New Pocket Wizards

Well, I'm excited about the new Pocket Wizards and their ability to support ETTL. However, I learned of a serious concern. Apparently when using them with a 580EX II, 430EX II or 430 EX the range of the triggers is limited to 50 feet. This is a pretty serious issue for me. 50 feet is not nearly enough. I'll continue to monitor this but it is something that would make me go with RadioPoppers over the Pocket Wizards.

Also, I learned something new about the RadioPoppers this week. Seems with a PX transmitter you can get High Speed Sync even when using JrX receivers. This is very exciting as it allows a step into a high value (at least for me) feature without having to shell out for the PX receivers initially.

I'll let everyone know what I continue to find out.

Now I'm confused

Well, I know I need TTL metering and High Speed Sync with any remotes I purchase, so I had resigned myself to the fact that I would need Radio Poppers. Well, of course now I have options. Pocket Wizard announced this week that they have TTL compatible remotes for Canon and Nikon coming out in March. Just great. :-)

These things look fantastic as they don't need wires to attach to a flash nor do they need to mount over the infrared sensor like the Radio Poppers. They simply mount using the hot shoe adapter. Further, they have a feature called Hyper Sync which essentially allows the sync speed of your flash to increase. For example you can get a Canon 1D Mark III to sync at 1/500 of a second, very cool in deed.

There are two models, the MiniTT1 which is mounted on the camera to control remote flashes and the FlexTT5 which can be a transmitter or receiver. With the FlexTT5 you can control your camera as well. With prices being $199 for the MiniTT1 and $219 for the FlexTT5 you just can't go wrong as they come in cheaper than the Radio Poppers.

Well, take a look at them with the links above and let me know what you think. You can also see the Strobist review of these by clicking here or Chase Jarvis discussion by clicking here.

Now I have to make a decision. Great, just great, I hate making decisions.

L-Bracket Heaven

So I finally knuckled under and got an L-Bracket for my 5DII. Thanks to my friends at POTN I was referred over to the folks at Really Right Stuff who make some fantastic products.

You might be wondering what the purpose of an L-Bracket is. Its a good question. But also a very simple one to ask. An L-Bracket is designed to keep you lens over the center of the tripod head regardless of shooting in Landscape or portrait mode. The prevents the camera from hanging off the side of the head, creating more stress on the head and most importantly prevents the aspect of the shot from changing. In one simple change you are able to move the camera from one orientation to the other and still have things line up. If you want a nice review of the L-Bracket advantage go check out this link at Really Right Stuff.

On to what I got...

I decided to use the L-Bracket on my 5DII only as my 40D is for sports and I don't currently have a pressing need for an L-Bracket. Since I always shoot with a grip I got the BGE6-L model which places the bracket comfortably on the camera with the grip attached. Below are a couple pictures of the bracket on the camera. (Note: I took pics myself, but the below from RRS are much better so I'm linking over to them. Thanks RRS!)


As you can see it fits very nicely. I was skeptical getting a bracket as I thought the size and weight would be an issue. Its not! This thing is light and I really don't notice it when shooting. I'm trying to leave it on all the time so I don't have to worry about putting it on when needed. Also, it attaches with a screw on the bottom which would make it a bit tough putting on in a pinch, so leaving it on has benefits.

Now there is one caveat to getting an L-Bracket, you'll need a clamp on your tripod head which can hold an Arca-Swiss type plate. As I use a Manfrotto 488RC2 I needed to make a change as the plate would not work. I ended up getting the RRS B2 LR II which is designed for the Arca type clamps. In the end all I had to do what replace the Manfrotto plate with teh B2 LR II and I was good to go. (Note: If you have a 488RC2 the Manfrotto clamp will be hard to get off as they use locktight on it. Just heat the clamp with a hair dryer to soften the locktight and it will come off easy enough.) Below is a picture of the B2 LR II on my 488.


