Quick question,

In one shot mode, do the expanded AF points play any role?

Until now I always thought it was for AI Servo only...but it's been a few times, where I am in One shot and Expanded points...when I focus with the "bigger" center point, the small one lights up (meaning that the confirmation AF comes from one of the expanded points)

thank you

I have heard, increasingly lately, that 1DX RAW files are better than 5D3. I have noticed myself, in other posts, that they tend to be able to be pushed farther. Why is this? Thanks for any insight.

I've got a photoshoot coming up in a few weeks, a live classical music (mostly flutes) performance by students and graduates.

It will be in a church, but in the middle of the day and with some lights for the gig, so I expect low-light, but nothing that bad.

My current setup is the following:

• Canon 6D
• Canon 28-70mm f/3.5-4.5
• Canon 40mm f/2.8
• Canon 85mm f/1.8
• Canon 35-80mm F/4.0-5.6 III (modded for macro)

I intend to bring the 40mm (for wider group shots showing the environment), the 85mm (for full body shots) but I'd like to acquire a 135mm lens for tighter portraits.

As much as I'd love to acquire the beloved Canon 135mm f/2L, I simply cannot drop that kind of cash on it right now.

I could rent the Canon 135mm f/2L for four days for $76 (I live in Canada, so with Lens Rental Canada) but I'd rather invest in a lens that I can sell back in the future when I acquire either a 135mm f/2L or a 70-200mm.

The idea that I came up with was to acquire an older, manual focus, lens that I could use with an adapter to EOS, preferably one with a focus confirmation chip. I'm well aware that I'll have to use manual focus and set the aperture on the lens itself, but that's not an issue for me, as I have experience with that and I don't expect classical music performers to move around too much

My only issue is that there are TONS of old manual focus 135mm lenses on the market and I have no idea where to start looking to snatch up a good deal. What I mean is that I'm fine with shopping locally, craiglist, ebay, etc., but I have no idea which old manual focus 135mm lenses are worth considering.

Does anyone have experience with adapting older 135mm lenses to EOS cameras? My budget for a 135mm f/2.8 (or faster) is maximum $200. What would you recommend? This lens will be mainly used for portraits, so obviously a nice bokeh is a pro here. Thank you

Hello all,

I have a canon 5D3 and the following lenses:
70-200mm f/2.8 II
24-105mm f/4 (kit lens)
17-40mm f/4
85mm f/1.8
All above is Canon
I have a Rokinon 14mm f/2.8

I have no flash as of yet.

Now, here's the thing. What are some good techniques for shooting pins? They are lit themselves of course (when turned on). I will have chances to take shots when the lights in the room are on (florescent), but there will also be times with the lights mostly out, and they have different lights all around the place (spinning colors, some xmas type lights around the walls of the place, etc

I will be wanting to shoot the games, the backglass will be shot. I've tried some HDR with this, and hit helps 'some'...the anti-ghosting is nice with this to help with the changing displays on the more modern machines. Not as much a problem with the old EM (Electro-Mechanical)....

I'm wondering if there is any good way to shoot the playfields? They often have some much glare on them, is there any technique I could try to minimize this shy of having them remove the glass for some shots?

I'd also like to get some action shots with people playing....not with actual tournament play, but maybe stage some with some of my stands and clamp lights I have...suggestions for how to light that with non-strobe lights? Most everything I have is same color temp, about 2700K that I used for my cooking videos I shoot.

Anyway, I'm looking for some suggestions/advice/pointers on shooting some challenging subjects in an often challenging environment with regard to the room lighting. How could I best use this to create some fun images?

Thank you in advance,

cayenne

At my office the other week we had a meeting about one of these 2-day “corporate Olympics”-type events happening in a few weeks. Organizers mentioned that they were looking for somebody to photograph our employees participating in the various competitions. Despite being a humble amateur, I volunteered to take pictures. I figured it would be a good opportunity to improve my photography on something other than my kids… and the pics won’t likely be any worse than those from years past (blurry cell phone pics, flat & lifeless P&S pics, etc.).

The competition will feature a wide variety of competitions: individual and relay running (short, middle, long), cycling, tug of war, swimming, basketball, volleyball, home run derby, etc.

I was hoping to get some advice from the group on what would be a good kit to prepare for such an event – especially when it comes to lens selection. My goal is to balance what equipment would keep me prepared for most scenarios, while not going overboard. I’d appreciate any tips from those who do this type of thing regularly.

