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View Full Version : Fun with new Canon 50D


Blazer88
11/04/2008, 05:01 PM
I got my hands on a new Canon 50D today and give it a whirl. I had my reservations after reading the reviews about the noise but my mind is at ease now that I've used it. I also found the live view mode absolutely awesome. It isn't something that I thought I would have used but checking out the pics at 10x magnification before I take the shot was great for the macro shots. Checking the sharpness of the pics on the VGA screen is a huge improvement over the 30D. Any ways, here are just a few. I'll post up some more as I get around to editing them.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/SPS/IMG_0070-Edit.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/Zoa/IMG_0059-Edit.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/LPS/IMG_0064-Edit.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/Fish/IMG_0027-Edit.jpg

ibanezgfx
11/04/2008, 08:10 PM
wow! great shots!
i was just doing some research on the 30d, as i would like to get my first DSLR. i assume thats what you used prior to this camera?

Blazer88
11/04/2008, 08:14 PM
Yep, I used my 30D for more than two years and it was an excellent camera (and a great first DSLR). Honestly, just about any of the Canon bodies will give great results, it really comes down to who is using it and the lens being used. I would always make the sacrifice for an older body in favor of better glass.

But here are some more shots. The live view really makes macro shots even more fun.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/LPS/IMG_0069-Edit.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/LPS/IMG_0044-Edit.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/SPS/IMG_0062-Edit.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/SPS/IMG_0048-Edit.jpg

BlueCorn
11/04/2008, 08:17 PM
Nice stuff Rich. I'm going to have a really hard time keeping myself from buying the new 5D when it starts shipping.

Blazer88
11/04/2008, 08:27 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13682730#post13682730 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by beerguy
Nice stuff Rich. I'm going to have a really hard time keeping myself from buying the new 5D when it starts shipping.

Oh believe me, I thought about it. The thing that stopped me is that I still can't bring myself to sell my 17-55 F/2.8 IS, I just love that lens on a crop body. Plus my Sigma 10-20mm is another favorite that wouldn't fit the full frame body either. Mixing up my who lens kit just didn't make sense for right now. I'm sure I'll end up after the 50D, hopefully it will hold me over for another ~2 years as my 30D did.


Just a little FYI, my name is Rick, lol. Don't worry, lots of people make that mistake.

BlueCorn
11/04/2008, 08:29 PM
I hear ya. My Tokina 12-24 kept me from getting the 5D for quite a while. I loved that lens.

TitusvileSurfer
11/04/2008, 09:55 PM
Kudos!

chicken
11/05/2008, 03:17 AM
Rich Great pictures. What lens are you using? Thanks

TitusvileSurfer
11/05/2008, 04:22 PM
If I had to guess I would say he was using a
Sigma 150mm f/2.8 EX APO Macro EX DG HSM

chicken
11/05/2008, 09:54 PM
Not to hijack the thread but what macro to most people like for shooting pictures of their corals? I have a 60mm I have had for a while for other Macro use ( I have a canon 40d ) and I have recently just started trying to take some shots of my corals and it just does not have the reach. I was thinking about buying a Canon 100mm Macro but after seeing Rich's pictures I am wondering if I am better of with the Sigma. Thanks!

Blazer88
11/05/2008, 10:40 PM
The Sigma with give MUCH better reach over the 60mm. I've had quite a few macro lenses (Canon 100mm, Sigma 150mm, EF-S 60mm) and my favorite has been the Sigma. I was actually thinking of buying another 60mm to get better top-down macro shots since my Sigma can't focus close enough. The 60mm is a great lens though, I have always regretted selling it. And my name is Rick :) I think Doug has started a trend of calling me Rich, lol.

Sugar Magnolia
11/06/2008, 09:15 AM
:eek1: THose pics are stunning! I'm lurking around in the photog forum reading up on what DSLR cameras are being used. I'm thinking about looking into the Nikon D60. I guess it's really all about the lenses though huh?

ibanezgfx
11/06/2008, 09:34 AM
i cant stop looking at this thread! great pictures!!!

nickb
11/06/2008, 09:44 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13692349#post13692349 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Sugar Magnolia I guess it's really all about the lenses though huh? [/B]
And the skill of the photographer.

Really excellent photographs on this thread! That's what happens when you combine a great camera with a great lens and great photographic skills.

