Messages

46

Lighting / Re: 600EX RT vs AlienBees

« on: February 21, 2013, 07:47:07 PM »

Thanks for the replies, guys, that really helps!

I am already using the Phottix Strato IIs, with my 430EX II in the pass-through for on-camera fill/bounce and a bunch of YN560s as the main lights) and have found them to be great triggers! I was thinking maybe the 600EX RT system would make things easier, but Chris has reminded me that there's really nothing I can't accomplish with my current setup that I could with the 600s... and the price just isn't worth the small benefit.

With that in mind, I will probably just sell the 430 and replace it with a 580EX II and continue using my manual speedlite setup while saving $$$ for some AB/Einstein strobes in the future.

Really liked your example pic as well, Chris... the hall looks like it was lit that way to begin with! May I ask where you placed the speedlites?

47

EOS Bodies / Re: Too early to sell 60D?

« on: February 21, 2013, 03:05:21 PM »

Why no interest in the 6D? It's a fantastic camera -- a huge upgrade from the 5D2 in every way.

If you're happy with your 60D but want better high-ISO performance then the 6D is the way to go -- in that department it is rivaled only by the 1DX.


By the way, if money is a big issue then it's never too early to sell a camera body. I sold my 5D2 for exactly what I paid for it late last year before buying my 6D. Glad I sold it when I did, as the used street price for that camera dropped dramatically just after I sold it. Same goes for the T3i I had sold earlier in the year... paid $530 for it (body only) and managed to sell it for $480 just before Canon started selling T3i refurbs for $400 WITH the kit lens.

48

Lighting / 600EX RT vs AlienBees

« on: February 21, 2013, 02:53:33 PM »

So I'm trying to decide what kind of lighting gear to buy in the near future. Currently, I shoot with a 430EX on-camera and some cheap manual flashes triggered wirelessly by radio, but I want to move into wireless TTL OR monolight strobes. I realize that each of these systems has advantages and disadvantages -- I feel that I would benefit from the advantages of both, but purchasing both systems is out of the question due to the cost. I would be shooting on-location portraits and weddings with this gear.

600EX RT advantages:
1) Built-in wireless transceiver
2) Portability
3) High-speed sync
4) ETTL

The main reason I would choose the Canon RT system over 3rd-party speedlites is point #1: no longer do I have to worry about charging dozens of batteries just to use two speedlites, or trying to figure out whether the problem is with my flash or the radio triggers when troubleshooting during a shoot -- everything is in one self-contained unit.

As for point #2: I can fit 2 or 3 of these speedlites in my bag with my camera... I don't have to worry about packing strobes in a separate bag.

Point #3: I'd like to do more shooting in bright sunlight. I'm using a 6D right now which has a terrible sync speed of 1/180 (I've shot at 1/200 with no problem without HSS but I would still prefer a higher sync) so HSS could prove to be a real advantage for me.

Point #4: I'd be able to hotshoe mount the speedlites and use them for bounce flash, which is something I already do pretty frequently with my 430EX. In addition, I might find that I like having wireless ETTL ratio control and use that instead of manual.


AlienBee advantages:
1) Power
2) Recycle time
3) Price
4) Modifiers

Point #1: You can never have enough flash power.

Point #2: Although I haven't had too much of an issue with speedlite recycle times, instant flash recycle times definitely won't hurt.

Point #3: For the price of just two 600EX RTs I could buy four ABs and a Vagabond. WTF is with that price, Canon?

Point #4: Really liking the Paul Buff modifiers. They're inexpensive and seem to work great with the ABs.


So what do you guys think? It looks like I spent a lot of time trying to justify going with the Canon system whereas the ABs are a no-brainer at the price point. Honestly, if I do go with the Canon system I am going to wait for them to release some RT slaves first so I would only have to buy one 600EX... 480EX RT anyone?

49

Lighting / Re: When do _you_ use a bare bulb diffusor?

« on: January 31, 2013, 12:51:10 PM »

You can see what David Hobby has to say about these: http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101-bare-tube-style-lighting.html

50

Lighting / Re: Anything a STE-3+600EX-RT can do that a YN-622+430EXII can not?

« on: January 31, 2013, 12:46:34 PM »

Not having to manage so many different devices (and all their batteries!) is probably an advantage of the RT system. Since the radio triggers are contained in the 600EX RT you don't need to hassle with the extra batteries and connections.

51

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon's Roadmap for 2013 [CR2]

« on: January 27, 2013, 08:17:05 PM »

What would be the improvement in a new 50 f/1.4 have over the old one?
As an amateur the current lens works pretty well for me. Took a picture just yesterday. Very low light. Only source was a flatscreen. No NR applied.

I've seen about five 50mm 1.4's for sale on the local craigslist recently with broken AF motors.

An update with a true USM motor and better sharpness wide open would be welcome.

52

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Help needed: Very slow live-view @ Canon 6D

« on: January 25, 2013, 07:27:13 PM »

Is there any explanation to why point n shoot autofocus is faster?

