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Photography Equipment & Software Thread

rundll

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rundll

rundll

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Camera Gear Links & Resources

Bodies & Lenses

http://dpreview.com/ - Exhaustive & reputable Camera body reviews, some lenses, compacts & acc. Big forum & competitions.

http://www.slrgear.com - Thorough lens reviews from all major brands.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ - Canon & Nikon focussed reviews.

http://www.photozone.de/

http://www.fredmiranda.com/ - Community lens reviews.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/ - Another review site. Compacts & Printers too.

http://www.steves-digicams.com/ - Just another review site from a bygone age. Compacts too.

http://bythom.com - Extensive Nikon gear database.

Prices

http://www.camerapricebuster.co.uk - Price comparison site, aimed at camera bodies. Most brands.

Lighting

http://www.strobist.blogspot.com/ - Using off-camera flashes.

Old Strobe Voltage Safety Information

Misc

Canon 40D/50D/1000D/450D shutter count app.

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What an amazing camera. Gonna be about £3000 apparently.

I would definitely choose this over the 16mp 1ds.

50-6400ISO range...jinkies.

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Shimmyhill

Shimmyhill

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I know someone getting one, 2.5k estimated UK preorder he tells me.

Not bad but its a sports Camera - i would still take a 1ds over it. Actually i will have both please :wub:

Playdoh - how much do you want to spend on a tripod ? Dont make the mistake of getting a cheapie as they really are false economy. I have a Manfrotto 190prob and it is awesome. Rock solid steady in any of its many positions. One of my better purchases - think with a head it was around £150.

As for macro lens - Nikon have just relesed their new VR macro and it reviews fantastically - its around £500 tho so not cheap. Sigma 105 is good for the money - sub £300. Or get a set of kenko extension tubes £60ish from the bay and use on current lenses.

Zoom lens im not great on with Nikon, i had a play with a few Tamron + Sigma zooms but have ended up with a Canon 70-200L. I suspect the Nikon lenses are good but they have no mid range so expect mega bucks for a good nikon zoom.

Something else i just got is a Spyder 2 calibration thingie. Awesome - has nailed my screen calibration and is vastly better than my by eye calibration. Photos really pop now and look bag on tonaly. Even this forum looks much better ;)

Anyone interested in photography and prinitng go forth and buy one !

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rundll

rundll

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The framerate of the MkIII is sports based for sure..it's the ISO sensitivity that sells it for me. That's one of the main reasons I got a canon DSLR in the first place.

Well I can't afford one anyway.

I read a rumor recently about a new 1Ds with a 20+ mp sensor and a whole new range of lenses to go with it. A canon digital medium format essentially.

I've got a crappy Jessops tripod. Whilst it's true that A tripod is better than none...you quickly realise why you need a better, solid, heavier model. Especially when your standing there waiting for the wind to stop blowing the thing around.

I would like a calibrator thing. I'm still not totally up on the whole colour space thing. I've not really done any printing either...

I am currently buying flash kit after reading this blog

http://strobist.blogspot.com/2006/03/lighting-101.html

I have a little radio transmitter/receiver that lets me fire the flash off camera. Pretty good fun, though i have yet to take a picture outside my bedroom!

Next is a stand for the flash and an umbrella!

Been reading this blog for a fair while.

Love the idea of using a whole load of flashes. Again it just comes down to money. I can't afford all these lovely toys.

edit - How much was your transmitter/reciever? Where did you get it from?

The last 'photo shoot' I did I had some microphone stands placed around the subjects with big sheets of A1 paper on to bouncing a single flash light off. Worked fairly well. I think I'll flickr the pics soon as they've decided not to use them for 'image/pose' reasons rather than technical problems.

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Agent L

Agent L

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I've got one of the flash transmiter/receiver setups, went for a cheapy off eBay as I only have a couple of manual flashes anyway. Was under £20 delivered I think and works perfectly as it should. Doubt it'd be much use if you have a digital flash that syncs with the camera though.

I'll back up the get a pricey/substantial/decent tripod stance too, mine is mid range I think (was a hand me down) and still blows around a bit in the wind. Have used my dads manfrotto and it's a different league all together, was around £180 with the ball head I think. His also doesn't have the legs attached to one another so it can be spread almost flat to the ground getting much lower angles than most of the cheaper tripods.

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fragglerock

fragglerock

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edit - How much was your transmitter/reciever? Where did you get it from?

