Photography Equipment & Software Thread

[Cheeko]

I had my LX3 stolen 2/3 years agoin Chicago(I drunkenly left it in a cab and it never turned up at the taxi office, so, semi-stolen), will dig out a photo, lets see

[Cheeko]

Didn't find anything, which is strange as I'm sure I have images I took with that camera online.

[tonic_water]

Thanks futureshock and fragglerock. I think you've confirmed what I had already sort of decided.

[Wools]

A friend at work was selling some camera equipment so I decided to buy my first ever DSLR which was a mint condition Sony A100 for just over £100.

I’ve always loved photography and have used a compact camera all my life, but this is quite a step up. I’m familiar with some aspects of operating a DSLR as I’ve used friends and family’s before, but my only examples of getting into the nitty gritty of operating one has been the photography mode of GT4 & GT5! Oddly though, those 2 games have stood me in good stead with the basics, as over these past few days I’ve taken some nice photos adjusting the aperture, learning about shutter speed and how to frame a shot.

With the bank holiday weekend coming up, I want to get out and about for a few hours and use my camera but I’m not sure where to look online. A lot of sites mentioned on the first page are reviews and focus on Nikon & Canon.

Can anyone recommend a good website or book for beginners and a separate site that encompasses Sony more?

[Rev]

Book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Understanding-Exposure-3rd-Photographs-Camera/dp/0817439390

As long as you get to grips with the controls (if you have a manual...they are kinda worth reading) I don't think you'll need anything specifically Sony related for learning basics. All DSLRs do the same stuff, sometimes with slightly different names and located in different places, but you'll work it out easily as long as you know what buttons you've got. I used a Sony A100 a fair bit - it all seemed easy enough, I'm entirely sure you'll get on with it. If you're looking for reviews of lenses you're better googling to find a review for the specific lens you're considering.

Or even better, not doing that at all as you'll end up buying something you don't really need but sounds cool.

In (um) other news, a Samyang 14mm f2.8 lens that I bought the other day turned up.

[Alan Stock]

This is quite good (it's by the guys that do Practical Photography magazine)

http://www.photoanswers.co.uk/

I've heard this site recommended before:

http://photo.tutsplus.com/

Some good articles on these sites (a bit more specialised):

http://www.steves-digicams.com/knowledge-center/

http://www.lightstalking.com/

http://www.phototipworld.com/

There's a good article on why the rules of composition work here:

http://www.istockphoto.com/article_view.php?ID=13&Page=1

[Wools]

Thanks for the advice and links guys, that's a good lot to pour over.

[Dapple]

A friend at work was selling some camera equipment so I decided to buy my first ever DSLR which was a mint condition Sony A100 for just over £100.

I’ve always loved photography and have used a compact camera all my life, but this is quite a step up. I’m familiar with some aspects of operating a DSLR as I’ve used friends and family’s before, but my only examples of getting into the nitty gritty of operating one has been the photography mode of GT4 & GT5! Oddly though, those 2 games have stood me in good stead with the basics, as over these past few days I’ve taken some nice photos adjusting the aperture, learning about shutter speed and how to frame a shot.

With the bank holiday weekend coming up, I want to get out and about for a few hours and use my camera but I’m not sure where to look online. A lot of sites mentioned on the first page are reviews and focus on Nikon & Canon.

Can anyone recommend a good website or book for beginners and a separate site that encompasses Sony more?

Understanding Exposure seems to be a standard forum recommendation (EDIT: see, told you), and for good reason:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0817463003/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/279-2215391-4673406

As for websites, Photoclubalpha and Dyxum.com are Sony-specific.

[Rev]

Book:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Understanding-Exposure-3rd-Photographs-Camera/dp/0817439390

Understanding Exposure seems to be a standard forum recommendation (EDIT: see, told you), and for good reason:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/0817463003/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/279-2215391-4673406

It is really good though.

[Alan Stock]

My Lightroom 3 arrived today. Man, it's much better than Elements, no more messing around with RAWs in a separate pop-up window! I think this is going to speed things up for me no end. I'm at a stage where I have learned a bit about post-processing in the past few months so feel compelled to go back to my older photos and reprocess them! Argh!

Anyway, a question for you. I can export to Flickr from Lightroom, but I want to limit the filesize to prevent people from taking images at max quality. What filesize limit would you recommend if I want people to be able to see images looking pretty good at medium size but not good enough to steal beyond that?

Thanks

[sonicwave]

Like one of the previous posters, I'm on the lookout for a telezoom for my Nikon (a D5000). My budget doesn't allow for going in to the low-aperture range though, so I've been looking at a few Nikon VR lenses - the 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6G VR, 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR and the 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6G ED VR II.

I'm probably more inclined to go for one of the super-zooms that cover the entire range, to avoid having to switch lenses too much (and I presume that both of those mentioned should do just as well as my Nikon 18-55 kit VR lens for that range) - but getting a dedicated telezoom and a better standard zoom might also be an option (although a new standard zoom probably isn't for the immediate future). I've just recently gotten into the having-more-than-one-lens world with a 50mm f/1.4 (I can count the number of times I've actually switched lenses since on one hand though ) - so I'm not too sure how annoying (if so) carrying and switching around between multiple (larger) lenses would be for me - I guess I'll find out at some point though...

