Messages

1

Lenses / Re: Macro lens or attachments to make my current lenses go macro?

« on: April 28, 2013, 05:11:35 PM »

Other

tubes
close-up lens filters

If L quality glass is crossed off the list...how do tubes or filters stack up against the cheaper lenses?  It's process of elimination time!

Think of the close-up lens filter the same as an extender, it enlarges the image, but the trade off is lower IQ.

With the tubes you can try all your existing lenses to see which one produces the image that you like. If you don't like the results you can always sell the tubes, but since you are taking very few pictures that need the close ups, that is the cheapest way to go, and it will produce very good results. After all it is not like a picture of rings will ever be enlarged to a 36x24 size.

2

Lenses / Re: Macro lens or attachments to make my current lenses go macro?

« on: April 27, 2013, 05:16:58 PM »

I took this quick picture with a nifty fifty using 12mm Kenko extension tube on a crop camera to show you what magnification you can get. It is a nickel in case that is not obvious. Only PP was to scale it down for the web.

For occasional close ups the tubes will be much better choice then a dedicated macro lens since you can use any of your lenses. And if you put something like the nifty fifty then you can have the tubs attached to it all the time.

3

EOS Bodies / Re: How can lens focus ever be "off" in a way that AFMA fixes it?

« on: April 20, 2013, 08:16:41 AM »

AFMA to my knowledge doesn't change anything in the lens, but rather tells the camera how to shift the sensor so the focal plane is aligned to different lenses. That's why you need to do it for different lenses.
Make sense?

Interesting ... so the chip in the lens does not make any adjustments to the lens, other than read command(s) off the sensor?

To my knowledge that's correct. The corrections are done in the camera body and not the lens. Auto-Focus Micro Adjustment would seem to be making sure the autofocus bits of the sensor are calibrated and not calibrating the lens. Mind you, this is just a possible scenario from a geek perspective how it would be the easiest way to implement AFMA in many camera bodies.

I have a Tamron lens and T4i, the lens was doing front focus. Tamron adjusted the lens to work with my body. So the lens can be modified.

4

Lighting / Re: First external flash? Lots of beginner's questions!

« on: March 25, 2013, 01:04:48 AM »

Hi all,

Just watched a few YouTube videos on flash photography, and found them to be very interesting. I've never used external flash before. I have a Canon EOS 60D and a Fujifilm FinePix X100, and I mainly shoot portraits of friends and family, as well as my dog (using a 50mm f/1.2L and a 24-70 f/2.8L), in addition to some street and landscape with my X100. I'm looking into buying my first external flash (would love a multi-flash setup later), and would like some advice on which one to get. This is mainly for my 60D and portrait/dog photography (compatibility with my X100 would be nice, but not at all required). I don't mind paying more for more features, but if a flash has features I'm never going to use, I'd rather spend my money elsewhere (or on several flash units).

Apart from specific advice on what flash to get, I have a few other questions:

i) What do I need for them to sync wirelessly with my 60D? (Does this require a 'master' unit sitting on the camera?)
ii) Are Canon Speedlites better than third-party alternatives in any way?
iii) What should I look for, specs-wise?
iv) I can afford a 600EX-RT, but I'm guessing there are features I'm guaranteed never to use, and that I'm better off spending money on several other units?
v) Are there any 'must-have' flash accessories?

Thanks a lot, and I apologize in advance for all the questions!

I would recommend the Yongnuo YN568ex.
You can use it as the flash on the camera or as a slave to the flash on your 60D. It has ETTL, second curtin and HSS (high speed sync) and it is powerful, well build on the outside (don't know on the inside) and not very expensive, about $170 on ebay.
I highly recommend it as your first flash. If you later buy 600EX-RT you will be able to use the YN as an optical slave.

5

EOS Bodies / Re: Congratulations Canon to another great Camera release!!

« on: March 22, 2013, 01:05:53 PM »

How many of the people who say that Canon should not include AFMA in the Rebel line would change the their mind if Canon decided that they need to "pull the money" and only include it in the 1D line?

After all, Canon wants you to buy the top of the line camera and not including AFMA in 5D or 7D would increase the sales of 1Ds.

