Photography Advice
- Thread starter Mercutio
- Start date
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
Fushigi
Storage Is My Life
I guess you'll have to nap later. :lol:Mercutio said:
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
There's only one this year. I'm really disappointed.
Pradeep said:
Isn't that the truth! The speed of the 1D MK II is seductive, as is the low noise and improved dynamic range.
But the detail is so much less that I try to use the 1Ds whever possible. In a way, I hope the 1Ds II does not appear too soon. The bank accounts are running on fumes and I have no self control. Mercutio,
Sorry about missing the "event", but there will be other subjects.
Pradeep
Storage? I am Storage!
LunarMist said:Isn't that the truth! The speed of the 1D MK II is seductive, as is the low noise and improved dynamic range.
Lunar, you better just declare bankruptcy now
The mighty 1Ds-MkII has been unveiled, 16.7Mp of full frame glory.
http://www.dpreview.com/articles/canoneos1dsmkii/
Now if the transfer speeds over FW are as good as the 1D-MkII then I'm sure we'll be buying a bunch.
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
LunarMist said:
Hee.
About a month ago I had the great fortune to find some... not very shy at all young ladies while I was walking around the Lakefront with my camera. I was trying to get a picture of the Chicago skyline from the Indiana side and these three girls were out tanning.
They asked me about my camera and what I was doing as I walked back to my car, so I explained, and then they asked if I'd take some pictures of them. They wound up posing and doing goofy stuff for about 5 minutes while I took shots, and one of them gave me an email address where I could mail the pictures.
That's probably the most interesting thing I've gotten to do with my camera, unless you count being hassled by a Chicago cop for taking pictures of buildings.
Pradeep said:Lunar, you better just declare bankruptcy now
The mighty 1Ds-MkII has been unveiled, 16.7Mp of full frame glory.
http://www.dpreview.com/articles/canoneos1dsmkii/
Yeah, I saw the Japanese brochure a few days ago. I will probably ditch my 1D MK II at a bog loss (I have only tested it, not used it for real) and get a 1Ds MK II. You'll note my earlier thread about needing a new notebook. Guess why?
Mercutio
Fatwah on Western Digital
I was browsing a digital photography site just now and I came across this page, showing photographs of the storefronts used by all those grey-market camera stores in New York City.
On the one hand, those places look like a lot of other places where I work.
On the other, none of 'em have an outside appearance that would give me any confidence in buying anything from them.
It's getting warm. I'm looking forward to being able to go out and shoot pictures again.
On the one hand, those places look like a lot of other places where I work.
On the other, none of 'em have an outside appearance that would give me any confidence in buying anything from them.
It's getting warm. I'm looking forward to being able to go out and shoot pictures again.
When I visited these establishments, my extrasensory weather sensors were just about always pegged out from the all the bad karmic wind. The employees were usually a PITA to communicate with for various reasons -- language barriers, evasive sales tactics, etc. I recall going to a place in lower Manhattan called Cambridge Camera and seeing just about the biggest pile of scarred up used photo gear ever assembled in one place.
Pradeep
Storage? I am Storage!
There are certainly some very dodgy grey market camera stores in NYC. Make sure you check reselleratings.com for their dubious reputation. Mostly stuff like you can get a camera really cheap, but the charger etc is extra! And if you decide you do only want the camera, it is suddenly no longer in stock and next delivery will be a few months away.
At work we have switched over to the 1Ds-MkII, we got good trade in pricing on our 1D-MkIIs.
At work we have switched over to the 1Ds-MkII, we got good trade in pricing on our 1D-MkIIs.
Santilli
Hairy Aussie
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2002
- Messages
- 5,278
What's the fastest flash shooting solution for a reasonable price, for an SLR?
I'd like to be able to take rapid fire flash shots, of my cat, with as much depth of field as possible...
Thanks
S
PS Nice to see Splash back. By far my favorite in the family :wink: :mrgrn:
I'd like to be able to take rapid fire flash shots, of my cat, with as much depth of field as possible...