In the end this setup works fantastic. The 5DII is a dream to mount with the L-Bracket and the clamp is much easier to use than the Manfrotto, I'm very glad I made the change. Let me know if you have any questions on this, I'd be glad to help out where I can.

Good Bye Friend

Well I did it. I sold off my trusty 17-55 f/2.8 IS so that I can get a wide angle lens that will work on both my full frame and crop cameras.

This was one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make. The 17-55 has been an outstanding lens, always delivering top quality pictures, with great color, contrast and bokeh. The fact that it had an f/2.8 aperture and IS only added to the appeal.

I know I'm doing the right thing for my kit and the 17-40 L will be a solid performer with great versatility. But I do want to let everyone know what a great lens the 17-55 is. Don't let the fact that it is an EF-S and non-L scare you away from it. If you have a crop body, get this lens, it is the perfect walk-around for a crop body.

Below are a couple of my favorites from over the past year and a half. Just wanted to share.

My daughter at 4-months:


My daughter at 1-year

I'm loving this thing.

I have to admit that I am just loving my new 5D Mark II. The pictures in this post were just shot yesterday in an adhoc fashion using my 580EX II as filler. The post processing was minimal on these. All I did was do a minor tweak on exposure due to my error. But there was nothing done to colors or sharpness. What this camera produces is just amazing.


I also have to give a plug for the shutter sound of the 5DII. As I mentioned in my 5D Mark II First Impressions article these are quiet and smooth. When I would shoot my dogs with my 40D (while its a great camera) due to the louder shutter the dogs would get distracted and stop being cute...as my wife calls it. With the 5DII the quiet shutter made it possible to take shots without distracting them. In essence they did not realize I was taking shots and kept doing what they were doing. I can see how this would be a tremendous benefit to wedding and event shooters.

Well, I'm sure I will have a lot more to say about the 5DII but wanted to share this experience with everyone. I'll continue to keep you posted as to how things turn out.

5D Mark II First Impressions

Well, I have had the 5DII for about a week now and gotten to go on a couple shoots with it. Below is a quick list of thoughts after using it for a bit. This is not a review, there are plenty of those by people far more qualified than myself.

1. Size & Weight: It is larger and heaver than my 40D. However, as I like a larger body size this works for me. I still added a battery grip and find the 5DII to fit my hand the best of any Canon I have used in years. My xxD bodies fit will but this one is just outstanding.
   
   
2. Feel: It has a nice feel to the touch than my 40D. The covering feels softer and higher grade for lack of a better expression.
   
   
3. Menu System: I know it is different than the 40D but not enough to make using it difficult. Now that the 5DII has a my menu I have what I need at my fingertips just like in my 40D so the learning curve was very small.
   
   
4. Back Buttons: Ok, this is one of the biggest learning curves for me. Having the buttons below the screen on the 40D for the past 18 months I have gotten used to having them there. It is taking some getting used to having them on the side. I know when I pull out my 40D I will be going to the side instead of the bottom. My wife just laughs at me as I make a "Doh" sound every time I go to the wrong spot.
   
   
5. Back Screen: Absolutely fantastic. I never thought the 40D screen (or any previous Canon DSLR screen) was bad until I got my hands on this one. It presents a crisp and clear image that when magifying allows for precise knoweldge of focus accuracy. This is turning out to be a pleasure and having used it with Live View while doing some night photography it has finally converted me to the value of Live View. On the 40D I didn't use Live View as the back screen made the image look drab.
   
   
6. Top Screen: Seems a little larger than my 40D's and some of text is different sizes. But on the whole it is similar and consistent with what I am used to. The only thing that gets me is the backlight button is now on the right when I am used to it on the left. I think I can live with that. :-)
   
   
7. Shutter Sound: Notably much quieter than the 40D. I see that as having huge benefit for event shooting when you don't want to draw attention to youself.
   
   
8. Shutter Button: Very smooth, almost a buttery feel to it. Very easy to press and helps promote a smooth motion which helps promote better technique and more a squeeze versus press (which can lead to increased camera shake) method.
   
