robert_davis7

I have a Sigma EF 500 DG Super and I like it a lot. Unfortunately, the camera on which I used it -- the EOS 3 -- I no longer own. It was destroyed in a canoe accident and it became worthless. I now use an EOS 1n + 540EZ speedlite. As a result, I hardly ever use the Sigma any more. If you're interested, I'll sell it to you, along with a Sto-Fen Omnibounce, for $175 (it has a few scratches). E-mail me at RDavis0916(at)hotmail.com.

 

Cheers! -Robert

I bought an A2 yesterday to use as a travel camera instead of bringing

along my heavy and loud 1n. (BTW -- the sound difference between the

two cameras is unreal.)

 

The first thing I did was turn on CF 4 to mirror the custom functions

I have on my 1n -- AF is controlled by the * button. The only problem

is that it's NOT the same. On the A2, the * button controls AF and AE

lock, whereas on the 1n, the * controls ONLY AF (the shutter button

controls AE hold -- not lock -- and the firing).

 

This is very annoying -- I'm used to being able to hold AE, not lock

it, and every time I AF on something, it locks the exposure!

 

Please tell me this is an operator error, and if I set another CF, it

will be just like my 1n...

I had my EOS 3 and 420EX destroyed in a canoe accident, and I have since purchased a 1n and a 540EZ. Having used both systems (E-TTL and A-TTL), I can honestly say, I prefer the photos I get from the EOS 1n + 540EZ over the EOS 3 + 420EX. I found E-TTL to overexpose often and require more manual tuning, whereas the 540EZ is very consistent in producing the images I want the first time.

 

I do miss FP flash and FEL, though... Plus, the 420EX and my Sigma EF 500 super made a great combo for wireless E-TTL.

 

Why not try the 540 for awhile and see how it goes? You can always enter E-TTL through the moderately priced 420EX or the bargain (for the features you get) Sigma EF 500 Super.

 

Cheers! - Robert

I've decided to buy an EOS 5 for my trip overseas and leave the 1n and

540EZ at home. My reasoning is that I want a QUIET, light body with a

built-in flash. I've heard the EOS 5 is one of the best cameras Canon

ever made and it certainly fits my specs.

 

BUT... will my 28-70mm f/2.8 lens cause a problem with the built-in

flash, such as a shadow (because the lens is so big) on the image?

What about if I took the lens hood off? I'm not going to be shooting a

lot of flash pics, just maybe the occasional fill-flash portrait.

 

Comments, advice appreciated.

Would you happen to have that link? I'm looking for an old lens, to see if it's compatible with my 1n. Yeah, I'm living in a time warp here. :)

RM L.:

 

"Call me crazy but you are never gonna look inconspicious with that monster on your belly."

 

That's why I said I'm leaving them at home! :)

Does anyone know of a resource that has a list of old and new 3rd

party lenses (sigma, tokina, tamron, etc.) and their compatibilty

problems with Canon cameras?

I'm leaving for South America in a little more than a month. I'm

trying to pare down my gear as much as possible in order to A) save

myself a back ache and B) look inconspicuous. I shoot photojournalism

and probably some vacation-type photos (architecture, landscape, etc.)

 

I have a Canon EOS 1n (with booster), a 540EZ speedlite, and the

following lenses: 24mm, 50mm, 28-70mm f/2.8 and 70-200mm f/2.8.

 

Right away, the PB-E2 booster and 70-200mm lens are staying home. Too

heavy, too big.

 

I'm trying now to decide whether I should bring my two primes (they're

light, fast and not as expensive) or just take the 28-70mm (bigger,

but more versatile). Also, what about the flash -- take it or leave it?

 

I'm actually considering buying an EOS 5 (they're dirt-cheap on

KEH.com right now) so I can have a quiet, cheap(er) camera with a

built-in flash.

 

Ugh. Decisions, decisions. What would you do?

As long as you're happy with it, it doesn't matter how often the lens gets bashed. I love the Sigma 70-200 f/2.8, despite the fact there are some very vocal mixed opinions. Have fun with it! And nice shot, by the way.

