Messages

331

Lenses / Re: Is this inconsistency acceptable? Sigma 85 1.4 question.

« on: February 12, 2013, 11:25:59 AM »

I'm not sure I would be happy with it. Even to the untrained eye you can easily see the bottom right corner is much less sharp than the top left and less sharp than the other two.

I dont' see the exif info, perhaps I am downloading the processed picture...but if these shots were made any where close to wide open, DOF is bound to be razor thin.
 
Some of this could even be due to positioning or angling of the camera or the shot by just an inch if they were made at close quaters (looking at the pictures, clearly these were very close shots)...in this case a slight tilt in the camera will render one or the other edge/border of the printed page out of sharp focus depending on where the focus point is.

His 5D2 has no leveling feature unlike 5D3...and even then...unless these shots are made very carefully under controlled conditions on tripods and with leveling, pixel peeping is rather fruitless at such close quaters on a tele lens wide open.

332

Lenses / Re: New Member / Lens Recs

« on: February 12, 2013, 11:10:54 AM »

BTW: There is no better kit lens on the planet than the 24-105mm L for the money (maybe the EF-S 17-55, but we're talking full frame here).

+1

333

Lens Gallery / Re: Canon EF 70-300 f/4-5.6L IS USM

« on: February 12, 2013, 10:58:13 AM »

...but this lens (from 200mm till 300) produces not very sharp images and the contrast is very low.

*yawn*

Overall IQ, excellent IS, good focal range, weather sealing, portability.... it is an excellent zoom.

334

Lenses / Re: Is this inconsistency acceptable? Sigma 85 1.4 question.

« on: February 12, 2013, 10:54:37 AM »

Taking these pictures and the pixel peeping itself suggests you are going to have a tough time being happy with most any lens.  It looks ok to me...

Go take real photographs, something other than brick walls and granite counters.

335

EOS Bodies / Re: Big Megapixel Camera in 2014

« on: February 11, 2013, 08:58:57 PM »

...
I like the Osprey example....

I wish to take a picture of an Osprey picking a fish out of the river.... this happens pretty fast, about 2 or 3 tenths of a second. This is faster than my reaction time so I have to anticipate the action and hope that my picture is taken at the right time... and with the speed things are moving I only get one shot.

Beside me is another photographer with a 1Dx set to take a burst at 10 frames per second. The other photographer starts thier burst before the Osprey hits the water and it continues until the fish is well clear. My picture is of the claws going into the water.. my timing is off. The other photographer has a string of twenty or so pictures from the Osprey approaching the water, through the grab, and as the catch clears the water. I have a great shot. The other photographer has twenty great shots, one or two of which show the intended image.

That is an indisputable reason for the use of bursts and how they can improve composition.

You might as well take a high resolution video camera...

And indeed that is what various people used to do to get good action shots of animals: they used film to capture lots of frames to get the one they wanted and blow that up large.

Sure, it may be the only way to "get the shot" but from a photography perspective it's kind of like cheating because there's no skill required on the photographer's part in knowing when to snap or compose.

I sincerely hope that you take all your photos in manual mode using manual focus and don't bother to look at exposure displays or anything else, because that would be like cheating.

An exposure meter is a tool, developed to help you expose better.
Autofocus is a tool, designed to help you focus better.
Lightroom is a tool, designed to help you modify images.
Shooting RAW is a tool, designed to give you better data for editing.
display screens are a tool, designed to help you understand what your camera is set to and doing.
I could keep going here all night......
Burst mode is a tool, to help you in times where action happens too fast for you to react.

These are all tools to enhance your abilities and creativity. Only a fool ignores good tools.

Don, I think Dilbert has a point.  He would rather paint... cuz photography is cheating....actually he would rather etch it on the walls of caves... cuz painting is cheating. May be he will color the reliefs he so etches with virgin pigments extracted from roots and herbs... and you hear the tinkle of the falling waterfall, the birds chirp... the eagle cries as it swoops down for that fish that you are not supposed to use too many frames on...cuz it is...well you know...cheating... 

The arguments offered by some have long left the realm of logic, I will just leave them be

336

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Upgrading from Rebel XT

« on: February 11, 2013, 12:40:31 PM »

Having waited from 2005, don't saddle yourself with a camera that is several years old now.

7d2, whenever it arrives, will be t a premium for at least six months from the release date,  so may not be an option. But 6D already in the market and will come down in price a bit in a few months. Might be well worth the wait.

Rent for your upcoming trips in the interim as you save for a few months and as prices drop.  May also be a good way to try these bodies out without committing. Cheers.

