keithsnyder

I use Ulead's PhotoImpact 11, which opens my RAW files just fine. When I found it was so easy to use, and helpful even at my relative novice level, I started shooting RAW+JPEG as much as possible. Now I have to go buy another CF card...

I took the leap into the "real" camera pool from instamatics and disposables with a Maxxum 300si because a friend was selling hers cheap. After a while I upgraded to the Maxxum 5. The only time I have problems with picture sharpness (other than a few bad rolls of film) were with the shakiness of my hands. I'd have been a lousy surgeon. With a tripod, pics turned out great. Once I got better at holding the camera still and timing the shutter release better, the pics turned out great. I now own the 5D, which has image stabilization, which helps even more, but the biggest factor I believe in my pics getting sharper is the same way one gets to Carnegie Hall...practice, practice, practice. And I don't think that it would have been any different with Canon or Nikon.

I made sure the flash worked by putting it on the Maxxum 5. However, I live about two miles past the edge of the world, so there is no camera shop to which to take it to see if the hotshoe is malfunctioning. However, I will try to next time I'm out of town. I just got the camera as a factory reconditioned unit, so I'll be kinda surprised if they didn't check to see if the flash fires. The literature lists three flashed for the 5D, and the 2000xi isn't one of them.

I have a 2000xi flash, but the 5D takes a 2500 (I think), as well as the 3600 and 5600. I tried to make my old flash fire on the new camera, but nothing.

Does anyone have experience with off-brand flashes? The 5600 is expensive, and

the Sigma EF-500 is less so, but still sets the pocketbook back a bit. I see

one posted on ebay called Thyristor, which is really cheap by comparison,

showing swivel head, TTL, etc. The auxilliary flash that worked with my Maxxum

5 doesn't with the 5D, so I'm in the market for another. I don't do much

indoor photography, but might if I got better results.

Thanks for the input. I'll be careful on where I get them.

I have a 5D and a CF card that is about a 40x speed. I know the speed at which

the camera will write is limited by the camera, and that a faster card might

not be worth it. What is the fastest speed I could use before the camera

doesn't write to the card faster enough to matter. And will a card faster than

the camera can take advantage of copy to my hard drive faster with a card

reader than hooking up the camera to the USB port?

When the instructions give the temperature range for a digital camera or

storage card, is that the range to which it should be exposed in general, or

just at which it should be operated? I stuck a recording thermometer in my

trunk (silver-colored car, left windows cracked, parked trunk pointing away

from sun), and on a few days that only got up into the very low 80s, it

registered 117�. The book says 104�. What if I let it cool before turning it

on? What if a card is in the glove box? That sort of thing.

I just bought a 5D, and really like it. I am wondering about leaving the

switch on for longer periods of time (I figure turning it off and on repeatedly

is both bad for the switch and would deplete it faster). If the battery is

fully charged and the switch is on, how long until the battery is discharged?

I turned it on last night (about 20 hours ago), and have awakened it a couple

times to check the indicator. Still not showing low charge. Is my concern

about turning it off and on justified? My first outing with it was to

Williamsburg, VA, and involved several bursts of pictures with lulls in between.

I finally got my hands on a Z6, recently being stocked at the local

Wal-Mart. The digital zoom was turned off. When I zoomed all the

way out, it would not focus either in the viewfinder mode or in the

LCD window. Anyone else experience this? I was pretty disappointed

because I plan to get one in February or so.

I saw an article awhile back in one of the photo magazines at the

newsstand about a technique for greatly enlarging photos from lower-

resolution cameras. In the article was mentioned a picture of a

tropical frog, the photo was about 16x20, the camera used to take the

pic was 2.1 mp, and it mentioned lithography. Can anyone help me

identify the issue? It was sometime this past late winter/early

spring, I think, and I tried searching some of the sites. Thanks!

I use my 70-300mm Sigma with macro capability from 200-300mm range quite frequently. It is great for flowers, spiders, and woodworking detail shots, since most of the time I don't have optimum conditions when I get most of the shots. I figure that if I have to get too close to the subject I'll interfere with the lighting (I don't have a macro ring flash, although I'd like to get one), and I DON'T want to get that close to the spiders!

