27 thoughts on “I'll take your questions!

  1. Good question.

    Well: you need a lens. So if all you can afford is the stock lens, go for it. But if you can afford more and better, I would recommend:

    – 50mm f/1.8 lens (works like a good portrait lens, and fast)
    – Wide angle lens
    – Fast lenses (“Low f-numbers”)

    I do not have any kit lenses – they’re al “good” lenses. That said, when I was starting out, I only had kit lenses, and they did fine. So, no need to splurge.

    But please, at least get the 50mm f/1.8. That lens is about $150 for Nikon and Canon. Worth every penny and then some.

  2. I have a three year old Canon EOS-30D with a mediocre collection of Canon lenses, e.g. the 75-300mm f4-5.6 (non-IS).

    I could buy a new EOS-7D body and stick with the same lenses OR a high quality L series lens telephoto zoom like the EF 100-400mm for approximately the same money and use it on my 30D.

    What do you think would be the best investment?

  3. Only you can answer that but i’d ask ” what will make your photos better”? Personally I’d rather have a great lens and an ok body than the other way around. If you had a 20D I’d say replace it. 40 D definitely keep. So 30d: your choice will be a good one either way. One thing j will say also: faster lenses will pay off every tome.

  4. Thanks!

    My view is that camera bodies update every year or less but a good lens will last for years and many generations of camera body.

    I’m happy with the quality and features of the 30D but don’t get the results I’d like from the cheap telephoto zoom. I have this great view from my apartment but I cannot do it justice with that lens.

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  9. A while back you said “one major reason I bought a 7D: I can now, just like the Nikon users, drive my external flashes from the popup.”
    But your studio setup (today’s post) includes strobes (non Canon) plus two pocketwizards which are not cheap.
    Is this still your recommendation? Or would you now revise this to include Canon flashes driven by the popup flash and do away with the pocketwizards and strobes?
    BTW, FlashZebra sells cheap (but good quality) 30ft extender cords that allow you to place your flash some distance from the camera and yet retain full ETTL functionality. That works perfectly for me, with a 50D, 580EX and 430EX flash.
    What’s the advantage of using strobes and pocketwizards? Is it just more power and no cables? Or am I missing something fundamental?
    Your willingness to share your knowledge is much appreciated. Thanks.

  10. Hello Sir, first of all thank you for your time.
    My question: I’ll be purchasing sometimes in the future a couple Alien Bees studio lights. Since I own a 580x II Speedlite already and would like to take it off the camera, I would like to know if there are any advantages (beside the operating range) of getting Pocketwizards instead of PC Buff’s Cybersyncs for triggering the Speedlite, considering my future purchase of AB. Thanks again…

  11. Hello Sir, first of all thank you for your time.
    My question: I’ll be purchasing sometimes in the future a couple Alien Bees studio lights. Since I own a 580x II Speedlite already and would like to take it off the camera, I would like to know if there are any advantages (beside the operating range) of getting Pocketwizards instead of PC Buff’s Cybersyncs for triggering the Speedlite, considering my future purchase of AB. Thanks again…

  12. Hello Sir, first of all thank you for your time.
    My question: I’ll be purchasing sometimes in the future a couple Alien Bees studio lights. Since I own a 580x II Speedlite already and would like to take it off the camera, I would like to know if there are any advantages (beside the operating range) of getting Pocketwizards instead of PC Buff’s Cybersyncs for triggering the Speedlite, considering my future purchase of AB. Thanks again…

  13. Hello Sir, first of all thank you for your time.
    My question: I’ll be purchasing sometimes in the future a couple Alien Bees studio lights. Since I own a 580x II Speedlite already and would like to take it off the camera, I would like to know if there are any advantages (beside the operating range) of getting Pocketwizards instead of PC Buff’s Cybersyncs for triggering the Speedlite, considering my future purchase of AB. Thanks again…

  14. I owe answers to three questions above. But since I just got home from shooting a party (big party), and it is 3AM, and I need to work again tomorrow, I’ll respond later tomorrow, after work!

    Great questions by the way!

    Michael

  15. Starting with the following:

    “I’ll be purchasing sometimes in the future a couple Alien Bees studio lights. Since I own a 580x II Speedlite already and would like to take it off the camera, I would like to know if there are any advantages (beside the operating range) of getting Pocketwizards instead of PC Buff’s Cybersyncs for triggering the Speedlite, considering my future purchase of AB.”

    I like the Cybersyncs since they are small. And thery do the same thing. That said, personally I stick with the PW’s since (a) they allegedly have greater range (b) you can get them anywhere (c) they take ordinary AA batteries, and (d) They are well known and tested and reliable. So that’s just me being safe. PC Buff is well known for creating and selling reliable gear, so you may well get tose and be entirely happy – I certainly like the Alien Bees.

  16. Hey Micheal!

    I have a technical question about sensors and pixels… I understand that larger sensor sizes gather more light and thus are better in low light situations and that more pixels will help make a sharper picture… but why do too many pixels make noise and what is the perfect ballance? I.e. how many pixels would be good to have on a 1.6 croped frame sensor?

    Thanks!

  17. Are Canon’s Picture Styles important in your workflow? Do you, for example, create your own and download them to your cameras?

    I started to get interested in them, until I started using Lightroom. LR does not understand them per se but it attempts to approximate the standard Canon styles with its Camera Calibration Profiles.

    If I make my own Picture Style and use it on my camera it gets lost when I import to Lightroom. I think they are only useful in a workflow that is based on Canon Digital Photo Professional.

    I find that whole subject very confusing – for example how those profiles relate to LR’s Develop Presets.

    I think this area is a prime candidate for your clear concise explanatory skills!

  18. Excellent. Coming up! (Preview: “when you soow RAW, the styles do not matter”).

    Thanks for teh kind words – and yes re the book – on it, as a matter of fact – book one should be done before Xmas 🙂

  19. I’m looking forward to the explanation.

    As I understand it Canon’s aim with picture styles is commendable. For example when you took your EOS-1D and EOS-7D to the party shoot in theory if you use the same Picture Style on both cameras the images produced should have the same “look” (howsoever defined) straight off the camera and should need minimal post processing. I’ve seen them compared to different types of analog film.

    I wonder what proportion of professionals / highly skilled amateurs use Canon DPP and embrace that methodology versus third party tools like Lightroom.

    Congratulations on the book. If you need a pre-publication reviewer let me know.

    I have more technical questions but don’t want to monopolise your bandwidth on this thread.

  20. Dear Michael,

    I noticed in a forum that you much like the Pentax k-7. I am wondering whether you have used the Pentax K10D before and under what low setting should this or a any digital Camera take a photograph without the results being blurred. ie: 50mm 1.4 lens and at ISO 100. Are there any differences between film or digital sensitivity, should the results be the same and do you forgive digital cameras for its own idiosyncrasy. if it was film would digital cameras be better designed today. And finally, how is it possible for a camera to register a photograph out of focus when what you see is in focus?

    Sincerely,
    Richard Bolai

  21. What do you look for when you are judging the quality of an image?

    Dpreview has recently published some sample images from the “entry level” Leica X1. See http://bkkphotographer.wordpress.com/2009/11/05/leica-x1-preview-samples-gallery-on-dpreview-com/.

    I’d like to hear your opinion on how to evaluate the quality of the samples relative to other cameras. One good thing is that Dpreview keep all their samples on their web site going back years. And often they are of similar subjects – e.g. Tower Bridge, London.

  22. We’re having some lovely clear nights in Bangkok now it is the cool season.

    The moon often looks great but I have had limited success photographing it. Do you have any tips for good lunar photography?

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