divo

<p>I can't comment on the 20-25, but I did own a 17-35L. It was robust and heavy--on par with other L lenses of the time. I liked mine, but the best I can say is that they seemed to have quality control issues. There were lots of people who complained about overall IQ and CA with that lens. My suggestion would be try before you commit to buy if at all possible. In the end, I upgraded to the newer 16-35 version of the lens because, to my knowledge, Adobe never produced a lens profile for ACR for this lens. I believe there was a profile provided in DPP, but I never used that.</p>

<p>You may also just want to read this thread from the past weeks.<br>

http://www.photo.net/canon-eos-digital-camera-forum/00dKkP</p>

<p>I've been pretty happy with my Phottix system, but I'm a hobbyist, so it doesn't see heavy, daily use. I got it about a year ago when my set-up was much like yours. I have two 430EX(II), an older 550EX and a 580EX II. Trading it all in and buying the new 600EX-RFs was just going to be too expensive. Honestly, I also wanted the simplicity of just buying the 600s and being done with it, but after I looked at the Phottix line up and realized that I could combine flash and studio strobes (at some point in the future), I realized that it might be a good fit for me. There's always a trade off between the simplicity of one unit (600EX) or a flash plus a wireless trigger. Each gizmo requires batteries, space in your bag (which means weight) and could break, which could all be issues for a pro. In the end, there are a lot of variables to consider. I think knowing your goals and shooting style and identifying the pros and cons of each system for your shooting style is really the key. </p>

<p>In the end, as a hobbyist, price was an important factor for me: I found a couple of sets of Phottix Odins on sale at B&H and Adorama, which helped me decide. However, even then, Phottix (plus a flash) seemed carefully priced to be just a bit less than buying the 600EX-RFs. The good thing is that there are tons of used flash units out there for sale, which may take the edge off for the budget conscious. Pros for me: I also like that you can combine the Odins with the non-ETTL Stratos system and have some strobes just fire in manual mode. Of the various wireless systems, Phottix seemed the most flexible to me. You may also want to check out Flickr, as there seems to be more strobist-type stuff going on there. They also have more gear specific groups. Canon wireless, YoungNuo, Phottix and PockeWizards etc. all have dedicated groups with discussion boards there.</p>

<p>While fact checking for my response, I noticed that B&H has a system of Bolt flashes that offer similar built in wireless control. I'd never heard of them before, but you could check them out.</p>

<p>I think you pretty much covered it. My two cents worth: I think it comes down to whether you are selling all your gear and replacing it OR adding to an existing set up and keeping an eye on future expansion. e.g. I currently use the Phottix Odin system. I would probably seriously look at buying the Mitros+ units because I can use everything I have and continue to add to my system with portable studio strobes etc. if and when I decide to go in that direction. The Phottix system has legacy support and I can mix and match. You could probably do the same with the YongNuos although I'm not familiar with their system. The Canon units will probably give you minimum fuss and bother if you continue to stick with a 2 flash, Canon-only system, but they limit your expansion choices. Currently, B&H has two Canon 600EX-RT plus the ST-E3-RT for $1,159.95. Just keep in mind all the other parts of a flash system that also need to be replaced. Diffusers or any other flash specific straps or gizmos. That stuff all adds up when you switch systems entirely.</p>

<p>The same website also has this general look at the different options available for Canon... http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Canon-Lenses/Canon-Wide-Angle-Lens.aspx</p>

I'm not sure this is lighter or cheaper, but...

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-11-24mm-f-4L-USM-Lens.aspx

<p>If the YongNuos work out for you great. I've never used them, so I can't comment. If they don't and you're interested in ETTL and manual control from the camera, you might look into the Phottix Odin system if they are available near you. They are more expensive than YongNuo but cheaper than PWs. I went that route because it was cheaper than switching all 4 of my canon units over to the new Canon Speedlite 600ex-rt for radio support and the various Phottix systems seem pretty flexible. As a hobby shooter I've been really happy with my purchase.</p>

<p>I'm with <a name="00dALW"></a><a href="/photodb/user?user_id=19054">Ilkka Nissila</a> on this one. Everything I've read seems to indicate that the 5Ds is geared to studio/strobist or landscape/fine art work—think artificial lighting, a tripod or both. Canon frequently makes marketing decisions based on their conceptualized target user.<br>

<br>

Just out of curiosity, if the sensor hardware is capable of higher ISO, would activating them be something that <em>could </em>be changed in a firmware update (or hack)?</p>

