Messages

16

Animal Kingdom / Re: Show your Bird Portraits

« on: November 05, 2012, 08:54:05 AM »

Tiny little birds these guys.  I have no idea how this guy got banded or by who.

17

Animal Kingdom / Re: Show your Bird Portraits

« on: October 08, 2012, 12:28:03 AM »

5DIII and 70-200 F/4L.  Shot at dusk, ISO 3200 and only 1/400 shutter unfortunately.

18

Animal Kingdom / Re: Show your Bird Portraits

« on: October 08, 2012, 12:17:29 AM »

5DIII and 100-400.

19

5D MK III Sample Images / Re: 5D MK III Images

« on: September 27, 2012, 08:37:40 AM »

Taken on Saturday September 22nd at Wedge Pond, Kananaskis Alberta Canada

20

Canon General / Re: Filters?

« on: September 13, 2012, 04:16:41 PM »

I have a question concerning filters

I have the Lee system

I have the 77mm size, plus an adapter for a couple smaller sizes

but I've got a 16-35 and its 82mm

I haven't been able to find an adapter for that lens

any ideas??

I bought the Lee 82mm wide angle adapter from BH last week, it arrived at my door yesterday.  They're out of stock again I think, find it on their website and click the stock notification link.  That way when it comes in stock you'll get an e-mail and can order it right away.

21

Canon General / Re: Lee filters

« on: September 11, 2012, 08:32:57 AM »

I've bought a lot of Lee Filters from BH Photo.  As already noted they are frequently out of stock, you have to be prepared to buy them as soon as they're in.

Case in point - two weeks ago I bought a .9 Soft Edge ND filter.  They arrived in stock, I bought the next day, the day after that they were out of stock again.

Last week the 82mm wide angle adapter ring was in stock... I bought it the next day, the day after that it was out of stock again.

So be prepared to jump on it as soon as you see it otherwise there is a good chance you'll miss out.

22

Lenses / Re: Post your 24-70 II Experiences Here

« on: September 05, 2012, 08:54:27 AM »

I am quite curious to see how a non-IS standard zoom lens costing $2,300 performs. 70-200 IS II is one of the few zoom lenses that is sharper than primes (or as sharp as) wide open. I wonder if 24-70 II will achieve the same for say 24L, 35L, and 50L.

It will certainly for the 35L, considering the mark I already did that.  The 24 and 50 are yet to be seen, I highly doubt at the 24 end, but the 50 maybe.  However, the 50L's strengths are where the 24-70L II can't go.  So that is really not a contest truly.

Sorry, I'm quite confused. I rented 24-70 a few times, the images were nowhere near sharp and there is no way it comes even close to 35L in any aperture. The only thing that comes close to 35L, but does not beat it is the 70-200 IS II. I have both lenses so I am not making this up. I don't know what aperture that MTF chart is posted there at, but I'd highly doubt they made a lens that beats all of their primes. A lot of people buy the primes not only for their low light capabilities but also for their sharpness.

Please also see:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=121&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=3&LensComp=101&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=2&APIComp=0

This isn't a discussion about the 24-70 Version I, it is about the 24-70 Version II that has just started to hit stores.  Totally different lens.

For the record though I have Version I and I'm quite happy with the results I get out of it.

23

HDR - High Dynamic Range / Re: 5d3: HDR VS Multiple Expsosure vs AEB

« on: August 30, 2012, 06:17:02 PM »

If you want more than 3 shots, you may need to resort to Magic Lantern.

The OP has a 5D3, he can do 7 AEB brackets at +/-3EV. 

My preference is 3AEB +/- 3EV for handheld or moving subjects like leaves etc. 5AEB at +/-2EV for tripodded stuff. Extreme cases like shooting indoors with an open window, you might need 5AEB @ +/- 3EV.

The 5D3 goes well beyond +-3 EV, I routinely shoot +- 4 or 5 EV.  I can't recall how far you can go but it's beyond +-5.

24

Landscape / Re: ND Filters - Solid or Graduated

« on: August 26, 2012, 04:04:57 PM »

If you're shooting digital, there's rarely any situation in which graduated (not solid) neutral density filters make sense.

Rather, what you really want, is the simplest type of HDR. Take two exposures, one for the part of the scene where you'd use the dark part of the filter and another for the light. Then, in Photoshop, put each on their own layer. You can then use a mask with the gradient tool to perfectly mimic the effect of the filter. Or, for something that'll work even better, use a big, fat, soft brush to brush in (or out) the one exposure (or the other).

