the 5D2 or 5D3.

49

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Dual Card-Slot Workflow?

« on: June 11, 2012, 06:04:08 PM »

Make sure you get fast SD/CF cards. (45MB/s? not sure exactly how fast is "enough") I tried out this exact setup (CF: raw, SD: jpeg) and once the buffer filled up (approx 7 frames, I think), it took a second or two to clear the buffer enough to shoot again. Definitely more sluggish than it should be.. Removing my slow SD card improved things dramatically, and my CF's are only 30MB/s or 45MB/s - definitely not the fastest. Now I'm shopping for a decent SD card.

50

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Rebel T4i vs 5D Mark III - $850 vs $3499 - Is it really worth 4 times the price?

« on: June 11, 2012, 03:07:11 PM »

Simply put, I don't think they are designed or intended to be compared to each other. They are intended for two very different types of photographers. I would argue that the 5D3 is at least two, if not three, classes ahead of the T4i. Rebel series, 60D, 7D, 5D3, 1D series.. Although, the differences between the 60D and rebel seem to be shrinking..

(I won't comment on the subjective differences in image quality. Huge can of worms.)

First, the sensor is entirely different, so the sensor debate ultimately boils down to the age-old full-frame vs crop, which has been hashed out endlessly in every online forum on the Internet. The main thing is that full frame sensors simply cost more than crop sensors.

Then there's the build - materials, quality, weather resistance, etc. Magnesium alloys cost a lot more than plastic, and it costs more to shape magnesium alloy than injection-molded plastic.. More has been spent in design and testing (although maybe not enough?), and they're making far fewer 5D's than rebels.

There are countless other upgrades from the rebel line to the 5D line, but those are the main two in my mind. The sensor, build quality, materials, and manufacturing scale, mixed with complex economics, all combine to get the prices we see.

Bottom line, yes - it's well worth the price difference for those who need it. Should everyone go buy a 5D3 instead of a T4i? No way. If all you need is a rebel, get a rebel. If you need better construction and fast performance, get a 7D. If you need a full frame sensor, get a 5D. If you need the absolute best Canon offers, get a 1D or 1Ds series.

Of course, if you have the money to burn, by all means - get a 5D3 or better, whether you really "need" it or not. If you can't justify the cost, then there's nothing wrong with going with the rebel. It's still a superb camera, and it will give you great images, but it simply cannot do everything that some photographers need, which is why the 5D3 was made and priced as it is.

51

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: BG-E11 ... available anywhere reputable?

« on: June 11, 2012, 11:59:09 AM »

I'm looking to snag a BG-E11, but the big guys all seem to be sold out (Adorama, BH, Amazon, etc.).  There are a bunch of random shops that claim to have it in stock - but I've never dealt with any of them, and the majority seem to have hit-or-miss experiences in their Google reviews.

Should I trust these small guys, or wait for the big names to get more stock in?

Got mine from Unique Photo @ a low price ($319). They still have them in stock now @ $329. Nothing bad to say about them so far, quick service, original un-opened product:
http://store.uniquephoto.com/e/index.php/canon-battery-grip-bg-e11-5261b001.html

+1

I also went with Unique at the same price. First, I emailed them to make sure their "In Stock" status was accurate. They replied within an hour saying it was really in stock, so I cancelled my B&H order and ordered from Unique, and it shipped the same day.

I share the skepticism of the somewhat shady online shops with suspicious prices, and I tend to shop at B&H, but Unique Photo has proven themselves to me.

52

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Where can I get a sensor cleaning or (last resort) replacement?

« on: June 05, 2012, 09:52:47 PM »

There's always the option of sending it to an official Canon repair center, but I have sent a few cameras and lenses to Toshio at T F Camera Repair Service in New Jersey. He does a fantastic job with sensor cleaning, repairs, even shutter replacements for well-loved SLRs. His prices have been very fair in my experience -  just the standard parts + labor..

You can Google around for T F Camera repair. You should find several sites, forum posts, etc. recommending him. Just call him to get an estimate.

53

Lighting / Re: Which Phottix RF trigger?

« on: June 04, 2012, 05:20:52 PM »

According to the Pixel King specs, it is a full E-TTL II radio trigger system. If they work as advertised, it seems like a good system. Anyone own a set that can comment on their reliability/compatibility?

Edit: There are a few disturbing caveats on the bottom of that page....

