Messages

211

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 7D Mark II Information [CR1]

« on: March 07, 2013, 02:48:41 PM »

I think Canon will put forward an affordable camera in 7D2...~$2500 at introduction perhaps even a tad lower...a price that tracks down with time to ~$2000 or even ~1900 (gasp! WHAT!? NO?....yes!)

This is based on the assumption we are talking about 7D2 and its intended mass market and not the 4D or 3D etc.

Given that the original 7D cycle has stretched a few years now, and the pent up interest to buy is there for original users, I think they have the potential to sell a lot of units...*IF* it is priced right.

IF they miss the price mark...and offer some super-duper camera which is out of reach of many current 7D users, they have a problem... accolades and admiration by few who buy and can afford it and envy and apathy by many who can't... never paid no bills at Canon

In such a case they will have to make embarrassing "Adorama ebay sale" kind of backdoor price reduction (5D3 anyone?) moves to bring the price in line with market forces to move enough units. Bring it down a bit, and they sell more units to easily off-set even the price reduction.

One should expect the 7D "preorder" price to be high (duh! It is targeted toward a certain kind of sap...er...I meant user). Look at the price trajectory of 6D in just the past few months... and it has not settled into its "real" target price yet...give it few more months.

So the intended target price for 7D may well end up being $2000 just few months after release in which case they cannot really pack it with high-end 1DX features in earnest.

Again, we are talking about 7D successor here, not a would-be 4D candidate. Canon is a conservative company. No risky market experimentation or bold moves usually...

So 7D2 will be a sensible camera at a sensible price.

212

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 7D Mark II Information [CR1]

« on: March 07, 2013, 01:42:36 PM »

When you guys say $3500, it equates to R40 000 (South African rands). Can you guys imagine paying $40k for a camera?

As Neuro said, everything is relative.

Even here, to put it in perspective, if someone happens to be a "minimum wage" earner and that is a good many invisible souls here in the US... after ancillary deductions, $3500 would be ~4 or 5 months’ worth of their earnings if they don't eat or pay rent...

In fact, $3500 in the US is still a significant amount of money and is beyond justifiable reach for a large spectrum of middle class earners with common obligations...those with families, bills, kids, college funds, mortgages...it is also beyond justification for many small businesses who struggle to pay commercial rent, taxes, utility and insurance bills, and salaries.

For many new graduates it would be at least 3 or 4 months’ rent.

Don't assume it is easy anywhere....most of us nutty addicts on CR may give the impression that "wonder gear" at any cost is justifiable...

Justifiable, may be... practicable or achievable...not always. And thankfully so....as it makes us cherish what we do have.

213

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 7D Mark II Information [CR1]

« on: March 07, 2013, 01:14:55 PM »

Anyways, as rumors go, this is rated only as a CR1....

We are still waiting for that CR2 rated 35L II and 100-400 II that made appearances several times over the years.

Relax... enjoy the winter.

Sure, but we 7D fans need all the juicy tidbits we can get while we wait! 

You poor saps...when are you ever gonna cotton on 

214

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 7D Mark II Information [CR1]

« on: March 07, 2013, 12:24:38 PM »

I have never considered the integrated grips as a plus. A *truly* integrated grip as those in the 1 series is actually a major gripe of mine.

This is one of those 'less filling/tastes great' debates with no right answer. For people who don't routinely use a grip, an integrated grip just adds weight and bulk they don't want/need. For people who do routinely use a battery grip, the integrated grip is a plus compared to the add-on (no flex so it's much better for tripod shots; better ergonomics, for example the second multicontroller on the 1D X is ideally placed, and it's location falls right at the junction of the 5DIII with it's grip, so it's in a different place on the BG-E11).

I happen to agree the grip can be quite useful for some.  Even for those like me who loath it, some lenses are clearly better balanced on the 1 series.

Perhaps my take on it is based on shooting style... I personally have nothing over 400mm and that too just as a zoom that rarely sees use. I find the 70-200 2.8II heavy and too obvious and usually opt for the f4 which is only slightly less so... there was a time when I felt the 35L was too showy. 

Even if I don't need to shoot at high speed or may not be partial to longer focal lengths, I may still want the perks the 1DX offers on the 5D3 (true AF coupled metering would be high on my list)...as things stand, my intern uses the 1DX while I favor the smaller body. There is really limited middle ground if one wants to move up the feature list without having to deal with the bulk and the grip.

Still, these are not major issues and I think we are spoilt for choices in the Canon camp.

215

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 7D Mark II Information [CR1]

« on: March 07, 2013, 11:14:03 AM »

Anyways, as rumors go, this is rated only as a CR1....

