Grandmas 80th birthday is coming up and I want to buy her a new camera. I've been looking at powershot A4050 IS
And Ixus 500 HS which are both on sale though the Ixus is more expensive. I don't know anything about the compact
Market so any advice in this segment would be much appreciated. The keyword is usability.

Thanks.

Hi. I have the original 70-200L f/4 and it's great as everyone knows. I have just purchased a 60D for a great price so now I have some extra $$$ for a new L lens.
I see a lot of comparisons between the 70-300L and the 70-200L f/4 IS but not the version that I use.

Is there a IQ difference between the 70-200L f/4 and the 70-200L f/4 IS ?

I shoot 80% of my pictures over 70mm so the 24-105L has to wait

If there is an IQ difference then the 70-300L is a no brainer for me.

Thanks in advance for your comments.

G'Day ppl

I live in Australia and I'll be in Miami for a week from June 13th, can you guys recommend a nice camera shop/superstore to visit (and make some damage) on the credit card ?? I would love to have time to go to B&H or Adorama etc however it's a business trip and I won't have all the time I would like to have in my hands, therefore somewhere "local" will be greatly appreciated

Cheers

AL

I finally decided to run Focal against my recently purchased 5D Mk III. I was surprised when Focal informs me it can't change the MFA. Good grief, it can change it on my 7D. Just a rant on my part. Why the heck would a camera that costs double the bucks of a 7D not have this feature found on a 7D? Oh well, I did the entire thing by manually changing the MFA as prompted by Focal on the two lenses (and then with a 1.4 extender). It certainly doubled the time it took with my intervention.

The 5D mk iii is still an awesome piece of equipment.

Tom

I placed a very large order with Adorama on Wednesday the 29th of May. I had never made a purchase that large and was informed by my bank that I would not be able to transfer the funds until Friday. I received several calls and emails from a sales associate named Israel pressuring me in a rude way to verify information. He called twice on Friday morning and I was unable to answer the phone during the morning. I transferred the money to their account at 2:30 on Friday and immediately returned Israel's phone call. He had left for the weekend. My bank had told me that the money would be in their account no later than Monday. I spoke to Israel and sent him verification of the money order. I spoke to my bank and they told me it would be available no later than 5 PM. I called Adorama at 6:15 Monday and was transferred to a call center who told me that I would be receiving verification of the transfer. They never returned my call. I called several times today Tuesday and sent emails to verify receipt of the money. No one was able to get in touch with the account team until I started getting angry and wanting to talk to managers. They then told me that they had refused the wire transfer because there was no address associated with my account. Instead of taking the time to work things out they simply refused it out of pure laziness. I understand fraud is a big problem but it does not mean that everyone should be treated like a criminal. I then asked them to return the $25 fee for wire transfers. They told me that the bank assessed it and therefore they are not responsible for it.

I have wasted hours on the phone, $25, was treated very rudely and I have delayed receiving my equipment for about a week depending on how fast they return the money and the bank can verify the reverse. I am very dissatisfied as a consumer and I encourage everyone not to choose Adorama especially for larger orders. I'm going with B and H, the only reason I didn't initially is because they were showing backordered at the factory on the 600mm F4 and I had no idea how long it would take to come back in stock (it was back in stock the following day, man am I kicking myself for that decision). I will write back with further updates.

TASCAM DR05 - is it any good to use with my Canon 60D to shoot video?

OK... I know that the professional choice is to get the Zoom H4N
I don't want to push my budget that far for the moment

Question: Would the Tascam do the same job as a directional mic?
(Apologies in advance if that's a dumb question)

Question: Can I add a windguard (I think thats what they're called) to the Tascam?

I've seen a video where they setup the 60D with a Zoom H4N
The guy has an output that feeds into the 60D - so they get 2 sound recordings (just in case)
Question: Can I do the same with the Tascam?

