Finally made the switch to Canon!

[Deerefan8420]

Hello everyone! After some lengthy thought on the matter, I finally decided to purchase a Canon digital DSLR. After reading many reviews and following some recommendations here on the boards, I choose the EOS Rebel T3i as my camera of choice. I am still learning about the camera and it's many features! I am still waiting on a couple of adapters for my set-up, but I was able to capture a few images with what I have for now. I am using a Fotodiox bellows that has the Nikon F-mounts and instead of purchasing a new set of bellows, I ordered a Nikon F-Mount to Canon EOS body adapter. I'm finding that the 105mm Nikkor Enlarging lens works well and I don't think I'll be using a dedicated Macro lens much. Once my adapters come in and I can get things a bit sturdier, I'm sure the details will be a much crisper. If anyone has any tips or advice, I'm all ears!

 

Here are a few samples of what I have been able to capture so far-

 

 

These are just some cropped views of the date on the 1880-S Morgan and the 1958 Franklin Proof.

 

[wdrob]

Wow!

You weren't joking when you said you were going to switch over to a Cannon soon.

 

I am still waiting for one more item (extension tubes) to come in and then I will be set. How do you like that sweet software interface?

 

Looks good.

[Walkerfan]

Looks GREAT to me!! I would love to be able to take pictures like that!!

[Deerefan8420]

Wow!

You weren't joking when you said you were going to switch over to a Cannon soon.

 

I am still waiting for one more item (extension tubes) to come in and then I will be set. How do you like that sweet software interface?

 

Looks good.

 

Thanks Bill!

I had been contemplating on switching over for a while now but hadn't fully made up my mind. I finally got my refund from my state taxes last week and figured it was now or never!

 

I'm really loving the user interface with the Canon software! While playing around with the 18-55mm lens that came with the camera, I noticed that you can do some super-fine focus adjustments! If I ever buy a dedicated macro lens for the Canon, it should come in super handy!

[bsshog40]

I love my t4i. You'll really enjoy the camera outside of coins also.

[copper toning]

I like that 30-S

[Deerefan8420]

Looks GREAT to me!! I would love to be able to take pictures like that!!

 

Thanks Walker!

 

I like that 30-S

 

I like it too! You know, I've thought about resubmitting this coin to see if it would upgrade, but I think it looks just fine in the old fatty holder the way it is. And it will likely stay there for quite a long time!

[Deerefan8420]

I love my t4i. You'll really enjoy the camera outside of coins also.

 

Bobby, that's what my Nikon is for now! I bought a 55-200mm lens to go along with the 105mm Macro and the 18-55mm lens that came with the camera. I love the versatility of the 105mm Macro too, as shown by these two images here(I know these aren't coin related, but I'm sure folks won't mind!).

[bsshog40]

Yea I sprung for a 75-200mm for my T4i. Really nice.

[robec1347]

Love your Lincoln. Great shot!! Are you tethered and using your computer monitor to focus?

 

BTW. I also love your boxer!! My last 5 dogs have been boxers, going back 40 years.

 

[bsshog40]

Love your Lincoln. Great shot!! Are you tethered and using your computer monitor to focus?

 

BTW. I also love your boxer!! My last 5 dogs have been boxers, going back 40 years.

 

Nice brindle Bob. My last brindle died about 3 yrs ago. I have another that is 2 yrs old now.

[Deerefan8420]

Love your Lincoln. Great shot!! Are you tethered and using your computer monitor to focus?

 

BTW. I also love your boxer!! My last 5 dogs have been boxers, going back 40 years.

 

 

Thanks Bob! I am tethered with the Canon software and using my monitor to focus. It works just as well as my previous set-up but I love having the ability to change camera settings from the computer and I don't have to touch the camera once I get the focus right!

 

I love boxers! This is my second one. Your pups have some similar colors to mine, especially the one on the right in the second image. Even its mask! It is almost identical to my Roxie's mask. If your dogs are registered, we should compare pedigrees to see if they are related!

[rmpsrpms]

Good choice on the T3i. I assume you took these in live view, looking at the image on computer screen, right? It's important to use the Zoombrowser utility in order to take advantage of Canon's EFSC functionality. Also, what was your aperture setting on the 105EL?

 

edited to add...must have had old data and missed your earlier answer...plus missed the boxers! My Brindle Boxer female died in '05, and my Boston Terrier male in '06, and we were so broken up we couldn't have a dog again until this year. We got a male English Bulldog in January...here he is as a (big) puppy:

 

[RWB]

Image quality is a function of the lens and CCD/electronics. The camera body could be anything - even a cereal box.

 

Enjoy your new camera. I bet you'll make some excellent photos with it.

[robec1347]

Love the Bulldog Ray. I have a soft spot for those as well. My two brindles in the photo are brother and sister. Both were 10 when they left us 9 years ago.

 

Our current boxer, the fawn pictured below the brindles, is now 11. The final years are always the toughest, but the joy they bring getting there makes the journey well worth it.

