Photography related discussions

[mike c]

i don't want to get the cool photos thread off-track

who's into photography and what are your gear?

sample pics and gear pics are very welcome!

reviews of camera related gears can be put here as well.
let's include tips and tricks too so it can be a learning thread.

oh, and when you post photos, it would be much appreciated if the basic EXIF data are posted.

(i'll just re-split the thread when there are a lot of participants)

 

[mike c]

i'll start.

my current gears are:
Canon 300D
Canon 5D mkII

35mm f1.4L
50mm f1.8II
85mm f1.8
24-70mm f2.8L
18-55mm kit lens

next purchases will be (as funds become available):
-drybox (humid here)
-op tech camera bag strap
-op tech camera strap
-135mm f2L

and maybe ...
-a crop camera Canon 7D or 60D
-17-40 f4L or 16-35 f2.8L (for UWA)

 

[Sheep]

Curent:
Nikon D5000.
AF-S 18-70MM F/3.5-4.5G IF-ED.
AF 50MM F/1.8D.
SB600.
Aurora Minimax 10.5x7.5" FBC.
Aurora Minimax 6x8" BHB.
Sto-fen Omni Bounce.

In the future:
Manfrotto 190XPROB w/ ball head.
AF-S 70-200MM F/2.8G IF-ED VRII
SU-800 Wireless Commander.
Umbrella.

I've been studying photography for the last 6 weeks at a local school. So far, I haven't learned much on the technical side, but composition has improved. My advice for anyone getting into the hobby is to fully understand your camera before you try to take photographs. Also, learn as much as you can about glass. It's by far, the most important part.

Of course, bookmark this website.
www.dpreview.com

SheepStar

 

[mike c]

i've got two camera bag reviews here ... that i did myself
Camera Bag Reviews

i always check canon lens reviews on these sites before buying:
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/
http://www.photozone.de/all-tests

 

[basspig]

I shoot with a camera that records anywhere from 1-60fps. Does that count?

Actually, my career is as a cinematographer, and I work with digital cinema cameras--high definition cameras that have a high color resolution, three primary color imagers and very expensive lenses. The images look great, even at 154" in size.

I do have a D-SLR camera too, but my motion picture cameras produce better stills, actually, so I rarely use it anymore.

 

[Sheep]

i've got two camera bag reviews here ... that i did myself
Camera Bag Reviews

i always check canon lens reviews on these sites before buying:
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/
http://www.photozone.de/all-tests

Props for photozone, huge lens data base.

SheepStar

 

[CraigV]

Right now I have a Canon XSi, 17-24 L, 75-300 standard & 50 1.8. I worked in retail camera stores for 12 years, including one that had a large professional clientele. I started out with a 110 instamatic (remember those drop in cartridges & tiny negatives) then went to a Richo 35mm, and then to Nikon. I did have a Mamiya 6x4.5 for a short while, but it’s fixed lens got to be a drag. I’ve held more cameras than I care to remember, and even got to shoot a Hasselblad.

I used to shoot weddings, and I even designed & taught a course in basic photography. I think it’s very cool that in my short 47 years I’ve watched the technology evolve from film & darkroom to a film/slide scanner & now full digital. Using a computer & software to do what was once done in the darkroom is great. It’s long been a hobby of mine, I just wish I had more time to devote to it.

This thread of course could have serious consequences. You people are already responsible for upgrades to my home theater – I don’t think my credit card can handle more lenses or bodies

 

[mike c]

that's great craig, please share with us your expertise

btw, what's a 17-24 L?

 

[CraigV]

that's great craig, please share with us your expertise

btw, what's a 17-24 L?

I’ll do what I can. There was a guy on here some time ago (don’t think he was a regular) who wanted advice on taking a night shot. The teacher in me came out, and it turned into a two part PM telling him how & why things work the way they do.

I’ve also found though that just when I try to help someone (assuming they don’t know any better) it turns out they do know, so please forgive me if I come off sounding like a Mr. Knowitall – it’s in my blood from many years of teaching, in the classroom & the retail store

Sorry, meant to say 17-40. The 17-40 L or LD for low dispersion glass. In my experience, better glass = better images.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/279582-USA/Canon_8806A002_EF_17_40mm_f_4L_USM.html

 

[CaliHwyPatrol]

As I stated in the other thread:

Canon Rebel T1i
Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (came with the camera)
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Lens

I'm very new to shooting, so I've mostly just been taking auto shots and tinkering with manual. Hopefully, time permitting, I'll be able to read up more into manual shooting, as I'd like to get into it.

 

[jamie2112]

I have a Nikon D70s that I bought from a fellow member.I need some good glass though.I just have a Nikon 50mm 1.8 lens.Sheep is right that you need to learn your camera before taking pics.I am still figuring it out.The menu's are deep and I have no patience.........

 

[Alex2507]

The menu's are deep and I have no patience.........

That's cause you're a stoner.

I have a Konica Minolta Dimage Z6. It's my first camera and even though I read through the 130 page (little pages but still 130 of them) I feel like the camera is way too advanced for me. I'm only posting to bust Jamie's balls and to maybe become smarter by association.

 

[Sheep]

If some of the members are interested, I could post up some of the first assignments from photography school, so they can have a reason to learn their camera. The first few assignments are very basic, and will really help you understand a lot of the important camera settings.

