CustomizedMacs said:

Hi,

I need a flash that will take over 2000 continuous non-stop shots. I take pictures of books for research. I am a grad student in history.

Can someone please tell me the best and cheapest flash I need?

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I've read your previous posts and inquiries so for this job just use your smart phone for photos

Yes i did and after calibration it was spot on.

candyman said:

tron said:

candyman said:

M.ST said:

In my opinion we need a fast replacement for the 17-40L and 16-35 II L with an image quality like the 24-70 II L.

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And that would be 12(14)-24 f/2.8?

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Replacement of 16-35 II L = 16-35 III L
12(14)-24 f/2.8 = new lens (welcome of course but still new lens, not a replacement)

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Some people replace their 16-35 2.8 II with a 12(14)-24 f/2.8. For them, that's a replacement ???

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For them anything can be a replacement like a fixed wide angle lens :
For Canon it's certainly not

get the ST-E3.
just having the flash away from your camera will give you greater flexibility.
after saving up for the 600 by then you will have mastered the connection with the system and be able to now use two flashes effectively... or gang both as one and have a more powerful single...
I use 4 and its been a game changer... lighter and more fines on smaller items... easier than using my profotos on jobs... but had to make some custom grid snoots chimera box adaptors and stuff...

Welcome to CR forums.

I agree that f/2.8 is very handy for night time photography.... and so the Canon 16-35mm L would be a good consideration. Not tack sharp wide open, but still reasonably sharp - but you might need the f/2.8. Do you need wider than the 24mm? And do you have the 24-70mm v1 or v2?

Other options - yes the Canon 14mm L or one of the TSE lens. Or Canon 17-40mm which is very good stopped down. I don't do much astrophotography, so my criteria are different (I do more daylight landscape photography UWA).

Your Sigma 8-16mm won't work on a FF. For what it's worth, I've seen a lot (!) of very good images with a crop sensor (APS-C) using many UWAs - eg Sigma 8-16mm, Sigma 10-20mm, Tokina 11-16 (f/2.8!), Tokina 12-24mm and Canon's 10-22mm. We're really spoiled for choice!

Then, on the other hand, perhaps you want to consider a telezoom- eg 70-200mm f/2.8 II or the 70-300mm L (which I have). I also take quite a lot of landscape shots with these (eg zooming into mountains, along coastlines, even forests, etc).

Tabor Warren Photography said:

Wow, thank you all for your comments. After reading all of your comments and insight, I think it would probably be the most simple to sell the 430 and buy another 600.

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You might want ot considerb alson buying a ST-E3 radio flash trigger. 1x ST-E3 and 2x 600EX will give you a system with 2 off-camera flashes, without any need for 3rd party stuff.

Tabor Warren Photography said:

I wish Canon would come out with a 450ex-rt or something of that manner and it actually would not surprise me if they did.

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Yes, it is a shame Canon is still not offering a less expensive radio-capable flash [450EX-RT] and no cheap little radio receivers for our existing 580 II and 430 II flashes. As long as Canon does not offfer a true radio-flash system [600EX-RT, 450EX-RT, ST-E3-RT and RT-receiver] that allows seamless integration of my fairly new and not inexpensive Speedlites, I will hold off buying.

lithiums are great. light and have high capacity... but when close to 60% they do not just fade when power is low they just die. Ive used lithiums flash and feel ive got almost 4X the use compared to alkalines...
you did check the batteries before the shoot and thats good rule of thumb... but sometimes there are just duds...
100 shots for daylight HS fill is quite alot of shots for a flash that only holds 2 AAs.
just carry back ups

When I travel, I wrap my lenses in chamois cloth and put them zip-loc bags if they will fit. If not, I will put them in double or triple plastic bags.

