Messages

1201

EOS Bodies / Re: EOS 3D & 5D Mark III Mentions

« on: January 02, 2012, 08:14:08 PM »

I would likely have to agree. Although, at this point, I don't see why Canon WOULD continue to upgrade video features in their photo-intensive cameras simply because they appear to be segregating the video from photo into a new grouping of sorts.

I can think of two reasons. The first is that regardless of the cinema line, the market expects it. One of things that made the 5D2 so successful is the combination of photo and video features. The option NOT to buy a separate camera was and still is a HUGE deal to a lot of people. Both from a usability/convenience point if view and value wise. I am not so sure that saying to these costumers that while in '08 you could buy a great stills camera AND a video camera for 3K, now you have to pay 3K + 3,5 or 10K. Sure, the 5D3 will do video better than the 5D2, but will it improve it enough to be considered as great as the 2 was in '08?

Secondly, while Canon now has its cine line, Nikon doesn't. That means that Nikon will probably push the video capabilities in its new DSLRs to the max. Can Canon afford to play second fiddle to Nikon in the DSLR stills/video hybrid department? I'm not so sure that Canon can easily afford reviews that go something like "Canon X is just as good as Nikon Y in the stills department, but lags way behind it on the video side".

Oh I can certainly understand that. However, if such were the case, then why start a cinema line that would differentiate itself from the photo line? If they supply a 5dmkIII with incredible video features for $3k, then how will they sell any of their cinema line DSLR, let alone the C 300? If they instilled a clarity and quality that is on par with the C 300 in the 5dmkIII, then of course everyone would be buying the latter and saving 13 grand (Unless you REALLY needed the HD-SDI outputs and the built in ND filters). The market may demand it, but it would seem like a mistake for Canon to have bothered with a Cinema line if they were to keep their video DSLR revolution in motion with the momentum the unintentionally started it with. From a business standpoint, either the photo line will get limited, or the cinema line will prove to be somewhat fruitless. At least as best as I can for see it. Nonetheless, I could certainly be completely wrong, and Canon may be completely comfortable just offering more models with similar options. After all, that seems to work for the Auto industry to an extent.

As for Nikon, you make a very valid argument - one that could be precedent in Canon's decision to make their photo line equally competitive. Although, I don't believe Nikon has much of a video department dedication. I can't see them making too many leaps and bounds into the video world, but I can definitely be wrong there too. It would be exciting to see what the come up with, no doubt.

I agree, Canon didn't know that the 5D2 was going to take off in the video world like it did. And when they did notice, they began to adjust accordingly, they aren't dummies.  Bottom line is the 5DII is a stills camera and it doesn't make sense for people that only want it for video to have to pay for photography features. 

I suspect the 5DIII will shoot improved video but still be geared towards still photographers.  And I suspect that the Cinema DSLR will be what the 5D2 video users are looking for.  I know a lot of people watched the Cinema EOS event unfold and were disappointed when they saw the price tag of the C300.  I think Canon showed the Concept DSLR to reassure prosumers that they didn't forget about them.  I mean how many other products does Canon preview that far in advance? 

It's possible that they were worried that people would get frustrated after waiting that long and start looking for something else. 

1202

EOS Bodies / Re: EOS 3D & 5D Mark III Mentions

« on: January 02, 2012, 08:06:31 PM »

Well now that we've got the 1DX announced, seems people want:

- A 1DX sensor in an ungripped, less fps/AF body for $3-3.5k (lets call this one the 5Dmk3).

- A video-split, we know it's coming, possibly C300 sensor in a 1D-sized body (a 3840*2560 sensor is 10MP for stills, or a clean 4:1 binning would be a 39MP sensor).

- A high-MP (30-36MP) FF in an ungripped body for $3-3.5k.

- An APS-H 18-25MP in whatever body with 45pt and f/8 AF and uber-sealed, to upgrade from 7D/replace 1D4 for $3.5-4k

- An APS-C 20-25MP as above, pro-sealing and 45pt f/8 AF is more likely for $3k.

- 7D2 will keep same sealing, AF, fps, and features for $2k and probably be 20-24MP.

