Lens test..

Went to the EOS lens discovery event in Rotterdam last week. Got a chance to play with the entire lens line-up that Canon has these days, and follow two workshops. One on wildlife photography and one one macro photography. Best of all; free of charge if you have an EOS camera. Came to the conclusion that i still missed one lens to complete my own set. The 70-200mm.. Picked it up this week, and, to coin a phrase.. im happier then a pig in sh*te. What an awesome piece of equipment.. See for yourself; Ill be using this one a lot. I cant recommend it enough.

Goodies/gear.

Since we started the 365 project i really havent had time to do some other posts on gear or whatever. But, as most photographers know... You never stop wanting or buying.

I got a bunch of new stuff over the last couple of months. Most importantly, i got a new flashunit. The Canon Speedlite 580EX II. I allready had its little brother, the 430EX.





Its a big one, compared to the 430EX. It feels rocksolid. According to the brochure its as weather resistant as a 1-series body.

I bought the book by Syl Arena, called Speedliters handbook. I have lots to learn about using multiple flashunits.


Because we were constantly struggling with the backgrounds, i decided to scout around the web for a portable system that would fit our needs. In the end i decided to go with Lastolite. I ordered the 1.8meter x 2.15meter plain collapsible background with black and white train.




It should fit our needs perfectly.

The last item on the new purchase list is a camera sling. I normally dont use them because i like to be able to remove and attach it quickly. So when i came across this, i ordered it. It works like a charm.



The plastic click thingies are the same size as the one for my op-tech wrist strap, so i didnt even have to remove that one.

News!

Since every website/blog/chatterbox allready posted this... I cant fall behind, now can i?

A "in the wild sighting of new goodies!!"

The author was on a safari and spotted a japanese gentleman with these new goodies. Im sure the cameras in those pics arent the new 1Dx, ive had one of those in my hands, and this aint one! (I got invited to a lookie-feelie at Canon's Netherlands HQ some time ago.)

The internet fora are all exploding with wishlists etc... Cant really be bothered with that, im sure when Canon makes a new model, it will be better then the last one. And im still pretty happy with my 7D set-up. But there is always room for inprovement, no?

Our 366 project is coming along nicely! 7D, G12, SX210, Iphone... Taking a pic a day is easy with that many camera's around.




Now only to find a format to show them. Any idea's?? Mail or comment!

Storage.

When i first started photography, i kept my stuff in the backpack i carried it around in. But when the collection of gear grew, so did the need for decent storage.










My eye fell on the Pelican brand of cases. Particularly the 1510 model. Enough room for equipment, not too big, and its airline carry-on compatible.





I dont bring the cases with me in the field, thats a little too cumbersome. But storing and transporting your gear in one of these is very recommendable. The handle extends so you can drag it behind you, as a regular trolley.





I now have 3 of these. 2 with the padded dividers, and one with the foam. The dividers work best in my opinion. When you cut the foam, thats it. Not much room for error, and certainly very little room for change.


This is the latest addition. Since im less then impressed with the case that Canon gave with the 300mm F/2.8 IS USM L, i decided to get another 1510... The Canon provided case requires taking the lenshood off every time you store it.




These cases look and feel like you could take a sledgehammer to them, and they wouldnt budge. They dont come cheap, but they are worth every penny.


Im still looking for some cool image that i can sticker or airbrush on them for some personalisation.

1.4 MkIII extender.

Finally got around to ordering one of these this week. I wonder if Canon are gonna keep the MkII's in production too. The price difference is humonguous.







Anyway. The extender comes in the usual Canon cardboard box, with the booklets that no-one reads, and a clothlike bag thingie. Smaller version of the one you get with the 24-105L F/4.0.





The build quality is what you'dd expect for this kind of money. Like a tank.



Installing it is simple. First hook it up to the lens, then attach the camera-body. At first it goes kinda stiff, but supposedly thats due to the weathersealing.







Ill be taking it with me on a photo-trip this week. Results will be posted, offcourse.

Canon White.

When i got the 100-400 F4.5/5.6 L one of the first things i noticed, besides the awesome build quality, was the ugly black lens hood. I know the colour of that thing doesnt do anything for the quality of your photos, but...


Its ugly, man.




So i started an internet search for a white one. Many shady Hong-Kong based firm passed by on my screens, but no luck..

In the end i decided to get a cheap re-placement lenshood off e-bay, and have a go at it with my modelling supplies. After all, all you need is some fine grit sanding paper, an airbrush, a turntable and the right paint, no?

I started with sanding the hood with a fine grit paper, so the paint would adhere. After that i applied the masking tape.



The re-placement hood didnt have the felt on the inside that the Canon original does, so i wasnt afraid the tape would damage anything.

