Messages

16

Lenses / Re: FL 55mm 1.2 or FD 50mm 1.2L?

« on: April 19, 2012, 02:41:18 PM »

I've got an FL 55/1.2 converted with one of Ed's kits and I *love* it.  Super creamy bokeh.  I've got another copy of the lens sitting on my desk waiting for conversion.

One of the first shots I took after converting the lens:

17

Lens Gallery / Re: Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM

« on: April 19, 2012, 02:19:50 PM »

Does anyone know of a good quality Teleconverter that will work with the 70-300 4-5.6?

I have not noticed the softness/oof behavior at 300mm that is shown above.

18

EOS Bodies / Re: What will be the response to the D3200?

« on: April 19, 2012, 12:12:20 PM »

So the D3200 is the new member of the bottom rung of the Nikon DSLR range, right?  And 24MP is about equal to 61MP (from above), right?  Presumably, they will bundle it with a typical kit lens like the one with the D3100.

Is the kit lens even capable of resolving 24MP?

19

Lenses / Re: Odd Canon video lens

« on: April 11, 2012, 07:19:05 PM »

I've got two lenses sitting here next to me with the same mount and I'm facing the same problem.  They look like quality glass, but I can't find any information about them or a way to mount them on anything.

The lenses I have are a Canon J15x9.5B4 KRE 9.5-143mm 1:1.8 and a Panasonic QT1612SHGB 10-120 1:1.6.  As these are lenses made for video I would expect them to be parfocal, and they have stepless apertures that go all the way to black/solid/closed/whatever.  They came off some older studio style video cameras.

Any info about these would be greatly appreciated.

20

Software & Accessories / Re: EdMika relaunch of FL 55mm 1.2 EOS brass conversion kit

« on: February 19, 2012, 10:08:38 PM »

Wait, what?  An adapter for the FD 1.2 lenses?  Guess I better start shopping for lenses again...

I *love* my FL 55/1.2 with EdMika adapter.  Took a bit to get the focus confirm calibrated, but now it works like a dream.  1/2" dof at 3 feet?  Yes please!

21

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Panoramas or Stitching + Interior Shots

« on: February 19, 2012, 01:49:07 PM »

Panoramic tripod head and stitching software.  I use a Nodal Ninja 5 (since discontinued) and Autopano Giga.  Not affiliated with either company.  Links: www.nodalninja.com and www.kolor.com.

22

Software & Accessories / Re: Microsoft Releases RAW Codec Pack for Windows 7 & Vista

« on: July 27, 2011, 07:58:38 PM »

What? No support for the 60D? Or T3i?  Sheesh.  Microsoft, only a year behind the times.

23

EOS Bodies / My totally scientific announcement date prediction.

« on: June 22, 2011, 08:55:19 PM »

Just for fun, I went back through the camera listings on DPReview and based on past new body announcement dates, here's what I predict for the next announcements:

650D 5/6/2012
70D   2/24/2012
5D3   10/14/2011
1D5   10/26/2011
1Ds4 1/31/2010  (obviously way overdue)

I have no guess on a 7D2 because it's the only model in that line.

My methodology: I took the average number of days between announcements for a given line and added that number to the last announcement date.

For what it's worth, there have been zero announcements in months 4, 5, 6, 7, 11 and 12.  Other months as follows:

January, 2
February, 6
March, 1
August, 9
September, 5
October, 1

So August is usually the month to watch, probably between the 19th & 26th, then September sometime.

I didn't include the 1xxx line, or the D30 and D60.

Not that I really care, I'm not looking to upgrade anytime soon.  I love my 60D.

24

EOS Bodies / Re: which to get xsi or t2i?

« on: October 04, 2010, 07:40:19 AM »

I don't think Edwin has ever actually touched an XSi, so his assessment is a bit off.

....which isn't a big difference until you consider that the T2i is pushing nearly twice the amount of data of the XSi - 18MP versus 10MP).

The XSi has 12.1MP, so the T2i is pushing about 50% more.  The biggest difference between the DIGIC III & IV from a user standpoint is the menu system.

If you simply want good picture quality in a cheap package, I think it'd start making more sense to look at the new compact cameras from Canon,

The OP has stated he wants a dslr, so this whole section is superfluous.

This is the same resolution as the second screen on a Nintendo DS, but it feels like using a handheld game system from the early 90s because (at least on the D3000, and I'd bet it's similar on the XSi) there's more space between each pixel on the larger screen.  It gives the appearance of a grid, which is distracting.

