Back to Basics

As much as I love the 7D, I just can't get used to its image quality.  The sensor in this camera (and the T2i) seems to depart from the traditional Canon image sensor characteristics:  very clean and beautiful low ISO quality.  Perhaps I have not used both the 7D long enough, but I keep looking for  quality in previous cameras that I owned.

In any case, I picked up a 1D Mark IIn today.  This is my fourth 1-series body, after the 1D, 1D II, and the 1Ds.  I kept the 1D II longest, and always felt a bit of a regret selling it.  The n version of the 1D II adds a larger 2.5" screen, and picture styles, plus you can now specify RAW to go on one card, and jpeg files go on the other.  Other than that, not much difference from the 1D II.

Perhaps I knew this would happen, either with a 1Ds II or another 1D II/n, as I have kept my Kirk bracket, and the EC-L split screen.  Yes the 1D II is much heavier than the 7D, and the screen is not as nice, but I get wider angle on the same lens, and smaller files, 8 MB vs 25 MB!

Already have a potential buyer for the 7D.  I will probably miss its overall speed and the nice 3 inch screen, but the Mark IIn should keep me happy, for a little while anyway.

Rusty Fence -- Canon 7D & Leica-R 90mm f2 Summicron. Click to see larger.

Climate Change

Climate Change -- Canon 7D & Leica-R 90mm f2 Summicron. Click for larger

This morning a group of people carrying large signs in the Spadina/Queen area, like the one you see in the picture above.  I have to admit I admire these people, who believe they can make a difference and induce changes.  I think it works, at least to some degree.

Reflection

Reflection - Canon 7D & 18-55mm IS Kit Lens. click on picture to see larger.

Somehow after the Drobo fiasco, my spirit has been dampened a bit, and my desire to take pictures is not as enthusiastic as before.  I have been bring my camera to work, but haven't been out shooting at lunch time.  Could it be because I don't like the 7D as much as I thought I would?  I am quite disappointed with the low ISO image quality of the 7D.  Even at base ISO, noise in the shadow area makes me cringe. Why is Canon going backward now?  It was known as the image quality king for many years, and after Nikon has surpass it with the D700/D3/D3x, Canon is now playing the mega pixel game.  Sure it can claim to have highest number of pixels on the pro-sumer level of 18MP, but at what cost?  Give me image quality over pixel count any time!  I am, as with many others are, happy with 12MP of good quality pixels. 

I like everything about the 7D, except the image quality.  Why is there always something that ruins a near perfect camera?

End of ranting.

CN Tower Viewed from Ontario Place

We bought season passes for the family this year to Ontario place, instead of renewing the Ontario Science Centre membership, as there doesn't seem to be enough new stuff to warrant another year's membership.  In any case, we went to Ontario Place to see the Fireworks last night.  It was fantastic because we were at the front row with no one to obstruct the view.  We watched the fireworks fired from the tanker.  The sound and sight was just awesome! I didn't take any pictures, be recorded the video instead, but took this picture on the way home:

CN Tower at Night -- Canon 7D & EF 35mm f1.4. Click on picture to englarge.

A String of Bad Luck, or QC Going Down the Drain?

My luck, or lack thereof, has been bad, to put it mildly.  First the Drobo fiasco, and then a string of problem with products I have bought.  Is it just me, or the quality control is no longer part of product manufacturing?  I will give two examples.

Let's start with a Leica-R to EOS adapter I bought from a well-known China-based seller, which shall remain nameless, for now.  This is the "premium" adapter that's supposed to be much better than the "normal" ones he sells.  The adapter was about $30US, plus the AF-Confirm chip option of $19, for a total of just under $50US.  It took a while to receive it, but the first time I tried to mount it on my 7D, it wouldn't mount.

It turned out the chip was not glued on properly, AND the pcb was cut at a very sharp angle that it stopped the first signal pin from sliding pass.  Instead, the pin created a "hole" on the pcb (see picture).

 

Click on image to see a larger version

I contacted the seller and he was apologetic, but didn't seem too keen to take  it back.  In any case, I filed the PCB so that the grade is less steep, and it now mounts.  The adapter itself is indeed better, without much play after the lens is mounted.

The other product that I recently ordered, was a "genuine" Canon LP-E6 battery from a Hong Kong seller on eBay, for $29US including shipping.  If this battery is a counterfeit, they have done a great job, from packaging to the actual battery.  I can't tell them apart from the original one that came with the 7D.  In fact, I other than the wording on the battery label, they are identical.  Most LP-E6 compatible batteries on the market can not be charged in the Canon charger and they required their own charger, but this one charged fine.  After only 133 pictures, the battery meter is already showing only 66% left.  The next morning, without taking any more pictures, it's now showing only 60%.  Something doesn't quite add up here.

