Storm Australian Severe Weather Forum
Severe Weather Discussion => General Weather - all topics not current severe weather. => Topic started by: Shaun Galman on 03 August 2008, 10:05:46 AM
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Hi all,
After a recent purchase of a new Canon 450D Digital Rebel XSi DSLR (now there's a mouthful lol) I was very disappointed with the results that the EF-S IS(Image Stabilised) 18-55mm "thrown in" lens gives. The photos are blurry and extremely soft on detail, to the point that when I take the 12.2megapixel photos in to 100% I have trouble focusing my eyes on the detail. I thought I'd share this info so as to prepare anyone that wants to go Canon to be prepared to double the new camera price to add a decent lens to your kit just in case you don't have a spare, such as a top of the line Canon, Tamron, Sigma ect. that will easily adapt.
I'll be up for any advice on lens idea's- mm. f/. and so on. I'm currently looking into a Canon 17-55 EF-S f/2.8 IS USM but I dont have any sure plans as yet? I'm still learning the SLR ropes so to speak. This lens is currently going for around $1600ish. OUCH! It's most definitely NOT CHEAP!!! lol.
I do know that an SLR is only as good as it's lens and most pro or semi-pro photographers that I have spoken to have advised me to get the best lens possible, or at least, the best I can afford. I'm disappointed with the results as the photos are requiring far too much photoshop processing to clear them up, I just have to remind myself that the new lens will make a huge difference... fingers crossed!
Other than the lens issues I'm having, the Camera itself is totally unbelievable! I have never used an SLR before but found my way around some spectacular features in mere minutes! I couldn't recommend the camera body itself more. Very easy to use, Exposure, Apature and ISO adjustments are only a one button push away which is great!
I'd love to hear what you all think about your lenses/cameras and maybe troubles that you've had in the past or are having now, much as myself.
Cheers guys,
Shauno
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Hi Shauno,
I've heard a few bad reports about the 18-55mm kit lens included with many Canon cameras though it still surprises me that the focus is that bad - perhaps you ended up with a one-off dud lens ?
You do not have to spend that much money to get a decent lens - sure those L series F2.8 lenses will give suburb results but boy are they over-priced ! Keep in mind what you want to use the camera for and you will probably conclude that a lower priced one will suit almost all your needs. Jason (Pato) recently bought a lens for his Canon DSLR camera so no doubt he will reply with what he bought - but it cost about 1/4 of that $1600.
The Nikkor 18-70mm (f3.5-f4.5) kit lens that came with my Nikon D70 has been great and I was never disappointed with it - only that it lacked extra zoom. So I now use a Nikkor 18-200mm VR (same as IS) most of the time.
I would suggest you look for a lens with a zoom of 18mm to 85mm or more - that will suit most weather scenarios.
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Thanks very much Michael! :D
That is certainly the information I'm after!
I'm sure this thread will get tonnes of use over time! I look forward to reading and learning greatly from everyone's input! I'm certain there will be some handy notes particularly when the time arrives for the nighttime lightning work as you say.
I guess we should still have a good month or so before anything seriously photogenic arrives in the way of lightning? September seems to be the storm season start time for us here, going by previous yearly photo accounts, so I still have time to absorb some knowledge and try to save some funds lol.
I should add a shot that best demonstrates my focus problems and show you what I'm dealing with at the moment.
Cheers,
Shauno
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Hi Shauno,
As MB mentioned I recently upgraded my Canon 18-55mm kit lens to a Canon 17-85mm IS USM lens. In reality it still is a kit lens (as it comes on the 40D in most cases) but it is certainly a good upgrade. I payed around $400 off ebay (second hand) but you can pick them up for around the $500 mark new (from overseas HK). I'm pretty happy with the results so far, as it allows for a wider range of view with the extra zoom as well. It also has an infinity setting which didn't come on my 18-55mm kit lens. The real test will come in the storm season when I give it more use. I also acquired a 50mm f1.8 MK 11 lens (thanks Roddy) which produces remarkably sharp images considering its low cost. Think you can pick these up for around the $100-150 off the net. The bonus of this lens is it is ideal for lowlight conditions and great for distant lightning. If weather images (ie lightning/storm structure) is mostly what you're taking pictures of then a wide angle lens would be your best bet. I guess it all comes down to what you're willing to spend. Sure you can spend a $1000 plus on a L series lens but in the end, in my opinion, you can still capture great images with something that costs a lot less. Its all in the eye of the beholder so to speak. Your best bet would be to identify which lens will best suit your purposes, then find some reviews on the net ( dpreview is a good site) and go from there. Roddy is another person who may have some input into this topic, I know I certainly bounced my thoughts off him and MB. Good luck mate I hope you find what your looking for!
