A single purchase for an amateur wedding

On the technique of the 1.4 is there something that makes it very difficult?

If there is can you quantify it? Is it simply the wafer thin dof?
 
al4x said:
On the technique of the 1.4 is there something that makes it very difficult?

If there is can you quantify it? Is it simply the wafer thin dof?
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Be quick, as in, when it's in focus, press it all the way.
Don't move.
Don't breath, as don't press it between your breathing cycle.
Try and land focus point on some texture or changes between colours.
Use single point so it lands exactly where you want it to.
Do not focus and recompose.

2MmaNXs.jpg


KWrBKSu.jpg
 
al4x said:
On the technique of the 1.4 is there something that makes it very difficult?

If there is can you quantify it? Is it simply the wafer thin dof?
Click to expand...

I've been using my Fuji 35mm f1.4 quite a lot recently, especially at indoor evening and night events without any issues, and that's on a mirrorless- Your 60D has a superior AF to my X-E2.

I sometimes focus via AF point and sometimes focus/recompose, it just shoots and the keeper rate is pretty high.

Obviously there are differences between lenses and systems, and in my case body and lens are native, but it's never felt like a challenge!
 
ok, this is why i dont think its me
ill post a couple of my macro shots where i think the same exact principle and difficulty applies

particulalry the pollen grains. the whole stamen must be 2mm-3mm wide. Handheld

the bird was af very wide aperture and moving fast but the the AF kept up and what should have been in focus was
again with the moth, the DoF is waffer thin but where the focal point was again is in focus


all these are single focus point
all placing the focal point where there is contrast
etc


Dragonfly - Woodwalton Fen - Cambs by Al4x, on Flickr

P'boro Game show hawk 2 by Al4x, on Flickr

Stigma by Al4x, on Flickr

Orange Swift 2 by Al4x, on Flickr
 
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Ray, is the dock worth it? I've thought about getting one but not sure.

Obviously for the OP it is as it's his only option but does it offer any real benefit over body MA where that's available?

Tempted to get one to try but not sure whether I'll see any real benefit.
 
Vertigo1 said:
Ray, is the dock worth it? I've thought about getting one but not sure.

Obviously for the OP it is as it's his only option but does it offer any real benefit over body MA where that's available?

Tempted to get one to try but not sure whether I'll see any real benefit.
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Not if you have a MA capable body.

You got to realise the following.

1 - The camera is built to a tolerance.
2 - The lens is built to a tolerance.

Now for the sake of argument, each tolerance is -20 to +20 on the micro adjust scale okay?

So, if you have a body that is dead on 0 and get a lens that is dead on 0, you have a combo that do not need MA.

If you have a body that is 0 and a lens that is +10, then you need to MA -10 on the body.

If you, like me, have 2 bodies then you might need to MA -10 on 1 body but +10 on the other body. Whilst NOT MA the lens.

If you adjust the lens then you get 1 body matched but then you still have to adjust the other body to match the lens anyway, since you can't MA the lens to match more than 1 body. So I left the lens at stock and MA the bodies to match the lens.

I got the dock so I can update firmware really.

I guess...in theory, the advantage of having the dock for MA is if the tolerance is so far into the extreme (-20 in the body and -20 in the lens) and there are not enough scales in the MA in the body to compensate. The dock will give more latitude to fix it.
 
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Vertigo1 said:
Ray, is the dock worth it? I've thought about getting one but not sure.

Obviously for the OP it is as it's his only option but does it offer any real benefit over body MA where that's available?

Tempted to get one to try but not sure whether I'll see any real benefit.
Click to expand...

yep, i could do with the 70D really
 
Oh yeah I understand the whole concept of tolerances twix lens and body and also appreciate there's no "correct" setting for the lens itself as it's all relative to the body, of which there may well be multiple.

I was more on about whether the additional flexibility of the dock was worth it. With body MA you can only enter a fixed adjustment regardless of focus distance whereas the dock allows different adjustments for different focal distances. Whilst this technically offers more flexibility I do wonder whether anyone really needs or bothers with this degree of control. I've already done my body MA adjustments and can't say I've noticed any issues with different focal distances.
 
Vertigo1 said:
Whilst this technically offers more flexibility I do wonder whether anyone really needs or bothers with this degree of control. I've already done my body MA adjustments and can't say I've noticed any issues with different focal distances.
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My 35 art needed it. At closer focal lengths it required one or two points difference from the slightly longer lengths otherwise it missed focus.
 
Think I'm going to get (maybe) a brand new 70d for wedding. Keep both bodies until after and sell the 60D

Only 599. The 7d mk2 is almost 2x that
 
Going to pick up

Flash
17-55mm second hand
70d

Keep 60d for wedding and try to sell it after! By try I mean try not to keep it!
These are all items I wanted to buy this year
 
al4x said:
Going to pick up

Flash
17-55mm second hand
70d

Keep 60d for wedding and try to sell it after! By try I mean try not to keep it!
These are all items I wanted to buy this year
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No offence, but from the beginning of the thread the cynic in me suspected the real purpose was a new-gear itch rather than weddings.... ;)
 
CGrieves said:
No offence, but from the beginning of the thread the cynic in me suspected the real purpose was a new-gear itch rather than weddings.... ;)
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What's really annoying is if it wasn't for the damn wedding I'd be off to chernobyl! Exactly the same dates! (and I'd have needed 17-55mm Def for that)

I actually don't think I'll enjoy the wedding thing. But need to try it.
 
To enjoy weddings and to be good at it you need to love photographing people. If you don't then it's going to be difficult.
 
Don't get the 17-55, I'm 15 minutes from you and will have one for sale shortly. Not a mark on it, boxed etc. You will be able to try before you buy in person. I'm just not in position today to get it sold :(
 
dannyjo22 said:
Don't get the 17-55, I'm 15 minutes from you and will have one for sale shortly. Not a mark on it, boxed etc. You will be able to try before you buy in person. I'm just not in position today to get it sold :(
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Will be interested but might not get it until April anyway
 
I've got a similar situation coming up with friends asking me to shoot their wedding despite my advice to get someone else lol.

They've seen the pictures I can take since I tend to take my camera to any big parties we have so that's something at least!

I don't shoot people very often but I quite enjoy it when I do so there's mixed feelings about doing this lol.

I've already got one 600 EX RT flash + controller but I'm tempted to get a second flash anyway so this might be a good excuse. Other than that I can probably manage with my 7d2 and the 70d that I sold to my housemate but it'll be interesting!
 
This didn't go brilliantly I have to say!

Significant problems include
Being social and taking pictures was even worse than I thought it would be
The venue was very dark and many times my camera couldn't focus due to dark (didn't know the solution to this, never had the problem)
General lack of experience with people, flash, and framing
Missing 'scenarios' due to being both photographer and family



I did learn a lot
using the hotshoe flash does wonders
Including how bad it chews through alkaline batteries and now understand why
I had my 60d and 70d and this helped a lot

I enjoyed the learning but not the pressure and importance

Will be assessing what I got at weekend coming. It ain't gonna be great!
 
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