Hey Caver! (the equipment comparing thread, with pics)

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Its Z said:
Don't bring a dog to a gunfight...
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If Yogi is tired, I'll just pull out my Winchester 30 30

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Oh yeah, I'm drooling over that lens too. There's nothing great for the Sony E-mount, so I'm stuck using adapters :(
 
pezdispenser said:
Oh yeah, I'm drooling over that lens too. There's nothing great for the Sony E-mount, so I'm stuck using adapters :(
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Honestly, this isn't the lens I would have opted for (only because it's f/4, and I would rather have something a little faster). But I went with the kit and will try it out for a couple months...specifically waiting for the new 24-70 f/2.8.

Nonetheless, I'll make out even by buying the kit lens and re-selling down the line. And you never know, I could end up falling in love with this one. :) I'll take it for a spin on my trip and see how it goes!
 
SpirivaSunrise said:
Check this out, Mikey! Even got Mario waving the Italian flag at the end for ya. Go Forza!!! :xf:

[YOUTUBE]G_ooAbdRL8E[/YOUTUBE]
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I never got why some Americans adopt a country their grandparents (or whatever) came from as if they themselves were from that country. Maybe its odd to me because we really don't do that in Appalachia. It's not like I'm rooting for Scotland in the Eurocup, anyway...don't really care who wins...just kinda aware of it.

I hope you don't root for them in the Olympics. It should be 1) USA 2) Canada, cause they might as well be the USA 3) Eff everyone else.

Also, that's a giant flag.

Also again, the video of your dog on the skateboard is cute.
 
WVUPharm2007 said:
I never got why some Americans adopt a country their grandparents (or whatever) came from as if they themselves were from that country. Maybe its odd to me because we really don't do that in Appalachia. It's not like I'm rooting for Scotland in the Eurocup, anyway...don't really care who wins...just kinda aware of it.

I hope you don't root for them in the Olympics. It should be 1) USA 2) Canada, cause they might as well be the USA 3) Eff everyone else.

Also, that's a giant flag.

Also again, the video of your dog on the skateboard is cute.
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Well, my Dad was born and raised. But you're right. I am first and foremost "American" and root for the US if there's a say.

Oh, and Lyla says thanks!
 
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Nice. I hope you don't mind some critique, since I suppose that's why you posted it. It looks overly sharpened. Sure that gives it more 'pop' but it's also harder to perceive depth so it looks flat, particularly between the buildings in the foreground and those behind.
 
pezdispenser said:
Nice. I hope you don't mind some critique, since I suppose that's why you posted it. It looks overly sharpened. Sure that gives it more 'pop' but it's also harder to perceive depth so it looks flat, particularly between the buildings in the foreground and those behind.
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I believe its HDR'd......not so much sharpened.
 
pezdispenser said:
Nice. I hope you don't mind some critique, since I suppose that's why you posted it. It looks overly sharpened. Sure that gives it more 'pop' but it's also harder to perceive depth so it looks flat, particularly between the buildings in the foreground and those behind.
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No, I appreciate the feedback! Definitely why I like to share them. But Z's right...this is an HDR comp. I see exactly what you mean though; it's not quite as chiseled sharp when I'm looking at it in PS, but have a feeling the hosting sites make it look that way due to compression?

The detail in the shots from the Mk III are insane though....when I looked at the images @ 100%, my jaw hit the floor.
 
Ah I see. Maybe the website uses a method that sharpens when downsizing the image. Or maybe the Mk III and L lens is just that sharp :)

Personally, I'm not a fan of HDR. Usually, I want to leave shadows and contrast in the photo to make it more 'dramatic', and of course more natural. The sensors in modern high end cameras capture such ridiculous dynamic range in one shot, that simply adjusting the tone curve is usually enough to get the look I want.

Other times you may need to target just a certain area such as the sky and mountains in your photo. If you HDR the entire image, it also removes the shadows on the buildings, revealing more detail but kind of makes it look complicated. Instead you could use a grad ND filter, either real or in Photoshop, to bring more contrast to the mountains, while leaving the buildings alone.
 
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It's not black and white yet there's not enough contrast or colors. Either let's see the vibrant colors of the building or if that wasn't the intention, then let's see stronger color contrast between dark and bright. Now, the glare in the sky...is that Sun? Interesting object..

My minds eyes see the picture differently. Hope you don't mind me murking up your picture.

How do you like the NEX5 and Lightroom? Interesting...why did you use ISO 200 and why didn't you push the aperture to 16?

Join the crowd and go full frame dood.

:smuggrin:

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The intention was to show a more natural rendition of dynamic range. (It is not a HDR pic.) Shooting west with the setting sun low in the sky, the buildings are going to be silhouetted. If I pull them up like in your B&W pic, then you know it's fake. Increasing the color contrast in the sky makes it look kinda scary. But that's fine because people do view the same scene in different ways. Thanks for your interpretation. :)

I like the NEX-5 because it is much smaller and lighter than a full frame camera + glass. I know the NEX has its limits. But hey, we're in a recession, so I'm supposed to be saving my money right? No conspicuous spending on big cameras!

ISO 200 is actually the lowest. And call me what you will, but I usually use Program AE mode :eek:

Lightroom is just enough for my purposes. I might go to full Photoshop soon.
 
