Testing limits of a 70-200

underd0g wrote in post #17223702
Yeah, I'm embarrassed here because it's a 6D. I'm sure that means it's full frame.
Shoulda read more before starting a thread like this but I'm the kind of guy that hates to read manuals.
Maybe I'll find a mentor for a while and not waste y'alls very gracious time.

i think being able to ask questions and learning from all the great photographers on this forum is what this forum is all about, at least that is what i take from it.

that being said, taking photos of small subjects (i.e., bees) handheld at 1/125 sec, 200 mm and f/6.3 probably made it more challenging to get the focus right even with IS. this is especially on the 6D where depth of field is thinner (than on a crop camera). you might want to use a tripod and/or follow the 1/focal length shutter speed practice until you get more practice with your gear. good attempts though so keep at it!

drvnbysound wrote in post #17223779
To help prove the point, check the number of posts gonzo has
<---- (over there)
You don't get 25k posts without answering a LOT of questions!

03062k3 wrote in post #17223790
i think being able to ask questions and learning from all the great photographers on this forum is what this forum is all about, at least that is what i take from it.

that being said, taking photos of small subjects (i.e., bees) handheld at 1/125 sec, 200 mm and f/6.3 probably made it more challenging to get the focus right even with IS. this is especially on the 6D where depth of field is thinner (than on a crop camera). you might want to use a tripod and/or follow the 1/focal length shutter speed practice until you get more practice with your gear. good attempts though so keep at it!

Well what's helping me here is that I'm researching the things that apply to what I'm doing at the present rather than slogging through information that I already don't understand and don't know when I'll need it.

I like rules that are logical and easy to remember and experiment with. (Like the rule of thirds in composition)
The lighting changes so fast, I don't know how you guys don't waste shots the way I've been doing.

Thank you all!

underd0g wrote in post #17223920
Well what's helping me here is that I'm researching the things that apply to what I'm doing at the present rather than slogging through information that I already don't understand and don't know when I'll need it.

I like rules that are logical and easy to remember and experiment with. (Like the rule of thirds in composition)
The lighting changes so fast, I don't know how you guys don't waste shots the way I've been doing.

Thank you all!

Who says we dont wsste shots?

gonzogolf wrote in post #17223931
Who says we dont wsste shots?

Ha... I bet not the way that I've been doing.

underd0g wrote in post #17224365
Ha... I bet not the way that I've been doing.

I hope after 36 years of doing this my keeper rate is a bit better than yours, but we all occasionally work through a problem by shooting until we are happy.

Underd0g, what was alluded to above would definitely apply. With IS, you get a little bit of buffer on your shutter speed. If you have the F4 IS, you get about 2 stops+ of help from the IS. Without IS on FF cameras you want to try to keep your shutter speed at roughly your focal distance. So if you are shooting at 200 mm, you will want to try to stick to 1/200th or faster. With IS you can go to around 1/50th or so and still get somewhat sharp images. But I still try to stay close to the 1/200th anyway even with IS (my 70-200 does not have IS, but I have used one and it does help, but I still like the faster shutter).
As to your other question about ISO, with your camera body, your worry about ISO is mitigated by the sensor being one of the BEST for high ISO. I have shot images at 25,600 and even 51,200 ISO and still gotten usable images. So going to 400-1600 is not a concern at all for that body. I personally use Auto ISO with a high ISO max of 25,600.
And this group has been a tremendous help for people like me who usually has dumb questions, but people never (well almost never) make me feel stupid for asking. I learn something new every single day on this forum.
Welcome aboard and in no time, you will be helping others that are newer than you.

The f4IS version offers 4 stops of image stabilization.

Did not know that Gonzo, thanks for sharing. I looked an older site that listed it as 2, but I trust you since you have likely had the lens in hand and know its true capability.

sirquack wrote in post #17225296
Did not know that Gonzo, thanks for sharing. I looked an older site that listed it as 2, but I trust you since you have likely had the lens in hand and know its true capability.

I think it was the first canon lens with the improved IS. Much more dffective than on my 100-400 or the 24-105.

One of these days, I will have to get an IS Canon Lens. The only IS lens I have right now is the 150-600 Tamzooka. And I can say without the IS, I don't know if I could get a good shot. That thing eats light like a black hole.

underd0g wrote in post #17223710
Huh, didn't see this post 'til now. That's kinda what I was also asking. 1/125 may be too slow? Is ISO 400 too grainy?

You should be able to easily shoot up to ISO 3200 with that body before 'grain' ever even becomes a thing to think about. It's ine of the bonuses to shooting a full frame (FF) sensor.

The general rule of thumb for avoiding camera shake us to shoot at the reciprocal of your focal length. So, in your case, you would want to target a minimum shutter speed of 1/200, or faster. Image stabilization (IS) can help with that and can be factored in to come up with an adjusted minimum speed; but, while you are getting used to using the gear, I would just start with trying to maintain 1/200 or faster at the long end.

underd0g wrote in post #17223624
...As far as the distance away, I learned that it won't focus unless you ARE about 4 or 5 feet...

Your minimum focus distance (MFD) for that lens is 3.94ft or 1.2m. If you are trying to focus in that closely, you might have some issues getting the camera to lock in; just keep that in mind when you're framing your shots.

Y'all are being very generous with your time and information. Up front, thank you so much.

I feel like I'm cramming for a test what with the new vocabulary words and concepts. It's been a while since I've been in school.

While I'm absorbing this, for those interested, I found two more worthwhile examples from that day. The first was at f/8 and the second was at f/4.5 of all things, BUT it was at 1/200 of a sec. I wouldn't have imagined it would make that much of a difference. You guys are sure being helpful.

Now I'm curious about ISO as well. I didn't know it went so HIGH. I've always been skeered of it since my slide picture taking days back in the 80's. I didn't think digital would ever catch up with slides.

You guys are the best!


f/8

IMAGE LINK: http://s108.photobucke​t.com …-bee_zps34f75163.jpg.ht​ml

IMAGE LINK: http://s108.photobucke​t.com …ee-2_zps2ff246bb.jpg.html

IMAGE LINK: http://s108.photobucke​t.com …seup_zpsfdb0438​d.jpg.html

underd0g wrote in post #17225947
... and the second was at f/4.5 of all things, BUT it was at 1/200 of a sec. I wouldn't have imagined it would make that much of a difference.

In other words, I guess my camera shake is really negating my new equipment.

underd0g wrote in post #17225984
In other words, I guess my camera shake is really negating my new equipment.

I don't know if you can be thst definitive. You can't discount the possibility of subject movement ss well. 1/200 should freeze a windblown flower but it could move it out of critical focus. That lens isnt a macro lens and shooting that close means you are in shallow DOF territory where focus is critical.

gonzogolf wrote in post #17226005
I don't know if you can be thst definitive. You can't discount the possibility of subject movement ss well. 1/200 should freeze a windblown flower but it could move it out of critical focus. That lens isnt a macro lens and shooting that close means you are in shallow DOF territory where focus is critical.

All these factors are starting to make sense.