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The Photography Thread


mr ailsbury

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Nice work dude!

We seem to get copies of it turning up here sporadically. Some good stuff in there sometimes, although it's not exactly what you might call in-depth for the most part.

Totally unrelated to that - I went home to Wales this Xmas and found a really good condition Tokina 10-17 fisheye in my room that I'd totally forgotten about. The reason I'd stopped using it was that either the aperture blades are jammed or there's an issue with a connection somewhere. You can shoot photos with it, but only with the lens wide open. You can adjust the aperture on camera, but as soon as you press the shutter button it does some generic Canon error message shit. Has anyone had anything similar happen to them with a lens before, and if so how much is it to have something like that repaired?

Mark! That is sooo weird, because I have just had the exact same issue with one of my lenses this week! The same thing happens with my Canon lens as what you have described, plus if you stop the lens down on the camera and then press the D.O.F preview button then the aperture spazzes out and is unable to contract to the correct size :( I am gonna take mine back to the London Camera Exchange and see what they can do about it :(

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That's very cool indeed! How do you get your hands on a Red Bulletin anyway? I've heard of it, but never touched a copy!

They actually sent me a few copies. I don't recall ever seeing it in the shops.

Totally unrelated to that - I went home to Wales this Xmas and found a really good condition Tokina 10-17 fisheye in my room that I'd totally forgotten about. The reason I'd stopped using it was that either the aperture blades are jammed or there's an issue with a connection somewhere. You can shoot photos with it, but only with the lens wide open. You can adjust the aperture on camera, but as soon as you press the shutter button it does some generic Canon error message shit. Has anyone had anything similar happen to them with a lens before, and if so how much is it to have something like that repaired?

I've repaired lenses myself before by taking them apart carefully with instrument screwdrivers. They're often not as complicated inside as you might think.

In other jessops related news, i was just about to put an order down a 70-200 f4 on interest free only to find out they had gone into administration.

I had no idea about that! Doesn't surprise me though. Apart from the fact that half the chumps I meet think that the photo they just took and 'processed' on their iPhone 4 is as good as any SLR photo, how is the high street supposed to compete these days? The mark-up on DSLRs is next to nothing.

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Bullitin shots look wicked! Don't they only send that round to industry people an offices etc? Not too sure on that one but that's the only places I've seen it, thought it was free.

I've repaired lenses myself before by taking them apart carefully with instrument screwdrivers. They're often not as complicated inside as you might think.

This. I snapped a 17-50 literally in half travelling, it was fully in 2 pieces. Some kid in Bolivia tried to snatch my camera, I span round and pushed him away and in the process my camera hit a bench lens first. Took it apart with a jewelers screwdriver some eternal crusty randomly had, realigned everything, superglued the snapped bit, reconnected all the electrical bits and put it back together. Been working perfectly (even the autofocus) for about 18 months since.

In Jessops news: It's about time they shut down. I'm all for paying a premium for high street shops and the knowledge/service/community that comes with it, but they need to actually have that knowledge and service. Hopefully all the decent independent shops that are suffering will see a bit of an influx.

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I agree that the staff I have dealt with in the new Nottingham branch were never that clued up but the quality of their prints in comparison to the cost and time they could turn them around in was a bonus.

I'm just gutted because I can't find anywhere else who does interest free credit on camera gear. Wex do buy know and pay 6 months later but if you miss the 6 month cut off period the interest is sky high.

I also feel for the staff and any customers who have out standing orders or gift vouchers which are now not worth the paper they are printed on.

Edited by Joe Aston
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My problem in Jessops mainly was the fact they employed school kids who knew less than I did about cameras. They were either keen to be helpful etc, but ended up being annoying, or were just dumb as f'ck. I'd go in to take something for a repair quote or a warranty repair, and it would take several of them to work out how to do it, and then none of them looked convinced... Or one store would do what another one said was impossible...

