dinesh.godavarty

Hey guys, I am in the market for a new tripod, and am thinking of buying used on ebay. I see a lot of Gitzo tripods, and a mix of 3 sections and 4 sections.

 

How do 4 section tripods handle night photography with really long exposures? I just feel I should buy a 3 section, but there could be a perfectly fine 4 section tripod I could be missing out on.

 

Thank you.

Hey guys, I just bought the Samyang XP 14mm F2.4 lens. I have the EOS 5D Mark IV body.

 

A few questions:

 

a) The aperture shown on the body is 2.5. Does this mean the actual aperture is 2.5? or internally, the aperture of 2.4 is used?

 

b) The hyperfocal distance for 14mm/f2.5 on the full frame body is around 2.61m. From what I understand, if I focus at that distance, everything from 1.3 m in front to inf will be in focus. However, I just did an experiment in which I changed the point of focus to see from what point everything becomes sharp, and the sharpness point was well beyond the hyperfocal distance! To better give an example, consider these two scenarios

 

- focus at 3m. Theoretically everything behind that point should be sharp

 

- focus at 6m. Everything behind that point should be sharp.

 

My car was parked at 6m (the 6m focus was on the car). The license should have been sharp at both 3m and 6m focus point (from the theory of hyperfocal distance). However, the 6m focus is the sharpest. I can see a clear difference for my car's license between 3m and 6m. What am I missing? Am I misunderstanding the concept of HFD?

 

The reason for this experiment is that I am trying to do night photography, and am trying to figure out what's the closest distance such that everything from that point (maybe slightly to the front of it ) to inf is in focus. Isn't that theoretically the HFD?

 

Thank you.

<p>Thanks all.</p>

<p>Also, are there any great places around mt. hood area with great wildflowers, this time of the year? I was thinking I might check out mt. hood area, given How close I am to it.</p>

<p>ok thank you for all these great ideas! </p>

<p>Also, in any of the parks, how ok is it to sleep in your car? Does anyone know? For example, Ecola State park is a day use park, but if I wanted to do night photography, I need to stick around and maybe take naps in the car. Is that allowed? </p>

<p>Hey guys, I am flying into Portland on the 21st of April and then flying back out on the 30th, which gives me around 8 days.</p>

<p>I will spend around 4 days in the Columbia River Gorge, and that leaves me the other 4 days to plan out. I am pretty flexible, I was thinking of Painted Hills, Oregon Coast, Mt. Hood Area, Columbia Hills wildflowers etc. </p>

<p>Any suggestion on what I pick as my itinerary? I am fairly flexible, except the first 4 days, since I have booked my campsite in Ainsworth State park to roam around the Columbia River Gorge. I do landscapes, and I was hoping to start doing a lot of Night Photography, since I bought a Rokinon 14mm lens :).</p>

<p>Thank you!</p>

 

<p>Thanks Stephen.</p>

<p>I have the rokinon lenses (both 14mm and 24mm). I am guessing that they have been calibrated with digital bodies, given they are relatively new.<br>

<br />But thanks for the tips. I was just curious on how to pick the plane of focus, fast and quick on the field. </p>

<p>Hey guys, so I bought a completely manual lens with no focus confirmation. I am trying to calibrate my lens and trying to see if the focus distance markers are accurate (so that I don't need to go to live view everytime to focus)</p>

<p>Questions:<br>

- What does the subject distance mean for the camera? Is it different from the distance marks on the lens?<br>

- Do different lenses have a different distance from the subject?</p>

<p>Given my lens is 100% manual, and do any of the gurus have a recommended way to focus? I would love a quick way instead of going through live view for every shot. it gets very tiresome, very soon.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>Hey guys,</p>

<p>so I bought the two Rokinon lenses, 14 f2.8 and 24 f1.4. How do I actually check for the sharpness of the lens? That said, how do I check how sharp any lens is? When I look at the image on the pc, it seems to be fine. I zoom in, I see some softness, but I am not sure if that softness is due to the zooming or a lens defect. how do I tell?<br>

<br />Thanks.</p>

<p>Ah, thanks guys.</p>

<p>Yes, I already have a very sturdy tripod. The reason I wanted to buy the Rokinon is that they seem to be rated highly in terms of the coma aberration, and people seem very pleased with it. I was planning to use it only for night photography, in the sense of taking landscape shots with the night sky (stars showing up as points, not streaks). </p>

<p>The 16-35 f4 would be my workhorse for all the other "standard" landscape shots (sunrise/sunset/scenes in a forest). I don't need a fast lens as I would typically stop down for these shots. I am also leaning towards a 24-70/25-105 f4 lenses. I am a very stingy guy, so want to minimize the money I spent :)</p>

<p>Hi Guys, I currently own a Canon 60D with the tamron 17-50mm that I use for landscape photos.</p>

<p>I am thinking of upgrading to the Canon 6D, with additional lenses. I have been getting more into night photography, so am thinking of the Rokinon lens (either the 14 f2.8 or 24 f1.4). Which lens would the gurus recommend? Do both have the same sharpness, coma aberration performance etc.?</p>

<p>Also, the second lens I was thinking of is the 16-35F4 L from Canon. This would be my primary landscape lens. Is this an overkill to buy this lens along with the any of the Rokinon's above? </p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

<p>Hey guys, I am in the DC area and was looking for ideas for around a week long camping/photo trip to any of the national parks. I am willing to drive/fly, so please feel free to suggest any area in the US.</p>

