Equipment Review: 1b

Some of this review will be kinda trivial for most of you, but there are always a few newbies who, when they don't understand something will either accept that they don't know it and keep quiet, or send me an email asking something they should have asked as a comment so that everyone else who didn't understand it could see the answer, too. Please, if you don't understand something I write about ask on the blog in a comment. Also note that you should be able to click on any of the images inline and get another version that includes EXIF and IPTC data for the equipment images that I take for my blog.

So, on to slot #1: Eclipse fluid is usually used with Sensor Swabs (slot #18) to clean the sensor of your dSLR. It will melt the finish right off your furniture (actually it just makes mine white) so don't treat it like lens cleaning solution (slot #18). On the other hand, it is not dangerous (although I don't think the TSA will let you take it on checked luggage and it cannot be shipped so you have to buy it locally) so don't get freaked out. In fact, don't get freaked out about wet cleaning your sensor ... it is not rocket science ... I know of no one who has done any damage to their camera by wet cleaning the sensor. Just don't use too much solution and do follow the directions that are all over the web with pictures and diagrams that I won't repeat here. Also in slot #1 are two "TC's" (Tele Converters, although Canon calls them Extender EF II), one is 1.4 meaning it will multiply the focal length of a lens by 1.4 times (400mm becomes 540mm) and the other is 2.0 and will double the focal length of the lens. Please note two things: (1) these only work properly when used with the lenses and bodies for which they are designed, and (2) they will also lower the light capturing ability of the lenses on which they are used, so that an f/2.8 lens will become an f/4 lens with the 1.4 TC. They attach as female on one side and male on the other. Most of us attach the TC to the lens first and then attach the lens/TC assembly to the camera. They are not cheap. Also note they have two red dots, one for aligning with the lens and the other for aligning to the body ... it will be pretty obvious which is which when you attach them. And finally in slot #1 I keep at least one quick release plate that attaches to my Bogen 3021 tripod with Manfrotto 3030 head. I like the quick release plates since you attach them to the camera and can leave them on while taking the camera on and off the tripod as they are light weight and don't get in the way when using the camera, although I don't leave them on if I don't expect to be using the body on a tripod. I will show them in use in a later equipment section when I discuss my tripods.

These pictures were all taken with the 1DMIII body shown in slot #2 of my diagram image. I will not be reviewing the 1DMIII bodies as there are many, many excellent reviews on websites such as Rob Galbraith, Photography-on-the.net and many others and you can read their specs at the Canon website (and almost anywhere you would buy one.) If you have specific questions about my usage I'm happy to answer or point you to a good reference. The same goes for the 16-35mm f/2.8L lens although I will talk about how/when I use this lens in a later section after reviewing the equipment.

Be Safe!

Dwight