dSLR thread

[Gilbo]

They're the best lenses I've ever used. I have a Canon 35mm f/ 1.4L which is great, but honestly not on the same level.

I'm hoping the price comes down quickly on the K-5. It's not realistically in the cards in the near future otherwise.

 

[LunarMist]

They're the best lenses I've ever used. I have a Canon 35mm f/ 1.4L which is great, but honestly not on the same level.

I'm hoping the price comes down quickly on the K-5. It's not realistically in the cards in the near future otherwise.

I'm assuming you mean the best ~normal lenses. You must have used some fine macro lenses somewhere along the way.

 

[LunarMist]

That it crashes? Or that it can't handle processing subfolders? Both seem fairly relevant.

I assume the crashing is due to memory limitations, at least that is the usual error. There is no excuse for it in any case.

 

[ddrueding]

Cleaned that up for you, Lunar

 

[LunarMist]

Thanks, but is the forum fixed?

 

[LunarMist]

2010 was one of the weakest Photokinas in years. There was hardly anything to speak of in 35mm DSLRs and most of the new lenses were simply updates.
Where is the 1Ds MK IV or D800? :silent:

 

[e_dawg]

I've been following the Photokina news.

The Pentax K-5 looks great. It's tempting me mightily. I still have my Limited 31mm f/1.8 & 77mm f/1.7, both of which I can't bear to part with. My only concern would be the low-light autofocus since I use those primes for social photography which is often dimly lit. ISO 25,600 & 51,200 will probably be useful in black & white.

I was having similar thoughts about Pentax especially with the new K5, as I quite like their excellent lineup of compact primes. Historically, as you said, Pentax AF performance has struggled with C-AF and low light. That's basically the reason i have never wanted to go with Pentax thus far. The K5 is said to have addressed the AF issues with a redesigned AF module and has got me thinking about Pentax again. About the only thing the K5 seems to be lacking is a big enough viewfinder. But for $35, the 1.2x magnifying eyepiece accessory should sufficiently address the issue.

I'm glad Sony is going to try and fix the horrible handling of the NEX cameras. Those cameras have potential if they could just get them to handle in a useful way for serious amateurs.

I don't think the NEX cameras will ever be good until they can get on-sensor PDAF in there. Sony has shown not only that they are inept with CDAF, but also that they are either not able or not willing to improve it to a good level like Panasonic has done with their G series (and is now even better with the GH2).

That is why i think they decided to go with the pellicle semi-reflective mirror full-time PDAF system in their SLT series to provide better AF performance with video. For my money, if the AF system cannot perform, ridiculous megapixel counts and sky high ISOs do not matter. To that end, CDAF based cameras are a non-starter for me except for Panasonic's G series.

Apparently, Sony and Nikon are developing on-sensor PDAF (they have patents to that effect), and Fuji has already come out with a hybrid CDAF + on-sensor PDAF system with their new P&S models. So i am guessing that Sony is not going to bother with pouring more money and resources into improving their CDAF systems when they have the pellicle PDAF stop-gap solution until on-sensor PDAF becomes a reality.

Add to that the mediocre performance of the NEX 16mm pancake and the lack of any other CDAF compatible primes in the NEX system (why would you want to use a dimuitive body with a big-ass zoom lens is beyond me), and it's just not a compelling system to me. For a Sony, i'd much rather use the SLT-A33 with the 30/2.8 macro or the new 35/1.8 until i see both PDAF and good compact primes for the NEX system.

 

[e_dawg]

DPP seems to have a limit of about 3000 RAW files per folder, which is quite annoying. I think it is a 32-bit app.

Can you use a more robust 64-bit DAM solution like Lightroom 3.2, or are you strictly DPP? From what i hear, LR 3.2 has ironed out most of the kinks of version 3, and i thoroughly enjoy using it. I don't have tens of thousands of files per project like you do, but my biggest catalog has something like ~30k images and it works well.

 

[e_dawg]

2010 was one of the weakest Photokinas in years. There was hardly anything to speak of in 35mm DSLRs and most of the new lenses were simply updates.
Where is the 1Ds MK IV or D800? :silent:

Maybe the Photokina itself was weak overall, but for Nikon, i'd say 2010 was a great year:

- completely new 24/1.4, 35/1.4, and 85/1.4 primes, which basically filled in most of the long-standing gaps in the prime lineup

- a new 24-120/4 VR to replace its dog of a predecessor and a 16-35/4 VR, signalling that a 70-200/4 VR cannot be far behind

- D7000 gives Nikon a competitor to the 7D, D3100 gives Nikon a competitor to the T1i/T2i

- D3s (which was kinda late 2009 / early 2010) set the benchmark for clean high ISO performance and is a boon to sports / indoor event photographers

--------------------

But don't worry. PMA will be moved to Sep 2011, so even though there's no Photokina next year, the delayed PMA will give everyone more time to have bigger announcements ready to go at probably the best time to launch new products (at least for consumers): several months before the xmas buying season.

