rob answers:

Not as you describe.

You can use third party flash units as slaves, but you will have to manually set the flash output, have the flash in the line of site but not from the camera.

rob answers:

Breaking the bank and underwater housings go hand in hand. Here is a good housing for your 7D and while certainly not cheap it is a good amount less than $4,000

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/660483-REG/Ikelite_6871_07_6871_07_eTTL_Housing_f.html

rob answers:

Lucky guy! Wrap it in a box, in a bigger box, in a bigger box!

Just wrap the manual for it and hide it somewhere in the house and tell him he has to find it. Make sure the battery is charged and ready to do for him!

rob answers:

A sling bag?

ThinkTank Sling-o-matic 30: http://www.thinktankphoto.com/products/sling-o-matic-30.aspx

The 30 is the only one which will hold a macbook/ipad. If the macbook/ipad isn’t necessary then the Lowepro Slingshot 302AW is another good choice.

I have a Slingshot 302AW in my car somewhere. Last I checked, it held a ID Mark IV w/70-200mm F/2.8L and a 50mm F/1.4, 35mm F/1.4 and 5d Mark III. The ThinkTank Sling-o-matic is very similar in size, but doesn’t have as much room for extras. For example, I can fit a jacket and rainsleeves in the Lowepro, there isn’t that extra room in the sling-o-matic but you can change which side the sling is on which is a FANTASTIC feature.

rob answers:

I had the same problem but it was because it was dropped .voiding the warranty’. Thinking the lens was out of alignment I twisted it clockwise and behold a miracle it now works.I’m not saying this will work for you but desperate times calls for desperate measures. Good luck

rob answers:

It will operate perfectly. Bear in mind that it will behave like an 80 mm short telephoto lens on your 40D because of the crop factor. You would only get it’s full angle of view using a full frame camera like the 5D or a 35 mm film EOS.

Http://www.dpreview.com/lensreviews/sigma_50_1p4_c16/

rob answers:

Buying 55-250mm lens is really a good idea. I think you should consider buying it

http://www.amazon.com/gp/search/ref=sr_nr_scat_3017941_ln?rh=n%3A3017941%2Ck%3Acanon+t1i&keywords=canon+t1i&ie=UTF8&tag=bestdeals-y-20&qid=1279615828&scn=3017941&h=8658f355f28e239d13a95209b01933d5d1063295

For memory card you can consider
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_0_12?url=search-alias%3Daps&tag=bestdeals-y-20&field-keywords=sd+card+8gb+class+6&x=0&y=0&sprefix=sd+card+8gb+

rob answers:

If you want best camera go for Nikon. Nikon’s result is always better than any other brands.

rob answers:

A green bag from Savemore.

rob answers:

Lowepro make a number of excellent bags or backpacks. I use the Flipside 200 backpack for my 450D (which has the exact dimensions as the 500D). I like it because it’s fairly slim and compact, very well padded and allows plenty of storage room, plus allows you to attach a tripod.

But, there are more compact backpacks available. E.g Microtrekker.

The 500D’s dimensions are 129 x 98 x 62mm (6.5 x 3.1 x 2.4 in). Lowepro includes internal and external dimensions of all their bags, so it’s easy to find the most suitable for you…

rob answers:

Any of the entry level DSLRs would keep you happy for a few years.

The most important part is to buy only the best lenses – camera bodies get upgraded, lenses stay with us.
You WILL regret buying cheap lenses.
Don’t rush into buying lenses. Start with a kit lens, get to know your camera, that lens, and all photographic principles.
Through time and through use, you will eventually KNOW what other lenses you’ll need/want.
The more time you’ll take, the less likely you are to regret your choices.

If you know anyone close to you with a camera, consider borrowing lenses and “picking their brain” about their camera and whatever else they know.

Go to a store and hold a few cameras, see how they feel to YOU.

Do lots of research before you buy, and start learning about photography, too.

Keep in mind that buying a DSLR isn’t cheap, even if you find a good deal for body and kit lens.

You’ll also want and/or need a few other things such as tripod, filters, a bag, sensor cleaning gear, a second battery, memory cards, perhaps a remote shutter release etc.

That’s just the small stuff – I can guarantee you that you’ll also want more and more lenses.
You’ll also want a decent flash some day.

See how that list just goes on and on?
Owning a DSLR isn’t cheap – at least not until you have built up a nice stash of gear.