So which of those above is the 3D? I'd be guessing it's the High-MP studio camera, the video split will have a new naming convention, either of the bodies with the 45pt f/8 AF is a bit more of a dream...

That actually sounds somewhat plausible, the 3D could be the Concept Cinema DSLR.

1203

Lenses / Re: Do all of canons 50 mm lens suck?

« on: January 02, 2012, 08:02:35 PM »

I love the 50 f/1.2L. I've heard the "focus shift" issue has gotten better over time. I've never really noticed it. Though it doesn't have a floating element, so it's probably there.

The 50 1.4 is in dire need of replacement, Canon makes a lot of money selling focus motors for it though.

I was wondering if the 1.2 had similar issues I find 50 mm to be a very useful focal length, it seems to focus best 4 to 5 feet away. When the 1.4 is on its very sharp ESP when used with a 580 ex useing focus assist. The weather sealing could be better on the 1.4 too

I agree about the weather sealing, the design for the 50 1.4 is from 1987 I believe, it's long due for an update (sooner rather than later, I suspect).

1204

Lenses / Re: Do all of canons 50 mm lens suck?

« on: January 02, 2012, 04:56:04 PM »

I have had my 50 1.4 recalibrated every so often but sooner or later back to suck. Is the 1.2 version any better or should I just get the 35 1.4? It seems to be much better rated. I used it with an aps-h sensor anyway so is there any one that has used one or the other or both?

I've had the 1.8, 1.4 and 1.2L.  I can't say any of them really suck, sure the 1.8 is plastic and feels like a toy, but for $100 you can't complain.  I thought the 1.4 was very sharp for the money, and I really liked it.  I love my 1.2L, always did, but particularly so after I got it re-calibrated. 

If you're looking for something in-between the 1.4 and 1.2L, check out the Zeiss ZE 50mm f/1.4, it doesn't have autofocus but I think it's a wonderful lens.  I think it's around $725...

1205

Lenses / Re: Do all of canons 50 mm lens suck?

« on: January 02, 2012, 04:53:53 PM »

I have a love hate relationship with my 50 1.2L..
Compared to my 85mm 1.2L II it.. well you can't even compare them because the 85mm is sharper at 1.2 than the 50mm is at 2.8!!!! and has better contrast.

On the other hand i love the size and the weather sealing and i love the focal length and the colors look really nice and its not bad at all its just that the 85mm is better.

I wish they would make a better 50mm!! i have been thinking they decided to make it more affordable and cos' of it didn't make it as good as they could have.

Ive been thinking to buy the 8000$ 50mm cine lens if it works good for still photos too.

The cinema primes are supposed to be $6800 actually, but I guess with tax it'll be close.  But like the Zeiss CP.2, most of the added cost is for the focus marks, manual iris adjustment, and uniform housing size to make swapping easy.  I'm willing to bet the optics are very similar to the 50L, and when you factor in no autofocus it doesn't seem like a great deal.

1206

Lenses / Re: UW lens recommendation for 7d?

« on: January 02, 2012, 02:20:37 PM »

I think in the Tokina is the best overall.  Built like a brick, super wide, constant aperture, and solid price.  You could probably find one for $500 used. 

The 10-22 is a great lens too, but I can't stand variable aperture and it's more pricey.  I would get the 11-16 and use the difference and get a 50 1.4 or some accessories.

1207

Lenses / Re: Ultrawide | Prime or zoom?

« on: January 02, 2012, 02:17:21 PM »

neuroanatomist: For a crop - t2i - would you recommend as a "walk around lens" with IQ in mind not budget, the 16-35 ?

Actually, I'd recommend the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS as the best general purpose zoom for an APS-C body.  On the same APS-C body, the IQ of the 17-55mm is better than the 17-40L, slightly better than the 16-35L II, plus the 17-55mm has a broader range and IS.  With a 7D, the weather-sealing of the 16-35L might be a factor, but not with a T2i.

I'd 2nd that, IMO it's sharper than the 24-70, I was really surprised the first time I played with it.  Also it's an effective   However I remember having my T2i and being pretty damn impressed with the 16-35mm on APS-C, the bokeh is very circular and looks beautiful cropped. 