I am definitely planning on bringing the following:

• Lowepro Pro Trekker 300 AW
• 5D Mark iii w/ battery grip (and four LP-E6s)
• Joby Ultrafit sling strap
• Manfrotto 695CX monopod w/ quick release head (and mounting plates for my small whites)
• Speedlite 430EX II
• Plenty of SD and CF cards
• OP/TECH rainsleeves
• Water, snacks, hat, sunscreen, batteries, etc.

Then there is the lens list that is more open for debate (I’ve listed them in what I feel might be order of importance):

• 70-200mm f/2.8 IS ii
• 100-400mm
• 135mm
• 24-70mm f/2.8 ii
• TC 1.4x iii

My preference as of late has been shooting with primes, but I can imagine in this situation I would do best having the flexibility of zooms. It especially pains me to be leaving the 300mm f/4 IS at home, as I’ve started to really appreciate what IQ advantage it can have over zooms operating in the same FL. The zooms might be the most useful - but the primes probably have the ability to "wow" more than the zooms.

So, for those who have the experience, what are your suggestions for lenses? Unless I am mingling in the crowd of athletes between events, I can’t imagine I’ll use the 24-70mm much, and I’ve debated just throwing the 50mm in the bag instead for such moments. Along the same lines, I cannot thing of a scenario where I would need an UWA, so I’m planning on leaving the 16-35mm at home.

Secondly, is the need for a backup body. I’m thinking about renting a 7D or a second 5D3 for backup. Although it is not a paid gig, I’d definitely feel bad if something happened and my personal camera crapped out during the event. Is this a must?

Anyway, thanks in advance for any suggestion you all can provide. Thanks!

I already own some Canon gear, but have made the jump to micro 4/3 with the OM-D. I still am interested in full frame so I was considering a 6D to compliment my om-d. I don't need the autofocus of the 5D mkIII, I am just interested in image quality. So I rented a 6D and the 24-105 f4 to see what it was like. I was planning on buying the kit anyway.

When the camera arrived it was a rainy day, and after getting used to it (I've used canon cameras for years so there wasn't much of a learning curve) I decided to try some very informal IQ tests. Using my OM-D and a $150 zoom, 40-150mm, through a rainy window and then the 6D and 24-105 with the window open. I tried to keep settings as similar as possible for both cameras. Both images are straight out of camera RAW's with no editing done whatsoever. Both imported through Lightroom 4.4.

I was surprised to see that the little $150 dollar lens and my OM-D produced a much better image! I know the 24-105 is not the sharpest lens out there by any means, but I don't think the 40-150 is either. Especially through a window.

Any ideas? Problem with the lens? Am I doing something wrong and missed a setting somewhere? I took several pictures with the 6D to make sure I wasn't focusing wrong or anything like that, and even stopped down to f8 and didn't see much difference. I do enjoy shooting with the 6D and it wasn't as big and heavy as I thought it would be, but I don't want to buy it and then have to buy very expensive lenses just to match the performance of my om-d and the 40-150.

I also used the 50mm 1.8 II and noticed it was much sharper which makes me think the 24-105 just isn't very good. Though with the 50mm vs my om-d I couldn't really tell the two apart unless I was shooting wide open and the DOF was obviously different. Still not as big of a IQ difference as I expected.

Other thoughts: Dynamic range is about the same and the color rendition is also great for both cameras. At iso 3200 the om-d starts to fall behind and after that the 6D is a clear winner. I am amazed by the ISO performance of this camera! I like the film grain look of the noise on both the 6D and om-d but 6400 is as high as I go on the om-d. 12800 on the 6D looks great still IMO.

Short of test driving all of them, is there a guideline regarding choice of focal lengths for TS lenses. What are the typical needs met by 17mm, 24mm, 45mm, and 90mm TS lenses? Does it differ is a FF, APS-H, or APS-C body is used? I just shot the 17mm and it seems to be better suited for large subjects and shooting from lower elevations. I will shoot the 24mm next.

So after a long time being absent from photography I have decided that I want to stop my pursuit in becoming a semi-professional photographer.

That being said, I don't want to give up photography. I just want to be able to take good pictures for my personal portfolio! So I'm considering selling all of my Canon gear (Canon 5Dc, 17-40mm, 50mm, and 70-200mm) and buying a smaller set up that is unobtrusive.

