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SLR users, what is in your arsenal?

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Carbon Fetish

Monkey
May 6, 2002
619
0
Irvine, CA
I'm getting ready for Sea Otter and looking at what I need to buy before I drive up. I've got my Canon Digtal Rebel XT with the stock 18-55 lens, 75-300 lens and 2.5 gigs worth of memory. I'm going to pick up some more memory and a flash. I am just wondering what you guys use while in the field.
 

PatBranch

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2004
10,451
9
wine country
I have rebel G (from Binary Visions)with a 35-80 lense. I'm getting a Hoya super HMC UV filter and a polarized filter for water stuff. What kind should I get? I'm looking at ebay.
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,141
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
For MTB racing my kit is as follows
2 Canon 1DMk2s
1-6 580EX flashes
Pocket wizards to fire the flashes or a remote camera
70-200 f/2.8 IS
24-70 f/2.8
16-35 f/2.8
15 f/2.8 fisheye
Buttloads of batteries, 6 1D batteries and dozens of nicad AAs for flashes
I carry about 10gigs of memory but then again I also only shoot RAW so if you shoot jpegs you can get by with far less
A laptop to doanload all your cards is a very good idea, don't try to photoshop them outside, or carry the laptop up the hill, but at the end of the day it comes in handy.

Occaisionally I'll bring along a 300 f/2.8 IS but for most courses it just isn't needed, I don't even bother bringing the 400 or 600 with me much less up the hill same rule with teleconverters
Water, powerbars (both in large quantities) and hiking boots are a must, seems obviouse but I still have to double check every time.

A tripod occaisionally will come in handy and is a must for remotes
other usefull things are a blower ball and box of lens cloths to leave back in the car, as the front elemets of your lenses will get pretty dusty. Also before the practice and races even start I like to go scope the course and pick a lens for each body so I never have to change the lenses while the dust is in the air as your sensor will get pretty damn dusty.

Just watchout for falling riders, stay out of other photogs way, and have fun. I will be missing Sea Otter this year as the Long Beach Grand Prix is that same weekend, and it pays better/ has more free beer.
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,141
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
mtnbrider said:
I have rebel G (from Binary Visions)with a 35-80 lense. I'm getting a Hoya super HMC UV filter and a polarized filter for water stuff. What kind should I get? I'm looking at ebay.
The hoya filters are pretty darn good. For the polarizer if you want the best results get a B&W 2 stop polarizer, but they aren't cheap. The tiffens are decent, not great but very good, and go for about $50-$70.
If you can cruis up to the Calumet in Santa Barbara, I forget who I talk to over there, but he's got short blond hair, he's a good guy and will get you set up. Buying photo gear on Ebay is pretty sketchy IMO.
 

BigMike

BrokenbikeMike
Jul 29, 2003
8,931
0
Montgomery county MD
maxyedor said:
For MTB racing my kit is as follows
2 Canon 1DMk2s
1-6 580EX flashes
Pocket wizards to fire the flashes or a remote camera
70-200 f/2.8 IS
24-70 f/2.8
16-35 f/2.8
15 f/2.8 fisheye
Buttloads of batteries, 6 1D batteries and dozens of nicad AAs for flashes
I carry about 10gigs of memory
:eek::drool::eek::drool::eek::drool:
:drool::drool::drool::drool::drool::drool:
 

PatBranch

Turbo Monkey
Sep 24, 2004
10,451
9
wine country
maxyedor said:
The hoya filters are pretty darn good. For the polarizer if you want the best results get a B&W 2 stop polarizer, but they aren't cheap. The tiffens are decent, not great but very good, and go for about $50-$70.
If you can cruis up to the Calumet in Santa Barbara, I forget who I talk to over there, but he's got short blond hair, he's a good guy and will get you set up. Buying photo gear on Ebay is pretty sketchy IMO.
Someone told me about a really good seller on ebay, ravphoto. That's who I'm getting the filter from.

Thanks for the help!
 

