How many DSLR users here?

[Nick C]

Nick C, do you not carry two bodies as well? Which bag are you using?

All these bags are too masculine looking! I think I need to design a girly bag myself! I only need a bag that's big enough for two bodies and a few lenses, and yet still small looking for a girl. Pastel colours in pink or baby blue would be nice too.

I only carry 1 body now. It's too heavy to lug 2 bodies around.

I use a Tenba PB15C (2 Bodies + MB + Lenses + Flashes) and a Crumpler Sinking Barge (MB + 1D + 24-70 + 580EX).

Crumpler has some stylish bags but these bags are too small to carry the whole arsenal.

[N_Architect]

Just got back from HKG. Couple of points:

- got the Tokina 11-16/2.8 for wides, leaving aside (once again) the EF 14/2.8L II (at 6x the price of the Tokina).

Will post samples in due course, but here is a small preview (these are not v. good shots, some pics also show sensor dust, but I'm quite busy to upload more in p'bucket and also to do some PS work).


Tin Hau MTR station


View of Victoria Park and Kowloon from hotel room.


IFC Mall entrance.


HKG Disneyland ticketing office, Hong Kong MTR station.


Central MTR station


Hong Kong MTR station


Central MTR station, Christmas 2008; Swarovski crystals on top, Swarovski ads on both sides.

Distortion is pretty substantial, especially in corners, but so far sharpness looks ok, so we may have got lucky and have a good copy in our hands (that was the target). Vignetting and light fall-off occur at the lower end due to the sensor size (in samples above, lens was placed on my 1D Mk II N). For the price paid (HKD 4200, approx 5% less that B&H price at current exchange rates), it's simply a bargain. Construction of this lens is very good indeed, feels great. As said earlier, more samples to come.

- Generally I found the prices for cameras and related gear approx. 2-5% cheaper than the U.S. (when I say 'U.S.', I essentially mean B&H and Adorama), which is fantastic. At least these were the prices my HKG dealer has, though you can find the stuff even cheaper (there are a couple of even cheaper and reliable retailers, but I have to search the forums for their addresses).

- The Canon 5DII was indeed available, though the dead pixels issue has not been resolved yet. Therefore for those considering the purchase, best is to put it off for the moment till Canon releases the firmware fix and starts to ship models that do not suffer from this flaw. It is not a big deal, it is something that happens only if you point the camera to the sun or sky under specific conditions, but for this kind of equipment and price tag, consumers should not be the Guinea-pigs and actual testers of the product.

[phaleesy]

Fisheye lens

I was advised against purchasing a fisheye by one of the helpful salespeople at B&H. With the poor £/$ exchange rate and credit crunch looming at the back of my mind, I took his advice and came home empty-handed.

Now that I don't have a lens to play with, I'm looking into post-processing programmes. Is there a programme out there which anyone has used which could distort 'normal' wide-angle views to give a fish-eye effect?

Thought I might like to have a go with some landscape pics if a programme like this exists. If not, I'd have to buy a fisheye.

[N_Architect]

I have the Sigma fisheye 15/2.8. Bought it in 2007 after debating between that one and the Canon 15/2.8. They are fairly similar in optical performance, though, from what I read.

Fisheyes are specialized pieces of glass that require experience from the photographer's side (composition-wise) for efficient utilization of their field of view. Having said that, one can get some pretty amazing shots after playing with them for a while and having grasped their potential advantages.

A typical example:
http://www.dpgr.gr/usergalleries/dis...433&fullsize=1
Athens Summer Olympic Games 2004, taken with a 15mm fisheye lens and a Canon 1Ds, corrected at Photoshop
Photo by Yannis Behrakis

In the same way you are now looking for such a piece of software, I was looking for a software that would do the opposite, i.e. convert from fisheye to rectilinear (exactly because I do not have a FF camera).

If I remember correctly I used "PT lens" (http://www.photo-freeware.net/ptlens.php), but you should bear in mind some of these programs are not so user-friendly to work with. Not sure if this program does what you desire, though (as said I was looking for the opposite result).

As you continue your search I believe you will see that at the end there is no substitute for the original thing. Working with Photoshop or any other software to create special effects (whether these are conversion to fisheye or something else) will never be the same with having a fisheye lens in place, in the same way canned food with a 3-yr expiry date (i.e. full of preservatives) will never be as nutritious and tasteful as home made fresh food.

