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[tokkun]

and a ton of legacy manual glass via adapters. (although thats the same as m4/3). And with the new 'peaking' highlights in firmware v4, manual focus is actually very usable and fairly quick.

Micro 4/3 definitely wins if you want a ton of lenses, but the sensor isn't quite as good at high ISO noise and its smaller so more DoF. I secretly lust after the GH2 though. Looking forward to see what Sony does with the NEX-7

Not all manual. The Sony DT SAM lenses work with autofocus on the NEX cameras with the adapter.

 

[Fleet_of_Foot]

I came across this cheap ($3) follow focus solution;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wr7ODWNcMoY

Well, this cheap follow focus solution doesn't work. At all. Found the jar opener at Target. The rubber band is not nearly stiff enough, and the little piece that is supposed to hold the band tight just slides loose. So....no.

 

[BuggyDClown]

Looking for a decent macro lens. I have a Canon T2i. I really want to have the ability to take some sharp close ups. Like really close up macro shots, its something Ive always wanted. One of my favorite forms of photogtraphy.

I have up to 4-600$$ to spend. So Im hoping it's doable.

 

[XMonkey]

Looking for a decent macro lens. I have a Canon T2i. I really want to have the ability to take some sharp close ups. Like really close up macro shots, its something Ive always wanted. One of my favorite forms of photogtraphy.

I have up to 4-600$$ to spend. So Im hoping it's doable.

Answered this in the other thread, but short answer: Canon EF-S 60mm 2.8 Macro.

 

[BuggyDClown]

Answered this in the other thread, but short answer: Canon EF-S 60mm 2.8 Macro.

Awesome. I missed it, now I look dumb. Lol, thanks for the info.

 

[XMonkey]

Awesome. I missed it, now I look dumb. Lol, thanks for the info.

No worries, enjoy that lens if you decide to get it. Nothing but good things, really.

 

[BuggyDClown]

No worries, enjoy that lens if you decide to get it. Nothing but good things, really.

Been reading through that link. Looks perfect. Exactly what I am looking for. Just might be my next lens,so awesome thank you.

 

[golem]

Looking for a decent macro lens. I have a Canon T2i. I really want to have the ability to take some sharp close ups. Like really close up macro shots, its something Ive always wanted. One of my favorite forms of photogtraphy.

I have up to 4-600$$ to spend. So Im hoping it's doable.

Not really a replacement for having a real macro lens, but I've always wanted to try reversing the kit lens:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=347828

In fact maybe I'll pick up a reverse ring on Amazon right now!

 

[BuggyDClown]

Not really a replacement for having a real macro lens, but I've always wanted to try reversing the kit lens:

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=347828

In fact maybe I'll pick up a reverse ring on Amazon right now!

Wait what kind of black magic is this?

 

[Borman]

I have the 100mm macro which is just awesome.

 

[golem]

Wait what kind of black magic is this?

It's pretty much just people taking the standard kit lens (18-55 usually) and turning it around so that the front points at the mount and the back at the object. You can handhold it this way, or get a reverse filter (58mm for 18-55 I believe) that attaches to the front of your lens and lets you mount it on the camera like you would in normal direction

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001G4PA36/?tag=neogaf0e-20

Doing it this way you lose overall control of the lens, because the electronic connections are on the connecting side, so you have to set aperture and focus manually. For aperture what people seem to do is set it on the camera while the lens is attached normally (using dof preview), then reverse it

 

[theusedversion]

Wait what kind of black magic is this?

I've done quite a bit of freelensing. I love it. Here are some photos that I've taken:

Feather

Individual threads on my curtains

Individual bubble on a sheet of bubble wrap

Wool

Sponge

Eyelashes with mascara

Eye with reflection of camera

My eye

Tips: It can be hard to find what you're wanting to take a picture of so what I do is hold a flashlight in my hand under the lens so that I can find what I'm looking for.

Tips: Instead of trying to manual focus, just set your focus and then physically move your camera in and out until you get it focused. Slight movements will cause it to go out of focus so take lots of pics.