Just some food for thought……..

rob answers:

Hi I am a charter member of “I want the cheapest price available”. That said I have two recommendations for you. But first let me relate my last learning experience. I just purchased a Pentax Kx DSLR from an outfit that was $70.00 less than Amazon.com or B&H Photo.com. There was a “blip” in the purchase page. When I called these people, come to find out that my purchase went thru. BUT that the final printout had a $50.00 Insurance “Fee”. Which brought my “saving” down to $28.00. So my recommendation goes back to what everybody else recommends on this forum. Which is B&H Photo or Adorama, and of course Amazon.com

www.bhphotovideo.com 1-800-854-5575

www.adorama.com 1-800-223-2500

When calling on the “800″ line these people don’t have “patience”, they expect you to know what you want-no other questions!

I want to expand on my choice of amazon.com.. Amazon is great to deal with in that I made a mistake on the size of a knee brace, I ordered and Amazon was great. Another point is that to my knowledge Amazon does not have a “restocking fee” should you decide the product was not exactly what you wanted. Both B&H & Adorama have restocking fee’s the last time I checked.

rob answers:

It can be a pressure as there is no chance to retake the shots. But if you have experience with other shots you can pull this off. First of all go to the churck or at least call it and find out what their policy is on photographs during the service. In some places its a NO NO . Even if you are allowed to shoot during the service you probably cannot use a flash there so bump the ISO ( maybe as high as 400 or 800)up and if you have VR use it. Some people do use programs like Noise Ninja (from PictureCode.com ) to help with this.

Get a list of the pictures you need after the wedding from the bride and groom and family for before during and after the ceremony

1 day prior to the wedding date
Charge all camera/flash batteries and make sure you have more than enough batteries on hand.
Format all memory cards.
Remove dust from camera body imaging sensors.
Clean lens elements.
Pack camera bags/cases with all needed gear.
Review all your information that you have (hopefully written).
Make sure you have accurate directions (if needed),any written information about the details, group shots, etc. Packed in your bag.
Get a good nights sleep.

Wedding day, 2-5 hours before the ceremony
Eat something, you may not get a chance later.
Pack all gear into car. Double check to see that batteries and memory cards are there.

Get to the church early and do some scouting. Take some readings and get a rough idea what white balance setting you need.

If you are shooting with a flash for these get the flash off the camera if you can, also you can use diffusers to soften the shadows. Even outdoors flash can be used for fill light so don’t forget it there. Gather everyone togehter that will be in any shot right from the start. While they’re all sitting there, shoot the formal bride and groom portraits first. Next shoot the largest groups of people , and then once you’re done with a group (like the grandparents for example), send them off to the reception. For the large groups remember depth of field and set your aperature to give you the depth you need. If you have problems with people blinking when you’re ready to shoot the shot, have everybody close their eyes, and then on the count of three have them all open their eyes and smile. For full body shots think about camera height Standing, Full-Length Portrait: Position your camera on a good tripod at the bride’s waist height Keep your lens straight don’t aim up towards the bride’s face. 7/8 Shots (from the calf or knee up) – Putyour camera at the bride’s chest level and shoot with your lens straight from there. For head and shoulders shot put your camera at the bride’s eye level or slightly above. Be aware of objects behind the people that can look like its growing out of thier heads. Position the people close in the portraits, if you let them stand where they are comfortable they are usually too far apart.
If you can sneak some shots in here from a higher vantage point that can be interesting additons to the portraits

At the reception take lots of candids of everyone you can but remember THE BRIDE IS THE CENTER OF ATTENTION. Oh did I say that too loud ….. Again have a list of shots they want there. Cutting the cake, first dance, throwing the bouquet etc. At the reception your feet are your best zoom. Using long zoom lenses can give you a depth of field that is too shallow, flatten features of the subject, put you out of range of your flash and feel impersonal. So use a lens long enough that you are not intrusive but not so zoomed out that you have these problems

Bring lots and lots of memory cards
Bring extra batteries
A good tutorial and list of posible shots to take is here

http://www.dpchallenge.com/tutorial.php?TUTORIAL_ID=51

Another good site to read over is here ( please don’t get upset by the word amature in the title no insult was intended )

http://digital-photography-school.com/blog/wedding-photography-21-tips-for-for-amateur-wedding-photographers/

Go to your local library now and read some books out there on wedding photography
I hope this helps

rob answers:

Canon have quite a few good lenses available and it can be quite difficult to select just the right ones for your needs.
The 70-200mm f/4 L USM has very favourable reviews.
The 50mm prime you mention, also rates very well. The 24-85mm has mediocre reviews.
Anyway, check out the links below for reviews & sample shots etc. Which might make your decision easier and give you some peace of mind that you have made the right choice.

