chris_shawn

<p>Hello, I am a Sony user now. I bought a Sony alpha 7RM2. I put a pocket wizard pro on the hotshoe and use a profoto acute flash with it.<br>

For shooting I set the mode to manual. I had read that the sync speed would be 1/250 but when I use it, I see the curtain coming from the top into the image. With 1/200 it's still fine.<br>

I also get a blinking -2 at the icon row on the lowest row next to MM (manual metering).</p>

<p>I am a bit confused now as the manual has no information about using external flash at all. With my Canon it was a bit easier.</p>

<p>Could you please advice me with the best settings for using a flash environment like the one I have?</p>

<p>Thank you so much,<br>

Chris</p>

<div></div>

<p>Hello,<br>

I use a Profoto Acute2 1200R and recently shot with 2 lights attached to it. I only shot at half power setting but continously over approx. 80 minutes (around 500 shots). Then it stopped working due to overheating.<br>

It worked again after a while but I am only a bit afraid and would like to know if anyone has experience with the Acute2 1200R and could give me an answer.<br>

I use mine for 5 years now. It always worked fine until March this year. It stopped working completely. I had it repaired afterwards. Then it worked again. Now, I am only concernced it might be short before breaking down again and soon I have a job abroad where I need it and where I can't bring any backup or have availability for rental equipment. As this trip costs me a lot of money, it's quite important my Acute works reliable.<br>

I am aware that noone can give me an answer from my description but I wanted to ask for other experiences on the Acute2 1200R. The manual is not really helpful. It says:<br>

"...<br>

Automatic Safety Function<br />If the unit is under intensive use with frequent flashing for an<br />extreme long period of time, the recycling will stop completely.<br />This is to prevent the unit from overheating and is indicated by a<br />red light in the photocell(11)<br />The overheat protection in the Acute2 head turns off the modelling<br />light when the head is overheated.<br>

..."<br>

But how intensive was my use with 500 flashes in 80 minutes? Too intensive?</p>

<p>Thanks<br>

Chris</p>

 

<p>Thanks a lot for your help, Joseph!</p>

<p>Hello,<br>

tomorrow a sales person of PHASE ONE will stop by and present the new 65+ camera to me. I already took down a couple of questions but would also like to hear some hints of you of what I could either ask or should really pay attention to.<br>

I am currently shooting Canon EOS 1ds MKIII and am thinking of switching to medium format. I didn't like the Hasselblad H4D40 when I was at the demo presentation. It just didn't feel right moving around always when focussing.<br>

I shoot people and I use the camera inside at low light but also want to use it outside and without a tripod.</p>

<p>Is there anything you could please draw my attention to with all your experience in medium format? It would really be great to check everything out at the presentation that is important to know.<br>

Especially as the price of this camera is so high, I'm not even sure if I "need" it...</p>

<p>Thanks Ilya,<br>

I am shooting with 50fps as I use 1280x720 (I don't need Full HD as my clips will only be used online). So what shutter speed do you recommend for 50fps?<br>

What is Vari-ND or FaderND filters? I have never heard of it.</p>

<p>Thanks a lot<br>

Chris</p>

<p>Yes, of course I am trying out. But there must be some rules of the thumb and I hoped someone knew them.</p>

<p>Thanks for the link. What I get from the movie is that for moving images 1/50s should be enough. Am I wrong?</p>

<p>Hello,<br>

I am beginning to produce little video clips to showcase my photo work. Therefore I bought the EOS 550D to be able to film video in HD quality.<br>

As I want to have control of the aperture, I am filming in manual mode. But I am not experienced with moving images so I have the following questions:</p>

<p>- What is a reasonable setting for exposure when filming? I don't want things to blur. I am filming a moving woman indoors, no sports action. Is 1/60 enough or should I always be on the safe side and go to 1/250?<br>

- I began to use apertures of 1.2 and 1.8 but it is very difficult to get the focus right when filming. Is an aperture of 8.0 a setting you would recommend also?</p>

<p>I know my questions are hard to answer but I apperciate any recommendation.</p>

<p>Thanks<br>

Chris</p>

<p>Hello Matt,</p>

<p>let's say I am shooting with a 50mm lens, 1/250s, 2 strobe lights, no ambient light and the subject doesn't jump around.<br>

