Vote for 24-70, if not wider. You want to capture the context at Christmas most of the time (grandma versus grandma's right arm, stocking instead of green blob at the top of the frame where you cut it off). I even put on a 10-20 last year because things were wrecked with kids and gift trappings end to end. I like getting the whole 10" tree and people and everything.

In the average room you are going to be about the same distance away from the subject given furniture, walls, and other people in your average room with either lens. Let's say you're on one end the thing you are taking a photo of is in the middle and there's a couch and wall at the other end. You won't get a ton of distance between subject and background and realistically you are going to stop down that 1.4 a bit so if you did want to zoom to 55 at 2.8 the subject isolation will be about the same to the eye in the image with either lens. The only time you will probably notice is if you opened up to 1.4 and shot with the Christmas tree lights as a background. You'd get more defocusing of the lights, but the tree would be a green blob with a noticeable, but not earth shattering different level of detail. At that point the lights would probably be distracting.

I just picked up a DX kit with a 35mm 1.8 and a 50mm 1.8 to flip. My living room is pretty big and the 35 is OK for getting a whole kid in the frame, but the 50 is tight for me. I've also flipped a Nikon 50 1.4 and 80 1.8 recently. While the 1.4 was cool, it was not the sharpest lens and depth of field wide open is not Christmas-family-photo friendly. The 85 was too tight for indoors. It would work for like the length of the room, but not the width if you turned around or somebody came 2 feet closer.

I stick with my 17-50 Sigma for most stuff. I had a Nikon 17-55 for a couple of days this summer, but with the OS, the advantage goes to Sigma for indoors (and I normally shoot with a flash).

I like a 70-200 2.8. I passed on a cheeeeep one this year because it was too big to justify on DX. I knew it'd sit around a lot and the price was so low I didn't think I could bring myself to sell it because there won't be another shot and I wanted some camera budget to play with. Fun as a rental though. I wound up with a 50-135 2.8 and it's awesome at about half the size. It was the ticket for our Christmas card shoot yesterday. Not to your question, but if you're going to be in good light and on DX, there's probably a 50-150 option you could rent that would save some $$$ and deliver.

12/7/2015 1:07:37 PM

Yea those 17-50 2.8 DX lenses would be a good all around lens for events. I have been considering one myself. For things like that I get a lot of work out of my 35mm 1.8 and my 17-35mm 2.8 lenses.

12/7/2015 1:34:05 PM

^^ i'll still have the 18-55 kit lens if I want something wider, but on past holidays i've wanted something longer to capture faces and I really want a lens at least f/2.8 for those kinds of shots

i think i'll grab his 24-70 f/2.8

12/7/2015 1:44:53 PM

Professional photographer friend released a video on DSLR photography if any one is interested.

http://davidmolnar.com/dslr-freevideo-1a?inf_contact_key=fb24a8402c86f21adbd723e713e9022017e2834651bb3c64146da420e7a163c0

12/7/2015 6:09:09 PM

This is probably a long shot but would anyone be interested in letting me borrow a lens for my Canon Xsi (APS-C) that is in a focal range of 30-50mm (fixed focal preferred) with a wide aperture (f/2 or less)? My daughter's first birthday is this weekend and I dont have a lens that will handle kids running around inside the house in the evening. Willing to pay, swap lenses, etc.

Or could anyone point me to a camera shop that rents lenses?

Thanks!

12/9/2015 2:57:36 PM

go to southeastern:

http://www.secrents.com/camerasandlenses/canon.html

12/9/2015 3:19:10 PM

Been too cot damn busy to take many pictures this year. Now the year is almost over and all I can do is hope spring hurries up.

Pitcher Plants


Rainbow Scarab


Pigmy Rattlesnake


Death in the Piney Woods (Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake)


Posed this one as a product shot for the Crotalus knife from Condor.


And a Canebrake Rattlesnake

12/9/2015 3:20:58 PM

Quote :

"go to southeastern: http://www.secrents.com/camerasandlenses/canon.html"

Perfect! Thanks!

