Messages

1

Technical Support / Re: Bad 5D Mkii or is Nikon that much better?

« on: September 18, 2012, 06:45:18 AM »

Did you actually pay good money for this 'course'?   The lighting is really bad!  Very harsh & not flattering.  On picture 6 the 5D MkII is the better picture - the background is white, which is what you need for a cut out, on the Nikon shot it's a kind of magnolia colour.
I still can't understand why a supposedly competent photographer would look at the results on another camera and not know that it needed adjustment.  To let you carry on when you weren't happy is not a good sign.

There are shooters around who are not as knowledgable as they should be.  They set up a camera based on settings learned from others, and when it looks right they stick with those.  The fact that he was confused about the settings speaks volumes.

2

Technical Support / Re: Bad 5D Mkii or is Nikon that much better?

« on: September 18, 2012, 04:39:30 AM »

Just reading that it makes me wonder whether a Nikon fanboy has set you up to fail, or perhaps worse, that as a teacher he just doesn't know enough about cameras - which is more common than you might think.

Not all Isos are equal , nor are apertures, they're rounded to the nearest so there will be differences.  The bigest concern here is that in seeing that the shots weren't turning out the tutor didn't suggest that you change the settings to get a better picture.

If I were you I'd be asking the guy for my money back!  Even the Canon G1X can produce better images than the D3 and that comes not just from my experience, but from a pro friend whose a real Nikon fanboy, but chooses Canon for compacts.

In a studio setting you either set the camera, or the power of the lights, anyone in that situation with experience would have known about fine tuning so when you have a dark skinned model the settings change.  The attitude of shooting while not looking just screams that this guy is so full of himself, that he's never going to let some one elses gear be as good as his.

How do you know he was using f/11 btw?  without checking his settings you wouldn't know, and he could have been on f/8 !

3

EOS Bodies / Re: Cool Stuff - PimpYourCam.com

« on: August 14, 2012, 08:49:39 AM »

And the folks who made it love it so much they've put it up for sale on ebay.de for E18 000

http://www.ebay.de/itm/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300760756557&clk_rvr_id=375237536987

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Lenses / Re: Canon at the London Summer Olympics

« on: August 01, 2012, 09:12:42 AM »

I've been stopped by the Police, on my own street! Testing a 70 - 200mm lens.  An officious and undertrained WPC told me she had a child in the back of her car and it was an offence under the data protection act to photograph it!

The case of Murray Vs Big Picture makes it crystal clear that it is not illegal to take pictures of children while in a public place. 

5

Lenses / Re: Canon at the London Summer Olympics

« on: August 01, 2012, 07:32:33 AM »

All these newspapers and other media must be making it all up!  After all I'm sure a group like 'I'm a photographer not a terrorist' was formed because there was no problem and any one even daring to mention it was 'talking BS'?

Of course there's a problem in the UK why do you think there were demos like pap the Police? because photographers had nothing better to do?

Just to hammer the point home have a read of these:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/apr/16/02-olympic-venues-row-security-photography

http://photographernotaterrorist.org/

http://www.alamy.com/pressrelease/releases/archive/2012/04/30/152.aspx

http://www.metro.co.uk/news/899005-photographers-starting-to-fight-back-against-excessive-security-measures

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/apr/13/olympics-2012-branding-police-sponsors

The uploading of images is covered by Ts & Cs but if any Olympic branding is visible then that is covered by the Olympic games act.

I don't know if you live in the UK, but if you think there isn't a problem then you're not getting out enough !

6

Lenses / Re: Canon at the London Summer Olympics

« on: August 01, 2012, 04:57:16 AM »

Just to illustrate how draconian the Olympics act is, it is a criminal offence for spectators to take and display their images taken within the Olympic venue (and that includes outside it) and to display them on the web.  So no flikr photobucket image shack etc.  If the person who posted the image of the fencing is not an accredited photographer within the games then he or she could be prosecuted just for posting that image on these forums.

The situation is so bad that the NUJ (national union of journalists) has published some legal guidelines as to what to do if you are stopped by a member of the 'security' squad http://londonphotographers.org/2012/07/olympics-legal-guidelines/


Any camera equipment exceeding 30cm is banned, if you try to take it in, it will be confiscated, and will not be returned!

Anyone thinking of visiting the UK with a large camera should be aware that you will be viewed as a potential terrorist where ever you are, and Police interest is often heavy handed and ignorant.  The internet is full of the problems of photographers and UK Police
http://www.amateurphotographer.co.uk/photo-news/538834/amateur-photographer-wins-10-000-police-payout
Even Pros aren't safe
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/greenslade/2011/jun/14/police-press-freedom

7

Lenses / Re: Canon at the London Summer Olympics

« on: August 01, 2012, 03:14:37 AM »

Well seeing as no one else has said anything!

