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Just a short little message that I passed kind of a neat milestone (to me, anyway) this past week when I was shooting at the Wolves game on Friday night.

I was shooting with two bodies (my 20D and my Rebel XSi) with different lenses, but I took most of my images with my Rebel XSi. During the game, I surpassed the 10,000 exposure mark with my XSi, just over a year since I added it to my arsenal. That probably doesn’t mean much to more avid photographers than myself, or others that shoot on a more regular basis than I, but I thought it was neat.

10,000 on my 20D

That little milestone in just 13 months made me pause and ponder how long it took me to hit that same mark on my first DSLR, the Canon 20D. It took more than 3 years to hit 10,000 on my 20D from my very first photo back in ‘06 to just this passed September at the Maui Photo Festival.

In all fairness to the 20D, I did put it on limited duty late last year when my XSi arrived. I decided to go back and check the last shoot before I became a two body shooter, and my 20D had logged just under 9,500 photos at that point.

They’re Only Numbers

Sure, they’re just numbers and don’t mean a heck of a lot. For me, at least, they highlight the fact that I am making a more dedicated effort to go out and shoot more and practice, practice, practice. While I’m still not to the point where I’m shooting everyday or even every week, I’d like to get closer to that as soon as I can free up more time and plan accordingly.

Looking back at the last 13 months shooting with my Rebel XSi, I’m pretty happy with all the shoots I’ve done. Here’s a short list of the highlights.

• My first photographic visit to the local forest preserve.
• 4 professional hockey games – 3 of the Chicago Wolves, 1 of the Blackhawks
• 2 trips to Maui – 1 in February and most recently at the Maui Photo Festival
• 3 visits to Door County, WI – although the last one was mainly washed out
• 2 aerial shoots – one helicopter flight without doors over Maui and a plane ride above Door County.
• Fireworks at the Taste of Chicago
• 2 semi-serious portraits shoots – including my great-grandmother’s 95th birthday bash.
• A handful of time lapse sequences – including our Christmas Tree last year.
• An initial curiosity with infrared shooting.
• And last, but not least, a new found interest in shooting HDR images.

So, you can kind of see it’s been a busy year for me, but in my overall plans for my work, it’s really just a beginning.

So, Now What?

Well, I’ve had my eye on the Canon 7D as my next DSLR for about two months now, after agonizing whether I can afford to go full-frame yet (and deciding I can’t). With its HD video capability and a emergence in fusion shooters out there, I’m not sure I’ll have a desire to shoot video just yet.

I’m more interested in getting that 3rd DSLR body so I can have my original 20D converted for IR shooting without filters next year. I think that’s going to be a fun tool to have in my camera lineup.

More immediate, though, I think my main goal of getting out and shooting more is really the first order of business. With winter coming any week now here in Chicago, I get to go out and do more winterscapes (which I really enjoy) and focus more on building out my online portfolio here on the website and with my new Flickr account.

That, and looking into the prospect of making fine art prints and finding a few local art fairs in the spring have me pretty focused for the next six months. All good times if you ask me.

(Photo Credit: Amazon)

Working off of my list from last week, I did some shopping around online over the weekend for some new gear to take with me to the Maui Photo Festival in two weeks.

The main purchase I was looking to make was a new tripod, but while I was browsing, I decided to look into a prime wide angle lens, too. Seeing that a good amount of my work behind the camera is really geared towards landscape photography, it really make sense to throw some money towards a faster lens aimed at getting those wide shots with much more detail than the standard zoom lens that came with the camera.

In High Demand
Maybe it’s a very popular lens, or perhaps they manufacturing of them has slowed down quite a bit, but the original lens I was looking at was sold out on Adorama, B&H Photo, and Amazon. That lens would be the Canon EF 28mm f/2.8 Lens. It had decent reviews on all three sites, and seemed like an entry level wide angle lens that fit my current price range (below $250).

Just as I was about to give up on grabbing a wide angle lens for the trip (in just 2 weeks), I came across a refurbished version of the Canon EF 24mm f/2.8 Len on Adorama. The lens normally goes for over $300 brand new, but this one was knocked down closer to my price range so I decided to roll the dice and add a new piece of glass to my bag. I haven’t ordered anything refurbished before, but with a 90 day warranty, we’ll see how it works out.

Up to now, all of my bigger landscape shots have been taken with my standard 18-55mm f/3.5-5.5 zoom lens that comes in the basic new camera kit. While 18mm is pretty wide, the components of a zoom lens and the fastest aperture of f/3.5 still can’t compete with the speed of an f/2.8 lens and the fixed state of a prime lens. It will be nice to have both as an option in my camera bag.

