- Michael Gonzales -

I rented a 1.4ii teleconverter

Mike-n-Ike — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:41:27 +0000

More from a while back. I forgot I had these on one of my memory cards. lol

That weekend I had rented a 1.4ii teleconverter since I’ve been having this desire for longer telephoto shots. I’ve seriously been thinking of purchasing a 300mm lens. however because of the type of photography I normaly do that means I would have to get the 2.8 IS version. And since I’m a poor college student that doesnt get paid much I decided to put it off an was thinking of buying a teleconverter instead. $350-500 vs. $7,300. LOL

Anyways I rented the older model (rental shop doesn’t carry the newer version) and was pretty satisfied with the results. It did soften my pictures but not as much as I was fearing and not as much as I have heard from on the interwebs. It does help that I’m using it on my 70-200 2.8IS II though.

Long story short I was happy with the results, even for having to be at f/4…. until I just recently rented the 300mm 2.8! OMG …see my other post. Its not even fair!

1. EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @145mm : 1/125 sec : ISO 1250 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash

2. EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @280mm : 1/125 sec : ISO 1250 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash (+1.4xii teleconverter)

3. EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @70mm : 1/125 sec : ISO 1250 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash

4. EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @280mm : 1/125 sec : ISO 1250 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash (+ 1.4xii teleconverter)

5. EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @280mm : 1/125 sec : ISO 1250 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash (+ 1.4xii teleconverter)

6. EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @185mm : 1/125 sec : ISO 1250 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash (+ 1.4xii telecovonverter)

7. EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @280mm : 1/125 sec : ISO 1250 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash (+ 1.4xii telecovonverter)

8. EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @280mm : 1/125 sec : ISO 1250 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash (+ 1.4xii telecovonverter)

New wide shots.

Mike-n-Ike — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:18:12 +0000

So with all the telephoto shots from my 70-200mm (probably my favorite lens) and the 300mm 2.8 I rented I decided to bring my 16-35mm 2.8 lens with me this weekend. I ended up with a handful of shots to remind me of how much I truly love this lens and what its capable of.

1. EOS 7D : 16-35mm 2.8II : @16mm : 1/250 sec : ISO 1250 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

2. EOS 7D : 16-35mm 2.8II : @16mm : 1/125 sec : ISO 1250 : f/3.5 : Manuel : No Flash

3. EOS 7D : 16-35mm 2.8II : @16mm : 1/250 sec : ISO 1250 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

4. EOS 7D : 16-35mm 2.8II : @16mm : 1/250 sec : ISO 1250 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

5. EOS 7D : 16-35mm 2.8II : @16mm : 1/200 sec : ISO 1250 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

6. EOS 7D : 16-35mm 2.8II : @16mm : 1/160 sec : ISO 1250 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

300mm @ the Wild Animal park

Mike-n-Ike — Mon, 14 May 2012 10:04:21 +0000

I rented this lens for the weekend and a 1.4ii teleconverter but I forgot the tele at home… DOH!

anyways I was only there for about two hours until it closed. I got a few pics but these were my faves.

1. EOS 7D : 300mm 2.8 : @300mm : 1/2500 sec : ISO 100 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

2. EOS 7D : 300mm 2.8 : @300mm : 1/2500 sec : ISO 100 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

3. EOS 7D : 300mm 2.8 : @300mm : 1/2500 sec : ISO 100 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

I swear they were standing in a line like that! I also have one were every other rhino is looking to the camera.

4. EOS 7D : 300mm 2.8 : @300mm : 1/1600 sec : ISO 100 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

I was so Proud of this shot! I literally was walking to the exit of the park and quickly glanced to my left and did a double take! I had to stop to capture the moment.

So I rented a 300mm 2.8 lens!

Mike-n-Ike — Mon, 14 May 2012 09:52:19 +0000

OMG!!! I was beyond impressed with this lens. Even though this is the old model and it doesn’t have any of the new Florite coatings or IS, it is amazing! I highly recommend using one at least once in your lifetime!

