Trackside with Erik and Mike, Vol. 47: February 13, 2006

I suppose I had better come clean. Ooh, there’s the phone! [:-^]

This week you both took exceptional photos [^][^] so who took the better one[?]
I do not know its a coin tost no ask the wife.[:0] So Mike you got my vote [;)]
That Cannon 135mm IS made your shot.

Not sure what pic you are looking at… There is no F-40 in that scene.

I gave it to mike,for a few resons because the picture is clear and captures the power of the locomotive. Erik on the other hand had a great photo because, it was sort of semetric. The telophone pole had the sears tower next to it and the train erik was on was semetric to the train on the distance. Erik had a great photo but if the train in the distance was clear i wouldve gave him the vote. Great Jod, both of you. I would also like to say thank you for bringing us the veiws asome photographs to veiw. i really appriciate it. THANK YOu!

I really enjoy these contest that you have. I had to go with Mike’s photo this week, as he states in his explaination it was pretty much a test shot but it came out pretty good. Erik’s shot had too many subjects and it all didn’t blend together very well in my opinion. Thanks for putting your work out there you guys.

Erik’s campaign pitch to vote for his submittal is nothing more than what in philosophy is called an appeal to the emotions. Erik tried to win votes not by the quality of his photo but by trying to tug at the voters’ heartstrings. I found Erik’s photo to be a well-executed but emotionless picture. Mike’s submittal, demonstrated the advantages of Canon’s Image Stabilizer technology and provides a pacing shot that conveys the power of that speeding locomotive. While I am not much of a fan of pacing shots, for me, Mike’s contest submittal screamed action and Erik’s shot invoked a yawn. So this time, Mike won my vote. Congratulations to Mike and good luck to both of you on the next contest.

I dunno… both shots had elements in them that I liked… but seeing the blur below the loco, the blurred snow or rain going by, and yet having the Engine itself frozen in time edged out the technically excellent shot of the excursion train.

Pretty interesting angle from Amtrak anyway, way to go Erik. Mike seemed to have just another pacing shot to me. If I want to pace a UP train under cloudy skys, I have 16 miles of 70 mph railroad running parallel to highway 25 between Dexter and here. I would have voted for the shot on a sunny day, but those are in short supply this time of year.

Mike, Two possible stories.

  1. You moved from the passenger seat to the back seat driver’s side to get a clear shot.

  2. The car was running backwards.

Jay

Mike has a great demo shot for the IS feature. I have that lens and it gets good shots at max zoom without a tripod.

Vote went to Erik for a shot that is something different.

Jay

Usually I go ahead and vote before I read any of the comments, but this time I read 'em b-4 I voted. Wow, what a differing assortment of replies to these choices, ranging from apathy to kudos, and for BOTH! The only things blurred in Mike’s photo is the background, (intentionally, of course) and the snowflakes, which have become white streaks, making the sensation of speed all the more apparent. And yes, the banner, fortunately on the correct flank, immensely adds to the feel of fleetness. Mike got my vote. Also, I would like to see a rule invoked that requires a submitted photo be not taken earlier than thirty days before any given forum.

Both nice shots, am going with the UP photo as anyone bearing cold and snow to get a photo is mighty big person

The oncoming is METRA’s new MP36PH-3S out of Union Station. Love the skyline. I used to pass that tower on my commute. Nice shot.

Great Shot Mike! I think the pacing shot is super…I like how you can see the falling snow (very faint diagonal) against the fuel tanks.

Thanks, Erik and Mike. Always enjoy your photos. Voted for Erik this week because I liked it best. Amazing when the comments are posted Erik receives praise from some and negative comments from others and then just the opposite for Mike, he
receives positive remarks from some and negative remarks from others and what one praises in one photo another voter dislikes.in the same photo. Proves you just can’t please them all. Guess the old quote fits here, “You can please some of the people all of the time and all of the people some of the time but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.” Some of you who “critique” the photos should send in some of your photos and let everyone “critique” yours. If I want an “Art” picture I’ll go to and Art Gallery but for me I like Railroad pictures and there is no such thing as a “bad” reairoad picture. "Nuff said. Erik and Mike, just keep those photos coming.

I have to admire the spirit of the Upper Midwest, not washed out by a little rain, or destroyed by a hurricane, just make the most of the short daylight and getting something in durning a pressing “Build” week. While I admire the technical assist from Image Stabilization, avoiding of the ditches driving, while still capturing most of one of those Ugly GE brutes, I must say I voted for the Chicago scene. May have been the folliage, a yearning for Spring (hope eternal), or the year commuting into Chicago bringing back fond memories of the Windy City. I had to go with Eric again this week.

Will

It must be election year. This is the first time one of you has asked, “Please vote for my photo.” So I did.
The fact that there are two passenger trains in one photo helped too.

Mike: Would the IS sytem work when you place a tele-extender between the lens and the camera?

ERFLINE,

Image Stabilization does work with telextenders, but of course, isn’t as effective. However, due to the f3.5-f5.6 aperture of the 28-135mm, autofocus would be lost on all but the pro bodies (EOS 1 & 3 series cameras) with even the 1.4x teleconvertor.

Getting a dedicated prime with IS would probably work better. The 300mm f4L IS has a pretty good reputation, and is comparitively cheap (compared, say, to it’s big brother the f2.8L IS). The latter is a better lens in all respects (save price and weight), but at $3800 isn’t in everybodys’ price range. Currently I rent one when I need it, but am saving up to purchase my own in that great someday!

Hope this helps.

EDIT I just checked Canon’s web page, and the 28-135 will NOT work with Canon telextenders (though it may with other brands). The only zoom lenses that will work with Canon Extenders are the 70-200mm f2.8L, 70-200mm f2.8L IS, 70-200mm f4L, and 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS (although here again, because of the f5.6 aperture, AF will only work with Pro bodies). Sorry about the misleading info.

Both were interesting, so I fliped a coin and mike won the toss.

Thre composition of Erik’s photo moved me to give him my vote.