12/10/2015 12:30:45 PM

^^ umop-apisdn Do you have flickr or instagram? With TWW slowly dieing it seems like we see less and less of your stuff but I'd still be up to following you if you've got a feed somewhere.



Been playing with my light tent and trying to learn a little more about tabletop and artificial lighting more. This was from some short playtime yesterday, I may try and work with food a bit more over the winter.

12/19/2015 4:06:14 PM

how did you do the purple background?

what light tent are you using and do you recommend it?

12/20/2015 12:07:08 AM

My Flickr account is mikedmartin

My Instagram is the_d_is_for_douglas. I never thought of these two being so revealing when juxtaposed. My Instagram is just shitty phone pictures.

12/20/2015 1:46:18 AM

^^
http://amzn.com/B00GKG4JVE

The backgrounds in it came with some hard creases folded in that I still need to iron out. The background for this was a piece of purple tissue paper left over from gift wrapping that I taped around a piece of cardboard.

12/20/2015 11:15:08 AM

Anybody get new camera gear?

I got a Sigma 17-50 f/2.8 lens. Pretty excited to have that!

12/25/2015 10:59:34 PM

Pocket Wizard Plus X and a Speedlight mount for a light stand.

12/26/2015 12:10:15 PM

The Sigma 17-50 is the best value lens going.

I picked up two bodies and five lenses in the last couple of weeks. Was out of town and was snaked at the last minute before I was going over to pick up another body and four more lenses. Getting to play with a ton of stuff lately.

Anybody need a Nikon D90 with grip and two Nikon (not 3rd party) batteries. 8,000 clicks and I am amazed how good it is for an older camera. I picked it up as a curiosity.

Or Nikon 40mm 2.8 macro with Hoya CLP. Fun lens and basically brand new, but I don't really need it.

Neither is on CL yet. Being home with kids is not conducive to getting the proper photos made to sell this stuff.

12/28/2015 10:48:09 PM

^Yea so far really liking it. I have a Nikon 17-35mm 2.8 N lens that has some focus issues. It is a work lens and for various reasons they won't cover repairing it and I'm not spending my own cash to fix it, so this is a good way to not have to deal with that damn thing anymore, at least until I get a FF camera.

I sent it to my dad when it was a Slickdeals frontpage deal for $399. Not a bad deal IMO.

12/29/2015 11:21:29 AM

anyone interested in a Canon EF-S 10-22mm wide angle lens in excellent condition? Making the move up to FF and ready to move my EF-S lenses at a good price.

12/31/2015 10:23:44 AM

So I had been considering saving up for a D500 and had put a little money away towards it, but I just saw this deal and had to jump at it:

http://slickdeals.net/f/8470417-nikon-d7200-dx-format-digital-slr-camera-body-black-refurbished-770-free-shipping

My current D7000 is still going strong, but I am getting nervous about the shutter. I just checked and I am at 178,483 on it and I don't have a backup camera that isn't action if that one goes out (D40/D200). Now it can go to second shooter duty and my wife can use it rather than my D40.

1/28/2016 9:43:50 PM

Im selling a nikon d5200 outfit that's perfect for beginners or a for a second camera.

d5200
18-55mm VRII(not 1) lens
Nikon WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter
sunpak 3000 flash
8gb ultra card

$400

1/30/2016 8:15:13 PM

My youngest got his first haircut today. Needed to document it with some before & afters.

2/6/2016 2:11:21 PM

Anybody got a 5D classic they want to sell? I've been trying to pick one up on fredmiranda, but people keep beating me to them.

Budget is $300. I don't need a grip, extra batteries, etc... Banged up a little is OK. Mirror service completed is a plus.

2/7/2016 2:50:56 PM

I'd make that:

Quote :

"mirror service completed a plus must"

They no longer service the 5d classic, so you could get your hands on it and have the mirror fall out a day later and be left with a very expensive paperweight.

2/7/2016 4:12:17 PM

are your kids inside the lightbox? is it big enough to fit that much of them?