I also rented a 1.4ii teleconverter as I original really wanted to rent a 400mm 2.8 IS, however the rental shop was all sold out. Just so this is clear; a 300mm 2.8 lens with a 1.4 teleconverter is 420mm f/4 lens. Also since my camera has a 1.6x crop factor this lens + tele + camera combo reached out to amazing 672mm @ f/4!!!!! O.O

This is an awesome combo and now i realize why the 300mm lens are praised so high. The lens is tack sharp despite being at least 10 years old and looks like it has been dragged on the ground and put in a washing machine with gravel! Even with the 1.4ii tele its still sharp. As sharp or if not sharper than my 70-200mm 2.8IS ii. It also makes my 70-200 look like a toy!

Man do I wish the rental shop had the IS version though. Trying to hand hold this monster @ 1/160 and higher without skyrocketing the ISO is a challenge and workout! I think it was worth it though. So sad I have to return it later today. :’(

Also a bit scary too as the last time I rented a lens of this caliber I ended up buying my own copy within a few months. lol

Anyone have any experience with this lens?

;here are some from this weekend, three services. *some of these I was literately a fly on the wall!*

1. EOS 7D : 300mm 2.8L : @16mm : 1/160 sec : ISO 1250 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash

2. EOS 7D : 420mm 2.8L : @16mm : 1/160 sec : ISO 1250 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash (+1.4xii Teleconverter)

3. EOS 7D : 300mm 2.8L : @16mm : 1/160 sec : ISO 1250 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash

4. EOS 7D : 300mm 2.8L : @16mm : 1/250 sec : ISO 1250 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash

5. EOS 7D : 300mm 2.8L : @16mm : 1/160 sec : ISO 1250 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash

6. EOS 7D : 300mm 2.8L : @16mm : 1/160 sec : ISO 1250 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash

7. EOS 7D : 300mm 2.8L : @16mm : 1/160 sec : ISO 1250 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash

8. EOS 7D : 420mm 2.8L : @16mm : 1/160 sec : ISO 1250 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash (+1.4xii Teleconverter)

9. EOS 7D : 420mm 2.8L : @16mm : 1/160 sec : ISO 1000 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash (+1.4xii Teleconverter)

10. EOS 7D : 300mm 2.8L : @16mm : 1/160 sec : ISO 1250 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

11. EOS 7D : 300mm 2.8L : @16mm : 1/250 sec : ISO 1250 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

12. EOS 7D : 300mm 2.8L : @16mm : 1/250 sec : ISO 1250 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

13. EOS 7D : 300mm 2.8L : @16mm : 1/250 sec : ISO 1000 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

14. EOS 7D : 300mm 2.8L : @16mm : 1/250 sec : ISO 1000 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

15. EOS 7D : 300mm 2.8L : @16mm : 1/200 sec : ISO 1250 : f/4 : Manuel : No Flash

Star Trails

Mike-n-Ike — Thu, 10 May 2012 23:22:28 +0000

EOS 7D : 16-35mm 2.8II : @16mm : 10 sec : ISO 800 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash (x484)

I felt like I was in a creative funk the other day so I decided to try some more star trails. I figured the best place around was Palomar mountain and 8 hours later I was back home with a 32gb card full of pictures to process.

1. EOS 7D : 16-35mm 2.8II : @16mm : 10 sec : ISO 800 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash (x484)

2. EOS 7D : 16-35mm 2.8II : @16mm : 10 sec : ISO 800 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash (x625)

EDIT: Part two. So i liked the photos so much I drove up there again Thurs. night for some more photos.