But in terms of versatility, Neuro is right, the 17-55 is awesome.  The only bad thing I've ever heard about the lens is that its somewhat susceptible to dust. 

1208

EOS Bodies / Re: Ebay or Adorama Used?

« on: January 02, 2012, 02:07:18 PM »

+1 for Craigslist. 
I've gotten the following from CL in the past year:
70-200 f/2.8 IS
24-70 f/2.8 (2 diff copies)
16-35mm f/2.8 II
14L II
35L
50L

I got the 85L II and a different copy of the 35L from a local store, both used.  100L Macro and 135L from another local store.  But the best deals came from CL for sure.  Photography is a specialty, so it's pretty easy to feel out how legitimate someone is by asking a few questions.  I've sold quite a few on there too, and of course you get scam emails, but just avoid shipping and whatnot and you'll be fine.

1209

Lenses / Re: Ultrawide | Prime or zoom?

« on: January 02, 2012, 12:35:35 AM »

Are any of the ultrawide primes better than others? I know Canon, Tokina and Sigma all have ultrawide primes. Any advice?

Right now I have a Tamron 10-24 which is fine but has a lot of CA and is far from tack sharp on the edges.

If you're considering a prime, I'd recommend picking a focal length first.  Your Tamron 10-24mm is equivalent to 16-38mm on FF.  Ultrawide is defined as <24mm (on FF).  If you want wider than your current 10mm on APS-C, that means a 14mm prime (Canon, Samyang) or the Sigma 12-24mm zoom.  There is the 17mm TS-E, 20mm primes from Canon and Sigma, and zooms from Canon (17-40, 16-35) and Tokina (16-28).

Of those, the best optical quality will be the 17mm TS-E.

neuroanatomist: For a crop - t2i - would you recommend as a "walk around lens" with IQ in mind not budget, the 16-35 ?

I have the 16-35mm II and the 14mm f/2.8 II and while I love the versatility of the 16-35mm, the 14mm is crushing it in terms of sharpness and color.  14mm is very very wide on Full Frame, but if you want ultra wide you wouldn't be disappointed.  At the same time it's significantly more expensive than the 16-35mm. 

I would 2nd the vote for the Zeiss 21mm, I was pretty blown away with it's sharpness across the entire frame.  I am most likely selling my 16-35mm for a that or a 24L II. 

1210

Lenses / Re: 135L focus ring sticking, any suggestions?

« on: December 31, 2011, 01:03:35 PM »

After thinking about this a little, I'd suggest two things.

First, try some troubleshooting. Turn off AF and see if it ever happens in MF.

Second, try cleaning the electrical contacts between camera and lens and see if it still happens using AF.

Oh, and under all circumstances, use a fully charged battery.

Just some things I'd try.

AF works absolutely fine and it doesn't seem to get hung up , but I shoot MF 99% of the time.  I can rack from infinity and back 10 times in a row and it may not get caught up at all.  And when I say it gets "caught up," its never just gotten completely stuck in one spot.  It just will stick for a second while turning the focus ring, usually around the 4/5 foot focus mark.  Does that make sense?

Thanks for your suggestions guys

1211

EOS Bodies / Re: 7D Mark II for Photokina? [CR1]

« on: December 31, 2011, 12:38:31 PM »

Who wants a 7D mk2 and not a FF 5Dmk3 with more dynamic range?
Would a 21Mpixel 7D with more dynamic range from a better sensor and digic 5 be worthwhile.
New is good, but why would i upgrade from a 60D?

The 7D has a better dynamic range than the 5DII.......And you're talking about 2 cameras that we know absolutely nothing about, but I'm guessing there won't be that much of a difference, probably less than 1 stop.

1212

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III Sooner Than Later [CR2]

« on: December 28, 2011, 04:05:34 PM »

Unfortunately, I think the Cinema EOS 4k concept camera will be a $20,000 product- it was announced to keep Canon video users from investing in Scarlet-X, the only other 4k capable camera out there within reach. If the HD-only C300 is $16,000, it seems unlikely they would undercut that with a 4k DSLR at a lower cost. Of course, I hope I'm wrong.