Good luck…

rob answers:

I recommend the Nikon D3100. It is a great starter camera, and is easy to use with lots of features. Search it up on youtube and watch some reviews and test it out (if they have it) at your local tech/camera shop.
If you would like to go the Canon route, the T2i is a very good camera too, it does VERY good on HD videos, and in my experience, has better image quality as well. The D3100 is $589 and the T2i is $768.
Again, go to a camera store and test both out and see which one you are more comfortable with!

rob answers:

If you have a couple of Minolta A-type mount lenses, you should look at the Sony Alpha-100 (A100) digital SLR, as this is the type of lens that the camera takes. The body alone is available at B&H Photo for $599. I’m not a HUGE fan of this camera, but it is one of the top 10 digital SLR’s in the consumer market right now.

If you want to get away from your Minolta lenses or want to avoid Sony in the first place, the Nikon D40 and Canon Rebel XT are in your price range. They are the number 2 and 3 selling consumer SLR’s right now. Http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/4341/top-selling-digital-slrs-for-may.html I have abias towards the Nikon way of doing things and I usualyl recommend the D40, but you mentioned the Rebel XTi, so I will mention the XT as it is in your price range.

Since you have some experience, you ought to go to a camera shop and play with both the D40 and the XT and see what you think. The way they feel in your hands will be the deciding factor. I have a stock comparison that I will include here, though…….

~~~~~~~~~~

Nikon D40 vs. Canon EOS 350D (Rebel XT)

This isn’t exactly what you asked for, but perhaps you will find it helpful in making your decision. I have never used a Canon EOS 350D, so I can’t actually compare the cameras, but I favor the D40 because it has a spotmeter and the 350D doesn’t. Although the D40 seems small, it is practically the exact same size as the 350D.

Http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/compare_post.asp?method=sidebyside&cameras=canon_eos350d%2Cnikon_d40&show=all

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond40/page17.asp

tells us that the Canon 350D meter calibration is off by about 1/3 of a stop. This would not really present any problems, except that it suggests “something” to me about the quality, since the Nikon and Pentax are dead on.

Scroll on down the page for image comparisons. The D40 is clearly sharper and shows less noise at all ISO settings.

Http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond40/page18.asp shows us that both handle shadows equally, but the D40 clips the highlights by about 1/3 of a stop.

Http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond40/page21.asp shows a side-by-side of studio images. The 8 MP of the Canon 350D at least put the camera on equal footing with the Nikon D40 for image quality, but you have to take note that the Rebel XT is shot at ISO 100 and the Nikon is shot at it lowest setting of ISO 200. I think the Canon images may look a little better, but we know from the prior page that under equal lighting levels, the Canon will start to break up before the Nikon.

The reviewer says, “While it is possible to pick areas of the image which lend some credence to the EOS 350D’s 34% pixel count advantage it’s clear that the average observer would not notice these differences and that you would need a very large output size for any of them to become visible.”

Check this out…

Http://dpreview-img.fotki.com/gallery/canoneos350d_samples1/originals/img_4068-raw-dpp.jpg is taken by the Canon 350D with a 17 mm focal length at f/6.3, 1/80th of a second, ISO 400 using RAW.

Http://dpreview-img.fotki.com/gallery/nikond40_samples/originals/dsc_1206.jpg is taken with the Nikon D40 with an 18 mm focal length at f/4.5, 1/80th of a second, ISO 400 using jpeg.

The point of focus for the Canon photo is a bit deeper than it is for the Nikon, but even having 8MP and using RAW and a smaller aperture, I think the Canon image breaks up a lot more than the Nikon. You can barely make out the features on the face of the gentleman in the background. Is this the camera or the superiority of the Nikon 17-55 lens, which so many of us here praise???

Okay, I’ve made my stance clear. I like the Nikon D40 better than the Canon EOS 350D, so here’s my general review of the D40.

The Nikon D40 is a great little camera, very easy to use and quite reasonably priced. It has a few “consumer friendly” totally automatic modes that make it very easy to use, but still offers total photographic control when you are ready to take charge. It will get you in the Nikon family which is a great place to be. If you buy accessories and lenses, you will be able to use everything on any Nikon that you might upgrade to later on.

Check out Nikon’s “Picturetown” promotion, where they handed out 200 D40′s in Georgetown, SC. Http://www.stunningnikon.com/picturetown/

Here are a few reviews, in case you have not read them yet. Be sure to note that they are several pages long and some of the reviews also have some sample images that you can look at.

Http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond40/

http://www.steves-digicams.com/2007_reviews/nikon_d40.html

http://www.popphoto.com/cameras/3756/camera-test-nikon-d40.html

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/d40/d40-recommendations.htm

I hate to see people slam the camera because it can’t autofocus with older Nikon lenses. It is true that there is a “slight problem” with older Nikon lenses not autofocusing on the D40, but if you do not own a bag full of older lenses, it is not going to be a problem. It is barely a problem anyhow. If you check www.nikonusa.com for “AF-S” lenses, which are ALL 100% compatible with the D40, you will find 23 lenses, including 7 “VR” (vibration Reduction) lenses and one true macro lens with “VR”. There are another 25-plus lenses in the current catalog that provide all functions except autofocus as well as many (possibly dozens) “out of print” lenses that will work just as well. In addition, although these lens will not autofocus, most of them will still give focus confirmation. From the D40 manual: “If the lens has a maximum aperture of f/5.6 of faster, the viewfinder focus indicator can be used to confirm whether the portion of the subject in the selected focus area is in focus. After positioning the subject in the active focus area, press the shutter release button halfway and rotate the lens focusing ring until the in-focus indicator is displayed.” (See http://www.members.aol.com/swf08302/nikonafs.txt for a list of AF-S lenses.)

The D40 only has 3 autofocus zones arranged horizontally at the center, 9 o’clock and 3 o’clock positions. This might be considered a limitation, but realistically, most people will find this perfectly adequate, especially if you are moving up from a point and shoot with only a center zone.

You can get the D40 with the 18-55 kit lens at B&H Photo available through Yahoo! Shopping or at 1-800-622-4987) for $525 (June 2007). Add a Lexar Platinum (60X speed) card for $25 or 2 GB for $35. Or – get the D40 with 18-135 lens and 1 GB Lexar card for $750. They also have used D40′s from $475.

And yet… Clearly these are both very good cameras. What it all comes down to is which one YOU feel better about. Go to a camera shop and pick them up and see.

