Jump to content

frolov

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    65

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Posts posted by frolov

    Sony/Zeiss 24-70mm f/2.8 and 135mm f/1.8 users?

    in Sony/Minolta

    Posted

    Hi,

     

    I'm a long-time Canon EOS user (back from the film days) with a case full of Canon glass. That said, the new

    Zeiss lenses for Sony mount are giving me some food for thought. Lens tests look outstanding... Can anyone who

    used 24-70mm f/2.8 or 135mm f/1.8 comment on their impressions (especially if you also had experience with Canon

    24-70/2.8L and 135/2L)? Is there a fast 50mm in the Sony lineup? How effective is in-body image stabilization?

     

    Finally, should I decide to jump into Sony system (presumably to an upcoming a900 body ^_^), am I in for a

    culture shock?

     

    Regards, Andrei.

    B & H Contact

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    Another vote of confidence for B&H. I had many shipments from them to Canada without any problems (Canon EOS, of course :). You will pay GST, but no import duty on photo goods. Stay away from UPS for across the border shipments - they have hidden customs clearance charges on some of their shipping methods which can be as large as a few percent of declared value. I found FedEx more reliable.

    Do you want a free custom scanner ICC profile made?

    in The Digital Darkroom: Process, Technique & Printing

    Posted

    I am the developer of the free color calibration software package

    Scarse (http://www.scarse.org). As the new release with completely

    re-worked profile generation algorithm is imminent, I am looking for

    beta testers to evaluate the real-world quality of the scanner

    profiles produced.

     

    Here is the deal: You post (or send me) a raw scan of IT8.7 or Q60

    calibration target in 16 bit/channel TIFF file along with the

    corresponding IT8.7 calibration data file, and I will make an ICC

    profile for your scanner. I get the test data, you get the profile and

    the right to complain if you don't like it :).

     

    I am especially interested to hear from people who can evaluate the

    quality versus commercial calibration systems.

    Kenko intensifier filters

    in Accessories

    Posted

    Hi,

     

    Here is a brief report from my visit to Yodobashi Camera in Shinjuku.

    There were a few intersting filters I have not seen in North America,

    which might be interesting to know about.

     

    Kenko (Hoya in States) makes eight (!!!) different intensifier

    filters: three kinds of red intensifier, with different spectral

    response curves, which appear to be optimized for fall colors,

    sunsets, and sakura blossoms, two versions of blue intensifier, and a

    green intensifier. Particularly interesting is the "portrait

    intensifier" filter, which appears to have a weak didymium absorption

    notch (~20%), but otherwise neutral. This might be just the thing to

    push the colors somewhat without getting weird color shifts. There is

    also a warm intensifier, which is a combination of portrait

    intensifier and KR1.5 warming filter.

     

    I've picked up a couple to experiment once I get back :).

    ARCA SWISS SMOOTHNESS

    in Nature

    Posted

    Since everyone seems to be dumping on Arca Swiss on this thread, I feel obliged to speak up, even though there are users in this forum with bigger glass and longer milage on their AS monoballs. Arca Swiss is a good ballhead :). I have come to appreciate it's smoothness when I was using 400/4 lens. And it is the lightest ballhead around, even though it supports the biggest load. I store and transport the head loose, and have not experienced the notorious lock-up problem (knock on wood :). I feel it's worth the price (maybe because I like well-made things)...

     

    But there are other AS users here... Bob, Don, everybody, where are you, our heads are getting flamed! :).

    EOS 3 Autofocus accuracy

    in Nature

    Posted

    Dan, maybe your technique is too good :). When I tried shooting birds in flight, I did not get <I>any</I> in focus shots, autofocus or not. But seriously, it looks like autofocus point selection algorithm is getting confused. EOS 3 has pretty wide area focus sensor, so maybe it needs a little help from the user in deciding what's important sometimes. Maybe your friend should try selecting autofocus point manually and see how that works...

     

    <P>OTOH, when I tried EOS 3 + 100-400/5.6L combo in the store recently, autofocus performed admirably. When I had central focus point selected, the autofocus on static objects in pretty dim light was almost instantaneous. The lens also tracked moving object (ceiling fan blades) very well. When automatic focus point selection was in effect, things slowed down somewhat, though.

     

    <P>Anyway, I am impressed enough to be buying one. Of course, having won five grand in Vegas might have something to do with it :). That's a pretty weird story... Me and a bunch of fellow Canadian outdoor nuts go hiking and climbing to the south-west States for a couple of weeks each New Year's. Nothing fancy, dirt cheap, really. We just rent a bus, drive there, and camp. This year we were going to Catalina mountains in Arizona. Anyway, we stop in Vegas for a couple of hours for lunch/bathroom break, and guys head out to the nearest casino bar to grab a quick drink. I don't drink, so I decide to waste ten bucks gambling while I wait for them. I put two bucks in a slot machine, press a button, and a goddamn machine starts making funny noises, and immediately these security people appear, and start asking for my ID. Now being a cynical Russian, I have an instinct that when uniformed people want your documents, things are not looking good. While I'm trying to figure out a fastest way to bolt out of there, they tell me I won big, and the machine will not pay out amounts this large, and that they will be back with the money shortly. They did, so I had to climb with half a pound of cash in my backpack for the next week or so. OK, so I exaggerate a bit, it wasn't half a pound, but still a sizable stack :). I thought things like that did not happen to poor graduate physics students... Sorry to go off-topic, but it's a weird story, isn't it?

    Bokeh of Canon 180/3.5L Macro

    in Nature

    Posted

    Bryan, bokeh is the term referring to the look of out-of-focus areas the lens produces. Pretty subjective, but important to some people. Since one of the reasons I want 180/3.5L is better background control for macro shots, it would be a major bummer if that lens did something funky to out-of-focus highlights.

     

    But all seems to be well... I don't really expect 180/3.5L to be sharper than my 200/2.8L for scenics, but for macro it is going to be loads more convenient than either 200 + extension or 100 macro (why, oh why don't they make tripod collars for it?). Plus I save some weight. Maybe I should get one... Anyone wants mint 100/2.8 macro and Arca-plated 200/2.8L :)?

    Bokeh of Canon 180/3.5L Macro

    in Nature

    Posted

    In an effort to further reduce the number of lenses I carry around,

    I've been contemplating replacing my 100/2.8 macro and 200/2.8L with a

    single 180/3.5L macro. I primarily shoot landscapes, but I do enjoy

    shooting small things now and then. I've read a few posts here and in

    regular Q&A about 180/3.5L, and noticed that some people complained

    about 180 having bad bokeh (no examples, though). Could someone who

    has this lens post or point me to online photos made with it, so I can

    decide for myself... (I've shot macro with both 100 and 200 mm lenses,

    and find that I like 200 mm range better, so there is no need to go

    into discussion about advantages of either focal length.) Thanks...

    Lowe minitrekker with 500mmF4.5

    in Nature

    Posted

    I can fit 400/4 with 1.4 TC and body mounted in my MiniTrekker, but it is pretty snug. 500/4.5 will most probably not fit, unless you take the body off or something... If you are planning to actually hike with the beast, big photo backpacks are not very good for this. Heavy and suspension is lame, too. You might like regular backpack better. Of course, if you want to use it as a travel case, this is another thing altogether.
×
×
  • Create New...