Messages

16

Software & Accessories / Re: Tri Pods!!!!!

« on: March 12, 2013, 11:23:50 PM »

Two for me....

Old Leica Tiltall still goin' ok after all these years.  Bought new back in '77

Almost as old Majestic with dual tube legs on both upper and lower sections.  Not fast to get into action.  Not light.  Its rock solid and heavy, and will hold anything I've got - 4x5 or medium format with long lenses are no problem.

17

Canon General / Re: your scariest photography moment?

« on: March 11, 2013, 08:33:33 PM »

Had a few scary moments...

Once was shooting a burning house, I was the man on the spot with a camera and a few rolls of Tri-X.  There was a large tank next to the house that exploded.  I don't know if it was LP or fuel oil (I'm thinking LP as the house was in Florida).   Knocked me right down to the ground.

Was shooting drag races from the crew zone behind the cars at the gate... had a rear engine rail blow when the tree went green.  Literally "blow" as parts and rubber were all over the place.  You don't hear stuff like that coming, as earmuffs and plugs (both) were required. 

I dunno, maybe the scariest was when I was shooting Vulcon in Tampa one year.  One of the last film shoots I did, and had a guy literally unfasten a 90/2.8 Elmarit from one of my M4's.  I caught him... lens in hand... he dropped it, I blocked its fall.  Got to keep an undamaged lens, the perp got away.

Not with the 90... but from that Vulcon... I've always like this image for some reason

18

Lenses / Re: Weddings - prime only advice

« on: March 10, 2013, 02:55:05 PM »

What lenses do you use for weddings? How do you carry/change it?

For weddings, using FF sensor, I use 35mm and 50mm lenses, with the odd use of 100mm in fairly rare occasions.  With medium format, its 60mm and 80mm, with a 150mm on rare occasions.

I don't change lenses during a wedding - except if there is a setup for head/shoulders and I'm doing those exclusively for some length of time, which is where the longer lens comes into play.

Most shots are with the 35mm, and some tighter (say 3/4 or torso up shots) with the 50mm.  Two lenses, two cameras.... but I shoot the vast majority with one camera, and the 35mm.   

19

Speedlites, Printers, Accessories / Re: how reliable are cheap third party flashes (yongnuo)

« on: March 10, 2013, 02:45:21 PM »

Canon has had problems with entire product runs, "fixed" the problem under warranty if you had one that was lucky enough to fail under warranty, and told anyone out of warranty to pound sand, effectively, since the repair cost was within a few dollars of total replacement.   Was it the 580EXii and 430EXii models?  Goin' on memory with that...

20

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Keep or sell my 7D

« on: March 08, 2013, 08:51:15 PM »

Currently I have 2 bodies, a 5D MkII and a 7D. My lenses are 16-35 2.8L II, 24-70 2.8L and a 70-200 2.8L IS. I also have a 1.4 and the 2XII Canon extenders. I'm looking to pick up a used 300mm 2.8 non IS. I'm thinking of selling the 7D while it's still worth a bit of money before the MkII is released and the price falls to help fund the purchase. The 7D stays in the bag and I use the 5D MkII virtually all the time. Should I keep the 7D? It is nice to have a second body but not if it just sits it the bag.

I have both of those bodies.  The 5DII is my wide angle go-to body, of obvious reasons.  I've got the 16-35II and also a 20/2.8 for that work.  I like the 5DII for some macro work, when I've got to push the ISO a bit, it holds together better with noise.

The 7D gets a lot of use.  I do a lot of people pictures at events.  And I like my bird shots with 300/4 and 1.4x.  The 7D excels at both.  I DO like its built in flash for event photography that occasionally needs fill light, or just needs flash because its dark.  The flash is there, its not great, but its adequate and its never left behind, so I tend to use it a bunch.  If I'm shooting a "non-wide" sort of event, I'll grab the 7D first - usually.

So, I'm spoiled by both bodies, for different reasons.  Keep the 7D

21

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: CF Cards - Where do you buy yours?