My hunch is they'll improve the video in the 5DIII to match the 1DX (with maybe a few other goodies- HDR video, anyone?), and let us, the low-budget filmmaking crowd use that while they market the 4k Cinema EOS camera for the Hollywood/rental market/higher budget crowd.

There is nothing suggesting the CDSLR will cost that much, just bc it's 4k doesn't automatically mean it's going to be more expensive (Scarlet is 4k and costs less than the C300.  I'm just saying that if the C300 was their "big gun" they would have waited and announced that first.  It would have been foolish to release a new camera and announce a better camera at the same time. 

I doubt it will have HD-SDI outs, built in ND's, etc like the C300.  If you figure the 1DX is $6800, take away the costs for the crazy AF and the 10-12fps and I'm sure it could be taken down to $5k.  What could they possibly add to that body that would increase the price by $12k-$15k and make it a better camera than the C300?

Technology is getting cheaper by the day, and hell the new iPhone does 1080p and looks damn good for what it is.  This camera isn't going to be announced for another year, so who knows how much cheaper things will be by then.

Even at first glance it seems apparent that the C300 is the superior camera (based on looks of course).  If the CDSLR is $20k that would mean that the 5DIII is the next video DSLR (even though both the previous 5D's were still cameras), and that move just doesn't make sense.  There are photographers that never use the video features on their 5DII and there are videographers that don't use the still features of the camera, so why make both segments pay for features they don't need/want?

I could be completely wrong about all of this, but that's my reasoning more or less.

Last thing, check out the group shot of all the cinema gear :
If the CDSLR is the "flagship" of the line why is it tucked off in the corner?

1213

EOS Bodies / Re: Why are people so sure that a 5d3 will be realised in 2012?

« on: December 28, 2011, 09:47:32 AM »

Handsomerob - I think you make some good points, however I think the only real one that would force a 2012 date is a d800 for obvious reasons. The reason I am skeptical is that there is zero proof of a 2012 release date, not a jot. The question was more of an attempt to explore people's reasoning rather than anything else.

If the hypothesis of a 2012 date is true, what else must be true:
- d800 will definently be released in 2012 or
- 5d2 is selling very poorly or
- canon have publically committed to a 2012 release date

None of these have happened.

The price drop tends to elicit confirmation bias, a price drop in itself signifies nothing, it could be a sign of a price drop but then it could not, but people tend to only see what they want and expect to see and don't try and disprove their beliefs, in this case 'have canon dropped the 5d2 price before without a 5d3 release?', yes they have. As such unfortunately a price drop in the 5d2 suggests nothing.

The 5d3 rumours seem a very similar (just more drawn out) version of the iPhone 5 rumours of 2011; The more something is repeated the more truth is imputed to it, despite a lack of credibility of the source(s).

Personally I take the honest route about this in that "I don't know when it will be released".

You're one of those super technical people aren't you?  Like if I were to casually say "Man I was running like the speed of light," you'd be one of those people that would be like, "OH OK, YEAH RIGHT MAN!, SO YOU WERE RUNNING 186,202.1083508132756082735 MILES PER HOUR?  YOURE AN IDIOT NO HUMAN COULD DO THAT OR THEIR SKIN WOULD MELT OFF BLAH BLAH BLAH!."  You police the internet waiting for someone to be incorrect so you can stick it to them right? 

Why are you being so damn cynical? Why are you so mad that some people think it will come out this year?  I THINK it will come out this year, and I think this because of all of the information I've received in regards to the matter.  I don't think anyone is saying "I'm 1000% sure the 5D will come out this year."  And you can say "I don't know when it's coming out" all you want, but it's apparent that your answer is "2013 or later."  But your answer is no better than anyone else's, just an educated  guess based on the information you have. 

The 5DIII is LONG overdue, you do realize the 5DII will be 4 YEARS OLD in August right?  That's ancient in the technology world.  Do you know how many customers Canon would lose if it waited until 2013 to release it?  Honestly I think if it weren't for all the natural disasters we would have heard an announcement already.

