Stuff For Sale

I've decided so simplify my kit to get down to one big bag and one small bag for everything. To interpret Canon lens date codes, visit a page on The Digital Picture's web site here. If local, we can meet in person. If by mail, I will add actual shipping costs. Payment by credit card through PayPal is possible.

So, here's what I've got to sell:

SOLD - Canon EOS 50D
SOLD - Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
SOLD - Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM.
SOLD - Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM
SOLD - Canon Close-up Lens 500D in 58mm.

Icy Evergreen

Snow in October can create some interesting photo opportunities. Walking around without a tripod, I wasn't able to get any good shots of snow and ice on colorful Fall leaves or Holly. To get the kind of shot I was looking for would have required a small aperture for depth of field and could not be handheld.

I did, however, manage to capture this rather nice picture of some leftover snow and ice on an evergreen shrub branch which should have been pruned earlier in the summer.

EOS 50D, EF 300mm f/4L IS, ISO 200, f/5.6, 1/640 sec.

The weather forecast for today gives us a Winter Storm Warning with 3 to 6 inches of snow predicted. With the leaves still mostly on many trees, that should be interesting.

A Walk in the Woods

I was out at Grafton Lakes State Park over the weekend. I was hoping for some color but the foliage was well past peak. The sky was overcast, which is perfect for shooting in the woods because you don't get the contrast between sun and shade.

A tripod is a must, of course, due to the low light level but the soft light can really pick up colors. In this case green. This shot of a fern was made with the 5D and the 24-70 lens.

Canon EOS 5D, EF 24-70 f/2.8L at 70, ISO 100, f/8, 1/15 sec.

Some Fall Color

While it has been a disappointing year for Fall foliage, you can still find isolated spots of brilliant colors. So, instead of looking for sweeping hillside landscapes, it might be smarter to look for small bits of brilliance and isolate them. Like this backlit Japanese Maple seed and foliage cluster.

The photo was taken with a Canon EOS 50D, EF 300 f/4L IS USM, at ISO 200, f/6.3, 1/800 sec. It was incredibly windy with the branch moving around about 3 feet in all directions. I used AI Servo focusing mode and was able to get a few decently composed and focused images.

2011 Foliage Comparison

Instead of repeating all of the information from last year's post comparing 2009 with 2010 fall foliage, I simply added this year's picture and information to the end of that post.

You can read it all here.

I Really Want One

Canon today announced a new top of the line DSLR, the EOS-1DX. I would be quite happy with one of these bodies and three or four lenses. Unfortunately, at $6,800 I'd have to sell all my equipment in order to buy one.

But then, the 1DX won't be available until March. Time for some lottery tickets.

You can read all about the camera here.

New Lens with Image Stabilization

My new lens, an EF 300mm f/4L IS USM, arrived a few days ago so I took it out this morning with my 5D to Peebles Island State Park to try it out.

I took the 5D because I wanted to see if the shorter focal length of this lens, compared to the 400mm of the lens I expect it to replace, was going to be a problem if I move to all full frame bodies as I expect will happen at some point.

I left my monopod at home since I was particularly interested in the function of the Image Stabilization since none of my other lenses have IS and I've heard that some people don't like the IS of this particular lens. It is older technology and is a bit noisier than other models. I didn't notice any problems with it and was really happy with being able to hand hold the following two shots of deer. The first was at 1/30 second and the second at 1/50 second. Both were wide open at f/4 and ISO 200.

The first is cropped from a horizontal composition and the second is as shot.

Backlit Maple Leaf

As I await the arrival of the EF 300mm f/4L IS USM, which I expect will be replacing the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM in my bag, I decided to play around with my EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM with the Extender EF 1.4x II attached. This results in a lens combination with a maximum focal length of 280mm at f/4 with a closest focusing distance of 4.9 feet. Almost identical to the lens which is in the mail.

I expect the image quality of the 300mm lens will be far better, of course. The difference between a prime lens and a zoom with an extender attached is significant. I'll do some comparisons and post them later on. I'll also compare the 300mm lens with the extender against the 400mmm lens.

In any case, here is a shot of a backlit maple leaf taken with an EOS 50D and an EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM with the Extender EF 1.4x II at the full 280mm, ISO 200, f/8, 1/800 second. I simply spot metered on the leaf and processed in Canon's Digital Photo Professional using the Autumn Hues Picture Style while reducing highlights a touch and adding a touch of sharpness. I also cropped to a square format to remove some distracting twigs in the corners.

So, stay tuned for comparison shots once I get the new lens. Also, watch for this year's shot to be added to the annual fall comparison. You can read last years entry here.

Best of the Weekend

To wrap up the soggy trip to Maine, I'll just post what I think was the best shot of the short and rainy weekend - lobster boats, skiffs and fog at Perkins Cove.

Canon EOS 5D, EF 24-70 f/2.8L at f/5, 1/200 sec, ISO 200

High Tides

The advertised higher than usual tides yesterday were interesting but not spectacular. And the overcast sky made interesting photographs difficult.

This first shot shows the bridge between Ogunquit and the beach over the Ogunquit River.

The next two shots are from the beach parking area showing waves crashing at the foot of the sea wall at the Sparhawk Resort and then at a smaller motel or B&B next door.

Finally, a shot from the parking lot down to a ramp leading to what is usually the expanse of sand that is Ogunquit Beach. Weather permitting, I'll try to get a low tide shot from the same location for comparison purposes.

UPDATE: The weather did allow for a quick picture with my iPhone just a bit after low tide the morning after this photo was taken.

A Gray Morning

I was up and out and the appointed time for a sunrise, but as I mentioned yesterday, I wasn't expecting one. As expected, the sky was overcast with a slight drizzle.

I did manage a walk around the beach at low tide, however. This shot, looking back at the beach parking lot from the shore at low tide shows the conditions.

It occurred to me as I viewed the shots that since they're already almost monochrome to process one that way and see the results. Here's the same shot with some contrast added as a black and white photo.

The softness at the horizon is a combination of haze, mist and probably some moisture on the UV filter element. I don't use protective filters as a rule, but in this weather I'd rather have drops of water on a filter than the lens itself.

There might be a chance for some interesting shots later today as the weather forecast includes the following weather advisory: "INCREASING ONSHORE FLOW AND ASTRONOMICAL HIGH TIDES COULD LEAD TO MINOR FLOODING TODAY."