Ugly Hedgehog - Photography Forum
Home Active Topics Newest Pictures Search Login Register
Posts for: Mr PC
Page: <<prev 1 ... 185 186 187 188
Dec 23, 2013 08:50:13   #
I'm a computer guy by trade. While I have been fortunate over the years, I have had countless people bring me SD cards for recovery and I'm successful at getting about 75% of them back in business. Many bad things can happen to a card, particularly when computers are involved. I have my most important files and pictures in at least 3 of the following places at all times. Online at Carbonite (they won't backup RAW files, unfortunately), an external drive, the hard drive of my computer and a yearly backup to recordable Blu-ray disks. The online backup takes care of a natural disaster or fire destroying my office and the other methods may seem redundant, but if you've ever looked into a Grandmother's face whose only copy of a picture of that precious grandbaby is gone forever, you'll understand. Online storage, external hard drives and recordable media are all extremely cheap compared to that scenario...
Go to
Dec 14, 2013 15:37:35   #
You guys are incredible, thanks so much! Now if I can just remember Ctrl-/.........
Go to
Dec 14, 2013 15:32:14   #
I'm new here and glad to be in the mix. I too, am real busy with the Christmas stuff and I lead 2 missions with my church to Nairobi a year to do eyeglass clinics in the slums and am busy organizing an April trip already. One blessing, besides working with the people, is the chance to go on "one in a lifetime" photo safaris. So far, I've done 20 of them! This HDR photo was captured last Wednesday night in Austin, TX at the incredible temperature of 35 degrees. I had to crawl among bushes along a lakefront jogging path, avoid dogs that were off their leashes and keep from being arrested as some pervert with a camera at night! Here is one of the shots. Hope you enjoy....


Go to
Dec 14, 2013 15:16:33   #
I've been to Africa and back several times with a Nikon L26, 12MP, 5x zoom as my "emergency" camera, in case something happened to my good equipment. It uses standard AA alkaline, NiMh or Lithium batteries (you choose which you are using in a menu and it optimizes for that type). Had to loan it more than once to hapless souls whose cameras bit the dust and it was easy enough to learn that they brought back some great shots. I believe the L28 replaced it. It seems pretty rugged, but then, I'm pretty far away from being 13 years old. Should be around $80-90. Hope this helps...
Go to
Dec 14, 2013 14:58:55   #
Jim McDonald wrote:
Those of you who are Lightroom gurus, is there anything new in 5.3? Working on learning Lightroom and was curious if anything has changed?
Just noted that I've been with you all for almost a month, and had to reflect on just how much I've learned from this forum already. "course if you don't know much to begin with, then it's all progress. Thanks !!


I installed it yesterday. Adobe blog says mostly bug fixes and added support for more cameras and lenses. I don't see any apparent difference from 5.2. Lightroom is simple to use right out of the box, but it will take me years to master the finer points. Like keyboard shortcuts that aren't obvious at all. Other than viewing a million tutorials from Adobe and others, there has to be a list of them somewhere...
Go to
Dec 14, 2013 10:11:57   #
I went the opposite way 6 months ago. I had gone through a P& S or two and then had two super zooms (Nikon P90 and P500) over the last 5 years and my photos were getting better and better with each move up the ladder. Some of it was me getting better, some was the equipment. I never wanted to carry a bigger camera and lenses around, but I did get a Nikon D5200 kit with 18-55 and a 55-200 VR lenses last May. I have since gotten a Nikkor 55-300 VR lens that covers a broad range of what I do on photo safaris and other wildlife stuff. I now carry a little pocketable Nikon L26 P & S when I want to rapidly get the larger field of view shots and pretty much stick to the 55-300, even for macro shots. I do use the 18-55, just not as much. This camera is not all that heavy, but quality lenses can be. I'm very happy with the improvement in my photos, much of which comes from greater control shooting in manual or aperture priority modes. Like someone else here said, I only take what I need when going out on an intentional shoot. The most important thing I've probably learned over the last few years is this. No matter what kind of gear you have, it has to be with you and ready to go when that once in a lifetime opportunity presents itself. I don't use lens caps, but rely on the bayonet to give adequate protection. I can be firing off shots immediately upon grabbing the camera. I have yet to scratch a lens and don't know many other serious photogs that have. Kind of like, when was the last time you had a flat with a radial tire? Rarely, I'm sure...
Go to
Dec 13, 2013 22:44:15   #
Bridges wrote:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10200789248166473&set=a.1241484210164.30448.1621082839&type=1

The above link will take you a shot done by the photographer I described. Copy and paste the link in your web-browser.


