The easiest setup is using the flash. But there are many issues in using flash for macro photography. When the object is too close and falls into the shadow of the lens, on-camera flash may not be able to illuminate it. Taking the flash off the camera - either wired or wireless - can somehow overcome this problem. The second issue is that for macro, even the smallest flash power can be too harsh and burns out details in overcast.

To overcome these two issues,  equipment manufacturers like Canon and Nikon offers their own version of macro ring light. Illuminating evenly from a circle instead of monolight, it gives softer illumination which is perfect for very close distance. Attached at the front tip of the lens, it ensures correct illumination regardles how close the object is. Later on they also offer newer twin light instead of ring. Some other third-party manufacturers like Sigma also offer similar product. The trap here however is price which plays at around $500 at least.

I did not pay real attention the first time I heard a new product called StarLite. Attached to shoe-mounted flash, StarLite basically direct the ligher blown by the flash into a kind of tunnel, formed as a ring around the lens. My first logical impression was a doubt whether light can be tunnelled around like water, especially at a speed which match the shutter. However, after a few discussions with a friend who - though he may not be a real professional - had a number of product photography assignments, all of which invloved small products like foods and electonic gadgets, I decided to put the investment.

When I ordered one, I got to know that it has different sizes to fit different combination of flash and camera body. Distance between the mounted flash-head and lens is the most critical measurement, whilst size of flash-head can be a bit more flexible. My setup of Canon 550EX and Canon EOS 5D requires the largest size which costed me about $75.

When it arrived, I was a bit surprised with the size of the box. Inside was the unit plus a rubber strap was supplied to protect the flash head from scratch made by the pastic attachment. Finish was quite okay for Chinese product. Don’t compare to branded products like Nikon and Canon. Chinese product is Chiense product, it ranges from crap to okay, never good or even excellent. Okay is the best thing you could ever get.

First the rubber strap goes into the flash head, then plastic mounting goes in to fit around the flash head. The mounting is a bit flexible so it may fit a fews different types with not so much different size. Velcro strap is available to tighten the mounting. Then the light ring gets around the lens before mounting the flash hot shoe onto the camera. Quite a simple procedure, just need a bit of extra care.

Whilst the specification mentioned that E-TTL (I-TTL on Nikon) works, after a few shots I found out that there was a bit of light lost. So shooting in E-TTL, a bit of flash compensation is required. In my experience 2/3 is about right almost all situation I tested. But I do not really care as I found that for these kind of shots, I prefer to go for manual setting.

To a surprise, the result is quite satisfactory. Object is evenly lit in soft but adequate lighting. The only trap is that ligting evenly distributed around the object, resulting in rather dull and flat result. Most situations can be worked around by  taking it from bit of angled direction. But in certain situations when depth of field is very thin, taking angled shot may not give enough. But knowing that the same result will be produced in using dedicated, branded ring light, it is not a real issue. Maybe this is the reason why manufacturers then offer twin light, each of which can be controlled separately.

I was told that another area where this equipment shoud work - I have never tested though - is portraiture. I understand that there are ring light for portraiture especially in studio works, however, its circle tends to be quite large, larger than human face. I am not sure if thish small ring can do the same.

The first one is using a filter attached in the front of the lens. It is perhaps the easier way to start with, as all we have to do is buy an infra red filter, attach it on to the lens, and off it goes. The problem is that the filter blocks the light, and therefore we have to shoot in very low speed. In almost all cases, usage of tripod is definite must as we can go as low as about a second in a bright sunny mid-day.

The second one is by modifying the camera body by replacing camera’s hot mirror with certain kind of infra red glass. This work needs expert hands, so it is a kind of “don’t do it yourself at home” sorts of thing. The benefit is that it does not block the light getting in through the lens, so we can shoot at the same speed as we normally do. As results are dependent to certain wavelength being cutted away, technician tweak it into an unlimited number of different results, something which is very limited in using filter. The drawback is that once a camera body converted into IR, it could not be used for normal photography unless we get back to the technician to return the normal hot mirror.

In addition to having to get a dedicated camera body together with the main one used for normal photography, cost for conversion is quite expensive. Here in Indonesia it cost somewhere between $150-$300 depending on camera body we have and wavelength we want to cut. So even I go with the very old used DSLR, it will easily get to $600-$700. So to start with I am foreseeing filter.

