andrew_carlson

For workflow on the PC it was easy for me to use C1 or imatch. Not having the funds to spend on C1 anymore now that I have a mac(no cross licensing), I've found photo mechanic suits me the best on the mac. It doesn't do all the verification steps, but I just don't see the need. I've been shooting my 20D for a year and a half, before that a 300D for a year. I've never once had a corrupt raw file. If I'd experience a corrupt raw file at any time yeah I could see the need for extensive verification. But its never happened to me in almost 3 years of using DSLRs.

 

As for backups, I have a copy on my local drive and once a week it is sync'ed to my linux server and 1TB raid array. I've had one drive failure in the last year and it recovered very nicely, no lost data, no corrupt data.

 

I doubt photo mechanic does all you need, but for me its great. I can setup a mac mini onsite with an LCD monitor, shoot a hockey game, pop in the CF cards to the reader and it automatically opens and displays all the images. It's already ingested them to the hard drive too. I can remove the ones that didn't come out and literally show the parents right there pictures of their kids during the hockey game. I can then print 4x6 and 5x7 dye-sub images on the spot and I have very happy customers. Ultimately I want a server that can run a slide show on a couple of monitors so the parents can watch too. But that'll come later when I am actually an accepted photog onsite, not a vulure.

I think everyone's nailed it. The 2.8 or the IS version really are the ones to get. Stick with BH photo or adorama. I'd lost $400 on a nice 17-40L a while back 'cause someone with over 100 positive feedbacks decided to get greedy. Typical scam and all ebay/paypal refund is $150.

 

With something this important stick with the known vendors. As for which lens, it all depends on what you want to do with that, a tougher decision at 18 I'm sure. Basically you can do almost anything with the f/4 version so long as it is outdoors or bright light. The f/2.8 version will allow you to get indoors and if done right you don't need the IS. I shoot ice hockey with the 70-200IS and have gotten good shots both with and without IS. Needing a shutter speed of 1/250 or higher IS is almost cancelled out. It all depends on what you shoot. I'll warn you though. Once you get your hands on 'yours' you'll never want another non-L or consumer grade lens. It is one nice puppy.

 

You're close to the non-IS version now, a couple more weeks and it can be yours. I think they go for $1100. Whoever said the IS version is 1400 is wrong, adorama and bh photo both show $1659 - its been that price or higher for a couple of years now.

 

Good luck!

Set your focus points to the single center focus point, not all 7 or 9 or however many the 300D has.

My first thoughts are don't buy any more. You've purchased a lot and need to learn what you have before you start purchasing more. A good book or three would do wonders where as opinions for one lens or another could backfire. Some people couldn't live without a 50mm prime, others can't stand it. (for fun I hide friends 50mm and see how they handle it for a while - usually whining)

 

The book I recommend is "The photographic guide to exposure" chris weston. As well as some/a photography class. Just a basic one. I'd taken a basic photo class online from better photo and it helped, but then reading that book illustrated some of the difficult concepts to a point where I started shooting full manual mode and got much better shots than I did on automatic modes. The book is no substitute for a class and the class is no substitute for the book though.

 

Regarding your gear, those are not basic lenses. There are canon branded lenses and off-brand lenses by sigma, tamron, and others. I prefer to think of lenses as professional or consumer. What you have are consumer grade lenses, they function just fine for what you want to take pictures of. Professional grade lenses cost as much as a small car in some cases but the potential for return on investment is greater too. I use a 70-200mm f/2.8L IS lens that cost $1650 when I bought it, thats a lot of money for one lens with opinions that are split 50/50.

 

The 28-70mm lens could be considered a general zoom lens. You'll most likely do most of your photo shooting with that. Backyard shots, shots of the family, etc. The 70-300 is specifically a telephoto zoom lens. Those outdoor sporting events will make use of that lens. However trying to use that lens indoors say at a basketball game will give you fits.

