Posts for: wotsmith
Feb 18, 2016 12:38:48 #
All brands fail. What is important to me is speed. WD 2 TB with high speed connection thunderbolt ( not usb) works great. I travel with two. One for primary photo location and second for backup. I process as I travel so when home I can export the photos on drive one Asa library and then merge with home library in LR
Feb 18, 2016 12:31:11 #
Yep, get it. It is always on one of my bodies. Great lens
Feb 17, 2016 09:56:29 #
My goal in wildlife photography is to get excellent photos. Perfect exposure, perfect focus, and reasonable composition. To move toward those goals, I watched experts. First thing i noticed is that they all shoot prime telephotos; all got closer to their subjects than i would have. So... I would recommend the 300mm f2.8 as a fabulous lens - I bought my as a grey market from Adorama as I don't think lenses need warrantee very often. Add 1.4 and/or 2x version III extenders as you can. The quality from that lens and the rapidity of focus can't be matched by zooms (well maybe the 200-400 with 1.4 built in). My gear is never home more than 2 months, 50 - 70 flights per year is common. I shoot in good and bad weather, and I think the "L" lenses stand up really well for that. If my recommendation is beyond your budget, then get what you can afford, but at least rent a high quality prime for Africa.
Feb 15, 2016 21:47:10 #
I think Topaz can work as a standalone, but I use it as a plugin in both PS and LR
Bill
Bill
Feb 15, 2016 09:02:27 #
good questions:
I do a lot of bird photography and frequently shoot at 4000 - 8000 iso. sometimes this give me too much noise. interestingly, noise on bird feathers is not as noticeable as on the background. So... I mask the bird, de-noise the background and merge the layers again. I like Topaz denoise for that. Sometimes you can use luminosity masks (google tony Kuyper at goodnight.us) or create your own mask, and just denoise part of the image. Works for landscapes too.
Attached is photo shot after sundown in dark mangrove swamp at 10,000 ISO; bird was masked and background denoised. Yes I know that there is noise on the bird, but it is not that bad a photo of a fairly rare bird - pygmy kingfisher; shot by my wife with Canon 5Dmk3 and 70-200 f2.8
I do a lot of bird photography and frequently shoot at 4000 - 8000 iso. sometimes this give me too much noise. interestingly, noise on bird feathers is not as noticeable as on the background. So... I mask the bird, de-noise the background and merge the layers again. I like Topaz denoise for that. Sometimes you can use luminosity masks (google tony Kuyper at goodnight.us) or create your own mask, and just denoise part of the image. Works for landscapes too.
Attached is photo shot after sundown in dark mangrove swamp at 10,000 ISO; bird was masked and background denoised. Yes I know that there is noise on the bird, but it is not that bad a photo of a fairly rare bird - pygmy kingfisher; shot by my wife with Canon 5Dmk3 and 70-200 f2.8
Feb 15, 2016 08:52:32 #
Yeah, I am sometimes a klutz also. I have dropped lenses, big ones & little ones. If it mounts with difficulty, look at the tabs that go in the camera. I have bent those and then straighten with a screwdriver or pliers. The real deal is this. If you can mount it OK without hurting the camera, and it still shoots crisp photos. Why send it off. Just clean it and keep shooting. If you have really screwed up the mount, then get it fixed.
I do put neoprene coverings on all my bigger lenses, not for the camo effect, but to keep them looking better when I sell them. Maybe I am crazy, but I view my gear as tools to get a job done so function is the important factor.
I do put neoprene coverings on all my bigger lenses, not for the camo effect, but to keep them looking better when I sell them. Maybe I am crazy, but I view my gear as tools to get a job done so function is the important factor.
Feb 13, 2016 13:05:15 #
cwp3420 wrote:
My wife and I are taking a once in a lifetime trip... (show quote)
Well, what shots are important to you? When I went, I concentrated on a couple of things. Historical sites and people shots. Your 18-55 will work good for sites and I would recommend the 55-200 for people. I rented a fish eye for the trip and got some good shots with that; I shoot a FF DSLR. Most of the time I was shooting the 70-200; but a 24-105 was common too. I did take a 85 f1.2 for night shots. I thought the people in traditional dress were fascinating.
Feb 13, 2016 08:43:04 #
Clean the windows! shooting away from the sun will minimize dirt or scratches on the windows.
we took that flight about 20 years ago because my wife insisted on it. I am a pilot and I was appalled at the carelessness of the pilot that we got. He violated many safety standards of flying a small plane. I hope yours is better.
we took that flight about 20 years ago because my wife insisted on it. I am a pilot and I was appalled at the carelessness of the pilot that we got. He violated many safety standards of flying a small plane. I hope yours is better.
Feb 13, 2016 08:37:22 #
get the f2.8; it is fabulous and one of my favorites.
Feb 9, 2016 13:34:12 #
Nanc wrote:
Just got back from Yellowstone and did not get "tack sharp" pictures of the wolf pack we saw 350 yards away. What lens would I need to get better pictures and where could I rent a lens someplace close to Yellowstone in January? I have a Canon 60D with a Sigma 120-400 lens. Yes, the lens was on a tripod.
