Any shutterbugs in the house?

[general eclect]

The trouble with that is some days I don't feel in the mood to go out shooting and even if I do I may not come up with something I want to show the world. Then there's the weather to take into account, but we definitely should have a thread for photos we've taken ourselves.

If there were enough of us a sub-forum all to ourselves would be good!

 

[saptech]

I understand. It is just a thought and besides, it's not like we're talking professional type of photos, at least not for me. I'm new with photography and have been posting some not so good photos on BlipFoto dot com. It is where I got the idea from.

 

[general eclect]

I'm not speaking professional by any means either, although what I think is good from my perspective will differ from another's point of view. I had an interest in photography back in the seventies and eighties but found processing costs prohibitive. I did pick up a little bit about technique and composition when I was in a camera club for a few years way back when but I'm still learning my way around my Nikon DSLR. At times I'll take many hundreds of photos in a few hours and end up having only two or four that I'm proud of...


edit: ...potential forum title could be 'Cameras and post production' thereby including still and video work, and the various post production software and techniques.

 

[breadnatty08]

Thinking of updating my Canon G10. I like it, but it's a few years old, and looking for something new.
Basically narrowed it down to a Canon G15, S110, or Sony RX100. The latter is considerably pricier but nearly all the reviews for it have been glowing.
I'd like something pretty compact which the S110 is, so is the RX100 worth the premium? Most of my shots are stills, macros or scenery. Low light capability would be nice which Sony's sensor would help out with.
Thoughts?

Edit: Okay, now I'm throwing the Sony NEX-F3 into the mix!

 

[Bob Maxey]

Extremely long time exposures are sometimes required. Some people at the star parties have motor driven telescope mounts that allow them to track the celestial object as it moves across the sky.

Back in the day, we used long exposures to remove the people milling abut during an inside shot. No Photoshop, just a view camera, a sturdy tripod and lots of time.

 

[Bob Maxey]

I'm not speaking professional by any means either, although what I think is good from my perspective will differ from another's point of view. I had an interest in photography back in the seventies and eighties but found processing costs prohibitive. I did pick up a little bit about technique and composition when I was in a camera club for a few years way back when but I'm still learning my way around my Nikon DSLR. At times I'll take many hundreds of photos in a few hours and end up having only two or four that I'm proud of...


edit: ...potential forum title could be 'Cameras and post production' thereby including still and video work, and the various post production software and techniques.

I evaluate both partners in the process: the photographer's ability to properly expose the film and the printer' ability to make a good print. Some photos that might look good to most people often fail because there is no shadow and/or highlight detail.

But, that was back in the day when film ruled (LOL... it was the only choice) We thought very little about digital because it was terrible. Times have changed.

 

[general eclect]

Not hard to pick where this is, but I wanted to make it recognisable yet from an angle most people don't see.

 

[Bob Maxey]

Whatever camera you get make sure that it has a way to add attachments to the lens.

My Olympus has no threaded adapter ring on the lens itself, but there is a threaded adapter ring at the base of the lens. So I added hollow extension tube to hold the filter out in front of the lens and also to serve as a sunshade. To the uneducated eye that honkin' big cheap extension tube gives the appearance of a big gnarly multi-hundred dollar lens

Really not an issue. Look for slip-on adapter rings; perhaps a stepup/stepdown ring. I can literally adapt anything to anything if the need arises.

 

[Mehta23]

I love photography. I think being a photographer would be a nice career. Shame camera's are so expensive that it'll be hard for me to afford one

 

[Bob Maxey]

I love photography. I think being a photographer would be a nice career. Shame camera's are so expensive that it'll be hard for me to afford one

It really depends on your goals. It can be a nice career, but in many cases, it can become just another job. No different than any other job. Especially for the newly minted photographer.

And yes, good equipment costs good dollars. Fortunately, I am old school and the equipment is "cheap." That said, there is almost no film being manufactured so I would go digital, as much as I hate that idea.

Kids today just do not understand what it was like, supply wise not too long ago.

There are many photographers out there and for the most part, not much sets one apart from another. Digital killed film and it also made it so you can't swing a dead cat without hitting a "professional."

Not sure I would take it uop again as a profession. Things have changed too much. Portraits were always an interest of mine, then I look at people like this guy:

Yousuf Karsh / Photographer

(None better)

And see just how much I have to learn. I especially love the printing.

