Congratulations on purchasing the 100 IS macro lens. Look forward to seeing your pics with this lens. I did some research on the Amaran Halo and will stick with using my 580 EX ll and my Gary Fong collapsable diffuser.

dickgrafixstop said:

Anyone use one seriously? I've got a bag of FD lenses that have been unused since my beloved A1 died, and I'd
like to continue using them if possible. I know about the infinity focus limitation and that the glass correction
piece will cost me a stop, but with prices varying from >$20 to <$200 on ebay, anyone have any recommendations?

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Check out Ed Mika at www.edmika.com he also has listings on ebay. My understanding is that his are the best...
Good luck!

expatinasia said:

Hobby Shooter said:

Rienzphotoz said:

M.ST said:

I think that the S4 Zoom is a game changer and the end of the entry level compact cameras.

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:-\

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I disagree, simply because of the price. I have a regular S4 and for the price of that I could get three or four entry level point and shoots.

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Yes, but that's not the point. Here, Nokia and Samsung are now taking the camera-side of the phone to the next level and I can only see it getting better and better as we move forward.

Just imagine if your S4 which costs hundreds itself - could take pictures as well as a Sony RX 100 or RX1. You will always need to carry a phone with you, but you do not always need to carry a point and shoot. There would be your answer.

The Nokia EOS is supposed to be coming out soon, which will be very interesting.

Just imagine if Sony stuck a phone on the back of a RX100 (or the new RX100 ii or is it going to be RX 200). And why not? It is a very small camera as it is.

When Samsung first came out with the Note people (all the pro reviewers etc) blasted it for being too big. I never thought so, as much of what I do on the phone is surf the net and message which is easier on a phone the size of a Note than it is on something much smaller.

Batteries are getting smaller and lasting longer, so if a manufacturer can come out with something that takes pictures as good as a RX100 (or even a RX1 - wow) and allows calls, surfing apps like whatsapp etc then I guarantee that that will be my next phone purchase and I would bet millions others would too (though there would be different market segments like any product and I am not saying everyone will spend US$2XXX on a phone camera).

We are not at the beginning of a new cycle, and I find it very interesting indeed.

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I don't disagree with you. It's obvious that more and more people are using their phones as their only camera. I opposed the statement that this would kill the low end market. More advanced integrated devices will make it to the market and it's exciting. I hqve a Note myself and am very satisfied with it.

I use my EF 70-300L primarily for shooting pictures of my (very quick) Jack Russell terrier. I can stand off a ways, frame the shot as she moves and then zoom in at the last second. The AF is very responsive. By being farther away, I can be more innocuous and won't affect her behavior. When she is completely oblivious to where I am, she is more herself. I can move from tight portrait to environmental action shot in no time. It's the range, the weight and the balance of the lens that really comes in handy. I sold my 70-200 f/4 IS because the image quality of the two was indistinguishable (contrast and color on the 70-300L actually seems a bit better). I am above 200mm focal length most of the time and shoot primarily at f/8 for sharpness. The 70-300 is great for me (on a 5D2 which supposedly can't shoot action).

The shot below is actually MUCH crisper than this....

you can't unless everyone starts calibrating their monitors

scottkinfw said:

I'm not an expert..

The 5DIII with the 24-105 plus flash (when needed) is great.
The 7D yes. However a crop body with the 70-200 may be a bit too long depending on the size of the venue.
what do others think?
A second flash might be good to have, but that is a lot of clunky stuff to carry.

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I don't even try to say I'd be an expert, if I was I might not need to ask for opinions. I'm just a happy hobbyist, and instead of inventing the wheel again, I'm hoping to learn from other peoples' experiences.

But I don't see how the 70-200 would be too long on crop, especially as the 24-105 almost seamless continue from there. I don't know the size of the venue, but I'm sure the 24-320mm will cover anything. Bit wider might be nice on occasion, but 24 on FF does quite good work too.

