Originally Posted by HiFiGuy1
hahah, no worries. [H]
Originally Posted by HiFiGuy1
hahah, no worries. [H]
"Improved AF performance with f/4 instead of f/5.6. The
viewfinder is a full stop brighter, and AF is more accurate; whereas
with a f/5.6 lens, you only have center point AF on most EOS bodies."
Are you sure? Can you point me to a reliable source to support this?
f/2.8 WILL of course improve AF performance when mounted on the right body (one which has the super precision AF sensor at the center). But I honestly don't remember reading anywhere that there is a difference when going down from 5.6 to 4. All the AF sensors in most cameras are sensitive to 5.6 and below.
Indeed, I was misleading with my statement. The better performance is not because the AF sensor actually does any better at f/4 (with the exception of the 1-series bodies which have cross-type center AF @ f/4) compared to f/5.6, but because you generally have more AF points to select at f/4 than you would at f/5.6.
More AF points to select at f/4? I'm still confused... maybe it's something specific to the XS? otherwise, as far as I know, all AF points should work just fine with f/5.6.
Never mind, I think I'm smoking something. []
Brent,
Short answer, Yes you are limited by your gear, good gear helps a lot. However, when you have better gear the standard is raised higher.
You don't have to rent a 400 f/5.6 L, let's meet up sometimes after next Tuesday at the Bolsa Chica Bridge, you can try my 400 f/5.6 L.
If your are not considering the Big Whites as an alternative, then I very strongly recomenda 500mm or 600mm manual lenses. Or even the Canon FD 800mm f/5.6. They obviously do not have AF the there image quality is superb, and they have wide apetures for there focal length so you can get very difused backrounds. I think if you can get around the manual focusing them they will give you the best results.
I have a Minolta 600mm f/6.3 and I am absolutelly in love with it! Check out the image quality. It simply blows me away how good it is.
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100% cropat ISO 100, wide open at f/6.3, 1/200th of a second. It is simply astonashing that a lens 15 years old has this good image quality. I havenever ever worked with such a sharp lens and I am lov'in it.[]
Even if I bought a Big White I would never sell this lens simply because it is so light for a high quality 600mm lens, it weighs only 5.2lbs. Did I mention that is super sharp?
John.
Hey, look. You could have a higher-res CCD, so you could crop more shots out of it. You could have a higher frame rate and better low-light capability. It'd help a bit. But remember what the fella said: "80% of success in life is just showing up". That goes double--no, quintuple-- for photography. The most important thing is to keep the hell at it. Whatever your gear, you'll walk away with tons beautiful shots if you remain resolute and undeterred.
Hope that didn't sound too pep-talky.
"100% crop at ISO 100, wide open at f/6.3, 1/200th of a second."
Wow, that's a one great lens! I'm still jealous Fast Glass!
Shooting with Nate sounds fun, you are simply lucky Brent! If that's not fun enough, you get to shoot with his 400 f/5.6... []
Hey Oren let me ask you this. If you got this lens would shoot more pictures? If you do then why don't you get one? It might make a better photographer simply from the fact that you are out and about instead of loafing around.[]