copper rain chain

January 7, 2022January 7, 2022Chris and Carol 2 Comments

I’ve actually had this rain chain for a while and just now finished installing it. I can’t wait to see how it ages in our near-coastal environment.

Camera and Lens – Canon EOS R and Canon RF 50mm f1.8 STM ‘nifty fifty’.

Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend! – Chris

Comments are always welcomed as I’ve learned quite a bit from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by and, while you’re at it, feel free to visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios hosted by Etsy). – Chris Whelan

Please respect that all content, including photos and text, is this blog’s property and its owner, Yashica Pentamatic Fanatic, Yashica Sailor Boy, Yashica Chris, Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris.

totally random

January 6, 2022January 6, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Canon EOS R with Canon RF 50mm f1.8 USM lens.

Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

My favorite images from 2021

January 6, 2022January 6, 2022Chris and Carol 2 Comments

I haven’t done a “best of” or “my favorite” in quite a while (if ever) so now is as good a time as any to give it a go. Here are my favorites of 2021 taken from the images I posted to my Flickr site this past year. Most of the images are from my studio work as 2021 just wasn’t a great year to be out and about. These are presented from oldest to newest.

‘Yashica TL Electro X – 1973’ posted March 3, 2021 – Fujifilm FinePix S9900W

Why I like this image. The Yashica TL Electro X was my first 35mm SLR (not this one) so I’ve always had a soft spot for it. This one was made in Hong Kong and was rather hard to chase down as not very many nice examples exist. This studio image is nice and simple – just how I like them. It received 1,175 views and 24 favorites with 5 comments.

‘Classic Klipsch KG1.2 Speakers – 1990s’ posted June 10, 2021 – Samsung Galaxy S8+

Why I like this image. The lighting on the speakers was just right and the shot has balance to my eye. The speakers were set up on the dining room floor with soft natural light from a nearby window providing all of the light. My Samsung phone was the best camera to use for the shot. It’s had 303 views with 3 favorites so far with limited exposure on Flickr.

‘Camera Porn, Contax Style’ posted July 19, 2021 – Fujifilm FinePix S9900W

Why I like this image. It’s just a straightforward studio shot but I like the way the brown strap underlines the camera’s body. The Contax RTS (first model) was a camera that I almost bought when it was new back in the late 1970s but went with a Canon F-1 instead. It’s had 2,041 views with 29 favorites. I like the depth of field in the image as the strap and the lens are in sharp focus as is most of the front of the camera except it gets a bit soft by the logo ‘Contax’.

Autumn Blaze – Bald Cypress, North Florida’ posted November 16, 2021 – Canon EOS 7D

Why I like this image. It was a toss-up with another shot of the same tree slightly shifted over to the right a bit. I love the filtered sunlight through the tree’s needles and branches. It was shot at 16mm using my Canon EF 16-35mm f4L IS USM lens. The Canon EOS 7D is an APS-C camera so I’s say the image is about 24mm or so. It’s had 248 views with 17 favorites and 2 comments so far.

‘ominous orb’ posted November 1, 2021 (original image November 2013) – Samsung Galaxy S4

Why I like this image. The original color image was shot in November 2013 while on vacation at Epcot and Disney World. When I decided to turn it into a black and white image it took on another life so I posted that version on Flickr. It’s had 402 views with 26 favorites and 5 comments – I guess it was popular.

‘Christmas Cactus Blossom’ posted November 29, 2021 – Fujifilm FinePix S9900W

Why I like this image. I’ve taken a ton of Christmas cactus images this season so it was difficult selecting just one. The background is too busy but somehow the blossom overcomes that. It looks the best when enlarged. Here I used my Fujifilm FinePix camera set at macro. I think the camera handled the exposure well. It’s had 385 views with 28 favorites and 2 comments with limited exposure on Flickr (it’s not in a lot of groups).

‘Mighty Oak’ posted December 18, 2021 – Canon EOS 7D

Why I like this image. I love trees so they’re one of my favorite subjects to shoot but they’re also very hard to photograph unless you’re standing far away. This was shot with my Canon EOS 7D DSLR at 18mm so I was able to capture the trunk as the central focus of the picture. I like the lighting too. It’s had 1,185 views and 26 favorites and 6 comments. It’s a close second to the next image below.