And Canon will surely have a host of things ready to go. Certainly, the new 1DsIV will be ready to go by then with possibly a 32 MP sensor, and Nikon will have launched their D700s by then. The D4/D400 might even be ready to go by then, but a D800 likely won't come out until 2012.

 

[Gilbo]

I was having similar thoughts about Pentax especially with the new K5, as I quite like their excellent lineup of compact primes. Historically, as you said, Pentax AF performance has struggled with C-AF and low light. That's basically the reason i have never wanted to go with Pentax thus far. The K5 is said to have addressed the AF issues with a redesigned AF module and has got me thinking about Pentax again.

That's my thinking as well. The low-light AF performance was my only real complaint with the K10D, which was a wonderful, durable tank of a body. Luckily, while I've heard little regarding the continuous AF performance, everything I've heard about the low-light performance has been very complimentary. Apparently its sensitivity is on par with the best of its competition, and, if that were true, considering the extra cross-point sensors, it would almost certainly be superior to my 5D MkII - a camera which in many ways Canon sadly crippled.

About the only thing the K5 seems to be lacking is a big enough viewfinder. But for $35, the 1.2x magnifying eyepiece accessory should sufficiently address the issue.

It's also worth mentioning that the viewfinders of the K-5 & K-7, relative to the cameras' size, are extremely large. They're no longer class-leading with respect to all their high-end APS-C competitors in an absolute sense, but relative to the size of the camera itself, and particularly the mirror box, they're unique. Apparently there was some quite remarkable engineering that went into the new mirror box and viewfinder assembly for those bodies. Pentax was quite proud of itself.

I don't think the NEX cameras will ever be good until they can get on-sensor PDAF in there. Sony has shown not only that they are inept with CDAF, but also that they are either not able or not willing to improve it to a good level like Panasonic has done with their G series (and is now even better with the GH2).

For me, with a suitably ergonomic manually focus setup (i.e. viewfinder/liveview zoom) manual focus would be how I'd like to go with these little cameras. (This is from someone who can't manually focus particularly well even with my fast primes through a full-frame viewfinder.) No motors in lenses means smaller, less obtrusive lenses, and I can move the lens' elements faster than any reasonably sized motor can.

Voigtlander has several primes that are particularly well-suited to being adapted to m4/3 or NEX cameras, and that's how I'd probably use them.

That is why i think they decided to go with the pellicle semi-reflective mirror full-time PDAF system in their SLT series to provide better AF performance with video. For my money, if the AF system cannot perform, ridiculous megapixel counts and sky high ISOs do not matter. To that end, CDAF based cameras are a non-starter for me except for Panasonic's G series.

As an aside from what I said about manual focus on these cameras immediately above, I certainly agree. I want a compact, high-quality camera mostly for social photography where its lack of intimidation factor is more key to getting candid shots than just about anything else. But a camera needs to be able to focus quickly if you're going to photography people candidly in social situations, so its certainly a deal breaker unless the interface for manual focusing enables you to focus quickly and accurately.

 

[Gilbo]

I'm assuming you mean the best ~normal lenses. You must have used some fine macro lenses somewhere along the way.

Some certainly --at least in terms of sharpness--, the Tamron 90mm f/2.8 which is razor sharp, quite free of other aberrations and with unobjectionable out-of-focus rendering (although with crappy plasticky build quality) was a very good lens, and outstanding for its price, despite the build quality which was difficult for me to tolerate. The Sigma 150mm f/2.8 which I preferred and was quite nice. I haven't tried Canon or Nikon's 1st-party macro lenses to be honest.

Neither the Tamron or the Sigma equalled the Pentax limited primes with respect to colour rendition though. This is the most distinctive difference I've observed repeatedly, and is one of the main reasons I've never regarded the Canon 35mm f/1.4L quite as highly despite the fact that it's a very well made lens.


The most interesting lens that this conversation reminds me of, and one I've been seriously considering for some time, is the Zeiss 100mm f/2 Makro Planar (or its 50mm counterpart). Not so much for macro photography, but for landscape use and stitching.

Both have nearly perfectly flat fields of focus, making them very well-suited for both uses (especially combined with their sharpness). The fact that they retain their sharpness at longer focus distances all the way out to infinity is also important. Many fantastic macro lenses don't perform as well when focused to infinity or near-abouts. Certainly both the Tamron and the Sigma suffered from this to a limited extent.

Also, again, the colour. The Zeiss primes, maybe even these two in particular, do seem to offer distinct performance in this respect.

 

[e_dawg]

Speaking of Macro lenses, I feel I must put in a plug for Nikon's AF-S 60/2.8G. It's one of the best lenses I've used, period. I think of the Sony Zeiss 135/1.8, the Olympus 14-35/2, and the Olympus 35-100/2 as being in this category. Amongst macros, I also have the Tamron 90/2.8, and the Sony 50/2.8 and Sigma 50/2.8 that I mention for reference.

