# Did you get/treat yourself to anything new during the holidays?



## Jaysheldon (Dec 31, 2018)

I treated myself to a used 7D MarkII. Camera store knocked off the price of used gear after Christmas Day, and, to my surprise, was even less than the website price, which was lower than the week before. (On the other hand they didn't give me much for my 60D). It was so unexpected I decided not to buy a used 200 F2.8L Good news is it has less than 10K on the shutter. Bad news is I'll be asking the forum lots of foolish questions on how to set it up.....
Was December good to you?


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## Don Haines (Dec 31, 2018)

The 7D2 is one tough camera That’s the one you reach for when it is raining, for ocean spray, for below freezing days, and just about any nasty occasion.

Going to it from a 60D, you will find that the AF system is a lot more complicated! You definitely want to get some practice in and to experiment with the settings. Also, if you shoot under fluorescent lights, check out the flicker detection...... it was introduced on the 7D2 and every camera afterwards has it, and for good reason!

Enjoy your new toy!


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## Ozarker (Dec 31, 2018)

I got nothing.  Just a bucket of coal and a bundle of switches. The switches could possibly be fun.


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## Maximilian (Dec 31, 2018)

Nope.

Right now my setup is fitting my needs just fine. And I am waiting how the R system advances.

Anything else is too expensive to justify. Midrange primes would be preferred.


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## Valvebounce (Dec 31, 2018)

Hi Jay. 
As Don says, a tough camera. 
Some of the very early units had a known issue, tilted sensor I think, and some will not have been fixed! 
If it is an early unit (check the serial no) check for sharp focus across the frame after AFMA with the camera locked down and a flat target well lit (not flash as you want to allow the focus to work). 
I’m sure there is plenty more info on this issue and what to look for, there was plenty here at the time, as well as lots of confusion on the web in general from people testing hand held on moving targets and joining the melee and creating miss information! 
After saying all that please don’t be disheartened. When they are good they are very good! 
Also there are not stupid questions, just questions you don’t know the answer to until the third time you ask the same question! 

Enjoy your new body, looking forwards to seeing some shots taken with it. 

Cheers, Graham. 
PS I got enough stuff I didn’t want to ensure that next time I provide a wish list with more on than just an EF 600 L (secondhand of course)..


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## Del Paso (Dec 31, 2018)

I got (gave myself!) a 70/200 F 4 IS II (wonderful lens) , and, since the telezoom felt lonely, a 16/35 F 4 as a companion.
Now, I'm broke, but happy!


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## YuengLinger (Dec 31, 2018)

I bought an aftermarket power pack for my 600ex-rt (version 1) from Adorama. It appears to be identical to B&H's Bolt brand (as well as one branded "Aodelan"), but at a much better price. Works great with Eneloops, recycling extremely fast. Only con is the orientation of the plug that goes into the Speedlite--it seems backwards because it makes the cord stick out forward, which is especially awkward on-camera with shorter lenses. The cord, I think, should be pointing back towards the body, not drooping over the front of short lenses. (I wonder if Canon's has this same issue? For the price difference, I can live with it!) It does come with a nice pouch that can hang very nicely on a light stand (or comfortably on a belt).

From what I understand, though, this won't recycle fast enough on the newer 600ex-rt II, limited to only one shot per two seconds! Apparently the newer Speedlite has something in the firmware that only allows it to recycle ultra-fast on the newest version of Canon's own power pack. (Reminds me of after-market camera batteries and AF issues with Sigma lenses. Hmmm.)

Here's the link to the Adorama branded model: https://www.adorama.com/gxppcb12ca.html


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## privatebydesign (Dec 31, 2018)

No nothing for me, but I am planning on getting a new MacBook Pro and iPad Pro early in the New Year, I am very interested in the video editing possible with the new iPad along with a few other features. GoPro and drone footage is being edited really well on the iPad so I'm looking forwards to that, also it will consolidate my move to almost 100% USB-C, only the 1DX MkII's will be lagging behind. Makes an R look more interesting, I wonder what they will put in the 1DX MkIII and how many pixels it will have? Hmm......