 

This is why I recommended that book or any book regarding exposure. Knowing how to expose, understanding focal length, aperture, ISO or film speed, and shutter speed and how they all inter-relate to one another is key. The f/2.8 will come in handy indoors and at indoor basketball games but will lack some reach, the f/4.0 will be fine outdoors.

 

Ultimately have fun. If something doesn't work try to understand why it didn't work. If a shot is too dark, too blurry, suffers from motion blur, understanding why helps to resolve that problem so you get good pictures the next time. Have fun, enjoy it. Eventually you will want more lenses, maybe a prime, maybe some canon L glass, its up to you. I use glass to solve a problem, not as an excuse to join the herd and do what everyone else is doing. Secondly you'll want a better flash probably before you buy another lens. The 420 or 430ex flashes are good to start off with, sigma I think also makes some nice flashes. The on camera flash just isn't enough. The 580ex from canon is nice but $400 or more for a flash is ridiculous.

um, what flash bible? I've read this from time to time. I'm not an html guy to turn it into a link sorry.

 

http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/

I'd offer some help but your attached picture is in photoshop format not everyone can read that and those that can must go to extra steps to do so. Yes I'm lazy, I have PS on an old PC with no internet connection, this is a Mac and I don't have 9 gazillion bucks for another copy. Try jpg its an internet friendly format and resize down to <500pixels on the long end.

 

Also, when using lighting it is imperative that you use a light meter that can trigger the strobes and use it to assist with setting the aperture of the shot. Your shutter speed should be 1/250 which is flash sync speed. You can go lower than that but any higher will result in partial frames.

 

If I don't have a light meter handy and I'm using strobes I pretty much assume everything will be crap but I set the camera to ISO 100, 1/250, M, auto WB, and try apertures around f/9. chimp to see if they come out looking ok, then run to the PC and verify.

A friend of mine races here in CO and asked me to come out and shoot his final race. It was a night shoot and I kept hoping that the race would start before the sun went down. I have pics posted at www.printroom.com/pro/hattrix if you'd like to see some examples.

 

I shot with the 70-200L/IS at f/2.8 no flash at ISO 1600. What I learned was that f/2.8 wasn't fast enough. I'd say 85% or more of my shots were right at or around 85mm so if I were going to do it again I'd definately pick up the 85mm f/1.8 (I can't afford the 1.4) Being right on top of the track from the stands really made zoom unecessary. Panning is huge in racing, you have to pan all the time. The cars are moving way too fast otherwise. So grab a monopod too.

 

Yeah if I were gonna do it again I'd definately go with the 85mm lens, no flash, f/1.8 and ISO 1600, 800 if I could. I wouldn't bother with much of anything else. Some things to look for, check out the brakes. Some drivers ride their brakes so hard they glow bright cherry red. I got some shots of that which was cool. Also look for different spots to photo from, where I positioned myself, in turn #1 I could capture shots coming at me down the straight and passing in front of me on the turn. A different perspective sometimes goes over well. I was shooting through a fence and in most shots it didn't even show up I was so close to it.

I second Rob's suggestion. A DSLR isn't the same as a P&S. P&S have the one advantage you mentioned, they fit in a pocket and you almost don't notice them there. A DSLR can attract attention from strangers and spouses wondering why the bank account is so low and the credit card bills are so high.

 

A Point and Shoot digital has limitations such as ISO 100-400. Higher noise in that ISO range, aperture is limited to about f/8. I get asked all the time at hockey games why parents are unsuccessful shooting their kids, and this is why. P&S cameras are great for snapshots, a selection of photos saying "I was here!" ironically one SI photographer uses a P&S for the swimsuit edition so if you can work within the boundaries they are fine. (but lots of noise)

 

It isn't that the camera industry needs a new way of measuring, its that marketing folk and lawyers are both very good at lying to you with a straight face.

I use IS extensively in sports and while it is a very nice feature it doesn't really help below about 1/50 of a second. I suspect what happens is that we move to erratically and IS can't keep up with multiple movements. That being said if I were going to china (I'm jealous!) I would take my 20D, 420ex, 70-200IS, 17-40, and a macro lens. I'd probably drag the monopod along too because I've modified it to function as a walking stick/hiking staff. its no longer weight but something to lean on. I do a lot of hiking here in Colorado.

