Digital SLR / DSLR Camera Question / DSLR Thread 2

[wannabe]

get a splitter and check out www.flashzebra.com

Yeah, that's where I got my vivitar to pocket wizard cables. Lon is a good guy, and his customer service is fantastic even though he gets a bit aggressive with the tape when he packs stuff for shipment. I always try to buy from him first if it's something he carries.

edit: I even bought these little optical slave triggers from him too. They work well in the studio.

 

[VeloceMoto]

My iPhone is a better camera than my DSLR.

Ok--that's kind of a silly statement, and it's not entirely true, but I got to thinking...

For shooting stuff in auto-mode (quick, low-light/night snaps on the street) the iPhone trumps the D70. I took a stroll around my neighborhood a couple of nights ago and was reminded how bad the D70 can be shooting street scenes at night. First, full auto isn't even an option--the flash wants to pop up. I was shooting in Aperture Priority mode and had ISO dialed in at 1600 (the max). Still, even at the max aperture on my kit lens, f/3.5-4.5, I couldn't go faster than 1/8th to 1/15th--speeds too slow to stop action and too slow for anything to be hand held.

I wonder how it would compare if I shot underexposed at 1/60 or 1/90 (so no tripod)--boosted it in post--versus what comes straight from the iPhone...

Are some of the more modern prosumer DSLR bodies better at quick, full auto night shots that can be hand-held? (a la the iPhone)

D80 D90?

30-40-50D?

5D?

 

[Cycle61]

My iPhone is a better camera than my DSLR.

Ok--that's kind of a silly statement, and it's not entirely true, but I got to thinking...

For shooting stuff in auto-mode (quick, low-light/night snaps on the street) the iPhone trumps the D70. I took a stroll around my neighborhood a couple of nights ago and was reminded how bad the D70 can be shooting street scenes at night. First, full auto isn't even an option--the flash wants to pop up. I was shooting in Aperture Priority mode and had ISO dialed in at 1600 (the max). Still, even at the max aperture on my kit lens, f/3.5-4.5, I couldn't go faster than 1/8th to 1/15th--speeds too slow to stop action and too slow for anything to be hand held.

I wonder how it would compare if I shot underexposed at 1/60 or 1/90 (so no tripod)--boosted it in post--versus what comes straight from the iPhone...

Are some of the more modern prosumer DSLR bodies better at quick, full auto night shots that can be hand-held? (a la the iPhone)

D80 D90?

30-40-50D?

5D?

Faster lens.

$200 will get you a 35/1.8 that will bump your shutter speed and ISO several stops better than what you're working with right now.

Also, the iPhone probably isn't shooting that much faster, really. I can usually handhold in the 1/8-1/15th range pretty solidly, if I'm being careful. Brace yourself, control your breathing, squeeze instead of poke at the shutter.

 

[VeloceMoto]

Well yeah, I know a faster lens (and VR if I didn't need to stop action) would give me a couple more stops of improvement, but...

I'll see if I can dig up the EXIF data for iPhone photos. Do you think the equivalent aperture is f2.8 or better?

BTW thanks for the slow shutter tips. I remember watching a YouTube clip of Joe McNally showing his convoluted way of stabilizing his upper body to shoot those speeds. I'll have to practice--although FWIW, I never do that stuff with the iPhone and it's never hard to get crisp photos. Maybe there's some onboard VR software involved.

 

[VeloceMoto]

Well yeah, I know a faster lens (and VR if I didn't need to stop action) would give me a couple more stops of improvement, but...

I'll see if I can dig up the EXIF data for iPhone photos. Do you think the equivalent aperture is f2.8 or better?

BTW thanks for the slow shutter tips. I remember watching a YouTube clip of Joe McNally showing his convoluted way of stabilizing his upper body to shoot those speeds. I'll have to practice--although FWIW, I never do that stuff with the iPhone and it's never hard to get crisp photos. Maybe there's some onboard VR software involved.

Found on Flickr some typical night shots with the iPhone:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10128676@N04/1456363318/meta/

EXIF says it's f/2.8, but no shutter speed data.

Ahh, here's one that says 1/15. Ok, you can be right.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/jfraissi/4085345422/meta/

I'm going to go outside and play around with my 50mm f1.8 and the iPhone. Maybe I can come up with some stuff to post as examples.

 

[VeloceMoto]

OK, I guess I was smoking crack. Here are two test photos, one with the D70 and the other with the iPhone 3GS. I'll let you decide which is which. Not even close.

Also including 100% crops.

Here's the EXIF data.

