Focus onimaging

I have to admit I got shunned on the lencarta stand too, I called in to say hi to Garry at around 5, he wasn't on the stand but while I looked at the fresnel attachment no one else on the stand bothered to break their conversation.

Unlike Bowens who were more than happy to show me their fresnel.
 
Back, 5dIII was very nice don't think they let you put cards in, definitely didn't for the 1dx, really didn't like the 1dx at all too much messed with in terms of menus grip wasn't comfortable and so seriously heavy it was crazy!

Some reasonable deals but nothing spectacular, jacobs refurb gear was good price. Not low enough to pick up the 24-105L that I want. Though I was tempted. Same went for the macro ring flash.

Pretty busy at first quietened down a lot in afternoon though able to try everything easily and a couple of the lighting stands had some models for shots too. It actually persuaded my dad to buy the home studio light he's been debating so I guess job done for that booth!

Edit-- having now read the other comments I see that people taking picture of the girls is not the done thing well sorry but I've never been in a studio before and never seen what lighting like that is like first hand so I did take some pictures. No huge back pack, no barging and I took 5 shots and moved on. Did make me want to rent a studio and try it properly! Oh and only had a 17-85 on, shocked at the number of massive lenses hanging round necks....got to have started hurting at some point.
 
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Edit-- having now read the other comments I see that people taking picture of the girls is not the done thing well sorry but I've never been in a studio before and never seen what lighting like that is like first hand so I did take some pictures. No huge back pack, no barging and I took 5 shots and moved on. Did make me want to rent a studio and try it properly!

That's actually no problem. Take a couple of cheeky photos of the very pretty models.
Take a couple of the setups. Take a couple of the poses even, thats fine :)

It's the ones that were just stood infront of everyone else rattling away for the sake of it lol
 
That got me, the number of people there with 70-200 lenses on. Huge camera backpacks. I saw one guy with a dslr, flash on top and another flash on a bracket to the side, both wired to the camera. Most of the models were setup on the lighting stands, posed to demonstrate the lighting setups, so I'm not sure what they thought they were photographing.
I went light. Didn't see the point in taking anything with me

I've just changed my mind based on this, won't take my 70-200 now when I go on Wednesday...... will pop the Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 on instead ;)

In all seriousness I won't take a cam apart from the one in my phone, I have more important things to do than take photos of models.
 
Cheers, it was quite interesting, like I said it made me want to try a studio shoot and as an avowed wildlife only photographer it surprises me to say that.

Some the lenses people had on taking pictures of the models were nuts there was a guy maybe a meter away who was using a 200mm, he must have been shoot pictures of her nose only
 
Manfrotto stand had their very good video tripods and heads, plus the self levelling heads/centre columns.
Sweet, sounds exactly what I am after. In fact I want to have a look at them rather than actually as all shops around me seem to have a crappy to no-existent range of video specific tripods.
 
ShrubMonkey said:
Was the Olympus OM-D EM-5 there and if so anybody have a play with it?

Couldn't get to play with it, much like the D800, D4 and 5Dmkiii. The Olympus is just tiny !! Really nice and the battery grip addition is just neat. It really has a look of an OM body but I would say smaller.

Prices of kit is pretty standard but I picked up a pair of 603 flash triggers an and 50mm f1.8 :)

Not in too much trouble with SWMBO !! will need to get at least one more 603 and a couple of cheap flashguns in due course.
 
DrRusty said:
Couldn't get to play with it, much like the D800, D4 and 5Dmkiii. The Olympus is just tiny !! Really nice and the battery grip addition is just neat. It really has a look of an OM body but I would say smaller.

Prices of kit is pretty standard but I picked up a pair of 603 flash triggers an and 50mm f1.8 :)

Not in too much trouble with SWMBO !! will need to get at least one more 603 and a couple of cheap flashguns in due course.

Thanks, really glad I didn't go now. I'll be buying the OM-D soon, preorders will receive the 2 part batter grip free.
 
