Jeff said:

Am also looking at a follow focus and I'm wondering what it is that want improved over the system you have now? I ask because I'm looking at the http://www.hondogarage.com and the two disadvantages I see are no hard stops nor the ability to use a whip. Of course I like the price and I'm also thinking the belt system might work better with tse lenses(?)

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My follow focus has a 1,5mm play, that's usually negligibile, but when you're working with a very shallow dof and you have to quickly move the focus back and forth it's a bit annoying, so I'm looking for something better, but less expensive than a RedRock or a Zacuto...

I took a look at the link you posted, I definitely not recommend you a FF whithout a whip connection, it can be extremely useful in many situations and to buy a FF that has it will cost you only a few bucks more.

To use the FF on a TSE lens you have to attach it anyway after you moved the lens, so I don't think it matters if your using a belt or not.

Today I tried the Manfrotto's USB FFs, both Sympla models, and I just can't understand for whom those tools are made for. The focus changes are extremely jerky and quite slowly too. The more expensive model is a bit better, but still unusable. I spoke with a Manfrotto agent and he told me that the limit is the lens AF that's not fast enough... how is that possible??? He told me that only newer STM models work properly, so I wonder who can ever buy an 800 $ FF that works only with cheap, slow, consumer lenses? I really don't get it.

Axilrod said:

Yes the Edelkrone looks pretty sweet. Follow focus isn't very complicated, I would think that anything that isn't dirt cheap should be sufficient.

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Yes, that's what I think, but as I wrote I'd like to find something extremely precise.

Great little device, set-up is easy and use even easier. Well worth the price to me. All your camera controls, viewing and touch focusing available on an iPad or iphone type device for remote control or use it for client or art director viewing (in client mode) while the session is going on.

Juza photo had a comparison of the two that showed them about equal.

http://www.juzaphoto.com/article.php?l=en&article=54

I bought the Sigma for several reasons - I hate push/pull, Sigma is black so less conspicuous, going down to 50mm meant the lens is much more versatile than the Canon which goes to 100mm wide.

I used it to shoot the Blue Angels aerial acrobatics team last year; no issues with focus or quality for that large a zoom range.

dirtcastle said:

After doing a ton of research (and raising my budget a little), here's what I think I'm going to get...

Litepanels 1x1 LS Daylight Flood LED Panel
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=&sku=880837&is=REG&A=details&Q=

GiSTEQ Flashmate F-198C LED Video Light
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/863687-REG/GiSTEQ_C8_03_F198C_01_Flashmate_F_198C_LED_Video.html

And when my funds replenish, I'll get this one for my third light...

Genaray SpectroLED-14 Light (100-240VAC/12VDC)
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/850293-REG/Genaray_SP_AD75_SpectroLED_14_Light_100_240VAC_12VDC_.html

I know this won't be the most powerful/sexy light kit. But whatever I lose in light quality... I should get back with other benefits: low temperature in my no-AC-having L.A. apartment, super easy to move and pack, and low power draw. The only thing I'm not sure about is color. But as long as the colors aren't noticeably bad, I'm okay with it.

I'm not looking for the ultimate/perfect lights. I just want something that gets me in the ballpark of good quality, and isn't a buzzkill to use. I feel like tungsten would be too much of a hassle for the type of shooting I'll be doing. The heat alone sounds awful. And for on-the-go, it would also be a pain in the ass.

Any thoughts?

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There are china made non-branded ones that cost USD100-200. go and search around. Also some 30W-50W LED garden flood light are quite affordable. approx 70 USD?

Take a look at the ECO wash photo on page 34 of this http://www.mtr.com.hk/eng/sustainability/2012rpt/files/sustainabilityreport2012.pdf

I went to bought 4 of these to light up the lower part of that photo.

ckwaller said:

You mentioned shooting @ 720p/60fps. What shutter speed were you using? I've always read that when shooting 720p, a shutter speed of 1/125 (essentially twice the frame rate or its nearest approximation on a DSLR) is ideal for creating slow motion shots in post.

Otherwise, you can shoot at 24/30 fps and use programs such as Twixtor/After Effects or Cinema Tools to achieve the desired effect?

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I have tried using 1/125 when shooting 24p, the results are still OK, see if this is ok with yourself. will feel choppy if you go higher .

I've traveled to Alaska (eagles) with my 500mm f/4L several times, and ill return this fall as well. I use a Pelican 1510 case: http://www.pelican.com/cases_detail.php?Case=1510

I do not use the dividers, just the top foam and the padding on the sides and bottom. I cut a slot in the foam top to avoid pressure on the lens cap. I found the dividers unnecessary as I filled the case with other equipment: lenses and bodies.

