Messages

16

Lenses / Re: Re-kitting on FF

« on: March 31, 2013, 05:14:39 PM »

I've recently done the same and upgraded from 7d (+ 60d) to 5dmk iii. Sold my 7d but kept the 60d as I like the flippy screen. I've kept my 17-55 as I like the IS and zoom range for video. Other than that I have been selling all my crop lenses and trading up for better L glass.

Most of the time I leave my samyang 8mm on my 60d. just because its so much fun.

17

Lenses / Re: 24 TS-E II or 135L

« on: March 29, 2013, 04:49:12 PM »

thanks everyone for the messages.

I've sent an email to the shop. I'll definitely return if for another copy. I want it for use @ 1.4 and if the AF is not perfect out the box. I'm not interested. (particularly for £1200!)

18

Lenses / canon 24L 1.4 ii lemon

« on: March 29, 2013, 06:53:31 AM »

I bought a new canon 24l 1.4 ii last week and found the AF to be wildly inaccurate.

AFMA adjustment of +15 made it better but I still found at anything further away than 50cm it was very hit and miss.

I'm going to send it back for a refund. but I'm wondering if I just got a lemon, or are all canon 24L 1.4 ii like this?
Anyone experience anything similar?

THanks
Alex

19

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Should I sell my 7D for a 6D?

« on: March 24, 2013, 07:12:21 PM »

Yes. But if you can afford it go for the 5d3 instead.

20

EOS Bodies / Re: I did it, I took the plunge

« on: March 23, 2013, 07:32:33 AM »

No worries :-)

The af system is still baffling me. Never sure which is the best servo mod to be in

21

EOS Bodies / Re: I did it, I took the plunge

« on: March 23, 2013, 07:17:17 AM »

Press the top right button on the back of the body to select af points through the viewfinder. (the af point button, see the manual page 74)

You can select af points on the screen by pressing info, then the af point button.

22

Lenses / Re: New wide angle lens for FF

« on: March 14, 2013, 06:43:09 AM »

I'm tilting towards the 24 1.4 because I can see the extra 2 stops being useful. Does anyone have any example shots of the 24mm @ 1.4?

23

Lenses / New wide angle lens for FF

« on: March 14, 2013, 05:07:11 AM »

I'm looking for a new wide angle lens for 5dmkiii for landscapes.

I'm selling a sigma 24 70 hsm because generally I find its not sharp enough and the af is slow. I have 35, 50 and 85 covered by wide aperture primes so I'm not to bothered with the zoom anymore either.

The options I'm considering are

Canon 16 35 f2.8 ii
Canon 24 f1.4 ii

Any thoughts on these two lenses? Or any other ideas to cover wide angle landscapes?

Thanks
Alex

24

Canon General / crap portraits of me

« on: March 09, 2013, 06:37:13 PM »

I have a 5d3 and I do my best to take good shots of my family when we're out and about on holiday, but when it comes to photos of me no matter what instruction I give, everyone takes crap shots that are either blurred (Because they didn't hold the camera steady enough) or completely OOF because the camera picked an AF point which wasn't my face and they couldn't correct it.

I want to get some nice shots of me when on holiday (that aren't @ f11), what can I do to make it easier for people to use my 5d3?

25

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Error 30 Experiences? Have you seen this?

« on: March 09, 2013, 10:49:09 AM »

I had error 30 on my 7d once. From memory it's a generic error code more often than not to do with power. Mine turned out to be a loose screw shorting the camera which cost me £180 for canon to fix.

Send it off for a service.

26

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Keep or sell my 7D

« on: March 09, 2013, 10:47:13 AM »

Sell both and buy a 5d3 :-)

27

Lenses / Addicted to dof

« on: March 06, 2013, 02:56:40 AM »

Hi all.

I have the canon 50mm 1.4 an the canon 85mm 1.8 using on my 5d3.

I'm constantly on a quest for shallower dof. I do a lot of street photography.


My hesitations on upgrading to the L lenses are (other than cost):

Will I actually see a noticeable difference in dof?
The 50mmL has a pronounced focus shift narrower than f2.
The 85mm 1.2. is slower af than the 1.8

My question is will I see much difference between 1.4 and 1.2 @ 50mm and 1.8 and 1.2 at 85mm?
Also, does anyone know if the sigma 85 is any good? And similarly is it worth going from 85mm 1.8 to 85mm 1.4?

28

Lighting / Re: 2 flash setup advice

« on: February 26, 2013, 08:16:31 AM »

What are your plans? Studio work? If so and if you have the time to set up I highly recommend setting your flashes on manual. Work on one flash at a time. Set the correct exposure for your key flash and then your fill can be 1 to 2 stops less power for starters. Once you set your exposures they will be consistent all day no matter who is in the frame. Also if you are doing studio I suggest a third flash for rim or highlight. Placed behind and to the side it highlights the hair on the back of the head, etc and gives some separation. You can a cheap manual Yongnuo for that.

So if you can describe what you will be doing we might be able to give you more tips.       

To be honest I just do some stay are home indoor projects for rainy day. I got some flash triggers for my birthday and trying to get to grips with using multiflash lighting to create interesting effects.

Thanks for the notes on ETTL.

In manual mode, am I correct in thinking 1/32 on 430exII will not be the same power as 1/32 on 580exii?

29

Lenses / Re: Sigma 120 400 vs sigma 120 300 os 2012 + 1.4tc

« on: February 26, 2013, 07:54:49 AM »

Btw, here are some fantastically sharp shots done with a D4, via the 120-400 Sigma lens I'm considering purchasing.  (He also has others done with a D700 that look about as good). 

http://www.pbase.com/jeff1959/nikon_d4_images_july_2012

these shots are in direct sunlight @ f9. Most lenses are sharp by then.

don't get me wrong, the sigma is a sharp enough lens when you can stop down (around f7.1 - f8), and the subject is big enough (and slow enough) for the AF to track. But when the light is poor and the subject is smaller and moves quickly (like a small garden bird) its just not good enough.

30

Lenses / Re: Sigma 120 400 vs sigma 120 300 os 2012 + 1.4tc

« on: February 26, 2013, 07:51:54 AM »

In the low light conditions and woodland shade, etc...was that in servo AF mode?  And how many AF points were selected on the various bodies?

Would you care to post a cropped version of one of your sharpest shots with it?  If you have already, I apologize for missing it.

When you did the AFMA, did that remain the same throughout the zoom range, or was the adjustment only good for the long end, etc?  That would be my biggest concern.

Oh, and at what point does it become f/5.6?  At 200mm, 250mm, 300mm?  Hopefully not below 200mm...

I used it with 7d, 60d and 5dmk iii. I only ever adjusted the tele end AFMA as the wide end was quite sharp.
think it becomes 5.6 @ 250.

I've used it with a variety of AF points, single shot, servo etc.. and generally found the AF performance to be mediokre in less than good light. (probably my own fault for buying a canon70_200 IS 2.8 II and trying to compare the two )

Having said that, the performance is better on my 5dmk iii.