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12/16/2012 07:31:20 AM · #1 |
So my family is asking for my Christmas wish list. But I've often wondered, even beyond Christmas, what things are out there about which I'm clueless.
So I figured this was an opportunity to share what we find the most useful, fun, awesome, surprising -- photographic accessories, equipment, etc.
For example, I was out at Chincoteague wildlife preserve on Thanksgiving weekend, and I was talking to another photographer, bemoaning the fact that the heron rookery in Richmond was always backlit during nesting season, and it was out of flash range. He said there was a thing called a better beamer that extended the flash range significantly and could light up the trees across the river. Never heard of it. Wouldn't have even known to look for something like that.
So what do you have that you enjoy the most? Hardware, software, bags, filters, accessories, anything is up for discussion.
What do you think people should add to their Christmas list?
I'll start it out:
What I think people should put on their Christmas lists (In other words, things that I've really enjoyed):
The thing that I enjoy the most is actually software, at the moment.
color efex pro
silver efex pro
They're pricey, but I think they're well worth the cost. You can do subtle but stunning processing with these tools. Silver efex isn't just for black and white. I use it with my color photos quite a bit, but on a luminosity blend to do different effects. I use color efex almost always now. I originally downloaded a trial copy and didn't think much of it. But when I really started playing with it, it's truly awesome.
yongnuo wireless triggers
These have been a blast! They can run my flashes and they can also trigger my camera. Awesome for wildlife -- putting the camera outside and triggering from inside. They can only do the flash in manual, though, not TTL, but I don't know what I'm doing with flash, so that's ok with me. Plus they're cheap.
Circular polarizer: if you haven't played with one -- they're magic. :D
Questions about what I should put on my list:
I'm thinking maybe a neutral density filter to smooth out water. We don't have many waterfalls around here, so it would be more for smoothing out the ocean. What + should I be looking at? +8 +4 +10?
I have a tripod (heavy sucker). It has two levers that you have to adjust, so it's not convenient for trying to shoot a moving bird. Yet a tripod really is a good idea, so I loosen one lever, and hope I can straighten things out in post processing. If I want to switch to a different head, what should I switch to? Ball head? pistol thingy? Any recommendations? (probably too expensive, but thinking ahead...)
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12/16/2012 07:43:28 AM · #2 |
For ND filters, when I picked mine up, I went with +3, +6, and +10. That way I had most things covered. Next time I'm in NYC I'll probably pick more up, but like I already mentioned, those three cover a lot of range and are evenly spaced.
I was going to grab one of those variable filters that can do them all, but even in the store you could see artifacts at 24mm; I'm using a 24-70mm.
I just picked up the Gitzo 2541 and Acratech GP-S ball head. Love both. The ball head came recommended from Brent_S and Bear_Music. It's expensive at $400, but well worth it.
Message edited by author 2012-12-16 07:43:48. |
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12/16/2012 08:36:49 AM · #3 |
I use Nik HDR but haven't dared to spend any more money on software since I bought it. I love the HDR but find it creates quite a lot of noise, and also runs very slowly on a computer that is already struggling to keep up with my demands. How do these plugins (especially silver efex) compare in this regard.
Originally posted by vawendy:
yongnuo wireless triggers
These have been a blast! They can run my flashes and they can also trigger my camera. Awesome for wildlife -- putting the camera outside and triggering from inside. They can only do the flash in manual, though, not TTL, but I don't know what I'm doing with flash, so that's ok with me. Plus they're cheap. |
These sound really interesting. I must see if they're available in South Africa at a decent price.
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12/16/2012 08:39:45 AM · #4 |
The aperture triggers are also interesting. Getting lots of good reviews on amazon, and even cheaper.
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12/16/2012 12:12:25 PM · #5 |
My favorite photography accessory lately has been my bicycle. Covers more ground than walking and gets me to some locations that I wouldn't see or notice driving by in a car. Easy to hop off and snap a few shots when something interesting crosses my path. (Yesterday that was an armadillo and then a dead cow that had gotten run over by a boat in a farmer's field.) A padded rack top trunk is important to protect one's camera. I have used both of these and they hold my 50D with the 18-135 attached.
