https://youtu.be/UrChdMfRo-U
During our southern trip in the fall of 2021, we got caught in a downpour while walking around in New Orleans. We happened to be about as far as we could be from our hotel and in cemeteries. I ended up wet through and through. Elphie was the smart one and used a poncho.
During our southern trip in the fall of 2021, we got caught in a downpour while walking around in New Orleans. We happened to be about as far as we could be from our hotel and in cemeteries. I ended up wet through and through. Elphie was the smart one and used a poncho.
I had my Canon Rebel T6 out as the rain hit and continued to shoot with it until it wouldn't work anymore. This was a very poor choice on my end. I put it away but not until after the damage had likely been done. Later, once at a restaurant, I pulled it out and tried to turn it on. I'm not sure if this was even more stupid or not but it is what I did. The camera made a lot of shutter noise...clicking a bunch but did not turn on. I put it away again and after getting back to the hotel, I tried to turn it on once again. This time, if I am recalling correctly, it would make one click and appeared to have "error" coming up in the view finder but it would not turn on. I took off the lens and took out both the card and the battery and left the door open with hopes it could dry out. I feel I was probably a bit fortunate in that I was able to move the footage and photos off the card using the computer card reader. In the morning, it turned on with the battery in but could not read the card. I took battery and card back out and packed up as we had driving to do that day.
Once at our destination that evening, I opened it again and hoped to let it air dry some more. The next morning I tried it again, similar result only now the screen simply went dark when I had a card in it. Otherwise, it turned on as though it had no other issues.
I had thoughts of seeing if it were possible to just connect a hard drive to the camera and using it that way. I also had thoughts that this might be a good time to look into upgrading to a camera that might have more functions and work better for video shooting.
I began searching out the next level of camera to see if I could find a body used or new since I already had lenses that ought to fit. I first was looking into the Canon Rebel T6i but then started thinking if it's not ridiculously more expensive, perhaps I should consider the Canon Rebel T6s. Both have many similarities but it did seem that the Canon Rebel T6s was technically better. Whether I have the capability to get all that it could offer out of it? I can't say...probably not but I figure why not at least consider it if I can find a decent deal?
Sure enough, I did find a better deal for a Canon Rebel T6s on eBay...less than the Canon Rebel T6i I had been looking at and nearly purchased.
I made the purchase and it came quickly...it turned out that it was shipped from Indianapolis so it didn't have far to come. As I looked it over, I realized it had a microphone input so I decided to use the coupon the company Roberts Camera sent with the camera to purchase a Audio-Technica AT8024 microphone which also shipped and arrived quickly. It should give me a much improved audio for my videos. It should lessen the camera noise and it also has compressor and other features that should work out great in the live concert setting.
I found that the camera takes a different battery than the Canon Rebel T6. This is a bummer in that I had recently purchased some batteries to use at Audiofeed which unfortunately did not happen. Hopefully I'll be able to sell them if I can't use my Canon Rebel T6 anymore.
At the original time of writing this, I had only decided to use it to shoot the recent full moon. I found that I could shot still shots while in video mode which is a feature I like. The lens in auto focus mode seemed to be very active and I hope that I can learn to lessen that...I figure it uses a good amount of battery if its being active. I shot the moon but was not getting access to change the exposure compensation. The next night I figured that out and shot again getting the shot as I wanted without the brightness taking away the detail.
So far, I've done very little with the camera. I did update the firmware. I tried to connect it to my mac using the cord I had from my Canon Rebel T6 but it did not recognize the camera. I also tried to set it up to connect wirelessly but that too did not seem to work. I figure I can research and get this working eventually. I know I can use the a card reader or computer with a card slot to at least access the footage or photos.
https://youtu.be/ooC4XNeUXA4
I bought some batteries on eBay that were listed a "genuine" Canon LP-E17 batteries with a charger included. This is the type that the Canon Rebel T6s needed (the Canon Rebel T6 uses LP-E10). They shipped from China but still arrived in a fairly timely manner. Other than writing in Chinese characters on the back rather than English, everything appeared to be fine with the battery. Size and the contact points all seemed to look the same as the actual Canon battery I had. I tested them in the camera and they worked so I didn't think much of it. I had them on hand for when I might need them while out shooting all day or at a music festival. While on vacation in Hawaii about four months later, I used the batteries. I went to charge them but nothing happened. I tried the charger that came with the batteries and still nothing. I tried the other battery I received with the camera with that charger but it didn't work with that battery either. I tried these "genuine" batteries in the charger that came with the camera and still they did not charge. I reached out to the seller on eBay as the return window closed hoping that I could reason with him. Long story short I seemed to have exhausted the avenues through eBay to try to get a refund so I took the dispute to PayPal and it was settled in my favor.
