Before You Buy Gear: Key Lessons I've Learned

[@misterbrickest]

Love your channel. I'm a recovering heroin addict, just celebrated 3 years clean a few months back. I used heroin/opiats for over two decades and the end of that time was horrible. I was living on the street for almost three years and going though really bad times like getting stabbed one night. Thanks to healthy hobbies like photography, guitar and exercise I've never looked back. Photography IS good for the soul! Your story of your heart attacks is really inspiring and I try to promote creative hobbies as a way to handle mental health issues when I see people I used to run around with. I can't wait to see where this channel goes. You're like the Bob Ross of wildlife photography!

[@Duade]

Thanks for sharing your story and I am happy that you have found your passions and are enjoying photography. I agree with everything you have said and I too am very happy to have found photography. Stay well and have fun, Cheers, DUade

[@traceybartlam7737]

Congratulations on 3 years clean, great achievement

[@LtDeadeye]

I just gained a whole lot of respect for Olympus.

[@KristinaSvensson]

Me too!

[@minnesotasteve9382]

Me three. But my OM-1 came without a battery charger, my 60mm f2.8 macro came without their snazzy retractable lens hood, and the foot on the 40-150 f2.8 is not Arca Swiss compatible like my 300 f4.

[@GallicGarlic]

Olympus… Do not look at their lies in their financials.. 😡

[@kevins8575]

​@@minnesotasteve9382You're right. No manufacturer want to produce the same thing as their competitors; they all want to distinguish their products from others.

[@TheSannaeriksson]

​@@minnesotasteve9382but it charges fast with the cable and it works fine to use a powerbank in case you need "unlimited" shooting time during the day. 😉

[@carlmcneill1139]

I always do my research on gear before I make a decision. I rely on KZbinrs such as yourself and your experiences with the gear. I like people that are honest and give an unbiased opinion. We appreciate what y'all do.

[@Duade]

Thanks, my pleasure, Cheers, Duade

[@robertlawrence7958]

At 67 and having started with film I don't really consider myself a beginner but you never stop learning. Today is no exception as you have enlightened me about IP ratings. Your comments about lens hoods really struck a chord with me. Like you I consider a lens hood to be an integral part of a lens and would never use a lens without one. It never ceases to amaze me just how many people don't use them or, even worse, have them sat on the lens in the reversed position....barmy! Unfortunately for us the marketing boyos rule these days so the likelihood of camera manufacturers actually giving full easily read details of their gear rather than cleverly edited highlights is extremely unlikely. It's good for our community to have honest down to earth reviewers like yourself to point out the hidden downsides to many of these products. For instance I was quite surprised at the amount of focus breathing and subsequent reduction in focal length on the RF 100-500. A factor that will significantly influence my decision whether to replace my trusted 100-400. Excellent video Duade.

[@drummerg3331]

From what I can tell, Canon isn’t including a lens hood in any of the non-L series rf lenses. I’ve bought both the 50 1.8 and the 16 2.8 and neither came with a hood. This is quite frustrating, especially when you consider the fact that Canon lens hoods cost 2-3x as much as a third party hood and not all of the lenses are available with a third party option. A lens hood should definitely be included when purchasing a lens. Anyway, great informative video Duade!

[@traceybartlam7737]

It’s disgraceful that they don’t include a lens hood when you are spending a lot of money and then charge way over the odds for a piece of plastic 😡

[@cp4512]

The manufacturers should definitely quote IP for weather protection. If they don’t, I assume it’s because their kit would have a very low score and is not well weather sealed.

[@kennethcaird3892]

Duade: You just cannot do enough homework when purchasing camera gear online. Thanks for a very informant video and I always appreciate your honesty!!!

[@pseudophotog]

Excellent - a call for basic transparency on these issues to all brands would be enormously helpful in avoiding frustration, confusion and disappointment. Many thanks Duade

[@Duade]

Well said!

[@deanelliot4127]

Brilliant video Duade; you’ve pulled back the curtain to expose the INTENTIONAL deceptive practices of many manufacturers. Olympus/OM System seems to be the most honest and up front company out there. Leica goes so far as to put its IPX ratings right on its SL2/SL2-S, and Q series cameras.

[@Twobarpsi]

A lens hood is just plastic, and costs nothing in terms of material. Criminal that it's not included!

[@173jaSon371]

I'm about to learn 3D printing at this rate lol

[@lbeetech]

Lens hoods are cheap...

[@Gaztography]

Hi Duade, The lack of a len's hood is a real pain and disappointing, i recently bought the RF35, no hood, RF600 F11 no hood. i can't believe they cannot include a hood, even if it's a less expensive version compared to the L series. as for battery chargers, wow I never thought you would spend upwards of 1-2k and not get one. makes no sense. as consumers I think we deserve better from these major brands, it's not like we are buying cheap equipment! great insight again Duade.

[@173jaSon371]

Right, it's absolutely ridiculous to not sell a hood with every lens but they don't care, they want money and know that people have no better option than to fork over the added cash. It's like car manufacturers installing certain tech that you need to PAY MONTHLY for....in the car YOU BOUGHT AND OWN. Fucking lunacy. Our world is going to hell. Thanks, capitalism!

[@Duade]

Thanks mate, yep, confused and shocked me that is for sure. Cheers, Duade

[@666JGNotts]

Going back probably 10 years, I've never got a lens hood with canon lenses unless it was an L series lens. I just accept it now but really shouldn't have to because I've bought a few Sigma lenses for my 7D Mk2 and they have all come with hoods, even the really cheap ones. The other annoying thing for me was that my 100-400L (mark 1 version) came with a lens hood but it is black! Looks totally wrong to me on the white lens.

[@dogpadogpa]

Another lie is F-stop numbers as a marketing measurement. That's why T-stop exists for video lenses. ie. a F1.4 is based on measurement of the hole, not the amount of light coming in. A 50mm f1.4 vs a different brand 50mm f1.4 sounds the same but one'll let less light through. DXOmark tested Zeiss 50mm f1.4 (Transmission f1.5) and Sigma f1.4 (Transmission f1.8). Doesn't matter too much in photography but keep an eye out if your buying a 'brighter' f-stop lens when it's technically not as advertised.

