Photography Nuts & Bolts

[Big Kev]

Thanks Kev. I was on RAW but have changed it to 'fine L'. We'll see......

RAW will capture the most data but you have to process it once it's out of the camera. 'fine L' will allow the camera to process and leave you with a good quality jpeg.

[Stanley]

Thanks Kev... I need all the help I can get! Someone once asked me why I used Nikon, Leica and Hasselblad cameras, I told them that I was a bum and needed to eliminate all loss of quality because of the equipment..... Same applies now! Will let you know how I get on with the setting...

[Tizer]

Kev, I took a colour photo of life-size, brilliant white, china clay figures at the Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, St Austell. Your `mill ghosts' pic prompted me to decolourise the china clay pic to give the photo below. It looks better in B&W. Thanks for the idea.



Larger image here: http://www.oneguyfrombarlick.co.uk/gall ... w=no_count

[Big Kev]

Kev, I took a colour photo of life-size, brilliant white, china clay figures at the Wheal Martyn China Clay Museum, St Austell. Your `mill ghosts' pic prompted me to decolourise the china clay pic to give the photo below. It looks better in B&W. Thanks for the idea.



Larger image here: http://www.oneguyfrombarlick.co.uk/gall ... w=no_count

Works well in mono. I really like the detail in the figures, not always easy to pick up in brilliant white.

[Stanley]

I've always said that B&W is better for detail. Apart from the technical quality colours can distract from the detail. That's why all the pics in the LTP are monochrome. The steering committee wanted them in colour but I resisted......

[Big Kev]

Has the lens turned up yet?

[Stanley]

Not yet Kev, tension mounts!



I did this pic yesterday on the FL setting with the 24mm and I think you might agree that the quality is getting there. My main problem is focussing at close range in low light and holding the camera steady. Both products of age I think. I can remember the time when I could get away with half second exposures hand held! Those days have gone.....

I wonder what the fate of this fine building will be.....
Later, after a walk round the town. Just did the pic in time, a gang is there with a wagon plus Hiab. The signage is gone and they seem to be stripping the interior of the building.

[Big Kev]

You will definitely benefit from auto focus. Manual focus is OK if you have plenty of time to set up the shot. I would have lost so many shots without it. The "continuous AF" setting (on the Olympus) is great for tracking objects coming towards, or moving away, from you.

[Stanley]

That's what I'm hoping Kev. Anything to extend my shelf life! Mind you, I have to get it in my hands yet!

[Big Kev]

That's what I'm hoping Kev. Anything to extend my shelf life! Mind you, I have to get it in my hands yet!

I'm sure it'll turn up soon.

[Stanley]

Not too sure about that Kev. No response from seller, still marked waiting for dispatch. No current information in seller profile. No payment taken from credit card. I smell a rat so I have cancelled the order and will wait to see that this has been done before doing anything else. No rush......

[Big Kev]

Not too sure about that Kev. No response from seller, still marked waiting for dispatch. No current information in seller profile. No payment taken from credit card. I smell a rat so I have cancelled the order and will wait to see that this has been done before doing anything else. No rush......

Was it on Ebay? They could be on holiday...

[Big Kev]

Just read your post on another thread that mentions Amazon...

[Stanley]

Yup, third party retailer via Amazon. At least you have Amazon behind you if the transaction goes pear-shaped. I've mailed a cancellation but no response so I shall wait till I have made sure that this has taken effect. If it turns up in the meantime no sweat, if it doesn't and still no communication I shall take it further. It's a bummer of course but time is on my side. Five days before their delivery estimate runs out even though ordered on June 30th. The retailer's information is minimal, just says 'awaiting dispatch'. No movement, no response to communications, I smell a rat. Not good service and plenty of lens out there.

[Big Kev]

Have you thought of trying something like this? http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Nikon-DX-Zoom ... 4ab96e8b08

I've read a few reviews and it looks to be a popular, versatile lens. Once on the camera you probably wouldn't need another (except for low light interior shots).

[Stanley]

You're right and a good lens but the reason I went for the older model was because it was a wider angle, 18/55. No change in status of order on Amazon except a snotty message that delivery was quoted as July 5/18. What that's got to do with a cancellation I don't know. So I shan't make a move until I know for certain that order is dead. I have time.......

