Photo shoot with Nicole at Mango’s Antro.

Posted by Snob on November 13, 2014
Posted in: canon 5D mark III, Fashion, models. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment
Mangos6

Nicole at Magos – Canon 5D Mark III + EF 50mm f/1.2L

I was recently out with Pete from Denim Spot after one of our creative collaborations. We settled over a glass of wine at Mango’s Antro and as always, began going over the days creative endeavors, what we would have changed, what we liked and what we would like to try on our next project. Before long we happened upon a young, lady called Nicole. We both thought she had great energy, personality and attitude. It was also pretty obvious she maintained an active lifestyle and great shape. All of a sudden we were talking about trying some of the looks we did not get to shoot that day because we just did not have any models that matched the looks.

Nicole was gracious enough to be our model. Even though she did not have very much modeling experience, her personality and attitude definitely made up for it. Ironically I have found this is often more important than looks and can make or break a photo shoot/project. We shot just two looks. I definitely look forward to more photo shoots with Nicole and working with her on more creative projects as she gets more time in front of the camera.

For this shoot I used the Canon 5D Mark III. For lenses I used the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM and the EF 50mm f/1.2L. For fill lighting I used two Canon 430EX Speedlites with Photix E-TTL RF triggers. For behind the scenes shots we used the Canon 7D + EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM.

Canon 7D Mark II – First Impressions

Posted by Snob on November 3, 2014
Posted in: Canon 7D Mark II, Reviews. Tagged: , , , , . 2 Comments

This past weekend I took delivery of the Canon 7D Mark II. I usually research any piece of gear thoroughly before purchasing. In this case I was very confident the Canon 7D Mark II met my needs because after shooting the original 7D for a while it still meets most of my needs even after 5 years.

The 7D is one of those cameras that will either make you a better photographer or break you. It is in some ways an unforgiving platform with very little room for error. After shooting the 5D Mark III for a few years I have to say there are some things you just cannot do with a full frame system, without spending a ton of money. As time progressed I found myself wishing for an updated, zero compromise APS-C pro body. After using both, it is pretty evident that the 7D series is in fact a flagship APS-C camera, the 5D Mark III is not, that would be the 1Dx. There are a lot of important things the 5D Mark III cannot do as well the 7D. One of my biggest gripes is the 1Dx AF system that has to share a single DIGIC5 processor with all other camera functions. It results in a slower system that is very often hit or miss under the slightest dynamic scenario.

The 7D Mark II comes properly equipped in all relevant aspects. Here are my thoughts:

Resolution
The 20MP is good enough, but considering Canon probably sacrificed a little resolution for better image quality, higher dynamic range and lower noise, I am happy with the results. It is important to note that, what attracts me most about the APS-C platform is pixel densities. Consider the following approximate numbers below:

7D Mark II Sensor: 20,200,000P/333.27mmsq = 60611.5 Pixels per square mm
7D Sensor: 18,000,000P/333.27mmsq = 54010.3 Pixels per square mm
5DIII Sensor: 23,400,000P/864mmsq = 27083.33 Pixels per square mm

The 7D Mark II will capture more than twice the detail of the 5D Mark III for any given focal length, provided your lens optics can keep up. Which brings me to my next point – most lenses cannot resolve 12 or 14 megapixels unless you spend on some of the exotic high end options, megapixels are simply wasted and image quality is further compromised. I am looking forward to maximizing my EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens and squeezing every bit of detail out of my telescope and astrophotography exploits.

Canon7DMarkII_8

ISO-16000 handheld HDR test

High ISO Noise
Let me preface by saying I find it completely ridiculous that anyone would buy a camera based on a feature that lets them jack-up ISO to absurd levels. Sure if you pump enough voltage through any image sensor I’m sure you can get an ISO-1000000 reading but it is completely useless! I read a lot of claims out there that are simply not true or realistic. All cameras generate noise period. Anything higher than ISO-1600 is not usable in my opinion, unless you’re just taking candid shots at a party. You just don’t have much of any dynamic range left at high ISO. With the 7D I am comfortable shooting up to ISO-400, ISO-800 in a pinch. With the 5D Mark III I just don’t go higher than ISO-1600 and usually stay lower than ISO-800 because there is just too much noise. I am happy to say the 7D Mark II sensor definitely meets and exceeds those expectations. With that said, take a look at this photo (right) taken at ISO-16,000 (sixteen thousand), while noisy, quite a bit of detail is retained and the noise is more pleasant/softer than the 7D or even the 5D Mark III at similar ISO.