Custom 14 setting lets me release the shutter if a lens is not

attached. I have a cheap knock-off brand perspective-correction lens

that when attached, the camera doesn't recognize it. Is there any

reason to not leave the custom setting set to fire regardless? The

only time the camera doesn't have a lens on it is when I'm changing

from one to another.

I am looking to get a floppy adapter for my Mavica MVC-FD87 for

memory sticks. Some of the sticks I've see specify that they *won't*

work with the FD87. What's the diff? Is there a size limit to what

will work with the MSAC-FD2M or MA adapter?

There is a little waterfall about 1/4 mile down Hwy 94 (?) on the way to Chatham that is quite pretty. A friend of mine from there also says that the Pictured Rocks area is really great. I've taken the boat tour, but he says the hiking trails in the area are very picturesque, and he kayaks quite often.

 

I live in Houghton, about three hours WNW. We're getting some colors, but far from peak as yet. Could be a great color season, with all the moisture we had this summer.

Pick a spot, point the camera, and start shooting. One of the most fun picture-taking opportunities I've ever had.

 

The Governor's Mansion is awesome. The entry is loaded with guns very decoratively displayed -- the whole idea was to scream "Don't Mess with Us!" to diplomats, etc., who were there on business, besides functioning as an armory. Great architectural features all over the place. I didn't make it to Yorktown, but Jamestown was a great visit, especially if you like sailing ships. The chapel at William and Mary is very nice, especially the organ. When at the Gov. Mansion, the allow pictures everywhere but on the stairways (too many people have forgotten where they were and took a tumble). Fortunately, I got plenty of architectural detail shots before they told me that!

 

I got some pretty good photos of the fife-and-drum corps, but hope to do better next time.

 

I was there only once for too short of a trip, and plan to go back for a more extended stay. My wife and I really loved it.

 

If you happen to be driving through Baltimore to get there, I highly recommend a stop at Ft. McHenry.

I don't have a specific answer, but I lived in Nashville for four years, and the area is stunning as well as historic. There were (are?) lots of bootleggers and moonshiners in the area. The shorelines of the lakes have a lot of character. You might also be able to get interesting shots of the dams, but I never got that close to them. Have a nice trip!

Just for the record, I didn't ask the question to be a smart-aleck. I am just trying to find the balance between having the right tools for the job and learning to DO the right job.

 

And I'm fighting my innate tendancy to over-gadget myself...

I have read the threads about selecting cameras. A type of comment

I've seen is, "Asking a photographer about what kind of camera he

uses is like asking a writer what kind of typewriter he uses." I

understand that the equipment is just equipment, and the

photographer's eye can make or break a shot. If the quote above is

accurate, are there pros who do without the mega-bucks, feature-

filled cameras?

Sorry 'bout not mentioning the lens size. It is an 18-35mm Sigma for my Maxxum 5.

I am getting a wide-angle lens with an 82mm filter size. I am also

getting some Cokin P-size filters, mostly gradual-tones. I've seen

in other threads that the 82mm adapter might need some shaving to

keep it wide enough in the middle to avoid the edge of the lens. I

also notice in pics of the circ polarizer that it has a thick edge.

Would I be better served to get a screw-in circ pol, and add the

Cokin on top of that if I want to use any of the other filters?

I've bought many items in several categories, including camera equipment. I've had no problems, and was able to afford stuff I couldn't justify otherwise. The only time someone sent the item quite slowly e-mailed me to let me know what the delay had been, and when they were sending it.

 

I wouldn't buy an item that cost thousands off there, but it's been a good experience all around for me.

Good to hear. I've never been to one, but will be in FL, the Caribbean, and HI in the next year and regret not going snorkeling the last time I had the opportunity.

Are there any rental places in tourist destinations (such as south

FL, Caribbean) who rent underwater cameras for going snorkeling?

What are the chief benefits of medium- and large-format cameras

compared to SLRs? I'm sure that the ability to enlarge is a big

advantage. I've only used point-and-shoots and SLRs.