• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

The Official Camera Equipment Megathread

Status
Not open for further replies.
Just use LiveView for now as a learning experience.

All the lenses on my D3200 are legacy non-AF lenses and I primarily use it for videography so I'm not even really well versed in using MF with the viewfinder.

TBH, everytime I used it for pictures the focus would never look right. Like I'd notice that it seemed kinda blurred in the viewfinder, but when I switch to LiveView it looks as sharp as day so I ended up using LV for a while. It wasn't until I discovered what the diopter does a year ago and figured out the right settings for me... now I can take perfectly clear pictures using the viewfinder with no problem.

That said, I still kinda prefer to use LV for pictures. I know some elitist photogs think that it's cheating, but the check still clears so I ain't too worried honestly. I'm definitely trying to get out of that habit though as the shutter takes a long ass time in LV compared to using the viewfinder.
Some "protogs" (I think that's a silly term) would have you believe that a full frame DSLR is the only option for taking photos.
Personally I listen to the ones that accept that photography will always be changing, bit by bit.
 

FStop7

Banned
Some "protogs" (I think that's a silly term) would have you believe that a full frame DSLR is the only option for taking photos.
Personally I listen to the ones that accept that photography will always be changing, bit by bit.

Yeah, that's definitely not a constructive position for those people to take and I would question their legitimacy if they took such an absolutist stance. Nobody uses the same tool for every task.

I don't miss mirror slap, mirror vibration, or the bulk of a DSLR. What I do miss are the optical viewfinder that's TTL and the very natural controls that have developed on the Nikon and Canon bodies through 15 years of iterations. But mirrorless will get there.
 
I've actually been looking at mirrorless myself recently as I've been wanting to really take this seriously as it is part of my job description after all lol.

But I'm pretty invested in the F-mount lenses and seeing as how the Nikon 1's with the FT-1 adapter delivers a crop factor of 2.7x... I'd rather start from scratch instead of trying to stay with the F-mount lenses.

I've read a few reviews comparing my D3200 to the D5200/D7200's and the only difference is the EXCEED4 sensor and it doesn't seem to be really worth the price tag. The only path to upgrading would be to get the D610 but at $1.5K... I'd rather put that money on mods for my Miata haha.

The Sony a6000 caught my eye the other day at Best Buy but I'm still really undecided on going mirrorless especially since I primarily use it for video.

Some "protogs" (I think that's a silly term) would have you believe that a full frame DSLR is the only option for taking photos.
Personally I listen to the ones that accept that photography will always be changing, bit by bit.

My boss, the marketing director, used to work with a lot of "protogs" and apparently a lot of these people are big babies or whatever. Constant un-professional behavior and just failing to live up to their promises. He said it's one of the reasons why they brought me in as it's apparently a pain in the ass to search for a photog, have somebody vet him, and go through all that process. I actually applied for a video editing gig, but now I've been doing all the shoots, and VFX stuff on top of video editing lol.
 

Aurongel

Member
Rented the Canon 100mm Macro to digitize some vintage Kodak slides my grandmother hasn't viewed in 30 years.

I'll report back later with results!
 
I've actually been looking at mirrorless myself recently as I've been wanting to really take this seriously as it is part of my job description after all lol.

But I'm pretty invested in the F-mount lenses and seeing as how the Nikon 1's with the FT-1 adapter delivers a crop factor of 2.7x... I'd rather start from scratch instead of trying to stay with the F-mount lenses.

I've read a few reviews comparing my D3200 to the D5200/D7200's and the only difference is the EXCEED4 sensor and it doesn't seem to be really worth the price tag. The only path to upgrading would be to get the D610 but at $1.5K... I'd rather put that money on mods for my Miata haha.

The Sony a6000 caught my eye the other day at Best Buy but I'm still really undecided on going mirrorless especially since I primarily use it for video.



