Duplicate Bodies Eras

I have had two copies of the same camera body simultaneously eight times since I got serious about photography again back in 2009. The most recent time was from February to July in 2023 when I had two EOS R bodies. I sold them to get one EOS R6 body to have the in body image stabilization for use with non stabilized lenses.

Then, in May of this year, I picked up an R8 and ended up liking the smaller, lighter body with a bit more resolution so much I sold the R6. My plan was to stick with the R8 and three image stabilized prime lenses. Then Canon came out with the compact and weather sealed 28-70mm f/2.8 IS lens. A lens I couldn't resist and I'm very glad I acquired. 

These four lenses and a single body do not an ideal kit make. There are several practical options for a second body. I even considered crop sensor bodies but I quickly ruled out mixing sensor sizes. The R6 Mark II is a better camera than the R8 but having just sold my R6 I didn't want to go that route. I would be constantly feeling the need to decide which to use with what and for what. And I don't need in body stabilization with these lenses.

So, I picked up a second R8 body. This second body will mostly stay paired with the 35mm f/1.8 IS STM lens. Occasionally, I will carry both bodies with the zoom lens on one and, depending on the situation, either the 24mm or 85mm lens on the other. 

I have the extension grip on the first body to use with the heavier and larger lenses so I put Peak Design Anchor Links on the strap ends of my OP/TECH Dual Harness so I can avoid using the Black Rapid tripod mount system which doesn't work well with the extension grip as it attaches to the screw mount wheel of the grip which could loosen while in use.

I would very much like to maintain this kit for the next year or so only adding necessary replacements such as batteries, filters, memory cards, etc.

UPDATE: I have picked up a Lowepro Flipside 300AW III backpack to store most of the gear. I can also hike with this bag which weighs 112 pounds as currently constituted. The chargers, speedlites and batteries are in a Canon shoulder bag which does not get carried around. That bag, the dual harness, tripod and some smaller carry bags are organized in a foldable tote.

R8 Noise Levels and Software

One of the images from the other day was shot at ISO 800 which can start to show noise in out of focus areas. The DxO PhotoLab 8 software I'm using has a handful of noise reduction settings but I rarely get into them, relying on the standard, mild noise reduction setting. 

Here is a downsized file of the image for context purposes, with normal noise reduction.

EOS R8, RF 85mm f/2 STM, f/5.6, 1/350 sec., ISO 800

Here is the upper right corner of the image from that original file. If you click on the image (and click on it again) you can see some graininess in the transition areas in the background.

Hugh Quality

I processed the RAW file again with a more aggressive noise reduction setting and it cleaned up quite a bit. DxO has named their "denoise technologies" High Quality, PRIME, DeepPRIME and DeepPRIME XD. And there are sliders to adjust settings within each "technology."

DeepPRIME

I have rarely had a need to get into this level of processing but it's nice to have a familiarity with it in case it's needed.

Using the Prime Lenses

I more or less made myself use the prime lenses at the battlefield today. I don't carry the 35mm lens as that focal length is covered by the zoom but both the 85mm and 24mm lenses saw some use. I especially wanted to get some more images with the 85mm lens to add to the fall project gallery which wraps up next week.

EOS R8, RF 85mm f/2 STM, f/6.7, 1/250 sec., ISO 200. CPL

EOS R8, RF 85mm f/2 STM, f/8, 1/180 sec., ISO 200. CPL

EOS R8, RF 85mm f/2 STM, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec., ISO 800. CPL

EOS R8, RF 85mm f/2 STM, f/8, 1/180 sec., ISO 800. CPL

EOS R8, RF 24mm f/1.8 STM, f/22, 1/250 sec., ISO 1600

EOS R8, RF 24mm f/1.8 STM, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec., ISO 400

EOS R8, RF 24mm f/1.8 STM, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 400

A Problem With This New Zoom Lens

I can't seem to force myself to use any of my other lenses. I used the 24mm lens for one shot since I got the 28-70mm lens and that's it. I have actually had other lenses on the camera but other than that single image, I haven't used them.

I'm sure the newness will wear off and I'll be able to use a variety of lenses before too long. Here are some shots from the past few days. Champlain Canalway Trail in Halfmoon, NY, Woodward Lake in Northville, NY and Schodack Island in Schodack Landing, NY.

EOS R8, RF 28-70mm STM at 28mm, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 100

EOS R8, RF 28-70mm STM at 70mm, f/2.8, 1/1000 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 28-70mm STM at 70mm, f/5.6, 1/1000 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 28-70mm STM at 53mm, f/5.6, 1/350 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 28-70mm STM at 70mm, f/5.6, 1/250 sec., ISO 400

EOS R8, RF 28-70mm STM at 28mm, f/22, 1/250 sec., ISO 800

EOS R8, RF 28-70mm STM at 28mm, f/8, 1/250 sec., ISO 200

Canon RF 28-70mm f/2.8 IS STM Lens

Hopefully, the last of my gear transitions is now complete. I have added the brand new RF 28-70mm f/2.8 lens to my three prime lenses and the EOS R8. The 35mm lens will sit in a small shoulder bag for use with the R8 when I want a very compact camera. The new zoom will join the 24mm and 85mm lenses in the Think Tank Speed Freak bag with the R8.

One reason I decided to add this lens is that it's weather sealed unlike the lenses I currently have. It also gives me the 50mm at a reasonably fast f/2.8 aperture. Canon does not make an image stabilized 50mm prime lens. Although the lens does not focus as closely as the half life size prime lenses, it does get to about a quarter life size. 

