Messages

1081

EOS Bodies / Re: 1Ds4 & 5D3 Timetable [CR1]

« on: March 13, 2011, 03:52:32 PM »

The EF-S line of lenses are not high on the list of priorities at Canon.
“L” lenses and the development of them are whats needed to get the most out of the 18mp crop sensors.

Hehehe...  Sounds like a line from a full-frame enthusiast and L-snob  Someone who obviously doesn't understand business.  Canon makes good money on their crop gear.  Furthermore, if you want to get the most out of your 18 mpix crop sensor then EF-S lenses like 17-55 and 15-85 are the way to go.  Why struggle with full-frame ultrawides that have limited focal length range and/or aperture.

This is CR -10, folks.

I agree, unless of course Canon are going to make a 15-70mm f/4L or similar, which is unlikely.

I'm with Match and AJ on this one. The third-party manufacturers seem to be putting a heavy emphasis on developing quality lenses for crop sensor cameras. I can't see Canon ceding that market.

Actually, this statement doesn't make any sense:

“L” lenses and the development of them are whats needed to get the most out of the 18mp crop sensors.

If you need higher quality lenses to get the most out of 18mp sensors, why wouldn't you be developing and marketing these lenses? Especially since the 18mp sensor now dominates the Canon crop sensor line up. Really though, optical quality hasn't been the problem with the more recent EF-S lenses – the issue is inconsistent build quality and speed. There is definitely a market for fast, well-built lenses for crop sensor cameras.

Call it CR -10 or, more accurately, an opinion masquerading as a rumor.

1082

Site Information / Re: Signature Character Limit

« on: March 13, 2011, 03:26:19 PM »

Detlev,

Just so you know, all your links are broken.

1083

EOS Bodies / Re: 1Ds Replacement Soon?

« on: March 09, 2011, 10:58:17 PM »

Do you honestly think they will  let the 5D go almost 5 years without a refresh?

Five years would be Sept. 2013.

Each new technology generation at Canon has been introduced with the announcement of a new 1D camera.

The next technology generation will be no exception - 1DV first and then the other models.

This makes sense to me, although I disagree with the order. I'll wager on a 1D first. A 5D sometime later. Then a 7D. Could be spread out over a year, 18mos or two years.

1084

Lenses / Re: Canon 70-200 f2.8 l usm

« on: March 07, 2011, 06:12:54 PM »

It sounds like you are suffering from the common ailment of buyer's remorse. Don't worry, you made a good purchase.

Consider this: It looks like a used version of the lens is selling on Adorama for just a little less than $100 under the new price. It would have cost you more than that to rent the lens for a month.

So, even if you decide not to keep it, you won't be out that much money.

Also, keep in mind that it wasn't that long ago that lenses didn't even have IS. These days we all act like IS is essential, but we used to shoot all the time with non-IS lenses and never even thought about it because it wasn't an option. Use the lens, enjoy it and think about all the other goodies you can buy with the $1,000 you didn't spend on IS.

If you decide later that you absolutely have to have IS, then you'll be over halfway there when you sell this lens. 

1085

EOS Bodies / Re: someone please advise me

« on: February 23, 2011, 06:37:16 PM »

I can't help thinking about the photographers of the Farm Security Administration, who took some of the most iconic pictures of the 20th century.

Sure, there were well trained technically proficient photographers, but there were others who had little or no training. This quote from Ian Jeffrey's "How to Read a Photograph" about John Vachon captures it nicely: "He filed pictures and became interested in photography. Ben Shahn, who was no great technician, showed him how to use a Leica – having himself been taught hurriedly by Walker Evans."

Consider this quote as well about Diane Arbus: "Nor did you have to be technically adept to take great pictures; just the right feeling at the right time – an almost impossible prerequisite. There was something accidental about great photographs, something which didn't answer to preconceptions – especially her own."