   
9. Battery Life: As expected it is great. I like having the meeter which tells me the level for both batteries in the grip. As a bit of a worrier about power this gives me more confidence when I'm out. But that could just be me and my paranoya.
   
   
10. ISO Performance: The ISO performance is fantastic on this camera, it is worth upgrading for this alone. Below are links to some posts I've done for a few quicks tests to show the high ISO performance. Take a look, I think you'll agree that the 5DII is usable up to 6400 at a reasonable print size.

Person High ISO Test
Flag High ISO Test
Ladder Joint High ISO Test

These are just my impressions and as I said not scientific in any way. They are just hte opinions of some guys that likes to take pictures. Let me know your thoughts as well, I would love to see what others think of the 5DII.

Have a great one.

5D Mark II ISO Test - Part 3: Ladder Bolt

Ok, here is the final set. This is a 100% crop of the stair joint on a ladder laying in the horribly lit hall I mentioned in the first installment. This time I got smart and expanded the range to start at 1600 to give you even a better feel for the capabilities of the 5DII. Enjoy and as always, let me know what you think.

ISO 1600:



ISO 3200:



ISO 6400:



ISO 12800:



ISO 25600:



Previous Installment: 5D Mark II ISO Test - Part 1: Person
Previous Installment: 5D Mark II ISO Test - Part 2: Flag

For my first impressions of the 5DII take a look at the 5D Mark II First Impressions Post.

5D Mark II ISO Test - Part 2: Flag

Ok, here is the second set I took last evening. This was an American Flag with all conditions mentioned previously being consistent and the images being 100% crops.

ISO 6400:



ISO 12800:



ISO 25600:



Any thoughts?

Previous Installment: 5D Mark II ISO Test - Part 1: Person
Next Installment: 5D Mark II ISO Test - Part 3: Ladder Bolt

For my first impressions of the 5DII take a look at the 5D Mark II First Impressions Post.

5D Mark II ISO Test - Part 1: Person

Well last night I was in a large hall taking some candid shots of my son's Cub Scout meeting. This hall is one of the worst shooting situations I shoot in as the lighting is horrible, its dark and the walls have the most God aweful color on them. I always shoot with a flash in this enviornment as a means to compensate for the innate challenges, however, I thought that this time I would give it a shot at high ISO with my 5DII. Below is the first set of what I found.

All these shots were done with my 5DII with 24-105 f/4 L with no post processing, just a conversion of the RAW file to JPG. The EXIF is in tact if you want to review as well. The only changing variable was ISO which as you will see impacted shutter speed. Note: all pics are 100% crops.

(Please Note: the shutter speeds would get a bit lower than the IS on the 24-105 L could compensate for so please be forgiving of any lack of sharpness. Normally my 24-105 L is a very sharp lens.)

ISO 6400:



ISO 12800:



ISO 25600:



So what do you think?

Next Installment: 5D Mark II ISO Test - Part 2: Flag

For my first impressions of the 5DII take a look at the 5D Mark II First Impressions Post.

New Radio Poppers

Well the new Radio Poppers have been announced. Anyone interested in wanting ETTL without the concerns of line of site will be interested in these. Check out the video below for a review or go to the Radio Poppers Blog for details.

I'm just giddy...

This will be a short post, but I just had to tell everyone that my new Canon 5D Mark II arrived today with the BG-E6 grip and an extra battery. Thanks to Paul at Calumet Photo in Chicago for getting it so soon after release and thanks for shipping it to me in Florida while I'm on business. This way I get to play with my new toy without waiting until the weekend.

Below is a quick pick of the boxes. I'll post some body and sample pics once my batteries finish charging.

Woohoooo....

My dog ate my camera strap

A bit a story I wanted to share...with a little bit of a point.