The reason I think its going to come out this year is because (aside from the reasons already stated) Canon Rumors has been saying it was going to be announced in Feb-Apr 2012 for over a year.  And from experience, when the guy CR2's something its more than likely going to happen. 

Oh and save my screen name and come back in April so I can say I told you so.

1214

EOS Bodies / Re: Shooting on a higher shutter over buying an ND filter?

« on: December 27, 2011, 11:58:52 PM »

I've been wanting to buy an ND filter but after messing around with a higher shutter rate I feel that I don't need to drop the cash. The only major issue I have is that I just have to be really carful with my movements (example at 20 seconds). Anywho what do you guys think of the video 

BY NO MEANS AM I TRYING TO BE PROFESSIONAL, just one of those "once in a while" videos for a hobby.

http://youtu.be/BtBcIP704lo

EDIT: GREAT NEWS! I guess my Dad did have an ND filter... I just don't know if the filter is enough to give me enough stops to maintain the 1/50th with a 1.8.

Dude with video your shutter stays locked, it's out of the equation.  1/50 if you're shooting 24fps and 1/60 if 30fps.  You can use higher shutter speeds for action sequences or things of that nature, but not more than 1/200 or so, definitely not 1/2000.

1215

EOS Bodies / Re: 5D Mark III Sooner Than Later [CR2]

« on: December 27, 2011, 11:54:00 PM »

Unfortunately I don't think the "Concept" DSLR is going to be targeted for the 5DII video market.  Canon announced and purposely showed off that "Concept DSLR" camera in their marketing materials next to the C-300 and the new cine lenses and PL mounts with the same "C" branding in red, therefore I think that camera is aimed at THAT market solely - Hollywood, where it was announced...not at the core 5DII community that shoots video.  I think it will be targeted to be used in conjunction with the C300s as B cams etc or others (indies with funding) as primary that are buying the $8K-$15K cine lenses as well... all the pictures I've seen of it from Canon show it with one of the new CN-E lenses which are obviously going to be well above EF-L glass in price.  I also don't think it was THAT early of a prototype either, else they wouldn't have included it in the C-300 announcement.  I think it's closer to market version vs concept.

Like you, I'd like to see a stills camera similar to the 1DsIII too (or alternately a new model/series FF stills camera in the $3-4K range) but since everyone is including video now I don't think we will.  With the 1Dx inclusive of video, I think that the prospect of a stills-only studio camera has left the building, even if the rumored huge MP camera comes out, I'm sure it will also shoot video.  I think the 5DIII will be targeted at the same exact market that loves their 5DIIs (stills and/or video both) in the $3K range, with no real surprises in the price/market area.  I'm guessing much akin to a FF 7D (AF, etc) hopefully with some of the new sensor/video features of the 1Dx.  Maybe we will all see soon now...

The announcement was that it was in development, they weren't actually announcing the product (no specs aside from 4k).  And a lot of people were saying that the C300 would be the great B cam, so I don't see why they would be so interested in the Cinema DSLR.  Of course the red "C" seems like it's geared towards the hollywood market, but that's only based on the products you've seen so far.  Yes the new Cinema primes will fit on the CDSLR, they're EF mount!  Any other Canon lens will fit on it so that doesn't tell us anything....

All I know is I'm part of the 5D video segment and I only got into DSLRs for the video side.  But there are things I hate about the 5DII and I really want a DSLR designed to shoot video.  NOT another stills camera that happens to shoot great video... 

I was thrilled when I saw that Canon was making an announcement, but disappointed when the C300 was revealed (since its not in my price range).  But I was only disappointed until I saw the concept DSLR, and that's what I'm waiting for.  It just seems like they only mentioned that to let the prosumers know that they will have something for them down the line.  And I'm sure Canon knows how eager people would be to get their hands on a "Cinema EOS" product. 

Of course the 5DIII will shoot video, but the 5D series is a stills camera at heart.  Canon didn't know the 5D would take off in the video world the way it did, they wouldn't be such a pain in the ass to shoot video with otherwise.