 

there are some very lightweight tripods made for hiking which cost as much as an IS lens but you might want to consider one of those instead. If I didn't already have my current gear, I'd definately invest in a lightweight tripod.

I shoot hockey and I shoot raw+jpg. The jpgs are a quick reference, something I can put out quickly, but the raw images are nice to come back to and tweak or play with.

 

What I like about raw is similar to what another response mentioned, I also use Capture One from Phase one. It gives me more control in editing or post processing, but sometimes the jpg is enough and the customer is happy with that.

 

To me it all depends on what you like or what works for you. I know you can get 20x30 posters from jpgs or raw. What you shoot is personal preference. With film no one would ever discredit someone for chosing one over another because they realize its personal preference. In the raw/jpg argument we haven't concluded that how someone shoots is personal preference yet.

I have a sudden desire to get a picture of some people mooning and post it. I need to get out more!

I love the 'get a card reader' response and while they are great for copying images to the computer they don't work so well for tethered shooting. There are other ways to skin the same cat, hence 101 ways to skin a cat.

I would suggest a different approach. Knowing you want to shoot landscapes, wildlife, and nature photos you don't need speed. While some think the 1.6x crop factor is an advantage for zoom lenses or distance lenses, I find it wholly misunderstood. It doesn't make your pictures or your lenses longer, it crops the overall shot to 'resemble' a roughly 1.6x magnification factor. If you have a 100mm lens on a 20D it doesn't become a 160mm lens, its still a 100mm lens. However the image targeted on the sensor is cropped from center out so you get less, that field of view is similar to what you would have if you shot with a 160mm lens. This is why sales people will say your lenses are longer. EXIF isn't going to say 160mm, it isn't going to say 100mm x 1.6, its going to say the focal length of 100mm.

 

If I knew that all I was ever going to shoot was nature, landscape, and wildlife then it would be an easy choice of 5D. Even for family snapshots and street photography. But something requiring speed like sports then the 20D and 6fps is needed or perhaps the 8fps of the 1D.

 

As for cost. I find it all balances out to be equal. With the 20D you need to get the 10-22 like you said, but for those critter shots you still need 300-600mm lenses and those aren't cheap either. A 300mm f/2.8 is something like 3k. A 400mm is $4k. While the 100-400L is a nice lens its either loved or hated. Many don't like the push/pull zoom style. Add a 1.4 or 2x teleconverter and you've lost autofocus and the 20D is a bear to manual focus without a split-prism screen. I understand the 5D will offer some new screens around march/april. Glass however retains its value and doesn't depreciate as quickly as a body. That being said a quick search of ebay shows used 1Ds/II body's (16.7MP ones) going for $3600 USD. That might be an even better way to go. Hell if I had a job and $3600 I'd even consider buying a 1Ds/II for $3600. Stupid layoffs!

 

Good luck!

I've made 20x30 posters from a 300D but not my 20D. That being said the posters were phenominal. I saw no indication that they were digital images from a DSLR or other digital camera. I've had arguments with people that said the posters HAD to be film and it was impossible for the pics to be from a digital camera. I laughed.

 

Pointers? remember to take off the lens cap before shooting.

 

Raw or jpg won't really matter, just use the best lenses you can get your hands on. If thats L glass or primes, whatever makes ya happy. Some post processing - sharpening will also be good.

So now I'm curious why NOT allow windows to detect the camera? It won't do anything to it and won't cause or be a problem. I did it when I bought mine. This is of course assuming windows. There is a decent sized Mac community out there.

Um, I'm guessing but from your description it sounds like you're saying you're using windows file manager/explorer to look at your camera. This is fine to do, but you should see files. Interpreting them as an image requires a software tool like DPP or the Canon EOS viewer.