Depends on the glass ... If you're using an f/2.8 or larger lens, the EOS 3 is superior using all points (particularly the seven in the middle). If you're using an f/4 lens, the EOS 3 is still better, but only at the center point. Past that, they're both comparable to the point that I can't tell the difference.

I use the Tokina 28-70 f/2.8 ATX PRO SV on my EOS 1n. I like it for a number of reasons -- it's built well, the AF is a lot faster than I expected (although, of course, not as fast as Canon's USM or Sigma's HSM) and it performs pretty well. It's not as sharp as I hoped at f/2.8, but I use it primarily from f/5.6 to f/11 (when possible), but I've never been disappointed or had a shot ruined. Far from it.

 

This lens lives on my camera, but I'm a little skeptical if it will work on the one you own. Contact Tokina -- their customer service people are very fast and very friendly.

I was using Energizer rechargable AA batteries in my 420EX for months, and I use them now in my 540EZ. They're great -- more powerful than standard alkalines, and they can be recharged. The only downside is when they expire and need a recharge, they die FAST. During a shoot they went from normal recharging time to almost nothing in the span of a few minutes. So the moral is always keep a second set or a set of AA batteries handy (fortunately, i did).

 

Try them out -- you spend about $30 for the batteries and the charger, but they'll end up paying for themselves in a few weeks.

 

Good luck! - Robert

Edward Ingold - Truth be told, I AM familiar enough with the Nikon D1X to be confident when I use it -- I wouldn't have accepted the assignment if I wasn't. I just tried to do something last night that I had never attempted before. It didn't work (although I got the shot I wanted) and I posted this question to find out why it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be.

 

No conspiracy here. The assignment just took a little bit more time than I thought, and next time I will have a much better experience.

 

But nonetheless, it's ironic that in a forum that's supposed to be one of discussion and assistance, you did just the opposite of that. Really, what's the point of responding when you chose to respond like you did?

Shourya Ray -- Yes, I failed to mention specifically that I was using the flash to illuminate people around dusk (when there was still some light in the sky). I read the SB-80DX's instruction booklet so I'm familiar with the two types of D-TTL. I guess I set the D-TTL incorrectly. No worries, though - I got what I needed! I guess I just need to pay more attention to which mode I'm using next time. Thanks for the suggestion, though!

OK, I'm not a Nikon user, but because my newspaper's photographer went

on vacation this week, I have to fill in on two assignments. One of

which was last night, and although it was by no means a disaster, I

was ready to destroy the paper's D1X after the assignment. Or, rather,

the SB-80DX.

 

DTTL flash seemed all over the place last night when I was using it

with the off-camera shoe cord. Some images were blown out, some were

wonderful -- but more and more were bad. i finally resorted to M,

which unfortunately slowed me down a bit.

 

These fancy programs are supposed to take all the guess work out of

flash photgraphy. I've used an old N90s and SB-25, and I regularly

shoot my Canon EOS 3 and 1n (even the primitive A-TTL gives me better

results!) -- and all of these have given me great flahs pictures. I

was excited about using the D1X, but as far as flash photography goes,

I'm disappointed. Should I just not rely on D-TTL and stick to AA?

I'd love to try a tilt/shift lens on my 1n, but I can't afford to

buy one. Is there any way you can simulate the tilting and shifting

by using a bellows (losing infinity focus, I presume)? Or is it much

more complicated than that?

I'm sure this question has been answered before, but I'm not well-

versed with the Nikon line. I'm an EOS shooter and my girlfriend has

a N90s (it's a tough relationship :) and I'd like to get her a

speedlight for her birthday. I know the SB-25 or SB-26 are the

recommended flashes for the N90s, but they're a little out of my

price range right now (they're more than $250, right?).

 

I was thinking about the Sigma 430. I've had good experience with a

Sigma 500 on my EOS 3, but will the brand hold up on the Nikon? Will

the 430 provide 3D matrix flash on the N90s, or do I have to just

get the SB-25?

