dm, I had the idea that microadjustments were savable for any number of combinations of aperture and f-length of any particular lens(??).
It'd be no big drama to get a hood, probably (you even might get a hand-me-down one), and I always use one. Hoods are really an essential and integral part of the lens imo, and a practical aid in protecting them.
The sharpness of your copy with Lr sharpening is most excellent. It would be interesting (to the "perfectionists" among us, at least) to see a similar test without any adjustments. It certainly helps to know the facts in discussions about gear, and in the case of this controversial, expensive and popular lens especially.
I may be wrong -I've only used AFMF on my primes - but I was under the impression it was per *lens* rather than per focal length settings. Somebody please correct me if I'm wrong!
SOOC. I zeroed out everything in LR - so this is actually less NR/sharpening than LR's native 7d profile/default - before exporting as a jpg at quality 58/300dpi.
I do regularly buy used equipment privately, but generally not such big ticket items; once the price goes up I'm more comfortable buying through a dealer with a warrantee, from a reputable private seller who I feel I know thoroughly, even if only through their online presence (eg I had zero qualms buying a 50d from Scott Quier!), or I snif around for refurbished deals, usually through Adorama (insert usual rave review for Adorama's service and reliability here).
As for copy differences, my understanding was that some were sharper than others at maximum aperture, an anomaly that WASN'T easily corrected by microfocus adjustment (or where different MFAF adjustments were needed at different focal lengths, making it impossible for the consumer to tweak). ??
Btw, hood: obviously this didn't come with one. How likely am I to need one - how does this thing deal with flare?
Oh, and @Rainbow - I wanted that lens of Aaron's but didn't have the money at the time - glad it went to a good dgrin home!!!
Hey there MG ... congrats on the lens purchase. I believe you will, given the type of shooting you do, really make beautiful use of this lens. I've held one only once and wow is that a huge hunk of glass. They don't call it the brick for no reason.
It's nice to be remembered! I guess the 3-hour lunch we enjoyed (or however long it was) didn't hurt your confidence either!
As to the question of a battery grip vs. a strap - I think (my humble opinion only) you will find a strap to be more the sufficient to your needs. With a strap properly adjusted it's possible to securely hold the camera/lens in one very relaxed hand and have no fear that it will slip. I've carried a 5DII with a 70-200 f/2.8 IS (the Mk1 ) with just the strap. With fingers very lightly curled, that camera was hanging at the end of my arm and it was going no-where!
As for the hood question - I almost always put a hood on my lens when I'm shooting - especially if there are other people around or if I'm moving about. People and motion are two big causes of an accidental death of a lens.
Scott, that crazy, snowy day is a lifetime memory - what a hoot! Definitely worth the drive
Neil, if you're impressed by sharpness, then I'm thinking I must have a good'un! Clearly this is one of those "ugly on the outside, beautiful on the inside" kind of lenses
I've actually picked up a cheap knock-off hood on Amazon - I'm sure that will bother L purists, but really, I just can't see paying nearly $50 for a piece of plastic that's not in the "image chain" (let's face it, in bright sun even your hand held up to flag the light can help).
I was looking at the camdaptor straps - my only problem there is that I would want a hand- and neckstrap, and I don't think they can coexist with the optech loops I already have attached.... or can they? Need to sniff around a bit more. I think a handstrap would actually work well to help balance this up, but I"d prefer not to have to re-rig every time I change lenses. Hmm.
:I was looking at the camdaptor straps - my only problem there is that I would want a hand- and neckstrap, and I don't think they can coexist with the optech loops I already have attached.... or can they? Need to sniff around a bit more. I think a handstrap would actually work well to help balance this up, but I"d prefer not to have to re-rig every time I change lenses. Hmm.
I believe you can. Take a look at the attached. See the silver post on the right side of the plate. I think one end of the strap goes through that. The other end of the strap goes through the strap loop on the camera.
The other end of the strap goes through the strap loop on the camera.
Unless I'm misunderstanding how it attaches (entirely possible!), that's actually the one that's the problem, because the Optech connector is already in place on the straploop on the camera body; I'm not sure you could squeeze two connectors through the metal loop.
Optech offer a soft handgrip as part of their system although it's rather more complicated than I'd like. Still researching on this.....
There two ways. If you have a plate with strap connections on both ends like Scott does you can do this:
Otherwise on the top side of the camera you just have to sneak both straps through the tiny connector using a pin, hook and some patience. I did that with the Camstrap and the Canon strap that came with my 7D. Since then though I switched to a Blackrapid that clamps to the plate for the tripod that I've put on the camera, so it's not an issue.
Unless I'm misunderstanding how it attaches (entirely possible!), that's actually the one that's the problem, because the Optech connector is already in place on the straploop on the camera body; I'm not sure you could squeeze two connectors through the metal loop.
Optech offer a soft handgrip as part of their system although it's rather more complicated than I'd like. Still researching on this.....
CF this thread. Fedex just arrived, so, some first impressions
That was one of the better pictures I've seen from you. Some minor quibbles about the composition, but like you say, it was just a test shot. I can see, though, this lens has the potential to take you to a new level.
Definitely just a test and basically a grab shot, but glad you liked it!
Since this has been re-bumped, just to mention that Qarik was absolutely right - out shooting with it today it didn't really seem that heavy at all (particularly with my nice, weight-distributing Optech strap), so I think it's just a case of getting used to it.
The other thing, however, which is a little more worrying - although I haven't run enough shots to be quite sure what's going on here - is that I was extremely underwhelmed with the shots taken today at 24mm 2.8: they seemed a bit soft, whereas the ones taken at 70mm were tack sharp. User error (which wouldn't surprise me - it always takes me a little while to get the measure of new gear), or....? Need to do some more methodical testing on that score, I think.
