devon_mccarroll

I purchased a 5D Mark III a couple of years ago, and in my opinion, it has more features than I ever could have imagined and will serve me well into the future. The AF system is a bit of a beast to learn and get used to, but it's pretty amazing. I have the 24-105, which is a good walkaround lens, and f4 is plenty fast outdoors. I also have the 85 1.8, which is the most affordable of the 85mm lenses and doesn't have IS, but takes really nice, bright images. I also have the 70-200 2.8 II, which is nothing short of amazing, and just purchased the 100mm macro. I love working with them all on the 5DIII, and haven't regretted switching to full frame. Waiting for things to drop in price in the electronics world is fine to a point, but the fact is that you can't predict when it will happen, and if you know you will enjoy the camera and can afford it, you should just go for it! Life is short, end every day you're waiting for a better price is a day you're not using it.

Do you mean lighting the background, or backlighting your subject? It depends entirely on the look that you're trying to achieve. Can you post a link to an example of the look that you're going for? (Only post links, not the image, if the photo is not your work.)

Doing a quick search, I found this thread that offers a couple of different solutions that worked for people: http://photo.stackexchange.com/questions/27078/eos-utility-does-not-detect-my-550d

The bottom line is this--the camera is just a tool. The photographer is the one who creates and takes the image. If you want to move to a DSLR, then I agree that a basic body and 50mm lens is a good place to start, but it won't take good images for you. You need to learn to do that. Start by reading or taking a class to learn how to use your camera in full manual mode, meaning knowing how to adjust your shutter speed, aperture, white balance, etc. and how that all works together, what types of lenses to use and when, and how to look for (or create) proper lighting for your subject. Until you take the time to learn these things, no equipment will do it for you. And learning about photography is really fun, as long as you have the time and patience to do it, are willing to practice constantly, and understand that great results won't happen overnight. And FYI, if you really get into it, plan to spend a lot more money down the road, because it's an addicting hobby ;-)

Marcel is right. Possessions can be replaced. That having been said, I fell backwards down a set of stage steps while doing some photos years ago, and instinctively protected my camera on the way down. I, on the other hand, was really banged up and could barely walk the next day. It's funny how our gear comes to mind before ourselves sometimes. Glad you're okay!

Very sad. His company has definitely defined good quality affordable lighting for photographers. Love my White Lightnings!

What focal length are you wanting? The 85 1.8 is lightweight and also pretty inexpensive. The 135 f2 weighs a bit over 1.5 lbs. according to specs.

Hi Eric, and welcome to photo.net! I will start by saying that we get questions of this nature frequently, and it really frustrates me when companies want to show professional images of their products, which is a huge part of marketing and sales, yet they expect anyone who uses a camera to be able to pull it off with no knowledge of lighting and little to no budget to work with. Building a proper lighting setup is only the first step--you then need to know how to work with it, which carries with it a big learning curve. I'm not familiar with the camera you mentioned, but could you post some examples of images you've done so that we can see what types of items you need to photograph? Also, how much room do you have to work with, are you working with backdrops, and do you have post processing software? And when you say "for use on the website and other things", what are the other uses? Print advertising? Because web vs print images often need to be post-processed in different ways.

<p>+1 to what Matt said. Lighting glass is extremely challenging, especially bottles with labels. Can you post a link to one of the shots the store took? Then we can see if they can be cleaned up to work without having to redo the work.</p>

If you look at Lynda.com, check your local library website to see if they offer free access. Ours does under the digital (ebooks, Zinio, etc) section. Free magazines through Zinio, free access to Consumer Reports, and free access to all classes at Lynda.com.

