Messages

511

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III Information [CR1]

« on: December 06, 2011, 07:21:54 PM »

When is Canon going to make a 21MP (approx) camera that is JUST for still photographers and priced that way?
I am all happy for them..getting into the cine business...but what about us...the still photographers? Two completely different disciplines in my world. We need two completely different cameras. AND...the still camera should be substantially less expensive.
Does anyone agree with this...or am I just whistling Dixie?

You're whistling Dixie.

The real problem being that such a camera would now not sell well enough for Canon to make it worth their while. Reviewers would can it for not having video and just about everyone would stay away from it also because it doesn't have video and just about every other camera does.

I suspect such a camera would sell well, but to a specific crowd. There are indeed those who have little use for video who want a completely stills-optimized camera... Thom Hogan has discussed this in detail on his blog... it would not be a camera for the masses. It would be a camera for the dedicated few. Within its niche, it would sell like hotcakes.

All of which pushes the price up, not down, which is contrary to what the OP wanted.

Which the problem is that there is not cheap solution. I'd love a 7D with a built in grip, and a 600 F4 as a kit lens, for 900.00. This will never happen. Unfortunately, we get what we pay for. Either we lower price and lose features, or specialize and and gett awesomer gear for emptier wallets... Anyway I had forgotten the originaal intent of the post, along the lines of cheapness...

The best cheap fullframe is probably a used 1V... Otherwise, a person will have to shell out the bucks....

512

EOS Bodies / Re: A Bit About the 5D Mark III? [CR1]

« on: December 06, 2011, 12:49:44 PM »

Hmmm... this seems interesting... but not enough to get me to jump... maybe some used 5fII's will flood the market...

513

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS Rebel T4i [CR2]

« on: December 05, 2011, 03:04:17 PM »

I wonder what on earth could be improved in the new rebel> I had an XSI, have a family member with a T1i... Big change between the two, bigger still with the T2i... didn't seem to be a lot new with the T3i... What could be advanced on the T4i? An MP count increase would not at all surprise me...

514

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III Information [CR1]

« on: December 05, 2011, 02:59:47 PM »

When is Canon going to make a 21MP (approx) camera that is JUST for still photographers and priced that way?
I am all happy for them..getting into the cine business...but what about us...the still photographers? Two completely different disciplines in my world. We need two completely different cameras. AND...the still camera should be substantially less expensive.
Does anyone agree with this...or am I just whistling Dixie?

You're whistling Dixie.

The real problem being that such a camera would now not sell well enough for Canon to make it worth their while. Reviewers would can it for not having video and just about everyone would stay away from it also because it doesn't have video and just about every other camera does.

I suspect such a camera would sell well, but to a specific crowd. There are indeed those who have little use for video who want a completely stills-optimized camera... Thom Hogan has discussed this in detail on his blog... it would not be a camera for the masses. It would be a camera for the dedicated few. Within its niche, it would sell like hotcakes.

However, a bet a lot of people would have said that the X100 would have never worked...

515

Software & Accessories / Re: DxO 7

« on: December 05, 2011, 02:39:40 AM »

Comparisons between DXO and lightroom?

516

EOS Bodies / Re: A tongue-in-cheek missive to those who want a high MP 5D3 :)

« on: December 05, 2011, 12:49:30 AM »

Smirkypants,

Of course you are completely entitled to you opinion. I think its crazy, but then my photography is only a small niche of the enormous range of subjects.

But I completely and totally reject the argument that its possible to ever have a sensor with too many megapixels. Yes, extreme MP counts create problems for the scientists and designers to overcome and I'm confident that they will overcome them.

Exactly.

517

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III Information [CR1]

« on: December 05, 2011, 12:47:52 AM »

Regardless of all the pro/con discussion of MP, image quality, sensitivty, noise, etc:

I shoot stock for a living. It is all I do.

I started with a 1Ds2. I switched to a 5D because it gave me better IQ and made me more profitable. I thought the 5D was good enough.

I resisted the 5D2 for over a year because it made me mad. Who needs more than 13MP for stock. Max size needed is double-truck, for which a 5D does just fine. (well, not really, because now I have customers wanting to do large display prints and even small murals suitable for close viewing distances)

But I continued to inspect the 5D2 files from time to time. Finally I jumped. I wish I had not waited a minute.
The 5D2, along with today's software, gives me files that are just plain better than the 5D files. Even when I reprocess my old 5D files with new software. And the improved quailty is something I need to keep my customers happy. The improved quality is visible in the sizes used in my business. Resolution, noise, smooth tonal transitions, croppability, etc.

21MP is enough to meet the current demands of my job and customers. But just barely enough. Almost everything I shoot is with controlled lighting, so I don't need great high ISO performance except when shooting aerials from a helicopter at dusk. And for that I can rent a 1DX.

