FAQ





This is an evolving entry that will address many of the common questions I get asked on this blog. I will attempt to make this FAQ as concise, yet informative as possible.


What kind of camera gear do you use?

I shoot exclusively with Canon gear. While you cannot go wrong with a number of manufacturers including Nikon, Sony, Leica and others, I prefer Canon for a number of reasons including the fact that for their SLR line, they make the whole widget from CCD to lens. I also prefer the color handling of Canon's DIGIC imaging processor. Currently I use Canon 1D Mk III and Canon 20d camera bodies with the following lenses:


Canon EF 50mm f1.2L USM
This is a perfect lens for portrait work and indoor shots where you might not want to use a flash. It is one of the fastest lenses you can buy and paired with the 1D Mk III, it is an amazing combination. Also, because of the speed, it should also make for one of the fastest sports photography lenses you can buy provided you can get in close enough.

Canon EF 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 DO IS USM
I am quite happy with this lens although it is a little expensive. However, for a 70-300 zoom, it is remarkably compact and draws much less attention than other equivalent zoom lenses while delivering good performance. This makes it an ideal lens for people photography in areas/times where you may not want people to notice you or in crowds where a physically larger lens may get in the way. At full zoom, images from this lens appear a little soft due to the optics of this lens which some people find appealing.

Canon EF 100mm Macro f2.8 Macro USM
I've said it before and I'll say it again here. If photography is fun to you, this is your lens. The fun to dollar value of this lens is absolutely over the top. It is a wickedly sharp lens, that in addition to its value as a macro lens shows it's flexibility as a very nice portrait lens. For those of you with some macro experience, you will also appreciate the fact that this lens uses inner focusing which in addition to providing a long working distance, also keeps the lens from poking out at your possibly skittish subject matter.

The Canon EF 24-105 f/4L IS USM
This lens is an amazingly flexible lens with good speed, especially for a zoom covering 24-105mm. It is the lens that spends most of the time on the camera with the Canon EF 70-200 f2.8L IS USM running a close second. If this lens could be made at f/2.8, it would be one of the most perfect SLR lenses on the planet.

The Canon EF 70-200 f2.8L IS USM
I want this lens for times I don't care about people noticing a big, white, lens pointed at them or for bird photography. This lens is ideal when you need sharp detail with good color fidelity or where things move fast. It is an amazing lens with good performance, yet lends itself nicely to handheld photography.

The Canon EF 16-35 f2.8L II USM
This lens is a fast, wide angle lens that also generates crisp images with excellent color fidelity and little to no vignetting.

Digiscoping images are obtained with a spotting scope from Zeiss and a variety of point and shoot cameras.

Lowepro bags and Pelican cases to carry it all around in. My wife accuses me of having a bag fetish and perhaps this is true, but there is a bag for every occasion, right? Certainly Lowepro has this covered. I currently use the Lowepro Nature Trekker AW II and the CompuTrekker AW as well as a number of Lowepro accessories.

Tripods and monopod are from Manfrotto.




Can I buy/use any of your images on your blog?

I specifically avoid any advertising or revenue generation from this blog as it is hosted on a server in my office and uses university resources (I also like the cleaner information from ad-free sites). However, I typically grant permission to use images for non-profit purposes and also make available images for other purposes. Please contact me for specific requests.





Are you available for....

Work?
I have had a variety of consulting gigs for hardware and software companies related to scientific markets and digital imaging work as well as health care companies concerned with neurodiagnostics. Please contact me for specific inquiries.

Scientific collaboration?
Please contact me. I am always entertaining offers for interesting collaborative projects. However, be advised that we are currently engaged in many projects with a number of collaborators from around the world. So, I am having to be much more discriminating than I have been in the past, but if the project is interesting enough.....

Speaking engagements?
Please contact me. I have given invited talks at Stanford, UCSB, USU, Medical University of South Carolina, ARUP, University of Utah, St. Louis University and University of Michigan as well as at NIH and NSF conferences and more. I also routinely talk with high school and college groups on science and scientific careers.

Photographic services?
Please contact me for specific requests. My work has appeared on PBS and in National Geographic and The New West along with images appearing in Wired and a variety of defense related publications as well as being used by a number of non-profit institutions.

Dating?
No. Thanks for the inquiry though. I am happily married to a wonderful woman and live with a delightful brown tabby in a quaint little neighborhood.




Young BWJones photo credit: Carolyn Jones

Posted: Fri - September 1, 2006 at 10:42 AM          

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