Stephen Melvin wrote:

Possibly the most sensible post I've seen in this forum in months.

you don't read many of my posts do you? 

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

StephenE wrote:
you don't read many of my posts do you? 

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

Haha! I read some. Sometimes I agree. Sometimes I don't.

Mostly I agree.

If anybody at Canon listens to you, I have two requests I'd like you to pass along:

1. An interlock on the mode dial. I've been really wanting one of those ever since I switched to Canon in 2003. About four times a year I have some shots ruined because the dial got moved when changing lenses or pulling my camera out of the bag. This should be a no-brainer. Heck, my $200 N2000 from 1989 (I bought it brand new) had this.

2. A 55mm f/1.2 EF-S USM telephoto lens. It's about time somebody introduced a portrait lens for the APS format, don't you think?

The 7D would appear to answer my other Canon complaints.

StephenEastwood wrote:
real fast sample video handheld with horrible form 

thank god for pretty models, makes everything seem better. 

http://www.vimeo.com/6404469

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

That's amazing! (not so much for content - lol), but for what I expected - a different look and perspective then a regular video camera would render. It reminds me more of cinema then video.

Very sweet, dude!

Stephen Melvin wrote:

Haha! I read some. Sometimes I agree. Sometimes I don't.

Mostly I agree.

If anybody at Canon listens to you, I have two requests I'd like you to pass along:

1. An interlock on the mode dial. I've been really wanting one of those ever since I switched to Canon in 2003. About four times a year I have some shots ruined because the dial got moved when changing lenses or pulling my camera out of the bag. This should be a no-brainer. Heck, my $200 N2000 from 1989 (I bought it brand new) had this.

2. A 55mm f/1.2 EF-S USM telephoto lens. It's about time somebody introduced a portrait lens for the APS format, don't you think?

The 7D would appear to answer my other Canon complaints.

Other than the 5mm difference, how would that lens be different from the 50 1.2?



I bet your first request could be done electronically, through firmware. It's not as idea as a physical lock, but maybe more realistic.

MC 2 wrote:

Other than the 5mm difference, how would that lens be different from the 50 1.2?



I bet your first request could be done electronically, through firmware. It's not as idea as a physical lock, but maybe more realistic.

The EF 50mm is the equivalent of an 80mm on a crop sensor, which the 7d has.
The EF-S 55mm is a real 55m on a crop sensor.

StephenEastwood wrote:
comparisons:
http://stepheneastwood.com/Canon/iso_comp_7/

Some where there's a dentist smiling because all that sugar is what makes him able to afford the new camera.

mendesm wrote:

The EF 50mm is the equivalent of an 80mm on a crop sensor, which the 7d has.
The EF-S 55mm is a real 55m on a crop sensor.

Please note that EF-S lenses still have a conversion factor (1.6) to 35mm equivalent.

Yingwah Productions wrote:
it may depend on your monitor. I'm on a calibrated H-IPS monitor and the nikon image looks fine, with a slight warm push. And this is a wide gamut display so colors tend to look oversaturated. the canon looks dark.
I assume thats a redheaded wig, but it looks brunette to me on the canon samples

I work only an a calibrated monitor that I keep calibrated every week.

I would say it's more light brown than red given every other camera in the pro-sumer category like the A900 shows it being the same color as the 7D and 5D.  Only the Nikon makes it look redish/orange. 

The other bodies also look "darker" than the Nikons.  I think the Nikon brightens things too much.

I find it hard to believe only Nikon got it right and everyone else got it wrong.  Example:

mendesm wrote:

The EF 50mm is the equivalent of an 80mm on a crop sensor, which the 7d has.
The EF-S 55mm is a real 55m on a crop sensor.

An  EF-S 55mm would have an equivalent crop of field view of 88mm the only difference between EF-S and EF is that the EF-S produces a smaller image projection that it would produce mechanical vignetting on a full frame sensor (although you can´t and you shouldn´t be mounting EF-S lenses in full frame cameras).

The idea behind EF-S and other brands crop sensor designed lenses is that in order to produce wider focal lengths at a reduced costs you can design lenses that produce a smaller image projection that covers just about the size of the APS-C sensor (or 4/3 sensor in Olympus case), since you are using less materials (less glass in all the optical formula as an example) the manufacturer can reduce the costs thus being able to offer them cheaper than the equivalent lens made for full frame cameras (which use more materials because they need to project a larger image circle).