Who one earth is the owner of the (200 - 400mm?) in the centre left of the photo?  It can't be the guy on the extreme left as he's shooting Nikon, which leaves the one with the sunglasses.  If it is him then he has both hands on the camera he's using and that one appears suspended in mid air.  Tripods aren't allowed only monopods, he doesn't seem to be taking very good care of expensive equipment which earns his crust.

The Olympics is pretty much a disaster for the UK, greedy hospitality companies raised prices so high that no one used their facilities, and now they're cutting prices to less than they were normally.  London is pretty quiet, no real bonus from visitors to bars & restaurants.

Our politicians has passed draconian laws which give an already dodgy Police force powers far in excess of what is needed, yesterday they arrested some kid for tweeting an insult against a competitor - the insult was that they guy had let himself & his father (deceased) down.  Photographers are simply not tolerated anywhere in the vicinity of the Olympic park, and certainly not inside, the only ones allowed are accredited hacks with the large passes shown in the photo.

Another sad example of Britains obsession with security and the removal of freedom & the rights of the people.

8

EOS Bodies / Re: More Coverage of the Canon EOS M

« on: July 23, 2012, 05:38:41 PM »

Well, I suppose there's another thing you can get in some Rebels that this first EOS-M doesn't have: an articulating screen. But that'll come soon, I guarantee you....

An articulating screen on a compact? I suspect, mirrorless or not, that will have to be as big as a G-series . . . I doubt canon will ever get rid of all of the current-sized rebels; they'd be turning away at least some people that either want a camera that's easier to hold or people that want the look/feel of a 'pro' camera.

But that's essentially what the Rebels will wind up being: G-series-style bodies with an EOS-M mount and an articulating screen. You get the bigger camera that looks like a pro camera, but with all the advantages of the compact format. And the prosumer G-series gets an ego boost by being part of the new high-end series.

I don't think it's at all a coincidence that this is priced exactly the same as the G1 X. And I can't think of a single reason why I'd personally choose a G1 X over the EOS-M.

Cheers,

b&

Well I can give you a few!  The lens on the G1X is really high quality, according to some reviewers it's as good as an L grade lens, so unless the EOS-M lenses are at least as good then the G1X will be the better camera.
Then there's the fact that it collapses so the camera is a lot smaller for carrying around.  Or the focal length equivalent to 28 -112mm the M 17 - 55mm (27 - 88mm) is already massively larger and misses out the extra reach!

No one really knows yet how the touch screen interface will be received, the NEX has an appalling set of controls still not fantastic after the update.

Battery life has questions especially with EF lenses attached.

If those niggles are cleared then it will undoubtedly have a better AF than the G1X, but will people adopt a product smaller than the DSLR?  perhaps they will but it might need to be sold to them.

9

EOS Bodies / Re: first pic of canon mirrorless?

« on: July 22, 2012, 04:27:42 AM »

I have to agree that this camera is not going to be for enthusiasts of any sort, and those of us wanting such are going to have to wait for a later model which has been mentioned in the rumours.

This camera is going to have to be cheap to sell in any numbers, the G1X is a fine camera with a very good lens, it's highly doubtful that the M camera will better it, and as it requires accessories such as a flash it's not going to be as flexible.

Who will buy this camera?  The ignorant with too much money?  not many of them around now, and I can see a colossal flop A La Nikon V1 which alas they appear to have copied.  I would be waiting until a higher end model comes along, but Canon have made such a hash of this that they may well decide this market is not for them, and never release a better model.

10

EOS Bodies / Re: first pic of canon mirrorless?

« on: July 20, 2012, 04:10:35 PM »

You have to remember the sensors rarely take up the whole area. The blue all the way around the sensor is not the sensor. If you measure edge to edge it would be APS-C, I included the actual numbers according to photoshop, ignoring the green it is definitely G1X sensor size. Zoom in check it out.

But what if your measure of 43mm is in the wrong place?  Shouldn't it be on the outside edge of the lens where most other filter rings fit?

11

EOS Bodies / Re: first pic of canon mirrorless?

« on: July 20, 2012, 12:46:01 PM »

what a boring looking little camera.

after all this time i hoped canon would impress me. 
and i don´t speak about the look only... i could live with the design.
but no electronic viewfinder? come on canon. 

Take a look at the hotshoe, there is only one pin in the centre, where are the other four surrounding pins? The stop lug on the right side is present, but the left one is not

clean your glasses.
it seems to have 2 contacts more then a normal hotshoe.