Unfortunately as I do not have a lens with small filter ring, filter is not a cheap solution as well. For lens with 77mm filter thread, HOYA R72 costs about $160 and HOYA RM90 costs about $180. None of them are available in Bali where I live, but I can order one from Jakarta based online shop. Used ones sometime available for sale in local photograhy forums at somewhere between $80 - $100. Another chance is to get cheap lens with 52mm filter thread - mostly are kit lens for lower-end DSLR - which costs about $60-$75 in second hand market. Infra red filter for those small lenses costs about $30.

I haven’t made up my mind untill a new option comes though a local photographer online forum. Chinese made filter at Cokin standard called Tian Ya offers infra red filter in P standard, which work for 77mm filter thread. It is not a screwed-in type though. Cokin P is square filters slotted into a holder, which are large enough to cover the face of 77mm lens. I already have the required P standard holder and ring adapter (to lock the holder into lens filter thread), so all I need to spend was the filter which was priced at about $35 for the only type available IR690. The picture shows how it fits into the mount of my Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L.

Following advises in online forum telling that best time for infra red photography is at the worst time for normal photography - means mid of a sunny-brite day - I went off at around lunch time for the first trial. It was a failure. I did not realize that it was goung to be that slow, and I went off without a tripod. I also found that the result was monotonous red, something like b/w with the white repladed by red.

Realizing that tripod was mandatory was a snap. After consulting back to forums I was also got educated that white balance setting is another key to infra red photography. I went to consult my camera manual for custom white balance setting before ready for the second attempt.

On the second attempt, I brought in my Manfrotto 190XProB along, so speed would not be a problem. Before I took the real shoot, I measured custom balance into a piece of white paper, got the camera to record it into its custom white balace setting. Resulting shots looked like what I was supposed to be. Next thing I will need to learn was digital post processing. I was not really sure yet however if the shots I took was really the right one to be converted into stunning unique frame.

My dream was to make shots of Bali villas in infra red. It would be amazing to frame the reflective swimming pool and ocean views in a unique tone of processed infra-red images.

Canon announcement of EOS 50D replacing its predecessor 40D - which has only introduce less than a year ago - instead of the three-years-in-existence Canon EOS 5D has invited both disappointments and hopes. Disappointments were obvious. Hopes came from beliefs that by introduction of 50D, the long awaited 5D Mark II will carry an even newer technology than what 40D has. On September 17th 2008 Canon pays off loyal user who have been patience enough to wait. Canon EOS 5D Mark II which brings along the most advance technolgy was officially anounced.

Looking into specification I belief it exceeds every expectation people have ever had - at least among many of them I read in online forums, blogs, and articles. 21.1 mega pixel CMOS sensor, Digic 4, ISO 50-25,600 are among the most significant leap over the three years old 5D. Attached to this posting is Canon’s official press release.

Contrary to beyond expectation specifications, price tag was by far below expectation. Whilst most columns predicted it to come in similar price of 5D in its annoucement, which was $3,300, Canon puts estimated retail price of $2,699 for body only and $3,499 as a kit with Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS. First delivery was scheduled as close as end of November 2008.

“Will I get one?” Definitive question is NO, at least not in the near future, even if I have $1,300 to be invested in photography gears. There are still lightings and glasses at my higher priority than replacing my 5D with a new one.

Attached is full release.

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CANON U.S.A. INTRODUCES THE HIGHLY ANTICIPATED EOS 5D MARK II
DSLR CAMERA FEATURING FULL-FRAME HD VIDEO CAPTURE

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II Escalates Full-Frame Digital SLR Photography to the Next Level with HD Movie Recording Capabilities, DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor, and 21.1 Megapixel Resolution

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., September 17, 2008 – Canon U.S.A., Inc., a leader in digital imaging, today introduced the EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera, the long-awaited successor to Canon’s highly popular EOS 5D, introduced in 2005. Building upon the qualities that made the EOS 5D camera so successful, Canon has coupled the creative power of a full-frame CMOS sensor in a relatively compact and affordable camera body, together with groundbreaking HD video capture that opens the door to a much wider range of imaging possibilities for photographers. Along with the ability to capture full HD video clips at 1920 x 1080 resolution, Canon’s EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera features a 21.1-megapixel full frame 24 x 36mm CMOS sensor, DIGIC 4 imaging processor and significantly lower noise, with an expanded sensitivity range from ISO 50 to ISO 25,600.

“The anticipation surrounding the launch of this camera model has exceeded our greatest expectations, and we believe our loyal customers will be awed by the level of innovation and features built into the new EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR. Once they have the chance to experience the camera, we believe they will agree that it was worth the wait,” stated Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A.

