All Forum Comments
Comment by MattMatic posted on Wedding Photography Tips at 03/05/2006 - 21:00
Don - good idea
I've split these off from the original thread:
https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2508
Matt
I've split these off from the original thread:
https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2508
Matt
Comment by MattMatic posted on Wedding Photography Tips at 03/05/2006 - 14:40
FWIW, I have recently got the book "Capture The Moment" by Stephen Swain ( http://www.stephenswain.com/BookPage.htm ). If you like contemporary wedding photography, then there's a heap of useful information in there - both for the bride and the photographer.
A couple of useful things for group shots:
* Get someone to look after their bags so there's no handbags and bits in the shot
* Watch out for "ghost hands" where hands go around waists or on the shoulder of the person next to them.
* Check in the viewfinder that you can see everyone's feet
* Check in the viewfinder that you can see everyone's head!
* If the group as a whole is standing at an angle, or is deep, make sure you get enough depth of field. (I've managed to get the people on the edges blurred before! DOH!)
I've found the AF360 performs better as fill in flash in the High Speed Sync mode in P-TTL. (But the effective distance is about half, I believe - it's in the manual). This is certainly true with closer portraiture.
Have fun!
Matt
A couple of useful things for group shots:
* Get someone to look after their bags so there's no handbags and bits in the shot
* Watch out for "ghost hands" where hands go around waists or on the shoulder of the person next to them.
* Check in the viewfinder that you can see everyone's feet
* Check in the viewfinder that you can see everyone's head!
* If the group as a whole is standing at an angle, or is deep, make sure you get enough depth of field. (I've managed to get the people on the edges blurred before! DOH!)
I've found the AF360 performs better as fill in flash in the High Speed Sync mode in P-TTL. (But the effective distance is about half, I believe - it's in the manual). This is certainly true with closer portraiture.
Have fun!
Matt
Comment by MattMatic posted on Wedding Photography Tips at 03/05/2006 - 12:28
FYI:
I've split the "Wedding" subthread into a new thread:
https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2511
Hope you don't mind!
I've split the "Wedding" subthread into a new thread:
https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2511
Hope you don't mind!
Comment by MattMatic posted on Possible Bargain at 03/05/2006 - 14:39
Quite agree with George.
And to be honest, what is there to be gained anyway? The new 12-24mm lens is just great, and the 10-17mm fisheye covers wider still - so why go full frame?
The only full frames out there are from Canon (1Ds-MkII and 5D), and they are CMOS, not CCD.
New skills need to be learned for digital, and having a full frame doesn't obviate any of those skills. I'd like to progress a bit further - APS-C isn't holding me back, my current collection of Pentax glass isn't. If anything I'd like to see improved it's less shadow noise, and more dynamic range. But that's being picky, because I've produced images that completely outperform anything I'd ever managed to do with full frame film.
More res would be nice... so the new *ist-D will be on my shopping list
Matt
And to be honest, what is there to be gained anyway? The new 12-24mm lens is just great, and the 10-17mm fisheye covers wider still - so why go full frame?
The only full frames out there are from Canon (1Ds-MkII and 5D), and they are CMOS, not CCD.
New skills need to be learned for digital, and having a full frame doesn't obviate any of those skills. I'd like to progress a bit further - APS-C isn't holding me back, my current collection of Pentax glass isn't. If anything I'd like to see improved it's less shadow noise, and more dynamic range. But that's being picky, because I've produced images that completely outperform anything I'd ever managed to do with full frame film.
More res would be nice... so the new *ist-D will be on my shopping list
Matt
Comment by MattMatic posted on New pentax models at 02/05/2006 - 09:42
I have a Metz 50MZ5, and an AF360 (well, nearly two of them actually). Personally, I prefer the AF360 for the following reasons:
* Metz cannot do P-TTL. I have the SCA3702 and it does TTL, A, and M
* AF360 does high speed sync. Fabulous for fill in. Flash at 1/500s for instance!
