Author Topic: Bought any photography stuff today?  (Read 169148 times)

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #800 on: 01 May, 2017, 11:33:54 pm »
I've got diffusers and stands from Neewer. Quality budget kit. The reviews were fine, so I look forward to playing with it on Wednesday or Thursday.

It would hav ehelped greatly when videoing the worms at the weekend - much easier to follow focus on a big screen.
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

rogerzilla

  • When n+1 gets out of hand
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #801 on: 02 May, 2017, 07:36:46 pm »
The 300mm Nikkor is back from the repairers.  Apparently the fungus hadn't really etched the glass and it cleaned up really well.
Hard work sometimes pays off in the end, but laziness ALWAYS pays off NOW.

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #802 on: 03 May, 2017, 07:39:36 pm »
Just clicked the button on a remote monitor for the DSLR, just a cheap one but it will be useful as I am doing more  video and find follow focus on the screen rather hard.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01LNNVNN0 is the baby. Should improve the macro work.

Just bought one for my son's video work ...good call.  I have some basic, but sound, Neewer flash gear.

Neewer stuff allows amateurs to do semi-pro level work at a fraction of the price of pro gear.

It seems very good. I really like the built in features of framing guides and focus peaking - so you can have a colour output on the camera and the HDMI out to the monitor highlights the focus edges. I only had a few minutes to play at work and have left the macro lens there but will have a go tonight.
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #803 on: 04 May, 2017, 09:14:59 am »
The 300mm Nikkor is back from the repairers.  Apparently the fungus hadn't really etched the glass and it cleaned up really well.
That must be a relief!*


* or not**



** IGMC
Getting there...

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #804 on: 04 May, 2017, 09:46:56 am »
It would have helped greatly when videoing the worms at the weekend

First time that sentence has ever been said.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #805 on: 04 May, 2017, 10:48:25 am »
Outside of a hospital.
It is simpler than it looks.

noisycrank

  • twitter @noisycrank
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #806 on: 04 May, 2017, 11:37:56 am »
It would hav ehelped greatly when videoing the worms at the weekend - much easier to follow focus on a big screen.

And then the murders began
If you don't like my haircut you can suck my socks!

Wombat

  • Is it supposed to hurt this much?
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #807 on: 05 May, 2017, 05:44:30 pm »
Lovely kit.  Well, not aesthetically - Sony tend to put the excellent workings together, then clag a box round them.  But it is a fantastically capable machine.

That said, have you seen the new A9? :demon:
Further delay due to another house hunting trip (successful this time).

I'd agree the A7 series are ugly buggers, they look like something I'd draw with CAD in a spare few minutes.  They are damn capable cameras though.  I bought mine, (and lets face it, it was bloody expensive, and a couple of years ago I couldn't possibly have countenanced such a beast) because of its outstanding low light/high ISO performance for photographing period dance events, which are usually in poorly lit venues, and of course flash is a definite no-no.  Lots of focus mode choice, which really does take quite a bit of learning, not that obvious or intuitive.  Sony's instruction book is utter crap! 

The A9 is not what I'd expected, and is of no interest to me, being a super speedy sports camera, and that's not what I do.  I've got used to my 42MP, but what I now need to do, having just retired from paid work, is to spend much more time on slowly and gently photographing what I want to, so its my technique that wins through.  Currently I'm being carried by having a bloody good camera which covers for my sometimes sloppy technique.  There are some features of the A9 which are excellent, such as the proper separate dials for focus modes and, I think, ISO.  All the negative comments about wanting twin SD card slots don't seem that important to me, and as for all the stuff about poor battery life, that's cobblers, unless you really need to shoot over 400 shots without the ability to spend almost 5 seconds swapping batteries.

I actually had a proper play with the tilt/shift lens at the weekend, in the churchyard in Montgomery.  What I found was that shifting was very good for church towers, but that the lens is a bit shit on the flare front, unless I very carefully shade the lens with a card or my hand.  I suppose I've been spoilt by my favourite Zeiss 25mm F2, which barely shows any flare when shooting straight into a low sun.  No "veiling" at all, just one little aperture type dollop, which if you shoot dead straight into the sun, you can lose in the image of the sun itself.  Again, that lens is bloody expensive, but for the dance photography, absolutely perfect.  Fortune has been financially kind to me of late, being made redundant again by virtue of my temporary contract not being renewed, about 6 weeks before I qualify for state pension...
Wombat

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #808 on: 23 May, 2017, 10:14:26 pm »
Cheap video tripod with good reviews. https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00139W0XM/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Well worth it. The only downside is that it doesn't have a 1/4" socket for adding additional hardware, instead of placing it on the hotshoe.

