Lighting Experiment 1

Posted by Glen in on 25 Feb. 2007, 9:16 pm

Here is an experiment in backlighting, inspired by the latest strobist challenge. There is nothing much to say, really. The vase is backlit with a small strobe, with fill provided by a larger strobe to the left (see setup shot, below).

Backlit vase

The setup:

Alternate version:

Weather/lens report

Posted by Glen in on 11 Feb. 2007, 6:08 pm

Nothing to report here, other than the awesomeness of Canon’s 70-200 f/2.8L IS lens. Too bad the Canadian air is causing sustained, crazy-low temperatures in Champaign. My fingers paid a heavy price for the shots below.

  1. Comment from Joy on 11 Feb. 2007, 7:26 pm :

    My what big ears you have, Indy!

  2. Comment from DAD on 12 Feb. 2007, 6:39 am :

    Indy deer, why so fast?

Showdown at 100mm

Posted by Glen in on 27 Jan. 2007, 12:17 pm

Comparing lens sharpness at 100mm:

Camera: Canon EOS 5D
Lenses: Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
Conditions: Indirect mid-morning sun, tripod-mounted, ISO 100, Zoomed to 100mm
Processing notes: ACR 3.3, Sharpness 25, Identical settings for entire batch


Original, cropped square (70-200, f/8)

f/2.8 detail, 100%:

N/A
100mm f/2 24-105mm f/4L 70-200 f/2.8L

f/4 detail, 100%:

100mm f/2 24-105mm f/4L 70-200 f/2.8L

f/8 detail, 100%:

100mm f/2 24-105mm f/4L 70-200 f/2.8L

f/11 detail, 100%:

100mm f/2 24-105mm f/4L 70-200 f/2.8L

f/8 crop, ~30%:

100mm f/2


24-105mm f/4L


70-200 f/2.8L


The Lineup

Conclusions:

  • Canon EF 100mm f/2 USM
    • Noticably sharper than the 70-200 at f/2.8. Nearly indistinguishable at f/8 and slower
    • Great all-around performer
    • Good value
  • Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS USM
    • Not quite as sharp as the 70-200
    • Although zoomed to 105mm for all shots, FOV is still wider than the 100mm prime and 70-200mm at 100mm. Appears closer to 95 mm by my estimate.
  • Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM
    • Strongest performer at f/4 and slower
    • Almost as good as the prime wide-open
    • Slightly cooler color rendition than its rivals

    ISO

    Posted by Glen in on 20 Jan. 2007, 5:15 pm

    Comparing ISO settings in a medium-to-low light condition:

    Camera: Canon EOS 5D
    Lens: Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM
    Conditions: Indirect late-afternoon sun, hand-held, IS on
    Processing notes: ACR 3.3, Sharpness 25

    Original image
    Uncropped original (ISO 400)

    ISO 100
    ISO 100, 0.3s, f/2.8, 200mm (pardon the shake)

    ISO 400
    ISO 400, 1/13s, f/2.8, 200mm

    ISO 800
    ISO 800, 1/25s, f/2.8, 200mm

    ISO 1600
    ISO 1600, 1/50s, f/2.8, 200mm

    ISO 3200
    ISO 3200, 1/80s, f/2.8, 200mm

    1. Comment from Angela on 22 Jan. 2007, 10:43 am :

      hmm…ever so slightly esoteric but…pretty! love the updates!

    2. Comment from Glen on 22 Jan. 2007, 6:05 pm :

      Esoteric? You ain’t seen nothin’ yet!

    3. Comment from DAD on 27 Jan. 2007, 10:21 am :

      In the 1/27 photo of Annie, that looks like a good stretch!

    4. Comment from Glen on 27 Jan. 2007, 11:45 am :

      She was actually sleeping. No stretching involved.

    Photography

    Posted by Glen in on 6 Jan. 2007, 7:11 pm

    Introducing “Photo Notes”, a new section that will surely be of little interest to anyone other than myself. Its purpose is to chronicle my photography activities, as well as offset my consumption of photography-related information on the internet. By detailing my experiments in topics such as lighting, Photoshop, and equipment comparisons, I hope to create a record for my own use as well as others who may be searching for this information.

    1. Comment from Tammy on 8 Jan. 2007, 12:57 pm :

      I will monitor this section with diligence.