Jaime, if you're new to photography, my first question would be this--are you only shooting in auto modes, or are you learning how to use your camera in manual, meaning setting your own aperture, shutter speed, ISO, etc.? If you haven't learned those things yet, you need to be aware that it plays a big role in working with lighting, especially strobes/flash. As for DIY lighting, if you're planning to do photos of people, then no, I wouldn't recommend DIY, because you'll be working with constant light sources that will be very hot and uncomfortable, and you'll also be dealing with light temperatures that can be inconsistent. I would recommend first learning the technical aspects of your camera (outdoors when you can, and indoors with a window and reflector when you can't), and then look into getting a speedlight and modifier and learn how to use it off camera. This is easiest if you stick with your camera's brand of speedlight, since they are geared toward wireless communication with each other.

Dana, your photos are adorable! And just so you know, OP refers to "original poster", so yes, that would be you!

I've always stored my gear in camera bags, and have never had any issue. If you live in a moist environment, mold and fungus can be an issue whether you have your gear in a bag or a cabinet. That's what dessicant is for. As for gear bags, I have a Lowepro backpack that has sections you can move around to accommodate different sized gear, and that works well. Haven't traveled with a tripod since I mostly shoot in house.

I have the 5D Mark III and just got the 70-200 2.8 IS II. It is an incredible lens, but it is very heavy (almost 3.5 lbs.), so depending on how long your shoots are, your arms are going to get tired. Plus, if you upgrade to the 5D III at some point, the combo is about 5.5 lbs., so a lot of weight to hold. It also would not be very well balanced on a lightweight camera like yours, and may be too tight of a zoom on a crop sensor for your needs. I have the 85 1.8 as well, and it's a great lens for a great price. It's lightweight, and on a crop sensor would be an equivalent field of view of around 135mm.

I would also consider tethering to a laptop when shooting portraits. You'll get a much better idea of where you need to add or subtract light, because the LCD isn't a perfect rendering. You can also check your histogram.

Hi Alan, what types of items do you want to photograph? I'm not familiar with the Pentax, but the more important issue than file size for eBay web photos is lighting. The type of lighting will depend on the size and type of items you intend to photograph.

John, as others have said, there's some great (and expensive) glass out there. But first you need to know how to operate your gear in manual mode, meaning understanding how to set your shutter speed, aperture, and ISO to achieve the results you want. Otherwise the camera will make the choices for you, and if for instance you're using an expensive 2.8 lens and you want a blurred background, the camera may decide to choose a different aperture and you're not going to get the results you want. So it's important to learn all of the technical aspects first, and then you'll know exactly which of those lenses you'll need to achieve your desired results. Otherwise you'll be wasting your money and just end up frustrated.

Do keep in mind that if you use radio triggers, you'll no longer be using CLS, so you'll need to know how to manually set and adjust your flash for proper exposure.

Fluorescent lighting will come out green in images. Mixed lighting can be difficult to manage, but start by setting your white balance to fluorescent and see how it does. If you're shooting in RAW, you should be able to correct some of it in post after that.

In order to emphasize details in a person's body, you need a good lighting setup and the knowledge to use it. That's not something you would be able to jump into yet, since you need to understand the technical aspects of photography first. Here's a link to an article about a bodybuilding photoshoot that will give you an idea of what I mean. http://www.lawsonphoto.us/the-art-of-bodybuilding-the-portrait/

I agree on sticking with the panorama. I think even if you could break it up, it wouldn't be as effective as it is now.

Mark, which lenses? 2.8 or 4?

The 2.8 also has more glass inside, which adds to the weight. Thank you all for your responses! I really appreciate it!

Thank you all! Good to know. I'd love the 2.8, but it's so heavy combined with my 5D Mk III. Want to get a lens that I know I'll use on a regular basis.

I know this has probably been covered somewhere, but I've been debating--as many do--between the 70-200 2.8 IS II and the 70-200 f4 IS. The f4 would likely handle the majority of my shooting needs. What I'd specifically like to know, especially from those of you who have used both, is what you think of the build quality of the f4. Build quality for the long haul is important to me, and I've read a few reviews saying that the 2.8 is better built. I've held both, but never actually used them.