Welcome to the IHoP v.2

[MKader17 332]

Think I'll order that RAM mount. With those rubber pieces do you have a problem operating the phone when you need to? Do you have the Xgrip on your current bike? I don't jump anything  . I plan on using it on my road bike. I've always put my phone in a pouch on the top bar that had a little net that stretched over it. The new phone is too big for that.

 

Thought about the RAM mount fo rthe car too, but those rubber pieces are huge. I wonder if I could make them smaller or if I'd get used to them.

[///M5 2,833]

The rubber pieces are huge and dorky, but I try to spend a bunch of time airborn.  Half the fun of biking.  Without the jock strap thingee it comes with though it would fall out for sure.

If you don't need to reach the back of the phone the Delta is pretty slick.  My power button (which I don't need ((double tap screen instead))) and volume control are in the back.  I listen to music when I ride and constantly tweak the volume based on the song etc.

[///M5 2,833]

Interesting:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/talked-ohio-ford-dealer-selling-164500085.html

 

[///M5 2,833]

The Delta link you shared is the only other real choice and actually does lock in place.  It goes into the Delta one faster and it looks better on the bike, but doesn't do what I need.  Side buttons may be tough on it....

[dem beats 1,223]

5 hours ago, MKader17 said:

What caused the zoom to be useless in this situation?

Was it just the depth of field (DOF?) of the 2.8 compared to the 1.4?

I hear a lot about portraits at a low fstop where the eyes are in focus, but the ears aren't. Is that actually desirable? When buying a 50mm for a crop, am I really getting a 70-75mm equivalent?

I spent some time today talking with our resident camera expert. He gave me a lot of good advice (which is very similar what you guys have said here). I can also ask him the stupid questions and get quick responses

Shooting kids means 1/60 of a second is the slowest you can shoot.  You need more light so you can keep the ISO lower and the shutter speed as high as possible.

 

It also makes a dreamy bokeh. Separation of subject and background is awesome.

 

 

[dem beats 1,223]

Focus can also be a problem.  Half of the reason the Canon 70-200 ISii 2.8 is the focus speed is amazing.  It's incredible.  I can go from one end of the spectrum to the other and get a couple shots faster than some can even get focus.

 

The part about an eye on focus and the nose is out of focus is real.  But DOF isn't static.  Zoom changes how DOF works too.  An 11mm has a wider DOF at the same aperature at 200mm. 

[Godsmack 361]

20 hours ago, ///M5 said:

What you need to focus on are:

50mm 1.4 $450

Either the 35mm 1.8 $200 or the 17-55mm 2.8 $1500

 and 70-200mm 2.8 $2100

11-16mm 2.8 Tokina $450

*all prices msrp from Nikonusa/Tokina

I put them in the order I would buy.  You could argue that jumping to the 70-200 before the 35/17.55 but that wouldn't work for me.  The 50 will take the bottom end of the 70 pretty darn well and getting the width to take more than portraits inside or during gatherings you will probably want.  The ultra wide is just in case you start to dig on big outdoor shots with a tripod.

 

If looking used he can shave 100-150 off the 50mm, and 600-1200 off the 70-200 (depending on the model). As I shoot FF I look more to the 24-70 instead of the 17-55 and that can be found used around 1100.

 

As for the prior question about crop lenses on a FF body and vice versa, on Jikon they will work. However the results are drastically different and a FF on a crop sensor loses some of the range and useability. If I was starting all over again, I would pick up full frame glass to start with. The body can come later.

 

J

[Godsmack 361]

Btw, I am looking to replace my photo laptop. Looking to stay around a 17" screen, at least 12 gb ram, a 750 gb hdd (would love sdd if possible), and it has to have amazing graphics as well as wifi and a dvd rom. 

 

I don't mind used but I am thinking the 'oldest' I should go is 2014. Any ideas? Budget is around 700 or less.

 

J

[///M5 2,833]

2 hours ago, dem beats said:

Shooting kids means 1/60 of a second is the slowest you can shoot.  You need more light so you can keep the ISO lower and the shutter speed as high as possible.

 

It also makes a dreamy bokeh. Separation of subject and background is awesome.