 

Thanks in advance. - Robert

Also, the EOS 3 has a larger viewfinder coverage (97 percent), which is useful for these types of lenses. I would get a EOS 1n, however -- MLU, 100 percent viewfinder, built well and can be purchased at a great price (I bought one from KEH.com for $365 two months ago).

My EOS 3 was destroyed in a canoe accident and I bought an EOS 1n for $364 from KEH. I was able to use my PB-E2 (which survived the accident!) and I have a great system. The 1n is a classic and it is still a strong performer. Yes, I miss E-TTL flash, but as far as handling and build quality, I'm more than happy with the EOS 1n. But, like others have said, that price seems high. For that price you can get an EOS 3, which is technologically superior.

 

Good luck with whatever decision you make!

Check the setting of Custom Function 13. If memory serves me correctly, 0 is for 45 AF points and spot metering to be at the center, 1 is for 13 points and spot metering at the center and 2 is for 13 points, all of which are linked to a spot meter. If you use 0 or 1, the spot is at the center and you use it like any other metering. If you need to recompose, you can use AE lock to maintain the spot metering reading at the center.

 

My only complaint was that in low light the center spot is too hard to see because the AF points aren't etched on to the screen. Don't get me wrong, I hate a cluttered viewfinder and that is the only drawback.

 

Good luck! - Robert

Also, here are the addresses:

 

Eastern United States:

Canon U.S.A., Inc.

New Jersey Factory Service Center

100 Jamesburg Road

Jamesburg, NJ 08831

(732) 521-7007

 

Western United States:

Canon U.S.A., Inc.

California Factory Service Center

15955 Alton Parkway

Irvine, CA 92618

(949) 753-4200

Here's a link to the story I referenced above:

 

http://www.naturephotographers.net/ejp0901-1.html

Jeff, last month I was in a canoe accident and my EOS 3 + PBE2 booster took a swim along with my Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX, 50mm f/1.8 and 19-35mm. The power was on in the EOS 3 when it went under. The 50mm sunk and was lost and the 19-35mm and 70-200mm lens were damaged beyond repair. I sent my EOS 3 to the Canon service center in New Jersey (get the address from the Web). Because the power was on, the EOS 3 was destroyed. Actually, once it dried out, the AF system and shutter were recovered but the film would no longer wind. It was deemed by Canon to be "not economically recoverable."

 

I, too, did not have insurance. I ended up having to kiss almost the whole system goodbye and I have since purchased an EOS 1n and two new lenses.

 

I read about a guy who dropped his 1V in the water (with the power OFF) and it was recvoverable ... so there's a chance. Was your power off? If it wasn't, judging from experience, the camera will be lost. Also, your lenses may be -- as mine were -- "not economincally recoverable."

 

I know how you're feeling and I'm really sorry it happened to you, too. Best of luck in coping with the crisis.

Aside from the EF 50mm f/1.8, which is the ultimate bargain EOS lens

when you compare its performance (stellar) with its price (rock

bottom), what are some other "bargain" EOS lenses?

 

Although third-party lenses can be bargains, I'm excluding them from

this poll (partly because I'm going to try to stick to Canon lenses

in the future).

 

(And please don't take this question too literally. Indeed, the EF

35-80mm f/4-5.6 is a bargain, but it only fulfills part of my

definition -- rock-bottom price. If you've used this lens, you know

its below-par performance.)

 

To start, I vote that the 200mm f/2.8L is a bargain lens.

Although I cannot give you an opinion on the 20-35mm version, I owned the 19-35mm version for more than a year. It worked well on my EOS 3 and I was impressed with the optical performance considering the price. My suggestion is, if the prices are similiar, why risk an incompatibility?

 

A word of advice -- treat the lens carefully. It isn't built very well (which is safe to assume considering the price). My version developed a small crack near the filer ring. It still worked well, but I know dust is getting in there.

 

Best of luck!