Messages

31

Lenses / Re: Help me choose a lens

« on: November 20, 2012, 01:45:03 PM »

For family get-together photos, I'd probably prefer using your 60D with 50 1.4... much lighter, dont need billboard-worthy resolution, your livelihood isnt dependent on missing one super important photo that can't be retaken...

Are you willing to spend more money and carry around a 2-3 times as heavy rig for the sake of faster AF, zoom convenience, GPS and Wifi? then 6D and 24-105 L might be good... Id rather put the 50mm 1.4 on a 5d3 than spend the extra $900 (USD) on the 24-105... thats just my preference though. 

By the way, the 6D kit will include the new 24-70mm f4 IS, right?  Not 24-105.  Even at a discount in the kit, the kit would probably be nearly as expensive as the 5dmkiii body by then.

32

Lenses / Re: Best Lens for photographing children

« on: November 14, 2012, 03:04:40 PM »

1dx with 200mm f2 IS  w/ tele extender (the only choice)

great quality and bokeh but with reduced diaper-coloration aberrations and crying volume (stand far away)

plus with the 1DX you can catch all diaper crappings at 12 frames per second

33

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Does anybody think the 1dx price will come down for the holidays...why?

« on: November 14, 2012, 12:17:12 PM »

I think the price of the 5D mkiii was pushed down quicker than it might have been if the D800 did not exist for $500 less (originally anyway) and the high megapixel sensor.  The 1dx does not have as clearcut of a rival from Nikon, so I think the price will stay for a while..

34

Canon General / Re: How do you store your gear?

« on: November 13, 2012, 11:44:56 AM »

Damn.. nice..  I bet you attract some attention showing up at an airport with those cases.  I like the cases in yellow.  I have 3 of the largest size and 2 non-wheeled, all black (max carryon size).

I'm not sure if they are sold third party or what (I stole mine from this sketchy company's warehouse i used to work for when they laid me off).  They are foam sheets fitted to the size of the case.  4 or 5 of them stack to fill the case and you can pluck out little squares to create your own slots and holes and whatnot.  I don't have a photo, but thats a good alternative to padded lens sleeves if you know what youre putting in your case..

35

EOS Bodies / Re: Plan to get a 5D3 for $1

« on: November 13, 2012, 09:40:17 AM »

True.. technically, assuming a camera is given out everytime the price is reached (the organizer doesn't take profit), you will win 1 in 3500 times on average.  You're just as likely to spend more than the retail price as you would be to spend less.

Beyond that, the likelihood that an organizer would give one away at exactly retail price without taking a profit is highly unlikely (I wouldn't...).  Plus the mkiii sells for less than $3500 in the US now anyway.

In fact, I got the kit on sale for 3750 and resold the 24-105 for about $900... so $2850 for the body (new).  The only one who has an educated reason to be excited about this lottery is the organizer haha

36

Speedlites, Printers, Accessories / Re: Help me decide: 270EXII vs 90EX

« on: November 12, 2012, 01:42:17 PM »

I'd recommend against both...  For walk around situations, if the natural lighting isnt enough, a fixed/forward-facing light will do nothing but make a photo worse in my opinion.

This doesn't really solve the size issue (it's relatively the same size as the 430EXII, comparable in features to the 500-series speed light though), the Yongnuo YN 560 ii is an excellent speed light.  It's almost an exact close of Canon's 500-something but costs a fraction of the amount (approx $70 USD new).  The size/weight might be more than the 270exii, but the tradeoff of having the freedom to aim the light and whatnot is well worth it in my opinion. 

And really... if weight/size is a main concern, maybe a magnesium alloy full frame body isnt the correct choice...

** Yongnuo IS definitely cheap, and off-brand, but I wouldn't call it less of a product.  Definitely not when factoring in price as a variable.  I've heard certain instances where they have supposedly misfired where a Canon wouldn't have, I guess?  Which is hardly a fault worth spending 5x the money unless you're doing some kind of high profile shoot where every second is money...

For off camera flash, you can add Yongnuo RF603 transceivers (about $30 USD for a pair)... works great.

37

Canon General / Re: Help | Going to buy the Canon 550D/T2i

« on: November 12, 2012, 08:50:44 AM »

Unless you can get the 600D or 650D for a similar price as the 550D, I would not recommend spending the extra unless you have money to waste.  The only significant improvements are the touchscreen, fold out screen, and a few other insignificant factors that allow canon to price it at a premium over the 550.

I was in a similar boat as you when researching gear for the first time.  99% of people on the internet will encourage you to get the best of the best because.... why not.  If I was just starting over with a limited budget, Id get the cheapest crop frame body as possible... 550D (probably used), and the 50mm 1.8.

Almost EVERY benefit beyond this until you get to Full Frame falls in features you won't need for VFX most likely.  Durability, weather proofing, AF speed, FPS, etc.  I got my 550D about when it was first released and use it for product photos, stock photos, VFX, portraits.  Recently upgraded to a 5D mkiii with a few L lenses. 