My boss, the marketing director, used to work with a lot of "protogs" and apparently a lot of these people are big babies or whatever. Constant un-professional behavior and just failing to live up to their promises. He said it's one of the reasons why they brought me in as it's apparently a pain in the ass to search for a photog, have somebody vet him, and go through all that process. I actually applied for a video editing gig, but now I've been doing all the shoots, and VFX stuff on top of video editing lol.

Crop of 2.7!? Whaaaa!? That's worse than MFT!
Go for the a6000. It's really good for video. Will also work very well with your Nikon lenses. Er, at least with MF anyway.

Yeah, I wish I could find someone who could hire me just as a salaried photographer. ^_^ But alas, it's a pipe dream.
 
My boss, the marketing director, used to work with a lot of "protogs" and apparently a lot of these people are big babies or whatever. Constant un-professional behavior and just failing to live up to their promises. He said it's one of the reasons why they brought me in as it's apparently a pain in the ass to search for a photog, have somebody vet him, and go through all that process. I actually applied for a video editing gig, but now I've been doing all the shoots, and VFX stuff on top of video editing lol.
Sounds like we have very similar jobs. Now if I could only get my boss to send me out of shoots, dude just found out last week that I know how to take a good picture. I always thought it was just a stereotypical joke that pro photographers can be a bunch of cry babies. Kind of sounds like it's a good thing that I wasn't college trained on that front.
 
Crop of 2.7!? Whaaaa!? That's worse than MFT!
Go for the a6000. It's really good for video. Will also work very well with your Nikon lenses. Er, at least with MF anyway.

Yep, a 50mm would be 135mm on it lol. Lots of people apparently use it for macro and wildlife photography, but that's really the only use case for it. It's almost useless for everything else.

Unfortunately, the a6000 doesn't have an external mic jack and I need an external mic for interviews/speeches, among other things so it's kinda off the table right now.

Sounds like we have very similar jobs. Now if I could only get my boss to send me out of shoots, dude just found out last week that I know how to take a good picture. I always thought it was just a stereotypical joke that pro photographers can be a bunch of cry babies. Kind of sounds like it's a good thing that I wasn't college trained on that front.

I actually kinda hate the shoots that I do coz my boss' boss is an thinks he's a protog and he's always babbling on about his "beautiful" 85mm lens on a Canon T5 that indeed produces decent portraits. But of course, yesterday he spent a fncking hour bitching at me for shooting in "poor light conditions" when he just doesn't know how to use his damn camera. He apparently took a 6 month of photography class, yet he shoots in auto only, and he doesn't know what the ISO and shutter speed setting does.

I've tried teaching him what they do, angles, framing, and basically everything a decent photog should know, but it seems like all my advice is just going out the other ear so I've lost my patience and given up.
 

RuGalz

Member
I've said this in the past and I guess I was too broad.

When I've said don't use a FF lens on crop it's usually because they're very expensive and there are better options. Primes, especially standard primes are neither and in many cases *cough*Pentax*cough* "crop" lenses are actually based on FF designs.

Yea agreed. To me, FF zooms tend to be not very useful on APSC due to the focal range, extra cost and weight. Primes are a bit more interchangeable but often there are still better choices for the correct format. Conceptually, I mostly treat FF lenses as another system even if they are the same mount. Of course there are exceptions which, as you have said, just need to be looked at case by case.

Some "protogs" (I think that's a silly term) would have you believe that a full frame DSLR is the only option for taking photos.
Personally I listen to the ones that accept that photography will always be changing, bit by bit.

It's not just protogs either, the manufactures kind of direct you to that direction by giving you better/more choices if you go FF. And of course, a lot of hobbyist have also been brainwashed to think FF is the only choice.
 
I actually kinda hate the shoots that I do coz my boss' boss is an thinks he's a protog and he's always babbling on about his "beautiful" 85mm lens on a Canon T5 that indeed produces decent portraits. But of course, yesterday he spent a fncking hour bitching at me for shooting in "poor light conditions" when he just doesn't know how to use his damn camera. He apparently took a 6 month of photography class, yet he shoots in auto only, and he doesn't know what the ISO and shutter speed setting does.