AF should produce a perfect focus at any aperture, if it does not then what is the point of it?

6

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 100D Detailed Specs Appear

« on: March 18, 2013, 12:14:46 AM »

I think Canon dilutes thier lineup with too many of the same cameras. Why would a consumer buy this vs the T4i for the same price? What's different about this and the T4i (maybe I missed that)?

This is a very good marketing decision, I had people tell me that they would buy a SLR if it was not so big.
Compare even the Rebel to an A1 and you will see how much bigger the rebel is. I look at my old A1 and wish the modern DSLRs were as small as it was. It seems that the large DSLRs are marketed at the crowd that believes the bigger the better.
Unlike buying a P&S with a fixed lens, a purchaser of a DSLR will very likely buy more lenses, then once you have some lenses you are "stuck" with a brand of a camera.

7

EOS Bodies / Re: Canon EOS 7D Mark II Information [CR1]

« on: March 07, 2013, 04:01:28 PM »

If the lens motor was receiving the same power from a 1D X and a 7D, then the AF speed for the lens would be the same with both bodies.  But it's not, it's faster with the 1D X.

Could it be firmware trickery on the part of Canon, the 7D delivers the same power as the 1D X, but the 7D just tells the lens to AF slower?  Possible, I suppose...but that seems a little too cynical, even for me.   

This is something that has puzzled me about saying the lens is doing the AF. The lens does not have the AF points and it does not see the image, so how can "the lens" be doing AF.
As far as I can understand this, the camera is doing the AF and is telling the lens motor to rotate the lens to bring the image into focus. If I am wrong, please point me at something that explains it. I have read the generic description of the AF process, just nothing that would correspond to the notion that the lens is doing the AF.

8

Lenses / Re: I want to replace my 18-135 IS STM

« on: February 16, 2013, 10:43:27 AM »

Keep in mind that any other non STM lens will be (very) loud while doing autofocus in video mode. This is if you are doing any video.

Good point, but I'm disappointed by the performance of the autofocus and don't think I'll use it much.

The more you read CR the more you will find out that Canon cripples its products to make sure they don't compete with more expensive ones. The video in the dSLR is not as good as the Cx00 line for the same reason. Some of that crippling is by software limiting what the hardware can do and not by hardware limitations.

I have the 135STM and I find it very sharp compare to the 18-55 3.5-5.6 IS and the 55-250 4-5.6 IS lenses that I have. My sharpest lens Tamron 17-50 2.8 XR Di II and the 135STM is very close to it.

9

Lenses / Re: I want to replace my 18-135 IS STM

« on: February 15, 2013, 07:56:27 PM »

I'm brand new to DSLRs having recently bought the T4i. I currently have two lenses, the "shorty" 40mm 2.8 and the 18-135 IS STM kit lens.

I love shooting with the 40mm and have been using it almost exclusively. It focuses fast, I enjoy working with the shallow depth of field, and image quality looks great. I thought I'd want to keep the kit lens because of its versatility, but I'm not finding situations where the 135 focal length comes in handy. For instance, I've tried using it to shoot birds in the back yard, but I find that it just isn't long enough for that purpose. I know that portrait photographers use the 85-135 focal lengths, but this lens only opens up to 5.6 at that range. So far I've been getting better portraits with the 40.

Keep in mind that any other non STM lens will be (very) loud while doing autofocus in video mode. This is if you are doing any video.

10

Pricewatch Deals / Re: Deal: Canon T4i w/18-55 IS from B&H for $599

« on: December 10, 2012, 09:21:26 PM »

Strangely the Canon T4i is cheaper in Canada, the current lowest price with the 18-135STM lens is $789 which is lower then lowest $899 at Amazon.

11

Contests / Re: Gura Gear Giveaway!

« on: December 06, 2012, 09:16:20 PM »

Not only I want to win, but I should win 

12

Speedlites, Printers, Accessories / Re: AA Battery Charger and Batteries

« on: November 07, 2012, 12:22:58 PM »

The best charger is Powerx made by Maha, also they make very good batteries (2700mAh).

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817355014

I have been using this charger with all kind of batterers (PowerX, enloops, soshine) and the powerx have the most power, but enloops are also very good.

K