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Rob Galbraith on 1D series focusing

mark1958

Member
http://www.robgalbraith.com/bins/multi_page.asp?cid=7-8740-9068-9357

Rob G has been doing very careful focusing tests with the 1DmkIII and 1DsmkIII. THe results are somewhat disappointing. I always thought that canon had several major advantages over the competition when it came to DSLRs.
1) Long lenses
2) High iso clean images
3) Speed/accurate AF
4) IS stabilized lenses

But now with perhaps still being the king in long lenses, the others have caught up and perhaps even overcome Canon's advantage in these areas.
 

TimWright

Member
I bought a 1DMKIII in late winter, upgrade from a 1DMKII. Used it to shoot snowy owls in flight with no problems at all. Shot with a 70-200 2.8 L and a 400 f4 DO with and without a 1.4x converter. I shot on bright sunny days and cloudy overcast days. I got at least as many in focus shots as I did with the MKII. I also just bought a 1DSMKIII and have had no trouble with it as well. I don't doubt his findings at all but as I don't do any sports shooting which seems to be where he does his testing it just doesn't seem to affect me.
 

bradhusick

Active member
Rob also says he prefers the Canon 1Dm3 files over the Nikon D3 in all but very high ISO situations.
 

Ben Rubinstein

Active member
Thing is that I love the tonality of a 4X5 over a 35mm frame, but if it ain't in focus then it's irrelevant, it's useless. Specific to the type of shooting that causes the problem, no editor is going to say, 'wow look at the colour I'll print it anyway even though it's mush'....
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Rob also says he prefers the Canon 1Dm3 files over the Nikon D3 in all but very high ISO situations.
Do not agree with him on that at all. I used a 1DMKIII for weddings for quite awhile ... but swapped it out for a D3 and the D3 files are a bit nicer at all ISOs, and the 24-70 is 24-70, not 32-90. D3 erogonomics are better IMO, and the flash results are miles ahead.
 

Ben Rubinstein

Active member
In what way are you finding the flash better apart from the excellent wireless system Marc? Would be interested in hearing from your experiences.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
In what way are you finding the flash better apart from the excellent wireless system Marc? Would be interested in hearing from your experiences.
It's proven to be more consistant in changing circumstances. Since I use flash for 95% of my shots inside and outside, this was an important improvement for my work flow ... less adjustments in post.

Ben, for years I had heard that Nikon flash was more consistant, and now I am a believer.

The new SB900 is excellent ... unlike the Canon 380EX-II or the Nikon SB800, it has reverted to an analog switch for Master and Slave work ... so you don't have to access the LCD menu to use the Commander for off-camera work ... which as you know is a PITA when under pressure and working in the dark.
 

Ben Rubinstein

Active member
The new SB900 is excellent ... unlike the Canon 380EX-II or the Nikon SB800, it has reverted to an analog switch for Master and Slave work ... so you don't have to access the LCD menu to use the Commander for off-camera work ... which as you know is a PITA when under pressure and working in the dark.
Hell yes, hate that on my 580II's, I keep slave units up at the top table but switch it off for the dancing as it slows down the lag due to the extra flashes, I hate having to access it via the buttons especially as the dancing finishes and they bring the groom lifted on a chair to the top table and I have just 2 seconds to get switched over so that I have sufficient ambient fill at the top.

Tell me Marc, can you use the wheel on the SB-900 for direct exposure compensation without pressing buttons like on the 580? That is a crucial feature for me, I can spin that wheel and dial in compensation in under a second with the 580, I can't do that with buttons, not that fast.

Are you finding the flash more consistent for fill or even as main flash? I dial in fill manually on my canon's using the averaging setting for the flash so fill is completely under my control. Although I no longer alway manually meter and now have to adjust both EC and FEC each time, I've got it working pretty well. Main flash is pretty easy now.

Thing is that I've got it down to a totally subconscious level and although I'm riding the EC pretty much for every shot, I find in averaging mode the flash is more or less working for 18% grey and it's pretty easy to compensate if you know what it's trying to do, pretty much like auto flash was in the old days. Have to admit that with such differing levels of contrast present at a wedding I'm rather nervous of any system that tries to think too much.
 

Ben Rubinstein

Active member
As a matter of interest how are you finding the AWB on the Nikon's? In post, correcting exposure takes a second, it's the WB that takes the other 3-4 seconds per image in ACR, my 5D's are utterly awful at WB, especially in fluorescent without flash or any mixture of ambient and flash. I don't mind fixing exposure, especially when I've been exposing heavily to the right on purpose or holding an important white, it's the WB that often makes me want to tear my hair out.
 

fotografz

Well-known member
Hell yes, hate that on my 580II's, I keep slave units up at the top table but switch it off for the dancing as it slows down the lag due to the extra flashes, I hate having to access it via the buttons especially as the dancing finishes and they bring the groom lifted on a chair to the top table and I have just 2 seconds to get switched over so that I have sufficient ambient fill at the top.

Tell me Marc, can you use the wheel on the SB-900 for direct exposure compensation without pressing buttons like on the 580? That is a crucial feature for me, I can spin that wheel and dial in compensation in under a second with the 580, I can't do that with buttons, not that fast.

Are you finding the flash more consistent for fill or even as main flash? I dial in fill manually on my canon's using the averaging setting for the flash so fill is completely under my control. Although I no longer alway manually meter and now have to adjust both EC and FEC each time, I've got it working pretty well. Main flash is pretty easy now.

Thing is that I've got it down to a totally subconscious level and although I'm riding the EC pretty much for every shot, I find in averaging mode the flash is more or less working for 18% grey and it's pretty easy to compensate if you know what it's trying to do, pretty much like auto flash was in the old days. Have to admit that with such differing levels of contrast present at a wedding I'm rather nervous of any system that tries to think too much.
Ben, yes, The SB900 uses the wheel for compensation. You do have to press a button to activate the wheel (or you'd be inadvertently changing the comp.)

Consistancy is across the board, main and fill. The only real compensation I've had to do is for severe back-lighting and for creative effect.

The other plus is that the zoom head reaches from 14mm out to 200mm ... so now I can get those long shots at the reception without under-exposure.
 
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