[@ianwaldren116]

Thanks for this much needed analysis. My experience the ef 100 to 400 on the r7 is 370 at best. Gone back to using the 400 5.6 when reach needed but can only get around 10 fps. r7 will never compare to 7d mk 2 for durability and ergonomics but the best apsc available. Canon must have known about the issues with the r7 on release. Shutter shock mechanical is well shocking and 30 fps electronic hopeless in most situations due to sensor readout speed. Come on canon give us a pro level apsc.

[@Original_Old_Farmer]

Sony makes some very good equipment, granted over priced. But because of their attitude with an issue that I had, their position was totally unreasonable, they have beccome totally disqualified for consideration by me. A company needs to support their customers and make their product user friendly. Again, Sony has failed its customer base with their choice of memory card. They are totally anathema to me to the point that I will not even watch their movies or listen to their music. As a Japanese company they are an embarassment to their country and ours. This is a strong opinion but one that is well deserved. Panasonic understands this as well as Fujifilm as good examples of brands to consider.

[@Duade]

Thanks, I missed it but Angelbird has come out with a much cheaper CFA card but it has taken a long time, and the Sony branded cards seem very expensive. Sorry to hear of your experience. Cheers, Duade

[@pawelmod3292]

Got your point but my observations is a bit different. When I was compering Sony vs Canon, Sony is just a cheaper for me. Compare for example 1.8 primes like 35 or 85. Even premium 135mm 1.8 Sony is almost 50% cheaper than Canon equivalent - wtf canon? Regarding cards: you can use dual SD cards if the price is the problem.

[@rexrex2012]

This video gives me a great pool of knowledge to learn. Also totally agree that those big guys in camera industry should be more transparent on detail specs. You are really doing great for all of us photographers. Thank you, Duade!

[@Duade]

My pleasure Rex, glad it was helpful, Cheers, Duade

[@stevemurnan1702]

My only complaint with the OM-1 is the lack of an external battery charger. However, I was aware of this at the time of purchase. Everything else just works as far as I can tell and that includes all the neat features such as Pro Capture, live ND & in camera photo stacking.

[@Duade]

Thanks Steve, totally agree, a really fun camera I am really enjoying, the lack of charger was just a surprise. Cheers, Duade

[@flyingparrotphotography]

Same here, but I bought a knock-off with additional car charger plug on e-bay for for $18.00. 8 months in and no problems 👍

[@davidsharkman]

Excellent work, Duade. I think the focus breathing description with some lens is important to consider. I do not use Nikon but they have done an excellent job in that regard. The rolling shutter is very useful to know depending on the type of wildlife you shoot.

[@tntytube]

Nikon got bitten for their otherwise excellent 70-200/2.8 VR II where 200mm becomes 135mm at close range - probably the most infamous controversy about focus breathing. They quickly came out with a new version that fixed it and is still top notch to these days.

[@EssexCountyPhoto]

The bigger capacity the memory cards... The more tears when they fail... Get smaller cards, buy many...

[@hstein27]

2x teleconverters....they just don't seem to work well even on prime lenses. I now own the EF and RF ones and hardly use them.

[@Duade]

Yes, that is always tough, when to use them, are you stopping them down? With my primes I will usually stop down with the converter. So on my 500 f4 I shoot at f/7.1/f8 instead of 5.6 which helps a lot. Cheers, Duade

[@grahamstretch6863]

More important than the physical weight of the lens is the weight distribution, some new lenses are being designed with the weight distribution biased towards the camera so that the leverage from the outer end is reduced thereby reducing the ‘felt’ weight.

[@eeviewonders]

All these big companies are following in apples footsteps, they took away the 3.5mm hole for headphones and charging you to buy a stick on hole, it's like buying a car with no wheels but then get offered the wheels for a much higher price, the world has gone nuts.

[@tintin69rr]

Great video yeah my mistake was getting the r7 as I was hoping that was going to be the perfect replacement and a mirrorless 7dmk2 sadly poor weather sealing poor buffer and great features like the preburst which I love but sadly the readout speed can’t handle it… what were canon thinking yet s body like the R3 with the stacked sensor which could handle the readout speed sadly they don’t give that the preburst feature canon would a sold loads more R3 If they put the preburst in it 🤞there going to learn from their mistakes

[@Harry-bh5dg]

G,Day Duade another great vid and as always really good advice when purchasing a new lens or body, I don't know how long it takes to research, film, edit and up load your vids but they are always full of excellent advice and very well presented

[@Duade]

Thanks Harry, I appreciate the feedback, my goal is to help my wonderful audience so if it does then the time is worth it. Cheers, Duade

[@johnclark9499]

Hi Duade. Blimey, I thought I was pretty experienced and knowledgeable about the current photographic gear market. No battery charger with most Sony mirrorless cameras, just ridiculous! Price of CFexpress type A - I had no idea how much they are! So many useful pieces of information in the video, thank you. And sensor readout speed - so important to understand. Thanks again and I'll be doing more research/checking before purchasing in the future. John

[@Duade]

Thanks mate, my pleasure, it appears the CFA cards have come down in price and I missed a new one which is much cheaper, but still expensive. Cheers, Duade

[@davidligon6088]

Exceptional video and, from a Sony shooter, right on! I loved your readout chart. I shoot the A7RV and A7RIV, and the A7RV has the same readout speed as the A7RIV. Forget shooting anything but mechanical. Another feature I bought the A7RV for was the ability to set a shutter speed longer than 30 seconds. I was planning on using it for Astro photography along with the built-in intervalometer. Unfortunately, the longer shutter speeds are not supported with the built in Intervalometer, and you are limited to 30 seconds. Another disappointing feature on the A7RV is the improved WiFi and Bluetooth communications. the feature is great, but it eats batteries way faster than the A7RIV with it enabled, and it does so, even if the camera is turned off. Finally, while the new focus bracketing feature is useful, it is poorly executed. You set the number of shots, and it adjusts focus from the near plane set by AF to infinity. You have to manually stop it if you don’t want to go to infinity. In addition, each shot takes a minimum of 1/2 second. Set focus bracketing and get a cup of coffee. I had an old Canon, in the early 2000s that allowed me to set a near focus point and a far focus point and it computed the number of shots needed based on the aperture and focal length. The third shutter press started the focus bracket shots. Sony seems prehistoric compared to that. They could have, at least, allowed me to set a near and far focal distance and set the number of images in between.