<p>You mention the Phottix system, but, apart from their compatibility with various monolights, have you factored in Phottix' new Indra500 TTL studio light? It has a built in Odin trigger and has the option of battery and mains support. Along with the Mitros+ flash units that also offer internal Odin triggers, that would seemingly be one of the most versatile options for no (or few) cables. It also allows for use of existing speedlites or combinations by means of the external version of the Phottix Odin units. Personally, I've been using the Phottix Odin system with my Canon speedlites for a year now and have been quite happy, although I'm a hobbiest and admit that cost was one of the main factors that drew me to the Phottix system. Just to be clear, I do not have any experience with the Indra500 TTL, I'm just suggesting it in terms of a system that would seem to match your parameters. Although highly versatile (TTL, battery/mains, combinable) the Indra500 TTL does seem quite expensive.</p>

<p>The Canon 24-70 F/2.8L Model II is a pretty robust lens, and you should be fine. </p>

<p>However, certain lenses, most notably the Canon 85mm F/1.2L (Mark I), can be damaged if pressure is applied to the front of the lens while the front element is extended. This particular lens does not focus internally and needs power from the camera in order to focus as the Mark I did not have USM. It doesn't switch between manual or autofocus when powered down either. Care must be taken to always fully retract this type of lens before stowing it in a bag. Alternately, the lens hood can be left attached in order to protect the front element if the bag allows for it. </p>

<p>Your model, however, has USM, focuses internally and can be zoomed in and out even without power, so should be fine when placed in a bag.</p>

<p>Yeah, I was at flash havoc earlier. Good resource. I decided to order a set of Odins as they were the cheapest way to take my current system, a wide variety of EX models, wireless . Ironically, I didn't even know about the Mitros + at the time; however, at ca. $400 per all-in-one unit, they are serious competition for any flash + radio trigger purchase option out there. I would give them serious consideration if I wanted to expand my system any further.<br>

Glad you found something that fit your needs.</p>

<p>For those reading this post and contemplating buying a radio trigger set, I wanted to add an update. Phottix has now released the Phottix Mitros + flash unit which has all the functionality of the TCU (Phottix Odin control unit) inside a flash unit that can be used as a camera mounted master or off camera as a slave. It's fully compatible with the Odin system and also backwards compatible with their non E-TTL triggers. And, it's cheaper than the 600EX. This flash probably explains why they didn't include a hot shoe on the original TCU, and it adds a whole new layer of flexibility to their growing system. They have also added their own HSS optimization function to the Odin system.</p>

<p>For those reading this post and contemplating buying a radio trigger set, I wanted to add an update. Phottix has now released the Phottix Mitros + flash unit which has all the functionality of the TCU (Phottix Odin control unit) inside a flash unit that can be used as a camera mounted master or off camera as a slave. It's fully compatible with the Odin system and also backwards compatible with their non E-TTL triggers. And, it's cheaper than the 600EX. This flash probably explains why they didn't include a hot shoe on the original TCU, and it adds a whole new layer of flexibility to their growing system.</p>

<p>Pyramid fixed!</p><div></div>

<p>Decided to check out Lightroom 5's new Upright feature on a shot of one of the pyramids.</p>

<p>I'm not sure of the actual release date, but have you looked at the Canon EOS M, Canon's recently annonced mirrorless option? It seems to offer some interesting possibilities within the Canon system.</p>

I'm not familiar with this flash, so thanks for bringing it to my attention. Thoughts: most important consideration, it seems that this flash is not compatible with Canon or Nikon TTL systems. Do you really want to try to master manual flash while getting some snaps of the baby? (keeping in mind sleep deprivation, diaper changes and all the other great time consuming stuff that comes with being the parent of a newborn) Sometimes TTL isn't all bad. Supposedly, they have the 565 that does allow for TTL (at least with Canon, you'd have to check Nikon). Best of luck (with flash and baby)

<p>Another thing to keep in mind is all those original 5D cameras still in service out there that are starting to show their age relative to current technology (autofocus, low max ISO, high noise, 12.8 MP vs 20+MP, etc.). I never got around to upgrading to the 5DII (really feeling happy about having bought those skis rather than upgrading to the 5DII last month), so to me this is looking like a great upgrade. I'm guessing many others that never upgraded are also starting to think about a new camera body. I think with the combination of aging 5D originals out there, early adopters, low light shooters, shooters looking for better autofocus, those looking to step up to a full frame, video shooters, etc., etc. Canon has put together a camera with a great deal of sales potential.</p>