‘Courthouse Steps’ posted December 30, 2021 – Canon EOS R

Why I like this image. It’s the first time I got to use my new Canon EOS R full-frame mirrorless camera in town (Fernandina Beach). Shot with my Canon EF 16-35mm f4L IS USM ultra wide-angle lens. Nassau County (Florida) courthouse. It’s had 418 views and 10 favorites so far. It’s my favorite image from 2021.

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope to get out and about more this year weather and pandemic permitting. – Chris

around the yard with my Canon EOS R

January 4, 2022January 5, 2022Chris and Carol 2 Comments

Hi all, I’m still getting used to my new camera and today I got to use my new (there’s that word again) Canon RF 50mm f1.8 USM lens. I’m happy with the results except I wanted a bit more direct sunlight.

Canon EOS R with Canon RF 50mm f1.8 USM lens at f5.6 ISO 125 at 1/60

I’d like to compare this lens against my Canon EF 50mm f1.4 IS USM lens. The f1.8 has the potential to be sharper since it was designed to be used without an adapter on the EOS R body. Thanks for stopping by! – Chris

Why I upgraded to full-frame (short version)

January 4, 2022January 4, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Simply put, I wanted more without breaking the bank. More what? Well, more freedom to enlarge my images for printing without significant loss of detail. I’ve been using mostly APS-C digitals for my work up to this point with good results. I’ve made money with these non-professional cameras too and they certainly do a nice job capturing images for this blog, Flickr, and in my online shops (Mercari, eBay x2, Etsy x 2). But as digital cameras have gotten better I’ve stayed on the sidelines and away from buying a high-cost and high-end digital – until now.

Image captured by my Fujifilm X-A10 mirrorless camera and Fujinon 16-50mm f3.5-5.6 lens. The Fuji is my go-to camera in the studio.

Enter the new kid on the block – my Canon EOS R 30.3 MP full-frame camera shown here with a crazy big Canon EF 50mm f1.4 USM lens and Canon EF-EOS R adapter (required if you want to shoot with your existing EF glass). Also shown and totally unnecessary Canon BG-E22 battery grip. I say unnecessary because I’m not a videographer and I don’t need the extra power of an additional battery but as a still photographer I need the grip as it gives my big hands a secure place to hold on and steady big lenses. Speaking about the grip, it takes two Canon LP-E6N batteries, not three. To attach the grip you’ll first need to remove the battery from inside the camera as the accessory grip fits up inside the camera in that spot.

I wanted those 30 Megapixels and I wanted the full-frame sensor. This will likely be the last mirrorless body that I buy so I wanted one that wouldn’t be obsolete in a few years. I know, the Canon EOS R came out in late 2018 so it’s already getting on but Canon is great about firmware updates so it’ll stay fresh a while longer. Another reason to stay with Canon apart from being able to keep using my current EF lenses is that the new RF lenses that were designed for their full-frame mirrorless cameras are some of the best lenses made.

Canon RF 50mm f1.8 USM lens. It’s tiny compared to my EF 50mm f1.4 USM lens.

With the Canon RF 50mm f1.8 USM lens attached the Canon EOS R hits its stride – a compact and powerful camera that’s easy on the bank. I was able to get the 50mm f1.8 lens brand new (Gray Market) for under $170 (Canon price $199) and the camera for $1,599 from B&H (USA warranty). The battery grip was purchased on eBay as an “open box” listing which also included the USB Power Adapter PD-E1 for only $178 (Canon price $259). At under $2,000 for an amazing 30.3 MP full-frame mirrorless, you can’t go wrong.

On a side note, when I installed the RF 50mm f1.8 USM lens last night I realized that my new camera had the previous firmware installed as I had this pop up on the LCD –

Not what you want to see when you attach a new lens.

It was an easy “fix” as I went to Canon’s website and downloaded Ver. 1.8.0 and installed it in the camera. Good to go but I was surprised since this version has been out since June 2021. Oh well, all new cameras sit in stock at some point.

Thanks for stopping by and have a fantastic day! – Chris

Happy SUNday! – perspective

January 2, 2022January 2, 2022Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Let me say right from the start – I love shooting with ultra wide-angle lenses! Having said that let me add that you can quickly find yourself overusing ultra wide-angle lenses if you’re not careful.

