dcstep

<p><strong>Get Away From My Mate!</strong></p> <p>Canon 5D MkIII, EF 500mm f/4L IS, EF 2.0x TC-III, Av Mode, ISO 800, -1-2/3EV, f/8, resulting in 1/8000-sec., Raw conversion with DxO Optics Pro 9.5</p> <p><a title="Get Away From My Mate! by David Stephens, on Flickr" href=" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2904/14808544686_bb303a47c2_c.jpg" alt="Get Away From My Mate!" width="800" height="534" /></a></p>

<a href=" title="Calm Sunset by David Stephens, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7392/10355535596_d8ba775463_c.jp g" width="800" height="534" alt="Calm Sunset"></a>

<p><strong>Western Kingbird Poses</strong></p> <p><a title="Western Kingbird Poses by David Stephens, on Flickr" href=" src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3835/14624159947_899d3f268a_c.jpg" alt="Western Kingbird Poses" width="800" height="533" /></a></p>

<p>So long as your wildlife moves slow, the SL-1's 4-fps may be enough, but it's going to be a problem much of the time. AF is also very important for wildlife. The 70D's ability to quickly lock-on and track in AI-Servo mode doesn't match the 7D. OTOH, the 70D will produce better files at ISOs over 800 when compared to the 7D.</p>

<p>Send her an email saying, "Thank you very much for your payment. Since you haven't signed the contract yet, I'm assuming that you accept all the terms described in the attached contract and that contract will govern my performance of photography services for you wedding."</p> <p>It's not as good as a signed contract, but you could cause "damages" if you withdrew at this point. Documenting that a contract was contemplated and including it in the email, one more time, will give you pretty strong positioning in the event of a dispute.</p>

<p>I shoot thousands of wildlife shots each month, using my 7D and 5D MkIII. The 7D's sensor may be three-generations old, but it's a much more responsive body than the xxDs and I'd recommend it to a wildlife photographer on a budget. Of course, that'd be a used purchase and then I'd recommend the 100-400mm or 70-300mm L-series lenses, used.</p> <p>Here's a recent shot with my 7D:</p> <p><a title="Egret Catches Mudbug by David Stephens, on Flickr" href=" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2940/14721629013_aabece4802_c.jpg" alt="Egret Catches Mudbug" width="800" height="534" /></a></p>

<p>You don't need the speed an responsiveness of the 7D and its sensor is three or four generations old. I think that the 60D will be the best value. It's sensor is only one-generation old. I love the EF 70-200mm f/4L IS for portraiture. I think you're trying to cover too much territory with your zoom suggestions.</p>

<p>I shoot thousands of wildlife shots per month and my bodies are the 5D MkIII and the 7D. Given your budget, I'd recommend a used 7D and a used 100-400mm Canon lens.</p> <p>The 5D MkIII is my main body, but here's a shot with the 7D taken in the last few days. The sensor may be three generations old, but it's way more responsive than the xxD, the 6D or the 5D MkII. </p> <p>This is a light rig, so your want need a tripod.</p> <p><a title="Egret Catches Mudbug by David Stephens, on Flickr" href=" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2940/14721629013_aabece4802_c.jpg" alt="Egret Catches Mudbug" width="800" height="534" /></a></p>

<p>I've found that gators can be nasty...</p>

<p>Lannie, I've always found you to be a very thoughtful, introspective correspondent, but I sensed a deeper disturbance lately.</p> <p>BTW, did you grow up in Florida? I'm from Jacksonville and was a bit of a swamp boy. My many cousins are still there, fishin' and slapping mosquitoes. I moved to the West in the mid-1970s, but regularly visit. I attended FSU, but we needn't let that come between us. ;-)</p>

<p>Lannie, sorry to read about your beautiful wife's very serious illness. Now I understand your deep melancholy. </p>