Sweet, sounds exactly what I am after. In fact I want to have a look at them rather than actually as all shops around me seem to have a crappy to no-existent range of video specific tripods.

You probably want to get the manfrotto 504, it kicks ass. The old 503 was ok, but the 4's just got... great improvements.


Any talks/demos that anyone would recommend?

One of the photographers that I assist, Stuart Wood, is talking on the The Flash Centre a few times a day - he has a very 'natural' style of lighting, if you're interested in how you can make realistic and yet flattering light for portraits, I'd advise that you go along.

Drew Gardener on the Phase One stand, and this year also the manfrotto stand, is always good too, lovely chap and great work.



Part tempted to go with a phase one hung from my shoulder, but I don't think that the nerds would get the joke...

Maybe a Sinar in a wheelbarrow? :LOL:
 
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Spent a couple of hours there today. If I had stayed any longer, I'd have ended up beating the crap out of the next inconsiderate retard that whacked me with their oversized rucksack.

Came home with a 5D2 and some other goodies mind, so not a wasted day :D
 
DaveRed said:
Spent a couple of hours there today. If I had stayed any longer, I'd have ended up beating the crap out of the next inconsiderate retard that whacked me with their oversized rucksack.
D

Big backpack brigade did seem to be out in force. Manners were forgotten a lot of the time too, especially at Jacobs counter!
 
Has anyone been barred from Focus?...........I may be the first if I encounter this behaviour tomorrow.
 
Spent a couple of hours there today. If I had stayed any longer, I'd have ended up beating the crap out of the next inconsiderate retard that whacked me with their oversized rucksack.

Came home with a 5D2 and some other goodies mind, so not a wasted day :D

Good price? (what stand?)
 
Spent three hours there looking at new photobook suppliers, found one which will knock about £50 off the same 40x30 we currently use.

Had a great chat with the guy from Gunar but at £16,000 the Computerised mount cutter is a bit too pricey for us at the moment.
 
I don't really understand the mentality of taking a camera to Focus, or any trade event.

What do people hoping to take photos of? Another camera? a bunch of men with cameras on their neck?

/confused.
 
itsdavedotnet said:
You probably want to get the manfrotto 504, it kicks ass. The old 503 was ok, but the 4's just got... great improvements.

I think that was the one that looked stunning. Photo or video switch mode, self levelling centre , felt really nice to use.
 
mark1616 said:
I've just changed my mind based on this, won't take my 70-200 now when I go on Wednesday...... will pop the Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 on instead ;)

Pah, sigmas 400-1000 bazooka lens is what you need. Rest it on the shoulder of the togs in front of you. :)
 
Byker28i said:
Pah, sigmas 400-1000 bazooka lens is what you need. Rest it on the shoulder of the togs in front of you. :)

There was one of them set up, fricking huge!!

As for why took camera, took mine as I wanted to get the sensor cleaned as it was cheap....in fact I got given a voucher by a company nearby (I can't remember name now but got the voucher in my bag) to get it done for free.
 
Yup my lad had a play with it. Electronic zoom with digital display. It was bigger than he was :D
 
People with Backpacks and Cameras, I felt like I was fighting through Kings Cross on a Friday Evening :(

On the plus side I did pickup a nice new 17-40 f/4L at a very good price

Oh, and it was nice to fondle the 1DX (wasn't fussed about the 5d3)
 
Pah, sigmas 400-1000 bazooka lens is what you need. Rest it on the shoulder of the togs in front of you. :)

Good plan, any companies rent them out for the day, will be perfect LOL. I think I would look pretty good carrying this around, I'm 6'6" and 20 stone, no one will argue with me if I 'nudge' them.
 
People with Backpacks and Cameras, I felt like I was fighting through Kings Cross on a Friday Evening :(

On the plus side I did pickup a nice new 17-40 f/4L at a very good price

Oh, and it was nice to fondle the 1DX (wasn't fussed about the 5d3)

How much did you get the 17-40 for and from which store as this is on my hit list of 3 lenses to buy?