[Whyperion]

Been out snapping a few summer views of Barnoldswick using old 2MP Fuji something.
Holy Trinity

Former HSBC - Bit later in day when sun was out , leaving an interesting shadow

Early morning loading in the Town Square

A little later in the day the town woke up

Less feature southerly view over the western residences of Barnoldswick

Note also the concrete lamp posts and municipal waste bin.
( I really should have done a slightly panoramic view using a tripod and better camera to get the contrast in Monkroyd buildings and the different older and newer styles )

[Big Kev]

Some good record shots of the town. These could prove invaluable as the town evolves.

[Stanley]

Well Barbra, I suppose that's better than the 'traditional' list of shots... The bride and groom, the bride and groom with the best man etc ad infinitum.
I was once persuaded to do the wedding pics for friends who were hard up. After I had worked down the interminable list in the pouring rain someone came up and asked me if the double flash was to avoid red-eye. I realised that the Nikon F I was using which had just been overhauled was out of synch with the flash/shutter. One quick wide angle group shot of everyone in the ballroom with another body and that was it. Never lived it down!
No change on the lens front..... Roll on the 18th!

[Stanley]

Update on the phantom order.... It's still up there in my account on Amazon as an uncompleted order. I have checked my credit card and no payment has been taken out. I have received no response from two emails to the seller. So this morning I have mailed Amazon direct, explained the position and asked for the order to be deleted from my account. Very unsatisfactory as I can't re-order the lens from another source until I am sure that this matter is put to bed. Notice that once more the root problem is lack of communication. This can't do online marketing any good and one would think that people like Amazon would realise this and act.

[Stanley]

Update. Amazon are on the ball. I have had a reply to my latest mail to them which was not a form letter. Their position is that only the supplier can cancel the order and as they are not responding I have to wait until the 21st of July when I can submit a claim for the order to be cancelled through Amazon's A-Z claims procedure. Ah well, good job I am in no hurry!

[Tizer]

Stanley, you were discussing autofocus with Kev somewhere back in this thread. I've just remembered what I was prompted to mention then...it's worth checking your camera's manual (or elsewhere) to find what characteristics can fool the autofocus. There's a surprisingly long list! I recall such things as lack of contrast in the scene/subject, repeating patterns, reflective surfaces, too little light and so on. I did a search just now and found this page which has useful advice. LINK You might already know all this but there'll be others looking at this thread who won't. Happy snapping!

[Callunna]

It was a bit of a shock when I bought my Canon 600D with 18-135mm lens.

Although I’d used the manual settings on my little Olympus compact with some good results, nothing could have prepared me for the vast array of choices I can now make. And make a mess of, I have to say, in quite a few cases!

The Automatic setting doesn’t give me satisfactory results - the Olympus (10 years old, 4mp) beats it hands down for image quality, focus and colour.

However, after spending lots of time re-learning my old art college lessons about apertures, shutter speeds etc, scouring Internet forums and buying a book dedicated to my particular model, I’m pleased to say I see light at the end of the aperture.

[Big Kev]

It was a bit of a shock when I bought my Canon 600D with 18-135mm lens.

Although I’d used the manual settings on my little Olympus compact with some good results, nothing could have prepared me for the vast array of choices I can now make. And make a mess of, I have to say, in quite a few cases!

The Automatic setting doesn’t give me satisfactory results - the Olympus (10 years old, 4mp) beats it hands down for image quality, focus and colour.

However, after spending lots of time re-learning my old art college lessons about apertures, shutter speeds etc, scouring Internet forums and buying a book dedicated to my particular model, I’m pleased to say I see light at the end of the aperture.

Good news. I'm looking to join the Earby Camera Club, not sure what to expect but the programme looks fairly informative. You can learn a lot from like-minded people. The photographer from the Rainhall Centre has a portrait evening there.

I used to frequent a camera club, when I lived in the south, amd learnt a lot of techniques from some "old school" photographers. That was 20 odd years ago and we still used film...

[Big Kev]

With regard to auto settings, I tried one of the "Program" settings on the Olympus and produced the image, below


Grace and Jamie by Olympus_Kev, on Flickr

The "Program" setting only sorted out the exposure, really. The monochrome and "orton" effects were added in Photoshop.