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SMERSH Mouth posted:Speaking of AF and that sort of thing, I'm running into what I'll call.. 'unexpected performance levels' from my new-to-me (used) 7D and my trusty 400mm lens. I'm going to sit down with a focusing target, AF micro adjustment scale, tripod, tethered live view, etc. to see if I can work it out for myself, but I figured it wouldn't hurt to post this example of what I'm getting in the chance that someone here might spitball a few reasons I'm seeing this, or has seen it before. I'm really not sure if the problem lies in the camera, the lens, or me.
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Jan 19, 2016 15:32
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Yeah, that's the conclusion I'm tending toward, if for no other reason than that I can't find any other likely potential causes. But three things still stick out to me: 1.) Everything taken with this lens adapted to an a6000 is significantly sharper. That's a crop sensor that's a little more pixel-dense (24MP 1.5x crop) than the 7D (18MP 1.6x crop), and has a comparable effective focal length. The easy explanation for that difference is mirror slap. 2.) A noticeable proportion of the CR2s from this camera have the metadata property code:3.) Some photos are really pretty sharp. Even in a controlled setting on the tripod with a 10-second timer (and no Live View), the pixel-level detail varies between fairly sharp and soft. So I still don't think I can completely rule out something with the camera mechanism as a cause for at least some of the soft photos. But going back and looking closely at pictures from my 5D2 / 400L, it seems like the pixel-level softness is there, too. Not quite as noticeable as with the 7D / 400L, but nowhere near as sharp as the a6000 / 400L. I guess the cropped field of view (not present on the 5D) combined with the mirror slap (not present on the a6000), snowball together to make stuff from the 7D just a little bit softer than either the 5D or the a6000. Which is fine, as long as I can find some way to increase the percentage of acceptably sharp photos above what I'm getting now.
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Jan 20, 2016 04:32
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SMERSH Mouth posted:Yeah, that's the conclusion I'm tending toward, if for no other reason than that I can't find any other likely potential causes. But three things still stick out to me: Having also just gotten a new-to-me 7D (thanks, InternetJunky!), I've been reading up on its features/settings. You can set the AI Servo's tracking sensitivity with a custom function in the 7D. Not sure if that would assist in any way.
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Jan 22, 2016 01:33
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So far I've just used AI focus, but the existence of Servo sensitivity adjustment is pretty cool and I'm sure I'll make use of it. (I've gone back to shutter-press single focus for now, trying to debug my technique as I try to attain sharper pictures.) One cool thing about the 7D as opposed to my 5D is the seeming 'intelligence' of the spot focusing. So far it's proved able to lock onto birds through obscuring branches with ease. And to follow up on the performance issues I had, the session when my results were the worst just so happened to be on a morning when the temperature was hovering around freezing. The 7D is supposed to be pretty robust, and so are L lenses, but I'm thinking that may have been a factor. (I don't think there was condensation on the glass, though, as the view in the finder was clear.)
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Jan 22, 2016 02:11
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SMERSH Mouth posted:And to follow up on the performance issues I had, the session when my results were the worst just so happened to be on a morning when the temperature was hovering around freezing. The 7D is supposed to be pretty robust, and so are L lenses, but I'm thinking that may have been a factor. (I don't think there was condensation on the glass, though, as the view in the finder was clear.) If your lens hasn't cooled down to reach the ambient temperature, it might affect focus. Also, atmospheric turbulence can be a limiting factor.
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Jan 22, 2016 05:42
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SMERSH Mouth posted:AI focus If you're already using back button focus just set it to servo SMERSH Mouth posted:1.) Everything taken with this lens adapted to an a6000 is significantly sharper. Take photos in live view/with mirror lock up and compare. If the a6000 is still sharper then it will have a less strong low pass filter than the 7D (actively blurs the picture to avoid moire).
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Jan 24, 2016 11:09
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I CANNOT EJACULATE WITHOUT SEEING NATIVE AMERICANS BRUTALISED!
