charles_m1

<p>It's also a new show in my area too. So far, I've only seen 3 episodes, the moose one, the spring wild flowers one and the storm chasing one.</p>

<p>I enjoy the show too. He tells us how he made the shot and what he is thinking when making the shot. He doesn't just provide the formula, he tells us how we can adjust his techniques to our own unique situations. </p>

<p>I just recently bought my first m4/3 camera, a panasonic gf2. I came from a DSLR background (Initially had a 20D, then upgraded to a 5D2). The panasonic is extremely small and very fun. I use the 20/1.7 lens on it. </p>

<p>What initially drew me towards m4/3s is that they have several pancakes. I was most interested in the 20/1.7 and the upcoming pancake zoom (14 to 42 pancake). I seriously considered Sony because I love high ISO (coming from a 5D2 background), but I figured if I bought Sony, I'd have to lug around big lenses just like my Canon DSLRs. So, I went with m4/3. </p>

<p>The high ISO is not that bad, especially with fast lenses, I can keep the ISOs lower. I actually find the increased DoF on the 20/1.7 to be an advantage. No more having 1 eye in focus, there is just enough DoF to make nice portraits. But, I do find that the 20/1.7 does not compare to my Canon L lenses, especially compared to my beloved 35L. The color and contrast coming from the 35L is clearly better, but the 20/1.7 is pretty sharp wide open. On the other hand, the 20/1.7 is a lot cheaper, so I don't expect that it can measure up to an L lens. In fact, I could buy several m4/3 lenses for the price of that 35L. </p>

<p>I decided to go with panasonic over olympus because most of the lenses I liked were made by panasonic, so I wanted maximum compatibility. I'm not sure if there are any issues using panasonic lenses on olympus cameras though. I went with the gf2 over the gf3 because of the hot shoe. I use flash sometimes, so I wanted to have a hotshoe. </p>

<p>I still use my 5D2, but the panasonic is just a fun camera to use. And there are times where I just don't feel like carrying around my 5D2. With the GF2, I can carry it anywhere without worrying much about the bulk and weight. I use a very small lens pouch to carry it in, and it stays out of my way.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I think Sony is coming out with a Zeiss 24/1.7 soon, and a 50/1.8 later. They're not in the normal focal lengths, but a lot of people like these focal lengths. Those two focal lenghs (~35 and 75) are classic combos. </p>

<p>But, I would like them to bring out smaller lenses. MFT has the Panasonic 20/1.7 as a pancake. They also have regular sized lenses like the Leica 25/1.4 and the Olympus 50/1.8. </p>

 

<p>I bought one recently for very cheap. I went to KEH and bought one in ugly condition. The back was still working, but it was painted pink and the foam sealing was bad. I was able to use acetone to get the pink paint off and re-sealed the foam. I think the back costed me around $5.</p>

<p>I just checked KEH and I see they have several bad backs in the "As Is" section, but they are missing the dark slide. You can go and buy the dark slide separately on there too.</p>

<p>FWIW, I have the Viewsonic VP2365WB. I don't do any games on it, so I can't tell you about response times, but after calibrating it with an i1 Display 2, it is spot on. <br>

I have heard that some of the less expensive LCD's (like the Viewsonic) may have color shifts from one side to the other. So, using the i1 Display, I calibrated the left, middle and right parts of the screen and they came out exactly the same, so I am very happy with it.<br>

I had also replaced an old CRT that is about the same age as yours. It was a 17" Sony Trinitron, I remember buying it for around $700! One side benefit to the LCD is that it is much easier on your eyes. CRTs emits significantly more radiation than the LCDs. </p>

<p> </p>

<p>If you are looking at KEH, make sure the software is included. If you plan on shooting raw, you need the software and that cannot be downloaded from the Canon website. The Canon website only has software updates.</p>

<p>However, I did hear that you can somehow hack it so that you don't need the original disks, but I never looked into that since I have the originals.</p>

 

<p>Have you tried turning on the scanner before booting up your computer? I have found that I had to turn on my coolscan and let it be in it's ready mode before booting up my computer.</p>

<p>As for firewire cards, I have heard the same thing as Curt, so that could also be a problem.</p>

