mvw photo

<p>Scott.. I'll not want to fuel the fire, but as said, Canon focus IS inconsistent... I challenge you to take your 1Ds MkIII or 1D MkIII and take 10 pictures of something nice and contrasty, on a tripod, at a shutter speed of 10x lens length, at an aperture of f/1.4, focusing carefully each time with one focus spot , and to NOT get a few that are WAY out of focus. Not talking about adjustment - talking about randomly WAY out. For a full time pro like me that's not acceptable.. I buy $2,000 lenses to use them wide open!</p>

<p>Anyway, enough said. The 7D is better andanyway if you take each shot a couple of times you will be OK. I agree with you, it's about using the tools you have!</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Not to want to sound controversial, but focus is a problem with Canon. I teach photography, and use and know all manner of cameras. I shoot with a 1Ds MkIII, a 1D MkIII, an a 7D. I;ve owned many others (Nikon too).</p>

<p>The Canon system is inconsistent when shooting wide open at faster than 2.8. I see this with my 50mm f/1.4 and 35mm f/1.4 lenses wide open: focus accurately, click five times: one or two will be out of focus (and yes I know how to focus). I've blogged about that too. A few tips on how to optimise focus here:</p>

<p><a href="http://blog.michaelwillems.ca/2009/10/16/focus-on-focus/">http://blog.michaelwillems.ca/2009/10/16/focus-on-focus/</a></p>

<p>Anyway... the 7d is not perfect, but it is better, helped by the new modes like spot focus.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Julian: Certainly will be delighted to do on all that. I'll put the large cat on an FTP site for you tomorrow. Ditto re focus.. but now I need to sleep - close friend died today... in touch with old school friends... one of those "big chill" days. :-) </p>

<p>Julian:</p>

<ul>

<li>If you click through you see them at much larger sizes. </li>

<li>I am not defending anything or anyone (let alone emotionally).</li>

</ul>

<p>Julian et al: I am a working photographer and am not interested in politics - just in cameras. I'll use what I can as long as it works. Only interested in results. Own a 1D3, 1Ds3, and 7D, and much "L"-glass.</p>

<p>Happy to send you RAW images if your email service and mine can handle 15 MB files. Which mine can't.</p>

<p>I think you know very well that this (practical limitations), not "emotion" is the reason for smaller images online. God knows I am annoyed anough at Canon 's autofocus wide open to be even more annoyed to be misinterpreted the way you are apparently doing.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>(Do click on both to see the larger version of course)</p>

<p>Oh and then look at a 3200 ISO version of a cat:<br /> http://blog.michaelwillems.ca/2009/10/29/3200-on-a-7d/<br /> Now, can we stop obsessing about ISO? :-)</p>

<p> </p>

<p>EXACTLY. My point too. Look at THIS post for an example:<br>

http://blog.michaelwillems.ca/2009/11/10/a-recent-cat/<br>

And tell me THAT isn't sharp. Yes, it's low ISO but that's the point.</p>

<p>I have a 7D as well as a 1D3 and a 1Ds3.</p>

<p>I've done reviews on my blog (<a href="http://blog.michaelwillems.ca">http://blog.michaelwillems.ca</a> and search for 7D or gear category). Test shots there too.</p>

<p>Basically: great camera, better focus and other features, and 2 stops more noise - but not so you'd normally notice. Look at a few of the test shots at high ISOs. And look at low ISO too: amazingly sharp.</p>

<p>So it's no 1D but in many ways has better features. In low light I'll use the 1-series bodies; else the 7D.</p>

<p>Mmm. I see real differences at high ISOs - no, at ANY ISO's - between th 7D and my 1Ds3.<br>

http://blog.michaelwillems.ca/2009/10/23/since-you-asked/</p>

<p>That said, in real life it does just fine:<br>

http://blog.michaelwillems.ca/2009/10/29/3200-on-a-7d/</p>

<p>No disrespect intended at all.. but I have to wonder, why not just take a few lessons and learn about aperture, shutter speed, ISO, and their relationship? This would really help. More than a new camera.</p>

<p>My advice: by a lens or two and a lesson or two. (Disclaimer: I teach photography But I don't teach photography where you live, so I am saying this not to gain business. Juyst because I see every day what a huge difference a tiny amount of training makes!)</p>

<p>Michael</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Shoulder bag: I use a Domke photjournalist bag. But the bodies hang off straps. So, three thngs on me: bag, 1Ds3, 7D. And I'll try your suggestion for sure (and cards, yes, I carry those!)</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I mean this. 1600 ISO - 1/30th - f/1.4 on a 35mm prime lens on the 1Ds MkIII using a Fong Lightsphere.</p>

<div></div>

<p>OK, pictures soon. In the mean time: terrible light, nothing to bounce off. My best shots initially were taken with the 70-200. Some great ones. Fill the frame. f/2.8, 1/60th, 1600 ISO.</p>

<p>But later, the "smile at the camera pics" were a challenge with very inconsistent flash results (and I know e-ttl well: I teach it).</p>

