5D and Lensbaby composer

I think the 5D MKll is the logical trade up for a Nikon D300 owner, as Nikon seems not to understand the needs of their customers.

I have a lensbaby for my D300 and as soon as you said you put one on the 5D, it makes perfect sense to exaggerate even more the narrow depth of field that you can achieve with a 35mm size sensor.

By the way msimpson, I think I found your group for Topaz Adjust, which I just downloaded. You have some amazing HDR photos.

Norman

Thanks I have another group as well called "Nikon D300 Tips Techniques and Fun".

Honastly I prefer Nikon over Canon. The camera control just makes the Nikons easyer to use. You also seem to get more features per dollar then you do with Canon. Canon accessories are much more expensive as well for the exact same thing.

That is why I decded to keep my Nikon gear. As soon as Nikon comes out with a true compeditor of the 5D I will get one.

Some things that bother me on the 5D over Nionn D300/D3

1. --- Most important --- No Delay shutter option. You ahve to use Still Live View Option to take a picture with out mirror bounce.
2. Batteries cost twice as much.
3. Easy manual selection of focus point. Canon is a two step proccess. Nikon is always tied to thumb rocker.
4. No external power plug. You have to use this battery thingy.
5. Canon High end cameras have to many Auto features.
6. I dont like the sperate power switch on the back of the camera. With Nikons its all part of the shutter button assembly.
7. No built-in flas to control off camera flashes.
8. No built-in LCD protector
9. You have to purchase focus screens to get a grid on the viewfinder.
10. Adobes Camera raw (Updated) seems to handle Nikon better than Canon.

There are others but those seem to bother me the most.

Good things about the Canon

1. PC Camera control software is included.
2. Video Mode (Reason I purchased the camera)


Notice I did not talk about pixel count. Personaly I find working with 21Mp to be iffy at best. I always convert my raw images to 16bit per color per pixel. thats alot for most apps to handle. It crashes photoshop CS3 and CS4 on a regular basis. Most of the problems have to do with third party filters.

Even with all that said I love my 5D and hav enot touched my FX1000 since I got the camera.

I agree with your Nikon + points, there is no doubt flash control on Nikon (creative lighting system) is light years ahead of Canon, also wireless shooting (non tethered) studio shooting is way cheaper with Nikon.

That said my #1 upset with Nikon is NOISE and having to buy Nikon software to process NEFs, until the third party software can get Nikon to give access to codes, why don't Nikon give you Capture NX with the camera, the D300 was nearly $3k .


I'm interested in hearing you are shooting footage with the 5D instead of the FX1000, I have the Canon HV30 and would like to add a more pro video camcorder.

What are some good plugins to get this same effect in cs3?

You can do it in After Effects.
Something like it here.
http://www.videocopilot.net/tutorials/2d_depth_of_field/

Just keep in mind that doing it in After effects or Photoshop only works with certain shots. While I was considering returning the Lensbaby I endied up with one of my favorite horse pictures.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/8656232@N06/3314789133/in/pool-loudouncounty

Yes I could have done this in photoshop. But there is a certain amount of joy getting a shot out of the camera and not having to touch it. The fact that I was lying in mud and peaking through a fence rail just adds to the joy.

That said the lensbaby should only be used for creative porposes only Its not a very sharp lens even in its sweet spot. Im not sure how I will use it for video. The video of the chip programer could have been shot easyer with my $100 50mm f1.8 lens with about the same affect.