I have not seen anything about GIMP. I find it does most of what I need. Most of the big features are there but not always easy to find. Best of all this program is FREE!!!!

I also use the Windows Photos program, included with Windows and free, for a quick and easy first look at the images, some quick basic fixes, and then move to GIMP for more options.

Love this shot. Using black and white only makes this more dramatic. Excellent composition.
This almost looks like a good pen and ink drawing. Good work.

Good topic. Just did another set yesterday - July 4 here in Annapolis Md. I have tried many settings but I have found that 1/30 sec to 1/40 sec works well with mild telephoto. In my case the zoom lens set to 50-70mm with my longer zoom lens. I am using an older Olympus E420 so the crop factor is 2 (based on 35mm). A tripod is a must and one must be VERY light with the shutter button push. I am not using a cable release but should be. In my case the Live View no longer works so I must pre compose and then pre set before the next firework which are in my case faily tightly grouped. But not a real problem - just a little prick in the ass. My new FULL FRAME DSLR camera will certainly make things a lot easier. For me it is important to have a very black background. 2 images attached.

My! That's a BIG one! To quote that Dirty Harry movie. NICE!!!! Just gotta LUV that fast f/2.8!!

Excellent photo. I can feel the PURRRRRRRing.

This subject will never die. The way I see it, a camera is a device for capturing light. The more light (signal) and the less interference (noise) the better the result. A bigger sensor will always get more signal than a tiny one. Granted, those cell phone cameras have improved. A lot. But still if you want REAL booming bass you get much better results with a big woofer and lots of energy at the lower frequencies. Same thing here. It is just basic physics. The more signal the better. I still have my Olympus 4/3 and really want to go Full Frame. Why? More light. More signal. Better results. All sensors have a noise floor and getting well above that level is still very desired as I still see it.

Granted - cell phone cameras are VERY convenient and easy to carry. It is always there. But because of that tiny sensor - a must for packaging reasons - the limitations will always be there no matter how much AI or megapixels you throw at it. Just pure physics.

So maybe it is still old school but for good images use a device designed for making quality images - a REAL camera.
And it is still a big truth that good glass will always be a big part of the equation. Cheap lenses make for cheap and limited results no matter how good or large the sensor. It is the whole package. But the photographer has the final say. Better dedicated equipment, properly used will always yield better results. This is my 2 cents.

Point and Shoot??? Maybe. Just pointing this beast is a major effort. VERY large format. Is that an f/5.6 lens????

My! That's a big one. Make my day!

Excellent topic at this time of the year. We had a really good fireworks show just after the Baysox minor league AA ballgame last night. And I had my old trusty Olympus E420. I did NOT expect this so I had NO tripod or a really good place to set the camera. So I hand held the best I could and shot these. Came out BETTER than I expected. Most shutter speeds are 1/30 to 1/15 sec, at around f/4.5 and using ISO 400. Focus to infinity. Note some jiggle - not unexpected.

Sure looks like distant car headlights and some diffraction going on here. Just gotta luv that cute critter.

Great song. By the Essex.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHB6muY-6WI

This was my first REAL camera back in the early 1970s. Canon QL-17. Loved it. Fixed lens but the f/1.7 did allow low light photos that really came out nice - with ASA 100/200 film back then. Match needle and all manual focus with split image. It worked. Now it is all digital. Now looking for a FULL FRAME higher end digital with good video. Still using my old Olympus E420 which is still hanging in there but has senior moments every now and then. Good topic.

(Download)

Good topic. I still have my Olympus E420 that does have a pop-up flash. Very handy at times. Like in tight spaces, on a small boat for example. Having the flash right above the lens can be an issue - uneven lighting and harsh shadows. But convenient - YES. Always there WHEN you need it.

I have 2 external flashes - a Vivitar 285 with pivoting head (nice) and a smaller but useful Vivitar 2600-D. Oldies but goodies.

I am looking for new FULL FRAME DSLR and having a built-in flash is not a requirement. In fact built in flash in the higher end cameras is a thing of the past. The newer sensors are so much better now, and in most (not all) cases a built-in flash really is not needed.

Yes for both. Several times. Old age and humidity are the main culprits here. But like that old Timex add - It takes a linking but keeps on clicking!!!!

It could be so many things but in my case, with my old Olympus E420, similar focus problems seem to be caused by poor body to lens contact. The symptoms, like yours, can be a focus beep but no correct focus. Or nothing and no beep at all. Or the worst is that hunting mode and the system never getting there and no beep. Taking the lens off, putting it back on once or twice usually will fix this. Cleaning the contacts does not seem to help much. Also high humidity can cause problems. That camera is old and has its senior moments and this is one of most common now. Time to move up to full frame with much better S/N and then get into some nifty post processing and using RAW more often. Love the HOG.