So, on Saturday I am getting things ready to go to our the Christmas Festival of Lights here in Chicago. Well my POTN Strap (a OpTech strap branded for a photography forum I visit quite a bit) had been off my 40D for a while as I've been using my R-Strap...so off I go to find it. Well, its not where I left it, where could it be? Hmm, asking my wife she says, is it black? "Yes I say." And she tells me our 8 year-old has been using it for some play. No worries I think, he is a good kid and doesn't break things. I go to his room and ask him where it is and he hands it to me, or should I say what is left of it. Ends up he had been using it to play tug of war with our German Shepard. Lets just say there was not enough of this strap left to use.

Here is what it looks like uneaten.



I was heart broken, I always liked the POTN strap, it was comfortable and as a person that normally did not like neck straps, it was the only one I ever found which was usable. Since I needed a neck strap for that day off I go to Calumet Photography to see what I can find. I come across the Domke 1.5" Strap.



It looks so simple in comparison to the POTN strap, however, I love my Domke bags so I figure what the heck, lets give it a try.

I have to admit, I was suprised, this is the perfect strap for me! Just the right size around my neck (I did think the POTN strap was a bit wide), held like iron on my shoulder as do my Domke bags and when hanging the strap next to the camera it did not feel too large. I hate to say this but I may never get another POTN strap.

I'm willing to take any ribbing my forum buddies have to offer me. This strap is that good. Well, thanks for reading I wanted to tell my story. They say the first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem.

"My name is Paul and I use a Domke neck strap." There I said it!

I did it!!!!

I did it, I just had to, I couldn't help myself. As a Canon fan I found the new 5D Mark II very exciting and I've been wanting to go full frame for some time. Well, I caved and pre-ordered the 5DII last week. I'm so excited I just can't stand it. Hence the happy dance.

Sorry for the pointless post, but I couldn't help myself.

Saturday, August 16, 2008

Playing with Extension Tubes

So our family was off to Guatemala last week. Knowing there were great flowers there I picked up a set of Kenko Extension Tubes so I could start doing some macro experimentation. Below is a link to the tubes I purchased from B&H Photo


Kenko Extension Tubes for Canon EF Lenses

I have to tell you, these things are very cool. They do as advertised and allow you to focus in very close. Of course the first thing I did was stack all three together, toss on my Nifty Fifty and snap away. While this was very fun, it tought me a lot.

• First off, the depth of field is razor thin. This is very neat, but makes one very aware of apeture and the like.
• Puting these on my 70-200 f/2.8 causes the focus to be fixed and I had to use the zoom to focus. I was suprised by this but got used to it quick enough.
• Don't be over zelous, use one tube a time to start. I wanted to toss the 36mm on or stack all three when I later learned that using the 12mm is much more effective. Be patient and start simple, you will get better results more quickly.
• Use a tripod when ever possible. With the thin DOF any movement will make a shot out of focus. Look at the flower below. While all was still most of the flower is out of focus because of the ever so think DOF.
• Finally, get the Kenko tubes. They are fantastic at at $169 for 3 you save yourself lots of money over the Canon version.

The point here is if you are considering some macro play and don't want to lay out the cash for a dedicated macro lens, extension tubes can be a great way to experiment. Give them a go and see what you learn.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Now this is a camera strap.

Those who know me know that I don't use a neck strap much. I do have one, the OpTech POTN (Click Here) strap which is the best I've found, and while it is always on my 40D I don't use it nearly as much as I use my E1 handstrap. Why, because I don't like the weight on my neck and am not happy with how the camera bounces around when I walk. I have come to accept that I would rather just carry the camera in my hand.

This has not solved the issue that I would like the camera on me and quickly accessible while giving my hand a rest. I have tried hanging it via the strap off my shoulder but find the camera getting twisted as it spins when I walk, making access slow. Yes, I'm hard to please.

Anyway, I think I have found the thing which can take care of this for me. There is a new device/stap which may address this issue for me. There is a new strap called an R-Strap which slings the camera across your torso and puts it in the perfect position for quick access. Further, the strap is designed in a way to make access fast and easy. At least that is how it looks. I have ordered one of these and will post a review once I use it for a bit.

