michaeljlawson

<p>Update, Season 3 is now on in the Chicago area - <em>WYCC</em> Channel 20</p>

<p>The Osprey shots in in my 500px or Flickr page (links should be on my profile page) were taken with a 400D and the Tamron 70-300 VC. Auto focus is sometimes to slow so I often manually focus it. There are some people using the Tamron with a Kenko 1.4 teleconverter as well, but I haven't personally tried it yet.</p><div></div>

<p>I bought the first season DVD (And a hat and T-shirt) when I first discovered this show on the web. I haven't seen it on TV on any of the Chicago area PBS stations yet. I haven't watched any of the 3rd season yet though, thanks for the reminder!</p>

<p>Ok, It works with my XTi using my webcam as a trigger, so Live View is not a requirement. You just have to make sure the camera and the camera are pointing in the same place.</p>

<p>I did notice that if the camera can't focus, you will get a DSLR Error, please restart. Nothing works then until the software is restarted. This would be unfortunate is something passed closer than the minimum focus distance for example, and all shots following that would be missed. Some sort of built in auto-restart under these circumstances would be nice.</p>

<p>Thanks for the reply Shachar, I'll give it a shot tonight if I have time with my XTi.</p>

<p>If we use a webcam for the trigger, do we still need a camera with LiveView? You say "Or" above, but your requirements on the webpage state "Canon DSLR (with LiveView)"</p>

<p>I've been using the Tamron SP 70-300 VC since May. I would buy it again for 400.00 if something happened to this one.</p><div></div>

<p>Some editing\ re-sizing tools will strip out the data. Did you do something different to the pics that are missing the information? Maybe used "Re-size for web" instead of manually re-sizing in your chosen utility.</p>

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<p>I found that flickr let you see the exif data. Perhaps photo.net should do the same</p>

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<p>This is a user thing, not a photo.net thing. If you look at one of my photos there is exif data, and I didn't extract it and enter it. Photo.net did. If people use re-sizing tools that remove that data, or scan film and don't add that data, it won't be there. Nothing photo.net can do about data if it isn't there.</p>

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<h1>Does photo.net really help improve?"</h1>

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<p>In so many ways if you know how to learn. Discussion forums, equipment reviews, a whole learning tab, a photo selection to review artistically and technically for many of them. You don't need EXIF data to learn, you need it to do what someone else did. Sure F-stop may be nice to know, but if you don't know his distance to subject and the subjects distance to the background, it can only tell you so much anyway. You can always experiment on your own to work that out too.</p>

<p>I don't have the 17-50, but I have the Tamron SP 28-75mm which doesn't have VC and I love it. I also have the new Tamron SP 70-300mm With VC and I love it too. If your 17-50mm performs as good as the 28-75mm I have, you will be very happy.</p>

 

<p>Did you change it (intentionally or accidentally) from Single-shot AF to one of the continuous focus modes? It may be trying to follow a subject even though it's not moving if you did.</p>

<p>Isn't it hard to tell how much effort it took to get someplace? Was the African wildlife shot by someone from Mexico or someone that already lives in South Africa? Was it while on a backpacking trip through the outback or from the safety of a photo safari vehicle? I don't rate many photo here anymore, but when I look at them and judge them for myself, it's based on the contents of the photo and how it moves me, and nothing to do with who the photographer is or what he went through to get there, only why he decided to pressed the shutter button at that moment and what he captured.</p>

<p>Imagepro is down to... <a href="http://imagepro.photography.com/michaeljlawson">http://imagepro.photography.com/michaeljlawson</a></p>

<h2>Server Error</h2>

<p>The requested URL cannot be accessed due to a system error on this server.<br>

<small><em>AOLserver/4.5.1 on http://imagepro.photography.com:8009</em></small></p>

 

<p>If you want to do bird photography I would add the 7D and a 1.4x for the 70-200 and save your pennies for the 500mm f4 you are going to want next :) . Your lens lineup is only "Awkward" if you are comparing it to classic portrait lens lengths. I promise they will work perfectly fine on the 7D, but I'm betting the 70-200 with or without the 1.4x never leaves that body if you get it, and your perfectly fine 5D will still take marvelous classic portraits with the others.</p>