Eduardo Frances wrote:

An  EF-S 55mm would have an equivalent crop of field view of 88mm the only difference between EF-S and EF is that the EF-S produces a smaller image projection that it would produce mechanical vignetting on a full frame sensor (although you can´t and you shouldn´t be mounting EF-S lenses in full frame cameras).

The idea behind EF-S and other brands crop sensor designed lenses is that in order to produce wider focal lengths at a reduced costs you can design lenses that produce a smaller image projection that covers just about the size of the APS-C sensor (or 4/3 sensor in Olympus case), since you are using less materials (less glass in all the optical formula as an example) the manufacturer can reduce the costs thus being able to offer them cheaper than the equivalent lens made for full frame cameras (which use more materials because they need to project a larger image circle).

I stand corrected then! 

StephenEastwood wrote:
the built in flash which can control a speedlite or groups of them is great!  it means you can take the body and one 580, 430, 550 and have off camera lighting with no extra units or controller.

This is great news and a long-overdue feature.

NYPHOTOGRAPHICS wrote:
for those looking into the benifits of raw, check the latitude.

shot as is:  blown out from over powering low flash.


pulled back in DPP


larger here  http://stepheneastwood.com/Canon/rs

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

Did you use highlight priority mode on that?

JT in VA wrote:

Did you use highlight priority mode on that?

no it was a human error, I fel'd on skin and then moved the light down.  it blew out.  I was curious as to the latitude of the raw (the 1ds has much, some others not as much) so I pulled it down in DPP to see what is there, ideally to save it it could be pulled back more and two or three conversions to blend exposures to even out the shot.  Not something you do on shoots on purpose, but nice to know the latitude is there when and if needed.


Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

Keith A Williams wrote:
Stephen-  What is your opinion about the weather sealing?  That could very well be a deal maker for me.

hard to say, seems much like a slightly heavier 5D2, but with the flash I am not sure if that is sealed, maybe Canon has made that info known, I play more than I read what is written 

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

PhotoByWayne wrote:
What is your experience on focusing speed and accuracy under very low light/near dark conditions? I was shooting outdoor last night and my 40d had trouble focusing on spots that my friend's d300 (with sigma lens) had no issues with.

It focuses faster than the 5D2, I don't have enough actual experience with a 40 or 50D in dark scenes to know how it compares to them.

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.PhotographersPortfolio.com

Thom Bone wrote:
Please, can you tell us what lenses you used?

70-200 2.8 IS and or the 24-105 4.0 IS

the 24-105 was the blond the 70-200 was Amy and the still life.  I was in a place where I did not have the room I would prefer to use the 70-200 inside with the extra crop.  So rather than keep jumping between cameras I stuck to one body and the 24-105 essentially being a
38-168mm  Short for me normally, but acceptable for body shots. 

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.PhotographersPortfolio.com

inTempus wrote:
I think the D300 looks way too orange. But then I've never liked Nikons color rendering, it's over saturated generally IMHO.  With Canon the colors are more neutral.  If you're shooting straight out of camera and doing no post work, I can see perhaps preferring the over saturated look of Nikon.  But I don't shoot in JPG, I shoot in RAW and I edit every one of my images to taste.  Canon images make my job easier -- *for me*.  Others feel differently obviously.

___________________________________
New Canon Forums:  www.kwanonians.com

And yes, for me it is the other way around plus many more.

  Do not try to use 3rd party RAW converter to compare colors.
  You should try convert RAW files from their manufactures.

MC 2 wrote:
Other than the 5mm difference, how would that lens be different from the 50 1.2?



I bet your first request could be done electronically, through firmware. It's not as idea as a physical lock, but maybe more realistic.

The 50 1.2L is a normal design. The lens I'm requesting would be a telephoto, designed specifically for portraiture. Normals typically have very harsh bokeh (the quality of the out-of-focus areas), and 50 really is too short.

More realistic? A physical lock is the only way to accomplish what I'm asking for, and it's a very simple thing to build.

Stephen Melvin wrote:

The 50 1.2L is a normal design. The lens I'm requesting would be a telephoto, designed specifically for portraiture. Normals typically have very harsh bokeh (the quality of the out-of-focus areas), and 50 really is too short.