<p>Thanks.</p>

<p>P.S I mostly shoot landscapes!</p>

<p>Thanks guys. This is the kind of feedback I was hoping to get. No, I wasn't planning to go each and everyone of the places I had listed. They were all maybe, I like to keep my plans very flexible.</p>

<p>Now, David. Are you saying that I can completely skip Mojave? I don't mind heading over to the UT parks. Note that I will be camping, so if it's just bone chilling, then I would probably skip that park.</p>

<p>also, it kind of looks like my gf won't be able to make it, so it might be two weeks of solo camping and photography :). </p>

<p>Hey guys, I am flying into LV on Dec 22, and flying out on Jan 3. That gives me roughly two weeks to see the sights around that area.<br>

This is my initial plan.<br>

- After landing on Sunday, the 22nd, spend a few nights camping in the Valley of Fire State park. I am hoping I will be able to find sites, given that I will be going there Sunday evening.<br>

- Head over the Mojave National preserve. Camp for a few nights. How is this area compared to Joshua tree? Is the landscape etc pretty similar?<br>

- Was thinking of heading over to the Havasupai village for a couple of nights, but very worried after reading about the crime in that village. I will be traveling solo and that might make me more vulnerable.<br>

- alternately, head over to Zion and camp for a few nights. It should be a fairly mild winter there and I should be able to handle it.<br>

- Maybe spend a few nights in Bryce Canyon, but the bone chilling temps are giving me a pause :). I am still a tropical beast!<br>

- My gf will fly in and join me for the second half of the week. So with her I plan to see Monument valley, Page (slot canyons etc) and maybe something else (not sure yet)<br>

how does this plan look? I have also put in the vermilion wilderness in the list. Please let me know if there are other scenic areas where I can camp and do landscape photography. Thanks so much!</p>

 

<p>ok sorry for the post again. There has been a sudden change in my plans. I have to go upto Maine and spent time with family :(. I will be around lake Sebago area in Maine. Are there any scenic areas that I can visit, esp with any snow?<br>

After Sebago, I have to head down to Boston. I can take a few pics in the city. But I would love suggestions of scenic landscape shots around Lake Sebago.<br>

Thanks so much.</p>

<p>Thanks guys. I have been intrigued by the Valley for Fire State Park, NV. I can easily spend a few days there. However; the camping is first come first served. How difficult is it to get a site there (like on a Sunday night) for the next few days? I will be flying there from DC and would be really bummed out if I don't get a site!<br>

Thanks so much.</p>

<p>Hey guys, I am just wondering which of the national parks in the US are great for camping and landscape photography in November. I do not mind flying out, so all suggestions welcome!</p>

<p>Thanks so much.</p>

<p>David, thanks so much for the suggestions. I will definitely keep them in mind. </p>

<p>I had questions about renting a car. the Airport location is horrendously expensive ( more than double the city locations!). Is there a city rental location that you recommend that's convenient from the airport? like well connected by shuttles, bus service etc.?</p>

<p>Thanks David! I have booked my campsites for the last week of June! I will book my tickets next week and see if I can snag some cheap ones.</p>

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

<p>hmm, David, how is the last week of June vs the first week of July in the Rocky mountain park? I am thnking of moving up my trip by a week, but still want to be able to catch the wildflowers etc. in the park.</p>

<p>Thanks guys .</p>

<p>David, I am doing tent camping. The campgrounds seem to be quite filled up, esp the second half of the week. I am toying with the idea of booking a campsite for the first half of the week, and then try to hit one of the first come first serve campgrounds. Do you know how busy they get? do you think I have a reasonable chance of getting a site? If I don't get a site, I will be boned!</p>

<p>I have started to change the plans and go to Grand Tetons, they seem pretty open!</p>

<p>Hey Guys,</p>

<p>I am planning to fly into Denver during the first week of July. I was initially planning to spend the week in Rocky Mountain National Park, and do landscape photography. but I am open to other places in CO. I have heard that it gets really crowded around that time in that national park, so any other scenic areas where I can camp and do landscape shots? All suggestions welcome!</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Thanks so much guys!</p>

<p>Cara, do you have an recos for taking pics of the Boston Skyline at sunrise and sunset? both facing into and away from the sun? I have always been interesting in such pics, but never got the chance to do it. Let me know your fav locations!</p>

<p>Thanks so much!</p>

<p>Hey guys, I need to be in Boston in the last week of May. I am toying with the ideas of camping close to boston and doing some photography. Do you recommend any scenic places? I will probably spend 3-4 days doing this, and then need to be back in Boston for a wedding.</p>

<p>So all suggestions welcome!</p>

<p>Thanks for messages, guys!</p>

<p>Larry, thanks so much for pointing out the Singh-Ray filter for Cokin P. I called them up and from what I understand, it pretty much functions like a Cokin CP (even sliding into the same slot). I am leaning towards buying and that and checking it out. I am guessing that Singh-Ray polarizers are way superior to Cokin. Is that a correct assumption?</p>

<p>How have people found the Singh-Ray CP to be?</p>

<p>Hey guys, so I have cokin P filter system. I have been pretty happy with it, except my circular polarizer is showing signs of wear (with some minor scratches and what not). Given that I pretty much stop down for my landscape shots, I can slightly detect these blemishes in my pictures.</p>

<p>So I am ready to buy a new polarizer for my P filter system. I recall I bought my earlier filter for around $60, now I see that the price is around $110. Is it the same filter? or have they made improvements to it and that's why the cost has gone up.</p>

<p>Also, are there any other CP's that fit into the Cokin P filter system? Any recommendations? I am willing to consider more expensive options.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>