Firstly, sit down the suggested retail price will be a $12,399 CDN, but for avid wildlife photographers this lens is a must.  Firstly announced in February 2011 I’m sure my local dealer can attest to my constant question “Have you heard anything yet?”.  After over 2 years I’m excited to finally get my hands on this lens.

For me personally I sold a second Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 and my Canon 500mm f/4 in anticipation of this lens.  Here is how I’ll do my wildlife shoots.  One body will be dedicated to my Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 along with my soon to arrive 200-400mm f/4 1.4x.  This combination will give me an effective range from 70mm all the way to 560mm with the 1.4 built in teleconverter engaged.  Yes I said 1.4 teleconverter engaged not installed.  This single feature is what makes this lens so versatile.  Imagine shooting wildlife moving towards you.  You can be extended out at 560mm at an effective f/5.6 and slowly bring that zoom range into 200mm at f/4; then swap over to the 70-200mm f/2.8.  SWEET!

I know of several wildlife photographers who have switched from Canon to Nikon for their 200-400mm f/4 lens alone.  Now it seems Canon has upped the anti on this versatile wildlife lens.

This lens will not come with a hard case but one available from Canon at a staggering $600+ price tag to it (so I’ve come to understand).  For me personally I can find another hard case and install bubble wrap inside if I really feel I need the hard case.

I’ll have a personal review of this lens once I get my hands on it!

]]> http://ruleofthirdsphotography.com/at-long-last-the-canon-200-400mm-f4-1-4x-has-been-released/feed/ 0 http://ruleofthirdsphotography.com/at-long-last-the-canon-200-400mm-f4-1-4x-has-been-released/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/RuleOfThirdsPhotography/~3/LBb3RtKldXY/ http://ruleofthirdsphotography.com/understanding-camera-formats-and-lens-equivalents/#comments Mon, 11 Mar 2013 05:39:16 +0000 Kelly Bolin http://ruleofthirdsphotography.com/?p=2675

I’m often asked why a certain lens has a different field of view on a Canon 60D (or similar) vs. a Canon 1Dx (or similar).  It comes down to the size of the sensor inside the camera.  The physical size of the sensor has an impact on your photography and understanding this is beneficial to understanding why some types of photography just simply aren’t possible depending on the camera you choose.

Read Jordon Steeles article “Full Frame Equivalence” and Why It Doesn’t Matter for a detailed and very well written explanation.  Job well done Jordon… thanks for the time and effort to share this.

iPad mini used to capture turbo-prop.

On a recent flight while in Southeast Asia we boarded a regional commuter flight and I was fortunate enough to sit close to the turbo-prop of this aircraft.  I decided to pull out my iPad mini and shoot some stills and video.  I knew the camera in the iPad is not like your normal camera that captures an image instantaneously but rather behaves like a tabletop scanner or photocopier.  So imagine when your camera is scanning the scene from top to bottom (which it does very fast) but the image itself is also moving very fast.  You get some very cool results.

If you read my last post with My relationship with the Olympus OM-D E-M5 you know I have some annoyances with this camera.  I thought I would provide a further update.

I’m using the E-M5 for a lot of day trips while here in Southeast Asia.  The portability, weight and quality of the images are all considerations when compared to my Canon gear.  With the busy streets in many locations the E-M5 is a great camera to take out onto the streets and not draw as much attention to myself.  Trust me I can draw attention fast when I’m using my BlackRapid Doublestrap with two Canon 1D series bodies and two pro quality lenses (24-70mm f/2.8 & 70-200mm f/2.8); it looks like I’m ready to go to war.  On this trip the ratio of E-M5 images taken is increasing but not near what I’m shooting with the Canon gear.

I only have two batteries for the E-M5 (one in the body and a second in the battery grip) so I have found a reasonable workflow that extends the battery life.  Simply… I shut it off.  :-(  However the camera fires up very quickly so when I grab for it from my waist hanging on my BlackRapid strap, turn it on, it is ready for shooting by the time it gets to my eye.  This simple action has allowed me to use the camera for a solid two days without recharging.  NICE!  I should note that battery availability is better now, at the time I bought they were in short supply.

