Today!

[Katy Noelle]

Today, I took this picture...


Look at the beautiful specular highlights! f2.8!

This picture...


Look how close I am!

This picture...


My oldest son was absolutely useless at standing where he was told and smiling. The angel stayed put where she was told! Lovely Christmas tree bokeh!!!

And this lovely thing....



Too bad the UPS truck came so late, this afternoon, with my new, Canon 60mm macro lens. It was pretty much dark when I could use it...

Oh, I'm sooooo happy! It's just heavier than I expected.... and, it hunts a lot (and, btw, I'm coming down with a cold and have lost my steady hands but too fuddy headed to use the new tripod - more impressionistic photography is needed, I think - HA!)

Anyway, will the hunting problem go away with more practice on my part?

So, recap:

1) Today, I got my 60mm lens!

2) Today, I won my first mini competition!

3) Today, I passed my 500th post!

4) Today, I got to know some photography friends and mentors much better.

[mythlady]

Wow! Big day for Katy! Nice pictures -- I like the last one best.

[wilgk]

Congratulations on all Katy - you will have such fun with that 'hypothetical' new lens....
And the mini comp image to which you refer was a beauty!
well done and get well soon.

[Camellia]

Congratulations Katy on your new 'baby'.

I always use the manual focus on my 60mm. Give that a try.

You are developing a real style with your photos now. They have your personality etched on them.

I hope your boys look after you well with lots of hot tea.

R

[Donald]

So, recap:

1) Today, I got my 60mm lens!

2) Today, I won my first mini competition!

3) Today, I passed my 500th post!

4) Today, I got to know some photography friends and mentors much better.

Don't know what that last one is, but it's beautiful.

You realise, I assume, that all these achievements now make you a life member of CiC. You're not allowed to leave!

[Colin Southern]

1) Today, I got my 60mm lens!

2) Today, I won my first mini competition!

3) Today, I passed my 500th post!

4) Today, I got to know some photography friends and mentors much better.

And tomorrow we expect more from you!

[Katy Noelle]

Thanks, Elise and Kay!!!

Don't know what that last one is, but it's beautiful.

You realise, I assume, that all these achievements now make you a life member of CiC. You're not allowed to leave!

Thanks! (about that last photo I mean) I'm glad that you guys see it, too. I really like it but it's a picture of.....??? I guess it's okay to have photos of mystery items - I did do it on purpose. I LOVE the bokeh that this lens can give! May I, please shoot everything in f2.8 - just for a week or two - pleeeease? Oh, I should mention, though - these photos are a representation of "regular" photos, macro and portrait - I can't wait to try a landscape!

As to not leaving and being a lifetime member.... and !

And tomorrow we expect more from you!

Yes, Colin, today I will do the dishes, too!


Oh, and I forgot to mention, when I was first standing with the lens and it focused in so closely and quickly, it gave me vertigo. I kept almost falling over. LOL!

[Katy Noelle]

]Congratulations Katy on your new 'baby'.

I always use the manual focus on my 60mm. Give that a try.

Thanks, Raylee! My hands were shaking so much - unusual for me! Do you always use a tripod? (It is a serious question. ) I had been until the old one got so dangerous with the broken leg. Now, I really need to practice with the new one. However, out and about.... do you always use a tripod? Just curious.

You are developing a real style with your photos now. They have your personality etched on them.

Oh, interesting! I can feel the disparity between photos isn't as wide as it used to be but, of course, it's hard to see myself.

I hope your boys look after you well with lots of hot tea.

I think that they're the ones who gave it to me. Do you know the G&S song, "A Policeman's lot is not a happy one"? Neither is a mom's when she's sick.

R[/QUOTE]

[Donald]

May I, please shoot everything in f2.8 - just for a week or two - pleeeease?

Not on landscapes, you can't. Otherwise we need to convene a special meeting of the Management Council to consider what humiliating punishments to impose!

[Katy Noelle]

Not on landscapes, you can't. Otherwise we need to convene a special meeting of the Management Council to consider what humiliating punishments to impose!

Okay, okay! I'll be good!

Actually, I see that this lens can focus to infinity. Could my kit lens do that? It didn't seem like it could. Maybe, I need to look up what that means in full. i.e. what the implications are?

edit: I looked it up and it means.... focusing to infinity. I'm just confused about the difference between small aperture and focusing to infinity. In my minds eye, it seemed like they would be the same. So, I guess, I don't really understand something.

And, what is TTL metering, please? Anyone, know?

Never mind! TTL = Through the lens metering. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Through-the-lens_metering

[Dave Humphries]

Actually, I see that this lens can focus to infinity. Could my kit lens do that? It didn't seem like it could.

Hi Katy,

I'm sure it could
Infinity is just 'far distant' and on a lens focus scale is represented by the sideways squashed figure 8; like this: ∞ (described in case font doesn't come out right on your computer (it being a non-standard character))

The distance to infinity, as far as a lens is concerned, could be thought of as to vary depending upon the focal length. By this I mean, on my 70 - 300mm, the first distance noted on scale is 40 feet, whereas on a 50mm, it is 20 feet.

Some Macro lenses have a "focus limit" switch, this limits the range over which it auto-focuses, to save time when hunting to find focus. Some manufacturers limit at the short end; e,g, 0.25 feet to 2 feet, or full range (0.25 feet to infinity), while others give 2 feet to infinity and full range on the switch.