[@MarkusGebhard]

I was thinking about upgrading to a a7rV from my a7rII, but since the electric shutter on is not really usable for wildlife photography on neither camera, I think I might try something else. I'll get a Nikon Z8 with a Megadapt ETZ21 pro adaptor to use Sony autofocus lenses on Nikon Z-mount cameras. The a1 is still 60% more expensive than a Z8 here in Germany unfortunately.

[@davidligon6088]

@@MarkusGebhard Don’t get me wrong, I love my A7RV, and silent shooting is useful for landscape and astro, but not anything close to action. If readout is 62.5 ms, then you would have to shoot slower than 1/16 sec to be guaranteed not to see warping. In practice, it’s probably a bit faster than that. Shooting mechanical seems to be no problem, other than being noisy on a quiet morning when shooting birds. I chose the A7RV over the A1 for the advanced features listed above. Wish I could afford both ;)

[@AlbertoAcero]

You forgot to mention that if you buy a Sony camera - their A1 flag ship for example - you won’t get firmware updates and soon cheaper cameras have better features

[@przybylskipawel]

About weather sealing: No external zoom lens is sealed againg heavy rain then you zoom in and out. It sucks water like a syringe. It even impacted once my Olympus 12-100mm f4 PRO lens. Luckily I managed to make it fully operational again. IP rating and detial description of what can be done/expected would be awsome.

[@Duade]

Thanks for sharing and good to know, another benefit of primes and internal zooming I imagine? Cheers, Duade

[@laurelb8372]

The XT5 didn’t come with a charger, it charges via cable in camera, and no light to indicate it is charging. Bring back the good old charger please Fuji.

[@SkylarkFields]

Actually a green light, very tiny, admittedly, lights up when the camera is charging through the cable - at least mine does when connected to my pc. After I have downloaded my images I leave it connected, switch the camera off and it then charges until I disconnect it. The light is built into the thumb grip on the back right hand side.

[@skakdosmer]

Always watch (or read) reviews before buying any photographic equipment! And always read the manual when you've bought it! That way you avoid a lot of negative surprises! As everyone should know, Canon lenses never came with lens hoods. (Except their L-lenses that only rich people can afford). This is something I've known since 1996, but it's been true even longer. And many, many photographers have told Canon they should include a lens hood, because everybody else includes one (I even own a Sigma lens that came with two as standard). But basically Canon don't care, so good luck if you want to try and persuade them. In my opinion they don't care a hoot about their customers. By the way, third party lens hoods are very different in quality. Mostly it's not too serious - they might be more flimsy, they might not fit as precisely, they might not look quite as good, they might be a little skewed, but they still work. The best I've tried are from this JJC that you mention - they're just about as good as the original. Luckily I haven't bought a camera that didn't come with a battery charger.

[@deadmansgulch1]

I went over a year with the OM-1 using the usb charging and single battery. I recently went out bush to do some astro photography and was very oleased to see there are now after market batteries available, the genuine ones are and the charger are frighteningly expensive. At least i dont have a Leica! Great video once again Duade.

[@TheSannaeriksson]

Why not get a good powerbank to bring with you? Works really good.

[@msyuan1124]

Spot on about weather sealing ratings! I’ve used Canon 1 series bodies since 2004 until the R5, so I wasn’t too concerned. I shudder to think how the R5 will handle bad weather. My phone has an IP rating - my camera and lens should, too. Kudos to Olympus. Thanks for another great video.

[@pianofinger]

I have used my R5 in rainstorms unprotected doing model shoots with no issues for the last 3 years

[@steveparent8788]

​@@pianofingerThe 5D IV was rock solid and the R5 has a comparable weather sealing.

[@msyuan1124]

This is very comforting news. About to board a flight to Alaska and rain is forecast for much of my stay. I do have rain protection for the camera/lens - and me! Thanks!!

[@Duade]

Thanks mate, my understanding is the R5/R6 are very good and a step up on the R7 without a doubt. I just wish we had a standard so Canon could show just how good it is. Have fun on your trip. Cheers, Duade

[@ORW081994]

Very useful and interesting! You forgot to talk about software problems, for instance my Sony a7iv, unable to produce multiple exposures, no focus stacking... at 2800 € without charger. You add very a bad rolling shutter, loud mechanical shutter and wonder if next time, it will be a Sony again

[@carlosamat]

“lens hoods/chargers” no, not saving money for you… making more money for them… 😁

[@richardpontius8210]

Great video! Sorry, I shoot nIkon. I will say that in my opinion not including a battery and charger with a new camera purchase is a total scam. The memory card issue for Sony should be a big issue to Sony users

[@guyjackson4143]

The lense hoods are only the starting point. The next thing to be left out of a "economy" lense will be the tripod collar. They have to make up the cost factor on the cheaper lenses and by leaving out items is the best way to sucker in customers. Same with battery chargers and batteries. The next step will be short life battery included with camera similar to furnishing small amount of ink with printers at purchase then slam you for replacements. The manufacturers will never include information about products that can bring performance into question. Again, it's called buyer beware! Mirrorless technology has really bought it to the forefront in the camera industry.

[@mikesphotography7185]

Hi Duade. Great video you have express my thoughts so well in this. I use the OM-1 an if you are happy with the 20Mp it knocks most of the bigger manufacturers into a cocked Hat on specs, a big thumbs up.😎

[@GallicGarlic]

Yup .. who cares about image quality 😅..

[@mikesphotography7185]

What ? 🤓@@GallicGarlic

[@alexzeitphoto]

Starting the day in Edinburgh with a Duade video. What a perfect way to start!

[@ammadoux]

i am having my midday break. and enjoying it so much with Duade.

[@colintraveller]

Edinburgh A magnet for Tourists . where they are happy to sit on Wet grass lol

[@rudolfappel7236]

I’ve stayed in Edinburgh 4 months to go to Stevenson College, had a very good time there. Love the Scottish people.

[@colintraveller]

@@rudolfappel7236 You've possibly never experienced the last trains home from Glasgow to Ayr , Addrossan etc . The Coastline of the Clyde from Gourock all the way to Largs etc is where it's at and over at Dunoon , holy loch and loch striven ..well worth the adventure

[@Duade]

Thanks mate, I hope your day went well. Enjoy the last days of summer. Cheers, Duade

[@joanhuggett5164]

At last. Now I know what 'focus breathing' is. I've heard the expression used a few times (on other channels) but had no idea what was being referred to, and even when some have asked in the comments, there's no reply. So... THANKS DUADE. Amazing just how conscientious and thorough you are when you do videos like this.