~~~~~~~~~~

rob answers:

U could try Southern Photo Technical Service if it is still around. 1101 North Causeway Boulevard, Metairie, LA 70001
(504) 835-3379

rob answers:

First replace the camera batteries and try it again.
If this doesn’t work, take the camera and your original receipt back to Staples, show them what the camera is doing, and see what they will do about it. They’re usually pretty good and will probably either have the camera repaired or will replace it for you. The Canon camera warranty is good on your camera regardless of whether you file it or not as long as you have the original receipt. I’m not sure whether the warranty on that camera is 90 days or one year but if it is one year and I think it is, Staples will take care of you.

rob answers:

The sensor is going bad
it needs repaired

rob answers:

I prefer to use OEM batteries and the OEM charger for them. The charger can read the battery and charge it accurately so that it does not overheat/overcharge to prevent swelling (and possibly becoming a fire hazard). The other nice thing about using OEM batteries is that if it damages your camera, repairs are handled by the manufacturer.

Some people don’t have a problem with the third party batteries, a fellow photog wasn’t so lucky. He had a battery leak in his camera (as a result of over charging), and spent several hundred to get the camera cleaned and repaired. The battery company only offered to send him a replacement battery.

rob answers:

The Canon Rebel T3i takes the consumer level dSLR a couple steps closer to the mid-level Canon 60D with the addition of the rotating rear LCD screen, remote flash firing, and in-camera processing features. The already highly competent, older Rebel T2i already shared many important features with the 60D (and even features of the semi-pro 7D) including the 18 MP sensor, 63-zone exposure metering system, high ISO performance, HD movie capabilities, and Digic 4 image processor. With these new upgrades, it might make it even more difficult to choose between them. But there are some important differences.

rob answers:

Nope, no way
i also have a 50D, but i dont need video, i probably would never use it,
if you want to record video, you need to buy a 60D, or a 5DmkII, depending on the lenses you use ( 5d is full-frame sensor )

Fun-Fact : many new TV series like Dr. House are filmed with a Canon 5D mkII because there are much more high quality lenses for DSLR then for normal camcorders. But…..they probably did not use the exact same version of the 5DmkII than normal people could buy

rob answers:

It’s a “hot pixel”. The only way to fix it is to have the sensor replaced and that’s totally uneconomical to do unless you have insurance which will cover it.