It is lighter in weight than taking hard cases (which I use to store them in at home).

well, the 50mm on fullframe is that a good starter as it has approximately the same field of view than the human eye.
An image begins in the head, by just looking at things with your plain eyes (not throuh the viewfinder). When you see something, imagine what the photography of it should look like, and if it might work, take out the camera and try to get exactly what you imagined.
Ken Rockwell uses the term "FART" for any creative process: http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/fart.htm

He has also some stuff about composition, there he talks all about "SEX", simplification and exclusion: http://www.kenrockwell.com/tech/composition.htm

Thank you for the detailed explanation! I think I will go the PW route based on the flexibility.

The camera communicates well, unfortunately I don't speak camera very well :

crasher8 said:

That hardly looked way short to me! fwiw, I use the Tammy 70-200 VC with a Tamron Pro 1.4 TC and it is incredibly sharp. Not unhappy.

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?

That is a tremendous difference! no contest here

I'm thinking about giving this lens a chance to find a place in my equipment, but I'm worried about the position of the MF ring, so close to the body, I guess it makes working with a follow focus and a matte box quite complicated... did anyone has this lens and use it for video?

+1

Do you know what makes me really angry? The EU price.
Its an import in both countries, so... google says that 799$ is some 600€, can anyone explain me why the EU retail price is 999€?!
Or is sigma just another big A company?

Ripley said:

Thank you for the clarification Sporgon!

So how does focal length affect shallow depth of field for comparable framing? Being closer with shorter focal lengths creates shallower depth of field at the same aperture right?

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The greater the magnification of the subject, the shallower the depth of field. So by being closer to the subject you are effectively magnifying it and you have less dof for a given lens/aperture/format. By using a longer focal length lens you are magnifying subject and so the same thing happens: less dof.

thanks for the heads up

Here's one in depth tutorial on 5D3: http://www.lynda.com/5D-Mark-III-tutorials/Shooting-Canon-5D-Mark-III/107422-2.html

Sporgon said:

Using the same letter to number formula 32 spells LIFE ;D

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Oh no! Don't tell me to find the numbers for the UNIVERSE and EVERYTHING

Great action shots. Too bad the refs did not seen the first one - holding the jersey (both teams). Isn't that against the rules?

I agree the 430 ex is a great flash, but I'd like to clarify a couple of points about the Yongnuo 565ex for those people who don't own one and won't accept anything but a Canon original. I can't comment about the other Yongnuo models as I only own the 565.
Firstly the 565 does have ETTL ii and it works fine both on camera and off camera.

The Flash works off camera for the 60d without any accessories (the op states its for a 60d) it uses the pop up flash and can work in ETTL or manual modes.

It has the same flash power rating of the 580exii

The 565 reads the camera menu and states the focal length on the menu eg 24mm 50mm 85mm Correctly

The 565 is compatible with all current Canon models including the Rebels and the 5D2 and 3

The Yongnuo will also work off camera with some Nikon models ( I borrowed a friends D600 and was able to fire the flash off camera with both the D600 and the 60D without changing the settings) (I don't think the 430 is able for that)

With all respect to the people who will only ever buy Canon Flashes there are actually serious alternatives out there that may deserve consideration.

Harry Muff said:

Disposibles are still an awesome option when you don't want to risk your gear.


I used to process the film and the only advice I'll give is… Crack it open and get the battery out before taking it to the printing shop! (You won't damage the film).




Seriously, they've always put a whole AA battery in there. We used to have a bucket full of them.




Also, anyone thinking of reusing the camera with another roll of film: Forget it, the canisters are put together reversed.

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Thanks. Do they even sell disposal film cameras any more?

If they start making full frame sensors and bodies, they might be seriously onto something. Fuji, in particular, need to produce one. If they could make one with looks and ergo similar to Voigtlander's Bessa film body, that would be nice.

I've had a D-Lite kit for a year and a half and I love it. Reliable, easy to use, comes with radio trigger and has consistent output.


Cheap, all considered, too.

I'm still in love with my 100 2.8L IS


Such a versatile and sharp lens.