EricBoehm

<p>Here's a few shots of my daughter Emillie and her friend Roy. Not my usual stuff to be sure, but the afternoon "magic light" was just wonderful last Thursday and with a little time in LR, I got a few that I think could be called "keepers"...</p> <p>Emillie & Roy at Play 1</p> <center> <p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/18062034-lg.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" /><br> <em><strong>EOS 6D, EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM @ 131 mm, ISO 100, f/5 @ 1/250</strong></em></p> </center> <p>Emillie & Roy at Play 2</p> <center> <p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/18062027-lg.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" /><br> <em><strong>EOS 6D, EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM @ 200 mm, ISO 400, f/7.1 @ 1/500</strong></em></p> </center> <p>Emillie & Roy at Play 3</p> <center> <p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/18062028-lg.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" /><br> <em><strong>EOS 6D, EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM @ 135 mm, ISO 400, f/5.6 @ 1/320</strong></em></p> </center>

<p>+1 ShutterCount works fine on my 60D and 6D, using a MacBook Pro running Yosemite.</p>

<p>Only one this week, not new, but newly developed in LR.<br> No Sailing this Evening</p> <center><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/18046410-lg.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" /> <p><strong><em>EOS 20D, EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM @ 22mm, ISO 100, f/7.1 @ 1/80</em></strong></p> </center>

<blockquote> <p>I just have not had luck with the USB 3 connectors of that style in my hard drives. They all have broken for me and I am not terribly abusive with them, no more so than with my USB 2 cables. The ones I have used going into my external hard drives constantly break, the connector appears to be in the drive but connection breaks, if I touch the connector slightly connection resumes but when let go the connection breaks again. Three of these drives, three different cables all have had the issue.</p> </blockquote> <p>Mark, <br> Correct me if I'm wrong, but are you saying the connector on the cable breaks or the one in the hard drive (or camera as the case may be)? I have had many issues with failures of micro-USB2 cables, but only once have I had a device-end socket failure, and even that was relatively easy to fix. I have one hard drive (that happens to have my working photo library on it) that has a USB3 connection. I can see the risk of a cable failure is probably about equal to that of a USB2 cable, but I don't see the risk of the connector in the drive itself being any more fragile than any other. In fact, by my estimation, I'd say that the connector looks more solid than most USB2 types that I've dealt with.<br> The risk on the cable end comes from the slender little connector with a fat molding attached to it. Lots of leverage to weaken that joint and they all seem to fail eventually.</p>

<p>Oh, and if you're ready to buy before 7/4, the 17-40 is on sale at B&H for $699 (after $100 rebate that is)...</p> <p><a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/279582-USA/Canon_8806A002_EF_17_40mm_f_4L_USM.html">Link</a></p>

<p>I love my 17-40. Very reasonably priced for an excellent lens. Doesn't quite have the pedigree of the latest 16-35, but for the price, it's hard to beat.</p>

<p>I'll second Orlando. The 28/1.8 is one of my favorite FF primes and I also use it on my crop-sensor bodies as a slightly wide "normal". Mine's also a tad soft wide-open, but I mostly shoot it between f/4 and f/11 anyway. Plenty sharp there.</p>

<p>Contrails Through the Clouds</p> <center> <p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/18037511-lg.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" /><br> <strong><em>EOS 60D, EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM @ 10mm, ISO 100, f/4.5 @ 1/60</em></strong></p> </center>

<p>Another Storm Brewing at Sunset</p> <center> <p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/18037510-lg.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" /><br> <strong><em>EOS 60D, EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5 USM @ 11mm, ISO 100, f/5.6 @ 1/80</em></strong></p> </center>

<p>I was playing around this week with my 60D, a camera that I clearly don't put enough mileage on. It was a cloudy evening at sunset at Budd Lake. Here's a few different captures from that outing.<br> <br />Golden Light on a Cloudy Evening</p> <center> <p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/18037509-lg.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" /><br /> <strong><em>EOS 60D, EF-S 17-85 f/4-5.6 IS USM @ 22mm, ISO 100, f/7.1 @ 1/100</em></strong></p> </center>

<blockquote> <p>As to "absolutely have to have it", Eric: I would be pretty dismayed if any semi-pro camera like the Canon 5DII could not easily support a lens that weighs only 760 g. That's less than the 11-24 and only 100 g more than the 16-35mm, neither of which offer a collar, nor the 85/1.2 which weighs 1025 g.</p> </blockquote> <p>Robin, agreed. However, it's not just a function of weight, but also of length. Even though lighter, the longer lens which carries its weight further from the camera has the extra leverage. As I said, I don't think there's any risk of damage, but the balance of the entire rig feels more natural to me. And just to be clear, I did say "<strong><em>You don't</em></strong> absolutely have to have it."</p> <p>I use a ring on my 70-200 f4 L non-IS mounted either on my 6D, 60D, or 20D (or even, occasionally, on my Elan IIe!). I just personally find it easier to work with. I have a good quality ballhead tripod and could rotate to vertical using the drop slot. But with the rig being front-heavy, I also would have to crank the friction knobs that much tighter in either orientation to keep from drifting down at the front. It's a small difference admittedly, but horses for courses. It feels better to me.</p>

<p>I have the Vello collar from B&H for this lens. Less than half the price of the Canon and it works perfectly. I disagree with those that say you don't need it. You don't absolutely have to have it, in that I wouldn't worry about the lens mount being harmed by supporting the weight of the lens alone, but the rig is far better balanced with it than without. Definitely makes switching orientation easier, too.<br> <br /> <a href="http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=accessoryIntermediate&A=accessoryDetail&Q=&sku=822976&is=REG&print=Y&det=y">(link)</a></p>

<center><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/18021222-md.jpg " /></center>

<center><p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/4208000-lg.jpg " /></p><p><strong><em>Canal</em></strong></p></center>

<p>Collapse</p> <center><p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/17997635-md.jpg" /> </p><p><strong><em>EOS 6D, 24-105 f/4 L IS USM @ 35mm, ISO 100, f/22 @ 1/125</em></strong></p></center>

<p>And finally, Lake Logan near Waynesville, NC</p> <center> <p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/18025399-lg.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" /><br> <strong><em>EOS 6D, EF 17-40 f/4 L USM @ 17mm, ISO 100, f/5.6 @ 1/80 </em></strong></p> </center>

<p>Conservatory Bench, Biltmore Estate</p> <center> <p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/18025406-lg.jpg" alt="" width="683" height="1024" /><br /> <strong><em>EOS 6D, EF 24-105 f/4 L IS USM @ 50mm, ISO 100, f/4 @ 1/40 </em></strong></p> </center>

<p>Here's a few more from my recent trip...<br> First, the south facade of the Biltmore House from the lawn near the pergola.</p> <center> <p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/18021222-lg.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683" /><br> <strong><em>EOS 6D, EF 24-105 f/4 L IS USM @ 35mm, ISO 100, f/7.1 @ 1/100 </em></strong></p> </center>