The Ongoing Saga of have's and not have's....

[Paul]

Well, where do I start?

 

Back in the day, I took a few half decent macros with my EOS 70D, Yongnuo YN-14EX ringflash, and my own LAOWA Venus 2:1 lens. They were good times for me until I slowly began to ache in the knees and ankles, and slowly the interest waned, until I reached a point of no return...

We were short on funds too, having to pay for a lot of car repairs for MOT's and replacement guttering on the house, and so the only thing with any value attached was all my camera gear.

So I sold it all.

I felt the ripples of sadness come from many quarters (and one two annoyed friends that berated me). In retrospect, while it was the only way to free up money from something not being used, it may have been a hasty decision, even though I thought about it for weeks and weeks.

Anyway.

Just recently, an old camera club friend saw a couple of photos taken on my mobile phone and he said I should get back into macro... Having no equipment, he offered me a 40D body (old but fully working) and Geoff offered me the use of his Venus (and a zoom lens too). Heaven smiled on me!

From this (you've seen the start of it) I rekindled my interest, and this has meant buying a (cheap non-ttl) ring flash which just about does enough, but it's difficult to get exposures right, but that is part of the new challenge.

So from this, I also realised, that with the screen on the 40D being flat to the body, compositions low down were out of the question - and I figured I would need a vari-angle screen to allow me to take the next step. So with that, I just got on finance a couple of days ago a second hand EOS 760D. This new replacement did OK in the bright day (the spider on the grey housebrick) but as soon as the light goes down, it becomes unusable because the screen becomes massively dark in Live View, even at f/2.8 and I need Live View (the only way I can shoot) - whereas on the old 40D, I could see at least some of the subject and enough to take a photo at night using the constant LED lights on the ringflash.

Sadly, with the 760D, this Live View functionality is missing (must be the beginners level feature set) meaning using LV is next to impossible. There is a custom function in the 40D which must also exist in the 70D I owned, where in the custom functions, you can select to simulate exposure. The 760D doesn't have this, hence it becomes a dark screen.

The flashes are cheap generic ones which have just the single pin in the centre, so there is no TTL like the Yongnuo had, so that, combined with the missing simulation function and the lack of flash compatibility ultimately means the 760D  isn't going to do the job. Sadly, it will I think, now have to go back to the shop (I have a 14 days cool off period).

So for now it looks like it's back to the 40D and the cheapo ring flash muddling together to get me a few shots.

I might look at getting the EOS 77D and a Yongnuo flash (camera on finance again and the flash from Amazon when I have more funds (have to check at the end of the month). I would fully expect that if the 70D & the Yongnuo worked fine in the past, then that flash (or the Kenro equivalent which is more expensive) and the newer 77D which I think is the same class/build semi-pro range that the 70D belongs, should also be a successful combination.

Well, that's my Latte story.

I'm a bit gutted to be honest that the 760D won't do, it's a very tidy little DSLR.

I wish I had never sold my kit now. But hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Because of this blasted COVID, I can't even go to the camera shop to try out the equipment to see if a 77D (God forbid even an 80D) and the dedicated ring flashes work like my old gear did.

Hope I've not bored you all, but whilst I am so pleased to be taking photos again (thanks Geoff - you're a hero!) I'm now tinged with disappointment at not having an improved camera that will help me so much more.

I am going to speak with the nice lady at the camera shop if I can to ask about compatibility issues going forward, but for now, I'll have to make you all look on in awe and delight, at the images I'm getting with the old and cheap 40D camera and £25 flash. Thank goodness the glass is so good (the optics from LAOWA are superb) and I have friends in the 'tog community that have made this at least possible. For that, I am very grateful. I might one day find a Siggy or Canon macro lens at a good price so that I can return the Venus to it's rightful owner (but whilst I have it, I'll cherish and care for it)!

If I can get a better body (and I wished that included the one beneath neck level...) and a dedicated ring flash in the future, the story may have another chapter.