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I have a Canon D550 with a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens (which I gather is quite cheap) that I bought second hand some time ago to try out photography and I'm thinking of getting an upgrade in about two months time when I go to Hong Kong. My price range is about ~910 USD or ~7100 HKD. Is it worth upgrading with this money? Preferably I'd like to get a camera that performs decently at low light situations. I'm considering not buying second hand since I probably won't be able to return it if anything goes wrong and I want it to last me at least a year. I'm only just getting into photography seriously and a lot of the hardware stuff still eludes me so I'd really appreciate some guidance.
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Jan 27, 2016 18:26
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Regardless of what you get, when I was in HK last year there was a used em5 for 280 USD (about the price of a used one now) with 670 counts on the shutter in SIM City in Mon Kok and I wish I jumped on that when I was there. Don't be afraid of used in the literal best used camera market.
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Jan 27, 2016 18:38
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a7m2 posted:I have a Canon D550 with a Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens (which I gather is quite cheap) that I bought second hand some time ago to try out photography and I'm thinking of getting an upgrade in about two months time when I go to Hong Kong. Are you planning to upgrade the body, or get a new lens? Newer camera bodies are usually better at low-light than older ones, all else being equal. Or, you could get a lens with a wider maximum aperture, like the ever-popular Tamron 17-55mm f/2.8. I bet you could get both a new body AND the Tamron lens for about $900 USD, but personally I'd go for one or the other - and I like lenses, so I'd be shopping for that Tamron.
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Jan 27, 2016 21:33
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Mr. Wookums posted:Regardless of what you get, when I was in HK last year there was a used em5 for 280 USD (about the price of a used one now) with 670 counts on the shutter in SIM City in Mon Kok and I wish I jumped on that when I was there. Don't be afraid of used in the literal best used camera market. ExecuDork posted:Are you planning to upgrade the body, or get a new lens? Thanks! Honestly thinking of getting both since I want to give my current camera to my sister as I think she'd enjoy getting into photography. If the price is right, I can maybe spend 1000 USD but not sure. Definitely no more. It doesn't have to be an amazing camera, as long as it's a upgrade.
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Jan 27, 2016 22:34
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A used E-m 5 or E-m 10 would probably a good choice for you. Both have image stabilization build into the body (great for low light!) and you could probably get a few decent lenses too for 1000 bucks.
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Jan 27, 2016 22:51
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Yeah, if you're not going to keep the old camera anyway, you can switch to a different manufacturer's system. For ~$900 you could really go for any brand, pretty much everybody offers a starter kit of body+1 or 2 lenses for that kind of money. Just spend a couple of hours in a good camera shop and buy the camera that fits best in your hands.
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Jan 28, 2016 01:33
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Thanks for the advice! Does anyone know a good camera shop in Hong Kong, or is this not the place to ask? Last time I got mine at some random shop in Sham Shui Po by Golden Computer Arcade.
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Jan 28, 2016 09:30
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There is a mini mall in tsim sha tsui where they have 5 stores all selling used gear of all kinds, including things you probably wouldn't expect to find like 58mm noct nikkors or a minolta cl or a nikon s rangefinder.
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Jan 28, 2016 15:21
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Do you recall the name or location? I'll definitely check it out.
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Jan 28, 2016 20:23
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I purchased things from Sim City in Mon Kok and the Computer Centre in Wan Chai. /e- Stanley Street in Central also has a few stores that are not terrible (Anything with annoying NEON SIGNS or DUTY/TAX FREE avoid like the plague)
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Jan 28, 2016 20:50
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Kimberly road somewhere, I think it's champagne court All good friends camera David Chan company And a few more
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Jan 28, 2016 21:24
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Yeah champagne court has a lot of used camera shops but I'm not sure if they're all just trying to rip you off.
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Jan 29, 2016 00:27
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alkanphel posted:Yeah champagne court has a lot of used camera shops but I'm not sure if they're all just trying to rip you off. Yeah, that's what I'm afraid of since considering my limited knowledge it's probably pretty easy to rip me off.
