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Comment by Don posted on Stubborn lens hood - help at 18/01/2011 - 15:05
Frogfish wrote:
K5+55-300 @ 230 - 260mm, f5.6, ISO400, 1/500.
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Wah ! Wah !
[IMG]http://frogfish.smugmug.com/Other/Birds/Whos-A-Pretty-Boy-Then/1159789757_oHCsK-XL.jpg[/IMG]
K5+55-300 @ 230 - 260mm, f5.6, ISO400, 1/500.
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Wah ! Wah !
[IMG]http://frogfish.smugmug.com/Other/Birds/Whos-A-Pretty-Boy-Then/1159789757_oHCsK-XL.jpg[/IMG]
"With a Rebel Yell!!!!!"
Comment by Don posted on Bad Hair Job ! at 17/01/2011 - 23:40
yes excellent photos.... but I'd love to ride a dual sport motorcycle in that race.....
Comment by Don posted on Dakar rally at 16/01/2011 - 19:29
Hylas wrote:
Thanks for all the advice, everyone! It looks like I need lots more practice to be able to reliably shoot bugs, though unfortunately it's hardly the season.
Manual focusing does seem a good solution in low light, although it's not really feasible when shooting non-macro subjects. The DA35 has only half a centimeter of focus throw between 0.5 meters and infinity, so it really snaps to the target when the autofocus gets it right, but can hunt for ages if it misses the target and goes through the macro-range on its throw. Equally, the short focus-throw in the non-macro range means I lack the dexterity to focus it manually with any degree of accuracy. I might be able to solve this by deliberately picking contrasty bits of the subject to focus on - I've tried experimenting with that a bit this evening and it's cut down substantially on the focus hunting.
Mike-P: I didn't know that teleconverters would allow the DA35 to achieve more than 1:1 magnification. How much more would the 1.7x allow, in your experience?
I do shoot with the 100mm macro and love it. I use manual 90% of the time.Thanks for all the advice, everyone! It looks like I need lots more practice to be able to reliably shoot bugs, though unfortunately it's hardly the season.
Manual focusing does seem a good solution in low light, although it's not really feasible when shooting non-macro subjects. The DA35 has only half a centimeter of focus throw between 0.5 meters and infinity, so it really snaps to the target when the autofocus gets it right, but can hunt for ages if it misses the target and goes through the macro-range on its throw. Equally, the short focus-throw in the non-macro range means I lack the dexterity to focus it manually with any degree of accuracy. I might be able to solve this by deliberately picking contrasty bits of the subject to focus on - I've tried experimenting with that a bit this evening and it's cut down substantially on the focus hunting.
Mike-P: I didn't know that teleconverters would allow the DA35 to achieve more than 1:1 magnification. How much more would the 1.7x allow, in your experience?
I tried the 50mm macro, and while it was amazing it hunted too much for my needs (my wife uses af 90% of the time).. and took it back and bought the 50 1.4 instead.
I suspect you will either get used to pre-focussing with manual, and then letting af lock on or you will be better off having the 35 2.4 for general purposes and buying the 100 for insects and macro......
Comment by Don posted on Advice on using the DA 35 Macro Limited at 16/01/2011 - 19:19
Gwyn wrote:
But his camera isn't weather sealed so it is daft to buy weather sealed lenses now. If he decides to upgrade he can get the WR lenses as a kit and save some money.
I take two or three lenses with me, depending on where I'm going. I have taken more when I know we will have a car most of the time.
My 17-70 always goes and either the 60-250 or the Bigma goes too. Sometimes they both go. Car travel means I'll also take the macro, and maybe the 50-135. The 50 stays at home. I admit when travelling by car I'll take a couple of camera bags. I have been known to do that when flying too - the smaller one goes stuffed with socks in my suitcase, the other one, stuffed with gear, in the cabin with me.
If you can do a deal with Sorted78 then I think you have a winner. You can always sell it on later - it will pretty much keep it's price. Mike-P may be looking for one yet again by then .
Excellent point, and considering Thailand is his destination.... weather sealed gear... or cases are relevant.But his camera isn't weather sealed so it is daft to buy weather sealed lenses now. If he decides to upgrade he can get the WR lenses as a kit and save some money.
I take two or three lenses with me, depending on where I'm going. I have taken more when I know we will have a car most of the time.
My 17-70 always goes and either the 60-250 or the Bigma goes too. Sometimes they both go. Car travel means I'll also take the macro, and maybe the 50-135. The 50 stays at home. I admit when travelling by car I'll take a couple of camera bags. I have been known to do that when flying too - the smaller one goes stuffed with socks in my suitcase, the other one, stuffed with gear, in the cabin with me.