« on: March 08, 2013, 08:46:47 PM »

NewEgg, Amazon, B&H, in no particular order.

Very frequently, B&H has better deals than Amazon or NewEgg... just sayin'

22

Lenses / Re: Review of my bag - help me to reduce weight and overlap

« on: March 08, 2013, 08:45:46 PM »

Clearly, you do not have enough kit.

May I suggest, a 5DIII, 5DII (or 7D), 300/4, 1.4x, 100USM macro, 50/1.4, 35/1.4, 24-105/4, 16-35/2.8, 28/1.8, 28/2.8 and 20/2.8, all in two Domke "F1x" bags (little bit bigger).  Top that off with a Majestic double leg tripod and a Leica Tiltall tripod for backup.  Then pack a pair of White Lightning 600 Ultras, three old 283's, three Chimera banks and a three Matthews Beefy Baby stands.

Then after packing it all "just so", find room for an M4P and 35 Summicron, and an M6TTL with a 50 Summicron (or alternately 28 Summicron).

Be prepared for a decent amount of prolonged wait time at airports, try to avoid Reagen National if at all possible.

23

Technical Support / Re: Things to shoot around Marco Island/Everglades in Florida

« on: March 08, 2013, 08:38:44 PM »

Its Shark Valley.. not Alley.

Shark Valley is "ok" and very touristy.

You may just want to go down the Turner River Road (its on the way to Shark Valley off Rt 41 aka Tamiami Trail.

You'll be able to a long ways, stop where you like, snap pics.  I suggest taking it all the way from Tamiami Trail to past Alligator Alley's overpass.  Soon past that spot you can make a right... get into some very interesting and remote areas.  It should be very drivable right now.

Another good spot is the "Loop Road" which is just west of Shark Valley, again, at Rt 41/Tamiami Trail.  You'll need to take it "to the end" which comes back onto Tamiami Trail further west.

Another good spot is the Janes Memorial Scenic Drive, off Rt 29, which intersects Rt41/Tamiami Trail and also intersects Alligator Alley.  The entrance to the scenic drive is in Copland Florida (known for its outdoor prison.... as seen in various B movies).

If you go to Everglades National Park - Homestead, you might want to get there very early, take in Anhinga Trail, close to the entrance of the park.  A better spot is Christian Point Trail and Flamino's Eco Pond... but they are a lot of driving to get to.

You'll be able to get lots of close ups of wildlife at Anhinga Trail.... usually.  Especially early in the day or just before sundown.

24

Technical Support / Re: Possible 7D Autofocus Issues

« on: February 09, 2013, 11:49:38 PM »

I bought a 7D in the fall of 2012.

I went NUTS with its focus - which also varied by lens quite a bit.

My own problem - all lenses were giving problems, some more than others. 

After about 2500 shots of testing, I was able to determine that ONE lens terrible, and would not focus consistently at all on the 7D.  It thereafter gave problems on my 5Dii.  When I did a AFMA on the lens, it was best at 0 correction... why... I can't understand it.

The camera was sent to Canon - and they replaced the AF sensor, mirror-box... and CD card "socket" in the body.

The body was returned to me... in about two weeks time... and has been totally reliable and consistent with all my lenses.

I've got... 5 Canon EF primes, and 4 Canon EF zooms.  Fixing auto focus... errors... I'm glad they fixed 'em up!

25

Canon General / Re: What's your definition of "Pro"?

« on: February 07, 2013, 10:11:55 PM »

I'm curious. What does it mean to be a professional photographer?

To deliver professional results, and adhere to your commitments and contracts in a professional way, and to behave and conduct business in a professional way.  It doesn't matter if you shoot one wedding a year, or shoot one catalog a year... if you take the job, and act professionally, deliver professional goods, then you are a professional.

26

Canon General / Re: anyone had someone over their shoulder on a job?

« on: February 07, 2013, 10:10:09 PM »

At nearly every wedding i've done lately i've had a friend, or aunt or whomever of the bride/groom basically acting as the lead photographer. Anyone else exp this behavior?