Oh, I did get a couple of SanDisk Extreme SSD's, darn they are fast and tiny, and at $330 on special on Amazon, nearly affordable


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## SecureGSM (Dec 31, 2018)

Sigma 85 F1.4 Art for me. I had a privilege of digging through a 10 copies to select the one that I like the most. Fair enough. I found the one. the copy is insanely sharp and offers a very nice rendition too.


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## privatebydesign (Dec 31, 2018)

SecureGSM said:


> Sigma 85 F1.4 Art for me. I had a privilege of digging through a 10 copies to select the one that I like the most. Fair enough. I found the one. the copy is insanely sharp and offers a very nice rendition too.


I pity the other nine purchasers....


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## SecureGSM (Dec 31, 2018)

privatebydesign said:


> I pity the other nine purchasers....



yup, that was exactly my thought. copy to copy variation is quite substantial with this Sigma lens. not that all of them were horrible just not as exciting.

the softest was barely scratching 1500 mark and my lens touched 1980 at infinity. I am still in disbelief that this even possible. Reikan database indicates 1660 being the top shelf result for the lens. 1980 is a massively better result.

http://focalbench.com/Sigma 85mm f_1.4 EX DG HSM_fa.html


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## Del Paso (Dec 31, 2018)

Maximilian said:


> Nope.
> 
> Right now my setup is fitting my needs just fine. And I am waiting how the R system advances.
> 
> Anything else is too expensive to justify. Midrange primes would be preferred.


You could sell your Porsche GT3 ... and buy lots of glass.


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## AlanF (Dec 31, 2018)

I treated myself to a Lumos cycle helmet with lights front and back to increase my chances of arriving home to log into CR


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## privatebydesign (Dec 31, 2018)

AlanF said:


> I treated myself to a Lumos cycle helmet with lights front and back to increase my chances of arriving home to log into CR


Good job Alan, I did get Focal Pro in the B&H sale, aren't we the big spenders?


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## AlanF (Dec 31, 2018)

Make the most of FoCal before buying an R! It's one of my favourite programs. They should bring out a version for just testing lens quality after we all go mirrorless.


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## beforeEos Camaras (Dec 31, 2018)

just on nd 10 stop filter not the lee system. just to get my feet wet before I get true gas.


joe


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## YuengLinger (Dec 31, 2018)

privatebydesign said:


> I pity the other nine purchasers....


I'm trying to teach my four-year old not toss the rest after just eating the skin off honey-garlic wings.

I know Canon has variation too, but this much? And now will the Sigma AF reliably? Might be technically sharper, but only when it hits. And then Canon has a bonus called, "Image Stabilization."


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## Rockskipper (Dec 31, 2018)

I ordered myself a copy of the new book by photographer Paul Souders: *Arctic Solitaire: A Boat, a Bay, and the Quest for the Perfect Bear*





https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1680511041/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It came highly recommended by the Alaska Daily News. Hasn't yet arrived.

This book had its origins in the journals and notes I kept during four solo boat trips to Canada’s Hudson Bay, in the summers between 2012 and 2015. I went north to photograph polar bears, and at each day’s end, I scribbled down, in long hand, my experiences as a photographer and accident-prone boater. It is, at its heart, a personal recounting of my impressions and memories from travels during which I was often tired and afraid and very much alone.
These northern journeys began as a sort of lark: could I step out my front door and travel overland to the shores of a cold and mysterious sea, then head off by boat to see wild animals and have some adventures? I never thought to ask whether any of this was possible, advisable, or even strictly legal.
Anyone reading these words with a working knowledge of seamanship or boat mechanics will laugh or wince, as I do now, at my ineptitude. Think of this not as a how-to manual so much as a cautionary tale.
--Paul Souders.


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## Don Haines (Dec 31, 2018)

Rockskipper said:


> I ordered myself a copy of the new book by photographer Paul Souders: *Arctic Solitaire: A Boat, a Bay, and the Quest for the Perfect Bear*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Sounds like an interesting read.... 

I used to work up north and have been tracked by them several times. The guy I was working with hit one in the head when he opened a door (quite exciting, and the door was very strong). We even had one chase us when we were in a motorboat and it could swim almost as fast as the boat...

