The next item reviewed is the Canon 24-105 4.0L. This is obviously a mid range lens. It is my "On the camera" lens. This lens being a L series is incredibly sharp and well built. Interestingly there is nothing really special about this lens. It isn't very wide or very long. Its f/4 aperture, while constant is not that fast. If I were to pick out a defining feature the closest thing I would say is its all round functionality.
This 24-105 has weather sealing which is good for me! And 3 stops of IS. I like IS but only as a extra feature, something as a safety net to catch important shots.
I briefly considered the 24-70 2.8L but its limited zoom was a turn off for me in regard to nature photography. Also no IS :( In retrospect I could have made it work while enjoying the f/2.8...
I think the perfect solution to this dilemma would have been a 24-105 f/2.8 L IS USM. But unfortunately that for the moment is not happening.
As it is the only time I need a wide open aperture is dark places... And that is what a speedlite is for.
In conclusion I use this lens as an every day shooter, wildlife, landscape, portraiture, occasions, and weddings. This is a great lens.
Phothog
April 21, 2011
February 7, 2011
The Gear Identity
Canon Speedlite 580 EX II
This is my flash. It is very powerful, being able to illuminate a subject nearly 200 ft away. I rarely use it at even half that distance, but I do not doubt that I could(As long as I brought a lot of spare batteries!)
This flash is Canon's top of the line flash. It has ultrasonic capacitor charging so there is no high pitched whine after each shot. I like this feature. It also recharges very quickly after each shot.
I use this almost 100% for "people shots" It has a swivel head that can point in about any direction... Bounce time! It has fully auto mode as well as manual from 1/32-1/1. It is weather sealed.
My favorite(but admittedly seldom used) ability is the famous "Stroboscopic" function. This feature emits a burst of multiple flashes very quickly, allowing multiple images of the same subject in one exposure.
There are many things to like about the flash. I have nothing to complain about. That is a high commendation from me!
Phothog
This is my flash. It is very powerful, being able to illuminate a subject nearly 200 ft away. I rarely use it at even half that distance, but I do not doubt that I could(As long as I brought a lot of spare batteries!)
This flash is Canon's top of the line flash. It has ultrasonic capacitor charging so there is no high pitched whine after each shot. I like this feature. It also recharges very quickly after each shot.
I use this almost 100% for "people shots" It has a swivel head that can point in about any direction... Bounce time! It has fully auto mode as well as manual from 1/32-1/1. It is weather sealed.
My favorite(but admittedly seldom used) ability is the famous "Stroboscopic" function. This feature emits a burst of multiple flashes very quickly, allowing multiple images of the same subject in one exposure.
There are many things to like about the flash. I have nothing to complain about. That is a high commendation from me!
Phothog
January 9, 2011
Quick gear post here... 17% left on my macbooks battery and the power cord is at home!!!
Canon 17-40L Lens.
This was my first L, and yes it was a transmitter of the incurable L-Disease. Very sharp. Very quiet. Very fast AF. Weather sealed. Built like a rock. Did I say it was sharp? Great lens, not half bad price for an L...
More gear coming soon(with pics!)
Phothog
Canon 17-40L Lens.
This was my first L, and yes it was a transmitter of the incurable L-Disease. Very sharp. Very quiet. Very fast AF. Weather sealed. Built like a rock. Did I say it was sharp? Great lens, not half bad price for an L...
More gear coming soon(with pics!)
Phothog
December 5, 2010
Gear observed
Can a photog ever have enough gear? Short answer: No!
I am going to start a series of posts reviewing my gear, starting with my primary camera.
Introducing the Canon 50D(Cheers and loud hurrah's!)
I have had this for a while now, resisting the temptation to give it immediate accolades. However after putting it through its paces, I am now prepared to give it the praise it deserves.
The first thing that I do with a new Canon SLR(I have owned 2 including this one, so there is a tradition.)is remove the rubber eye piece. I wore glasses when I first started shooting and the rubber would smear my specs! So I got used to a hard eye piece and now even with contacts, I prefer it this way.
This review will cover what I like about the camera. It may have a great feature/s that I don't care about. These will not be reviewed.
The Good:
Tough magnesium alloy body. I need tough gear.
Intuitive buttons and wheels.
Nice sensor 16.something Mp.
Good quality ISO's even at 800+
Fast in two respects: Fast shutter speeds up to 1/8000 of a second. Fast frames per minute: 6.3
Good frame buffer(50 frames?) I never have filled the buffer in real life shooting.
Other stuff that I subconsciously appreciate that I can't think of right now.
The Bad:
The pop-up flash. I loath built in flashes on a camera. I don't listen to the "emergency fill flash" argument. Sorry... Not. Really. Although this pop-up is much more well behaved than my 400D, whose pop-up's button was regularly being inadvertently pressed. (I dealt with this problem in my own delicate way... I ripped it off).
The joystick. irk. Hard to control.
Battery life. What a joke. Using the live view is something I rarely do, which is fortunate, but the batteries are just sucked dry even without it.