//www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_167702_-1___202599
//www.nashbar.com/bikes/Product_10053_10052_544131_-1___202599
Easy to unzip and get the camera out quickly. Both of these models have velcro lining so you can add extra dividers and padding where needed. Kind of a specialty item, but we do have some other cycling photographers on this forum.
More realistically for most DPC'ers I recently bought a knockoff of the black rapid strap, a Q-strap. Around $10-15 including shipping. Works quite nicely and inexpensive enough to make a stocking stuffer. //www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006LGE6JI/ref=oh_details_o02_s00_i00
Message edited by author 2012-12-16 12:19:25.
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12/16/2012 12:54:04 PM · #6 |
Originally posted by Yo_Spiff:
... a dead cow that had gotten run over by a boat in a farmer's field.... |
Must have been some serious flooding going on there!
Originally posted by vawendy:
Circular polarizer: if you haven't played with one -- they're magic. :D |
If you alrady have one of these, you can add a second polarizer and use them together to make an "adjustable" ND filter effect; I estimate you get about four stops change in exposure. (See a couple of experiments/examples here).
Message edited by author 2012-12-16 13:01:48. |
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12/16/2012 02:02:25 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Must have been some serious flooding going on there! |
I suspect alcohol may have been involved.
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12/17/2012 08:36:41 AM · #8 |
bump for the thread topic and the cow photo!
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12/17/2012 09:11:48 AM · #9 |
wowsers poor cow,
a good filter holder and 100mm filters are great for proper uwa like the lee system, i have the cookin z pro but lots of light leaks and the cookin graduated nds have a terrible magenta cast on them stay well away
i have hitech 10 stop which is really nice if used right
wireless camera trigger are always good to have, lens hoods i always have a lens hood on saved me a few times from bumping the lens etc
macro extender rings butthe good ones that allow af and aperture selection
1.4x extender or 2x extender
flash stands, super clamps, umbrellas, reflectors, soft boxes, back drop stands, back drops, continuos paper rolls you can spend more on accessories than on your camera speaking of which gotta run my sons first nativity play in 20 mins, lets hope i dont trigger a national security emergency when i pull out my 5dmkii and 70-200 :) to photograph him
Message edited by author 2012-12-17 09:12:10. |
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12/17/2012 10:13:31 AM · #10 |
The clamp and magic arm kit is a pretty darn neat thing to own, super portable, and very stable.
As mentioned, the wireless triggers are fricken cool!
snoots are cheap, as are the Yongnuo flashes (get a few 560's)
Nikon lens adapter (if you know any nikonians and want to tease them)
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And finally - A trasher body! I've been considering my 20D with the 28-135IS as my "trasher" camera. If I want to go shoot something stupid risky (like bolting it to my car while driving on the interstate, or shooting while standing in the ocean, etc), then I break out with this setup, total cost is under $500, so if I just completely trash the whole kit it's not going to be too financially devastating. The reason this is cool is because it lets me go shoot things I wouldn't otherwise even consider shooting.
Message edited by author 2012-12-17 10:14:05. |
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12/17/2012 10:18:02 AM · #11 |
Well, lots of great suggestions here, and if i started down that lane, i m sure this post would take me 2 hours to write. Given that, let me address your initial thoughts on flash range.
I have previously used homemade stuff to concentrate the beam of lights from my flash. I know David Hobby has made posts specifically using gridsWITH A 300MM lens. i don't know if you'd get that kind of range at the full 400, but it may be worth a look. Depending on how tight a grid angle you use, i'd assume you can certainly go much further than the flash alone.
I m looking into the purchase of a pair of grids that hopefully do a better job still than my dyi stuff, ill let you know how that goes.
Message edited by author 2012-12-17 10:22:25. |
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12/17/2012 10:29:44 AM · #12 |
Originally posted by Cory:
The clamp and magic arm kit is a pretty darn neat thing to own, super portable, and very stable.
As mentioned, the wireless triggers are fricken cool!
snoots are cheap, as are the Yongnuo flashes (get a few 560's)
Nikon lens adapter (if you know any nikonians and want to tease them)
..