Speed
The 7D Mark II is blazing fast. A real flagship body with no compromise. I thought my 7D was fast but 10fps is definitely in a class of it’s own. Handheld brackets are that much more accurate. You can capture action/motion almost as fast as your brain can signal your trigger finger. Not to mention the 1000+ shot burst mode. Make sure you have a fast CF card on hand. Don’t bother with SD cards.

Auto Focus (AF)
AF on the 7D Mark II is simply second to none. You will be hard pressed to have AF issues with this camera. The 7D’s AF was already one of the best out there but this takes it to a whole new level following in the 7D tradition with all cross-type points and dual DIGIC6 processors. The 7D Mark II update remains overpowered. I expect Canon to unlock more exciting features in future firmware updates. Also impressive is the hybrid phase detect AF in live view or video mode. It is very fast and very accurate – almost as fast as the standard AF. When autofocusing in live view you get this eery ghost-like feel as if the camera is alive as it very intuitively switches focus between your intended subjects. I suspect once folks realize what the 7D Mark II can do, it will take off for video production just like the original 7D.

Ergonomics
It feels and handles just like the original 7D. Sometimes I still think I’m shooting my 7D but someone updated the menu and added a bunch of features I used to always wish for. There is no learning curve involved. My transition to the Mark II was instant. This is truly a photographer’s camera.

HDR
One of the features I use a lot in the 5D Mark III is the in-camera HDR. I like how I can proof the final HDR image, adjust and retake the bracket shots as need. This is one of those features you never knew how much you needed it until you use it. Unfortunately the single DIGIC5 processor of the 5D Mark III is painfully slow when composing HDR and I have often missed key shots (especially at sunset). The 7D Mark II’s two DIGIC6 processors and 10fps shutter make minced meat of any HDR shot. It can snag 3 shots in less than a second an just a few seconds later you’re looking at the final HDR composition. This opens up so many possibilities.

Sample Images
Below are some quick test images. I used the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens. Again I recommend no less than this lens for your 7D Mark II. Images are tack sharp. Lens profiles come preloaded. I shot mostly in low light and high ISO (1600 and higher) to show how clean the images are and how much dynamic range still remains. The clean, low ISO shots will come as I begin taking the 7D Mark II out shooting. I shot in AV mode, wide open at f/2.8 so you may notice a shallow depth of field. All images are straight from the camera and downsized 30%. Please let me know in comments below of you’d like to see the full size images.

The 7D Mark II packs so much camera for your buck it really begs the question, why bother spending more for a 5D Mark III which honestly overall does little better and in some cases cannot keep up with the 7D Mark II. I will be grabbing this more versatile APS-C flagship camera more often than the 5D Mark III now.

For a more in depth review of this Camera I highly recommend reading Bryan Carnathan’s Canon EOS 7D Mark II Review.

Reader Comments – 7D vs 7D Mark II

Posted by Snob on October 29, 2014
Posted in: Camera, Canon 7D Mark II, Reader Comments. Tagged: , , . 2 Comments

I recently got a comment on my post Reader Comments – Canon 5D Mark III vs 7D from a while back. This is no doubt something that has been on my mind for a while.

Hi Bryan,

Hope you are well brother!…. Following on from my comment above and our brief yet insightful discussion on the merits of making the step up to the 5D3…I was hoping to pick your brains again if I may?

In your response to my first comment you alluded to the fact that you didn’t think they would release a new flagship APS-C SLR any time soon the 7D2 is now here…

My questions are:

1) Have you managed to use one as yet?
2) What are your thoughts?
3) Is it a significant step up from the 7D?
4) is it worth the upgrade?