Nikon D70: f/3.5, ISO 1600, 1/20 +1 step (handheld)
iPhone 3GS: f/2.8, ISO 912, 1/10 (handheld)

I think what threw me off was that super sharp little screen on the iPhone. Everything looks good on it!

Anyway, I'll have to consider that 35mm f1.8. The benefits in terms of ISO and shutter speed would be nice.

I would have taken more photos but my fingers were freezing off. It's 18F outside!

.

 

[wannabe]

Here's some fun playing with my new triple light clamp. I wanted a dreary rainy day, but got a bright sunny one instead. So, I decided to make a dreary one with the power of my new setup.

 

[VeloceMoto]

Here's some fun playing with my new triple light clamp. I wanted a dreary rainy day, but got a bright sunny one instead. So, I decided to make a dreary one with the power of my new setup.

Great stuff! I like the balance between the fg/bg.

Were you shooting with an umbrella?

 

[wannabe]

^^Yup, reflective umbrella on the front lights and bare on the back light.

Before we headed out to a party, we also did a quick little art pic at her place. We were both totally giggling the whole time that we did this, but I think that it came out better than I expected.

I was enjoying watching my friends try to come up with the purpose and meaning of this pic.

 

[drizz]

5dmkii for portraits/landscapes, 7d for sports. roughly.

Yup, that's what it basically came down to. My 5d2 will be here tomorrow. Based on a lot of little bells and whistles, the decision was tougher than I expected. Really, I wanted a 7d with a FF sensor... but alas, the 5d2 should be more than enough to do the trick for my photos.

Favorite 7d Features:
Built-in wireless flash control
Better AF
Dust/Weather resistant Sealed case

Favorite recurring topic while doing research:
The passionate people that hate hate HATE canon for the 5d2 and it's AF issues.

 

[zypher]

aris, what's the power output at 10ft away with 3 of those at full power?
care to measure? please
might wanna consider to make a rig like that but with 580exII's.

 

[zypher]

Yup, that's what it basically came down to. My 5d2 will be here tomorrow. Based on a lot of little bells and whistles, the decision was tougher than I expected. Really, I wanted a 7d with a FF sensor... but alas, the 5d2 should be more than enough to do the trick for my photos.

Favorite 7d Features:
Built-in wireless flash control
Better AF
Dust/Weather resistant Sealed case

Favorite recurring topic while doing research:
The passionate people that hate hate HATE canon for the 5d2 and it's AF issues.

congrats!..

 

[wannabe]

aris, what's the power output at 10ft away with 3 of those at full power?
care to measure? please
might wanna consider to make a rig like that but with 580exII's.

Sorry, dude. I don't have a clue, and I don't have a light meter to measure it with. I just know that it'll give me a bit less that an extra stop and a half of power compared to a single 285. As it was, the setup was already more power than I needed. But, I still need to try it at high noon on a bright day instead of in the shade.

 

[zypher]

Sorry, dude. I don't have a clue, and I don't have a light meter to measure it with. I just know that it'll give me a bit less that an extra stop and a half of power compared to a single 285. As it was, the setup was already more power than I needed. But, I still need to try it at high noon on a bright day instead of in the shade.

yes please...f16 at 1/125th iso 100 at 10ft away or something...
just to underexpose the BG and have a great fill on the subject...


REy

 

[VeloceMoto]

Really great photo piece on the Globe's Big Picture this week.

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2010/02/tough_guy_challenge_2010.html

I love the Boston Globe.

 

[wannabe]

^^^ That's cool. Thanks for posting that.

I finally accepted the fact that I am a picture-maker and not a picture-taker. I am much better at setting up shots and lighting than I am at taking pics of stuff happening around me.

 

[VeloceMoto]

^^^ That's cool. Thanks for posting that.

I finally accepted the fact that I am a picture-maker and not a picture-taker. I am much better at setting up shots and lighting than I am at taking pics of stuff happening around me.

Haha! I'm glad you liked it.

BTW... The photographer has a Flickr page!!

Photographer Mike King @ Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mikekingphoto/

To top it off, it appears he's elected to show all his EXIF data. FTMFW!

Looks like those were all shot with a D700. Schaweeet!

 

[VeloceMoto]

It looks like at least in one of the shots in with the barbed wire series was shot at 420mm @ f4. I thought the super-teles were all in 100mm increments, I didn't think there were any zoom lenses past 300mm.

What kind of lens is that?!

 

[BrassPremier]

300mm 2.8 with a 1.4 teleconverter becomes a 420mm 4.0

 

[VeloceMoto]

Ahhhh...

Thanks!