* The AF360 is fully wireless with the *ist-D (with the *ist-DS you need two AF360s). The wireless P-TTL is just absolutely amazing. Couldn't live without it! (You can do wireless dumb slaving as well, and this will work off pretty well all digicams.)
* It is only in P-TTL mode that you can adjust the flash exposure (on the AF360). For all other modes and guns you need to work in M or A mode to do flash balancing.
The Metz is a nice gun, but soooo heavy. The Pentax is very portable and extremely usable.
It's a tough call - they have separate pros and cons, but generally I find the AF360 in P-TTL more accurate in terms of exposure. Sometimes, though, the preflash is a pain because people can blink after the preflash and have their eyes closed for the real flash! DOH! The red-eye reduction facility will insert about a 1 second pause between preflash and real which cuts down that possibility though.
Not sure if that's going to help, but I can fill in more details later...
Matt
* Metz cannot do P-TTL. I have the SCA3702 and it does TTL, A, and M
* AF360 does high speed sync. Fabulous for fill in. Flash at 1/500s for instance!
* The AF360 is fully wireless with the *ist-D (with the *ist-DS you need two AF360s). The wireless P-TTL is just absolutely amazing. Couldn't live without it! (You can do wireless dumb slaving as well, and this will work off pretty well all digicams.)
* It is only in P-TTL mode that you can adjust the flash exposure (on the AF360). For all other modes and guns you need to work in M or A mode to do flash balancing.
The Metz is a nice gun, but soooo heavy. The Pentax is very portable and extremely usable.
It's a tough call - they have separate pros and cons, but generally I find the AF360 in P-TTL more accurate in terms of exposure. Sometimes, though, the preflash is a pain because people can blink after the preflash and have their eyes closed for the real flash! DOH! The red-eye reduction facility will insert about a 1 second pause between preflash and real which cuts down that possibility though.
Not sure if that's going to help, but I can fill in more details later...
Matt
Comment by MattMatic posted on metz flash vs. pentax 360 or 500 on the Ist DS at 30/04/2006 - 23:05
There's the usual (great) list:
http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/lenses/primes/tele/index.html
There are some user reviews here:
http://stans-photography.com/
Of course, the A series work just as well... so there are some nice A-star lenses out there - if you can get them!!
Hope that helps!
Matt
http://www.bdimitrov.de/kmp/lenses/primes/tele/index.html
There are some user reviews here:
http://stans-photography.com/
Of course, the A series work just as well... so there are some nice A-star lenses out there - if you can get them!!
Hope that helps!
Matt
Comment by MattMatic posted on Which extra M lens for LX at 28/04/2006 - 16:00
Yes, the channel mixer is a good one.
There's also this tutorial I did:
http://www.ephotozine.com/techniques/viewtechnique.cfm?recid=364
And a really easy B&W method is at the bottom of this:
http://www.ephotozine.com/techniques/viewtechnique.cfm?recid=377
But with many B&W images you need more than an "overall" conversion. Each area may require slightly different treatment to bring out the best. My usual method (not that I'm that good at B&W either) is to get a reasonable conversion overall with the channel mixer. Then I add a curves adjustment layer to modify contrast or change the brightness etc. While adjusting I'll concentrate on one area that needs tweaking. Then, when the curves are right I'll fill the layer mask with black (so it hides the curves), and paint with a soft white brush over the areas I want affected.
That way I can build up the effect, but still further adjust the curves etc.
(This image: http://www.ephotozine.com/gallery/showlargepic.cfm?photoid=463830 needed that approach)
Then I tone using the tutorial methods I outlined above.
Have fun!
Oooh - and very sorry about the talk of lenses Just don't let Mrs McBrian get together with Mrs Matt - they'd have a right old time LOL!
