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Canon EOS D30
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Review Date: Sep 5, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $900.00
| Rating: 7
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Pros:
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My first DSLR and a great "starter" camera for me. Great image quality coming from a Sony F707. Also a great studio camera, and pretty good when the ambient light is good.
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Cons:
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It's ability to focus wasn't too hot in low light situations, like most other reviews have already noted.
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I cut my teeth with this body. Bought it used, but it was in good shape.
I mainly used it in my studio, where it worked great when firing my studio lighting.
It also worked well with a 550EX mounted on it.
Where it left something to be desired was in low light events, that made it sometimes difficult to focus.
I made good money with the camera and was glad I got my hand on it. I later upgraded to the 10D.
There are better low end pro-comer dslr out there now, but the D30 was a good camera for it's day.
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Epson Stylus Photo 2200
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Review Date: Jan 21, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $808.11
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Fine Art Black and White prints are what this machine was born to do...and it does it very well
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Cons:
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Hmm...Can't think of a legitimate con.
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First and foremost, I have NOT ran every type of papaer threw this wonderful printer. I have read reviews and articles that this printer does and outstanding job with certain types of fine art papers.
What I have put threw this printer is Enhanced Matte paper up to 13x19 and Premium Glossy up to 8x10.
Ya know that saying "Garbage in, gargabe out"? Well I walk around with an 11x14 portfolio filled to the brim with my FAN (fine art nude) Black and White prints on matte paper, and people have "accussed" my work of being medium format prints from a lab. Of course they are completely shocked with I tell them that the prints are from an inkjet.
I've never owned anything buy Epson printers and never will. They say "Never say never", but I can't imagine switching to something else.
Now I have a buddy that has a Canon 9000. That thing is FAST! But the prints come out almost wet to the touch and while they do look ok, it doesn't do good quality black and white like my 2200.
I love the individual ink tanks, but that isn't exclusive to Epson.
This printer is really quiet. I am most creative after midnight, so when I'm churning out big prints, the "print noise" doesn't really exist for me. I know it makes that swishhhh sound, but I don't notice it. When I'm done with a particular image, I go ahead and print it out while working on another project.
If you don't understand color management and you don't have a sure way to calibrate your monitor, then don't buy this printer. Also, if you do the occasional print or you don't print anything larger than 8x10, don't buy this printer.
If you are an artsit and need larger than the standard 8x10, BUT THIS PRINTER. I can't see why I would ever need to outsource to a lab or printer. Right now I don't need anything larger, and as of yet have never asked to print anything larger by my clients.
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Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
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Review Date: Sep 8, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,299.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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An excellent walk around lense. Outstanding construction and weather sealing mates of well with 1DM2. A fast 2.8 for the situations where flash is appropriate (ie weddings and or mood). Sharp with good contrast for what I need it for.
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Cons:
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None to speak of.
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Canon EF 85mm f/1.8 USM
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Review Date: Sep 8, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $324.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Speed vs price ( 1.8 - $324). Good solid construction and feel. Metal mount. Size. An excellent church lense for the money, which is exactly why I bought it.
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Cons:
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None to speak of.
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What can I say, it's sharp for the conditions I need it (wedding and portraiture) on my 1DM2 and even my 10D.
It's built very well, and had a metal mount.
For low light situations, I can't beat it for the money.
If you get this lense, you won't be disappointed.
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Canon EOS 1D Mark II
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Review Date: Aug 22, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $4,499.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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The pure fact that I have one!
The PRO feel to it compared to the 10D. I actually like to weight of it too. 1/8000 shutter speed.
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Cons:
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This could be from lack of experience with it (only had it 4 days) but I don't like that when the camera is asleep (power saving mode) that ANY botton (not just the shutter) being pressed will turn it on. My 10D came on only with the pressing of the shutter button.
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All of the technical stuff from other reviewers has already been said. Here are my feelings about this camera...
WIth my wedding and my fine art nude work, I felt like I was getting my moneys worth from my 10D. Although I always has issues with the focus problems and the lack of spot metering. So in short, I always had reservations about the overall quality of the 10D AND the quality of my photographs. I felt like a bird with clipped wings...I can fly for only short distances.