They are fascinating creatures. They look so cute and they consider us as food..... not a good combination for photography! I am sure that his stories are great. Let me know how you liked the book, I might get a copy myself.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Dec 31, 2018)

No, But I gave my SL2 + kit lens to my grand daughter and sold 3 seldom used lenses. I may buy a RF 24-105 once prices drop, I may sell my 5D MK IV too, it gets little use now.


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## Rockskipper (Dec 31, 2018)

Interesting, as I also gave my almost new SL2 w/ kit lens to my niece, who loves it.


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## bhf3737 (Dec 31, 2018)

I traded my 35mm f/2 IS with a Sigma 20mm f/1.4. My first 3rd party lens. It has quick and consistent AF on EOS-R so far.  Will test it for long night shots later on.


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## Bennymiata (Dec 31, 2018)

I got myself a DJI Osmo pocket.
Great fun and amazingly good video quality.


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## jd7 (Dec 31, 2018)

Picked up a 40/2.8 pancake lens in the sales. I've owned one before but sold it after I got a 35/2 IS. My kit seems to have grown in size and weight over the last couple of years though (switched 35/2 IS for Sigma 35 Art, 85/1.8 for Sigma 85/1.4 EX, etc) so I decided having one small, light lens for casual use would be good.

Thought about an EOS R (mainly because of what I've been reading about AF accuracy with wide apertures) and about a 16-35/4L IS, but decided to stick with DSLR (and in particular OVF) for now, and that I really don't need an UWA. Maybe one day.


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## Valvebounce (Jan 1, 2019)

Hi YuengLinger. 
I have the YongNuo copy of the Canon CP-E2 and the lead goes the same way as yours, images of the newest offering from Canon has the cord oriented the same way! The 550ex that I have has the socket orientated to point the cable forwards too, it seems to be an ill thought out ‘feature’ unless it is so the cable isn’t in the way when you hold the camera up and look through the viewfinder? 

Happy new year, Graham. 



YuengLinger said:


> I bought an aftermarket power pack for my 600ex-rt (version 1) from Adorama. It appears to be identical to B&H's Bolt brand (as well as one branded Aodelan), but at a much better price. Works great with Eneloops, recycling extremely fast. Only con is the orientation of the plug that goes into the Speedlite--it seems backwards because it makes the cord stick out forward, which is especially awkward on-camera with shorter lenses. The cord, I think, should be pointing back towards the body, not drooping over the front of short lenses. (I wonder if Canon's has this same issue? For the price difference, I can live with it!) It does come with a nice pouch that can hang very nicely on a light stand (or comfortably on a belt).
> 
> From what I understand, though, this won't recycle fast enough on the newer 600ex-rt II, limited to only one shot per two seconds! Apparently the newer Speedlite has something in the firmware that only allows it to recycle ultra-fast on the newest version of Canon's own power pack. (Reminds me of after-market camera batteries and AF issues with Sigma lenses. Hmmm.)
> 
> Here's the link to the Adorama branded model: https://www.adorama.com/gxppcb12ca.html


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## privatebydesign (Jan 1, 2019)

Rockskipper said:


> I ordered myself a copy of the new book by photographer Paul Souders: *Arctic Solitaire: A Boat, a Bay, and the Quest for the Perfect Bear*
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Looks very good. If anybody has an Amazon credit to spend then I can't recommend 50 Portraits by Gregory Heisler highly enough, absolutely awesome book by one of the worlds greatest portrait shooters.
https://www.amazon.com/Gregory-Heis...=2025&creative=165953&creativeASIN=0823085651


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## ethanz (Jan 1, 2019)

privatebydesign said:


> then I can't recommend 50 Portraits by Gregory Heisler,



Can't or can?


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## Jaysheldon (Jan 1, 2019)

Valvebounce said:


> Hi Jay.
> As Don says, a tough camera.
> Some of the very early units had a known issue, tilted sensor I think, and some will not have been fixed!
> If it is an early unit (check the serial no) check for sharp focus across the frame after AFMA with the camera locked down and a flat target well lit (not flash as you want to allow the focus to work).
> ...



------------ -------
What are the early numbers?


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## privatebydesign (Jan 1, 2019)

ethanz said:


> Can't or can?


Sorry typed in a rush!

I can't recommend it highly enough, absolutely awesome book for photographers.


