Best image quality non-prime walk around lens for travelling with a Canon crop dSLR?

Question

If money where no object what is the best quality non-prime walk around lens to pair with a crop sensor Canon dSLR for travelling?

From what i have read so far a lot of people recommend the Canon EF-S 15-85 IS USM, however it is not an full-frame or an L series lens, does this matter? (considering i'm looking for for the best quality lens regardless of price?)

I imagine this could be a generic question worth answering but if specifics are required then i am planning to get a 7D and start of with a single lens for travelling, currently i have been using a Canon S95.

Edit: Based on comments I've udpated the question to specifically ask for best image quality in a non-prime lens.

Asked by mundeep

Answer

I would highly recommend the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM. I used this on my 350D and 7D for a couple of years before selling it on. My reason for getting rid of it was simply because I preferred primes to zooms. The optical quality of this lens is stunning, and should be an L series lens in many peoples opinions. It has aspherical elements and coatings like the L series, though the body of the lens is not metal like an L series and is not weather sealed. Otherwise it's great. The fast f/2.8 aperture through the whole zoom range is also fantastic, allowing you to get some great indoor or low-light photos at lower ISO's than would otherwise be necessary.

In full-frame terms, 17mm is equivalent to 27mm and 55 is equivalent to 88mm, so you're getting a 27-88mm lens (equivalent) with constant f/2.8 aperture AND image stabiliser too.

It should be noted that EF-S lenses are designed specifically for crop sensor cameras, and I read somewhere (perhaps here) that ON a crop-sensor body, an EF-S lens would be sharper than the equivalent EF lens, which is designed with full-frame sensors in mind. Obviously the downside of an EF-S lens is that should you decide to go full-frame in the future, you will not be able to use the EF-S lens on a full frame body.

Answered by Mike

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Minimum speed CF card required for a 7D?

Question

What is the minimum speed CF card required for using a 7D for both recording 1080p video and also continuous shooting for RAW+JPEG?

Similar to Should I get a fast CF card? i essentially want to know if i need to buy a more expensive faster card or wether the standard cards are sufficient. Difference between questions is:

• a) I want to know what minimum speed is required.
• b) I will also be using it for video (i have seen in the past on other cameras video not recording correctly because an SD card was too slow).

Asked by mundeep

Answer

For video I believe the requirements would be a card that can write 10 MB/s (mega bytes per second). This equals to 66x speed for a Compact Flash card. For shooting stills it's possible to get a longer burst with a faster card. If you want maximum burst length, get the quickest CF card you can afford.

The math would be: 66 * 150kB/s = 9900kB/s ~ 10MB/s

• 66x = 10 mb/s = similar to Class 10 on SD cards
• 133x = 20 MB/s
• 200x = 30 MB/s
• 266x = 40 MB/s
• 333x = 50 MB/s
• 400x = 60 MB/s
• 466x = 70 MB/s
• 533x = 80 MB/s
• 600x = 90 MB/s

Answered by Håkon K. Olafsen

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What factors should I consider to decide if it's worth upgrading to a “pro” level DSLR?

Question

I'm looking at upgrading from a Canon T2i to a Canon 7D. It's available used for half-price from a friend of mine because he purchased a Canon 5D Mark III.

The T2i and 7D have the exact same sensor, so I'd expect the image size, video size, sensitivity to light, etc. to all be the same. However, the faster focus and more focus points, faster shutter, weather sealing, double the FPS when shooting in RAW, top-facing LCD and 100% viewfinder were impressive upgrades to me.

I've always heard that you should upgrade your glass before upgrading your body, and I am also considering getting a new, expensive lens. I have an inexpensive Canon 50mm f/1.8 and a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8, but am considering getting a 70-200mm f/2.8.

In general - and in this specific case - what should I consider beyond cost and specifications in deciding whether it's worth it to upgrade?

EDIT: Sorry for such a vague question everyone, but I do appreciate everyone's responses. I will be using the camera for "burst rate and the ability to sustain it, better AF, and better high ISO response", "professional controls", and so on, so yes it will be "worth it".

This question would have been better suited for "chat", as I know the technical differences and why I'll be using the 7D, I just wanted to hear some opinions and this website isn't meant for opinions per se.