Another thing I found is that when I have the camera hanging from my shoulder when not in use the battery life is constantly draining.  This is because the E-M5 uses an electronic view finder and it requires power to activate it.  The camera has an EVF sensor that senses when you bring the camera to your eye and turns on the EVF, HOWEVER it also senses when it is hanging next to your body (either around your neck or as in my case next to my hip) thus powering up the EVF even when not required.

While we are on the topic of the EVF sensor, it is absolutely annoying when you are attempting to use the rear LCD panel.  With the E-M5 you can actually set focus point and take pictures while simply pressing on the rear LCD screen.  Very cool feature!  However, if you tilt the screen upwards and use your finger to press on the LCD screen the EVF sensor kicks in as a result of your finger moving in front of the sensor and turns off the rear LCD panel you are just using.  UGHHH very annoying.  A simple firmware fix could resolve this.  If I’m using the rear panel I’m likely not using the EVF, so turn the sensor off.

The other annoyances I’ve had with dials getting moved or the battery door opening inadvertently have been solved by using Gaffer tape.  I’ll write an article on this useful tool shortly.

New Lens from Olympus

Olympus just announced a new  M.ZUIKO DIGITAL ED 75-300mm F4.8-6.7 II lens.  Given I do a lot of wildlife & nature photography this lens could be a great addition to a backpackers kit.  Think of it you have a 150 – 600mm in 35mm dSLR equivalent terms in a small package while you are in the backcountry for a nice hike.  SWEET!

Summary

While I still have many frustrating moments with the E-M5 it’s still a camera that I won’t let go of anytime soon.  The portability, weight, image quality and video quality are all attributes that offset the annoyances I have to put up with.  Will it replace my Canon gear, NO NOT A CHANCE!  But it’s refreshing not to have to lug around the heavy Canon gear at times and not compromise a quality product.

My Love / Hate relationship with the Olympus OM-D E-M5

Let me start off by saying, I’m a Canon shooter and have been for years. My Canon gear is comprised of pro quality 1DS Mark III, 1D Mark IV and L quality lenses. Photography to me is always about compromise. Do you take big heavy bulky gear that has a reputation for quality and performance vs. small, light and portable? Do you go with a tripod, monopod, or handheld? One lens and try to capture everything you see with it, or multiple lenses with the additional weight for greater versatility.

Then came along the Olympus OM-D E-M5 (an alphabet soup in camera naming). Really? How many people today remember the “OM” series of Olympus bodies (I know there are some but a large majority of the population won’t) ? Then “D” for Digital? When is the last time a major mainstream camera manufacturer has produced a non-digital body in the past few years? So, why not just call it E-M5?

When my friends at my local camera dealer started telling me about this camera I became intrigued. I went home and started researching this camera and quickly decided to place my order. What is this camera:

• 16MP Micro Four Thirds image sensor (MFT)
• New ’5-axis’ image stabilization (built into the body)
• Shoot up to ISO 25,600
• Weather sealed body
• Programmable Twin control dials
• 9 FPS shooting capability
• 800 x 600 pixel LCD electronic viewfinder
• VGA equivalent 3″ OLED touchscreen display that allows you to tilt upwards by 80 degrees or downwards by 50 degrees.
• Flash sync speed up to 1/250th second

I should note in the picture above the Canon has the new 24-70mm f/2.8 lens whereas the Olympus has the 12-35mm f/2.8 lens.  Allowing for the smaller sensor in the MFT and you have effectively the same field of view between the two setups.

I’m currently on a 3.5 month Southeast Asia trip where I decided to bring along the M5.  And after some exhaustive shooting experiences with it here is what I think of this camera. Please note these are my personal observations based on my shooting style and experience.

Pros:

• Build quality is superb. When you hold this camera in your hands you can feel the quality. It is not a lightweight cheap plasticy feel of a camera but rather one that has some heft to it, feels solid, and a real feel of quality in your hands.
• Selection and Quality of lenses is excellent. As the M5 is a Micro Four Thirds mount there are lots of lenses available from Olympus and Panasonic.
• Portability and discretion. Without a doubt I can shoot with this camera in public with little or no issues. People don’t think of this camera as a high end quality camera and dismiss me as another tourist with a point and shoot. In addition, the small size and lightweight gear allow me to carry more in a small pouch.
• Built in image stabilization allow for the lenses to be built smaller.
• Video quality is outstanding.
• Live histogram both on the rear display and through the electronic viewfinder. Very nice!
• With the purchase of a lens adapter I can use my Canon lenses on the M5. This effectively doubles the focal length of the lens while mounted on the M5. Note, you do not get any in lens Image Stabilization or aperture control other than wide open.
• Lower overall cost.
• Some functionality not available in a DSLR camera.