With my new 1D Mark II, I feel like an eagle that can fly above all others. Limited only by my imagination.
My only problems really don't have anything to do with this camera. I just wish I could find another damn battery!
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Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM
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Review Date: May 27, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $689.95
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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A very affordable "L" lens. I paid $689.95 from B&H. Less with the $40 rebate.
Very sharp compared to my 28-135 IS.
Very solid construction and heft.
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Cons:
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None really. It's not a 2.8 but that's another lens and a higher price.
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This is the second of the three lenses I feel I must have. I have the 70-200 f/4, and now the 17-40 f/4, and will be getting the 24 or 28-70 2.8 soon.
This lens is very sharp at both ends of its range at f/5.6/6.7/8. I just used in on a fine art nude shoot yesterday and the images are beautiful. Haven't shot with it much below f/5.6 or above f/8 much but I'm sure it's just a sharp.
I actually purchased this lens for weddings. I needed something wider than my 28-135 IS and of course something sharper. I have a another wedding scheduled this Sunday and I'll be using it then. I will post some images in the Wedding Photographer forum next week sometime.
An "L" lense at this level of sharpness on a 10D for less than $700 is too good of a deal to pass up. My local camera store has it for $818, and that's with my discount and tax. I really like this store, but the price difference even with shipping ($30) makes it impossible for me to buy high dollar items there. Online with B&H is the only way for me to go.
I'm very happy with my new 17-40. In fact, it's fair to say that I now LOVE this lens.
BUY IT, USE IT, LOVE IT!
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Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM
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Review Date: Apr 1, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $659.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Professional look, feel, and construction. A good price too, B&H has them for less than $600. Excellent for an (off)white lense.
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Cons:
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Non really. I could complain that it isn't a 2.8 and that is't not stabilized but Canon does make one. I just can't afford it right now.
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I'm quite happy with my new 70-200 f/4. IF I had the money I would have purchased the 2.8 IS but that is neither here nor there.
What can I say...it's a (off)white lense. Assuming that one is a skilled photographer, walking into the room with this lens lets the other photographers know that you are serious.
The weight is not bad at all. I use the vertical grip so it balances out pretty well.
It's worth the money, especially if you won't/can't spent $1200 or more for the highest quality L glass.
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Canon EOS 10D
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Review Date: Aug 28, 2003
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,399.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Better control over image quality than Canon D30. Much better build quality. Also more professional features like the 1Ds but without the $8000 bill. My finished images are simply better, and I thought the D30 image quality was good.
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Cons:
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Less than full 35mm image sensor size and low frames per second.
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I love my 10D. I want another one for a backup. I had a D30 and it was ok, made some money with it. But...the 10D is a much better camera.
6+ megapixels
Faster shutter lag
Metal body frame - Feels less like a toy
Illuminated top LCD panel - really cool in low light/dark situations
Adobe RGB setting and sRGB
Better in low light situations than the D30
Battery last for a really long time - not an issue when on long shoots
Same accessories as the D30 and D60 - batteries, vertical grip, chargers, ect...
I want to have two!
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Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
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Review Date: Aug 11, 2003
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $90.00
| Rating: 6
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Pros:
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Cute...Small and light weight. Fits in cargo pocket. Can't beat the price. Pretty sharp. Better than my 28-135 5.6 for short DOF work. Good in lower light situations. I can't see buying the 1.4 for $350+ for 1/2 a stop. It ain't that damn sharp!
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Cons:
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Toy like construction. Don't see it lasting for generations. Not to mention, when it's on my 10D with the vertical grip, it looks like it's experiencing "shrinkage". If you know what I mean. :-]
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Honestly, at first the only reason I bought this lense is because I had some extra money to spend and $90 wasn't going to break me. I had it for about two months and never used it on my D30. Now that I have a 10D, I use it a lot for in studio work. It seems pretty sharp for what I need. I use it for a lot for fine art nude work so I don't need it to be tack sharp. Check out...www.L7Studio.com...Click on My Portfolios, then click on TC Fine Art Nude / Black and White. The whole shoot was with the EF 50mm F/1.8 II. She look FINE to me.
Bottom line, I like the little sucker. If it broke today, I'd buy another tomorrow.
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