Moon shot with A7Rii Super35 + Canon 200mm F/2.8@ F11.

This moon shot was taken by A7Rii using Super35 mode, with Canon 200mm F2.8@F11 (equivalent to ~ 300mm).

To get this shot, you need to take the shot underexposure, which allows the camera to see all detail of the moon surface. Otherwise, you can only see a big white ball.

By using the lowest possible ISO, the noise is reduced significantly. By setting the aperture to F11, the lens will perform at the best and also further underexposure the image. By manually setting speed to 1/200-1/300, I can simply handheld. Make sure, that you do not underexposure too much.

A7Rii in Super35 mode made 200mm to be 300mm, which help a bit.

Here you have it!

Is your camera sensor clean?

Let ask a question, is your camera sensor clean?

Here how I answer this question. I take out the camera, in this case, a Sony A7R, and put on my trusty Canon 100mm Macro with MC11. I set the aperture to F11 and take pictures of the sky. I choose an area of that sky that quite featureless.

The key is to set aperture to F11. This allow the dust on sensor appear on the picture. If you use low aperture like, F2.8, F4, the dust images get blurry too much and you can not see them. If you see one at this aperture, the dust has to be a big one.

The first picture is the jpg come out directly from the camera. Look closely, you will see a few blurry spots here and there, especially the lower right corner of the pictures. I think it is not so bad. In normal shooting, the dust images won't show up in the pictures.

Could I say this sensor clean?

Far from it! ... Let turn up the contrast, as shown in the second picture, then a lot more dark spot show up.

It is impossible to keep your sensor dust free because every time to change lens, some dusts will get into your sensor.

So there is no "big" dark spot show up in the pictures, I probably won't do any thing about it. May be, I just use "Rocket-Air Blower" to blow some dust away from the sensor If I see some spots. Otherwise, I probably send the camera to clean ... and that $$.

Luminance HDR - A Linux HDR tool that I can actually use.

About a year ago, I came across Luminance HDR during a search
for linux HDR tools. I wasn't so impressed back then.

Now, after try Luminace HDR again, I was stunned by the result I get. 

And Yes, I find a Linux HDR tool that I can actually use! 

I took these pictures at Franciscan Monastery, a lost gem in DC.
You will find original photos at the end of the post.

Dead Center Photography

Inspired by this group:

The Dead Center C

Another look, another perspective!

 

Canon 5D Mark II vs Mark III

First of all, I have to admit that I do not have neither 5D Mark II or Mark III. But I do own a Canon 5D thou. It was a little surprise for me when I heart about Mark III because I was still thinking about upgrade to Mark II.

Don't get me wrong, I love my 5D and I don't need the video features. That why I am still thinking about upgrade to Mark II (and never did). Should I upgrade to Mark III then? or Should I just save some money by upgrade to Mark II? ... Here what I found out:

You can find full spec and full review of Mark II here and Mark III here.

	5D	Mark II	Mark III
Price	discontinue	1,799	3,459
year	Aug 2005	Sept 2008	Mar 2012
Photography Features
LCD Size	2.5"	3.0"	3.2"
Max Resolution	4368x2912	5616x3744	5760x3940
(megapixels)	12.7	21.2	22.3
Processor	Digic II	Digic 4	Digic 5
ISO (Auto)	100-1600 in 1/3 stops	100-6400 in 1/3 stops	100-25600 in 1/3 stops
(manual)	50, 3200	50, 12800 and 51200	50, 51200 and 102400
Auto focus points	9	9	61
Viewfinder Coverage	96%	98%	100%
Continuous Drive	3 fps (60 JPEG, 17 RAW)	3.9 fps (78 JPEG, 13 RAW)	6 fps
Exposure Compensation	±2 EV (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	±2 EV (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	±5 EV (at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
AE Bracketing	±2 (3 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	±2 (3 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)	±3 (2, 3, 5, 7 frames at 1/3 EV, 1/2 EV steps)
Muli-exposure	no	no	up to 9 exposures
HDR in cameras	no	no	5 options
Horizon level	no	no	dual axis leveling
Weight	895g	850g	950g
Memory Card	1 CF	1 CF	1 CF and 1 SD
Video Features
1080	n/a	yes	yes
720	n/a	no	60,50
640	n/a	30,25	30,25
Longest clip	n/a	12 mins (approx)	30 mins
Microphone/ Headphone Jack	n/a	mono/no	mono/yes
Audio level ctrl	n/a	yes (pre recording)	yes (while recording)
Aperture control in video	n/a	no	yes
Histogram in video	n/a	no	yes
Chromatic Aberration fix	n/a	no	yes
Time code support	n/a	no	yes

Overall, Mark III is an improvement over Mark II in the photography featrues, little bit bigger censor, faster processor, wider range ISO, more auto focus points, two memory cards, etc. Mark III is greatly improve on HDR support, such as, HDR in cameras, AE Bracketing and Multi-exposure, and 6 fps would help to get better HDR pictures. For me, I wish to have 5 or 7 frame AE Bracketing for quite some time.

Beside HDR, I would say, other improved features are nice the have. It's won't convince me to pay almost double to get Mark III.

Obviously the different between Mark II and Mark III is in video features. I don't know much about it but I can see that Mark III is greatly improve over Mark II. If the video features are important to you, then you should consider Mark III.

On the other hand, if you are looking for your first canon full frame camera, spend some time looking at  Mark II, specially at this price. It is a great photography tools and it is must better than 5D. It come with video features that you can explore. If I am not mistake, Mark II is very successful in this area too.

For me, I already have 5D. I am still happy with it and I don't really need video features. So I probably wait and see how Mark IV is going to look like.

Light & Lamp

Hope you like it!

Square Photography

Look interesting right? :)
It change my perspective. Why don't you try it!

 

Cherry Blossom 2012

Pictures from Cherry Blossom this year. I like to see how it's show up in the blogs. Not so bad :)