Life in Japan - Pictures galore !! Arcades, Temples, Rainy days, etc

A lot of people like that one. I was on the fence -- was trying to get silhouettes of people walking in w/ the orange-lit background. They had just turned on the lights which kind of destroyed that idea.

 

Gaijinpunch - for your last set of shots what camera/lens combo did you use? Superb stuff - pro!
I see canon 5d w/ Zeiss 35mm.?
I am thinking of getting the canon 5d mark 3. The kit with 24-105 f4 lens is only +50,000 yen extra and i read it is a great multipurpose lens.
HOWEVER I really like DOF/BOKEH ...sure I can simulate still pictures afterwards with Photoshop but if I ever do some short clips/movies then that will be difficult to replicate in post.
So I was thinking of getting a lens that can do good dof/bokeh - i'm wondering if I can find a cheap 50mm or 85mm 1.2 (such as a canon used store) that will be a good all rounder?
I dont particularly want to carry 2 lens about just one

 

I'm upgrading to a Lumix GH2 or 3 from my GF2 since I now have 3 micro four third lens. My friend has a Canon kiss as seen in my photo below.


Canon-kiss-x6i by Yakum01975, on Flickr

If you are on a budget thats a good start with the lense kit. You'll get great bokeh with that. But remember that it's more about the lens than the body when it comes bokeh. The picture I took above was done with a Panasonic GF2, a very cheap (by DLSR standards) camera but with a 110'000 yen lens although I only paid 42'000 yen plus shipping from Yahoo Auctions.

 

You are right - that's why I am scratching my head on what lens to get. I would prefer as I mention, not to carry 2 lens as that takes time to swap.

canon 5d mark 3 body now 250k
http://kakaku.com/item/K0000347675/

canon 5d mark 3 with lens 24-105 300k
http://kakaku.com/item/K0000347676/

I dont mind paying a bit more say up to 50k (100k total) on a quality 1 size fits all lens.
Preferably i get a lens that can do nice bokeh for people shots, maybe some small movies in future, and also general photography such as buildings and landscape views as I like views.
I know these are opposite ends of the spectrum though - I don't need ultra wide angle however.

 

It's actually the lens *and* the body. There's a lot of factors that matter with both. First, a full frame sensor will give you a shallower depth of field than an APS-C, as the back of the lens is closer to the sensor. So for that, your options for Canon are 5d2/5d3, 6D, or the pricer 1D models. Apparently the 6D is pretty damn good for the money... substantially less than the 5d3. Definitely read up on both. On paper it seems like a toy of sorts, but the reviews I've read have been quite positive.

24-105 F4 is apparently a great lens. I try not to shoot wider than F4 for candids as the targets are moving and it introduces focusing issues. However, I do sometimes. If you plan on shooting at night, F4 is going to hurt you... it will prevent you from getting shots, no doubt. The 24-70 F2.8 is a better choice assuming you don't have to have the longest zoom. (I will have one for sale soon if you really want one). The 24-70 F2.8 II is apparently sharp as fuck (as sharp or sharper as the L-primes in between it, which are 24, 35, and 50). Note though, that Canon's 35 and 50 L lenses both are pretty old. People have been expecting a 35mm upgrade for ages.

The last set was my 5d2 and Zeiss 35mm, except for the fuzzy ankles one, and the cinematic shot of the girls ankle high shoes which were shot with a Zeiss 100mm which is the sharpest lens I've used. I don't use it that much but I try to find excuses to b/c it's so fucking awesome.

You really should ask yourself if you need the zoom. If so, how much. Then, how crazy of depth of field do you want. The basic pros of primes is they are (usually) sharper than zooms and (usually) have wider apertures. Cons are they don't zoom. Further more, in the Canon realm, I was not super thrilled on paper with the 35mm or 50mm primes. Either are from the 90's, with the 35mm being particularly questionable in terms of value. It's not a bad lens, but not a great one considering the high cost. I will probably get the 50mm F1.2 by the summer though, as I need something with auto-focus for an event I'm going to. Canon's non-L primes in 35 and 50 range have enough issues that I opted to skip them, and saved up for the Zeiss.

What I would suggest is the 24-70 F2.8 for people shots. (Used this will still run you about 60,000 - 70,000 though). Then look at getting an adapted manual focus lens for videos and landscape/cityscape. You'll need to chip it if you want the autofocus lights to work, but if you're not hitting a moving target, you can use the viewfinder. It's the most accurate form of focus, just a bitch to get used to. The focus rings on these thing are superb for video. Even for Canon's most expensive lenses they are shit, as they're made of plastic to keep the weight down. These lenses can be had cheap (Super Takumar 58mm F1.2 for roughly 6000 yen comes to mind) and are very highly rated. Nikon has an 85mm which is apparently as sharp as the come, which will only run about 35,000 on YJ).