However, any recommendations or comments on the lenses mentioned above? Or any Sigmas or Tamrons I should be looking at too?

Thanks!

[Alexlotl]

What do you want a telephoto for? Nature shots, portraits, isolating elements?

[Baz]

A 12 month warranty so we'll see how it goes. Googled 40D shutter and it seems to be quite a notorious problem with this camera, so fingers crossed they've nailed it. Took it to the Minack last night and all seem fined.

Shutter actuation it seems are a bit like the Pirate's Code

Nice one. Someone on another forum told me Canon Malaysia will replace the shutter for approx £130 all in which I'm gonna go for when I'm in KL next - just 3 month warranty on that. Frustrating having no camera (my 20d is out of action too) but picked up a cheap 2nd hand S90 before I left Tokyo, something to travel light with. Not sure what I was expecting but not massively impressed - suppose it's good for a point and shoot though!

[sonicwave]

What do you want a telephoto for? Nature shots, portraits, isolating elements?

It's basically for a bit of everything (probably mostly outdoor stuff though). I've not really had the chance to play around with one yet, so can't be sure though - I just know that I've too often felt that I wanted some extra zoom on my 18-55...

[Scratchy Bollock]

I just bought a Zacuto Z finder pro (3 x) and I can't believe I survived so long without it! It's brilliant, more so for video, but definitely handy for stills too. I've just ordered the Zacuto EVF Flip to go with it which should make low-angle snaps much, much easier.Will report back when it arrives!

[Klaark]

Diane Arbus' photographs are currently being exhibited at the Tate Modern. I have a few of her books, but I'm really looking forward to seeing her work in the flesh, so to speak, later on today. If anyone's in London I recommend you take a look.

They've got an exhibition of Moriyama and Klein's work coming up next October, too - definitely one not to miss!

[Spatial]

What an exercise in utter frustration the last few days have been. I need to pick other peoples brains on this as mine is now shot to bits.

Decided to pick up some Interfit EX lights to do some strobist stuff and they were delivered on Friday. Set them up and everything seemed to working fine - until I actually tried to take some pictures!

No matter what I do the shots look absolutely terrible, virtually pitch black each time or with so little detail you can barely make anything out. I'm using a Canon 60D which should be able to trigger them remotely as the lights have built in sensors (it's how I trigger my 430EX Speedlight) but for some reason it doesn't appear that the camera and the lights are talking to one another at the same speed. The light fires but the camera's not picking it up.

I've followed no end of guides and they all say pretty much the same thing - chuck your camera on its highest sync speed (mine is 1/250,) start at around f8 (of course that's dependant on your circumstances) and by keeping your subject around 4 feet from any background you should end up with a black background with the subject lit (obviously that last bit requires you to jiggle about with lighting positions until you get the right look / even lighting or whatever look you're going for).

It's having none of it. I've tried all manner of sync speeds, all f stops, and nothing even remotely decent has come from any of it. I've even jammed the light right in the subjects face and taken a shot and it's the same.

As far as I can figure the camera isn't syncing at all with the lights and the 60D doesn't have a sync port to test that out (which I didn't realise until now). But from this rather crappy description does that sound about right?

I would post pics but they'd literally be black shadows and you wouldn't be able to see much.

[futureshock]

Lower your shutter speed to 160 and open the aperture wider?

[Spatial]

Just re-tried but it makes no difference. This is how it comes out and is representative of most photos I try:

Nothing exciting to see even if it has worked as it's just a shot of my stairs, but you get the idea

It's like the pre-flash to trigger the sensor on the lights and the actual window after that where the camera says "now I'm ready to actually take the picture..." are totally out, so it's missing the actual flash.

Could springing for a cheap(ish) radio triggers sort it? I think I'd better put the retailer I bought it off on notice that it isn't compatible with my 60D because if that doesn't work then the lighting set is going back.

[futureshock]

Is this using the 60D internal trigger? I thought that only worked with Canon speedlites...?

If you can't test the flashes with a cable, and they don't have an IR sensor then yeah, give radio triggers a go.

[Spatial]

Yeah it's the internal trigger, and that might be why it's not working then.

Quick bit of research shows that the 60D doesn't even have a PC flash connection socket (never needed to look for it before and didn't realise that before I bought it). Bollocks.

edit: wait, I'm getting confused now (this has scrambled my tiny brain). Will wireless triggers still work without a PC socket?

[Sapa]

I'm selling my Canon Speedlite 430EX II flash and Sigma 30mm 1.4 lens. Just thought I would post it in here... http://www.rllmukforum.com/index.php?showtopic=245460

[Alexlotl]

It's basically for a bit of everything (probably mostly outdoor stuff though). I've not really had the chance to play around with one yet, so can't be sure though - I just know that I've too often felt that I wanted some extra zoom on my 18-55...