You should bring this up to the wedding couple before the wedding, when you sign the contract and take your retainer. 

Once you have your stipulation in writing, a quiet word from the bride (or groom) will abate such activities.  You are being paid, and are under contract to produce results.  Hindrance by others cannot be tolerated if it makes your commitment to the wedding couple unworkable.

27

Lenses / Re: I can't stop thinking about A MONSTER!

« on: February 07, 2013, 06:48:09 AM »

You're 28.  You don't have a car.  How you gonna carry that thing to places to use it?

You're 28.  Take the money you'd use for the lens, invest it in your retirement future.  Trust me, trust everyone who tells you that.  Even a modest investment now, will give you financial freedom when you're older.  A good thing! (from one who lives it)

Rent the lens when the urge happens.

~~

As a side note - there are places in the wilds, here in Florida, that I would not bring a long L lens without also bringing a handgun.  Just sayin'.... and its not for fear of alligators or bears, but for getting robbed.  Its happened.

28

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

« on: January 20, 2013, 03:15:02 PM »

First off...

You could shoot the vast majority of any wedding with a 5d2 + 24-105, and never be undergunned.  If you need an available light situation, sure, a 50/1.4 is fine.... but then again, you'll need to be careful, as DOF at such wide apertures does not bode well in a lot of situations when shooting at a wedding.  Folks want reasonably sharp images.... I say reasonably because they don't pixel peep.  We do that for them.

Given your situation - and assuming you're going to take a little time to get to know the DOF characteristics of shooting FF, I'd get that 5d2 if you feel the price is right.  Shoot it with the 24-105... and unless you're shooting in a very very dark place, you'll do fine (or... if you have AF assist on flash... you'll also do fine).

Take the 50/1.4 and stick it on the 5d3 and you're set to go.

Keep the 7d as a total spare.

~~~~

Back in 02, I shot 40 rolls of 36exp c/n film, or just over 1500 exposures at Dragon-Con in Atlanta.  All in one afternoon.  Cameras were an M4-P and an M6TTL - two lenses a 35/2 and 50/2, and thats it.   Weddings, when I did them, were a pair of 500 Hasselblad, with 60 and 80.  Thats it.  Half jokingly I say... quit bein' spoiled by technology and concentrate on image and technique more than hardware.

29

Third Party Manufacturers / Re: Speed Booster: full frame fov on an APS-C size sensor

« on: January 18, 2013, 06:20:37 AM »

You are mistaken, and its a common misconception.  The effect on image quality has nothing to do with magnification, or reduction, but everything to do with additional optical elements that are not optimized for any one optical system.  People conceptualize the ray traces and think "spreading" them or "compacting" them, but ... that's not exactly how it works. 

Consider - all the different lens aberrations.  The IQ is all about controlling those aberrations.  No "fits all" design, of any magnification, will do that effectively.  You'll find lenses that the device works acceptably well on, and other lenses that it does not work well on.

Also have to consider ghosting and flare.

Also have to consider mechanics - as the lens to sensor (or film) lateral alignment is not well controlled, and adding other elements will introduce some de-centering in the entire optical path.

There is a reason there are dedicated extenders, or extenders that work only on certain lenses.  And even with the latter, we know that performance varies quite a bit.

Having said all that, its an interesting concept, and I'm sure it will have its fair share of use, as well as its fair share of refinement, should it do well in the marketplace.

30

EOS Bodies / Re: EOS not good for NASA?

« on: January 13, 2013, 06:48:39 PM »

Considering the first cameras were extensive engineering reworks of existing models.... Hasselblad and Nikon stepped up to the task asked of them.  Canon was not the contender it is today.   

Now consider 50 years  of space flight - with 35mm tasks being done nicely by Nikon... they had no reason to change.  You had personnel and relationships between NASA and Nikon.  Training considerations... big factor - because crews cross train in case a back up person is needed.  Uniformity is needed. 

Nikon was just .. first... and has stuck it out with NASA all these years.  I think there were some F's, F2's etc used back when, in addition to Hasselblad EL data cameras and SWCs.