There are great photographers who are great technicians and there are great photographers who are lousy technicians. Of course there are also great technicians who are lousy photographers. The point is, if you want to shoot everything on "Program" that's your personal choice and it's totally unimportant in determining how good of a photographer you are.

1086

Canon General / Re: Cool Tamron Patent

« on: February 21, 2011, 05:18:03 PM »

A patent no of "2001-33692" lets me think that this is a patent from 2001.
So I don't expect that there will be a product...

I think you are correct. I don't know Japanese, but the Google Translation has some phrases in there that seem to be a tip-off that the blogger was talking about past patents:

I suddenly thought I checked, the patent application seems to be sure. Image stabilization is likely to be no edge from Tamron, more than 10 years ago. It seems after all was not released. Various reasons are considered, then the Tamron may have had no image stabilization technology.

Sure sounds to me that this is not about a new patent application. Too bad. It could make the Canon 400mm non-IS pretty appealing.

1087

EOS Bodies / Re: 60D & 7D Rebates coming February 20

« on: February 15, 2011, 09:45:52 PM »

I meant to post this earlier, but will do so now.

I think one thing to look at is the price on the Canon USA site, which currently lists the 7D at $1,699. To me, that indicates that Adorama and B&H have about $220 (from the current $1,479 that they are selling the 7D at) to play with when rebates get announced. They can raise their prices up to the manufacturers suggested retail price, but they probably won't (maybe can't) raise their prices above what Canon sets as the retail price.

It's no guarantee that they will raise their prices up to the full MSRP and they may not raise them at all, but if Canon offers a $100 rebate, they can raise the price by $100 and still be more than $100 under the official retail price.

For comparison purposes, both Adorama and B&H are selling the 60D for $888, instead of the $999 Canon sets as the official price. In contrast, both are charging the full retail price for the T3i. ($899 with kit lens).

I'm not going to risk giving anyone bad advice, but just suggest this is something to think about. (Well, I might give potential T3i buyers this advice: I don't think you have much to lose by waiting to see what the rebates are, since I can't imagine Canon is going to raise their own MSRP when the rebates go into effect.)

1088

EOS Bodies / Re: Outside the Box thinking might provide Back to the Box product

« on: February 15, 2011, 09:26:51 PM »

Thanks Scale for the link to the White Paper. There are so many myths perpetuated on these forums that it's nice to read something written by the people who actually are making the cameras.

At the risk of violating my own rule about not discussing pixel size I wonder which is more likely to occur: cost reductions in the manufacture of sensors so as to allow larger sensors at less cost or improvements in imaging technology to allow improved image quality from smaller sensors.

It seems apparent that manufacturers are putting much more emphasis on improving the image quality of smaller sensors than they are putting into finding efficiencies and cost-savings in manufacturing larger sensors. My guess is that is because it is more cost effective to improve the quality of smaller sensors.

The last thing I want to do is launch another battle over megapixels. Rather, I'd like to hear the opinions of those who understand sensor manufacture as to whether or not there are likely to be any significant advancements that will reduce the cost of production and actually allow manufacturers to offer lower cost full-frame cameras.

Finally, I'll just add my own personal opinion on square vs. rectangular formats, which is that I come down strongly in favor of the rectangular format. Granted, it is what I grew up with, but I find the dimensions of the traditional 35mm format much more appealing and easier to compose. I think it makes horizontal and vertical shots much more dramatic and interesting. I know there is nothing magical about the format and Edward Weston, Stephen Shore and Diane Arbus certainly had some pretty good compositions with other formats. Then again, the 35mm format worked pretty well for Robert Frank, didn't it?

1089

EOS Bodies / Re: Godwin's Law for Digital Photographers

« on: February 13, 2011, 04:25:05 PM »

I'm going to vote agree on one condition/criteria.. if there is a thread started *specifically* to discuss the merits or lack thereof of MP counts, then said thread is immune from said action. 

Works for me.