2/7/2016 5:46:40 PM

Its a ringflash. I made one from a DIY blog a few years ago, its ugly as shit so I usually only use it at home.

2/8/2016 11:48:00 AM

I did some more research on the 5D mirror thing and found out I had wrongly seen it was extended for the US as well as other markets and just picked up a T5 refurb with 18-55. Now I have to set up all my alerts to bring me deals for Canon too. I'm hoping that I can leave it sitting around and get my wife to take some more photos since I'll probably only use it once a month to take a test shot or two. She grabs the RX100 and while the T5 photos are not as good as the RX100 it seems easier to work.

I got another Nikon 50 1.4G (owned one for 24 hours before and it was fun, might keep this one for a few weeks) and a Manfrotto tripod with a ball head yesterday. Never used a nice tripod before. I see what the big deal is. Since the 50 will more than cover the tripod I'll probably hang onto it.

I'm working on some photo scanning for restoration and colorization with a 40mm macro I kept out of a D90 package I parted out. The heavy tripod and ball head works much better as a copy stand in conjunction with a $10 flash bracket I bought than my cheap one. Now I'm just trying to figure out how to position the work lights I usually use for tabletop type stuff. Flat and straight down is a lot more challenging than I thought.

2/12/2016 9:08:39 AM

Anybody in town have a RX1?

2/19/2016 11:37:14 PM

im a hack, but I liked this picture I took in Birmingham a couple weeks ago en route to Dallas.

2/21/2016 9:01:24 PM

Bus 08-17 should have been disqualified for being over the line. Anywho, what were their times?

2/22/2016 2:52:38 PM

haha gg.

2/22/2016 3:16:03 PM

Just curious are most of you guys self taught? I've managed to snap a few canvas worthy shots, but i'd be lying through my teeth if i said they weren't 90% luck. I'm not in automode but i typically take 10-15 shots to get a decent one. do you guys recommend a groupon class or should I keep trying youtube/kenrockwell?


side note: FS NIKON D90 W/ 18-55mm VR + 55-200mm VR and nikon bag. $300

2/27/2016 10:10:08 PM

Stop using Ken Rockwell immediately, for the love of God.

I would strongly recommend looking into Scott Kelby stuff (he has books, videos, etc) or a Lynda account. They have a TON of videos on Photoshop, photo techniques, etc.

But yes I am mainly self-taught with some books, videos, classes, and shooting with other more experienced photographers.

2/28/2016 11:11:07 AM

Never heard of Ken Rockwell but just looking at his site is enough to say "stay away." It looks like a site built on the original Netscape browser but yet has a 2016 copyright notice.
http://www.kenrockwell.com/

Like Nighthawk said, Lynda or Kelby are good, you may also want to check out Phlearn and Creative Live. A lot of their stuff is geared towards professionals or advanced amateurs. There are the occasional free classes that get live streamed which is all I've ever done with them. I found them helpful.

In seat classes are tough because a lot of shitty pros will teach classes because its easy money and they aren't really giving you much. Community Colleges, craft/art centers usually offer some good classes that are probably a better guarantee to actually learn something.

My experience is that the best way to learn is to shoot a ton and find people to give good honest critiques. Going out and just shooting alongside other photographers is a great way to learn as well.

For me, I'm partially self taught. I learned to shoot at NCSU through the student media. NCSU doesn't offer any kind of photography program, but being a student working for the newspaper and yearbook gave me a lot of academic resources that I wouldn't have gotten otherwise.

2/29/2016 4:17:40 PM

If you've ever searched for a lens Ken Rockwell's site is one of the first couple results...

It IS useful for old lenses. Other resources are better for some particulars (say translating a serial number into a production year), but his images can help you figure out what you are looking at pretty quick. He's also faster to point out flaws and put you over to buying a newer version through his links. In my experience the negatives are about right.

Beyond that use case I'd say no go. He doesn't seem to be a very good photographer. Maybe he is/was, but the rest of the world just passed him by. Still though. I wouldn't be upset if I dominated Google like him. So for that I have some measure of respect.