They're not contacts, they're crosshead screws, a design I can't find on my cameras.  I can't believe that they'd redesign the hotshoe just for one camera!

BTW those images came in before I pressed send so the clean your glasses comment is a bit silly!

12

EOS Bodies / Re: first pic of canon mirrorless?

« on: July 20, 2012, 12:28:46 PM »

My take on this is that it's a very strange animal.  Camera strap lugs the like of which I've never seen on a Canon camera, they've always been the type which the strap threads through, they are on the G series, and they are on the EOS DSLRs I'm suspicious of this because it's nothing like previous models.

The sensor looks tiny, I hope Canon haven't tried to copy Nikons failed V1 camera or they'll find themselves in the same boat, the G1X will kill this camera dead if the sensor is smaller and the price is anything like similar.

I'm suspicious of the very blurry shot of the rear of the camera there are only three buttons surrounding the control dials, on the G series there are four.  There's no 'review' button at all, and no direct print button which for some reason Canon seems to be in love with.  No PASM dial, there is a dial, but with no markings that would have to be the aperture dial? 
Worst of all though, where is the power button? All the G series have the on/off behind the shutter release, how would this camera turn on & off without it?
Then there's the blue print on the button & the control wheel, this is not present on current G series, although it is printed on the body for erase and skip functions. The 'Canon' logo at the bottom of the screen also fades to blue.
Take a look at the symbols on the control wheel, although this at a casual glance appears to be a standard dial as used on powershots they are not the same the centre should read 'func.' above 'set'. Left side is a flower symbol above 'MF', left is a lightning flash, top is ISO, bottom 'disp'.  There are slight variations but this image looks nothing like those.

Take a look at the hotshoe, there is only one pin in the centre, where are the other four surrounding pins? The stop lug on the right side is present, but the left one is not

For those reasons I don't believe this is a genuine image of a camera to come.  I hope it's not genuine! I don't want it to be genuine, I had been hoping this would be a kind of bridge between the high end G series and the EOS range, not this!

I believe that this image is a photoshop job using a Canon S100 as the base, this would explain the button layout, and the messing about with the shutter release area has removed the PASM dial, and the power switch.  The Canon logo is in exactly the same place, and the 'EOS' logo where the 'S100' should be.  Every EOS camera carries the model number with it, 'EOS600D' none of them have EOS in isolation.

I'm calling it a fake!

13

EOS Bodies / Re: A Bit of Mirrorless Informaton [CR3]

« on: July 19, 2012, 01:20:40 PM »

It's to be hoped that it isn't too much like the Nikon V1, it's been a disaster!  Last time I went to the camera shop they hated them few customers wanted them, but those who did often returned them.  Never have I seen such a poor review on DPreview.

For me the look aren't as important as image quality, and auto focus speed.  There are a few other things I would like but I'll wait & see.

14

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon Mirrorless Information [CR1]

« on: July 03, 2012, 07:54:35 AM »

just need an slr fast focus on it and i'll have one for sure

I think it is important to remember what the value proposition of a mirrorless camera is, namely size and price

The most important benefit of a mirrorless camera is that it doesn't have a mirror!  and because digital mirrorless need the sensor exposed for EVF normally they only have a second curtain shutter.  Thus  massively less vibrations, and massively quieter.  On top of that you don't need such an enormous gap between the rear of the lens and the film plane.

Of course by losing the  mirror you lose the phase detect autofocus, but you can't have everything!  Swings & Roundabouts it could be a very nice camera indeed if it's allowed to be, and that will depend very much on the quality of the lenses

15

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon Mirrorless Information [CR1]

« on: July 02, 2012, 12:20:52 PM »

The G1X is an amazing little camera, capable of image quality the equal of any crop frame DSLR and that far  behind the 5D MkII, it's easily of commercial quality.  The qualm I have with this mirrorless camera is why would I buy it?  The G1X has a superb lens and any 'EVIL' offering would have to be at least as good to produce similar IQ, will two lenses be enough to tempt buyers away from a fixed lens which performs so well?

So there are the reservations, here's what I'd need to see to make any kind of temptation realistic:

Better autofocus - the achilles heel of the G1X, it's just too slow & basic
Better Flash control - again it's very basic
Decent close focus - because no matter how you try switching between normal & macro is a PITA
Microphone In - probably not a major biggie for many but external mics are as needed as a flash for video
Manual Zoom - I HATE the power zoom ! (I'm it will have this)

I'm sure that the range of lenses will increase and that the whole range will be covered, but I will have to see the focal range covered by the two at launch before I make any decision.