Cheers Jason
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Hi Shauno
Last monday I bought a new Canon 40D, upgraded from the 350D after that got ruined by salt water. I have the 18-55IS and non IS version from the 350D. My plan from the start 2 years ago was always to upgrade the lens but I had to save for a car etc anyway I learned to work with the limitations of those lenses. I found the sharpness improves a lot stoping the lens down to f8 which is fine for landscapes and in low light you can up the ISO a bit and use a tripod to keep the lens at around this aperture..I still plan on upgrading when I can, probably to the 17-40 F4 L or the Tamron 17-50 2.8 both are meant to be very sharp and much cheaper the the EFS 17-55 2.8. You might want to have a look at those.
I would also highly recommend the online store d-d-photographics.c0m. As I said I ordered the 40D on monday afternoon and got the delivery the next day at 11:00am! awesome turn around, cheap to.
(im in no way affiliated with them btw lol)
They have the 17-40 L for $860 and the 17-55 2.8 for $1229 atm and the Tamron 17-50 for $459
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Jason(pato) & enak_12
Thanks enormously for your thoughts and suggestions! I will definitely check the lenses/sites out that you offered. I know of one or two sites but it's great to have a decent choice.
I do know I'm being lead in the right directions here so words can't express how grateful I'am to have these forums and contributors readily available! It would be a costly nightmare to say the least, if I were going this alone without advice lol!
I know all too well how unbelievable some of the photography is that's posted here by you guys (and others such as Mike, Rodney W, Jimmy and the David's just to name a few) using your DSLR's! :D
Keep on throwing any thoughts or ideas this way if you can think of anything else!
Cheers and kindest regards,
Shauno
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Gyday Shaun, I echo Enaks thoughts on the F8 test with and without IS switched on.Sometimes in certain circumstances the lens might need to focus on a middle ground feature and may not have focused properly on a landscape. Try taking a 50/50 ground sky picture and then take one 70/30 ground /sky.The F8 test should show if there is an aperture blade problem or a glass issue.Also worth mentioning if you have any sort of filter on the front of the Lens just remove it and try with and without.It has been noted in other forums that sometimes a Filter will give a camera focusing issues.
I have both the 17-40L and the 24-70L Lens here and is delighted with the results from both. I'd seriously look at the 17-40L, just a bit more then the Kit Lens variants if you wanted to start in an L.Yes I thought your 450d was a great buy when i saw you last weekend and welcome you to the Canon Bro Clan. :)
PS Finally washed the TON of Collarenebri mud off the Rav4 yesterday.
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I'm also a big fan of the 17-40L lens. Used it on my 400D for the last 12 months with great results. Certainly one of the cheaper L lenses going around but still with amazing results and the weatherproofing most normal lenses don't offer. You can pick one up brand new for around $800 or second hand on ebay for around $600.
My portrait and low light lens choice is similar to a couple of others above - a Canon EF 50mm 1.4 lens. Some mind blowing photos from this lens in terms of sharpness and colour. The 1.4 aperture is amazing in low light turning a dimly lit room into a clear crisp photo. Prime lenses seem to perform better than zoom lenses however zoom's are not that far behind and provide far greater flexibility.
The kit lens I got with my newest camera is a Canon 24-105 L IS lens and boy are the results impressive! I'm using it on a full frame sensor camera and finding it a perfect fit for weather and travel photography.