Thanks
S
PS Nice to see Splash back. By far my favorite in the family :wink: :mrgrn:
Platform
Learning Storage Performance
Santilli said:
The fastest flash will use an external power source. So, some brand/model of flash unit with the capability of being powered externally (via AC-to-DC power supply or external battery pack) would be your choice.
I have an older Metz (Model 45CT-5) that can perform fast stroboscopic output at a pretty decent output level. I've not looked into what my newer Metz 54MZ-4 or Nikon ring flash can do as far as short recycle times at a give guide number.
I don't know what gear you have, but a decent handheld flash setup using current Canon equipmment would be:
580EX
CP-E3 (external 330V power supply)
Flash bracket (a lot of choices here, start with Stroboframe)
Off-camera TTL cord
Gary Fong Lightsphere (better than Lumiquest or Sto-fen options for a low subject with large eyes)
580EX
CP-E3 (external 330V power supply)
Flash bracket (a lot of choices here, start with Stroboframe)
Off-camera TTL cord
Gary Fong Lightsphere (better than Lumiquest or Sto-fen options for a low subject with large eyes)
Platform
Learning Storage Performance
...sheesh!Platform said:
...as far as short recycle times at a given guide number.
- anyway...
LunarMist said:
I really like my Sto-Fen diffuser. Not expensive and probably most of all -- small. I used to have one of those "white balloon thingees" for flash diffusion, but it rotted away over time. It work quite alright, as long as the subject wasn't close.
Gary,
In addition, I have three Sto-fens, two types of Lumiquests, two Wescott Micro Apollos, the "flying wing"; for the Sunpak 622 Super (a big flash in the Metz CT-60 class, but with interchangeable flash heads), and some homemade diffusion boxes. As you know there is no best light modifier for everything. The omnibounce works well for light rooms and wide coverage when the camera is at eye level and the light can bounce around a bit. It also works well for macro (non-bounced) at close distances where the relative size of the light source is fairly large.
The Lightsphere II presents a large light source for direct flash with less need for white walls, ceilings, etc. My reasoning is that cats are small and the flash would primarily be used close to the ground. However, I have not used one to shoot cats. IMO cats of any type are often a PITA to flash. Leopards are the worst, because they are most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular). When flash is used outdoors as light to heavy fill, I sometimes shoot multiple frames until the flash does not fire and then Photoshop the non-flashed eyes onto the otherwise flashed image. It worked better with my old EOS 1v at 10 FPS than with the 4 FPS 1Ds MK II.
In addition, I have three Sto-fens, two types of Lumiquests, two Wescott Micro Apollos, the "flying wing"; for the Sunpak 622 Super (a big flash in the Metz CT-60 class, but with interchangeable flash heads), and some homemade diffusion boxes. As you know there is no best light modifier for everything. The omnibounce works well for light rooms and wide coverage when the camera is at eye level and the light can bounce around a bit. It also works well for macro (non-bounced) at close distances where the relative size of the light source is fairly large.
The Lightsphere II presents a large light source for direct flash with less need for white walls, ceilings, etc. My reasoning is that cats are small and the flash would primarily be used close to the ground. However, I have not used one to shoot cats. IMO cats of any type are often a PITA to flash. Leopards are the worst, because they are most active at dawn and dusk (crepuscular). When flash is used outdoors as light to heavy fill, I sometimes shoot multiple frames until the flash does not fire and then Photoshop the non-flashed eyes onto the otherwise flashed image. It worked better with my old EOS 1v at 10 FPS than with the 4 FPS 1Ds MK II.
Pradeep
Storage? I am Storage!
We had a failure with a 1D-MkII yesterday, Error 99 comes up. Probably the shutter, seeing it has over 500,000 shutter actuations
Now to see if they cover the repair under warranty.
Now to see if they cover the repair under warranty.
Santilli
Hairy Aussie
- Joined
- Jan 27, 2002
- Messages
- 5,278
Currently I have a non-digital Canon Eos Rebel. Nice zoom, and lens, and inexpensive.
