Messages

1

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 6D + 24-105 vs T4i + 24-70 II

« on: January 14, 2013, 07:03:31 PM »

I'll disagree.

I have the T4i and the 5DIII.  I have owned the 24-70 for many years, first version I and now II.

The T4i is a great camera. The true cost to own is very, very low. If you buy the body for $600 or less, the per year cost to own - depreciation - is going to be less than $100 per year, maybe as low as $50.  Buy it for $600,, use it for 2 years, sell for $475 or more. Incredibly cheap for incredibly much camera.

As a pro, the ONLY reason I keep the 5DIII in addition to the T4i is for ISO 6400 and above. Otherwise I could live with the T4i as my main camera.

The 24-105 is good, but I sold mine to go back to my bread and butter 24-70. I use that for 85% or more of my work.

Add the 17-40 for $500 and you are covered on the wide end.  Or buy the 18-135 STM for video and wide angle.

Wait for Canon to launch a brand new sensor before you upgrade to full frame. It will cost you next to no money to buy & use the T4i. Then you can keep it as a backup camera.

If you are going to listen to others advice, listen to those who HAVE OWNED the T4i. Many who haven't just don't "get" that camera. The sensor is basically as good as/the same as the other Canon sensors right now, just in a crop. The auto focus is the same as the Canon 60D.

Good luck.
Michael

2

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: My brand new 5D Mark III - what am I doing wrong, please help!

« on: December 15, 2012, 12:11:33 PM »

I dial in +2/3 stops on ALL Of my cameras, and leave it there 95% of the time.

That is true on my Canon T4i, 5DIII, 1DX, and on the Nikon D3200 and Sony NEX 5n that I have owned this year.

Same on them all to push the histogram to the right. I shoot RAW+JPEG anyway and adjust in post, but you want to make use of the right hand of the histogram , as there is more total "data" for you to work with in post.

Someone else mentioned that in passing as "Shoot to the Right."


There is also a Canon 44 page White Paper on the 1DX auto focus that also applies to the 5DIII that you should read.  It will help you understand all of the incredible tools you have for shooting sports with focus tracking, etc.


Have fun!  Great camera, lots of great tools, but it requires a bit of us on the back end. 

3

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: My brand new 5D Mark III - what am I doing wrong, please help!

« on: December 15, 2012, 12:05:38 PM »

within a week it was back, with the under-exposure corrected, albeit with about 6,000 exposures added to the count!

I doubt that they took that many images.

If you take a card from Camera A, that had 10,000 total images taken, and put it into Camera B that has only 10 images, the next file number on Camera B, the "10 image camera", will be 10,001.

If you want a lower image number, just reset the internal counter to "0".  On the menu, under Image Numbering, just select "Manual Reset", then leave it at "Continuous" like it was.   It will start over again with 00001. 

That will not affect tools like eoscount.com that can tell how many total images the camera has taken. Or if you put all of your images in Lightroom, you can just see how many total images you have there.

4

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Wrong colors with my 5D MKIII?

« on: December 15, 2012, 11:57:58 AM »

White balance is just the first step.

1) Buy a good neutral grey tone card and use it. They are only about $15-$20.  You can't count on other items to actually be neutral.

You take a photo of that card in the same light that you are shooting in, with the card filling the frame, then you set the "Custom White Balance" using that picture.

Using Auto White Balance will give you a series of images all with slightly different color balance. If you first take a  picture of people in front of a bright yellow wall, then in front of a blue wall, the camera will "average" the color to very different temperatures. 

Don't take that the wrong way - Canon AWB is very, very good, especially on the 5DIII and the 1DX. But it is a tool that the user has to understand to get it to work properly.


2) Then you need to understand the Picture Profiles and set those correctly to get **the color that you want**.

The Picture Profiles on Canon are Landscape, Portrait, Neutral, Faithful, etc.  I use "Neutral".  They will all give you a slightly different look. If you have Lightroom, shoot a RAW image, then flip through all of the Profiles in Lightroom and you will see how the image changes. You are in control of picking that look for the effect that you want.

For the most control, you should be shooting RAW all of the time (I shoot RAW + JPEG and have shot nothing else for 10+ years, even family snaps.) Then you can apply the correct Profile in Lightroom or whatever tool (and set you White Balance there.)  BUT, you still should set the custom White Balance in camera.

Even with the Picture Profile set to "Neutral", I still dial in -4 on "Saturation", - 2 "Contrast" and turn off sharpening for the JPEGs when shooting RAW + JPEG, and to set up the look on the rear LCD and the Histogram on the camera.