The people who lose out indeed are those with products in for repair, or outstanding orders etc. I think I posted on here a couple of years back when I bought a D7000, and between sending it back and getting a refund the company (an independent one) went bust! I phoned them up and they couldn't give me money or a camera because everything was locked-down by the administrators. I got the money back from my credit card company and was lucky, but plenty won't be in this instance...

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I've repaired lenses myself before by taking them apart carefully with instrument screwdrivers. They're often not as complicated inside as you might think.

My main problem is that I don't actually know what's broken, or how to check what's actually broken. I was just trying to work out whether it'd be more financially beneficial to sell it as a 'needs to be repaired' lens or f**k around actually fixing it to sell it as working (if I have to pay to buy any new bits for it, anyway).

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I saw that on Facebook, absolutely love it, especially the way you have the drain and the explorer silhouetted. The lighting is good too, spot on - I have to say it's probably the best photo of that junction I've seen, and I've seen a lot of them. My own attempts were binned! Also, refreshing to see one in black and white - red brickwork and head-torches has been done to death.

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Cheers amigo, I gotta hand it to Ottoir though for a shot he put up of the same junction a couple of weeks ago. Lighting refined like only a seasoned shit scuba could.

Originally I liked the colour but then realised I'd been focussing more on shape and form while setting up and taking it, so b&w just felt like the natural way to simplify the scene and draw attention back to my original aims. Job done :)

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There's a real art to decent drain photography. I only really got half-decent shots when I had good light sources, plenty of time and no more than one other person in there with me (it helped if it was someone who had an idea about lighting too). Worst time I tried to take pictures was on a drain photography expo in Melbourne last year. It just wasn't happening... 10 people in a pipe with few junctions all trying to get their photos. That said, if I finish any day with just one banger, I'm happy, and I'd be stoked if I'd ended up with something like what you have up there. I'm not one for offering out praise for stuff unless I think it's really worth it, and your really caught my eye.

Ha ha, yeah thanks, too bad ds doesn't like his face on show!!

Whilst I'm here, has anyone here filmed semi-seriously with a 550D? My D300s is 'ok', but I wonder if the 550D would be significantly better. I'm not going to change systems, I'd just buy one plus a 50mm to use for filming only.

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So having been VERY generously given a full refund of my broken Canon 17-85 by London Camera despite it being past the refund date, I am now looking for an alternative walk around lens for my crop-sensor 60D that I will use for landscapes, seascapes and general walkaround stuff.

I have been thinking of the Canon 17-40 f/4 L, and had considered it prior to getting the 17-85. I know that some of you may think that 'oh 17mm on a 1.6x body isn't wide enough blah blah blah' but in my opinion it certainly is, having experienced it with the 17-85. I am not bothered about it not being a super-wide angle on the crop body, as it will make stepping up to full-frame in the future more rewarding. I have looked at many many sample images and MTF charts, and read many reviews and this lens appears to be what I am looking for, and it should fit in well with my other lenses as I don't currently own anything wider than 50mm.

I wondered if any of you guys had used/own this lens, and if so, could you tell me how the sharpness compare to say the 50mm 1.8? I have heard that comparing different classes of lenses' MTF charts is not really a fair comparison so thats why I am asking for real world results. (I am not worried about the distortion, vignetting or Colour fringing of the 17-40, as these are correctable).

If any of you could give me some clues that would be amazing, as I want to be sure that this lens is what I expect it to be (Because I'll be buying online).

Thanks, Lewis.

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No expert on Canon gear, but you might like to look at 18-55mm range lenses that are f/2.8 throughout. Makes a lot of difference if it's handheld stuff you're doing.

I shoot on a crop and the widest I carry is 17mm. I have a wider lens but I have virtually no use for it anymore. That's not to say you won't, but I'm just making the point that not everybody is super-wide mad!

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No expert on Canon gear, but you might like to look at 18-55mm range lenses that are f/2.8 throughout. Makes a lot of difference if it's handheld stuff you're doing.