Transcend

My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
For mtb I'll bring the following:
- 1dmk2 and 10d for backup
- 17-40
- 70-200
- 300
- 50 1.8 (I've sold more shots from this $70 lens..it's absurd)
- 2 550ex, 1 380ex (connected via pocket wizards, with ultra pods as supports)
- 1.4tc, just in case
- 8 gig or so in memory (mostly 1 gb cards, if it dies you dont lose too much).
-Rain coat, water, snack.

I pack it all up in a Lowe Pro Stealth Reporter 300 on a lowe pro belt system with two type 4 lens carriers.

In about 20 mins I'm off to shoot deer, geese and owls (yeah for 5:20am) and will be using a 400 2.8 with 1.4TC - and will be complaining the entire time it's too short. :)
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
65
behind the viewfinder
fraser, can you get sharp pics from the 50 w/ a moving object? the AF on that lens (at least mine) seems a bit slow...it's certainly no USM lens.
 

Transcend

My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
narlus said:
fraser, can you get sharp pics from the 50 w/ a moving object? the AF on that lens (at least mine) seems a bit slow...it's certainly no USM lens.
Definately. I have 2 shots in the orange catalog with this lens alone. Gotta love the DOF at 2.0, perfect for rolling product shots.

edit: This was the 50 I think.

 

brungeman

I give a shirt
Jan 17, 2006
5,170
0
da Burgh
narlus said:
nice pic....that collar really POPS ;)
BWAHAHA:rofl: NICE...

Transcend,
Nice shot... did you use a remote flash on the opposite side of the trail/jump from where you are shooting on that? or was that perfectly timed lighting;)
 

mammothpunks

Chimp
Sep 27, 2004
87
1
Mammoth
canon a2 w/ vertical
sigma 70-200 2.8
canon 24-105 3.5-4.5
canon 15mm
canon 580ex
sekonic l-558r
tiffen uv, 812, polorizer
canon FTb
canon 28 2.8
canon 50 1.4
canon 100 2.8
canon S2 IS
 

Transcend

My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
brungeman said:
BWAHAHA:rofl: NICE...

Transcend,
Nice shot... did you use a remote flash on the opposite side of the trail/jump from where you are shooting on that? or was that perfectly timed lighting;)
Little bit of both actually. Golden hour + remote flash (that was WAy too hot). The next few shots i dialed it bac 1/16, made a HUGE difference.
 

Motionboy2

Calendar Dominator
Apr 23, 2002
1,800
0
Broomfield, Colorado
Canon 1dMKII
Canon EOS1
Canon 70-200 2.8
Sigma 15mm fisheye
3 pw Multimax
2 pw Plus
3 Vivitar 285hv flashes for remote
1 Canon 580ex flash for on camera
18-35 zoom
Gitzu Basalt Tripod
flash meter
Canon 50mm 1.8
ultrapods...plenty
3 1gig Sandisk extreme cards
1 512 Sandisk extreme
1 lowe pro AW PhototrekkerII slightly modified :)
1g4 powerbook to dump the cards too
Cords, extra batteries, mounts, cheep tripods for remotes and all kindsa crap that I only remember when I need...
 

3D.

Monkey
Feb 23, 2006
899
0
Chinafornia USA
Transcend said:
Definately. I have 2 shots in the orange catalog with this lens alone. Gotta love the DOF at 2.0, perfect for rolling product shots.

edit: This was the 50 I think.

This may sound like a stupid question to most of you, but how are you guys posting larger pics like that, without using "thumbnail attachments" or a host like Image Shack or somethng?

By the way, I always used a Rebel 2000. Now I just use my Kodak 6.1, it's takes a quality picture and has full manual operation settings. Not so good for all you pro guys, but I have some fun with it.

I did a forum search on it, with no avail.
 

Motionboy2

Calendar Dominator
Apr 23, 2002
1,800
0
Broomfield, Colorado
3D. said:
This may sound like a stupid question to most of you, but how are you guys posting larger pics like that, without using "thumbnail attachments" or a host like Image Shack or somethng?

By the way, I always used a Rebel 2000. Now I just use my Kodak 6.1, it's takes a quality picture and has full manual operation settings. Not so good for all you pro guys, but I have some fun with it.