I just wasn't sure if there was any advice from experts that said "No, I should buy a 4-year old camera," "especially if the sensor is the same between the two cameras," and of the like.

The camera is $1799 CDN with a battery grip ($199 CDN) and will be purchasing it for $1000 CDN.

Asked by Brett Alton

Answer

Nobody's actually asking what you use the camera for, so there's no way to tell whether or not the upgrade will benefit you.

I recently bought a T3i to be a second body along with a 7D; buying a second 7D seemed overkill for what I was using it for. Whether upgrading to the 7D makes sense depends on what you're doing with it.

How often do you hit a situation where you can't get the shot you want because your gear didn't cooperate? Are you shooting situations where a high, sustained burst rate would help get the shot? (like motor sports, birds, running animals, etc?). Are you shooting things where improved Autofocus will help you get shots your missing? Are you running into low-light situations where shots are ruined by high ISO noise?

If neither of those is true, then upgrading to the 7D probably won't help you a lot. The t2i does a nice job and turns out a quality image in most situations, and in those cases, I'd be wary spending money on an upgraded body. You definitely would benefit from buying upgraded glass, and that might be a better investment.

From a pure money standpoint, though, if you can get the 7D for half list and it's in good shape, that's a really good deal for a used body like that -- and it might make sense to do and sell the T2i, knowing that in a few years, you can probably sell the 7D again and get a good deal off your friend's willingness to part at a good price.

My guess is that since you aren't explaining technical reasons why the 7D would improve your photography, it probably won't. The image improvement between a T2i and a 7D is noticable but not huge, and you'd see more of an improvement upgrading your glass. Unless you need/want a feature the 7D has that the entry level body doesn't, it's hard to justify doing the upgrade -- and IMHO, the big changes between the bodies are burst rate and the ability to sustain it, better AF, and better high ISO response. If any of those are significant in your shooting, then maybe. Otherwise, seriously consider upgrading your lenses first.

Answered by chuqui

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What should I do about this strange CF behavior, where I lost tonight's pictures?

Question

I have taken over 14,000 photos with my Canon 7D and loaded them into my Windows 7 desktop computer the same way, by inserting the CF card into my computer's reader. The point is that I know how it usually works so this "empty folder" problem is definitely out of the ordinary. To shorten the post I always use the "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" utility before removing the CF. My workflow has been folder based:

• Shoot into a folder.
• Copy the folder to both an internal hard drive for editing etc. and an external hard drive I swap every few days as off-site backup.
• Create a new folder for the next batch of photos, unless the card is about out of space. In that case I format another CF card and remind myself to swap offsite HDs soon. The full card goes in my camera bag, which is my semi-offsite backup against the house burning down.
• When I swap offsite disks I format the CF card in the 7D and move the other CF cards to the "Ok To Use" pocket of my camera bag. If I have time I'll format them as I move them.

I shot tonight's sunset into folder 102EOS7D. Folders 100EOS7D and 101EOS7D had the photos of the two prior shoots since the last offsite backup swap. I put the CF card in the PC and both the last two folders were empty, 101 and 102. I put the CF card back in the 7D and confirmed that both folders 101 and 102 had pictures in them. I attached a USB CF card reader to the PC and inserted the CF card. Folders 101 and 102 were still empty. I put the CF card back in the 7D and the folders were empty! By just trying to read the CF card two shoots of photos went away! Bummer!

I have the photos from folder 101 and tonight's sunset in folder 102 was boring so I decided to troubleshoot rather than try to recover the CF card. I ran Windows Update and nothing was missing. I reformatted the CF card and shot some photos. I found a USB cable that fits the 7D and successfully downloaded the photos in the new folder 100EOS7D.

Any suggestions? The card is fairly new, only in its second or third offsite-backup-swap cycle. It is the largest capacity I've ever had, a Transcend 400x 64 GB CF card.

More details:

• I always format in the camera, not Windows.
• Losing photos is serious, how do I help keep it from happening again?
• Is this likely a CF card problem, a Windows problem, a problem with my 7D, or ... ?
• I don't know if this is a possibility, but could there be "bad blocks" in the "FAT" (or whatever, don't know tech details) of the CF card that could produce these symptoms?
• Is there a low-level format utility for CF cards that could identify "bad blocks" and "mark them unusable"? Again, I'm not familiar with CF card details.
• Is there something, given the symptoms, I don't know enough to ask?