Not sure if you have forked out the big $ Canon want for their accessories however if you haven't yet then don't. You will want a remote shutter release for lightning photos. I picked one up off ebay a few months back for around $6 and it works perfectly. Wasn't going to spend the $50 or so Canon wanted. Same goes with batteries.
Another vote for D D photographics here too. Excellent pricing and quick service. Plus they give you a Australian tax invoice even though they are importing stock from overseas. Nice GST tax refund!
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Rodney W. and James
Thanks very much for your handy ideas!
Rodney- I will go out this afternoon and try the non IS <no doubt I'll need my tripod for this, 50/50 and 70/30 sky-ground split at f/8, I'll also remove the UV filter that is attached and see if I can work out whats going wrong.
I've spent more time than I care to remember cleaning that pesky dry, hardened black mud from vehicles! You'd have no hope if it was still wet lol! Just thank yourself lucky you didn't go through what we did in 1999 by bogging a fully loaded 16tonne tip truck 3feet deep and up to the tray in the mud, way out in the middle of nowhere! And yes, we got it out using our shirts to carry dry opal dirt from old 9inch auger prospect holes that were scattered hundreds of metres away from us to line the base of the deep tracks, also we stripped bark from large box eucalyptus trees to line the sides of the tracks to prevent the truck from going sideways and deeper into trouble. We almost burnt the clutch out lol, but eventually got it to reverse out of trouble. So I can tell you all to NEVER panic if your car/4wd gets bogged because no matter how bad it is just stay calm and think what myself and John (my mining partner at the time) did to ourselves out of major trouble with absolutely no tools, shovel or jacks at hand! We managed to recover the truck in only an hour or so, I should add, not a bad effort all round!
Thanks for the welcome into the CBC! I hope I can make the "Canon Brothers Clan" alumni proud this season! :D
James- Luckily I haven't spent any big $ on Canon accessories as yet. I have only got the usual "free" accessories, camera bag (in handy backpack form), two UV filters, cleaning products and a 75-300mm f/4-5.6 telephoto lens, ect.
I will look into the 50mm f/1.4 prime lens also, sounds interesting as it's sharpness and great colour reproduction is what I'd be after (my old Nikon was very good in those areas) d-d-photographics does have a great choice of lenses that I have been looking at!
I don't think I'll really need much more than 55-70mm on the zoom side as I like the current full 18mm range aspect size result from my "blurry 'ol" 18-55mm. I'm just getting used to the 6x4 aspect. It's new to me but I do like this alot. The Nikon was a 6x4.5 aspect and very difficult to print in standard sizes without cropping?
I have also noticed my shots are coming in at 72dpi is this normal with Canon's? The Nikon was 300dpi so, just a thought I wondered about?
I guess I should post a few shots that I dramatically "saved" with some major sharpening! I hope they make the CBCA grade! :D
Cheers and take care guys, your info is always astounding!
Shauno
(I'd like to send you all a postcard in appreciation, done by Datazoid (Russ) and myself! Just PM me with a postal address and name! MB, Roddy W. and Mike (in Darwin) have all received copies of them so far)
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Hi Shaun,
I have been using canon gear for quite a while and will probably just repeat many of the things already mentioned, but here goes.
I can't speak for the 18-55mm lens as i have never owned or used one but offer the following thoughts:
(a) L series glass is the way to go with Canon, if your budget can afford it!
(b) Be aware that EF-S lenses won't work on a camera with a full frame sensor ... so I would generally stick with EF only lenses, as you might want to upgrade one day to a 5D or the 1ds mkIII, however this comes at the cost of approx 1.6 times focal length.
(c) only buy top grade filters Uv or other.... (High End Hoya) is a good place to start - it is pointless buying a fantastic piece of glass and having a cheap filter.
(d) when you use a tripod, turn any image stab. features off, IS etc., as this only upsets things & use a cable release. (I generally forget to do this until, I have hammered off a heap of shots :( )
(e) Prime lenses will give the best quality e.g 50mm but the least flexibility so depending on what you shoot, I would consider this type of lens very carefully, unless you like changing lenses a lot.