 

[345triangle]

ricoh bought pentax! what the hell! i thought they were the other way around, size-wise...

 

[tino]

ricoh bought pentax! what the hell! i thought they were the other way around, size-wise...

Yeah... flashback of the Konica Minolta purchase. I got a bad feeling about this.

 

[Fireye]

I have the 100mm macro which is just awesome.

Seconded, I just got my 100mm USM 2.8 Macro on Tuesday, and have been loving it. 100mm is pretty long though, certainly does help with regards to having to use a macro flash.

 

[BlueTsunami]

Yeah... flashback of the Konica Minolta purchase. I got a bad feeling about this.

Reading some opinions on this on other boards and it may be a positive. Pentax has some interesting bodies in place (like their Medium Format camera). With Ricoh they may come out with with a body that could be quirky in this day and age (like something will Full Frame). Ricoh tends to not release things that are trending but do their own thing.

 

[Mistle]

Canon 28mm f1.8

Sigma 30mm f1.4

Has anybody had any experience with either lens? I'm trying to decide between them. Apparently the Sigma is better, but has pretty common front-focusing issues, and I'm worried I'll get a dud copy. So logically I'd avoid such problems and go with the Canon, but apparently the Canon has bad CA and harsh bokeh. And not very sharp wide open either.

So I'm pretty much trying to decide between purchasing a Sigma and risking it being a dud copy, or buying a Canon knowing that it will work, but won't have as amazing quality. Hmm.

 

[mrklaw]

the 30mm always gets great comments. I had one for a while but didn't like the FL so sold it. If you get a dud just use sigma's CS until you get a good one. not difficult, just a pain if you get a bad one.

 

[Mistle]

the 30mm always gets great comments. I had one for a while but didn't like the FL so sold it. If you get a dud just use sigma's CS until you get a good one. not difficult, just a pain if you get a bad one.

Do you know if they charge anything for a swap/repair? I do hear that they will calibrate it, but I'm not sure if it's for a price.

 

[Danoss]

They will calibrate it as part of the warranty service. If you have a body that has Micro AF adjust, you can easily fix it yourself. Generally the lenses are fine and are within tolerances, you will find this is your main issue, which is well worth a read.

http://www.canonrumors.com/tech-articles/this-lens-is-soft-and-other-myths/

For this reason, if Sigma can't get it right, they will request your camera body along with the lens to calibrate it correctly to that particular body. Change your camera body and you may have to do it all again.

This is why Micro AF adjust is so awesome.

 

[Mercutio]

Well Camera GAF, I'm in the market for a full-frame camera.

I've shot on Nikon film (F100) and Nikon Digital (D200) for a while, but took a break from SLR last year to hawk my gear and get my wife and I matching GF1s for our honeymoon. Loved the little things, but we don't need two of them now and I've got the scratch to head back into SLR territory; one can only put a GF1 up to one's face so many times without feeling like a jackass. I've tried the EVF(sp?) and found the screen quality to be... lacking.

I'm ready to start fresh. In examining the types of lenses I'd like (a prime 50mm, something 24-105ish, and something 70-200+ish) it seems like Canon has me most covered at reasonable prices, especially in the midrange zoom category. The fact that the 5D Mark II comes with that super nice 24-105 L is a huge bonus.

Additionally, the places I've worked recently have all used 7Ds and I've grown to really love their menu systems. Sure it's been mostly indoors to harvest textures for models, but I finally get the Canon ergonomics.

So, GAF, here's the thing. I need to shoot a couple of weddings for friends this fall. I've done a number of them in the past, and I can't wait around for a successor to the 5D Mark II. If the last SLR I've really spent a ton of time with was the D200, will the 5D Mark II live up to my expectations?

TL;DR: I have a hankering for a full frame camera and need one before fall. Will the 5D Mark II satisfy me?

