Messages

1231

EOS Bodies / Re: 1D Mark V [CR1]

« on: July 15, 2011, 02:16:21 AM »

I would think that a 5D with 7D autofocus would pretty much kill off the 7D. Right now the 7D is their most high-tech supermodel of the sub-1D line.

Although a 5D/7D model would quench some complaints.

not necessarily. has the 1d ever killed off the 1ds sales because it's got the same AF? if there's anything anyone agrees on around here, it's that the 5d2 did more to kill sales of the 1ds than the 1d ever did.

FF 1ds, best AF, decent (5fps) framerate Vs 1.3x 1d, best AF, best (10fps) framerate.
Go down a rung.
FF 5d3, 2nd best (19pt) af, not as good (3.9fps) framerate Vs 1.6x 7d, 2nd best (19pt) af, 2nd best (8fps) framerate.

Sure, i'd be tempted by a 5d3, FF with ~25-30mp, 19pt AF, ~4fps.
but it'll be a lot more expensive than the 7d (or 7d2), which will have higher noise, aps-c, 8fps, etc.
even if i buy a 5d2 (or 5d3), you can guarantee i'm still taking my 7d (or 7d2) out into the field with a Great White Prime (if i could afford one) to shoot birds in good light.
same as if i had a 5d2 (or 5d3) and a 1d4 (or 1d3, 1d5). 5d2 goes to the indoor low-light and hiking for wide landscapes, 1d4 goes with the tele lens for sports.
horses for courses.

1232

Canon General / Re: Canon Mirrorless Related Patent?

« on: July 14, 2011, 11:35:59 PM »

Of course, if Canon does come up with a EVIL system, I wonder how many people will want to use this adapter/tube? A small EVIL body and a heavy EF lens attached will likely result in an awkward combination.

but how many people with a lot already invested in EF glass might buy one just for a small carry-around with a niftyfifty or 35/2 attached?
or as a low-cost lightweight spare? if your 1D4 breaks, card fills up, battery runs flat, whatever, after you've hiked 3km through a swamp, at least you can whip out your EVIL and stick it on your 800mm and still catch that bird (if you don't take 2 eos bodies with you, of course).

the only reason i could think of, against the 'EF on Camcorder' idea, is that it might detract sales away from DSLRs, 1080p was a big selling point of the 5D2 on release.
If they come out with a 4k video camcorder with a mount shorter than 44mm, the adapter could be to use EF lenses on that.



- attaching pro cine lenses on an EF body (there's just room for an aperture in the 8mm to an Arri PL),
- a new canon Medium Format mount lens to an EF body,
- (a new canon pro cine lens with 50mm+ flange distance to EF bodies?),
- an EF lens to a new EVIL,
- an EF lens to camcorder body.
they're all options, and all possible products that could be covered by this patent. or none of them could ever see the light of day. if one of them ever happens, my money's on the EF-lens to EVIL body (but my hopes are on the canon MF - EF Body ).

1233

United States / Re: Help getting started

« on: July 14, 2011, 08:56:29 PM »

hey,
you sound a lot like me in a way, just starting out and wanting to make a bit of cash to sort of justify all the time and money you've poured into it.

trying to keep it short, some ideas i've had, and advice i've been given for sales:
- local art groups, see if they do exhibitions you can put one or two shots in.
- country markets and such, sell them from your car boot. downside is you need to invest a lot in printing to sell only a few. can be a fun experience though
- competitions are good, can get your name out there, if you're in their expo some will let you put a 'for sale' sign under the shot, or a bucket of business cards.
- ask a few local cafes and restaurants if they'll hang your stuff for free, with a 'for sale' sign underneath. scope out their decor and offer them something that suits the colour/style of the place.
- in general, nothing gets sold without advertising. handing out business cards has been said, and word of mouth only goes so far. giving out some free is always a good advertising, if you can work it properly.