[RWB]

My dog a 75-pound mutt, "Ivan," is 13 and says his secret is chasing a squirrel a day -- and long naps.

[robec1347]

My dog a 75-pound mutt, "Ivan," is 13 and says his secret is chasing a squirrel a day -- and long naps.

 

My fawn boxer made the mistake of catching a ground squirrel as it was racing out of its hole.. He pretty much swallowed it whole. He reeked of gas for a week.

[RWB]

That's funny! Did he eat Chip or Dale chipmonk?

[Deerefan8420]

Good choice on the T3i. I assume you took these in live view, looking at the image on computer screen, right? It's important to use the Zoombrowser utility in order to take advantage of Canon's EFSC functionality. Also, what was your aperture setting on the 105EL?

 

edited to add...must have had old data and missed your earlier answer...plus missed the boxers! My Brindle Boxer female died in '05, and my Boston Terrier male in '06, and we were so broken up we couldn't have a dog again until this year. We got a male English Bulldog in January...here he is as a (big) puppy:

 

Thanks Ray! Yes, I was in live view when I took the images. I was in the live view mode when the images were taken, although I don't think I was in the Zoombrowser. When the images were taken, I could see the full coin. Should I take the images when I am zoomed in on a particular area of the coin instead? My aperture setting was at f/8. Should I open it up to f/5.6? That's the largest opening for the aperture. It would probably help to get my shutter speed a little faster too. With those images, I was at 1/30.

 

Beautiful bulldog too! We used to hunt with a guy who had bulldogs and we would always bring them along when he stayed with us at the camp. They were excellent dogs and very well-mannered! And playful too!

[robec1347]

That's funny! Did he eat Chip or Dale chipmonk?

It was actually a chipette. I tried to get it out of his mouth, but I only succeeded in pulling part of the tail off........then he gulped the rest down.

[bsshog40]

Taking the picture zoomed in won't make a difference in the picture. The zoom mode is just a nice tool for focusing detail. The lens will still take the picture as if it wasn't zoomed. I don't know how it tells the difference but I've never seen a difference. Also, when I zoom, I do it in my live mode screen on the camera.

[rmpsrpms]

Thanks Ray! Yes, I was in live view when I took the images. I was in the live view mode when the images were taken, although I don't think I was in the Zoombrowser. When the images were taken, I could see the full coin. Should I take the images when I am zoomed in on a particular area of the coin instead? My aperture setting was at f/8. Should I open it up to f/5.6? That's the largest opening for the aperture. It would probably help to get my shutter speed a little faster too. With those images, I was at 1/30.

 

Beautiful bulldog too! We used to hunt with a guy who had bulldogs and we would always bring them along when he stayed with us at the camp. They were excellent dogs and very well-mannered! And playful too!

 

If you were seeing the Live View on computer screen, you were using Zoombrowser. I use the zoom-in function for critical focusing. The full-screen resolution is not quite good enough to critically-focus with, even at wide apertures. As for aperture, f/8 is good for the 105EL. You might see a small improvement on smaller coins at f/5.6 but focusing becomes even more critical so it may be best to stick with f/8.

 

The bulldog is super playful, and unbelievably strong. He's almost 70lbs now at 17mos and his neck is about 23 inches...luckily he's a sweetheart.

[wdrob]

So far I have found that f/5.6 to f/8.0 seems to do just fine for most everything I have been taking photos of lately (which is just about anything I can get on my copy stand; still trying to get my Yorkie to sit still).

 

I don't know if it is my imagination or not but it seems that the larger the aperture I use the better the toning and colors are revealed. Yes or No?

 

 

[RWB]

Ordinary camera lenses usually have their best resolution and sharpness between f5.6 and f11. With smaller apertures, defraction at the iris edges degrades the image.

[wdrob]

When I say the larger the aperture I am speaking of the larger size opening and smaller number.

 

Your comment, Roger, led me to believe you interpreted it the other way around.

 

Or maybe I interpreted you comment the wrong way ...

 

Ah hell - it is up for interpretation regardless ...

[robec1347]

I think Roger is correct.

 

As the aperture gets smaller (number gets higher) the photo becomes more degraded.

[RWB]

What Robec said....

 

As the aperture become smaller the f-number increases. Don't worry, this has confused photography students for almost 2 centuries.

[wdrob]

You may need to re read what I said.

 

You both only confirmed what I said.

 

[robec1347]

You may need to re read what I said.

 

You both only confirmed what I said.

 

Then we all agree.

[rmpsrpms]

The choice of aperture is all about getting the best sharpness while optimizing depth of field. What RWB says about diffraction is true, but the limit at which sharpness starts to degrade the image depends more on the camera (sensor) than on the lens. Smaller camera sensor pixel pitch requires larger apertures to get sharpest image. My T2i, and DF's T3i, use the same 18MP sensor with 4.3um pitch pixels. With this sensor pitch, diffraction begins to degrade the image with (effective) apertures smaller than f6.7.