Asked by Mark Jerde

Answer

CF cards – just like any other storage media – fail every now and then.

In general, when a storage media fails, the symptoms may "look strange" from the perspective of the computer, camera, or any other device that tries to access it. Don't try to over-interpret them; it just failed. You might be able to recover something – for recovery tips, see these two questions: [1], [2].

There is nothing you can do to completely prevent failures, no matter what kind of best practices you try to follow.

To make failures less frequent, you can try to use well-known brands, expensive high-end cards, and cards with a long warranty period. Also remember to throw a card away (or have it replaced) immediately as soon as you notice anything strange.

But most importantly, make sure that losing a single CF card is never a catastrophic event. Use two cards in parallel if your camera supports it. Transfer photos from the card to your laptop or some other backup device frequently. If you don't have access to any kind of computer for a while, use more than one card and rotate them; etc.

Your card will fail, sooner or later. And your hard disk drive will fail, sooner or later. Just plan ahead so that you won't be too upset when it happens. Sure, you may lose some photos, but make sure you don't lose a whole week of memories.

Answered by Jukka Suomela

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Can using an old flash damage a new DSLR?

Question

I have been using my dad's old Metz mecablitz 18 B1 flash for a while with my Canon 7D and had no trouble with it, but just received some advice from a friend that using old flashes can fry the camera. Is this true? And if so, is there a safe way to use it (I'm trying to avoid having to buy a new flash – but also would like not to destroy my camera). The flash takes 3 x AA batteries and has a single hotshoe connection.

Answer

Yes the trigger voltage on some old flashes is too high for modern electronic cameras.

There is a page on botzilla Photo Strobe Trigger Voltages which lists many old flash units. I don't see your dad's flash model there, but the 20 B3 model had a trigger voltage of 168 volts.

According to this thread on photo.net, the 7D can handle up to 250V, so that flash may be safe with your camera, even if it does have a high voltage like the B3 model

There is further information on dpanswers on safe voltages for Canon and Nikon, and also how to measure the trigger voltage of a flash.

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What are good starting settings to store for exposure bracketing shots?

Question

I started experimenting with the Custom Functions (C1,C2,C3) on my Canon 7D and I decided a useful one to have may be setting it up for exposure bracketing. So it's a quick switch if I ever need it, as opposed to going through the menu to set it up.

I realize the settings would vastly depend on the situation, but do you have any suggestions for some good all round settings to program in as a starting point?

Examples: 1 stop vs 1 1/3 vs 2 stop brackets / ISO choices / Metering mode / shooting mode and so on.

Answer

If bracketing for HDR, between 1 1/3 and 2 stops if doing 3 exposures, or 2/3 to 1 stop if doing a 5 exposure set. Depending on the situation. I do 3 exposures at 1 1/3 stops and that covers most situations (I believe that's the default on my D90)

If you aren't doing HDR, but want to bracket for safety reasons, probably +/- 2/3 of a stop.

If you are doing HDR or blending multiple images, you want a fixed aperture, so use Aperture priority or Manual. If the aperture varies you'd get images with different DOF and probably weird effects when you try to merge them.

I usually prefocus, then set to MF, metering set to Manual, and use the high setting for 4-5 frames per second and fire them off quickly. I can avoid using a tripod that way. Too much movement and most HDR programs don't do a good job in aligning and ghost removal in my experience. My self timer will take multiple shots, so I often set that to 3 shots, then I can steady the camera and let it take the shots without having to mash down the shutter release 3 times.

If on a tripod I always use the self timer trick to take the 3 exposure set.

I don't really give ISO any more thought than usual, just keep as low as I can for the situation.

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Replacing my XXD with a 7D?

Question

My goto camera is still my 5D Mark II. As I primarily shoot landscape, I love Wide Angle on a Full Frame body.

That said, I do occasionally shoot animals and people running.

The 5D Mark II's AF system, while not as bad as the Internet would like you to believe, does show it's age.