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Jan 29, 2016 11:53
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I need a digital camera again. Good news, I have no autofocus lenses, so I'm starting fresh with no baggage. Budget is about $1000 CAD. I like 28 and 50mm equivalent focal lengths. I don't care for 35mm equivalent. Size isn't the biggest concern. mrdespair has pretty much convinced me on the omd-em5 mk1 and also the panasonic 25mm 1.7. Anything else I should be looking at? Sony doesn't make lenses, fuji is too much, etc.
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Jan 31, 2016 08:45
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Panasonic? The gx8 has the most bleeding-edge new m43 sensor available. Maybe a little out of your price range, though. Unless you can find a good deal. I've been curious about how effective the AF really is on Olympus bodies. My understanding is that they still use just contrast-detection rather than on-sensor phase detection + CD, and that is supposed to be slower, although very accurate. But these are just marketing buzzwords. Even though they describe actual features and I grasp the basic difference between them, it takes either an in-depth knowledge of sensor engineering or lots of hands-on experience to determine what the practical difference really is.
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Jan 31, 2016 15:11
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I have a Panasonic G7, which is very nice, has a pretty good kit lens, and appears to be on sale in a lot of places now. You might be able to pick one up and throw in a couple big SD cards, some extra batteries, and a case, and still stay way under your budget. No in-body AF, though, and the Panny AF lenses are a bit pricey still.
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Jan 31, 2016 23:27
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You mean IS? It is the deficiency in Panasonic bodies, IMO. I think they would have an edge on Oly if they could pull out an effective IBIS that would make using Zuiko lenses more worthwhile. Oly seems to have the edge in optics when you're not talking Panaleica.
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Feb 1, 2016 06:21
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Both the GX8 and G7 are wayyyyyy over my budget  Stupid CAD means about $1000 cad = $700 usd
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Feb 1, 2016 09:19
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ExecuDork posted:Just spend a couple of hours in a good camera shop and buy the camera that fits best in your hands. a7m2 posted:Thanks for the advice! Does anyone know a good camera shop in Hong Kong, or is this not the place to ask? Last time I got mine at some random shop in Sham Shui Po by Golden Computer Arcade.
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Feb 1, 2016 22:09
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Bad Angus! Bad!
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SMERSH Mouth posted:You mean IS? It is the deficiency in Panasonic bodies, IMO. I think they would have an edge on Oly if they could pull out an effective IBIS that would make using Zuiko lenses more worthwhile. Oly seems to have the edge in optics when you're not talking Panaleica. Ga-doy. yes, IS. And Panasonic has IS in many of their M43 lenses, but for budget-blowing prices, sadly. Wild EEPROM posted:Both the GX8 and G7 are wayyyyyy over my budget
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Feb 3, 2016 00:00
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I'm enjoying photography so far, but I feel like for every 100 shots I take, 1 is worth keeping or opening up in Lightroom. Is this normal? I'm running manual only and it's so hard to get the settings right for different light sources, action shots etc.. Any recommended videos on improving this stuff or is the best advice to literally take thousands of photos?
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Feb 4, 2016 08:37
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It's good learning manual but it's better to stay on aperture priority for most shots and shutter priority for shots were you want to freeze or blur motion. Aside from working with off camera flash, I only go into manual to stay at a constant setting or if something is not working with Av or Tv. In almost all cases (except with flash) I'll usually start in one of the two, then resort to manual if needed.
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Feb 4, 2016 09:04
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Haggins posted:It's good learning manual but it's better to stay on aperture priority for most shots and shutter priority for shots were you want to freeze or blur motion. To add to this: You will eventually get a feel for how your camera's exposure metering works in Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, or Manual with Auto ISO or similar, and at worst you will have to do some post. Just err to ETTR, as slightly overexposed is better than underexposed, except at night when you want your photos to look as dark as natural light permits to your eye (and the shutter speed benefit is significant with exposure compensation 1-2 stops down). im gay posted:I'm enjoying photography so far, but I feel like for every 100 shots I take, 1 is worth keeping or opening up in Lightroom. Is this normal? I'm running manual only and it's so hard to get the settings right for different light sources, action shots etc.. As far as throwing away shots I generally feel okay about maybe 1/10-1/20. I actually like 1/500. If I am shooting events, the 1/10 goes to the customer, and the 1/500 goes to my portfolio. Liking 1/100 is not bad as the odds you like a given photo you've taken will probably go down with time.