If the manufacturer’s warranty is still valid, then it *might* be covered; ask them. Usually they have specifications regarding acceptable numbers of hot or dead pixels and where they appear in the field of view. If you live in the UK then you might also be able to claim for a free repair or partial refund from the retailer you purchased from. There’s a maximum of six years cover (five in Scotland) but it’s a complex balancing act between how much the camera originally cost, how long the product can reasonably be expected to last and a willingness to pursue reluctant retailers through the Small Claims Court if necessary. It also only covers the original purchaser; if the camera was a gift then only the donor can claim (with proof of purchase) and if you bought it as a used example then you’re also not covered.

One final point: if your camera is out of manufacturer warranty then it’s still worth asking for a goodwill repair, especially if you can demonstrate that you have purchased other Canon products. Those sort of deals occur all the time but are a confidential matter between the manufacturer and consumer and the consumer usually has to pay for insured shipping both ways.

That dot will still be present but far less prominent in your static images; video uses a much smaller portion of the sensor so it magnifies any faults in that area.

rob answers:

You can try whichever you find appealing:

http://www.photoshop.com/products

If you’ve never used image editors before, Photoshop Elements is a good place to start. It retails for about $100, and has quite a few tutorials to get you started with fundamentals.

Lightroom is an excellent companion to a DSLR camera like yours. Though it does not edit images as drastically as one can in Photoshop, the sort of edits you are most likely to make (tonal adjustments, color correction) are what Lightroom is geared for. It is also a great cataloging and tagging program.

Photoshop CS5 and Extended are only meant for professionals who work with print, or otherwise make a living off of graphic design. The high price tag is your first clue that this program isn’t for everyone.

rob answers:

The “S” indicates that that lens cannot be used on full frame Canon cameras like the 1D and 5D series camera bodies.

Of the two, the 55-250 is a better lens, however Canon does make a better, 70-300 mm lens you may want to consider.

Here is a link that shows the viewing angle of various focal lengths

http://imaging.nikon.com/lineup/lens/simulator/

As you see, there is only a little difference between 250 mm and 300 mm angle of view.

rob answers:

Empty the card onto your computer. Format it in camera. Now start shooting again.

If you’re too intellectually challened to accomplish a basic task like this then get some help copying the files

rob answers:

ISO of 800 or more
Shutter speed of 400 or more
Aperture set to the lowest number (example 4.5) the lens will go.
White Balance setting it manually to the light provided.

Every environment will be different and you need to learn to adjust setting accordingly.
Good Luck,
Also know how to do a reset of the settings to start fresh as needed.

rob answers:

DPI, PPI, Megapixel – all meaningless, particularly on their own.

What are your TOTAL pixels? To achieve 16 inches by 20 inches @ 300dpi, your file needs to be 6000 x 4800 pixels.

You can change your file from 72 to 300 without doing any damage at all – just make sure in the image size dialogue box that Resample Image is UNchecked. All you are doing is reassigning information, not changing the quality at all.

rob answers:

I am a Nikon person. I have used Nikon since the 70s and the first Nikon SLR I ever bought still functions as well today as when I bought it.If you are goind digital SLR then right now Nikon is giving much better high ISO performance with low noise.

For people getting thier frist DSLR I usually recommend the D40. I have a Nikon D40 and I love it. The D40 has a full manual mode, Flexible progam, aperature priority, shutter priority modes. These are the same modes on all DSLR. It also has several other programed modes for things like portrait, night, children etc. As a photographer improves and learns to use metering better these additional modes seldom get used so they are usually found on the more amature cameras and seen as not needed on the professional cameras. I feel I have a fair amount of experience as a photographer and it performs well for me but I can give it to my 12 y/o grandson if set on program and he can get good usable pictures as well. His photography is improving as he is already learning to use many of the functions himself ( yes I’m a proud granpa) .

