the G2 as a preview in the studio

I am thinking about a G2 or G3 for general use, and also for use in the studio as an experimentation tool and a checking tool.

I realize that if I use it as a checking tool, the lens etc is not Identical to the film camera I will be using for the portrait. but I think it could be used to better learn and monitor lighting effects in the studio before burning the film. I have EOS 3, Elan 7, Elan, Pentax 6x7, and a Canon S10. I cannot use the S10 at all with my studio lights, so it is out of the question. I dont want to buy and try to use a polariod back. So thats it, I would like a digital camera that would sort of double as a polaroid test for lighting, not for depth of field or all that, and as a pack around camera as all my other cameras are more than I wish to carry, well except for the S10 which my wife likes and I dont, I just seems to point and shootish no manual modes and such.
Wow, that was a mouthful...sorry!
JL

Jason Lyons said:

I am thinking about a G2 or G3 for general use, and also for use in
the studio as an experimentation tool and a checking tool.
I realize that if I use it as a checking tool, the lens etc is not
Identical to the film camera I will be using for the portrait. but
I think it could be used to better learn and monitor lighting
effects in the studio before burning the film. I have EOS 3, Elan
7, Elan, Pentax 6x7, and a Canon S10. I cannot use the S10 at all
with my studio lights, so it is out of the question. I dont want to
buy and try to use a polariod back. So thats it, I would like a
digital camera that would sort of double as a polaroid test for
lighting, not for depth of field or all that, and as a pack around
camera as all my other cameras are more than I wish to carry, well
except for the S10 which my wife likes and I dont, I just seems to
point and shootish no manual modes and such.
Wow, that was a mouthful...sorry!
JL

Click to expand...

Jason,

I left your original post on here so i could read it while i commented on your question.

First of all, and I hate to sound like a jackass, but if you are doing "studio work" I'd get rid of the Elan and possibly the EOS 7. Keep the Pentax and use the EOS 3 as a backup. Naturally, all that would depend on what lenses you had for the Canon cameras. The best body in the world is no better than a disposable camera without a decent lens.

I don't really think the G2 will do you much good as a test/checking tool in the studio. You'll be able to take good shots with the G2 but it won't meter or provide the same results you can expect from the other two cameras.
As far as the G3 goes-----sorry but there isn't one.

Ed,

May I ask why ? I would assume that in a studio the lighting would be controlled 100% by the photographer so all one needs is a few rounds of G2/film calibration to map the reading of G2 to the device that take the final shooting.

Ed B said:

I don't really think the G2 will do you much good as a
test/checking tool in the studio. You'll be able to take good shots
with the G2 but it won't meter or provide the same results you can
expect from the other two cameras.
As far as the G3 goes-----sorry but there isn't one.

Click to expand...

gary ng said:

May I ask why ? I would assume that in a studio the lighting would
be controlled 100% by the photographer so all one needs is a few
rounds of G2/film calibration to map the reading of G2 to the
device that take the final shooting.

Ed B said:

I don't really think the G2 will do you much good as a
test/checking tool in the studio. You'll be able to take good shots
with the G2 but it won't meter or provide the same results you can
expect from the other two cameras.
As far as the G3 goes-----sorry but there isn't one.

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Ed, I use the 6x7 as the primary studio tool as well as the Eos 3, I shoot weddings with the EOS 3 and my wife used the Elan 7, so the Elan is the backup to that. Sometimes I find that I can see the shadows and such in a picture much better than I can just by looking at the model. I use studio lights, and all the modifiers, as well as mirrors, reflectors and non modeling lighted strobes, so I cannot see exactly how the pictures will be once the strobes have popped. If the G2 cannot do this then what do you recommend. I am not going to mess with polaroid film and backs. I have several lenses for my cameras so that was not my question. And I am hearing talk of a soon to be announced G3, pardon me for mentioning it.
Oh by the way, I am not new to photography but am fairly new to studio lighting.

Gary,

Thank you for a hopeful response, please explain the calibration map Idea a little. I am actually trying to make a choice between the G2 and the Leica digilux as they are about the same price...roughly within ~$100.

Thank you gentlmen
JL

The G2 as a preview in the studio

Sounds like a good idea to me!

Roughly:

You need to do some tests to see how the 'ISO' ratings on G2 (50,100,200 & 400) compare to the actual films that you will use.

There may be slight discrepencies between an 'ISO' setting on the G2 and film at the same speed.