My wife has given me a variety of options for a 30th birthday present and I am stuck yet again so I thought I would drop in for some insight and wisdom 🙂

Regards
Hari

Thanks for stopping by and writing Hari. I hope you are doing well buddy. It’s good to hear from you. The truth is you’ve sort of prompted me to jump the gun here as you will see from my answers to your questions.

Indeed when I wrote that post over a year ago the 7D Mark II was nowhere close to being a reality, however Canon has finally relented and released the ridiculously anticipated 7D Mark II. Before I get carried away, let me try to answer your questions.

  1. Have you managed to use one as yet?
    Not yet. I should be getting mine this weekend and plan on doing a quick post about my thoughts.
  2. What are your thoughts?
    Well obviously I liked the specs enough to go ahead and pre-order one. It looks like a solid update from Canon that makes the 7D series even more of the photographer’s camera. I am satisfied with how well equipped it is even though I did not get everything I wished for. See my post Canon 7D Mark II – 10 features I would like to see.
  3. Is it a significant step up from the 7D?
    Yes. I think it is. Especially in the areas that matter most to active photographers. Gear heads, spec sheet nuts and armchair photographers will not get their high megapixel fix.
  4. Is it worth the upgrade?
    It all depends on how much you are going to get out of it. A lot of 7D owners never realized it’s full potential. If you have the money to spend then yes. If you don’t already own top notch lenses like the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM and the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L II IS USM then I would definitely urge you to get those first. Those would arguably go a very long way to upgrade your 7D than spending on a brand new 7D Mark II body. Definitely don’t bother with the kit lens. It is just not worth it in my opinion. Canon should really consider shipping the 7D Mark II with the 17-55mm f/2.8L or the 16-35mm f/4L and charge extra. A cheap consumer grade EF-S lens is a terrible compromise for a camera like the 7D.

Retrospect Vintage Fashion exhibit at Demin Spot

Posted by Snob on October 23, 2014
Posted in: Art, canon 5D mark III, Entertainment, Fashion, models. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
DenimSpot3

Retrospect Vintage Fashion exhibit at Demin Spot

Several Friday evenings ago I had some free time so I decided to get out a little. My plan was to visit my good friend Pete at Denim Spot downtown. He’s very much involved in the local fashion scene and is always exploring creative ideas and projects. On this evening he was collaborating with Hanna Be of Retrospect Vintage Fashion a local fashion designer with a very interesting take on retro fashions and style. They setup a live shop window mannequin set. It’s just one of many cool ideas I’ve seen them come up with.

I planned on stopping by and getting a few shots of the action before moving on to a Friday night photo outing all over downtown. I never made it passed Denim Spot. I ended up shooting various looks and indulging in creative and fashionable atmosphere. It was tons of fun and a very rewarding way to kill an otherwise lazy Friday night.

I really wasn’t ideally equipped for a fashion shoot. I packed just my Canon 5D Mark III and the Tokina 16-28mm f/2.8 lens. I expected to take mostly casual night action shots both in tight bar/restaurant settings as well street corners. What made this fashion shoot particularly interesting was that I had to make do with what I had – an ultra wide lens.

DenimSpot28The Tokina was surprisingly good. Since I had no flash, I shot wide open at f/2.8 to capture as much ambient light as possible. The 5D3 also permitted a much higher ISO so I could shoot handheld as I did not pack a tripod. I was even able to shoot HDR bracket shots hand held under very challenging lighting conditions. If you take a closer look at the photo to the left, you will notice this lens still has an impressively shallow depth of field for an ultra wide angle. A great benefit of having the ultra wide angle lens was that I was able to work in the small set spaces at the boutique and still capture full body shots showcasing the styles and looks. The Tokina 16-28mm is rectilinear, much like it’s more popular APS-C sibling the 11-16mm f/2.8 and manages to render surprisingly straight perspectives even at it’s widest.

Below are some shots from the evening of fashion photography and fun.

