michael_wilson9

<p>I am looking to purchase a monitor calibration tool soon.<br>

I have read the reviews on pretty much all of them but I figured I would ask for some opinions.<br>

I do not want to spend a fortune but I want to be able to produce the most accurate pictures I can.<br>

thanks,<br>

Mike</p>

<p>Thanks for all of the answers. Yes for right now I am also renting another 40D as I am very comfortable with all of the settings. That is an interesting thought - renting the 5D. Might be something I might want to do in the future.</p>

<p>I am looking for some help with an upcoming wedding.<br>

I am going to rent a few professional grade lenses but need some help.</p>

<p>I currently have a 40D, 580 EXII, 50MM f/1.4, 28-135MM IS Kit Lens.<br>

I am going to rent an extra body and borrow another 580 flash.</p>

<p>My questions is this.<br>

Do I rent the 17-55mm f/2.8 and the 70-200mm f/2.8<br>

or do I rent the 24-70mm f/2.8 with the 70-200?<br>

I understand the fact that I might not be able to go as wide with the 24-70.<br>

ANy help would be greatly appreciated.</p>

<p>thanks,<br>

Mike</p>

I have a question regarding the settings.

 

I somewhat get this scenario - just need some clarification if anyone can help.

 

I have the same opportunity as Christian.

 

I am a little confused about these parts.

 

1. Set ISO and preferred aperture. Recommendations for a starting point? I get this!

 

2. Meter my palm in spot mode and dial in shutter speed until EV shows +1. Why would I want the EV to show +1?

 

3. Stop down two stops - I get this!

 

4. Reset to evaluative metering or center in camera- I get this part.

 

5. Take shots, adjusting FEC on the way, and monitor camera EV (To always be 2 stops under) and adjust shutter

speed according to brighter or darker scenes.

 

How does ETTL play into this?

There should always be a difference of 2 stops between the Flash and what the cameras EV is saying?

Keep an eye on the shutter speed and adjust to get the two stop difference.

 

My big question is what setting should the Flash be on. I usually use ETTL.

I have the canon 580.

 

thanks in advance.

Mike

I just purchased a new 580 EX II for my 40D.

I was reading through some old posts and came across this one.

I was hoping that you might be able to clear things up for me.

Where I am confused is the Ambient Exposure settings.

My questions are below the actual post.

 

 

 

Here is the post.

 

 

Nadine Ohara - SF Bay Area/CA , Jul 26, 2005; 07:43 p.m.

 

C Jo--the background going darker when I use a fair amount of fill flash is with both film and digital, although because

digital is so immediate, I confess I tend to use ETTL and adjust it (or the camera settings) on the fly, using manual

flash only when I find I can't control it otherwise. With film, I overexpose the background 1/2 stop to kind of

compensate for this effect. With my 20D and 580EX, I either use manual mode with flash in ETTL evaluative, using a

handheld incident meter or sometimes I use aperture priority. Like you, I "place" the highlights where I want and

proceed from there. Outdoors, when I want fill flash, I use the flash in evaluative flash metering mode, usually taking it

down in relation to the ambient exposure, although it is supposedly doing that to some degree already (the

mysterious Canon flash). Inside, when the flash is the main source of light, I use averaging flash metering mode.

 

I have found the lazy way of using the 20D, though, and that is using aperture priority and ETTL evaluative. I mostly

use minus ambient exposure compensation in AV mode, though, as I've found that no minus ambient exposure

compensation gives you overexposed shots with any scene except for completely even shade. This method is the

lazy way of placing the highlights. I will routinely dial in between -1 and -2 ambient exposure compensation and leave

the flash in "homebase", which, for me is +2/3. For instance, given a scene where you have a backlit, sunlit subject,

I will go -2 ambient exposure compensation and leave the flash at +2/3 evaluative (because it is already doing auto fill

flash reduction). This combo gives me a very balanced exposure with detail in the highlights (not blown) and subjects

well filled in. If the scene is less contrasty, I'll go -1 on the ambient. Lazy, but very fast, as you just evaluate the

scene, dial in the comp, and shoot, and most of the time, the exposure is great. This works as well with light

backgrounds and darker foregrounds. For completely even shade, no ambient comp and -2 on the flash.

 

Ben--not be negative, but I am thinking the Lightsphere won't help with the blown whites problem, and, to comment

on your other thread, I think in the forward position, it will affect your auto thyristor flash sensor. It might even affect it

in the upright position, since there is nothing to block the light coming downward out of the unit.

 

 

 

 

Would she be referring to the exposure compensation on the camera when you say Ambient Exposure

Compensation?

 

When she talks about leaving the Flash in +2/3 are you talking about increasing the power in ETTL mode and leaving

it at evaluative?

 

I usually shoot in AV/TV or M - mostly AV mode.

 

What metering is suggested on the camera itself? Would evaluative in the camera be the best with Flash mounted.

 

Thanks in advance,

Mike

Both methods worked great thanks.

Really saw the difference with 2nd curtain sync.

 

thanks

Mike

Recently purchased the 580 EX II for my 40 D.

I am curious to find out if I will be able to tell if the camera pre-fires in ETTL II mode.

I do not see it at all. I have even held the camera away from myself to see if it double fires.

I have the camera set to ETTL II mode as well as the flash.

 

Do I have to set something else where or am I just not able to see the pre-flash?

 

thanks in advance.

Mike

I was at a seminar once and they gave away little noise-makers to grab childrens attention.

I can't find them anywhere on the internet.

Does anyone have any vendors they use for things like this.

 

The little noisemaker was clear and it was about 2 inches long. You squeezed it and it made a squeaky noise.

 

Thanks in advance.

Mike

thanks for the info sam.

 

appreciate it.

I am looking into setting up a storefront and a website.

