Beamengine said:

To be honest I don't like your photographs.

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You are certainly entitled to that opinion. But conversely, the most expensive photo ever ($4.3 million) looks like crap to me--I don't think the photographer cares whether I like it or not, and that bank that cashed the check certianly didn't.

The point being, as others have said--it's not about being a good photographer. It's about finding people that are willing to pay for what you are willing/able to provide. It's tough, requires some luck, but is absolutely possible.

As for the nay-sayers that say "don't ruin your hobby"--although that CAN be true, it doesn't have to be true. I have had some hobbies that have been ruined by doing them for money, and I have some that have only gotten me more interested/passionate by doing them (semi-)professionally. If you think you'll love, then go for it!

lap.texas said:

Thanks for the comments Mt Spokane Photography. I am looking for a configuration that will do autofocus which a 100-400L on a 70D with a teleconverter will not using the view finder. I have very little experience with live view, but for video I will need to start practicing.

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No autofocus with a TC on the 70D. However, with a Kenko 1.4X TC, autofocus may work. The Kenko is not fully compatible with some lenses on the 70D when you use the AFMA feature, and you should be using AFMA. I don't have a full list of incompatible lenses, (its a very short list) the 100L is one that will lock up the camera with a Kenko TC, but the 100-400L is fine.

I was curious to see what Canon’s third-quarter earnings release said regarding cameras, which constitute a single product line, among many. A few highlights:

------DSLRs
“Within the Imaging System Business Unit, sales of the EOS 5D Mark III, 6D and 70D advanced-amateur-model interchangeable-lens digital cameras continued to grow. Furthermore, especially in Japan, the new entry-level EOS Digital Rebel SL1/T5i cameras proved popular, further contributing to sales and helping the company to maintain its top share of the global market.” “…efforts to increase and maintain market share through the introduction of new interchangeable-lens digital camera and inkjet printer products featuring advanced technologies, led to an increase in third-quarter net sales of 14.2% to ¥913.1 billion (U.S.$9,318 million) from the year-ago period…”

-----Compact Cameras:
“Within the digital compact camera, the market is projected to continue shrinking, mainly among low-end models, due to the popularity of smartphones.” “…although total sales volume declined due to the market slowdown and the increasing popularity of smartphones, sales volume increased from the previous year for such high added-value products as the PowerShot SX50 HS and SX510 HS, each equipped with a high-magnification zoom lens that exceeds the capabilities of lenses offered by smartphones.”

So, Canon’s focus on the higher end is paying off, and nothing here telegraphs a perceived need to change that approach. They also seem pleased with the low bar they’ve set for themselves in terms of innovation. (I say that as someone who’d hoped the 70D would lessen my leanings toward the GH3 / BMPCC. Although I AM still bouncing a 6D around in my B&H cart….)

J.R. said:

docsmith said:

I played with the 1.4x TC on my 100-400L on the 5DIII in February before the 5DIII could AF. My conclusion was that photos cropped in post had as much or more detail. I was not impressed with this combination and sent the 1.4 TC back. I've been using the 5DIII and the 100-400L together however, and they are a great pair.

BTW....I am another one looking at the 300 f/2.8....almost pulled the trigger last night...

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I'm keeping the 1.4x TC. for now, I'll probably be using it with the 70-200 II and, in a pinch, with the 135L.

Anyhow, the TCs will be essential once I get the 300f/2.8 II ... So no point returning it, I might get the 2x in the meantime

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I have 878 images taken with the 100/400 + 1.4TC, so it gets some use but its not my top lens. Its quite capable but wont take the best images.

Now turning to the 300 f2.8 It works fine with the TC both 1.4 and 2. These will take the best images and are my top lenses.

I hope Bob was further away from that than it looks!
Awesome shot though.

I wanted to share my new photo book with my fellow CR forum members. The subject is a state park about 2 miles from my house that has one of the top gardens in the southern United States. I started shooting there here and again mostly out of convenience, but after 4 years, I decided it was time to put the flower macros, landscapes, and other photos into a book. I foolishly decided I wanted to name the flowers, thinking it wouldn't be too hard. I was so wrong, and if I had to do it again, I would have taken photos of the leaves, stems, petals, etc. because flowers are really hard to identify with all of the cultivation and hybridization growers have done.