Below is a video of the R-Strap in action. Give it a click. Perhaps I'm just a geek who is easy to please, but I think it is pretty cool.

Finally, below is a link to the R-Strap site. Take a look, it seems very cool...but only time will tell.R-Strap Website (Click Here)

Friday, March 7, 2008

Product Comparisons & Reviews

As you may have picked up already I like to use this blog to share information. Below are links for product comparisons. Just click the links and you will be taken to the sites. I will add to the list as I find new resources.

• PhotoNotes.org Complete EOS Lookup Page
• The Digital Picture Lens Comparison Utility
• Fred Miranda Product Reviews
• PhotoZone Product Reviews
• CF/SD Performance Database

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

Current Equipment

So what am I using now? Good question. As I am a bit of geek and like all things geeky (as my wife says) this list can and will change and grow over time. I will do my best to keep it up to date.

Note: All items are links to the item on the appropriate retailer should you want to learn more.

Bodies:

• Fuji x100T
• Fuji XT-1 with Fuji VG-XT1
• Canon G11

Lenses/Optics:

• Fuji 16-55mm F2.8 RM W R
• Fuji XF 35 f 1.4 XF R
• Fuji XF 55-200 f/3.5-4.8 R LM OIS
• Italian Foot Zoom

Lighting:

• Sekonic L-358 Light Meter
• CyberSyncs (CST Trasmitter x1, CSRB Recievers x3)
  
• Cheetah Qbox 24 with Louver/Grid
• Calumet 36" Silver White Umbrella x2
• Westcott 43" Collapsable Umbrella x2
• Manfrotto Nano Lightstand x2
• Calumet 10' Air-Cushioned Lightstand x2
• Sto-Fen Omni-Bounce
• Lumiquest Promax
• Lumiquest Softbox II
• Lumiquest Softbox III
• Honl 1/8" Speed Grid
• Honl 5" Speed Snoot
• Honl Speed Gobo
  
• Impact Super Clamp x2
• DIY Lighting Clamp x2
• Various cords and such courtesy of FlashZebra (thanks Lon)
  

Supports & Support Accessories:

• Manfrotto 488RC2 Ball Head
• Manfrotto 3021BPRO Tripod
• Really Right Stuff BGE6-L L-Bracket
  
• Really Right Stuff B2 LR II Clamp
• Manfrotto 680B Monopod
• Canon TC-80N3 Remote
• MeFOTO RoadTrip Aluminum Travel Tripod

Bags:

• Domke F-3x
• Domke F-2
• Domke F-7AF
• Think Tank Urban Disguise 60
• Kata R-103 Rucksack

Straps:

• Canon E1 Handstrap
  
• POTN Neck Strap
• Domke 1.5" Gripper Neck Strap x2
• Black Rapid RS1 R-Strap
  

Saturday, December 1, 2007

Entering the Digital Age (2004 to 2006)

I stopped into a local camera store in 2004 after a hecktic day at work where the stress could not have gotten any higher. All I thought while driving home was I need stress relief, what can I do to relieve stress? At that moment I drove by that local camera store. The light went on in my mind and immediately pulled over (I think I cut someone off in the process) parked the car and went in.

Of course I gravitated over to the Canon bodies. They were like old friends calling me home. The clerk (I won't call him any more than that tried to get me to Nikon, probably made more on them, but the 20D I picked up just felt right in my hands. Felt like an old friend I had not seen in a while. Well the clerk popped in a CF card I took a couple snaps in AV mode, they were horrible and told him I would take it.

I was off and running. I began taking pictures immediately. My wife was happy I got the 20D she was glad to see me do something other than work for a change. Although if you ask her now while she still encourages my photography I bet she is a bit tired of my taking her picture and explaining how one is different from the next. Man she is good to me. I have a keeper there.