Then it was time to prep the paint. Canon does sell a touch-up paint for its white lenses, but thats pretty hard to come by over here. So i decided to try and mix it myself. I read somewhere on the web that the modelling paint Tamiya "Deck Tan" XF-55 is a pretty close match for the Canon shade of white. With a little drop of Tamiya XF-2 "flat white" added, i checked it under a daylight lamp. Spot on!



I sprayed the hood in several layers, allowing the paint to dry in between. Since the Tamiya paint is acryllic based, it dries really fast.



When i was satisfied with the paintcover, i let it dry for a couple of hours. Then i sealed the paint with a matte varnish by Vallejo modelling paint.

Im very pleased with the result;




Again, this is done purely for cosmetic reasons. It improved my photography by the factor 0.

But the curious looks i get from other photographers are priceless..

The Canon G12 Compact Camera

Ive purchased the G12 this week. My Ixus 60 was getting a little long in the tooth, and didnt focus properly any more. Maybe i shouldnt have dropped it...




Anyway, browsing for a new compact with loads of features brought me to the G12. Its ability to shoot in RAW mode, and the ability to choose a wide range of settings was particularly appealing to me.



Its equipped with a 28-140mm lens with Hybrid IS. It can do some digital zooming, but i avoid that most of the time. In my experience digital zoom usually just adds noise to a photo.

Compared to the 7D it feels really tiny and plasticly, but its very sturdy. I was a bit concerned about the swivel-screen on the back, but i guess Canon knew what they were doing when they designed it. It works great, and is easy to use.



One of the settings for display gives you the entire range of info. Diafragm, Mode, which format you are shooting in, a level, a grid, etc. Very handy. I find myself using it a lot, instead of the viewfinder which i think is too small.



You dont have to dive into the meny to change most of the settings. Everything can be found on top of the camera. Exposure, ISO and shooting mode are at the tip of your fingers. The buttons give a nice "click", so there is little chance of mistakingly changing settings. (Which can happen on the 7D and 5D, for instance.)

One of the big plusses on this little camera is the ability to use one of Canon's flashguns. Since most photographers hate to use the built in flash, either on a DLSR or a compact, a very usefull feature. Files shot in RAW can be processed with Canon's DPP, which is provided on the CD.


I havent really been able to put it thru its paces yet, but here are two shots ive made;







A very nice add-on for my set-up. I have it with me at all times. I also got a Powershot 210IS for the missus, ill get to that one in another post.

Dial Lock 5D/7D

Canon announced that there will be a modification available for the 5D and 7D models. It can happen that during transport/use of the camera the Mode-dial switches to another setting. This modification should prevent that;



As always, it comes at a price...

Source.

Weapon of choice.

Every photographer has his or hers preferred lens. Mine currently is the 300mm F/2.8 IS USM L series. Light enough to carry around for extended periods of time, and tack sharp. I usually shoot handheld with this, but ive mounted it on a gimbal head or mono-pod too.



Ive fitted it with a so-called Lens Coat. Besides the camouflage aspect, it helps protect the lens from bumps and scratches. In cold weather it also keeps it a bit warmer to the touch. Since the lens is metal, it can get really cold really fast..

Ive only recently aquired this lens, when Canon announced the new versions of the 300 and the 400mm L series. I had planned on getting this lens at some point, but the increase in price for the new models made me get it sooner. Since i am an amateur, this is about as expensive as i could rationalize aquiring. Havent regretted it for a moment though. My photo's have improved, in my opinion.


This offcourse isnt the only lens i have. Since i like to do all sorts of photography... I have the collection of lenses to boot..



In this Pelican case are the Eos 7D with batterygrip, the Canon 100-400L F/4.5-5.6 IS, the Canon 24-105L F/4, a Sigma 150mm F/2.8 APO Macro DG HSM lens and a Sigma 10-20mm F/4 - F/5.6 DC HSM wide angle lens.

I dont carry around the Pelican Case when im in the field, but ill get to camera bags in another post.

Some of you probably noticed the white lenshood on the 100-400mm lens... "Hey! That aint right! Canon only makes black lens hoods!"

True. But from the moment i got that lens, that black hood annoyed me. Purely for cosmetic reasons i decided to go DIY on that sucker. That too will come in a future post.. (So you'll just have to keep coming back..)



When im out with this lens, a lot of people are looking at it. Trying to define the model of the lens. So far i havent gotten any negative comments.



Pics taken with Ixus 60.

Welcome!

Ive been actively taking photos since 2003 when i got my first digital SLR, a Canon 300D. Since then my photography and my collection of photography stuff has come a long way... At least, i think it has...
Lenses have come and gone, and these days i think ive got the best stuff i need, within my budget offcourse..

I mostly do wildlife photography, including Zoo's. Since i live in the Netherlands, there isnt much in the way of Tigers, Lions or Bears in the wild.. But i am fortunate to live near an area where lots of deer, birds and foxes live, so they will be featured here on a regular basis.

Enjoy your stay on this blog.