Let me redo this...
The entry I made from 5 days ago was made shortly after the show I went to on July 19th. It was a fantastic show that I was very pumped for, as it would be one of my only shows I was paid to photograph (well, really one band). One thing I did NOT expect from that set was a genuine noise artist midway through that rattled everyone's ears. Being somewhat into noise, I was stoked as soon as I realized what was going on. That same day I did a short morning hike with my family, which warranted an afternoon Stewart's small $1.50 coffee.
This was gonna be my first time shooting with Canon raw files (.CRWs), just because I wanted some flexibility in post, getting the exposures down in RawTherapee. It certainly was worth it, because raws are immensely flexible, and the way how the 5D's firmware processes JPGs from raws makes them over-sharpened and over-saturated. The photos I took came out great (low quality jpgs of them will be posted to the show write-up), with added benefit of the RAW performance.
Which leads me into this... I'm trying to branch out into growing into a
photographer-for-hire. I'm looking for a 2nd gig for senior year of college
before Summer 2026, needing to make money to save up for a new (but old) car
I'll be buying in a year. I've already dropped $200 on reliable gear for my
Canon 5D mk I, which includes...
- Sigma 17-35 f/2.8-4 EX HSM
I was getting sick of using my cheap and gimmicky 28-80 kit lens that came with the ElanIIe when my mom bought it in 1997, so I needed a good and high quality wide zoom lens...
This is not the DG lens made for DSLRs in 2004. This is the original one released in 1999. What's insane is that this lens has equivalent optics and speed (even down to the 82mm lens thread) to the Canon 17-35 f/2.8 USM L lens which is about $400+ on KEH and MPB. I got this lens for $85 on KEH somehow! Checking eBay and MPB, it usually goes for $250. I think it was a mistake in how they listed the lens, saying it was "for film cameras only". Well, it's not. You can use EF lenses from 1990 on any modern digital EOS. I've been doing some landscape photography in the meantime testing out the lens' sharpness. It's insanely good, and I'm incredibly lucky to have gotten it so cheap.
On another note, I am realizing how much I love 35mm as a focal length. It's on the lower end of the Sigma's zoom. It's perfect, and now it's making me consider picking up a 35mm prime... I'm saving up!
- Canon Speedlite 430ex
I wasn't too happy with my 420ex's lack of controls and the fact that a wide-angle diffuser wasn't built in. Recent photoshoots were getting painful when I used it.
I was tossed up between getting a 550ex, 580ex, 430ex, and 430ex II. The 550ex didn't appeal to me because of its age and weight. I was really considering the 580ex, however some photography forums had posters dealing with this same dilemma and said that the weight of the 580ex would be a tad bit overkill and the the cycle time wasn't worth it over the 430ex. I couldn't really settle on a 430ex II because of the price. Even the cheapest ones were up to $60. So, I ended up settling with the 430ex.
And honestly, yeah, it's perfect! the one I bought came with one of those plastic diffusers you put on top. Honestly pretty top notch, just marginally better than the 420ex in terms of flash power, however, it was nice to use something slightly modern with dialed-in controls.
- Canon BG-E4 Battery Grip
My 5D handles battery power very well, so there's not much of a need for a battery grip, however, they do add a nice sense of ergonomics, added controls, and of course extended battery power. The only downside is the added weight, which is substantial.
Combined, this certainly makes my 5D Mk I an absolute tank, both figuratively and literally.
Some stuff I really want to purchase (with the help of saving up, of course) would have to be:
- Panasonic HVX200, Sony DSR-PD170 (VX2100), HVR V1U (FX7), or a consumer HDV unit
I'm very tossed up between these four. Right of the bat, I am very happy with my Z1U. It's an amazing HDV camcorder, records stunning pictures, and is immensely reliable. I also have a Panasonic DVX100 which I've owned for ages. It's semi reliable (usually get that auto supply reel error if a tape has been in it while it's gone unused) but still shoots perfectly with no dropouts or faults.
My A1U, only after 6 months of owning it, presented too many issues, which prompted me to sell it on eBay for parts. I do miss having a 3rd camcorder, especially one I can use as an HDV "burner unit" (a camcorder I can use as both a secondary camcorder and a capture unit). Also, in regards to having a secondary HDV camcorder, despite my love for the Z1U, it is a substantial unit. Like my 5D, it's also a tank, but UNLIKE 5D, it's a bit more of a tank and doesn't have the handy-ness that my 5D has. It's great for studio work, e.g. recording a studio performance with stationary camera setups in controlled environments, but ONLY okay for handheld run-and-gun video shooting. It's just far too heavy.
I need something between an A1U and Z1U-- not as janky, small, and problematic as the A1U (seriously, read DVinfo posts about it. It was problematic even since its release), but not as substantial as the Z1U.
The V1U / FX7 fits the perfectly, down to a T... However, somehow (and I DO mean somehow) the V1U is just a bit more expensive to be noticeable. The FX7 is slightly cheaper, however, DVCAM decks are insanely reliable, which makes me consider the V1U more, + the added benefits of the pro version of the unit. I'm leaning more into it, but it's certainly something to save up for. I wonder... Is the up in price due to it's legacy with the VX2000? It was marketed as an HDV successor to the DSR-PD170. I'm sure it's those skaters that want the HDV experience. LOL
The HVX200 is nice as well, and was considered due to my familiarity with the DVX100, plus the known reliability of Panasonic DV decks. However, it being a little too overkill and me not being familiar with DVCPro HD and P2's didn't really sell me on it. If I plan on getting an MRC1K, there's probably gonna be some weird proprietary compatibility issues (yknow, knowing how Sony works.).