Welcome to the world of wildlife/bird photography where everyone needs more reach and that costs serious money. I have had very good luck renting lenses from both borrow lenses and lens rental. My memory is that they will not ship to a motel/hotel, but only to your house. However you can ship them back from any UPS or Fedex location.
When I got my 600mm F.4 I assumed that I would instantly get great photos; not so! I had to improve my technique a lot. Big lenses need heavy tripods and mount the tripod to the lens, not the camera. to dampen mirror shake, have your head firmly against the camera as you shoot with your left arm draped over the length of the lens to dampen shake out.
If you are going back, consider renting a 7D mk2 and a 600mm and maybe an extender. That will give you a lot of reach. Have the lens arrive a couple of days early so you can practice and learn to get good shots. Micro focus the lens to the body. I got some wolf shots in Denali that are pretty good, but still a long way off.
Good luck
Bill
Feb 6, 2016 11:37:21 #
I can not relate to some of the answers about damage while traveling, like holding our gear on our laps. My wife and I are both bird photographers, that means we travel with two to three bodies; 600mm prime, 300mm prime, at least 4 other lenses, two of which are fairly large, like the 70-200 f2.8 and the 11-24 f4; plus extenders, flash, filters and two laptops and other goodies. All that fits in two large ThinkTank roller bags; tripods are in the luggage.
So.... there is only one option, and that is in the over head compartment on big planes & on small planes the bags have to be gate checked and thrown in with the luggage. We do travel with the lenses off the bodies. Never thought that was safer, just easier to pack that way. Maybe that is why we have never had any damage enroute, or maybe just lucky. But we travel a lot - 20 - 50 flights a year at least, and I think that the ThinkTank roller bags are fantastic.
I also think the Canon gear is pretty tough. I have dropped the 600mm & 1DX in the dirt when a strap broke=no damage other than dirty. Twice I have rolled the 1DX down paved and dirt road without a lens being on, with no damage after cleaning. I carry full insurance on all, and don't worry much. I have never had a camera or lens failure, but have had laptop failure due to high humidity in the tropics.
So.... there is only one option, and that is in the over head compartment on big planes & on small planes the bags have to be gate checked and thrown in with the luggage. We do travel with the lenses off the bodies. Never thought that was safer, just easier to pack that way. Maybe that is why we have never had any damage enroute, or maybe just lucky. But we travel a lot - 20 - 50 flights a year at least, and I think that the ThinkTank roller bags are fantastic.
I also think the Canon gear is pretty tough. I have dropped the 600mm & 1DX in the dirt when a strap broke=no damage other than dirty. Twice I have rolled the 1DX down paved and dirt road without a lens being on, with no damage after cleaning. I carry full insurance on all, and don't worry much. I have never had a camera or lens failure, but have had laptop failure due to high humidity in the tropics.
Feb 4, 2016 15:17:46 #
Mojaveflyer wrote:
I'm starting to look around for a new wide angle lens. I currently use a Canon 17 - 35MM L lens and was thinking of some thing that would be around 10 - 14mm. It doesn't have to be a Canon lens if I can get decent results with it.
I intend to use it mostly for night sky photography. Thanks for your thoughts!
I intend to use it mostly for night sky photography. Thanks for your thoughts!
I have both the 16 - 35 f2.8 Canon L lens and the 11 - 24 f4 Canon L rectilinear lens; I highly recommend either. I have some great night shots from the 16 - 35 f2.8 that were 20 sec and wonderful images of the night sky and the milky way. The 11-24 is fairly new and no night shot experience with it. I am shooting with Canon 5Dmk3 or 1DX both FF; I also have gotten some great shots of the sky with the Canon 85mm f1.2
Feb 4, 2016 15:16:14 #
Mojaveflyer wrote:
I'm starting to look around for a new wide angle lens. I currently use a Canon 17 - 35MM L lens and was thinking of some thing that would be around 10 - 14mm. It doesn't have to be a Canon lens if I can get decent results with it.
I intend to use it mostly for night sky photography. Thanks for your thoughts!
I intend to use it mostly for night sky photography. Thanks for your thoughts!
I have both the 16 - 35 f2.8 Canon L lens and the 11 - 24 f4 Canon L rectilinear lens; I highly recommend either. I have some great night shots from the 16 - 35 f2.8 that were 20 sec and wonderful images of the night sky and the milky way.
Jan 30, 2016 17:06:03 #
In Merida, I suggest Casa del Balaam in the center of town. Really nice hotel converted from a big house. Nice courtyard, small pool, and great location. Good food too! Secure Parking. Adequate A/C as Merida is really hot even in April. I stayed there on the recommendation of friends and have been back several times.
Jan 30, 2016 17:02:22 #
I was at Rio Lagarto in late March or Early April several years ago, and did not see much and no flamingos. At Celeste the same time of year, we say 10,000 plus flamingos. We are going to Hotbox again this spring in hopes of good opportunity. When shooting 600mm from a boat, I set my tripod in the bottom of the boat and use a fast (1/1000 or more) shutter speed.