Read the airline websites on their size and weight limits for carry-ons. This case works for domestic flights, but some international flights have tighter restrictions. With what I carry, I'm right at 40 pounds.

This makes rolling through airports a breeze, but not so much fun carrying it down a trail. If that is where you are heading, consider the The Gura Gear Kiboko or whatever they have these days.

a few hundred left, a small lightweight and relatively fast lens = 85mm 1.8 for me...

Otherwise, if it has to be between the two I'd get the 50 1.8 (I do have the version 1 of that lens)

hopefully you dont have a bad flash, as the 580's aren't cheap
good lucky with it

Film EOS prices are rock bottom. It's a great time to buy.

And as there is no great difference between anything below the top tier there is no excuse not to buy the most recent you can (not to mention less wear and tear, more shutter life etc)

Avoid avoid avoid at all costs:

anything pre E-TTL. This means look for a EOS 300. EOS 30. EOS 3. EOS1V (or the more recent versions therof)

In fact if you get a 300x or 30v you will actually get E-TTL II which will work with select recent lenses to give you even better flash results.

Anything prior to E-TTL (EOS 1n, EOS 5 / A2e, 620 etc) will only work with your flash in A-TTL mode, which is prehistoric off the film metering as it exposes. E-TTL is preflash metered off the subject and far superior.

I currently have the EOS 3, though I recently had an EOS 300x. I would say get a AA grip for any film EOS you buy, the exact model required will depend on the model of EOS you go for, but as photographic Litihium batteries become more expensive and difficult to find a grip will be very useful. I have a PB-E1 on my EOS 3 which also gives it a little speed boost. The PB-E2 is worth the extra if you get a 3 as it perfectly mirrors the controls of the 3 / 1V.

As with any EOS camera I would recommend seeking out one with a pentaprism as opposed to a pentamirror.
This rules out most low end very cheap plastic bodies, but makes the 30, 33, 3 and 1V a good choice. Pentamirrors are crap enough on rebels, but dreadful on full frame.

The 3 is laid out like a current 1 series. Very intuitive to use after a wee leaning curve, the eye control is superlative (in my opinion) and you get AF at f8 etc. It does 99.9 of what the 1V can do (slightly less viewfinder coverage, no viewfinder blind, no EOS link, plastic outer casing but still weatherproof and plenty tough) but adds ECF and is around a third of the price. This also makes it a lot more expensive than very decent midrange bodies like the 30's (a 30v would be my midrange pick)

One caveat with almost all EOS bodies. Most of them use an IR frame counter for film advance and rewind. This fogs IR film. If you are using IR film you may want to look elsewhere or pay the extra for the 1V (there are other IR compatable EOS film bodies, but all pre-E-TTL)

Good luck from a very happy 3 user!

Films:

Reala 100. Nice for skin tones. Fairly readily available.

Ilford XP2 Super. ISO400 Chromagenic film (black and white, but can be processed in a colour lab, so 1hr negs / tinged prints possible. Very nice grain structure. Works great with yellow or orange filter to boost contrast a little.

Reala 800. Your low light friend. Go much faster than this and things get really quite grainy.

Velvia 50. Saturated fine grain transparancy film. Use with a polariser. Beautiful. It's like the colour is turned up to 11. Not to everybodies taste, and not for portraiture, but a film you have to try at least once.

others that may be trickier to get:

Fuji 160S really nice portrait film

Agfa Scala (probably impossible, as is processing) a brilliant black and white transparancy film.

Kodakrome 64 (again probably impossible, I've heard of some companies doing very limited batches of processing, a lovely film but probably not worth the hassle)

notapro said:

The problem seems to have resolved itself now, as inexplicably as it "appeared".

Maybe it was the phase of the moon, the weather, maybe this problem is intermittent, . . . who knows.

Just posting here to say that all's well again.

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Dirty contacts.

DJL329 said:

If you do a search on the forums here, you will find that others have recommended Midwest Camera Repair. They are a factory authorized service center for Canon and Nikon.

http://www.midwestcamera.com/lens.html

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+1.

I've had repairs done by them and was very happy. You can get a estimate by e-mail if you fill out their online form.

Sell the 5D2 while you can still get a decent price for it, and buy a 5D3 with a kit lens...either the 24-105mmL, or I hear you might be able to get the 24-70mm as a kit lens?

Sell the 5D2 and put that money with your $2K and get the 5D3 and kit lens.

If you have cash left over...the canon 85mm f/1.8 is actually a great bang for the buck non-L lens....