Cons:

• Doesn’t seem to matter what I do I’m constant bumping the dials and changing the settings on the camera inadvertently. This could be from AV (my shooting preference 95% of the time) to another mode. Switching AV settings from my default f/2.8 (or lowest setting) or exposure compensation from 2/3 stop over to some other setting completely and unexpectedly. It’s very unusual for my Canon gear to have settings get changed inadvertently.  I do believe part of this is due to how the camera is carried.  I use a BlackRapid camera strap (www.blackrapid.com) and the Canon gear carries differently on my side than the Olympus does.
• The rubber eye piece is constantly coming off. I’ve lost two of these eye pieces in 6 months and a third came off and was sitting on the chair which I was able to recover.
• While the additional grip and battery accessories are a welcome addition, I find I have to constantly check the tension to ensure they are not coming loose. Unlike the Canon grips that come in one piece, the Olympus comes in two (one for the additional grip and a second for the battery (why not just one?).
• For some reason I’ve had the battery door on the grip come open on me on 3 separate occasions.  Perhaps how the camera hangs from my BlackRapid strap on my right side with the battery door likely rubbing against my body.
• Surprisingly if you use the stock lens and flash that come as a kit you’ll find at short focal lengths the the flash is not elevated enough to clear the lens (forget the lens hood) and leave you with a dark curved shadow on the bottom of your pictures. Really? A stock setup with flash that you can’t use at short focal lengths? Thanks Olympus.
• Battery life pretty much sucks. I’m often out where I’m shooting in all day situations and sometimes unable to recharge at night. In these situations I can pretty much count out using the M5 the next day. Sometimes it’s dead before I finish the day. Bad!
• I purchased the FL-300R Flash at the time due to a rebate being offered that gave me the flash for free.  This flash is frustrating to get turned on.  Push the power button, light flashes briefly and does nothing, wait, try again but hold the power button in longer, same thing.  Maybe the batteries?  Replace, try again.  Nope!  Then it decides to work.  Ughhh!   I like that it folds down and is out of the way, yet when I want it I can flip it up, turn it on (when I can) and go at it.  You get what you pay for I guess.
• Low-light shooting performance is sub-par.
• Fast action shooting with moving subjects and you’ll suffer in locking in Auto Focus.  This is not a wildlife or sports shooting camera.
• Manufacturer support (nothing available like CPS or NPS).
• This one is a nit… but worth mentioning.  The Canon 24-70 lens has a zoom that goes 24-70 whereas the Olympus goes from 70-24 (effective range).  So grabbing one setup and working with it for a day, the switching to the other sometimes is frustrating as you have to turn the zoom barrel the opposite direction than the previous day.  In all honestly, I prefer how the Olympus works, but old Canon habits are hard to die.

In summary:
For me the jury is out on my use of the MFT format. I love the small and lightweight and high quality capability and certainly not disappointed with my purchase. However if I want a camera that I have HIGH confidence when out shooting I will always sacrifice the additional weight and bulkiness of my Canon gear for the confidence in knowing each and every time I grab for my camera I know exactly what to expect of it and the rapid ability to make changes on the fly.

Regardless of what one might think of the portability and image quality of the M5, none of that matters if you miss shots because the camera settings are different than what you anticipate (I won’t comment on the number of missed shots), or that the battery has suddenly gone dead.

Having said all that, I’m keeping the E-M5 and will likely expand my kit, perhaps purchase a second as a backup body and definitely purchase more batteries.  The more I shoot with the E-M5 the more confident I become with it yet I will admit I miss far more shots out on the street with it than I ever do with the Canon; however the ability to be more discreet with the E-M5 allows me to get different shots.  Oh, and lets not forget the big one, $$$$.  Start with an M5 and a variety of lenses and one bag, smaller tripod, etc. and you can put your savings in the bank compared to a full DSLR setup.

It’s all a compromise!

