Spyder 3 Express with laptop + external monitor

I'm using a Spyder 3 Express from Datacolor for my monitor calibration. I'll probably upgrade the software to Color Eyes when I have some more cash, but for right now the basic software that comes with the puck is good enough. I want accurate color, but I don't think anything I'm doing is that color critical, so "good enough" is good enough.

One problem I ran into was getting it to calibrate the right display. I have a Dell U2410 wide gamut monitor (awesome display, by the way), attached to a Vostro 1500 laptop. It's not my ideal workstation computer, but it works pretty well, so like better calibration software, upgrading it isn't my highest priority right now. But the Spyder 3 Express, with the bundled software, only wants to measure the primary display, which it wrongly believes to be the laptop screen instead of the external. No amount of fiddling with display properties would convince it otherwise, but I did figure out how to do it.

Go into Power Options, and change the setting for when the laptop's lid is shut from "Sleep" or whatever it is to "Do Nothing". Then close the laptop, and open the Spyder 3 software -- you only have one display now, so it picks the monitor. Easy as that.

Disruption

blue bee
Originally uploaded by mehampson

I was struck this week with a deep philosophical question. When bad luck occurs, but is canceled out by an equal yet opposite stroke of good luck, how do you rate things overall? Bad, because of the bad luck to begin with? Or good, because as unlikely as a catastrophe is, a catastrophe followed by a miracle is even less so?

I'm kind of inclined to go with the latter. I lucked out. A couple days ago, I ordered a new hard drive for my laptop -- a 320GB 7200 rpm Western Digital to replace an old 120GB 5400 rpm Seagate. It was kind of an impulse buy, since I was getting frustrated with Lightroom and Photoshop being sluggish about loading files and previews, and short of replacing the whole system, there's nothing else left to upgrade. Plus, I haven't really trusted the old drive for a while now -- it's an three-year-old laptop -- so a $60 upgrade seemed like a good idea.

The new drive shipped out on Friday, and by Sunday morning, the old one in the laptop was dead. Totally dead. Not even recognized by the BIOS. Making whhrr--sproing noises. So I'd say that was pretty good timing, and pretty good luck, since I only wound up with two days downtime.

But like everything else, 95% of good luck is good planning. It wouldn't have mattered that I had a replacement in the mail at the moment my drive died if I didn't have everything important backed up. I had stopped keeping anything important on my laptop a few months ago: RAW files were imported directly to my external drive, which had a second copy of nearly all my "data". I keep my OS and applications on one partition, and all my photos, mp3s, documents, etc. on a separate one, to make reinstalls easier -- my external drive has a copy of that second partition. My photos also live on another external drive that I keep at my girlfriend's apartment, in case mine gets struck by a meteorite or something.

The real luck here was having the foresight to prepare for this kind of problem. Whether you're a photographer or not, if you don't have at least one backup solution, get one right now. I've lost some stuff, but nothing I can't recreate or find new copies of. The only hassle really is reinstalling Windows and the big programs I use every day, and that just took an afternoon or so. I don't want to think about where I'd be if I'd lost all my photos from the past few years...

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At the same time as all this, I broke my macro rig. I tried mounting the bracket to a tripod collar to see how well it worked, but the socket on the bracket just rotated in place when I tried to unscrew it. Eventually the whole thing cracked in half when I tried pulling it out. I haven't done much bug stuff lately, except for some natural light work I haven't been thrilled with. (Got some GREAT shots of chive flowers this way, though.)

But I finally got the replacement bracket in the mail, along with a third-party lens hood for the 100mm macro that I'll trim down to work with the extension tubes, and went out and shot the blue solitary bee in the photo above. Still need to do some tweaking to the overall rig, but I'm happy to have found a new bee.

Domke F-802 Review

I love my Domke F-6, but as I've been expanding my kit and preparing to offer my services as a photographer, I've recognized that it's not going to be the best solution for bringing a large kit to a shoot. I don't think it would fit two bodies, a 70-200mm zoom and another medium-sized lens or two, plus lighting gear. Additionally, while I personally like the Ruggedwear finish, I wanted something a bit more business casual, so to speak. I'm still completely happy with my F-6 and wanted to stick with Domke, so I ended up getting the Domke F-802 Reporter's Satchel, a large satchel-style bag, in the normal Sand finish. (Because I'm carrying so much in this bag, I also picked up the Domke Shoulder Pad, which helps keep the weight from getting painful -- highly recommended, and you'll see it in the pictures, but it doesn't come with the bag.)

Domke calls the F-802 a "Reporter's Satchel", but it works quite well as a camera bag. Like all their F-series bags, it's made of a durable but flexible cotton canvas. I was tempted to get one of the J-series satchels, which are made of black ballistic nylon, but there's no J-802 that I can find, and I wanted the larger size more than the different material. I was also considering the F-811 or F-812, which are designed to carry a laptop and a DSLR system, but I couldn't find many reviews of them, and they're about twice as expensive -- I don't plan on needing to transport my laptop to shoots very often, so I ruled them out.