I purchased three Canon LP-E17 batteries from B and H Photography as well as a charger. I originally checked the Canon website hoping for better luck on getting actual Canon batteries but they were out of stock. When they arrived (quite quickly I might add) I tested them all in the camera as well as in the chargers. I even tested the one that wasn't working to see if maybe it might work but still nothing. Same with those batteries. I suppose I will just use the rest of the life of them then discard them.
I also decided at this point to order the Canon BG-E18 Battery Grip as well. After doing some price comparisons, I ordered through Amazon from a company called Paging Zone. Again, Canon was out of stock on the item. It arrived a couple days after the batteries did. It allows me to use two batteries at the same time for (hopefully) longer shooting times. When it arrived I also tested to make sure it worked with the camera. I attached it and everything seemed to work! The extended shooting time is awesome! I was able to get through entire days at Audiofeed 2022 without needing to switch out the batteries. This included capturing at least one entire set each day!
Since the original writing of this blog, I have shot using this camera at several concerts and I am very happy with the quality of the audio from the Audio-Technica AT8024 microphone. I just have to remember to turn it on when I am using it and turn it off when I'm done so I don't drain the battery it uses. Also if I'm not using it, I need to remember to unplug it from the input. I learned the downside to shooting still photos while recording video is that the video recording pauses while the still shot is captured. The audio of the shutter motion is recorded as well. I won't be using that feature too often.
I shot the sunrise on a frigid morning. I'm not sure the camera handled that extreme cold all that well as it shut off on me a couple times and the battery level seemed awful low for the amount of time I was shooting. I also had forgotten to change some of the exposure settings and so it was pretty washed out and over exposed at first.
I used the camera frequently in Hawai'i, experimenting with different things throughout the trip. I also learned about an app for my iPhone 8 called Canon Camera Connect that works using WiFi to allow access and to download footage and photos to my phone to share. I haven't experimented much with it yet but it seems there might be a way to remote shoot and perhaps otherwise control the camera from my phone or another device. I have not looked into downloading the app onto my computer yet...I just move the files off the card directly to the computer or by using a card reader at this point.
I had thoughts of seeing if it were possible to just connect a hard drive to the camera and using it that way. I also had thoughts that this might be a good time to look into upgrading to a camera that might have more functions and work better for video shooting.
I began searching out the next level of camera to see if I could find a body used or new since I already had lenses that ought to fit. I first was looking into the Canon Rebel T6i but then started thinking if it's not ridiculously more expensive, perhaps I should consider the Canon Rebel T6s. Both have many similarities but it did seem that the Canon Rebel T6s was technically better. Whether I have the capability to get all that it could offer out of it? I can't say...probably not but I figure why not at least consider it if I can find a decent deal?
Sure enough, I did find a better deal for a Canon Rebel T6s on eBay...less than the Canon Rebel T6i I had been looking at and nearly purchased.
I made the purchase and it came quickly...it turned out that it was shipped from Indianapolis so it didn't have far to come. As I looked it over, I realized it had a microphone input so I decided to use the coupon the company Roberts Camera sent with the camera to purchase a Audio-Technica AT8024 microphone which also shipped and arrived quickly. It should give me a much improved audio for my videos. It should lessen the camera noise and it also has compressor and other features that should work out great in the live concert setting.
I found that the camera takes a different battery than the Canon Rebel T6. This is a bummer in that I had recently purchased some batteries to use at Audiofeed which unfortunately did not happen. Hopefully I'll be able to sell them if I can't use my Canon Rebel T6 anymore.
At the original time of writing this, I had only decided to use it to shoot the recent full moon. I found that I could shot still shots while in video mode which is a feature I like. The lens in auto focus mode seemed to be very active and I hope that I can learn to lessen that...I figure it uses a good amount of battery if its being active. I shot the moon but was not getting access to change the exposure compensation. The next night I figured that out and shot again getting the shot as I wanted without the brightness taking away the detail.
So far, I've done very little with the camera. I did update the firmware. I tried to connect it to my mac using the cord I had from my Canon Rebel T6 but it did not recognize the camera. I also tried to set it up to connect wirelessly but that too did not seem to work. I figure I can research and get this working eventually. I know I can use the a card reader or computer with a card slot to at least access the footage or photos.
https://youtu.be/ooC4XNeUXA4
I bought some batteries on eBay that were listed a "genuine" Canon LP-E17 batteries with a charger included. This is the type that the Canon Rebel T6s needed (the Canon Rebel T6 uses LP-E10). They shipped from China but still arrived in a fairly timely manner. Other than writing in Chinese characters on the back rather than English, everything appeared to be fine with the battery. Size and the contact points all seemed to look the same as the actual Canon battery I had. I tested them in the camera and they worked so I didn't think much of it. I had them on hand for when I might need them while out shooting all day or at a music festival. While on vacation in Hawaii about four months later, I used the batteries. I went to charge them but nothing happened. I tried the charger that came with the batteries and still nothing. I tried the other battery I received with the camera with that charger but it didn't work with that battery either. I tried these "genuine" batteries in the charger that came with the camera and still they did not charge. I reached out to the seller on eBay as the return window closed hoping that I could reason with him. Long story short I seemed to have exhausted the avenues through eBay to try to get a refund so I took the dispute to PayPal and it was settled in my favor.