There are three free ways to read it from the link below:

[list type=decimal]
[*]Click on the red "Read Now" banner on the cover of the book to read it right in your browser
[*]Click "Buy Digital" button to purchase the free eBook and download a 20MB PDF for viewing on PC / Android
[*]Click "Buy Digital" button to purchase the free eBook and then download the MagCloud app from iTunes for viewing on iPad / iPhone
[/list]

http://www.magcloud.com/browse/issue/648136

You can buy the printed version as well.

Help! Wonder if any other forum members have had the camera fail to power on. I put in a new battery but it failed to power up as well. Had bought a Mack extended warranty and the camera failed just about a week before the end of the warranty but I was out of country and could not get the camera to them. They refused to honor the warranty! Buyers beware! I will be sending into Canon to get an assessment. Up to this time I have had absolutely no problem with this camera. I have been waiting for the new 7DII but now may move to a FF. :-[

Thanks for the review! I just picked up the 70D and I love it. It is exactly what I have been looking for in a DSLR, especially with the camcorder like auto focus features. It's a winner and is spot on with it's tracking focus. I have come to love the articulating screen as well. I can't imagine not shooting without it especially for those high and low angle shots.

As a pro cinematographer, shooting in manual focus is ideal, but there are moments when you have to capture run and gun footage, documentary style, and I see this amazing auto focus feature as a great tool to have in the kit. Let's be honest, it's really hard to keep focus on those run and gun shots ... not anymore with the 70D. Yes, it's that good.

I am also impressed with the 18 - 135 STM lens. It has become my go-to lens. The stabilization feature in it is fantastic.

The one disappointment I have with it is the lack of a headset jack. Video storytelling is all about pictures and sounds, so it's a bit of a head scratcher to me why the Canon engineers go to great lengths to improve the video features but neglected a headset jack. I can only assume that camera will be here in a year or so.

The perfect camera would be to have the 5DMKIII with the 70D auto focus features plus the articulating screen. When or if that ever happens, I will upgrade to that camera. For now, I am very excited about the 70D.

I think the Columbia River Gorge deserves a thread of its own. Here's a shot I took today featuring my trusty steed at Chamberlain Lake Safety Rest Area on the Washington side of the Gorge. (On State Hwy 14)

If you happen to need a restroom break while touring The Gorge, I highly recommend this spot.

Hello,

I've been very, very happy with the G15, but do have one complaint - no bulb setting, for longer exposures.

I was hoping to take some night sky photos, milky way photos, etc.

Is there a way around this?

Or, any recommended camera settings that might make great photos at the 15 second exposure, etc?

Thanks for any feedback!

its a pain....i've gotten used to always taking the battery out when I'm not shooting.

make sure you have the latest ACRaw version and plugin for LR

u can get it for around 2800 at the moment - haggle jb or digidirect

For video you can stabilise in a few ways, and in fact will want the choice.

For long lens shots a good tripod with fluid head is the only way, same goes for extended shots such as interviews.

A manfrotto 701hdv, 438 level and 190 legs are a basic, compact, solid, cheap set that will pan and tilt fairly smooth and give you a quick levelling base to shoot from.

There is nothing cheaper worth wasting any time on.

A Sachtler ACE is the king of 'budget' video tripods. A bit more money but a well sorted kit with a head that behaves like those on $4000 tripods.

A video monopod is useful.

An SM-1 shoulder brace is good to emulate the ENG position.

There is no idea FL.

Wider is easier to stabilise. I would say 28-35 is a good starting point. Much wider and perspectives become unnatural.

Get her an iPhone. The dSLR is dead.

If you've got the cash for FoCal, it's well worth it.

Run all your lenses through it, that's another way to get an idea if anything might be super wrong.

+1 for refurb over new btw.

Mt Spokane Photography said:

We are going to see some big discounts in November on all but the big white lenses, probably even the D1 X.

