Desperate to take pictures

[Blue_In_AK]

Damn the snowplows, full speed ahead...

Yes, these were shot in color, believe it or not.

[lakemonster11]

1. Wow, that first one is awesome!

[Blue_In_AK]

2. Why, thank you very much...

My husband liked that one a lot, too. I only took the second one to see how close I could get with the 17-85 without stepping off into the snow. I really like the versatility of this lens. I was shooting with the 10-20 the other day and getting a little frustrated that I couldn't pull my scenes in closer, but, of course, that's not what that lens is made for. I think this one here is the one I'll probably use the most.

[ET Awful]

3. So how is that 10-20 working out?

I mean yeah, it won't bring things in closer, but how is it working out as far as sharpness, etc.?

All the samples I've seen from it have been excellent, I just want to be reassured that my recommendation was sound :)

[Blue_In_AK]

4. I am pleased with the 10-20

I just screwed up the pictures I took with it because I had the ISO set too low. Here's one that looked like twilight to begin with, but I lightened it up, so it's not too bad now. You get the idea anyway. Sorry if this is big.

ed. That was much, much too big. I tried to get it smaller -- it's still a little large, but you'll get the idea of what the lens does anyway. What I'm waiting for now is a nice sunny day so I can get up high somewhere and take pictures of the mountains across the Inlet. I think this lens will be perfect for that. We've just had ice fog for days - not exactly good picture-taking weather.

[CC]

5. They are all great

Like the first one of the top two but this one is really good too. Once you learn the camera as well as you did your old one you will have a better feel for what you will need to do for different lighting situations. Some of what you get to shoot you might want to bracket anyway, just for the different feel you can get with different exposures.

Haven't seen F. Gordon, though did hear from him through pms. They ended up going west of here so unless something happens tomorrow not going to get to meet.

[ET Awful]

7. Very nice stuff :)

I agree with everybody else that that first shot above is awesome.

I like this one a lot too :)

[mogster]

6. Lovely shots!

Bleak, but beautiful! :-)

[Guy Fawkes]

8. That first picture is amazing.

stunning.

[F.Gordon]

9. Boing!!!

Major Eyecandy. That first shot is coldastic!!
:applause:

Be patient. In "landscape mode" the 20D will do some automatic color adjustments. Will give you some nice "in-camera" colors. You can preset these for when you start shooting in RAW down the road. I have a link around here somewhere if you need me to find it.... tells you how to do this.

Congrats on getting your awesome new camera kit. I'd recommend staying with your short/med zoom for awhile to get use to the camera. Shooting ultrawide is tricky. The camera doesn't seem to recognize the amount of light it is trying to suck in so I've learned that you need to bump up the ISO and/or adjust the exposure compensation.

Ultrawide... usually the exposure compensation does the trick. Push the little "star" button on the back-top right of the camera.... depress the shutter 1/2 way while turning the big dial thing on the back of the camera (looking throught the view finder) and you can adjust the exposure. Watch your shutter speed (the number to the left in the viewfinder) as you adjust your exposure. You may need to use a tripod in low light.

[Blue_In_AK]

10. Thanks for the info, F.

I'm just trying to learn how all these buttons and dials work together, and what you just wrote helps a lot. Jim got me an instructional DVD, but there's just SO much information and the guy goes pretty fast so I'm pausing about every 30 seconds or so to try to absorb it all. I'm sure I'll figure it all out though, sooner or later.

[F.Gordon]

11. Have fun 1st...... learn 2nd...

Here is a very good link. It comes off a little "pre-school" but it's really not. Easy to understand stuff.. explained in a manner that isn't over the top and too mega-tech.....

http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/enjoydslr/index.html

[bvar22]

12. Love the shots,

especially the first one.

Do you do anything special to protect the camera from the cold?

I noticed in the specificatrion that the operating range for my Olympus C-750 bottoms at 32 degrees F., but I've used it at lower temps (-20) for brief periods without any problems. I just carry it inside my jacket. I was curious if my future SLR might be more problematic in the cold.

I may post this question as a thread topic.

Edited to Add: care to make any lens recommendations for the 20D at this point?

[Blue_In_AK]

13. I had the camera out this afternoon in 0 degrees....

It seems to have done just fine taking the shots, although it had frosty build-up all over it by the time I got back to where I started, and when I went inside it condensed up pretty quick. Also, not surprisingly, the battery went low. I probably should have carried the camera inside my coat to keep it warm, which is usually what I do, but these lenses are so much bigger than my old camera that I really look pretty funny with the camera zipped up inside -- you know, like I've got one giant boob in the middle of my chest. :)

I took pictures this afternoon with the 17-85 and I shot some eagles in the top of a tree with the 70-300 extended out, but I haven't got them on the computer yet, so I'm not sure how they'll look. I'm trying to finish up some work this afternoon, but I'll probably put a couple of these on later this evening when I have some spare time.