Proprietary external control jack. This is really irritating because if you want to do loooong exposures(which I do) you need a gizmo that works with Canon's special little three pronged plugin. I got a off-brand. I have mixed results. To get the external controller that Canon has to offer would take a significant bite out of my wallet.
Overall this is a good camera for this simple reason: It is a mainstream advanced amateur camera. Lots of options. Lots of gear that can enhance its resume. And oh... the Lenses!!!(To be reviewed)
PhotHog
I am going to start a series of posts reviewing my gear, starting with my primary camera.
Introducing the Canon 50D(Cheers and loud hurrah's!)
I have had this for a while now, resisting the temptation to give it immediate accolades. However after putting it through its paces, I am now prepared to give it the praise it deserves.
The first thing that I do with a new Canon SLR(I have owned 2 including this one, so there is a tradition.)is remove the rubber eye piece. I wore glasses when I first started shooting and the rubber would smear my specs! So I got used to a hard eye piece and now even with contacts, I prefer it this way.
This review will cover what I like about the camera. It may have a great feature/s that I don't care about. These will not be reviewed.
The Good:
Tough magnesium alloy body. I need tough gear.
Intuitive buttons and wheels.
Nice sensor 16.something Mp.
Good quality ISO's even at 800+
Fast in two respects: Fast shutter speeds up to 1/8000 of a second. Fast frames per minute: 6.3
Good frame buffer(50 frames?) I never have filled the buffer in real life shooting.
Other stuff that I subconsciously appreciate that I can't think of right now.
The Bad:
The pop-up flash. I loath built in flashes on a camera. I don't listen to the "emergency fill flash" argument. Sorry... Not. Really. Although this pop-up is much more well behaved than my 400D, whose pop-up's button was regularly being inadvertently pressed. (I dealt with this problem in my own delicate way... I ripped it off).
The joystick. irk. Hard to control.
Battery life. What a joke. Using the live view is something I rarely do, which is fortunate, but the batteries are just sucked dry even without it.
Proprietary external control jack. This is really irritating because if you want to do loooong exposures(which I do) you need a gizmo that works with Canon's special little three pronged plugin. I got a off-brand. I have mixed results. To get the external controller that Canon has to offer would take a significant bite out of my wallet.
Overall this is a good camera for this simple reason: It is a mainstream advanced amateur camera. Lots of options. Lots of gear that can enhance its resume. And oh... the Lenses!!!(To be reviewed)
PhotHog
September 17, 2010
Time ?
Time is a hard commodity to come by at times! This shot required more time than average to capture... And then it was time to go!
Canon 50D
17-40L
F/4
680 seconds
Location: Crater Lake, Oregon
Canon 50D
17-40L
F/4
680 seconds
Location: Crater Lake, Oregon
May 30, 2010
The days of past
The quality of ones pictures, the ease of capture, and the possibility of getting the shot, improve with the cost of your gear. That said, some of my favorite pictures were taken with my old P&S. Back then getting a shot was more of a challenge. The gear was not designed for the use I put it through, I was not as good, but I worked hard and long, replaced my HP935 photosmart three times, and ended up with some good shots!
Camera: Hewlett-Packard
Model: HP PhotoSmart C935
ISO: 100
Exposure: 1/4 sec
Aperture: 3.2
Focal Length: 12.7mm
Phothog
Camera: Hewlett-Packard
Model: HP PhotoSmart C935
ISO: 100
Exposure: 1/4 sec
Aperture: 3.2
Focal Length: 12.7mm
Phothog
March 14, 2010
January 22, 2010
Enough winter
I often feel the need to go back to look at different seasons when thoroughly ensconced in another one. I am rather tired of the bleakness of winter so I will go back to yesteryear's spring...
November 18, 2009
Snow Examined II
As if our last adventure was not cold enough, I found myself on the eastern side of the cascades well over 5000 ft and quite cold. It was actually quite a bit warmer then last time I was at Cresent Lake,
but the driving wind, blowing snow at quite a horizontal angle made it seem quite harsh... Or at least it may have to some. I was however rather occupied and enjoyed every minute of it!
The lake freezes over in the winter, the cold weather now is just a taste of what is to come. In the meantime the fish in the lake attract eagles and here is a picture of one that flew right over head!
Traveling a short bit up Hwy 58 gets you to Odell Lake.
A large lake and a perfect place for eagle watching.
I had spotted the lone eagle at Cresent, at Odell, I saw two pairs as well as solitary one, bringing the total for the day
to six!
but the driving wind, blowing snow at quite a horizontal angle made it seem quite harsh... Or at least it may have to some. I was however rather occupied and enjoyed every minute of it!
The lake freezes over in the winter, the cold weather now is just a taste of what is to come. In the meantime the fish in the lake attract eagles and here is a picture of one that flew right over head!
Traveling a short bit up Hwy 58 gets you to Odell Lake.
A large lake and a perfect place for eagle watching.