I also could have gotten an F-2, or even an F-1X, but I decided that I wanted a satchel instead of a duffel bag. For one thing, it's less conspicuous: the F-802 could be any large messenger bag. Living and working around Boston, carrying an obvious camera bag would also potentially make me look like a tourist or a student, and thieves are more likely to see them as a target. A satchel might suggest a laptop, but every bag's obviously going to carry something, and I think "maybe a laptop?" is a better risk than "definitely a camera". Not that the F-2 looks a lot like a camera bag, of course.

The slimmer profile of the satchels is also a draw. It keeps more of the gear closer to my body, so there's less a risk of carelessly smacking into something (or someone) because it's sticking out. It does make the F-802 harder to work out of, since the bag is deeper, but I suspect it's just a matter of getting used to a deep space instead of a broad one. On the other hand, I do a lot of shooting bending or even laying down, and I'd be worried about things falling out if it tipped over on the ground with the flap open -- something a duffel wouldn't do.

The bag is built really well. There are no loose threads anywhere, and all the materials are high quality. The strap runs down along the sides and is sewn to the bottom of the bag, so the weight is distributed over the entire bag, and not just on a few square inches at the top. It also has a rubber tread sewn into it, which keeps it secure on your shoulder. The top flap has a handle on it, made of the same thick cotton material as the strap, with a metal reinforcement underneath. I've actually heard of this support wearing through the bag after a few years, but I have no idea if the problem is widespread or not. The clip that secures the flap is very strong, and takes some work to open; I expect it'll ease up in time, but frankly I like that it's not going to pop open too easily.

On the outside, there's a large but thin pocket on the back, which I stick lens caps into while I'm shooting. There are also two zippered front pockets (heavy YKK zippers), large enough for business cards, small notepads, and other small-ish items you want easy access to.

Inside is a lot of storage space. There are two velcroed front pockets, each large enough to carry a Super Clamp and umbrella adapter. Or, though it's a little tight, a 40D with battery grip (and no lens, of course). The velcro patches on these pockets are very large, about the size of a business card, so it's easy to shut them securely. Also, the Domke logo is on the flap of one of these, meaning it's not visible when the main flap is closed -- another way the F-802 avoids standing out as a camera bag. (Though let's be honest: any thief who'd know Domke is a camera bag maker could probably recognize the F-802.)

There's a second thin pocket inside, which could hold a binder or large notepad; I keep some sample 4"x6" prints in here, and would use it for any shoot-related paperwork. Between this and the four pockets, you're probably going to have room for all the cables, filters, spare batteries and other miscellaneous accessories you need for whatever system you're carrying.

The main compartment is sized for a pretty good work system. Its dimension are 14.5"x12"x3", which doesn't account for the natural flex of the fabric. That's the big advantage of Domke bags: they expand or collapse around what they're carrying, so it keeps its balance and comfort whether its packed full or is half empty. The bottom and sides are lightly padded, just enough for the bag to keep its shape empty. It's not enough to protect the contents in case of a serious accident, but if you're getting a Domke, this shouldn't come as a surprise: they're flexible, fast bags that are easy to use, but ultimately you are its best protection from accidents.

One nice detail: the interior padding is olive green, and the unpadded surfaces are of the same material as the exterior (really, they are the exterior), so unless you have a black bag, it's easy to see exactly what's at the bottom of the bag.

Since the F-802 is marketed as a reporter's satchel, it doesn't include any inserts to keep the main compartment organized. I use the Domke FA-230 3 Compartment Insert. With this setup, I can carry the 40D with 70-200mm f/4L IS attached (hood reversed) in one compartment, the old EOS A2 (I haven't gotten a second digital body yet, but wanted to see how one will fit) with 17-40mm f/4L on the other end, and the 100mm f/2.8 Macro in the middle. The 100mm Macro is about as large as will fit between the two main lenses. There's still room on either end of the insert for a flash; I was able to fit the 430EX II and a Vivitar 285HV in, barely, but the Viv is much bulkier than most modern flashes. With these two bodies, three mid-sized lenses, and two flashes, I was still able to fit a 24' TTL cord from FlashZebra in the main compartment. I can also fit the cameras in with their grips attached, though it's a tight fit -- though the A2 is a film camera with a small vertical grip, not a bulkier motor drive or battery grip, and I don't know if a second one of those would fit.

The bodies, with or without grip, are pressed right next to each other like this. I took the side padding out of the FA-230, and will probably reuse it as a divider to keep them from rubbing. Everything else is secure. On that note, I can feel the contents of the bag against my side as I'm carrying it, and I'll probably add a bit of that padding between the insert and the back of the bag for comfort.