The lens is a little smaller and a touch lighter than the 85mm lens and has the same 67mm filter thread. The shoulder bag is heavier with the zoom in place of the 35mm lens but it wasn't really noticeable on my hike around Saratoga Battlefield this morning. 

The lens is so new that I had to update my DxO PhotoLab software in order for the lens profile to work with RAW files. The lens has some quirks but I like it so far. I haven't had a need to use it wide open at f/2.8 yet but that will certainly come with shorter days and holiday activities.

I created a gallery with samples made with this lens at https://www.trulandphotography.com/Projects/New-Zoom-Samples where you can view full size files. Here are some shots from this morning's hike.

EOS R8, RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 28mm, f/22, 1/125 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 70mm, f/8, 1/180 sec., ISO 400

EOS R8, RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 38mm, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 400

EOS R8, RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 33mm, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 40mm, f/22, 1/180 sec., ISO 800

EOS R8, RF 28-70mm f/2.8 at 42mm, f/2.8, 1/1500 sec., ISO 100

85mm Landscapes

I've been out a few times since my last post. I did decide to sell the R6 after my outing at Grafton. Since that decision I've been to Oakwood Cemetery and several parts of Saratoga National Historical Park with the new bag setup, which is the Think Tank Photo Speed Freak. 

I did add a Peak Design Capture clip to the strap for securing the camera, while on a Peak Design Leash strap, while hiking around. Here is a selection of landscapes made with the 85mm lens.

EOS R8, RF 85mm f/1.8 STM, f/8, 1/2000 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 85mm f/1.8 STM, f/11, 1/1000 sec., ISO 400

EOS R8, RF 85mm f/1.8 STM, f/11, 1/350 sec., ISO 400

EOS R8, RF 85mm f/1.8 STM, f/11, 1/500 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 85mm f/1.8 STM, f/11, 1/1000 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 85mm f/1.8 STM, f/8, 1/1500 sec., ISO 200

Three Lenses, One Body

Back on 9/27 I mentioned that I'd been thinking about using only the R8 with the 3 lenses and that I'd decided it didn't make sense. But it might.

I used both cameras at the battlefield yesterday and used the silent electronic shutter as I was shooting a talk at a tour road stop on the anniversary of the second battle. The better, but older EOS R6 can not bracket exposures using the electronic shutter. The newer, cheaper EOS R8 can - at 40 frames per second.

I set up a test this morning with the R8 and the three lenses in one bag for a drive and walk around Grafton Lakes State Park. I used all three lenses, changing intentionally, and found it reasonably convenient. You wouldn't do it in the rain, but then my lenses aren't designed to get wet anyway. A strap on the camera so it can hang from my neck during the changes is mandatory. 

I don't usually have straps on when I'm using dual cameras. They're either in shoulder bags or on a Black Rapid harness which attaches to the tripod mount which would make straps a nuisance.

I'll try this system out at some more upcoming events at the battlefield. It is nice dealing with files from a single camera. It makes organizing and storing the files from an outing much easier.

Here are some shots from this morning, It started out clear and ended up mostly cloudy.

EOS R8, RF 85mm f/2 STM, f/5.6, 1/1500 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 85mm f/2 STM, f/8, 1/180 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 24mm f/1.8 STM, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 35mm f/1.8 STM, f/6.7, 1/500 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 85mm f/2 STM, f/5.6, 1/1500 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 24mm f/1.8 STM, f/5.6, 1/1500 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 35mm f/1.8 STM, f/8, 1/250 sec., ISO 200

"Saratoga" Two Ways

There are a lot of locations I visit which contain "Saratoga" in their names. All of them are within Saratoga County. Only Saratoga Spa State Park is in the City of Saratoga Springs which is what most people associate with "Saratoga." Springs and horse racing.

What was called Saratoga in colonial times is now Schuylerville, which is a village in the town of Saratoga. The Town of Saratoga is home to Saratoga National Cemetery. Almost all of the battlefield part of the park is in the Town of Stillwater. 

I visited the cemetery and battlefield over the past two days and will share some photos made with the 24mm lens at each location.

EOS R8, RF 24mm f/1.8 STM, f/8, 1/500 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 24mm f/1.8 STM, f/8, 1/750 sec., ISO 200

EOS R8, RF 24mm f/1.8 STM, f/11, 1/250 sec., ISO 400

EOS R8, RF 24mm f/1.8 STM, f/11, 1/350 sec., ISO 400

EOS R8, RF 24mm f/1.8 STM, f/11, 1/750 sec., ISO 400

EOS R8, RF 24mm f/1.8 STM, f/11, 1/350 sec., ISO 400

Black & White and Color

It was a foggy morning with the sun burning through a bit later on. I walked around Waterford with the 85mm lens and captured some images I processed in black and white and some I processed in color.

EOS R6, RF 85mm f/2 STM, f/8, 1/125 sec., ISO 800

EOS R6, RF 85mm f/2 STM, f/8, 1/2000 sec., ISO 200

EOS R6, RF 85mm f/2 STM, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 200

EOS R6, RF 85mm f/2 STM, f/8, 1/250 sec., ISO 800

EOS R6, RF 85mm f/2 STM, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 800

EOS R6, RF 85mm f/2 STM, f/11, 1/125 sec., ISO 800