Obviously there are many to choose from.

I was hoping that I could get some feedback on some of the ones that are out

there right now. Pricing, printing, and any sites to stay away from.

I have heard alot about smugmug and printroom.

If anyone can post a link to their site it would be greatly appreciated also.

 

thanks

Was wondering if anyone had any thoughts on either. It seems to be pretty much

fifty-fifty. I have been getting alot of requests from people to start taking

portraits. I want to be able to brand my services with the best possible tool.

I am just starting out and only do this as a side job.

 

Any tips or recommendations would help.

If there are other sites that do it all with a clean classy look I would

appreciate. I just do not want the site to look like it came right out of the

box. I know that I will have to tweak it.

 

THanks in advance.

Mike

I found out why my files were being saved at such a small value in JPEG.

When I was testing out the camera I had captured some of the RAW files in sRaw - The original files were only about 6mb. Hence when saving the files to JPEG they are only about 600kb. The 12mb files are being saved at around 2.5mb.

 

Thanks for all of the help

I understand that JPEG files get compressed. I was just wondering if there was a way to decrease the amount of compression from a 10mb raw file down to about a 2mb jpeg file.

 

I do most of my photo ordering on line right now.

Most of the places that do my work use only jpeg.

 

What would you guys suggest I do about ordering prints online.

Which file format works the best or should I say what do you recommend I save the files as aftering editing in Photoshop?

 

Tom - I just want to be able to blow up some of the photos to an 8X10 or 13X20.

 

 

thanks again.

take care,

Mike

My question is about saving files.

 

I just started using RAW files and I have PS elements 6.

My question is this.

 

I am having trouble understanding why my file sizes shrink so much going from

RAW files at around 10mb to under 1mb after saving the files as jpeg.

 

I save the editing of the files in TIFF and JPEG - I am not sure what I am

doing wrong. I figured the JPEG files would shrink and the TIFF files get

larger when saving layers. I am not cropping any of my photos.

 

If anyone can explain to me how to save some of my photos in JPEG without

losing that much file size I would certainly appreciate it.

 

take care,

Mike

The largest lens I may eventually get is the 70-200mm L series.

I am looking to purchase a decent tripod for a canon 40D for portraits.

 

Looking to spend about 150 on the head and legs.

 

Any recommendations.

 

thanks

I recently purchased a 40D, 580 speedlight.

I plan to purchase a battery grip soon also.

 

I am just looking for some recommendations for a nice tripod and head for under

$150.

 

Any suggestions would help.

 

thanks,

Mike

I am using different software.

Most of the photos are not even touched up.

I am looking at some of my old photos from back in the early 2000's.

Pictures were taken with a small compact olympus camera. The files have not been adjusted in any software yet. I have not even opened up any of the software just yet. Mostly just trying to check out the new system. My old PC and Monitor and printer were pretty darn close. Never even gave it a second thought. Now I see a huge difference and this is a whole new world for me. Seems like there is just way too much information to handle. I seem like I am in overload mode.

 

I will be using photoshop elements 6.

Is there anything I can do in my Canon 40D and photoshop to best match the color schemes?

sRGB?

 

I appreciated the help so far.

I just started printing some photos on my new computer. The pictures come out

real washed out from what I see on the screen. The colors on the monitor look

really nice. I have all of my drivers updated for Vista. The computer was given

to me dirt cheap that is why I have vista.

 

Canon drivers updated. Graphics card drivers updated. Monitor driver updated.

 

I have looked into buying a monitor calibrator. It seems as though the issue is

with the printer that I have been using for almost a year and half now.

 

Any suggestions. Possible suggestions on which monitor calibration hardware to

get.

 

I do not want to have to buy a print calibrater. way too much money for my

hobby.

 

Thanks in advance

I just started printing some photos on my new computer.

The pictures come out real washed out from what I see on the screen.

The colors on the monitor look really nice.

I have all of my drivers updated for Vista. The computer was given to me dirt

cheap that is why I have vista.

 

Canon drivers updated.

Graphics card drivers updated.

Monitor driver updated.

 

I have looked into buying a monitor calibrator. It seems as though the issue is

with the printer that I have been using for almost a year and half now.

 

Any suggestions.

Possible suggestions on which monitor calibration hardware to get.

 

I do not want to have to buy a print calibrater. way too much money for my

hobby.

 

Thanks in advance

Just purchased my first DSLR - Canon40D

 

I understand that it has a smaller sensor.

 

Does this increase the telephoto on an 50mm f/1.4 prime to a little more than

75mm?

 

I understand that canon is making S- lenses.

 

So if I were to purchase a 17-50mm lens would that also increase my wide angle

to a 26mm lens on the short end?

Thank you for all of the answers to my questions.

I will take them all for some value and have to decide on my own. How else will I learn.

 

thanks again.

Thanks - for all of the responses. I never said that I was going to be getting paid for my wedding work. Is everyone an expert here? I am more of a hobbyist on the learning path. THat is why I posed the question. Thanks again for all of the responses.

I am a hobbyist at most and have just upgraded from my 5th point in shoot canon.

I purchased the Canon 40D that came with the 28MM-135 IS lens. I am looking

into doing some portrait work with my kids. I have done some neighbors and

friends in the past with the little compact and edited them in PS.

 

I have about 300-400 bucks for a decent lens. I have read so many reviews that

my head is spinning. I am currently looking at the Tamron SP AF 28-75mm 28-75

f/2.8 f2.8 XR Di LD or the Canon 85mm Ef/1.8. I plan on adding to my lens

collection over the next year or 2. As long as the wife (CPA)lets me.

 

I would appreciate any thoughts and what type of equipment would be good to

have such as type of lenses (wide angle, macro etc.)

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

thanks,

Mike