Messages

1

Reviews / Re: Review - Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT

« on: February 26, 2013, 11:45:55 AM »

"little metal screw port that I’ve never seen anyone use…"

What the heck is that anyhow?  It's on the 430EXII as well.  I've always wondered when I notice it there, but never enough to actually look it up.

It's threaded the same as most light stands, so I assume it's designed to mount your flash sideways like that - which actually makes a lot of sense.  Heck, I already have an umbrella bracket that, if I remove the cold shoe, I can screw the flash onto it.  Helps bring the flash back to a more central spot on most modifiers... of course saying I *can* do something and actually doing it are different things

Page 6 (I think) of the manual has it down as a bracket mount.

http://goo.gl/ij3i3

Which makes sense when you think about.

http://www.wexphotographic.com/webcontent/product_images/large/37/1018262.jpg

I never even noticed it before

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Reviews / Re: Review - Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT

« on: February 26, 2013, 11:10:31 AM »

'Selling off my 580exIIs wasn’t easy. Their drop in price meant I was selling two flashes to one 600ex-RT purchase'

That's odd. I sold off 3 of my 580exII speedlites in perfect condition when the 600ex-rt was announced. I got almost new price for them and had to add only a small amount extra to buy 3 600ex-rt's. Certainly nowhere near to the 2 for 1 situation you observed.

Great speedlite BTW. I love the confidence a radio trigger gives me. And I love the range as well.

Maybe because I started selling mine off after the 600 was released.  I didn't share your foresight as the used market crashed when the 600 was released.

And I agree, the confidence of radio, having it all displayed in front of me, the reassuring "beep" and that green light showing they're connected - all make for a more stable shoot.

I see. Yeah, I suppose it was a matter of lucky timing when I sold off my old speedlites.

One thing that I really like about the 600ex-rt's is the flash grouping function. It's made doing creative work so much fun.

Also, I have been buying gels in the UK from FlashGels who have precut a bunch of Lee filters for the new system.

http://flashgels.co.uk/shop/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=13&zenid=eh3ud620p3jnd0bjjq2702f616

I actually rather like the canon gel holder and the way the gel clips into it. Feels a lot more reliable than the other systems I used on the old 580s.

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Reviews / Re: Review - Canon Speedlite 600EX-RT

« on: February 26, 2013, 10:58:33 AM »

'Selling off my 580exIIs wasn’t easy. Their drop in price meant I was selling two flashes to one 600ex-RT purchase'

That's odd. I sold off 3 of my 580exII speedlites in perfect condition when the 600ex-rt was announced. I got almost new price for them and had to add only a small amount extra to buy 3 600ex-rt's. Certainly nowhere near to the 2 for 1 situation you observed.

Great speedlite BTW. I love the confidence a radio trigger gives me. And I love the range as well.

4

Third Party Manufacturers / Re: Sigma Launches the Sigma USB DOCK

« on: January 09, 2013, 08:04:45 AM »

^ Do you really expect corporations to code their software to work with Linux, representing a whopping under 2% of computer users?

Anyways, if sigma would have had this accessory years ago it would have saved their brand an awful lot of hurt over bad AF!

Well, yes. They could easily have used a cross platform library for writing the application and then it would have worked everywhere. I am tired of companies offering software for Windows and Mac OS alone. It smacks of laziness.

Well no, says somebody who actually has written cross system software, it's quite difficult and expensive. Have you ever done this, or are you simply giving us your unfounded opinion? That smacks of laziness.

Yes I have done this... I write software for a living. Making the decision to be cross platform would have been easy, writing the software not so much. But if you are going to invest in Widows and Mac versions of the application, you may as well go that extra step and support Linux. Imagine the goodwill that would engender. Instead of 'Oh well, another company not willing to support Linux', it would be 'Wow, check out Sigma and the awesome Linux app'.

Without actually seeing the software in action, it's hard to tell how complicated it is, but I imagine a library/framework like QT would have been an option for a piece of software like this.

That being said, once the software and hardware is released I imagine it won't take long until the protocol is reverse engineered

Anyway, I can't wait for this to be released. I love a new gadget and this one looks like it could be fun. I have already been playing with the MFA of my copy of the 35mm f/1.4 through my Mark3 and would love to see how that compares with changing the settings using the USB dock.

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Third Party Manufacturers / Re: Sigma Launches the Sigma USB DOCK

« on: January 08, 2013, 12:17:15 PM »

^ Do you really expect corporations to code their software to work with Linux, representing a whopping under 2% of computer users?

Anyways, if sigma would have had this accessory years ago it would have saved their brand an awful lot of hurt over bad AF!

Well, yes. They could easily have used a cross platform library for writing the application and then it would have worked everywhere. I am tired of companies offering software for Windows and Mac OS alone. It smacks of laziness.

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Third Party Manufacturers / Re: Sigma Launches the Sigma USB DOCK

« on: January 08, 2013, 08:51:37 AM »

Typical - Windows and Mac OS only. My poor Linux box is feeling very unloved right now.

Here's hoping WINE can handle the application or I may have to resort to a Windows VM in order to use the software.

Great idea though. Can't wait to have a play around.

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Lighting / Re: Batteries for Canon EX 600 RT...

« on: September 03, 2012, 10:13:15 AM »

I use a technoline charger similar to this one...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Technoline-Intelligent-battery-charger-Version/dp/B003S4JQS2/ref=sr_1_1?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1346681260&sr=1-1

... for charging my eneloops. I tend to charge them very slowly which usually means it takes several hours to fully recharge them. That charger is also really good for reawakening 'dead' batteries. I have managed to get a good deal of life out of older batteries that I thought were for the recycle bin.

I have ditched all my old fast chargers now due to them being generally rubbish

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Lenses / Re: Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Firmware Available

« on: August 22, 2012, 05:48:01 AM »

For people who have problems with the update, try this:

Before put the lens into camera:

- Baterry info -> INFO -> DELETE ALL registered batteries

***** Try with the battery at 100%, fresh from the charger !!! If don´t work try with another freshly charged 100% ******

My case:

5D Mark III v1.1.3 without grip
Canon EF 40mm 2.8 STM ** DEAD **
CF with lens firmware

With my first battery, don´t work (crash, red light, ...)
With my second battery, the same (2698%Done, crash)
With my third battery, WORK !!! DONE !!

I think the problem is firmware check the battery, I don´t know....

Regards from Spain

Believe it or not….
After deleting the battery info and using a FRESH and different battery (i used an OEM brand one), the update WORKED!
I do think it's the battery info that caused the error…
Well, now we know…so those who have problems..try this method..it worked for me

Really?
You need to do all that in order to get the firmware on the lens updated?
That's a heck of a long winded process but if it works I am willing to go through it. I will try it later this evening.

Canon, you really know how to annoy people don't you?

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Lenses / Re: Canon EF 40mm f/2.8 STM Firmware Available

« on: August 22, 2012, 04:28:13 AM »

Well I tried the update several times this morning to no success.

I had two fully charged batteries in my grip, latest 5Dm3 firmware and a freshly formatted SDHC card with the firmware for the lens copied over using my Linux development machine. It got to 69% then jumped to 2978% and stayed there for several minutes before I removed the battery magazine. This happened each time I tried to do the updated.

Would love to get it working but also know what the issue is. A firmware update like this should be relatively simple to do technically speaking

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Software & Accessories / Re: Radio in New Canon Flashes? [CR2]

« on: May 10, 2011, 05:40:38 AM »

As PKN above said, I would assume that the new system would use one of the common wireless frequencies so as to maintain usable in all parts of the world - one of the 802.11 variations or something like Bluetooth would be obvious choices.