I've tried teaching him what they do, angles, framing, and basically everything a decent photog should know, but it seems like all my advice is just going out the other ear so I've lost my patience and given up.
Holy shit I'm more of a photographer than he is and I just get my education on the street, youtube and on here. Dudes a buffoon. Pretty much he's just a human tripod for his camera.
 
Yep, a 50mm would be 135mm on it lol. Lots of people apparently use it for macro and wildlife photography, but that's really the only use case for it. It's almost useless for everything else.

Unfortunately, the a6000 doesn't have an external mic jack and I need an external mic for interviews/speeches, among other things so it's kinda off the table right now.



I actually kinda hate the shoots that I do coz my boss' boss is an thinks he's a protog and he's always babbling on about his "beautiful" 85mm lens on a Canon T5 that indeed produces decent portraits. But of course, yesterday he spent a fncking hour bitching at me for shooting in "poor light conditions" when he just doesn't know how to use his damn camera. He apparently took a 6 month of photography class, yet he shoots in auto only, and he doesn't know what the ISO and shutter speed setting does.

I've tried teaching him what they do, angles, framing, and basically everything a decent photog should know, but it seems like all my advice is just going out the other ear so I've lost my patience and given up.
Wow that sounds really annoying. Sooo.... any need for a new guy?
 
Wow that sounds really annoying. Sooo.... any need for a new guy?

Ha, he's the CEO so I'd rather have him up there despite his antics lol.

He's a really cool and smart dude though, I believe he's just one of those people who can't take it well when somebody 10 years younger than him knows a lot more about something he thinks he's an expert in.

Now that I'm thinking about it. Is that guy raving about the 85mm L lens or the one made for broke people?

I had to look it up, but it's definitely not the L lens seeing as how it cost $350.
 
I had to look it up, but it's definitely not the L lens seeing as how it cost $350.
I don't know much about Canon's but I think he's using the peon camera with the peon lens, which I guess is fitting. By the way I'm not insultin Canon's or the camera I'm honestly just poking fun.
 

captive

Joe Six-Pack: posting for the common man
I don't know much about Canon's but I think he's using the peon camera with the peon lens, which I guess is fitting. By the way I'm not insultin Canon's or the camera I'm honestly just poking fun.

i love that you over the last few posts have been talking shit about "protogs" and their opinions on full frame cameras, and then say shit like this.

Back in the day, in this very thread, people used to shit on 4/3rds and its sensor. If you want the best possible photos in a "35mm" style camera, you need full frame. If you want the absolutely best possible photos you should shoot medium format digital.

Photography as a hobby should be fun, 4/3rds sensors are perfectly capable of making great photographs, as is the nikon v1 sensor, as is ASP-C as is Full frame. The common denominator? Someone that knows what they're doing with that camera in their hand. There is no such thing as a peon camera or a peon lens, only tools of varying price and abilities with various trade offs.
 
i love that you over the last few posts have been talking shit about "protogs" and their opinions on full frame cameras, and then say shit like this.

Back in the day, in this very thread, people used to shit on 4/3rds and its sensor. If you want the best possible photos in a "35mm" style camera, you need full frame. If you want the absolutely best possible photos you should shoot medium format digital.

Photography as a hobby should be fun, 4/3rds sensors are perfectly capable of making great photographs, as is the nikon v1 sensor, as is ASP-C as is Full frame. The common denominator? Someone that knows what they're doing with that camera in their hand. There is no such thing as a peon camera or a peon lens, only tools of varying price and abilities with various trade offs.

Medium format? Large format or GTFO.

Honestly only reason I'm going Full frame is for the low light capabilities. And astrophotography. Camera is absolutely fine for everything else, and I'll probably be keeping my a6000.
 

captive

Joe Six-Pack: posting for the common man
Unfortunately there is no large format digital sensor.
However, some guys did some comparison tests between the IQ180 and a 8x10 large format. And frankly the results were so close that the IQ180 is better in my opinion just from the negatives of using film, between the gigantic camera, the film development, handling, and scanning.
 
i love that you over the last few posts have been talking shit about "protogs" and their opinions on full frame cameras, and then say shit like this.