I'm just confused about the difference between small aperture and focusing to infinity. In my minds eye, it seemed like they would be the same. So, I guess, I don't really understand something.

Aperture doesn't really have anything to do with it, except a small diameter aperture will have greater DoF and so you may, especially at wide angles, get everything in focus from close to infinity. You might want to read up on Hyperfocal distance, that is, for a given focal length, sensor size (crop factor), aperture and even how close you view the resulting image, a magic distance to set on the focus scale to achieve the best use of DoF.

Oooh, I nearly forgot, quadruple congratulations

Cheers,

[Colin Southern]

May I, please shoot everything in f2.8 - just for a week or two - pleeeease?

Just remember that if you stop down the lens - and focus at infinity - then (in theory) with the increased depth of field you should be able to capture everything to "infinity and beyond"!

[Katy Noelle]

Just remember that if you stop down the lens - and focus at infinity - then (in theory) with the increased depth of field you should be able to capture everything to "infinity and beyond"!

But, seriously, thanks, Guys! I'll review the hyperfocal distance, Dave. Every time I go back and read about these things, they're seen in a different light. I might (am sure that I will) have questions again.

[Wirefox]

Congratulations on the new lens Katy. I bet you can see plenty of potential rolling out before you. I like the last one too but you can see how wafer thin that DoF is at that distance with the lens wide open. This adds a noticeable third dimension to your compositions so you need to think about the composition of your subject and the composition of the focus plane.

Not on landscapes, you can't.

There is no such word as can't in photography....think different

[Donald]

There is no such word as can't in photography....think different

Dear Net,

I can't afford a 24-70 L f2.8. And that ain't going to change!

Katy - I've referred to it before, but this on the Hyperfocal Distance is, I think, very easy to understand.

[Wirefox]

Whoops, I forgot to remove Robs anagram

I can't afford a 24-70 L f2.8. And that ain't going to change!

Yeh but you could buy a 50mm f/1.8 and try landscapes with that....[runs for cover]

[Camellia]

Hi Katy

Yes I always use my tripod when I'm doing close up work. It allows me to be precise in the focussing. I get really frustrated when I try to use the macro without a tripod. I just can't keep still enough for close up work without the tripod. I can't get the focus just where I want it.

The other thing I use is a cable shutter release. Because I don't have any lighting yet, I just go with whatever shutter speed is required for the correct exposure using 100 ISO and my chosen aperture. The cable means I don't shake the camera on long exposures.

Have fun!

R

[Donald]

The other thing I use is a cable shutter release. .... The cable means I don't shake the camera on long exposures.

The other option (or a both/and option) is to use the timer delay to avoid shake caused by human intervention.

I have my 40D so that Custom Function 1 Mode is programmed to a 2 second delay. Particularly when using the 70-200 I just flick the mode dial to C1 and away I go (I'm also using the cable release as added 'insurance'). I've never gone down the Mirror lock-up route.

I have the three CF modes set up to be the same except for AF & Drive settings.

• CF1 is One Shot and 2 sec delay
• CF2 is One Shot and no delay
• CF3 is AI Servo (that's AF-C in Nikon language*)and no delay

And I switch between these 3 depending on cirumstances (very rarely using CF3). I don't use any other option on the Mode Dial.

*Mod edit from the Nikon shooter on the team!

[Katy Noelle]

Yes, Camellia and Donald, I always use a tripod when I'm doing macro (except this time because I was sick and tired and just checking it out - not trying to do anything serious.) Of course, when I'm doing a landscape, I use a tripod, too. Maybe, it's just that last couple of weeks before Christmas when the other really became too broken to use that I stopped. Now, I have to figure the new one out.

I was just wondering, you know how they say, (in very serious voice) "take your camera everywhere you go!" Well, I kind of feel like it's, also, "take your tripod, too, while you're at it." The lens is heavier than I'm used to and doesn't have Image Stabilizer (heh, heh.) I'm getting better (both shot-wise and cold-wise.)

I'm off, now, to post my f2.8 landscape!

Oh, and, speaking of that landscape, Donald, your setup for programs would have made things easier, yesterday!

[Wirefox]

I have the three CF modes set up to be the same except for AF & Drive settings.

• CF1 is One Shot and 2 sec delay
• CF2 is One Shot and no delay
• CF3 is AI Servo (sorry can't remember what Nikon and others call it - Is it 'Continuous Servo'?)and no delay

Never thought of doing that. I might have a go. At present i just use the function button and scroll wheel which can be a bit of a fiddle with cold hands.

I was just wondering, you know how they say, (in very serious voice) "take your camera everywhere you go!" Well, I kind of feel like it's, also, "take your tripod, too, while you're at it." The lens is heavier than I'm used to and doesn't have Image Stabilizer (heh, heh.) I'm getting better (both shot-wise and cold-wise.)

Katy if you are talking about macro's it may be worth considering a flash unit with ETTL and ETTL cable to get the flash off the camera. You would need a diffuser but that can be done for nothing. I use a cut down plastic ketchup bottle held in place with sticky velcro. This would enable you to get your shutter speeds up. I can't remember what camera you have but I recall it is a lightweight small frame (***D). If you do not already have one you might want to consider a battery grip to balance that lens. Rebecca had a 70-210 on her 450D last night and without the battery grip it would have been a pain to handle.