Canon Lens Rebates

Up to $300 Off 

Offer Expires 11/23/2013

 

This is one of the best travel lenses made by Canon, the 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Zoom.

Here's the Deal

Here we go again for those of us who love the Canon lenses and Speedlights. Canon is offering up to $300 off of these items. And if you shoot with a Canon body it is a great time to purchase one. Why only one? Well that's because they are limiting their rebates to one lens per household, that is one lens per street address. Used to be we could get Instant Rebates but these were replaced a few years back with Mail in Rebates. Ok well that's the new deal, I may not like it as much but a sale is a sale.

Caution, Warning, Read Carefully.

What, a warning signal? yes. You know that rebates save companies lots of money because buyers don't follow instructions carefully, and instructions come with details which can be a bit too complicated. In this case you have to be very careful. I'm not going through all of them but if you are spending this kind of money read the instructions thoroughly and very carefully. And make sure you keep a copy of anything they ask you to mail in, you may need it.

The whole Lineup at BHPhoto

Canon Rebates

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Shooting from a Different Perspective

The Classic Photo

When traveling one is always advised to shoot a waterfall, a canyon, an overlook, a trail head, a lake or any vantage point from a specific viewpoint. It is always "thee classic shot" to get. And as usual you come home with some pretty terrific photos. Everybody Ooohs and Ahhhs and you feel great. You've captured the quintessential viewpoint of a particular special feature. But what about turning it around just for a moment.

The Alternate View

The photo above is a good example of Thee Classic Waterfall in the Columbia River Gorge, called Multnomah Falls, though you would never recognize it from this view. And it won't be your main shot you hang as an identifier for Multnomah Falls. Yet you may find that you like it equally as well, if not better than the one everyone else captures just because it is so different, so uncommon, in fact the one that everybody else missed. The views you can achieve from a slightly alternative location or angle will gain you far more Ooohs and Ahhhs when someone who is looking for a print, either one you'll gift to someone or one you'll sell to a buyer.

Take Time to Think About Your Placement

The trail or viewpoint is always where everyone goes to capture that shot. you can too. It's sometimes surprisingly easy to step away from the classic vantage point to see an alternative place to set up your shot. It is often only a matter of moving a small distance from where you are, or everyone else is, to see another terrific angle to shoot from. It could be a change in height or just through some tree branches or 20' away that gives you a capture you could never have imagined. I will admit I've been challenged too many times in finding that for all of my seeking another angle, there was no safe way to get a different shot. and for that reason alone, there are times I have to admit, it is not worth the risk. 

The photo above was a small challenge but it was worth it, I had to scramble slowly and carefully across wet slippery rocks, and the monopod I carried then worked as a sort of trail staff for support and balance. It wasn't easy, and yes I risked the camera and lens which if I had slipped might have been damaged, as I might have. But I didn't slip, and I got the shot. 

Another Technique and Safer

You'll find that your zoom or telephoto lens will give you an immense advantage in capturing a shot that fewer people shooting will use when trying to capture that classic shot, because they simply want just that, thee classic shot again. But if you'll zoom and pan around up and down, side to side, you'll find some very interesting angles even without moving or taking challenging climbing risks. Too often when we use a telephoto lens we merely attempt to fill the frame with the shot, so do that. Then begin zooming to see unusual frames of the same scene by focusing less on the main feature and more on the unusual angles achieved through this technique.

So this is where everyone shoots from and the following shot is what everyone wants

If you'll notice in this case you could not have merely zoomed in, because in doing so you would have been looking down into the pool, and not head on at the lower falls itself. That would have been the easy way and no doubt many have also captured that, but to get the perspective I did took some time and risk. So there you have it. A whole new view of the same old thing. Here's hoping you can incorporate this into some of your photography, if you haven't already done so. Best of success to you.

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iPad5 is Getting Closer

Got your sleeping bag?

It appears for those in the I-Can't-Wait queue, which is probably already forming somewhere, that the new iPad 5 is slightly smaller (9.7") and getting really close to its debut in October or November. Last years event took place October 23rd.



Dimensions above show a very slight length difference with a modest width reduction. You might think of it as the iPad mini on steroids.