Back in the day, in this very thread, people used to shit on 4/3rds and its sensor. If you want the best possible photos in a "35mm" style camera, you need full frame. If you want the absolutely best possible photos you should shoot medium format digital.

Photography as a hobby should be fun, 4/3rds sensors are perfectly capable of making great photographs, as is the nikon v1 sensor, as is ASP-C as is Full frame. The common denominator? Someone that knows what they're doing with that camera in their hand. There is no such thing as a peon camera or a peon lens, only tools of varying price and abilities with various trade offs.
You do realize that I was poking fun at the whole situation. I just found it funny how JongKookie's boss thought he was hot shit using a T5 Rebel with a $350 85mm while shooting in auto. Meanwhile there's just stuff that I"m quite sure he doesn't know about. Especially since Jong was actually trying to explain the mechanics of shooting in manual and how this is effected by that and so forth, meanwhile the guy didn't even want to listen. I have no problem with the Rebel line at all or Canon's in general. I like both actually. I started on a bridge camera, which was pretty decent for what it was. I don't think I've actually seriously shat on any kind of camera with my time here to be honest. And I do agree that photography as a hobby is meant to be fun, which it is since I've been having a lot of fun with it over the last few months. And trust me I have a lot of respect for protogs. In all honestly I just like teasing things and people. If I offended you I do apologize about that immensely. I guess I should've just edited the "peon" part out of my comment cause I had an odd feeling that somebody would take it the wrong way.
Edit:
I just checked this page and the last page and I wasn't really talking shit about protogs, I was just making fun of the CEO that Jong worked for whom clearly is not a protog, but he thinks he's a protog. I take the opinions of everybody on here that actually knows what they're doing very seriously, with you definitely being one of them, same goes for Rugalz and FStop7. I'm just oddly opinionated and I do apologize for that, I guess it's just not that obvious to others when I'm kidding around and that's my fault in general.
 
Yeah, Jaded's point was that he thought he was using some crazy badass lens when it was really just a lens is all.

Cameras is all about finding what's best for you anyway. Unless it's a Holga. In which case I think you did not choose what is best for anything except tears at night.
 
Yeah, Jaded's point was that he thought he was using some crazy badass lens when it was really just a lens is all.

Cameras is all about finding what's best for you anyway. Unless it's a Holga. In which case I think you did not choose what is best for anything except tears at night.
Pretty much this in a nutshell. Lately I've been specking out the lenses and camera's of the events photographers if I can and I saw the 85mm Canon L lens on a guys 5D I think it was. I was like there's no way an event photographer would have the lens the CEO was raving about on his camera. What da hell is a Holga? I just googled it and it looks like a museum piece. Would be a very fun experiment but it'd probably drive me insane.
 
Pretty much this in a nutshell. Lately I've been specking out the lenses and camera's of the events photographers if I can and I saw the 85mm Canon L lens on a guys 5D I think it was. I was like there's no way an event photographer would have the lens the CEO was raving about on his camera.

Actually, I work as an event photographer from time to time (Not paid, just extra military duty, buuuut) and I use a cheapo 30mm Sigma lens. Events are rarely about the BOKEH so it suits me just fine.

But then, I'm sure military photographer is a tad different from "real" event shooting. But there's absolutely nothing wrong with my photos, from a lens perspective.
 
Actually, I work as an event photographer from time to time (Not paid, just extra military duty, buuuut) and I use a cheapo 30mm Sigma lens. Events are rarely about the BOKEH so it suits me just fine.

But then, I'm sure military photographer is a tad different from "real" event shooting. But there's absolutely nothing wrong with my photos, from a lens perspective.
Isn't your 30mm Sigma lens the Art lens that I want? Or is it the one that came before the Art lens with the yellow ring around it? The event photographer I saw looked pro as fuck with two cameras slung across his body. I think he had a 5D and a 60D or something with I think a 24-70 Canon L or something on the 60D, it was definitely red ringed.
 