And finally - A trasher body! I've been considering my 20D with the 28-135IS as my "trasher" camera. If I want to go shoot something stupid risky (like bolting it to my car while driving on the interstate, or shooting while standing in the ocean, etc), then I break out with this setup, total cost is under $500, so if I just completely trash the whole kit it's not going to be too financially devastating. The reason this is cool is because it lets me go shoot things I wouldn't otherwise even consider shooting. |
i use my 20d efs 17-85 for this exact thing, gets superclamped to the roof of my car for an hour drive in the snow hehe, ive clamped it in ftrees before to get birds etc on a remote shutter, gonna clamp it to the arm of my digger one day and do a timelapse
funny thing is 20 and sigma 30mm 1.4 still takes a cracking picture |
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12/17/2012 10:34:08 AM · #13 |
Originally posted by vawendy:
The thing that I enjoy the most is actually software, at the moment.
color efex pro
silver efex pro
They're pricey, but I think they're well worth the cost. You can do subtle but stunning processing with these tools. Silver efex isn't just for black and white. I use it with my color photos quite a bit, but on a luminosity blend to do different effects. I use color efex almost always now. I originally downloaded a trial copy and didn't think much of it. But when I really started playing with it, it's truly awesome. |
Noticed software was included in this list.
Software I use all the time:
Complete Nik's software - which Color Efex Pro and Silver Efex Pro are part of.
PTLens - corrects lens pincushion/barrel distortion, vignetting, chromatic aberration, and perspective.
GIMP - I can afford Photoshop, but the GIMP does everything I need and the cost is free.
PTGUI - For stitching photos together. I've only used it for doing the Breziner technique because nature panos aren't my thing. It's easy to use and worked much better than all the other trial versions of software I demo'ed.
Message edited by author 2012-12-17 10:34:59. |
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12/17/2012 12:22:01 PM · #14 |
Originally posted by Venser:
I was going to grab one of those variable filters that can do them all, but even in the store you could see artifacts at 24mm; I'm using a 24-70mm. |
I recently went with a "fader ND" (get it on amazon).... Seems great so far but I am a casual user and critical work would no doubt be better with a specialised set. It has great reviews around the place and compared to the singray option vastly cheaper... I wanted something to play with as I have never played with ND's before. |
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12/17/2012 01:31:50 PM · #15 |
For me, some kind of timer/controller for the camera, I have the Canon TC-80, but I'd like a "time machine" or something similar.
For shooting birds or other critters from a tripod, a gimbal mount would be the best, but pricey.
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12/17/2012 02:00:36 PM · #16 |
A good monopod with a "belt clip" for the foot makes an excellent means of tracking birds in flight. The one I use is a Giottos, and it has 3 small rods that can be screwed into the base to make a stand up tripod out of it, or there are holes for two of them near the head, for shooting near ground level.
By putting one of the small legs near the head, the leg can be rested against my shoulder or neck to stabilize the camera while using the monopod in the collapsed position and hooking the foot into my belt. It keeps the camera steady in two planes of rotation, and makes your body the moving part of it all, so by just turning the whole upper body with the setup, you can get great panning shots because he motion is smoothed by the mass of your body.
The one I have has been in near daily use for over 6 years, and is still almost "good as new" except for all the paint dings and scrapes.
B&G Giottos MM5580
It's not a super light item, but if it's extended, it can take the whole load of your camera and both arms off your shoulders as well, which is very nice for long hours of shooting events or subjects in the wild.
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12/17/2012 02:48:15 PM · #17 |
Originally posted by Spork99:
For me, some kind of timer/controller for the camera, I have the Canon TC-80, but I'd like a "time machine" or something similar. |
I couldn't find that camera listed under that model number, but many Canon cameras have a setting for "Intervalometer" ΓΆ€” on my camera it can take up to 100 time-lapse exposures, at intervals ranging from 1 second to 1 hour. It turns the camera off between the longer exposures to save the battery, while retaining the exposure and focus settings.
