chris_at_vividoptic.com

Minolta 20mm prime?

<p>The event:  Goodwood Revival Meeting, Fri 16-Sep-05</p>

<p>Theme of event:  cars/bike from 1948-1966</p>

<p>Kit:  Dynax 7D + 28/2 + 85/1.4 + 200/2.8</p>

<p>New subweb (website within website):  <a

href="http://grm05.vividoptic.com/"

target="_blank">http://grm05.vividoptic.com/</a>

<br>

(link will open in new window, no popups or ads.  just 7D images)</p>

<p>Sections: detail + bikes + people + cars + speed + car park</p>

<p>Example pic:  <img border="0"

src="http://grm05.vividoptic.com/speed/05914-speed.jpg" width="538"

height="360"></p>

<p>Comments/Critique on the shots/web design:  most welcome, in

here or by

e-mail from the main website.</p>

<p>It was a great day out, shot 438 pics.  36 on-line for

viewing, a few

more to go to other portfolios.</p>

<p>Enjoy</p>

Thanks for the positive feedback people, and to the 7 people who have e-mailed me with kind words too.

 

Yep, here is what will happen to that page next. Firstly I will split it into probably 4-5 pages (shorter screens), then add a few arty images of the camera body, and links (via thumbnail) to some example pics. Best example will be some shots of leaving the camera to think for you in tricky lighting, and you should know better shots.

 

As for the font colour. Yeah, this is the 2nd time I've had that said of my choice of grey! Thank you for pointing it out, all text used to be a silver (even lighter), now I've moved it to a grey, I shall go for an even darker grey .... and/or post a printable version?

 

More to come. Proper reviews of my lenses and some other kit.

<p>I've just finished my 7D review.  Bought in Jan-05, used for

8 months

now, 5000+ frames worth of 7D usage, here is what I think of this

super camera:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.vividoptic.com/Reviews/km7d.htm"

target="_blank">http://www.vividoptic.com/Reviews/km7d.htm</a>

(link will open new window, no adverts)</p>

<p>Tis just text at the mo, will add some illustrations if you think

it needs

it.</p>

<p>Please feel free to let me know what you think</p>

Super links. Thanks people.

Clinton - could you give us your insight on the latest "predictions on future cameras" please. Ta

Look fredmiranda.com for the reivews of the Tamron 28-75/2.8. I am very surprized you haven't found any reviews for this lens! Where did you look? (change search engine immediatley!!)

I think the 9D will come in at 2.5x the entry price of the 7D, then settle a year later to 2x the price. And I think it will have a 1.25x chip (not 1.5 and not 1:1). And I think it will have 12+ million pixels.

 

But this is all complete guesswork

Does anyone know if you can shoot IR with the Canon D30? Could you

post a pic or link to some shots also, please. Ta

How about the Tokina 24-200/3.5-5.6 AT-X

<p>To me the main difference is the layout.  The 7D has more knobs and

dials and therefore quicker access to certain features. If you won't miss that

(if you are more likely to stick it in P and carry on).  I thought about

getting a 5D to go with my 28-2 or to get a 18-200 as a small travel

camera.  But I'm forever using all the missing bits on the 5D - so I've

decided to pass.</p>

<p>See here a table of the actual features/spec compared (I've not added the

layout to the table, perhaps an explanation of what buttons/dials are missing

should be added?): </p>

<p><a href="http://www.vividoptic.com/Info/KM5DvsKM7D.htm" target="_blank">http://www.vividoptic.com/Info/KM5DvsKM7D.htm</a>

(link will open in new window)</p>

Oh, I find the viewfinder of the 7D fine. But then having always worn glasses I've never known what its like to view without.

 

Contact lenses? I didn't like them myself. But they are an option.

Arny: I'm -5.5, so am in the same situation as you, no choice but to keep my specs on. But that said, I like wearing glasses. My current pair are about 6 years old (funnily enough I have an optician appointment today).