HTH,

cayenne

neuroanatomist said:

gferdinandsen said:

I have always found that a CPL usually precludes the use of a hood...unless you want to always take the hood off/reattach it after recomposing

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Maybe I just have longer fingers, but I have no issues. Certainly not with a 24-70, etc., but even with the 70-200 II it's not an issue for me to rotate the CPL with the hood attached.

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Much fewer problems with the new 24-70, but the old one had a hood nearly identical to the 70-200...a much larger hood.

The viewfinder issue is I think one only you can answer although I'm guessing we'll probabley see a Canon mirrorless with EVF and the new 70D sensor latter this year or early next.

To me what makes the EOS-M tempting isn't the body or the EF adapter but the native EF-M lenses themselves. Granted we've only seen three released so far but in terms of quality and/or value they seem like there a step above all of their mirrorless rivals, arguably above most DSLR options aswell.

Jack Douglas said:

Hey Mike,

Just had a look at your web page and I really like what you're shooting and the quality of your work. You're living in heaven (almost). Good luck. I'm betting, like me, your childhood included a good exposure to nature and that you had a parent of relative who loved the great outdoors and influenced you??

Just a deer, which is not difficult from my yard but the extra thrill came from the knowlege that this is likely the mother of the fawn we thought was motherless.

Jack

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Thanks Jack, just got back from a trip back to Ontario..had a phone call that my new lens has arrived and have an appt on Tuesday to go fetch it. As to my interest in the outdoors/wildlife, this only began about 6 years ago, not long after I acquired my first DSLR. And yes....it is like living in heaven here in Cape Breton!

Canon's answer is complete BS!

I have 300mm f/4L non-IS for a few ... decades!

I have used it with 3rd party Sigma 1.4 and Tamron 2X.
Now I have Canon EF1.4X II and EF2X II

With EF1.4X II it autofocuses fine with all my analog and digital bodies and the quality remains top!

With EF2X II it manual focuses except with my 5D3 which autofocuses fine with latest firmware.

GmwDarkroom said:

Knee pads, elbow pads, a surface to lie on

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Another +1 ... I use this method when shooting in the snow lying or kneeling on the ground, and even in good weather for protection from hard surfaces (knees weren't built to hold your weight, floor tiler know that).

I'm not happy with Canon's delay and delay and delay either

Many thanks for the links.....

i got two off the top of my head....

the first i came across was actually when i was working at a commercial lab. i ran all the E6 and C41 film so i saw ALOT of photography from many sources. one memorable roll came through with a 3 shot series that just dropped my jaw. 1st shot was bride and groom coming out of the church with arms raised about to walk down the steps (see where this is going?). 2nd shot everyone starts throwing rice, grooms arms still in the air and smiling....bride has started to stumble and is going down. 3rd shot everyone faces show realization of what disaster is about to happen, grooms face has an "oh @#%&" look and his arm is being pulled down as he starts to stumble while the bride has both arms completely outstretched and her face about an inch off the ground about to eat some serios pavement. there was no 4th shot.

the second instance i was a 2nd shooter on. we were at the brides place with her getting ready. the flowers arrive and are placed on the coffee table. the main shooter starts shooting the bouquet and arranges some small candles that were lit on the table around the flowers (mind you they were already there and lit...we didnt initiate that). she finishes up and goes back to shooting the bride. a couple minutes later someone comments on smelling something burning...we all start looking around and then suddenly POOF! brides bouquet bursts into flames. we scrambled to put it out and with some creative trimming and rearrangement the bride still had a bouquet.

dickgrafixstop said:

You questions begs two more
1.) Why would Canon want to partner with Zeiss who might well make a better lens?
2.) Why would Zeiss want to hook up with a turkey like the Canon M?

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1. They wouldn't.

2. A zeiss lens would almost certainly be MF, thereby negating the main critque folk who haven't actually used an m have about the m. As they say in Scotland.. Were you actually at the game caller?

Very nice, looking forward to the 3rd one ...and thank you for the appreciation at the end. That's very kind of you.

I use the SunPak RD2000 virtually all the time with all my cameras, esp the full frame bodies with no on board flash. I too have noticed the ETTL to be flaky on the 6D. I emailed Sally Wall at TocadAmerica, the american distributor of this flash. She informed me that they are still waiting on the firmware update for the 6D. When that happens, you will likely need to send it in to be updated. FWIW, Tocad is responsive and has always provided good service and support. Sally's email is swall <at> tocad.com

Good luck!

While the lengths of the 16-35 and the 135 L are close, the position and diameter of the focus ring is different. You might borrow or rent one before taking the plunge.

None.

Sometimes I enjoy reading a militant, rambling rant. Mostly however, really great stuff here.