Wabbit wrote:
You're all over the spectrum Doc ..... for low light ya need a fast lens .....
I'd start here ..... Nikon DX AF-S 35mm f1.8G prime lens, will cost approx $200.
Hello and welcome.
Yes, good suggestion. Walk around - to me means light weight as well and versatility, and it is certainly light weight, and as versatile focal length as you will get in a prime lens. Low light - definitely. Close ups - the focal distance is not marked on the lens, but I make the max magnification to be 3.7 times. That's good for all sort of close ups in my book. And as pointed out, dead cost effective.
Have fun.
Mormorazzi wrote:
On your D600, designate your AE-L AF-L button to take on the duty of focussing with your thumb, freeing up your pointer finger to snap the shot at the precise moment you want. You'll press the "back button" to establish your focus and release it if your subject is going to remain on the same plane OR hold it down until you take the shot if your subject is moving.
Go to your CUSTOM SETTING MENU (a) Autofocus. I have AF-C set to "Release," and AF-S set to "Focus."
There's a lot of online discussion about BBF.
Here are two sites that explain things well:
http://improvephotography.com/4552/back-button-focusing/
http://www.clickinmoms.com/blog/how-to-use-back-button-focusing-tutorial/
On your D600, designate your AE-L AF-L button to t... (
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That is going to take some study and practice to make it second nature! Thanks, I will try it out.
Mormorazzi wrote:
On your D600, designate your AE-L AF-L button to take on the duty of focussing with your thumb, freeing up your pointer finger to snap the shot at the precise moment you want. You'll press the "back button" to establish your focus and release it if your subject is going to remain on the same plane OR hold it down until you take the shot if your subject is moving.
Go to your CUSTOM SETTING MENU (a) Autofocus. I have AF-C set to "Release," and AF-S set to "Focus."
There's a lot of online discussion about BBF.
Here are two sites that explain things well:
http://improvephotography.com/4552/back-button-focusing/
http://www.clickinmoms.com/blog/how-to-use-back-button-focusing-tutorial/
On your D600, designate your AE-L AF-L button to t... (
show quote)
That is going to take some study and practice to make it second nature! Thanks, I will try it out.
photoshopmikey wrote:
Something a little different.
That's a great one, I like it.
MtnMan wrote:
I'd like to second the motion to consider Panoramas if money is a consideration. Here's an Oregon example (Painted Hills).
I recommend Photoshop Elements 11 to make the Panoramas. It makes it very simple. If patient you will be able to get it on sale for $50.
One suggestion I got from a Scott Kelby book on taking Panoramas helps. After you have taken your shots re-take the final shot holding out your hand in front of your lens with the number of shots to include in the panorama. Then when you look at your pics in the Organizer it is easy to tell which ones and how many to combine.
I'd like to second the motion to consider Panorama... (
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Yes, I worked that one out too. Before the sequence I shoot my two feet, that's a clear message when looking through the images that the following sequence is for panorama!
Also, when shooting panoramas it is better NOT to use a wide angle lens, particularly as they tend to have more distortion. If you use a lens with less distortion e.g. 35-50mm the left hand edge strip looks identical the the right hand strip, so the stitching works more accurately and the top and bottom edges stay straighter.
But another lens is always good news......
Lovely pics everyone. Wish we had them in the UK. The butterfly and moth populations have suffered a lot in the last decade, a few going extinct and many are much rarer.
Mayflies don't eat either. There are quite a lot of butterflies and moths which only eat for energy, sugar powered. They don't hold protein and cannot do body repairs, just run on the equipment they have until sex, the environment, or predators do them in.
Hi. Maybe I am just lucky, but I have never bought a lens that gave trouble (apart from one I dropped, and a couple wrongly specced on Ebay) but none due to faults in manufacture.
I am very happy with my Sigma lenses. I have the 40mm f2.8 macro which was on my D70 more than it was off for at leats 5 years. That has probably taken more photos than any other lens I have. Funny how that works out. It is an EX.
Then I fancied the 28-300 Nikkor as recommended by lots of people. I spotted the Sigma version on Ebay. Not an EX, and the main disadvantage is no VR. It is also no internal motor, not so well weather sealed, maybe a bit heavier? That is a significant downside list, but I thought I would give it a go. I like the optics, and it is good as new and at £140 less than 1/4 the price of the Nikkor new. I can cope with that, and I have to ask would the photos I take be significantly better if bought the Nikkor?
I guess one of the good reasons to buy Nikkor is they hold their value. If you buy used on a budget and intend to keep, buy Sigma as they don't hold their value so will be cheaper!
On the same vein, I wanted a wide angle zoom and got the Sigma 17-35 DG. Again £150 so great value on Ebay. It is also an EX. Internal motor, a bit heavier than an equivalent Nikon maybe, very well built, and just beautiful. I cannot compare the optics, but this one is lovely.
The top bods all say that the Sigma and Tamron macro lenses compare well with the Nikkor.
Spec what lens you want, and if there is a Sigma version, give it a try. I don't think you will be disappointed.
Nightski wrote:
Hey, I learned that you can create your own f/stops with a reflector today. On Creative Live.
When f/stops get stale and hard, like bread, I cut them into a wedge shape and use them for door stops!
jerryc41 wrote:
It goes for the closest object, which is why back button or single point are so popular.
What is back button focus, please?
Vhopkins25 wrote:
I love seeing everyone's different preferences! I didn't crop it because I was doing a "paint" mini session but it's great to see the difference it makes when you do!
You're right, it is interesting seeing everyone else's preferences. I didn't like the crop, I think that little arm reaching out is an unusual point of interest and makes a different message.
In general, I like less processing rather than more!
ronwande wrote:
The images are both quite contrasty. Focus seems to have missed the mark in both as well. A couple of tools in Photoshop or Elements work quite well to improve these images. The first is the Shadow/highlight tool to bring down the washed out looking highlights in the white areas. Second is the Levels tool. Since you are new to editing I would learn how to use levels first and later get into Curves, which are more complex to use. I did some dodging on the face of the girl with the teacup. New Layer, Overlay mode, Fill with neutral gray, softest possible brush, brush opacity set to about 10% and size the brush to fit part of the face using the [ key to make the brush smaller and ] to make it larger.
If you have Elements, go on line and search for Elements tutorials.
Lastly I used the unsharp mask for sharpening. It is perhaps a bit extra to learn but it is very flexible. Little can be done with the squinty eyes other than to find a spot for the shot that has less direct light, i.e. an overcast day.
The images are both quite contrasty. Focus seems ... (
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No - not got it right. The first one too washed out, and the second (tea party) sharpened too much so that it does not look natural any more. (Apologies for being blunt)
Vhopkins25 wrote:
ok.... here are just two that I found right away... their faces are dark.... losing detail... "underexposed" if you will.... not sure how to fix it without it ruining their face!
They look good to me! And I like the composition of both of them too. There are those who would say crop closer, but I like them with a little space.
Next time, I would focus/expose on the centre of the face (ideally an eye), hold the button half down, recompose and shoot. Apologies as that doesn't answer the current question, what to do about these two images! So just enjoy them as they are!
art pear wrote:
I use the 35 on a D800 and a sony FS700 and it is an awesome lens!
I think we are all talking about the Nikon 35mm f1.8 DX. You use a DX lens on a full frame D800? Or are you referring to a different lens?
Good replies, all good stuff. I would support the 35mm f1.8 DX is great, sharp, sounds like the angle of view that you want, cost effective, lightweight to carry around. I love mine.