Hello! I'm about to buy a 5DmkII and have questions

Dee_Ann_2012 wrote in post #13463796
My order is placed and will go out today..

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I decided to forego the free shipping because it was via United Package Smashers !!

NOPE!!!!! NO WAY JOSE!!

I had it shipped Fed-ex two day air with extra insurance.

I went ahead and bought the Canon brand batteries as recommended by all.
Not showing on here is the various filters I bought on Amazon.com where I was able to save a fair amount of money. My dad strongly suggested I buy the Canon brand filters but I told him they were expensive and that for now, while I'm learning, the less expensive ones will suffice and in a few months I can buy better ones. I am going to budget for better filters.

I'm also going to budget for a macro lens as well. That puppy is $1,000 so it will be a few months into the future for me.

I'm hoping to have my camera Wednesday or Thursday and I figure I'll need to slow charge the batteries overnight for their first charge. It seems everything I've ever had requires you to do the initial charge for 16-18 hours in almost every case.

Wheeeeeeeee!!!!!! I'm so excited!!

Congratulations!

Looking forward to seeing pictures from you taken with your kit!

Just one remark, about the filters if you don't mind: Canon filters aren't that great, they are single coated rebadged Tiffens, and with digital, you really want better ones, due to the fact that the sensor is more or less a half mirror, and therefore reflects a lot of the light (unlike film). Lesser filters may cause a lot of extra reflections and loss of contrast through haze, at least IME they do (as I found out the hard way when I least needed it, with the Canon filters). IOW, Canon filters are expensive, but not necessarily the best.

I'd suggest the digital, multicoated Hoyas or the B+W MRC or nano-MRC ones. Personally I use a B+W MRC UV-filter (no need for UV with digital, but easiest to obtain) on each of my lenses, used, I should really say, as I am changing them all over to the Nano-coated version, which reflects even less light.

Kind regards, Wim

GREAT call on the FeDex shipping. I DESPISE UPS. FeDex has always gone above and beyond the call for me, and they have yet to mutilate or lose a package of mine!

wimg wrote in post #13464767
Congratulations!

Looking forward to seeing pictures from you taken with your kit!

I second this, there is a large photo sharing section here at POTN so please visit it.

And I really, wholeheartedly second this. Canon filters are priced like the best, but they are not. This is the one place where the Canon name is decidedly second rate.

See.... This is more awesomesause from the forum regulars!

I did not know about the filters (Canon vs others)..

I got some inexpensive starter filters that people claimed (via Amazon comments) are ~decent~ for the low cost and are OK when you are just learning. This gives me some wiggle room because for awhile I'll be shooting a lot of photos that just suck, filter or no filter, as I learn.

In the meantime, I can do the research and ask lots of questions from you guys that are very experienced and make a solid and informed purchase of a proper set of filters.

I do realize that filters can play a big part in the impact of a photo and in the hands of an expert, help bring you award winning results.

I've got a LOT of stuff to learn.. Tons and tons of stuff..
Oh, and my dad suggested that I check and see if there is a photography club in the area. It's unlikely there is one in my town but maybe the next town over or so. That would be cool too.

I'm hoping that by Christmas I will have at least gotten the hang of it well enough to take some decent photos at the family gathering. What's left of the family..
I don't expect I'll be producing NatGeo grade stuff any time soon but I think I can manage to take some pretty darn good photos by then..

Oh, I checked B&H and my stuff was shipped today, Fedex tracking says it will be here Wednesday!

WOOOOOHOOOOO!!!!!!!


edit: I'm thinking about purchasing this e-book --> http://www.shortcourse​s.com/store/canon-5dmrkii.html

Either buy good filters or don't use them. The 77mm that the 24-105 uses is fairly common filter for canon lenses. I can't say enough about the B&W Kas MRC filters. I've got very good UV filters for protection in the wet, salt and/or blowing sand, but I don't remember the last time I used one. Let me know and I'll make you a great deal on a good one. I think a CPL is almost a must.

Dee_Ann_2012 wrote in post #13464393
One thing I need to do right away is take photos of a LOT of potted plants.

You should have no trouble doing that with your new lens, at least to the quality you need. It focuses to 45cm or 0.23×, which is closer than the lens I usually use for that kind of thing.