We have all seen them, sometimes we are them, the individual out shooting during the middle of the day with harsh light taking pictures of scenery or landscapes with less than interesting composition, foreground, or background.  If you want some sharp looking, vibrant, contrasty looking pictures consider when, where, and how you shoot.

Let’s take for example a recent trip I made to Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming.  These next two images are taken two hours apart however there are some distinct differences that make one a photograph that one might consider hanging on the wall, the other a snapshot of a memory of a vacation while traveling through.

This first photo was taken at 7am in Grand Teton National Park on Mormon Row.  This barn is perhaps the most photographed barn in North America given it’s distinct location in the National Park with the Teton mountains in the background.  I had scouted around the area the day before and found the barn and checked out the angle of light that would hit the barn in the early morning.  This allowed me to best time when and where I needed to be for an early morning sunrise shot.  Preparation is key to images of this sort.  Knowing that sunrise was a 6am and that I was looking for the light to hit the mountains and barn I knew I didn’t have to be at the location before sunrise but rather allow myself travel & setup time I knew if I was at the location around 6:30am I would be in fine shape.

This next photo was taken two hours later at the Teton mountain viewpoint.  Like many typical tourist viewpoints you will see the photo lacks a primary subject of focus (other than the mountains themselves).

Let’s take another example of two shots taken at Delicate Arch in Arches National Park in Utah.  This first shot was taken at 5:37pm.

This next shot was taken a mere 6 minutes later.  As you can see from the sky we had overcast conditions all day long making photography look flat like that above.  However, there was a gap in the horizon that I saw that would provide a brief period of time for the sun to come shining through and in fact reflect off the clouds in the horizon and light the entire valley with light.  This brief period lasted only 2.5 minutes long.

So what are the key items that make the first photos a much more compelling image worthy of printing and hanging on your wall.

• Time of day – the “golden hours” of shooting occur in the early morning and late evening just during sunrise/sunset.  The light is the softest and as you can see from the first image more “golden”.  The second image although taken only two hours later is starting to take on a flat look.
• Subject interest – while both photos contain the same mountain range taken from two different locations, the first photo contains the barn as an additional subject of interest.  The second only has the rather flat looking mountains.
• Contrast – Because the first image was shot earlier in the day the light is coming from the side rather than from above thereby providing more contrast on the mountains and barn.
• Knowledge – Understand light and the impact it makes on photography.
• Surroundings – When I shot the pictures at Delicate Arch there were about 8 or 10 photographers at the location when I arrived.  I looked to the sky to the sky to see what possible light might present itself.  Noticing a possibility of  the sun hitting the gap in the horizon I decided to wait it out (less than an hour).  By the time the light hit there was only myself and one other photographer there.

I often get asked what camera bag(s) I use and what I carry with me.  Like most photographers I’ve owned as many bags as many women do shoes, but I’ve narrowed it down to these 4 bags.  How do I use these bags?

Gura Gear – Kiboko 30L – This is my primary bag on long overseas destinations when I’m carrying any of my big glass.  When I’m not traveling I serves as my additional storage bag for gear that I’m not using at that time.  Here is what I typically carry in my bag when doing wildlife shoots:

• Canon 1DS Mark III body
• Canon 1D Mark IV body
• Canon 5D Infrared converted body
• 16-35mm f/2.8 L lens
• 24-70mm f/2.8 L lens
• 70-200 f/2.8 L lens or 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 L lens
• 500mm f/4 L lens
• 2 spare batteries for 1D bodies
• 1 spare battery for 5D
• 580x II flash
• Better beamer flash extender
• 1.4x teleconverter / 2.0x teleconverter
• Misc cleaning supplies
• Polarizer filter

Gura Gear – Kiboko 22L+ – This is often my day trip or backpacking bag.  I’ll carry my most used lenses and cameras in this bag along with a flash and occasionally some food and an additional water bottle (water proof of course).  Some of the gear I use in the 30L bag gets transferred to this bag.  When my gear is not in use (not often) all my gear gets stored between these two bags.

