Just an idea...
Recently, Dr. Pimento did some pseudo scientific field testing with a Canon EOS 40D at his local pro camera shop. Straight out of the box, using several of his own professional Canon prime lenses and zooms, he took a series of ambient light, high ISO images to evaluate the 40D's focus accuracy and consistency under normal room lighting. His goal, to test for the dreaded front focus / back focus problems experienced by some of Canons other high end cameras. Using the unevenly stacked inventory boxes high on the shelf behind the counter, he focused and refocused on the same spot ( the large typeface on a Canon lens box ) making exposures after each new framing and refocus. Dr. Pimento was careful to use the singular focus spot in the viewfinder, zeroing in on the exact letter in the type face on the package front for each exposure.
Back at Dr. P's secret testing facility, the RAW images were processed and evaluated on his "state - of - the - art" imaging system, complete with Matrox video card and high resolution LCD monitor. His down and dirty in store focus experiment did not reveal the positive results he was hoping for, with frame after frame of inconsistently focused images, sometimes behind the subject, other times focused well in front.
Is it possible that Canon DSLR's just aren't capable of focusing on certain fonts? Or is it more likely that Canon autofucus ( purposely misspelled ) technology has an aversion to critical focus on cardboard boxes! Hmmmm..............?
That brings me to the title of this post....."Canon SpeedLite Transmitter ST-e2 As Focus Aid." I have heard rumors that these overpriced units for controlling multiple speedlite flashes are excellent for using strictly as a focus aid, emitting an LED beam at close proximity. Come to think of it, I have hardly ever taken an out of focus pic with a speedlite mounted on my Canon in a dimly lit room. At $209.95 before shipping at B&H Photo, they certainly aren't cheap, but coming back from an assignment with poorly focused images might cost you even more.
I might have to give one of these a try!
Specs:
-Speedlite Transmitter ST-E2
- Compatible with 420EX, 550EX, 580EX, or MR-14EX and MT-24EX Macro flashes
- AF-assist Beam: Compatible with EOS-3's 45-point Area AF and 28mm and longer lens focal lengths
- Power Source : 2CR5 lithium battery x 1, Battery Life: Approx. 1,500 transmissions (At room temperature and with a new set of batteries).
Price: $209.95 at B&H Photo
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Friday, October 26, 2007
Using Canon SpeedLite Transmitter ST- E2 As Focus Aid?
Sunday, September 16, 2007
Hands On With A 40D...
I've been working on an update of the site this week ( HTML....aaaarrrggghh! ) along with assignment work and some digital retouching, there hasn't been much time to actually Blog about anything. But there sure has been a lot going on, both with my business and with the new website that I am building! I'll be putting up links for EdwinMorganPhotographer.Com just as soon as it goes live. It will be a more streamlined website for my Photography Business and also connected in some fashion to this blog. From this point on, all my Photography and Stock Licensing will be intertwined with Digital Dilemmas. I figure I'm here every day, so why not!
Also....
I got to play with a Canon Eos 40 D today at the Best Buy Store. Sweeeeet! Built like a tank.....and I wonder if you can watch DVD's on that huge screen?
P.S. Check out the cool new BlogRush Widget in the right sidebar. The folks at BlogRush have created what can only be described as Blog Syndication, with the goal of delivering targeted traffic from web readers and other Bloggers to your site. People viewing your pages trigger the widget itself to feature content from your Blog on another participating site. The more readers you have , along with more and more widgets being installed at different sites guarantees an almost exponential viewership for your content!
Click the link above to view the video on their site, sign up ( It's free! ) and connect with the Blog Universe!
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Monday, August 27, 2007
Canon 40 D High ISO Test Images...
The Japanese Photo Website 'Photo Cafe' has examples of High ISO Captures with the Canon EOS 40 D. The still life images of a flower arrangement are taken at 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 and 3200 ISO, with and without the Noise Reduction setting. The quality of the files is remarkable by comparison to the High ISO images produced from Professional DSLR's just a few years ago.
Check it out!
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Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Canon Zoom or Sigma ?
After a careful examination of my Google Analytics Data, it comes to my attention that there is a strong correlation between high page views and the word Canon, Canon Camera, Canon lens etc... used in the Blog Post Title. This leaves me with no other choice but to include those three words in various ways in every Blog Title. How about these ideas as Blog Post Banners.
- Happy Birthday to me... and Canon Camera
- 10 things every Photographer should know... about Canon Lenses
- Software to improve workflow...with your Canon Camera
- 15 Photographers killed in tragic tour bus accident...all Canon shooters
- Tokina's latest super zoom... it's not a Canon!
- Canon Releases New Canon Camera with Canon Lens...it's a Canon!
Now to the real subject of this post as described in the title " Canon Zoom Or Sigma?"
I really and truly intended to discuss my dilemma over picking a zoom lens for my new 12 mega pixel Canon 40D ( That one alone should guarantee at least 1000 page hits tomorrow morning! ) but the whole Google Analytics thing really got me thinking...about Canon Cameras and Canon Lenses, especially the Canon Zooms!
Now that I have assured myself a page in Photo Blog Page Hit History I can ask my friends and readers to help me with a decision on my next big lens purchase. Canon or Sigma? To IS or not to IS?
Here are the contenders:
- Sigma Zoom Telephoto 70-200mm f/2.8 EX DG APO Macro HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS / No IS ( Image Stabilization ) $889.00@B&H Photo
- Sigma Zoom Normal-Telephoto 50-150mm f/2.8 EX DC HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon Digital EOS /No IS $679.00@B&H Photo
- Sigma Zoom Telephoto 100-300mm f/4 EX DG IF HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS
- Sigma Zoom Telephoto 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 EX DG APO OS (Optical Stabilizer) Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS Price: $ 999.00@B&H Photo
- Sigma Telephoto 105mm f/2.8 EX DG Macro Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS
No IS /USA Price: $ 399.00@B&H Photo Sigma Zoom Telephoto 120-300mm f/2.8 EX APO DG IF HSM Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS Price: $ 2,699.00- Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM Autofocus Lens / No IS
USA Price: $ 1,140.00@B&H Photo - Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Image Stabilizer USM Autofocus Lens
USA Price: $ 1,699.00@B&H Photo (SHA-WING!!)
All donations will be accepted... comments or cash!
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