Following my despair when I was unable to locate a lens-doctor here in Australia who could assist with de-clicking my Samyang 35mm f1.4 lens I decided to give it a go myself, which turned out to be not just very easy but also worth it all!
Before I run you through the process it is important for me to highlight that I do not recommend anyone to this unless they are fairly confident in exposing the inside of their lens – I do not take any responsibility should you stuff it up
If you are already asking yourself ‘what difference does this make’ or ‘whats the purpose of this’ then this is probably not an ‘operation’ for you.
To be successful is de-clicking your own (Samyang 35m) lens you will need:
1 x philips screwdriver size poo (used for optical devises – can be purchased in most hardware stores)
Plastic gloves (you do not want big fat fingerprints on the inside of your lens elements)
A nice and tidy work environment (dust free and preferably dry too)
a tiny bowl or container for all the little screws and parts (you do not want to lose any of them)
So lets get’s started:
Step 1 -remove and expose the 'inside'
Using the screwdriver unscrew the three screws- remembering to put them aside so they do not get lost (they are tiny!) – lift the steel mount off and gently remove the black plastic cover (this is actually the iris-ring) + the inner silver ring (more screws), which will expose something a bit more interesting.
When moving the black ring a tiny(!) steel-ball and spring will pop out, this is where the ‘clicking’ comes from – and your lens will look similar to this:
Be very cautious when dissembling the lens barrel and note how it's put together!
Now is when the difficult part starts: putting everything back together again – The true trick is to remember exactly how everything fits back together and not to have lost any of the tiny screws. Be very careful with the screwdriver as it is easy to scratch the back glass element which will be a disaster !
When fully assembled you will (hopefully) have a fully functional lens with a smooth de-clicked iris which is perfect for video work (note it does not have any advantage when shooting stills/timelapse/etc!) You might find that the iris ring is a bit soft (I do not have this issue, but I have seen rapports online that some people find it too smooth)
Also, let me say that I would probably never do this with a dearer lens; the Samyang 35mm can be purchased 2nd hand for around $300-350 so my loss would not be that much should I end up with a broken lens barrel. I would never attempt this with an expensive Carl Zeiss lens!
If you have successfully de-clicked your lens feel free to comment with your ideas and tips, or maybe you have advise on how to make the process easier.
edit: please not that this lens does exist in a (pre-de-clicked) version, however I have not had any luck finding it any where (after 12 months)
links to companies/professionals who offer to do this service are also welcome in the comments below
Inspired by a recent post on Togtech where a selection of the World’s Top Photographers reveal their favourite piece of equipment I sat down and had a think about what my favourite piece of gear was – I found it very difficult to pick just one so I decided to make it a Top5 instead, so without any further ado here it is in reverse order starting with #5:
5. Giotto Air Rocket
A simple little bulb shaped hand-powered blower. Easily removes dust-particles and sand from sensors, filers and lenses. Comes in three different sizes and will not break the bank! Sometimes simple equals good
Giottos Rocket Air
4. LaCie Rugged Safe 500GB HDD
Only one thing is more important than backing up your photos when shooting on location and that is keeping them safe! This particular hard drive from LaCie is my absolute favourite: It is solidly build, shockproof and lightweight (less than 300g). The option of using Firewire 800 makes the transfer of files hassle free and fast. if you have multiple units you can daisy-chain them together to decrease the chances of loosing valuable photos/documents. I always have at least two 500GB drives with me on any job.
LaCie Rugged Safe harddrive
3. LowePro Vertex 300AW
I have had a great amount of backpacks through the last 15 years and have always been very picky when it comes design, construction and materials. I have used this pack for the last two years and I believe I have found ‘The One’: A very rugged design that is perfect for most adventures -whether being in the Australian Outback or in the Arctic, it’s my pack of choice!.
Lowepro Vertex 300AW
2. Carl Zeiss 50mm f1.4 ZE * Planar MF lens
The only item on this lens that is directly related to actually getting the shot nailed! I only recently acquired the lens but it has now become my absolute favourite go-to lens. On a FF body it is a brilliant standard lens whereas on an APS-C sensor it becomes a great 80mm portrait lens. Where it might be a tad soft fully open it absolutely excel stopped down a few stops, in particular in the f2.8 – f5.6 range! The MF is very accurate and smooth and when used with a Digital body such as 5D or 7D you will be able to utilise the cameras build-in focus verification which is very accurate most of the times. By pressing the shutter halfway before you focus almost resembles AF. When used for motion work it is very likely to be the very best 50mm on the market at the moment! I used to think this lens was overrated, but I have now been converted and would chose this lens as my primarily lens any day!
