Any Photographers with DSLR's Around ?

[s/v Jedi]

Just completed filling this Pelican case:


This is now a complete set:
- 70-200mm f/2.8 IS
- 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 IS
- 1.4x teleconverter
- 2x teleconverter
- 500D macro converter lens

This will give us 70-800mm telephoto plus macro... nice

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

Just completed filling this Pelican case:


This is now a complete set:
- 70-200mm f/2.8 IS
- 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 IS
- 1.4x teleconverter
- 2x teleconverter
- 500D macro converter lens

This will give us 70-800mm telephoto plus macro... nice

How does the 2x go on the 100-400? I am not happy with the results on the 70-200 f2.8 and now only use it on the 200L f2.0

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by hoppy

How does the 2x go on the 100-400? I am not happy with the results on the 70-200 f2.8 and now only use it on the 200L f2.0

What is your problem with it? Besides auto-focus I mean, because that is lost.

[hoppy]

Just doesn't have the sharpness I like from my L's... I don't recall loosing AF and I thought most cameras could handle f5.6

Perhaps I pixel peep too much

[hoppy]

I've never looked at the 100-400 and never realised it was so compact. It probably would be a good sailing/travel lens for when you need reach. Certainly more compact than my 200 f2 and my old 300 f2.8

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by hoppy

Just doesn't have the sharpness I like from my L's... I don't recall loosing AF and I thought most cameras could handle f5.6

Perhaps I pixel peep too much

Yes I have heard that before. Try it with manual focus on a tripod to determine if it is the optics or the AF. If AF, you can do micro-adjustment. The camera will know you have both the TC and lens on and save that adjustment for just the combo. Not every combo of TC with lens need this; before micro-adjustment you could mix&match in the shop while buying or have Canon perform the calibration, which they still do.

The 100-400 @400mm is already f/5.6 without the TC...

[hoppy]

Originally Posted by s/v Jedi

The 100-400 @400mm is already f/5.6 without the TC...

True


I just checked out the 100-400 and it is dirt cheap compared with many of my L's. I could drop 4 of them over board for the price of my 200L

Your white lens kit seems to be perfect for cruising when match with a few nice small primes and perhaps a 24-105. Takes up relatively little space although I guess on Jedi you have room for an 800mm

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by hoppy

True


I just checked out the 100-400 and it is dirt cheap compared with many of my L's. I could drop 4 of them over board for the price of my 200L

Your white lens kit seems to be perfect for cruising when match with a few nice small primes and perhaps a 24-105. Takes up relatively little space although I guess on Jedi you have room for an 800mm

The 100-400 is affordable and delivers solid results; many prefer it above much more expensive glass. But bad copies exist, mostly to do with AF. We actually took our camera to B&H Camera in NYC to try out their stock to find a good one and the first try was perfect so very happy.

I'll post about my other Pelican cases as I manage to find my stuff which is scattered over multiple places and two continents

[s/v Jedi]

Next one, the 5D2 case:



Here we have:

- Canon 5D Mk.II (full size sensor) body
- small Pelican box for memory cards
- memory card reader
- another Pelican box with maintenance items like lens-pens, plus tripod mount plates, Black Rapid clips, spare battery, remote control with timer etc.
- battery charger
- 8-15mm f/4 fish-eye
- 17-40mm f/4 wide angle
- 24-105mm f/4 IS standard zoom

These lenses are all the weather-sealed L-class lenses. That, plus all the Pelican cases and boxes makes sure everything stays in pristine condition aboard with the salt water environment.

p.s. I do not recommend this kit as primary camera kit for documenting travels and things/people we meet underway aboard a boat. For that the 7D is a better choice IMO and I will post that case next

We use this camera for landscape, portrait and product photography. My wife always takes the 7D with a long lens when we go out so I also bought the 70-300L lens for the 5D so that I can hop along and get something in the viewfinder now and then
But sometimes we put the 100-400mm on the 5D and this pic is from that combo at 400mm:


ciao!
Nick.

[s/v Jedi]

Here is the 7D case:


Inside is or should be:
- Canon 7D (1.6x crop sensor) body
- small Pelican box for memory cards
- memory card reader
- another small Pelican box with all the items like in the 5D2 box
- power supply that should be around somewhere
- Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS standard zoom lens
- Tokina 12-24mm f/4 wide angle lens

I love this kit but these two lenses are not weather-sealed. The 17-55mm lens is superb, will challenge L-class lenses and probably beat them on image quality, but is not weather sealed and this will lead to trouble when used as everyday on-board lens. It is also not compatible with full sensor camera bodies like the 6D, 5D & 1D.