[@adrianlynch9435]

Gordon Laing @cameralabs has some lens reviews where he demonstrates on-video the results of focus-breathing.

[@Duade]

My pleasure Joan, it still confuses me to be honest but something to be aware of. Glad you enjoyed the video. Cheers, Duade

[@joanhuggett5164]

Exactly 'why' the focal length reduces at close range is still confusing but at least you have enlightened me as to what that term 'focus breathing' is referring to :)

[@Duade]

Great to hear Joan, Cheers, Duade@@joanhuggett5164

[@CamillaI]

Wow GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome ) is a real problem when starting photography. But can even affect professionals . I have been pleasantly surprised by how much use my recent purchase a 70-200 has actually got ! Normally a starting lens for photographers .It did come with a Lens hood though. It's amazing what camera factureres are leaving off these days, great video Duade 👍

[@daesong1378]

I never heard anyone considering that as a starting lens. Most people don’t even buy it unless they shoot events or specific landscapes. 🤔

[@CamillaI]

@@daesong1378 A starting length to get any reach . I should have qualified !🤭

[@robertpapps3618]

Very informative, thanks much! Perhaps a bit off subject but i thought I'd chime in and say I've given a lot of thought into what I'm trying to accomplish and what limitations I can live with. I realize there is no right answer for everyone, however, my approach has liberated me from having to chase the technology and saved me a bit of money in the process. For me is it really that important, $$$$, to capture a fast-flying bird in difficult light given all the other beautiful pictures that are out there, perhaps not.

[@Duade]

Thanks Robert, wonderful thoughts and would make an interesting video, what exactly are you getting for the thousands of dollars for the expensive gear. Cheers, Duade

[@tonyblake8841]

Hi Duade, definitely a worthwhile video but it extends beyond cameras and lenses. You might consider looking at what goes into the digital darkroom. I have three screens, my 14” M1 Pro, an old (10+years) BenQ 24” HD monitor and a 32” Phillips QHD. While I don’t worry too much about the old monitor for editing (emails and internet browsing etc) getting colours right or at least comparable with shared digital images and prints from run of the mill printers is an impossible task. I thought I might do a calendar for family and friends for Christmas. Three prints from three suppliers of the same image are chalk and cheese. Without spending as much for your monitor and colour calibrating gear as you did for your camera and lens, how do you get a decent print? Print at home? Another money pit. I’m ditching the calendar idea. Any thoughts on what goes into a digital darkroom would be great. E.G. with your book how did you get the print colour right? Thanks again.

[@Duade]

Thanks Tony, totally agree, I honestly pulled my hair over this exact thing and is one reason I don't really do prints. I found one print shop that did a great job but they closed down and I have not spent the time or energy to find another, In regards to the book I supplied the photos and they did the rest. Cheers, Duade@@tonyblake8841

[@mjpt57]

What, no included charger??? That's just gouging, nothing to do with "waste" or whatever. You get the camera, realise that you need to charge your battery when out in the field,so that make more money by selling it separately. Thankfully the likes of Neewer sells cheap battery chargers and of course, batteries. I have the Canon charger, 2 LPN-6H batteries, a couple of Neewer batteries and a dual battery charger which is powered via USB, so I can connect it to a honking great powerbank if away from the house/motel/car/bike. But in all practicality if I go through 3 batteries in a day, I'd most likely be back home/motel by then, so the batteries will be charging up. And the same for lens hoods, insofar as keeping the product "cheap". What's the bet that the aftermarket hood is made at the same or similar factory as the OEM one? Canon, for example, is a massive conglomerate. It makes more than just cameras. Whether it be printers for home or pro use, scanning machines which optometrists use or other equipment that hospitals use, I'd suggest that by including these cheap lens hoods with the camera and adding say, $10 to the retail price you'd not notice the extra cost and Canon wouldn't miss the extra profit that it's most likely not making on these hoods anyway if everyone buys them off of ebay or Amazon (where I've purchased mine). Anyway, thanks for another informative video, Duade. On Wednesday I fly out of Melbourne to the UK for a holiday. The R6 is packed away. I don't know if I'll get any wildlife photography in and I'm not taking a tele lens anyway, just the 24-105 and an RF16 to keep luggage weight down and bulk down as well.

[@Duade]

Thanks, totally agree, just seems like a very odd choice. It is one quick way to annoy your customer base that is for sure. Good luck on your trip. Have you considered the RF100-400? That is one tiny lens that weighs nothing, you could put it in your coat pocket onto the plane and you get 400mm. Cheers, Duade

[@jcphenix1]

Excellent video. The focus breathing of the 100-500 L is a bad surprise. This point was poorly covered by reviewers. No battery charger is just outrageous! No lens hood with Tele lens? I just don't understand : It's only a few cents and a few g. I'll stop here: WTF with the update of KZbin app. You tube is really a pita

[@Duade]

G'day, it is not terrible, the 100-500, much better than the 100-400, and the Sony, it is just the Nikon for whatever reason is very good. Cheers, Duade

[@stampydragon2739]

I used a micro sd to express type a adapter

[@xaosgeist]

Don't including a lens hood but a maybe unnecessary charger is the most wrong combination. And that is my humble opinion, owning a Canon R7 and a RF 600mm f11. Also, I don't shott with electronic shutter because of the rolling shutter effect. I knew all of this before I bougth it, because of channels like yours. Thank You. That means, if the producers inform us on all their products very well, YT-channels about gear would not be that interesting.

[@Duade]

Very true, I might be doing myself out of a job if the brands did everything, made me smile, enjoy the rest of your day. Cheers, Duade

[@narinthip3058]

Great footage as always Duade, very helpful. I learned many new things and shocked by the cost of CF Express A card, in particular. Holy moly!!!. I don't mind too much if camera manufactures don't include everything so long as they price it accordingly or giving option to buy as a package at much better deal. I agree that better and more detailed specs as well as the features descriptions should be standards. To me it gives me more confident and trust into that brand than the one that only provide broad/general information.