Isn't your 30mm Sigma lens the Art lens that I want? Or is it the one that came before the Art lens with the yellow ring around it? The event photographer I saw looked pro as fuck with two cameras slung across his body. I think he had a 5D and a 60D or something with I think a 24-70 Canon L or something on the 60D, it was definitely red ringed.

Nah, mine's the 2.8.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/918911-REG/sigma_30mm_f_2_8_dn_for.html

And I definitely plan on taking advantage of having two cameras when I get an a7.
 
Nah, mine's the 2.8.
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/918911-REG/sigma_30mm_f_2_8_dn_for.html

And I definitely plan on taking advantage of having two cameras when I get an a7.
I keep forgetting they make lenses for mirrorless cameras, it's probably because I just don't own one and just never look for mirrorless lenses. Yeah if I ever got money for either a refurb D610 or 750 that would probably just become my workhorse camera with my 7100 being a back up. Would just mean I probably wouldn't have to switch out lenses.
 
I keep forgetting they make lenses for mirrorless cameras, it's probably because I just don't own one and just never look for mirrorless lenses. Yeah if I ever got money for either a refurb D610 or 750 that would probably just become my workhorse camera with my 7100 being a back up. Would just mean I probably wouldn't have to switch out lenses.

Mirrorless fo life

I think my dual camera setup will be using the Samyang 85mm on my a6000, and my FD 50 1.4 on my a7, so that I have both wide and telephoto. If I need 75 equivalent I'll use the Crop mode on the a7, hopefully I'll be able to set that (and the IBIS stabilization focal length).
 
Mirrorless fo life

I think my dual camera setup will be using the Samyang 85mm on my a6000, and my FD 50 1.4 on my a7, so that I have both wide and telephoto. If I need 75 equivalent I'll use the Crop mode on the a7, hopefully I'll be able to set that (and the IBIS stabilization focal length).
I wouldn't mind a mirrorless either to be honest cause of the less bulk and EVF factors, but I don't think I'd want to invest in another lens ecosystem.
 

Ty4on

Member
The Holga became quite overrated, but it can still take great pictures. I especially like the multiple exposures with overlapping frames.
holga-experimental-photography-chriskeeney.jpg
 

FStop7

Banned
It's not just protogs either, the manufactures kind of direct you to that direction by giving you better/more choices if you go FF. And of course, a lot of hobbyist have also been brainwashed to think FF is the only choice.

I still resent Canon for dropping the 1.3 crop sensor from their pro bodies. The 1D Mark IV is still arguably the superior sports camera vs. the 1DX.

Their lineup was better when they had a high $$ full frame 1 body for stuff like fashion and advertising, a 1.3 crop 1 body for sports and PJ, and a 5D body for prosumer FF.
 
Check out what I got to work with the past week:


My wife rented the Borrowlenses Hasselblad H4X - IQ280 bundle for an art show she has coming up (Def. need the resolution for the sizes the shots will be printed). Going to be a very sad day turning it back in in a couple days (and very relieving, gets a bit nerve-wracking shooting with the money equivalent of a Tesla in your hands..
 
I know we're all joking in here earlier, but the T5 is actually a pretty decent camera for a beginner. Pair it with a decent lens and it's workable for an amateur. Coming from Nikon, I kinda hated it because the interface was alien, plus it doesn't have an external mic jack... what the fnck is up with that? The last time I've encountered a DSLR without a mic jack was my D3000 from years ago... and that one I could understand since it didn't do video.

But like it was said earlier, the user determines how good a picture can be.

That picture of the my car I posted on Auto-GAF and Photo-GAF was shot with a "Promaster Spectrum 7" 19-35mm lens that I got on eBay for $30 bucks lol. I've been wanting a wide angle so I can actually shoot in proper 28-52.5mm(thanks APS-C sensor lol) and I saw that lens a few weeks ago and bought it on a whim considering it was the cost of a tank of gas.