Astrophotography: Blood Moon

Posted by Snob on October 9, 2014
Posted in: Astrophotography, canon 5D mark III, Nature, Time Lapse, Video. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment

I tried to capture the previous Blood Moon earlier this year in April, however it was not a very fulfilling exercise. There was only so much I could do with the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM lens, even with the EF 2x Extender III attached and even with the 7D’s crop factor. The shots I got weren’t very pleasing and in my mind, not even worth writing a post about.

Since then I acquired a fully assembled set of astrophotography gear and accessories. I discussed this a little in previous posts Astrophotography: The journey begins and Astrophotography: Solar Observation.

Up until last night I had been dreading the steep learning curve and painful process involved in learning to properly align a German Equatorial Mount with computerized tracking. The Blood Moon was a good reason to dive into it and see if I could figure it out. I got an early start. My first setup and calibration took at least an hour and I got a solid track on the moon.

However the moon had not yet crossed the sky and when it did I had to re align the telescope mount. My second alignment took half the time but was less than perfect and I still had some drift. It was still small enough for me to compensate for in post production.

With tracking somewhat sorted out, I had another challenge of managing the wild swings in exposures throughout the eclipse. You will notice I had to segment the time lapse as I made adjustments. I used spot metering, shutter priority mode with auto ISO throughout most of the sequence and stepped my shutter exposure as the eclipse progressed, switching to manual mode briefly at the peak of the eclipse. As you can see I did not place much emphasis on image quality. Since it was a time lapse, I also set a higher maximum ISO as the clarity and quality of the individual frame is not as important as the consistency of the sequence from frame-to-frame.

I hope you enjoy this time lapse. Please feel free to share your thoughts, ideas, suggestions and experiences, especially with GE mounts and photography.

Blood Moon - Lunar Eclipse (October 8, 2014)

Blood Moon – Lunar Eclipse (October 8, 2014)

Pacific Star Winery, Fort Bragg, Mendocino CA

Posted by Snob on September 24, 2014
Posted in: Art, canon 5D mark III, Landscape, Nature, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , . Leave a comment
Pacific_Star_Winery_4

His and Hers

Earlier this summer I visited the north coast and as I was finding my way down the north cost I stumbled upon this winery just before getting to Fort Bragg. If you know me, you definitely know I love me a good vintage. I pulled over right around lunch time, for a sip of some vino with my sandwich and to take in the amazing view of the coastline. These two weathered adirondack chairs in their picnic area caught my eye so I had to give them proper treatment. I like to think of them as “His and Hers”.

Interestingly, there happened to be a couple who had just got engaged at the the winery. I must have missed the part where he proposed to her but I did however get some portraits of them. In exchange for me taking their picture with her cell phone they agreed to pose for me in my favorite chairs. It was a very lovely day all around.

Definitely stop by the Pacific Star Winery next time you’re up in the Fort Bragg area. Their staff and ownership were very pleasant and took the time to give me more insights into exploring the local region. Of their wines, I particularly enjoyed their “2010 Zinfandel” and ” Dad’s Daily Red” blend. Great, well crafted wines overall.

Review: Canon Extender EF 2x III

Posted by Snob on September 21, 2014
Posted in: Products, Reviews. Tagged: , , , , . Leave a comment

Updated December 29, 2015 – After using this Extender for several years I thought there are a few things I should clarify, especially since this review does get it’s fair share of traffic. I have added sample images illustrating some of the challenges you should consider when adding this extender to your kit.

Canon Extender EF 2x III

Canon Extender EF 2x III

As with anything I write a review, opinion or recommendation about, I prefer to have at least a year and preferably several years of field experience with it. There is a very clear distinction between opinions/reviews based on spec sheets and real world field experiences. Very rarely are they ever perfectly aligned and the internet has no shortage of the former.

The Canon EF 2x Extender is one of the curious items in my kit. It makes for an easy review on a lazy Sunday afternoon so I thought I would share a photographer’s perspective on this lens after at least two years of active use and give anyone thinking about adding this to their kit some important observations to consider before dropping close to $500 on one.