<p>Are you running Win 7, 64 bit? I have heard that can cause problems too.</p>

<p>I have used them and they work, but it will make it harder to get to the controls on the flash. In the end, I ended up buying some used 550 ex's because they have no interference issues. One problem that was reported was that it's been known to fry the flash (as in render them unusable). There is a long thread on the Pocket Wizard flickr channel about this. It seems to mainly affect 580 exII's though, so I have kept using my 550ex's since they seem safe.</p>

<p>I use the 24-105 on both a 50D and 5D2. Personally, for the 50D, I would rather go with the 24-70 because the high isos aren't as good on the 50D. I don't think the high isos are that bad for a cropper, but compared to the 5D2 it is.</p>

<p>On my 5D2, the 24-105 is awesome. It stays on that camera 99% of the time. I know for sure that I like it better than the 24-70 on my 5D2. I also have a Sigma 50/1.4, so if I ever need a faster lens, I can switch over to that (although I use flash when the light is low).</p>

<p>I think it all depends on your tastes though. The 24-105 has a more range, it has IS and it is significantly lighter in weight. The 24-70 is 1 stop faster, and I heard (but haven't confirmed myself) that the image quality is better. </p>

 

<p>I am glad I have MFA. Most of my lenses have benefited from it. It made the most improvements on my Sigma lenses, but it also made a big difference in my 24-105L. </p>

<p>Do you have a flash? If so, I would say 24-105L. I have a 5D2 w/ Sigma 50/1.4, 24-105L, and 70-200 f4L IS. I also have a 580ex2. Anytime I can use flash, I use my zooms. When I can't use flash, I use my 50/1.4. <br>

I also have 2 kids: a 2.5 year old and a 3 month old. The 24-105 works great on them! I think the 24-70 is too heavy to lug around, so that was the main reason that I went for the 24-105. I don't think I really need the IS or the extra reach of the 24-105, but I wanted something lighter. <br>

Anyways, that was my reasoning. Sometimes, I must admit, I do wish I had the 24-70, but I am sure that if I did have the 24-70, I'd wish for the 24-105! </p>

<p>I use a Color Checker Passport to calibrate my camera, then I use an i1 Display 2 to calibrate my display. To get accurate white balance, I shoot the gray side of the Passport. In my opinion, this is probably the most accurate way to get perfect colors, but even then, sometimes my colors can be off. Usually, when my colors are off, it is due to mixed lighting situations. But, for a beach picture, you should do ok since there are no mixed lighting. </p>

<p>Of course, my advice only applies to your future pictures. If your pictures look too green, adjust the tint towards magenta. If the picture looks too yellow, adjust the WB to be cooler and the tint towards magenta. I usually don't play with the Hue and Saturation settings because I tend to mess them up more, and the Color Checker takes care of it anyways. I also don't use Brightness, but I do understand that the Brightness in LR has the advantage of affecting only the midtones. If you are using LR, I prefer using the exposure to control brightness, then using the fill light and blacks to give the picture a little pop. I also use the Tone Curve for contrast.</p>

<p>You can also try changing the "Adobe Standard" profile. I always use my own profiles created from the Color Checker, but LR has several different profiles you can use. Good luck!</p>

<p>I just bought a Viewsonic VP2365WB that is being delivered next week. Along with that, I bought an i1 Display 2. The total came out to around $480 w/ bing cashback. I probably could have bought a Spyder for cheaper, but I heard some mixed reviews on it. It is replacing a ~13 year old 17" Sony Trinitron CRT. I figured that for my needs, I don't need the best accuracy.<br>

From the review at tftcentral, it had very good accuracy after being calibrated, but there was some unevenness in the luminance across the screen. The edges seemed darker than the middle. <br>

I guess I'll see how mine is when it is delivered next week.</p>

<p>That Sigma does focus slow since it's not HSM... maybe it's time to upgrade : )<br>

Thanks for the tips. It'll be a while before I can head out there since I've got a newborn at home, but Lake Perris sounds fun too. Maybe I can have a portrait session with the family there.<br>

Around my area, I usually head out to Mount Baldy for some scenic shots, but SJWA looks like it's got much more wildlife. </p>

