How many DSLR users here?

[phaleesy]

Meow!

The 5D Mk1 still has some use in wildlife.

It is brilliant as long as the subject is lazy and does not move. I love the cheetahs - docile and co-operative. I could fix the autofocus and recompose the picture as I like.

The foxes are a different kettle of fish. Difficulty tracking them. All thoughts of picture composition went out of the window. It's times like these when I tell myself 'I need that D3. That joystick would give me hours of pleasure and joy because I could tell it where to focus quickly!!!'. Moving the autofocus points around the diamond on the 5D was just too slow. I resorted to centre autofocus with Al-Servo and just clicked randomly.

Tigers were fast and unpredictable. When they come towards the fence, the 70-200mm becomes too long, when they walk away, the 24-70mm becomes too short. I need two fast bodies.

Depth of field was something I had to play with. I wanted bokeh. But when the aperture becomes too big, some bits were blurred out. Had to play around with the balance. I need a higher ISO too, if I want to shoot at F13 with the long zoom.

The 1D Mark IV must have all the qualities I want! I wish it were March 2010 now.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/2108357...7622594145830/

All my cats are au naturel. I can't be bothered to apply cosmetics on them or enhance their features. I've cropped a little to highlight their tantalizing bits. I rather like the tongue.

[N_Architect]

Since this is our 'photography' thread at the moment, I am posting this here.

HTC Hero (UK version unlocked)

Just love this self-portrait, man... Some of the shots you make are honestly really good stuff.

[N_Architect]

But I am pretty sure Canon would not let me down.

I also don't think Canon will let us down. When you see Leica giving us a full frame M9, Nikon a $5k D3S, Olympus micro 4/3, then I can tell Canon will give us some pretty good stuff in 2010/11...

[haf]

Thanks N_Architect!

phaleesy - it may be called the Mark V instead!

http://philipbloom.co.uk/2009/10/19/...-mkv-imminent/

http://www.canonrumors.com/2009/10/c...1d-mark-v-cr1/

[khellek]

Looks like Canon isn't skipping the number "four" after all.



Looks like Canon isn't skipping the number "four" after all. While initially unveiling what looked to be a half-complete website with two teaser videos, the company now gone official with the EOS-1D Mark IV. So what's new to the table? For starter's there's a 16.1 megapixel APS-H CMOS sensor, ISO range of100 to 12,800 native, up to 102,400 (hello, Nikon), 45-point area customizable autofocus with 39 high-precision cross-type focusing points, dual Digic 4 processors, 1080p HD video, and an option WFT-E2 IIA wireless file transmitter for connectivity over 802.11a/b/g and ethernet. Launch date is sometime in December, and body-only price is estimated at about $4,999. Press release after the break.

[haf]

Correct - and see the video in this link - beautiful!

http://gizmodo.com/5385446/canon-1d-...ing-of-cameras

[Kyo]

phaleesy is going to wake up and fall off her chair at her dreams coming true

[phaleesy]

phaleesy is going to wake up and fall off her chair at her dreams coming true

What have I always been telling you about my 6th sense?

Not entirely happy girl yet. Any statement about when the FF would be released? Sorry just woke up, need to get into work, no time to search or read through press releases yet. 1.3 is good for wildlife but I take landscapes and hotel rooms mostly.

[Flyerfly]

Got myself a GF1 with 20mm F1.7 last weekend from a trusted (personal experience) camera shop in Mongkok HK for HK$7,390. Really happy with it so far and the picture quality is quite impressive. The noise level on photos taken up to ISO800 is very acceptable while anything beyond ISO1600 is a stretch. Given the size of the camera and the lens, I am almost certain that my Nikon D80 and the bunch of DX lenses will stay home and get acquainted with ms dry cabinet more often than they used to from now on!

[N_Architect]

Not entirely happy girl yet. Any statement about when the FF would be released? Sorry just woke up, need to get into work, no time to search or read through press releases yet. 1.3 is good for wildlife but I take landscapes and hotel rooms mostly.