EDIT: Unless the yen continues it's trend of weakening, you will get a better deal on the 5d3 on the internet. Not everyone ships to Japan, but B&H PHoto does, and they run sales sometimes.

 

Good advice from the ASSEMbler camera master there. I'm totally lost when it comes to Canon stuff since I've only been looking at the four thirds lens types but from the numbers alone I can tell that the ones GaijinPunch has recommended are ideal for what you want.

 

As luck would have it, I'm seriously thinking of dumping a bunch of shit I don't need (which I should do anyway) and picking up the Sony DSC-RX1. Looks fucking sick, and apparently lives up to the hype. Game changer for semi-pro cameras. Problem is I fucking hate Sony (but I love Zeiss, and they make the lens).

 

Eww, a Sony camera. Say it isn't true, YUCK!! You are right though, it is meant to be the bees knees of semi pro cameras. I still wouldn't buy one though , not brand new at least. If you do sell your 5D I know someone who would love to buy it if Legion doesn't go for it.

 

Did this happen to you too when you went to Japan?

 

When I used to come here for shopping trips back in 1996, 1997 and spring 1998, yes. I'd buy loads of gaming stuff.

 

great...original post got deleted as i took too long to write it

Camera
Please do not wait for me if you decide to sell your 5d.
I will probably go for canon 5d mark iii after i move to Tokyo (due to cost of moving/also do not want to break it in the move) and probably do revolving payments as i cannot afford it all upfront.

Lens
As with above!
I did a bit more research on focal lengths etc and i dont need telephoto capabilities so a 24-70 would be ok but then I see the CANON EF50mm F1.2L USM and the lovely pictures it gives!
So I think that might be the lens I get as my stay on the camera - one size fits all lens. I do want landscape shots but the full frame should mean I get wider pictures than my current pocket canon s95 (unless I am wrong?!).
It is a little bit expensive but I don't want to have to buy another lens anytime soon, however your Super Takumar 58mm F1.2 advice got me thinking....


Sony RX 1
I currently have a canon s95 as my pocket cam, and was drooling over the sony RX 100 or the Fuji X100.
The Sony cam pictures do look gorgeous though! Grr....

 

The RX1 would be to compliment my 5d2. I am only going to sell it when I update to the 5d3, which may not be for a while. The thing that shines most on the 5d3 is better auto-focus, and my main lenses now are manual. So, not the smartest upgrade. While yes, it is a "sony camera", it is a Zeiss lens. They've been in optics since the late 1800's. Apparently this product is fantastic, so I'm going to try to hide my hate for Sony and give them a fair chance. The good thing being that Japanese love Sony, so reselling shouldn't be too hard if I find it's not for me. With the yen weakening, it's already a few hundred bucks cheaper here. Can't say that for any Canon product.

>> Lens
50mm on a full frame is closer to 80mm on an APS-C. I like 50mm for street. Sometimes 35 is just too wide. I'm thinking if I get the RX1, and the 50mm F1.2 on my 5d2, I'd just carry the two around and set for just about anything.

 

More on how dope the RX1 is.

http://www.dxomark.com/index.php/Pu...-the-compact-photojournalists-are-waiting-for

 

It's practically a pro camera in a smaller shell!
Shame about the price though.... I really hope more follow suit next year to drive prices down so maybe the end of next year there can be affordable ones for us to scratch our head over which to get!

I understand the no love for Sony thing - I wasnt too interested in getting a Sony cam but will relent if thats the only option.
I dont have love for apple neither but i do have their iphone/ipad/appletv.....

If you are saying 35mm is sometimes too wide for street then that seals my decision to go for 50mm f1.2 on the 5d3 then !
I was checking 24mm and 35mm reviews but now I think I'll just go with the 50mm as my all in lens and try to get good with it, as I know its not just the tools! The quality of your pictures GaijinPunch are definitely not just the work of the camera and lens

 

Well, it depends. I think you'll find most "pro" street photographers using 35mm more than you'll find the others. 50mm is kind of an odd ball for some, but I like it. If you're shooting candid photos, 50mm can definitely come in handy. I find it can be more of a hindrance for tighter areas though. It really is just a preference.

Indeed, it's not just the tools, but they do help! And thanks!

 

How cool is this Shrine?

 

lolz, what are you doin in my garden. j/k, but cool shrine anyway

GP, what would you recommend for a total newbie as far as reflex cameras go? I'm looking for 0.85*cheapness + 0.15*quality -> just to learn the trade a bit and see if i like it.

 

HEHE, that's a pretty cool shrine.

 

I would pick a brand I liked and go with their entry level body used. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. God knows I want to punch canon in the balls sometimes. A friend of mine just got a Rebel t2i w/ a lens for like $250 used as the t4i just came out. Cheap as chips. Also keep in mind that the lenses will retain a lot of their value over the years. The bodies... almost none at some point.

 

Errr...