Messages

31

Software & Accessories / Re: FoCal AFMA Software: What are your techniques and tricks?

« on: September 16, 2012, 05:01:33 AM »

Where do I find the targets? Have bought the license and programm works fine (dust recognition) but now I would need the targets and feel stupid for not finding them. Can anyone help?

32

Lenses / Re: Bang for buck 5d to 5d mark III or 70-200 2.8 nonIS to 70-200 2.8 IS II

« on: September 14, 2012, 03:11:51 AM »

Took the step up 5Dc to 5D3. Had my hands on the 5Dc just recently (after about 3 month of handling the 5D3 exclusively - and then I discovered, how much more I have at hand today. Suddenly the 5Dc feels somehow outdated. So I strongly agree with the "body first" recommendation!

33

Third Party Manufacturers / Re: Secret Canon Powershot killer due in a week or two

« on: September 10, 2012, 03:09:57 AM »

why on earth do they squeeze 20 Mio pix on what really looks a decently sized sensor.
12 would have improved noise a lot, and if you compare picture sharpness off center, Oly XZ-1 looks pretty decent to me. A better lens on the G1X or a lager sensor behind Zuiko Glass will do the trick for me.

34

Software & Accessories / Re: Need help - setting up a 5D on a windows7 PC

« on: September 10, 2012, 01:40:39 AM »

Hi all,

thanks for the speedy replies. Will use the 5D3 software and see how far that gets us.

Cheers
Olaf

35

Software & Accessories / Need help - setting up a 5D on a windows7 PC

« on: September 09, 2012, 07:36:30 AM »

Hi all,
changed to 5D3 recently, passed down my 5D to my son in law. Windows7 notebook does not autodetect the camera, initial software kit no longer available (got lost in one of many transitions).
How would I get the PC and camera talk to each other?

Thanks for any ideas.
Cheers
Olaf

36

Canon General / Re: Advice: If you had a month to learn anything about photography what would it be?

« on: September 07, 2012, 04:50:27 AM »

Peter, just took a brief tour through your portfolio.
Lots of very nice shots in there. To me they look "random by subject".
Some are really, really good (to my taste) others a little more average.
You have good intuition on framing (unsure if while shooting or later at the computer)

For the next 4 weeks, choose a subject. Portraits could work, landscape could work, animals could...

Try to shoot no more than 12 shots a day (the equivalent of one roll of medium format film, but you could alow yourself 36 shots).
Try not to review while shooting. No changes in post (at least for the frame).
Go through "your day" in the evening.
Identify those shots you really like.
Find out, what sets them apart from the others.
Concentrate of improving the difference.
Plan your next day to change not more than one or two things (Try to "see differently" - I am not shure to what degree your mobility is limited, but maybe you can e.g. change the hight of your view point).
Review your progress after a week. If you are satisfied with yourself, go for the next subject.
The technical stuff is also important, but I personally learnt most when moving to medium format and needed to carefully watch my budget. On a 5D3 currently I swamp myself in pictures, which does not make for a steep learning curve as you spend a lot of time with reviewing.
I am curious to follow you development.
All the best
Olaf

37

Software & Accessories / Re: Sharing images to a closed group of people

« on: September 07, 2012, 04:10:01 AM »

Thanks a lot - and stupid me not to having considered dropbox. We are talking 200 MB max.

38

Canon General / Re: Advice: If you had a month to learn anything about photography what would it be?

« on: September 07, 2012, 04:08:24 AM »

couldnt find your profile on flikr, can you post a link?

39

Software & Accessories / Sharing images to a closed group of people

« on: September 06, 2012, 11:30:09 AM »

Hi there,

I have a couple of pics to share with company customers (I dont take pictures for a living).
The solution should be easy, free of charge (if possible) and secure.
I am living in Germany (should that influence your recommendations)

Thanks for any help!

40

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Regrets -- Your One Missed Picture?

« on: September 06, 2012, 10:19:26 AM »

Traveling on Java in the late '80s in a small village
Two boys, around 6 years old, stood behind a picket fence.
One of them held a kitten by the neck fur trough the fence.
Boys behiind fence, kitten in front of the fence.
As soon as they noticed me, they stood stone faced and posed for the picture.
Unfortunately I had a 200mm mounted, so I got a nice portrait of the boys.
To go for the kitten, that still stroggeld to get free, I took down the camera.
The spell broken, they let go of the kiten and ran away laughing,
and I misse dthe shot.
Still today, when I see that picture, the kitten is always in...

And for (almost) lost shots
From that travel I returned with about 30 roll of film, and after processing and reviewing I found that kitten shot missing.
I searched all luggage carefully and retained that one missing roll, that at least provided the lasting memory of the little cat.

41

Canon General / Re: Do you feel your photos have improved proportionally to the cost of your gear?

« on: August 31, 2012, 03:53:00 AM »

To the point!

Quality of pictures almost always finally lies with the viewer - what I consider cool might no impress others much.

Taking pictures since about 35 years, I started out with a SLR and free Kodachrome as much as I wanted (my dad used to work there). Looking through old boxes, some of my very early stuff impresses me still today. Went lat to digital, as IQ around the end 90' "wasnt there". Experimented with 6x6 and 6x9, enjoying the "slow down" which comes with 220 film. You rather carefully compose, measure your light and you come home with a roll or two (that is 10 to 20 pictures). Moved into digital T-Rebel, 10D, 5D and now 5DIII. Jump to FF made me feel like "coming home" with respect to IQ and less angles.

So cost of gear, if you buy used (that was my medium format time), is not really the problem. To me, new gear always inspiered my to experiment again and take some quality time to take pictures. I dont shoot for a living, but I am relatively certain that cost of gear and quality of pictures is related. You can't buy quality pictures, but quality gear helps a long way to get you where your imagination is going.

But, no imagination, no quality picture - it's in your head first!

42

Lenses / Re: Considering the 70-200 f4 is for my next lens

« on: August 31, 2012, 03:38:17 AM »

I fully agree. Stepped up from an 70-300 while using a rented 70-200 for the weekend. The IQ difference is incredible

43

Software & Accessories / Re: Tethering to IPads

« on: August 31, 2012, 03:27:17 AM »

If you "just" want to send your JPGs to your iPAD while shooting, Eye-Fi works fine with Shutter Snitch. The Eye-Fi app is useless, but as soon as you remove it again (after having installed the app once) and switch on Shutter Snitch, it works flawlessly. Problem on IOS5: While tring to find the network, the little wheel keeps spinning (expect no check mark - that took me litterally months of frustration) and shoot one or two pictures to activate your card. It takes 20 - 40 sec, until the transfer starts. Works fine with OLY XZ-1 and 5DIII