Not entirely happy here either.

x1.3 crop factor is great but will never be FF. You need an EF 50 for 'human eye' perspective, but you have to carry an EF 35 with you. You need an EF 85 for portraits, but you need to have with you an EF 50, and that is usually short (as it becomes a 65mm). You want to shoot wide angle, but you need something like an EF 14 ($$$$$) to get really wide shots (i.e. below the 19-20mm limit which you can already achieve with the 16-35/2.8L)

Conversions, conversions, conversions, every day. With a FF everything is what it's supposed to be. The 35 is a 35, the 'portrait' 85 is an 85, the 'normal' 50 is a 'normal' 50.

Honestly I'd go back to my EOS 50E (Elan IIE in the U.S.) pretty frequently but I don't know how to develop slide or even mono film on my own. I would also need to get a scanner but if that was my only problem it simply wouldn't be a barrier any more.

Anyway. The 5D does not have this superb feeling when you hold it, the 1Ds is toooo expensive, so I'm still not moving and will wait for the next (or the one after that) 1D FF. Period. Or else it's best to sell the (seldom used) gear and move to Nikon FF or Leica.

[N_Architect]

Got myself a GF1 with 20mm F1.7 last weekend from a trusted (personal experience) camera shop in Mongkok HK for HK$7,390.

Wing Shing Photo perhaps?

Enjoy your new camera.

[nickbot]

Honestly I'd go back to my EOS 50E (Elan IIE in the U.S.) pretty frequently but I don't know how to develop slide or even mono film on my own. I would also need to get a scanner but if that was my only problem it simply wouldn't be a barrier any more.

Developing slide film isn't actually very difficult N_Architect - it's also fun and rewarding. Far easier (and requires less processing equipment) than colour film and, I would argue, B&W film when you take into account developing the film and then the printing stage. I'd highly recommend buying a cheap starter kit (including daylight changing bag for film spiral loading) and having a go - if you were in the UK I'd happily lend you the gear.

[N_Architect]

Many thanks for your offer, dear nickbot.

Well, the way things are at the moment I don't think I'd have much time for that even if I was in the U.K., but admittedly somehow in the last few months I have been thinking more and more about developing film on my own. Therefore your words are encouraging and make me consider it seriously as a hobby to take up.

I have a friend who has taken a two-semester course for film developing and he keeps telling me that everyone who has tried it says that this process is the most enjoyable activity in taking pictures and dealing with photography in general.

Is this truly the feeling you get when you self-develop and print?

[nickbot]

I can totally appreciate your sentiments about having to find time for such activities, and must confess it's quite some time since I developed/printed myself!

I completely agree with your friend's opinion - the actual taking of photographs almost became secondary to my main hobby, which was the developing side of things. Slide film was the first processing experience I had, before moving to colour film and then B&W (yes, I admit, somewhat reversed from the usual pathways!). I received a kit for, IIRC, my 12th birthday and was hooked from then on. Actually, come to think of it, I am thankful to my progressive and encouraging parents,...my 11th birthday present was a "brew your own wine" kit!

The crucial element of slide (and other colour film) development is the temperature at which you hold your mixed chemicals, and the processing vessel during processing. Small variations in temperature can relate to quite distinct variations in processing time (i.e. the time which the chemical is in contact with the film). Get this wrong, and you start to affect your results.

I tried Googling for a similar kit, but (as to be expected after a gap of 23 years ) they don't now seem to be available! All of the consituent parts are readily available however, all you really need are:

1. A daylight changing bag (kind of like a t-shirt, all black, in which you open the film cartridge and load the film onto a spiral and into the developing tank - this negates the requirement for a dark room, and this in turn is one of the reasons I think slide processing is actually a great intro to developing your own film
2. A developing tank (includes a spiral to hold the film)
3. Measurement jug, thermometer, clips to hang film up to dry after processing
4. Chemicals kit, such as E6 processing chemicals
5. Slide mounts and a pair of scissors

...needn't cost a great deal, in fact eBay is normally jam packed with developing gear as everyone has switched to digital!

[N_Architect]

The more I think of how simple it is to start with, the more eager I am to get into it. It's just a matter of when for me, now... I believe the first slide I'll develop, scan and publish should be posted and dedicated to you here in this board, nickbot!