With all this gear packed, the main flap still shuts easily, since the clasp comes up between the front two cargo pockets. The sides of the compartment are completely covered, so I'm not worried about rain or snow getting in, like I was with the F-6. The canvas finish is probably less water-resistant than the Ruggedwear, but canvas is pretty good at keeping the contents dry, and there's multiple layers of it around the electronic stuff in the main compartment.

All in all, I'm as happy with the F-802 as I am with the F-6. I'm still using the F-6 when I'm out on a photo walk, especially doing macro work with bugs, where I don't need to carry my entire work kit with me. For carrying everything though, I'm very happy with the F-802. If in the future I ever have more gear than this bag can carry, I don't think I would be using a single bag for it.

By the way: Purchases made through the links provided here support this site and my photography. Please be sure that I stand by my recommendations, and only ever suggest items that I would spend my own money on.

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM Review

Making myself available as a photographer has meant investing in new gear. Some things I need to fill in certain gaps, like focal lengths that my 50mm and 100mm macro don't cover, and others to provide durability (or at least redundancy) that I don't currently have. It's expensive, but necessary, and as far as business start-up costs go, I think I have it pretty easy, since I don't need to worry about real estate or vehicles or anything scary-expensive like that.

The first big upgrade is the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L USM, a wide-angle zoom. I decided to get this lens first for a couple of reasons: I don't have anything in that focal range, it's the cheapest of the lens/camera upgrades I want to make, and I can use it as a wide-standard zoom on my 40D (I think I have to put off an upgrade to the 5D II until last).

This is my first L lens, and it's pretty clearly in a different class than the other lenses I have. Rather than give the same review focusing on technical details that you can find everywhere else on the internet, I'd like to pass over the image quality and instead talk about my first experience using it on a crop body.

It feels solid in the hand, though it's not a massive lens. It balances very well with the 40D, and I imagine it would with the heavier bodies, too. The front element is huge -- it has a 77mm filter diameter while being only 97mm long -- and dark. You can see down into the body of my other lenses, this one has more of a "black box" appearance to it. I was surprised at the slight resistance and muffled click when I mounted it for the first time, until I realized that it was due to the rubber o-ring that seals the mount against water and dust.

The USM autofocus is very snappy, nearly silent, and from what I've seen so far, pretty accurate. The zoom ring and focus ring are both smooth and quiet, without the dry scratchy sound of inexpensive lenses. I will say that I've never had a zoom lens that doesn't change length while zooming, and that was a bit of a surprise, being one of the little details that had slipped my mind. It also keeps an f/4 aperture through the zoom range, as opposed to others that drop a full stop after zooming in by 1mm from wide open.

I was aware of something with this lens that I've never consciously felt before: that this is a piece of equipment that my imagery deserves, and on the flip side, it is not one that I can hide behind when a shot doesn't come out how I'd wanted. Don't get me wrong, I am NOT one to mistake quality gear for quality photography. But holding it in my hand for the first time, that was my gut response. It's definitely true, of course, but it's also true of my 100mm f/2.8 USM Macro, and probably even the 50mm f/1.8 II -- the difference is in the build quality and cosmetic design, and I have no doubt that this is exactly the impression Canon wants to give.

We had some reasonable weather the day after I got the lens, so I went out for a photowalk -- no flash, no bag, just the 17-40mm on the 40D. With the crop factor, it's acting as a 28-64mm zoom, which for me is a great focal length. It's funny that 95% of the time I've been shooting with a prime between 50mm and 100mm (both telephoto on the 40D), but I really connect with the wide/standard perspective. I like having that depth without necessarily going ultrawide.

As I said, I don't want to get too deep into the image quality side of it (this lens has been around for years and I doubt I could say anything original there) but I do think it's important to say that my initial impression, that this is a lens my images deserve, stands up once I was actually looking at the results. I would comfortable printing a 100% crop from this lens. Color is great, detail is great, contrast is great. This is a lens whose quality you can see by looking through the camera's viewfinder.

I think what I was really feeling when I pulled the lens out of its box was a sense of confidence: I can rely on this lens. It's a sense that I don't have to baby it. It's not fragile, it's not plastic, and I'm not worried that some delicate mechanism inside is about to snap if I swing it around too quickly. Obviously I'm going to be careful with it, but I don't have the nagging voice in the back of my mind that's monitoring how I'm handling it while I'm shooting. Having actually shot a bit with it, I still feel the same, and the images I'm getting from it back that up.

That's one less distraction, and to me it's the most important reason for getting pro-grade gear: if I'm going to book half my day (and possibly half of someone else's day too) to a shoot out on location, I need to have confidence that my gear won't let me down in any way. I also need to know that it's not going to spontaneously die the day after the warranty expires. That peace of mind is what you're really paying for with L glass.