Among the many advancements in Canon’s new EOS 5D Mark II camera is the Company’s proprietary DIGIC 4 Imaging Processor that powers the camera’s fast 14-bit analog-to-digital conversion for smooth color tones and exceptional gradation. The Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR offers a full-frame 24 x 36mm, 21.1 megapixel CMOS sensor and continuous shooting at 3.9 frames per second (fps) for an unlimited number of full-resolution JPEGs to the capacity of the memory card or up to 14 RAW images in a single burst when using a UDMA CF card. The camera includes a 15-point Autofocus (AF) sensor with nine selectable AF points plus six additional Assist AF points (three center AF points sensitive to f/2.8 lenses) with enhanced light source detection and AF microadjustment for greater autofocus performance. The EOS 5D Mark II camera also features a large, clear 3.0-inch Clear View LCD screen with 920,000 dot/VGA resolution, four times the pixel count of the EOS 5D camera’s 2.5-inch screen, for enhanced clarity and color when viewing images. The new camera is equipped with a high-performance, high-magnification optical viewfinder providing 98 percent coverage, giving a new dimension to the saying, “what you see is what you get.” Professional photographers will also appreciate the enhanced 150,000-cycle shutter durability of the EOS 5D Mark II camera.

Canon, the first company to introduce a full-frame digital camera, has improved the EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera’s newly developed full-frame CMOS image sensor. Utilizing proprietary Canon technology, the Company has reduced noise and expanded the sensitivity of the CMOS sensor up to ISO 25600, which is three full stops higher than the ISO 3200 limit of the original EOS 5D camera. Although the individual pixel dimensions of the EOS 5D Mark II camera are the same as the 21.1-megapixel CMOS sensor used in the EOS-1Ds Mark III digital SLR, the new sensor incorporates an improved output amplifier and a more advanced color filter that improves light transmission while retaining excellent color reproduction. By applying the same kind of advancements in sensor design and image processing technology as the recently introduced EOS 50D camera, but at higher resolution and with larger pixels, the EOS 5D Mark II achieves the highest level of image quality of any EOS Digital SLR released to date.

With the combination of its improved CMOS image sensor and the powerful new DIGIC 4 image processor, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera provides ISO speeds from ISO 100 up to ISO 6400 in 1/3-stop increments, along with two high-speed settings - H1 and H2 - of ISO 12800 and ISO 25600, respectively, as well as a low-speed setting of ISO 50. The full-frame sensor maximizes the performance of Canon EF lenses, the world’s largest selection of autofocus lenses.

HD and SD Video Capture

Canon has taken its expertise in imaging, photography and video capture technology to a new level with the EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR. Answering the question of where SLR technology is going next, the EOS 5D Mark II features 16:9 Full HD video capture at 1920 x 1080 pixels and 30 fps as well as 4:3 standard TV quality (SD) video capture at 640 x 480 pixels and 30 fps, both capabilities appearing for the first time in a Canon SLR camera. Video capture is part of the camera’s Live View function, using the Picture Style that has been set for Live View still image shooting. This allows skilled photographers and cinematographers to adjust image sharpness, contrast, color saturation and white balance, and have those settings apply to the movie image. When recording video, the camera’s rear LCD screen can be letter-boxed by a semi-transparent border to match the aspect ratio of the movie recording size. Moreover, the EOS 5D Mark II camera’s HD video capability enables new levels of creative expression through its unfettered access to the complete line of more than 60 Canon EF lenses, which provide an incredible variety of visual effects including everything from ultra-wide-angle and fish-eye to macro and super-telephoto, including many large-aperture L-series professional lenses that can keep the main subject in razor-sharp focus while blurring the background beyond recognition.

The EOS 5D Mark II will record video up to 4GB per clip or a maximum continuous movie capture time of 29 minutes and 59 seconds, whichever comes first. Depending on the level of detail in the scene, a 4GB memory card can record approximately 12 minutes of video at full HD resolution or approximately 24 minutes in standard definition.i Video clips are recorded in .MOV format using an MPEG-4 video compression and sound is recorded using linear PCMii without compression. The new camera features an input terminal for external stereo microphones as well as a built-in monaural microphone for convenience. To help show off those fantastic movies as well as still photos, the EOS 5D Mark II camera includes an HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) output to display crisp, clear images on a High-Definition TV.

