No weekend rumors ever??

LetTheRightLensIn said:
Man, I didn't mean it to be an attack or complaint or even all that serious of a post.

I was just noticing that it seemed like no major rumors had been getting posted on Saturday or Sunday for a long time and that seemed, potentially odd, why should someone with good info never pass it along on a weekend and then I was wondering if maybe the good sources who used to leak way ahead of time were maybe all shut down and maybe it's mostly just bored trolls at work sending in random rumors from work during the weekdays or something.

I didn't do any careful study or anything, just a vague impression that could be invalid.

Anyway, definitely it was not meant as an attack or complaint or even anything to be taken all that seriously.

You are right. A couple of years back, I volunteered to post for CR guy while he was on a trip with long periods of no communication. I recall him saying that he took weekends off unless there was important news and I did not need to post on weekends. That's when I discovered that writing for a Blog site was not my strong point. It was not something I'd enjoy doing long term. He now has someone else who backs him up, but I'd do it if push came to shove.
Upvote 0

6D+7Dii Vs 5D mkiii

RustyTheGeek said:
Great post jeffa4444! I think I learned something about my 6D I didn't know! The ground glass prism thing is weird. I'll watch for it.

I think he is talking about the user removable focus screen of the 6D/1DX, which the 5D3 lacks. I actually consider this a "con" of the 5D3, and a "pro" of the 6D. The 5D3 stock focus screen stinks for manual focus with fast lenses and doesn't show you what you'll actually be getting with fast lenses in the final product even with autofocus. The 6D you can swap in the Eg-S screen for fast lenses, similar as you could on the 5D2 and 1DX. If most of your lenses are f/2.8 or faster, you will want the Eg-S screen and not the stock screen.

Ironically, the 5D3 focus screen is not truly "fixed" in reality, though, remove a couple of screws that hide it and you can take it out just like the 6D screen: http://www.focusingscreen.com/work/5d3en.htm
That plate probably makes it slightly more dust resistant, but I would not think dramatically so.

...however there is no firmware options in 5D3 to correct auto exposure with matte screens (as is case with 6D/1DX) so this is not a good solution and voids warranty. In reality, I believe this is a feature Canon removed to differentiate the 5D3 from the 1DX. Yes, having the focus screen a little more exposed can make it a little more susceptible to dust, but it is also easy to clean and the ability to change screens far surpasses the downside of potentially having to clean it once and a while. I am hoping they bring interchangeable focus screens back to the 5DIV, I am getting tired of Canon removing petty features from cameras in the name of "differentiation." Lack of interchangeable focus screens is one of the things that led me to buy a 6D over a 5D3, I think its a pretty basic feature that is ridiculous for a $2500+ camera not to have.
Upvote 0

PocketWizard MiniTT1 & FlexTT5 Now Compatible With More Canon Cameras

Re: Does PW have model with built-in flash, equiv to 7d's flash? Can be master?

l_d_allan said:
It might only have the power of a Rebel. It might be the equivalent of having a D700 with it's built-in flash for Canon full-frame, that could be used as a Master.

The 90EX speedlite would come close. In that case maybe a bit too close to the popup flashes, as its optical only & afair fixed forward.

On camera light and radio comes in only two packages, both on the big end. (600EX-RT as master, and the new Phottix Mitros+ has Odin/Strato included)
Upvote 0

NIKON Releasing a Medium format DSLR 50MP

moreorless said:
RLPhoto said:
Exactly what pentax is doing and is a big shift for MFD. Inversely, I sold the majority of my 35mm kit and I'm loving MFD. I would probably drop my 5d3 to an aps-c camera if I was in a pinch but I wouldn't let my Blad go so easily.

The problem Pentax seems to have is that it really doesn't have the resources that Canon or Nikon would in terms of either offering improved features or building a modern lens line-up.

The 645z has more AF points that most MF cameras for example but there all clustered around the centre because its reusing an ASPC AF system, really not much better than your typical central AF point on other MF cameras. As you've said before it lacks LS lenses as well.

With the lens selection on offer today the 645z to me clearly seems to be aimed at the landscape/macro photographer. The problem I'd say is that whilst the body is much cheaper than alternative MF the lenses are not and these markets are very price dependant, there aren't many amateur or pro landscape shooters who can afford to spend $15,000+ on their setup.
That's the thing here, Pentax or anyone who can get the 50mp Sony sensor in a affordable body with LS lenses will shift MFD back into reach of the average professional. I certainly would have bought a 645z and a pair of LS lenses assuming that pentax can also manage to make the lenses affordable too. (Which shouldn't be too hard since you can find there older LS lenses really cheap w/ 1/500th syncs.)
Upvote 0

7DII - where are the leaks ??

LetTheRightLensIn said:
If they don't appear in another 3 weeks then maybe the 7D2 is the Yeti.
Meanwhile, the latest rumor in Nikon-land is that Nikon will be announcing a new FF camera at Photokina:
http://nikonrumors.com/2014/08/08/another-full-frame-nikon-dslr-camera-coming-for-phiotokina.aspx/

So, no 7DII competitor from Nikon. Instead, a new FF camera.