I'm tempted to pair up the 7D with my 5D, to better help with action shots. Currently I can get one for $1500 which is well within my price range. I currently have a 40D as a spare, and I like it well enough, but I'm not as happy with it's AF performance either.

So will I notice a noticeable improvement in AF for moving subjects, worthy of the investment, or should I make do with my 5D2, given than I use it more than any other body.

Answer

If you primarily shoot landscape, it might be better to wait for the 5D Mark III in 2011. The rumormill has it getting an improved AF system, that while not likely to beat the 7D for action shots, should definitely be better than the 5D Mark II. You would then have a single camera that could serve all your needs, rather than needing to lug around two camera bodies everywhere.

The 7D is a great burst-mode camera for photographing birds in flight, though. I recently had the chance to use one to photograph some birds near where I live, and the thing is absolutely amazing. I have a lot of trouble photographing birds with my 450D (almost all my bird shots are total waste), but the 7D feels like it was practically designed for it. It manages to focus tack-sharp all the time. It is a large body, however, almost as large as a 5D, and pretty solid. Personally, I would rather trade the weight of the 7D for another useful lens, and carry just one camera body.

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Is there a way to make the Canon 7D warn when a lens is not in Auto Focus mode?

Question

I pretty much shoot all the time in manual focus mode. I often borrow my girlfriend's most excellent Sigma 8-16mm ultra wide angle lens. She almost always shoots in Auto Focus mode. When I return it to her, I invariably forget to reset it to Auto Focus mode.

After her first wrecked shoot I got rid of silent mode for her 7D, so it would beep when it was focused. Hear the beep, ok to shoot, don't hear it, not ok. Right?

Well, her 7D doesn't work like that. She can shoot, with the beep, in manual focus mode and lose the shots because I didn't put the lens back into Auto Focus mode.

The three options I can see are never borrowing her lens, buying my own, or get used to the couch. None is really acceptable.

Answer

Why don't you set the mode to be manual focus and put a colored tape over the AF/MF button while you are using it and so when you return the lens, the tape will be an in your face reminder to change it back to Auto Focus mode.

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How can I fix a “Cannot communicate with battery” error on Canon 7D?

Question

If I see the "cannot communicate with battery" error message on a Canon 7D, is there any way to fix it without sending it back to Canon?

Answer

A few things to try:

• Try a second battery
• Try a second body
• Try OEM and third party batteries
• Accept the warning message about the lack of communication and try to use the battery anyways
• Try pulling the battery out and reseating it at least a few times
• Try removing the tiny watch style battery as well as removing the regular battery at the same time. This will reset some if not all things on the camera, so keep that in mind.
• Update your firmware to the newest version
• Try a battery grip if you have one

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Which camera has the best features for still photography: Canon 60D, 50D or 7D?

Question

Now that the 60D specs are released.

When choosing a camera for still photography (no movies) which one of Canon 50D, 60D and 7D has an edge over the others and why?

What still photography features does each camera, respectively, have that the others don't?

Answer

There is a very good feature comparison on dpReview site

To give you some summary:

In terms of picture quality I would say that you would not spot a difference between results achieved from all the camera on the list, and I would say that the choice would be more related to handling and the way you are planning to use the camera.

7D is pro grade body, with magnesium body and environmental sealing. It has an excellent pro grade autofocus and offers 100% view viewfinder. So it will have an edge when it come to shooting sports, birds and in rough conditions. Those features come at price though.

50D has pretty similar body to 7D (magnesium) but it is not that well sealed and the autofocus is a bit lower quality as well.

60D has plastic body, same autofocus as 50D and similar sensor to 7D. It offers swivel LCD which can come handy in some situation, and its lower weight and size can be considered an advantage by some (me included).

So you need to handle the cameras, consider your budget a see which one works best for you.

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How weather resistant is the Canon EOS 7D?

Question

Canon states that the 7D is weather resistant and built to resist water and dust.

There is even a blog which shows a EOS 7D covered in snow, during a field trip. But reading trough the comments of this blog post, there are many cases of people who are desperate because their 7D broke due to damage by rain or water(even with a class L lens attached).

So, my questions:

• Are there any experiences regarding the Canon EOS 7D and heavy rain, snow or splash water?
• Can I be sure that my equipment will survive a photo shoot in the rain or in a very dusty location?