<p>Wow, thanks for this information! I live about an hour away in Pomona. I mostly photograph portraits of my kids, but this has piqued my interest! I do have an old sigma 80-400 lens. Do you think that could work for birds? I think I'll probably need a teleconverter, right?</p>

<p>I have the non-L version that I bought years ago. </p>

<p>If I had to do it over again, I'd get the L. Like everyone says, it has IS and superior build quality. Personally, I think the build quality of the non-L is not that bad though. <br>

Another thing the L has is a faster autofocus, at least that is what I heard anyways. <br>

The non-L is lighter and cheaper though.</p>

 

<p>There is foto hall (www.foto-hall.com) in Fullerton. They are very pricey though. <br>

I usually buy film online from ultrafineonline.com. Sometimes, they'll have specials on film that is a little expired.<br>

I usually get the film developed at walmart. They process 120 and 220 film for dirt cheap. I usually process negatives and slides though. I don't do B&W, but you might want to send them a test roll to see how it comes back. Last time, it took 2 weeks to get the film back developed.</p>

<p>I had also considered buying 3rd party batteries for my 5DII, but when I did the research, I found:</p>

<p>* Like Bill says, the battery would get stuck in the camera, and it would have to be pryed out... I do not want to scratch up my camera just for a $20 battery!</p>

<p>* I have also read about some batteries causing the camera to act funny. I think it was an Amazon review, but if it is causing my camera to do something it normally shouldn't, then I would think it might harm my camera.</p>

<p>In the past, I have used Sterlingtek batteries in my 20D, but those batteries had a reputation of being 100% compatible and safe. So far, no 3rd party 5DII batteries are 100% compatible.</p>

<p>Congratulations! You'll love the camera. I went from a 20D to a 50D to the 5DII. The high ISO performance is just mind blowing! I love the 24-105L on this camera too! I am now saving for some nice primes.</p>

<p>I did not buy the camera for the video, but I find myself using the video more and more. The video quality is truly top notch.</p>

<p>The one thing I heard about refurbished is to make sure it has the Canon USA warranty. Some places only supply a warranty backed by the store, so for any warranty work, you have to take it back to the store.</p>

<p>BTW, I just bought a 5DII (new) from Cameta's ebay store. I found their service to be excellent and I got 8% bing cashback for using ebay. </p>

<p>I have only sold a few things on ebay and never had this happen. But, I did not have any "buy it now" option. <br>

I did have several interested buyers who asked for it to be shipped overseas to non-paypal addresses. I also had several who were willing to pay more than the item's worth, but wanted to do the transaction outside ebay.<br>

After getting all these emails, I now revised my ads so that:<br>

1. I only ship within the USA.<br>

2. I do not ship to PO boxes.<br>

3. I only ship to Pay Pal Confirmed addresses<br>

You also need to know that if you insure your package, you need to package the lens in a bigger box (I forgot how much bigger, check the UPS website) so that if you need to file a claim, it won't be rejected due to the box being too small.</p>

 

<p>A 7D shouldn't cost $1000 more than a 50D... On ebay, if you use the 8% cashback, a 7D will cost you ~$1400. You have to be careful though. Make sure to buy from a Canon authorized dealer to have the full warranty.</p>

<p>The Multi II was my first scanner. After that scanner, I went to a flatbed (a cheap Epson one, forgot the model number), then I finally bought a Nikon 8000. </p>

<p>I remember the Multi II required a SCSI card, I could not get the SCSI to USB cord to work with mine. I thought the Multi II was great back when I got it, but one thing you will have to deal with a lot is dust. The Multi II did not have ICE, so every neg or slide that was scanned had to be touched up for dust. That got old really fast!<br>

<br />One thing to know about the Multi II is that it scanned medium format at half the resolution of 35 mm. I think medium format was scanned at 1400 dpi, but it would interpolate up to 2800, while 35mm would be scanned at 2800. </p>

<p>Because of the dust issues and the medium format resolution, I switched to an Epson flatbed. I remember the Epson can scan at very high res, but in reality, it would get around 1800 to 2000 dpi. The Epson also had ICE, so dust issues were very minimal. I thought the 35mm scans from the Epson were much, much worse than the Multi II, but the medium format scans were about the same quality, except with the Epson, it was much easier due to the ICE feature.</p>

