mike_bisom

<p>Well, if you want to make a broad generalization, then a Canon lens will be the best lens for a Canon camera. However, many third party lenses are very good and perhaps even better than their more expensive counterpart. On top of that, even if the Canon lens is superior, will you (or more to the point will the person paying you) notice the difference? Typically, third party lenses don't have the same quality control and it's easier to get a "bad" copy. Not that you can't get a bad copy of a Canon lens, just more unlikely. To make another broad generalization, third party lenses typically don't focus quite as fast as their counterpart lens. But I would look at this on a lens-by-lens, waht lens you need, basis.</p>

<p>I had a big long post but I think Thom Hogan has already summed it up for us:</p>

<p>http://www.bythom.com/filters.htm</p>

<p> </p>

<p>When in doubt, stick with what you have (and I'm a Mac guy BTW). Any screen, laptop or otherwise, will need calibrated. These glass glossy screens aren't all that much different than old CRT glass tubes, but they do have characteristics that you should watch out for. Personally, I wouldn't do any color critical work on any laptop monitor. If the laptop were my primary computer, I would plug it into a 2nd monitor at home/work for color critical work. I am not even going to touch the pro photographers on TV using an Apple laptop except to say use what works for you. Calibration will be an issue on either a Mac or a Windows (any OS) laptop. </p>

<p>Shoot in Raw.</p>

<p>And some cameras offer a 14-bit Raw file which will give you even more details in problem areas (blown highlights/crushed blacks). After that it becomes a matter of personal taste: what software fits your workflow and produces an acceptable conversion from Raw to <insert favorite picture format here>. Some folks like Lightroom, I prefer Aperture. I think most would agree that the manufacturers software is arguably <i>the best, </i>but often slow and clunky. In terms of exposing an image, I really think there are too many factors involved to give you one set way of doing things (other than to say you always want correct exposure). I have found on our recent round of camera bodies (Nikon D90/D300) that I have a greater latitude with the D300's 14-bit Raw file and don't mind over-exposing the highlights a bit if I <i>need</i> too. I know I can bring them back down. However, I didn't want to do this with our D80 (or at least not to the degree that I can now). And when we first switched to digital with a Canon 10D, over-exposing by any amount was unheard of- those details were gone (hard switch from film at the time!).</p>

<p>As Dan Mitchell said, there is hardly any difference between the sensors. There may be a difference in the JPEG processing between the cameras so an accurate test would need to be done from the Raw file. The 40D I believe was Canon's first consumer camera to record a 14-bit Raw file and that can bring back over-exposed highlights better than a 12-bit file. And the 5D was/is a full frame which adds a bit of DR (and the 5D Mark II is 14-bit). Other than that, Canon uses essentially the same metering and AF system in all but their top two bodies.</p>

<p>Another vote for the loupe here. I think it's a bit overpriced at $80- but I definitely love it.</p>

<p>My copy of Nik filters has both Mac and Windows installs.</p>

<p>I agree with everything that's been said. However, there is another approach. You could get yourself a Vivitar 285 (I think that is what Strobist recommends?) and learn to shoot the flash in manual power. Not as quick and exciting as e-TTL- but consistent. Some of the best flashes out there will be manual flashes. I love the Quantum QFlashes and I have never been able to make them work in e-TTL mode- far better to just shoot them manually. It just takes learning on your part.</p>

<p>Every back up is critical redundancy. If you only have one of something, that inevitably will be the piece that fails you. There for awhile we would get the dreaded err99. No big deal in that removing the batteries and reinserting them fixed the glitch, but if that happened when the bride came down the aisle... I do keep my back up with me and another lens on it. Yes, it helps in that you don't need to switch lenses but that's the added benefit, not the reason I do it. I am guessing you are shooting JPEG and not Raw with only 2x 4GB cards. A, I might recommend Raw and B, even if shooting JPEG, 2x 4GB isn't enough. What if one card geeks: we are back to the department of redundancy department! Same thing with flash. In terms of camera bodies, a used 5D is a great option, provided you still have funds to get the rest of the back up gear you need. With a 5D your 24-70 is a 24-70 which takes care of your wide lens (for now) but you might want to get something like a Sigma 20mm wide as back up to use on the 40D. This covers a wide for your 40D and an even wider on a 5D. If you do get a 5D, just be sure that you don't get any cropped sensor glass. While it will work on the 40D, it won't work on the 5D.</p>