I shoot on a crop and the widest I carry is 17mm. I have a wider lens but I have virtually no use for it anymore. That's not to say you won't, but I'm just making the point that not everybody is super-wide mad!

Thanks very much for the reply :)

Canon do make a 17-55 2.8 IS, but it is only compatible with APS-C bodies (My next body will likely be a 5D) and it also costs about £150 more than the 17-40 L!

Third party options such as the Tamron 17-50 2.8 VC are also only for APS-C, and lack the build quality I am after, but are far cheaper :S

It does seem like the 17-40 is best for me, as I would be able to use it as a general purpose zoom on my 60D, and then as a super-wide angle also, when on a 5D.

The f/4 doesnt bother me really, as I will be shooting at f/8 95% of the time. Maybe it is a question that I shouldn't have asked, as the 17-40 seems to be the best choice for me, hands down :P

In terms of using the 550D for video, it is very very good value for money. The sensor is the exact same as the 60D and 7D, so you can guarantee excellent IQ. ISO is well usable even upto 1600.

I however, would choose the 600D over the 550D, for a couple of reasons. The 600D has the flippy screen which is great for self portrait videos, and the price is also the exact same as the 550D. The most handy feature though, which isnt on the 550D, 60D or 7D is the digital zoom, which'll give you a 3 to 10x zoom whilst still remaining in full 1080p. That could turn a 50mm 1.8 into a 150 to 500 f/1.8!

Have you checked out this site: https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CDUQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalrev.com%2Fproduct%2Fcanon-eos-600d-dslr-body%2FMTExMDU_A&ei=3uL3UN7mCuPX0QWGlIHIBg&usg=AFQjCNEL41az2D4xZ19rs_vzdVGXKXwfvw ?

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Thanks very much for the reply :)

Canon do make a 17-55 2.8 IS, but it is only compatible with APS-C bodies (My next body will likely be a 5D) and it also costs about £150 more than the 17-40 L!

Third party options such as the Tamron 17-50 2.8 VC are also only for APS-C, and lack the build quality I am after, but are far cheaper :S

It does seem like the 17-40 is best for me, as I would be able to use it as a general purpose zoom on my 60D, and then as a super-wide angle also, when on a 5D.

The f/4 doesnt bother me really, as I will be shooting at f/8 95% of the time. Maybe it is a question that I shouldn't have asked, as the 17-40 seems to be the best choice for me, hands down :P

Canon 20mm f/2.8 and Canon 35mm f/2, especially if you already have a 50mm.

Trust me, primes will change your life.

Edited by Mike Deere
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Canon 20mm f/2.8 and Canon 35mm f/2, especially if you already have a 50mm.

Trust me, primes will change your life.

Hmm, I don't really like either of the Canon primes you have listed there, but you have gotten me thinking of looking at the Samyang 24 f/1.4 and Samyang 35 f/1.4, both of which have ridiculously good IQ, and are about £50 and £150 cheaper than the 17-40. I need something that has a focal length of an equivalent of 28mm or wider though, so I think I am still gonna go for the 17-40 :) I am extremely happy with the sharpness of my 50 f/1.8 when stopped down to f/4, and judging by the MTF charts, the 17-40 is just as sharp, if not sharper at 17mm f/8, so if the real world results are what the charts suggest, I will be very very happy. :)

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Hmm, I don't really like either of the Canon primes you have listed there, but you have gotten me thinking of looking at the Samyang 24 f/1.4 and Samyang 35 f/1.4, both of which have ridiculously good IQ, and are about £50 and £150 cheaper than the 17-40. I need something that has a focal length of an equivalent of 28mm or wider though, so I think I am still gonna go for the 17-40 :) I am extremely happy with the sharpness of my 50 f/1.8 when stopped down to f/4, and judging by the MTF charts, the 17-40 is just as sharp, if not sharper at 17mm f/8, so if the real world results are what the charts suggest, I will be very very happy. :)

Buy the L Lens brother.

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