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A_Lee

A_Lee

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I was I just wondering whether or not you guys (and or gals) took off any lens you have on the body before putting your camera away? Or do you always have a lens on your camera even when you put things back into your bag? Does taking the lens off (and of course putting the body cap on) every time I pack my body away greatly increase the amount of dust that gets into my camera?
Also, can I get a can of that compressed air (like the ones many use on their key boards) to give an occasional puff of air into my camera body when the lens off, before packing up? And for the back side of my lenses? Or do i need to use something special?
Just curious what you all do
 
Lenses mostly on the camera.

Don't use compressed air from a can on the sensor. Use a rocket blower or some other means instead.
 
A rocket blower ... I'm assuming that is a manual air blowing device that packs some serious air :)
What affect does compressed air have on the camera sensor?

And a quick question about flash
I have a Canon XTi, and when I do use the stock flash, sometimes when the camera is focusing the flash flickers many times until the camera focuses; I think it is called auto fire beam or something. I found a setting to prevent the camera from doing this flickering, and was wondering if this will affect anything?
What are the benefits of using an external flash?
I've been wondering if I should get an external flash ... nothing too serious or to expensive, as this is really just a hobby, and by no means anything professional. Any recommendations for something budget friendly?
 
Rocket blower...something like this.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Giottos-Rocket-Air-Blower-Review.aspx

The flash flickering is actually Canon's metering system trying to figure out how much light to output to the flash. It's useful for metering purposes. The purpose of using an external flash is to extend the dynamic range when there's mixed lighting or lighting which isn't ideal for the camera's meter. It's better than using an onboard flash since it's more versatile (might require an accessory; i.e. ST-E2), has higher outputs, and creates a more pleasing shadow (due to the angle). If you're looking at Canon flashes, take a look at the 430EX (420EX also works, but it's older and has been discontinued; so you'll have to find used ones). If you're looking at other brands, then Quantum and Sigma will also work.
 
I agree with Eric. The onboard flash simply doesn't have the light output of an external flash. With an external flash you can be further away from a subject and still have some fill flash. You can use an external flash unit to bounce light off of a wall or ceiling instead of having it focused directly on your subject. Also, if you start using lenses that have any length to them, like a 24mm - 70mm, the external flash unit is too low on the camera and the lens absorbs some of the flash so you get a darkened semicircle effect in the lower half of your picture.

I use an external flash for all kinds of things. Taking pictures of people under low light, or poor light conditions, or to enhance, using flash to add a bit of fill even to wildlife photos where I am close enough. Birder photographers use a fresnel lens contraption that adapts to the external flash for even greater extension for flash fill purposes. There are also attachments that you buy for an external flash that will bounce light at various angles with different rates of diffusion, etc. Using an external flash gives you versatility and options that an onboard flash does not.
 
[quote author=A_Lee link=topic=5581.msg69810#msg69810 date=1229409521]
I was I just wondering whether or not you guys (and or gals) took off any lens you have on the body before putting your camera away? Or do you always have a lens on your camera even when you put things back into your bag? Does taking the lens off (and of course putting the body cap on) every time I pack my body away greatly increase the amount of dust that gets into my camera?
Also, can I get a can of that compressed air (like the ones many use on their key boards) to give an occasional puff of air into my camera body when the lens off, before packing up? And for the back side of my lenses? Or do i need to use something special?
Just curious what you all do
[/quote]

Like the others, I just drop it into the bag with whatever the last lens it had on last. Dust on the sensor sucks. I'm getting it a lot more now since I shoot mainly with primes, and I'm constantly changing the lens.
 
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