 

I would suggest you try this before spending money. Set your camera to program AE mode. On the Dial on top its a P, usually right next to automatic or the green square. Using the menus set the camera to RAW mode only. You could use the Canon capture software and USB cable and capture direct to the PC/Mac if you desire - its kinda cool to try. Take a picture and using DPP or Canon EOS viewer connect the camera using your USB cable. You should see some connection type information plus you can set your name into the firmware in your camera. Those software apps are designed to detect your camera and should display the raw images like a light table or contact sheet.

 

While there is better software for working with RAW files, Canon's EOS viewer is a good place to start learning about raw conversion. If you don't have Photoshop and are interested in RAW look into Capture One from phase one. They make a really nice raw converter with a lot more tools than DPP or EOS viewer but verify that things are working with EOS viewer first.

 

Canon cameras will only capture raw in program AE-through manual mode.

It does look better but your contrast looks off now. I don't use gimp often but I'm sure there is a lighten/darken tool, maybe the dogde/burn tool. You could try that with a relatively small brush size to lighten the area. Also be careful to preserve your contrast.

If you read the manuals of the IS lenses they have 2 modes. Mode 1 for 2 axis stabilization and Mode 2 for single axis stabilization. The point of that is if you have the lens/camera mounted on a tripod/monopod then that axis is already stabilized and IS is not needed. A tripod or monopod essentially eliminates the need for IS the two are not additive and the newest IS lenses can detect if they are mounted and disable that axis. (If I read my manual right)

 

If you want to shoot ice hockey then you need 3 things. A fast lens, an understanding of exposure, understanding of whitebalance, and an understanding of the game. Ok 4 things.

 

Ice rinks are poorly lit with odd sodium lighting. This doesn't affect the players so much as a camera. Set a custom white balance to ensure that jerseys, ice, and the boards look white. Most amature ice hockey shots are shot using ISO 3200 just to compensate for the odd lighting and bizare white balance issues. Remember, the camera see's only grey. The white ice actually appears as a light source to your 20D. A fast lens is pretty much a requirement but IS isn't necessary.

 

To achieve good exposure, use a fast lens, a high ISO 800 or 1600, custom white balance, and shoot in Aperture priority, forcing the lens to f/2.8. This should get shutter speeds between 1/200 - 1/500 which eliminates the need for IS.

 

I shoot ice hockey with a 20D and 70-200 f/2.8L IS lens hand held. The last few times I've had IS off and didn't even notice. IS and monopods/tripods are not additive, and IS doesn't really give you a lower shutter speed. IS does compensate for shaky hands. 1/500 of a second shutter speed does this too. If you can rent a 70-200 or 85mm in the f/1.8 or f/2.8 range give that a try, set a custom white balance off the ice, and aperture priority. When I set it up right I can shoot ice hockey at ISO 800. IS may allow me to come down to ISO 400 but I haven't tried it yet.

 

Good luck and remember, "Nobody expects the spanish inquisition!"

stick with B&H Photo www.bhphotovideo or adorama. They are reliable and worth the added cost IMO. Saving pennies, even $60 on a $1200 camera seems, I dunno, silly?

Not knowing which lenses you have or seeing the examples yet I'd say a faster lens is required. Tv vs. Av mode isn't so much an issue as your aperture.

 

Shooting indoors with sodium lighting or some odd wide area lighting such as that is tough, especially at f/5.6. You're gonna have to open it up more. While not everyone can afford a 70-200 f/2.8L IS lens, there are many other options. The 50mm 1.8 or 85mm 1.8 both get sharp results and you don't have to open it up to f/1.8, 2.0 and 2.8 are sufficient. Neither is outrageously expensive and the 85mm is about right where the sports action is. I've noticed my sports are usually right around 85mm and 200mm.

 

Re-reading your post, if you're on ISO800, Av mode, f/2.8 - depending on your lighting you should be seeing shutter speeds of 1/250 or faster. Most of my shots are around 1/400 at ISO 800, f/2.8. If you bring ISO down to 800 or 400, then aperture needs to increase by 1 or 2 stops accordingly or shutter speed needs to drop 1 or 2 stops accordingly.