<p>I don't know. But given the choice, I would get the Tokina 11-16 if for no other reason than the constant aperture. For what it's worth I have the 11-16 (and the 17-55) and I love it. The only thing I had to compare it to was the Canon 10-22, and there is no comparison, the Tokina is far superior.</p><div></div>

<p>I will add that I prefer the D300s 14-bit Raw file over that of the 12-bit Raw file from the D80 (or even D90). Attached is a recent image- on the left is the image as shot, on the right is the image as processed. Hopefully this shows up ok in lo-rez, but to achieve decent skin tones on the subject, the runner is 1.5 stops over-exposed. The 14-bit Raw actually brings back detail in the concrete and runner. PP consisted of one shot as taken, and another at -1.5 exposure, blend the two in Photoshop. Whole thing took less than 60 seconds. Obviously you can't do this with every single image, but I hope this helps illustrate the power of the 14-bit Raw file. I have a D90 (CMOS sensor) and a had a D80 where I had shot some outdoor snow scenes and you can't quite bring back the same detail on the 12-bit sensor. </p>

<p>Other than that, if you are simply looking for a CMOS sensor, there is the D90 which will more closely resemble the D70/80. The D300, IMHO, is just in a different league: better built, more controls where you need them, and you get rid of the ones you never use like "sport" and "landscape" modes, the grip and battery is awesome and so on and so forth. But in terms of IQ, the only thing I can think of is the usable higher ISO and the 14-bit Raw file.</p>

<div></div>

<p>Yes, flash brackets fall into the category: to each their own. Through the years we have tried several different brackets and our current favorite is the RRS Wedding Bracket- but this bracket requires an L-plate. I use a bracket because I like to use an on-camera flash along with an off-camera strobe and I need a Pocket Wizard to fire the strobe in sync and therefore need someplace to attach the PW! Hopefully the newer PW's will take care of this and eliminate the bracket for me. Many shooters like them since they keep the flash higher above the subject which will help keep any shadows lower (that's one of the reasons my wife likes the bracket). In most cases, I think the use of the bracket is simply to keep things ultra simple: flash on bracket, Sto-fen style diffuser, bounce off ceiling if possible or flash forward if ceiling is too high or outside. I say simple because in this case you aren't so much concerned with the direction of light, you are just concerned with getting some light on the subject. When shooting forward, it helps keep the flash higher than the subject (at least higher than without). So you can see that your style will play a large part on whether there is any benefit to a bracket. </p>

<p>In regards to a flash battery pack, I can't live without one. I typically shoot with a Turbo on my belt and that will usually last all day. I like the battery pack because I prefer a very quick recycle time. And not having to worry about battery power as the day goes. Do I always need that ultra fast recycle time? No. But I would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it!</p>

<p>I agree with Michael. I was never really a fan of the ST-E2- no matter how you look at it, that money could be spent on an additional flash. That flash could be used camera just to trigger the off-camera flashes- but if you happen to need it for a bit of fill you have it!</p>

<p>I'm a R-Strap fan. When I first saw the Spider Holster the thought that came to my mind was "what if I bump the camera in a doorway?" With a traditional strap, the camera gets shoved around. WIth the holster, the camera absorbs more of the impact. I can also have a flash on my camera with and re-position the camera as I move through the crowd. Not so with the holster. Unique idea. Not really sure how effective it will be.</p>

<p>Let me say that it's a very nice shot that I am sure the client will be very pleased with. From a professional standpoint, the use of on camera fill turned it into a snapshot. Soft fill from camera right position would have been more desirable, virtually eliminating the hard flash shadows there are now. I would have liked to have seen a faster shutter; the dramatic shift of her hair from sharp to motion blur seems out of place. To really go over the top would have to placed a 2nd flash opposite the fill (camera left somewhat behind the couple) to give them a hint of rim lighting.... maybe even gel the flash for a warmer effect- we want the right side of her face to be brighter. Attached is my PS version. </p><div></div>