3.EOS 7D : 16-35mm 2.8II : @16mm : 10 sec : ISO 800 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash (x166)

4.EOS 7D : 16-35mm 2.8II : @16mm : 10 sec : ISO 800 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash (x607)

5. EOS 7D : 16-35mm 2.8II : @16mm : 10 sec : ISO 800 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash (x398)

Church Again

Mike-n-Ike — Thu, 10 May 2012 23:12:49 +0000

EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @200mm : 1/200 sec : ISO 1250 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

1. EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @200mm : 1/200 sec : ISO 1250 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

2. EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @70mm : 1/200 sec : ISO 1250 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

3. EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @70mm : 1/200 sec : ISO 1250 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

4. EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @200mm : 1/160 sec : ISO 1250 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

5. EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @200mm : 1/160 sec : ISO 1250 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

6. EOS 7D : 50 f/1.4 : @50mm : 1/80 sec : ISO 400 : f/1.4 : Manuel : No Flash

More from church…

Mike-n-Ike — Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:22:40 +0000

I really need to update my web sight somehow since most of my photos are concert photography based. Maybe I’ll just make one page for these type of photos and keep updating it. Any suggestions?

Anyways there were a couple of ones I really like in this batch. I’ll have to examine what I did different.

EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @100mm : 1/250 sec : ISO 640 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @200mm : 1/250 sec : ISO 640 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @168mm : 1/160 sec : ISO 640 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @200mm : 1/250 sec : ISO 640 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

EOS 7D : 70-200mm 2.8IS II : @200mm : 1/250 sec : ISO 1250 : f/2.8 : Manuel : No Flash

I don’t normally crop pictures the way I did in the last picture but with the focus I liked the crop…

The flowers are almost back!

Mike-n-Ike — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:35:38 +0000

So I’m in the process of going through all of my pictures again. Looking for duds and rejects to delete in order to get more hard drive space, because inevitably I’m out of space again… I’m also in a sense, remastering my old photos and updating the watermark on some of the old ones. A bad practice I know but I’m never happy with it.

If anything its like looking though a old family album. Even though this is only my third year or so my photography adventure, I’ve collected a rather large amount of photos. Just the other day my 7D reached its 30k shutter mark! Here I am thinking its still my new camera… and my 350d well that’s long gone by now but looking at the old pictures I cant help but cherish them.

Out of all the seasons to photography I have to say that mid summer is my favorite. I love to take pictures of the growing natures scene around me. Maybe its because nobody ever complains about me. No model bickering, no contracts to write up, or even no soccer moms worrying that I’m going to take pictures of there kids, (I’ve literally had the cops called on me at least twice this year for taking pictures in the general vicinity of paranoid parents…) Its just me enjoying taking pictures… And I usually end up with a couple of my favorites pictures and some exercise which I desperately need right now!

Any ways here are only a couple of my favorite nature pictures.

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Pastor Rudy Topete

Mike-n-Ike — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 09:47:28 +0000

Photo Session I did for my good friend Pastor Rudy Topete.

Picture and lighting setup to come.

The Katinas and Nova at VAG!

Mike-n-Ike — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 23:19:07 +0000

This is going to be a really long post. Someone asked me to post all of my picture at this is pretty much it. I’m also going to skip the data on these so I don’t spend an hour editing this post but if you would like to know the specs for an image just let me know.

In addtion this represents what kind of output i would expect for a concert set. Typicaly there would be more but since I was running lights and running out of the booth everyonce in a while to get pictures this is what i came up with. Out of the 100 or so pictures i took that evening these were the ones were keepers or other wise choices in similar images. All of these are edited but in the end I would go through and choice my top 15- or 20 images and turn those in.

These pictures are also in series in which they were shot so if you look carefully you can see where i went to from each picture or where i had been.

Also since i was the LD for the concert in a way I had full control of the lights. but rather than just nuke the stage with light I pretty much left the light levels where they would be during a normal service. I did this for two reasons; first I’m used to shooting in this venue and I knew I could get by with an acceptable level of noise from my camera’s ISO settings. and second I wanted to keep an intimate feel for the concert and just blasting the stage with front light would have destroyed that atmosphere i was trying to create.

BTW Big thanks to the Katinas and Nova for playing at our church. It was booth a blessing and an honor. If you ever get to see these guys in concert you should go. it is quite an experience and they are the nicest people you will ever meet!

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