As with regards to your softness in the photos, I would start by looking into this 72dpi business, as while i don't know the camera this is obviously a setting gone a stray! if this is what you are actually getting.
You mention that you have a 75-300mm are these photos soft ???? as you move through the F stops ?
Also on the glass front i can recommend the 28-135 IS USM, until recently this was my primary lens.
Hope this helps,
Cheers,
.adrian
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Hi Adrian,
Thank you, this advice is a huge help also! I'm sure we are all learning a few new things here and there from this thread!
I have been on the Canon forums and into the lens threads. This 18-55mm of mine is a notoriously BAD kit lens apparently so I'm not too worried about it anymore (as long as it wasn't the camera!).
I will be looking into 2 lenses for the time being. Something wide angle like a 10-17mm would be great, though I will have to look into the full frame EF-S issues you advised of. I will also like to add something a little more transitional and versatile like a EF-S 24-70mm f/2.8L
My UV filter is a fairly good Hoya. It's kind of a necessity here with the very fine white silica dust from the mines around town. It is severely abrasive at times! Datazoid (Russ) uses the same (well my spare one anyway) UV lens on his Olympus E510 with no real issues that I can see? I guess it would be ok not to use it when the ground is wet but I'll leave it on while the wind is kicking up the dust, just in case :)
I haven't really tried my 75-300mm lens yet. I read they are not the best either lol? I wish Canon just left these out of the deal! It spoils things in a way when you see results that aren't up to scratch with what you're used to, but anyway? I look forward to getting the new lenses that's for sure!
Kindest regards,
Shauno
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Hi Shaun,
No problem at all.
Just one clarification about uv filters (and the like). - I would *always* advocate the use of one.... (I only remove one to put another filter in its place)
regardless of the environment that you photograph in as they are an excellent first barrier for scratches, and knocks.
And should you drop a lens ........ as I have done only once!!!! ..... something to smash 'hopefully' before any other element(s) :(
The only other comment I would make is to make sure that you either do the home work yourself or buy from someone you trust, as I can't tell you how many times I have walked into a camera store and been given the wrong information ..... particularly with regards to EF-S series lenses.
My preference is always to walk into a camera store that has a good range of products and good support staff and for me to walk away with a product and for this you pay a premium (and I don't have a problem with this line of thinking). I do have a problem when you are paying $1000+ and you get the wrong information so now I do my own research and buy from the internet, as I live in Darwin and we are somewhat starved for choice.
Regardless of the 18-55mm being notoriously bad (as per your comments) I would be sending it back to canon and say FIX IT !!! regardless of the known problems. If it is in fact a problem with the lens canon is certainly better than that; regardless of kit lens or not.
Anyway best of luck!
Cheers,
Adrian
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Lens purchasing advice dually noted Adrian, thanks kindly once again! I too am stuck a fair distance from any major camera dealers so I understand where you are coming from! I also understand your woes in regards to the limited information they provide at times. Datazoid (Russ) and myself did a trip some time ago to a few camera dealers in Dubbo NSW and were stunned to find that once they realize you know more than they do, they panic and head for the internet to print off a few spec sheets lol! Most shop workers we encountered only knew how to turn the cameras on and that was the extent of their knowledge lol? Where has the old fashioned in store training gone?
I have some great news camera-wise as well! I think I may have got around the problems with my EF-S 18-55mm lens. As Rodney, et al advised I switched the Image Stabilizer off as I think it may be trying to over-correct the shot? I then threw the beast on a tripod, set manual focus and put a 2second timer on the relese. It actually took some real crisp shots in low light! [I have an amazing feature in the live view mode that lets me zoom in to 25x magnification of any point in the current view and manually focus that point] I can now see and shoot 4mm high writing pretty clearly from 5mtrs with my lens @ 24mm. I'm busting to get outside tomorrow and grab a few more landscapes that won't ruin your eyes with extreme softness!
I will post some photo results soon.
I am still trying to work out why the shots are still coming in at 72dpi when I transfer them to my pc? There are no other rez settings other than the usual small, medium, large or raw/raw large.