Answer

Unfortunately, very few camera models specify the amount of resistance as anything measurable.

Water and dust resistance, as specified by Canon, means very little. If it said waterproof and dustproof that would be a stronger statement. I also feel lawyers got involved somewhere in the writing of these things. For example, some Nikon manuals say 'resistant to dust and casual humidity'. Again, it has very little meaning.

The 7D falls among those cameras with vaguely specified resistance. Unfortunately, you have to try to find out. The 7D I used was subjected to snow without any problems. Actually, falling snow rarely is a problem even for non-weather-sealed camera as long as you wipe it off before you go into an environment where it would melt. I have no experience with a 7D under rain.

To be sure about your equipment's resistance you have to try it and even there, bring a backup. I used a Pentax K-7 in a shoot during a sand-storm and it worked perfectly. When I got to the hotel, I rinsed it under the tap for a minute or so to clean it. The polarizer I had though took a beating and I could hear sand in it between the rings for weeks after. It probably saved my lens though :) On the other hand, it took less than 15s for a Canon Rebel (not sure which model, probably XSi) to stop working completely in the storm. Canon asked for $150 or so to clean the sand out.

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Which piece of equipment is holding me back?

Question

I am primarily an amateur photographer but I do take small jobs from time to time. I'm looking to upgrade my equipment but I'm not sure if I should be spending money on my body, glass, or both. I have two common issues that I'd like to improve.

• I shoot a lot at ice rinks and find that even in servo mode I get a lot of shots that are slightly out of focus. I try to keep the AF target on face masks but many shots will come out focused an inch or two off (ears, hands, etc). I'm shooting F/1.8-F/2.8 to get action stopping shutter speeds so you can really tell when the focus is even a hair off. I don't know if this is a limitation of my camera, lens, or the human operator.

• Most of my paid work is indoors shooting candids where a flash is inappropriate. I feel like I need to use a higher F-number to get more subject in focus but I usually can't do it without upping to ISO 3200 unless I'm using a flash. By the time I clean up the high ISO noise in Camera Raw I end up with an image lacking detail. So far this hasn't been a big problem because the photos are typically used in magazine prints only an inch or two wide but it's still driving me nuts.

Here is the equipment currently in my bag:

• Canon Rebel T2i
• Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 II (no IS)
  • Collecting dust, came with my old Rebel XTi.
• Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS
  • Purchased with my T2i. This is my workhorse lens but I'm disappointed with the soft images it produces at higher focal lengths. Stopping down makes the images acceptable but that's not always an option. My eyes want more contrast and color but considering how inexpensive this lens is I can't really complain.
• Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
  • This was purchased with an older camera and doesn't get used much anymore. The images are too soft beyond 200mm and the AF seems sluggish.
• Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM
  • I am extremely happy with the images I get from this lens. I use it indoors all the time and also paired with extension tubes for some macro work. Some of my best ice hockey images have been from this lens even though I didn't have sports in mind for this lens.

My initial plan was to upgrade to a 60D or 7D body but after doing some reading it occurred to me that I might invest in better glass first. I'm unsure of what will help improve focusing, image quality, high ISO shooting, etc. Maybe it's a new camera, new glass, photography lessons, or a little of everything?

I'm looking to keep my next round of purchases under $3,000 and am willing to trade in some of my used equipment to offset costs. Would anyone care to make a recommendation? I'm looking at the EOS 60D and 7D bodies. Not sure if the 7D is overkill for my needs. I'm also looking at the EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM lens to be my new workhorse but I'm concerned that it may not be wide enough on an APS-C body and the lack of IS might be an issue. There's also the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM but I'm thinking it wouldn't be wise to spend all my budget on that lens right now (or maybe not?).

Thanks!

Thanks so much everyone for all of the insight. I think the first thing I'm going to do is look at the 7D body and EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM lens. If that lens is a step up from my 18-135 then that should keep me happy for a while. If the lens doesn't meet my expectations I think an EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM might be a good alternative. Either way I can keep things under budget. I was trying to not buy another EF-S lens but I have to keep reminding myself that I'm not a professional!