as for the photos:
- quality vs quantity. I've been told this a lot. you might have a real gem in your portfolio, but people get bored looking through all the mediocre ones on the way there and give up (trust me, i know. i must have uploaded a few thousand to facebook when i was travelling. wasn't trying to sell any, just showing to friends. still, i doubt many people ever looked at them besides if they got tagged in some).
- i love animals too. but anyone can take stuff in a zoo. if they see photos in a folder marked 'zoo', they can think 'ah, i can take that too' and they head off to the zoo with their own camera and you get nothing. take the tigers in the snow photos. if you didn't tell people that was in a zoo, they might imagine some snow-covered area in north india, think 'i can never go there' and buy the pic because they can't make it themselves (or maybe that's how i'd think at least)
- you need to have the 'je ne sais quoi' shots. for me in your pics, it's the blue bird nicely framed by the tree, looking at the camera, with a "what you doin'?" expression. it was a lucky shot for the expression surely, and it's the expression that makes the shot. out of all of them, that'd be the one i'd be most inclined to buy (but sorry, i just don't buy)
- in general, it's the expressions of animals i like (maybe it's just me though?). two tigers play-fighting makes a more emotive photo for someone who has a close sibling, a bird feed a baby might mean more to someone who's just had a kid of their own, a pic of a bowerbird in his nice nest might make a good housewarming present for someone who's just bought their first house. that kind of thing.

in general, good start, more power to you for asking for the help and critique, and good luck to all of us...

1234

EOS Bodies / Re: Biased Reviewing & the consequences.

« on: July 14, 2011, 08:29:52 PM »

Just on TDP, it's a canon review site. he only reviews canon. any time he mentions nikon he says he doesn't own/use much nikon, if any.

For a canon vs canon vs canon-fit-3rd-party, it's great. every review he compares each lens to a few others in the same price/size/zoom range category, and explains the plus/minus of each, and who would want to be buying each one for what shooting style.
It's obvious he's got his personal favourite lenses (like the 70-200 2.8IS, frankly if i had his budget i'd probably never take it off the camera either).

For non-canon lenses it can be a bit of a mixed bag. It does seem sometimes he says a bit more often something like "i tried 4 copies of this <non canon> lens, every single one was different front/back focussing, one had bad centering, one the IS rattled and the other had a dead mouse between the elements". but more credit to him for trying out 4 and not giving up at the first bad one.
over at photozone.de, for some lenses that tdp says have bad QC, they say they loved it for all the QC reason tdp hated it. maybe they got one outlier? maybe tdp got 5 outliers? maybe there's a difference between the retail stuff they sell in the usa vs germany. all it says to me is to buy it in a shop and try it out, or online from a shop with a very good returns policy, and don't buy it the day before you need it.

tdp is sometimes harsher on 3rd party than canon. especially ziess, but if you've got zeiss money you expect good results so you have to be harsh. sometimes he says a 3rd party is not as good as the canon, but then says the canon is over twice the price and lets the reader decide if the next 5% in IQ is worth doubling the price. i've heard him be really harsh on canon lenses too, especially older kit lenses, moreso when there's a better 3rd-party for cheaper.

photozone put in the hard-yards too, MTF testing they try lots of bracket-focus shots, to negate field curvature, retesting if necessary, real numbers on CA and MTF i much prefer over tdp's sometimes-vague statements.



for cameras, neuro's already mentioned DxO mark for noise. if you're buying into a system from nothing then you also need to test the glass you have to buy. if you're already a canon-boy then there's nothing wrong with a tdp review. or even that, i'd just compare specs on canon.com and decide what features i need for my budget, there's not much choice in the top end, only in the xxxD budget range.


the one type of review that i do read are the user reviews from online retailers. but i also do drive a forklift full of salt and place it next to my laptop while i read. main point is that you never know the shooting style, subject, and quality-requirements of the reviewers, and you never know if they even work for whatever brand.


and whoever mentioned reading the negatives, me too. works for everything, i always went straight to the worst-rating picking accomodation at hostelworld when travelling, read through a few that just said 'it was crap' until i get to one that actually elaborated, then made a call as to whether it was the hostel, circumstances, or whether the reviewer was just a crybaby.

anyway, at the end, i'm with neuro. numbers don't lie, as long as you can trust the guy making the measurements and know the limitations that the numbers give...

1235

Canon General / Re: Canon Mirrorless Related Patent?