Here’s an example of the same building (Fernandina Beach post office) shot from different angles but all were taken with my zoom lens set below 24mm on a full-frame camera. Here I’m using my new Canon EOS R 30.3 MP camera.

At 16mm you’re getting about a 107-degree view so to me, it’s a chance to have more of the scene in your image. Our eyes typically only look at between 40 and 50 degrees (a normal or standard lens on a full-frame camera).

The downfall of always shooting at 24mm and wider is you’re going to have more of the sky, more branches, and in this case, more of the road. Are they really adding anything of value to the image? Having too much sky in this image of the courthouse meant that the beautiful blue sky was blown out with additional bright light. I used a lens hood and the Canon L lens I was shooting with is coated. Had I shot this scene at 35-50mm it may have produced a more pleasing image but from my vantage point, I wouldn’t have captured the entire building. What’s your go-to lens? Let me know your thoughts in the comments section.

Thanks for stopping by and have a wonderful day and new year. – Chris

Canon EOS Cousins

December 31, 2021December 31, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Canon EOS R on the left and on the right is my Canon EOS 7D.

Made about 10-years apart, the EOS R is a 30-megapixel mirrorless digital camera and the EOS 7D is a traditional DSLR with 18-megapixels of resolution. Both are shown with Canon battery grips attached. Although it doesn’t look it in this image, the 7D is quite a bit larger than the EOS R both in size and weight – the 7D weighs about 1313 grams and the R comes in at 992 grams with one battery installed.

Canon EOS R on the left and the Canon EOS 7D.

One of the reasons I use a battery grip is to make the body easier to handle especially with a large lens attached. I rarely worry about running out of power since I don’t shoot videos so the grips usually only have one battery installed to save a bit of weight.

The LCD screen on the EOS R is shown in its closed position. I’m finding that I don’t use the screen since the electronic viewfinder is so bright and clear. I’m using the R as if it were a traditional film SLR.

Canon EOS R with a Canon EF 16-35mm f4L IS USM lens attached.

Canon EF 16-35mm f4L IS USM ultra wide-angle lens. Shot at 16mm.

Whenever I have the chance to shoot with my ultra wide-angle lens I tend to go all the way and stay set at 16mm. It can be overused though and I’m often criticized for how often I use it. I guess I like to feel as though I can expand my vision with one and see things in a different way.

Fernandina Beach Post Office at about 30mm.

The Lesesne House (ca1868) shot at 31mm. By the way, these images received very little editing in post-production. The Canon EF 16-35mm f4L IS USM is one of Canon’s sharpest zoom lenses with outstanding contrast and gorgeous colors.

As always, a big thanks for stopping by and another big thank you for an outstanding 2021. The blog has grown to a point that I never imagined when I started it back in 2015. Here’s hoping we see a peaceful and joyous 2022. – Chris

Comments are always welcomed as I’ve learned quite a bit from reader feedback. As always, thanks for stopping by and while you’re at it, feel free to visit my camera shop at http://www.ccstudio2380.com (CC Design Studios hosted by Etsy). – Chris Whelan

Canon EOS R test pics – Canon EF 24-105mm f3.5-5.5 IS STM zoom lens

December 30, 2021December 30, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

I’m still learning my new camera. Today I reset the camera back to its factory settings. These images were taken in P program mode with the camera setting all of the exposures. There’s still lots to learn.

Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day! – Chris

Christmas present – Canon EOS R

December 27, 2021December 27, 2021Chris and Carol Leave a comment

Canon EOS R with Canon EF 16-35mm f4L IS USM zoom lens.

My Christmas present this year is from my wonderful wife, Carol. Canon’s full-frame mirrorless camera features 30 megapixels of resolution in a somewhat compact body.

To be able to shoot with Canon EF and EFS lenses, you need to use the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R seen here between the lens and the R body.

Garden cat at 16mm f4 about 2 feet from the cat.

Can you tell that I like trees? This majestic oak is in my front yard. Image at 16mm.

I’ll write more about my first impressions of the Canon EOS R. Now that it’s a part of my camera collection most if not all of my digital cameras will be listed for sale in my camera shop – starting with my Nikon D800. Thanks for stopping by and have a beautiful day! – Chris

Chasing Classic Cameras with Chris

Yashica cameras and so much more!

Tag Canon EOS R