337

Lenses / Re: Please help me.

« on: February 11, 2013, 12:24:10 PM »

17-40L is a good call ...has a broad usable focal range on a crop body. Add a 24mm or 28mm faster prime and you will be happy. 28mm f1.8 gets a bad rap but these are overstated. It is a good fast lens on a crop and best approximates the normal FOV. With both, you also ensure usability with future Full Frame, should you upgrade.

If your budget allows, consider the 16-35II f/2.8 instead of 17-40 f/4, you will then have two fast lenses. But the f4 lens is no slouch and both are great walk arounds for crops.

Cheers.

338

EOS Bodies / Re: Cost of Canon 5D mk III

« on: February 10, 2013, 02:10:15 PM »

5D3 sales for ~$2500 have happened already and are bound to happen again. Just get one then.

pardon my stupid question, but is there a way for me to know when such sales are going on?
I don't monitor this forum daily - should I ? would it be posted here? Or perhaps there is an easier way?

thanks

1) keep an eye here as I see CR post from time to time when massive rebates occur.
2) keep an eye on adorama ebay store and other legitimate vendors with ebay presence.
3) keep an eye on canonpricewatch.com especially their deals section

A few fly-in-the-ointment comments.  Timing wise, we just had the rebate cycle at the end of the year and you may have missed a good chance, but these chances reoccur periodically.  You may just have to wait some. Also, these fire-sales happen and end so quickly, you need to have a firm price point and game-plan and clinch the right deal when you see it. Few 100 units sold and you could be out of luck if you are thinking about it. If you are in Europe or certain countries, all bets are off as I hear customs penalizes imports with added tariffs at entry.  This is to ensure you buy locally and support native vendors and pay higher taxes.

Regardless, always choose reputable dealers as this is a purchase over 2K. In your desperation to land a good deal, never compromise on that. If t looks too good to be true, it probably is. Good luck.

339

EOS Bodies / Re: Big Megapixel Camera in 2014

« on: February 10, 2013, 01:51:20 PM »

As for a 5DIII 'replacement', I'd say BS and wishful thinking.  Many of the people clamoring for a high MP camera from Canon don't want to pay the price for a 1-series body, and from such dreams, rumors are born.

+1
When I read the part about "quick" replacement for the 5D3, I laughed.  Then when I saw the peanut gallery rejoice that it will be so, I shook my head in disbelief... Sad in someways.

340

Lenses / Re: I've tried the 200-400 today! :D Very happy

« on: February 10, 2013, 11:08:33 AM »

It looks about one-third your size! Yikes.

341

Video & Movie / Re: The Blizzard of 2013 Time Lapse

« on: February 10, 2013, 11:07:02 AM »

Nice. Doesn't look like much snow accumulation within the time frame though.  I was thinking people would be walking on narrow paths on the sidewalk. 

342

EOS Bodies / Re: Big Megapixel Camera in 2014

« on: February 07, 2013, 09:16:28 PM »

@mkunert, and let's not forget the Nikon executives categorically stating their crop DX sensors were the future and Full frame had no relevance in the digital world...and once canon whipped their heiny with the 1 series and 5D...they played in the sandbox with their tail between their legs...periodically letting out a sad whimpering moan.

343

EOS Bodies / Re: Big Megapixel Camera in 2014

« on: February 07, 2013, 09:08:55 PM »

In other words (like I suspected) Nikon's D800 completely blindsided Canon.

So not to loose face and stem a possible hemorrhage of photographers into Nikon's camp, Canon releases disinformation rumors.

First:  We may be releasing a high MB camera soon.
Second:  Uh, we STILL haven't released a high MB camera because it's taking longer because it's neeeewwwwwww sensor technology.
Third:  We have to upgrade the lens first.

Last one really amuses me because it implies that Canon lens suck compared to Nikon.  Nikon didn't need to upgrade their lens for people to instantly see massive benefit from the D800.  Will a whole new slew of Canon lens be needed to see a difference with Canon new high MB camera?

Sad.

Only massive benefit I think for Nikonians was the pukey green hue that D800 had. But welcome to the forum anyways

344

Lenses / Re: 70-300L AF IS goes *CLUNK!* (??)

« on: February 07, 2013, 05:44:55 PM »

70-300L is a quality Canon zoom with a growing reputation...get it off the Tamron TC....particularly if we are talking jumping and noises. 

345

Lenses / Re: Canon 135L f/2

« on: February 07, 2013, 05:20:08 PM »

Buy the current one. I just don't expect a replacement very soon.

Happy Marti Gras!