3) Finally, if you want to control color for best representation for food shots, etc., you should profile your camera using a tool like Color Checker Passport to get to a true neutral color balance.  Just like you **MUST** profile your monitor and printer for accurate results, the camera also should be profiled to control device-to-device variation.


If that is way more than you need right now that is fine.  The 3 types of color control go from "global" and basic to more refined. 

I just wanted to head off any perception people reading this thread might have that the 5DIII is not good on color, AWB, etc.  Basically these are all tools that require a certain understanding to get the results that you want.   Nothing wrong with that, and it is a learning curve for us all.  But the tool is state of the art!

Cheers,
Michael

5

EOS Bodies / Re: More 6D sample images - with RAW files.

« on: November 30, 2012, 05:15:19 PM »

Great, many thanks!
Can you post comparisons so we can see how it goes versus the 5DIII and the D600?

Sure! Give me a couple of minutes!

6

EOS Bodies / Re: More 6D sample images - with RAW files.

« on: November 30, 2012, 04:44:40 PM »

Here is a screen shot at 100% of two files in Photoshop CS6.

6400 ISO is on the left, 50 ISO on the right. Opened in PS with all defaults, no NR, exposure, or other adjustments.

7

EOS Bodies / Re: More 6D sample images - with RAW files.

« on: November 30, 2012, 04:38:48 PM »

I was able to open the Tiff's in Photoshop CS6.

I had to "unblock" the file in Windows 8 to be able to open the file, but it opened with no problem.

I just downloaded an updated version of all of my CS6 aps yesterday - I am not sure when the actual version was updated. But I think that might not be important, as it is likely the .cr raws were converted to Tiff in DPP.


You could also try downloading the latest version of DPP. Canon must have updated that?  I don't have it installed on this laptop.

8

Lenses / Re: tilt-shift question

« on: November 28, 2012, 07:50:55 PM »

I think I will get the 24mm - the focal length will fit the majority of shots I want to do.

You can probably stitch in the few cases where you might need the 17 then. That is quite a big investment to keep in your bag for occasional use.

Or rent if ever needed.

I loved my 45 mm TS-E. I still have the 90, never had the 24 or 17. 

9

Lenses / Re: Canon 5D Mk III and Zeiss Lenses

« on: November 28, 2012, 05:32:53 PM »

I would look for a bit more balance.

Say, a couple of the Zeiss primes, in the focal length that you wind up using most.

Then, one **really** good auto focus zoom, like the 24-70 2.8, version 1 or 2. The 24-70 and 70-200 are bread & butter working lenses that a pro almost has to own.

Then one or two decent auto focus primes. A 40 mm 2.8, 50 mm 1.8, or 85 mm 1.8 are all good, inexpensive lenses for low light, street use, portraits, etc. That camera will be able to nail focus at times that you can barely see the subject.

You might want to play with tilt/shift lenses for a while if you get a chance. Maybe buy used, then sell or trade if you cant justify keeping tyem in the kit. The older 24, 45, and 90 are unique, high quality lenses at around $850. The newer 17 & 24 are killer, but expensive. They are also great for video, with a 270 degree throw and a fixed infinity.

I started all manual, B&W only, a purist.

But as a 20+ year pro, my 24-70 stayed on my camera about 85% of the time, even though I had at least 14 mostly "L" lenses in my cabinet.

There is "theoretical" perfect, and there is day to day utility. Don't become too obsessed about the technical. In the end, content is much more important! High quality is a given. But quality without content is dead boring. Great content will get you a contract like Robert Rodriguez for El Mariachi. Because technical can be tought or bought, and is trivial in the end.

Have fun, relax, experiment and learn! Make images, look at them. Find what excites you in your images, make more of those. Repeat = a career.

Cheers! Michael

10

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: T3i vs T4i for first dslr

« on: November 27, 2012, 11:13:38 PM »

I would recommend the T4i simply for the much higher quality focus system

Agreed!  The T4i is a much better camera than the T3i because of the focus system.  It has the same auto focus as the 60D - much, much better than the T3i.

The other features are also nice - touch screen LCD, face tracking auto focus, auto focus during video with the STM lenses.  I replaced my camcorder with the T4i with the auto focus.  Not great, but good enough for many things.

Your price comparison up top is not apples-to-apples. The 18-135 STM is a much better - and more expensive - lens than the 18-55.  It is a great lens for a beginner.

Sop the T4i body is about $600 new, around $950 with the lens.  Although I saw it elsewhere at $900 today.