 

I am surprized you are replacing your lenses/glasses so often. You must be wearing plastic lenses with anti-reflective coating. its actually the coating that you are scratching off. I once took a pair into the shop and complained about my really pricey lenses being scratched. Guy had a look and said the plastic ISN'T scratched, just the coating. Nothing can be done, so its the same thing realy.

 

I've been taking photos for 18 years, and had the same - almost always scratched glasses until this pair.

 

Get GLASS lenses in your glasses. Yes, they a re a little heavier, but you get used to it in a few weeks. What you do get is scratch free lenses for 6+ years. I mean NO scratches at all.

Mmmm, I've used various LCEs since 1987. The one thing I cannot say about them is that they have ever been that competitive on price. Like them a lot, good knowledge and genuine interest, my local appears to employ people interested in photography (which is what Jessops used to do before they gave up on photography).

 

Used prices though in LCE! Um, take a look at ffordes or MXV (very little in the way of Min lenses at the mo) or JonathanHarris.co.uk or mifuds and they are all consistantly better used prices. New from Ffordes and Mifsuds pretty well always beat LCE, and they will only go so far for matching.

 

Love um. And am happy to pay a few ?s extra for the special treatment and interest you get from them. But frankly they are almost alwyas way off on price.

 

BUT - bear in mind I'm a PRIME LENS kind've guy. no idea on zoom stuff.

 

Highly recommend LCE. But hey ... they are not competitive on price. No way Jose!

Thanks for the 16/2.8's images. Looks a bit too bendy for me. Will re-look at the 20/2.8

Wow, since when did LCE get competitive on price?

Could someone link me to some shots taken with this lens? I've only

seen two I think. I would be very interested to see a review or

collection of images shot either on a film full frame or the 7D.

 

Many thanks, chris

Will the old generation Sig 24/2.8 work on a 7D? I would be surprized?

 

Such a shame there isn't a 24/2. Some people would buy both the 24/2 and 35/2. 28 & 35 are a little too close to get both (for me)

 

I saw it like this:

- get 20/2.8 & 35/2, or

- get 28/2

 

Now I'm thinking about the 16/2.8! But that is a very bendy world!

"I'm sorry, my above post is to RON, the original poster, not Chris who also is a responder to RON.."

 

Good! I've been trying AS myself on my 7D for nearly 5000 frames already 4786 at the moment.

 

Er, it works! 2 stops for my 200mm. 3 stops for the 28mm. Assum that you are using the converted focal length. So a 28mm you should start at 1/30 and count your 3 stop advantage. Got 28>42mm and treat 1/45 as the base, then you will get 3 stops from there for hand-holding.

 

Likewise the other lenses

I have it. Its wonderful. Close up shots at f2 show very narrow depth of field. Having taken very few shots with this lens I have decided to sell all of my zooms! I have some great zooms. But this prime is wonderful. Its my new standard lens, it is also my widest lens!

 

I cannot compare it to the Sigma, never used one.

 

28/2 - construction. Metal. Solid. Tough. Unfortunatley I do not have the dedicated hood, so I used a wide angle collapsable rubber hood, which works very very well. 55mm filters will also be a lot cheaper than anything on a 17-35 for example.

 

Its very sharp. I haven't got any shots with it online so cannot link to them. Sorry. Focus is very quick. Manual focus is very good. I cannot fault it. It I could design it myself then i would make it a 24mm f2 instead. But I am very happy with it.

 

Are you getting one? Thinking? The 35/2 is a lot cheaper.

 

28mm on the 7D becomes a standard lens.

 

If you are in the UK/EU - there is one listed for sale on ebay.co.uk (not mine) at the moment in very good condition, looks almost new.

the biggest, boldest, most bulbus, front element of any optic I've ever had the pleasure of handling.

 

Its the Dogs!

Actually I don't know. I can understand system changes. I'd been Canon for 17 years. FD through to EOS.

 

Was about to take a break from work and travel for 2 years, so dumped all my Canon stuff (and most of my house stuff) and bought Contax G2 28/45/90 for quality and smallness. Then things changed and I stayed in the UK, so built the Canon line back up. EOS-1s then. Shot some weddings and earnt some cahs back then.

