k_kujo_hurt

I do always use a hood. I was just wanting to make sure the hood fit over the 500D. Thanks.

Can someone tell me if the lens hood can be used on a Canon 70-

200/2.8 lens with a 500D on for macro?

I've read several posts about renting a lens to try and decide

whether or not you want to purchase it. Does anyone know where this

can be done? Or, are people simply purchasing a lens and using it

with a return policy period?

I appreciate all of the responses. I'm leaning towards the f4 version due to budget. However, if a great deal comes available on a 2.8 on ebay, I'll consider that. Thanks.

Thanks for the responses. I have the EOS3 with the PB-E2 (not PB-E1) and the EOS5 (A2E) with the battery pack. I have the Kirk BH-1 and the Acratech ball heads. Sounds like I won't have any problems with clearance?

If you are serious about the macro bug, then by all means get a dedicated macro. As Shaw states, you can get great results with a 70-200mm zoom (he advocates the 2.8 but the butterfly with the f4 on this post was very impressive) but if you plan on doing a LOT of macro, the convenience of the 1:1 dedicated macro would be worth it. I have the Canon 180/3.5 and I absolutely LOVE IT. I'll never get rid of mine and I found it for a steal of a price on ebay. If I were you, I would get the Canon optics. I'm speaking from someone who has both L glass and 3rd party glass. I'm slowly converting my bag to all Canon lenses because Canon's L lenses are superb. I think everyone defends the lenses in their bag (Canon or 3rd party) but I don't think you'll ever regret any of Canon's lenses. I have both and as I said, I'm slowly converting to all Canon. As for using a Nikon diopter on a Canon lens, read Shaw's book, but basically, it screws on much like a B&W filter, Tiffen, Hoya, etc..

I use the PB-E1 on the EOS3 and the Battery Grip on the A2E (EOS5). As for use, I don't think I'd need it for much panning, some macro and still shots primarily.

Assuming the lens has a tripod collar, when using this lens with an

EOS 3 body and A2E, are there any problems? I'm not sure if I've

interpreted from other posts that there may be problems using the

larger bodies when mounting to a tripod. I have the Kirk BH-1 head.

 

Also, I've read some people use this as a macro lens with a Nikon 5T

and/or 6T diopter. Can the hood still be attached with this setup?

What magnification is achieved and results?

 

Thanks,

I currently own several Tokina lenses. Not upset with them but am

beginning to feel the Canon lenses are sharper. I've heard opinions

both ways but suddenly, I want to own all Canon lenses for my EOS3.

That said, I currently own the Tokina 80-200/2.8 lens. I purchased

this because it was considerably less than the Canon 70-200/2.8 Non

IS. The IS version is out of the question due to price. Does anyone

think it would be wise to sell the Tokina and get the Canon Non IS

2.8 lens? What about the f4? My interests are mostly wildlife. I

currently own the Tokina 300/2.8 but plan on selling and getting

Canon's 300/4 IS. I hope to save up for the 500/4 so that is why I'm

not considering the Canon 300/2.8. I find that I have been using the

80-200 as a portrait lens and a walk-around lens. I can use it for

macro with a +2 diopter and get good results. I have recently been

considering the 70-200/4 lens to use as a walk around lens. Will it

do well for macro? I know I could use it for portraits as well

(serious hobby not pro intentions) but if I'm not pleased, I can

always get the 85/1.8. Help, I'm suffering from paralysis of

analysis. Thanks,

Thanks for the answers. I was doing it wrong originally, not pressing the shutter a second time. I have the cable release so I'll try that, as well as the 2s timer. Still landscapes will prob. use the 2s timer while wildlife and flowers will prob require cable release. Thanks, again.

I have recently been experimenting with Mirror Lock Up but I am

surprised at how long the shutter seems to stay open. Is this

normal? I have an EOS3 and I believe the operation is normal but

whenever I take a picture with MLU, the viewfinder goes black for a

long time before I'm able to take another picture. Anyone have

experience with it?