Live View Shooting

For both still images and video, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II camera features Live View, one of the most sought after features in digital SLRs today. The 5D Mark II features three Live View AF modes - Quick, Live and Face Detection Live mode - for capturing either still photos or video, each with its own attributes. Quick mode automatically sets One-Shot AF using the camera’s phase detection AF system. It also allows users to select the AF point, even while the Live View image is displayed. Although the camera’s reflex mirror must be lowered briefly to take an AF measurement in Quick mode, it is the fastest way to set focus automatically when the 5D Mark II camera is set for Live View.

Live mode uses contrast-detection AF with the image sensor and here, as with Quick mode, users can change the AF point using the Multi-controller. Face Detection Live mode uses contrast AF to recognize human faces. When multiple faces are detected, the largest face closest to the center of the frame is targeted as the AF point. While Live View is engaged users can still change settings including the AF mode (Quick, Live, Face Detection Live mode), drive mode, ISO speed, Picture style, White Balance, and more.

Peripheral Illumination Correction

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera automatically conducts peripheral illumination correction when shooting JPEG images, a function that previously could only be accomplished through post-image processing using software such as Canon’s Digital Photo Professional, which Canon supplies at no extra charge. Peripheral illumination correction evens brightness across the image field, making an image of a blue sky even toned throughout and reducing light fall-off at image edges. This new feature essentially eliminates one of the limitations of previous full-frame digital SLRs.

Auto Lighting Optimizer

Canon’s enhanced Auto Lighting Optimizer technology helps ensure each picture’s subject is clearly visible by analyzing image brightness and automatically adjusting dark areas in images so that they appear brighter. This function is ideal in high-contrast situations such as urban landscapes captured on sunny days, where the tops of buildings are brightly lit while street level details are obscured by heavy shadows. In this type of scene, the 5D Mark II camera’s Auto Lighting Optimizer technology preserves accurate exposure of the highlights while opening up the shadow areas for a more pleasing tonal rendition.

Canon’s New Creative Auto Mode

Recently introduced with the new EOS 50D, Canon’s “CA” Creative Full Auto setting can also be found on the EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera’s mode dial. This setting allows users to make image adjustments such as aperture or shutter speed through an easy-to-understand navigation screen on the camera’s LCD menu, allowing them to “blur the background” or “lighten or darken the image.” These easy-to-understand image options allow photographers to experiment with image options while still shooting in an automatic mode.

Two Small RAW Formats

For photographers seeking the flexibility and creative possibilities of shooting RAW format images, without the large file size, the Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera offers two more manageable file size options with sRAW1 and sRAW2 recording formats. At the sRAW1 setting, resolution is 10.0-megapixels with a file size that is approximately 25 percent smaller than a standard 21.1-megapixel RAW image. With the sRAW2 setting, resolution is 5.2 megapixels at less than half the file size of a standard RAW image, retaining all of the flexibility and creative possibilities associated with full-size, conventional RAW images. Wedding and portrait photographers, in particular, will appreciate the options of variable resolution and file size which allow them to fine-tune the 5D Mark II’s operation for their specific needs.

Silent Shooting in Live View

Canon has equipped the EOS 5D Mark II with two Silent Shooting modes in Live View which will prove particularly helpful to law enforcement officials, and for behind-the-scenes shooting on movie sets. In Mode 1, the camera will shoot with the mechanical shutter open at the beginning of the exposure, using the electronic 1st-curtain function of the CMOS sensor and a reduced shutter-cocking noise, allowing multiple shots to be taken with minimal noise. In Mode 2, to minimize shutter noise during single frame photography, shutter cocking does not occur until the shutter button returns to the half-way position after shooting.

EOS Integrated Cleaning System

With the introduction of the EOS 5D Mark II camera, the entire Canon EOS system is now equipped with the highly acclaimed EOS Integrated Cleaning System. The Self-Cleaning Sensor Unit for the Canon EOS 5D Mark II has been upgraded with a fluorine coating on the low-pass filter for better dust resistance.

Pricing and Availability

The Canon EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera is compatible with Canon EF lenses and is scheduled for delivery by the end of November. The EOS 5D Mark II will be sold in a body-only configuration at an estimated retail price of $2,699iii. It will additionally be offered in a kit version with Canon’s EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM zoom lens at an estimated retail price of $3,499iv.

New EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Lens

The new EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM lens is the successor to Canon’s EF 24mm f/1.4L USM professional wide-angle lens released in 1997. Targeting professional photographers, the new EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM lens has been introduced to address the advancements high-resolution digital SLR cameras with re-designed optics and use of a new anti-reflection lens coating called SWC (Sub-Wavelength Structure Coating) to minimize ghosting and flare. Features such as dustproof and waterproof construction that have been adopted make this a high-performance lens with specifications that respond to the demands of professional users. A welcome complement to the EOS 5D Mark II Digital SLR camera, the EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM lens is scheduled to be in stores this December at an estimated retail price of $1,699v.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranked third overall in the U.S. in 2007†, with global revenues of $39.3 billion, is listed as one of Fortune’s Most Admired Companies in America and is on the 2007 BusinessWeek list of “Top 100 Brands.” To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company’s RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/pressroom.

# # #

† IFI Patent Intelligence Press Release, January 2008

All referenced product names, and other marks, are trademarks of their respective owners.
Specifications and availability are subject to change without notice.

i According to Canon’s standard test methods.
ii A method of converting audio and other analog signals into digital data. It is recorded without any compression.
iii Pricing subject to change at any time. Actual prices are determined by individual dealers and may vary.
iv Pricing subject to change at any time. Actual prices are determined by individual dealers and may vary.
v Pricing subject to change at any time. Actual prices are determined by individual dealers and may vary.

I have tried all lenses I got and knew what works best for this purpose, I attached my manual Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4. White balance went to auto as I knew that any other preset would not work. I know that the light temperature if household spot lights I was using would require 600 points of temperature offset on post processing. Lighting too, aperture priority, -2 exposure compensation, and keeping in mind that I may need to change apertures for desired DOF. Well, exposure compensation was actually the first parameter to set when needing different amount of light, however I took -2 to start with, not 0. The camera was tripod attached, so I was not worry about slow shutting. It was still life, I got all time I needed by the shutter to completely flips.

Object was another perfume bottle in our toilette. This time was mine, Del Mar Baldesarini of Hugo Boss. I had no real reason on choosing this more than the fact that I used my girldfriend’s Bvlgari before. Examining the object, I decided black background to go in. I did not even bother myself to try the white one. Why perfumes? Well, again, I had no real reason. Just felt that it would look nicer than a bottle of shampoo.

After a few shots with various lighting arrangement which funnily had only one parameter to set, I started to realize something different from the previous session. Well, not really. As always about lighting, it was all about direction and power. But how could we set the power of a household spotlight? So for both parameters I worked the same way, position of the lights. I move them back for lower intensity and vice versa.

Back to the problem. In my first session, the object’s surface was matte. This one I was using in the second session was clear and glowing. Problem was that the surface reflected the light, making it looked dully flat white. I tried a lot of formation until getting to a conclusion that the wall of my light tent was not provide enough diffusion for this particular object. So I instead of flooding toward the object through tent’s wall, I bounced it to a silver reflecting studio umbrella. Getting a way to make the main light better, another problem popped in. As the reflector ate up intensity of the main light, the fill in light become brighter. After a series of trial and error in moving it back and forward, I finally got the desired fill in effect by changing the light’s direction sideway.

It was not a hundred percent satisfactory as I wanted the surface to be completely free from light reflection, but for sure I found it good enough. Getting interested with fine art photography I read in a photography magazine, I decided to play a bit with high contrast technique.

Equipment in use: Canon EOS 5D Camera, Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4 lens, Tronic light shed, a couple of Chinese-made lamp holder, Tronic studio reflector umbrella 85cm, and a couple of Excell light stand.

The good side was that it took no time to choose. I took October issue of Digital Camera World without really examining the content as the other one features new DSLR generation from Sony and new Canon’s entry level 1000D, which I had no interest at all.

Back home I got a pleasant surprise, the issue I chose was Digital Camera World’s special issue of Fine Art Nudes, featuring the issue in detail through about 20 pages, it also gave away a CD with raw images in very high resolution. What a gift. The bad side however was the passion to bring it into practice.

Containing thorough exposure of the issue including engaging models and studios to technical details like lighting, posing, and digital post processing, it was absolutely not at all about pornographic. However I guess amateur like myself can be compared to ordinary human being with professional gynaecologist. Could I manage the other passion if I have a chance to be in nude photography session?

I have to admit that I have always been comparing telephoto lenses with the brilliant Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D I owned during my Nikonian days. I guess that was the honest reason on me being nuisance in choosing optical equipments. Unfortunately my pockets are shallow. When I put my hands in to draw some money, it is very easy to reach the bottom end. So the luxury to get the best option available is just not mine. As always, I have to dance among need, passion, and money.