We are still waiting for that CR2 rated 35L II and 100-400 II that made appearances several times over the years.

Relax... enjoy the winter. 

216

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 7D Mark II Information [CR1]

« on: March 07, 2013, 10:57:06 AM »

I have never considered the integrated grips as a plus. A *truly* integrated grip as those in the 1 series is actually a major gripe of mine.

217

Reviews / Re: Review - Canon EF 85 f/1.2L II

« on: March 06, 2013, 07:46:48 PM »

Beyond the numbers and stats, what I have always loved about this lens is how it renders stark contrast. An extreme example in a candid shot. A darker subject in a white room with harsh directional light. I know CR will upscale the compressed picture when I post, but such is life.
<<...>>

218

Lenses / Re: Advice on a telephoto lens for street photography

« on: March 06, 2013, 06:46:29 PM »

How about an 80-200 f2.8.  It's black. 

Ha! Looks like what James Stewart was using in the Rear Window. The plot of the movie involves "voyeurism" that gets people into trouble. 

219

Lighting / Re: 580ex ii not firing

« on: March 06, 2013, 05:25:15 PM »

Obviously, if the simple cleaning and first aid doesnt help, may be it needs a trip to the repair shop.

220

Lighting / Re: 580ex ii not firing

« on: March 06, 2013, 05:04:14 PM »

Most likely cause as RLPhoto said is the contacts at the hot shoe....

When it is a slave, the info and trigger are happening through the optical signal ...so it bypasses the shoe...so will work just fine there.

See if you can clean or wiggle or tighten the shoe plate. Could be either on the flash or camera end...but 95% of the time it is the flash plate. This will also explain why sometimes it works and at others it doesn't.  Cheers.

221

Lenses / Re: Canon 100-400 f/4-5.6L IS II Design Idea

« on: March 06, 2013, 04:11:44 PM »

at least its got a lens hood as part of the package, a lot that canon could learn from on many lenses possibly   

As far as I am aware, all "L" lenses come with a hood (if one can be used with the lens, anyway) and a pouch or other container. (The 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II comes with a very nice zip-up white semi-stiff-fabric carrying container.)

Also, some time ago on here, it emerged that in some markets (far-east, IIRC) at least some of the non-L lenses come with hoods, but not here in the UK.

Its the Non L Series lenses I was meaning mainly......but I'm sure I cam across an article not so long ago on a site selling on eof the L Series lenses where the hood was extra

I fell for a fly by night grey market offer a while back...my 70-200 f/4 L came without hood...also I wasn't quick enough to follow up, so clearly my own fault. But got a good price and the lens was tack sharp...so no regrets. But I am told all major legitimate dealers include the hood on all L's here in the US regardless of US warranty or grey market.

222

Lenses / Re: Addicted to dof

« on: March 06, 2013, 03:45:41 PM »

For street photography these lenses are too wide for a very shallow dof. Try using a fast, long zoom...

One of the first lessons in street photography...within limits, don't draw attention to yourself. Smaller the gear the better. Long zooms are not ideal on that front.

Two, sometimes overly shallow DOF is counter productive in street shots. While in some cases you want to isolate your subject(s), in most cases you want wider fields with more DOF ...by that I mean not shallow DOF...sometimes I leave my fast primes at f5.6 or f8. Street work is not a studio portrait session...more often than not, you want context to the frame. That is provided by "more" DOF... more things in focus...not less.

223

Third Party Manufacturers / Re: The Next Zeiss Lenses? [CR2]

« on: March 06, 2013, 03:10:56 PM »

Zeiss makes some great lens, yes, but I also think they make mediocre and poor candidates ...Their 85mm f1.4 is the biggest turd in recent years.

224

Lenses / Re: Addicted to dof

« on: March 06, 2013, 02:50:53 PM »

being forced to watch "Oceans 11" on Delta Airlines with a guy eating garlic bread in the next seat 

I presume you mean the recent one, not the Rat Pack version?  But maybe the destination is a tropical island paradise...that might make the odor of garlic breath for a few hours more bearable.   

Yes, the new one... The old version is enjoyable. No i was headed to NYC via Hoboken... Few years back,  but all I had to look forward to was being mugged. 

225

Lenses / Re: Addicted to dof

« on: March 06, 2013, 02:29:17 PM »

Isn't a lack of DOF a blurry image and not an image with a shallow DOF?

Well the former is unintended and typically movement based while the latter is a creative choice...same difference between slipping a BluRay in the player, sipping a dry Martini with your feet up and watching a movie you love and being forced to watch "Oceans 11" on Delta Airlines with a guy eating garlic bread in the next seat 

Not the same now, is it?