<blockquote>

<p>The Nikon equivalent of the 40D is the D300</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I respectively disagree. Nikon doesn't have an equivalent to the 40D, although besides the CMOS vs CCD thing, I would say the D80 is darn close. The Nikon D90 would be the equivalent to the 50D. The Nikon D300 is in another league which Canon doesn't have an equivalent too, except perhaps the 1D Mark II/III.</p>

<p>As others have pointed out, it is hard to go wrong with either camera. Picking a camera is more than just picking a body however. You are picking a system: bodies, flashes, lenses and even third party support and after market support. These are the reasons I would stay with Nikon or Canon (don't get me wrong, I would love to play with the Pentax but I don't have unlimited funds!). I would ponder that decision more than just a single body decision. </p>

<p>Between the Canon and Nikon, I would choose Nikon. Between the 40D and the D80, I would choose the 40D. I would choose the 40D because I need the high ISO the CMOS chip in the 40D can provide. The Nikon D80 uses a CCD chip which will produce more noise at ISO 800 and above. However, the new D5000 and the D90 use a CMOS chip for lower noise now. </p>

<p>For me, I need to choose how many cameras I want to carry on me. I will only carry two cameras on me if I have quick access to my "main" bag. The main bag has all my gear. If I am starting with the groom/groomsmen, I won't need all my gear and will likely carry one camera body and my Boda Bag (I love my Boda Bag). This bag has everything I might need such as a lens pen, extra memory cards and up to 3 different lenses should I need them.</p>

<p>Be sure you are flattening the file. Many years ago I had this problem with JPEGs and the I remember preview being able to open them and then I did a re-save and all was good. I also remember opening one in PS and the JPEG had layers! So I would just create an action that flattens the image. Not merge, not merge visible. Flatten. I currently use Aperture to export JPEGs and I haven't had an issue there.</p>

<p>For what it's worth, I haven't had that issue for years. But then again, I haven't used a CD for prints in years either! I don't know specifically about Costco, but most mini-labs do an auto-correction on prints. This drove me nuts. An online lab such as MPIX will allow you to have non-color corrected prints made. Which if you are trying to make corrections yourself would be something you might prefer. And I have never had any issues uploading a JPEG. And I have never had a client report any problems with JPEGs exported out of Aperture- and that number would be in the hundreds of thousands!</p>

<p>Personally, I like the SB900 over the SB800. No doubt the SB900 is a larger flash unit (and yes, the thermal protect feature can be turned off). I like the SB900 because it's easier to control multiple flashes (Nikon's CLS). I also like the little gel holder that comes with the 900. With the 800 you had to fold the gel over the flash head and then I usually used a small piece of gaffers tape to hold it there. The 900 has a holder (!!) and will automatically recognize the type of filter (irrelevant for CWB). So that's why I like the 900 over the 800. The 600 is an OK flash but it cannot act as a master within Nikon's CLS set up (although the D90 can act as the master which is really great!). The SB600 can only be a slave (or used on camera of course). Finally, I like having that little extra power from the 900. I believe in bouncing off walls, ceilings, somebody in a white coat.... you name it. Sometimes that extra power is nice.</p>

<p>Nothing wrong with the G-tech card, here is the CalDigit version:</p>

<p>http://eshop.macsales.com/item/CalDigit/FASTA2E/</p>

<p>I doubt you find anything too much cheaper that I would actually trust. You can go to something like this:</p>

<p>http://www.macgurus.com/productpages/sata/LYCeSATA-4e.php</p>

<p>Which allows for port multiplication. In other words, up to 5 drives (I believe) on one Sata port. I use the Macgurus Burly Bays and PM Card.</p>

<p>Respectively, I wouldn't choose a D200 for wedding work. The high ISO performance of either the D90 or the D300 (or even the 50D) (all CMOS chips) will be substantially better than the CCD chip of the D200. But that's me, your milage may vary.</p>

<p>Right now, the D200 is $680 @ Best Buy :( Although still a good deal.</p>

<p>Best Buy raised the price like this at least once before so maybe it will come back down- or maybe the supply has finally started to run out. </p>