Carl Zeiss 50mm f1.4 *
1. Redged RMC-436 Monopod
The heavy duty construction of this tripod makes it my absolute favourite piece of gear! A special carbon fibre material make this pod extremely durable and strong without adding extra weight. I am supported by Redged but don’t think that is why I recommend this product: I honestly believe that this is the best monopod I have ever owned (and I have owned a lot!). I firstly discovered this particular product a few years back while travelling in the mountains of Nepal and I have not looked back since! I always pack this when shooting on-location!
Redged RMC-436 Monopod
If you could only pick one item what would be your favourite piece of equipment? use the comment section below.
Some time ago the lovely people from Sigma Photo Australia agreed to lend me this lens for an in-the-field test and I have thoroughly enjoyed using it during the last three weeks.
The tests were conducted using two Canon bodies: A full-frame Canon EOS 1D MK IV and the smaller-sensor body EOS 7D.
Macro-photography is often referred to as the art of close-up photography and is perfectly suited for shooting (smaller) wildlife, bugs, flowers and basically everything else where the focus is on the little details.
My experience with dedicated macro-lenses is limited to a handful of different lenses ranging from the cheaper Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 up to the heavier and much more expensive 100mm f.2.0 from Carl Zeiss so my expectations were huge when I first heard about Sigma’s new 105mm macro lens: a nicely sized focal length for most uses without the heavy price tag of the Carl Zeiss or the 100mm L lens from Canon – But did it live up to the expectations?
Sigma 105mm f./7.1 1/500s ISO 400 handheld
Overall I am very pleased with the image quality and performance of this lens and I would not hesitate to recommend it to photographers starting out with macro photography.
The lens is constructed with 16 elements in 11 groups which makes it slightly heavier than most other similar lenses on the market but also superior in many ways: At f/2.8 the sharpness and colour -reproduction is absolutely outstanding – but stopped down to around f/8.0 is where this lens really shines! – a very equal result to the before mentioned Carl Zeiss Lens… However in the area from f./16-f./22 it starts to become a bit more soft and chromatic aberration (CA) becomes more and more visible the smaller the aperture gets.
One of the more interesting features of this lens is the build-in stabilisation system which gives you 3-4 stops extra to work with. The system works either fully activated or on the horizontal plan alone which is a great little feature when you are panning the camera.
Sigma 105mm f./3.2 1/1250s ISO 100
The lens focusses internally which obviously is a very important thing when working extremely close to your subject. The auto-focus is smooth and silent but the speed of the autofocus is the the only serious let-down of this great lens; generally AF would take between 1.6-2.1 seconds which is far longer than the computers from Canon, Tamron and Nikon. If you are happy shooting from a bit further away the 0.45m to ∞ switch speeds up this process significantly.
This lens is great and I personally like the professional look and feel of it, when you pop it on a 1D body you are suddenly left with an installation which weighs very close to 4.5lbs
My 5 main reasons to invest in this lens:
It is build like a tank and is a solid performer
You get a lot of lens for your money (literally)
Very good (way above average) sharpness and colour reproduction
Very little CA on large apertures (up to f./16)
Versatility – this is not just a macro lens, its focal length is perfect for portraits as well
My main concern about this lens:
A very slow Autofocus which could be a frustrating issue for the serious macro photographer.
Overall verdict:
As I said in my introduction; I have shot with a wide range of macro lenses during the last ten-or-so years, this lens is without doubt one of the better over-all performers. The handling, functions and the very superior build-in stabilisation system works really fine and even with the slow AF mentioned above, it is still focussed very precise without too many misses.
If I was to persuade a full-time career in macro photography I could easily see this lens becoming my lens of choice.
Highly Recommended
All the photos in this post is shot with a Canon EOS 7D or a EOS 1D MK4
Today I was actually supposed to finish off my review of a macro lens which Sigma Australia recently lent me but instead I feel like I have to share a few words about the RODE workshop I attended the other day.