Canon and Nikon are evenly matched, basically, at every price level.
The Nikon rumor just increased the probability of a 5DIV at Photokina over a 7DII, IMO.
Upvote 0

What's up with the new ultra-micro image attachment size?

Dylan777 said:
CR Backup Admin said:
If enough people want them back, I can do it. So far, I've had several comments from those who like them, and prefer the ability to post more images.

I haven't go through all galleries yet. I just scanned through some gallaries, most shared 1-3 photos.

Yeah, I don't usually see people sharing dozens of images at once. I think somewhere between 6-10 would be good...if someone really wants to share more, they can always create more than one post. I think most of the time, it's 6 or less.
Upvote 0

5Diii vs Sony A7s vs GH4

scyrene said:
sanjosedave said:
I'd like to see capture video, say, of a baseball game during the day, perhaps as the pitcher throws the ball and the batter gets ready to hit, and then pull a frame from the 4k video and present the still. Thx

Remember, whatever the resolution, video frames tend to be much longer exposures than stills for moving subjects. So at 30fps, you might have 1/50 for each frame. The ball would likely be a blur in every single frame, so not much use as an alternative to short exposure stills.
+1, For smooth video playback the shutter speed is typically selected as 2x faster than the fps so as to allow for enough blur in each frame for them to flow into the next. If you use an excessively high shutter speed then the individual frames would be sharper but the gap between exposures would be relatively long, so there could be a "big" difference from frame to frame resulting in a jerky/staccato feel to the playback.
Upvote 0

16-35 F/4L IS -- Canon registration, ACR profiles, etc.

It's definitely an adjustment from ACR, which is a far more elegant interface for sure. On an older computer, I could see it having a hard time. I rebuilt my homemade PC last year and it's essentially top of the (standard consumer) line in terms of processing and DxO is still a bit slow with some things. It's good to be able to try the free preview so you're only out your time, not money, at least.
Upvote 0

The Ramp Up to August Announcements is Starting [CR2]

jrista said:
I dunno...<snip> Would be great to just...chat (fearlessly).

Jrista,

I agree 100%
I enjoy some of your posts. Yes, only some. The more technical ones are beyond my understanding.

This is my first post so let me say I am not a troll or a canon fanboy. I have a canon because I had a budget in mind and the canon kit (T3i + 18-55 & 75-300) fit my budget. It could have been nikon or jimbob's shoebox camera. I use canon rumors and other sites to get a feel for prospective purchases. My kit now includes the 15-85, 70-300L & the tamzooka.

I still take pictures pretty much the way I did with 35mm film without the expense of film. (ie: in camera jpgs; what comes out comes out; what doesn't doesn't ). Photography is one of several hobbies I have. The main thing is I enjoy it. I would like to expand my capabilities so I am very interested in the 7D2 but I will not take out a second mortgage to get one.

As for the 'art' part of your argument - good luck. Night sky pictures are amazing. I'm still trying for "that" shot of the moon and hoping for better displays of northern lights this year.

As for the threads here on the forum, they do tend to degenerate somewhat. Still it is interesting to see/read what other people think.

Cheers
Upvote 0

Participant grading

CR Backup Admin said:
Menace said:
Mt Spokane Photography said:
RustyTheGeek said:
Far as I can tell, everyone's name is still the same color RED so we're all still equal on a pretty fundamental level, eh? ;)

Except for the Black Sheep who have left the group without removing their posts. Their name is colored Black. ;)

Hi Mt Spokane Photography,

Look forward to seeing you becoming the 2nd CR Geek.

:D

I think the bar will be raised before that ;)

I wonder what you have up your sleeve?
Upvote 0

Speedlite zoom setting in flash modifiers and camera ISO (with test results!)

Ian_of_glos said:
A couple of questions:
1) are you using ETTL?
2) how are you calculating the correct aperture to use? Are you using a light meter?
I find that ETTL never works properly when I use speedlites with light modifiers and it often results in a shot that is under exposed. The camera's meter is easily fooled, for example if your model moves slightly or if you change the composition.
Using a light meter will allow you to set the exposure accurately and then, once set, you don't need to change it. Just leave the speedlites on manual and they will produce the same amount of light for every shot. You only need to meter again if you move the speedlites or if you increase or decrease the power.
It will also let you see the ratio of flash to ambient light and it will allow you to alter the balance between your speedlites, for example if you want the key light to be more powerful than the fill light.
The zoom setting really only changes the character of the light - so use a telephoto setting if you want to create a highlight on your subject, or a wide angle setting of you want a more even spread of light.
When using a softbox or umbrella I leave my speedlites set to 35mm and I find that works quite well.
With regard to the placement of your speedlites - you do need to put them quite close to your model, but this is because it will give the light a much softer, shadowless character. Placing the speedlites a long way from your model will create harsh shadows, which is usually not the effect you want to achieve. I put my speedlites as close as possible to the model, so they are only just out of shot.
Of course a speedlite is usually less powerful than a studio strobe, but that should not be an issue unless you are placing them a long way from your subject

Thanks Ian,

1) I shoot in manual flash control and manual mode on the camera so that I have full control of how the exposure.