17 Do not support flashes using mixed modes, such as E-TTL and M together
23 Transmitter‘s hot shoe is NOT used for flashgun

The other limitations on that list aren't a big deal (in my mind) but these are fairly limiting. #17 could be troublesome for studio settings, where you might want one or two flashes on manual power. I don't really understand #23. Why would the transmitter have a hot shoe if it cannot fire a flash? Could it mean something else? The page is clearly a bad English translation..

54

Software & Accessories / Re: BG-E11 in stock, $319 at Unique Photo

« on: June 04, 2012, 03:25:20 PM »

I paid $319, and I wanted to get it for a weekend gig, so I paid for 2-day shipping, which was ~$25, which is reasonable. So I think the total to the door was ~$345. Even if their price had been closer to the normal retail price ($349) I would have gone with them, because they had them in stock (B&H still has it pre-order/backordered) and said they would ship the same day. The great price was an added bonus.

I can understand their price going up. $319 is a fantastic price, but it has to be close to a zero profit margin. Again, I think that it's a sale price to get people to their store/website, and they make up the difference with reputation (I gave them a good review) and accessories. They did not, however, make any annoying up-sell calls or delay my order at all.

In my book, all they have to do is beat the main stores' prices by a little bit, ship things fast, and not be annoying, and they'll have my business. I won't dump B&H, but I'll at least compare with Unique if they keep doing things right.

55

Software & Accessories / Re: BG-E11 in stock, $319 at Unique Photo

« on: June 01, 2012, 11:48:46 PM »

Arrived today. Looks like it's perfectly new. I recommend Unique Photo. They were fast, and the price is great!

56

Lighting / Re: Which Phottix RF trigger?

« on: May 30, 2012, 08:22:53 PM »

just want to clarify, the Phottix Strato II is a TTL trigger, correct?

i realize their website mentioned TTL pass though hot-shoe, but thats something different. i just want to try wirelessly TTL since my RF602 die.

http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Phottix-Strato-II-5-in-1-Trigger-Receiver-x2-Canon-F318-/150634866106?pt=AU_Cameras_Photographic_Accessories&hash=item231289a5ba

yep

and also note that they will work as recievers for the odin system too if you ever decide to get an odin

Erm.. Nope. The Strato II radio is manual only. The TTL passthru lets you use a TTL flash on-camera, but it still is a manual-only radio trigger. It's cool that it works with the Odin, which is their TTL-compatible remote system, but a flash mounted to the Strato II receiver can only be triggered in manual mode.

If you have to have remote TTL, go with the Odin (or PocketWizard Flex/Mini, Radiopopper, etc.)

57

Software & Accessories / Re: BG-E11 in stock, $319 at Unique Photo

« on: May 30, 2012, 08:02:39 PM »

Shipped today, as advertised; should get here Friday. I'm still confused by the price, but I'm optimistic. No annoying up-sell calls, no hassle.

58

Software & Accessories / Re: BG-E11 in stock, $319 at Unique Photo

« on: May 30, 2012, 02:30:19 PM »

No idea why.. I'll report more when I get shipment notification and delivery.

Maybe they're trying to get sales by lowering one price and raising others. Their Canon LP-E6 batteries are $65 instead of $60 at B&H.

I figure it's too soon for refurbs or knock-offs to be a factor. We'll see.

59

Software & Accessories / BG-E11 in stock, $319 at Unique Photo

« on: May 30, 2012, 12:55:34 PM »

Just a heads-up... $319 in stock.

http://store.uniquephoto.com/e/index.php/canon-battery-grip-bg-e11-5261b001.html

They seem to have decent ratings on Google Shopping, and they responded to my inquiry right away (had to make sure they actually had it in stock and not just a website glitch). No word on how many they have, but they said they'll ship it today if it's ordered before 4pm (Eastern, I presume).

I cancelled my B&H pre-order and ordered it from Unique. I've been going through too many weekend gigs without the grip, but I should have it for this weekend, if they ship it out today.

60

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon BG-E11 Making its Way to Retailers

« on: May 25, 2012, 12:01:15 PM »

All four of these listed suppliers haven't got any in yet.  Any news on this?

Canon BG-E11 for preorder for $349 at Norman Camera |  B&H | Amazon | Adorama

I think it's a lot like the 5D3 release. The smaller stores on the west coast seem to get things first.

It seems like Canon has never heard of airplanes, only cargo ships and delivery trucks.