« on: July 14, 2011, 09:56:51 AM »

what are you talking... ever used an medium format lens on a canon DSLR?

well the mirror does not suddenly vanish when i use my hasselblad adapter i can tell you that.... it´s still there. even with the mount adapter. 

read my signature? do it all the time (but i can only afford Soviet Pentacon Six ripoffs)

but:
a) 44mm is the flange distance of the EF mount. it's the longest flange mount lens they make.
b) they wouldn't make an adapter for any other-brand medium format lenses for canon bodies*
c) so what i meant is that using a canon brand lens, on a canon brand camera, means that the new camera must have a flange distance shorter than 44mm, hence no space for a mirror (unless it's a ~40ish mm EFSv2 with a smaller clearance around the mirror?)

*now that's more exciting. Canon making medium format lenses and a medium format body, and providing an adapter to use their MF lenses on EOS bodies.
I like that much more.
A lot more.
Screw mirrorless, i want this to be an MF related patent...

1236

Canon General / Re: Canon Mirrorless Related Patent?

« on: July 14, 2011, 09:43:05 AM »

it´s an adapter.... but i don´t read a single word about mirrorless or EVIL.

could be for evil.... could be for any camera that uses lenses with a bigger image circle then the sensor.

ooh, so it could be a wonderfully less-ghosting extension tube...

but then it says:
conventional - ie, no glass, it's not a teleconverter.
mount adapter - so the mounts at either end are different, it's not a normal extension tube.

And once you put a mount adapter between lens and camera, there's no room for mirror in there as well, so it must be mirrorless...

1237

Lenses / Re: 14-24L & 24-70L II Talked About Again

« on: July 14, 2011, 09:11:43 AM »

Canon has updated all their L primes and have abandoned their non-L primes. Canon has updated several lenses that don't need updates instead of updating their old non L Primes.
I understand that Nikon's mount is old and that great old lenses get used all the time. Awesome. But these primes aren't exactly "great old lenses" and I don't shoot Nikon.

and the irony being that using a Nikon lens through a $10 ebay adapter on a Canon camera, you can use all the older lenses (up to the newest ones without an aperture ring only wide-open).

And nikon body users have to check and double check tables to see what lens they can use on what body in what modes.


and i certainly understand what you mean about abandoning their non-L primes. think you may be right. i really really hope you're not. but probably are.
(Where's my EFS Primes already?)

1238

Canon General / Re: Canon Mirrorless Related Patent?

« on: July 14, 2011, 09:00:38 AM »

So this is an adapter that lets you mount your EF lens on your new canon EVIL Camera. Fair enough.
You put an aperture in the adapter, and it cuts down flare etc, fair enough.

The bit that made me think, does/can this replace the aperture in the lens? I was thinking it might on first glance, but then i read again and it says 'the lens can be controlled by information, with a means of communication'.

phew, so at least there's a hope that when you mount your EF on your EVIL, you can use autofocus, IS, distance information, etc.



meanwhile, if they can do this, can they make a 'smart' extension tube along the same lines? not that i have major flare using tubes, but i'm sure they'd sell a few to people who must have the best...

1239

Lenses / Re: 14-24L & 24-70L II Talked About Again

« on: July 14, 2011, 04:37:25 AM »

Re: 24-70L ii - Appreciate that IS is not usual for this size zoom.

efs 15-85IS, 17-55IS, 17-85IS, 18-55IS, 18-135IS, 18-200IS,
ef 24-105LIS, 28-135IS, 28-300LIS,
sigma 17-50OS, 17-70OS,
tamron 17-50VC and i'm getting bored of looking already.

a) it's easy to put IS in that zoom range for efs
b) it's easy to put IS in that zoom range for efs f/2.8
c) it's easy to put IS in that zoom range for FF f/4
but somehow a full frame is just too expensive?


Comparing the 70-200s with and without IS isn't so useful, at 200mm f4 iris size is 50mm for a €500 premium non-IS to IS, f/2.8 size is 72mm for a €1000 premium. Also, don't forget that price premium includes weathersealing.
The bigger the iris size, the bigger the glass that has to be shifted around in the IS, more powerful motors and complex design.

On a 24-70 f/2.8, the iris size is only 25mm. the 24-105 iris is just a smidge bigger at 26.25mm, both FF image circles.
my price list has the 24-105LIS at €1050, 24-70L at €1140.
i'd be guessing a 24-70L II would come in around €1400 if they fixed the curve of focus back to a plane, and/or the 24-70LIS would be around €2000...
I see no reason to not bring out both models, a basic economic principle is to fragment the market and get more sales in, people who want IS will pay for it, people who don't will pay less and get the nonIS.