• Canon 1DS Mark III body
• 16-35mm f/2.8 L lens
• 24-70mm f/2.85 L lens
• 70-200mm f/2.8 L lens
• 2 spare batteries for 1D bodies
• 580x II flash
• 1.4 teleconverter
• 24mm TS f/2.8 L
• Misc cleaning supplies
• Polarizer filter

Gura Gear – Chobe 19-24L – This is mostly used as my travel accessory bag.  Items I carry in this bag include:

• Additional Flash
• 2 Head lamps (one for me and an extra)
• 2 Cans bear spray
• Air horn
• Grarmin eTrex GPS
• SPOT Satellite GPS Messenger (for emergency and notification use) www.findmespot.com
• Gerber – Bear Grylls Ultimate Survival series fixed blade knife
• Gerber – Bear Grylls Compact Survival series foldable knife
• Leatherman Wave – 17 tool knife
• Bear bangers & launchers

Summary

Let me tell you why I love the Gura Gear bags (www.guragear.com).  These bags are not only functional but they are strong and extremely lightweight (made of sailcloth, the same material used in sails on boats).  Unlike many backpack bags that can weigh in at 8 to 10 pounds EMPTY, the Gura Gear 30L comes in less than 4 pounds (without dividers) on the 30L.  This additional 4 to 6 pounds difference can quickly add up when you are schlepping gear through airports and most importantly asked at the check in counter at the airport to have them weigh your bag.  Provided with two handles or a self-concealed backpack harness the 30L and 22L+ can be carried in a variety of choices.  One of my favorite features is the “butterfly” opening of the bags themselves.  While many backpacks have a full zippered top than flops open the butterfly bag allows you to open only the side that you need access to (of course you do need to remember which side you put what).  While on the surface some might think there are isn’t enough padding for your gear, I for one don’t have a problem with the thin lightweight bag as I am particularly careful with my gear and never let anyone handle my bag (ever).  But most importantly, Gura Gear bags are International and US carry-on compliant, something to consider when checking in at your international travel destination airline carrier (just don’t let them weigh your bag… hahahaha).

In addition, Gura Gear is creative in solving the weight issue of camera gear when traveling through airports.  Unlike many bag makers that have “rolling bag solutions”, Gura Gear has decided to allow you to simply buy a simple bag rolling frame and you can optionally buy straps that attach your bag (http://www.guragear.com/kiboko-accessory-straps/).

Do you have a lens you shoot with often?  or almost exclusively?  Do you have a “Standard Zoom” lens attached to your camera body as your default?  It’s not a surprise many choose a “Standard Zoom”, those in the 18mm to 135mm range.  Those lenses that give you a reasonable wide angle and zoom range.  Not extremely wide angle nor telephoto.  This lens is typically one of the first lenses that people buy as it covers a pretty range of zoom area.  These lenses typically have a minimum aperture as high as f/2.8 to as low as f/4.

Admittedly most do, including myself.  However I challenge you!

The Challenge

Take a stock of your lens inventory and choose “A lens of the month”.  Perhaps this is time to buy a new lens.  Grab a lens and do a majority of your shooting with that lens exclusively.  Perhaps you have a 50mm f/1.2 with a wild shallow depth of field, or a 500mm f/4 zoom lens.  What ever you have grab choose a lens and challenge yourself to use it exclusively or in situations you normally wouldn’t.

For example, shooting a 50mm f/1.2 will give you the opportunity to shoot in low light situations you might not normally be used to, or give you  a shallow depth of field.  Grab your 500mm f/4 lens for landscape photography and zoom into patterns you find in the landscape instead of the broad landscape.

Perhaps you’re in a public setting shooting people you don’t know and grab your long zoom lens, perhaps a 70-200mm lens so you can keep a distance .  Instead grab your 16-35mm wide angle lens and get in close to the action.

Whatever you choose, push yourself creatively and learn what each lens can do for you.  You’ll be surprised what you learn about your creative and technical potential.

Go ahead… push yourself!

Lucky for me, I was able to goto Europe a few years ago and see a few castles scattered amongst the countryside… some not in the best of conditions, but still they were very thought provoking! Anyways, enjoy the list! Hopefully you guys are as thrilled at the inspiration today as I was!

Alix Hermeda

Floato

Wim D

Richard

Mark Leader

Rob Outram

Rich2012

Richard

Maikel

Uschi

GOLDFOCUS

Clairfontaine1212

Mr Vistas

Mr Vistas

Band68Uk

MBell1975

Alison Stamp

Manuel