Alright so, since I upgraded to a Canon 7D, I am putting up my 40D for sale, along with a brand spanking new 28-135mm kit lens and new 70-300mm lens.
Details here.
Link to the Ebay entry…
Since it is on Ebay I am of course looking for top dollar, but if I am willing to talk if it goes to someone I know. Ping me if you are interested, or pass the word along! 
Just posting a couple of lighttests I did this past weekend during the poker game. Had planned on doing some actual photos but we got caught up playing cards.. ^_^;;
Hey look, its a photo with flash as the only source of light, closeup, at f/1.4 and its NOT harsh or overexposed!
So I went and finished up the “Do It Yourself” Beauty Dish – based partially on instructions over here. Its basically a slick way to diffuse light for closeups — and a fun little project to jam together over a few days with parts laying around. Anyway, did some test shots just to play with it. Shots of the Dish, along with notes and some more photos after the cut.
Okay. This is definitely a post aimed square at the Camera Geeks.
If you’re a modern camera geek, you might not know about Split Prism focusing screens. By a simple rule of optics, these screens are an almost ideal focusing aid — and it shames me that they are no longer seen in most modern cameras.
More geekery and photos under the cut.
Read more…
Canon S90
Just when I thought I was going to jump ship and go for Sony’s latest compact with their beautiful sweep panorama function, Canon surprises me.
They’re releasing a compact camera with a f2.0 wide angle lens, Image Stabilizer, full manual controls, RAW support, and a control ring to boot.
I’m a little surprised that they don’t seem to support 720p video on this unit, but that might be hackable. And really, to have the functionality of a G9/G10 in a compact form with a f2.0 lens? I can forgive them that.
Releases in October. This might actually convince me to even sell my G9… And at the very least it will likely become my new walkabout camera. (But of course I want to see the unit before I’m convinced to buy it… And I need to save more money… Or sell more things…)
Oh but yes.. Thank you Canon for finally revisiting the concept of a compact professional’s camera…
Crossposted from dpreview.com
Originally uploaded by Doc Stampede
Getting myself back into the mood to shoot. Spent the first few hours home tonight shooting quick snapshots of old 35mm photos (to be posted shortly..)
Also found this gem in my archive boxes yesterday at my parent’s place — its a 1970′s manual camera that’s built like a tank and actually worth some cash. Its got a 50mm f1.4 prime that I look forward to testing with some slide film, maybe at Otakon..
Quickie composition on my tabletop with available light — kinda like this. I think its going to become an icon.
Gizmodo: Canon EOS Rebel T1i First Hands On: 50Ds Sensor, 1080p Vids, $899
Damn. Ever since I sold my 20D, I’ve been craving a proper SLR. I haven’t wanted to go with the Rebel for a long while, mostly because of the lighter body weight, downgraded viewfinder, and gimped processor.
However, with the release of this unit, they just might win me over again, at least as a temporary camera until I can afford the 5Dii… The latest Rebel line camera will have the 50D’s processor, and it’ll support 720p 30fps shooting, along with 1080p 20fps shooting. Not as good as the 5Dii, but damned sweet nonetheless.
They’ll probably push the noise sensitivity to match Nikon’s latest releases as well.
Daymmmmmmn.
Camera geeks will get an absolute kick out of this. A user faced with a broken 17-85 EF-S Canon lens decided to take it apart. This is a beaut – and kinda scary when you look at just how complex these lenses are. A significant number of closeup photos are available at the actual forum — 17-85 Exposed – FM Forums
Link originally from Gizmodo, but I’ve linked you to the original Fred Miranda forum. Enjoy.
For the camera geeks in the audience : A few links from Gizmodo to drool over
Those of you who heard and knew : There are links to a professional photographer who got his hands on a Canon 5D Mark II — and shot HD Video. The video is supposedly unenhanced. Just the screencaps alone illustrate why this has me SO bloody excited.
Canon 5D Mark II: Canon 5D Mark IIs Full HD Video Is So Stunning Our Eyes Explode
Hellbuny has one of these, and I’m quite jealous. The Lensbaby series of experimental lenses for SLR’s basically allows for selective shifting of the focal plane, and can yield some very amusing and funky effects. They just announced a new generation of lenses — and it is making me VERY sad that I sold my SLR. Check them out :
Ball-and-Socket Lensbaby Composer Adds to Distorting Bendy-Lens Line
I don’t know about you, but I’ve got five bazillion negatives sitting around, taking up way too much space. I’ve been very tempted to dump all of the prints and convert all of them to digital images — this might be the simple and @()*%&@) cheap tool to do it.
Ion Audio’s Slides2PC Digitizes Your Old Negatives Simply, for $100
And finally, just for fun, someone photoshopped a Zoom Lens into a Coffee Mug. Now, I had this lens myself (before I sold it) — so the mere concept of taking a zoom lens that costs five hundred dollars and turning it into a MUG is painful. However, the thought of a coffee mug that could extend in size like a zoom lens? Its amusing. “Oh hi boss, wait lemme grab my coffee *retract* OW SHIT COFFEE EVERYWHERE OWOWOW”
Zoom Lens Coffee Mug Helps Keep Photographers Caffeinated
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*EDIT* Oh. My. God. I just saw the video myself. This video deserves a stolen screencap (courtesy Gizmodo)
Okay, if it wasn’t clear, this is a screen cap from HD Video, unedited off of the camera. The ONLY resizing Canon did was to drop it to 1/4th the size so it could be served on the internet EASIER. If it wasn’t clear, this allows shooters to shoot HD Video in low light with 35mm lenses — what would normally have cost 30,000 DOLLARS is now workable at a third of that. I forsee alot of music videos, indy pieces, and porn being shot on these things. Its a genre changer.
Sorry ladies, I have a new love of my life. It is a camera. The EOS 5D Mark II. I will have her.
(God I’m such a dork.)
The Canon EOS 5D was a strange beast that was lusted after by many people. Full Frame yet not outrageously priced, the hybrid was the target goal of many part time and even full time photographers who couldn’t justify the cost of Canon’s primary full frame sensor cameras.
DPReview.com has a hands on preview of the camera now.
Highlights that I’m seeing are…
Okay.. So… Um.. ……. does anyone want to buy a kidney?