Very easy to set up and level. Smooth pan and tilt. I may replace the head in due course but the legs are great, and the head much better than my Manfrotto 3 axis photo heads for video work.

Heavy though. Very heavy. Which adds to the stability one presumes.
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #809 on: 24 May, 2017, 02:31:50 pm »
That looks remarkably good value
Getting there...

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #810 on: 24 May, 2017, 02:43:16 pm »
Seems good so far.
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

Ben T

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #811 on: 24 May, 2017, 03:08:30 pm »
I've always thought what would be a good idea is if tripods had a little bag hanging from the underside of the head so when you get into the field you can fill it with rocks or other similar ballast, but you don't have to carry that weight about.

David Martin

  • Thats Dr Oi You thankyouverymuch
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #812 on: 24 May, 2017, 03:11:11 pm »
It came with a small clip on bag.. Not big enough for many rocks though.
"By creating we think. By living we learn" - Patrick Geddes

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #813 on: 24 May, 2017, 03:36:56 pm »
I've always thought what would be a good idea is if tripods had a little bag hanging from the underside of the head so when you get into the field you can fill it with rocks or other similar ballast, but you don't have to carry that weight about.

My Manfrotto tripod has a hook for that very purpose, they aren't unique in that respect.  Usually I just hang my camera bag off it.

Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #814 on: 05 June, 2017, 11:14:50 pm »
A secondhand Pentax 40/2.8 XS. Super tiny and covers a full 35mm frame or the sensor in a K1d

Bargain and easy to carry compared to the Sigma 35/1.4 Art.

The latter is optically stunning, but big, heavy and only semi reliable at focusing on the fly.

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #815 on: 07 June, 2017, 06:35:15 pm »
A HOYA ProND 1000 (10-Stop ND filter)

77mm dia so it will "step-down" to my other lenses. I only tested it in the garden so far but it seems sharp and the colours look fine (no obvious colour cast).  I think it's always worth using a White Balance card when using "Big Stoppers" though, there's almost always a cast at 10-stops.

Now then... Waterfalls and Rivers required.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #816 on: 09 June, 2017, 04:07:25 pm »
A 1.4x converter.  Am going to back to Africa in August and I want the amazing birds to be a bit bigger in the frame.

paul851

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #817 on: 11 June, 2017, 07:09:15 am »
A Zorki 3 that popped up on Ebay Buy It Now for a lot less than they usually sell for , would have been rude not to in all honesty  :)


Paul

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #818 on: 11 June, 2017, 12:53:46 pm »
A Zorki 3 that popped up on Ebay Buy It Now for a lot less than they usually sell for , would have been rude not to in all honesty  :)


Paul

Lovely things. I had a 4K and Hannah now has a Fed

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #819 on: 14 June, 2017, 05:11:54 pm »
I had a 4K.  It worked beautifully, but I thought it was a bit ugly.  The Kiev 4 I had was much cooler.
Getting there...

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #820 on: 20 June, 2017, 10:46:09 am »
Manfrotto BeFree "live" travel tripod.

With the best will in the world it's never that appealing to lug my Manfrotto 055 any distance.  The BeFree seems to be very popular with travel photographers.  I just hope it's OK with a Canon 6D and 24-105L sat on top.
Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #821 on: 20 June, 2017, 08:25:56 pm »
A Noon 4x5 pinhole camera:)

LEE

  • "Shut Up Jens" - Legs.
Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #822 on: 16 July, 2017, 06:58:10 pm »
Manfrotto BeFree "live" travel tripod.

With the best will in the world it's never that appealing to lug my Manfrotto 055 any distance.  The BeFree seems to be very popular with travel photographers.  I just hope it's OK with a Canon 6D and 24-105L sat on top.

Actually got the wrong one in the post so I sent it back and upgraded to the Carbon version. Expensive but I thought, if I'm after a more travel-oriented tripod, why not go the whole hog and make it light as well as compact.

It packs very small indeed, comes with a carry case and a voucher for a Manfrotto Travel backpack worth about £80.  It will fit neatly on my rear rack without overhanging (like my Manfrotto 055 does).

Some people say I'm self-obsessed but that's enough about them.

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #823 on: 16 July, 2017, 07:21:11 pm »
A Noon 4x5 pinhole camera:)

And a Leica M4

paul851

Re: Bought any photography stuff today?
« Reply #824 on: 16 July, 2017, 09:35:11 pm »
A couple of lenses for the Zorki 3, a Jupiter 12 35mm and a Jupiter 9 85mm both with viewfinders and I also seem to have picked up a couple of 1950's Zorki 1 even though I swore blind I wouldn't buy any more Russian cameras .

Paul