Robb in Austin
11/06/2008, 10:26 AM
Hey "Rick",

Nice pics, ok great pics. Even if they were made with a canon. ;)

Quick question for ya: what PP, if any, did you do?

TIA,
Robb

Blazer88
11/06/2008, 02:45 PM
Thanks again for all of the kind comments. Most of my time over the past few months went into setting up this new tank and now it's nice to spend a little bit of time photographing it.

Robb, I try to do as little PP as necessary. I shoot RAW and then import it into Adobe Lighroom for color correction, slight exposure adjustments, curves, and anything else that needs to be applied to the entire image. From there it goes into Photoshop CS3 for cropping, cloning of any specs, and any "local" adjustments to certain parts of an image. Here is a quick sample.

Jpeg directly from the camera (just resized):
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/IMG_0240-unedited.jpg

Finished:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/Fish/IMG_0240-Edit.jpg

Not too much of a difference, certainly nothing dramatic. And thanks for the comments, even if you happen to use a Nikon :)

I'm sure I'll post more as I complete them.

Robb in Austin
11/06/2008, 03:37 PM
Thanks for the info.

I scored a Sigma 150 off Ebay yesterday. Hopefully, my results will look as nice as yours.

Blazer88
11/06/2008, 06:01 PM
The Sigma is an amazing lens, one of the sharpest I've used. The tripod collar is a nice touch as well as it balances the body/lens much better than just the plate attached to the bottom of the camera. Any ways, here are some more SPS macro's. Macro's are just too much fun.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/SPS/IMG_0247-Edit.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/SPS/IMG_0248-Edit.jpg

IPT
11/06/2008, 07:23 PM
I love your shots! Liked the older ones too. HAven't tried the Liveview on my camera yet but you just reminded me about it and a gret time to use it. Thanks

ibanezgfx
11/06/2008, 07:56 PM
how bout a full tank shot?

Itaysworld
11/06/2008, 09:52 PM
Very very nice Blazer! Really like your shots.

Do you see a huuuuuge improvement with the 50D over the 30D?

What's that last one, do you know the name?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/SPS/IMG_0248-Edit.jpg

Blazer88
11/07/2008, 07:10 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13696404#post13696404 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by ibanezgfx
how bout a full tank shot?

Here is a shot from yesterday. The tank is ~2 months old now and coralline is starting to take hold on the new rock and back wall. It should look pretty sweet in 6 months.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/Full%20Tank%20Shots/11_2008.jpg

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13697281#post13697281 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Itaysworld
Very very nice Blazer! Really like your shots.

Do you see a huuuuuge improvement with the 50D over the 30D?

What's that last one, do you know the name?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/SPS/IMG_0248-Edit.jpg

I wish I could tell you but I'm absolutely terrible with SPS names. The only piece I have that I could name is my green slimer, lol. And I don't know if I would call the 50D a HUGE improvement over the 30D but it definitely has some features that I really like.

-The live view is absolutely great for manual focusing and makes macros MUCH easier than before, I take a lot of macro shots so that is important to me.

-The 3" VGA screen on the back is beautiful and is excellent for checking sharpness. I could take a picture with the 30D which would appear sharp on the 2.5" LCD but would be soft on my computer monitor. Not any more on the 50D.

-The 50D has micro adjustment for the lenses. I found that my 17-55mm F/2.8 IS was back focusing very slightly and I am able to calibrate that to this body. My pictures are sharper than ever before.

Even with those features, the price of a Canon 30D (and 40D) is great right now. I am selling mine for $500 and not everyone is willing to pay the $700 premium for a few features the 50D offers. The resolution isn't really worth much IMO and some people feel that is bringing in excess noise, etc, to the sensor. I haven't noticed any negatives of the 15MP sensor though but I wouldn't want to put cheap glass in front of it. It was worth it to me.

TROYREEFER
11/07/2008, 08:14 AM
Nice shots. looks great

ibanezgfx
11/10/2008, 04:07 PM
ever used the 20d? i found a good deal on a used one, and i have some older lenses for a film Canon EOS A2, so i have some, i suppose, decent lenses. If i got it, and its a good camera, i would save some money for a pretty good lens or two.

BlueCorn
11/10/2008, 04:09 PM
20D is still a good camera.

chicken
11/10/2008, 04:40 PM
Rick, I blame you for a $600 charge on my credit card :( It should be here Wednesday. Thanks!