I am a 20+ year pro. I have owned the T4i with 18-135, 1DX, and 5DIII this year, as well as a Nikon D3200, NEX 7, NEX 5n.

I could use the T4i quite happily for most of my work, except for high ISO/low light - at 6400 ISO or above.  I bought a 5DIII for event work for those cases.  Otherwise the T4i is  great camera, and the 18-135 is the **only** non-L lens I have used in many years.

The net cost to own a T4i for 1 year might be about $100 to $125 max.  I know someone who recently sold a T3i body on Craigslist for $600, though $500 is more reasonable.

I'd say go for the T4i and don't look back!  Your call on the 18-55 versus the 18-135 STM, although the latter is a great lens.

11

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: T2i vs T4i for sports

« on: November 18, 2012, 11:18:26 AM »

The T4i is a **great** camera.  T

The biggest advantage over the T2i or T3i for sports is auto-focus. No comparison!  in my mind there is no question at all.  Make sure to get feedback from people that have actually used both!

It has the 9 points, all cross auto focus system of the 60D, plus the double cross central. 

I was frustrated by the auto focus on the T3i. I **LOVE** my T4i.  I had a 1DX for a few months and I actually prefer the T4i to the 1DX for everyday use! Although the 1DX is a much better camera in many ways of course.

The 18-135 STM is  a decent kit lens.  It is especially good for video. I am selling my camcorders and keeping the T4i to use in their place for all around, lower end video with the auto focus.

The touch screen LCD is very nice. The in camera multi-shot noise reduction, HDR, etc. are also nice, as is the face tracking auto focus.

No question in my mind! 

Best,
Michael

12

Canon General / Re: Amazon policies.

« on: November 06, 2012, 01:23:48 PM »

Looks liker Calumet has it at the same price, $12,999.

http://www.calumetphoto.com/eng/product/canon_ef_600mm_f_4l_is_ii_usm_telephoto_lens/ca405852

Check store inventory and then call.  Real salespeople from the floor ...  Or one of their "professional services" reps, that is a big ticket item.

Share your studio/etc info,, let them know who you are.  Smaller retail stores are better at some things (specialized customer service), the big, automated retailers at others (standard order, lowest price.)

FWIW, the owner of Midwest Photo Exchange in Columbus, Ohio gave me his personal cell phone number and his **home phone number** and offered to come into the store on Thanksgiving for me to pick up a printer. (I actually needed it that weekend, not on Thanksgiving day.)

that is the kind of **great** customer service that the smaller independent shops can deliver, and which is worth paying a bit more for if necessary.  Support them if they help you out!

Cheers. Good luck.

Michael

13

Canon General / Re: Amazon policies.

« on: November 06, 2012, 01:13:44 PM »

In addition to the above, low level CSR's (Customer Service Reps) have no authority or ability to alter standard processes.

They are basically just 1 step ahead of you in reading the text on the web site. Anything. more complex is just out of their realm.

In most places the CSR turnover is about 200% per year (average of 6 months on the job.) Unless it is outsourced to India, etc., in which case they are even more remote from any of the company management..

You can often identify alternate sellers on Amazon - Adorama, JR, etc. Call one of their stores, talk to someone who works retail there, they will help you

14

EOS Bodies - For Video / Re: Canon T3i - 2 lens kit bundle or 1 lens deluxe kit bundle?- For Filmmaking

« on: November 06, 2012, 10:51:43 AM »

I have the T4i with the 18-135 STM.

I had all "L" glass in the past, and would never use a kit lens. But the 18-135 is much improved over previous versions.  I use it for both stills and video.

With the STM and auto focus on the T4i, I can also use the T4i in places where I would usually use a camcorder. At ISO 3200, the T4i is much, much better than my Canon Vixia.

I have used the T4i for 1.75 hours on 1 battery with no heat problem.  The only mild irritation is the 4GB files it splits into.

The T4i is also a much improved stills camera over the T3i, with the 60D auto focus in stills mode. the 18-135 is a very good, fast focusing stills lens.

The touch screen is also very nice.  The T4i is a very, very good upgrade over the T3i.

You should be able to find the kit for around $1,000 or so.  The 40 mm STM is also a great lens.

Good luck!
Michael

15

EOS Bodies / Re: just got a US 1DX for $6422, delivered --

« on: October 31, 2012, 05:48:41 PM »

Except the D800.

Someone posted a graph from CanonPriceWatch recently The decline in D800 prices was about the same as the 5DIII, etc.

I don't know if you saw that Adorama had D800 refurb bodies at $2,500 last Friday.  I almost bought one, but only 90 day warranty.