Faster CPU

 As with the iPhone5s, it too will come with a version of the new A7 CPU chip, for faster processing, much faster. 

Compact thinner design

It is also rumored that the iPad5 will have mini-style dual speakers and dual volume buttons. And because of the switch from dual LED to a single LED light bar, it allows for a thinner case and a higher power efficient lighting technology which then allows for a smaller battery, supposedly with similar use time. 

Video showing dimensions

Here is a video posted at macrumors showing the differences between the 3 models, though admittedly the video is rather poorly made and rudimentary in technique. It's unclear what part the company which made the video supplies for the iPad5 but clearly they have a connection, and for now I'll assume they provided some part or parts for the new model.

The latest details 

Macrumors has a page dedicated to the iPad5 and it is being continuously updated from wherever they can find details and rumors worldwide. Macrumors iPad5 page.

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October is Coming, Get Your Gear Out

Rainy , cloudy, windy weather is fast approaching or already has reached us and it's time to pull out all of our photography gear to make sure everything gets its once a year review. The first thing I do is line it all up and make cleaning a priority. Sure we all wipe our lenses and clean our cameras off when we finish an assignment or even a simple shoot, but what I'm referring to is a full force cleaning on all parts to include the sensor, the filters if you still use them, the camera bodies and your lenses, the focus rings, the tripod base, the lens caps, everything you normally clean but not a quick wipe. You should have a sensor cleaning kit, if not look into one, I still like the Copper Hill products for basic sensor cleaning, about $30. Then it helps to keep a Giottos Rocket Blower in your bag, about $40. You can buy a number of different kits or single pieces but I stay with the simple kit and blower, but if you like here's a buying guide from Tech Trader showing 6 different products.

And remember if you haven't taken the time to do the cleaning of your camera's sensor lately, a photo like the one above is not likely to let you find the spots which form, but a clear shot of a light background or a sky zoomed to 100-200 times will allow you to see them. In fact before cleaning the Copper Hill kit will send you full instructions on how to set up your procedure to get super clear images. And don't forget to double check all of your lenses for a proper cleaning, just make sure you have the right cleaning materials on hand. I like to clean when there is no one else moving about raising the tiniest of dust particles, which we can't see, but we know are there, so I choose early mornings or times when no one else is around to get this done.

Next, the other reason I line up all my gear is to review my needs for the equipment I currently own. I recently found that one lens I have I rarely use and considered replacing it with another, but when I really thought about it, the Canon 85mm 1.8, I just couldn't get rid of it. I have used it on indoor sports as well as portraits and simply can't get better bokeh from such a reasonably priced lens. So I'll keep it. But you may find that you have a lens you haven't used all year and are now doing photography that doesn't require a lens just sitting around. A good opportunity to sell it and buy the one you've been wanting, so the replacement cost will be much less.

You may find you have all sorts of equipment you thought you'd use and haven't, and this is the best way to review and replace according to your current needs. Find a time and a place, I like clearing the dining table and laying it all out, then prioritizing by camera bodies, lenses, travel and camera bags, tripods, monopods, flash strobes, remote devices, flash cards, cables, light stands, and on and on. This is the only really effective way I can rid myself of gear I simply don't use anymore.

 Best of luck and do some research online to find what you are going to replace your gear with. Here's a place I do a lot of my research at The DigitalPicture . I think you'll appreciate the full professional reviews of a lot of photo equipment in an unbiased manner.

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Native American Day 09/27/2013

1st Native American Day celebrated in 1916, honoring American Indians is celebrated today and every year on this date. This particular tribe are from the Nez Perce Nation. The following data are from Wikipedia.

The Nez Perce area at the time of Lewis and Clark was approximately 17,000,000 acres (69,000 km²). It covered parts of Washington, Oregon, Montana, and Idaho, in an area surrounding the Snake, Salmon and the Clearwater rivers. The tribal area extended from the Bitterroots in the east to the Blue Mountains in the west between latitudes 45°N and 47°N.

In 1800, there were more than 70 permanent villages ranging from 30 to 200 individuals, depending on the season and social grouping. About 300 total sites have been identified, including both camps and villages. In 1805 the Nez Perce were the largest tribe on the Columbia River Plateau, with a population of about 6,000. By the beginning of the 20th century, the Nez Perce had declined to about 1,800 because of epidemics, conflicts with non-Indians, and other factors.