1240

EOS Bodies / Re: 1D Mark V [CR1]

« on: July 13, 2011, 07:46:39 PM »

Since it seems fairly plausible now that we have a CR1 level rumor about a 1D release (relatively) soon and that, according to what I have read on tis thread, we can expect a price tag of $6k .... I have two questions:

1) How long of a period after the new 1D is released do you forsee the new 5D released?
2) If the new 1D is at the $6k range as this thread suggests, at what price point would the 5D be at?

My guesses are 6 months after the 1D we will see a new 5D, and the 5D would come in at $3k.

if you mean 1d5, then it won't be related to the 5d3, imho.

- if 1ds4 is next out of the stable, then:
- - 5d3 with same sensor will be at least 6 months, probably closer to 12 behind.
- - 5d3 with lower sensor could be closer, even 3 months behind.

- if 5d3 comes first, then:
- - 1ds4 will have much higher mp than 5d3.
- - or 1d5 will be FF with faster crop-mode (1.3x at least 20mp) and 1ds is dead.

- if 1d5 comes first, then:
- - 1d5 will probably be ~20-25mp, dual digic V, same AF/FPS/etc as other 1d.
- - timeline for 5d3/1ds4 won't be affected


either way, any potential 1ds4 and 1d5 both announced at latest by 1Q 2012, on shelves in number before Olympics. If the 1 bodies come sooner, we *might* even see a 7D2 just before the Olympics...

1241

EOS Bodies / Re: Expectation of 60D firmware

« on: July 13, 2011, 07:36:50 PM »

1. Can apply creative filter effect to video.
2. Can display a calendar layout to select the date to view the photos
3. In live view mode, when activate the "Q" menu can let me set the AEB setting
4. In "M" mode, let me to choose using the top dial to control the aperture and the back dial to control the shutter speed or vice versa.

1. How much processing power would that take? Do any other cameras do it right now? I'd guess that the system couldn't handle it, especially at 1080p, but i could be wrong (it's highly possible that a P&S does it that i've never heard of)

2. Even my 4 year old olympus P&S does this, it also has 2x2, 3x3, 4x4, 5x5, then calendar when you keep zooming out on replay. my 7D only does 2x2 then 3x3, why not more? the processors in the 7d are bigger than the whole olympus camera. and i take a lot more photos on that. but i have set the top dial to jump by date, kinda makes up for it (if you can do that on 60d?)

4. 7D does this, first thing i changed when i read the menu options. if the 60D doesn't do this (they obviously have the capability) then they never will, it counts as one of the 'upgrades' to the 7D.

meanwhile, does the 60D let you choose max ISO when in autoISO mode? my sister's 550D does, a nikon 3100 i played with once does, my mum's 5 year old *istDL does. why doesn't my 7D?

Self-timer continuous drive mode would be welcome as well.

But then they won't sell as many TC80N3s, remote high-speed mode was why i bought it for birds without bumping the tripod (and got it off ebay (genuine canon even) for the same price as a new remote switch).

I'd like to see the focal length that a zoom lens is set at in the shooting function display of the info button.

Me too, but i doubt it'll happen. they've spent all that time and money engraving/painting numbers on the lens barrels...

Since those are Canon EF lenses that don't work properly with Canon bodies, it would make sense for them to correct the problem.

It would make nice for them to correct it, but not business sense. they've probably weighed up the probability/averages and think that they'll make more money from the people who get frustrated and upgrade a lens than ditch their whole kit to another brand in disgust.

The Canon 60D needs to get the Rebel t3i's Movie Digital Zoom.

This one, and most other suggestions above, probably will get implemented. they'll also update the name badge to '70D' and the price tag too... 

1242

Landscape / Re: Yosemite national park

« on: July 13, 2011, 07:20:12 PM »

It is easy to get the two parks confused, but Yellowstone is the one with the oil problems, Yosemite is in California.