Cheers guys, don't forget, PM me for the free postcards on offer! ;)
Take care,
Shauno
Edit: I have just found out the jpeg compression is normally set to 72dpi. This is normal for 450D's. Shooting in RAW gives 350dpi, now that's what I was after lol!
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I still don't get the use of dots-per-inch DPI properly and maybe it's less relevant with digital cameras. If you have taken a photo at 12mp or 4272 x 2848 pixels, then you have over 12 million "dots" of information. How does the DPI being 72 or 350 impact on an image that has dimensions of 4272 x 2848 ? I don't think it does, as the DPI is an instruction for a printer to print an image at a certain size.
Over the years some people requesting images for printing are obsessed with DPI, but most are just happy to know the pixel dimensions.
My Nikon does the same - shows JPGs as 72 DPI and RAW 300 DPI.
Pixel dimensions are what matters.
Glad you are solving your lens problems Shauno :)
MB
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Hi MB,
You pose an interesting question ..... i only use RAW so have never noticed this out put in a JPG file, as i think of it as something that the 'user' sets for a device e.g a 'printer'. (as you stated)
When ever I use a lab I always provide a tiff at a print size e.g. 7"x10" and specify the dpi at either normal 250dpi or fine 400dpi.
However if you provide just the pixels you could always work backwards (to determine print size at a set dpi)
An image created at 4272 x 2848 using a DPI of 300 is approx 14" x 9.5".
Inches = Pixels/DPI
4272 / 300 = 14.24"
DPI is certainly important for printing .... but don't understand why one would display 72dpi when RAW is apparently 300dpi.
Question for the floor ????
Cheers,
.adrian
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Hi guys,
Glad you are solving your lens problems Shauno :)
MB
Cheers Michael! It has been a little tedious but thanks to the great advice here I have overcome the worst of the issues with the kit lens. For now I'll just keep it locked down on my tripod to prevent blurring until I receive a new lens or two :)
Turning off the IS (image stabilizer) has done wonders lol!
Maybe Mike with his printers knowledge might be able to shed a little light on the dpi query?
I will also ask Russ what he thinks as he does most of our lightning prints. We may even try a few large comparison prints at some point, just out of curiosity? 72dpi JPEG vs 350dpi RAW prints ect. at say 20 x 30 inches.
I don't really think the human eye would notice the difference? Good question to be raised though Adrian.
I did a quick half moon test with my 75-300mm and picked up the craters on the terminator nicely even though the Moon was extremely bright due to it still being fairly low to the West. I had my thin tripod "tube" fully extended out of the top of the tripod so there was still some residual shake from my finger pressing the shutter even with a 2sec lapse, that's very easy fixed though. Once we have full moon phase I'll try it again, see how I do.
Cheers and take care,
Shauno
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Will leave it for others to comment about the 72dpi to 350dpi camera out puts..... as described below.
But am certain that the print difference of 72dpi and 350dpi @ 20 x 30" will be very noticeable, you will need a pretty serious photo to get a true print 350dpi @ 20 x 30".
From memory it is about 170dpi where the differences become a little less obvious to the naked eye.
But look forward to your results if you get a chance.
Cheers,
.adrian
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Regardless of the 18-55mm being notoriously bad (as per your comments) I would be sending it back to canon and say FIX IT !!! regardless of the known problems. If it is in fact a problem with the lens canon is certainly better than that; regardless of kit lens or not.
Anyway best of luck!
Cheers,
Adrian
Well, looks like that is my only choice now Adrian? I have a shockingly large dead pixel in the left hand corner that I only really noticed when I shot in RAW (350dpi) yesterday.
After several arguments over the phone with the sales people at the Good Guys, where I purchased it from, who didn't even know what a dead pixel was lol?! (I know most camera sales people are relatively knowledge-less when it comes to the finer details but, I mean, come on? My dad who's 71yrs old understood what it was and he's never even used a digital camera before?)
