Messages

1201

Canon General / Re: Portrait photography - suggestions

« on: July 21, 2011, 06:24:11 AM »

Lenses: 50mm f1.4 or f1.2L , 85mm f1.2L and 70-200 f2.8 IS II

and if you can't afford all of that, try subbing out the 85 1.2L for the 85/1.8, sigma 85/1.4, or samyang 85/1.4, for a fraction of the price. Nothing wrong with no AF if it's a sit-down portrait
70-200 f/2.8 non-IS can also save you a bit of scratch, especially if you're outside, well lit, and for portraits you'll be at f/2.8 anyway.

1202

Sports / Re: Cars cars cars (and some bikes)

« on: July 21, 2011, 03:58:47 AM »

You said bikes?



Last year's tour...

Who dat? Following it this year? I'm going to steal my friend's 70-200 2.8 when next year's Tour Down Under rolls past my house and fill a few CF cards trying for a lucky shot...

1203

Australia / Re: C'mon Aussies

« on: July 20, 2011, 07:21:14 PM »

What a brilliant place Melbourne is, I was out one night at 12.15am photographing the illuminated on street flower stalls, young guys just went past saying have a good time, no bother at all. Be a bit risky here in UK.

whereas in London, I had no qualms about taking night photos around the city, there's so many tourists and people and cops that noone would think to rob you.

and my last experience of Melbourne a few years ago was walking home from a party along a main road, to have cars drive past throwing eggs. Harmless enough, you'd think, but it left a nice bruise on my calf, could be blind if it hit my face.

Personal safety's always going to be iffy in any part of the world these days unfortunately, thankfully the only time i've ever been attacked i didn't have my camera gear, only dance shoes walking home from salsa lessons, in The Hague where i used to live. (and i've been backpacking through china, russia, almost every eastern europe country with no problem, go figure)

1204

Canon General / Re: Switching to Nikon

« on: July 20, 2011, 09:14:08 AM »

There is a rumour (I am English hence the spelling) that I will stick with Canon.

do not EVER apologise for spelling something correctly 


meanwhile, i've had my bad dealings with canon service, took my 3-month old 7D back to get fixed for dead pixels, and despite clear instructions saying where they were, i had to send it back a total of 3 times before they were gone. I could even tell they'd taken photos to test (the 2nd time) because the numbering was wrong. yet they still sent it back for me to return to them a 3rd time.
(then when i got it back after the 3rd, no dead pixels, AF on every lens didn't work. thankfully a 'restore to factory settings' fixed that)

then i rewarded them for that a few months later by buying a 70-300L. and my 7D rewarded me again by killing more of its pixels.
sigh.
sometimes i think i'm gonna bail to another company, but i doubt they'd have any better luck...

1205

EOS Bodies / Re: What is the best pocket camera?

« on: July 20, 2011, 12:59:29 AM »

How big are your pockets (literally and figuratively)?
and what do you mean by 'best'?

If you mean 'best' in an IQ sense, I reckon you could easily get a Leica M9 and 35/2 into a pocket (especially as there'd be no cash left in your pocket afterwards) 

my last P&S was an Olympus u8100 'weatherproof' (which doesn't mean glass-of-beer proof, nor Czech-river-swimming proof, both i found out the hard way). IQ wasn't so bad either, for an 8MP 4 years ago.
The only reason i would buy a P&S again would be for places i can't take my 7D, like skiing or underwater, so my definition of 'best' would be indestructible first, IQ second, although your opinions may be different...

1206

Animal Kingdom / Re: Some Animals!

« on: July 20, 2011, 12:40:05 AM »

is it me, or does Dr Hoo look like Homer when he's tripping on insanity chilies?

Love the Luna shot too.
how close were you to the lynx? i wouldn't take that shot with anything less than a 600mm lens...

1207

Lenses / Re: 300 2.8 (Mark I) Availability

« on: July 19, 2011, 10:47:49 AM »

Here is one in stock  for $4700.  It might cost a little more for shipping, but its $1100 less. 

that's only €3382. my ex-local shop says €4500, and they were normally very cheap.
damn that's cheap. is it used, are they a real dealer?