For VFX, id save the money you spend on cosmetic upgrades and features you dont need--spend that on continuous lighting and other VFX specific gear you might need.

This photo was taken with a 550D w/ 50mm 1.8 (cheapest lens you can get--also one of the best quality)

38

EOS Bodies / Re: New crop bodies coming!

« on: November 09, 2012, 09:31:23 PM »

By then GPS should be standard, but what about navigation system?  What about apps?  Will Canon still exist or will iphone 23 include a hybrid full frame micro iSensor (tm) that puts them out of business.  Or will photoshop's "content aware" feature be able to read your brains imagination to completely create content you want without cameras or hands... making all of that irrelevant

sorry to you guys who seem annoyed by the non-serious topic.. since I'm adding to it.  I'm totally not bored... on friday night posting on canonrumors forumz...  but seriously, I can appreciate the humor since I find myself annoyed (yet understanding) of Canons questionable marketing tactics/decisions that end up resulting in me being poor :X

39

Software & Accessories / Re: Photoshop/camera raw VS Lightroom

« on: November 09, 2012, 01:31:01 PM »

Oh okay, that makes sense..  I didn't consider the ratings.  That could be useful.  Thanks for the feedback

40

Software & Accessories / Re: What do you convert RAW to for work in Photoshop/GIMP for PP?

« on: November 09, 2012, 01:12:48 PM »

TIFF was used for print back in the day before jpegs could support CMYK color with variable levels of compression.  I find no reason to use TIFF anymore (TIFF can also preserve layers, which might be useful for sending files between PS and gimp?).  Not sure, I dont use gimp so i havent tested that.  Either way, a PDF can do everything a TIFF can + more.

As far as saving the most efficient flattened file, if working with a file that is going to be printed massive and viewed close (best quality), I'd work in CMYK color and save a flat version of my PSD as a PDF.  Otherwise, there is no real reason NOT to save something flat as a jpeg (or PNG).

The benefit of using a PDF is that it's viewable by pretty much everyone, but can preserve vectors and photoshop layers potentially if someone reopens it with PS.

Maybe I am forgetting something...?

41

Software & Accessories / Photoshop/camera raw VS Lightroom

« on: November 09, 2012, 12:50:53 PM »

I've had a few people mention that using lightroom has benefits over photoshop w/ camera raw--most of which seems irrelevant or completely false.  So far the only benefits of using LR to PS seem to be:

1. Auto adjust vignetting for specific lenses based on lens profiles (I've never used this)

Anything else?

For someone who has done graphic design, digital painting in photoshop, etc (I know my way around PS and batch editing), is there any good reason to use lightroom?  I've watched tutorials and read comparison reviews BUT.. based on the average reviewers' Photoshop knowledge, it's hard for me to have faith in their Lightroom knowledge.  Does anyone know and like both, but have another reason why Lightroom is useful over photoshop?

42

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Cruise to the Cancun. What lenses should I take?

« on: November 09, 2012, 10:31:46 AM »

Two 1dx bodies (just in case), 200 f2, sigma 200-500 f2.8, leica M9 w/ 50mm f0.95 noctilux, pelican case (in case people in the club get rowdy)

Jk lol.  Based on your gear, Id probably bring just the 50mm.  I like to travel light, and on a cruise I probably wouldnt be walking around much with the camera in my hands, so I'd value having a setup thats quick to pull out and shoot.  Thats just me though.. I'd be scared to bring my 5d mkiii...

43

EOS Bodies - For Stills / Re: Convince me to shoot in RAW

« on: November 09, 2012, 10:22:42 AM »

One misconception that I hear people mention a lot is that it requires a RAW file to edit in adobe raw (changing shadows, fill light, exposure, etc).  You can do that with any image type... the difference is that raw is uncompressed so that the effects work more cleanly when done before compressed to jpeg, in general. 

One advantage of full frame over cropped is the better quality bokeh... isnt it?  Buying a 5D mkiii would kind of be like buying a top of the line HDTV just to watch VHS tapes.

Although it depends on your work mainly.  If your work is purely used for digital or relatively small print and time is more of a concern than nitpicking on IQ... maybe staying in jpeg is more valuable.  Although if that were the case, I would DEFINITELY not waste the money on the 5D mkiii.

44

Lenses / Re: Opinion: EF 24-70 f/4L IS & EF 35 f/2 IS

« on: November 05, 2012, 11:55:29 AM »

I like the 24-105 f4, although I think it completely makes sense that they transition to the 24-70 focal length as the standard.  I use mainly primes... don't own a 24-70 i or ii.  But it makes a more solid case for owning BOTH a 24-70 AND 70-200, I think.  Like someone mentioned earlier, it would make more sense that Canon would focus on a 4-lens lineup at this focal range to match the 70-200 options. 

Also... for a 24-105 to be f2.8 (with IS), wouldnt it have to be like twice the size???  probably a white lens..