[@Duade]

Thanks mate, looks like I overlooked a new much cheaper CF Express A card from Angelbird which makes it a bit better, it is sold out which shows people have been waiting for a better priced card. Cheers, Duade

[@marvinlovenfeldt]

You said third party batteries cant be charged in camera via usb-c. On my Canon R7 I can charge my Patona R7 batteries via usb-c with no problem using a cheap usb-c PD charger for my Samsung A13 phone which didnt come with a charger. So it dobbles as a camera and phone charger :)

[@Duade]

Great to hear, some cameras prevent it from happening, good to hear your R7 doesn't. Cheers, Duade

[@Jone500s]

Yes, I totally agree that every brands should have batteries. and charger included But there is another limitation. Battery charger comes with a home power plug . If I have to go camping for several days Can't find a home power plug. every brands should be improved to be able to use with a USB plug as well to be more convenient.

[@Duade]

Thanks and agreed, would not be hard to have a port on the side of the charger, I think smallrig are now making batteries with a USB C in them. Cheers, Duade

[@przybylskipawel]

R7's pre buffer capture hands down. This is not even the implementation that I actually love but in combination with rolling shutter it becomes useless. Pre buffer capture is of course by neccessity electronic shutter only. However, this feature by its nature is for fast action only and the picture is heavily distorted in such a usecase due to the rolling shutter. Huge dissapointment. Also I am very dissapointed by Canon R5's IBIS high-res mode photos. It would be great if it came in RAWs but it is jpeg only. Who takes high-res tripod landscape shots in jpegs? That is insane!

[@Duade]

Thanks, all very good points and I agree, Cheers, Duade

[@Hummingbirder1]

Anyway: excellent video as always, Duade, even though it got me worked up (again) over that cable-situation mentioned in the earlier post I do agree with you about the sensor speed info and info about weather sealing (or the lack thereof)!

[@Duade]

Thanks Pia, not long now, when do you fly out? Cheers, Duade

[@Hummingbirder1]

@@Duade Uh-oh... Nope, you're over one year ahead, Duade. The humdinger-Aussie-trip is next year, planned start beginning of september 2024. Can't plan the micro-details yet, cannot book flights more than one year ahead, so can't cement the dates until mid-november this year, since we plan to fly home somewhere around Nov 10 2024. It seems our company of choice is going to be Singapore Airlines, they have good traffic to Darwin (where we'll start) and from Sydney where we'll end. In between we'll fly domestic between Darwin, Cairns, Cape York, Cairns again, Brisbane (O'Reilly's), Adelaide, Perth, Melbourne, Hobart and lastly Sydney. I've worked together a decent itinerary, but everything is still in the Day 1, Day 2 a s o-phase. As soon as the flight-dates are set, the rest will follow. The rest = everything else has to be booked asap, especially lodgings at important places that tend to be fully booked fast. Then car rental-booking, and domestic flights as well. It will be sweat-inducing, I'll need to be fully rested and very focused to get every date booked at the correct place, phew! (I must admit I get exhausted when I think about it... And I have been thinking about it a lot!)

[@Duade]

Oh yes, I did get that wrong, sounds like lots to plan which is fun and stressful that is for sure. Cheers, Duade@@Hummingbirder1

[@markglenday7291]

I agree with you Duade in regards to lens hoods and battery charges should be supplied with all cameras and lenses. Thanks for sharing

[@kqschwarz]

Excellent topic and content. I am surprised no-one else has made a video like this. PS: I am fully invested in Sony gear, which on the one hand is great because the results are extraordinary, but on the other hand is stinks, because Sony's resistance to water exposure is terrible. To make matters worse, water issue is magnified a 1000 fold when it is salt water.

[@Duade]

Thanks for the feedback, I do like my Sony, seems consistently sharp from my experience. Yes, it would be nice to know the IP ratings of all the gear, so we have more confidence in the gear. Cheers, Duade

[@Frazec_Atsjenkov]

16:11 if that is truly the case then you are very fortunate photographer. I've tried to shoot without a memory card several times. The Sony A7 will just allow that with the only sign being a tiny blinking symbol on the LCD. I would love it if in such a situation the camera refused to operate, had a siren go off, or the entire LCD blinking, would have saved me some awesome pictures. It's quite soul crushing to have finished what you think was an awesome session, only to discover that there was no memory card in the body.

[@Duade]

G'day, I have done this also which is very annoying, thankfully most cameras now have a setting that will not let you take photos without an SD card. I believe on Sony it is called Release w/o Card, though not sure it is on the original A7. Cheers, Duade

[@przybylskipawel]

I don't care about those branded 1-battery chargers. They are useless anyways.I much prefer to buy third-party dual charger. But a lack of lenshood is a shame and the focal length issues is a real bummer.

[@Duade]

Agreed, dual chargers are much more useful, Cheers, Duade

[@G14N14RI12]

You could also consider the torque of the lens. A lens with the centre of gravity further out from the viewfinder will be harder to carry than the same weight closer to the body.

[@anthonyharding2258]

For me, one thing I was shocked to discover is that the Nikon f2.8 24-70 FL ED VR suffers a SIGNIFICANT amount of focus breathing when using the “focus shift” feature with respect to focus stacking an image during post. It was particularly evident when the closest object was at the minimum focus distance. Shot some sunflowers recently and the amount of focus breathing was shockingly bad.. I of course expected some breathing, but it was to the point that although the center of the sunflower was tack sharp after the 10 image stack (used auto align in post), all of the petals didn’t align so ghosting was HORRIBLE. I had to toss out all but the nearest images. Still trying to figure out a workaround for it other than using extension rings but have a felling there is no workaround. Suppose I’m just going to reduce the number of images in camera and move further back to reduce the amount of zoom for an effective stack.

[@lphilpot01]

Excellent video with many good points. I agree entirely about the absence of full product data, there's no excuse. When a manufacturer / seller doesn't fully disclose information, I become immediately suspicious of the product / seller. They're only hurting themselves.

[@buyaport]

Surprise: Companies try to make money where they can. Same with camera companies as with car manufacturers: Want LED front lights? Upgrade to the de luxe version for a few thousands more. Only, camera companies won't tell you the "top speed" or the "pulling power" of their products! -- Fun fact: Canon seems to deliver all lenses with lens hoods. For their home market. All used lenses I bought from Japan came with a lens hood! Apparently consumers there are more particular than in the rest of the world...