Well, I decided to give it a try and I purchased the Giottos MT-9170 aluminum model. I tried to write a review and I did but for some reason, I can only access it via signing in so I thought I would update this post. Anyway, to sum up what I said in the other emails, I was initially impressed and disappointed. The only true disapointment was in the tripods height. The high position, to me, would be too flimsy to use so I measured the location of the center column in the medium position. It was 44" from the floor to the base of the camera platform with legs fully extended. If you are tall, like me at a whopping 5'8", this tripod may not work for you unless you intend to use it only in a seated or kneeeling position. That is about my only true complaint with the tripod. You can extend the centerpost and have a tripod 63" tall but I don't like to extend the post more than a few inches. I initially thought I would return it and get the Gitzo Explorer 2220. It's about 6" taller. I have since decided to keep the tripod. I really liked the following:

* Very solid tripod (I mounted a Canon A2e with vertical grip and Tokina 400/5.6 lens. More than handled it. Legs were pretty big diameter, bigger than my Bogen 3221.

* Loved it's versatility. The ability to remove the centerpost and use it horizontally in 360 degrees and or vertically 180 degrees was a great feature. And, when not using it in macro mode, the centerpost is in the center of the column. Also liked having the ability to get low to the ground, about 5 inches. I mounted the camera and lens mentioned above and put the centerpost in the horizontal position with legs in medium position. I expected the tripod to be tipsy but it was not. Post was about halfway extended. I don't think I'd extend it more than that, not because it couldn't handle it, I just play it somewhat safe with my eqp. so my test was done in the way I would use it. The tripod was very solid even in this position.

* Built in 3 way pan head. I plan on using the tripod with a ballhead but if I were in macro mode and needed this feature, it's nice to have it. You can actually use this head without another so it's a nice feature.

* I originally bought it as a backup as for me, there are many times when my photography is setup as if I were bowhunting. By that I mean that I set up and watch trails. Main camera and lens are on my Bogen 3221 and aimed where I most likely anticipate the action. Second camera mounted on this tripod and pointed in a direction where I would not otherwise be able to maneuver the main to get a photo. Thus, I will be using it when seated so height is not an issue. And, whenever I do macro, I will most likely be getting low to the ground so again, the height is not an issue.

* Price. At $135 from B&H, this tripod is a bargain.

 

I actually like this tripod very much. Were it taller, it would easily rival my existing tripod as my main tripod. The legs on the Giottos are bigger around than the Bogen and per website specs, can handle more weight. The ultimate tripod for me would be the Gitzo 1340 but at the moment, $340 is not in my budget. When the day comes that I get a Gitzo for my main, I will have to decide between the Giottos or the Bogen as my backup. If I were to decide today, I think I would keep the Giottos for it's versatility. The small footprint is actually an advantage when shooting macros. Hope this helps anyone considering this tripod.

I went ahead and mounted a Canon A2e, along with a Tokina 400mm lens, the heavies setup I would use on this if using the center column as a lateral arm. I put the legs in the medium position, I would never recommend using the position where the legs are tallest, it would be way too flimsy in that position for any camera setup. However, in medium and low position, the tripod is very solid. As I mentioned, the camera and lens I mounted on it was very solidly supported. I even set the center column in the horizontal position and extended the column about halfway with absolutely no problems at all. I expected for the tripod to be a bit tipsy but it wasn't. I was actually quite impressed with it.

 

Regarding point 2 in my original post. The movement can be stopped. One thing about this tripod is that the center column is 2 pieces. The camera platform and the longer column which screws onto the platform. The bar can be unscrewed and the platform replaced, which allows for a very low leg spread. When the platform is raised (about 1-2"), the center column can be tightened and no movement occurs with the ballhead.

 

I did like this tripod and the price was right. It all boils down to short height. If you are mainly using this when seated or kneeling, it's a great tripod. If you plan on walking/hiking, and want to setup and take photos from a standing position, it's probably just too short. The explorer I mentioned is also short but it has about a 6" height advantage, just enough for a person my size to use when standing without having to raise the center column more than a couple of inches. Hope this may help anyone deciding whether or not to purchase this tripod. If it were only taller, it would certainly rival the bigger name brands.

I just purchased the Giottos MT-9170 tripod and were it not for the

short height, I would have been impressed. The leg diameter was

greater than I expected and when setup, it felt fairly solid. I would

have had no problems mounting my equipment on it. I did like the

versatility of the tripod but I had two very big problems with it,

which will be the reason I return it to B&H and purchase the Gitzo

2220 Explorer tripod. The two things I didn't like were:

 

1. Height: I'm not the tallest fello in the world at a whopping 5'8",

but I towered over the tripod when the center column was not

extended. The website claimes a max height of 63" but that's

obviously with the column extended. Height without column is about

46". If I were to only use the tripod in a seated or kneeling

position, great. But that's not always going to be the case. I don't

like extending a center column more than a couple of inches. I would

have had to extend it at least 14" to use it in a standing position

and that's just too much instability.