Apparently I had run 2days too long to get a new camera or my money back according to the Good Guys, even though I have only really had this last week to get time to test it well. So after a swift call to the Department Of Fair Trading, they explained I was well entitled to a refund or exchange for a new item, particularly as this camera/lens seem to have quite a few faults.
I'm just waiting on a letter to be signed by me, then the D.O.F.T. will take up my case. I pray they act fast!
I next rang Canon, mostly out of pure frustration, to see my other options and after explaining what happened to the tech guy there, he told me to send it back to them straight away and the auto focus not working, Image Stabilizer and dead pixel will be assessed and fixed. Even the tech guy said, and understood all too well that no new DSLR should have a dead pixel and the EF-S 18-55mm should give a fairly decent image quality, that isn't blurry! This work may take around the same time to fix as to just get my money back?
I would rather a refund and buy a brand new 450D that isn't a lemon, other than fix one that may continue to have it's moments. It's upsetting when I have looked forward to getting this camera for such a long time, only to have it go all pear shaped on me. I still have faith in Canon's (well.. only just) so I hope I can resolve this issue fast and get on with taking some decent photos!
I'll keep you all informed on what happens here.
Take care guys,
Shauno
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Gday Shauno,
Geez mate what a stroke of bad luck (or 3 lol). Hope this doesn't put you off Canons as they are a great camera. Can't believe the attitude of the staff at the Good Guys, guess they are just there to make sales and not offer after sale support :( . Good thing you went to the D.O.F.T, usually that puts the wind up stubborn companies. Hope this gets rectified quickly for you as I do enjoy viewing your pics on this forum. Good luck mate hope to hear a positive outcome from ya soon.
Cheers Jason
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Hi Shauno,
Damn....... that's really disappointing - nothing worse than having shiny new gear that doesn't work.
I had pixel problems on my 30D, which you could see when doing night time shots.
So would have to agree, if you can get your cash back this would be the best course of action.
Cheers,
.adrian
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Hi guys,
Well after some very serious consideration, and a great talk with Russ about my issues last night, I decided I'd had enough of this bad luck and took matters into my own hands by sorting out these issues! I refuse to beaten that easily lol!
We searched the Canon forums for dead pixels and came across a thread that had one suggestion: Take the lens off, put the black plastic cover on, turn the camera on and activate the manual cleaning, leave it for 30seconds then turn it off. This remaps the pixels on the sensor! Low and behold I then took an 8sec exposure and the large white dead pixel was gone! Believe me, I almost shed a tear in relief lol!
As far as my 18-55mm lens is concerned, we did a few Auto Focus shots and determined that in a shot set to 18mm and focusing on an object set at about 1mtrs distance, the lens forward focuses about 15cm in front of the object. I am not really concerned with this matter at this point as you all know I will purchase a new lens in the coming days!
After we remapped the sensor late last night, I took a few "bench test" manual focus shots to show Russ the quality of the images I could attain using this, so called bad lens. I think they speak for themselves? I played with the Aperture a little on both shots.
[I apologize for the unsubtle lynx plug but I had nothing else here at hand with such a nice matte texture to demonstrate things lol]
Take care guys, the Canon Brotherhood Clan is still well ingrained in my blood! It'll take a lot more of a test than this to sway me away from Canon! ;)
Shauno
EDIT: I should add that the, now very deceased, dead pixel was sitting loud and proud in the top left hand corner.
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Hi all,
I have a quick question about finding Infinity Focus with these SLR lenses. I wondered if you have any suggestions or advice on the best way to do this, particularly with dark-ish landscapes, storms etc. and so avoid returning home with the dreaded "Awesome storm but all I managed was a few hundred slightly blurry shots?" lol. I'm currently stuck using manual focus with the 18-55mm for the time being.
I finally tested my 75-300mm tele lens and the auto focus is superb! I couldn't manage to get it clearer with manual focus! I did a couple tests, one of a white paper page with black text which came out perfectly clear and another of my TV remote at at 300mm from a distance of 3mtrs that was clear also.
I'm finding it better to use the centre spot metering for auto focus as the 9point metering seems to favor the bottom few points and so leads to the front focus issue that I have.