There is no appearance of a grid whatsoever on the XSi.  None.  Zero.  There is no space between pixels.  The screen on the XSi is perfectly clear and usable.

The XSi has Live View (apparently it was new in that lienup with the model), but again it wouldn't be fun.  There is also a consideration in how quickly the screen updates - older cameras tend to have more lag before the image updates, and it might update less frequently as well.  The T1i, at least, is pretty quick.

The screen update speed on the XSi was fine, but the ability of the camera to autofocus in Live View was marginal at best.  For all practical purposes it was necessary to turn on Live View, frame the subject, turn it off, and then shoot.  I may be a big fan of the XSi, but Live View was not a usable feature.

There's also movie mode, which is something else to think about.  It's nice to have.  Though, on these cameras it's only useful if you are working with professionals on a movie, or you have the chance to set up the camera exactly beforehand.  Not good for action or anything with movement; keep a camcorder around.

Really?  I realize there are rolling shutter problems in some instances, but so far I haven't encountered any problems with video on my 60D.  I assume the T2i would be exactly the same.  OP, it is safe to use the T2i for video, really.

There are lots of other minor details to obsess over, if you care to.  I haven't seen any direct image output comparisons between the 50D / T1i and the XSi (the XSi seems to have occupied a segment either equal to or just below the T1i, given being 10MP slightly over a year before the T1i's release, while there were 12MP sensors in the interim) but I think the resolution speaks for itself.

Again, the XSi was 12.1MP.  The XTi was 10, the XT was 8.  It would be a fairly rare image that would actually require higher than 12MP.  In over 50k shots over 2.5 years I never needed higher resolution, and I printed as large as 24x36.

OP, look at the features of each camera and see what works best for you at the different price points.  Read reviews.   I bought my XSi the first day it was available and paid full original list price (I think it was either $900 or $1000).  I look back and it was money well spent.  At current prices it's an amazing bargain.   That said, if I were buying in that class today I'd go for the T2i for the improved low-light performance and the video.  But only you can decide what works for you.  All three cameras are capable of creating amazing images, any of them would be great first dslrs.

25

EOS Bodies / 60D Battery Grip?

« on: October 03, 2010, 12:16:01 PM »

Any rumblings on availability of the 60D battery grip?  What's the usual lag between camera release and battery grip availability?

26

EOS Bodies / Re: which to get xsi or t2i?

« on: October 03, 2010, 12:13:25 PM »

There have already been two updates to the XSi, the T1i and then the T2i.  The XSi remains in the lineup, but will never be "updated" as an XSi.  I'm surprised it hasn't been discontinued.

If you are just starting, any of those (XSi, T1i, T2i) would be a good starter camera.  I used an XSi for over 2 years and it served me well.

27

EOS Bodies / Re: Question on final assembly and inspection of 60D

« on: September 26, 2010, 05:08:34 PM »

Mine is clean.  Nothing anywhere that makes me question the product quality.

28

EOS Bodies / Re: 60D focus accuracy (hey Craig!)

« on: September 24, 2010, 11:52:41 AM »

I was out shooting yesterday with my new 60D.  Shot about 150 shots of mostly static subjects using the 10-22, 18-135 and 70-300IS (not the new L one).  I was having trouble getting the hang of the new focus point selector because using the XSi system had become second nature and I kept hitting the upper right button and then going for the arrow buttons.  So I often had a different autofocus point selected than what I thought.  Even so, I had zero focus failures.  No images that were out of focus completely.  That's a drastic improvement over the XSi where I would likely have had at least 10% focus failures under similar conditions (low light mostly, and scenes with branches that move around in the frame).

The articulating screen rocks.

29

EOS Bodies / Re: 60D availability

« on: September 19, 2010, 03:59:29 PM »

There were 3 at the Mishawaka Indiana Best Buy this morning, all with lenses.  They didn't have them on display and they couldn't open the boxes for me until the merchandising people had done whatever they need to do with them.

Widespread availability is apparently here.

30

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon 60D v. Nikon D7000

« on: September 19, 2010, 03:57:35 PM »

A friendly advice from a second hand experience. I have a friend shooting video with the T2i with the kit lens. he told me that the noise from the focusing of the lens is loud and can overtake the conversation. So if you are aiming at video, you need lens with both USM and IS. For me the ideal lens from Canon for video on APS-C camera is 17-55mm f2.8 with both USM and IS. It will be about US$1100. Speaking of USM. Please make sure that you got the RING USM, not Micro USM.

If you're considering any kind of reasonably serious video, get yourself an external microphone like the Rode Videomic.