 

[breadnatty08]

Bob, my dad shot pretty much exclusively with Kodachrome 64 when all of us kids were growing up. We still have loads of slides to watch (he's slowly converting them to digital). He may have used Ektachrome occasionally, not sure.
I took a few classes in high school and LOVED spending time in a dark room (actually did it first at a summer camp when I was ~12).
But, he's since moved on to a Nikon dSLR and I'm on a new Sony RX100. Makes taking shots and (if any) processing that much easier.
Have to say, making the shoebox camera in school was a lot of fun though!

 

[Bob Maxey]

Bob, my dad shot pretty much exclusively with Kodachrome 64 when all of us kids were growing up. We still have loads of slides to watch (he's slowly converting them to digital). He may have used Ektachrome occasionally, not sure.
I took a few classes in high school and LOVED spending time in a dark room (actually did it first at a summer camp when I was ~12).
But, he's since moved on to a Nikon dSLR and I'm on a new Sony RX100. Makes taking shots and (if any) processing that much easier.
Have to say, making the shoebox camera in school was a lot of fun though!

It is a shame Kodachrome is no more. A truly great slide film with wonderful properties. Fine grain and sharp. And, if cared for, the slides will last for centuries.

Such are the properties of a black and white film.

Not so sure we can say the same for digital files.

 

[general eclect]

Spoiler

Took this pic of a male brushtail possum a few mornings ago on my way to the station. Poor bugger seems to've lost his left eye, possibly in a fight with someone's cat. Every other time I've taken pics of possums with the flash, both eyes glow red.

 

[general eclect]

Camel wisdom...

Spoiler

 

[ajdroidx]

Morning all

It has started to dawn on me that me and my Sony RX100 are not really a match for one another. I mean, its a fantastic camera, but it seems like it is really not for me. Does this make sense?

Being a canon shooter, I have grown up on DPP.

I think I bought the RX100 on recommendations and great reviews and it's larger sensor in a smaller body. But being a RAW shooter, I needed to install more software to my computer. Yeah, I know, real photographers would use light room, aperture or photoshop. (With what Adobe is doing where you need to create an account with them to use their software.... I would just rather not do so)

Using DPP and Photomatix I can pretty much get what I need done.

Anyway, I did install Sony's raw converter and, it is very awkward to use. Slow, I mean, bump a slider and it renders the whole image in sections and takes a few seconds to do this, and this is on a quad core i7 MBP with an SSD installed and 8gb of ram). DPP never has this issue.

Still, using the Sony software, I just don't dig it. So, that is one major issue. Yeah, I can shoot JPGs but why!?

- The RX100 has glitched a few times with in camera HDR shots.
- It has turned on while in the bag and the lens got stuck trying to extend and rather then retracting, it simply drained my battery leaving the LCD on. It was in movie mode.
- In camera battery charging, no using the camera while charging because the camera is the charger!? Seriously!
-Size, great compact size that is almost too big for your pocket and too small for a bag.
- Slow lens, but makes up for it with a larger sensor.
- Power button easy to hit. So easy, I have turned it on roughtly 1/3rd the time I pick it up or pull it out of my pocket.

Like I said, I do believe it is a good camera, but not right for me. Sad it took 650 bucks to figure this out.

The thing still may be usable to me, however, but it does kind of irk me.

I have started to think about the G15 in its place since it has the articulating screen which would be a real boon since my knees are shot. The G15 has faster optics, but smaller sensor, so it if it is not one thing, its another. A wash with the RX100.

EDIT:
Looks like the G15 does NOT have the articulating LCD screen. Bummer

 

[zuben el genub]

The Canon SX50 HD does. It shoots raw also.

I have programs in Linux that will convert to a png format including this version of CR2. I don't like tiff. DigiKam isn't half bad. Resembles Camera Raw in Adobe.

I'm not buying into Adobe's new stuff. I do have CS5, but Adobe isn't adding the new Canon raw to 5. I have most of the older versions and I can still use them. I don't like Lightroom's way of filing. I don't like DPP, either. Never did.

I might just check out CHDK Canon hack.

I do like the 50. I had the SX30. The 50 moved the on/off button to where it wasn't so easy to push by mistake. The macro seems to be better. The lens is slower and a few other things were changed. I just got some ND filters. You can use the older fixed polarizer since the lens doesn't rotate like a DSLR.

I felt the same way about a Panasonic. I didn't like the FZ5 and gave it to my daughter. She loved it. I bought a used FZ8 and still wasn't happy. That one was cheap enough to give away, so a friend that used to use a film SLR is extremely happy with it.