I keep a mini-tripod in my camera bag. The one I got at REI comes with a Velcro strap so that it can work either on a tabletop or strapped to a handy pole or branch; fasten it to a cane or walking stick and you have an instant monopod. |
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12/17/2012 02:53:24 PM · #18 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
...but many Canon cameras have a setting for "Intervalometer"... |
Unfortunately that's NOT their dSLR's.... It astounds me you have to buy a remote shutter control to get that BASIC functionality. |
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12/17/2012 03:06:27 PM · #19 |
Originally posted by GeneralE:
Originally posted by Spork99:
For me, some kind of timer/controller for the camera, I have the Canon TC-80, but I'd like a "time machine" or something similar. |
I couldn't find that camera listed under that model number, but many Canon cameras have a setting for "Intervalometer" ΓΆ€” on my camera it can take up to 100 time-lapse exposures, at intervals ranging from 1 second to 1 hour. It turns the camera off between the longer exposures to save the battery, while retaining the exposure and focus settings.
I keep a mini-tripod in my camera bag. The one I got at REI comes with a Velcro strap so that it can work either on a tabletop or strapped to a handy pole or branch; fasten it to a cane or walking stick and you have an instant monopod. |
The TC-80 isn't a camera, it's the Timer Controller for DSLR's, I got it for my 10D and have used it since.
The DSLR's typically lack an intervalometer, as do plenty of their PnS cameras. CHDK is a workaround, but not for DSLRs
Message edited by author 2012-12-17 15:08:11. |
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12/17/2012 03:08:15 PM · #20 |
Originally posted by robs:
Originally posted by Venser:
I was going to grab one of those variable filters that can do them all, but even in the store you could see artifacts at 24mm; I'm using a 24-70mm. |
I recently went with a "fader ND" (get it on amazon).... Seems great so far but I am a casual user and critical work would no doubt be better with a specialised set. It has great reviews around the place and compared to the singray option vastly cheaper... I wanted something to play with as I have never played with ND's before. |
What brand is it? What lens are you using with? I got one from eBay and it was completely hopeless (banding). |
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12/17/2012 03:40:31 PM · #21 |
Originally posted by MNet:
What brand is it? What lens are you using with? I got one from eBay and it was completely hopeless (banding). |
NO Aff Amazon Link I cannot find the 77mm that I got but this link is for the 72mm. I picked 77mm as it fits most lenses and I got a cheap step-up/down rings to match them all @77 (I use steel lens hoods so the step down was so I can screw into end of the hood not lens). I have used it on a 10-22, 24-105 and 70-200. You can certainly get the black X that people talk about especially on the 10-22 if you stop down too far but otherwise it's a nice bit of kit for getting my toes into ND filters without committing to the bigger hassle. I got it a while back and was $120 but I was not prepared to spring for the singray and close to tripple that price.
Here and here are a couple of reviews on this specific brand. |
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12/17/2012 03:56:39 PM · #22 |
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12/17/2012 05:19:36 PM · #23 |
Originally posted by vawendy:
I have a tripod (heavy sucker). It has two levers that you have to adjust, so it's not convenient for trying to shoot a moving bird. Yet a tripod really is a good idea, so I loosen one lever, and hope I can straighten things out in post processing. If I want to switch to a different head, what should I switch to? Ball head? pistol thingy? Any recommendations? (probably too expensive, but thinking ahead...) |
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned a Wimberly Sidekick. Your lenses are not heavy enough to need the anything like the full-on Wimberly head. But the sidekick is great for shooting birds with the lenses that that most of us mere mortals tend to own. The lens you use does need to have a tripod foot, though.
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12/17/2012 05:22:56 PM · #24 |
Originally posted by Ann:
Originally posted by vawendy:
I have a tripod (heavy sucker). It has two levers that you have to adjust, so it's not convenient for trying to shoot a moving bird. Yet a tripod really is a good idea, so I loosen one lever, and hope I can straighten things out in post processing. If I want to switch to a different head, what should I switch to? Ball head? pistol thingy? Any recommendations? (probably too expensive, but thinking ahead...) |
I'm surprised nobody has mentioned a Wimberly Sidekick. Your lenses are not heavy enough to need the anything like the full-on Wimberly head. But the sidekick is great for shooting birds with the lenses that that most of us mere mortals tend to own. The lens you use does need to have a tripod foot, though. |
I did link to the Wimberly website when I mentioned a gimbal mount. |
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