[@Duade]

That would be very interesting indeed. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@ivanchao8872]

One thing that has really surprised me about the fuji system is how everything works as advertised. I thought their pre capture would be gimmicky but the implementation works incredibly well. I got approximately 1 s of burst from before I pressed the shutter, all in raw. And thats on the xt3 (2018). Fuji also lists weights for cameras including batteries and SD cards. I also recently picked up their 150 to 600 and I have to say, I am really impressed with it. There is zero focus breathing to speak of so you get a 900 equivalent field-of-view at any distance! I would really like to have an ipx rating though I have taken my gear into wet conditions and not had any issues. I've even taken my not weather-sealed xt10 into a rather intense thunderstorm and it still works perfectly fine. Fuji might seem like the underdog but I have been thoroughly impressed with all of their gear I've picked up.

[@howardchapman4819]

The focus breathing is a massive point I haven’t considered, so basically different makes of lenses of the same zoom can make the image look closer or further in distance at the same zoom length.

[@princip6656]

why don't you give comments for Nikon equipment?

[@Duade]

G'day, I don't own any Nikon equipment at this stage but I have used Nikon and made a few videos featuring the 180-600. Cheers, Duade

[@potayto-potahto881]

IP rating should be a must on all electronic devices over a certain price

[@bruceholmes8010]

Thanks for the keen observations.I also find the lack of lens hoods to be a very annoying with manufacturers when they sell a lens. Especially the cost of such camera equipment. Never liked being nickel and dimed by any company. Really appreciate the video and experience you have shared.

[@Duade]

Thanks Bruce, yes, I agree, it should be standard for sure, Cheers, Duade

[@rreichar1]

This is a really helpful video. It took me several years to understand all of these things and I still am learning every day. I have tried a number of systems and have settled on OM Systems for now. The OM-1 does not come with a charger. I don’t mind so much for the price. I imagine at some point I will buy the Olympus dual charger that is 200USD. But for me it is the best compromise of price/performance/weight. I really don’t have a problem with the 20 megapixel images. I find that most of the time other factors are more limiting than the resolution of the body. Of course the smaller files require less storage and are faster to process along with using relatively inexpensive SD cards. There is some rolling shutter when shooting things like Hummingbirds but I shoot at 50fps and don’t have much trouble finding good shots. I’ve not had any issue shooting larger birds. Everything you buy will be a compromise. You just have figure out what compromises you are willing to live with. I pre-ordered a Canon R7 and while I liked that camera and know many happy users of that body I just found too many compromises for me to live with. Your mileage may vary.

[@Duade]

Thanks mate, totally agree, the OM-1 offers incredible value for the price and I have a lot of fun with mine which is very important. Cheers, Duade

[@RVNmedic]

I bought an RF 24 to 105 and was surprised, no lens hood

[@Duade]

Yes, it is very annoying isn't it. Cheers, Duade

[@rayjohnson6727]

Canon usually only include lens hoods with their L series lenses.

[@chantaljacques7664]

Great list of issues Duade. Totally agree with you, the manufacturer should be more transparent about these issues. Why the removable foot on the RF-100-500 is not "arca swiss" compatible, is beyond me. I like the fact that Canon is sending the big white in a soft case rather than the old hard case. But why is the soft case not a few inches longer to allow an R5 to be stored with the lens in the bag is beyond me too. Missed opportunities by Canon to earn a few more brownie points and given the competition they need them in my humble opinion. I do not own any Olympus gear but I would be tempted to look them up next time I need some gear as they seem to be attentive and sensitive to buyers issues of concern and interest.

[@Duade]

Great points raised and yes, it's those little things to help the consumers that keep us loyal and happy, it can't be that hard to include a hood or design the case with a camera in mind. Cheers, Duade

[@ljerka52]

One more great video Duade! It is an open letter with clear words on gear produces. As a Canon shooter I can sign all you were talking about. As a single person I feel alone in front of big gear produces. The more important is such video showing clearly what must be improved in technical descriptions (IP rating!!) as well as that the gear must in praxis fulfill what is already written about gear features in technical descriptions.

[@Duade]

Thanks Ljerka, totally agree, I think it is just trying to get a standard that all brands agree with that makes it easier for us as consumers. Cheers, DUade

[@GOTOHOBBIES]

I am really surprised at the manufacturers doing this it just doesn't make sense. I also wanted to let you know that I have finally got the bird photography bug will and proper now because I wanted to have a change to aviation photography. Birds are amazing little things, and in the past, I just didn't get the connection until yesterday. I have fallen in love with this bird photography as I now feel a connection to these lovely creatures. Thank you, Duade, for sharing your experience and knowledge. David.

[@wanneske1969]

I always thought buying the latest and newest gear (camera, lens, flashes) would improve my pictures, but it doesn't. It's more important to practice a lot, get out than to buy new stuff.

[@Amddurin]

I heard that all Canon non-L lenses comes without the hood and all L lenses comes with the hood…

[@Duade]

Thanks, sounds right, very annoying, Cheers, Duade

[@charlesamery-behr3153]

Excellent information and advice Duade! Comparing systems or individual items of gear is so difficult to do without honest reviews like yours. In electrical engineering, all equipment that may be used outside has an IP rating. It is really poor that most manufacturers don't provide this info. Well done to Olympus! They are obviously proud of their weather sealing and use this spec as a powerful marketing thing. Thanks for the warnings about chargers and memory cards. As a Canon user, I was gob smacked to hear that Sony and others don't provide a charger.

[@Duade]

Thanks Charles, yes, I was shocked also, very confused to be honest lol. Yes I have no idea why they don't include the IP rating as it seems to be a good standard used in many other industries. I agree good on Olympus for leading the way. Cheers, Duade

[@desireneilson2168]

That lens hood situation is real! I bought the RF 600mm f11. No hood. I mean... seriously!

[@Duade]

Yes, so strange when it would cost them very little to include. Cheers, Duade

[@JCPhotography1542]

my absolute favorite lens didnt come with a lens hood. Its a Meike 50mm f/0.95. Its a Manual focus only lens and it takes the best portraits you could ever imagine.

[@mitchellj.oconnor2508]

Great information. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@fabiankeppler315]

I think, we as customers are not vocal enough to stop manufactures scamming us. Most all of the reviewers/ambassadors are talking about the cheatsheet they where given. It's only in the field that we notice these pitfalls. Thx for being one of the few to speak about the forgotten specs.

[@davepastern]

that's cos most of these reviewers/ambassadors, are "on the take" and basically corrupt. There's a reason why I don't trust any review from a certain reviewer named Jared...

