Traveling the Journey of Light | Photoblog Thoughts, feelings, and techniques behind the photography of Derrald Farnsworth-Livingston

Canon 7D - Failures or Features?Posted by drfl on November 19th, 2009

I have to admit, I was pretty pumped when Canon announced the 7D a couple of months ago.  On paper, it appeared to have many features that people wanted.  If one was to review my announcement from that day, it would appear that I whole-heartedly endorsed this camera.  Now that the camera has made it into hands that would test the practicality of this camera, though, the buzz around the ‘net has been, well, disappointing.  Unfortunately, I do not have the money, nor the time right now to test such a beast, but the links below will direct you to other reviewers and what their opinions and thoughts are.  Only you can know if a camera is right for you… but I always like a little guidance before I shell out $1,700.

The reviews are in the order in which I recommend reading them.

Darwin’s Review - Real life test with 3(!) different models

Karel Donk’s Review

DPReview

If you decide that this camera is right for you, they are available at Amazon.

Easy Techniques for Dripping Fall Colours with Digital Cameras by Darwin WiggettPosted by drfl on September 8th, 2009

Today’s post is courtesy of a guest contributor, Darwin Wiggett.  Darwin is an outstanding photographer well known for his nature and landscape images of Canada. He also leads excellent workshops in the Canadian Rockies which I have had the joy of attending. I highly recommend that you check out his website at http://www.darwinwiggett.com and his blog at http://darwinwiggett.wordpress.com.

Easy Techniques for Dripping Fall Colours with Digital Cameras
by Darwin Wiggett

I often get comments about the rich and vivid colours in my photos. Many people assume I simply push the saturation levels in Photoshop to get my signature saturation. In fact my vivid colour comes mostly from in-camera techniques rather than post-processing fixes. People are surprised to hear that I never use the saturation slider in Photoshop! Here are a few tips to help you create vivid colour every time you press the shutter button.

Read the rest of this entry »

Canon 7D AnnouncementPosted by drfl on September 1st, 2009

While I do not dedicate much to hardware in my blog, I do follow new camera announcements fairly closely, and more specifically Canon.  There have been a lot of rumors floating around for a while about the Canon 7D and it as of today it has been officially announced.  It appears to be a very capable camera with some great features that I wanted to highlight.

• 18MP APS-C CMOS
• Dual DIGIC 4 - allowing for 8 FPS (94 FINE JPEG/ 15 RAW)
• Improved Autofocus - 19 cross AF points
• ISO 100-6400 (Exp 12800)
• 100% 1.0X magnification with intelligent display, horizon assist (leveler)
• iFCL metering (exposure and colour)
• 920K Version II LCD, 160 deg viewing
• Full HD video (w external mic input n HDMI output)
• Switch for Live View/Video mode
• Stronger body design, metallic shutter sound, 150K shutter life
• Supports EOS intelligent Speedlight system - Ability to command external flash units

 
Personally, I have no current plans to upgrade (unless someone gets one for me!), but the features that interest me the most are the durability, speedlight control, autofocus features, frame speed, 100% 1.0x view in the viewfinder, and the leveler.  In regards to the leveler, I do have a couple of bubble levels which are pretty darn good too!

One last note, it uses the same battery as the Canon 5d Mark II, which is on a pretty good deal at Amazon right now.  Pick one up you decide to purchase.

There is now a waitlist for the camera from Amazon, but I recommend getting on the list if you plan on getting one!

More information is available at Rob Galbraith’s site. 

That New Camera Smell!Posted by drfl on August 27th, 2009

I came across a post entitled “6 things you forgot to do when you first got your new dSLR“.  There is some good information there.  I only have a couple of things to add:

1. Check the autofocus accuracy with all your lenses.  This may seem time consuming and tedious, but in the end it is well worth it.
2. Buy a second battery (or do this when you order the camera).
3. Photocopy your registration card and make a note of the serial number.  I save this information by scanning it into my hard drives and keeping all my serial numbers - lens, cameras, software, in a common folder.
4. Breathe.

Technical Details:
Canon 20d, 17-40 f/4l @ 31mm, f/9, 1/60 sec.
Hurricane Ridge, Olympic National Park, Washington

Tips on Extending the Life of Your Camera BatteriesPosted by drfl on August 20th, 2009

Here is a good list of extending the life of your batteries: http://blog.epicedits.com/2009/07/23/get-the-most-out-of-your-camera-battery/.  The only thing I could add to the list is if you’re a landscape photographer primarily, use manual focus when you can!  That’s a big time battery lifesaver.

Canon 5d Mark II Battery DealPosted by drfl on August 17th, 2009

The best battery deal I have seen in a while for the Canon 5d Mark II - $68.82 from Amazon! I thought I would share it with you.  Thanks, Jayson for this tip!

Canon LP-E6 Battery Pack for Canon 5D Mark II Digital SLR