Photography thread **Not 56k friendly**

[Cliff8928]

This is the best pic I ever took of the XLR. Most that sees it always love it.

I know it's downsized some, but this was with my Fuji FinePix 2650. The camera is old and only 2MP, but it's good for times on vacations when i want something that's kinda disposable but still works adequately.

[gary88]

Some Christmas tiem pics!



Self-Portrait

[ryannel2003]

That's a beautiful christmas tree Gary

[gary88]

I stopped at Best Buy today and played around with a 50D, I'm thinking about buying one for my next body. Initial impressions:

WARNING: NERDY PHOTOGRAPHY JARGON AHEAD

-Canon finally is putting 3" VGA screens on their bodies, and they rock. It can actually be used to check focus now. Also makes live view shooting fun. Video frame rate of 30fps in live view instead of 15fps on the 40D, and zooming to 10x magnification to check focus is even clearer now.

-AF is awesome, very fast. And I was testing this with a 70-300 IS, so it should be even better with my Ls. All 9 focus points are f/5.6 cross-type, with the center being extra sensitive to f/2.8 or faster lenses. Focus locks on with an off-center point like nothing where my XTi would struggle.

-ISO performance is on par with, if not better than the 40D despite having 50% more pixels on the same size sensor. This is thanks to the gapless microlenses and improved Digic IV processor. ISO 3200 is native finally and only shows a hint of color noise with the default 25% reduction in Lightroom. Still holds tons of detail. 1600 and 800 are really clean. The luminance noise pattern is very consistent, not splotchy. Almost has a film grain look to it.

-ISO can be expanded to 6400 and 12800. I'd only use these in emergency situations. 6400 will clean up with a NR program, and 12800 is really going out on a limb. The only reason I could see it being useful is for maybe a small shot in a newspaper.

-Viewfinder is much bigger and brighter than my XTi's embarrassingly small and dim viewfinder. Shows ISO in the viewfinder too which my XTi doesn't.

-Faster buffer and faster frame rate (6.3) compared to my XTi (3)

Now sample shots. A little motion blur in some because I was wired on coffee.

ISO 800


ISO 1600


100% crop


ISO 1600


ISO 3200 shot in AI Servo


ISO 12800


ISO 6400


ISO 3200


ISO 1600


ISO 800


ISO 400


All of these were shot in RAW by the way, 25% color noise reduction in Lightroom.

Now I just need to decide between buying this now, or upgrading my 70-200 to the IS version. I could use the better AF and ISO performance, and my XTi is already past the halfway point on the shutter life rated at 50k since I've put 26k clicks on it. Getting a new 70-200 with IS though would allow me to get more shots with lower handheld speeds.

[gary88]

...and I've decided to upgrade glass first.

For sale pics of my 70-200

[Cliff8928]

I look at all those pics and I just think, man i need a new lens for my 20D.

[Sinister Angel]

Awww, it's only the 4, not the 2.8

[gary88]

Sold my 70-200 f/4L (for $5 more than I paid for it!) and ordered a new 70-200 f/4L IS from B&H, it should be here tomorrow. Canon's best performing zoom lens

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...mp=0&APIComp=2

[ryannel2003]

Gary all of you're photos are absolutely stunning. I always think I take a good picture until I check out this thread, then I come away depressed

[Sinister Angel]

Originally Posted by gary88

Sold my 70-200 f/4L (for $5 more than I paid for it!) and ordered a new 70-200 f/4L IS from B&H, it should be here tomorrow. Canon's best performing zoom lens

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...mp=0&APIComp=2

Damn.

The extra stop comes in handy though.

[gary88]

Originally Posted by ryannel2003

Gary all of you're photos are absolutely stunning. I always think I take a good picture until I check out this thread, then I come away depressed

Thanks

Well IT'S HERE! UPS guy came bright and early at 9:00am and dropped it off. Next day air FTW.













First impressions:

Compared to my old non-IS lens, the overall build quality is much nicer. The rubber zoom and focus rings are made with a nicer material, and the turning action is dampened nicer. The IS version also has dust/weather sealing, you can see the rubber gasket in the second to last picture above. The IS is PHENOMENAL. It offers 4 stops of compensation, so taking a shot at 1/20 is the equivalent of taking it at 1/320 which is unbelievably helpful at this focal length. The IS is a little noisy, but it's not a big deal. It also has a second mode meant for panning, which will automatically detect which direction you're panning, turn the IS off in that direction to keep your panning fluid, and keep IS on in the other direction to compensate. The switchgear shown in the last pic above is nicer than the non-IS, the recessed switches are easier to use and can't be accidentally bumped.

Took a couple quick test shots around the house.

f/4, 1/60, 200mm


f/4, 1/10, 200mm

[Sinister Angel]

I always wondered what the two IS modes were.

[gary88]

F*** me this lens is amazing! The IQ is prime-like.

f/4, 1/60, 200mm


100% crop, unsharpened


f/4, 1/500, 200mm


f/4, 1/320, 70mm


f/4, 1/80, 200mm


100% crop, unsharpened

[The Black Dahlia]

Great camera!!!! Those shots of the Starbucks and the riverbed nature shot are incredibley detailed.

[gary88]

Self-Portrait. Felt bad because I haven't touched my camera in a week