 

 

1/60??? Try 1/200.  They dont sit still for shit.  You need low f

[///M5 2,833]

48 minutes ago, Godsmack said:

Btw, I am looking to replace my photo laptop. Looking to stay around a 17" screen, at least 12 gb ram, a 750 gb hdd (would love sdd if possible), and it has to have amazing graphics as well as wifi and a dvd rom. 

 

I don't mind used but I am thinking the 'oldest' I should go is 2014. Any ideas? Budget is around 700 or less.

 

J

I buy used everything but would NEVER buy a used laptop

[sandt38 448]

9 hours ago, ///M5 said:

I should add that it does depend on what you are shooting.

Just like reading megapixel numbers is pointless, so is the comparison of sharpness.  If you make decisions based on either it is foolish.  The 1.8 50mm regularly get "tested" as better than the 1.4's, but they forget to include the purpose in the lens for those tests.  This is absurd.  A 1.4 50 is a portrait lens on a crop.  Discounting its performance based on vignetting (which is desirable in a portrait) is stupidity.

You really won't shoot anything but people (or people like things, ie animals and such) with the 50.  It is terrible for buildings or anything that you can't get a mile away from as it is just too much zoom.  Having something on a crop that goes much closer to the teens is really helpful for that.

Which brings me to the next point, it is absurd to compare lenses for what they won't be used for.  A lot of comparisons on zooms they do this.  Let's test a 70mm lens at f22?  That would be idiotic, no one should ever shoot at 70mm and F22.  Sure if you need to slow the shutter down for some reason and don't want a ton of light you can, but that will be one in a 100,000 shots and not a test to focus on.  All of the camera review websites are horseshit in this regard.  They focus on specs, and not usability.  This regularly misleads the consumer terribly.

See, this is the info I want. I was looking at some 50mm lenses but I am concerned about buying a lens that simply will not suit my needs. What kind of picture am I going to really be able to take with this? Can I get a kick ass pic of my tubes from a foot away? Will it work in my back yard, say a red fox running across it about 100 yards away? Will this work at my son's graduation? Can I shoot one of my ponds at sunrise? Can I shoot a red velvet ant, or one of the kick ass orb weavers that are on my deck this time of year? How will it work if we are shooting the Dome of the Rock, or the Sistine Chapel, the Pieta, or one of the Marbles in shadows at the Vatican?

pond:

 

Sistine:

Pieta:

Marble at Vatican:

Red Velvet ant

Dome of the Rock

Orb Weaver

 

 

[Godsmack 361]

1 hour ago, ///M5 said:

I buy used everything but would NEVER buy a used laptop

 

I'm usually the same here, but I am curious if we have the same reason here on the laptop. I am leaning more towards new but the pricing on used is amazing.

 

J

[Godsmack 361]

1 hour ago, sandt38 said:

See, this is the info I want. I was looking at some 50mm lenses but I am concerned about buying a lens that simply will not suit my needs. What kind of picture am I going to really be able to take with this? Can I get a kick ass pic of my tubes from a foot away? Will it work in my back yard, say a red fox running across it about 100 yards away? Will this work at my son's graduation? Can I shoot one of my ponds at sunrise? Can I shoot a red velvet ant, or one of the kick ass orb weavers that are on my deck this time of year? How will it work if we are shooting the Dome of the Rock, or the Sistine Chapel, the Pieta, or one of the Marbles in shadows at the Vatican?

pond:

 

Sistine:

Pieta:

Marble at Vatican:

Red Velvet ant

Dome of the Rock

Orb Weaver

 

 

 

Would you use a socket and rachet on a decking screw? Would you use a hand saw to cut through a block of steel? I'm willing to bet the answer here is 'No. i would use the right tool for the task at hand.' Just the same, you won't want to shoot the Sistine Chapel or the Pieta with a 50mm simply due to the distace you will be from it, and the details lost at the distance.   This is where that 70-200 could be very useful.

A 50mm isn't a 'does it all lens' but it is a crucial block in the foundation. It can be great for portraits, 'street shooting' simple photos when unexpected, and best of all they are LIGHT. Other lenses have other uses. 

 

J

[dem beats 1,223]

Seth, those pictures are perfect. What would you like to change about them?

 

Show us some pictures you would like to make.

 

The close up stuff will require a macro lens.  The 50mm is a bad choice for that.