 

2. BallHead Movement: I put a Bogen 3038 head on the tripod but I

could never get it to tighten securely. It just kept moving and

moving. I couldn't figure out why it kept rotating and got tired of

messing with it. I certainly would not want that in the field as it

would be too much possibility of movement.

 

I really liked the tripod when I researched their website.

Unfortunatley no one around here carries any good camera eqp so I had

to take a chance and purchase one only with the knowledge gained on

the web. Win some lose some. Had it worked for me, it would have been

a big dollar savings. As it is, it's just not going to fit my needs

so I'll be sending it back tomorrow. I couldn't find a good review

of this tripod on here prior to my purchase so hope this helps the

next person.

I guess I wasn't clear. There are several circumstances where I want to have 2 cameras setup on tripods. I have some good areas in the brush country but given the short time to take a photo, I don't have time to move my camera on the tripod to the desired position without scaring away my subject. I was keeping my main lens on tripod and using a second camera/lens mounted on a monopod in the event that my subject came from a different secondary trail. I blurred too many photos that way so I want to carry 2 tripods in the field with me. Sounds crazy to many but I don't have to carry more than a few hundred yards so it's no big deal. I will keep my biggest lens on the Bogen 3221 but I am looking for a second tripod on which to setup my second camera and lens (typically a 400 f/5.6). When budget is less of an issue I will upgrade to the Gitzo 1340 but for now, my Bogen 3221 is my main tripod. I was considering one of the Giottos MT aluminum models as they appear to be good quality and are much more affordable. I was just hoping to hear if anyone had used one of them before.

I currently use a Bogen 3221 tripod. I often bring along a second

camera body on a monopod when I'm sitting in the field but too often

I end up blurring those photos while the ones on my tripod are sharp.

I want to purchase second tripod. If money were no object I'd

purchase the Gitzo 1410 or 1340 which are about $349 and $329. I am

considering the Gitzo explorer which is about $210. I like the

ability to move the centerpost around for macro work. But, I've read

how many people hate it because it's offset and they are concerned

about balance issues. Today I saw that the Giottos tripods allow the

centerpost to move about but when not using it for macro, the

centerpost is in the center. Does anyone have any opinion on the

Giottos models? They are quite affordable for me. Last, what about

Hakuba? I know you can't move the center post around but they are a

little more affordable. I've not seen any of these models, other than

the Gitzo explorer so I'm only going off of photos from B&H. I would

greatly appreciate any feedback. Thanks,

Kevin

I was wondering if anyone had any good instructions on making a

homemade macro flash bracket. I have seen John Shaw's and have built

one like it. I need stronger material so will build another but

thought I'd see what others used. Thanks in advance. Oh, I use a

Canon 420ex flash.

Thanks for the answers. I think I'll first try what I already own and see what magnification and image quality are with the TC that I have. I plan on getting a diopter and am leaning towards Canon's 500D but I'll look into the other combination to see what the price difference is. It's not something I had considered before so thanks for that advice. If that doesn't do it, I'll look into reversing the lens and may be back for additional information. I'll look into those books mentioned. Thanks again.

I was wondering what opinion anyone had to gain increased

magnification of insects/flowers. I have the following equipment.

Canon 180mm f/3.5 macro lens, Tokina 80-200 f/2.8, Kenko Pro 1.4x

teleconverter. I have read, briefly, about diopters and reversing

lenses. I have an old Minolta 50mm f/1.8 lens that could be used to

reverse but on what lens? Would a diopter work best on the 180mm

macro? I basically want to get up close and personal with the

insects/flowers in my area. I have considered getting an 85mm f/1.8

for people portraits but have been getting good success with my

Tokina so have not pursued the other lens too seriously.

Regarding the last comment of Nov 29th....the answer is I don't know, which would explain a lot. I'm kind of laughing at my answer because it shows just how much of a novice I am. I am currently reading the Real World Color Mgmt book that was suggested in this site so only now are color spaces meaningful. I should be 3/4 of the way through the book by the next day so hopefully I'll be able to put it all together. For now, could you tell me how I might check to see if any color spaces are assigned, either accidently by me or by default of the system? Thanks.