Until then, enjoy what I can show you, as much as I am planning to enjoy showing you, and you never know, things might still take an upward turn.

Stay safe, stay cheerful.

Thanks my friends for reading this!

 

Paul.

[FUJI]

Hi Paul,

No, my friend it is you who is  the hero..... ....yes, selling your original gear was tough, but I there has been a point similar to that in everyone’s life.

During my 82 years I have had lots of them along the way, but like yiu, I am a....cup-half-full....person, always optimistic.....this tends to produce the silver linings which help reduce or even eradicate the negatives. The recent loan of lens from Geoff is a good example.....soon you will have a camera that will do what you want.

you were a huge inspiration to me when I got completely taken over by the macro bug.... then fate took a cruel hand, when serious retinal problems threatened then severely restrict my  usable vision.

just like you, I sold all of my kit.....but, unlike you, I was able to transfer to Micto-Gour-Thirds gear, and I haven’t looked back...the LUMIX GX8 has the Godsend of a  Tiltable viewfinder, which helped me to develop new techniques, and to compensate. Thankfully my vision is now better than it ever was thanks to three incredible eye surgeons; but I wouldn’t swap my GX8 and it’s collection of varied lenses for anything. They give so much pleasure and have made me many friends.

Just stick in there.... all will come right eventually.....

Please keep the pics coming..... I always look forward to seeing them.

this pic was taken through one of my DIY lenses...a tiny vintage Cine camera lens hot glued into an M42 adapter... my cheapy flash has a layer of kitchen towel as a diffuser....

Stay safe and Positive..all willl be well.

 

FUJI 

Edited May 20, 2020 by FUJI

[johntwo]

Priorities are sometimes cruel Paul but I'm glad that you are once again finding the space to enjoy the hobby once more.  I know we will all benefit.  You know what they say; "It's the man behind the camera wot make the picture.........."

[Clicker]

Oi ...or woman  John  !! 

 It's  really heartwarming to read your story Paul ..Rye ( Geoff)  and I were discussing  how much we had missed your   regular Macro studies only a few weeks ago  and I remember well that  you took a while to  decide  to  sell your equipment   so it cannot have been an easy decision .   Hats off to Geoff for  loaning the Venus  lens  to you  , and I hope you  continue to  grace  the forum  with your genre of macro miracles Paul ..As our dear late friend would  have  said ... 'Tis good t'sithee back !

[Paul]

Thanks Fooj, John & Polly - much appreciated your responses.

 

The story is moving along a little more.

Geoff's lens has got me back into the world of clicking along with the old 40D body.

Now I can confirm I have ordered a second hand 70D, which from the first time I owned one, allowed me to use manual and Live View with a Venus lens, so I hope (and expect) that the same function will still be there!

I still may not be as prolific, but at least when the 70D does arrive, and all being well, it will, with it's vari-angle screen let me take the photo's that I do get around to, a little easier to compose.

Hopefully then soon, I'll have an example or two of new images with the 70D once more...

 

Paul.

Edited May 26, 2020 by Paul

[Ryewolf]

Good to hear Paul, lets hope the new to you 70D works the same way as your old 70D....

[Clicker]

 

I'll second that  Paul ...let us know how it goes ...

[Paul]

So it seems, now I can do....

 

 

[Paul]

Apart from the test image for the above video - this was the first actual usage test "in the field" as it were...

Well, not in the field, in the front garden, on the wheelie bin...

And this is a crop done in Lightroom (the original image is divided into 9 individual grids across the whole photo) and this is the very centre section of the those 9 boxes...

Edited May 27, 2020 by Paul

[Ryewolf]

That's great news Paul, glad it all worked out.

[Paul]

I was cautiously confident it would Geoff, but it's been an interesting path I've walked of late.

Thanks for your (continuing) help in all of this.

[Ryewolf]

Glad to be of help Paul