Since I also have a 20D Canon, the lights and most of the extras fit the SX 50

 

[general eclect]

A boobook I saw in the backyard yesterday morning:

 

[ajdroidx]

Ah... hello thread! I feel the photo bug bitting so time to dive back in

Recently I have been lugging myself down with gear when I go out. Even while going "light" Light in this case usually involves a canon 5DmkII (the last few times its never left the bag) my bread and butter lens 24-105mm f/4L IS along with a 17-40mm f/4L, a few filters, also never leaving the bag and a sony rx100.

And I call this light!

I ended up picking up an Olympus E-PL3, a nice little camera due to it being more SLR like and interchangeable lenses and smaller form factor. Well, the camera is awkward to use, the I need to press a button to release the controls for exposure. Too much fiddling so I ended up shooting in P to get things in the ball park then dial in a little exposure compensation.

Good thing I did not spend a whole lot on the camera and kit lens.

The one thing I did like was the size. I was able to hold the olympus one handed when not in use.

But I got to thinking, perhaps I am making too much work for myself. A couple zoom lenses, at slow apertures at that? The lenses are bulky, heavy, but at least produce quality images. What do I mean about making too much work for myself?

Too many options. When using the zooms I often find myself saying, "I wish I had more zoom" or "could go a bit wider" in other words, even the zoom lenses were not enough. I was focused more on gear and what I need to get any shot I came across rather then just keeping it simple and going out to shoot.

So, I think I am going to try an experiment on my next outing. A single camera and single lens. A 5DmkII and 50mm f/1.8, perhaps a couple step rings and a circular polarizer (and spare battery). And perhaps my sony rx100.

This should drastically reduce my weight and force me to think more about my shots.

Anyone adopt a "one camera one lens" approach?

 

[MoodyBlues]

Anyone adopt a "one camera one lens" approach?

Me, me!

Seriously, I just keep my 70-300mm lens on my Nikon D5100 and that's it. For my purposes, that's usually sufficient. Oh, sure, there are times I wish I could take pics of something too close for that lens--but those are usually peacocks and, well, they move around! So if I wait a moment, they're far enough away that it all works out okay. (I'm stationary, sitting at "my" chair at the patio table, and snapping pics of the critters who visit my yard, including peafowl, hummingbirds, parakeets, and various others.)

I ALWAYS take my camera outside with me because I just know that the one time I don't, something amazing will happen and I'll miss it. I always say that if I don't have it with me, a pterodactyl will land in my yard, go for a dip in the pond, stand on its head, do a little dance for me, and take off. And NO ONE will ever know about it except the pterodactyl and me! :laugh:

 

[Slug]

Anyone adopt a "one camera one lens" approach?

Sort of.... my camera only takes one lens at a time.

If I have to travel light e.g. hiking, I'll make do with a 24-70mm on my old 350D with a EF-S 10-22mm as wide-angle backup.

My standard loadout is 16-35mm, 50mm, and 70-200mm in the bag with the 5DMk2 to cover all eventualities.

 

[zuben el genub]

If you can even do two lenses travelling light. I brought only a 70-300mm lens on the Kawasaki, and no way could I get a pic of Spider Butte in De Chelly. I've now got the Tamron 18-270.

No way was I going to put anything in the hard bags of the Kawi. The Vulcan had a can of pop explode in the bag and wiped out his Nikon point and shoot.

 

[ajdroidx]

Well, the experiment has started


fuzzy by slitherjef, on Flickr

Not sure if this is going to be a "photo a day" type of thing, as I am not sure I have that much commitment

5DmkII + 50mm f/1.8 @f/2 I think

 

[ajdroidx]

Well, got out to do some shooting today, 5DmkII and 50mm f/1.8 with circular polarizer. Really harsh conditions to be shooting in, under a bright mid day sun with clear skies, but I figured I would try to make the most of things anyway. Here are a few highlights:


Fall foliage by slitherjef, on Flickr



fallcolor by slitherjef, on Flickr


fall light by slitherjef, on Flickr

 

[dibblebill]

I shoot with my Samsung Victory when the camera's working, and my Nexus 10 for photospheres.

For actual serious work, I use a Canon Rebel XTi. Its getting dated but I love it to death and plan to run it until its gone. I have my photographs over at Google+, search me "William D." or "William Dibble". I like to shoot buildings, nature, cars, anything that strikes my fancy.

 

[Slug]

I figured I would try to make the most of things anyway

I'd say you succeeded - gorgeous Fall colours! I'm envious.... the folliage started turning properly here last weekend, just as a couple of nasty Atlantic lows rolled in bringing dull wet and windy weather.