[@173jaSon371]

@@davepastern Or those clowns the Northrups or whatever. Gear shills and nothing more. No different than some lame Instagram influencers.

[@davepastern]

@@173jaSon371 at least they aren’t on the take like others. I’d rather them any day of the week. I like Duade, Jan, Scott at Wild Alaska and Phil Thach. All honest and provide great KZbin content

[@shibampal6940]

Moreover what I like about him is that he has proven that old gear is almost at par with today’s modern expensive gear in terms of the end result

[@MrBrabo1]

Hi Duade, Thank you for this excellent video, and I do hope some manufacturers listen carefully😉 One thing though: at one time I broke the lenshood of my EF 100-400II. I bought a cheap replacement, which fell off in 2 days, so I ended up buying the (overpriced) Canon version, which stays put. Cheers!

[@Duade]

Thanks for that, good to know re the hood, sometimes it is better to get the original, just wish they did not overprice them. Cheers, Duade

[@kevins8575]

Welcome to the world of "standards." There are many standards for many things. That's why there are different products from different manufacturers. Otherwise, there would only be one camera. Or one car. Etc.

[@Duade]

Thanks mate, perhaps standards is not the right word but an expectation from brands to release focal lengths at different distances, read out speeds, IP rating etc. They don't have to be the same but share that info with us. Cheers, Duade

[@tonyblake8841]

Think Standards? Think VW emissions! I am on an International Standards Organization Technical Committee and I have learnt standards are not what people think they are. Usually full of interpretation so no hope for Muggins in the everyday world. ISO standards are held in way too high esteem and Standards Australia not far behind and other national standards around the World.

[@popcornparam]

I 100% agree with everything you tell in this video... I want a part 2 now...

[@cameraprepper7938]

Well now a days we are spoiled with Lens Hood included with Lenses, in the 1980´s it was often only a few of the most expensive Lenses that came with a Lens Hood. I think it is ok that a Camera do not come with a charger, but chargers should be much more alike, so you can use one charger across brands ! Yes almost all Lenses change focal length when focusing closer, it is a known "problem" with macro Lenses that macro Lenses can have different working distance because of that.

[@Duade]

Thanks for sharing and interesting re the hood, funny how things change over time, interesting re macro lenses, it is odd how some lenses such as the Sony are so heavily impacted yet the Nikon wasn't. Cheers, Duade

[@cameraprepper7938]

@@Duade It differs a lot from one kind of Lens to another kind, I think it is easier to design a Lens that changes a lot in focal length when focusing close, than it is to design a Lens that keeps it focal length. I also think that when it is zoom lenses with internal zoom, then it will be even more difficult to design the Lens. By the way, I do not like zoom lenses, I never have liked zoom lenses, they are big, heavy and expensive.

[@user-sd2il8lp7m]

Great info and points. Good luck with getting camera manufacturers on board with disclosure of specs mentioned 😅

[@viviennenoble4035]

Hello Duade, another good video, but one problem, a lot of people are still using the Manfrotto quick release fittings, so it would be really annoying to get a lens with a built in Arca Swiss style fitting. The lens would be unusable.

[@Duade]

Gday Vivienne, I assume you can still screw the Manfrotto plate to the bottom of the Arca Swiss foot, they have the same bolt holes, the only difference is they fit natively to the arca swiss without a plate. Thanks for your input. Cheers, Duade 👍

[@viviennenoble4035]

I am not sure, but the Arca swiss plate would have to be flat so the flat bottom of the Manfrotto quick release would fit it.@@Duade

[@briancooperwildlife]

After getting the gear … I quickly learned that my editing skills needs to improve ASAP. Good skills could turn a mediocre photo into a really good photo. I couldn’t believe how much can be changed and adjusted in a photo when shooting raw. 😮

[@AnandGopinath]

The issue with CFe type B is majority of manufacturers can only fit one in the camera body. The other slot ends up being an SD cards slot. So if you are shooting dual cards for redundancy your speed is bottlenecked by the speed of the SD card. Afaik Z9 is the only body with dual CFe Type B slots. There are actually faster SD card protocols, I'm not sure why manufactures have decided to use a completely different format instead of adopting faster SD card specification.

[@JohnDrummondPhoto]

Actually, Canon doesn't include hoods with most of their non-RF lenses. IMO it's ridiculous.

[@Keith5274]

Hi Duade, thanks for the video. There are a couple of points you bring up that I thought you and your viewers should be aware of. The first is about after market chargers: I am a professional firefighter for almost 29 years now and one issue that has become a real problem for people are Lithium Ion batteries and after market chargers. As you mention in your video, you can buy them cheaper, but I would advise caution. Do not buy a rapid charger and if you buy an after market charger make sure it has the same exact ratings as the charger for the battery charger that you would buy for your battery. Almost all battery fires my department has dealt with (Li-Ion) were caused by rapid chargers, but the battery goes into a state of thermal runaway that often happens while charging, but can happen hours or days later (see some examples from batteries going into thermal runaway on airplanes). This is becoming very common and they burn hot and fast! Second: to add to your video, I also bought a Canon RF 85mm lens that also did not have a lens hood and it cost me about $85 US dollars to purchase one from Canon. I was just as confused as you were! Thanks for all the videos, they are great instruction!!

[@PrimalRenegade17]

Battery charger: YES. Not including one is just greed on the behalf of the manufacturer. IP ratting: YES. Clarity for consumers is super important. In my opinion they don't include it for liability reasons (can't be liable if they don't give you an exact protection level). Tamron is good, 150-600 mm contemp clearly states it isn't weathered sealed and that it isn't worth fixing water damaged lenses. Canon is absurd. Everything they make it overpriced. $1700 for a memory card is an absolute scam, its 2024 not 1985, memory cards are not meant to be expensive.

[@kimduggan7631]

Excellent informative presentation. Thanks Duade.

[@gus.smedstad]

Now I want a more thorough explanation of readout speed and how it affects photographing fast-moving wildlife where you must us a high shutter speed. 1/2000 is pretty common for birds in flight, particularly hummingbirds. That's 0.5 ms, far faster than even the fastest readout speed listed. It's never been an issue with my Canon 7D2, presumably because of the mechanical shutter. The shutter is closed and no light is falling on the sensor while the camera reads the sensor.

[@QVL75]

Wow this is very extremely useful information Duade! Very detailed and concise. Thanks!