<p>I'm looking for recommendations for a M43 camera with:</p>

<ul>

<li>best in class low-light (high ISO) results</li>

<li>face recognition a must</li>

<li>large viewscreen (possibly touchscreen)</li>

<li>interchangeable lenses</li>

<li>RAW format</li>

</ul>

<p>For those who haven't seen my previous post on a related subject, I'm looking for a camera that's really intuitive and easy to use for friends that aren't into photography at all. I regularly meet friends for coffee or dinner and like to pass around a camera while we talk and let everybody take a stab at portrait photography. It's informal, but we have fun and have ended up with a lot of great portraits and profile pics out of the bargain. The problem is that my friends find it hard to use my DSLR (both size and technique-wise), so I'm looking for options that are more intuitive and user friendly. If I could easily slip it in a jacket pocket that would be a plus. I also like to post-process the best photos, so RAW format would be a plus. I'm partial to fast glass. I would also view this as an every day carry camera for times when lugging the full DSLR kit around is impractical.</p>

<p>What would you recommend? Thanks for any thoughts you have to offer.</p>

<p>An example of the type of problem I'm trying to overcome<br>

<a href="../photo/15089892">http://www.photo.net/photo/15089892</a></p>

<p>@JC: Yup, it's a training problem. You're preaching to the choir. I stated that in the OP. It's my friends that don't know how to use a DSLR. I've explained it to them, but there is a language barrier. It doesn't stick. They just point and shoot.</p>

<p>I think really the best thing for this type of informal social gathering would be a smallish camera with whatever is currently the state-of-the-art low-light abilities that has a large viewscreen for composing and face recognition to solve the focusing issues that my friends experience. I will now post somewhere appropriate for recommends on what camera meets these specs.</p>

<p>OK. I moved that shot into a new folder and added another example taken by a friend which clearly illustrates the problem at hand. I took the shot of the woman. A friend took the shot of the man.</p>

<p><a href="../photo/15089892">http://www.photo.net/photo/15089892</a></p>

<p>Just to be clear... <em>only</em> picture JEH 01 (in that gallery) is shot under the conditions that I mentioned earlier. The others in the gallery are largly daylight portraits taken outside where focal length and aperature weren't really issues.</p>

<p>@Zach Yeah, I was wondering if face recognition and the smaller size would help my friends. Some of them struggle with a 5D and L lens combo. Thanks for the tip.</p>

<p>Have been trying to attach an example, but it isnt' working. FWIW, JEH 01 in my people gallery. <a href="../photo/15078813">http://www.photo.net/photo/15078813</a> </p>

<p>I love shallow depth of field people shots, but, having tried to simply explain the techniques involved multiple times (in a foreign language), I've come to the conclusion that I need a new approach (@Leslie). I also have a cell phone, but my friends have that angle covered masterfully! The person not the tool is exactly my point: my friends are enthusiastic and most want to give a DSLR a go, but they aren't knowledgeable about photography, and they tend to get lots of sharply focussed shirt fronts/booth panels etc. with blurry faces. I'm just trying to find the most approachable tool for absolute novices. In my experience, my friends are pretty happy when I present them with a shot of them that is nicely photoshopped and has a more polished look to it (@JC Uknz). It's become a way of sharing my hobby with my non-photographer friends and has generally been well received as long as taking pictures doesn't dominate the entire time spent together.</p>

<p>@Eric: Yeah, I kind of thought that would be the answer. Perhaps future upgrade to the 5DII (or III whenever it comes out) and use of Live View to explain the concepts even better will be the best option.</p>

<p>Thanks for your thoughts.</p>

<p>Although I usually shoot with a Canon 5D (orig.) and a full complement of lenses, I find that casual social situations (dinner or coffee in the evening) present certain challenges when I let my friends take pictures, too.</p>

<ol>

<li>Even the highest ISO on my 5D (orig.) can't handle dark restaurant environments well without flash, but frequent flash bursts iritate other customers.</li>

<li>My friends are not DSLR users and don't understand how to focus when using the relatively shallow depths of field required in these situations. My friends are mostly cell phone shooters that just point-and-shoot. </li>

</ol>

<p>So, I'm trying to decide what the best options would be for this type of social setting: sitting around a table in a dark restaurant or coffee shop with a mix of skilled and unskilled users passing around a camera.</p>

<p>My questions:</p>

<ol>

<li>Would an upgrade to a 5D II give me enough low-light capability (via extended ISO) to extend depth of field to a useable level for those not experienced with focussing a DSLR? I'm willing to accept some level of noice reduction in Lightroom, but there is a limit before skin just starts looking unnaturally smoothed out.</li>

<li>Do either of the other two systems offer a camera that sticks out as handling low-light noise particularly well in a package that is really easy for non-photographers to use?</li>

</ol>

<p>I intend to upgrade to a Canon 5DII or it's next iteration at some point in the future; however, I'm also wondering about the other two systems for their easy to slip in a pocket and carry back-up camera potential. Thanks for your thoughts.</p>