The lens is definitely shit, casing is plastic, the focus ring is sluggish, there's marks and dust on the glass, and a piece of the accessory thread is falling out... but given the right user and post-production skills, it's pretty damn usable. I've actually been debating on picking up a similar wide angle Tokina or Sigma after learning how to use this Promaster, but I think I'm gonna hold on to it some more and save up for a new camera instead.

I'm still looking at the a6000 but I dunno to be honest. I've definitely outgrown my D3200 and unfortunately the D5000/D7000 series aren't worth the upgrade from the reviews I've been reading so I might just save some more cash and pick up a D610 early next year. Hopefully Nikon announces a D620 at CES so the prices of the D610 go down haha.
 
Believe it or not the 7100 and 7200 have better auto focus systems than the 610, it's better in some ways and worse than others, but it's a really good camera. I'm personally hoping that by the time I'm looking at a full frame that a refurbished 750 becomes affordable.
 

Ty4on

Member
I'm guessing that Promaster is similar to the Tokina. They were labeled a bunch of different things and I think the 20-35 is very similar. Common for all was image quality unheard of in a cheap ultrawide zoom.
 
Believe it or not the 7100 and 7200 have better auto focus systems than the 610, it's better in some ways and worse than others, but it's a really good camera. I'm personally hoping that by the time I'm looking at a full frame that a refurbished 750 becomes affordable.

I see, but on the other hand all my lenses are legacy lenses without auto focus so it's kinda irrelevant lol.

But it's definitely something I want to consider though... manual focus is nice, but take those "snowman" pics I just posted on the photo thread... I kept switching between the viewfinder and LiveView since I couldn't figure out if it was in focus or not. I didn't mind it, but squatting on wet grass isn't pretty.

I'm guessing that Promaster is similar to the Tokina. They were labeled a bunch of different things and I think the 20-35 is very similar. Common for all was image quality unheard of in a cheap ultrawide zoom.

Yeah after buying it I instantly researched it and from what I've seen it's also a Tokina, Vivitar, and a Cosina. Whatever it really is doesn't matter tbh, it works really well so I'm happy.
 
I see, but on the other hand all my lenses are legacy lenses without auto focus so it's kinda irrelevant lol.

But it's definitely something I want to consider though... manual focus is nice, but take those "snowman" pics I just posted on the photo thread... I kept switching between the viewfinder and LiveView since I couldn't figure out if it was in focus or not. I didn't mind it, but squatting on wet grass isn't pretty.
I could be wrong but I think the 7000 series is better for legacy glass than your 3200. I think it has an on body switch for auto focus or something. I'd really have to look into that better.
 

FStop7

Banned
Speaking of museum quality dick pics: Hasselblad just dropped the price of the H5D-50c with 80mm lens from $30k to $17k. In Europe I think it's been dropped all the way to €12.5k.

IMO they're feeling the heat from the Pentax 645Z (same sensor), the D810, and the 5DSR.
 
I was playing around with a Sony a7 Mk 2 today... fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu....

I need one!!!!!!

I went to my local camera store to check out a D610 and the a6000 but I ended up being blown away by the a7 Mk 2 instead.

It was lighter than my D3200 but faster and much better in every single way. I almost walked out of there with it in my hand, but luckily they didn't have any in stock so I managed to walk away scot free.

Looks like I'll be avoiding that store until the end of January when I can finally afford one lol.

I could be wrong but I think the 7000 series is better for legacy glass than your 3200. I think it has an on body switch for auto focus or something. I'd really have to look into that better.

I know on the Promaster it might work, I don't think it won't work on any of my other lenses.

I forgot to bring my camera to the store so I couldn't check, then again I don't think they would've allowed me to do that lol.
 
I know on the Promaster it might work, I don't think it won't work on any of my other lenses.

I forgot to bring my camera to the store so I couldn't check, then again I don't think they would've allowed me to do that lol.
From what I've read it works with lenses with older AF motors, not with manual focus lenses. I wish my office had the budget for the newer Sony cameras cause I'd love to play around with one for a bit.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom