Messages

181

EOS Bodies / Re: After DPREVIEW of D800 would you still get the Canon 5d mark iii?

« on: May 10, 2012, 09:59:11 AM »

There's no way I'm giving up my lenses and digital and film bodies to switch to a Nikon.  I feel 'at one' with my Canon bodies, being able to intuitively know where the buttons are located.  So instead of having to fiddle around with strange buttons and dials, I can starting shooting immediately with an EOS.  When I tried a 5D3 at my camera store, it was simple to operate coming from a 40D and 1V.

Anyway, if I had enough money to switch systems entirely, I probably would just buy a completely separate Nikon setup and keep my EOS gear as well.  That way I'd get to enjoy the best of both worlds.  When Sony and Nikon's relationship eventually sours and they start suing each other, there will be a shift in the digital camera ecosystem.  Competitors working together often end up this way.  Like Apple and Microsoft, Apple and Samsung, Apple and....

182

EOS Bodies / Re: After DPREVIEW of D800 would you still get the Canon 5d mark iii?

« on: May 09, 2012, 05:46:09 PM »

canon 60d
17-55 2.8
15-85 usm
18-200mm
18-135
18-55
50 1.8
24-105l

I think its great and wonder if its sharpness might be better served with a different lens. I was considering the 50 1.4 or 70-200 f4is to add reach. I am keeping it since due to a mistake with my local dealer i only paid $3570 out the door for the kit. Even any upcoming 70d ff option will not beat that deal. I don't have anymore ef mount lenses so i was just curious if anyone else felt the nikon was better if you were no longer invested in glass.

Yes, I'd say that getting a nice prime lens or two will help your sharpness issues.  You also might want to see if microadjusting the focus for your 24-105mm lens would help with softness.

Going from a 60D, (which is purely a consumer-level camera with a basic AF system), to the 5D's pro-level AF system will be a huge learning curve.  Have patience with it and spend some time immersed in the manual.  You'll either find that it's not for you, or you love it.  I'm guessing the latter.

183

EOS Bodies / Re: After DPREVIEW of D800 would you still get the Canon 5d mark iii?

« on: May 09, 2012, 09:20:42 AM »

We'll just have to wait and see how the review for the 5D3 turns out, won't we? 

IMHO, FPS and AF performance are *big* things - the two things that made me decide to never purchase a 5D2.  They are the difference between getting the shot, and not getting the shot.  36MP is a lot of blurry pixels if your image is out of focus or you've missed that critical moment...

Which cameras have you used before the 5D3, KKCFamilyman?  And which lenses are you using on it?

184

EOS Bodies / Re: Help with Camera decisions

« on: May 09, 2012, 08:58:46 AM »

If you need uncompressed HDMI output from your camera, you'll need to buy a Nikon.  Otherwise, the 5D Mark III would be a good choice for video from the Canon stables.  It has better moire reduction than the Nikons, if this is important to you.  There's also a wider range of lenses to choose from with the Canon range, including tilt shift lenses which can look great in video work.

185

EOS Bodies / Re: Up the game

« on: May 09, 2012, 08:47:45 AM »

Ok. I get what you are saying. They sacrificed resolution for speed and iso performance. That doesn't help studio photographers who use 1ds3. I got cha. So what would you consider a good upgrade path? Is resolution the only benchmark you care about for a 1ds3 upgrade?

As someone who has been torn between buying a used 1DS3 and a new 5D3, I'd say the things that made me NOT immediately buy the 1DS3 was the frame rate, LCD resolution and high ISO performance.  These things have been addressed in the 5D3, but it still lacks the 1-series build quality, built in grip and lens drive performance.  So... what I'm saying is if Canon were to update the 1DS3 with some of those nice little features that are in the 5D3, but keep all the good stuff like f/8 AF, etc, then that would be a great upgrade path IMHO.

As it is, I'm now looking at a used 1D4, but I'm not convinced I should go for a crop sensor.  But that's another thread altogether and I don't want to hijack this one.

186

EOS Bodies / Re: Is this heresy?

« on: May 09, 2012, 08:19:35 AM »

The Fuji is a very nice looking (but large) camera, and would certainly be a cool fashion statement (much like my X10 is).  I was at my local camera specialist the other day, and asked the salesman about them.  He said that the AF is really really slow.

The 7D on the other hand is an almost perfect crop-body camera for its price range.  Solid build, great AF, fast frame rate, video, plenty of pixels...

187

EOS Bodies / Re: Nikon owns Canon - in TV commercials

« on: May 09, 2012, 08:07:40 AM »

can Nikon be as good as this?

Dare I say it, but that video is rather dull, don't you think?

How so??

Well, six minutes of watching the same buildings in a time-lapse over and over and over again.  Sun goes up, sun goes down.  Sun goes up, sun goes down.  Sun goes up, sun goes down.

Certainly, the photography is lovely.  But entertaining?

188

Portrait / Re: Portraits of my GF, Would like feedback!!

« on: May 09, 2012, 01:37:06 AM »

I would have liked to see less contrast and brighter complexion on your subject; especially around the eyes.

+1

189

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 5D Mark III vs. 1D Mark IV

« on: May 07, 2012, 11:54:17 AM »

Yes, having the built in grip would be very useful.  Sometimes I'll be wearing a suit when I'm taking photographs, and it's bad to extend my arms over the top of the camera when shooting portrait without a grip.  Suit jackets aren't designed to stretch like that.

190

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 5D Mark III vs. 1D Mark IV

« on: May 07, 2012, 09:30:58 AM »

Dodgy flash performance? Never heard of that nor experienced - and you are aware that I am flash fanatic 

You left of the selectable AF point metering - VERY usefull for weddings

I thought I had the metering bit covered with "AF point linked metering".  Have I got it wrong?

After re-reading some articles, it seems that the dodgy flash performance is related to using the AF-assist beam from external flashes.  It's very slow to get focus in this mode, compared with the 5D series cameras (of all generations).

Now that I'm really getting into the nitty gritty of what I like and dislike about these cameras, one thing is becoming obvious - I don't like the physical look of the 5D Mark III, nor do I like its top rotary dial.  I can't stand the way the camera looks with the battery grip attached!  And I need a battery grip.  Does this make me shallow?

191

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 5D Mark III vs. 1D Mark IV

« on: May 07, 2012, 09:08:22 AM »

There is one thing that was missed - and to me very important -

- The ability to shoot manual mode with ec which is not possible with the 5DIII

Is ec exposure compensation?

192

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 5D Mark III vs. 1D Mark IV

« on: May 07, 2012, 09:02:10 AM »

Updated my list, adding cons...

5D Mark III:
Pros:
- latest autofocus system
- smaller body size, lighter
- better high ISO performance
- better image quality
- 22 megapixels
- full frame
- better video features
- silent shutter

Cons:
- battery grip costs an extra $400 and looks ugly
- achieves 6fps only when battery is over 40-50% full

1D Mark IV:
Pros:
- built-in battery grip
- weather proofing, build quality
- faster lens drive
- 10 fps, better buffering
- 1.3x crop gets sweet-spot for lenses and extra focal length
- f/8 autofocussing
- AF point linked metering
- a lot cheaper (for a used copy)
- shutter good for 300,000 shots
- amazing battery life

Cons:
- dodgy flash performance
- silent shutter isn't very silent

193

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 5D Mark III vs. 1D Mark IV

« on: May 06, 2012, 08:50:56 AM »

5 series..  weddings
1 series sport and journalism

apples and oranges really

What do you think it is about these cameras that makes them better for either weddings or journalism?  One of Canon's marketing strategies for the 1D IV was showing how good it was for wedding photography, so I'm just curious.

This is the marketing I was referring to:

http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/news/jeff_ascough_blog.do

194

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: 5D Mark III vs. 1D Mark IV

« on: May 06, 2012, 08:21:01 AM »

Yes it is.

Before I couldn't use Ai on still sitting subjects as the servo would go very small steps back and forth aaall the time, but now, it locks properly and stays on, no matter if the subject is a rubberball been thrown in an elevator or a picture hanging on a wall. Hilariously much better than anything else I have tried.

My dilemma is that I can buy a mint 1D IV for $800 less than a 5D III.  If you were in this position, would you still pick the 5D?  I know it's an awfully loaded question, but I thought I'd stick it out there...

195

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 5D Mark III AI Servo AF Point Annoyance

« on: May 06, 2012, 08:05:57 AM »

What colour are the AF points on the 1D series bodies?  Is the the 5D III the only Canon SLR with black AF points?