The Nez Perce, as many western Native American tribes, were migratory and would travel in seasonal rounds, according to where the abundant food was to be found at a given time of year. This migration followed a predictable pattern from permanent winter villages through several temporary camps, nearly always returning to the same locations year after year. They were known to go as far east as the Great Plains of Montana to hunt buffalo, and as far west as the west coast. In their travels Celilo Falls was a respected and favored location to fish for salmon on the Columbia River. They relied heavily on q'emes or camas gathered in the region between the Salmon and Clearwater River drainages as a food source.
The Nez Perce believed in spirits called weyekins (Wie-a-kins) which would, they thought, offer "a link to the invisible world of spiritual power". The weyekin would protect one from harm and become a personal guardian spirit. To receive a weyekin, a young girl or boy age 12 to 15 would go to the mountains on a vision quest. The person on quest would carry no weapons, eat no food, and drink very little water. There, he or she would receive a vision of a spirit that would take the form of a mammal or bird. This vision could appear physically or in a dream or trance. The weyekin was to bestow the animal's powers on its bearer—for example; a deer might give its bearer swiftness. A person's weyekin was very personal. It was rarely shared with anyone and was contemplated in private. The weyekin stayed with the person until death.
The Nez Perce National Historical Park includes a research center which has the park's historical archives and library collection. It is available for on-site use in the study and interpretation of Nez Perce history and culture.

To be clear I am not being paid or remunerated in any way by the Nez Perce for this, though the photo is mine from an event I attended.

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What Type of Camera Do You Want to Buy Next?

                   There's a couple in here you may never have heard of.

Everyone takes pictures, many of us shoot photos and a few of us create images. Don't take this lightly, there is a difference and it can be a big one. Whatever type of photography you do you probably have an idea of what type of camera you are looking to buy next. A few of us have always wanted to shoot Medium Format but others might want the new iPhone 5s. Alternatively you may be looking for the next Point and Shoot camera from numerous manufacturers such as Pentax, Sony or Canon. Or you may want a new Digital SLR. While a very few others might lean toward a Large Format body. And even newer you may be looking for a mirrorless body. And some of us may want a new cell phone and a new digital slr. Then there's one you may not have heard of, at the end, it's the half-camera.

The website The Phoblographer has some info on Canon's new rumored entry into the MF (medium format) field which some bloggers say will take until mid to late 2014 because of the lenses they'll need to introduce with it.

DpreviewDPreview reveals a Fujifilm mirrorless has just a week ago announced their latest entry, for a suggested retail price of $599.


And the newest Canon DSLR the 70D, sports a 20MP APS-C sensor keeping it just under a full frame model, for $1200. Here's a full review from Camera Labs you won't want to miss.










Tom's Guide tells us that the new iPhone 5s has almost cancelled out point & shoots altogether, and they may be right.




 And Tom's also shows a Canon point & shoot Elph 330 HS that he compares with the iPhone 5s.












Then we have the half-camera. Sony has come up with a lens attachment which fits onto a cell phone. Check this video out Half Camera.

And finally the large format, and yes there's a new one out there, almost: it's called the Travelwide 4x5 and it's on Kickstarter


It's very important that you do the proper research unless of course the cost is low and you just want something fun to use. So where do you do the research? I like DPreview, CameraLabs, Tom's and the-digital-picture. Regardless what you want to buy, here's a great site to read about new camera news, called New Camera but beware you'll need to watch a short ad. Enjoy your search and here's hoping you'll let us know what you decided on. Happy hunting.

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Too Much Noise in your RAW Photos?

 Winning the Noise Battle

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It's nice when you take picture and it turns out looking great right out of the camera isn't it? The colors are smooth, the shadows look smooth and even within the given areas of shades of shadows it looks good. And it prints well. That's what we are all looking for. But when you are inside or outside on a gloomy day and the sky is covered with clouds, which at this time of year may well be quite dark from threatening storms, sometimes we get photos that we cannot go back and take and they are full of noise. The noise I'm referring to is the grainy look within color areas or shady areas because of a lack of sufficient light.Here's a photo that's clearly too dark to be acceptable.