<p>In terms of image quality, any of the three will produce excellent results. In that regard it really boils down to your skill with any camera and the lens you put in front of it. I am a Raw shooter and I prefer the D300's 14-bit Raw file over the D90's 12-bit file- but that is splitting hairs. I prefer the build/grip/battery/ergonomics of the D300. From what I understand, the D90 may produce a better in camera JPEG than the D300 since it uses new processing algorithms. But again, splitting hairs. As far as big prints go- back when 6MP cameras were as big as they got, we printed 16x24" prints without a problem. So today's 12MP cameras are plenty for me (and wedding photography). I actually prefer the Nikon gear over the Canon. It's the little things like the gel on the SB900 flash. However, if there is a lens you know you want to use, then maybe that will make the choice for you. All else being equal, I would want an expensive lens and a cheap camera. Both Nikon & Canon have a couple versions of the 85mm (f/1.8 & f/1.4) as well as the 50mm and those are the two "big" staples. Most third party lens manufacturers make both Canon and Nikon mounts. Canon does have a nice 35mm f/1.4 On the other hand, Nikon has the 105mm and 135mm f/2.0 DC lenses. For wedding photography, I usually recommend covering the trifecta first: the 14-24 (16-35), the 24-70 (or 15-55 on a cropped sensor) and the 70-200 all of which are great lenses on either system. </p>

<p>The best thing you can do is just start shooting. Study light. Learn lighting. That will take you a great deal farther than any possible difference between the D90/D300/50D.</p>

<p>I agree that the D90 is the camera to compare to the 50D: similar build & feature set. The D300 is a much more robust body with more controls on the camera body than either the D90 or the 50D. I have shot with the Canon 10D through the 40D (not the 50D) and the Nikon D90 & D300. While either system is capable of delivering great results, I prefer the Nikon system myself. In my experience, the Nikon flash system has been far more consistent. Both the Nikon D90 and D300 are capable of controlling a Nikon flash off camera whereas with the Canon system you need to purchase either another flash or a remote flash controller to do the same thing. I personally love the SB900 flash and the gel holder to gel the flash. Both Nikon viewfinders offer a grid overlay (rule of thirds) whereas with the Canon you need to buy another screen. The Nikon system has (again in my experience) as a superior AF system (AF points aside). With virtually every photo session with my Canon equipment I could expect that some image simply wouldn't be in focus. I always had an excuse: backlight threw the AF off, I must not have focused and re-composed properly etc... Funny thing is that now I hardly ever have an out of focus image. The battery grip for both the D300 and the D90 feel far better than the cheap battery grip of the 40D (and thus I assume the 50D). And the D300 just feels like a pro grip. You can also get the bigger battery for the D300 grip and I love that too. The only thing I remember like about the 40D is it was a machine gun: it could fire off shots one right after another for quite sometime (I don't remember the numbers but I am sure you could look them up). Custom white balance on the Nikon is easier. The list really does go on. For me, I switched when the Canon 50D was announced. I was tired of Canon reserving their best AF and metering for their top two bodies whereas with Nikon you essentially got it on the D300 and up. As far as I'm concerned, even the D90 has a better AF and metering system than the Canon 50D. I didn't need more MP (12 is plenty for me). More megapixels simply means more CF cards and more hard drives and can possibly show lens defects that might go otherwise unnoticed (or so I've read). The the difference between the D90 and the D300 is that the D300 will record a 14-bit Raw file and the D90 will only do a 12-bit (the 50D will do a 14-bit file). The D90 has video, the D300 doesn't. The D90 will have a good grip but can't use the bigger single battery. The D90 will have the little dial for "Creative Modes" (just like the 50D), you lose that on the D300 in favor of more controls on the outside of the camera. The D90 has 11 AF points. The D300 has 51. I love having 51 points to choose from- but that's me. Alright, I'm done.... but I could keep right one going!</p>

<p>All of that said, you really should check out each camera yourself and see what you think. I might even suggest renting all 3: D90, D300 and 50D. I say the D90 because to be fair, it is a closer match to the 50D and less money! In the end, either system will serve you well.</p>