Thanks


Omar

I invested in a Canon 100mm macro IS lens to take pics of jewellery

But... I wanted to know... what else can I do with this lens?
I don't actually have any other need for it
Can it be used to take pics of portraits for example?
Or is that not practical since you;ll have to stand sooo0 far away (because being a macro, everything is magnified)?

Thanks


Omar

I want to take pictures in front of famous landmarks
Think of the Eiffel Tower or the Statue of Liberty

I want to stand in front (some distance away) and take a pic and make the pic look as though I am the same height

Looking for ideas how best to do

What I've done so far...

Get on the ground, angle the camera upwards.
Have your subject stand in front.
Take the pic.

Comes out pretty good
Wanted to know if there where others bits of advice I should follow?

Thanks


Omar

Dear Forum,

I've been a happy user of a panasonic GF-1, 20 mm 1.7, and 45-200 for about 3 years. I would very much appreciate recommendations regarding an upgrade. I'm specifically looking for better autofocus, handling, and low light performance. I would love a large bright viewfinder as well. (I have been using the LVF-1 from panasonic).

I'm looking for something versitile (i.e. landscape, portrait, minimal action shots). Size and weight is also a factor for me.

Thank you for your thoughts.

I didn't see any discussion on that topic so I'll start it.

I was just getting myself some photography litterature (namely the new Winogrand, collections of Lewis Hines and Andre Kertesz and an exhibition catalogue of O Zhang) and I was rethinking about comments on "photography litteracy".

Actually the more I get social with other photographers, the more I can see the difference in approach between people with "references"and people without. (no judgment there, both approach are valid as creation process ... but maybe less as discussion base )

So please share your "photography readings". Can be famous photog books, can be "how to's", whatever you think helps you shoot better!

I have been using 24 mm (first the 24/2.8 and later L II) since I got my first FF camera (5D2) in 2009. I currently use 24/1.4L II (with 5D3) as my everyday prime and sometimes 40/2.8 when I want to be less conspicuous.

My third lens is the 70-200/f4LIS which I only use occasionally for portraits and wildlife (however, very limited range). Considering the fact that the new 24-70 is near-prime sharp, I rarely use apertures under 2 with the 24 (primarily landscapes) and the fact that I would not miss the 70-200 immensely (70-200 f/2.8 II next on the list) - I'm contemplating selling my two L lenses for the 24-70 mark II.

My basic goal is to have a more versatile kit, where I don't have to change the lens as soon as I need something between 24 and 70 mm. But still, with superb image quality.

I'm very interested what you guys think about this idea, would there be a noticeable drop in IQ at 24 mm and at landscape apertures? You who own both, do you find that your 24/1.4L II is obsolete with the 24-70 II?

Hi guys ...

I've just posted this question on the Magic Lantern Forum too :

http://www.magiclantern.fm/forum/index.php?topic=6124.msg45493#msg45493

Basically, could Magic Lantern be enabled to allow high speed flash sync with outdoor fill flash ?

If the electronic shutter (in Live View Mode) is used instead of the standard focal plane shutter, could ML allow high speed sync with Canon portable guns at larger distances ?

Thoughts please ... and perhaps pass any useful comments on to ML thread too ;D

We all have different reasons for the lenses we choose to buy - some prefer fast lenses, some image stabilised, some go for weight - and some for price. We all have in our minds what our "next lens" will be - but I was wondering what is determining your choice - and whether you can illustrate your reason with an existing photo, and explain why your next lens would have made it so much better/easier/sharper/etc.

To kick things off, my choices of lens so far have mainly been driven by widening my available focal lengths - in other words, increasing my options. Now I can cover the range from 8mm to 300mm, my next lens will be one of the TS-E's, primarily to help straighten out my converging verticals, as you can see from the photo.

So what will be your next lens - and can you post a photo (possibly by definition one you're not happy with) to explain why?

After a month of intense testing, I'm returning the lens with some regret. It's actually pretty amazing and fits my budget. It's sharp. The biggest problem I have is AF. It seems to require different amount of MA under different conditions. I thought I was crazy but I found reviews that describe the same behavior. I thought about user error but I haven't experienced the same with the much cheaper canon 50 1.4. I agonized over it and kept testing. As the return window was closing I had to make a decision.