If you're shooting film it's one thing. If digital messing around is the #1 way to get stuff done. I like fredmiranda as the place to go to find people whose work you like because it's not just a picture posting platform. People are pretty engaged and put up a lot of good info on what they did, who they learned from, etc...

3/1/2016 8:25:21 AM

Completely self-taught. Picked up a Canon EOS Rebel XTi back at the beginning of '08 and have been snapping pics since. It's about knowing what elements you like in a photo and figuring out how to get them in there.

3/2/2016 11:29:52 AM

Ugh X-T1 dropped in price as the X-T2 is coming out in June. Debating whether to pick it up or wait to see what the X-T2 is like...

3/2/2016 12:33:25 PM

Is the only advantage of mirrorless size? Not saying mirrorless isn't the future but my d5500 is tinyyyyy. IF Nikon dumped the flash and trimmed the LCD back to 3" they could make it x-t1 size at half the price.

3/3/2016 1:49:15 AM

^Cousin had mirrorless Sony (2 or 3 actually as they kept dying/breaking them). I always thought it seemed terrible because it was not quick, it was hard to see out in the sunlight, etc. It was the same damn cost, maybe even more, than some of the entry level dSLRs and it has a limited set of lenses. And if you add those big lenses to it, you can no longer pocket the damn thing. So WTF is the point?!?

[Edited on March 3, 2016 at 10:07 AM. Reason : ]

3/3/2016 10:07:15 AM

being able to see the actual image how it will look through the viewfinder is a benefit, and you can also overlay stuff like zebra stripes for exposure and stuff

3/3/2016 10:23:16 AM

Yeah the benefit to the viewfinder on the mirrorless cameras (especially the Fujis) is HUGE.

Quote :

"Is the only advantage of mirrorless size? Not saying mirrorless isn't the future but my d5500 is tinyyyyy. IF Nikon dumped the flash and trimmed the LCD back to 3" they could make it x-t1 size at half the price."

Yeah size plus the X-T1 body and some lens are weather resistant which is a huge appeal to me.

Plus I think it's a sexy camera:

3/4/2016 10:56:38 AM

Thoughts on the Canon 80D due near the end of the month? My T2i is getting dated and I'm really considering the upgrade, since I just found a chunk of money to spend...

And greeches reminded me about the macro wide angle. I'm gonna possibly hurt my bank account this year...

3/9/2016 12:52:57 AM

So after much deliberation I think I'm going to go with the Fuji X-Pro2 and pick up a 35mm F2.0 WR prime and the 18-135 F3.5 WR OIS lens.

I was considering the Sony A7 II as the body is the same price as the Pro2 but for my uses I think full frame is over kill and the Fuji gives me the option for an OVF and it's weather resistant. Not to mention it looks more retro, has a better selection of lenses, and arguably better image quality.

3/10/2016 5:33:18 PM

Those Fujis all look double awesome. I like a dial for everything (and a working auto ISO for when I don't). Granted I've only used a couple of EVFs, but I don't see how anybody compares it to a good optical. I don't think I'd ever get used to it. The X-Pro 2 seems to be getting rave reviews everywhere.

Just bought and sold a 50 1.4G, 105 2.8D, and 35-70 2.8D in the last two weeks.

If you get a chance, the Nikon 35-70 is the best IQ mid range zoom I've used. It beats the 17-55 head to head for me. My Sigma still is top since it's stabilized and in the right circumstances turns in the best images of the group, but the 35-70 has a great feel to it. The close focus is also legit and useful on it. I also like push-pull for zoom, but that's probably only me at this point.

On the way back from dropping off the 35-70 at the post office I made a quick stop to talk to a guy who said he had something cool and now I have a 105 2.8G VR. It's enormous, but this is probably the best lens I've ever used as far as focusing speed and sharpness. Too bad it too has to go. Luckily it'll take a while for the hood to show up from Adorama so I can play with it for a bit.

