Suggest a gadget!

I have some Amazon gift certificates, about $500 worth. What should I get?


I have 580II and 420 Speedlights. 5DmII, 16-35mm and 24-105mm, B+W circular polarizers for said lenses, Gitzo tripod and head, and various Lowepro bags.


I'm waiting on another lens until the new 70-200 comes out. I want to upgrade my ball head to a RRS, but later ... I will get LightRoom 3 when it comes out, in the meantime I have money burning a hole in my pocket. Help me spend it! :)


I'm considering a light meter, but I'm not sure which one, or how much its worth it. Any other suggestions? I do landscapes/nature, and want to get into portraits of the family (so will be learning about strobes, etc)

I'll throw out a few zany ideas for landscape, nature, and portrait photography:


Have you tried panoramic landscape photography? If you like it, you can get a really nice setup to put on top of your tripod. (I recommend Nodal Ninja - not sure if Amazon carries it).


How about low light thin DOF portraits? Maybe an 85mm f/1.8 for that?


Consider perhaps the older 100mm f/2.8 Macro for nature shots?

Better Beamer


RRS L bracket


Canon EF 85mm f/1.2 L II


Canon Timer Remote Controller TC-80N3


Maybe a new computer to handle those large files?

Ummm.... an 85mm f/1.2 II L USM is almost $2,000 alone! He said $500 not $5,000! haha!


I like the 85 1.8 and the 100 2.8 Macro idea...


Also, a fisheye is always fun (PURELY FUN THOUGH... SO BEWARE) and since you just want to burn the money, might as well have fun no?! haha!

Wow that is some crazy picture Jordan!!! I like it a lot [Y]

If you don't already have these


an external drive for backup storage


1.4 extender


Extension tubes


lens and sensor cleaning supplies


Neutral density and graduated neutral density filters---very handy for landscapes


and lets not forget extra batteries and CF cards

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Originally Posted by danm

I will get LightRoom 3 when it comes out,

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you may already know this, but Adobe has released the Beta version of LR3 and it is available for download and use until the production version comes out---I think April

Great suggestions folks, keep 'em coming!





I'm trying to wrap my head around color and light settings. I'm thinking about the
<h1 class="parseasinTitle"]<span id="btAsinTitle"]X-Rite ColorChecker Passport</h1>


http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B002NU5UW8/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&amp;m=ATVPDKIKX0DE R&amp;v=glance


for $100. Any opinions?

I would go with a nice set of B&amp;W filters. Circular polarizer and graduated ND.

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Originally Posted by danm

I'm considering a light meter, but I'm not sure which one,
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<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;" lang="EN"]<span style="font-family: Arial;"]
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;" lang="EN"]Sekonic L-358 Flash Master<o:p></o:p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-ansi-language: EN;" lang="EN"]Or<o:p></o:p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"]Sekonic L-758DR<o:p></o:p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"]<o:p></o:p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"]Very useful especially if you use fill flash.<o:p></o:p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"]<o:p></o:p>
<p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;" class="MsoNormal"]<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"]Mark<span style="font-size: 10pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"]<o:p></o:p>
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Originally Posted by danm

X-Rite ColorChecker Passport

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Have it, use it, like it. You might also consider the ColorVision SpyderCube- quite handy for adjusting WB and exposure in RAW post-processing.

I would suggest reading my Intro to Strobism to get a decent understanding of the tools needed for off-camera flash photography. I think it'll do more to improve the quality of your photos than anything else (especially for the money). You've already got a couple of flashes--you just need a few more tools and practice to get the most out of them.


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2622/...b9a5df15e9.jpg

Quote:

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Originally Posted by danm

I'm trying to wrap my head around color and light settings. I'm thinking about the
<h1 class="parseasinTitle"]<span id="btAsinTitle"]X-Rite ColorChecker Passport</h1>

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<span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';"]Dan,

I use the X-Rite Color Checker Passport andcouldn't live without it for my studio work. I've used other foldout 18% grey cards and even had the original X-Rite Color Checker full size 8"X10" but nothing has been as accurate and handy as the Passport. I highly recommend it if you want accurate color reproduction or even to get you to perfect white balance and then you can use the warming/cooling patches to your taste for portrait or landscape shots.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"] Just remember it only has a life of 2 years even if it is well cared for.

<span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: 'Verdana','sans-serif';"]Fred~

Fred - only two years? Why, the colors degrade? Do you have a reference for that, I can't google up anything on it.





Thanks Sean - great suggestion. I need an umbrella or two for indoor portraits, any suggestions?

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Originally Posted by danm

Thanks Sean - great suggestion. I need an umbrella or two for indoor portraits, any suggestions?
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Personally, my favorite is the <span style="color: #3366cc;"]Westcott 43" White Collapsible umbrella--it's compact when folded, relatively rugged, and allows you to use it as a reflective or shoot-through modifier. My new toy is the Paul C. Buff Parabolic Light Modifier (Silver) . I haven't gotten to test it much yet but I'm loving it so far. You don't lose as much light when using it because it is specifically engineered for optimal efficiency.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by danm

Fred - only two years? Why, the colors degrade? Do you have a reference for that, I can't google up anything on it.

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I recall when I was going through the paperwork when I bought it that it said 2 years. They even give you a place to put the date you start using the card so you know when the 2 years are up so youcan discard it. I found this review while doing a quick google search but if you read it carefully half way down he refers to the 2 years that X-rite rates it's life expectancy

"Also, the panels will fade in time and X-Rite say that the life-span of a ColorChecker is about two years."

Here is the link

Hope that helps...

Fred~

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sean Setters

My new toy is the [url="http://www.alienbees.com/plm.html]Paul C. Buff Parabolic Light Modifier (Silver)[/url] . I haven't gotten to test it much yet but I'm loving it so far. You don't lose as much light when using it because it is specifically engineered for optimal efficiency.
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What size did you get Sean? Do use it for group shots or just in place of your normal 43'' Westcott?

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Originally Posted by Mark Elberson

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sean Setters

My new toy is the [url="http://www.alienbees.com/plm.html]Paul C. Buff Parabolic Light Modifier (Silver)[/url] . I haven't gotten to test it much yet but I'm loving it so far. You don't lose as much light when using it because it is specifically engineered for optimal efficiency.
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What size did you get Sean? Do use it for group shots or just in place of your normal 43'' Westcott?
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I got the 42" silver PLM. I didn't see the need in getting a larger one because I'm strictly using it with shoe-mount flashes anyway. Because the PLM focuses light (much like a beauty dish), I don't think the 42" size would be good for a large group. I image it would be fine for a couple if they were right next to each other (I haven't been able to use it in a shoot as of yet, though...maybe this weekend).


I think of it as a higher-efficiency umbrella with a more interesting spot-light pattern.