The original Canon battery that came with my 7D last way longer.  I can shoot 800 pictures before the first block in the battery icon is empty, and it easily lasts for 1500 shots.

Side by Side, the original Canon battery has a serial number on it, while the eBay version does not.  I have written the seller about this, and I will see what he says.

Buying Blind

The EF 28-70mm f2.8L was Canon's flagship lens that was part of many pro's arsenal, until it was replaced by the ever popular 24-70mm f2.8L.  I happened to own this lens three times over the years, but somehow each time it didn't stay with me for very long.  Perhaps it was because on crop bodies, this focal length seems odd.  I received the last copy few days ago that I purchased from an on-line store, as the price was pretty good and the rating was e++, which should have been almost mint.

It turned out to be a disappointment.  First, the shop didn't pack the lens properly.  The lens was moving inside its box, as some packaging material (the lens bag) that was part of the material to keep the lens tight and secured, was missing.  He could at least put some foam inside to keep the lens from moving around.  Secondly, the lens is nowhere near the e++ rating as stated.  Front group of the lens was wobbly (some screws were probably loose inside), the zoom was not smooth and I could see the jerkiness in the viewfinder when zooming.  The hood couldn't be attached securely.  Cosmetically, you can tell this was a pro's lens that was heavily used. 

First picture I took at f2.8 was soft.  I don't remember my other copies were this bad.  Perhaps it needed calibration.  Regardless, I took it out and shot some test samples.  It was a mixed bag.  The lens is not very sharp until f5.6. From f5.6 on, it was very sharp. There is something wrong with the lens.  However, the colour really pops.

The lens was sent back today.

Perhaps, this lens is not meant for me, or I don't deserve it.

 

A bit soft at f2.8 -- Canon 7D & EF 28-70mm f2.8L. Click picture to enlarge.

 

Chinatown -- 7D & EF 28-70mm f2.8L. Click picture to enlarge.

Parade of Sail

The last time Toronto had a Tall Ship Festival was in 1994.  I happened to be there and was awed by the grand and majestic tall ships.  This year, the Great Lakes United Tall Ship Challenge chose Toronto as one of its ports.  We went to Ontario Place to see the Parade of Sail Finale.  Totally enjoyed it.

Ships and Plane -- Canon 7D & 18-55mm IS kit lens. Larger.

7D & 18-55mm IS kit lens. Larger.

The American Falls

We took the kids to Niagara  Falls for a couple of days.  Despite the dark cloud that hung over my head -- the Drobo failed just before we headed out, we had lots of fun.  Took the package tour of the Niagara Falls: Maid of the Mist, Journey Behind the Falls, White Water Boardwalk, and the 4D movie How the Falls Were Made.  The kids loved it.  The only down side was that everything was expensive in tourist areas, but money well spent.

American Falls -- Canon 7D & Sigma 15-30mm f3.5-4.5. Larger

Some Great News and Big Thank You

First, I would like to thank natebarnz, obakesan , and cobain who left me comments and encouragements for safe data recovery.  It means a lot to me.  And the great news  is that I can now connect to the Drobo again.  It's currently in the rebuild/relayout process, but I can access the data.  As matter of fact, I am copying some of the data off of it while the process is going.  The copying is very slow at around 9MB/s, but it's going.

I want to thank god who answered my prayers.  Somewhere out there, the higher power is watching over me.  I am grateful. 

Tomorrow I am going to buy a 2 TB drive and copy everything over from the Drobo.  I don't feel safe having all the eggs in one basket.

So far everything is looking good.

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish

Yup.  My worst nightmare has finally materialized.  All three of the one TB drives in my Drobo became unreadable a couple days ago, and it goes with approximately 1.8 Terabytes of pictures I have taken in the last few years.  At this point, I can't even imagine what happens if I can not recover the data.  It just makes my head spin.

The last time it happened, I lost about 250 GB of pictures and so I made some planning to have some sort of data redundancy, but obviously, redundancy within the same device is not good enough.  Right now, I am not sure if the problem is with the Drobo itself, or the discs themselves.  I am keeping my fingers closed that it's the Drobo and not the hard drives.

Until I can get my pictures back, I will most likely not going to do much picture taking, and this blog most likely will not be updated.  I pray to god that the data in the hard drives will be fine.  I can get another Drobo enclosure if it turns out the be the problem.

So, thanks for all of you who read my blog.  It was great fun while it lasted, but I am just not in any mood to take any pictures, or update this blog.  Hopefully, the ending will be a happy one and I will resume my photography hobby. 

Until then, so long, and thanks for all the fish.