Now here is that same photo lightened up with a simple Brightness Control and it looks better, but when you zoom 100-200% to examine for printing some issues remain.

You'll want to take a much closer look, in this case I'll crop to the lower right corner only, then zoom 100%. You'll see within both the color areas and the dark areas some noise which might have been corrected when shooting, but since they were not, now you have to take further steps to deal with this within Photoshop.

So if this print is printed it will not be a good print. Take a close look and you'll see what I mean. You'll want to reduce the noise using the Color and the Luminance sliders in Camera Raw. Make sure the sliders are both set at zero to begin with, then begin to slowly slide them each to the right, increasing them so that the noise is reduced in the image. If you move too far to the right you'll accomplish reducing the noise but at the expense of sharpness. There will be a happy medium, a point at which you'll have to compromise noise reduction for an acceptable level of sharpness. If you find this makes it also an acceptable print then you have met your challenge.

On the other hand you could have taken care of this before it happened in camera settings. We'll deal with that step in another article. Thanks for reading and let me know if this helped below in the Comments section.

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Will the Canon M2 break through AF Barrier?

Mirrorless Cameras Worth A Look?


For the 5 years mirrorless cameras have been on the market, it seems their biggest flaw or downfall is their inability to focus on moving subjects. And let's be clear, when it comes to subjects moving away from and toward the lens, it has always been difficult even in continuous shooting mode for even the top end DSLR bodies. Also keep in mind that mirrorless bodies lack an always-on viewfinder and their rather short battery life.

Nikon, Olympus and Panasonic have recently made improvements to the speed of AF in single shoot mode, but even these are not up to the potential of a high end ProSumer or Pro body camera.

Now we hear rumors that Canon may well have made some progress in that AF dilemma. Know that these are rumors only at this point, but their new rumored, M2 mirrorless body with the typical APS-C sensor may give someone looking for a far less expensive camera a chance to capture a child on a swing, moving away and toward in continuous shooting mode, or someone on a cycle or a horse, a better opportunity to get more focused shots, rather than no shot at all or an out of focus shot at best.

The hybrid AF systems out there today do a fairly good job of grabbing a good photo but it is still a distance from the more expensive bodies form all manufacturers, including Sony, Lumix, Canon, Nike and Fuji. What will actually appear and hopefully this Fall, may be just what many of us are looking for, or it may turn out to be just another fruitless rumor mill. If you are in the market for a smaller body with the larger APS-C sensor, keep a close eye out for the new Canon M2 and keep your fingers crossed.

Original EOS-M body introduced summer of 2012

Information below come from the website called PhotographyBay posted 2/24/2013 http://www.photographybay.com/2013/02/24/canon-eos-m-version-2-0-rumors/


Recent rumors point to a higher spec’d EOS M-style camera that will hopefully deliver in the autofocus department. Check out the rumored spec list below.

• 24mp APS-C Sensor
• New generation AF system
• DIGIC V
• Removable Electronic Viewfinder (Very high resolution)
• Optional grip attachment
• 5fps
• Slightly larger than the current EOS M
• Introduced with 3 more lenses
• $999 USD

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Share a Fall Photo, today is Officially Autumn

It appears even the Koi in our pond recognize that it is a day of change. They are beginning to rise and swim closer to the surface, one can be seen at the top edge hoping something wiggly and tasty will slip in as a gourmet snack. Today is the first day of Autumn.

This is the time of year I begin to seek out trails and flat-lands along streams and lakes for those scenes which produce some classic images of leaves in assorted colors. Though this year may not produce near as many as in years when the rain holds off for a frosty Fall. Autumn photography is so much better when cold comes in before the rain, as color in leaves set so much stronger when it is dry and chilly. Still there will be select trees which, if not spectacular, are dependable in their show.

If it is cooler in your area and dry, don't delay in getting out to shoot perhaps one of your best photos ever of the Fall season. Then let us know where we can see them, leave a link and share your photography. 

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Are You Making Large Prints Well?

 How Good are Your Prints?

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A brief outline among many offered from other great photographers out there.