I purchased three Canon LP-E17 batteries from B and H Photography as well as a charger. I originally checked the Canon website hoping for better luck on getting actual Canon batteries but they were out of stock. When they arrived (quite quickly I might add) I tested them all in the camera as well as in the chargers. I even tested the one that wasn't working to see if maybe it might work but still nothing. Same with those batteries. I suppose I will just use the rest of the life of them then discard them.
I also decided at this point to order the Canon BG-E18 Battery Grip as well. After doing some price comparisons, I ordered through Amazon from a company called Paging Zone. Again, Canon was out of stock on the item. It arrived a couple days after the batteries did. It allows me to use two batteries at the same time for (hopefully) longer shooting times. When it arrived I also tested to make sure it worked with the camera. I attached it and everything seemed to work! The extended shooting time is awesome! I was able to get through entire days at Audiofeed 2022 without needing to switch out the batteries. This included capturing at least one entire set each day!
Since the original writing of this blog, I have shot using this camera at several concerts and I am very happy with the quality of the audio from the Audio-Technica AT8024 microphone. I just have to remember to turn it on when I am using it and turn it off when I'm done so I don't drain the battery it uses. Also if I'm not using it, I need to remember to unplug it from the input. I learned the downside to shooting still photos while recording video is that the video recording pauses while the still shot is captured. The audio of the shutter motion is recorded as well. I won't be using that feature too often.
I shot the sunrise on a frigid morning. I'm not sure the camera handled that extreme cold all that well as it shut off on me a couple times and the battery level seemed awful low for the amount of time I was shooting. I also had forgotten to change some of the exposure settings and so it was pretty washed out and over exposed at first.
I used the camera frequently in Hawai'i, experimenting with different things throughout the trip. I also learned about an app for my iPhone 8 called Canon Camera Connect that works using WiFi to allow access and to download footage and photos to my phone to share. I haven't experimented much with it yet but it seems there might be a way to remote shoot and perhaps otherwise control the camera from my phone or another device. I have not looked into downloading the app onto my computer yet...I just move the files off the card directly to the computer or by using a card reader at this point.
My overall feeling is that I think this camera ought to be one that can help me improve my video work as I continue learn how it works. I haven't tested it yet to see or even researched it yet but I hope perhaps that 12 minute limit is not built into this camera. If it is, so be it...I will live with it as I did before.
I have since learned that the limit for continuous recording is 30 minutes. At that point one will have to start the recording again. This is much better than that 12 minute limit!
I made the little video clip at the top of this post which shows a couple clips shot with the Canon Rebel T6s of the moon. I also included the final clip I got using the Canon Rebel T6 prior to its demise and another shot I did using my iPhone 8 while still out in the rain in New Orleans. I also shot the commentary using my iPhone 8 and used it to show the new camera.
At this point I still have the Canon Rebel T6 in my possession and may try to see if there can still be use from it when I have time to mess around with it.
It was unfortunate circumstances that lead to this upgrade. It was money I didn't intend to spend at this time. But I feel some level of optimism toward what I can learn to do with this camera and having a microphone ought to improve the sound on live concert footage as well!
I have since learned that the limit for continuous recording is 30 minutes. At that point one will have to start the recording again. This is much better than that 12 minute limit!
I made the little video clip at the top of this post which shows a couple clips shot with the Canon Rebel T6s of the moon. I also included the final clip I got using the Canon Rebel T6 prior to its demise and another shot I did using my iPhone 8 while still out in the rain in New Orleans. I also shot the commentary using my iPhone 8 and used it to show the new camera.
At this point I still have the Canon Rebel T6 in my possession and may try to see if there can still be use from it when I have time to mess around with it.
It was unfortunate circumstances that lead to this upgrade. It was money I didn't intend to spend at this time. But I feel some level of optimism toward what I can learn to do with this camera and having a microphone ought to improve the sound on live concert footage as well!
Filmed using an iPhone 8, Canon Rebel T6, and Canon Rebel T6s. Edited using Final Cut Pro on a Mac Mini. Filmed & edited by Joel A. Swanson