What I really need now for my work is 25-30MP. A little more resolution and a little better noise and image quality performance. Plus better lenses. Lenses that are truly good enough. I'd like Canon to re-do the 24-105, because the existing version is so marginal (I've tried 5 different copies so far).

The quality of my work would benefit by moving to MF. But the cost of the total kit (bodies, plus backs, plus lenses) would make the move NOT cost-effective. It would hurt my bottom line significantly. So MF is out.

Therefore my vote is:

• 5D3 with 25-30MP, even if it costs up to $3k. But PLEASE give me better focusing with wider spread on the focus points.
  
• Better lenses (24-105 IS and 100-400 IS) that can easily more than handle 25-30MP. Even if they have to cost $1500-$3000 to be good enough. A $1000 lens that isn't quite good enough is NO bargain.

I like this too, except I would like to see it in a 7D...

518

EOS Bodies / Re: A tongue-in-cheek missive to those who want a high MP 5D3 :)

« on: December 04, 2011, 02:30:55 AM »

Not to hate, but from all I read, it seems people want ISO capabilities far beyond their wildest dream. How much high ISO ability does a person really need? How perfect do one's pixels really need to be?

A lot more than I'm currently getting with the T1i!  At ISO 400, things often are bad enough for critical purposes.

If you want to be able to submit those pictures for stock or a portfolio, those 18 megapixels go a lot farther (for many uses) if they are cleaner.

So upgrade to a 7D... Or a 5DII... But what are you shooting? I've ne'er owned a T1i, but used to have an XSI... it was pretty bad at 1600, ok at 800, not too horrible at 400... Better lenses may also be a part of your solution...

519

EOS Bodies / Re: A tongue-in-cheek missive to those who want a high MP 5D3 :)

« on: December 04, 2011, 01:05:53 AM »

Not to hate, but from all I read, it seems people want ISO capabilities far beyond their wildest dream. How much high ISO ability does a person really need? How perfect do one's pixels really need to be? What ought a person to expect out of one's camera? Honestly, a tripod, a broader aperture, and a little patience can make up for a whole lot of ISO...

And as far as DR is concerned, what do one really actually need 37 stops of DR for? What about ND grads? What about HDR? Why about exposure stacking and masking? Or fill flash and reflectors? Honestly, my 7D RAW files have piles of DR, when I expose to the right.

Print film ISO 50 has wild DR and low noise... could this work as a temporary stop-gap?

520

EOS Bodies / Re: An approach towards Medium Format (MF).

« on: December 04, 2011, 12:24:19 AM »

MF: niche, but alluring...

My LF Crown Graphic and I need to go a shooting... Why did I get the Crown Graphic? Wild image quality. Why have I not yet shot it? Having trouble finding a local film developer. And a wee mite of laziness...

So digital MF is alluring... The price is intimidating...

Canon should make a digital Crown Graphic: cheap, durable, dependable, not a whole lot of complicatedness about it, and especially cheap (how cheap can a 4"x5" be? I shudder...)...

521

EOS Bodies / Re: Anyone have a good explanation of "native" vs "expanded" iso?

« on: December 03, 2011, 11:15:03 PM »

I find the 7D 6400 ISO usable... just takes a mite of work, bit it really is epic to shoot in dim conditions when others have long ago put away their gear to slap on a 50 1.4 and continue to shoot... Focus can be frustating though...

But, concerning native ISO...

I have heard that the 7D's native ISO is 160... is this true?

522

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III Information [CR1]

« on: December 03, 2011, 10:41:41 PM »

A few extra megapixels with a Digic 5 could make a serious 7D mk II... Cannot wait until it comes out...

523

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III Information [CR1]

« on: December 02, 2011, 03:11:39 PM »

Perhaps you could consider a monopod?

524

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III Information [CR1]

« on: December 02, 2011, 12:20:35 AM »

Canon could indeed make a baby 1DX, but must not make it a 5DIII or a 7DII. And they had better not merge the 5D-7D line into it!

They could call it the 9D. Or a 9DX. Or even 5Dx and 5Ds.

525

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III Information [CR1]

« on: December 01, 2011, 10:18:00 AM »

We can make this thread even 20 pages and there will still be NO CAMERA announced...
And we can argue about the Good, the Bad and the Ugly in MPs and ISOs and landscapes but there are many gusto's and still NO CAMERA...
So, better discuss more real things which make sense and have a teaching impulse, Canon  will do their job some day and deliver a low light DSLR AND a High MP DSLR so we can all have one of each .

My path to 7D High ISO ultra performance is to shoot at 6400, noise process it, and downres it, and glory at the wonders....

But I do marvel at how a CR1 managed to get 11 pages in like 2 days...