 

[TTG]

Any ideas for something small, something that captures good video as well as taking photos, say in the 200-300 range? I haven't bought a camera in forever, completely lost here.

 

[BlueTsunami]

TL;DR: I have a hankering for a full frame camera and need one before fall. Will the 5D Mark II satisfy me?

Most definitely, unless you really need an AF system that's geared towards sports related shooting. With the 5DMKII you'll mainly be tracking with the center AF point since its the most sensitive and even then its a couple of generations behind the 7D in that regard.

 

[Fernando Rocker]

Is there a GAf thread about photography terminology and stuff?

I would like to know about the lenses... what are the differences... what does the mm do... etc etc...

 

[alphaNoid]

Is there a GAf thread about photography terminology and stuff?

I would like to know about the lenses... what are the differences... what does the mm do... etc etc...

Honestly just Wikipedia it. Photography is tricky and requires a bit of reading and practice to fully understand.

 

[theusedversion]

Is there a GAf thread about photography terminology and stuff?

I would like to know about the lenses... what are the differences... what does the mm do... etc etc...

I don't think so but here is a great post with tons of info about the basics of photography.

http://gizmodo.com/5815936/basics-of-photography-the-complete-guide

 

[Fernando Rocker]

Thank you, guys!

 

[Garryk]

I have a Canon T2i and I am wanting to upgrade from the built-in flash. Can someone recommend a flash that has good bang for the buck but is not overly expensive?

 

[tino]

Is there a GAf thread about photography terminology and stuff?

I would like to know about the lenses... what are the differences... what does the mm do... etc etc...

Its like reading the FAQ before playing the game. You just need to start shooting.

 

[Gabyskra]

I have a Canon T2i and I am wanting to upgrade from the built-in flash. Can someone recommend a flash that has good bang for the buck but is not overly expensive?

Not sure what your budget is, but when I asked the same question, I was told Speedlite 430EX II.

 

[mjc]

Hey guys, I'm sure this has been asked here 1000 times already, but I'm looking to get a nice camera. It would be my first actual camera, and I don't want one of the pocket portable ones. I have no idea what price range I'm looking at but I do know some things about the actual brands. (Canon, etc)

Basically I want a decent beginners camera that I can get some good shots with.

 

[tokkun]

You really only need to know 4 things from the technical side to get started in manual mode.

Focal length - larger values mean more magnification
Aperture (F-Stop) - smaller values mean narrower depth of field but allow faster shutter speeds
Shutter speed - Smaller values will reduce motion blur but make the picture darker
ISO - larger values will make the picture brighter but increase noise

About 95% of the technical aspect of shooting as a beginner will be about balancing aperture, shutter speed, and ISO to get an exposure with the properties you want. Play with the Aperture Priority and Shutter Speed Priority modes on your camera and it is pretty easy to figure out.

 

[tino]

Hey guys, I'm sure this has been asked here 1000 times already, but I'm looking to get a nice camera. It would be my first actual camera, and I don't want one of the pocket portable ones. I have no idea what price range I'm looking at but I do know some things about the actual brands. (Canon, etc)

Basically I want a decent beginners camera that I can get some good shots with.

You have no bedget? Just get whatever Canon or Nikon SLR that falls into your budget then.

 

[tokkun]

Hey guys, I'm sure this has been asked here 1000 times already, but I'm looking to get a nice camera. It would be my first actual camera, and I don't want one of the pocket portable ones. I have no idea what price range I'm looking at but I do know some things about the actual brands. (Canon, etc)

Basically I want a decent beginners camera that I can get some good shots with.

You can get good quality shots from the beginner cameras of any of the brands.

What aspects of the camera are most important to you?

Size/weight, movie abilities, low-light performance, number of available lenses, high fps shooting, price?

 

[chaostrophy]

Focal length - larger values mean more magnification

Technically in lens spec terms, magnification is a combination of focal length and minimum focusing distance, macro lenses have the highest magnification (typically 1x).