Not if you over expose the background.....
What's fake in modern photography? Digital capture of image has allowed us explore the limitless rendering of captured lights unlike the film days. Possibilities are endless.
I carry a micro 43 if I want to go light. But I really want to capture landscape contrast I use medium.format black and white film and for human portrait, FF with L glass is the way to.go. ....IMO.
 
Well its not the equipment. Its the photog. I've taken plenty of crappy pictures
....
 
Its Z said:
Not if you over expose the background.....
What's fake in modern photography? Digital capture of image has allowed us explore the limitless rendering of captured lights unlike the film days. Possibilities are endless.
I carry a micro 43 if I want to go light. But I really want to capture landscape contrast I use medium.format black and white film and for human portrait, FF with L glass is the way to.go. ....IMO.
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Hey I agree that the possibilities are endless. If you want to make it look like the sun sets in the east, that there are no shadows, etc, by all means you can do it, with HDR. It's really just a matter of taste.
 
Caverject said:
If I didn't have a family to support, I would sell my soul to the devil and buy this camera...it's remarkable! I wish this hobby wasn't so expensive!
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It really is an absolute beast. I'm getting used to all of the settings; learning curve hasn't been too steep coming off the 40D, but there are certain nuances. Just trying to decide whether I want to keep this lens or not!

The sun is finally starting to warm up now, so heading out to shoot some more! Last night in Venice before heading to Milan.

Few more from the past couple days...

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Caverject said:
If I didn't have a family to support, I would sell my soul to the devil and buy this camera...it's remarkable! I wish this hobby wasn't so expensive!
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Thought you'd be drooling over Nikon's 38mp camera.....not a Canon.
 
This is the ranch I'll be exploring for the next 7 days! Arrived yesterday and drove to the top of an antenna farm to shoot the sunset. It's an 80K acre private ranch that belongs to a retired surgeon. He allows hunters to use it during elk season (they're wrapping up now with the archery season, which goes through the last weekend in Sep). Apparently been a slow season with the drought, but scored some ribeyes to grill one night!

I'm here to do a different kind of shooting! :D

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I notice most of Spiri's pics the image are not high def... the leaves/greeneries and the trees look like they are lumped/blended together. Color saturation? IDK... anyway to make it more noticeable/high resolution? I want to see that! ;o
 
Momus said:
I notice most of Spiri's pics the image are not high def... the leaves/greeneries and the trees look like they are lumped/blended together. Color saturation? IDK... anyway to make it more noticeable/high resolution? I want to see that! ;o
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Well, they've been compressed (obviously) to post online. They're definitely hi-def and crystal clear on my end.
 
SpirivaSunrise said:
Well, they've been compressed (obviously) to post online. They're definitely hi-def and crystal clear on my end.
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how's that 24-105 f/4L? i get too much distortion photographing people at 24 for my taste. debating selling it and putting it toward that new 24-70 f/2.8L version 2 that's out.
 
confettiflyer said:
how's that 24-105 f/4L? i get too much distortion photographing people at 24 for my taste. debating selling it and putting it toward that new 24-70 f/2.8L version 2 that's out.
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I'm getting used to it! I honestly don't shoot a lot of portraits (especially at that wide angle...so would never come across a distortion issue there).

Now that I've been using it, the extra reach from 70 - 105 comes in real handy when you can keep one lens on most of the time! I definitely want to own the 24-70 one day, but primarily for the extra speed with the f/2.8.

Well, here is one of a bazillion shot(s) I got today...it's a stitched pano of 5 frames. The clouds were rolling in like crazy; it was absoulutely breathtaking! About 10 minutes after I captured this, I was literally in the middle of a giant cloud and couldn't see my feet! Wind was blowing so hard I could barely stand up..began to snow too. I'm looking forward to waking up in the morning to see how things look!

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I know, I'm debating keeping it as a nice walk-around lens next time I travel...which won't be for a while (resident life).

Unless you count Vegas...but that's not really traveling. :thumbdown:
 
A lot of nice reviews on Tamron 24-70 2.8 VC.

As far as a walkaround set up is concerned......forget full frame dslr. M43 is the way to go.
 
confettiflyer said:
how's that 24-105 f/4L? i get too much distortion photographing people at 24 for my taste. debating selling it and putting it toward that new 24-70 f/2.8L version 2 that's out.
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Maybe add some more barrel distortion. I use the Sony NEX kit lens which has very strong barrel distortion at 18mm, but people actually look better if I leave it in, even in the corners, rather than correct it in Lightroom.
 
SpirivaSunrise said:
Define walkaround.
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Any situation when taking pictures isnt the main objective. You simply want a small rangefinder type of camera with a reasonable wide to standard lens. It also fits in your purse.
 
Went against Z's advice and got a used Canon Rebel XSi. :smuggrin:

It was too good to pass up. Sounds like it was a birthday gift for a college student a few years ago, they used it for a semester, and then put it up. I looked up the aperture limit and it looks like it's between 50,000-100,000, so I think it'll last me the two years in school I have left. :love:

Back to that aperture limit: Have you reached the limit with any of your cameras? Do you get it fixed or just shell out for a brand new one?
 
Shutter actuation limit not aperture.
Aperture is how much light the lens lets in.

When shutter fails you can get a new shutter placed in....about $300.
 
WVUPharm2007 said:
I got a camera. Here's my freakin' cats. Licking each other.
[YOUTUBE]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NTJ32NHSSf0[/YOUTUBE]
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Wait, was your account really terminated for multiple third-party violations? :laugh:

It's fun digging through old pages of this thread. :smuggrin:
 
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