I wouldn't buy a B+W UV filter for a Canon lens. B+W have recently changed the design of their UV filters, and the 72mm one I got doesn't work with my Canon lens caps. There's now a ring around the glass which the lands on the lens cap sits on, so the whole cap sits about 0.5mm above the filter ring itself. It doesn't seal against dust, and it's likely to pop off or damage the cap. Anyway the brass is stupidly heavy compared with your lens. I replaced this with a Hoya.

Their circular polarisers aren't using the new design. They're good for rough conditions. I think you'd mostly use one at a pool or the beach.

I don't think the IR filter you mentioned will be much use on a digital camera. Maybe others can comment on how long an exposure would be needed to get anything with it. If you're going to send anything back to Amazon you might include that.

More good advice from windpig! Good quality filters are a must if you are going to use them. I have had some of the so-called starter stuff, and thought it was me taking bad shots until I stopped using them. I suggest you don't ues filters at all unless they are worthy of your new gear. B-W filters are about as good as they come. UV and CPL IMO are a must, pretty hard to get dust, dirt, fingerprints, etc on the lens if you have UV filter on, out in the sun, CPL is very handy. Just my 2 cents. Bet wednesday seems along way off! Have a blast with your new gear!

Dee_Ann_2012 wrote in post #13455878
You guys are brilliant! Just in a few posts you've handed me a gold mine of information!

So, you've definitely sold me on the "kit". I'm going to get the following:
1. Body and the 24-105 lens kit. (B&H $2,999)
2. 430EX II flash. (Amazon $264)
3. Two spare LP-E6 batteries (Amazon $31ea)
4. Lexar 400-x CF memory (B&H pack of two for $97)

That's the red meat for getting me started. That leaves me wiggle room for a sun shade, UV filter, IR filter (trippy cool), circular polarized filter and maybe a few other misc filters.

That should keep me under the $4,000 mark and get me well down the road towards mega cool photography.

Later next year I can pop for the macro lens and a telephoto.

Oh and thank you guys again so very much for your help, you've all been very kind and extremely helpful. And thank you for the warm welcome to the forum.. I hope that I can soon start sharing my photos with folks. I'm sure that there will be plenty of pros to critique my work and offer tips. Well, I hope so anyway..

Thanks again! You guys are awesome!

Don't forget a good camera bag from Tamrac or Lowepro or any other good mfg. In the Tamrac world an Expedition 4X would be a good start and would hold your camera, lens, flash and a number of accessories.

I forgot to explain that a magnification of 0.23× means with a sensor 24mm high the smallest thing you can take a picture of is 24mm/0.23 = 4 inches high.

My Canon flash came with a very good soft case.

More awesomesauce! Thanks guys!

I've been seeking out books and help videos on Youtube.
What I'm also wondering, what would be a good magazine to subscribe to?
One that has lots of tips and info for noobs?

I remember a long time ago computer magazines were like that but now they are 95% ad packed.
I don't want to pay $8+ for a magazine that's nothing but ads! I want some red meat in there!

And yes, I am planning on getting much better filters in the very near future. Like next month. I just got the cheap ones mainly to protect my lens for now. I figure it's better to have one on there for that purpose than not, at least when I'm outside. Indoors, a different story..

Thanks again guys!

melcat wrote in post #13466059
You should have no trouble doing that with your new lens, at least to the quality you need. It focuses to 45cm or 0.23×, which is closer than the lens I usually use for that kind of thing.

I wouldn't buy a B+W UV filter for a Canon lens. B+W have recently changed the design of their UV filters, and the 72mm one I got doesn't work with my Canon lens caps. There's now a ring around the glass which the lands on the lens cap sits on, so the whole cap sits about 0.5mm above the filter ring itself. It doesn't seal against dust, and it's likely to pop off or damage the cap. Anyway the brass is stupidly heavy compared with your lens. I replaced this with a Hoya.

As a user of B+W myself, I have a rather different experience, and as mentioned, each and every single one of my lenses sport a B+W MRC filter, whether (still) normal MRC, slim normal MRC, or new nano-coated MRC. The B+W new format for the nano-coated MRCs is no different with regard to design than the Hoya slim filters. It seals the lens against dust, rain etc., which is what it is about. And no front lens cap, unless it is a screw-in one, will seal against dust. However, thanks to the front threading, they will retain normal front lens caps rather than require the push-ons, which always fall off.

