Could be a bit of marketing but it likely stems from the fact 1) there are a lot of counterfeit batteries out there and 2) both the counterfeit and 3rd party batteries are often made cheaply...maybe the same actual batteries just packaged and labeled differently. Some of them burn up and melt down while charging AND once installed in the camera.

To be honest, I've never had a 3rd party battery last as long as a canon battery in both shots per charge and battery life. You really get what you pay for. As far as other 3rd party accessories go, I have also figured out that the canon accessories are mostly built better and have less issues.

I've stopped wasting my money and have just bought the canon accessories as that is usually where I end up anyway.

archiea said:

iP337 said:

I just talked to CPS Hollywood the other day and got into a conversation about what 3rd party accessories I should get, and they warned me not to use any 3rd party batteries because they might blow up in camera, I told them I've been using Canon DSLRs with only 3rd party batteries for about 10 years and not only have I never had that happen but I've also never heard about it either but the lady insisted that they have seen it...

I don't mean to be an alarmist but now with this extra warning in camera about 3rd party batteries and the fact they tweaked the camera to misread some chipped 3rd party batteries I can't help to wonder if they did something that might make this happen :/ like no longer restricting something on the higher capacity aftermarket battery. I've had batteries from other stuff blow up on me before (an Apple Macbook, an Avid portable M-Audio recorder and a few cellphones) they just bloat up and no longer work.

This is probably just some marketing trick to scare me into giving them more money but I wouldn't surprised. (who the hell is running Canon now a days anyway?)

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I think its part alarmist, part reality. Canon can't QC third party battery manufacturers. While I'm sure a quality 3rd party battery vendor wouldn't put out a failing product, thats not stopping some cheap knock off vendor from providing batteries for canons and users purchasing them. All it takes is one battery failure and canon is correct in their assessment. And considering all the battery options I see on ebay, I see it more a likelihood that a user would buy one just to save a few bucks.

If you are going to spend $3K on a camera, a $70 battery is part of the cost of doing business. Playing lottery with a microprocessor controlled power source is a risk.

If I put out a pro product, I'd definitely put out a boilerplate statement about using OEM accessories just to save me the pain. Sure OEM cost more, but you are paying for reliability.

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smithy said:

It's an interesting problem. I'd recommend simply sending it to Canon for repair.

During a location shoot about a week and a half ago, my 50/1.8 started malfunctioning... again, it was a focus issue. It was 'missing' focus on every shot. Luckily my client (and subject) is a photography teacher and knew that gear sometimes failed. I changed to my 24-70mm/2.8 and got the shots I needed, in perfect focus, so everything was fine in that regard.

I won't be repairing the 50mm. I bought it during a trip to the US in 2004 (from B&H), and it has served me well. Now, if only Sigma would release a new 50mm Art Series lens, I'd be a happy chappy.

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I'd sell it on ebay for parts. there are a lot of buyers willing to spend a few dollars to fix it themselves. It is very likely that the flex print cable inside has one or more conductors failed, a new one is cheap, but paying someone to do it for you isn't.

For my purposes, my XTi is good enough optically to satisfy me, so I've been holding off upgrading my camera waiting for something with built-in GPS.

I can't believe Canon released a full-frame camera with integrated GPS almost a year ago, and they still haven't brought that feature into their crop-body line. I would have expected the crop bodies to get that feature first, since they are more consumer-oriented products. Canon's consumer point-and-shoot cameras have had GPS since early 2011. It's time. Actually, it was time several years ago. Now it's just painful.

Thanks!!!

The 580EX II can be a master, so you can fire your 430EX II in slavemode and it fires when the 580 fires. No need for an extra device. But it does not work the other way around because the 430EX II can't work as a master flash. I have a 430EX II and a Yongnuo YN-565EX and both work great with the YN-622c triggers. I have 2 pairs of them and they work really well.

paolotaverna said:

So did 3 tests with Focal and result was +3, + 2, +4(on 50L)
I've decide to make a 4th test and got +3...so +3 it is. (used strong Hallogen light to be EV 12)

after taking tests shots I am more confident the correction is accurate. Although there is no true alignment with Focal...I still like it

thx guys

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Aye, FoCal is pretty good stuff. It DOES need a LOT of light to really work right, but it really simplifies an otherwise complicated process.