<p>Lannie said:</p> <blockquote> <p>One can get sentimental about material things, such as mountains and beaches, and, though they are not part of nature, cameras are still material things to which we may become attached to varying degrees.</p> </blockquote> <p>I think that you had a slip of the fingers, but maybe not. I think of mountains and beaches as "physical" thing that we generally don't "own." Mankind owns them and they may be "material" to mankind, but not me individually. I place a high value on them, because they improve my quality of life, but I don't consider them "material" to me in the same way as, for instance, my BMW M3. I get great physical joy out of racing the M3, but I can't deny that it's a material possession that I only share with a few people and it's there mainly to satisfy my ego and need for speed.</p> <p>Did you mean to say that mountains and beaches are "material."</p>

<p>Congrats and thanks for the update.</p>

<p><a href="/photodb/user?user_id=19592">Jeff Spirer</a> </p> <blockquote> <p>I was asking Leszek. However, there are probably 100 cameras that could take that photo in the proper hands.</p> </blockquote> <p>Very funny Jeff... and maybe 10,000 cameras that couldn't take the shot.</p> <p>Yes, knowing where to be and the proper camera settings and knowing how to hand hold and grab focus on an approaching eagle had a lot to do with this shot, but if I'd tried with a Rebel, my odds of getting a sharp shot would have fell around 50 to 80%. That's not even considering the 700mm L-series lens setup, which is really part of the "camera". Besides the focal length of the lens, the body's ability to quickly grab AF and keep focus as the eagle flies obliquely toward me are critical factors in the success of this type of image.</p> <p>Besides the subject, the end usage of the image will often dictate equipment. Images from a fashion shoot may look okay in internet sizes here, but if it's going to be on a billboard, the megapixels of a MF body is the tool to use, not a Canon G15.</p> <p>I do agree that for many uses, the camera hardly matters, so long as the lens is reasonably sharp, the subjects isn't moving particularly fast and the print size will not be too large.</p>

<p>Jeff asked:</p> <blockquote> <p>Can you post some photos where you think the camera was a part of the results.</p> </blockquote> <p><a title="Right after take-off by David Stephens, on Flickr" href=" src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2841/12738631703_c3e8e4e4bd_c.jpg" alt="Right after take-off" width="800" height="534" /></a></p>

<a href=" title="Right after take-off by David Stephens, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm3.staticflickr.com/2841/12738631703_c3e8e4e4bd_c.jp g" width="800" height="534" alt="Right after take-off"></a>

<a href=" title="What next? by David Stephens, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3709/14089257528_7e5f6b3984_c.jpg " width="800" height="534" alt="What next?"></a>

<p>You don't mention adding the HD+ Display to your purchase. You're in a photography Forum, so I assume that you'll be processing and viewing images with this laptops. The stock Lenovo laptop displays are on the dark side with dull colors, so you'll almost certainly enjoy the improved display. Either way, you'll need to Calibrate the display to have any hope of it being an accurate image processing tool.</p>

<a href=" title="Talented busker at Union Square by David Stephens, on Flickr"> <img src="https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8059/8208278021_ca2650cf46_c.jpg" width="534" height="800" alt="Talented busker at Union Square"></a>

<a href=" title="Vulture Profile by David Stephens, on Flickr"><img src="https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7347/11896315835_b7805edbf5_c.jpg " width="800" height="800" alt="Vulture Profile"></a>

<p>TPE is wonderful for visualizing light angles at a shooting site at various times of the day. The mobile app is particularly good when you can go to the site before actually shooting, to plan, and you can predict the angle of the light on your main subject.</p>

<p>I not buy used for now and get a lens that matches your current body, planning to sell that in the future, after you move up to a full-frame body. You will have very little exposure to loss if you buy a good used lens.</p>

<p>Aaron, I think that might be useful for the noob, but with time and experience, you'll know which lens to grab simply by looking at the scene. Really.</p>

<p>Ruben, even with a good DSLR, like my 5D MkIII, I can under expose a high-ISO image, not apply any NR, and see "objectionable" noise, even in a small print. Even when properly exposed at high ISO, I see the noise unless I apply NR in Raw conversion. Maybe you're making a comparison to "100 years of film", but I don't see what comparison you're making.</p>

<p>Isn't a DSLR equipped a zoom lens"previsualization" hardware? Why would we need an app when it's quick and easy to put our camera to our eye and zoom?</p>