Messages

151

Lenses / Re: If you could only have 2 lenses for a wedding...

« on: October 04, 2012, 06:50:41 PM »

Two bodies, FF, 5d2 or better (or 6D or better... when its finally out)

35/1.4L
50/1.4usm

thats it

All I need to do at a wedding, I can do with that.  Give me a good strobe with a small to medium softbox, I'm set

152

Lenses / Re: 85mm f1.8 or 100mm f2.0 ???

« on: October 02, 2012, 07:28:42 PM »

I've owned the 85/1.8.  Not any more.

I never really cozy'd up to that lens.  I ended up just giving it away to someone.  I can't even remember who, thats how blah I was about it.

In the market again, it was a tough call between the 100/2.0 and the 100/2.8USM macro (non-L).

I ended up with the macro.  No problems at portrait focus distances, absolutely sharp at all distances in fact.  The 2.8 aperture is ample for shallow DOF, and portraits really need 5.6 or so for nose to eyes sharpness.

Possible drawback - night shooting... I'm not into that with short tele's.  Most of my night shooting is wide to normal lengths.

Can't be happier with 100mm length.  Go with 100/2.0

153

Pricewatch Deals / Re: Canon EOS 5D Mark III Price Drop

« on: September 30, 2012, 06:19:14 PM »

A place in Monsey, NY called Profeel Marketing Inc. (an authorized Canon Dealer -- I looked it up!) has it on their eBay site (PMI Digital) for just $3,199.75.  Anyone ever dealt with them?

Canon's USA Authorized Dealer List:
http://www.usa.canon.com/app/pdf/dealer/CanonAuthorizedDealers.pdf

If you get their address from Google, then find it... you can't do a street view, but satellite view shows it to be a nice house in a residential neighborhood.

154

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Canon 7D - should i wait or not?

« on: September 30, 2012, 02:46:14 PM »

I doubt that the "new"  7Dmk-X will be priced any higher than the current 6D.

If you want a 7D, and can wait a little... new 7D prices should fall a little more when a new model is announced.
Look at the 5DmkII which has gone from $2199 to $1799 between June and Sept of 2012.

155

EOS Bodies / Re: New Canon EOS-M

« on: September 29, 2012, 06:59:53 PM »

Touche!~

156

Pricewatch Deals / Re: Big Canon EOS 5D Mark II Price Drop Coming

« on: September 29, 2012, 03:01:47 PM »

Price drops to $1699, I'm in for another.

157

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Working with film

« on: September 29, 2012, 10:39:19 AM »

Fully manual bodies are great learning tools.  If you can find an AE1 and a couple FD lenses, they are great

I think you mean the AT-1, which was manual.  The AE-1, AV-1, and A-1 were auto exposure.

The A series suffers from "shutter brake wheeze", but its easily corrected.  FTb/n's were tanks, suffered from a failure in the meter coupling.

Keep in mind the FTb/n and F1 batteries are no longer truly available.  The mercury battery has been replaced with ... lithium? ... I forget which.  It was a 1.35v battery, and the replacement throws the meters off.  Some meters can be calibrated to the new voltage, some cannot, due to the linearity of the mechanisms.

The A series took the four into one stacked silver battery - still available.

158

Lenses / Re: 85 mm Lens

« on: September 26, 2012, 07:13:21 PM »

Its not on your list, but the 100/2.0, USM is a hell of a lens as well.  As sharp, or narrowly beating out the 85/1.8.

I've had the  85/1.8, USM, its a great lens... but I always liked the 100mm focal length better.  Yes only 15mm, but it makes all the difference.

On 2-1/4 square, I was using the 250/5.6 Sonnar.  That equates to about 135mm in the 35mm FF world, but... I was shooting very tight head shots and had the room to work.  These days, 100 does it for me.

In fact, I've been using the 100/2.8, USM macro for portraiture.  Its tack sharp, and I don't miss not having the 2.0 aperture.  A 100mm lens, at f/2.0 has very shallow DOF.  Unless you're shooting for some very impressive effect, such as an angled shot, one eye in focus... you can barely get one eye totally in focus at f/2.0... you're usually stopped to about f/4.5 or f/5.6 for the majority of shooting.  You want eyes and noses in focus, ears can go fuzzy.  Shooting at f/2.0 you get eyes (if you're lucky).  Best to stop down a little....

159

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Canon A2E

« on: September 26, 2012, 06:38:42 PM »

I still have mine.  I think its going to my friend Susan's kid in a week or so. 

160

Lenses / Re: Lens Filters -- preference?

« on: September 26, 2012, 06:35:12 PM »

Call me practical, but I've been using Hoya HMC filters for ages, never a problem.  They have a better grade, but the HMC is very very good. 

On the Leica M, I'm using B+W multicoated filters, since they are more available in the small (odd) Leica sizes.

I prefer the Sky 1B in Hoya, and plain ol' UV in B+W (shooting monochrome on the Leica anyway)

161

Lenses / Re: All street photographers share your gear here!

« on: September 25, 2012, 08:44:46 PM »

New Leica body is a grand cheaper than the M9, has the essentials .... I wanna see it.  I might be good to go with that.  I've got four lenses sitting here that need a digital body.

162

Third Party Manufacturers / Re: Why Hasselblad?

« on: September 25, 2012, 08:43:25 PM »

Cant say specifically for digital Hasselblad, but for the most part, you're getting better dynamic range, as well as stunning IQ.  Thats what MF does for you.  It also cuts your depth of field by a good amount.

Of course if you want detail, use silver images on 6x6 or 6x7 and good optics... you've got detail. 

163

Lenses / Re: Which canon macro lense 60mm, 100mm, 100mmIS, 180mm

« on: September 25, 2012, 07:11:08 AM »

 Its a matter of  IS or non- IS

If I'm out in the back garden, hoping for something to interest me, I wish I had it....

BUT - really, shooting like that, the slightest breeze is more of a problem than my own shake.

I'm probably playing games in my own mind thinking IS would help... since my enemy is the breeze.

Of course, inside, I'm using a support, there is no breeze, and things aren't moving (which IS does not help anyway).

When folks say, the 180 is sharper,  the L version of the 100 is better, etc etc.... dismiss it all.  I've used the 60, and both newer 100's.  They're all fantastic.  Not used the 180... but any differences are most likely pixel peeping hair splitting ones.

164

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Need a low key shoulder bag for canon 5d3 with kit lens and 600 ex

« on: September 24, 2012, 10:34:09 PM »

I'm still ga-ga over the Domke bags... got some from the 70's yet, when Paul Dolan and then Sterling Clark were my EPOI reps (Ehrenreich, pre-Nikon USA).   Got more these days, they're just great bags.  You can get 'em in non-steal-me colors too.

165

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: How much saturation do you usually add/remove in your photos?

« on: September 23, 2012, 11:04:59 PM »

I've found that what worked ok with my XTi was huge overkill for the 5DII, if that means anything.  I'd dial in a two clicks of saturation + on the XTi, but keep it "default" on the 5DII