How many times have you taken a picture that you or someone else wants printed larger, and your first reaction is "What are the limits in size?" Its an art of science if you will, and it takes some understanding, but it boils down to some pretty simple techniques. So for the sake of brevity and simplicity, I'd like to give direction for the non-technical among us. Because I am familiar with the Adobe Products I'll be describing this with their software terms.

First you can't start with an image that is not already sharp from a native resolution standpoint, that is, from within your camera. So take the image you want to print large, open it in Camera Raw, make no sharpening or luminous noise reduction, zoom to 100% and if you satisfied that your focus is sharp, proceed, if not try another shoot or use another image file. Don't expect perfection, just a reasonably sharp focus on the subject within your image. We will address sharpening later.

Let's say for the sake of this discussion you are using a 12 MP file, it could be less or more, matters not. Open into Photoshop, create a Background Copy, choose Image> Image Size, unclick Resample, then change your Document Size to Per Cent and up-res to 200% (Since you are already at 100% you are doubling the output size.), then pick 200 resolution and reclick Resample, then make sure you have Bicubic Smoother chosen for enlargements. Click OK. Now as with any up-res you'll want to sharpen. Use Unsharp Mask unless you are fond of paying for other tools, and push the Amount to as much as you need, keep the Ratio below 1.0 and keep Threshold at zero.

Because I started with a 4368x2912 pixel dimension my output will now be at roughly 16x20, however because I shot this with a full frame Canon 5DMII the ration places my print at exactly 14.56x21.84 or 15x22, close enough. At this point you can preview it at Print Size, and preview print, but you'll only know for sure after printing.

You may be able to enlarge up to 400% however there is a size limitation to up-ressing and it is not limited only to size of image file, it is also limited to the eye, the camera settings, the sharpness of original focus, the print size, the distance one stands from a print. The further you push the interpolation, or up-ressing, the more pixelation occurs, so be mindful of that. you are not going to enlarge a 8 MP image to 30x40" with any degree of success, if you are concentrating on sharpness. Some images, I have a few favorites, don't need sharpness. But here we are focusng on sharpness in print. Best of success to you and I hope this helps.

Is this the only successful way to produce a larger print? No, but I have found it to be of help if I am careful about not asking too much from my enlargement process. It should be said that if you are setting out to produce a sharp image for a large print all the precautions about the use of a tripod should be followed. Otherwise this method will give you some interpolation success in up-ressing for enlargement.

Have you found another method which works well for you?

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iPhone5s Review by Anand Lal Shimpi

I realize this is a bit off-topic for me but since I've been considering upgrading to the new 5S I thought I'd plant a link to the first intelligent review I've read so far on the new Apple iPhone to date. It covers the whole gamut a review should in my estimate.


Anand's iPhone 5s Review
 
Apologies to all who have visited but the link above, was not active, it is now.






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Take the Top Ten Quiz for Photographers

Top Ten Quiz for Photographers

Ever ask yourself what keeps you going through all the motions of photography? Desire to produce something really special or just fun, or do you have a business? Whether it’s a cell phone, a point and shoot or a single lens reflex with accompanying equipment. Do you have concerns about the whole range of accessories that many of us carry with us? The answers you give will give you a true picture of why you shoot and what your goals are as a photographer. And when finished if you think of any questions to add to my next Photo Quiz, please add them in the Comments section.