Pros:

  1. Doubles your maximum focal length. Very handy when you get to location and realize your telephoto lens is not quite long enough.
  2. Performs very well when mated to one of Canon’s wide aperture super telephoto primes such as the EF 300mm f/2.8L IS. However one should note this is due to the fact that this lens is incredibly sharp to begin with. Even after 2x magnification, a lot of detail/sharpness/resolution still remains to keep up with a high density sensor such as the Canon 7D Mark II. On a low density sensor such as the 5D Mark III there is still enough detail left when using the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens.
  3. Convenient, relatively light weight. It adds great utility to my kit without the corresponding weight.
  4. Built like a tank. Everything else could be smashed to pieces and this extender will still be hanging onto your lens and camera mounts.

Cons:

  1. Canon EF 2X ExtenderIII - Ghosting at sunset on EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II

    Canon EF 2X ExtenderIII – Ghosting at sunset on EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II

    It is only optically perfect under ideal lighting conditions (lots of light – broad daylight, well lit scene, etc). Anything else will show noticeable chromatic aberration and terrible ghosting as the light has trouble making it through the added layers and the overall light in the frame falls below that from any point sources. Anti-reflective coatings can only do so much.

  2. The only lens I know that will be worth mounting this to is the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, the  EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II or some other L-series lens with an f/2.8 or wider aperture. The extender not only doubles the focal length, it doubles any flaws that lens may have. It also halves the aperture and at that aperture, only the Pro xD Canon DSLRs will be able to acquire focus. You will also need the amazing 4-stop image stabilization on the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II to manage shake unless it stays tripod mounted.
  3. Even a Pro body that should acquire AF down to f/8 will often hunt considerably. There’s a big difference between stopping your lens down to f/8, asking your camera to acquire AF and slapping this 2x Extender on an f/2.8 or f/4 lens and asking it to find focus. Even though the specs say it should not be a problem, it will be a serious problem. Lighting and contrast conditions must be ideal.
  4. On an APS-C/crop sensor body like the 7D, the higher pixel densities will show noticeable chromatic aberration, often beyond what you can fix in post processing. Again under anything less than ideal shooting conditions.
  5. Price does not match the added capability. In other words, it’s a bit on the pricey side.

Conclusion:

Put put this review in perspective. The EF 2X Extender III is the best possible extender money can buy. However the fact is there is no cheap way to get a longer focal length. You should not rely on an extender to turn 200mm into 400mm. You should consider getting a 400mm or 600mm lens if that is really what you need.

Overall I cannot recommend this lens. This might be of very little use to you unless all your focal lengths in your kit are covered from ultra-wide (16 or 10mm, Full Frame or APS-C respectively) all the way to 200mm and at f/2.8 apertures. If you need 400mm, I suggest you buy a native 400mm lens. I bought mine used at a bargain but at a price close to $500 new, it is hardly worth it. The good news is you don’t have to worry about it being used as it has no moving parts. You may be better off putting your money towards a telephoto prime lens like the 300mm f/4L or one of the other super telephoto L primes or even consider a cheaper third party alternative from Tamron, Sigma, etc.

You can see my previous post about Point Arena Lighthouse for an idea of what constitutes ideal conditions – bright scene with ample color and contrast.

Point Arena Lighthouse

Point Arena Lighthouse

Here is a panoramic of Reagan National Airport I took around sunset. I had to scrap the whole effort because of terrible ghosting as the point lights exceeded the ambient light levels. The ghosting also severely degrades the sharpness of this otherwise impressive lens. This extender is not ideal for use on the 70-200L lenses in low light situations.

Canon EF 2X ExtenderIII - Ghosting at sunset on EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II

Canon EF 2X ExtenderIII – Ghosting at sunset on EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II

For a more detailed and objective assessment I recommend reading Bryan Carnathan‘s review of the Canon EF 2x Extender. Allthough his is a more favorable review of the Extender, I still think he’s one of the most comprehensive references out there worth reading.

Canon Extender EF 2x III
Canon Extender EF 2x III
Canon Extender EF 2x III

Los Angeles Sunset – Griffith Observatory

Posted by Snob on September 20, 2014
Posted in: Architecture, canon 5D mark III, Cityscapes, Landscape, Los Angeles, Travel. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment
Los_Angeles_Sunset

Los Angeles sunset from Griffith Observatory

UPDATE: You can see my final shot from this outing in my post Los Angeles after sunset.