Getting close to RX1 money. I'm getting nervous that I'm seeing more problems popping up after the 2 year mark for people.

3/12/2016 10:29:31 PM

Quote :

"but I don't see how anybody compares it to a good optical."

That's what I originally thought coming purely from DSLRs but it appears everyone is moving towards EVFs now. However I did want the option for an OVF so another reason why the Pro2 is appealing to me.

I was very close to getting the Sony A7 II over the Fuji but everything about the Fuji (especially the look) was more appealing to me and these days full frame really isn't worth the premium as much anymore especially compared to a nice APS-C sensor (like on the Fuji).

http://admiringlight.com/blog/fuji-x-pro-2-vs-sony-a7-ii-noise-comparison/

That review points out that there's barely a noticeable difference in the FF A7 II versus the Fuji APS-C ISO wise and in some scenarios the Fuji comes out on top in terms of detail.

--Also I was so tempted to pick up the Fuji 50-140mm F2.8 OIS WR but it's $1400 and for the money I felt I was better off with the 35mm F2.0 and 18-135 F3.5-5.6. I'll have an awesome fast prime lens then a decent zoom for outdoor. At least until I buy a third lens...

[Edited on March 13, 2016 at 12:57 PM. Reason : s]

3/13/2016 12:53:43 PM

I did it...I pre-ordered the 80d. It's time to retire the T2i, anyway. The glue for the rubber grip has been degrading for year, the sensor has gotten a little bit dirty, the pivoting screen will be great for my super-low-angle shots, and I'm ready to not have to trigger my flash without any connections to the camera. I just hope that the GPS is an option I can turn off and won't have to scrub manually. That's sort of important for protecting the rarer species I shoot.

3/15/2016 8:06:00 AM

Looks like a nice camera. People complain about the small differential in Canon's new stuff from the lat model, but that's people that buy every one. Skip ahead a class and a couple of iterations and it's blow the old stuff out of the water. I'm going to go ahead and say we might be close to the end of that road where the tech is about as good as most people could ever need (7 digit ISO for example - most of us with a $1,000 camera live in parts of the world that see the sun and have indoor lighting) and improvements in the camera and how you use it may well be the next step. You already do some pretty awesome work, but the extra MP and details will actually help with the stuff you shoot because it's something you don't see every day and the details kind of make the image.

Also took a RX1 for a test drive yesterday. It's the real deal as reported. Trying to figure out which one to buy because min repair just for sending it in is $306 and if they have to do anything they pretty much have to snap off the lens and put a new one on and your estimate comes back $550 to $1,200. I have the money to possess one, just not fix it if it breaks. Still a little on the fence as to how bad a decision that makes it.

3/16/2016 10:47:55 PM

Do you mean buying a used/refurb one? A new one not only comes with the factory warranty but you can get a ~$150 warranty from most sellers for 4 years (e.g. through Amazon).

3/17/2016 9:20:52 AM

Oh I get the X-Pro2 body today!!! Can't wait!! I stayed home to wait on the UPS man.

3/17/2016 10:39:46 AM

After shooting with the x-pro2 for a few days this thing is awesome! I haven't been shooting a lot in the past 5-6 years so I can't wait to get back into it. I used to use only Adobe raw + Photoshop. Just started using Lightroom and it's great! Really impressed with the IQ with this body and the 18-135 is definitely going to be awesome as an all-round outdoor shooter.

3/19/2016 6:14:23 PM

i don't understand why anyone buys anything other than canon / nikon

3/19/2016 7:25:48 PM

Are you serious? I hate to say it, but I mostly stick with Canon because it's what I started with. And I started with it because it's what my friends were shooting with. Do I regret that? No.

But Sony, in my opinion, makes a superior camera for the sort of close-up shots and profiles of wildlife in relatively close quarters, like I do. They moved up fast. Real fuckin fast. If they have the peripheral gear catalog that canon/Nikon have built over the years, they could edge themselves into a top position in a relatively short while.

3/19/2016 10:56:54 PM