DSLR cameras focus quickly using phase detect autofocus, but in live view mode the mirror flips up and the phase detect AF system can't be used, so the camera reverts to contrast detection autofocus. DSLRs are designed to be used with phase detect as the primary AF method and the manufacturers don't really put any effort into improving the contrast AF performance.

53

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D3 vs 6D AF in low light

« on: January 25, 2013, 06:16:16 PM »

Animals often also aren't very enthusiastic about getting the af assist in their eye (and that's why I usually focus) - unfortunately the 60d (af rated up to +0.5lv) uses af assist very often, so I'm looking forward to the 6d.

The 60D doesn't have an AF assist beam, it just uses the built-on flash for AF assist.

Try mounting a 430EX or higher model speedlight to your 60D and you'll get an unobtrusive red AF-assist beam.

54

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Help needed: Very slow live-view @ Canon 6D

« on: January 25, 2013, 06:04:27 PM »

DSLRs are not designed to focus quickly in live view (with the exception of the Canon EOS Rebel T4i).

Use the viewfinder or focus manually. Alternatively, you could set the Quick AF mode for Live View which will flip the mirror and blackout the screen while it focuses normally before returning to live view.

55

EOS Bodies / Re: 6D kit with 24-105 F4L for $2499 at Amazon

« on: January 25, 2013, 05:57:47 PM »

Testing by lens rentals and tdp show that the 24-70 is isn't better than anything. Check for yourself. It's the most ridiculous lens release in years.

I'm not sure which lensrentals site you go to but the one run by Roger Cicala tested the 24-70 f/4 IS and reported that it had the lowest distortion of all the 24-70 zooms and it was sharper than all of them except the Canon 24-70 2.8 II.

Of course, at $1500 you might as well just save several hundred and buy the Tamron, which is only marginally less sharp and gives an extra stop of light.

56

Lighting / Re: Buying Yongnuo Flash

« on: January 24, 2013, 06:31:04 PM »

I have the YN560 and the Canon 430EX II. I'd say for a first flash you should stick with TTL and like ishdakuteb said a used 430EX II is the way to go.

As for the Yongnuo, I have found it to be excellent as a second, manual flash when combined with a TTL main flash. The Yongnuo S1 mode will flash when it detects another manual flash going off. In S2 mode it will flash when it detects a TTL flash going off. I have found both modes to work correctly as long as you use them in the right situation. If you use S1 mode with a TTL flash as the master the Yongnuo will go off but it won't show up in the exposure because it fires early (when it detects the TTL pre-flash). Likewise, S2 mode probably won't work if you try to trigger it with a manual flash.

In either case, the YN560 won't accept TTL commands from a Canon TTL master, it will fire as a manual flash even in S2 mode.

Yongnuo also makes TTL flashes like the YN565 and the YN568 which are comparable to the 430EX II if you can't find one used. None of those flashes has TTL master capability, but the newer Canon APS-C bodies have TTL master as part of their built-in flash (T3i, T4i, 7D, 60D).

57

Canon General / Re: Canon U.S.A. Raises Awareness About Counterfeit Accessories For Digital Cameras And Camcorders A

« on: January 20, 2013, 10:44:34 PM »

If they'd ever sell their batteries for an even remotely reasonable price, I might buy one someday.  As it is, I've had no trouble with any of the 6 third-party batteries I've bought for a total cost less than the cost of just 1 Canon.

It's not the 3rd party batteries that are problem, it's the counterfeit batteries being marketed as authentic Canon batteries.

58

Lenses / Re: 70-200 F4 IS + 135L or 70-200 F2.8 IS

« on: January 20, 2013, 02:40:55 PM »

I owned the 70-200 2.8 IS II for a year and it never left my 5D2. I took it out on walks, I took it to the park, I took it to weddings. I never thought that it was so heavy that I wanted to trade it for the F4. Never.

The 70-200 2.8 IS II performs almost as well as the 135L and includes 70-134 and 136-200 as well.

59

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 7D vs 5D mk2 trade off?

« on: January 20, 2013, 02:25:34 PM »

Now that you have the 5D2, you're stuck with the center AF point for weddings, as the outer points will just hunt for focus in the dark. Even the latest Rebel has better autofocus than the 5D2 -- but if you can live with that limitation, you'll find that the image quality and high-ISO noise performance of full frame is superior to any crop camera.

60

EOS Bodies / Re: 6D is amazing... Review UPDATED (practical usage)

« on: January 20, 2013, 02:15:53 PM »

So it's a good thing the outer points are not cross type because it's very hard to move th points using the thumb wheel thing...

Um, you're mixing that up - the outer points not being cross-type is about their precision, not about the physical method to select them. However imho for 9-11 af points a joystick is not necessary and it can also be done with a multicontroller.

I think what he means is that the controls to change AF points are so bad that he is thankful he doesn't have to use them because he only uses the 1 cross-type point.