And if I'm carrying already 2 bodies, it's not really different size-wise if I have flash on both, compared to flash on one. If the venue seems small/tight, I might drop the 70-200 and shoot mostly on 24-105, and maybe for some candids I'll change the 70-200 on 5D. I've been hoping to get double-RSS straps, but too late now. Have to deal with the standard straps.

serendipidy said:

IslanderMV said:

Calling the flock

Tree Swallow - Martha's Vineyard
100-400 mm

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Great shot! Looks like hubby's getting an earfull ;D

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What a big mouth you have grandmother!

tron said:

Last year I was shooting at an archaeological place and I dropped my 24 TS-E 24mm II.
Immediately I put my foot and decelerated its fall a lot. It landed at a wooden floor. It had its cap.
Nothing happened not even a scratch on the plastic areas 8)

I still try to figure how on earth my 5D2's screen was damaged. Screens are inside and cannot in any way be harmed by a dropping lens (I hadn't put any finger inside).

Anyway I happened to have a Grid Screen which I hadn't used yet. So I replaced the screen and everything was as good as new

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lucky. I dropped a Tilt Shift (not sure if it was the 17 or 24) but it split into 2 pieces. First claim ever - but insurance gave me $ to buy a new one.

Krob78 said:

TWI by Dustin Abbott said:

Krob78 said:

TWI by Dustin Abbott said:

I used the 24-105L for years, but after owning the 24-70VC for a few months I sold the 24-105L. The Tamron is the better lens in almost every way. The Tamron stays on my 6D a good percentage of the time. For landscape, it has less distortion, is slightly wider (although listed the same), far less vignetting, better color rendering, and then it has a lot of advantages for wide aperture shots. I find the bokeh rendering great on the Tamron:


Resurrection by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr

Stopped down it is a great landscape lens. Nicely sharp!

As the Ice Forms by Thousand Word Images by Dustin Abbott, on Flickr

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Dustin, thanks for posting these images and your opinion on the Tamron 24-70mm f/2.8 VC. I've been contemplating this lens since I picked up my 5D3 a few months back. I've been going back and forth between this and of course the EF 24-70 f/2.8 L.

Your images here take a little of my concern away. Can you tell me about the fit and finish on the lens and how it feels on your camera? Is the zoom ring smooth like an L lens? Stuff like that I'd be interested in knowing...

Thanks,
Ken

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Ken,.
have a pretty decent kit (see my signature), but this lens is my most used tool. It is just very flexible and produces consistently great images.

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Thanks Dustin, that's exactly what I was looking for. You've made up my mind! I was going back and forth over this and the 24-70mm f/2.8L.

I just sold my 24-105L and I liked it a lot but I never really loved it. I love all my other lenses. I wanted the 24-70mm 4/2.8L but never pulled the trigger, as I really like having IS. Especially with low light situations even with the 5d3 and it's capabilities. I'm 53 now and I do often see some oof from shaking a little bit on a few non IS lenses I've used or borrowed from friends, even on my 85mm... So I've wanted the IS.

I'm glad Tamron came out with it, do to the price point, just had some trepidation where all I've owned mostly has been L glass, I just didn't know what to expect but wanted it to be a fantastic lens that I would not regret purchasing over the 24-70mm f/2.8L.

I think you answered my questions, thanks again for your time!

All the best,
Ken

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My pleasure

I shot quite a bit with the 35mm f/2 & found it wanting just like some of the previous posters. Colors were blah (we can fix that, right?), corners weren't very sharp, blah, blah, blah.

I thought I'd get the 28mm 1.8 to upgrade. And it was better. But after a week or two it was buried in my bag & seldom made an appearance. I eventually sold it.