I would probably get around 1,750 for everything in total. With that money, I planned on getting this set up:

• Sony NEX C3 w/ 16mm f/2.8
• Sigma 30mm f/2.8
• Sony 50mm f/1.8

Anyways, am I crazy for going this route?

I have a 6D + 28mm 1.8. I want to improve my ISO when taking shots indoor.
I am really looking at 270ex II,. I can't find any real review with sample images.

Will this flash improved my ISO settings from 12800 to like 4000 or less?
Is ETTL performance good?

My usual settings are: Av Mode, Auto ISO, 1/60 min shutter speed.

I shoot portrait or people in groups.

Can anyone share sample group shots taken with 270ex II?

ps. please don't suggest higher model first, since I want to know if 270ex will work or not first.
If really I am convinced that 270 ex will not work, then I will find alternative.

well am buying 6D, my first DSLR, and am on a very tight budget. As this is my first DSLR, obviously, i dont have any lenses either.

I was planning to get EF 50mm f/1.4 USM to use if for everything and when i know the cam inside out then i will hunt for other lenses and by that time i will have some $$ also.

Guys i need your help for lens. Which one should i go for? I dont have much $$. Suggestions?

EDIT: i fotgot to mention, i will be doing lot of landscapes and low light photography

Hi all,

I just got a Tamron 24-70 f/2.8 VC. I noticed that sometimes the frame jumps for about 1s when the image stabilizer engages after half pressing the shutter. If the behavior is present, I can't get sharp images hand holding the lens at low shutter speeds. Turning image stabilization off actually gives me better result. It doesn't always happen but sometimes this really screws up my pictures.

I haven't noticed this in any other image stabilized lense from Canon or Sigma that I have used before. Is this a defective lens or a common behavior of the Tamron VC system?

Cheers,
Markus

I am looking at renting a lens for an upcoming trip. Renting a lens will be a first for me. I'm hoping for some recommendations for a US based company to use....or to avoid. Who do you rent from?

1. How do teleconverters affect a lens's Minimum Focus Distance?

2. When I AFMA a lens with FoCal, it gives me a figure (+3 or -2, etc.) that I manually dial into my AFMA menu on my 5D3. But when I then attach a Kenko 1.4x teleconverter between that lens and body, the body goes nuts. To regain control, I must remove the battery for at least 5 seconds. If I disable AFMA, I can attach and use the lens and teleconverter without a problem. So, is there any way to get AFMA to play nice with Kenko teleconverters, or must I always remember to disable AFMA before using it? And do Canon teleconverters face this same issue?

I've decided to get the EF 135mm f/2 L, and I'd like to get a good one on the used market. I've checked out a couple of the rental places (Lens Rentals, Borrow Lenses), and they don't have any in stock at the moment. I'm not in a great place geographically to be able to look at one locally on Craig's List.

Other than those venues, where are some other places to procure this lens? I've always had good luck with third party vendors on Amazon, although I've never purchased a used lens that way. I know that Amazon has a warranty program, even for third party vendors, but luckily I've never had to use it, so I don't know how good it is. Whatever thoughts you have on purchasing a used quality lens online would be greatly appreciated. My timeline is such that I can wait for a little while, but I'd like to make a purchase within the next 30-45 days. Thanks in advance for your advice.

I am trying out the 135L right now. It's a phenomenal lens, of course. But I do find situations where OIS would be helpful, and a little extra light-gathering capability never hurts.

Has Sigma actually announced that the 135/1.8 OIS is coming, or is that more of an unsubstantiated rumor at this point?

I made an attempt to shoot video at a small oval race track last week, it was my first time shooting video with the 5D Mk III (or much of anything else for that matter). I'm disappointed with the results. Because of the speed of the cars I thought shooting at 60 fps would be a wise choice for better slow motion of the inevitable accidents. This meant 720p. The video is very soft, I've read since that some consider 720 to be unusable.
My setup was: 24-70 @ 70mm w/ f4-f8 (changed as the sun went down), 720 @ 60 IPB (>4 hours of shooting so space issues, don't want to change cards in the middle of a race), ISO 500 - 12800 (again, changed as the sun went down, poorly lit track) Tripod was used (paned with the cars), Zoom H4n (audio is fine).
Would 1080p 30 be a better choice with the trade off of slow motion? And perhaps a shutter of 125 or higher for a sharper look?
Most of the action happens at > 150 ft from the camera, the closest I get to the cars is ~50 feet.
TIA

The last time I went to the beach, I had a Sony point and shoot ($200) and I had no fear. I was taking pictures while the water was up to my knees with my daughter splashing around.

