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Lenses / B+W GND (grey) filters for the Cokin and Lee filter holder
« on: September 26, 2012, 09:14:00 AM »
Good news from the Photokina.

B+W announce two new GND (grey) filters that can be used with the Cokin Z-Pro and Lee filter holder.

number 701 (- 1 stop soft)
number 702 (- 2 stop soft)

Glas with MRC sealing, 10x15 cm, delivered in a tin box

Press text:

B + W graduated neutral density filters are often used in landscape photography in order to avoid an overexposure of the sky with a correct exposure of the ground. As in overexposured areas of the picture image information is normally lost the effect of this filter can hardly be simulated by electronic image processing.

The filters are coloured neutral gray with a smooth transition into the neutral filter half. With screwed filter the rotatable mount allows an exact horizontal alignment.

The glass substrate of the B+W ND filters 701 and 702 are absolutely plane and parallel and finely polished. This guarantees a long lasting high optical quality. By means of thin layer technology the ND gradient is evaporated. The below values refer to the darkest filter glass parts:

701 +1 stop (50% transmission)
702 +2 stop (25% transmission)

The graduated ND filters are provided with a high quality MRC coating. MRC (Multi Resistant Coating) coated filters have an MC layer ensuring a high transmission and maximum anti-reflective surface. Furthermore, MRC is dirt and water repellent and makes cleaning much more easier.



3
Lenses / EF 24-70 2.8 II quick review
« on: September 10, 2012, 03:03:37 AM »
product quality: for weight reduction body is made out of plastic (but seems to be solid), lens connection is made out of metal with a rubber lip, zoom is very good, focus ring is  excellent, the lens has a fixed filter holder, stray-light protection is only streaky, AF is a little bit faster than the AF in version one 

optics: very high performance, you can use it with open aperture, yout get top values if you set the aperture to f/4, at APS-C the resolution is a little bit lower, visible vignetting at 24 mm (even if you go to f/4) on FF, lower visible vignetting at 24 mm (even if you go to f/4) on APS-C, visible distortion at 24 mm
   
Vignetting in stops:
24 mm on APS-C, aperture 2,8/5,6: -0,83/-0,60 / Tamron -0,66 / -0,52
40 mm on APS-C, aperture 2,8/5,6: -0,56/-0,35 / Tamron -0,56 / -0,35
70 mm on APS-C, aperture 2,8/5,6: -0,64/-0,23 / Tamron - 0,52 / -0,24

24 mm on FF, aperture 2,8/5,6: -1,91/-1,33 / Tamron -2,31 / -1,33
40 mm on FF, aperture 2,8/5,6: -1,58/-0,96 / Tamron -1,73 / -0,95
70 mm on FF, aperture 2,8/5,6: -1,52/-0,77 / Tamron -1,97 / -1,15

Distorsion
24 mm on APS-C/FF: -1,6% / -2,3 % (barrel-shaped) / Tamron -1,9 % / -3,1 % (barrel-shaped)
40 mm on APS-C/FF: 0,1 % / 0,4 % (pulvinated) / Tamron -0,1 % / 0,3 % (barrel-shaped/pulvinated)
70 mm on APS-C/FF: 0,4 % / 1,0 % (pulvinated) / Tamron 0,4 % / 1,1 % (pulvinated)


overall efficiency in percent on FF (aperture 2.8/4.0/5.6/8.0/11)
24 mm 83/92/87/85/83 - Tamron 80/82/82/81/78
40 mm 78/82/82/81/82 - Tamron 75/82/82/81/79
70 mm 82/82/85/83/82 - Tamron 74/77/78/78/81

Stars from small light sources at f/16 or f/22 in low light if you shoot landscapes
The nine blades produces 18 star spouds. I don´t like such stars. With the old lens with eight blades you get stars with eight spouds. It´s a optical fact, that you get with an uneven amount of blades the double amount of star spouds as you have blades.

Conclusion:
The EF 24-70 2.8 II is the best zoom lens in this focal range. It´s better in optics than the Tamron (Tamron has more vignetting on FF)  and the AF is much faster than the Tamron AF. I don´t like the rotating direction of the zoom ring from Tamron. It drives me crazy, because it´s reverse to the Canon zoom ring direction. I like the lens hood from the version one. If you shoot into the direct sunlight with version two you have to shade the lens opening with the new hood on it with your hand or a black piece of paper or you get sunspots in your image.

I don´t put the data from the Nikkor 24-70 made with the D800E on the net, because the optical quality is far away from the EF 24-70 II. For D800E and D4 users I hope, that Nikon put a new version on the market.

If it´s worth the price for you (around 1.000 more) you have to decide for yourself. I have to work less than a day as a professional photographer for it and I can say definetely YES to the lens.

Private conclusion:
I hold the prototype and the production version as my everyday walk-around-lens for portraits, sports, events and landscapes (private use and travelling) in combination with the 16-35 2.8 II and the EF 70-200 2.8 II IS.

For business I mostly prefer the primes from Canon and Zeiss and my Hasselblad. But the lens and the EF 70-200 2.8 II IS is a great performer for business to.

4
Landscape / I recommend the Manfrotto 405 Pro Digital Geared Head
« on: August 02, 2012, 01:50:56 AM »
A few weeks ago I buy the Manfrotto 405 Pro Digital Geared Head.

I my opinion the perfect head for your tripod.

The 405 utilizes large, easy-to-grip knobs that provide smooth, positive, geared control through 360 degree pan and -30 to 90 degree frontal and lateral tilt.

In addition to its 3-D geared functions, the 405 also incorporates a unique feature that allows you to instantly disengage the gears and rough position the camera by hand, then instantly reengage them for ultra-precise final alignment.

The 405 comes complete with quick-release plate, 1/4"-20 and 3/8" camera mounting screws, and 3/8" tripod mount.

Pros
stable
attaches firmly
large range of motion
strong clamp

Cons
heavy (but solid)
expensive (but worth every cent)

Best Uses
Landscape
Night shots
Long exposures

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