Posts

BozillaNZ · Aug 11, 2014

To be honest with that amount of money, I'd sell my 16-28 and buy a Canon 16-35 f4L so I can use ordinary filters on it.

mdmphoto · Aug 11, 2014

7D has MANY more focus points, and way faster fps than 6D. IQ-wise, my 6D wipes the floor with my 7D without breaking even the slightest sweat. I've become so spoiled by 6D IQ that I find myself instinctively trying to capture moving subjects - birds, mostly, that I'll NEVER be good enough to capture with it, than just grab my 7D: despite its still-great specs and features it has become just a second body, emergencies only, for me. Unless all you shoot are fast-moving subjects, you will find yourself pretty pleased with the 6D - and still have some cash left for another lens or flash or plane ticket...

dshipley · Aug 11, 2014

mackguyver said:
dshipley said:

Fun car and great for hauling gear to shoots...

All of this...
• ThinkTank Airport International v2 (fully loaded)
• Profoto D1 Air 500/500/1000 Kit
• PCB 2x Einstein e640+VML Kit
• Large Tripod & 2x Light Stands in Softcase
• Laptop Bag
• 2x Scrim Jims (frames + panels)
• 5x C-Stands in Hardcase
• Sandbags (multiple)
• Dufflebag (full of lighting modifiers/reflectors/gaff tape/etc)
• RocknRoller Multi-Cart

Easily fits...

Click to expand...

Very impressive cargo capacity and AWD to boot!

Also has a twin turbo v6 and a manual transmission.

mackguyver · Aug 11, 2014

Don't feel bad, BIF photos are hard and it takes lots of practice, but even then it's often quite difficult. The longer the lens the harder it is and 600mm is pretty long. Here's a post I replied to about this a while back:

mackguyver said:
scyrene said:

I've been meaning to ask for a while about birds in flight actually - as in, which AF scenario to use. I must admit, the 5D3's autofocus options have always rather baffled me - even though it gives examples, I've never known which is most appropriate for birds. I don't do much BIF work, as I'm mostly shooting small songbirds, and not the big owls/eagles that you guys have access to in North America (and other such places). But when I see, say, a duck, crow, or cormorant (i.e. a medium-sized bird) flying, and I try and focus on it, the camera almost never chooses the bird, choosing the sky instead (that being the much larger target). I'm hand holding, and so keeping the AF point on the bird is very hard, but using multiple points or a zone doesn't seem to help. Sorry if all this has been covered before, but I thought I'd ask here anyway

Click to expand...

First of all, a caveat: shooting birds in flight is tough. Even the best gear and technique won't guarantee a good shot, but there are ways to increase your success. The best way to do this is to set up in a stationary location and wait for birds to fly over. It also helps to pre-focus at the distance you expert to acquire the target (BIF). In terms of AF settings, the 7D works best with Zone AF, and the 5DIII and 1D X works best with the the 61-pt auto-select, but it often picks the sky (as you say) if you don't get the BIF with the right initial AF point. The most reliable thing you can do is set it to 61-pt, AI Servo and use the AF Point selection to pick the center AF point. Case 1 seems to work well for me most BIFs, but I'll use Case 2 when there are trees in the way and Case 5 when shooting small birds like swifts. The key is getting the initial AF point on target, holding it until you can verify that it locked, following the target for a moment, and then pressing the shutter. With small distant birds and/or with birds in a gray sky, that can be really tough, but the sooner you are able to lock onto the BIF and start tracking it, the better. If it doesn't lock on, release the AF button and push it again. Sometimes I'll do that 2-3x before it will lock if the BIF is small/distant.

So to recap, set up in a place you expect to see BIFs, lock onto them as soon as you can, confirm focus lock/tracking, wait for key moment, then fire away.

The final key to BIF photos - practice, practice, practice.

And I'll leave you with this (after many years of practice) - here are two shots of BIF I took recently while focusing my 600mm lens (300 + 2x) on an owl. I had to grab my camera off the tripod and in the first instance, I did pretty well...

...but I totally flubbed the second shot of an osprey (with fish) that flew over me from the opposite direction:

Orangutan · Aug 11, 2014

AcutancePhotography said:
What do you think this would add to either still photography or video photography?

I don't know about this particular product, but many of the features would be useful for improved LiveView and EVF.

drobertfranz · Aug 11, 2014

CR Backup Admin said:
I didn't view the link, but was wondering how they compare at 16mm, or at 50 or 85 or 105mm.

This seems like apples and oranges. The two lenses are not in competition.

For me they are in competition in the 24-35mm range where they overlap. I do a lot of landscape images in that range of FL. It tells me what lens to use for the very best quality. Or if I'm traveling light perhaps I can leave one of these at home. Besides I was interested to see the difference.

Mt Spokane Photography · Aug 10, 2014

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.

lexptr · Aug 10, 2014

All that Cine and MF stuff is nice, but I afraid, they will lose focus on 35mm format. I.e. less products in that mortal-affordable niche, rare updates.

Ruined · Aug 10, 2014

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.

TWI by Dustin Abbott · Aug 10, 2014

360_6pack said:
Has anyone tried the new Tamron 28-300 for FF cameras yet?

If so impressions and comparisons with the Canon 28-300 please?

Michael

You can read my full text review here along with a video review: http://dustinabbott.net/2014/08/tamron-28-300mm-f3-5-6-3-di-vc-pzd/.

Lawliet · Aug 10, 2014

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)

serendipidy · Aug 10, 2014

winglet said:

ROTFLMAO ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

RLPhoto · Aug 9, 2014

If it's got an electronic shutter, I'll be all over that.

RLPhoto · Aug 9, 2014

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.

Click to expand...

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.)

x-vision · Aug 9, 2014

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.

StudentOfLight · Aug 8, 2014

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

Click to expand...

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.

RGF · Aug 8, 2014

I purchased a used Canon Off-Camera Shoe Adapter and that works great. I got for around $10 from B&H.

You can also get used off-shoe cords ($12.95 at B&H) can cut off the cord and keep the shoe

mackguyver · Aug 8, 2014

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.

RodS57 · Aug 7, 2014

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

Aug 7, 2014

Arguably Canon haven't launched a new rebel since the T2i...

IMG_0001 · Aug 7, 2014

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.

mackguyver · Aug 7, 2014

RLPhoto said:
I bought all my einsteins and all my modifiers at once from PCB. It was beautiful, all the stuff came on two pallets. XD

I did the same, but they came in about 100 boxes

. It was like Christmas opening all of those boxes!

AlanF · Aug 7, 2014

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.

Click to expand...

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 )

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.

Aug 7, 2014

another thread that doesn´t really belong here.
no rumor, not really about camera bodys.

are the mods asleep? ;D

moreorless · Aug 7, 2014

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.

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