[@chacogiel]

Which camera and lense would you recommend for a 65 yr old photographer ( not a beginner) who can’t carry heavy gear anymore. I am using a fuji xs20 with a sigma 100-400mm and an adapter. I’m getting worse results than with my canon m50. I am thinking about a canon r7 with a rf 100-400mm but i am afraid of it’s performance with low light and noise if using high iso. Would that be ok? I know the RF 100- 500 would be too heavy and i wonder about the EF 600mm . Everyhing seens too heavy or very expensive…

[@oldchev2850]

$75 for us to buy the lens hood but you'd imagine it would only cost Canon $5 to make it so why not include it? If it costs $950 for say the RF100-400 I'm sure people wouldn't mind paying $955 for the lens with hood included? Its the frustration of having to separately purchase it and also having to pay $75 for a piece of plastic that's annoying.

[@blisteringbooks2428]

Lets hope that the manufacturers are taking notes. I am still in conversation with Canon regarding focus accuracy with mirrorless bodies. Sigma lenses are sharp on my 5D4, a little less so on my R6, and can be dire on the R5. I suggested to Canon to remove the 'If-then' command from the firmware. That is 'if Sigma lens then defocus four out of five frames'. If it works on one body why not all. I am considering getting a Sony A7Rv with a Sigma MC11 adapter as this does not have any problems.

[@davepastern]

agreed. This is Canon deliberately nerfing 3rd party (and older mark 1 super telephoto lenses) to try and force you to buy RF lenses that are overpriced. I believe that AF speed is considerably slower with the MC11 adaptor. I had consider getting the A1 instead of my R3 and using my mark 1 500f4 with the A1 via the MC1`1 adaptor but several people recommended me not doing so due to AF performance. Canon lenses also adapt well to the Nikon system via adaptors (see some of Wild Alaska's videos on this subject).

[@blisteringbooks2428]

@@davepastern that might explain why there isn't an obvious improvement over the 100-400Lii when using my 400mm f2.8 [non IS]. Looking at a new system body is difficult, initially I was looking at an A7iii, then iv for the larger pixel count, then v for the improved AF and tilt screen. If I start looking at a Z9 the price would be out of my world. As I have basically retired I have a seriously limited budget.

[@davepastern]

@@blisteringbooks2428 I am not retired, 54 here and still have a few years to go. I only managed to afford my R3 cos it was tacked onto my mortgage. Otherwise, it'd have been a R7 at best. After shooting 3-4k shots of Ospreys, Brahminy Kites and Black Kites, my keeper rate with my setup (R3 + mark 1 500f4 and 1.4x TC) is ~10% imho. VERY low. With that said, I am shooting these BIFs at 1/2000 second, typically f7.1 and ISO adjusted accordingly (RAW, fully manually). The R3 with birds flying directly head on at the camera is very bad, with like 1 shot sharp out of a seiries of ~200 shots of an Eastern Osprey - what I consder unacceptable. Canon CPS suggested using the flexible zone tracking + AF tracking instead, which I am yet to test, because I am uncertain how to actually use it and initiate focus. I am obviously currently using animal eye detect AF for my BIFs. You can see some of my shots over on my Instagram (just google "brisbanebirdphotos").

[@seanpowless]

I would like to see all of them to adopt M.2 2280, how easy and affordable that would be. Speed, affordability and availability. Win-win-win for consumer.

[@deepaksharma_tanhadeepak]

Thanks for this great video Duade. I use a canon 90d with sigma 150-600mm c lens and now i'm thinking about moving to RF series. For body either R6 mark2 or R7 is my consideration and for lens obvious choice is 100-500 but due to budget issue wondering if any of these two lenses that you covered can be a good alternative ? Also how about using a EF 100-400 IS2 on R6 -2 or R7 body with 1.4 ex ? I would love to hear your recommendation on this :)

[@julioamaral4391]

Hi, duade! It seems all my EF non L Series lens came without any hood. I bought some separately. All the EF L lens included the hood and a pouch. Even the EF Macro 100 2.8 L Series brought those items. Surely the brand I use tends to have a stingy soul... Thanks for the nice video!

[@joshhead9368]

One thing I've learned is that talented folks take better photos with a 50 dollar camera than I can with any gear. Which will save me alot of money because I plan on sticking with my canon DSLRs. Switching to a new mirrorless system just doesn't seem worth it to me as a hobbyist. Thanks for a great video Duade.

[@melarch.5424]

I'm an old timer amateur photographer so, on the subject of lens hoods, my Canon FD lenses from 1971 to about 1975 did not come with lens hoods early on, I had to buy hoods which came in nice boxes and were all metal to boot! Later they came with the lenses and were plastic (some were integral to the lens as a sliding hood for telephoto lenses). My pet peeve these day is like yours, how come no chargers, that's ridiculous!! This must be a very recent trend since my Fujifilm X-T3 came with the charger (in 2019) and now I find that X-T5 does not!

[@bamsemh1]

Buy olympus m5 mark ii as second hand for your first camera. With the 12-40mm f2.8 pro lens. The you have a small but mighty system that can be used in all weather 😊 don't fall for the huge nikon/canon/Sony systems. But if you are into video, then go for the Panasonic.

[@terrygoyan]

Not having arca-swiss compatible lens feet is a pet peeve of mine. Anyone shooting big lenses is more than likely using heads that have arca clamps. There is a Nikon lens site that gives close focus numbers and maximum magnification information. This makes it possible to see how much focus breathing a lens has. My 300 f/4 afs lens is great for long distance close up work with the highest magnification of any Nikon 300 mm lens. Great for flowers, lizards, dragonflies etc. P.S. One of the first things I do with a new camera body or lens is buy RRS lens feet and L-brackets.

[@jockslifeatliftvideoproduc8528]

The lack of the battery charger is total BS and has been picked up by most camera manufacturers. If they really wanted to reduce waste they have removed the wrong thing. They could go without the power brick and USB-C cord as all of us already have these and they're interchangeable, much like all of our phones these days. The thing you actually need is the custom plastic moulded charger for your specific battery and charging $150 for a plastic housing and simple electronics by sony for their battery charger is insane. For my Lumix s5ii I found a DUAL battery charger from Neewer for only $70aud and that comes with 2 extra batteries as well! The premium applied on camera accessories is honestly criminal.