new blog!

I've moved the blog over to my own photography site. Here's the link:
www.bonnieandjason.com

Commentary on new Canon Rebel XTi

The new Canon Rebel XTi could be a good "upgrade" from my current workhorses, the Canon 20D and 1D Mark II. Upgrade you say? An entry level $800 camera vs. a mid-level $1500 and high-end $3000 camera? Let's look at my priorities in order of importance:

1. Image quality - slight edge to 1D2 (minor edge in dynamic range, noise)
2. Speed - slight edge to 1D2 (I rarely take advantage of 8fps, turn on time for both are nearly instantaneous)
3. Feature set - tie (I rarely take advantage of the overwhelming custom functions on the 1D2 and the new Rebel has that new fangled anti-dust feature)
4. Battery life - slight edge to 1D2 (tie when battery grip included)
5. Resolution - slight edge to Rebel
6. Weight - strong advantage to Rebel
7. Price - strong advantage to Rebel
8. Crop factor - tie (depends on if I shoot wide vs. tele)
9. Weather sealing - slight edge to 1D2 (I rarely shoot in the rain)
10. Professional impression - strong advantage to 1D2

So are there any real compelling reasons for me to shoot with a 1D2? Not as I see it. Back when I upgraded from the 10D to the 20D and 1D2, the decision was easier. Battery life was greatly improved, the resolution increase made a more significant difference, start time went from a few seconds to practically nothing, and I wanted the opportunity to go wide angle. Now, battery life on the new Rebel with the battery grip should be more than enough for a full day of shooting, the resolution of the rebel is greater than on the 1D2 with no loss of image quality (resolution does not always correspond to image quality), start time is essentially the same, and I now have a fish-eye lens which gives me the wide angle I would need on a 1.6 crop factor sensor.

So will I dump my 1D2 and 20D for a couple new Rebels? Probably not anytime soon. They meet my needs just fine. However, when it comes time to retire those cameras, I would bet that I won't be buying their future equivalents. I can definitely see myself making do with a few Rebel XTz/600D or whatever the Rebel equivalent is at that point.

Kids as subjects

One of the best things about being a photographer is the opportunity to capture kids in their element. Although difficult to direct, they will reward your patience and skill with unadulterated expressions of joy, curiosity, and at times, grief. I've been lucky enough to have Tyler and Rylee as my subjects on more than one occasion. Here's just one of a number of pictures that I hope they'll look back upon fondly.

Renaissance Fair

Where do you go to find a good mix of people who are into Lord of the Rings, Star Wars, Star Trek, Dungeons and Dragons, and questionable personal hygiene? Your local renaissance fair (faire).

I have to admit, it was kinda cool watching a couple would-be knights beat the crap out of each other. And a "squire" was nearly decapitated when "Sir William" missed a bit low as he tried to chop a cabbage in two from the top of said squires helmet.

Of course, the main reason we went was so Bonnie could chow down on a big turkey leg. Pretty tasty actually, even though we had to wait an hour in line. (They had a Chinese food booth too... sort of like the medievel version of Panda express.)

Anyway, here's a link to the Flickr album... enjoy.