And now that I have a 60D which might be a 5d mkiii by the time we are beach bound, a 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS mkii, a 24-105mm, and a bunch of other lenses. And one grain of sand is all it takes to screw things up.

So... what do yall suggest? I will absolutely avoid changes the lenses outside... and I will absolutely not leave my gear on the sand or even on a blanket that might have sand on it... but is it worth the risk to even take it out of the hotel? Should I rent a body/lens and let the guys at Borrow lenses remove the sand from the motor?

I was thinking of stupid ideas like wrapping saran wrap around the lens and body and then just treating the lens like it was a prime... but that doesn't really seem reasonable.

I should have agreed to go to Disney again.

I am only curious, but has anyone ever really done a true comparison in performance between these two lenses (and the 300's as well)? I just wonder if there are actually any in-the-field performance differences. The ISO comparion charts look very similar. I was just curious. Thanks.

Check this out-

Comparison of Canon EOS Burst Shutter Sounds (visual)

Damn ... The 1DIV and the 1Dx sound like machine guns.

Apologies if this has been posted earlier. I hope I embedded it correctly.

Cheers ... J.R.

Hello,

I'd like to hear your opinion on what lens fits my needs best.
Recently I switched to FF and now it is time to upgrade my lenses as well.

What I do:
Mostly landscapes, tele for details and the occasional animal. While I am not hiking multiple days with my eqipment it should fit well into one backpack with other stuff and weight is an issue.
Sometimes people shots.

Current equipment
5D2, Canon 16-35, Tamron 24-70, 50/85mm primes and a Tamron 70-300VC

With the current cashback I was thinking about getting the new 70-200IS and a teleconverter for reach if I need it. On the other hand directly going for the 70-300 or 100-400 adds more reach at lower weight and cost.

The f2.8 of the 70-200 is nice to have but not an absolute must. A 70-200/f4 however would be too slow if I add a TC.
I understand that IQ from the 70-200/2.8 is best among these lenses and the -300 comes second.

Before I rent all these lenses for a weekend to test I'd be interested if you have advice or were in a similar situation.

Thank you
Jens

These are approximately the same price now. Would one be preferable over the other? Yes, I know the TS-E 24mm Mark II is better than both.

This is my first post on CR. I have been following all you brilliant guys/gals for some time now.
Since 2006 I have been using my 350D, but yesterday I went crazy and bought the 5D3 I've been yearning for for sometimes now, to a large extent inspired by your posts.
With the body I bought the 24-70mm, f/2.8 II, the 50 mm, f/1.2 and the 8-15 mm fisheye - I'll probably be taken away in a straight jacket soon
So far I've been blown away by the quality both resolution, sharpness and high ISO performance. It's so incredible much better than the 350D in all aspects.
I obviously have a lot to learn, but I know were to get help

The Japanese Yen has fallen considerably in value in recent months. Japanese exports should therefore be much cheaper now for buyers, so why are Canon prices remaining so high? I'd love a new Canon 5D mk III but current MAP limitations are keeping prices high and stopping me from buying.

I'm looking for some input on which lens to purchase....please let me know what you think, and please keep in mind I'm just an amateur photographer.

I just ordered a Nikon D600 as a second camera to my 5D Mark III, and I'm considering purchasing either the Nikon 14-24 f/2.8 or the 16-35 f/4.

I already own the Canon 17-40 f/4 to use with my 5d Mark III, so I'm leaning toward the Nikon 14-24 f/2.8 to use with the D600.

My primary uses for the Nikon 14-24, or the Nikon 16-35, would be:
* sports...football, baseball stadiums, and hockey arenas
* cityscapes/landscapes....I'm planning on taking a trip to Mount Rushmore this summer
* astrophotography
* architecture

Thanks

P.S. Attached are a few photos I took with the 5D mk3 and 17-40 f/4

I am looking at getting a 70 -200 F2.8 L 2. I have at present have the excellent 70- 300f4-5.6L, is it worth buying the 70 200L or would be better to go for 85F1.2L and the 135 F2.0L, and advice would be most appreciated.