I did a forum search on it, with no avail.
A lot of photog's have their own website, you can host just about anything if you have enough server space
 

3D.

Monkey
Feb 23, 2006
899
0
Chinafornia USA
Motionboy2 said:
A lot of photog's have their own website, you can host just about anything if you have enough server space
Is that what you guys are doing, even when the picture exists in the post, unlinked?
 

BigMike

BrokenbikeMike
Jul 29, 2003
8,931
0
Montgomery county MD
Wow, I didn't realize so many people on here were photogs!

I have a Canon 10D with a 550 Speedlight I still can't get to work right :(
I'm hoping to upgrade to the 5D soon and get me a 70-200 2.8 :drool:
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,141
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
Untill Fraser mentioned it I totally forgot about the 50 f/1.8 every Canon user should have one, or more. They deliver great images and are basically disposable. The f/1.8 gives a great DOF as long at the focus is on the correct point.
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,141
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
Transcend said:
In about 20 mins I'm off to shoot deer, geese and owls (yeah for 5:20am) and will be using a 400 2.8 with 1.4TC - and will be complaining the entire time it's too short. :)
Hmm... sounds like it's time to dial up your freindly local CPS repm and get the 1200 on the way. 36lbs of nature shooting glory, hand-held of course:D
 

narlus

Eastcoast Softcore
Staff member
Nov 7, 2001
24,658
65
behind the viewfinder
although i don't (or haven't, anyway) shoot bike races, i'll join in the fun of listing my modest swag:

canon 350D (rebXT) and kit lens (18-55)
420EX
canon 50 f1.8
canon 70-200 f4

i need to get a tripod, and a wide angle lens. i've got 5 or so i am considering but haven't pulled the trigger yet.
 

brungeman

I give a shirt
Jan 17, 2006
5,170
0
da Burgh
Transcend said:
Little bit of both actually. Golden hour + remote flash (that was WAy too hot). The next few shots i dialed it bac 1/16, made a HUGE difference.
yep I see the BRIGHT HOT spot on his face, shoulder and rear rim... but you can also if you look close, see in the background the trees to to right of the rider have a nice warm light hitting them. You had really good timing for light on that...
 

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,660
1,237
Nilbog
Canon 10-d with a battery grip
3 Batteries
430 ex Flash
2.8 Sigma Fishey
2.8 55-80 Sigma
1.8 50 canon
Small Tripod
Lense Cleaning Kit
Couple of Hoods
Extra Small card
All Packed Nicely in my burton zoom backpack :love:
 

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,660
1,237
Nilbog
brungeman said:
yep I see the BRIGHT HOT spot on his face, shoulder and rear rim... but you can also if you look close, see in the background the trees to to right of the rider have a nice warm light hitting them. You had really good timing for light on that...
Dont worry brunge we will be shooting tons of that stuff this summer...Wait til you see the jump spot up by the church we have been building at, makes those look weak!

Pocket wizards are on their way...

Speaking of wanna go out tonight for a lite cruise to try some night shooting?
 

Five

Turbo Monkey
Mar 8, 2003
1,506
0
West Seattle, WA
Nikon D100
Nikon D70
Nikon 80-200 f/2.8
Nikon 18-70 f/3.5
Nikon 10.5 f/2.8
(2) Nikon SB-600
A few gigs of memory
Small tripod
Remote for D70
A few back up batteries
Lowepro backpack
ibook laptop
 

Transcend

My Nuts Are Flat
Apr 18, 2002
18,040
3
Towing the party line.
maxyedor said:
Hmm... sounds like it's time to dial up your freindly local CPS repm and get the 1200 on the way. 36lbs of nature shooting glory, hand-held of course:D

I think i am gonna see if i can take a 600 f4 for a test run next week thanks to cps.
 

manhattanprjkt83

Rusty Trombone
Jul 10, 2003
9,660
1,237
Nilbog
BAH said:
Yeah, you got the last of my gear ;)

Thats all I take mtn biking. My other gear is strictly weddin's
Yes i guess i did...I am going to put it through it's paces later tonight, as well as all next week on my moab trip...