I also thought about just straight up getting a professional DV unit, like the DVX100. The DSR-PD170 / VX2100 has been in the back of my mind for 6 years now, and was ONE of the last pro DVCAM camcorders made by Sony (that would go to the PD175, but it's incredibly rare to find). It's about $250, however, I can literally just get something like the V1U for the same price with HDV recording capability.
My last option (if I am tight on money) is just a basic HDV consumer camcorder, something like the HDR-HC9. For what it's worth, it would suffice. Not a fantastic sensor, but usable as a higher-quality-than-DV secondary cam. Worth noting that Canon HDV camcorders are significantly cheaper than Sony HDV camcorders for some reason. (probably that 'brand name' recognition schtick)
Moving on...
- Canon EOS Elan 7N/7NE/7s
Instead of buying all of my KEH gear, I was actually planning on buying this. What is the Canon EOS Elan 7NE you may ask?
...probably the best Canon EOS Film SLR ever made.
A facelift from the year 2000 Elan 7, the 7N came out in 2004, being one of the last mid-grade Canon EOS film SLRs to come out that year alongside the entry-grade Rebel T2. Being the last, it's got all of the modern amenities that any film SLR should have, which includes...
AF sequence / one shot performance THAT OF the Canon EOS 10D AND EOS 1V(!!), E-TTL II compatibility(!), improved eye-control AF...
I could go on... I need it to replace my aging EOS ElanIIe that's now presenting some issues. Every negative I've developed or have gotten back from a lab has noticeable horizontal scratches. I would see them after I personally scan them, and at first assumed it may be my aging Epson scanner. But nope! They're also present on the prints back from the lab, and in the same spot. Checked the negatives... they're there too. Hmph. I can only assume something funky is happening with the film transport, so I'm retiring it. Plus, who wouldn't want one of Canon's best film SLRs?
- Possibly getting a secondary good DSLR, like a 1Ds Mk. II, or 5D Mk. II
This lowest on my list of needs. My 5D Classic is a powerhouse that works just fine, minus a few annoying stuck pixels.
The only reason I have this up as a consideration is because I just sold my shortly-owned and old D60, which I bought a few months prior buying the 5D classic. It's not bad... and aging APS-C DSLR from 2002, but in-between buying these 2 cameras I had a bit of a mentality shift regarding the gear I have. I started considering actually GOOD and gear that isn't aging as much. I got the D60 more as a novelty than something I could do work with. The only actual serious work I've ever done was photographing last year's Bee Side Fest (genuinely some of my proudest work). It actually handles low light REALLY well, but due to its aging aspects, pre EF-S mount, and dealing with crop sensors, I just couldn't handle it.
Setting aside going on another rant regarding my gear (I'm beginning to realize this post is longer than a Ken Rockwell review), I'm 50-50 on getting either camera. The 1Ds is a respectable powerhouse, a genuine professional workhorse. I've always wanted to use one of these 1D's and this one is the most accessible, with the added benefit of being full frame.
the 5D mk. II is fairly modern, and still used by tons of people in professional settings. It's also got 20 megapixels, good for large prints (if I ever want to do them). I've also got all the necessary 5D gear (proper batteries, fitted battery mount). However, it being fairly new-ish, it's gonna be in the $250+ range.
Anyways, that's gonna wrap up gear talks. I haven't had a good time to actually sit down and write about the current state of the gear I have and want, so this went on for a bit.
Now for website talks...
Like I said in the previous post, I'm gonna gear this site towards a more documentary-style, take focus off of myself to a certain extent and turn this place into more of a site to document what's going on around me, even besides shows. Upcoming changes would probably be:
- Adding some new info to the 'about' page, a 'more about me' section to be exact just to have a section of the site dedicated to the webmaster.
- Renaming 'rants' to 'news'. Easier to understand and consistent, since I basically use this section for site updates, as well as personal life updates.
- Probably changing the 'people' section to just say 'links'. Something easier to understand and consistent as well, I suppose.
- Changing the name of the 'photography' section to just 'shows' or 'music', removing the personal section and moving it into the 'more about me' section in 'about'. adding some new photography into 'some fullres photos', including some of my non-show related photography (I really, REALLY like landscape photography. been a shame not to showcase some of what I have done...).
- Replacing the 'archival' section with something more in-tune. Maybe having it be the new 'photography' section, dedicated to personal pursuits and documenting stuff in and around Albany.
- Removing some personal blog stuff in 'misc.', potentially moving that into 'more about me'. the 'hiking' page is TBA, but it's something I want to do for sure.
I wont give some conclusion statement because this is all I need to say about the current goings of me and vibracobra.net. As for the site updates, I'm going to work on it all in one go on the backend and not in chunks, since I believe in having a finished product ready to go and nothing like 'site under construction'. I don't know what to consider the new version... 6.0 or 5.1? I'll ponder.