Your previous post was very helpful and the HDR shot you gave me the link to was outstanding. Not overdone, just right, at least to my taste. I consider HDR an art form and always label my composite shots as such. I know you can't please everybody, that's why it's called art. I guess you're lucky if you please yourself and somebody else might like it too.
Go to
Dec 13, 2013 19:13:17   #
Jay Pat wrote:
I see you are just down the road from my location.
Welcome to the forum!!!
Pat


There may be a lunch in our future!
Go to
Dec 13, 2013 19:03:59   #
Been here about a week now and have had a chance to spend a little time checking out the main photo forum and some of the other resources here at UHH. Just want to say how impressed I am at the sense of community and the number of really encouraging posts I've seen. Many forums have professional haters abounding, but it seems that this place has found a way to rise above that. I've been taking pictures for years, many times while doing mission work in Mexico and more recently in Kenya, just doing what felt right and doing an adequate job. I have a computer repair business in Austin, Texas and know that I can master the technical details of cameras and of the software that I continue to learn, like Lightroom 5, Photomatix Pro and Photoshop Elements. And I do believe that even someone without an artist's eye (that's me) can get better and better with more practice and studying the efforts of those more gifted than myself. I've progressed from point and shoots, to super zoom cameras over the past 10 years or so. They were mostly Nikons and I swore that I would never be that guy carrying a DSLR, tripod and horror of horrors, a lens for each and every purpose! I got a Nikon D5200 last summer and now I'm THAT guy. I've become a voracious reader of all things photographic and spend a fair amount of time looking at how-to videos and am even reading camera and lens manuals. It's scary, I'm starting to understand a fair amount of what I read now. I consider myself a serious amateur who got a late start, I'm going on 62. Anyway, I'm looking forward to posting some of my better efforts, being comfortable in knowing that the criticism and kudos heading my way will, for the most part, be genuine and will be given in a spirit conducive to learning and taking it to the next level. For my part, I will jump in, be constructive and help where I can make a difference. I'm glad I found UHH. Thanks for having me.
Go to
Dec 11, 2013 08:27:30   #
MtnMan wrote:
Yes, the lens manuals reinforce not taking off the lens but it really isn't a big deal. First, it does NOT mean when you have the VR switch turned on. It means when VR is actually working; i.e. you have the camera on and shutter half way depressed so it actively focusing. Even then it doesn't break anything. It is just a caution that the lens might rattle till you get it back on and working.

I think is a bad idea to take the lens off with the camera turned on anyway.

I did look at the manual and that is what it says. I think you're right about no blood, no foul. I don't take lenses off with the camera on anyway because my understanding is there may be a static charge on the sensor that could attract dust and dirt. As a computer repair guy, I usually don't take computers apart while they are plugged in either. Go figure!

But I haven't seen anything about not turning the camera off with VR on. It would take some interesting movement to do that but I don't think it would cause a problem.
Yes, the lens manuals reinforce not taking off the... (show quote)
Go to
Dec 10, 2013 15:26:33   #
MtnMan wrote:
A much better choice for the D5200 is the 18-300. It is made for DX cameras. The lower end wide angle means you'll almost never want to take it off.

It is a bit less expensive than the 28-300, and last spring Nikon had a sale on it for $300 off. I doubt they'll do that again but you might keep an eye out.


Thanks, what should I expect to pay? I moved up from the kit 55-200 to the 55-300 from a fellow photog for $265 and thought I did all right at that price, almost all of the American 5 year warranty was left on it.
Go to
Dec 10, 2013 08:41:50   #
I'm a computer repair guy and have seen the crushed look on someone's face when their one and only backup has died. I would recommend a rotation of two drives and keep the one not in use off site at a friend's house. If a fire or other disaster occurs, having both drives in one place is not so good. Also, I use Carbonite because it is still unlimited in the amount it will backup. They will backup most photo formats except for RAW, due to the size. So, you do need external drives at least for your RAW files unless you want to pay a fortune for storage. That's my 2 cents...
Go to
Dec 9, 2013 11:10:58   #
Thanks so much. I have an external bulb timer and am looking forward to getting proficient with that too. I'd like to do star trails, but will have to travel outside of Austin to get away from light pollution. I do travel a lot to Africa and have a blog that details my mission work and photo safaris. It can be found by searching for the phrase "notes from the mission field". I captured about two thirds of the wildlife and nature photos for my team on the last trip as I experiments with a 55-300 Nikkor lens. Hope you like them.
Go to
Dec 8, 2013 12:42:47   #
Thanks to you and everyone else here at the forum that has been so friendly and ready to help. I'll try all of these tips out. I just knew I was a few simple settings away! And, I'll try to pay-it-forward to anyone out there that I can help...
Go to
Dec 7, 2013 18:26:57   #
I have been using a D5200 for about 6 months now and like to do bracketed exposures. I post process them in Photomatix and Lightroom 5 into HDR compositions. I use a tripod and a wireless remote when doing night time city skyline 3 shot RAW exposures and still get a little bit of vibration, possible from the movement of the mirror, even though I wait a second or two between each shot. Would putting the camera into Liveview eliminate this? Also, doesn't working in Liveview change which algorithm is used for autofocus? Finally, would turning VR and autofocus off on my lens also help eliminate vibration? Thanks for any ideas...
Go to
Page: <<prev 1 ... 185 186 187 188
UglyHedgehog.com - Forum
Copyright 2011-2024 Ugly Hedgehog, Inc.