<p>Best later was when I finally broke through the ambient barrier by using the 35mm f/1.4 on the 1Ds. Fong Lightsphere. At f/1.4, 1/30th, at 1600 ISO. That finally gave me backgrounds.</p>

<p>Biggest challenge all night: I could not see my camera controls (too dark). Try to set FEC or ISO when you cannot see a darn thing!</p>

<p>Nadine - hilarious! As you typed this I was at the other end of my office/studio, preparing exactly this:</p>

<ul>

<li>1Ds with 16-35</li>

<li>24-70 on the 7D</li>

<li>70-200mm packed</li>

<li>35 and 50mm for backup and flashless</li>

</ul>

<p>LOL!!</p>

<p>Many thanks for confirming my thoughts!</p>

<p>Michael</p>

<p>Yeah.. and hey, re the three cameras and siex lenses, what would be your choice as a starting point? (I;ll want to have the best chance of not having to go back to the car to chake lenses)</p>

<p>I'm thinking... 7D for bits of video maybe. So then 1Ds or 1D as second camera? And what lenses?</p>

<p>You know the feeling Nadine - you want everything with you (there. the assistant again) just in case- but in reality you can't do it. I sometimes almost wish that the government would mandate just one 50mm lens and I'd do just fine :)</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Well you are right, and I could - but I cannot get them a press pass. One only!</p>

<p>That said - it may be worth going back and saying i need an assistant's pass...</p>

<p> </p>

<p>If given no choice, I'll do this:</p>

<ol>

<li>Fong lightsphere if there is anything to bounce off</li>

<li>If not, maybe a Honl bounce card (easy velcro on off!) and/or snow white gel </li>

<li>or a lumiquest softboxIII if I am shooting faces from close by</li>

</ol>

<p>But apart from umbrellas, nothing (nothing) beats nice ceiling/wall... what I will not get tomorrow, I fear. I fear a large dark room with zero light and 500ft high ceilings, and loud music. Oh and everyone who is dressed at all will be dressed in black leather.</p>

<p>Sigh!</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Thanks - as always, Nadine.<br>

I was teaching (photography), hence the slow response.</p>

<p>I'll bring all that.. also, I will use the strap I just bought - Blackrapid.com - as well as the Ezeestrap I am evaluating. So that means Ill be able to hang all my cameras from me in some comfort, which will make a nice change.</p>

<p>A necessary one since I teach all day first,and then 9pm-3am shoot... :-)</p>

<p>Agreed re shadows - awful. I always avoid aiming flash at people - meaning I then get underexposed images if the ceiling is 1,000 ft high... anything to avoid aiming the flash at people... but yes, will bring all the modifiers I have. Lumiquest, Honl, et al.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Another "hey guys, what would you bring?" question.</p>

<p>Shooting, tomorrow night, a large fetish party/leather show in Toronto. From fashion show to people all dressed in leather. No doubt it will be intolerably loud and warm. :)</p>

<p>Question: what would you all bring? I am an experienced event shooter, but however long I have been doing this, I am never too old to learn from colleagues. I have everything in cameras (1 aD MkIII, a 1Ds MkIII, and a 7D) and in lenses (50 f/1.4, 35 f/1.4, 24-70 f/2.8, 16-35 f/2.8, 70-200 f/2.8IS, etc) and speedlites and modifiers and accessories. But of course as always the limiting factor is: I am alone and have to CARRY all this stuff all night.</p>

<p>And I expect there will be a mix of dark and light, grip-and-grins and runway, PJ and posed. So I;d like everything but clearly that is not an option.</p>

<p>I am thinking two bodies. Maybe the 7D with long lens and 1Ds with wide - or with 24-70? Or instead 1D with 16-35 (lighter)? Honl speedlight modifiers and Fong lightsphere, spare batteries, and that should do it?</p>

<p>Thoughts?</p>

<p> </p>

<p>What JDM said.</p>

<p>The 9 i sjust the buffer size - ignore that.</p>

<p>Aim the camera at a bright contrasty item. Then focus, wait, and when you hear the beep, click through.</p>

<p>If you aim at a blank wall, the beep will never happen, and you will never be able to take the picture.</p>

<p>It can help to select ONE focus spot, and to aim THAT focus spot at a contrasty item.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>From my blog:<br>

"I came back to it ten minutes after reinserting the CF card and reformatting it. And I noticed that the LCD on the top was still on. A quick check: sure enough: no response to any button or switch – not even to the “off” switch. So again, take out the battery."<br>

Yes, with full battery. And I've tried various lenses and of course these lenses work fine on my other cameras (a 1D MkIII and a 1Ds MkIII).<br>

Hoping for a firmware fix soon...</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Oh and of course this is with lenses that work fine with my 1D MkIII and 1Ds MkIII (that is the first thing I thought of).</p>

<p>My 7D has locked up a number of times - no reason I can discern - twice this evening.</p>

<p>I documented this (and my other tests and reviews) on my photo teaching blog, but I have been told off for mentioning that blog here. Not sure I understand that (especially since i pay here) - but oh well, it is what it is. Anyway, it did lock up twice today. Anyone had the same?</p>

<p> </p>