1090

EOS Bodies / Godwin's Law for Digital Photographers

« on: February 13, 2011, 03:56:54 PM »

Having seen one more discussion forum devolve into a debate over megapixels, I'm suggesting a digital version of Godwin's Law, along with a ruling that the first person who raises the issue in any forum is automatically declared a loser.

1091

Lenses / Re: Too Many Lens Rumours

« on: February 13, 2011, 03:23:49 PM »

The nice thing about lens rumors is that if you live long enough, they almost all come true because eventually Canon will replace every lens they make.

1092

Lenses / Re: EF-S L Lenses

« on: February 12, 2011, 05:56:35 PM »

I'm going to be contrary and say: "absolutely yes."

The minute Canon's market research shows that they can make a profit on "L" type lenses in the EF-S format, they will make them. Canon (like any other company) couldn't care less if the people buying their products are "pros."  (What does that term even mean these days?)

Sure, they may give it a designation slightly different from "L" so as not to undermine their full-frame camera sales. But, if they see the market is there, they will gladly fill it. And, frankly, looking at the market trends, I think the market either is there, or soon will be.

Keep in mind that "L" is an arbitrary designation that Canon created to market high-end lenses. It's not consistent across the line. It can and does mean different things for different lenses.

In fact, one could argue that Canon already has at least two "L" lenses that that they are marketing as much to APS-C camera users as to full frame users. The 70-300mm L and the still-to-come 8-16 Fisheye.

When used with EOS bodies featuring APS-C or APS-H sensors, the EF 8-15mm f/4L Fisheye USM produces a more traditional, full frame fisheye view. (Canon Press Release)

.

So, yes, my prediction is that Canon will develop "L" quality lenses in the EF-S format, if the market keeps growing and if they think they can make a profit doing so.

1093

Lenses / Re: EF-S 15-60 f/2.8 IS [CR1]

« on: February 11, 2011, 05:51:04 PM »

I could be lusting after this lens. I love the 15-85mm. But, I would seriously consider sacrificing the longer range in exchange for the faster aperture.

1094

Lenses / Re: Your lenses wishlist for 2011 - RESULTS

« on: February 10, 2011, 06:39:44 PM »

Thanks for the analysis. It's fun to see.

I agree with Neuro and would add my own two cents worth. First, it's pretty hard to draw any conclusions when the total number of votes separating the #1 choice from last place is only five votes.

A few comments on EF-S lenses. Keep in mind that there is already a tremendous amount of redundancy in the EF-S line. Two-thirds of the entire line significantly overlaps. Photographers already have lots of choices in this line so, it's not surprising that there isn't a big demand for a "new" EF-S lens.

Plus, EF-S lenses concentrate at the wide-angle end of the focal length spectrum. Beyond wide-angle lenses, it's easy to substitute a full-frame lens for an EF-S lens. Is a 70-300 mm lens a full-frame lens or is it an EF-S lens? It depends on the camera it's on.

Finally, Canon has (In My Opinion) not done a really good job of producing enthusiast, prosumer or professional quality lenses in the EF-S format. That seems to be gradually changing and I expect it to change more as the 7D and 60D market expands and as Canon reacts to the more aggressive development of quality APS-C lenses by Sigma, Tamron and Tokina.

I did find Scale's chart very interesting. It's worth letting the numbers sink in: DSLRs account for less than a quarter of all cameras sold but represent more than two-thirds of the value of camera sales. I found that very reassuring because I sometimes worry that the DSLR market could be shrinking in relation to the Point and Shoots. Clearly Canon has a real incentive to invest in and grow their DSLR products.

1095

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon 40D Shutter button **FAILURE**

« on: February 09, 2011, 01:27:30 PM »

I'm guessing you are in Great Britain. I don't know if Canon offers a trade-in program in England, similar to the one available in the U.S. It's been discussed in other forums and on this site, but basically, you can upgrade your dead Canon for a refurbished different model at a deep discount. Not available online and not advertised, you need to call Canon customer service directly and inquire.

It might be worth a call to Canon to find out.