Extensions work well indeed, but may require additional light that can end up ruining everything. I can't think of a more effective way to ruin macro shots than using a ring flash. Be ready to miss some shots too, when interesting objects appear 1 meter away.

crasher8 said:

They are only good for photographing books at a distance. Otherwise get a Nikon.

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Why Nikon?

Alrik89 said:

Thanks for the answers.
Yes, field photography is the case: mainly soccer and horse riding.
And yes, at the moment, i want to be flexible, so the 200mm 2.8 is no option, i think.

So, it boils down to a 70-300mm or the 70-200mm f4 i guess.

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If you can wait and buy better glass, do it! No point in buying a low quality lens now that will only lose value when you eventually try to resell it. The 70-200 f4 is a great lens.

Great photos, I like how you say "It's pretty cool when you feel like 6400 ISO is low".

Ive noticed a lot of times already when i half press the shutter, then change my iso and change my aperture via the wheel that it doesnt update on the back of the screen. I gotta half press the shutter again. I can look at the display and turn the wheel like mad but it will stay at 1.8 for example. Bug or not?

Same here but i want one with a cat on it or a reindeer or sth else wicked. Breathing any kind of dust is bad always. period.

Only if the remove AA filter and get such an awesome DR like the nikon d800e

You could make the shot more interesting by trying some alternatives such as panning

In that case she can't run towards you.. if she ran horizontally then you have to be in a position parallel to it.

sandymandy said:

Dont take it so hard. Its just some colored paper, its just some digits. If you were a lion for example then it wouldnt matter to you at all even the 300$ are the same. Its just the thought in your head that u can change and then u will feel better. You just made an error. Doesnt mean you are a bad person. Think about city planners who miscalculate by millions. Its all natural, stay relaxed buddy

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Thanks. In all honesty... it isn't that big of a deal. I still have enough saved for a 5d mkiii when I find the right price point. And after that... I almost out of stuff I need.

the 35mm sigma or canon and maybe a 1.4 teleconvertor and then done. I don't NEED a tilt shift. I don't need an 85mm 1.4 or a 135mm f/2. So this $300 gives me more time to finish buying stuff I need. But seeing that finish line just that much further away is a little disheartening.

My thinking would be that a zoom TC will compromise IQ a bit at least. If you are using a prime then you are probably seeking high IQ so would be better sticking with a "prime" TC.

If you want a long zoom, can you put the TC on a zoom lens?

BTW I saw somewhere on here that you could stack TC's with an extension tube between them. I tried it the other day and the results were much better than I expected.

ihendy said:

I've got both of these flashes with 5d II and have visited Disney a lot.

The 270ex II is really light and portable. You can keep it on your camera all the time as it's super small and not too bulky for getting on and off all the rides. It's a great little fill flash, and would do an o.k. job with a 2.8 lens. The high speed synch has to be enabled through an in camera menu so that's a little bit fiddly. Also, it blast short bursts of light in stead of infra red to achieve focus in the dark. It's annoying. That feature can be disabled in camera but then you have no focus assit in the dark.

The 430ex II is probably the sweet spot between size and functionality. It has more bounce options, stronger power to overcome the noon day sun, easier access to control flash features like high speed synch. If you've got little girls and are planning to do a lot of portrait with the princess characters, then this is your flash. it also has a proper IR beam to help you achieve focus in the dark.

If was going today I would probably bring te 270 ex II to Disney because I have lots of good Disney shots and Disney is more fun when you pack light. If it was my first time though, I'd bring the 430 II with a stophen so I did not miss any moments.

Lastly - if your not on the 5dc and shoot a lot of video - you may want to check out 320ex for the video light. I've not experience with this flash.


Hope this helps,

Ian.

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Thanks.

Thats where im stuck disney with 270 that is lighter and can stay on the camera longer or 430 that might help for bibbity and noon character greetings. Have a lot of great shots but this is my first full frame trip so don't want to regret it. If I get the 270 will probably grab the 40mm for a light day here and there. Also it will be the 4th of july so hot and not sure if too much gear will be too heavy. I am bringing a lowe pro 350aw but was going to try and find something smaller to alternate days.