More realistic? A physical lock is the only way to accomplish what I'm asking for, and it's a very simple thing to build.

Weren't you asking for a 55mm lens?

Brian T Rickey wrote:
Well, I was looking for a used 5d as a 3rd camera and a back up for my 5dII when shooting weddings.  I was hoping for the fabled 3d (cheaper FF) but it doesn't look like canon is going to come out with that anytime soon.  I am just about to put myself on the waiting list for this camera. 
It looks like with the high iso capabilities I can use it for low light and sports.  Thanks Stephen for the information.

ps.  do you predict a 3d in the future?

A Canon "3D" would be more expensive than the 5D, not cheaper. Canon's naming convention has larger numbers representing lower price points.

1D
5D
7D
50D
500D
1000D

MC Rock wrote:
Weren't you asking for a 55mm lens?

Yes. Essentially a scaled-down 85mm portrait lens.

Stephen Melvin wrote:

A Canon "3D" would be more expensive than the 5D, not cheaper. Canon's naming convention has larger numbers representing lower price points.

1D
5D
7D
50D
500D
1000D

I was going off the numbers Kevin uses over on Northern Light.  What ever the number may be, I was wondering if Canon was producing a FF a step lower than the 5dII.

Brian T Rickey wrote:
Well, I was looking for a used 5d as a 3rd camera and a back up for my 5dII when shooting weddings.  I was hoping for the fabled 3d (cheaper FF) but it doesn't look like canon is going to come out with that anytime soon.  I am just about to put myself on the waiting list for this camera. 
It looks like with the high iso capabilities I can use it for low light and sports.  Thanks Stephen for the information.

ps.  do you predict a 3d in the future?

sadly I have to refrain from making predictions as they often get taken as some inside info, which is not as bad as if I just wildly predict and then it comes true and looks like I leaked info 

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

Cogito Ergo Zoom wrote:
Stephen, based on your personal experience and knowledge of the 7D and the 5D MKII, which would you prefer as your #1 camera for the work you do? I'm sure there may be a better camera you would consider but just from these two, which is your personal pick?

for what I do normally the 5d2 since its more resolution and noise is similar.  If I shoot in low light (not necessarily high iso, just low ambient to focus by) and need focus to be faster, maybe the 7D, and if I am traveling as light as I can I would say the built in speedlite control and extra reach is a benefit. So I would not hesitate taking the 7D, but as I normally am in places with plenty of light to focus by and using strobes (or small speedlites now-a-days) the 5D2 is what I take, though I still use the 1DS3 more often.  The 5D2 I pick up specifically if I plan to shoot above 400, which is so rare other than tests thats its not really a consideration.

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

StephenEastwood wrote:

sadly I have to refrain from making predictions as they often get taken as some inside info, which is not as bad as if I just wildly predict and then it comes true and looks like I leaked info 

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

I understand.  The 7d looks like a fantastic edition.  Makes one wonder what the next Canon pro cameras are going to look like! 

StephenEastwood wrote:

for what I do normally the 5d2 since its more resolution and noise is similar.  If I shoot in low light (not necessarily high iso, just low ambient to focus by) and need focus to be faster, maybe the 7D, and if I am traveling as light as I can I would say the built in speedlite control and extra reach is a benefit. So I would not hesitate taking the 7D, but as I normally am in places with plenty of light to focus by and using strobes (or small speedlites now-a-days) the 5D2 is what I take, though I still use the 1DS3 more often.  The 5D2 I pick up specifically if I plan to shoot above 400, which is so rare other than tests thats its not really a consideration.

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com

Thanks for the reply and the thread.

Pete Tsai wrote:
Thanks a bunch for sharing Stephen, and thanks to Amy for blogging about this thread.

It seems like they've addressed a lot of my major complaints with my 5D2,  I'm actually a Nikon guy.  The one thing that only someone like you could answer would be the rear sync functionality.  Can you get rear sync via the pc sync port or are they still forcing only on-camera Canon flash rear-sync?  This, the AF, and weather sealing have been my pet peeves with my 5D2....

only through the hotshoe ettl system. 

you can use a PW multimax and set the transmitter to delay for the shutter length to fire at the end of the exposure however.  Or you can set a delay on the receiver end to fire after a set time equal to the shutter speed.

Stephen Eastwood
http://www.StephenEastwood.com