...me to say what I keep thinking,

that I am sorry I am such in irregular visitor. Often it is the slow and unreliable internet connection here in China that makes it a hassle to do anything on the web at all. There are a bunch of other reasons, but in essence I think I am just busy as everybody else living a life. Sometimes there is not much to say, other times I feel to bogged down with other things and am glad to get of the computer eventually at night, but all of that is true for everyone.

I value Shuttertalkers for what they are, a bunch of open minded, friendly and helpful people.
Just lately when I was having all the awkward issues with the new cam and my computer Shuttertalkers again proved to be wonderful support, and nobody told me off for not showing up forever and then just bugging you with my troubles.

Thank you!

Speaking of new cam, I can't believe I've been owning this camera for weeks and not shown anything at all.
I keep Kombi talking about adjusting the custom settings and am itching to get to play more with it, but here is just a bit of what I got so far.

Some of the very first shots were taken in Hongkong, where I also bought the camera. We went out of the city one day to visit a temple and a large Buddha statue:



the heads of some of the huge, meter high and several inches thick incense burning outside the temple



some figurine.... I am not familiar with all the Buddhist figures



paintings on the ceiling and lampshades hanging down from the ceiling


In Hefei itself I have not been using the 5D terribly much. However, I went to visit some migrant workers at their construction sites one day and took the 5D with 24-70L and 580EX


Getting off for lunch


Washing hands at the one and only water tab on site

Inside their barrack, home for a few months while they work on this site


along with the 5D I bought a gadget, the 50mm f/1.4, which is no permanently on my 350D and is giving me immense pleasure.


One from the huge bazaar in town, an enjoyable never-ending source of little useful and useless stuffs.....


...and more incense from a temple we visited during a day trip to a nearby ancient Chinese town

Greetings to all,

Uli

Your pictures are very nice Uli.

Congratulations on your new camera!! I am sure you will have a lot of fun...

I have use a 50mm in my camera, but I don't feel very comfortable.

I also have my lens already for few days in the box and I haven't had time to test it... I hope I can take some pictures during the weekend.

I haven't used the 50mm much on the 5d, that is something I need to get used to. but on the 350D at an effective 80 or so mm it is perfect for me

Very nice images Uli - your work is something I always look forward to viewing. Great choice on your new camera. I still love my 5D.

I absolutely love the incense shot - even tough I realize it is a bit shallow depth-of-field wise. I wish I had taken that shot...

Thank you Chris! I don't think there will be anything but the 5D for a whiiiiiiiile....

Toad, I think I like the shot just for it's shallowness, also the focal plane could have been futher up toward the tips of the incense.

Uli

Uli,
Something that has helped a lot to better my pictures is to work a lot with my focal point. In the 5D is very easy to change it, and place it where you want to have the focus without moving much to compose...

Lovely shots there Uli. Like Toad, I particularly like the last incense shot. Beautiful.

I'd imagine a 5D would be a perfect camera for you; full-frame with fabulous image quality yet still small, light and discrete. Perfect for travel and street photography.
How do you find the EF 24-70L? My first impressions with it are good but I still haven't had a project to really get down and dirty with it yet. I also have a big soft spot for the EF 50 f/1.4, although personally I'd much prefer to use it on a 5D than a 350D - I'm always left wishing it was a bit wider.
Seeing photos like yours makes me want to get out on the street and find some interesting people to shoot.

It's great to hear that things seem to be going well for you in China. I'm jealous at all the fantastic places various shuttertalkers get to visit around the globe, and you're no exception.
I'm hoping I might get to Beijing for the Olympics and then do a bit of travel around China and Europe shortly after then, but that's still a bit of a pipe-dream at this stage.

Irma, I do that on the 350D all the time, changing the focus points, the 5D just has more of them

actually, Kombi, with the battery grip the 5D is already quite bulky, I think just between a 30D and the 1D. But still good for me (I am very small, so never had a problem finding the 350D too small like others did).

the 24-70L was bought for my friends wedding last year, and has since been my main lense. I have got lots of great shots with it, including everything I showed the other day from Yunnan.

I have to focus more carefully with it than with my 100mm macro (Canon), which remains my favorite, but less often on the camera, but the 24-70 is capable of producing tack sharp shots.
Did I tell you the guy in the shop where I bought the 5D warned me about using a non-II (as in MkII) lens on a digital camera? Well, that would rule out half the lenses altogether?!

Anyway, I think the 50/1.4 is now fairly permanently installed on the 350D,
and I yet have to try the 100mm on the 5D, which I expect to be just wonderful, as it will not be so terribly long as it was on the 350D.
24-7-L remains my workhorse.

I have been thinking about how you are upgrading, you are leaps ahead of me in your equipment and technique, but what you bought seems to be just perfect for you, whereas I was really craving to try the full frame. Now I am very happy to have both (I guess just like Irma, aren"t you using both a 5D and D70?), the smaller and the full frame sensor, practically enlarging my range of focal lengths

I had been wanting to go to the Olympics, but I think I will be pressing home for family affairs at the and of June.
You will love it! Both photographically and for the City.

Greetings, Uli

Wulinka,

Very impressed with your photos. You should take me out sometime to shoot with you. Most of all I'm impressed with your journalistic skills. It's one thing to walk on a street and find stuff to snap photos of, but it takes it to a totally new level when you find a person and follow them. I see lots of talk on technique and composition, but human interest can be huge in helping to give a photo relevance. Good working on following the workers.

As always, a great admirer

D.J.

D.J.

well, hop over to China and we can roam the streets! There is indeed a lot to find around here.

Thank you for your compliments on my pictures,

Uli