If you can do a deal with Sorted78 then I think you have a winner. You can always sell it on later - it will pretty much keep it's price. Mike-P may be looking for one yet again by then .
Pelican cases are the best. Loepro trekker aw bags are good.... a 5 gallon pail with lid or cooler combined with some kind of desiccant will be useful for keeping gear dry between shoots! Humidity is bad...
Comment by Don posted on Travel Lens Advice at 15/01/2011 - 22:16
it has been explained a few times before.. try searching the forums... the 1.7 may be better suited for macro use with extension tubes...
Comment by Don posted on Pentax A 50 1.4: how good is it? at 15/01/2011 - 18:04
flossie wrote:
If you really want to go down the route of doing things "properly" rather than relying on the camera's mystery electronics (which aren't all that bad, particularly in the conventional situations that Sunny-16 deals with...), buy and use a Sekonic 758D or similar...
Or you could petition DSLR makers to use T stop instead of F stop...
Incorrect. What it makes you is versatile, adaptable and able to deliver the goods when your competitor is blaming his camera!Snootchies wrote:
What a great story Don! The context you later added really does send home the notion to me that being able to 'self meter' with the sunny 16 rule as a basis and using manual does indeed eliminate brand variation and will undoubtedly make you a better photographer. Plus less PP work after for potential corrections.
I must give it a go and stop being lazy by using Av mode.
No it won't. All it will make you is a 1960's photographer, stuck with a limited ISO/F-stop/Shutter range and unable to take shots that are indoors or with a high dynamic range, interesting DoF, etc.What a great story Don! The context you later added really does send home the notion to me that being able to 'self meter' with the sunny 16 rule as a basis and using manual does indeed eliminate brand variation and will undoubtedly make you a better photographer. Plus less PP work after for potential corrections.
I must give it a go and stop being lazy by using Av mode.
If you really want to go down the route of doing things "properly" rather than relying on the camera's mystery electronics (which aren't all that bad, particularly in the conventional situations that Sunny-16 deals with...), buy and use a Sekonic 758D or similar...
Or you could petition DSLR makers to use T stop instead of F stop...
What you are really saying is you don't understand the correlation between aperture and shutter and iso.. once you calculate the correct exposure value using sunny 16 you can easily determine any number of aperture, shutter and iso combinations that will achieve different effects while maintaining the same exposure value. Pentax makes it real easy with "Hyper Manual"
Comment by Don posted on The utter shame of it at 15/01/2011 - 15:13
I'm not sayin I'm old... but I won't be long before my clothes come back in style....again..
Comment by Don posted on No Forum For Old Men at 15/01/2011 - 05:44
08tiger wrote:
Would this be the macro 35mm?
no. that would be the new "All plastic" 35.Would this be the macro 35mm?
I got one for Christmas.
Do not underestimate this lens. it is quite capable.
Comment by Don posted on FS: PENTAX SMC DA 35mm F2.4 at 15/01/2011 - 04:01
edumad wrote:
I've often been fumbling about with someone's PandS under the eyes of the owners.
Being used to a DSLR its not so easy to find change modes, exposure, focus point, aperture settings if possible.
I can't avoid felling a bit although they are often leaving with a better photo.
this is exactly why I prefer to work with manual settings.... if you ever do wind up using borrowed or rented gear on a photoshoot, as soon as you get the basic camera control layout, you are set to deliver pro results...I've often been fumbling about with someone's PandS under the eyes of the owners.
Being used to a DSLR its not so easy to find change modes, exposure, focus point, aperture settings if possible.
I can't avoid felling a bit although they are often leaving with a better photo.
in my story above, it helps to know the context...
We're on a mountain trail, up high, the cool morning air left a slightly foggy haze over the mountians...bright blue sky higher up above the mountains, we're in a thick area of woods with an opening overlooking a beautiful mountain range... so very bright light plus fog/haze background, very dark shaded foreground, subjects wearing light khakis and white tops.....
sunny sixteen requires a 1.5-2 stop increase for the hazy direct sunlit background (but I chose one stop less than the "Correct" sunny sixteen rule to keep the mountains and blues in the sky over the haze) so the right exposure for me was f8, 1/125 se, iso 100, now know my subjects are in the shade and wearing light cloths while the background was bright, I upped the exposure comp on the flash to balance... manual exposure on the body, +1 on the flash.. First shot out of the camera was a keeper! Mountians look good, sky didn't wash out and had some blue, subjects lit with off camera flash but still looked good.
Comment by Don posted on The utter shame of it at 14/01/2011 - 20:29
something is warped or damaged.