So, let me now try to list the ultimate starter DSLR kit for aboard a boat:

- Canon 7D body
- Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
- Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM

The 24-105mm will be on the camera by default and gives top value for it's price. This is a no-brainer. It's stabilizer is perfect and it provides the weather-seal for the camera-body.

The 70-300mm puts a smile on my face every time I use it. Fully weather-proof and at a lovely price. This lens becomes a favorite of many wildlife photographers because it is compact and light and has incredible image quality coupled with good AF and stabilizer. Of-course there is a catch and that is that it needs enough light but we have plenty of that on the water. The reach on the 7D becomes 480mm which finally gives us the tool to pull those images ashore a bit closer.

This leaves us a bit short on the wide angle. The 24-105 is a standard zoom on a full sensor body but becomes a tele-zoom on the 7D. Resist buying a lens that is not weather-sealed. The Canon 17-40mm f/4L is weather-sealed and the most affordable L-class lens and would be my choice when 24mm isn't wide enough.

There are some extra's you really need aboard. The 24-105mm is a 77mm diameter lens while the 70-300 is a 67mm lens. This means that you need every filter in both sizes unfortunately.

- UV filter
- Circular polarizer

Buy the best quality of these. B+W is about as good as it gets, Hoya is pretty decent too. The UV filter is only used when there is dust or water-spray in the air, to protect the front element of the expensive lenses.
Pictures with blue skies and waters without glare are made with the circular polarizer. It's like using polaroid sunglasses, a huge difference. After mounting this filter you can turn it to adjust it's effect.

All above is for use aboard the boat, but this also gives you a very decent kit for use ashore.

Maybe we have a Nikon fan around to describe the point of view from the dark side on a starter kit for aboard

Here is a nice picture done with the 7D and the 100-400mm at it's 400mm setting. This should clearly show the potential of this gear:


ciao!
Nick.

[s/v Jedi]

One more picture because this gear is so cool:

This is powered by direct 12V lighter-plug. These rechargeable are the best and when you use a lot (flash units) this is *the* charger to get

[carstenb]

Well I'm a Nikon freak. I've had f-501, f-801, F5, I have a D200 and just (today!!!!) bought. D7000. I have 70-300 zoom and a 28-85 with macro. I find that these cover virtually all my needs.
I'll be interested to see how the D7000 works out. I've dragged my other Nikons across africa, on my motorcycle back and forth across europe, sailed the Baltic and the Med with them. Never, ever had one break down. And while I take care of them, I don't coddle them.

[s/v Jedi]

Originally Posted by carstenb

Well I'm a Nikon freak. I've had f-501, f-801, F5, I have a D200 and just (today!!!!) bought. D7000. I have 70-300 zoom and a 28-85 with macro. I find that these cover virtually all my needs.
I'll be interested to see how the D7000 works out. I've dragged my other Nikons across africa, on my motorcycle back and forth across europe, sailed the Baltic and the Med with them. Never, ever had one break down. And while I take care of them, I don't coddle them.

Hi Carsten,

Your experience with the lens range is certainly the same as mine.

The Nikon D7000 is a mid-level camera and the Canon 60D is the Canon counterpart of the D7000. Both cameras are very similar with the D7000 slightly ahead in many areas. However, the DPreview reports overexposure in bright sunlight conditions by 0.5 to 1 full stop. I would like to read your findings here when you've spent some time with the new camera!

The reason that I recommend the semi-professional offering from Canon is the weather-sealing and general sturdiness. The Nikon D7000 has the alloy frame of semi-pro cameras but, like the Canon 60D, lacks weather-sealing. This often results in dirty sensors and even mold inside lenses after some time aboard boats in the tropics. While that can be cleaned by service organizations, the cost of that will be more than buying the higher grade gear.

Outside the tropics one might very well do good with mid-level gear like you report. Your D200 is a weather-sealed body IIRC so indeed shouldn't have given you any troubles on that front over the years.

Feel free to show some pictures here in this thread!

Here is one from the 7D with the 70-300mm lens I recommended:

[storyinframes]

I have a Nikon FM 2 with a 50 mm 1.4 lens and my newest acquisition is an iPhone 5 with a 4 mm lens. Takes decent pictures

[hoppy]

Nick,

It looks like you are missing the must have lens of the Canon line up. The 40mm f2.8 "paancake"

Whether it is on my 1Dx (now days) or my 5D2 it just feels like I have no lens on the camera at all. 40mm is great on full frame.


If I go out at night and lug a camera around, it's the 40 than comes with me. Previously I used to use the 50mm f1.4 or the 35L but i'm happy to give up speed for compactness