Well the 20D was a whole new world for me. For once I was not constrained by rolls of film. The CF card set me free. I finally felt it was ok to make mistakes and if I did that I wasn't waisting/throwing away money in the process. In the two years I had my trusty 20D I don't know how many 10s of thousands of pictures I took. The one thing I know is I improved. When first getting it I was almost at ground zero, as photographic skill is like a language, don't use it and you will lose it.

So if I enjoyed my 20D so much why did I move on? Well, its a sad story, but let me tell it anyway. One day I was walking out of my house with 20D in hand to take some pics of the birds at the feeder. Well, my dog ran past me, sneeking out of the house and hit my hand. The 20D went flying, about 5 feet in front of me and down a flight of stairs onto hard concrete then bouncing off a fence. It was a violent death and one that could not be recovered from. It was time for a new body. In retrospect I was due...I guess.

Here is the culprit...yes he is still around. :-)

Credit: Thanks to the Canon Museum from where I got the pic above.

Until I Went Digital (1989 to 2004)

Sorry for the long delay in posts. Things have been very crazy at work and I needed to focus on that for a while. Anyway, I'm back on track and promise to do at least one post a week from now on.

We left off my last post talking about the AE-1. Great camera but where did I go after that? Well...let me tell you. I spent 1989 to 2004 doing what I could in photography but never having the time to spend on it I wished. My cameras where always sitting in the corner taunting me, wanting me to use them. When I would I'd be so happy, but then I wouldn't have time or the money to keep it up. It was during the time that I studied to be a Catholic Priest and finished my bachelor's and Master's degrees. Needless to say that a vow of poverty and student loans don't leave much disposable income for photo gear.

However, its important to note that I didn't foget my passion at this time, so what did I do/use???

Well, Christmas of 1989, right after taking a vow of poverty my father gave me the gift of a EOS-1. I told him it was too much but he figured with a vow of poverty it was the last camera I would ever get so it should be a good one.

Well, this was one amazing camera and was the only one I had until 2004. My only regret is during this time I never had the time or resources to put this body through its paces. I primarily used it for social photography and always felt like I was driving a Ferrari to work at the McDonald's in the mall. Definitely too much for the job.

Well, time moved on, I got married, had/have a family and am became settled in a career. No, I didn't become a priest. If I had I'd still be using the EOS-1. In 2004 it was time to re-ingnite my passion, on came the digital age.

Credit: Thanks to the Canon Museum from where I got the pic above.

Sunday, November 4, 2007

Expanding My Reach (1980 to 1988)

Well, when my TX died I had to save up for a new body. Luckily I had put some money away and my father was willing to front me the difference so I could get myself a used AE-1. This was amazing to me especially since I now had a power winder and 135mm zoom to round out my kit. I was in the big time. I was getting pictures of my high school football team and having the pics published in the school news paper. They may have well been published in Time Magazine, I was so proud. Looking at them now I think they are bit soft. :o)

But looking back at my trusty AE-1 the best part was the auto-winder which got me to a speedy 3 frames per second. Thinking about it a bit more I think this explains my soft pics. With manual focus I wasn't re-focusing fast enough when shooting sports. At least thats my story and I'm sticking to it. :o)

While the AE-1 was not revolutionary, as it was still fully manual, the metering was so much better than the TX and I was now taking pride in my shots much more. Futher, this was the period during which I was able to setup a basic black and white darkroom. I now had so much control over my processing it was scary. To this day I believe I only scratched the surface of what I was able to do with that rudimentary darkroom setup but it still ceases to amaze me, and do through experimentation alone.

This was the period where I experimented and grew in what I could do. Unfortunately this hobby often fell to the back of my teen interests and goals at times. However, I'll tell you I never moved, either it be to college or my first apartment without my trusty AE-1. It was always there, maybe not used for months at a time, but always there.

Looking back at this time I have accepted three things.

1. Even when life gets busy I will always have an interest in and participate in this hobby.
2. It was the time when I grew the most in what I could do as I now gained confidence in my abilities.
3. I would never do this for money, it was just too darn much fun.

Credit: Thanks to the Canon Museum from where I got the pic above.

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