<p>Not knowing what you believe "Cheap" really is, I would second the 430 EX II. I use mine on my XTi often. There are several 3rd party flashes that would work that cost less. Try reading the below articles, see if it helps any:<br>

<a href="http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/#whichflash">http://photonotes.org/articles/eos-flash/#whichflash</a><br>

<a href="http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/flash.html">http://photonotes.org/articles/beginner-faq/flash.html</a></p>

<p>If you really want that "PoP" for a subject that you don't really need HDR for, you may be interested in <a href="http://www.topazlabs.com/adjust/">Topaz Adjust</a> or one of their other plugins. That will give you that over-cooked look if you want, without the complexity of HDR processing. </p>

 

<p>My main shooting gear is a Canon XTi with the Tamron SP 70-300 VC and the Tamron SP 28-75 2.8. I rarely feel like I missed a shot due to my gear. If I miss a shot it's because I screwed up or because I didn't have the reach of the coveted 500mm or 600mm with extenders. From time to time I miss a shot due to focus hunting, or the fact that I can't pump up the ISO much past 400 on my XTi that maybe I wouldn't have with more expensive gear. </p>

<p>Would I buy a 7D and 600mm if I had the money, in a heart beat. Would it make me a better photographer, certainly not. It may allow me a few less missed opportunities, but not better.</p>

 

 

<p>Since I don't own a decent tripod, never. If I could afford a good tripod and gimbal head I would certainly give them a shot though.</p><div></div>

<p>Karyn,<br>

You are going to get a ton of suggestions from Canon primes , specifically 50mm 1.8 to Canon zooms including the 55-250 and 70-300, probably even the 70-200's and everything inbetween. Then you will see the other manufactures like Tamron (which I use mostly), Sigma, etc. If you don't know what you want yet or don't know what features of the different lenses are, keep your money in your pocket. I would agree with Jan and get the Kit lens and a flash. Figure out what you are missing....need more reach, look at the 70-300s, need wider for landscapes, look at the EFS 10-22. Decide you want to do indoor portraits, look at lighting accessories. There is no need to spend 500.00+ extra dollars today if you aren't sure what's going to make you happy yet.</p>

<p>Isn't that how it is though? Sometimes you walk out your front door and the shot is right there, and sometimes after hiking all day, you're hungry, tired, and still don't have a shot. Sometimes it's easy and sometimes it's difficult. Do they play to their audience, take some dramatic license...certainly, they have a show to market and sponsors to make happy. I personally don't like Peter Lik's show, after two episodes and his special unveiling show I couldn't get over the feeling it was about him and not the process or location. I like Art's show and don't mind the photos posted that he likely didn't take during the shooting of the show, but most certainly could have taken before or after the camera's were turned off. At least his show is about the location and not so much the photographer.</p>

<p>@Scott, that's what I was referring to in my post above, I knew it was something like that. Safety switch, safety shift...</p>

<p>I don't have a 5D mk2, but isn't there a "Safety switch" that even in TV mode it will reduce the shutter speed to avoid under exposure? If so, shut it off.</p>

<p>I forgot all about this post JD....but you got me to do some research. He was actually stripped of his prize: <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jan/20/wolf-wildlife-photographer-award-stripped">http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/jan/20/wolf-wildlife-photographer-award-stripped</a></p>

 

<p>Replaced my Canon 75-300 non IS with the new Tamron SP 70-300 VC. Less expensive than the Canon 70-300 IS. After 50.00 rebate (I got mine quickly) at B&H right now for 399.00. I am very happy with it. If you don't need the 200-300 range, I would recommend the Canon 70-200 F4 mentioned above. If you want the extra reach, the Tamron is a nice option.</p>

<p>You are going to find all sorts of extra "Features" on lenses as you learn more. Do you want or need Full Time Manual Focus? Non Rotating Front Element for use with polarizers? Do you really love Macro more than birds outside your window and wish you got the 100mm Macro instead of the 55-250?</p>

<p>I guess what I'm getting at is there is no need to rush into a full kit until you get a better feel for what you want\need\enjoy. If you know you'll get good mileage out of the lenses and that you won't have the budget for something else later, that's one thing. But if you are undecided, just start with the kit and work your way into the others.</p>