Kevin

I'd like to thank everyone for the posts they have left, some of them are quite detailed so i'll print them out and re-read all the comments. It sounds as if all a person really needs to do is calibrate their monitor to get very close, in print, to what is seen on the screen. I should have mentioned that part of the reason I posted this question was because I was tired of seeing a great image on my monitor, only to have flat, far from what I expected prints. I take mostly outdoor photographs and would like to sell some of them. To date, I send them to a lab if I want to enlarge one for sale but I know that today's technology is capable of producing a print right at home that would rival the labs....if you know what you are doing with the right equipment. I also want to do this from a cost saving perspective. I take a lot of photos of my family in a home studio setting. I'd like to be able to enlarge them for personal use. We went to a pro studio photographer and I almost fell out of my chair at the prices. While my home pictures are good, the prints have been anything but. Thus, the origin of my post. I'm going to look for some of the books that have been recommended. I won't be purchasing any color mgmt system until after the holidays so I have some time to do some research before I buy. I appreciate all the comments....keep them coming.

Kevin

Ok, I apologize for another color management question but after

reading all the threads, I felt I still needed to post this question.

I have an LCD monitor from Dell, a Canoscan FS4000 Slide Scanner (I

use Adobe Photoshop Elements to do the scans), and at the moment have

an Epson Stylus Color 3000 though am considering upgrading to an

Epson 2200. Here is my understanding of the color management

process: First, calibrate the monitor, then the scanner, and then the

printer. And, for each different paper, a new profile needs to be

made. That's all I know. It sounds easy but something tells me it's

not. I don't know the difference between sRGB, Adobe RGB, or any

other acronym. Do I need to? I am a novice in the truest sense, but

understand the need to get the monitor, scanner, and printer talking

the same language so that what I see on the monitor is what I see

when I print. I have seen advertisements of Colorvisions Spyder and

Monaco EZ Color and read good and bad things about them here on this

site. I need an economical way of doing things and it appears that

there is not much of a price difference between Colorvision and

Monaco. Both of these have an economical option but their most

economical options only include Monitor/Scanner Calibration, no

printer. The price goes up when you calibrate the printer as well but

it seems that you really would need to do all three to make it

worthwhile. Can anyone help me make sense of all the confusion? I am

leaning towards the Monaco system but am open to all suggestions. I

am under the impression that I need to calibrate all three to get the

best results. Please help....but remember I'm a novice. Thanks in

advance for any posts.

Claude,

 

I guess the obvious never occurred to me. I will definately try your idea. I have used the 80-200 for candids at a couple of functions and was pleased with the shots because they were not aware they were being photographed. Thanks for the idea.

Thanks for all the answers so far. It doesn't sound like there is a wrong choice. Yakim and Jim linked me to a website that compared all three, thanks. I had not seen this when I searched the posts. If you look at the 36 pics on that site which do not tell you which lens they were shot with, it's hard to distinguish between them. I think I can make out the 135mm based on background blur but in general, they're all outstanding quality. Given that I have an 80-200 f/2.8, perhaps I really don't have the need for the 135, though it's an outstanding lens. I'm leaning heavily to the 85 f/1.8 as it appears more suited to a small indoor studio setup. And, given the work I did outdoors yesterday afternoon with the 80-200, I think I would have appreciated the 85mm's smaller physical size and less weight. If my hobby ends up somewhat of a moderate cash producer, perhaps I'll invest in the 135mm. Someone mentioned going for a wider lens. I do have an interest in a Canon 20-35 f/2.8. I'll have to get that on ebay or I may go with the 17-40mm f/4 by Canon. I'm not in a hurry to do so as I have to remind myself I am on a budget. But, there's always that one lens you don't have that makes you think...if only....

Thanks again to everyone.

I forgot to mention that I do not have a 50mm lens but I do have a Tokina 80-200mm f/2.8 lens. Perhaps I don't even need one of the lenses I mentioned but the 1.8 speed might make a difference. The room I have in the house is probably in the 15-18' range as well. I'll also be shooting outdoors. I value your opinions.

 

As for the comment about reading the other posts, most questions in here are some modification of something that's already been asked before but I'll bet that those that reply to my question will be different from those that replied to the others. The more opinions I can get from people with experience with these lenses, the better choices I'll be able to make. I wanted to ask a specific question about 3 specific lenses and I thank all those who can respond with comments about these lenses.