Naturally, I will be grading you.

SheepStar

 

[Alex2507]

The first few assignments are very basic, and will really help you understand a lot of the important camera settings.

I'm game.
Jamie's looking for something to munch on.

 

[Sheep]

One is enough for me!

First Assignment: Light Quality and Color.

This assignment is to teach you how to choose the proper white balance, and exposure settings for different lighting situations. You are NOT permitted to use Auto mode, or Auto White Balance.

Find an outdoor subject that is convenient for you to visit and photograph it multiple times over the new few days. Create a series of 7 different photographs of the same subject and composition (tripods will be useful). Take 1 photograph for each of the follow:

1. Dawn - 30 minutes before sunrise.
2. Dawn - 2 minutes before sunrise.
3. Sunrise - 5 minutes after sunrise.
4. Late Morning - close to noon.
5. Late Afternoon - Sunny, but in the shade (Note: It doesn't have to be a sunny day, just a few hours past Noon).
6. Sunset - 30 minutes before actual sunset.
7. After Sunset - 2 Hours after sunset (You're going to need a tripod for this.)

That's the first one. All those participating, please take all your photos and post them in 1 post. It will help keep the thread clean.

SheepStar

 

[CraigV]

I’d be curious if anyone is familiar with these terms – depth of field, reciprocity failure, exposure latitude (no fair looking it up either)

 

[Sheep]

I’d be curious if anyone is familiar with these terms – depth of field, reciprocity failure, exposure latitude (no fair looking it up either)

DoF, yes.

Reciprocity Failure is a Film related phenomenon. Occurring with extremely low light situations and slow shutter speeds. Not something anyone in this thread will have to worry about.

Exposure latitude, yes.

SheepStar

 

[Vracer111]

I'm an amateur photographer who shoots with the following:

Olympus E-1 DSLR
OM lens adapter for use with manual OM series prime lenses as follows:
OM Zuiko 24mm/F2.8
OM Zuiko 50mm/F1.8 (x2)
OM Zuiko Macro 50mm/F3.5
OM Zuiko 135mm/F2.8
OM Zuiko 180mm/F2.8
OM Zuiko 250mm/F2
OM Zuiko Reflex 500mm/F8
Flash is an Olympus FL-36 (don't do much flash photography)

Reason for all the manual lenses is because I started off with 35mm and really didn't want to spend $10,000+ on digital lenses for a hobby! Though I did get a great deal on the OM Zuiko 250mm/F2 and picked it up for less than $2k on Ebay.

My SLR's were as follows:
OM-2000
OM-1N
OM-2N (x2, a Black and a Silver)
OM-4Ti

I still have the silver OM-2N and the OM-1N, but haven't shot film in years; someone needs to make a selectable 50/100/200/400/800 ASA digital back for 35mm cameras-that would be fun to shoot with and I would probably shoot a lot more! Also have a 6x4.5 format Fuji GS645S...love it to death, but again I haven't shot film for a long time. Would love a Digital hand holdable medium format camera though...

Main interests are vehicles (autoracing) and macrophotography, but I really don't shoot that much or often...

Online gallery can be found at the following link:

http://vracer111.smugmug.com

The Wings Over Houston Airshow is the latest photography (from the Oct31 airshow.) and heres the direct album link:

Wings Over Houston

Note: I used my brothers newly purchased Olympus Point/Shoot for almost all the static/ground shots. All the shots are unedited in any way, just pulled from the cameras and uploaded.

 

[GirgleMirt]

Rebel XT (paid 1/2 price brand new soon after its release, started the slippery slope)
Then bought 50mm 1.8
Then Tamron 17-50 f2.8
Then Canon 70-200 4L
Then Sigma 18-200 3.5-6.3 OS (for a trip to Europe, didn't want to lug around the above, looking back, probably shouldn't have bought this)

So far, never really had the urge to upgrade the body because of the relatively small upgrade from model to model, but at this point, any body would be an upgrade.

I've always been more the technical type than the artistic type, understanding aperture, exposure, DOF, then experimenting and then controlling them to get the shots/effects I want is what I focused more on at first... I've not done much photography lately, but when I've done I've tried to put on a new hat, and try to worry more about composition, something a new body wouldn't really help with... Although a brighter and larger viewfinder would probably help, or be more enjoyable to use... hmmm... I'd like full frame, but then also would have to lenses...

Don't know what exposure latitude is, I'd guess the acceptable range before the image is over or underexposed... Hmm... Not a bad guess. Reciprocity Failure, looked it up, wouldn't even have tried to guess...

Here's a few terms. Bokeh, tilt shift, vignetting and futanari. You might have to look up the last one...

Oh, and I like much more to take the pictures than mess with them afterward... And with digital there's often a lot to process afterwards. I should definitely try to do some online albums, but that pretty much fits into the don't like to do the processing afterwards...

 

[Sheep]

As fun as it might be to flex your photography muscles, maybe leave the advanced terms out of this thread so the beginners don't feel overwhelmed. I ran into this at school, as I was leaps and bounds ahead of everyone in the class. I couldn't ask my questions out loud, as it would confuse the class even more.

SheepStar