As to weight, a filter heavy? That is a rather interesting statement. It is as heavy as any other decent quality filter, not made from aluminium, and not fraught with all the problems that aluminium can cause, like stuck filters, f.e.

Other than that, as I do have a few Hoya top-of-the-range filters as well, what I personally don't like is the fact that Hoya filters, at least when they're not the latest edition, have a coating that is very hard to clean, while the B+W MRCs, including the nano-coated ones, all had and have the special coating which makes dirt and grease not stick to the filter in the first place, and makes it extremely easy to clean.

Finally, Hoya filters cause a slight but measurable yellow tinge in images, even after in-camera WB, which does make them better at filtering UV (which isn't really necessary anyway), but makes for more work in PP.

The new nano-coated B+Ws are the same design as the B+W MRC non-nano-coated slim ones, but do now also have filter threading at the front. IOW, they are of the new design, and a better one at that than the old ones are, because the push-on caps of the old ones are a pain - they always fall off. IOW, there is no longer a distinction between normal thickness filters and slim filters, plus, the new (and slim) filters all have threading at the front as well.

I don't think you have had a proper look at B+W filters at all. I own quite a few, including old style MRCs, old style slim MRCs, and since fairly recently nano-coated MRCs, plus a few Hoyas, stil have a few Canons, and quite a bunch of other ones too from my analog days, and a few different sized Cokin sets for good measure.

Guess what? I only use the B+Ws and the Cokin sets these days. And both for good reasons.

The use of an IR-filter shouldn't be a problem when using a tripod.

Regards, Wim

I'm sitting here at 4am (I'm a night owl) and I'm looking at my shipping tracker on my iPhone and I'm trippin out. It says my camera will be "Delivered by tomorrow" !!

I hope they bring it in the morning so I don't have to wait all dang day!

Dee_Ann_2012 wrote in post #13467151
I'm sitting here at 4am (I'm a night owl) and I'm looking at my shipping tracker on my iPhone and I'm trippin out. It says my camera will be "Delivered by tomorrow" !!

I hope they bring it in the morning so I don't have to wait all dang day!

ROFL!

Isn't the anticipation just as marvelous as the receiving, and unwrapping?

And then of course there is using it and seeing the results. I still get amazed by what the 5D II can produce for me, almost three years on .

Kind regards, Wim

wimg wrote in post #13467054
As to weight, a filter heavy?

Brass B+W 50g, 7.5% of the weight of the 24-105 lens. Aluminium Hoya, 24g.

I have several of the Käsemann circular polarisers bought about 4 years ago which are very good. I described my look at one of their more recent efforts before (actually the "nano clear").

Given the OP isn't buying more filters for a month, I'm not posting more on this.

melcat wrote in post #13467186
Brass B+W 50g, 7.5% of the weight of the 24-105 lens. Aluminium Hoya, 24g.

Well, at 670 g for the lens, that's neither here not there at a 26 g difference. Aluminium tends to stick to filter threads after a while, which is why I prefer brass.

For fun I had a go at weighing a few in the more common formats (for L-lenses anyway) , as far as I could still find some anyway (Hoya only in 72 mm, Canon only in 77 mm left).

Here goes, 72 mm first:
Hoya Super HMC Pro1 UV[0] - 16.8 g
B+W MRC 010M F-Pro UV+Haze - 41.8 g
B+W Digital MRC nano XS-PRO UV+Haze - 33.1 g

And in 77 mm:
B+W MRC 010M F-Pro UV+Haze - 46.0 g
B+W Digital MRC nano XS-PRO UV+Haze - 36.1 g
Canon UV Haze L-39 Sharp Cut - 30.6 g

I am assuming now you are referring to polafilters, regarding the weights you mentioned. With UV-filters and the older MRC the difference is larger, even if they are slightly lighter.

I really like them. Put them all next to each other on a black cloth, and the nano ones have even less reflections than any of the other ones. It looks like they have no glass whatsoever (the UV ones of course).

Kind regards, Wim