I keep seeing Canon hitting lower price marks with SLR's, but they seem to hold back on the features, to encourage you up to the next level.
I'm waiting, as Olympus, and Nikon enter the lower priced waters, not to mention Pentax, to see what their new offerings are like.
The new Pentax looks very nice, as does the new Olympus. The weird part for me is the old box cameras are still sitting next to them, at high prices...waiting to be bought.
s
I keep seeing Canon hitting lower price marks with SLR's, but they seem to hold back on the features, to encourage you up to the next level.
I'm waiting, as Olympus, and Nikon enter the lower priced waters, not to mention Pentax, to see what their new offerings are like.
The new Pentax looks very nice, as does the new Olympus. The weird part for me is the old box cameras are still sitting next to them, at high prices...waiting to be bought.
s
Pradeep
Storage? I am Storage!
Heard back from our client. Apparently when they took the lens off to swap cameras, the mirror fell out! Should be interesting pictures to be taken when we get it back.
Pradeep
Storage? I am Storage!
Got the camera back from Canon the other day, they did honor the warranty and camera was fixed at no charge
We probably do wonders for their R&D, working out weak points.
We probably do wonders for their R&D, working out weak points.
Pradeep
Storage? I am Storage!
Our client has worn out another camera, this time it failed at just over 600,000 actuations. Not bad for 3.5 months of work
Shutter issue, sounds like the blades are damaged and jamming. Back to Canon.
Shutter issue, sounds like the blades are damaged and jamming. Back to Canon.
Pradeep
Storage? I am Storage!
Oops, forgot to mention, the 600,000+ actuation camera is a 1Ds-MkII.
The only real problem we have seen with them is they sometimes "crash", i.e. they are powered on but nothing is displayed on the top LCD display. Pulling out the DC coupler for a few seconds, then re-inserting seems to reboot them and they are good to go again. This only occurs when they are powered on and off several times in succession.
No problems with shutter bounce, we do shoot in mirror-lockup mode now. (we were having some problems with vibration before). Shutter speed varies from 1/60 to 1/100th.
Also a pet peeve of mine, when you change from PC-1 to PC-2 or PC-3 in EOS Capture, it doesn't actually change the setting in the camera. Have to manually change it with that horrible wheel interface. So for now we use the same PC setting, and change the referenced tonal curve via Camera Settings in EOS Viewer.
Other problem would be that during the first few thousand releases, there is usually a ton of debris coming out of the shutter mechanism (or is there to begin with straight out of the factory. I use one of those sensor brushes, does a good job and it's fast.
The only real problem we have seen with them is they sometimes "crash", i.e. they are powered on but nothing is displayed on the top LCD display. Pulling out the DC coupler for a few seconds, then re-inserting seems to reboot them and they are good to go again. This only occurs when they are powered on and off several times in succession.
No problems with shutter bounce, we do shoot in mirror-lockup mode now. (we were having some problems with vibration before). Shutter speed varies from 1/60 to 1/100th.
Also a pet peeve of mine, when you change from PC-1 to PC-2 or PC-3 in EOS Capture, it doesn't actually change the setting in the camera. Have to manually change it with that horrible wheel interface. So for now we use the same PC setting, and change the referenced tonal curve via Camera Settings in EOS Viewer.
Other problem would be that during the first few thousand releases, there is usually a ton of debris coming out of the shutter mechanism (or is there to begin with straight out of the factory. I use one of those sensor brushes, does a good job and it's fast.
mubs
Storage? I am Storage!
Pradeep
Storage? I am Storage!
24-105mm F4 lens looks interesting.
Yeah, I'll probably get one and check it out. There is a lot of glass in the 24-105/4 due to the IS so I doubt it will be really sharp near the edges until f/8. Still, it should be miles ahead of the horrid 28-135 IS. It should also flyulif the role of a nice, light travel lens on 35 mm format bodies.