My first grab on Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS L belongs to my fellow Bali photography enthusiast was impressive. Noting absence of IS I had similar impression with my old Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D. But it was a Ferrari in its own species, and as anything else in life, there is price for every bit of excellence. Another issue I was considering was weight. 1,310 grams of Nikon 80-200mm f/2.8D was a real burden in active outdoor sessions, in many occasions giving enough reason to go out without it. Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS L is even heavier at 1,470 grams. Finally presence of IS which I consider nice to have but something I can live without, especially when the price of having it quite significant.

Leaving aside third party contenders like Sigma and Tamron, Canon quartet of 70-200mm in its L series were the only options I considered. The family members were:
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS L  - 1,470gr - $1,700
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L (non IS) - 1,310gr - $1,150
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 IS L - 760gr - $1,050
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L (non IS) - 705gr - $650

Canon officially confirmed that all the four shared identical optical and construction quality, so the consideration went to three parameters, speed (maximum aperture), weight, and price. Minor thing to consider as well was tripod collar which was included with both f/2.8 version and optional to both f/4 version. Whilst its light weight of both f4 versions allowed them propery work without tripod collar, it was nice to have and give a better ballance especially when used in conjunction with tele-converter. Tripod collar for f/4 was available from Canon at an additional cost of $65. Third party product was also available at around $30. Another thing was filter thread. F/2.8 versions took 77mm filters whilst f/4 version took 67mm. Whilst price might not be an issue for cheap brands, difference was quite significant for high-end brands like all versions of B+W and pro series of Hoya.

Finally I decided to go for the cheapest version, Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L (non IS), with the following considerations:

1. It inheritsed equal optical, mechanical, and construction quality.
2. I was very light, less than a half of the heaviest Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS L, which would be definitely delightful in long outdoor session.
3. It was very cheap, almost one third of the most expensive Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS L, and almost a half of IS version of f/4.
4. I decided to trade one stop of aperture for affordable weight. Shooting at telephoto I guess one stop narrower was still very capable in producing pleasant bokeh. With high ISO performance of my Canon 5D body, I was comfortable to trade one stop of ISO for one stop of aperture. Beside, for the sake of vibrance shooting portraiture - where 70-200mm mostly worked with full frame camera - requires a higher ISO anyway.
5. I decided to trade the aid of IS for saving $400. I have lived without along with a lot heavier Nikon 80-200D, so for that amount of money, I was prepared to life that way longer and happy enough with the light weight alone. Again, I would depend to both increasing ISO and the hassle of carrying a monopod in low light.

After a few weeks of tuning into local forum, I finally cut a decent deal. A Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L (non IS) in mint condition, still have 7 months remaining warranty, coming along with all purchase package (including warranty card, box, caps, hood, pouch, booklet and plastic sheet), Hoya high quality HMC UV filter, and a third party tripod collar, at about $500. I would have to spend at more than $700 to get the same setup brand new.

First experience was just stunning. Crisp clarity down to the edges, slightly softer edges at the widest aperture which only noticable when the image was blown out extra large. AF works very fast and accurate in almost every situation. Well, to be honest I intentionally said “almost” just to be in the safe side. In fact so far I have never find a situation when it did not work. I was so happy with the excellence at a very light weight package. A little negative was about DOF isolation, bokeh. A little game of distance was required to get desired bokeh, which sometime costed in composition. This example was taken at the longest focal of 200mm, widest aperture of F/4, and medium ISO of 400.

This lens is a real keeper. I think it is the best value for money among the four. I do not think I would want to spend my money to buy the top of the line Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS L. For certain result only allowed by f/2.8 I prefer to go for EF 135mm f/2 L priced at about $700. I may want to get the IS version of f/4, but only if I got a lotter, otherwise I prefer to save the $400 for other things.

Exploring available resources on the net I found that photography for small products needs specific lighting equipment, which I found even harder to find than larger-powered studio lighting, at least in the country I live. Of course I can order from Adorama or BHP, but enormous extra cots for shipment and import duty have forced me to immediately wipe it as a possible option. As I thought small products would not need high powered-ligth, I decided to start with normal house-hold tungsten spot-light, keeping in mind that I would have to be careful with white balance setting.

The only thing I decided to buy was a light shed, a small tent made of diffused fabric material to soften and evenly distribut lights. I got Tronic - a Chinese product - shipped from a local online store Toko CamZone for about $35 which include one white and one black non reflecting backgrounds. The beauty of this stuff was that the 50cm width, 50cm depth, and 70cm height box could be easily wrapped down and slipped into a supplied small pouch.

For lighting I took out my existing light stands. I got an air-cushioned Excell and a very simple FoYu, so far I understand both are Chinese made. On top of each I attached a lamp fitting adaptor, allowing thread of house-hold bulbs to sit and powered. One got a 100 watts Philips spot light, and the other got a smaller 60 watts spot light with the same brand. So, here I got my simple setup of product photography studio, with the light tent sitting on a coffee table and two lights which is quite variable. Don’t get me wrong though. Variable means height adjustably through the lightstand’s column adjuster, position by moving the whole light setup, and power. Yes, damn right, I can set the power of the light, by moving the whole set back and forward.

Camera in use was Canon EOS 5D. I noted that its auto white balance setting worked perfectly so I did not worried about tungsten light coming from the bulbs. However, to be on the safe side I shot RAW, so even if the camera failed to pick the right white balance setting, I still could work around it in post processing. I found that shots taken with auto white balance tended to be better than the ones I took with tungsten white balance setting. I followed the same rule of thumb in studio photography told by a number of professional photographers in their article, set moderate ISO at somewhere between 400-800. To ensure steadiness, the camera was attached onto a flexible Manfrotto 190X-ProB with attached mini ballhead 484RC2 - I missed my pan-head though. Lens in use was manual focusing Carl Zeis Planar T* 50mm f/1.4.

My first product victim was a bottle of perfume I took from my spouse’s dressing. I spent about a couple of hours to play around with positioning of both lights to see different effect. I started to get a feel on how lights affect the object from its position outside the tent. However I believe it character of the object would be another issue to consider, for example, solid stuffs would behave differently compared to transparent glass bottle which I was using in my experiment. I wanted to explore more, but the plastic atapter holding the bulb started to get overheated and spreaded burnt-out smell.

The first one I resold was Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II which I replaced with manual focusing Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm f/1.4. The second one was Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM, which I do not get a replacement yet, but looking into either the weight light Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM (non IS) or reasonably priced Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 II EX DG Macro HSM. I occasionally resold lenses during my Nikon years, but none of them was reasoned by disappointment.

Before I decided to leave Nikon, I read an article written by professional photographer - which clearly a Canon defender - saying “Nikon is a small company with smart optical engineers whilst Canon is a huge corporation investing enormous amount of money in digital technology research”. Apparently he was saying it to expose superiority in Canon’s image quality, which I personally got convinced. From that point of view, I am a happy Canon user now. Unfortunately it also confirmed my rather suffering experience in using Canon lenses.

I do know that most of professional photographers - except those specializing themselves in wedding photography - omit presence of mid focal range zoom in their setup. But I am not a professional photographer myself and I thought it was nice to have a walk around lens as a convenient setup for travel. Reasonable wide range of focal length of Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM at affordable weight and price was my considerations.

As usual, I surfed online reviews before making the decision. Actually my favorite was Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM which I thought was too expensive for me, especially for lens in rarely used range. I am not interested in either wedding photography or photojournalism. I also skipped Canon EF 28-300mm f/2.5-5.6 L IS USM for its very expensive price and rather hefty size for travel convenience. Actually Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM was not that cheap either. It was actually among the the most expensive EF (non L) lenses at its exposure size.

In precise, my disappointment came from its auto focus performance, which was terrible in back-lighting and did not work at all in dim light (note this: dim, not dark). I do know that AF does not work in darkness, but here I am talking about the dim light where most other lenses could normally afford. The more annoyance was that when it failed to lock, it froze instead of keep on searching, so I had to release the shutter, point to other subject at extremely different distance, before retrying another attempt.

Whilst my ears hated its sound, IS worked fine. It roughly let me to get reasonable sharpness in up to three stops at the shortest focal length and close to two stops in its longest focal length. However, unlike a Nikonian friend of mine who very much adores VR (Nikon’s version of IS), IS is not something I would not miss when it is not available for following reasons.

• It is kind of reflex, when I need to shoot low light my hands grab 50mm f/1.4 which gives exactly 3 stops more light compared to about 4.5-5.6 of Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM at the same focal length. I do not worry too much about depth of field in large aperture as shooting reasonable distance in normal focal length is definitely giving reasonable amount of DOF. However, when I do want to isolate DOF for pleasant bokeh, 50mm f/1.4 definitely wins.
• I rarely need to shoot telephoto in low light.
• So far in my experience, IS comes at its strength on photojournalism, sport, wedding - all of which I am not in - and candid, which is nice to have, but only forth for fun. For high quality pictures, I will use a tripod anyway.
• Among excels of the full frame sensor planted in Canon EOS 5D I am using is high ISO performance. So would have no problem in raising ISO at equal stop to compensate absence of IS. In fact I would prefer to raise ISO at low light, maybe not to extreme level of 1600-3200, but somewhere in the range between 400-800 gives pleasant effect on low light and portraits.

