A couple more camera questions

[floating minnow]

This digital thing is all new to me so I hope you don't mind answering a couple more questions.As soon as I can pry my wallet open I will be purchasing a Canon 30D and anything else I need to get me started.I think I will go with a Sandisk 1GB Ulta II High speed CF card,is that fine?Do I need to buy a card reader made by Sandisk and is there anything special I should be looking for in a card reader?Is there anything else I need to have right now?

My computer only has a 1.1 USB port,is that ok to start?

Thanks for any help.

[WCS]

Sandisk card will be good. No need for a Sandisk brand reader. You can find a generic USB 2.0 card reader for under $10. I'd suggest getting a USB 2.0 card for your computer. You will notice a huge difference in transfer speeds. The 30D will make some pretty large files. USB 1.1 would take along time to transfer to your computer.

[Steve Foss]

Floating minnow:

WCS is right on. In case your don't want to spend the extra $, though, a USB 2 device will work on a 1.1 port.

I would recommend the upgrade, though. For my Macintosh G4, it only cost about $25 for a gang of four or five USB 2 ports that I added to one of the expansion slots. Easy to do, cheap to do, good to do. Big difference in download speeds.

Sandisk makes great cards, and the ultra II is a good choice. If you're shooting large jpeg, you'll be able to get somewhere around 250 images on your card, depending on iso and how many edges and how much detail there is in each image. It takes more memory for your camera to record an image with lots of details and edges, like brushy areas, than it does for smooth surface like water and sky. And higher iso settings require more memory.

Have fun! And show us some of your work when you get the chance.

[floating minnow]

Thanks much WCS and Steve.

Since the cost is low I might as well upgrade the USB ports.While getting to know the camera I will shoot jpeg but the goal is to shoot in raw so I can do some enlargements is so desired.I know shooting raw involves more post exposure work and maybe photoshop software so that can wait until I'm comfortable.

I have to tell you I am still nervous about this switch to digital but about a year ago I lost my great photofinishing situation and have not been shooting as much so now is the time.The results photographers achieve in this forum put many of my fears to rest.You folks do great work and hopefully down the road I will meet those same standards.

Thanks again!

[Steve Foss]

floating minnow:

With the 8.2 Mp 30D sensor (it's exactly the same sensor that is in the 20D) shooting large jpeg, you can easily get sharp prints to 13x19. With RAW, I've made prints to 20x30, and they could go larger.

For post processing, I use Photoshop CS (about to upgrade to CS2). But there are many good pp programs out there, and Photoshop runs somewhere around $600.

If you're a good film shooter, you'll be a better digital shooter. Digital has reached and surpassed the quality of film, and you get such immediate feedback on exposure and composition with digital that it eases experimentation and leads to better photos. It's also more exciting not to have to wait and wait and wait for those slides to come back.

[floating minnow]

Thanks again Steve,

In some areas I'm very happy with my skills but in other areas I need all kinds of help.I've seen your web site so keep in mind I'm talking about the minor leagues compared to your work.I see myself learning the craft at a much faster pace and now feeling more free to experiment then in the past.

I hoping next spring to upgrade to the 100-400L you use since my Canon 100-300 is a much inferior lens.I met a guy in the Everglades 4 years ago who offered to let me shoot with his 100-400L for a couple hours and I've been thinking about that lens ever since.I'll be doing more with my shorter lenses until then.

One more thing. I like to dabble in low light long exposures such as full moonlight landscapes and I noticed on your site you do some long exposures so I thought I'd ask your thoughts on noise issues.I read a couple years back about noise problems in longer shots.Do you have a opinion on this or does the noise reduction on the camera take care of this?

[Steve Foss]

Mr. Minnow ():

The custom function to reduce noise on long exposures is a great one. It works just fine. But I've taken many of my longer exposures without that custom function. One hint is to use the mirror lockup custom feature when you know you're going to have exposures longer than a second or two. That prevents "mirror slap" from blurring your image slightly (your manual will explain that quite well.) That being said, the image on my Web site of the maple leaf with the fuzzy flowing water in the "landscapes" section was an 8 second exposure with no custom features selected. A strong tripod and a remote shutter release can go a LONG way.

[floating minnow]

Thank you Professor Foss.

[jonny_redhorse]

Think maybe I should take my 58" tripod otta the box I bought 3 years ago ..I'm feelin guilty...I never used any of em yet and I have 3...wait... no 4 no wonder my deer at 300 yards is blurry and zoomed out to 22 power.........really ,I should at least try it...time....the thing is time..........when I see creatures close to me,they're usually ready to flee ,fly or run off!...I guess a few could have let me get a tripod set up but not the bigger percentage.......but........I guess I should at least try jonny

[Steve Foss]

Yeah, well, hard-won experience and all that . . .

Shooting from a tripod takes getting used to. I bring one all the time when I'm in the woods, but don't use it too often because of the image stabilizer on my lens. For an exposure like that 8-second one, when you want the water to turn to silk, however, it's obviously a must. It also becomes darn near a requirement when you're shooting a telephoto that doesn't have image stabilization. Amazing how those images sharpen up when a tripod is in use. As for tripods, the learning curve can be shortened significantly by using one with a ball head. One lever to tighten/loosen the head, that's all.

[Dbl]

Make a compromise jonny, can you say monopod! I use one all the time for sports and fowl. I do use a tripod as Steve said, when exposure time requires it, but for me the monopod is fast quick, easy and still gives me stabilization.

Mine is a quality one by Manfrotto with a trigger for the top section so that you can change height in an instant. You, as with tripods, usually get what you pay for. My setup was around $120 with a quick release head. You can get one for less and it will still be better than not using any support.

You will still get those fast shots and reduce a large amount of shake.

[floating minnow]

Jonny,

Give the tripod a shot.I don't go anywhere without mine.I use it even with faster shutter speeds because I believe it almost always will give you a sharper image compared to hand held unless you have a image stabilizer.

Bruce

[jonny_redhorse]

thanks all...Will blow the dust off the tripod(s) and give it a shot! jonny