I also would not get caught up in the megapixel hype and instead look at the entire sensor issue. Look at the article I linked below The D40 will do everything a beginner to intermediate photographer needs at a great price. It comes with an 18-55 lens. It will let you use any other money to buy more accessories. And by the time you outgrow it cameras will have advanced to the point that most of what is on the market now would be obsolete. I bought a D300 last year and only had a it a few months when the D700 came out. The canon would also serve you well but I am a Nikon person so I suggest them. I have friends that are very happy with thier canon’s and take great photos. You will have others that like Pentax and Olympus and they are not bad cameras but if they were in the same ballpark you would see many more professional photographers use them

Now for the longer answer as you already have some experience I will be preaching to the choir on a good bit of this.

I would say the Nikon D40 Its an entry level DSLR. A digital SLR will give you a much larger sensor than any point and shoot camera. Larger sensor = more light to each pixel = clearer, crisper photo with better color saturation. DSLR will also let you grow and take more control as you learn more and you can change lenses when you have a need to. The sensor on the olympus is smaller than on Nikon or Canon

I am a nikon person and have had nikons since the 70′s I personally think the nikon D40 give you more for the dollar than any DSLR today. There are some that do more but you pay a good bit more. Do not let the lower megapixels concern you if you do not do very very large prints you will never notice the lower DSLR. My brother recently needs a DSLR for a class and I recommended the D40 to him So I would also say get the D40 not the D40X. The Nikon D40 does not have limited functions compared with other entry DSLR. Yes it has fewer funtioncas than a 1500 dollar camera body would. It is not a a cut down version its equal or above most any entry level DSLR.

There is a great article in this months Digital Photopro Magazine that is titled “Megapixels how much is enough” EVERYONE looking at buying a new digital camera can profit by reading this article. Its here

http://www.digitalphotopro.com/gear/imag…

I have a d300 and a d40 and when I am shooting for fun I grab the d40. Its weightless, a joy to use and gives good results

If you have a bit more money the D60 give you a number of things you want. It has newer firmware and image processors, designed for the 10 mp sensor. It has an “Active Dust Reduction System with Airflow Control “. Nikon not putting a system on the D40 to deal with dust is one of the biggest drawbacks I see to the D40 ( though I think its still a great camera for the money) If you change lenses dust will get in and the camera needs a system to deal with it. With the D60 you get a VR lens. That will help with low light situations ( they may offer that now with the D40 but originally it was not) . The D60 has Adaptive Dynamic Range. Nikon calls it “Active D-Lighting,” it lets you save some highlights that my otherwise be lost. It has a newer better metering system than the D40. So you can get the D40 not the D40 x and spend the other money on lenses or a flash

Some people will want to make a big issue out of the fact that there are some nikon lenses that will not autofocus on these cameras. Right now there are “only” about 39 lenses that autofocus on these cameras. They cover the range of focal lengths. I doubt any photographer would be seriously limited with “only” this many lenses to choose from. If you want to manually focus you can more than double this and do so at a low cost. Manual focusing is easy and how we did things for decades before the advent of autofocus.

Cannon and Nikon chose to put the vibration reduction in the lens rather than the body. Somefolks put it in the camera and make of that. Yes that means you get stabilization only on lenses with that feature built in. In the body in theory it would work on every lens. But in fact image stbilization in the lens has proved to work faster and smoother with a lower impact on focus times than image stabilization in the body/ One problem with in body stabilization comes from the fact that the sensor would have to move different amounts for different focal lengths. A canon white paper says an in body system would have to move the sensor 1/4 inch to account for movement on a 300 mm lens.

Now a comment on liveview. Have you ever tried to hold several pounds of digital camera and lens steady at arms length while you look at an LCD screen. It not at all the same as holding a few ounces of point and shoot camera steady in the same position. One of the things we preach to new photogrpahers is to learn to hold the camera properly so the body mechanics give you a steady shot. You can’t really do that looking at the LCD. So liveview is really something that will have very limited applications in a DSLR. . Usually only when its on a tripod. I have liveview on my D300 and have never used it.

