equipment and gear...

[nora]

ok figure i would kick off this section with the first thread.. =)

so what do you guys use for photography equipment? lenses, filters, etc when out taking herp pictures whether you're out in the wild or at home chillin?

recommendations for cameras

tricks and tips on taking close up shots, black and white images, artistic/commerical..etc

what post work programs do you use ie photoshop, paintshop pro

got a gallery to share??

for me i use a I use a konica minolta Dimage 10z for everything.. i used to have a few lenses but either they got lost broken or stolen.. lol but i do have an online gallery at deviantart.com...

 

[ExcessiveHerps]

Here is what I have
Camera backpack
Tamrac Expedition 7
Cameras
Fuji S9000
Fuji S602
Lenses
Raynox DCR-2020PRO 2.2X
Raynox DCR-5000 Super Wideangle lens 0.5X
Battery Pack
Quantum Quantum QB1 compact battery
Filters
UV filter on for protection
Polarizer
couple others
Memory
2GB CF card
2x 1GB CF card
1 512MB CF card
Misc
I also have one cheapo external flash
40 GB portable harddrive with CF card slot
lens cleaning cloth

 

[nora]

one filter i would love to get back is my IR filter... it's one of my favorites and can come up with some killer images... of course i lost all of my pictures that i have taken with it along with 100's of others when my computer got fried some time back (serves me right not to back everything up)

Where do you go to buy your equipment?

 

[robin]

i have a canon 350d rebel xt
18-55 mm lens
two tripods a mini for macros and a full sized one
i just bought (havent even recived them yet) a whole slew of filters some macro filters, solids and gradients as well as some others.
i am hoping to soon get a really good macro lense and a better all around lens but what i really want is a wide angle and fisheye.

for my animals photos i take them outside in direct sun or outside in indirect sun but not shady... for the animal photos like ones i am selling or my breeders i only use ps cs2 to crop and resize.
for my artsy fartsy photos (noras word not mine) like what i post on deviant art. i will use the curves tool and sometimes contrast adjustment and sometimes sharpening. (animal shots)
for non animal shots i sometimes use various things in cs2 for post processing ... depending on what if any effect i am trying to get without "manipulating" the photo. (nora knows what i mean)

 

[nora]

i dont use the phrase artsy fartsy you geezer humper... >=[

 

[robin]

i dont use the phrase artsy fartsy you geezer humper... >=[

you so did too once LOL and if ima geezer humper then whats that make you? =|

 

[Milwaukee Reptiles]

Here's my list of equipment:
Canon EOS 20D
Tamron 28-75 XR Di As
Canon 70-300mm IS
Canon 18-55mm Stock
Sigma DG 500 Super Flash

3 Batteries, 2 Chargers
4GB, 2GB Microdrive, 512MB Compact flash card
Circular Polarizing filter
Remote Cable release
Photo/Computer backpack
Tripod
Some other stuff I'm sure I'm forgetting. I also use a sony W1 for quick photos out in the boat where I don't want to carry the full lens.

I'd like to get the 100mm Canon Macro USM lens as well, it'd be nice to get some real 1:1 photos. Right now I use the Tamron since I can close focus at about 1 ft away.

For animals, I use the method described here (I use a white posterboard instead of his backgrounds) with a home-made light tent. Works great for coming up with photos like these:

 

[Russ S]

I am not a geezer

 

[nora]

very nice brian.. those are killer pictures... =D I have never thought of using poster board.. that definately sounds like a good idea i'll have to try next time Henry plays America's Next Top Leo Model. lol


russell.. fine.. you're not a geezer.. you're a borderline old fogey. LOL!

 

[Sally Salamander]

Brian - Sally is lusting for your 70-300 IS. I have the 28-135 IS and it hardly ever leaves my 300D.

 

[Milwaukee Reptiles]

Brian - Sally is lusting for your 70-300 IS. I have the 28-135 IS and it hardly ever leaves my 300D.

That's really funny because I just sent it in for repair to Canon yesterday. They announced (and I've always kind of noticed, but mine wasn't that bad) that there is an issue with the images coming out soft when in portrait mode, especially when zoomed to 300mm ( http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/c...ct&keycode=2112&fcategoryid=216&modelid=11922 ). This is also why (if you're shopping you may have noticed) there are almost none for sale anywhere. Canon officially (but quietly) recalled the lens from all dealers and are saying new versions should be in sometime in August. Other than the small issue with it, it's a great lens. The IS is un-freaking believable and it's not even that heavy.

I talked to the guy at canon ( http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/425667 ), and they're paying for 2nd day air both ways so I should have it back in just over a week! WTG Canon support!

I also picked up a new 100mm f/2.8 Macro this week, I'm looking forward to playing with it this weekend.

 

[robin]

brian what do you think would be a good alaround lense. i have the kit lens which is fine but i am looking for something better possible with a braoder range and what not

 

[Milwaukee Reptiles]

I assume you have the kit 18-55mm? I've been extremely happy with my Tamron 28-75 ($350) for an all-around lens. It's very sharp, but there have been known to be a few bad copies, so if you end up getting it make sure you do some testing to make sure it's up to par. At f/2.8 it's pretty fast, and very affordable when compared to something like the canon 24-70L ($1150). It's not as long as I'd like, but when the situation arises I can use the 70-300 IS ($550) instead (once they fix the portrait issue). It also has a close minimum focusing distance of just over 1ft, so I've used it as a 'kind-of-macro' lens until I bought the 100mm macro. The only weird thing about it is that the zoom ring goes the opposite direction from the Canons :main_huh: .