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+1 Now that's what I'm talk'n about

As a stockholder, as long as stocks go up in the long run, i'm happy =)

neuroanatomist said:

Deliver how...full res digital files? 8x10" prints? The degree of enlargement affects how noise is perceived. Also, a lot depends on your NR method(s) in your RAW conversion workflow. Topaz DeNoise is excellent, DxO's new Optics Pro 9 with their PRIME algorithm is even better (but takes several minutes per image, so might not be ideal if you need to turn a large set of images around quickly).

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The client wont receive digital files. They will order prints.

I concur with David's review - it really is that good in Liveview.

Marsu42 said:

Etienne said:

"bootflag"... I don't even know what that means. I have an EOS-M, and might experiment with that first

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Sorry, I assumed you already had a look at the ml faq "How to install it": To run ml, you first need to run a tiny, special firmware update that just does only one thing - it sets a "bootflag" inside your camera, after that the Magic Lantern addon firmware is run from your sd/cf card (and only from there). So if you put in another card without ML, your camera is indistinguishable from before.

ML also provides a way to remove the bootflag again, so that Canon service is not able to tell that you were running ml at all - but this doesn't work on the 5d3 yet, they haven't come around to it. But there is no known case where Canon said running ML voids the warranty, so it doesn't matter, but it's fair to mention this point.

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Thanks! It would be comforting to know that this flag could be reset

Wow!

distant.star said:

.
This has been out two years, and I've never seen it!!


2D Photography Rube Goldberg Machine

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mrkim said:

Thank you for the clarification Mt. Spokane!

I will point out however that I did carefully go over the details of the rebate in regards to who would be eligible to claim the rebate and the details specifically state

"Offer good in the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, on products purchased by an end-user customer from Canon Authorized Dealer
only"

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This should mean that because I bought the lens from B and H (a Canon Authorized Dealer) and am using a US address to claim the rebate, that I fall under the requirements of the rebate

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That should work.

AlanF said:

takesome1 said:

infared said:

Do anyone really have a consistent problem with this?????

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Unlike some people who only change their lenses in a sterile environment in a sealed room and always have a clean table close at hand I sometimes change lenses outside when the wind is blowing up a dust storm or it is raining. The only place to lay a lens down is on a tree stump or in the mud.
So occasionally I do get a dust particle or two on the sensor.

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You should carry around a portable HEPA laminar flow hood. Neuro has a sideline selling them.

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Good one. :

I recently finished a trip traveling to 20+ national parks in search of fall colors. It was unfortunate to say the least to hear of the park closures in the midst of beautiful fall colors.

When I got to Grand Teton National Park having just driven a few hours from Banff National Park, Canada, I was hopeful that the parks would open in time. Sadly they did not. Mormon Row, however, was a short 1-mile hike in from the barricade, so I decided to do the early morning hike in. This location is often called the most photographed location in North America, and I'm not sure if it's Mormon Row or Maroon Bells, but in any seeing tons of photographers yelling out to each other about being in their shots is quite the standard sight. It was quite nice having the entire place to myself. The quietness and solitude of that morning is sure not to repeat itself until the next park closure.

All of the below images were shot on the Canon EOS 6D. Kind of a side note, but I recently reviewed this camera with 10+ months of hands-on experience, check it out here and let me know what you think: 6dreview.com


Grand Teton Mountain Range Star Trails @ 933 seconds, F/5.0, ISO 320 at 17mm with in-camera white balance. I captured the above single frame photograph with the Canon 17-40mm L on the Canon EOS 6D with a Canon intervalometer.


184 frames (12GB) captured at 32 seconds, F/5.0, ISO 320 at 17mm. The above star trail photograph is was captured with the same camera setup as mentioned before.


Grand Teton Mormon Row Sunrise Long Exposure 6:22AM @ 180 seconds, f/22, ISO 125, 30mm.


Grand Teton Mormon Row Sunrise Long Exposure 6:42AM @ 180 seconds, f/22, ISO 50, 30mm.

For the post on my site plus an image of the same frame but in August visit: http://www.grahamclarkphoto.com/grand-teton-closure-star-trails/

If you have any questions on any of the images let me know!

Graham