Nikon also has great service. I was just reading the other day on eyefetch in the Nikon forum where someone posted that they had dropped thier lens and broken it. It was not a fault of the company they messed up. The sent it to Nikon and Nikon could not fix it. Nikon offered them a brand new identical lens at half the price. They did not have to

In closing all major camera manufactures make good cameras get out and compare the features and how they feel in your hand. Go to places like kenRockwell.com and DPreview.com to compare them. Nikon and Canon have the largest market share and I personally think there is a very good reason they do. Not bashing other brands but photographers tend to be very very demanding folks and they then tend to be loyal to what has worked for them well and consistently. That is not a pavlovian response anymore than it is a pavlovian response in my work at the fire department when I trust the brands of turnout gear and airpacks that have worked for me time and time again. Sometimes even going beyond the published specs. People in ANY demanding profession gain loyalty and trust from thier experiences. And if the product did not perform it would not be favored for long.

rob answers:

First, make sure it is the lens by trying a different lens to see if the problem is still there. If the spots are still there they are probably coming from the sensor. That can be cleaned but, if you choose to do it yourself read up on sensor cleaning before you start so you don’t damage it. It can be a costly repair to replace. If you determine the spots are coming from the lens it also should be cleaned front and back. Lens tissue and cleaner can be bought at any place that sells cameras. Also remove and clean any filter that you may have on the lens. If this doesn’t help the spots would have to removed by disassembly of the lens. Not a do it yourself thing. Take it to a shop.

rob answers:

Well, if the pics of your son are blurry, either he runs REALLY fast, or you don’t like to use flash indoors! You’ll get the absolute best low light capability by buying a 50mm prime lens with a maximum aperture of f 1.7 or lower (1.4 or 1). However, generally speaking, these lenses are pretty ‘soft’ at maximum aperture. A f 1.7 lens should be fairly inexpensive.

Have you tried to up the ISO? You may find that by raising it to 400 or 800 that you will get sharper shots and still have an acceptable amount of digital noise.

I hope this helps you!

rob answers:

I shoot live gigs solely with a 50mm f/1.4 unless it’s a bigger venue with decent lighting. For the sake of saving yourself $300 you can buy a 50mm f/1.8. It’s a great lens, it very cheap (you can pick one up for less than $100) and the quality will match any L zooms lens if you’re using an XT. Just be prepared to do your framing with your feet…

If you’re just starting out you’re going to be shooting very dark venues with crap lighting, and you’ll spend a lot of time shooting 1/90 @ f/1.8, ISO 1600. Any f/2.8 lens just won’t give you enough light – you’ll be forced to use a shutter speed of 1/30 or lower, and all subject movement will be blurred.

A tripod/monopod won’t work as your subjects are moving (and the crowd will hate you), so you can’t slow the shutter speed down too much (and ignore anyone telling you that you need an IS lens – it’s useless for gigs unless your focal length is getting near 200mm).

Your images will be noisy – either use the reduce noise (under filters) in Photoshop, Noise Ninja, or some very selective burning of highlights. Don’t go crazy with the noise reduction – you will lose detail.

90% of the images below were shot with a 50mm f/1.4 – a few were with a 70-200mm f/2.8, but only when light allowed it.

Http://www.shotintheblack.com/Jalbums/Gigs/index.html

The alternative is to use flash – which nearly always looks bad. If you have to, fire a remote speedlight with a cheap set or eBay triggers (gaff it to a wall when no-one’s looking) and you can get some nice side-lit shots. Use a cheap speedlight as someone is going to either knock it off or steal it at some point.

Hope this helps!

rob answers:

If Canon follows it pricing as in the past, it will probably not cost more than $100 or more than the 5D Mark II. There is even a possibility that it could cost less, but there is really no way to really know.

Here is a link that you may enjoy when it comes to future Canon photographic equipment

http://www.canonrumors.com/

rob answers:

£3000-4000 depending on the definition of ‘Good’

5D2 – around £1300-1500 brilliant camera, they’re £1600-1700 new right now, depends on condition and actuations.
50D – £500, don’t expect too much because the 7D is just so much better.
35mm f2 – £180-200
85mm f1.8 – £200-300
50mm f1.4 – £200

24-70 – these are around £900-1000 new, and hold their value, so I’d expect to see them for £700-800

70-200mm f2.8 – the Non-IS version is around £950 new, again because it’s an L it holds value well expect no less than £800 for this lens. The IS versions then go up in price, expect over £1000 for the mkI IS because the mkII has had an impact on the market.

rob answers:

Neither of the kit lenses offered with the 7D are gems in Canon’s line. Between the two, the 18-135mm lacks the 28-135mm’s build quality while the 28-135mm lacks the wide-angle coverage offered by the 18-135mm. While you can get acceptable results from either lens, neither quite matches the resolution offered by the 7D’s sensor. I personally would rather spend less money on the body (such as the 60D or Rebel T2i/EOS 550D) and put the savings toward better lenses.