I know you were mentioning a nice wide-angle, as far as I know the Canon 17-40L ($680) is the way to go, but for more of a fisheye the Canon EF-S 10-22 ($690) or Sigma 12-24 ($690) can both be pretty good. I really never have a need to go less than 28mm on my Tamron so I wasn't really prepared to spend another $700, and if I do need to go wider I'll use the kit 18-55.

As for a macro lens... the 100mm f/2.8 ($469) from canon is great, I'm loving it (especially for the sub-$500 price). It can focus to inifinity so you can use it as a normal 100mm lens as well (I've heard it's actually very good for portrait photography).

Sorry that was kind of long-winded. Short answer: I recommend the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di as a nice, affordable mid-range lens.

 

[robin]

I assume you have the kit 18-55mm? I've been extremely happy with my Tamron 28-75 ($350) for an all-around lens. It's very sharp, but there have been known to be a few bad copies, so if you end up getting it make sure you do some testing to make sure it's up to par. At f/2.8 it's pretty fast, and very affordable when compared to something like the canon 24-70L ($1150). It's not as long as I'd like, but when the situation arises I can use the 70-300 IS ($550) instead (once they fix the portrait issue). It also has a close minimum focusing distance of just over 1ft, so I've used it as a 'kind-of-macro' lens until I bought the 100mm macro. The only weird thing about it is that the zoom ring goes the opposite direction from the Canons :main_huh: .


I know you were mentioning a nice wide-angle, as far as I know the Canon 17-40L ($680) is the way to go, but for more of a fisheye the Canon EF-S 10-22 ($690) or Sigma 12-24 ($690) can both be pretty good. I really never have a need to go less than 28mm on my Tamron so I wasn't really prepared to spend another $700, and if I do need to go wider I'll use the kit 18-55.

As for a macro lens... the 100mm f/2.8 ($469) from canon is great, I'm loving it (especially for the sub-$500 price). It can focus to inifinity so you can use it as a normal 100mm lens as well (I've heard it's actually very good for portrait photography).

Sorry that was kind of long-winded. Short answer: I recommend the Tamron 28-75mm f/2.8 XR Di as a nice, affordable mid-range lens.

thank you so much brian. i have heard tamrons are nice and affodable ... ohhh and what i would give for a fisheye *drool*

 

[THEWIZARD]

what is the fuji s9000 like for close ups of geckos

 

[marula]

i try to use the canon 10-22 and is a really nice lens!
...i prefer working with 100 or something like 24-70...the 10-22 for the price is really delicate lens...(all plastic...my old canon lens are in metal and don't give me never a problem....)
...wich kind of material you use guys for put in front if the light in the same structure of the first brian link?

...and last question
...where i can send my camera and my lens for cleaning?...some people say to bestbuy in my zone...but i'm afraid about the quality of the service...what dyou you think about? may i send directly in canon? where?

thanks A LOT

 

[Milwaukee Reptiles]

i try to use the canon 10-22 and is a really nice lens!
...i prefer working with 100 or something like 24-70...the 10-22 for the price is really delicate lens...(all plastic...my old canon lens are in metal and don't give me never a problem....)

The 10-22 is a nice lens, and I was thinking about picking this one up next. Canon has gone to all plastic bodies for their non-L lenses. The L lenses are still made with metal.

...wich kind of material you use guys for put in front if the light in the same structure of the first brian link?

I used a simple twin-sized bed sheet to cover the structure.

...and last question
...where i can send my camera and my lens for cleaning?...some people say to bestbuy in my zone...but i'm afraid about the quality of the service...what dyou you think about? may i send directly in canon? where?

thanks A LOT

You can send it in directly to canon (call the support number for info), but they will charge you. Depending on what part is dirty, you can probably clean it yourself.
http://www.pbase.com/copperhill/ccd_cleaning
I use a simple blower when it's just dust and that usually gets most of it off. I also use eclipse cleaning fluid with pec-pad wipes to clean my glass and the sensor.

 

[justin-branam]

i guess i get to make a few people drool by posting my setup! i know brian probably will.

all canon gear. cameras include:

- 1D Mark II
- Rebel XT.

lenses include

- sigma 15mm fisheye

then the rest canon lenses:

- ef-s 18-55
- 17-40 f4L
- 50 f1.8
- ef-s 60 f2.8
- 100 f2.8
- 70-200 IS f2.8L
- 1.4 extender

then a few extras like 2 420ex and 1 580ex flashes, carbonfiber tripod with a gitzo ballhead, lowepro trekker pro aw II backpack, lots of cf cards and extra batteries and the entire underwater housing setup with dual underwater strobes and blah blah blah.

oh and a big insurance policy for everything!

 

[paulnattress]

I use a Canon 300D (Digital Rebel in the US).

For lenses:

Canon 18-55 kit lens (never used)
Sigma 18-125 - on the camera most of the time
Sigma 70-300 APO Macro - a little too long for photographing geckos at home
Sigma 50mm EX Macro - a superb lens, very sharp excellent for shot of our little Shazzrah.

I use a Manfrotto tripod and I have a little light tent that I use for shooting small objects and macro work. I haven't put our Leo in there yet, we've had her less than a week so I don't want to stress her out so it will be a month or so at least I think before she'll be comfortable going for a trip into it.

 

[Milwaukee Reptiles]

oooooo.... a mark II and a 70-200 IS f2.8L... yup I'm jealous