2) As I don't own a light/flash meter, I just judge the exposure from a few test shots and their histograms. I would like to have a light meter and shopped around a bit for one, but I can't really afford one at the time being so I'll stick to the trial and error method for now.

I understand the relationship between source size/distance and the quality of the light, but I was initially shocked that on full power using a 33'' reflective brolly box, I had to place the flash at less than one meter to obtain a decent exposure. I felt that there was not much room for composing the shot. However, It appears that a fresh set of batteries and being rigorous on testing solved the problem. It appears that for a head shot, I have a decent exposure at 1/4 power and the light at 2m from the subject.

As for the effect of the zoom setting on the light harshness, that is precisely what was the concern of my initial post. Now that I've looked at how light is diffused inside the brolly box, I think it would be worth exploring how this affect the light falling on a subject. Nevertheless, in the immediate, I'll set the flash zoom to 24-35mm in order to make the light as soft as possible.
Upvote 0

1dx users now 300L IS II?

RLPhoto said:
Did anyone notice the change in ranking?

Also, it'd be cool if I could have my ranking as the 200mm f/2 L IS being that's my favorite lens/dream. :D

As the number of members grows, there was a big disparity in the numbers of user groups, so I added a few with big white lenses as their user icon. I also adjusted the settings for number to balance the number in each group better. This happens occasionally, when I'm bored ;)

Since members don't want to be moved back a notch, I usually insert a new group and leave the old one as is, or I change the settings to allow users with fewer posts into the group to increase its size.


We only have 1 CR Geek, so get to work!!
Upvote 0

Unexpected Events

nineyards said:
Share your photos of completely unexpected photo ops, maybe the IQ is not up to snuff but you can't quite bring yourself to delete it because the subject matter is just that good.
I'll start

This guy initially caught me completely by surprise just by being there. I was not aware Great Blue Herons hung out this far north in Canada. A great find, but not earth shattering enough to pull me out of my zone, however, in the split second he took to spear this huge fish, I had turned into a ball of panic and indecision, tripping all over myself on uneven, muddy terrain, trying to get closer and stabilize myself at the same time.
No evidence whatsoever of the calm ,cool, collected professional photographer I aspire to be. And it cost me.
All I can say is I got the shots, I am able to make no claims as far as IQ goes. But I believe it's still worth sharing the experience.
I have never seen such a slender graceful bird swallow something this huge, pelicans come to mind but somehow I see them in a different category. How he was able to slim down do quickly and fly away so easily afterwards is beyond me.
Cropped close to 100% due to the woefully inadequate focal length, clicking on a photo brings you to "image shack" and a full resolution copy.
All shots are in sequential order
Lovely sequence! Notice that in the 6th picture you can see the head of the fish and the eye in his neck!
Upvote 0

Please advise which 1.4x teleconverter to buy: Kenko, Tamron, or Sigma

haupt said:
Mt Spokane Photography said:
For a 70-300mmL at 300mm with a Kenko 1.4X TC, its possible that your 6D will be manual focus only.

I just went on a photo safari in Tanzania with Canon 6D, 70-300L and the Kenko 1.4X. No problems with auto-focus. (mostly stationary targets - elephants don't move that quickly :D )

Before going I had thought about the Tamron 150-600 but I bought the 70-300L instead. But in Serengeti I could have used the extra reach.

I also brought the SX50 HS and found it a nice little camera- https://www.flickr.com/photos/larshaupthansen/14632565988/

The Kenko froze my 5DIII, as it did several for several of us. It turned out that it worked only when the AFMA was set to 0. Was your 6D calibrated for AFMA or was it left at zero?

The SX50 is very good for static subjects. The 100-400L or Tamron 150-600 are both great safari lenses.
Upvote 0

Pentax 645Z Medium Format camera review by The Camera Store

Busted Knuckles said:
Is there not a flange distance issue w/ EF TS lenses?

There is actually a Russian company that's designed a camera specifically for the Canon T/S lenses if I remember correctly although its not an SLR. When you look at the focal lengths I can understand why, the 17mm is wider than any native medium format lens I know of.

The talk about the Leica S does I'd say show you the problem Pentax have with there digital 44x33mm system, its still using a 645 flange distance that's I'd guess about 20mm longer than it needs to be resulting in a massive(I'd guess partly empty) box infront of the camera. They would IMHO have been smarter to go with a smaller flange distance like Leica and just make an adapter for the older lenses.
Upvote 0

Filter

Forum statistics

Threads
37,440
Messages
973,678
Members
24,806
Latest member
mamanyota

Gallery statistics

Categories
1
Albums
29
Uploaded media
372
Embedded media
1
Comments
25
Disk usage
1 GB