Amateur hockey season won't start back up for a while so after this purchase I will sell off a few items and save up for the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM. Based on the reviews this thing looks like the real deal and even though it's a bit pricey it should service me well for at least a decade even if I should move to a FF body. I may also go with a 100mm or 135mm prime at a fraction of the cost. I already shoot at the rink without a zoom lens, why start now, right??? Saving the $2500 will probably make the wife happier too. :)

What I Ended Up Doing

I ended up buying a Canon 7D and a 24-70mm f/2.8L lens. A huge upgrade indeed and I'm very happy with my purchase. I plan to invest in a 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II in a couple years to complete my range of needs. I now have a mint condition T2i to sell. :) Thanks again everyone!

Answer

I would gravitate to lens choices over the body. There's a couple of reasons...

1. The lenses will be useful in the future when another opportunity to purchase arises.

2. Fast glass, such as f/2.8 zooms, are very helpful in low light. These are, often, pro grade lenses as well, so that helps sharpness.

In the end result, you'll have these lenses for years, the bodies will come and go. So, that investment will pay long term dividends starting now. The other thing to keep in mind, cameras like the 7D will start to appear on the used market and so you may find you'll have budget when that happens and you'll have nice lenses for it when it does.

Now, having said that, the big upside to a 7D now is the speed of the camera. The frame rate is high and that helps a lot in the situations you shoot in. A common technique in these environments is to shoot a bunch of frames of the same scene, it ups the odds that one is sharp.

Still, I'd go lenses first if you have a cap on spending.

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Best portrait lens for canon 7d that gives beautiful bokeh?

Question

I tried using the 70-200mm but I couldn't stand how heavy it was and how far away I had to be from the model! Opinions? I was thinking between 85mm 1.2 or 50mm 1.2 ....or another lens? Any help would be much appreciated! I've been researching for weeks but everyone says they are both decent lenses!

Answer

There really isn't a "right length" for a portrait lens -- there's a "right distance" for a portrait shot. The "right lens", then, is the one that lets you frame the picture the way you want when shooting from the right distance.

A 70-200mm lens is a great fashion/beauty lens on a full-frame camera (like the 5D); you can stand at a distance that's very flattering to the model and crop in tight on just the face. On a 1.6x crop factor camera (like the 7D), you've either got to be quite a distance away, or crop in very, very tightly.

The 50mm and 85mm lenses fall well within the bounds of traditional portrait-length lenses on a crop-sensor camera. The 50mm fills about the same role as the 85mm lens would in the traditional full-frame world; the 85mm hits about the same spot as the traditional 135mm lens. I can't say a lot about the quality of the bokeh of either of those lenses (I haven't been a Canon user since the manual focus F1n went out of production, so you'll have to rely on online reviews like those at photozone.de), but I can tell you that there will be sufficient quantity of bokeh with either lens. Which one you'd choose depends on the kinds of pictures you want to take. The 50mm is good for half-figure or better; the 85mm is better suited for head-and-shoulder, but it's also great for full-figure shots if you have the room. And do yourself a favour by taking a look at the 50mm f/1.4 and 85mm f/1.8 lenses, since they offer a significantly reduced depth of field for a lot less money than the f/1.2 lenses, and might be all you relly need.

For a very tight head crop, you might want to go a little longer than either lens -- and you might find that the 135mm f/2.8SF (soft focus) lens, which is a sharp lens when the SF is dialed to 0, is a versatile addition to your kit. When soft focus is right, it's right, and the effect from a proper soft-focus lens is better than what you can do in post.

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Mounted Shotgun Mic for a Canon EOS 7D?

Question

I've been capturing a lot of awesome-quality 1080p video from my 7D, and now I want to step up the sound quality, as the motor is pretty loud and is definitely audible in the recordings. Are there any good mountable shotgun mics that I could get for it? I'd like something that could mount directly on the camera, so I'd be able to keep it fairly portable.

Answer

It looks like you already selected a best answer that was given within minutes of asking your question, but here is my opinion.

I would suggest looking at the Rode VideoMic Shotgun Microphone. They have pro as well as a standard version available depending on how much you are looking to spend and how serious you are about getting high quality audio.

The pro version will be a smaller version of the standard VideoMic, and it has also been optimized in many ways. Noise transference is one area that has been reduced using both a revised, shock mounting system and a better cable.