To be honest, if you're not sure, I'd pick up a second hand Nikon 55-200mm VR. If Ebay UK's anything like TradeMe here, people are practically giving them away, and they're very capable lenses.

That'll give you a feel for what you might use Telephoto for, and whether 200mm is enough. Make an informed choice based on that, and then pitch the 55-200mm on to the next punter for about what you paid for it. Or keep it for the weight/performance ratio.

[Spatial]

I'm still prating around with the lighting and seems that it is the camera that's the issue, rather than the lights or their setup.

Or rather it seems that the 60D's method of triggering the strobe lights with the flash is what's causing the issue. Even dialled right down to 1/128th of its power it's somehow managing to bugger up the light causing the light to spill over the subject and illuminating behind too.

I managed to get this shot at 1/250 and f2.8 with lights to the left and right about a meter and half away

but that seems more like a fluke than anything else. I tried other subjects, even with the same settings dialled in, and it went back to exposing the background too (probably because the light wasn't wrapping around them in the same way?).

Seems a set of radio triggers may get around this whole thing as then I won't have stray light flying around and buggering things up.

[futureshock]

Yeah it's the internal trigger, and that might be why it's not working then.

Quick bit of research shows that the 60D doesn't even have a PC flash connection socket (never needed to look for it before and didn't realise that before I bought it). Bollocks.

edit: wait, I'm getting confused now (this has scrambled my tiny brain). Will wireless triggers still work without a PC socket?

Yeah, the wireless trigger will sit on top of your camera whilst the receiver will plug in to the lights.

(Saying that, I have been in studios where the trigger was on the shoe but needed to be plugged in to the PC socket, so be careful which ones you buy)

[TheSlugFormerlyKnownAsNap]

For those with a Canon crop camera - get the EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM. Seriously. I've had that lens for a while now, but mainly used in pretty mundane conditions. Around the house, a day in the park, that kind of thing. I was impressed with the results and the sharpness and clarity of the pictures but it wasn't until I took it 'off road' until it really showed its colours. I just posted a bunch of pictures from a day of urban exploring I made this weekend in the 'random photo thread', most of them were made with this lens.

A lot of those pictures actually show more than I could see with the naked eye. Most pictures show exactly what I saw after getting used to the dim, dark environment after a while. All of the pictures were taken with a circular polariser filter added to the lens, and most of those pictures were taken with ridiculously long shutter times around 1/6 up to 1/15. No monopod or tripod, no resting on things, just by holding it in my hands. I dragged my tripod around all day but I could have left it at home. And most of the pics are razor sharp even at 100% crop, with great colours and contrast.

I really can't recommend it enough. Do what I did and get a good second hand copy so that you can sell it on without loss if you decide to go full frame. Although I must say that with the pictures I squeezed out of my 550D this weekend, I think that full frame is something I can do without for a little longer.

[Rev]

Why have you got a CPL on all the time? You'll be losing a good couple of stops or so of light depending on conditions and you'll end up with weird looking metal/water. They're useful to have for a myriad reasons, obviously, but you're just making life difficult for your lens using it all the time.

[sonicwave]

To be honest, if you're not sure, I'd pick up a second hand Nikon 55-200mm VR. If Ebay UK's anything like TradeMe here, people are practically giving them away, and they're very capable lenses.

That'll give you a feel for what you might use Telephoto for, and whether 200mm is enough. Make an informed choice based on that, and then pitch the 55-200mm on to the next punter for about what you paid for it. Or keep it for the weight/performance ratio.

Thanks for the answer! I must admit that I'm getting more and more inclined to get the 18-200 though. Being able to have as much functionality in one lens just seems quite nice - and it should spare me having to buy a new camera bag

Also, being in Denmark, the second-hand market is a bit smaller than UK / US - so I mostly just settle on buying new stuff instead of going through the various online marketplaces...

[iwan_canobi]

Well, I've bought a Sony 35mm f/1.8 lens from eBay, was going to buy one next month but spotted a mint one for £99! Bargain! Looking forward to having some decent low light performance and shallow depth of field capabilities again!

Also hoping that 35mm will be versatile enough to keep on most of the time, found 50mm too long before!

[Alexlotl]

Does anyone here use a rear-button / back-button focus technique? I'm just trying it out after reading about it on another forum, and I find it quite suits.

Here's the skinny from a Nikon perspective:

1. Set AF to AF-C.

2. Set AE-L/AF-L button to AF-ON

3. (Optional) Set AE Lock on (so AE is locked when the shutter is half-pressed)

Now the camera won't AF on a half-press of the shutter, only while the AE-L/AF-L button is being held. As AF-C is set, this means you can refocus whenever you want just by hitting the button, or continuously focus by holding the button, even if the shutter is half-pressed to activate VR/lock exposure. If you go with AE Lock, you can grab exposure with a half-press of the button, then do your focus/recomposition separately.

Apologies if I'm teaching grannies to suck eggs. I don't know why, but this makes me feel like I've got more control of AF than I used to. I shall continue experimenting!