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## Valvebounce (Jan 1, 2019)

Hi Jay. 
I don’t know the numbers, I do remember all the fuss over this issue and at one point thought maybe I had one of the faulty units, eventually concluded it was my inconsistent Sigma lens!  I get results which I consider me to be the limiting factor with L glass! 
I would just do some test shots, make sure you set up perpendicular to a target and check that all four corners are equally sharp, from memory the faulty units showed significant differences across the frame. 

I just tried searching for info here, didn’t get anything from the search, perhaps someone else can point you in the right direction? 
I have checked google too, didn’t find anything in a few minutes looking, I’m sure there were people here who had to have cameras repaired due to this issue? I guess it may have been a “non issue”? 

Cheers, Graham. 



Jaysheldon said:


> ------------ -------
> What are the early numbers?


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## Maximilian (Jan 1, 2019)

Del Paso said:


> You could sell your Porsche GT3 ... and buy lots of glass.


*lol* If I only had a GT3... not even a 1:8 scale one like that:


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## Don Haines (Jan 1, 2019)

Valvebounce said:


> Hi Jay.
> I don’t know the numbers, I do remember all the fuss over this issue and at one point thought maybe I had one of the faulty units, eventually concluded it was my inconsistent Sigma lens!  I get results which I consider me to be the limiting factor with L glass!
> I would just do some test shots, make sure you set up perpendicular to a target and check that all four corners are equally sharp, from memory the faulty units showed significant differences across the frame.
> 
> ...


Focus on a flat target that is parallel to the camera. Use a point in a corner to AF the image, and check to see if the diagonally opposite corner is in focus. Repeat for the other 3 corners. This will tell you if your sensor and AF unit are mounted properly.


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## Valvebounce (Jan 1, 2019)

Hi Don. 
Can you confirm if this was a real issue and not fake news at the time? 

Cheers, Graham. 



Don Haines said:


> Focus on a flat target that is parallel to the camera. Use a point in a corner to AF the image, and check to see if the diagonally opposite corner is in focus. Repeat for the other 3 corners. This will tell you if your sensor and AF unit are mounted properly.


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## Don Haines (Jan 1, 2019)

Valvebounce said:


> Hi Don.
> Can you confirm if this was a real issue and not fake news at the time?
> 
> Cheers, Graham.


I have a friend who got in a 7D2 and it would not focus properly. If you centred on the object, the corners were out of focus. We thought it was because the sensor was not properly seated, he sent it back, and the replacement worked like a charm. Also, Focal ranked lenses as sharper on my camera than the same lens measured on his.


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## Valvebounce (Jan 1, 2019)

Hi Don. 
I wondered if you (or anyone else) could recall this from the time? I’m starting to regret mentioning this, I had no intention of creating unfounded doubt in the camera for Jay. 

Cheers, Graham.


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## Jaysheldon (Jan 5, 2019)

Valvebounce said:


> Hi Jay.
> As Don says, a tough camera.
> Some of the very early units had a known issue, tilted sensor I think, and some will not have been fixed!
> If it is an early unit (check the serial no) check for sharp focus across the frame after AFMA with the camera locked down and a flat target well lit (not flash as you want to allow the focus to work).
> ...



-------------- --------
Here's one of my early efforts at a women's hockey game. The cropping isn't anything to rave about, but the players behind the net and across the frame are all sharp. JPG conversion from RAW in DPP, no fixes in DPP, no crop. ISO 6400, 1/640 sec F5. AI Servo, Five points selected. The main point on the right bent knee of #19. The blue line to the right is a post. Lens Canon 70-200 F4 IS.


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## Valvebounce (Jan 5, 2019)

Hi Jay. 
Looks good to me, should serve you well. 

Cheers, Graham. 



Jaysheldon said:


> -------------- --------
> Here's one of my early efforts at a women's hockey game. The cropping isn't anything to rave about, but the players behind the net and across the frame are all sharp. JPG conversion from RAW in DPP, no fixes in DPP, no crop. ISO 6400, 1/640 sec F5. AI Servo, Five points selected. The main point on the right bent knee of #19. The blue line to the right is a post. Lens Canon 70-200 F4 IS.


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