<p>Depending on your needs, you might also want to consider an Epson flatbed, although if you want higher quality 35mm scans, then the Multi II will be a better choice.</p>

<p>I like the Benro travel angel tripods. I have the CF version, but the Aluminum version is much cheaper... I think around $150. It folds down very small to a length of 14 or 15 inches. </p>

<p>Since Amazon was having a 15% off sale on PW items (promo code: POCKETIO), I decided to buy 2 of the flexes. PW now includes the AC5 shield with their flexes, so I figured they should be very reliable now and all range issues are sorted out. I chose the flexes because they use AA batteries, whereas the mini requires some kind of button cell battery.<br /> Before I had these, I used a pair of Chinese triggers called Cactus triggers. They have worked quite well for me, but I know that people had trouble with these. I never used mine more than 10 feet away though. The reason I wanted the Flex is so I can use my flashes outdoors, in bright sunlight, and have ETTL. I am not a pro, but my subjects (usually my wife and/or my 2 year old daughter) often get inpatient when I am trying to fiddle around with settings.<br /> Since the Flex TT5 was so much more expensive, I wanted to test them very well to see if the reliability issues have been resolved.<br /> Out of the box, I read the "Quick Start" guide and got unreliable results. My flashes are: 580 exII, 430ex and a Metz 54MZ-3. <br /> The Metz fires the most consistently, but the Metz flash does not recognize any of the ETTL commands. The Metz screen says "TTL" and I cannot change it to "eTTL", so it fires at full blast only. I can set it manually to fire at lower power levels, but this would not be ETTL.<br /> The flash on both the 580 exII and 430ex keep going off even when I am not shooting a picture. I was not getting reliable results with either flash.<br /> So, finally, I go online and download the full manual from the PW website. The manual is very hard to read because there are a lot of addendums at the front of the manual. The addendums has bug fixes, added functions, etc. So I try reading it while playing with my new toys.<br /> That was time well spent. I found out that I am supposed to turn on the PWs before turning on the camera and flash. I also found that the first time everything is powered on, I need to take 2 "calibration" shots. <br /> After I followed those rules, everything worked well. But, the remote flash was only about 5 ft away from me. I put one flash about 40 feet away, then tried different scenarios to see how it worked. In all these scenarios, the 580 exII was on camera and the 430 ex was the remote flash.<br /> a. If the remote antenna was behind the 430 ex, it was very unreliable.<br /> b. If the remote antenna was in front of the 430 ex, it was 100%reliable.<br /> c. It was very annoying to cover the 580 exII with the sock because I wanted to set ratios on the flash. So on the 580 exII, I pulled the sock up so only the flash head was covered. It was still 100% reliable.<br /> d. Since #3 went ok, I tried to do the same with the 430ex, but it then, it became unreliable.<br /> During testing, I found that on the 580 exII, I can't seem to get the flash into master mode (to set ratios) when it is mounted on top of the Flex. In order to put it into master mode, I have to mount the flash directly onto the camera... is there a way around this?<br /> Here are my conclusions:<br /> 1. The positioning of the antenna is very important for reliability. If the flash is between the transmitter and the receiver, the signal quality is severely impacted, even with socks on both flashes. This means that we can't just slap on the PWs and start shooting, we'll need to always to aware of the antenna positioning.<br /> 2. It does not do ETTL with my Metz 54MZ-3, but they seem to communicate well with each other (no radio interference).<br /> 3. The socks aren't too bad to work with, since pulling the sock up on the 580exII does not seem to degrade the signal.<br /> 4. Having the 430ex mounted on top of the flex increases the height. This made it hard to fit into my softbox.<br /> 5. I wish it came with a real manual in the box. I don't really care for the online PDF download. I like having an actual paper manual, so if a computer is not readily available, I can look things up in the manual.<br>

6. The calibration shots are annoying. When I do them, my subject will think I took a picture.<br /> Even though they aren't perfect, I don't plan to return these. I like the fact that these are USB upgradeable and it is reliable as long as you know the limitations. I do hope that PW adds support for the Metz 54 MZ-3, then, I will have an excuse to buy another flex!</p>

<p> </p>