1. What causes you to pick up a camera and shoot?

a. Urge to capture a moment

b. Beautiful scene

c. A theme or series I am working on

2. Which camera do you most often shoot with?

a. Cell Phone

b. Point & Shoot

c. Single Lens Reflex

3. During which activities do you shoot the most?

a. Family gathering, party or social event

b. Planned outing, be it a sports event or a hike

c. A project you are working on

4. What equipment do you almost always have on hand when shooting?

a. Cell phone or point & shoot

b. Camera body & single lens

c. Camera body or two, one or more lenses, tripod or monopod minimum

5. Do you carry a ‘model release’?

a. No

b. Yes

c. Only when I am planning a public shoot

6. What is your end result when shooting

a. Share a moment for fun

b. Motivated by a clear and direct personal goal

c. Focus on income                                                 

7. How much time do you spend reading about photography?

a. Whenever I run across an article that grabs me

b. Once or twice a week

c. I read more than I shoot

8. Do you take Photo Walks?

a. Yes, alone

b. Yes, with someone

c. No

d. Yes alone, with someone and public Photo Walks as an event

9. Do you use Photoshop or Lightroom ?

a. No or Rarely

b. Yes but only for saving to a web page

c. Commonly and for a specific purpose

10. When you do a shoot, what percentage of your photos do you share?

a. All of them

b. Most of them

c. I am very critical about which photos are of the highest quality to share

Can you add a question to this Quiz? Just add your comment and I’ll do this again using all relevant questions added. 

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creativeLIVE Photography Braodcast FREE this week

Do you have time to watch video interviews this week? The subjects will interest you if you are serious about income from your photography.

Be sure to register and watch live broadcasts from creativeLive starting today. They'll offer interviews from over 50 professional photographers about tons of shooting subjects then between broadcasts you'll have 15 minutes to gather your notes, have a cup of coffee or just stretch. Enjoy and click the link below.

creativeLIVE

It won't help to contact me if you have problems, I am not affiliated with the site, nr am I being paid in any way. Best of luck.

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creativeLive Free Broadcast on photography Subjects

Is it Fall yet?

Its Autumn in some locations. Where I live in the Pacific North West the summer heat has been holding on some, but soon I'll be able to start another Fall series of shoots.

 

But some of you must have shots you like, and perhaps you can link to your photos. In fact if you are feeling especially generous you could share the metadata along with your pics giving your viewers a chance to see what settings you chose, or your Auto settings chose, when shooting your Autumn photos. Just place a link in your Comment.

 

And of course this doesn't have to be only about leaves. How about some different varieties of mushrooms, fungus, conches or whatever else you can think of for Fall. Share what you have and show off your gorgeous pics, we'd love to see them.

 

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What kind of photographer are you?

It's Your Turn..............

Can you think of someone you know who loves, I mean lives, photography, and not be able to describe what kind of photographer they are? I doubt it. When someone is dedicated to shooting pics, you find it easy to give a short brief of their style. What about your shooting style.

You wouldn't be here, would you, if you didn't find shooting to be a passion, or yearn for it to be. So now its your turn to voice what kind of photographer you consider yourself to be. So tell us. Are you an event photographer, shooting car racing, or weddings, music festivals, seasonal events, protest rallies, sports? Or are you a portrait photographer, nature, wildlife, animal, landscape or pinhole enthusiast?

So what kind of photographer are you? Tell us and also let us know what drew you to your love for that type of photography? And what are you doing with it? Are you sharing it online, gifting it to friends and family, selling it or perhaps at least marketing it? Here's your chance to share what you do with all the other readers of Shooting Outside.

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Unusual Photo Day

Camera settings for the 4th of July

I wanted to answer a question I received from a reader this July following the 4th about settings within the camera. What are the best settings for the independence Day fireworks. While I can't say what's best for every camera, lens and degree of darkness or sunny vs cloudy skies, I can demonstrate how settings can affect shooting fireworks with the following photos. These are all shot with a Canon 30D and a 24-105mm. This top photo has a stop at F/4 with the focal length at 105mm, ISO at 1600 and focus on Matrix for a 0.5 sec exposure.

This second shot has a stop at F/7 with the focal length at 105mm, ISO at 1600 and focus on Matrix for a 1.3 sec exposure.

And the last shot has a stop at F/4 with the focal length at 105mm, ISO at 1600 and focus on Matrix for a 0.01255 (1/80) sec exposure.

The thing one is always advised to do is to use a tripod. But that can get pretty hard to lug around and to spin around as these bursts are constantly being shot up into the air from different ground sites. What can happen if there is too long an exposure can certainly make for an out of focus result. But all of these were hand held with fairly short duration exposures, though the 1.3 second exposure was certainly a bonus for being hand held, I assume I was very calm at the time. So on these occasions it is wise to open the lens to a low F number and a high ISO. It gathers a lot of light from both settings while lasting only as long as the burst allows. Wish I could figure out how to allow you to send pics you got but as far as I know Blogspot doesn't allow for that option, if you know different please let me know.

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