Last weekend I made a quick trip down to Los Angeles to visit my sister. It was long overdue. Of course one of the top items on my agenda for the weekend was to get a good high resolution panoramic of this captivating city and culture incubator. Given my limited stay on this trip, I did some research on possible locations that offered a good vantage point on the city. After much consideration, I made a safe bet on Griffith Observatory.

I highly recommend a visit to the observatory. Not just for visitors but also for anyone living in Los Angeles (most just don’t even know it exists…LOL) There are some really cool exhibits inside, telescope observations, breathtaking views of the city, a cafe, gift shop and hiking trails. The weather is also quite pleasant up in the mountains where it is located. It offers a great way to spend an evening relaxing. I suggest taking a cab ride as opposed to driving. Parking is going to be a challenge. I used the Uber private driver service and it was a $16 well spent indeed.

This was going to be a quick trip so I only packed my 5D Mark III, 24-105mm f/4L, 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II, and Tokina 16-28mm f/2.8. I also packed a small Manfrotto tripod. I wasn’t very satisfied with how far I could reach with the full frame 5D Mark III – one of the many little things I miss about the 7D. The final panoramic came out great but I did not get as much specific detail as I would have liked. Nonetheless a great shot. It is still in processing/editing and will release to limited print once it’s ready. In the meantime, here is a shot just before sunset I would like to share with you (above) and a few others below.

Thanks for stopping by.

Photo shoot with Angela

Posted by Snob on September 11, 2014
Posted in: Art, canon 5D mark III, Fashion, models, studio. Tagged: , , , , , . Leave a comment
Angela (Sweet Cheeks)

Angela (Sweet Cheeks)

As part of my ongoing Tattoo Series effort earlier this year I had the pleasure of working with a young interesting model, Angela. She also goes by the alias Sweet Cheeks. Angela already had collected an impressive array of art on her body and had an even more intricate work in progress. She was prompt, driven, mellow and personable. She even did her own hair and makeup well – a photographer’s ideal type of model. She shared her many plans and ambitions during the session. It is probably time I checked in with Angela since her big move to pursue her dreams and ambitions. She had an unusually clear vision of what she wanted to accomplish. A great person all around. Another one of the great things about this creative effort has been the great people and models I have had the distinct pleasure of working with.

Several shots from this session will make it to limited edition print as soon as I can finish the final edits and review full size test canvas prints. Below are some behind the scenes shots. Please feel free to share any feedback, ideas, suggestions, questions and requests you may have. As always, anything on my blog can be shared as well.

Thanks for stopping by.

National Air and Space Museum in Washington DC

Posted by Snob on September 4, 2014
Posted in: Aerospace, Architecture, canon 5D mark III, Travel. Tagged: , . 3 Comments
DC_Air_and_Space_Museum14

Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird

Also known as the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, this is a must visit destination if you are ever in the Washington DC area. It was really nice to see the space shuttle in person. I had seen the Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird in person once before at the San Diego Aerospace Museum but not this up close. It really gave me a sense of the scale and marvel of engineering. After seeing the Blackbird and the Space Shuttle Discovery I was even more impressed by the sheer size and engineering feat that the Concorde was, especially considering the era in which it was built and the fact that it was entered into commercial service. These three feature air/space craft cast by far the longest shadows at the museum. They are a true testament to the sheer determination, passion, brains, brawn and guts of engineers of old with little more than slide rules and a clear uncluttered vision.

There is a also a great observation tower with 360 degree view with great plane spotting opportunities as various aircraft approach both Dulles airport runways on both sides. I did not get any good shots while up in the tower, however I will definitely go for a plane spotting outing here, next time i visit DC. All shots were taken handheld with the Canon 5D Mark-III + EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM lens using in camera HDR processing, no post processing other than watermark and resizing using GIMP Batch Image Processing.

Below are the highlights from my tour of the Museum and a large panorama of the Concorde.

Concorde