The reason epson inkjets clog so easily I believe is due to design. HP and canon printers, also known as bubblejet printers, use a heated print head technology which heats the head and subsequently the ink. Which may result in less clogging. Also, when you replace ink cartridges you replace the print head(s). For this reason you can purchase bulk ink kits for epson printers even low end printers, though I haven't tried them yet. A lot of work and you need to print daily with those.

 

I'm not 'up' on HP printers these days but in my research on epson & bulk ink thats what I've found out.

 

Good luck with those rebates. I make it a point not to buy something just because there is a mail in rebate. But thats me.

Personally I like BAM or "Kick it up a notch" but those are trademarked by some looney cook in NY.

I have the 20D and haven't noticed. I leave the 70-200 on the camera with IS on almost all the time. It was off once and I was shocked (er surprised). I've had the batteries last weeks between shooting though I'm diligent about charging them up before something important.

 

I vaguely recall reading somewhere, here on PN or elsewhere that the IS isn't actually gyro's but some other mechanism. Though my first impression of IS was that of gyros. As far as battery drain, IS isn't always on even when the switch is on. It depends on how much you push & hold the shutter button. It shuts off and waits if you don't do anything...like break your leg and can't/don't shoot for 5 months. Batteries were still good though.

I've been using printroom for almost a year now. What I've learned, especially with youth sports, is that once they (parents & kids) have left the building, they aren't thinking of hitting a website and buying pictures. No matter how good those pictures are. I think it comes down to parents being very busy. Not having kids myself I can't really speak to this. But if they have spent all day at the field/rink/arena, they have to pickup the dry cleaning, hit the store for milk and dog/cat food, and cook dinner. Well then we're pretty low on the list of priorities there.

 

Onsite sales is your best if not only chance to make that sale. Ultimately having onsite sales as a backup where customers can order replacements or reprints is good. The question of on location printing is one I've been facing for a while now and I'm not overly thrilled with the idea of printing onsite. Inkjet printers are VERY good but not archival quality IMO. Dye sub printers are great but costly and rather specific, say 4x6 only. In the end, all of this affects your bottom line. Buying 2-3 printers, PC's to drive them, someone to help out with orders, setup time. Plus what about normal photography and workflow? What about touching up or cropping images that need a little bit of help? Just getting the pictures from camera(s) to computer, organized, and edited so you don't have the priceless photo of the referree scratching something he shouldn't be scratching in public. Or that blurry image of the net or glass or whatever?

 

There may be ways to handle online sales or achieve the volume of online sales that you or myself might be looking for, but after the game is over they've started looking forward to the next game. I have a GREAT series of a player scoring a goal from redline to goal line and the parents were so happy to see 6 shots in sequence, in focus, and exposed correctly. They never bought one of them because I missed the moment and hoped for online sales.

 

Good luck!

Those look pretty good IMO. For those interested in girls hockey its all around, here in CO we have Colorado Select girls hockey, plus USA Hockey has girls/womens leagues. A lot of the 'girls' I've skated against or with have had more ice time due to figure skating. Yes it can be embarrasing to be beat by them also.

 

I've been interested in the 85 f/1.8 for a while and those shots are pushing me closer to buying it. I have to get income before I can spend first. Thanks for posting the pics.

 

Resizing them can be 'tricky' each application tends to handle that differently. Photoshop is usually Adjust/image size or something like that. For web photos I use Imatch photo tools. It can batch resize and put borders all around the images. Unfortunately I'm migrating to Mac for all my photo work and imatch doesn't work there. I've found Photo Mechanic to be a great tool for general workflow. It automatically imports images from a CF card or camera, renames them if I choose, combines raw+jpg if available too, unfortunately I haven't found out how to resize images yet. There are lots of applications, some free, some inexpensive, and some downright pricey like Photoshop CS. I suggest you find the tools that you feel comfortable with, most have free trial downloads, if after a few days you feel lost using an app then its probably not the right tool for your workflow.

 

Here's my contribution to hockey pics here. This is old but I like the collision. I can't help but think "Thats gonna hurt"<div></div>