To sum up... I actually bought a used 70-200mm f/2.8L IS mkii today for $1700. Per the person, it has been sparingly used during that year and it was collecting dust... which I totally can understand because I have all but abandoned using my 50mm f/1.4 over the past year and change.

Two quick things... I know how to read the manufacture date for a lens so I will be able to tell if it was made in 2010 v. 2012, but is there anything else I should check for to see how much it was used? I'm inclinded to say scratches wear spots, etc... but I don't think that is going to be an issue.

I really did want to get a 5d mkiii next... but this was just too good of a deal to pass up. Now I'm about 4 to 500 short of being able to afford the mkiii... but I can make that up before Christmas pretty easily.

yes

RGF said:

Mt Spokane Photography said:

Fat 32 is the format to use, its compatible with your camera, with Windows, and with Macs. For 128GB cards, exFAT is used. Its compatible with late model cameras, Windows and Mac Snow Leopard and later.


A low level format as its now commonly referred to is not the same lowlevel format of yester year, it basically writes 0's to all the cells on your card, and is useful for finding bad cells and mapping them out.

In Windows, its called a full format as opposed to the quick format done in the camera and in Windows. Quick format just marks the card as empty and doesn't check anything. I don't know what terminology Macs Use.

Click to expand...

Nice it would actual test each sector by writing and reading.

Click to expand...

Actually, I think it does test.

You can use software like Lexar's Image Rescue 4 which will erase and then format a card. It can take a very long time to run on a big card.

Just my two cents, I would go for the Sigma 105mm F/2.8 EX DG Macro lens. I picked up mine for $300 used in mint condition. I use it a lot for both macro photography and video, it is one of my sharpest lenses. When you're photographing stuff like rugs, do you really need the fastest and best autofocus. The Sigma doesn't have the greatest autofocus but I'm shooting using live view and manually focusing most of the time. Just today I got some great shots with the lens.







Here are some other photos I've taken with it













Here's a movie I shot with it

Star Magnolia

The OP is looking for a flash. 580 and 600 were suggested in the first reply so I added the link to that post for more info.

Is the 700D aka Rebel X5i this side of the pond?

a few more...

i liked 2, but also 6 and 7. but i am a pilot, i like sky
http://www.youtube.com/user/scoobertjoo

Thanks.

I know this is a little off topic but I found I was using my 50mm f/1.4 at 2.8 or smaller most of the time so i sold it and got the 24-70 f/2.8 II instead.

If you need to use the lens wider than 2.8, I always hear that the 50 1.2L outperforms the 50 1.4, but only marginally.

It all depends if you want ETTL or not. I have Sigma ring flash that is exactly the same as the MR-14EX and owned the MT-24-EX. I used the MT-24 with my MP-E65 which I sold both the lens and the flash.

The MR-14EX was really designed for medical applications like dentists taking shots of teeth but as neuronatomist mentioned because you can control or ratio each tube you can do nice work with it. It is less expensive than the MT-24 and easier to work with I found.

There are also tons of DIY projects on the net. People use an on camera flash like the 580, make aluminium foil lined cardboard tube that extends and is angled to the subject just past the end of the lens.

Here is one with my Sigma Ring flash

brad-man said:

I agree. The third shot is framed perfectly. I would have brought up the shadows more in that second one, or was it shot with a Canon . Nice shots guys.

Click to expand...

Asking for trouble are you?

I think you have had some great advices from the others already - from taking the flash off the camera, having adequate shutter speed, or improving the composition by cropping out irrelevant variables.

Another thing I would add is planning. Basically I would suggest you to get to know about the event as much as you can. From where the people of interest would sit, the position where you can mount/bounce your flash, timing, etc. This way you can be better prepared and know where you should be for a given scene. During your planning phase, I found it useful to survey the location by having the lights both on and then off.

Many people have their own approach, but for me, planning process is key.

Hope this helps.

cheers,
r.

Sure C. is developing something new.
And I am sure, also a new FF.
They always will.

Time will tell.
You can be sure by buying a 5d3 to have a good tool now.

Great shots.
I see you use 1DMKIII with 400mm f/2.8 and center-weighted average

Do you use most of the time the center weighted average? On what decision you change it?

PureAmateur said:

How about this one?

http://re35.net/index.html

;D

Click to expand...

Nice design idea, pity about the April 1st disclaimer though :'(

wickidwombat said:

i really hope they enable customisation of the rate button
I want to set it to enable / disable AEB so i dont have to go into the menu to do it

Click to expand...

+1

An alternative would be http://www.canonpricewatch.com/. Click on whatever lens you are interested in and scroll to the bottom of the page. There is a graphical representation of the average pricing of the lens from release to present.

MRLinVA said:

Agree 100% with Neuro's assessment. In my view the only regret you will have is not having proper support and watching the big glass hit the ground. I have used the Wimberley WH-200 and it is very nice. I personally have the same RRS setup as Neuro describes, with the only difference being that I have the TVC-33S (the S stands for "short") which I prefer for travel convenience.

Click to expand...

I'd definitely go with the 3 section' studies, especially this is new to you. I have no trouble getting my Gitzo 3530LS 3 section on board a plane even a regional aircraft.

G'day mate...aloha from Hawaii

hgraf said:

I didn't consider that another type of closed loop is camera checks PD array, tells lens to move to a position and lens reports done. While technically closed loop, it isn't as simple as the first case, and exposes the system to more sources of error.

Engineering is all about compromise, so the fact that Canon does it the way it does points to there being a benefit to the more complicated method, my guess would be speed.

It's similar to how the contrast detect focusing in live view is "slow", contrast detect doesn't deliver as reliable a "your focus is off by this much" sort of error signal, so the loop is closed by the contrast detect, hence the hunting you see while in live mode.

So thank you all for clearing this up for me!

One last question: how does Nikon do it? Does it also have an AFMA type tool?

Thanks!

Click to expand...

Phase detect operates in basically the same way for all Cameras. It is old technology. A closed loop will still be inaccurate as well as slow. Remember, the check done by the PD array does not mean the subect is in focus.

Contrast detect, which uses the actual sensor photosites to compute focus is the closed loop type of focusing. Its painfully slow because of all the checking and back and forth searching. It often starts searching in the wrong direction.

Some of the newer Canon models now use a hybrid focusing method. Phase Detect pixels are embedded in the sensor, and tell the contrast detection system where to look for sharpest focus. The drawback for DSLR's is that the mirror must be up, so there is no visibility thru the viewfinder to be able to track the subject.

Mirrorless cameras get around this by using EVF technology which is improving with every new version. They are still very slow to focus where large sensors are involved. Small sensors might only use three to five lens positions to cover focus, so they are much quicker. The very deep depth of field makes this work.

"Distrosion" related to closeness to the 3D object like that image posted. For flat rugs laid out our hung (hanging down on platform which is lifted to be in the camera-lens axis which offers better workflow and product photo management) the wide angle less difficult to handle because distortion will be more subtle. But there will be some change in the pattern on the periphery of the [flat]rug if shoot close in with the 10-22. Nice lens, though. LR will correct the "barrel" or "pincushion" distortion. You might also look at DxO RAW processing product for other more sophisticated wide angle corrections.

I would guess that pattern distortion was a show-stopper (bad kind) in the rug business.

Sometimes the best way to clear up confusion is to just try it...

I hope you have continued happiness and enjoyment!

I purchased a refurbished 5Dmk3 six weeks ago when Canon marked them down to $2379.00. It had less than 100 shots taken on it and looked brand new. It has performed very well and I would definitely buy more refurbished items from Canon when on sale.

Having used both (for a 5D2) I'll take FoCal any day.

Jim