Kindest regards,
Shauno (glad you all enjoyed the postcards! I still have heaps of them up for grabs!)
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Hey Shauno,
Good to hear things are looking better on the camera front. Having had a 18-55mm lens I know how frustrating it is without an infinity marker. Now somebody may want to correct me on this. Roddy gave me a technique which may help you out. Put the lens on auto focus, then find something in the near distance to focus on (Rod suggested a nearby light for the occasion I was with him), then once you have achieved focus flick the auto focus to manual focus gently without bumping the camera then you should have the equivalent to infinity on the 18-55mm lens. Not sure what your night time conditions are like out there, in regard to finding something in the dark to focus on. If you are in an area that is dark with nothing to get a focus on its going to be hard to get a focus (have learnt this the hard way myself).Below is a photo using the technique Roddy showed me, before that my shots were blurry. Another thing to note is that you may have to repeat the process a few times due to inadvertent bumping etc. Anyway that is my experience with seeking infinity on that cursed lens, if anyone else has something to add I'd be glad to hear it.
(http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff315/jaypat75/th_IMG_1209copy.jpg) (http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff315/jaypat75/IMG_1209copy.jpg)
Cheers Jason
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I usually use the distant light trick mentioned by Jason but have heard of another trick where you jut find infinity by auto focusing on a distant object in the daytime then marking the front ring and lens body with white out at that point. You can find infinity again jut by lining up these two dots.
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Great suggestions!
I like the sound of marking the lens. Russ suggested this also.
I heard another from Russ whereas by blocking the lens or blacking it out by putting your hand close (1cm away or so) in AF it should automatically set to infinity? Works with his Olympus. Not too sure how I'll go with the 18-55's focusing reliability lol?
Sounds like a little trail and error? But hey, it's another good excuse for me to get out and do some more camera trials! :D I just wish it wasn't so freezing out at night! Roll on summer!
When we/I go out chasing it is at most times in complete darkness other than lightning most times. Not a lot out here in the way of distant lights.
Regards,
Shauno
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I'm gradually getting the hang of manual focus "on the fly". I'm really liking the control that DSLR gives!
Bring on the storms now lol!
Cheers,
Shauno
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Hi guys.
I agree with the tips given. They have all worked for me and yeah I've been disgusted when finding out I've taken Cg shots and they turned out crap once downloaded. I would stress not to bump the lens also when changing over to manual focus and marking it or even taping it still might help. Check and re check is my motto. Sometimes you can focus on the interior light of your car for a target and work from there. I've found on my lens that there's a certain spot when rotating all the way to the left (almost all the way in) and it seems to be the inifinity spot, but of course you have to focus the outer ring to get it nice and crisp!
Other option is to upgrade to a larger or Sigma lens which have markers on them....all money,but hey that's why you take photos!
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Hi guys,
Just thought I'd open this thread again to see if anyone has made any new camera or lens purchases for the coming storm season?
I have a new lens on the way for my 450D in the form of a Sigma 18-50mm f2.8 EX DG MACRO. I had originally planned to buy a Canon 24-70 f2.8L USM but as we all know paying near to $2000 for a lens is a fair outlay! The choice of the Sigma was not easy as I had wanted the equivalent to the Canon 24-70mm L which was a Sigma 24-60mm f2.8 EX (the 24-60mm has better contrast than the 24-70mm Sigma) but after many days of searching and ringing around I was informed this lens is now unavailable in Aus. (Amazon won't ship from the States due to the warranty issues) So I went back to the Canon forums and started researching, finally deciding on the Sigma replacement for my kit lens. It was 1/3 the price of the Canon L and the money saved allows me to finally purchase a new iMac to see and process my photos a little more professionally. The photos taken with this little lens look totally amazing, even with no PP! So I'll point it at some lightning when the storms come and see how it performs in the weather.
