I use the RGB histogram in the live view window to guide my selection of the aperture, ISO, and shutter. When it approaches the right edge of the histogram without clipping then I feel the shot is about right. The white balance is set by shooting a gray card and I save several shots of the card under different lighting circumstances and choose the gray that I think matches the lighting I'm shooting in at the moment. Another nice feature available is that I can set the K temperature in Live View and tweak the custom white balance in by adjusting Kelvins, but I'm not sure that all cameras have this capability. I think that this picture was shot handheld under fairly difficult lighting conditions, but the colors are accurate and the techniques for setting it up do work. The metering was evaluative mode and I'm not sure what shutter speed was used. What I try to do is get color accuracy above all else and then the other adjustments can be experimented with in order to get in the ball park.

When you set up for manual exposure try using Live View or whatever it is called on Nikon and adjust the white balance, ISO, aperture, and shutter speed and then test the setting with the depth of field preview button. That is the order I use for all pictures and I generally use Manual and Raw for almost all pictures. Also, set the RGB preview histogram so you can see it with the Live View screen and it should give you a decent idea if your adjustments are in the ball park. I attached a picture of my granddaughter, not a great shot, but one where the histogram had almost all of the settings very close.

You might try one of the sony nex series. We have a nex3 and it also allows inter-changeable lenses which improve your photographic choices. With an adapter, about 20 dollars, you can use older minolta lenses manually and some are very good. In summing up, I would say keep diversity and expandibility in the back of your head in case you want more capabilities as your interest expand into broader areas.

It is not the lens so much as your set up. First of all use a custom white balance to get the best color for the scene you are capturing and then with live view turned on and the RGB histogram available set the aperture and lens speed so that the RGB curves are as close as they can be the to the right edge of the graph without without extending past the right edge or having a spike at the right edge. Also, if you are shooting a camera that allows K (kelvin) adjustment, you can hit the white balance button while in live view and set WB in kelvins and tweak the color using the K adjustment and watch the color change in Live view. Most of the upper level cameras (5Dmkiii, and D800) have this ability and the T4i does too, so you can get absolute color accuracy across the whole color range from light to dark or right to left on the histogram. This will ensure the brightness and color will have the highest dynamic range in you photo with any lens, no matter what its focal length.

Next time, read the online reviews for the outlet where you plan the purchase. I found the horror stories about purchases made from some of these places fascinating reading. B&H, Adorama, and Sammy's, Robert's Photography, all are a little more pricey, but you will get exactly what you order and first class service, and also common courtesy.

Do you want to trade the lens for a 40D or do you want to trade a lens that fits a 40D? I have an extra 40D that I might be willing to trade if you would send me the info on the lens. Max aperture and f/? Would be helpful. Also is it an EF or an EF S mount. I have a 5d mk3 that I would like to use it with for local wildlife pictures, mainly bald eagles and blue herons along the Wabash River.
JWP

Please e-mail at the following address so we can discuss means of my acquiting this lens if it is still available.

jwpulliam9256@gmail.com

James Pulliam

When, Where and how do you want the money?
From: jwpulliam9256@gmail.com

I like the sunset color detail. Was their some dew on the grass? There are some traces of the sunset colors in the grass, which is very interesting.

You could have tried a higher ISO speed such as 800 or a 1000, which on a 5D mk2 may not have been to noisy, but that would have allowed a faster shutter speed and have reduced blur. A 24-70 f/2.8 would have allowed a faster shutter speed at a lower ISO number but would have lightened your wallet considerably too. A tripod would allow a lower shutter speed and you could use a remote shutter control with the mirror lock up to reduce blur also. You just have to double click the remote shutter release to get your picture. I shoot a lot of night stuff and use that technique with shutter set to bulb for stars.

I was referring to the multi-colored driftwood shot, which was pretty cool. I forget that the replays don't always come under where I am writing the reply. Thanks for the info. I'm going to check it out right now.

This is really a fascinating shot. Can you direct me to a good reference on how to do this. I haven't been bitten by the HDR bug up until now, but after seeing this picture and the Oregon coast picture, I think it is definitely worth investing time to learn. As for the club question that brought this picture out for viewing, I have always thought that photography clubs should be about expanding the members knowledge rather than circumscribing the members interest to what is, rather than what can be done. The fact of the matter is that the digital camera revolution has given us all a better way to capture our visions of interesting moments in time and a way to share those visions with others of similar interests, and HDR is simply a technique that enhances those visions.

Way to go! If enough people do what you did then these clowns will have to fold. You learned, and that makes you very bright in my opinion and after teaching for 29 years, I feel I have some knowledge of how to learn. Good luck!

Stunnuing! I think you just persuaded me to bite the bullet, sell all of my current stuff, get a second mortgage and buy the outfit you have.

Don't feel stupid. I looked at a 5 D mk 2 from them and almost bought it, but my wife, who is a CPA, told me to look up their reviews online first and it was an enlightening experience. When things look to good to be true they usually are and we all have a tendency to want to believe people are as least as honest as we feel that we are, and that is not bad, but not always advisable. Your credit card company probably has very stringent fraud control measures that should protect you and if not they shouldn't be your credit card company any longer. Good luck, most of us have been there, and it is a learning moment, unfortunately.