*mutters to self*
"i must not buy Big White Prime"
"i must save for House deposit"
"i must not buy Big White Prime"

*hides credit card before Bad Idea Bunnies find it*

1208

Contests / Re: Holga Giveaway

« on: July 19, 2011, 10:36:02 AM »

Holga for Canon DSLR... Taking expensive gear and making art that looks technically "bad"? I'm so in.

The only reason I'd go for the Holga camera instead is to be able to not walk around with a big investment around my neck... but I still do that anyway.

As my sister said (upon seeing my pinhole lens):
"so you've effectively got a $2000 equivalent of a black shoebox with a hole in the end?"
"yes, yes i have (an 18megapixel 8fps shoebox)"

1209

Australia / Re: C'mon Aussies

« on: July 19, 2011, 09:53:27 AM »

I see that the prices around the world have risen to meet those we pay here in Aussie. Call it equalising..level playing field?

tell me about it.
when i bought my kit, i checked the prices online at Teds, and could afford a 7D and 15-85.
for the same price in The Netherlands i got the 7D, 15-85, 70-300nonL, 58+72mm UV filters and 8GB 60MB/s CF card, and a free National Geographic hardcover photography book. Was annoyed the damn dutch customs wouldn't give me duty-free, but it was already cheap enough.

after a few months, i added up the 70-300nonL, UV Filter and Lowepro 2S case, came to AU$650. I sold it to my sister for $500. Saw it the next day, lens only, second hand for $750. ouch.

Just got the 70-300L and B+W MRC filter, ended up paying about AU$1500 for it after duty free. can't even get that in Hong Kong...

1210

Lenses / Re: Canon 400mm L 5.6 .. So what's changed in 19 years?

« on: July 19, 2011, 09:40:15 AM »

Sorry, Edwin - your Sigma 120-400mm has a tough time focusing on stuff at 400mm (where it is f/5.6) not because it's f/5.6, but because it's a cheap-o lens and the AF system in the lens is not that good.

I'll certainly vouch that my 15-85 @ 85mm and 70-300L @ 300mm (both at f/5.6) have no troubles focussing in all but the darkest rooms. 50 f/1.8 isn't so bad (because it's fast), but 70-300nonL @ 300mm occasionally had some troubles in a bit of darkness, lower quality AF than the L-version...

1211

Contests / Re: Holga Giveaway

« on: July 19, 2011, 09:34:01 AM »

So at the end of 9 pages, either:
a) a lot more people read this site than belong to the forum
b) it's been shared around a lot on one of those newfangled tweetybird things
c) someone has waaay too much time on their hands and has signed up a bunch of new accounts to increase their chances of winning...

1212

Contests / Re: Holga Giveaway

« on: July 19, 2011, 08:58:33 AM »

I never really understood the "kitchen sink" analogy, could someone fill me in on the origin?

"they broke into our house, stole everything including the kitchen sink"
"when we go on holiday, we take everything except the kitchen sink"
etc...

a few years ago, a bunch of my gamer friends and I turned it into a description for an attack in a game we played, 'to sink' someone meant to attack with everything you had (including the kitchen sink) and leave yourself defenseless.

1213

Software & Accessories / Re: extension tubes

« on: July 19, 2011, 08:53:49 AM »

Canon is weather proofed :S

The MkII versions of the Canon 1.4x and 2x extenders (aka teleconverters) are weather-sealed.  Canon extension tubes are not weather-sealed.

except of course those extension tubes made by 'accidentally' smashing the insides of a teleconverter... 

1214

Lenses / Re: 2x teleconverter mk2 vs mk3

« on: July 19, 2011, 08:47:26 AM »

if you can get an mk3 teleconverter for $500 aussie, uh, Please Share!

1215

Contests / Re: Holga Giveaway

« on: July 19, 2011, 08:43:48 AM »

Anyway.. Isn't it time to open a category on the forum for lenses like this and other lenses like Peleng fisheye, etc..?

Ditto
I've got a bunch of lensbaby and pinhole photos to upload for critique somewhere one of these days when i sort them all...