The new Canon 24-70 f2.8 ii - A review with images from a reportage photographer

[meli]

Really sorry guys - this is embarrassing.

The demand on my site from this post has caused a massive load on a shared server. Its a big post with a lot of images. As soon as it comes back online I can trim it down a bit - at the moment I cant get in to do that.

Im investigating getting a dedicated server. I have a couple of other sites as well so might not be a bad idea.
If anyone knows a good value company for this Id be very interested. Im in the UK.
My website admin guy is talking about £80 per month, gulp!

Mark

Hey it happens, just break down the photos into 4-5 pages and you'll be allright. I wouldn't consider a dedicated server unless you expect that traffic everyday! Alternatively consider setting up a secondary blog in something like tumblr, its free & it can handle the punishment.

Cheers for the review & the wonderful photos!

[RustyTheGeek]

First time I've seen a comprehensive review that makes me reconsider wanting this overpriced lens.  Great write up!  In addition, the composition of the shots and your documentary style appeals to me and fits my intended use.  I may have missed it because I skimmed the write up but what flash setup did you use?  What was the average ISO you had to use to get your shots indoors?  (Is that perhaps why you convert to B&W and let the white highlights blow out, to recover/mask some high ISO issues?  Or just the style you want?)  I'm also impressed that you were able to get so many of the indoor shots to focus with the 5D3.  Or, were these just the keepers?  What was your average keeper rate due to AF of the 5D3 in lower light shots?

Hi Rusty - thanks for that. It is indeed a hefty price for this lens.  My preferred technique is not to use any flash at all until people hit the dance floor. By then its usually so miserably lit ambiently I use flash, but generally just on camera flash bounced behind me and still shoot pretty high iso's to keep the background bright. It was really dark in that marquee by the time they were dancing and the sloping sides of the it were giving me irregular exposures. The rest of the day is no flash at all until they started dancing. If faces seem bright and highlights blown its because I always expose for skin tones and if the highlights go, they go. Thats just my personal preference.
AF? I dont have any issues in low light or otherwise with the 5d3 for af. Its brilliant - and I come from using a d3s. The client  gets about 350 shots. I shoot many more. The af keeper rate is probably 95-98 %. No issue with af at all.

Thanks for the great reply Mark.  I assumed about what you say based on the highlights.  That's what I tend to do as well, expose for the the face, let the rest do whatever.  Then tweak in post if necc.  Thanks again!

[Mark Carey]

Really sorry guys - this is embarrassing.

The demand on my site from this post has caused a massive load on a shared server. Its a big post with a lot of images. As soon as it comes back online I can trim it down a bit - at the moment I cant get in to do that.

Im investigating getting a dedicated server. I have a couple of other sites as well so might not be a bad idea.
If anyone knows a good value company for this Id be very interested. Im in the UK.
My website admin guy is talking about £80 per month, gulp!

Mark

Hey it happens, just break down the photos into 4-5 pages and you'll be allright. I wouldn't consider a dedicated server unless you expect that traffic everyday! Alternatively consider setting up a secondary blog in something like tumblr, its free & it can handle the punishment.

Cheers for the review & the wonderful photos!

Thanks Mate,
its seems to have recovered now. Im astounded at the amount of visits CR sent to my website!
Good call about breaking the blog posts up. They are really content heavy and Ive been slack about considering that. I dont know how to break them over several pages but Ill figure it out. Ill check out Tumblr as well.

cheers

Mark