I am getting the Canon 35L. I don't know if it would serve me better. Everybody says the Sigma outperforms the old Canon so I don't keep my hopes too high.

I took quite a few pictures I love with the Sigma. I really wanted to love it but I can't deal with unreliable and slow AF.

The sigma deserves a second chance. Perhaps I'll get a better copy. But I'm gonna try the Canon first.

I accidentally opened the CF card door on my 5D3 while formatting the card and now it won't read or reformat. Any tips on fixing this, or did I just nuke my card for good? There is no data as I was formatting it anyway, but it's a 16GB card I'd rather not buy again. Thanks!

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Samyang-24mm-f-3.5-Tilt-Shift-Lens-Review.aspx

While I'm sure that marketing can put the right spin on this statement to make it factual even without the word "may" being included, but that word shows some wishful thinking. And from an image quality perspective, wishful is about as far as this lens goes – unless you stop down to at least f/5.6 or f/8.

With a wide open aperture, the Samyang 24mm f/3.5 Tilt-Shift Lens delivers blurry image quality. It's just ugly. Do not plan on using this lens at any aperture wider than f/5.6, or better yet, f/8 (especially for full frame corners image quality). Use the "Image Quality" tool link at the top of this page to see the lab test results for yourself.

Click to expand...

???

over 900 euro and such a bad image quality?

Hi !

I used to have a 150mm (short telephoto) leaf shutter lens for my Mamiya 645. It was amazing - i could sync my fill flash outdoors at wide apertures and long distances.

Why don't Canon make such lenses ? They can't be any more specialist than Canon PC lenses and great for fashion / outdoor portrait work.

Any ideas ?

So I've been holding out for a 70D or 7D2 for over a year now and have finally hit my limit on patience. I have 2 camping trips later this year and a trip to the NYC area next week and really would love a new body for them. Now, I'm looking at things a bit unconventionally; Fuji X-E1 or a used 7D body. I'm wanting a smaller body at some point for day-to-day shooting, but I will also be needing a more professional body for when I want to be more serious about what I'm doing, so each fills their respective needs. No switching; I have too much glass for me to leave Canon altogether, but I do want that second, smaller body too.

Note that this is only a serious hobby, I do not, nor do I intend to make money with either body.

so...since I am short on time and can only afford one at the moment, do I buy the X-E1 for my casual shooting (which I do less of and will only have kit glass for), or do I get the 7D body that I'll end up trading at a loss in a year (or 5 at the rate Canon is going)? opinions?

I would greatly appreciate if someone knows it there is a company that makes good lens hoods for L glass.

Most of the time i use the 85mm 1.2L II with 1DX and they are both great looking products but the lens hoid on the 85mm is hideous!! And it feels really cheap.

Many lens hoods look and feel good but not this one. I like the hoods on TS-E24mm 3.5 II, 70-200 2.8 is II, 24-70 II, 35mm 1.4.

I dont know why this bugs me so much but i'm embarrased to be seen with the lens hood on the lens.

Is there a company that makes them??
I would rather make one myself out of silly putty than use this one.

Thanks.

Although I am a professional DOP working on RED, Alexia etc, I now am doing a job for the first time on DSLR and have so many questions and need all the help you all can provide. Please help!

The gear available to me:
5d3, 1dx
Zeiss 14 2.8, Zeiss 35 f1.4, Zeiss 135 f2 (on its way)
Fluid head tripod.
Lexar 1000x 32gb UDMA 7 card
A three year old Imac for editing.

Nature of job and crew:
I will be going to small villages and shoot lifestyles of people as artistically as I can. Mostly decent light, occasionally low light.
I will shoot lots of interviews with audio.
I have a focus puller and lighting assistant.

I want efficient frill free equipment that does the job. However, keeping gear light is not the first requirement, getting professional output is.