[dem beats 1,223]

2 hours ago, ///M5 said:

1/60??? Try 1/200.  They dont sit still for shit.  You need low f

Ok that's fair.

 

I was trying to think posed portrait. If just letting them play then yeah. 200 is a good starting point. Lol

[dem beats 1,223]

I just had my first grown man, in person, customer service issue. 

 

Manager of the store came really close to swinging at me I feel.

[///M5 2,833]

2 hours ago, sandt38 said:

See, this is the info I want. I was looking at some 50mm lenses but I am concerned about buying a lens that simply will not suit my needs. What kind of picture am I going to really be able to take with this? Can I get a kick ass pic of my tubes from a foot away? Will it work in my back yard, say a red fox running across it about 100 yards away? Will this work at my son's graduation? Can I shoot one of my ponds at sunrise? Can I shoot a red velvet ant, or one of the kick ass orb weavers that are on my deck this time of year? How will it work if we are shooting the Dome of the Rock, or the Sistine Chapel, the Pieta, or one of the Marbles in shadows at the Vatican?

pond:

 

Sistine:

Pieta:

Marble at Vatican:

Red Velvet ant

Dome of the Rock

Orb Weaver

 

 

You just described the need for 3 lenses.  Wide, Portrait and Telephoto or a Macro

[///M5 2,833]

1 hour ago, Godsmack said:

 

I'm usually the same here, but I am curious if we have the same reason here on the laptop. I am leaning more towards new but the pricing on used is amazing.

 

J

If you saw one of my laptops after a year you wouldn't buy it.

Add to that how many people do you know with 3 year old laptops that are still happy with them?

[///M5 2,833]

49 minutes ago, dem beats said:

Ok that's fair.

 

I was trying to think posed portrait. If just letting them play then yeah. 200 is a good starting point. Lol

I was actually talking about a portrait.  They move just as much.  In particular when going from no smile to fake smile....somewhere along the way they actually smile.  When they are moving you need that speed as well.

My rule of thumb is 1/(4x the focal length).  For stills generically 1 over is enough, not with kids.  

[///M5 2,833]

Btw Seth, none of the pictures you shared would I use a 50mm for.  The 24mm would be better.

If you really want to shoot bugs a macro lens is in your future.

[///M5 2,833]

54 minutes ago, dem beats said:

I just had my first grown man, in person, customer service issue. 

 

Manager of the store came really close to swinging at me I feel.

Just don't hit him back.  He'll be fuxored.

[dem beats 1,223]

28 minutes ago, ///M5 said:

Just don't hit him back.  He'll be fuxored.

 

He was smaller than my wife. I could have given him a shake and slap circa Sean Connery James Bond era.

 

The Corp office did me solid.  I was so mad I had problems putting words together.

 

He was rude to my wife. I think that's what got me all pissy. 

[MKader17 332]

11 hours ago, Godsmack said:

 

I'm usually the same here, but I am curious if we have the same reason here on the laptop. I am leaning more towards new but the pricing on used is amazing.

 

J

I've bought used once and had no issues. My current laptop is used, but was free.

I'll do some looking; a lot of times you can buy the computer you want with less ram and you can buy 16gb of laptop ram for $60

[MKader17 332]

12 hours ago, sandt38 said:

See, this is the info I want. I was looking at some 50mm lenses but I am concerned about buying a lens that simply will not suit my needs. What kind of picture am I going to really be able to take with this? Can I get a kick ass pic of my tubes from a foot away? Will it work in my back yard, say a red fox running across it about 100 yards away? Will this work at my son's graduation? Can I shoot one of my ponds at sunrise? Can I shoot a red velvet ant, or one of the kick ass orb weavers that are on my deck this time of year? How will it work if we are shooting the Dome of the Rock, or the Sistine Chapel, the Pieta, or one of the Marbles in shadows at the Vatican?

ond:

Sistine:

Pieta:

Marble at Vatican:

Red Velvet ant

Dome of the Rock

Orb Weaver

 

 

Looks like the picture meta data is still attached to the photos. Maybe you could use that to see what equivalent you would be in with a DSLR.

[MKader17 332]

PS - That isn't me being smart and trying to lead the horse to water. It's just a random idea I thought of. More like another horse looking around and saying, "Is that water? we should go see."