If anything, the iPhone, with a little post work, can churn out some retro looking shots. This one was from this morning’s walk around the playing fields at the school.
Tag Archive for 'Camera'
This Fourth we found ourselves in bed before the stroke of thirty minutes past eight, which by all accounts felt later than it should, so I ended up playing with the camera a little trying to create fireworks of our own. Success was mild but the long exposures of Gabriella more than made up for my lack of a lens with a huge aperture. Though the real highlights were seeing her riding her trike through no encouragement on our part and photographic proof of her crush on the David Tennant Dr. Who.
I’m finally coming around to the conclusion that while I have a patient model in Gabriella too many of my shots are junk when taking them indoors. What I think I need to step it up is a decent flash with a diffuser and, more importantly, a faster lens. The former is nice in lighting up an area and helping bring attention to the focal point of the picture but the latter means I can leverage the natural light and not blind her as she darts about the house.
In the lens department, I had my heart set on an 85mm f1.8 but in reviewing most of my indoor shots they all seem to cluster around the 50 mm range. That’s good news for my wallet as the price difference between the 50mm and 85mm f1.8 lenses is a solid $250+. That said many of the reviewers on Amazon while liking the 50mm f1.8 overall question its build quality and recommend going up a level to the f1.4. Of course they do. That erases $200 of savings but likely will result in a lens that will last years of chasing my daughter around the house.
Time to fillout a requsition with Management.
Since I have been working so hard these past months Management green lighted a big gift, Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 Image Stabilized USM SLR Lens, and it should be arriving sometime tomorrow with a lens hood to make me look 28% cooler or dorkier depending on how you look at it.
What has me all giggles about this lens is not just the IS, great for my shaky hands, but the field of view which is equivalent to a 27.2-136mm lens. There is black-magic math to convert a EF-S lens to EF, something involving 1.6x crop factors which a photog buddy of mine tried to explain but all I heard was a gentle hum followed by, “..great for walking around and with a good flash you’ll pretty much be set.” Color me sold! This along with a pair of bluetooth headphones which should show up early next week (listen to music on the laptop and answer the phone!) it is shaping up to be a spoiled time of year.
To offset my rampant greed we sponsored four kids from the local social services organization and over bought their wish lists. Nothing make me choke up quicker or make me feel worse about splurging on myself than a six year old asking for mittens and a hat “because it is cold”. Damn.
(Hot Pocket + 1 Extra Minute Cooking) - 10 Minutes Cooling = Blistered Lips
Oddly enough, Management is just about 100% behind my new hobby here and has not even raised an eybrow when I mentioned that I need to get a Speedlite and 50mm lens. Rolled her eyes, sure, but that is just a sign that I am talking way to much about camera. Obsessing is another hobby of mine. So on the shopping list for the next couple of months are:
- Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens
- Canon 430EX Speedlite Flash
- Opteka Battery Pack Grip with 2 Batteries
- Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM Telephoto Lens
Oh, yeah, and a new laptop from System76 because I have been a very good boy. 