The New Tripod
I’m embarrassed to admit that I still use some clunky old aluminum tripod that I picked up at Best Buy about 6 years go. Initially, my wife was using it for video taping hockey games when I was coaching, and I just put it to work for my photography. Less than ideal, and not very travel friendly, I knew I was due for an upgrade if I didn’t want to be laughed off the island during the workshops on Maui.

So, after getting over the initial sticker shock of just how much these things cost, I bit the bullet and handed over the cash. Because I was buying all this through Adorama, I went with their house brand, Flashpoint, after I had seen an ad for it in a copy of Digital Photo magazine, too. Again, being budget-minded, I could have gone down the name-brand path for about the same price, but not one of the carbon fiber variety, which is billed as being much lighter and travel photographer friendly.

I ordered the components of the tripod separately, which looks like a common practice based on the reviews I read. First up were the tripod legs, of which I opted for the Flashpoint F-1128 model. Again, carbon fiber, so the specs have it weighing in at under 3 pounds.

Next up, was the ball-head mount, pairing the legs with the Flashpoint F-2 Ball Head with quick release. I haven’t used a ball head mount before, but everything I’ve read about them says they are they way to go in terms of positioning and total control. Again, there are many other options out there, but price being a factor for me, this was the first one I’m trying out.

Lastly, I noticed this ball head mount didn’t have a bubble level on it, so I threw in some money for this neat little Bubble Spirit Level. It is supposed to slide right into the flash hot shoe on top of my camera (in this case, my Canon 20D and Rebel XSi), and seeing that I’ll be doing more of these shots outdoors and during the day and not using my Speedlite on the wider angle stuff anyway, it seemed like it would be useful.

A Quick Trial Run
Because I ordered it over the weekend and qualified for discounted priority shipping, the goods should be here this week. That gives me some quality time this weekend (and Labor Day weekend to boot) to give the new gear a trial run. No definitive plans yet as to what or where I’ll be out shooting, but as the plans for the 3-day weekend firm up, I know I’ll have to find some excuse to bring the camera gear.

Prior to our Maui trip last February, I had been carrying around my HTC Mogul smartphone for around 2 years. The phone had just about everything you’d want, web, email, video, and photos. Okay, the photo quality seemed just about okay 2 years ago, with a whole 2.0 megapixel camera. That was all find and dandy, until the iPhone came out and really raised the stakes.

It seemed like the popularity of the iPhone just exploded the popularity of taking photos and uploading on the go. Take a look for yourself with the Camera Explorer on Flickr. The iPhone actually had over 3,700 users upload photos taken with it yesterday, posting over 24,000 pictures. Wow. My former HTC Mogul (aka Titan) is obviously tailing off because of it’s age. The photos, however, never seemed to be that great.

I started wishing my next phone was going to be so much better, and even considered switching to AT&T just to get an iPhone. A little drastic, I realize. Then, my phone met its watery grave on an otherwise amazing day in paradise. That meant getting a new phone when we got back, and from a mobile photo standpoint, it was a blessing in disguise.

My new phone? The HTC Touch Pro, with a larger 3.2 megapixel camera, was a great improvement. While not nearly as popular on Flickr as the iPhone, the improvement in picture quality over my HTC Mogul was such a pleasant surprise. See for yourself.

When I stop and think about it, my very first digital only had 2.0 megapixels and a maximum resolution of 1600 x 1200 pixels. Sure, that was 6 years ago, but still, having a smartphone with a better camera in it still is unbelievable.

Now, the toughest choice I have to make when I see a scene I want to capture on the spur of a moment is whether to whip out my phone or my latest everyday camera (currently the Canon Powershot SX110 IS). Can you imagine how amazing these cameraphones will be 2 years from now when I’m looking for my next phone upgrade?

Wanna see more? Check out my Mobile Photos set on Flickr for photos from both cameraphones, or just the ones from my Touch Pro.

(Photo Credit: Amazon)

This guy popped up in my Google Reader this morning from a couple different source, and I instantly fell in love.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve been using my Rebel XSi since last October and I’ve really grown attached to it. While the controls were quite different than what I was used to with my EOS 20D for the previous two years, I found my way around and am now to the point where I can adjust most of the settings I need on the fly.

But right about the time I picked up my XSi, Nikon and Canon initiated the newest feature fight within the higher-end DSLR market… 1080p HD Video. On the Canon side, where my loyalties currently lay, was the EOS 5D Mark II. Between the reviews and samples of its video capabilities and the thought of me owning a camera with a full-frame sensor seemed like the ultimate dream.  Seeing that the price tag for the 5D Mark II was still too high for my skill level, I was debating whether the EOS 50D model was going to be my latest upgrade or if the fan favorite EOS 40D was next.