BUT, I just picked up the 28mm f2.8 is. I've taken maybe 400-500 photos so far, in various situations, and although I wouldn't say I've throughly tested it- I love it! I heard a lot of "too slow for a prime", "don't need the IS", "why did Canon even make this lens?" And I agreed with those thoughts (at least the 1st two). But I found shooting with it much different than what I thought. Sharp wide open, very good colors (a lot less post work) & the IS does come in handy given the relatively slow speed for a prime. Honestly, I can't think of a situation where I'd rather go back to 28 1.8. And of course the fact that I paid about the same or less for the 2.8 ($400 brand new) than the 1.8 is currently going for on a number of sites certainly helped.

Since you seem to be sold on the focal length my advice, go to you local shop and test both lens. Take some test pattern shots with both lens. Shoot some inside, lower light photos. Be sure to shoot some test shots with bright colors & some outdoors shots (if you and your camera guy are on good terms).

After you get home and compare the shots I think you'll know which one you'd prefer. Or just buy both when you find a good enough deal. Shoot for a few weeks with each and sell the one you don't want. I found that almost always makes the decision easier, and often cheaper, than renting..

Good luck & happy shooting with whichever lens you end up with, take care.

Re: Canon refurb shop.... Just picked up 2 600EX RTs.... Even though it said " out of stock"......what I did was to refresh page or update page every 10-15 seconds and on the 3 rd refresh, there it was..." in stock". Try it!

AndersBorg said:

Thanks for your help!

I figured it out now!

Anders

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I see, said the blind carpenter as he picked up the hammer and saw

very nice. Great image

You could go small and light - SL1 or even an M if the new firmware comes out and is as good as Canon claims.

I also handled one at my local Costco. To me it felt so small that it didn't balance well with the kit zoom lens. Not enough body to hold on to. It might feel right to me with the 40 pancake, but I have an S-90 and a T2i for those times when I need a small camera. I don't see the SL1 filling any useful role for me and since the sensor is nothing special, it's a big yawn here.

Thanks again for all the help. There's no one perfect answer so reviewing all options I rented the 100-400. My final rationale was the rental fee being similar to what a polarizing filter would have cost for my 200 prime (and I already have a 77mm polarizing filter). Almost bought the 70-300, but I think I'd rather wait to see what version II of the 100-400 might be like. Lots of soccer and band events ahead and I think I just coached my final soccer game after 10 years of coaching leaving time for massive amounts of future pics.

kennephoto said:

You're not raining on my parade, though Mother Nature sure is doing a fine job here in MN. I bought the camera for collector purposes not for professional use. It's still a cool camera. I had a 1Ds II for a few days but it sold within an hour of putting it on eBay when I posted it. The 1Ds II was great too! Too bad the LCD screens are rubbish but its sure helping me to focus on shooting rather than look at the screen after every shot!

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I stopped looking at the screen after I started shooting in raw. Having said that, I started over saturating and over contrasting since I've been shooting in raw...

Before you go and spend thousands or even hundreds of dollars on advanced workshops or subscriptions, you might want to check out some of my Crash Courses for beginning & intermediate photographers. Have videos for the 5Diii, Speedlites and several advanced courses.

I guarantee it will be the best $38 investment you make in your photography education. If not, Ill refund your money!

http://www.michaelthemaven.com/products/

jonathan7007 said:

The Doc's comments are spot-on (couldn't resist, sorry) and well-described. Especially that last part about getting to know your sensor and its relationship with the in-camera meter. My 1DsMk3 sensor really likes 2/3 stop "overexposure" according to all meters. The 5DMk3 not so much. (Yes, I practice some ETTR, too.)

One last vote for the L558. Keep an eye on eBay and pick a number never bidding above that "just to get this one..." This worked for me. I picked $180-200 and missed - I think - three. They keep on coming!

The L558 has the display inside the viewfinder for use while spot metering. It lacks the USB connection. The 558 does have some cine settings or maybe more exactly: readouts to appeal to cine-people. Really, the 558 will do ya and maybe leave a lens in there somewhere. The Doc's right about the seeing part: tonal relationships.

Good luck and have fun. Your meter will solve some wonderment and always be sellable if it ends up staying in your bag every time you shoot.