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Feb 4, 2016 09:17
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im gay posted:Any recommended videos on improving this stuff or is the best advice to literally take thousands of photos?
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Feb 4, 2016 10:03
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im gay posted:Any recommended videos on improving this stuff or is the best advice to literally take thousands of photos? Nothing beats practice, but I've learnt some stuff from Mike Browne's youtube videos.
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Feb 4, 2016 11:55
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im gay posted:I'm enjoying photography so far, but I feel like for every 100 shots I take, 1 is worth keeping or opening up in Lightroom. Is this normal? Yeah, and it's going to be normal when, in a few years (if you stick with it), you look back those 1/100 shots and laugh at how terrible they are.
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Feb 4, 2016 16:17
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Hi guys, I got interested into investing in a DSLR camera thanks to a friend of mine that studied photography. I was looking into some entry level cameras and I found a very good deal ($350) for both a Nikon 5300 and a Canon Rebel T5i. I know poo poo about cameras, I read that the Nikon has better picture quality but the Canon is more user friendly, which is perfect for beginners. The Nikon comes with a 18-55mm, which some guy on youtube says is not a very good lens. While I've read everywhere that the 18-55 from the Canon is plainly good Which camera would you guys chose for someone that is new to this and doesn't understand anything about ISO, exposure and all those things that I hope to learn in the future?
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Feb 6, 2016 01:54
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Go buy the 5D and 50/1.8 in the gear trade thread for like $350 and start learning.
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Feb 6, 2016 02:18
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Yes, this is the way to go. Old professional gear is going be more valuable to you (in terms of usability) in the future than newer basic consumer stuff. 5D is still capable of making very nice still photos. Unless you want to do video.... I guess. Newer low-end dslrs can do video, but not that well. Or unless you want to do a lot of outdoor wildlife photography. APSC crop sensors give you more effective telephoto distance per mm of focal length and will treat you better there, at the expense of image quality.
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Feb 6, 2016 02:43
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I can't speak for the Nikon but the T5i with the 18-55mm is a great camera and lens combo for beginners (own experience). Also get a 50mm 1.8 if you can swing it. Primes are a ton of fun and you will learn a lot more about proper framing, positioning etc. when you have to use your feet to zoom. Also get a copy of Understanding Exposure to help you understand how the different settings work together.
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Feb 6, 2016 11:16
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Go to a camera store or big box electronics store that sells cameras (almost all of them do) and PLAY WITH THE CAMERAS. The Canon and the Nikon have much more important differences in how they feel IN YOUR HANDS than the differences in some rando's online review making wild claims about image quality. You don't have to buy from that store, but you do need to feel those cameras.
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Feb 6, 2016 14:33
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ExecuDork posted:Go to a camera store or big box electronics store that sells cameras (almost all of them do) and PLAY WITH THE CAMERAS. The Canon and the Nikon have much more important differences in how they feel IN YOUR HANDS than the differences in some rando's online review making wild claims about image quality. Echoing this. I played with a bunch of cameras before buying them and I found out that Nikons gave me really bad hand cramps.
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Feb 6, 2016 22:57
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Another thing to consider is if you have any friends or relatives that have a bunch of gear and would let you borrow it, you might want to go with the same brand as them.
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Feb 7, 2016 02:45
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For very basic understanding of the primary camera controls, Canon have a fun website that lets you play with a virtual camera and compare the different images you get when you change aperture and shutter speed. http://canonoutsideofauto.ca/
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Feb 8, 2016 01:24
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