Since I’m not made of money, any of those were going to have to wait until the end of ‘09 (at least). The best thing about the digital photography market these days is that so much can happen in that long of a time frame.  Looks like today was evidence of that.

Enter the Canon EOS Rebel T1i
Some very smart people at Canon figured there was a big enough market of folks like me out there with eyes on the video capability of the 5D Mark II and the budget of the Rebel line, so they decided to bring the two together. The result in their announcement today was the Canon EOS Rebel T1i. In short, it features similar full 1080p HD Video as the 5D Mark II combined with a 15.1 MP sensor and Digic 4 image processor similar to what’s found in the EOS 50D. All this for under the $1,000 price range. Nice!

Due out sometime in May, there haven’t been too many folks that have been able to put this one through the ringer yet. One of the early reports I read this morning said that the Rebel T1i will have a very similar, if not exactly the same, form factor as the Rebel XSi. That would be ultra cool, seeing that I stumbled a little bit last month when I was dual-shooting with my EOS 20D and my XSi at the same time. Having a consistent feel and control between the XSi and the T1i would make dual-shooting a breeze for me.

I’m setting my hopes up high as more details come out closer to launch, and making a little extra room in my piggy bank for a late ‘09 acquisition if the reviews are on target. That is, of course, something even cooler comes about between now and then. You never know these days.

More Details
Here are some of the links that I came across through my blog subscriptions related to today’s announcement from Canon. I figured I’d pass them on as well.

Engadget – Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i Now Official

Canon – Official Press Release

Canon – Official Product Page

Amazon – Canon EOS Digital Rebel T1i

Digital Photography School – Canon EOS 500D | Rebel T1i

Well, it’s finally time to get back out there shooting again, at my favorite place on the planet to shoot. Maui!!!

We leave Sunday morning, and earlier this week I started packing up my camera gear and getting it ready for the journey west. I’ve always brought a lot of tech toys with me on our Maui trips, but this year more than ever, it seems to be almost all I’m bringing with. I took a few shots of the camera gear I’m bringing this trip, along with an inventory just to make sure everything makes it back. Photos and details below.

My DSLRs
First up, my two DSLR cameras. This will be my first trip carrying two, and while they won’t both be going everywhere with me, it will come in handy in a few key situations.

Pictured:

• Canon EOS 20D Body
• Angle C Finder
• Remote Switch RS-80N3 (for 20D)
• USB Cable for 20D
• AC Wall Charger CG-580 (for 20D)
• Additional Battery BP-511A (for 20D)
• Canon Rebel XSi Body
• Speedlite 430EX II
• Difuser
• Canon Powershot SD890 IS
• AC Wall Charger CB-2LX (for SD 890)

Lenses

Pictured:

• Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
• Canon EF 18-55mm (bringing the IS model from my XSi, though)
• Canon EF 50mm f/1.8

More Cables

Pictured:

• AC Power Adapter ACK-E2 (for 20D)
• AC Power Adapter ACK-E5 (for XSi)
• USB + Video Cables for XSi
• Remote Switch RC-1 (for XSi)
• AC Wall Charger LC-E5 (for XSi)
• Additional Battery LP-E5 (for XSi)

Video Gear
In addition to the camera tech, I’m also bringing our HDD video camera, too.

Pictured:

• Sony HDD HandyCam DCR-SR82
• HandyCam Station + AC Charger + USB Cable
• Standard Battery NP-FH40
• Extended Battery NP-FH70
• Video Light HVL-HL1
• Wide Angle Conversion Lens x0.6 VCL-HA06
• Telephoto Conversion Lens x2.0 VCL-2030x
• Filter ND8 30mm
• UV Protector 30mm
• RCA Video/Audio Cable

Filters
Things are getting a little crowded here, aren’t they? Here’s a list of the filters I’m bringing for my different lenses.

• 52mm Quantarray UV Filter
• 52mm Quantarray Circular Polarizer
• 58mm Qunatarray Circular Polarizer
• 58mm Hoya Circular Polaraizer
• 58mm Canon UV Haze Filter (2x)
• 77mm Tiffen Neutral Density 0.3 Filter
• 77mm Hoya Circular Polarizer
• 77mm Hoya UV Haze Filter

Rental Gear
In addition to everything above, I’ve also rented the following gear from CameraLensRentals, which is making the trip with me.

• Canon 400mm f/5.6L Telephoto Lens
• Canon 1.4x II Extender
• Giottos Tripod MT-8340

Why all this stuff?
I plan on covering quite a bit of ground during our two weeks on Maui, including a wide arrange of shooting conditions, subjects, and locations. Pretty amazing for such a small island, actually. Everything you see above is being brought along for one or more of those different situations, and while I wish I had the time to list them all out now, I’ll have to save that for future posts.