 

Used Voigtländer BESSA for fun for 2 years with my Canon D30. BESSA was the street camera with Neopan 400. And the D30 and EOS 33 (Elan 7) was for wildlife stuff.

 

Then the reality of the end of film for me. The Voigtländers had to go, would have stayed all EOS. Was about to sell both D30s for a 10D (when the 20D hit the street) and get a 300/4 IS for it.

 

One look, and five minutes with the Dynax 7D and I decided that ALL of my lenses should be IS/AS!

 

Took me three months in 2004 for dump all the Voigtänders and Canon stuff to go Minolta Dynax 7D in Jan-05. Finally I got to my four lens line-up.

 

Digital has changed things. The Voigtländers got me seeing the world in a different way. So they were great for 2 years, lucked out and sold them at pretty well the same price as I paid. Likewise all my Canon kit.

 

And my Minolta stuff will see very little loss in real value terms.

 

bearing in mind I have a 200/2.8 bought for 1/3 of new price. And an unused 85/1.4 bought for less than half new price. The small loses I get in moving my spare Minolta lenses on is all absorbed in my hard shopping for my current lenses. Again my 50 macro was half new price. And my 28/2 was about 25% of new price. So all in my used lenses have saved me enough to be able to play with 9 others and not really feel the hit.

 

Mind you I don't shoot as much as I would want to. I've nearly hit the 5000 frame mark on the 7D since Jan-05. So I'm not exactly a heavy user. Just a keen amatuer. Buying/selling is also part of the fun in getting yourself to a super line-up like this:

28/2 + 50/2.8 + 85/1.4 + 200/2.8

At least I can say I've tried most of the lenses I was interested in.

 

To be honest there are really only two items on the want list. 20/2.8 a maybe, and the 400/4.5 a very unlikely.

<p>Mmm, yeah eBay does sound like a good idea, apart from it being August and most of Europe is on hols. So eBay is the plan for Sep for anything unsold. I've been contacted already for a few bits. 

I had a look at the classified board, and bearing in mind the size of photo.net

there really isn't a lot on there, and I've never looked at it before. 

Certainly no Minolta AF kit. </p>

<p>I really don't want to break the rules in here though any more than I have. So I'll close with the link to the forsale page, hey I've broken the rules

already:  <a href="http://www.vividoptic.com/Lenses/ForSale.htm">http://www.vividoptic.com/Lenses/ForSale.htm</a>

</p>

<p>Could I ask anyone who is interested to e-mail me off forum:  

chris@vividoptic.com</p>

<a href="http://www.aliasimages.com/KM7D_AS_Test.htm">http://www.aliasimages.com/KM7D_AS_Test.htm</a>

I can't remember if we are allowed to post "for sale" ads in here.

I'm in the UK and have 7 Minolta own AF lenses and a Sigma

teleconverter to sell. Do you think eBay is my best option.

Bearing in mind that some lenses have been going for more on eBay

than you'd pay for them used in a shop!

 

I've recently added the wonderful Minolta 85/1.4 G to my armoury, so

I am now selling off all my zooms and the 50/1.4 & 135/2.8 - I think

the 85/1.4 will be a good replacement for those two :>

 

Anyways, I have a forsale page linked from my website:

www.vividoptic.com

The 100-300 APO (D) is already gone.

 

I've decided to keep and run with this lot: 28/85/50macro/200.

Might add the 20/2.8 and 400/4.5 one day. The 20 is a lot more

likely than the 400!

 

So leaves this lot up for grabs:

50/135/17-35/24-85/24-105/28-75/Tam90

 

Oddly I've decided to part with the 90 macro in favour of a shorter

focal length. I've moved away from chasing insects and want to do

studio still-life stuff with the 50, and the 50 can cover as a field

lens too.

 

Any takers? Or am I breaking the rules. I seem to remember that

the for sale board on photo.net is USA based?

 

Cheers, Chris