I tink my last sentences in this article will be: native Canoners may not realize this, but for Nikonians I would advise not to leave Nikon unless you can afford to buy Canon lenses in its L series. Out of this elite class, even the cheapest Nikon glass wins. As of myself, except for primes, I will never buy Canon lens out of its L series, ever again.

Winding trip through scenic country road took us about an hour and a half, plus an awful breakfast break at a little cafe on Candidasa beach. Candidasa water garden which normally quite a scenic place for landscape seemed rather dull, so we just passed. Getting to the destination without any hassle we found the weather was quite nice, with deep blue sky especially on the direction towards the sea. The holly Mount Agung behind the site remained cloudy though.

Shit happened when we I started to took my gears out of the bag to prepare for a few pre-shots after a little orientation. I realized that I left the memory card in my computer back home. Fortunately mu girlfriend had her D40x with her, so after a little while elapsed to calm myself down. She refused the model session, I did not know why, maybe she did not confident enough with the camera setup or she had something else in mind. I had no other choice than taking a few architectural and landscape shot.

I used to use the same Nikon D40x before I got my Nikon D200 with a few better lenses and finally change my whole setup into Canon. Now I found myself disappointed by resulted picture. The picture of the main house taken through the frame of an old window here took me some time and five masks in post processing to gain rather desirable dynamic range and tonality. Still not comparable to supposed result of my Canon though.

I will definitely come back with my Canon EOS 5D full-frame camera, Canon ultra wide 17-40mm F/4 L lens, and at least the CPL filter for better landscape and architectural shots. Of course if I am lucky enough to get a model coming along, my favorite lens Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm F/1.4 will get its turn as well.

Main lenses in my Nikon day was as follow:

• AF Nikkor 80-200mm F/2.8 D (last gen. w/tripod collar).
• AF Nikkor 50mm F/1.4
• AF Nikkor 35-70mm F/3.3-4.5
• Sigma EX 10-20mm F/4-5.6 HSM

Changed into my Canon days with the followings:

• Canon EF 17-40mm F/4 L
• Canon EF 50mm F1.8 Mark II (replaced later with Carl Zeiss Planar T* 50mm F/1.4)
• Canon EF 35-80mm F/4-5.6 (sold later)
• Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM (sold later)

Trusting a number of reviews on the net - which proven to be true - saying that even cheap crappy lenses result in better pictures in full frame cameras compared to top-of-the-line lenses on APS-C cameras, I comfortably decided to go for Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM to replace my brilliant AF Nikkor 80-200mm F/2.8 D for portraiture and telephoto.

Definitely the feeling in my hand between the two was extremely different. About 1,300 grams in full metal barrel and inner zoom of Nikon super-fast tele-zoom felt a lot more sturdy in my hand compared to 400 grams or so small plastic tube of the mediocre Canon. But price was extremely different as well. I got the used Nikon for about $750 (brand new was priced at $1,000 at that time) whilst I spent only $110 (brand new was priced at $180 at that time) for the used Canon a year later.

Coming to the most critical issue which is result, Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM gave brilliant result with my Canon EOS 5D, regardless almost all friends and online reviews advised the opposite, especially when used with APS-C bodies. Sharpness, detail, and tone were brilliant. I would say that bokeh is nothing to worry too much in this range. Even bad lenses offers creamy bokeh in long focal.

However, performance is of a different issue. A am not a technical savvy who knows good technical presentation to show performance indicators, so it is purely a experience of an amateur user. Whilst focusing speed was sufficient to my need, and absence of IS was not felt as a problem as my previous Nikon did not have VR as well, I note a few problems:

• Vignet was clearly visible.
• Softening around the edge was visible, although in most telephoto shots with smooth bokeh it may even offer positive effect.
• Flare handling was mediocre, just don’t try to use it against the sun.
• Focusing performed bad in overcast background.

The picture below compares shots taken with different telephoto zooms. The left-hand side was taken by Nikon D200 with AF Nikkor 80-200mm F/2.8 D, and the right-hand side was taken with Canon EOS 5D with Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM, both at their own maximum focal length of 200mm and 300mm respectively.