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davyjo

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Posts posted by davyjo

    Stable reasonably priced tripod

    in Accessories

    Posted

    Buy something used. If you do Ebay there are hundreds of options that with a little patience can be had very reasonably. If you are in a larger city check with local shops and even pawn shops for used photo gear. I recently bought a Bogen 3236 with a 3049 head for about $100. I wouldn't want to lug that rig up a mountain but I can comfortably walk a half a mile with it. <p>There are a lot of older options out there that work marvelously. Bogen still has descriptions of most of their discontinued tripods and heads on their website. Very useful when shopping used.<P>

    I had the 3236 set on the shore yesterday morning in about 20mph of wind and there was no shake at all with my D30 and 70-200 f/2.8 w/ a 2X teleconverter. Very solid.

    tripod choice

    in Accessories

    Posted

    I recently picked up an older Bogen 3236 aluminum tripod with a Bogen 3047 head. Weighs a ton (13 llbs w/ head) but is rock solid. Stability was much more important a feature than portability, although I have found myself lugging this beast around. It also adjusts from about 2' tall to almost 7' fully extended. The tripod has a geared center column which I have found to be very useful shooting macro. The 3047 head is smooth and solid and requires the use of the big hexagonal QR plates. I can see myself buying a ballhead sometime in the future.<P>

    I picked this up on Ebay for about $100, sure, it has a few paint blemishes but it works perfectly. I was looking at spending three or more times as much for a new one.

    Difference between camera retailers and other lens providers

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    Living in the wilds of Maine, a couple of hours from the nearest stocking camera store, everything I've bought has been online/telephone.<P>

    I have bought quite a bit through Amazon with very good results. B&H, Adorama, and Beachcamera have all been very good to deal with as well. <P>It's very important that the retailer is an "authorized" dealer and as always, if the price is way below those offered by these folks steer clear. One benefit of the three retailers I mentioned is that you can actually call and discuss a deal and options with a pleasant human, something you can't do with Amazon. Super cheap retailers will also usually require a phone call which will be a high pressure sales pitch. If your not comfortable talking with their salesman, imagine how it's going to go when there is a problem with and order? Research any retailer before buying but my experiences have all been very good.<P>

    I also have a couple of lenses that I bought second hand on Ebay which I have been very pleased with.

    What tripod for beginner with Canon XTi?

    in Accessories

    Posted

    While I can't offer any specific recommendations for a light tripod to carry I will say "don't try to save money on a tripod". I have a flimsy tripod that annoyed me every time I used it with my 30d and whatever lens I put on it. It does OK with a little point and shoot and timer mode. <P>

    I now have a Bogen 3236 with a 3049 head that I would never dream of taking on a hike, but it is incredibly solid. I can set it up and hand actuate my 30D w/a 70-200 f/2.8 with a 2X extender on it at 1/25 sec with no worries of any shakes.<P>

    Moral? Buy the right one first.

    FOLLOW UP TO:"105mm Macro Lens Plus Extension Tube"

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    If you read the "105mm Macro Lens Plus Extension Tube" thread which I started on

    2/05 you might be interested in these images. Just a quick test using my Sigma

    105mm f/2.8 Macro with the Canon 50mm f/1.8 II mounted reversed with a coupling

    ring. I found a ring on E**y for <$8 shipped!. <P>

    As you can see in the pictures below I am getting very close to 1:1 with the

    Sigma alone. It measures 24mm on a 22.5mm sensor. With the 50mm attached I'm

    getting just over 2:1 and there seems to be very little degradation in image. I

    think I'll set up some lights and try some more serious shots tonight.

    <P>Just thought some of you might be interested.

    <P>Thanks again for all the help.

    <P>

    Dave<div>00JtMn-34903084.JPG.f900f6f0f616429275c7d15f73066efa.JPG</div>

    Which Lens For Senior Class Group Shot?

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    I'm pretty much stuck with what I have. I'm very much an amateur. I'm doing this as a favor for the yearbook. I will have the camera on a sturdy tripod and will run a bunch of test shots before all the kids get there.

    <P>

    I was thinking of starting the ISO @ 400. Manual mode. Bracket all the shots @ +/- one stop. Raw+Large JPG. Evaluative metering.

    Which Lens For Senior Class Group Shot?

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    This afternoon I'm taking a senior class picture, ~90 students in cap and gowns

    arranges on a set of risers in a poorly lit gym. I have a 30D and 430EX flash

    and I'm wondering if I'd be better off with my 50mm f/1.8 II, Sigma 20mm f/1.8,

    or my 28-135mm IS?<P>

     

    I'm guessing with either of the two fixed lens's I'd want to stop it down to f/5

    or more to sharpen things up.

    <P>

    I can probably take two sets of pictures (two lens's) but not three due to time

    constraints. I'm thinking the lighting would be better with the 20mm if the

    430EX can spread that wide but the 50mm would be sharper.

    <P>

    Which would you use and what aperture would you suggest?

    105mm Macro Lens Plus Extension Tube

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    So my 50mm 1.8 II backwards on the Sigma? You describe a "male to male coupling ring", I'll start searching. I guess I need to match the filter threads on the Sigma to the filter threads on the Canon.

    <P>

    I presume the 50mm stays wide open and aperture is controlled by the Sigma. Focus the 50mm @ infinity? Or do you focus with a combination of the two lens's?

    Thanks again.

    105mm Macro Lens Plus Extension Tube

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    Thanks for all the input. All the stuff I've been able to find online is about using tubes with a normal lens to get closer to 1:1, not using extension to go beyond 1:1. I'd like to try getting closer and know that the Canon dedicated lens is out of the question. <P>

    My Sigma is the older non-DG model with a dead AF motor. Don't miss it in the least. It would seem to me that a jump from 1:1 to 1.5:1 would be a significant increase. Obviously there would need to be exposure compensation but how seriously would the image quality be affected with a 50mm or more extension?

    <P>

    Thanks again.

    Dave

    105mm Macro Lens Plus Extension Tube

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    I've spent quite a bit of time researching and am not quite confident in my

    answers. So please check this for me. <P>

    I have a Sigma 105mm Macro lens which works wonderfully. If I were to add a

    25mm Extension tube to that lens it would increase the magnification from 1:1

    to approximately 1.24:1. Not that big an increase. I suppose adding 50mm might

    be a more significant increase in magnification. 1.49:1 Is my logic correct?

    <P>Anyone have experience using tubes on a real Macro lens?

    Cold Weather Storage

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    It would be nearly impossible to insulate the camera for more than a few hours. The key is to avoid rapid changes in temperature, particularly warming in a humid environment. Insulating it will moderate the changes. Warming it in the car in a sealed case would slowly bring it back to usable temp without the danger of condensation.
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