Thanks,

Mark
 
Assuming I can say on here, Jacobs, £569, it was £599 at Camerworld and £800 at Calumet (O_O) I checked prices before I left and WEX were selling online at £613 I think.
 
Assuming I can say on here, Jacobs, £569, it was £599 at Camerworld and £800 at Calumet (O_O) I checked prices before I left and WEX were selling online at £613 I think.

Cool, Kerso is a little cheaper so will have to decide what to do when I'm there on Wed. If they do me a good deal for that with a 135mm f2 and 35mm f1.4 I will take the lot off them in one hit.
 
Assuming I can say on here, Jacobs, £569, it was £599 at Camerworld and £800 at Calumet (O_O) I checked prices before I left and WEX were selling online at £613 I think.

Of course you can :)
 
The people I did see buying all seemed to turn up with A4 paper with prices already sourced from the web and shopping lists and were haggling with the sellers.
 
....9.45am and queues are starting to build up. A few 70-200s being waved around and I've just heard two blokes creaming themselves over the prospect of touching a 1Dx...
 
I thought this years was pretty disappointing really. Not many 'show' bargains to be had, the camera / bag brigade were out in force (as has been mentioned a few times already) and just generally a little poor. Many of the stands were more expensive than online sites, so once you add your travel and eating costs on it wasn't really worth the trip.

Still, it was a day out ;0)
 
....noon.... Busy and lots of weirdos with long lenses. Lovegrove did a nice little talk in lighting and the lencarta talks are insightful. Played with the D7000, a very nice little camera, although fitted with a 200mm f/2 it was going to be :)

The little WingMan video camera is nice for £199 - similar to a GoPro but with a colour LCD.

Fuji X100 is lush, a proper camera.

....Now for an overpriced lunch.... :)
 
I spent a good few hours there. It got busy later. Nikon wouldn't allow cards to be put in the D4/D800.


Kev.

And dont forget to tell the boys and girls that i dragged you around the Canon stand so show you the lighter side of life :D
 
Sounds like they should have a no bags allowed inside the venue policy at Focus.

If you take your own cameras do you have to register them when you arrives like you do at some trade shows? Mind you I will only take my Panny GF2 so maybe they wouldn't be bothered about that anyway!
 
Scan your barcode and you're in.

Queues are long enough as it is.
 
I actually thought that for the little bits n pieces there were some good bargains and all available in one place for once. I picked up a nice little filter wallet, wide angle holder and adapter ring for £19. Saved about £7 and made me feel happy :) without breaking the bank.

If I had gone into a shop they never have all the stuff in one place and web shopping makes me lazy.

If you're looking to pick up a a top lens or camera for a steal then it doesn't happen. That's why our kit holds it's value so well otherwise everyone would just wait for focus and stock up, hence depreciating prices in general.
 
Do people only go there for the bargains? What about the seminars? Anyone went to the Ascough on yesterday or Lara Jade today?
 
Raymond Lin said:
Do people only go there for the bargains? What about the seminars? Anyone went to the Ascough on yesterday or Lara Jade today?

I did go in part to do some pricing up for work, but I just wanted to wander today and see what was going in. Tomorrow I'll Bevin talks all day I reckon.
Didn't know Lara Jade was demoing.... not overly keen in her work but she's had a meteoric rise to fame that must hold some great info :)

Adam Duckworth was poor due to bad audio. Hopefully Lastolite will get that sorted for tomorrow.

Lovegrove was good.

Jonathan Ryan was interesting but not to sure about his delivery - a bit forced IMO but interesting nonetheless.

Had a 30-minute chat with a guy called AJ next to the linhoff stand. He was demoing a great 360-degree system for photographing objects in an interactive way. Fantastic product.
 
I spent more time on the talks tbh

adam duckworth on lastolite using speedlites and Christian Hough on the Bowens stand were good.
 
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