I have a job coming up at our Opal & Gem Expo (28th July to 1st August) photographing the models coming to display the designer opal jewelery, hence the choice of a nice fast lens for low light work. I will post a few test/comparison shots when it arrives. If it's anything like my 10-20mm Sigma it should be pretty awesome :)
Kindest regards,
Shauno
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Just a quick update on my kit....I've ordered the Sigma 70-200mm f2.8 Macro and should be in my hot little hands by Monday or Tues next week. Can't wait to get it and try it out and will post some pics once I get a chance to use it (prolly same day I get it lol). It was considerably cheaper than the Canon L series equivalent, and the quality is almost as good as far as I can tell from reviews etc. I think my kit is adequately equipped now as I have just about the full focal range that I've been aiming for.....Canon 50mm f1.8 Mark1 prime, Canon 17-85mm f4-5.6 IS USM and shortly Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG MACRO HSM. Be interested to hear what other upgrades etc that others have got too.
Cheers
Jason
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My own mind goes a little numb with all the lens information and camera use/techniques so i found this link which explains just about everything! http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm (http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm)
and this for DPI. http://www.rideau-info.com/photos/mythdpi.html (http://www.rideau-info.com/photos/mythdpi.html)
I've just completed my second year re printing and we did not discuss this DPI much. All I know is that it is how the dots join on an image of a certain size and how many dots you need to create a crisp image - it all depends also whether it is 2 color or 4 color to create the full image. magazines have a higher/lower DPI whereas newspapers use around 125 DPI for images. Generally the customer will ask what size the images or print job will be so the printer can work with the image - today's technology has really taken the manual finness from printers, the main thing printers look for - even with printing machines that are automatically adjusting everything is a rosette pattern of the dots on the image area, if any one color is not within this rosette pattern the image will be distorted or out of focus.
There's things as dot gain etc etc which affect quality. When you see a printed photo that is out of kilter it is generally the distortion of the dots' ability to create an image outline and this is noticeable when the settings aren't right - the dots can't create or substitute something that's not there. If any one dot of each of the four colors is not correct you will see problems. The primary colors for all images are Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black. Transparent colors are printed last - such as yellow.
Unfortunately DPI is something we have to cater for when taking photos and this is achieved by the settings we all discuss frequently and with lens types...
The main thing with DPI is that you can see this in large billboard signs. The further you are away the crisper it is, the closer you get - in fact standing under it - the image is distorted, this is because the DPI is much less to obtain the image for that size or you don't need as many dots to make the image. Smaller images require a large DPI area to create the overall package - so 6x4 images would have hundreds whereas a billboard may only have for example 50 or so...exaggerated of course.
hope that helps somewhat!
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Well I'm pretty happy with the 1000D and the 2 standard zoom lenses that came with it. At 1600 ISO and a 15 minute exposure with the lens cap on it does show a couple of hot pixels, but these are barely visible and certainly wouldn't be noticeable with any sort of normal use.
I have just bought a Canon fixed 50mm lens that opens to F1.8 to try night sky photos with next time I go camping - maybe this weekend should be on - save me from doing the gardening or defrosting the fridge :-) That will also give me the ability to really cut down the depth of field if I want to for shots, time for some more experimenting!
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Hi Richary
The hot pixel issue should be pretty easy to fix if it's anything like my 450D. I just remove the lens and replace the dust cap, switch it on, go into the menu and activate the sensor cleaning/mirror raising function and leave it sit (while still on) for 15seconds. Switch it off, put the lens back on, turn it on and you should be good to go with no hot (or dead) pixels! I had one nasty big red one there when I first got the camera, infact I think it might be in one of the shots I posted here? I fixed it this way and haven't needed to do it since, even with doing many 30second star trail exposures at 1600ISO more recently.
Hope this helps and I cant wait to see how the 1000D handles the weather photos! That 50mm prime should perform nicely, particularly with portraits!
I should point out the lens I ordered in the post above wasn't readily available so I scrapped that order for a new, and bloody expensive!, copy of Photoshop CS4 which I received and just installed tonight. I'm blown away by the new features so far!
I will still go for a new lens a.s.a.p. but I'll let my lightning photo sales build up and pay for that in good time. :)
Can't wait to see the work from the new gear guys! Looking forward to the results!
All the best,
Shauno