Then the 1/250s is ok for sharp images, right? As it is the fastest sync anyway, I couldn't go higher. But I could use a tripod. As I want to change positions to get different angles I don't want to use a tripod. I only want to use it if you say quality/sharpness is better.</p>

<p>Thanks<br>

Chris</p>

<p>Hello,<br>

recently I saw on TV a documentary about a famous photographer. He shot fashion with a tripod. I have the same setup in my shootings probably: external flash lights (profoto) and a flash sync of 1/250s.<br>

I hold the camera in the hand though.<br>

Does tripod usage a 1/250s give sharper images? Or are some people just using it to have the exact same crop in all images and are too lazy to hold the heavy camera?</p>

<p>Thanks<br>

Chris</p>

Great, thank you, Mark U!

Hello,

 

I now own a 1ds MKIII (since today) and have a shooting tomorrow. It is a people shooting in the studio. I am a

bit confused with the new "picture program" I can choose from in the settings.

 

I always shoot raw files only and adapt my settings in the computer later. Do you recommend to choose "natural"

(0/0/0/0) setting or leave it to the standard (3/0/0/0)?

 

Thanks

Chris

Do you recommend a viewfinder magnifier? Would this make it easier for me to focus (when focussing manually of

course; which I do most of the time as I try to focus on the eyes always and selecting the focus point to the eye

is just way much work on a moving subject than focussing manually)? Are there good ones available?

When being a perfectionist this is all really a pain. Thanks indeed for your professional advise. Reading in the dpreview forum made me happy after all. I am not the only one with that problem.

 

Maybe I will try to get my lens calibrated. Maybe they can work it out.

@Rainer T

 

I guess I have a problem with the lens. I shot with auto-focus and the red squares appeared totally on the thick black line. In the viewfinder it looked perfectly in focus.

 

 

@ Mark U

 

Focus bracketing sounds like a good choice to have a perfect photo. But it only works for still live. I only shoot living models (people) and they usually move in front of my camera.

I will read the links you provided now. Thank you!

Here is my result from the test. It doesn't look good but I am afraid that maybe my test circumstances weren't 100% right. E.g. if my camera is at 46 degree or 44 degree the result will be different than it should...<div></div>

Thing is, I used it as closed (f16) as possible and focussed manually. Now, I just want to find out if it was my failure or a technical problem.

I use a Canon EOS 1Ds MKII with the regular focus screen (that is included when you buy it).

Hello,

 

I own the EF 50mm 1:1.2L USM and have the feeling that it just doesn't focus well enough. Maybe it is just me,

but I find it difficult to get the focus 100% right with this lens.

 

Therefore I would like to ask if there is a trick of testing if the lens is working correctly. Are there

testsheets somewhere that I can try out? Or do I have to bring the lens to a Canon dealer and have it tested?

 

Are there any known problems with that lens?

 

I know my questions are difficult to answer but maybe someone can help.

 

 

Thanks a lot

Chris

I simply bought an external card reader for compact flash. Problem solved.

Hello,

 

I was talked into installing Windows XP 64bit version on my system.

Unfortunately the WIA driver for my EOS 1ds MKII doesn't work in Windows XP 64.

 

Does anybody know a decent solution or maybe even have a suitable driver for me?

 

Thanks

Chris

Actually there is a cleaner with a vacuum. It is called Green Clean but the system doesn't work properly. At least not with me. And I tried it for 2 hours.

 

My solution was: I found an address of an authorized Canon dealer who did the cleaning for me. It cost me 30$ and I was happy. It is cheaper than buying cleaning equipment and as sensor cleaning is just needed about once a year (for me), this is really good.

Yes, actually you are right. I don't care about the top tens. I'll just booked a good Eastern model.

Thanks Jimi, it didn't answer my cost questions though. I don't have a budget of 25.000$, which is why I am asking. I don't want to stand in front of the booker with a red head.

Hello,

 

I was wondering if anyone of you has ever booked a top model. I photograph

non-comissioned work only but would love to shoot someone like Kate Moss or

Giselle Buendchen some time.

 

Does anybody know what their rate would be for a 4 hour shoot and if they are

bookable for non-comissioned work at all?

 

I know I could simply ask the agency Storm in London, etc. but I'd rather ask

here anonymously here before putting too much shame on me by asking officially.

 

What does a 4 hour shoot cost? 5.000$? 25.000$? Even more?

 

Anyone have a clue?

 

 

Thanks

Chris