Blazer88
11/10/2008, 05:29 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13719661#post13719661 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by chicken
Rick, I blame you for a $600 charge on my credit card :( It should be here Wednesday. Thanks!

Oh you won't regret it, it's a fantastic lens. Be sure to post up some shots once you get it!

Blazer88
11/19/2008, 07:20 PM
Just another quick one of my clownfish trying to hide in the anemone:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v67/rparchen/Fish%20Tank/Fish/IMG_0653-Edit.jpg

Recty
11/19/2008, 07:40 PM
I really like that shot, great composition and clarity.

Lpabsolute
11/23/2008, 12:33 AM
I like the pic of the Blenny.....

ssbreef
11/23/2008, 08:25 PM
Fantastic shots!! as always.

JeffReef
11/23/2008, 08:40 PM
Rick,
Can you tell a big difference between the 30D and 50D on high ISO performance? It appears to me that these new shots are cleaner (less noise) than your previous ones.

melev
11/23/2008, 11:22 PM
Rick, beautiful shots. You've got me beat both with your skill and your equipment, but hopefully I can keep learning from your example.

When it comes to cropping on CS3, how do you avoid cropping to the point that the subject enlarges? Is there a trick you can share?

Blazer88
11/24/2008, 09:25 AM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13804853#post13804853 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JeffReef
Rick,
Can you tell a big difference between the 30D and 50D on high ISO performance? It appears to me that these new shots are cleaner (less noise) than your previous ones.

I haven't done any scientific comparisons by any means but it does seem the 50D handles the noise better than the 30D. I used to go up to ISO 1000+ on my old tank quite frequently, when much of my shots were taken. I don't really use anything above 800 with the 50D on my new tank since I think the Radium 20K and lumenarc reflector seems to put out much more light allowing me to use a lower ISO.

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13805846#post13805846 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by melev
Rick, beautiful shots. You've got me beat both with your skill and your equipment, but hopefully I can keep learning from your example.

When it comes to cropping on CS3, how do you avoid cropping to the point that the subject enlarges? Is there a trick you can share?

I just use the regular crop tool in CS3 and set my pixel dimensions to 900x600 pixels. The subject shouldn't "enlarge" as long as you aren't cropping beyond 100%. Meaning, turning a 800x533 image into a 900x600 one. My original pixel dimensions are ~4800x3200 so it's easy to get a 900x600 crop without enlarging anything. Does that make sense?

juniormc8704
11/24/2008, 11:06 AM
Blazer always awesome pics. I checked out that new 50D a couploe weeks ago, very very nice camera.

I recently tried hooking my D300 up to my Macbook Pro with capture pro 2.0 (nikon) and with live view it allows me to use my whole laptop monitor as the view finder and remote trigger using the keyboard, make any changes, etc...

the only thing i can do via the laptop in manual focus (obviously)

You should see if canon has something like that.

very very very cool.

I havent had a chance to do a real shoot with it, but the concept blows my mind.

After looking at your pics, i might have to bust out my sigma 150 again.

melev
11/24/2008, 12:05 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13807245#post13807245 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Blazer88
I just use the regular crop tool in CS3 and set my pixel dimensions to 900x600 pixels. The subject shouldn't "enlarge" as long as you aren't cropping beyond 100%. Meaning, turning a 800x533 image into a 900x600 one. My original pixel dimensions are ~4800x3200 so it's easy to get a 900x600 crop without enlarging anything. Does that make sense?

That is what I'm doing as well. I thought perhaps there was a setting that will prevent you from cropping beyond 100%, basically.

JeffReef
11/24/2008, 12:37 PM
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13807245#post13807245 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Blazer88
I haven't done any scientific comparisons by any means but it does seem the 50D handles the noise better than the 30D. I used to go up to ISO 1000+ on my old tank quite frequently, when much of my shots were taken. I don't really use anything above 800 with the 50D on my new tank since I think the Radium 20K and lumenarc reflector seems to put out much more light allowing me to use a lower ISO.



Thanks for the reply, Rick. I have yet to upgrade my 20D. Perhaps now is the time.

On a side note, did your RBTA have that much "bubble" before you switched to Radiums? I have a similar RBTA with half as much bubble as that and I want it to have full bubbles like yours.

Jeff
11/24/2008, 01:12 PM
Great pics! I really need to start saving for a decent camera...