That's really all that the best-done HDR work logically comes down to: a customized graduated neutral density filter. The quality of the end result is directly proportional to the quality of the masking, which can be seen as the skill in constructing the perfectly-shaped ND filter for that particular scene.

That's also why all those auto-tonemapped halo-filled neon photoillustrations look so weird...it's like looking at the world through the most bizarre ND filter you can imagine.

Cheers,

b&

Two comments...

First, I personally don't have the Photoshop skills to get the sharpness out of an HDR that I can get using the ND filters.  I'm not relying on software to align the images.

Second, I would rather get the exposure right when I am making the picture than do it in post.  That's just a personal preference, for me though the fun is out in the field, not at home in front of the computer.

Don't get me wrong though, I'm seriously considering getting the latest version of Photoshop and really learning how to use it.

25

EOS Bodies / Re: Shooting leveled landscape pictures

« on: August 22, 2012, 08:45:15 PM »

When looking through the view finder I level the top with a feature I'm photographing.  i.e. level the top of the view finder to the horizon, or shore of a lake, or tops of mountains, whatever.  I can usually find something in the scene that I can use to level to.  This works as long as I'm standing upright, if I'm hunched or contorting myself then I need electronic help.

When shooting off a tripod I use the electronic level in the LCD to verify.  I've found though that my method above gets me to level most of the time and the level in the VF needs little to no adjustment.

26

5D MK III Sample Images / Re: 5D MK III Images

« on: August 22, 2012, 03:16:03 PM »

Moraine Lake in Banff National Park, taken this past weekend.

OMG this is amazing - what lens? It's so crisp at f11!

I was using both a 16-35 F2.8 Version 1 and a 24-70 F2.8 that day.  I couldn't remember which this image was taken with to be honest so I checked the properties, focal length was 23mm so it had to have been the 16-35 lens I used for that image.

Moraine Lake in Banff National Park, taken this past weekend.

96Brigadier, the reflection of the mountain in the water has blown highlights.

Just kidding! This image, this location, at this time...drink in the serenity! Nice capture 96Brigadier!

Thanks!   I am really happy with this photo given I'm an amateur.

I used a 3-stop Lee hard edge graduated ND filter over the mountains to even out the exposure (as much as I could).  I only got into graduated ND filters 6 weeks ago, I definitely like what I can do with them.  In hind sight maybe I should have also stacked a soft edge filter over the reflection.  I haven't done that before so not entirely sure how that would have turned out.

27

5D MK III Sample Images / Re: 5D MK III Images

« on: August 21, 2012, 02:47:48 PM »

Moraine Lake in Banff National Park, taken this past weekend.

28

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: People with a 5D3 from first batch, did you get the light leak issue fixed?

« on: August 14, 2012, 11:25:20 PM »

Nope, don't see it as being an issue.  The night shots I've done I've just taken an exposure through the VF without having to look at the top LCD.

29

Software & Accessories / Re: FoCal Pro version 1.5 and the 5D Mark III

« on: July 30, 2012, 02:27:45 PM »

If you are doing your tests indoors on a normal floor you will see different results.  The reason is any vibration in the floor impacts your camera.  I found that I couldn't run the test on the main floor of my house, I had to move to the garage with its concrete floor.  Concrete basement would have also worked.  I also use a double halogen work light to keep the target well lit.

When trying to test my 100-400 lens there was enough of a breeze outside to slightly vibrate the tripod, again that was enough to throw the test off (or more to the point the graph is all over the place making it hard to determine the right adjustment).

30

EOS Bodies / Re: Upgrade from my T3i Need Advice!!

« on: July 30, 2012, 09:55:13 AM »

So I just sold my T3i and want to upgrade my body. I shoot primarily video, but am venturing into sports photography as well and want a perfect camera for both. Should I get the 7D? 5D Mark II? or wait and hope Canon announces a sub $2000 Full Frame dslr with the speed of the 7D? 

Assuming by speed you mean frames per second.... I can't imagine Canon would ever release a sub $2000 full frame dslr with the speed of the 7D when the 5DIII doesn't have that speed and costs over $3000.

If it were me I'd either save a bit longer and get the 5DIII or just wait a few months and see what happens for announcements in September.