 

[tokkun]

Technically in lens spec terms, magnification is a combination of focal length and minimum focusing distance, macro lenses have the highest magnification (typically 1x).

Yes, that's the maximum magnification factor of a lens. But for a beginner, the key thing to understand is that at a given distance to your subject, using a lens with a larger focal length will give a more magnified image.

 

[kaskade]

So I'm thinking about upgrading my kit lens. I was looking at the 28-135mm Canon lens. Would this be a pretty nice upgrade from the kit one.

 

[chaostrophy]

So I'm thinking about upgrading my kit lens. I was looking at the 28-135mm Canon lens. Would this be a pretty nice upgrade from the kit one.

Pro: it's a full frame lens so it would be usable on a film camera or a full frame DSLR, if you plan on getting one of those in the future.

Con: you lose wide-angle capability on a crop-frame camera.

If you use lengths shorter than 28mm on your kit lens with any frequency, maybe get the 15-85 instead.

Yes, that's the maximum magnification factor of a lens. But for a beginner, the key thing to understand is that at a given distance to your subject, using a lens with a larger focal length will give a more magnified image.

Right. Basically if you need to take pictures of more distant things, get a long telephoto, but if you need to do closeups of small things, a macro lens would be better even if the focal length is shorter.

 

[kaskade]

Pro: it's a full frame lens so it would be usable on a film camera or a full frame DSLR, if you plan on getting one of those in the future.

Con: you lose wide-angle capability on a crop-frame camera.

If you use lengths shorter than 28mm on your kit lens with any frequency, maybe get the 15-85 instead.



Right. Basically if you need to take pictures of more distant things, get a long telephoto, but if you need to do closeups of small things, a macro lens would be better even if the focal length is shorter.

That may be more versatile for me. I do have a 75-300 mm lens. These lenses would be a bit farther into the future though. I'm kind of looking at the 50mm canon lens as well (the one for around 100).

 

[mrklaw]

Well Camera GAF, I'm in the market for a full-frame camera.

I've shot on Nikon film (F100) and Nikon Digital (D200) for a while, but took a break from SLR last year to hawk my gear and get my wife and I matching GF1s for our honeymoon. Loved the little things, but we don't need two of them now and I've got the scratch to head back into SLR territory; one can only put a GF1 up to one's face so many times without feeling like a jackass. I've tried the EVF(sp?) and found the screen quality to be... lacking.

I'm ready to start fresh. In examining the types of lenses I'd like (a prime 50mm, something 24-105ish, and something 70-200+ish) it seems like Canon has me most covered at reasonable prices, especially in the midrange zoom category. The fact that the 5D Mark II comes with that super nice 24-105 L is a huge bonus.

Additionally, the places I've worked recently have all used 7Ds and I've grown to really love their menu systems. Sure it's been mostly indoors to harvest textures for models, but I finally get the Canon ergonomics.

So, GAF, here's the thing. I need to shoot a couple of weddings for friends this fall. I've done a number of them in the past, and I can't wait around for a successor to the 5D Mark II. If the last SLR I've really spent a ton of time with was the D200, will the 5D Mark II live up to my expectations?

TL;DR: I have a hankering for a full frame camera and need one before fall. Will the 5D Mark II satisfy me?

Honestly, 5D II with 24-105 is just a perfect combo. For shooting a wedding you won't need the AF of the 7D. If you were shooting sports or action that'd be different. For a wedding you might want the 24-70 2.8

Menus might be a little older than the 7D, but they haven't changed much in a few years so they'll still be familiar

 

[Danoss]

So I'm thinking about upgrading my kit lens. I was looking at the 28-135mm Canon lens. Would this be a pretty nice upgrade from the kit one.

The best upgrade for the kit lens is the Tamron 17-50/2.8 (non-VC). The IQ is amazing and it's especially great value at $300-400.

 

[kaskade]

The best upgrade for the kit lens is the Tamron 17-50/2.8 (non-VC). The IQ is amazing and it's especially great value at $300-400.