Trigger is this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=250085088090

you can buy extra receivers if you have more than one flash

Flash is this

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...em=260077882454

which would probably blow up my 400D if I stuck it on the hotshoe! so i use it manual settings, you can zoom it and set the power in 6 or so steps. Problem is it goes into standby mode after 90 seconds, and you need to push the test button to get it out :unsure:

The receiver is good but not great, sometimes it does not trigger when the shutter is pressed, though it will flash if you press the "test" button on the sender unit. I have not had a go at working out why this is though. There are mods on the internet showing how to fit a better aerial and getting ranges of 200ft! I would say I get 10-20 reliably at the moment.

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rundll

rundll

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Thanks fraggle. Very interesting I'll be reading more on these...

My current flash is a 420ex. The trick it seems is to have more than 1. Wireless flashes would have come in very handy recently.

I like the simple idea of just using the canon system, but it relies on IR which seems very silly to me. Not so much scope for creative flash positioning.

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PeteJ

PeteJ

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Does anyone own\tried the Canon 100-400 IS lens? I want a lens with a lot of reach and this looks ideal, however the push\pull system is really off-putting.

I have the same tripod as you Shimmy, it's brilliant and pleasingly solid. Unfortunately the head on mine isn't particularly great and when I tighten it up often it'll move ever so slightly before settling down, no matter how tight I put it. Very annoying with macro stuff, in fact the head I've got is pretty useless for fine adjustments, though it's ideal for setting up quick!

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Shimmyhill

Shimmyhill

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PeteJ - i have used a 100-400 and kinda want to own one. The push pull is very strange to begin with but it works well. I tried it on a 20D and on the screen all the pics looked fantastic. However when we got back the pcs where actually terrible - blurry. We have since discovered that it has multiple IS modes and we prolly didnt have it on the right one for panning. (was at a track)

Since then i have got a 70-200F4L and just used it with a Kenko 2x adaptor. Combo worked very well. Most say the 70-200F4 + Canon 1.4x is sharper than the 100-400. I am going to get a 1.4x asap.

The 100-400 is due to be replaced so maybe sharper and should have the new IS module.

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Shimmyhill

Shimmyhill

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Ah right.

Also, see the heads for the for the tripods, what's the deal with them?

I recon i've got around 180-190 to spend on the tripod all in, but i'm pretty sure it's the tripod then the head, i take it most of them are priced seperatly?

I was looking at the 190MF4, which is like 190, but i'm prettu sure that's not including the price of the head, right?

also, http://www.warehouseexpress.co.uk/ ...any good?

'Proper' trippods will always be sold sans a head - you buy the head you want seperatly. 180-190 will get you a very nice setup = maybe need to add a bit if you want a CF setup.

Warehouseexpress are very good use them all the time, they are also down the road from me (mind i cant collect from them - get reduced delivery)

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Shimmyhill

Shimmyhill

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Well, i need advice on the heads then, because i know didily squat about them!

Is there anything you could recommend within my budget Shimmy?

Do you want the lightweight of the CF legs ? If so i would go fo it - the heads are £40-£60 for a good one so spend the extra. My setup can be had for £120ish i guess - it is heavier but £100 less. I dont trek much with the tripod amd CF was vastly dearer when i got it than today. I would prolly go CF at todays prices.

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Shimmyhill

Shimmyhill

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Video of 1d MKIII's live view mode. There's videos about of it machine gunning 10fps too...

It is looking lovelly - live view would be usesless for me and it sounds a bit gimicky. The 1d series has an awesome viewfinder and you should need nothing more to compose a shot in reality ! Myself and my m8 who run the site are seriously hoping to pick up some MkII's when the III is released. If only we can make 5k before release day a pair of III's would be awesome :(

Anyone after a 20d + 30d ? £4.5k the pair :):(

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Ginger Tosser

Ginger Tosser

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Does anyone own\tried the Canon 100-400 IS lens? I want a lens with a lot of reach and this looks ideal, however the push\pull system is really off-putting.

Hi Pete,

I've tried that lens, and found it to be good. Didn't have a great deal of time with it though. The push pull does take a while to get used to. I've heard reports of the bearing failing on the push mech, that said its only internet reports. I've met a fair few (whilst out and about) with these lenses and they are very happy with them. As for me i'll get a 300mm f/4 IS and use my 1.4ex on it.

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Shimmyhill

Shimmyhill

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Man i want me one of those !

Iso 6400 looks pretty useable for smaller prints, amazing.

Anyone else here used a 1 series Canon ? They shoot totally different to the normal Canon DSLR and i prefered my 30D but aparently everyone says that until they are used to them !!

Best buy that lottery ticket this week.

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rundll

rundll

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I've not seriously used any other dSLR than my (quite scuffed up) 350d. I saw a 5D in the shop the other week, wow what a fatty. And the 1Ds are even bigger...

My 350 with a 50mm lens fits into my big jacket pocket quite easily. So dinky.

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