Matt
There's also this tutorial I did:
http://www.ephotozine.com/techniques/viewtechnique.cfm?recid=364
And a really easy B&W method is at the bottom of this:
http://www.ephotozine.com/techniques/viewtechnique.cfm?recid=377
But with many B&W images you need more than an "overall" conversion. Each area may require slightly different treatment to bring out the best. My usual method (not that I'm that good at B&W either) is to get a reasonable conversion overall with the channel mixer. Then I add a curves adjustment layer to modify contrast or change the brightness etc. While adjusting I'll concentrate on one area that needs tweaking. Then, when the curves are right I'll fill the layer mask with black (so it hides the curves), and paint with a soft white brush over the areas I want affected.
That way I can build up the effect, but still further adjust the curves etc.
(This image: http://www.ephotozine.com/gallery/showlargepic.cfm?photoid=463830 needed that approach)
Then I tone using the tutorial methods I outlined above.
Have fun!
Oooh - and very sorry about the talk of lenses Just don't let Mrs McBrian get together with Mrs Matt - they'd have a right old time LOL!
Matt
Comment by MattMatic posted on B&W conversion, critique pls at 27/04/2006 - 09:05
There's a related thread here:
https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1723
They suggested sliding a piece of paper (or razor) between body and lens to unlock the offending pin.
(
Here are perhaps some of the source threads:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=11483409
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=14958356
)
Another thread (for a Tamron lens):
https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2087
Matt
https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=1723
They suggested sliding a piece of paper (or razor) between body and lens to unlock the offending pin.
(
Here are perhaps some of the source threads:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=11483409
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1036&message=14958356
)
Another thread (for a Tamron lens):
https://www.pentaxuser.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2087
Matt
Comment by MattMatic posted on Big problem with KR mount lens at 26/04/2006 - 16:09
Carrie,
The Lensbaby you either love or you hate. Personally I don't like it too much It produces a very "arty" looking image, but I prefer genuine macro. And at around £70 I don't reckon I'll use it much!
With a DSLR you have as much, if not more, control than you have on your MZ-60. The advantages are (in your case): Instant review; Adjustable ISO rating (from 200 to 3200). And the quality is as good as, if not better, than pro film stock in a 35mm camera. (This doesn't apply to the compact digicams though which have a much smaller imaging sensor ).
If you haven't done so already, check out the sister site www.ephotozine.com (it's run by the same people as Pentax User)
(My 100% digital portfolio is: http://www.ephotozine.com/user.cfm?user=16488&showcase=off )
The "Techniques" section has a heap of info on lighting, macros etc etc:
http://www.ephotozine.com/techniques/index.cfm?subject=3
Hope that helps!
Matt
The Lensbaby you either love or you hate. Personally I don't like it too much It produces a very "arty" looking image, but I prefer genuine macro. And at around £70 I don't reckon I'll use it much!
With a DSLR you have as much, if not more, control than you have on your MZ-60. The advantages are (in your case): Instant review; Adjustable ISO rating (from 200 to 3200). And the quality is as good as, if not better, than pro film stock in a 35mm camera. (This doesn't apply to the compact digicams though which have a much smaller imaging sensor ).
If you haven't done so already, check out the sister site www.ephotozine.com (it's run by the same people as Pentax User)
(My 100% digital portfolio is: http://www.ephotozine.com/user.cfm?user=16488&showcase=off )
The "Techniques" section has a heap of info on lighting, macros etc etc:
http://www.ephotozine.com/techniques/index.cfm?subject=3
Hope that helps!
Matt
Comment by MattMatic posted on Extension Tubes at 25/04/2006 - 14:36
* Tell the bride to take it SLOWLY when she arrives at the ceremony - allow you to get some reportage shots.
* Move bottles and flowers that will block the way before the speeches start (so you have a clear view of B&G)
* Take some shots of the reactions to the speeches (rather than the speakers)
* Try and shoot the cake and reception before the ceremony - that way you get it before it's cluttered with guests
* Don't forget an umbrella!
* I like to get a list done before hand of the "must have" shots from the B&G. Then I reorder it to reduce the amount of movement for the group shots. I have the names on there, so I can yell out instructions as to who's in the shots - speeds things up tremendously (and doesn't burden the B&G on the day )
I'm sure there are more...
Matt