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That's exactly it - my 1Ds3 also likes 2/3 stop OE. I get the richest details in both highlight and shadows and the RAW files are dead on with it.

Drizzt321 said:

Thanks docholliday, maybe I'll pick one of those 758's up when I get truly serious about my film photography and can tell myself I don't need any more lenses :

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Why just for film? I've had some of my meters since the film days (L328 & L558), but it's just as useful in digital - both studio and out-and-about. It's more useful to get a $200 (or $100) meter than it is to get more lenses!

Remember that photography is not about "taking pictures" - it's more about controlling light. The composition and all that comes later is a much smaller part of the process.

You really don't need the USB in the 758 for profiling sensors (it's nice, but not necessary). In the film days, many people (including Ansel Adams, John Sexton, Christopher Burkett, etc) would profile their film using film tests and a hand meter. Even today, the best shooters and printers still test their "medium" extensively to understand it's limitations - Burkett is known to burn hundreds of sheets of film and/or paper just to test the range and response of a batch, as that batch of 1000 sheets may be different from the next.

If you use the spot meter in your camera at all, you know that the spot's size is dependent on the lens used. A hand spot is a definitive x degrees - usually 1, 3 or 5. It will help you utilize the in camera spot more accurately to the point where you can "trust" your in camera meter. The 608 Zoom master even has a dial to choose how big the spot is in the meter.

It really is worth it to get that hand meter and forcing yourself to use it. You learn to see scenes as the camera does and it make you a *real* photographer, not just somebody who is spraying-and-praying their digital, chimping, making an adjustment to what (they think is correct), then repeating ad nauseum until things look ok. As said before, you can always sell your meter later once you don't need it (most of us thought that at first, but never lost need for it!).

Oh, and you'll also realize that what looks good on the camera's screen isn't correct by the time you get the details extracted out of the RAW in post! ESPECIALLY if you ETTR. I used to pull Fuji NPC (negative film) about 2/3 stop down to get the best. With Fuji Astia, it was usually +1/3.

My 1DsMkII liked -1/3 compensation and my 1DsMkIII likes +2/3. You should see what the images on screen look like - I don't even have my screen come on anymore. If I need feedback, I'll tether to my TabletPC running Lightroom, apply the necessary correction scripts automatically, and preview it on there!

Thanks joema. I may take a look at one next week, and will report back if I do - depends on the work schedule.

I must admit they do look interesting.

You have a great kit that most people would love to have. Your 2.8 zooms are as good as it gets, but heavier than their f/4 counterparts. If you're looking to lighten the load and add IS for travel, you could "downgrade" to either the 24-70 f/4 IS or 24-105 f/4 IS. Questionable decision. Same thing with the 70-200 2.8: you could add IS and drop some weight by going with either the 70-200 f/4 IS or the 70-300L IS. Still questionable.

If you need to change anything, I'd upgrade the 50 1.8 to either the 50 1.4 or 85 1.8 for portraits....

there was a deal at Rakuten a month or two back where you could get the mkiii and a lens, 24-105, for 3700 and then you get 600 back in points that you could use for nearly anything.

well i decided against it and I'm glad i did. taken has since been riddled with credit card fraud of their customers. so the moral of the story is make sure you trust where you buy from.

I got mine from Amazon and they were freaking great.

Oh, I thought I'd do a "if you don't know what all that stuff means then you don't need a 1Dx".........(grins).

It's just that the 1Dx offers more options as expected, and that's just one of them. The numbers are not the same on either camera, i.e. level 10 on 1Dx does not equate to level 10 on the 5D3. The # levels are simply "quality" levels, and are not necessarily standardized to anything.

CR Backup Admin said:

If a certain poster is posting things that you don't want to read, add him to your ignore list. That's a better option than flaming and drawing a warning or ban.

http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=15495.0

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Did not know it could be done ... nice to know ... thanks

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