So which one does Yogi Bear live in?
*wanders off to google earth to bone up on US geography*

1243

Lenses / Re: 14-24L & 24-70L II Talked About Again

« on: July 13, 2011, 02:02:58 AM »

For starters, the Canon EF 14mm has exposed front element and rear gelatin filters. Very similar to the EF 15mm fisheye. Per reviews I've read, the Nikkor 14-24mm has better IQ than the EF 14mm & EF 16-35mm, and I just checked Amazon - the Canon EF 14mm costs $2,250 and the Nikon 14-24mm costs $1,920.

I have an EF 17-40mm f/4 and an EF 24-70mm f/2.8. If Canon brings out a reasonable competitor to the Nikon 14-24mm and improves the EF 24-70mm's IQ, I would uppgrade the two lenses I have with the two new lenses.

Not to detract the thread too much but is it possible to make a 24-70mm that doesn't externally extend while going through the focal lengths and if so how much additional costs would that tag to the price?  I could have sworn at one time Sigma made such a midrange zoom lens.

Easy, just add more plastic around where the barrel would extend, put one token piece of glass on the front, and keep the rest of the design exactly the same
(and then the lens is permanently as long as the longest it is now)
Or don't even put a piece of glass on the front, a la the 16 - 35 L.


Also, I think the 14-24 would do more wonders for canon than they realise, especially if it's f/2.8. It would attract a lot of 7D (maybe even 60D) buyers, as an upgrade path to a Full Fram eventually. Sure, the 10-22 is wider, but i'd put up with 'only' 14mm until i upgraded to FF, and the only other fast/2.8 option is the Tokina 11-16 (i'd take a Canon FF compatible and probably better IQ if it's an L, over the Tokina for 3mm wider and probably a lot cheaper).

1244

Lens Gallery / Re: Canon EF 50MM 1.2L

« on: July 12, 2011, 10:28:11 PM »

I've always wondered about the 50 f1.0 L... I've read that it was discontinued due to cost, but doesn't the 85L have more glass than the 50 f1.0?  Is it something about the design?

from what i know about lens design, the only thing prohibiting fast telephoto lenses is size/weight/cost.
But the wider the angle, the harder it is to deisgn something fast with decent IQ, especially at the borders, and especially once you get wider than the diagonal (43mm for FF). Look at the photozone.de reviews of the 35 f/1.4 and 24 f/1.4, their centre sharpness is off the scale at f/2.8-4ish. but their border sharpness is off the other end of the scale at f/1.4.
the 85 1.2 ii is sharper than the 50 1.2, for sure, but it's not the stellar performer itself either. the 50 1.4 looks better on paper, but it's got its own problems as Neuro mentioned (in short, every lens purchase is a decision between what good you need and what bad you can put up with).

I can't find a review of the 50 1.0 on any modern site, too old and i suppose no reviewer can afford it (or noone can afford to lend it to them). the only one is from the site where wikipedia cites here, and that was on film. If it didn't stand up to film, it definitely won't stand up to 20+ MP.

From the canon Camera Museum, it weighs 985g, only 40g less than the 85 1.2 (i or ii). so near enough to the same amount of glass. It's what they do to the glass and what it's made of that makes the cost, and i'd suppose that with all the manufacturing costs put together, plus a decent margin, it was out of reach for anyone but the most dedicated, even then you'd make more money selling to pro portrait-takers who'd rather use an 85 or 100/135mm.

i'm almost wondering, with digital and APS-C these days, if we might see a resurgence in demand for it enough for canon to release a 50mm f/1.0 II version? It makes a bit more sense taking a portrait with a 50mm lens on a crop body than a FF (but then why use a 7D to take a portrait?). and the original f/1.0 was designed in 1989, with computer design i'm sure they could beat the performance if they started fresh now...

1245

Lens Gallery / Re: Canon EF 50MM 1.2L

« on: July 12, 2011, 09:43:26 PM »

What is the consensus on the plastic/cheapie EF 50mm f/1.8 II used primarily as an interview, locked down lens for a budget documentary?

As in a film? (opposed to a still picture i mean).
you can't get any more budget than the 50 f/1.8, it's softer and slower than the 1.4, but you can't beat it on price. even filming at 1080p you probably wouldn't notice the softness much.
i'd prefer IS for filming, but if you've got a stable enough mount/tripod, or only doing static scenes, it'd be fine for me...