ilsiu

For the record, I think there's a lot of information in this thread the original poster can use to help make a decision.  I'm continuing the discussion just because I find the discussion...

Couldn't some clients (especially those in publishing), chose a tighter crop than what the photographer originally framed?  Today, don't photographers give the clients "files" which the client can...

Which part?  I say alot of wrong stuff everyday :) I concede I have no experience with product photography (which is why I posted a link to a professional watch photographer). So I won't attempt...

Will this be for paid, commercial work?  Will the DP3M be the primary tool?  If the answer is yes to both, then my feeling is that the DP3M (and it's lack of 1:1 macro capability) may restrict the...

I think the foreground tulip in Image 2 is sharper at a pixel level (higher micro contrast?). I think the background color in Image 1 is greener and has smoother 'bluriness' (my guess is that Image...

Thanks for pointing that out - I use the IR image comparometer alot but never realized they measured DR as well!  Looks like they use a yet another method for measuring dynamic range...

I agree with this; there are multiple things to dislike about Dpreview's DR values.  (To be fair, DPreview also provides alot of useful info in their reviews as well).

The way I interpret it, Dpreview determines dynamic range by counting the number of blocks that can be distinctly discerned from an unedited step chart image - that's the reported DR number....

That's freaking amazing.

I'm not sure if you consider Dpreview's dynamic range measurements serious, but they did measure both cameras in question  and got these values: Canon 5D MkII: 8.4 EV @100 ISO Sigma SD1: ~8.4 EV...

That's a very good point - probably have to do single frame mode and rely on anticipation. Another point is that HSS is necessary because of high shutter speed, so I'm curious just how much light...

I'm not offering any advice, but regarding point #2, the tennis bubble looks like a highly reflective white surface - it could be thought of like the inside of an enormous softbox.  So, maybe...

There have been several replies indicating that there's no bulb mode and the longest shutter speed is 30 sec. There is a work around if you want >30 sec exposures: you can take multiple exposures...

Yes - may help reduce artifacts.  Of course the GND also gives the option of not making it darker.That's a great question.  If it were my camera, I'd start running a series of tests; take a picture...

But that's why I said to overexpose with a GND.For those that aren't familiar with graduated neutral density filters (GND), they are filters that are dark on one half and clear on the other. You...

I agree that there are different aesthetic choices to be made.  However, underexposure of the dark/shadow areas has introduced unwanted artifacts (desaturation, banding).  With a GND the bright...

The dynamic range of this scene is too large to capture in a single frame; it's a good candidate for a grad nd filter or blending multiple exporsures.

I wouldn't characterized those as environmental portraits; they seem closer to street photography to me.I don't think there's a hard and fast rule for environmental portraiture, but in my mind the...