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xavier_henri

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Posts posted by xavier_henri

    Shooting Stock

    in Business of Photography

    Posted

    Well, I am starting to populate Alamy and Acclaim Images with some <A HREF="http://

    www.fovegraphy.com/Stock.php">Stock Photography</A> of mine.

    <P>What I appreciate with <A HREF="http://www.acclaimimages.com">Acclaim Images

    </A> is the feedback they give which is very valuable:<UL>

    <LI>you have access to all photos sold by every contributor,

    <LI>you have access to statistics on keywords usage,

    <LI>you have acces to recent requests that did not lead to any image,

    <LI>regularly, emails are sent to contributors with unusual requests.

    </UL>

    <P>In short, you need people images with model releases...

    <P>Xavier.

    Good Online Stock Agencies?

    in Business of Photography

    Posted

    I went through forum archives and finally made my own choice: no microstock... Maybe it's

    a lost war, but I am trying to respect full time professional stock photographers.

    <P>I decided for Alamy and then Acclaim images, and don't regret it at all after 6 months!

    <P>Here are my <A HREF="http://www.fovegraphy.com/Stock.php"> online stock

    photos</A>. I still have hundreds that are eligible, but it does take time to properly post-

    process and keyword them...

    <P>Xavier.

    Lens choice

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    Johan,

     

    The effect is also visible stopped down but not as drastic. My experience is that without a

    UV filter, contrast and micro-contrast can nearly always be recovered with Photoshop to a

    very pleasing sharpness.

     

    Xavier.

    Lens choice

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    Scott,

    If the 100-400 L IS was too heavy, then the two 70-200 f/2.8 also will...

    <UL>

    <LI>70-200 f/2.8 L IS = 1.47 kg = 3.24 lbs

    <LI>100-400 L IS = 1.38 kg = 3.1 lbs

    <LI>70-200 f/2.8 L = 1.31 kg = 2.9 lbs

    <LI>70-300 f/4.5-5.6 DO IS = 720 g = 25.4 oz

    <LI>70-200 f/4 L = 705g = 25 oz

    </UL>

    <P>Xavier.

    Lens choice

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    I love that lens, here are <A HREF="http://www.fovegraphy.com/EOS20D-70

    -300.php">some shots</A>. It is very sharp, but sometimes lacks micro-contrast;

    though it is easily dealt with in Photoshop as explained <A HREF="http://

    www.fovegraphy.com/PhotoshopTipsE.php">here</A>. You should also absolutely <A

    HREF="http://www.fovegraphy.com/UV_70_300DO_E.php">avoid using a UV filter</A>.

    <P>It's main advantages are: extremely fast autofocus, very effective IS, light and

    inconspicuous. If you find it too expensive, the recent 70-300 IS non DO also seems good

    value,

    even though it is bigger, has a rotating front element, has a slower autofocus and doesn't

    have "Full Time Manual" autofocus.

    <P>Xavier.

    70-300 f/4-5.6 IS USM <|or|> 70-200 f/4 L

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    First, when you consider sharpness, you must differentiate resolution and contrast. Lack of

    resolution is not recoverable, lack of contrast is. My 70-300 DO is good at resolution, and

    not so good at contrast. If you expose to the right of the histogram, you easily recover

    contrast in Photoshop Camera RAW with pretty much zero loss in quality. What I mean is

    that reasonable lack of contrast should not be part of your decision criteria.

     

    Second, IS (third generation) is also very effective on a tripod. See 100% crop below.

     

    Xavier.<div>00ETel-26921984.jpg.1103ba19f665fdad9e403d0b17fc7927.jpg</div>

    To IS or not to IS

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    I own the 70-300 DO IS and I will not buy a telezoom without IS any more.

    <P>Even with

    moving subjects, IS mode 2 does help a lot: see <A HREF="http://fovea.perso.cegetel.net/

    Animals-E001-3217.htm">this flying raptor</A> for instance.

    <P>And regarding IS on a tripod, here is what Chuck Westfall from Canon USA says.

    <P><I>

    When the lens is mounted on a steady tripod and the shutter button is pressed halfway,

    the IS begins to operate immediately and the image in the viewfinder goes through a very

    slow vertical shift for about 1 second. After that, if the shutter button continues to be

    pressed halfway, the IS mechanism automatically goes into a special mode which is

    designed to detect and correct for vibrations at slow shutter speeds.</I>

    <P>This means that you cannot use a self timer, but must use a remote switch so you

    don't have to touch the camera body when releasing the shutter. It does the job so well

    that I am postponing changing my lousy tripod... See this 100%

    crop below.

    <P>Xavier.<div>00EKK9-26708384.jpg.b0b88ad830304390e7669f666e9b6a0b.jpg</div>

    Canon 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM and Sunsets

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    This lens is crap when light is coming from the front <B>AND</B> a UV filter is used. To

    convince people, I have made this <A HREF = "http://fovea.perso.cegetel.net/

    UV_70_300DO_E.htm">test</A> that has been confirmed by other users.

    <P>Here are some of my <A HREF="http://fovea.perso.cegetel.net/EOS20D-70

    -300.htm">best shots</A> with this lens. In summary, it's a great lens (lightweight, great

    IS,

    very good quality).

    <P>I also took some sunsets lately (attached file), but they are not good enough for my

    website...

    <P>Xavier.<div>00DC8i-25124384.jpg.4fc6deeaa0dcaa603595e2d6c6e7a5b0.jpg</div>

    17-40mm d20

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    I hesitated a lot between the 17-40 and the 17-85. The reasons for my choice are

    available at my <A HREF="http://fovea.perso.cegetel.net/

    WideAngleChoiceE.htm">website</A>.

    <P>I am really happy with the 17-40, the 50 mm f/1.8 (with foot zooming) and the light

    and compact 70-300 DO.

    <P>If you are short on money and buy the 17-40, do buy the cheap, light and crisp 50

    mm f/1.8 to go with it.

    <P>Xavier.

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