The Nikon 60 is praiseworthy not only for it's flawless performance in typically cherished characteristics like sharpness, contrast, colour, bokeh, and correction, but uniquely, I find it has superlative flare and ghosting resistance. With bright product lighting (in this case, I overexpose the white background so that it clips to white), the Tamron and Sony images are quite affected by ghosting, but the Nikon noticeably less. Nano coating actually works.

I rarely read anything mentioned along those lines in lens tests, but I think it is an important characteristic and a real world advantage for the Nikon that should be recognized.

 

[Gilbo]

I've also heard great thinks about the Nikon 60mm. It's APS-C like the Pentax 35mm f/2 right?

 

[e_dawg]

No, it's a FF lens. It's actually my default lens on the D700. For the Pentax, are you talking about the DA 35/2.8 macro?

 

[LunarMist]

But don't worry. PMA will be moved to Sep 2011, so even though there's no Photokina next year, the delayed PMA will give everyone more time to have bigger announcements ready to go at probably the best time to launch new products (at least for consumers): several months before the xmas buying season.

And Canon will surely have a host of things ready to go. Certainly, the new 1DsIV will be ready to go by then with possibly a 32 MP sensor, and Nikon will have launched their D700s by then. The D4/D400 might even be ready to go by then, but a D800 likely won't come out until 2012.

I don't have that much time to wait around and no interest in any 12MP bodies. I'll pick up a D7000 in a month or so to use more of my Nikon stuff, but

 

[ddrueding]

Does owning Canon and Nikon stuff complicate things as much as I imagine it would? Vendor lock-in is pretty brutal in dSLR kit.

 

[LunarMist]

Aw, crud. Where is the rest of the paragraph?

It's complicated enough with ten Canon DLSRs. With any luck one will be dispatched next week.

 

[ddrueding]

Yeah, ten might be too much. I was more worried about incompatibilities between lenses and bodies. But I suppose with that many bodies you just leave them on the cameras?

 

[LunarMist]

Yeah, ten might be too much.

I only need 4-5, but it is not feasible to dispose of the others.

I was more worried about incompatibilities between lenses and bodies. But I suppose with that many bodies you just leave them on the cameras?

Sometimes one lens is mounted on one body, but not usually when stored or in transit.

 

[Stereodude]

I only need 4-5, but it is not feasible to dispose of the others.

I'll send you my address. I promise it'll be super feasible for me to "dispose" of them for you. :rofl:

 

[LunarMist]

Perhaps another word choice - dispositioned, dispensed with, dispersed...

 

[ddrueding]

Perhaps another word choice - dispositioned, dispensed with, dispersed...

You have enough bodies to give each of the photo freaks here at least one. How it that for dispersed?

 

[LunarMist]

Give, as in for free? :smack:

 

[ddrueding]

You have a problem, I'm here to help. You're such a good friend that I won't charge for my assistance

 

[paugie]

You have a problem, I'm here to help. You're such a good friend that I won't charge for my assistance

HAHAHAHA!

 

[e_dawg]

I don't have that much time to wait around and no interest in any 12MP bodies. I'll pick up a D7000 in a month or so to use more of my Nikon stuff, but

Latest rumour is that the replacement for the D700 (the D800) will have a 24 MP sensor and will be here in March.

 

[LunarMist]

Well, we shall see. :skepo: There are so many bogus rumors year on year. I'm pretty well set on the D7000 for this year.

 

[ddrueding]

The White Houses uses Canon.

 

[Stereodude]

The White Houses uses Canon.

I would have figured them more for this sort of Canon.

 

[ddrueding]

I'm sure they have better than that already. It wouldn't be too hard to have the hard drive in a copier relocated elsewhere or monitored in real-time by a server somewhere.

 

[LunarMist]

I may need a better lens for testing the D7000.

 

[ddrueding]

I may need a better lens for testing the D7000.

Sweet. What lens do you have in mind?

 

[LunarMist]

It may have to wait until December. I am struggling with other issues now. :-x

 

[LunarMist]

It's not happening this year. :compress:

 

[ddrueding]

Nothing but house is happening for me for a long time. Though, to be honest, I pretty much have a set of lenses (10-500mm and macro). And it's not like the hardware I have is the limiting factor in my pictures.

 

[LunarMist]

...and then the children???

 

[ddrueding]

We'll see :bleh:

 

[LunarMist]

Actually this may be next on the list.
I'm not so thrilled about the $250 tripod mount ring.

I think the old lenses will have to suffice for the D7K initially. I'm curious to see if something like the 16-85 will hold up to more pixels.

 

[ddrueding]

That does look like a neat toy, but not fast enough for me.

 

[LunarMist]

There are no 70-300 fixed f/4 lenses. There was a Sigma 100-300/4 that I do not much like. Some other fast zooms in that range are the three versions of 200-400/4 Nikkors and a few varieties of Sigma 120-300/2.8. They are all useful for some purposes, but none are less than 6 lbs. I disposed of the Sigma 120-300/2.8 over five years ago. I've been hoping for an 8 inch, <4 lbs. 70 or 75-300/4 for over 20 years, but it is unlikely to ever happen. :blue: