The Photography Thread

[Zansho]

Off camera doesn't necessarily mean you have to use triggers - you can still trigger using optical slaves or even sync cords. The Cactus are nice, and they're very cheap. I use Alien Bee Cybersyncs for simple triggering purposes, but I keep a set of Cactus that has one trigger and 2 receivers as a backup to my Cybersyncs if I ever need it, and to loan out to friends . If you want to shoot high speed sync, bear in mind that forcing the flash to go faster duration than the recommended sync speed will weaken its power (certain strobes can bypass this, but not any hotshoe flashes, afaik), and you'll need to either increase your ISO to compensate, or bring your flash closer to your subject.

When you're looking for a flash, and if you're going to be shooting it exclusively off camera, you can look at the more powerful stuff like Norman 200Bs (can be found on Ebay) which come in 200WS and 400WS configurations. Get the set with the battery, and it'll teach you a lot about off camera lighting, especially about positioning and distance of flash to subject.

On camera, look for a flash head that can swivel - you don't want something that's fixed or has limited bounce applications. You want to be able to swivel the head at least left/right/up/down 180 degrees or so. The Yongnuos look like they fit the bill, I've never used those, however. Can always look into the Metz and Sigma line of flashes too, I've a buddy who swears by his Metz Mecablitz 50 in how well it stacks up to his 580.

There are also offerings by Sunpak - the 120J is pretty beefy for a flash, and it's pretty portable. If you want to do strobes, Alien Bees, Elinchrom DLite, Calument Genesis 300B, Interfit all make decent starter strobes that won't break the bank. I still use a set of old school Speedotron Black Line strobes, and they work great, as well as my new Dynalites for location work now. :D

It'll become a VERY slippery slope soon enough - pretty soon, you're going to start worrying less about gear, and more about light, and just how much of it you have.

[Doombear]

Thanks so much for that info Zan! I have some more thinking to do when it comes to flashes/strobes for sure. I will say that I am leaning towards a good on camera flash that can be used well off camera if need be. I may just go ahead and get the 430EX II. I know it is not as strong as the 580EX II and cannot be used as a Master... but I can surely make it work for what I need it to do now. Down the line I can plan on grabbing a 580EX II and then use that as a master and the 430 as the slave. I just want a bit more light for when I need it, keeping in mind I am not usually setting up lengthy shoots in locations, and taking images in passing.

A few other things. I just pulled the trigger on the Sigma 50mm 1.4. That should be here tomorrow if all goes well. Can't wait. How are you liking yours? No issues with back/front focusing? I have my fingers crossed that mine is one of the 'good' ones.

Also, I am loving the low light capabilities on my 5D. I shot these last night around 7pm, and was quite pleased! Aperture, etc. under the images if you care. These are just downsized SOOCs. I haven't started PP on them at all.


http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/x...FFNY/7782A.jpg
1/20th at f1.8 ISO 800

http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/x...FFNY/7781A.jpg
1/20th at f1.8 800ISO

http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/x...FFNY/7780A.jpg
1/20th at f2.0 800ISO

The last was an accident, as AF was giving me grief. I accidentally tripped the shutter after it focused on the reflections in her face. The second one I just used MF. Not bad, got about 5 shots out of a quick 10 shots while we waited at the bus stop.

[Zansho]

Oh, I haven't gotten any chance to play with the Sigma yet - I've been overwhelmed with lots of post work and dealing with the recent blackout here in Austin due to the snowstorm. I'll probably go into the lab today to do some photos with it, all tripod and couple of strobes to test for any front/back focusing, and sharpness.

I did shoot a couple of things earlier last week, and one SMALL thing annoys me about it - chromatic aberration, most noticeable at 1.4-1.8 but it that's to be expected wide open. 2.2-2.8 it gets way better, and sharpness improves markedly - but this is done with just simple test shot hand held outdoors. I'd rather have a more controlled environment to see how it behaves.

[Kkel]

Man, the 600D/Rebel T3i announcement has me kind of off center. I'm so tempted to sell my 60D, pick up a T3i, and then hold for 5D Mk. III news. The gaps down the low end are closing so quickly.

http://www.dpreview.com/previews/canoneos600d/

[Doombear]

Personally, even had I bought the 60D instead of the 5D, I really do not enjoy the grips on the rebels. They are just too short for my hands. The 60D just felt so much more natural to me. If you are happy with the smaller grips though, and the 'extras' on the 60D aren't settings that you are going to bother with? You could easily get a decent amount for a gently used 60D right now. I just wonder where the Professional Model news is...?

I know that Canon is holding a press conference in Japan in about 5 hours (9PM PST I believe) so i guess we see if that is to discuss the T3/T3i or to announce a new pro model or two.

In other news I just bought a 430EX II for my setup, and plan on grabbing a 580EX II in the distant future if I ever decide I need a multiple flash setup. Right now though, the price and extra bulk just didn't justify an extra stop of light. Not NOW, but someday it will be worth it to me. I am debating whether or not I want to open it up and modify it as shown here. Having the ability to bounce behind me while shooting in portrait seems worth the mod of a brand new flash. Granted I could just get a bulky E-TTL cable and a hotshoe and point the flash anywhere I please, on or off camera, but I lose AF assist. All in all, going to be debating this over the next few days.

[zoobernut]

I wonder when Nikon is going to introduce their new set of cameras. They are overdue to update their higher end DSLR's and I suspect they will want to have some sort of answer to Canon.

[Tyche]

[Doombear]

That is pretty amazing.

[Kkel]

I came across this a few days ago. The whole thing was shot on a 5D Mk.II and a 7D. It's not photography, per-se, but it's pretty amazing that the DSLR cameras we're using to shoot photographs are having such a transformational effect on film making.

[miokomioko]

All you need is a DSLR and some sort of home-made steadycam and you can pretend you're a filmmaker these days. There's still the massive limitation of recording length (you'll start to notice how short every clip is when someone is using a DSLR)... and the sheer file size from even that ends up filling large CF cards right quick.

Then they are putting the feature on every camera they can, making them more expensive for the people who don't care about recording videos.

It's just the frugal route. A 5D and some shit lenses is easier to afford than a real camcorder... not to mention lenses for that.


Well, that sounded kinda' harsh... it definitely is opening up doors for people to work with the craft, but I am definitely tired of all the garbage I have seen because a lot of consumers are just tickled by their camera being able to record "HD movies!"

[Doombear]

I know that the subway scenes in Black Swan were shot on DSLRs, a 7D mainly I think. I think that with the right equipment you could do some amazing things with film on a DSLR. I do agree though that there is a ton of crap out there just BECAUSE the feature is there (looking at the 60D 'films' mainly). But I have definitely seen some amazing things shot with 7Ds and 5DMKIIs.

[Zansho]

I agree entirely with the video being added to our DSLRs - I don't use the feature, nor do I want it - can I have it removed and get what I need and want for less? If I'm going to do video, I want a camera designed specifically for that job, not a dSLR that *CAN* do the job, but with more effort, and more work involved than it would be with a proper video camera.

My wife wanted me to get a Rebel T2i strictly for videoing our daughter, and I had to kind of roll my eyes. I just went and got this instead: http://gopro.com/products/

I like it a lot, it's pretty cool, but it's SMALL. Tiny, and this is actually the first camera I'm afraid of losing, lol. I didn't want to get a flip, or a sony bloggie, just felt a bit too consumerish I guess, lol.

[Fhqwghads]

You know all that adding video recording capabilities to DSLRs does is make me wonder why the hell these companies don't make a video camera that can leverage the thousands of dollars worth of lenses I have. I would happily shell out money for a video camera body which would allow me to use all those lenses. That's one reason why I am so apprehensive about getting a decent pro-sumer video camera. I just don't understand why there isn't a Canon or Nikon video camera that has the ability to use interchangeable lenses that they already produce. Would make me a happy camper.

[zoobernut]

Canon does have a pro-sumer level video camera that you can use camera lenses on with a small adapter. I think the main issue, and I might be wrong about this, is that the way that video cameras and DSLR lenses focus is different. So using DSLR lenses on a video camera poses some issues with focusing and how fast they can track objects.

[Doombear]

Yeah I think that is one of the biggest issues Zoob, AF. I think most of the videos I have seen (can post a link our two when I get to the office) were manually focused or cuts or clips shot on one focal plane.

[Fhqwghads]

Most cinematography is done with manual focus, so that doesn't surprise me. That being said, AF on good lenses is pretty damn fast. As long as the camera has the ability to lock in on a face, or choose one or more active focus points, I think they can do it. Even so, manual focus shouldn't be that big a deal unless someone is trying to shoot with shallow DOF. I'll admit I'm talking out my rear though, as my experience with video and photography has been mutually exclusive.

[zoobernut]

Well that is why big production crews with full teams using DSLR's to make professional video can end up with amazing results but using the DSLR as a camcorder to record your kids sucks so much major ass. They have complex rigs and they prefocus everything and they have markers to make sure everyone is where they need to be for focus to be perfect and once they do all the legwork initially then they actually film. Other videos might stop down the lens and also use a wideangle lens to ensure that everything is in focus but that technique can only get you so far and really only looks good for skateboarding and snowboarding videos .

Video cameras and still cameras are so different even based on sensor size that really effect the physics of how the light enters the lens and then hits the sensor.

[Doombear]

Agreed again Zoob, and I guess I misunderstood and was defending the 'professional' DSLR cinematographers. Here are a few that I really like.


Shot on 5D Mark II


Shot on 5D Mark II


1000FPS shot on a 7D (I am a sucker for well done slow motion video...)


(What is with BMX...) THIS one impresses me more so because it was shot by a 15 year old. Nothing more than a 7D and a tripod.

[Doombear]

I tend to double post in this topic a lot... sorry.

Just wanted to get some feedback. I love my new Sigma 50mm 1.4, but due to the outstanding amount of people that have had focusing issues with Sigma Lenses over the years, I knew it could be an issue. I will say right up front that I have yet to put this on a tripod and do a proper focus test, but plan on doing so tonight. An example image of the type of focusing issue I am seeing...

http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/x...N/7669_FOC.jpg

Now, I will say up front that this was shot at 1/30 so it is hardly impossible that I moved slightly to shift focus on her left (camera right) eye and put it farther forward. To me though, this lens seems to slightly front focus. In this shot her bangs seem to be crisp. Again, 1/20th of second is not 1/800th of a second and I plan on doing more testing on a tripod with a shutter release. Just curious how many of you see front focus/back focus issues.

The lens itself is still within its exchange period on Amazon (shipped from Adorama) but am I better off sending it to Sigma directly for them to Calibrate? I would have to send my camera as well if I did that yes? Thoughts on what I should do? I really really want to love this lens. I am so close, but I need sharpness! Lack of CA on a 5Dc means I only have a few options.

EDIT: Shot with my Sigmalux 1.4
http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/x.../8288_FOC2.jpg

Shot with my wife's Canon 50mm 1.8
http://i761.photobucket.com/albums/x.../8288_FOC3.jpg

So that tells me that my 'new' used 5D is less likely to be the problem, and more so that it is the Sigma having a slight front focus. Overall, I could ALMOST live with it... if not for the fact that I do tend to shoot close up portraits wide open from time to time, and having a blurry eye and a sharp as a take nose is not what I want to see 99% of the time. Like I mentioned before I have a week or two to send it back to Amazon for an exchange but I figure that is just playing Russian roulette really. They are just going to grab another one out of the magic Bag o' Amazon and shop it off. I figure I may as well call up Sigma and send it to them. I will just have to use the wife's 50mm 1.8 until she comes at me for hoarding it.

[Zansho]

What F-stop are you using?

Tripod - hand held is not a proper barometer for this. 1/30th of a second can also attribute to user error also, as your body moves and you can actually sway out of the focus point - it might not be perceptible to you, but the camera can definitely pick it up at 1/30th of a second.