I will say that f4 50-70 seems to be the sweet spot, which is actually kind of perfect for the majority of what I shoot - enough DOF to get two eyes sharp, but still gives great separation with some lovely bokeh behind. Loving it, and I think I'm going to be reluctant to take this thing off the camera (except when attaching the 135 ). Kidding aside, I could actually imagine only having this lens and the 135 and covering 95% of my shooting needs. Yes, the fast 50 1.4 is nice and I don't anticipate giving it up any time soon, but I suspect I'll wind up using this longer zoom a great deal more than the 17-50 - having it is definitely confirming how much I've felt that "hole" between 50 and 85, as it's just a much more useable FL for my needs and shooting style than the wider zoom, crop sensor notwithstanding.
Comments
It'd be no big drama to get a hood, probably (you even might get a hand-me-down one), and I always use one. Hoods are really an essential and integral part of the lens imo, and a practical aid in protecting them.
The sharpness of your copy with Lr sharpening is most excellent. It would be interesting (to the "perfectionists" among us, at least
Thanks dm!
Neil
http://www.behance.net/brosepix
SOOC. I zeroed out everything in LR - so this is actually less NR/sharpening than LR's native 7d profile/default - before exporting as a jpg at quality 58/300dpi.
X3 size can be found here
There's no way I'm paying $45 for a full-price hood - if I can't find one cheap used, I'll just deal with an ebay one!
Neil
http://www.behance.net/brosepix
Hey there MG ... congrats on the lens purchase. I believe you will, given the type of shooting you do, really make beautiful use of this lens. I've held one only once and wow is that a huge hunk of glass. They don't call it the brick for no reason.
It's nice to be remembered! I guess the 3-hour lunch we enjoyed (or however long it was) didn't hurt your confidence either!
As to the question of a battery grip vs. a strap - I think (my humble opinion only) you will find a strap to be more the sufficient to your needs. With a strap properly adjusted it's possible to securely hold the camera/lens in one very relaxed hand and have no fear that it will slip. I've carried a 5DII with a 70-200 f/2.8 IS (the Mk1
As for the hood question - I almost always put a hood on my lens when I'm shooting - especially if there are other people around or if I'm moving about. People and motion are two big causes of an accidental death of a lens.
My Photos
Thoughts on photographing a wedding, How to post a picture, AF Microadjustments?, Light Scoop
Equipment List - Check my profile
Neil, if you're impressed by sharpness, then I'm thinking I must have a good'un! Clearly this is one of those "ugly on the outside, beautiful on the inside" kind of lenses
I've actually picked up a cheap knock-off hood on Amazon - I'm sure that will bother L purists, but really, I just can't see paying nearly $50 for a piece of plastic that's not in the "image chain" (let's face it, in bright sun even your hand held up to flag the light can help).
I was looking at the camdaptor straps - my only problem there is that I would want a hand- and neckstrap, and I don't think they can coexist with the optech loops I already have attached.... or can they? Need to sniff around a bit more. I think a handstrap would actually work well to help balance this up, but I"d prefer not to have to re-rig every time I change lenses. Hmm.
I believe you can. Take a look at the attached. See the silver post on the right side of the plate. I think one end of the strap goes through that. The other end of the strap goes through the strap loop on the camera.
My Photos
Thoughts on photographing a wedding, How to post a picture, AF Microadjustments?, Light Scoop
Equipment List - Check my profile
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Unless I'm misunderstanding how it attaches (entirely possible!), that's actually the one that's the problem, because the Optech connector is already in place on the straploop on the camera body; I'm not sure you could squeeze two connectors through the metal loop.
Optech offer a soft handgrip as part of their system although it's rather more complicated than I'd like. Still researching on this.....
Otherwise on the top side of the camera you just have to sneak both straps through the tiny connector using a pin, hook and some patience. I did that with the Camstrap and the Canon strap that came with my 7D. Since then though I switched to a Blackrapid that clamps to the plate for the tripod that I've put on the camera, so it's not an issue.
http://www.danalphotos.com
http://www.pluralsight.com
http://twitter.com/d114
My Photos
Thoughts on photographing a wedding, How to post a picture, AF Microadjustments?, Light Scoop
Equipment List - Check my profile
Get a Cotton Carrier system and get it over with.
Natural selection is responsible for every living thing that exists.
D3s, D500, D5300, and way more glass than the wife knows about.
That was one of the better pictures I've seen from you. Some minor quibbles about the composition, but like you say, it was just a test shot. I can see, though, this lens has the potential to take you to a new level.
Have fun with it!
Since this has been re-bumped, just to mention that Qarik was absolutely right - out shooting with it today it didn't really seem that heavy at all (particularly with my nice, weight-distributing Optech strap), so I think it's just a case of getting used to it.
The other thing, however, which is a little more worrying - although I haven't run enough shots to be quite sure what's going on here - is that I was extremely underwhelmed with the shots taken today at 24mm 2.8: they seemed a bit soft, whereas the ones taken at 70mm were tack sharp. User error (which wouldn't surprise me - it always takes me a little while to get the measure of new gear), or....? Need to do some more methodical testing on that score, I think.
I will say that f4 50-70 seems to be the sweet spot, which is actually kind of perfect for the majority of what I shoot - enough DOF to get two eyes sharp, but still gives great separation with some lovely bokeh behind. Loving it, and I think I'm going to be reluctant to take this thing off the camera (except when attaching the 135