Looks pretty good. Why is the canon equivalent twice the price though?

I think I may get the canon 50mm 1.8 for now, then maybe the tamron as a Bday gift.

 

[Danoss]

Looks pretty good. Why is the canon equivalent twice the price though?

I think I may get the canon 50mm 1.8 for now, then maybe the tamron as a Bday gift.

The Canon has IS and USM.

 

[JLateralus]

The Canon has IS and USM.

I have and love the Sigma variant (with both IS and USM): http://www.amazon.com/Sigma-17-50mm-2-8-Aperture-Canon/dp/B003A6H27K

 

[Unlimited4s]

I'm in the market for a new lens for my Canon 5D Classic (and 550d in special occasions).
A few weeks ago I played around with my dads Sigma 85mm1.4 which, imo, is excellent in terms of AF speed, focal length and image quality. Of course, I can't keep on borrowing this lens as he uses it all the time.
On the other hand, I'm also considering buying a Canon EF 24-70mm 2.8 L, so I don't have to switch my lenses constantly, which often I simply don't have the time for.

At the moment I'm using a Canon EF 28mm2.8 (cheap, image quality isn't mind blowing but useful enough) and a Canon EF 50mm1.4 (great, image quality at f4-9 is amazing). I mostly shoot at really dark places (concerts), so I need fast lenses (2.8 is sometimes pushing it already).

Pros of 85mm:
-good focal length
-fast

Cons of 85mm:
-not as sturdy(?)
-prime lens

Pros of 24-70mm:
-sturdy
-good wide and normal reach due to zoom

Cons of 24-70mm:
-not as fast
-focal length is shorter

Both have their advantages but of course I can only buy one at the moment (and it's quite a lot of money each).

Could anyone help me with this?

 

[sneaky77]

I got the 24-70mm 2.8 Sigma for my Canon 50D is quite a lovely lense.

 

[Zyzyxxz]

I can't decide whether I want the Nikon 35-70 f/2.8 or the Tamron 28-75 f/2.8

Choices, choices, this is also going to go with me for travel as well so if anybody has anything to help me decide I'd like to hear it.

 

[mrklaw]

canon 85mm 1.8. Great value for money and great quality/speed. 24-70 is still a lot slower and isn't it really expensive too?

Only you know how far you usually are from the stage, and whether you need a zoom or can zoom with your feet.

 

[theusedversion]

I'm possibly in the market for a new camera. I've narrowed my choice down between the Canon 60D and 600D. These cameras are very similar. These seem to be my options at the moment.

1.) Canon 60D + 18-55mm IS kit lens
2.) Canon 60D + $100 to put towards... something
3.) Canon 600D + 18-55mm IS kit lens + $300 to put towards another lens
4.) Canon 600D + $400 to put towards a lens

Going over the differences between the two models, I don't see the cost justifying the features the 60D has over the 600D. The edge in FPS doesn't seem something that I am interested in. The differences in the viewfinder is interesting because I sometimes have trouble seeing through the viewfinder on my 350D but this could be a moot point because of the LCD screen. The differences in the build materials doesn't concern me. The focusing system on the 60D is clearly superior but is it something I necessarily need? The top LCD screen on the 60D sounds nice and useful but coming from the 350D, it's not something that I will feel that I am necessarily missing out on. Am I missing something important? Are there features that the 60D has that the 600D doesn't which are not usually listed in reviews? How is the auto-bracketing for the 60D? I believe the 600D can only do 3 exposures.

 

[Danoss]

The 60D was gimped from what it should have been because of the 7D. The 60D has a bigger, sturdier body as one of its big differences from the 600D. After holding the smaller body, I would buy the 60D in a heartbeat. My hands aren't even that big, but the 600D is way too small and light, especially with quality glass sitting in front of it.

Be aware that's about as far as my knowledge goes in that regard, I upgraded directly from the ancient 300D to the 7D.

If none of the above concerns you, grab the 600D body only and a Tamron 17-50/2.8 (non-VC).