Phil

By calibrating/mapping, I mean as Phil suggested, check to see how the ISO/Shutter/Aparture combination on the G2 is different from you final prints. This is needed whether one is using G2 or a flash meter/light meter. It can be done by first shooting with the G2 using the metering mode you will use in the future. Then use this setting on your film camera with the desired film and bracket a number of shoots, say from -2EV to +2EV. Pick the final print that you like most or I believe there is devices to measure the correct exposure(density) of the film(I forgot the name of it but Pro D&P shop should know). In this way, you can find out what to adjust based on the reading of G2. You may need to do this for different shooting targets like a grey card, color checkbox, people with different skin tones such that you can have a reference in the future. Of course, you can simply use the grey card to just get the 'correct' exposure value but sometimes the correct exposure may not be the one look best.

Jason Lyons said:

Gary,
Thank you for a hopeful response, please explain the calibration
map Idea a little. I am actually trying to make a choice between
the G2 and the Leica digilux as they are about the same
price...roughly within ~$100.

Thank you gentlmen
JL

Click to expand...

Jason Lyons said:

... So thats it, I would like a
digital camera that would sort of double as a polaroid test for
lighting, not for depth of field or all that, and as a pack around
camera ...
JL

Click to expand...

I think it should work pretty well for a preview device. I use mine as a preview when I go out shooting with my view camera and it helps settle on position and composition.
--
Larrym

Excellent,

I was thinking G2 or Digilux but have decided on the G2, the digilux pictures do not look as good, theres something odd about them.

I will wait about two weeks just to see if canon has anything new to announnce, then here I go.

The comments were helpful!
Thank you everyone for your help!

JL

Jason Lyons said:

Excellent,

I was thinking G2 or Digilux but have decided on the G2, the
digilux pictures do not look as good, theres something odd about
them.

I will wait about two weeks just to see if canon has anything new
to announnce, then here I go.

The comments were helpful!
Thank you everyone for your help!

JL

Click to expand...

Jason, I hesitate to mention this, but the June Popular Photography issue discussed using a digital preview in place of a Polaroid. I hesitate first because the mag is not aimed at pros, and second because the digicam the fellow tested was a Kodak DC4800. Not surprisingly he concluded you'd get better results with a better digicam.

A CTF member (grablife) calibrated the G2 meter relative to a Sekonic and Nikon, and found the G2 ISO 50 is closer to 80. Look's like he's either closed or changed his website.

The G2 histogram and flashing blown highlights would be useful tools, but if you're looking at composition, shadow and highlight detail, you may want to look into a setup with a larger preview screen. cheers, GKL

gkl said:

Jason, I hesitate to mention this, but the June Popular Photography
issue discussed using a digital preview in place of a Polaroid. I
hesitate first because the mag is not aimed at pros, and second
because the digicam the fellow tested was a Kodak DC4800. Not
surprisingly he concluded you'd get better results with a better
digicam.

A CTF member (grablife) calibrated the G2 meter relative to a
Sekonic and Nikon, and found the G2 ISO 50 is closer to 80. Look's
like he's either closed or changed his website.

The G2 histogram and flashing blown highlights would be useful
tools, but if you're looking at composition, shadow and highlight
detail, you may want to look into a setup with a larger preview
screen. cheers, GKL

Well said!

Click to expand...

I've noticed that some of the others making comments here do not own a G2.

gkl said:

Jason, I hesitate to mention this, but the June Popular Photography
issue discussed using a digital preview in place of a Polaroid. I
hesitate first because the mag is not aimed at pros, and second
because the digicam the fellow tested was a Kodak DC4800. Not
surprisingly he concluded you'd get better results with a better
digicam.

A CTF member (grablife) calibrated the G2 meter relative to a
Sekonic and Nikon, and found the G2 ISO 50 is closer to 80. Look's
like he's either closed or changed his website.

The G2 histogram and flashing blown highlights would be useful
tools, but if you're looking at composition, shadow and highlight
detail, you may want to look into a setup with a larger preview
screen. cheers, GKL

Click to expand...

GKL

thank you for the response, I was thinking to send the output to a small video monitor 12" so that I could see the shadows and lighting effects quite well, I am sure that once I have a good handle on lighting effects I would probably use it less and less for common lighting but would still be great for experimenting with new techniques and situations.
I will get a hold of the article you mentioned.
Thanks everyone
JL