Yeah, my 40mm also has a really tight mount

Hector1970 said:

I have both lens but rarely use the 40mm. That's because I love the 50mm 1.4. It often gets a bad wrap here but I just love the photos I get with it. Maybe I have a good copy (or good +\- tolerance matching with the camera). The 40mm is good but lacks a specialness. I like shallow depth of field. STM is not of much use without a body that can use it. My lens collection has grown but the 50mm always comes along.

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Amen to that, 90% of my photos are shot with the 50/1.4

It’s odd that it get such a bad rap on here…it’s nearly 5X cheaper than the 24-70 II (which is worshipped) and it’s just as sharp if not sharper, and can give you two more stops of light when you need it.

I wish it had IS though ;D

The Canon EF-S 10-22mm is a great UWA lens option for a crop sensor camera. I do not currently own one (sold it last year), but did when my 7D was my primary camera.

When I only shot APS-C, I used my 15-85 95% of the time and a EF-S 55-250mm and EF-S 10-22mm the other 5%.

RGF said:

You pay shipping back - so for a 600 F4 that will be a chunk of change.

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Ironically you mentioned one of the two lenses I am trying out. Whilst I certainly don't ever see the day when I 'need', much less can afford, the 600 f/4, I do think it's a possibilityt hat after trying out the 17 TS-E I may decide that I do need it.

So am I to understand from you post that I can evealuate two of the same bodies at the same time?

I've had the Phottix one for nearly a year and a half . I've shot about 70.000 times (press photographer) with it.
I've paid it approximately 75$ (when the Canon could be found circa200$ at this time). And well...it's cheaper, really cheaper than the genuine Canon and...you know it when you hold it in your hands.

70.000 shots after, all the writings (AF-ON ; * ; AF selector) have disappeared and the "leatherette" grinds all around the corners. It starts to come off the grip where i usually put my index finger.
But the worse is that the trigger dies a bit more avery day. It's becoming harder and harder to work with the grip cause i have to press it real strong to shoot.

Well. Just my 2 cents.
It really depends on what you're gonna do with your camera. If you don't shoot a lot, mainly your family and landscapes, it's gonna be fine for shure. But if you use it ardently, with a quite violent background, get the Canon one.

I am a professional photographer who loves small P&S cameras, my favorite being the Contax T3.

I have used multiple Canon S70, G9, G10 and S95 to shoot catalogs, magazine covers and a huge portion of my personal projects.

While I was able to make good images using these small cameras and I in fact earned thousands and thousands if not tens of thousands of dollars using these P&S cameras, at this point in time I wish I had been able to use a compact camera with a bigger sensor. The P&S images simply lack dynamic range, high ISO capability and there is essentially no control over DOF.

Even the MFT sensor in my Panasonic GF1leaves me wanting for more.

In terms of ISO, I never shot the S70 or G9 above the base ISO as anything above that looked horrible. The S95 I allow to creep a little higher. Even the GF1 above 800 is terrible. I say this despite the fact that I love these cameras.

While I do have an iPhone 5 I do not consider it to be a serious camera under any circumstances other than an emergency. That said I use it's camera daily, specially for images I plan on emailing or using on Instagram.

At this point in time I believe the Nikon A is the best camera for my needs (large sensor, flash, wide angle lens... as I don't care about zooms, flip screens or viewfinders).

If Canon releases a simple, straightforward APS version of something like an S110 without purposely crippling it in fear of it's dSLR sales it would hopefully be a very tempting camera.

but for the high price, I'd rather have the sigma. I'm sure they are both more than sharp enough, with the nod going to the sigma if you really want to split hairs, but i'd be more interested in it over the canon simply due to the IS. 180mm + macro focusing distances = handholding problems, for me anyway. plus for macro stuff i don't use AF, so i don't care about any potential sigma AF gremlins.

Update the firmware because a lot of errors reported in the first days are fixed after only a year. Great job Canon.

But why Canon don´t improve the JPG- and video quality? It´s a shame.