Thanks for hanging in there. I guess both servers are not ideal for that sort of linking. The second one is Picasaweb from Google and I'm not sure that this link is stable.
When I posted the first version (from fotocommunity) the pic would disapear when refreshing the thread page. Had to open it in different tab or window and go back to the thread... voila, there it was again.

Computers, eh...

Prieni

Thanks Dan,

I had exactly the same problem. Once I opened it in a new window and went back to the thread it was there. Seems like fotocommunity.de is protecting the pic somehow. Will try to link it differently...

Prieni

New try (not sure that link stays permanent; wonderful ways of Google...)
Edit: New try obsolete now as Liam was so kind to host the pic

Pentax *istD, Sigma 105 mm F2.8 DG Makro, 1/125 s, A13, ISO 200, flash.

This is shot with the "DG", but judging from the fly picture I would happily go for the EX without DG.

(Edited the link, thanks Liam for hosting it!)
Prieni

Well, I don't have access to Old England in the fall, but here is a link (sorry, could be a bit problematic again, don't know why) showing fall 2004 in the New Forest, Hampshire. I added a bit of glow to it with PS...


Pentax *istD, PENTAX-FA J 18-35mmF4-5.6AL, 1/90s, A16, ISO200, gradient filter & PS.

As you can see, it never rains in Southern England

Prieni

Having looked at the pictures in the link you gave, especially the first one, I don't like the "bokeh" of it. (See http://www.rickdenney.com/bokeh_test.htm for an explanation of bokeh)
I'm also looking for a lens in that range, haven't found a decent (and affordable) one, yet. But I guess one has to spend a little more for a decent one anyway...

Prieni

Ammonyte, I thought the same at first. But looking on the WEB-site these are things you can't do with the free version:
- Paste parts of the development parameters
- Fine-tuning of exposure bias
- Color temperature/deflection/dark adjustment
- Fine-tuning of white balance
- Tone adjustment (except presets), so no gamma, curve, black level etc.
- Saturation
- Fine color controller
- Highlight controler
- Sharpening control (except presets)
- Noise reduction
- Lens aberration
- Trimming
and more things I don't care to list here.
As you see, it is serious "crippleware" and may JUST be enough functionality left to wet the appetite for the full version...

Seems that we did the right thing in purchasing the full version

Prieni

I ordered on the 13th and got the email from ISL on the 14th.
(I told you it would be my next buy )

Prieni

I had an extensive play around with the SilkyPix beta (guess what will be my next buy ). It is as good as the emoticons in Matt's post promise.

A little gripe, though. When I load the TIF's in to Photoshop CS it seems that some of the EXIF data are missing (in particular the exposure time). It's not something serious and the results more than compensate for it. However, any ideas what could be done to restore the data?

Another (future) SilkyPix customer...

Matt,
I really should be mad at you. Just returned with a sack full of photographs from a short break in Venice. With PS it would have been a breeze through (since I'm used to it) but with SilkyPix it does take me so much longer. Well, that's the downside.

On the upside, though, the many parameters allow much better control of the colours, noise etc. and that's one of the main reasons (apart from my lack of familiarity with the software) that I do need more time. Looking at the results so far it's time well spent.

So on balance I won't tell you off but instead say THANK YOU for mentioning SilkyPix!

Cheers,
Prieni

Short answer: Yes.
In Photoshop try the curves (Ctrl+M) on the first one. With a bit of an S-shaped curve you could improve the contrast.

The second one seems to be on the bright side, so I wouldn't change contrast. You could play around with the curves as well. Maybe trying the Shadow/Highlight... could get the highlights a bit darker.