I had spotted the lone eagle at Cresent, at Odell, I saw two pairs as well as solitary one, bringing the total for the day
to six!
Snow Examined
The pursuit of waterfalls led high into the mountains, around 4000 ft snow covered the ground, and by the time the trailhead was 
reached the world had turned white.
Hemlock Falls is the name of the falls, and is a mere mile and a quarter from the beginning of the trail. The only two difficulties in reaching the falls were these: The one and a quarter were uphill... in the snow... And once you reached the falls you could not see but a small edge as trees blocked the view! What is a photographer to do? Well, climb down in to the ravine and travel up the stream bed jumping from rock to rock, scrambling under giant downed trees, and finally stopping on a massive snow covered boulder... That was easy... Now what about getting back?Getting back was a must as there were lakes to be seen, first the aptly named Lake In The Woods. The lake was originally a swamp but was drained to provide pasture for horses, then later in the century it was undrained and dammed up to create the lake.
Then there was Hemlock Lake, bearing the same name and water source as the above mentioned falls. Dusk was here and mist swirled on the surface of the lake...
November 13, 2009
Idyllic Fall Days
Idyllic is not exactly an accurate description of Autumn. The dying summer... The earth being wrenched back into frost and cold... However it suits the accompanying picture well!
Scott
Scott
November 7, 2009
Waterfalls Observed III
Sometimes it is hard to get a good picture of a waterfall. And sometimes you don't get it- it gets 
you.
Watson falls(the second picture in the series) is southern Oregon's highest waterfall plunging over 300 feet. It is high enough that wind rushing along the side of the basalt cliffs can move the entire falls many feet in the direction that it is blowing.
When a certain intrepid, daring photographer ventured down the slippery, dangerous slope to the base of the falls, he began taking pictures just a few feet from the freezing water. Then without warning a strong wind rushed along the canyon wall and and began moving the waterfall. The photog was drenched. He tried to move but the slippery rocks, and the pounding water(bitingly cold) slowed his progress... Instinctively he pointed his camera upwards and snapped a few frames. Then realizing that the settings would be wrong(All this happened much quicker then it takes to tell!) he hunched over his gear and fiddled with the buttons and knobs, and then snapped a few more. The moss covered rocks that littered the gorge afforded little in the way of a good foothold and yet our brave shutterbug scrambled with his soaking gear bag and dripping camera(weather sealed!) out of danger and went sloshing down the stream.
In spite of this somewhat wet affair, our cameraman's spirits were not at all dampened and he(conveniently having a change of dry clothes in the car!) went on to enjoy the rest of the day...
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to look straight up into a waterfall, this picture may give some indication of what it would be like.
you.Watson falls(the second picture in the series) is southern Oregon's highest waterfall plunging over 300 feet. It is high enough that wind rushing along the side of the basalt cliffs can move the entire falls many feet in the direction that it is blowing.
When a certain intrepid, daring photographer ventured down the slippery, dangerous slope to the base of the falls, he began taking pictures just a few feet from the freezing water. Then without warning a strong wind rushed along the canyon wall and and began moving the waterfall. The photog was drenched. He tried to move but the slippery rocks, and the pounding water(bitingly cold) slowed his progress... Instinctively he pointed his camera upwards and snapped a few frames. Then realizing that the settings would be wrong(All this happened much quicker then it takes to tell!) he hunched over his gear and fiddled with the buttons and knobs, and then snapped a few more. The moss covered rocks that littered the gorge afforded little in the way of a good foothold and yet our brave shutterbug scrambled with his soaking gear bag and dripping camera(weather sealed!) out of danger and went sloshing down the stream.
In spite of this somewhat wet affair, our cameraman's spirits were not at all dampened and he(conveniently having a change of dry clothes in the car!) went on to enjoy the rest of the day...
If you have ever wondered what it would be like to look straight up into a waterfall, this picture may give some indication of what it would be like.
Waterfalls Observed II
This Waterfall is called Grotto Falls. It is interesting in that there is a low hanging but sizable cavern behind the falls. The trail to the grotto wraps around the canyon, along the cliffs and eventually ends behind the cascading torrent.
November 6, 2009
October 28, 2009
Waterfalls Observed
Last week while watching the crashing water pour over Deadline Falls waterfall,(The top picture in the previous post) thousands of gallons a minute, it seemed to me to be unstoppable. However as I pondered, this water did not just appear. This is all a result of things that already happened. Rain and rivulets dripped and streamed down the valley, each course and drop adding to a steadily growing torrent that eventually plunged over these rocks in a great show of power.
Our lives bear remarkable similarity. It is not so much the big choices that define our lives as it is the countless small ones we make every day. These choices define who we are. Remember that the little choices that you make today will be who you are tomorrow.
Scott
Our lives bear remarkable similarity. It is not so much the big choices that define our lives as it is the countless small ones we make every day. These choices define who we are. Remember that the little choices that you make today will be who you are tomorrow.
Scott
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