RODE microphones had brought in one of the major players on the market for DSLR and Video; Mr Philip Bloom himself. If you don’t know who Philip Bloom is take a look at his webpage here.
During the full seven hours (10:00-17:00) we were taken on a journey where Bloom demonstrated the most crucial techniques when it comes to filmmaking. The pace, amount of information and not less the casual relaxed atmosphere in the auditorium made the day a fantastic experience for all of us.
On the large trestle table in front of Bloom he had put a lot of his tools and toys on display for us to touch, admire and play with. The selection included the new Canon C300, Philip Blooms own signature dolly, Sony F3 and not least a whole lot of Zacuto equipment with a retail value higher than most people’s annual income.
The always entertaining Ric Creaser did a quick rundown of the variety of microphones on the market today and Philip finished of with a very interesting segment on time-lapse.
I thank RODE for giving me this opportunity and I am looking forward to the next workshop – If you want the full rundown of the day please check out this great review.
Kind Regards
Morts
I will not give a complete rundown of the full day as I know that a few of the other attendees have already posted these online
As always around this time of the year photographers all around the world are sourcing the internet for ideas to what to put on the Christmas wish list before it is handed over to the loved ones. Below you will find a few ideas and suggestions which will hopefully appeal to most photographer out there. Today I will give you five ideas that won’t break the bank.
5 ideas under $50.00
Steve Simon; The Passionate Photographer $30.00 Books always makes great presents, and I am sure Steve Simon’s book will make many a photographer happy this year. I have only had this book for a few weeks but have already fallen in love with SS’s approach to the subject. This book is the perfect present if you are a serious amateur who wants to improve your basic skills, but is also suitable for advanced users who are lacking that ‘final touch’ . Available as paperback and e-book here
Camera Creatures Dapper Dog $25.00 Are you specialising in children’s portraits? If you do then this is the perfect present for you. A one-size-fits-all-lenses soft plush dog which is guaranteed to get the kids’ attention and ‘click’ the picture will be captures before the little ones even know. Various shapes and sizes available via CameraCreatures
Eye-Fi Connect X2 wireless SD card 4GB $45.00 The future is here! Stores video and photos as a normal standard SD card but does also have the option of transferring you filers wirelessly to any WLAN device in real-time. This allows you to keep shooting endlessly without running out of memory. A perfect gift for any happy-snapper. Find it here
Trigrip Reflector 70cm Gold/Silver $39.00 To me this is one of the most under-rated pieces of equipment; I use it on every single shoot. A reflector is probably the easiest way you can improve your portraits without breaking the bank. Every photographer should have at least one of these in their kit. Silver/Gold is my personal favourite but it comes in various mixes (black/silver/white/gold/coloured). Can be purchased via most high-end photo retailers or via Ebay. If you can get the version with a grip go for it!
A Photography Course! Even the most hardcore pro-photographer can benefit from learning something new! Believing that you already know everything is the biggest mistake you can ever make. To continuously develop your creativity a course, presentation or a tutorial is a great way to see the your work from a different angle. There are plenty of DVD’s around which are (mostly) really good but try to have a look in your local photo magazine, email newsletter or simply search online.
Making nice, natural an good-looking portraits does not need to be either expensive nor difficult. The photo above of the lovely Bernadette was taken with an absolute minimum of equipment: two heads with softboxes and a reflector.
The head on the right side was equipped with a standard 60×60 softbox and was shooting on 1/8 and the right head had a 60×80 softbox with grid installed and was set on 1/16.
The reflector is a standard model of ebay with a gold/silver side in the size 80cm.
No post-processing has been done to this image besides compressing it from the original RAW format…
So….. Why do I tell you all of this?
Some weeks back I asked you all what you would like to see on this blog and one of the things that kept popping up was BTS, setups and simple lighting solutions. Yes, I am using expensive lighting products from Profoto and Elinchrom but.. If you do not have a few K to spend then there are other solutions; standard 250w-1000w studio sets can be bought on Ebay for a few hundred dollars and the are the PERFECT introduction to portrait photography (and product photography)
To assist bit with the basics I have also included a L-diagram below with the basic set-up I used on this shot.
For in-depth information and great articles about Lighting 101 I recommend you to visit STOBIST where David Hobby can teach you everything you need to know and much much much more… -Always worth a visit!