The edited videos will be viewed mostly on internet and at times projected on a mid size screen.

My questions:
1. Do I need another monitor besides the LCD on the camera to check focus etc?
2. Which is the best slider for price for DSLR?
3. Which is the best way to record audio? Do I record on camera or external recorder and sync using a slate? I have a BeachTek DXA-SLR available for free. Is it any good?
4. Should I use Magic Lantern software or original Canon RAW? If magic lantern, then which version?
5. What is the ideal ISO for video? And if not ideal, what is the acceptable range for noise free work.
6. Is 1/50 the only shutter speed to work at or it does not matter?
7. Will my Imac be ok for the edit? I will not buy an Imac now until it is refreshed, but just want to prepare myself on the speed of edit.

ANY help is appreciated sincerely.

Thank you!

This summer I'm doing a lot of photography-focused backpacking in mountains and forests. My primary considerations for choosing gear are handheld IQ, weight & pack space, and preference for weather sealing (when possible/practical). So far, I'm just about set on taking a 6D, 17-40L, 100L macro, and nifty fifty. Something tells me I'm going to need an option for more reach (animals), but the 400mm 5.6 available to me seems out of the question due to size. In the past I've used a 70-200 f/4 non-IS, but that was on a 7D.

Appealing to this forum's collective knowledge and experience, my question is whether I can get a 300mm+ lens weighing less than 800 grams that will beat the IQ of just cropping photos from the 100L. Or should I try and make do with the 70-200? Any thoughts? Thank you!

I have a Canon 5DIII and a Canon 600EX-RT and am using a 24-105L. I’m trying to take flash pictures of a backlit subject and bounce the flash of the ceiling. When I do this using full-auto the subject is exposed perfectly. When I try to take the same picture with the P (Program) setting , the subject comes out completely underexposed. I then tried hitting the mn-funtion button because I am told this will expose correctly for the center of the frame (no indication of any setting being saved in the viewfinder). No good, still completely under exposed. I tried sport metering, still under exposed. If I don’t bounce the flash the exposures are consistent between program and auto. I tried an old 580 flash and have the same problem so I know there is nothing wrong with the flash. My Question is why can’t I take pictures of backlit subjects and bounce the flash off the celling. Works great in Auto, terribly backlit of program mode.

If you could only have three lenses to shoot video AND general photography on FF cameras, (including sports, portraiture with or without flash, macro, etc.), which would you choose?

Base on my limited experience, I would probably go with the Tamron 24-70 VC, Canon 70-200 IS II and Canon 50 f/1.2. Why the Tamron instead of the Canon 24-70 II? I've used both briefly and although the Canon produces sharper images, the Tamron comes pretty close, especially in the center, and also has VC; throw on some extension tubing and you've got yourself a decent macro lens. The Canon 70-200 is an obvious choice for most of the above purposes, and is the sharpest zoom in the range; combined with a TC, you've got yourself a highly versatile, but heavy piece of glass. Lastly, the 50 f/1.2 is the fastest in the current L lineup and is an alright general walk-around lens, but is really meant to be shot wide open; I would use this mostly for low light photography when I just don't want to carry around a big, heavy zoom and/or flash.

What about you?

I know this is pointless but I had a thought, If the 7D2 is as we think i.e looks the same, feels the same, works the same has a few bells and whistles added but..has a 5D3 or similar autofocus, a one or two stop advantage over the current one and is low 20s million pixels, that moves it into 1D4 territory. I have a 1D4 and sold my 7D as it didnt cut it in low light. If the new one, when it rears its head, is as many think it may be, will it replace a good few 1D4's? Id punt for one for sure. Basically a 5D3 that has a crop sensor and shoots faster. And no, I will never get rid of the 4, it will sit alongside it like my 1DS3, a camera so beat up it looks like ive used it for DIY when I lost my big hammer but still works %100 fine.

My 1dsMKII was fine I din't change anything and then I got this problems with the black vertical lines.