They both have the same basic features as outlined for the Azden model in the other answer here, but ultimately will produce better results due to high end features like the shockmount.

Any of these options are going to blow away the stock mic built into your DSLR, but if you want the highest quality and are serious about audio, I would look into the Magic Lantern Firmware. One of the best features of upgrading to this non-stock firmware is the auto gain control that will get rid of that background noise from the camera that you mentioned. This firmware along with one of the Rode Microphones will give you excellent sound out of a DSLR.

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Why is my new reverse-macro mount adapter not working?

Question

I recently purchased a reverse macro mount (62mm) for my 30mm 1.4 sigma. I ordered it online because the price was so cheap I wouldn't be too upset if it didn't work. Anyhow, this morning I screwed it onto the front of the lens and then connected the front into the body of the camera, reversing it. The F-stop is now reporting as F00 and the view is blurry and grainy, and cannot be altered by adjusting the focus ring on manual focus. The thing didn't come with a manual, and I've got no idea. Any help is appreciated.

I'm shooting with the Canon 7D, by the way, if that makes any difference.

Answer

The aperture can't be set by the camera - it doesn't think anything is connected to the camera. So that's why you're getting F00 I believe.

As far as the focus goes, you definitely lose infinity focus and you'll need to be EXTREMELY close to your subject. Try putting the lens within a few inches of your subject and it should start to come into focus.

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Does this calculation for Canon 60D vs. Canon 7D video recording work?

Question

The latest official manual for Canon 60D says that a 1920x1080 movie with any FPS recorded takes up 330 MB/min.

The latest official manual for Canon 7D says that a recording with the same movie settings on this camera will also take up 330 MB/min.

Does this definitely mean both the cameras produce exactly the same results, or may it still be possible that one of the cameras produces worse video recording?

I'm sure it could be possible if those cameras were totally different, using different codecs for encoding, etc, but as those cameras are very similar and definitely using the same compression, I assume the aforementioned could be true, which makes me to ask the ultimate question: is the double DIGIC4 processor in Canon 7D useless when using it for shooting a video, compared to a single DIGIC4 processor in Canon 60D?

Answer

As you said, they could be 100% identical.

In all likelyhood they are not but given the bit-rate is the same for the same resolution, frame-rate and codec, I think it is safe to say that any difference will probably be negligible.

You are probably right that the second processor is probably not fully needed for video in this case. It is probably there to improve full-resolution continuous shooting.

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Why is there so much noise in RAW files from my new Canon 7D?

Question

I recently bought a Canon 7D, upgrading from a 50D. I was blown away by what I saw on the back of the camera after I took a few shots.

Now that i've taken the time to import the photos into lightroom & DXO... I'm finding the noise level to be very high, even on low ISO shots I find myself dealing with much more noise than I'm used to.

Has anyone experienced this? Are there any solutions?

I've had this camera for two days and I'm already thinking of selling it... if I can't find a solution for all this noise.

Edit: After some discussions, and comparissons, jpg files rendered by the body look great. I'll just have to get used to post processing a bit more.

I also foudn out that for the best results use multiples of 160 ISO. (I need to test this)

Answer

Because of the pixel density I would say. Your 50D had the highest pixel density in Canon's lineup when it was released, at 4.5MP/cm2. At that density the lens becomes the limiting factor, you need good glass. A few reviews pointed out that the image quality of the 50D wasn't much better than the 40D it was replacing actually, with a density of 3.1 MP/cm2. This is even more true for the 7D, which topped the 50D with a 5.4 MP/cm² density. For reference, the full frame Canon 5D II is at 2.4 MP/cm2.

From a theoretical point of view pixel density should affect the amount of random digital noise and the dynamic range in the image the camera produces. Granted, a lot is going on under the hood in the 7D to reduce/fix this "limitation", but that could be why you feel there is more noise in your 7D than in your 50D.

I have a 5DMII. Friend of mine bought a 7D. We tested in a room I had used my 5DMII in, and I was surprised by the noise myself, it didn't have the same "quality" as what I would see on the 5DMII. Granted, we should have put my L lens on his 7D, instead of his kit lens. He sold it to buy a 5DMII.

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