Messages

211

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon's Next Full Frame Camera [CR2]

« on: July 16, 2012, 11:36:26 AM »

Wow! This is a perfect opportunity to reiterate how glad I am that I bought my 5DmkII last December. <$2kUSD, and the vendor even threw in a 16G card and a decent Lowepro bag.

212

Lenses / Re: 40mm Pancake Killed the 50mm??

« on: July 16, 2012, 11:30:11 AM »

If you use flash indoors, then ditch the 50 f/1.4 because it gives you no advantage over other lenses.

Aperture controls more than just light, you know. It's more important function is to control depth of field. Even if you shoot at f/2, you gain a lot of background blur over f/2.8.

213

Lenses / Re: 50mm 1.4 or 40mm 2.8?

« on: July 11, 2012, 01:04:00 PM »

More than focal length, how much aperture do you need? If you can't answer that question, you might want to get a little more experience as a photog before you plunk down money for glass that you may or may not be happy with. Just another perspective and something to think about.

214

Lenses / Re: Good, inexpensive zoom lens? Beginner here.

« on: July 11, 2012, 01:01:07 PM »

Good and inexpensive don't go together in photography
its like saying.. cheap gas

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4, <$500UDS. And now, apparently, the new Canon 40mm, at ~$200. Both are very good, and reasonably inexpensive.

215

Lenses / Re: Lensbaby

« on: July 11, 2012, 01:18:10 AM »

A Lensbaby Muse is my one and only impulse buy for photography. I get it out and mess around with it once in awhile, but I think I would like a Composer better.

216

Technical Support / Re: How much space to get to macro?

« on: July 03, 2012, 09:49:55 PM »

The ends must be parallel to within a few 1/10000 of a inch, which is not your ordinary hacksaw job, so you will need a lathe, or you might get a tilt effect.
 
As for distance, you typically get a set of three tubes, the length varies by manufacturer, 6, 12, 25mm or 9mm, 16mm, 28mm. etc.
 
The amount of magnification varies from lens to lens depending on the design.  primes are the easiest to use.  The tubes come in sets of three so you can vary the magnification.
 
http://www.mystd.de/album/calculator/

Great info to have. Thanks for the response and the link.

217

Technical Support / Re: How much space to get to macro?

« on: July 03, 2012, 07:38:30 PM »

Aw, come on guys, where's your sense of fun? I have a seldom-used Lensbaby that I'm going to cannibalize to get the correct bayonet fitting, and some left over black PVC pipe from a home project that's just about the right diameter to get the job done. I'm just wondering how much space I'll need, but I'll figure it out.

218

Technical Support / How much space to get to macro?

« on: July 03, 2012, 05:11:29 PM »

So, here's the deal. I'd like to create a DIY extension tube to use my 50mm f/1.4 as a macro lens. How much additional space will I need to create to make that happen? I see that Canon has a couple of electronic ones for sale, more than what I want to spend on one, but I'm not sure of the math calculations involved to get to the point of using it as a macro. I understand this won't utilize AF, and will be strictly MF, but I'm ok with that. Thanks in advance for whatever advice you can give.

219

Lenses / Re: Could a 35mm f/1.2 L be in testing? (pic)

« on: July 03, 2012, 02:02:45 PM »

I tend to agree. I don't suppose they'll ever make the mistake again of creating another lens with the price/performance ratio of the 50mm f/1.4 at <$500USD.

Careful - the Shorty 40 may have it at $200.

You may have a point. Then again, f/2.8 is a long ways from f/1.4...

220

Lenses / Re: Could a 35mm f/1.2 L be in testing? (pic)

« on: July 03, 2012, 10:42:12 AM »

Canon need to be a bit easier on their pricing of lenses. If this is going to be another lens at $2200 then I think we'll just all cry 

I tend to agree. I don't suppose they'll ever make the mistake again of creating another lens with the price/performance ratio of the 50mm f/1.4 at <$500USD.

221

Lenses / Re: Good, inexpensive zoom lens? Beginner here.

« on: July 03, 2012, 10:37:50 AM »

If you're a beginner, hold off on getting that next lens. Instead, use your 40mm to help you become a better photographer. Then, at some point in the future, you'll be able to make a better decision about your next lens.

222

Lenses / Re: Battle of the 50mm's - 1.8, 1.4 and 1.2L

« on: July 03, 2012, 01:08:26 AM »

I would like to wait for the mkII but it could be another 12-24 months before Canon release it

That's a long time to not have a 50mm, just because you're waiting for the new version. The current model holds it's value pretty well, so you can always sell it if/when the mkII hits the market. In the meantime, you've got a lens with an outstanding price/performance ratio.

223

Technical Support / Re: Live View + triggering strobes

« on: July 01, 2012, 12:33:10 PM »

So, now you know you need to set Silent Shooting to Disable.

+1 Yep, I learned something today. I could have also found it in the manual.

224

Technical Support / Re: Live View + triggering strobes

« on: July 01, 2012, 11:39:53 AM »

n/m, I should have googled this one first. I'll leave this post up, though, in case anybody does a search for the same problem in the future:  http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=997523

225

Technical Support / Live View + triggering strobes

« on: July 01, 2012, 11:34:29 AM »

Ever since I got my 5DmkII, I've been using the Live View function to zero in on my focal point to get it exactly where I want it. This is especially true when I attach my 50mm f/1.4, a good, sharp lens with AF that sometimes goes awry. The result is that my keeper rate has gone way, way up.

I recently ran into a snafu when I tried to attach my strobe and trigger it with PocketWizards. It doesn't fire. When I turn off Live View, it triggers just fine, but once I turn it on again, it won't trigger my lights. Is there a setting I'm missing somewhere, or is this beyond the capabilities of the 5DmkII? Ultimately, I was hoping to tether my camera to my laptop and capture some portrait images that way. I'm hoping I can find a good work around.

Thanks in advance for your helpful comments.