mike_earussi1

<p>To help answer #1:<br> the faster and more powerful the processor the easier it will be for you to edit and adjust, so you're looking for a computer with the latest Intel i7 chip with a clock speed of 3ghz or more. Also lots of ram really helps--I have 16gb but some professionals have observed that they can see speed improvements using up to 64gb.</p> <p>A large hard drive is also important. A 3tb would be best with all the potential files you'll have to store. Another 3tb external is also recommended to help keep your main drive from becoming to crowded and to provide backup if anything should happen to your main drive.</p> <p>Also a solid state hard drive (SSD) would really speed things up a lot for the initial editing--again bigger is better.</p> <p>Finally, don't neglect the importance of a decent monitor, IPS is best with at least a 23" 1920x1080 resolution and a fully adjustable screen. These can run from under $300 for a low end to over $2,000 for the best.<br> http://www.amazon.com/Viewsonic-VP2365-LED-23-Inch-Monitor-Black/dp/B0053YKE72/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1402235792&sr=8-1&keywords=viewsonic+vp23<br> http://www.amazon.com/PA302W-BK-SV-LED-2560-1600-SpectraViewII/dp/B00EZP2720/ref=sr_1_20?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1402235832&sr=1-20&keywords=nec+monitor<br> but the cheaper one will work for prints and web images.</p> <p>It also must be color corrected for accuracy:<br> http://www.amazon.com/X-Rite-CMUNSML-ColorMunki-Smile/dp/B009APMNB0/ref=sr_1_2?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1402235943&sr=1-2&keywords=color+munki</p> <p>You don't mention your budget, but with computers and monitors you usually get what you pay for, so buy the best you can afford.</p> <p> </p>

<p>Why the R, do you plan on making really large prints? I would think the A7 would be better with its larger pixels making it less noisy in low light conditions, faster AF, electronic first curtain shutter, smaller file size, etc.</p>

<p>I would be a lot more concerned about theft than breakage. Providing a large empty studio is one thing, providing a lot of expensive equipment worth stealing is another. The simplest ( and safest) solution would be to just provide (cheap) lights and backdrops and maybe a few props, require a small to medium size deposit, and hope for the best.</p>

<p>If you shoot a lot of verticals it really helps the wrist from being strained. If not then it's just extra weight and bulk.</p>

<p>Besides the quality of the lens, the other influences on the image are:<br> 1. How flat the film is held in the camera (this is directly related to the cost of the body since tighter machining cost more money). Related to this is how accurately the lens is aligned to the film plane.<br> 2. How accurately the body allows you to focus (a rangefinder is more accurate than an slr).<br> 3. Whether the shutter is leaf or focal plane--leaf shutters don't have a "kick" whereas focal plane shutters do (this is mostly relevant to using slow shutter speeds on a tripod).</p> <p>So besides the quality of the lenses, this is why the Leica M bodies produce the best photos: they are machined to very tight tolerances and use a rangefinder for focusing.</p> <p> </p>

<p> Buy used. I own a Epson 1400 but the cost of ink was killing me prompting me to look for a cheaper alternative, so I bought two Epson 4800 for $200 each (at different times) on Craigslist (one set for glossy ink, one set for matte).<br> They're very tough printers. Just make sure the heads aren't plugged before you buy.</p> <p>I've also seen Epson 3800s, 3880s and 7800s as well (though for more money). You can also buy outdated ink on eBay for about 1/10-1/5 the price of the cost of the 13" printers ink (my average cost per ml is 27 cents). Doing this has saved me a lot of money over using a service, though it does take a little time to learn how to use the printers correctly.</p>

<p>You might want to look at the new Sigma 24-105 instead. According to all the tests it's not only sharper than the Canon but less expensive as well.</p>

<p>For black and white backgrounds any good material store has those "colors" in wide widths. For variegated have you tried Ebay?</p>

<p>f22 is guaranteed to destroy both contrast and resolution due to defraction. Educate yourself by conducting a test with your best lens:</p> <p>1.set your camera on a tripod with mirror lock-up and remote triggering</p> <p>2. use the lowest iso (the higher the iso the worse the image quality)</p> <p>3. then start with the lens wide open and take a series of shots at each f stop.</p> <p>You'll find that (with a good lens) the contrast and resolution peak around 2 f stops from the widest aperture. So if you have a f2.8 lens the best f stop will be around f5.6.</p> <p>Also if you want to use a polarizer then you need to use a good quality multicoated one (which can easily cost over $100 depending on size), as cheap ones will often make the image quality worse.</p> <p> </p>