It has been a long time since I did a shoot in a studio but yesterday I was back! the PhaseOne studio in Sydney is by far one of my favourite studios to work in; It is the good ‘ol warehouse style without any massive windows or natural light sources, which is perfect should you want to construct a good LX-setup.
I worked with one model yesterday; the very talented Miss Bernie Quinn, a young very talented Jazz singer who also happens to be a good friend of mine.
We had a good six hours of casual fun with various outfits, set-ups and creative brainstorming sessions and during the next week you will be able to see some of the shots on this blog with comments and information about the set-up and gear used.
Just one hour ago Canon revealed their new flagship 4k video named the EOS Cinema C300.. As so often before they asked the DSLR guru Vincent Laforet to shoot a video. This time the film is called ‘Mobius’ and is recorded in the Californian desert with a simple drug-kartel related plot.
The C300 will be available from 2012 at a suggested retail price of $18k (or a mere $15k more than the 5D MK II!)
Please visit Vincent Laforets blog to get more information about this great video with interesting BTS and gear run-through.
One of the main advantages about shooting in a studio is that you have loads of various gear and lighting equipment nearby should you require to change the set-up during the shot. When you are working for clients on their domain you will need to prepare for the shoot in advance by spending a lot of time talking to the client to exactly specify what they expect you to deliver. I am currently packing for an assignment for a Sydney-based Interior design company which I will be shooting on Saturday. During my four talks with the client I have got the issues clarified, where amongst these were the most important ones:
-What/where am I shooting (is it a big showroom or is it separate set-ups? -and HOW MANY?)
-What format are the photos supposed to be delivered in and their usage (medium format or will RAW suffice)
-Time-frame I can work within (it is being done within normal opening hours!)
- Power supply available? (5amp? 10amp? 3pegs?)
- What lighting is installed in the showroom and can I control it independently?
There are obviously several other questions that I need answered but the ones above allows me to start the planning in advance and to hire/buy the equipment needed for this shoot so I am ready when I start the job. Also all gear will be tested and cleaned prior to Saturday. (If you are a CPS customer they can usually clean/service equipment and have it back with you within the week! – I am sure Nikon has got a similar service)
My current equipment list for this particular shot looks like this:
- Two bodies (Full-frame DSLR)
- 24mm fixed lens (Canon f1.4)
- 35mm fixed lens (Carl Zeiss 35mm ZE)
- 85mm fixed lens (Carl Zeiss 85mm ZE)
- A macro lens for the close up shots (Canon 100mm)
- Fisheye
- MacBook Pro 15″ (to tether and for instant proof)
And probably a TS lens from Canon as well..
To some people this might seem like an extreme bunch of equipment and some people would probably argue that I would be able to do the job with much less… However, as you never get second chances with clients there are no room for error.
In addition to the equipment above I might bring a Canon 7D for some filming (BTS for you guys ) and a few tripods, lightstands etc.
My question to you is: If you could only bring ONE lens on an (indoor) interior assignment what would you bring?
After the shoot I will post some photos from the campaign here on the blog for you guys to see, and hopefully also a bit of video.
Long time ago when I started to plan my recent trip to Denmark I decided to produce a little time-lapse clip with the crossing of the Great Belt Bridge between the two main islands Funen and Zealand. The total length of the bridge is close to 7km and with the East Bridge having the third longest main span of a mere 1630meters. This is the longest free span outside Asia.
I had planned the shoot in details but somehow managed to screw it up partly due to a technical glitch and partly due to a weak Bowens Magic Arm that failed.
As you are unable to stop during the crossing of the bridge I decided to use my Apple Iphone so I, at least, could get some footage of the crossing (which sets you back around $102/return)
I used the time-lapse application and set the frequency to 1s/5sec which with an average speed of 65miles/h would give me a 10sec clip when played back with a 24frames/sec.
The result is far from impressive but it gives a good impression of the majestic bridge pillars and the beautiful conditions Denmark offers at night time.
- Always bring back-ups of EVERYTHING
- An Iphone is a fun tool to play around with and can produce decent results
- Denmark is an expensive country
- Bridges are aways good subjects!
If this had been a client-paid project I would of course have brought several back-up cameras, arms, laptops etc. It is always important to learn from your mistakes and instead of seeing it as a negative thing see it as a new opportunity.