My most used lens on my 7D (before adding the 5D Mark II to my kit) was the EF-s 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM. That was the lens that stayed on that camera 95% of the time and covered everything from wide-angles to portraits. It was a nearly perfect general purpose lens and this was particularly true for low light situations due to the combination of a constant f/2.8 aperture and image stabilization. The only thing better would be a fast prime like the 50mm f/1.4. Today, my EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM stays on the 7D while a 16-35mm f/2.8L stays on the 5D Mark II for almost everything I shoot that doesn’t require a telephoto or super telephoto lens.

rob answers:

So much is based on price range and type of buyers (hobbyist or pros??).

Canon: 5D Mark II, 7D, the higher end Rebel which now is the T2i (550D)

Nikon: D3x, D700, D300s, D90

Pentax: K-x

Panasonic: GF1

Olympus: Pen series of cameras

I added some links that could be good for camera news and information.

Mark

rob answers:

Even if you do find an adapter you will have to use your camera in full manual mode. The Nikon lens will not communicate with the Canon body, there will not be any auto focus, aperture control or exposure control.If you already have the Nikon lenses, sell them and use the money to purchase lenses that will work on your Canon camera.

TOM

rob answers:

None of the Canon lenses made before 1987 will fit on current Canon EOS cameras. Those lenses include Canon FD and FL lenses.

None of the Canon EF-S lenses can be used on any full frame Canon EOS cameras like 35 mm SLR’s or the 1D or 5D series camera bodies

Nikon can use lenses made as far back as 1959 with a minor conversion and all lenses made since 1977.

Pentax K-mount lenses can be used on any Pentax dSLR

Minolta A-mount lenses and all Sony lenses can be used on Sony Alpha dSLR’s

None of the old Olympus lenses are compatible with the new 4/3rds sensored Olympus dSLR’s

rob answers:

There have to be dozens or even hundreds of lenses available for a Canon. Nobody could list them all.

A ‘normal’ lens is 45-55mm for a 35 mm camera. 45 or 50 04 55mm, this is the focal length, actually the distance between the lens and the film when the lens is focussed on infinity.

A ‘normal’ lnes takes a picture about the same as you see with your eyes. Shorter lenses (35mm, 25mm) are wide angle lenses that make a picture of a bigger area. Longer lenses (75mm, 90mm, 130mm, 200mm, etc.) are telephotos and take a picture of a smaller area (or farther away). Telephotos go up to 1000mm and higher, so they can even be like telescopes. With a 1000mm lens you can get a good picture of the moon!

Then there are zoom lenses which have adjustable focal lengths. Usually they go from slightly telephoto to long telephoto, or from wide angle to about normal. They are more expensive and heavier, but are more convenient than walking back and forth to get the right composition.

If you’ve ever heard of a ‘fish eye’ lens, that’s an extreme wide-angle that takes in such a wide area that it distorts the picture.

Lenses also differ in f-stop, that’s how wide a lens is. The f-stop is related to the focal length so the longer lenses are, generally the narrower the f-stop, which limits how dim the light can be for you to get a good picture. A normal lens might be F:2, meaning it’s 1/2 as wide as the focal length. And the lens has an ‘aperture’ in it that is adjustable from f:2 (or whatever is the widest) to f:16 or F:22, the narrowest. For your regular lens, wider is nicer because you can shoot in less light.

rob answers:

Sure, but not all the proprietary features will work.

If you really need a flash for one of your assignments, you can use the Canon flash in its manual mode using the flash guide number to determine the correct exposure using flash.

Lukily, only Canon has the 6v trigger voltage restriction, so using a Canon flash on your fine D60 will not hurt your camera

It sounds to me, that your instructors are all academics, not working pros or retired pros.

These are the kinds of things instructors need to know if they are to be proficient in teaching photography at any level