[kelvgoh]

As you continue your search I believe you will see that at the end there is no substitute for the original thing. Working with Photoshop or any other software to create special effects (whether these are conversion to fisheye or something else) will never be the same with having a fisheye lens in place, in the same way canned food with a 3-yr expiry date (i.e. full of preservatives) will never be as nutritious and tasteful as home made fresh food.

Couldn't agree more - althought I would add that it depends on who's cooking. sometimes, canned food can be tastier. haha.

[phaleesy]

fisheye and tilt-shift

Thanks for your quick response, N_Architect.

So you reckon I should buy the fisheye then rather than relying on a programme to modify images? I've searched around and I can't find a programme which is capable of doing what I want. All programmes do the reverse, like what you mentioned.

The problem is having to spend money on a toy which I might not get to use much. Once the novelty of playing around with distorted images wears off, I might not touch it again. Another problem is that I have too many lenses to carry around as it is.

Do you take many pics wth the fisheye and in what situations? Do you have some pictures to share?

As for the tilt-shift, do you use them primarily for buildings? I've only seen one pic from you taken with that lens in your birthday thread. Do you have any more pics to share? Does it take a long time to fiddle around before you can take a pic? I'm lazy and I would much prefer to be able to point and shoot quickly.

These are really specialised lenses and I am not sure if I should invest in them at all. It's just not the same as with the standard lenses which I use all the time and I know that I would get my money's worth from them.

[N_Architect]

If the choice is between buying the lens or just using the software, I don't think anyone would advise for the latter. That is, of course, if you have already decided you want to 'play' with the fisheye effects and use this type of perspective more extensively in your compositions. If one suspects that yes, I may buy the lens but may use it couple of times per year, then it would probably be best not to buy the glass. Having too many lenses is not a minus in my opinion, as long one uses them frequently (i.e. as long as you really exercise this hobby - and mind you, I don't really, though I also have few lenses).

I will check whether there is a program that does what you want, but it will take some time, as I am in DXB now and actually flying to PVG tonight. So please be patient and I'll get back to you on this.

I do have samples, but as I said earlier I am traveling and do not have the fisheye with me. All my photo archive is in a 500Gb ext HDD back home. I came to DXB with my 40D + grip, Tokina 11-16/2.8, EF 28/1.8, Ricoh GX100. When I return to Korea (mid Feb) I will post images. Mind you I use the fisheye either on a x1.6 crop or on a x1.3 crop Canon DSLR, as I do not have a FF DSLR. I could mount it on my old film camera EOS 50E (Elan IIE in the U.S.) to see the effect on FF, but then I'd have to send the film for development, scan the images, etc.

The TS I have is 90mm (pretty long). Canon also has TS at 24mm and at 45mm, as you may well know. They are very good pieces of glass, but it takes a pretty damn good time to really understand how to play with the TS controls. All these lenses are manual focus. I personally have used my TS 90/2.8 only once in the two years I've owned it. Again, I will take pics with the TS when I go back to base and will post accordingly. I am not fully up to speed with the capabilities of the lens, so as you may appreciate there is room left for me for getting to grips with it. One thing I can tell you, though. I have seen samples in dpreview.com from a guy who takes it with him when he travels, and they were fantastic.

[LukeGT]

Just got my hands on a Nikon D90 at a good deal with twin kit lens.

[mec]

Just got my hands on a Nikon D90 at a great deal with twin kit lens.

[jhm]

Matching cameras and lenses, how nice!

[jjpb3]

Matching cameras and lenses, how nice!

I noticed! A photography couple in the making?

[N_Architect]

It's a good camera (D90), congrats, enjoy using it.

Talking lately (today) about Nikon and (few days ago) about fisheye effects & lenses, here is another nice shot by a Nikon D3 user (taken with a prime lens at 16mm):

http://www.mikesrightbrain.com/archi...aring_skyline/

[phaleesy]

I will check whether there is a program that does what you want, but it will take some time, as I am in DXB now and actually flying to PVG tonight. So please be patient and I'll get back to you on this.

Take your time, N_Architect. I am not in a hurry to part with my £ at the moment, with the current economic climate as it is.

With so many photographers on the board, someone should organise a SQT photography DO/workshop.

[SQ LPP]

Just got my hands on a Nikon D90 at a good deal with twin kit lens.

Just got my hands on a Nikon D90 at a great deal with twin kit lens.

Congratulations for the new twin items!

[LukeGT]

thank you.
I've just shot my first pictures on UA840 and I must admit I'm fully satisfied with it!