Official BeyondUnreal Photography Thread

[IronMonkey]

Just go buy it and see what she does.

You are familiar with the adage that one should never ask a question unless one already knows the answer? I know the answer. You will notice that I haven't just gone out and bought the camera.

On the plus side; it does RAW, so I would shoot only in that to get all you can out of that camera.

Most of the time I do use RAW but there are some downsides to that. Writing RAW images to the CF is quite slow and the camera can do nothing else whilst writing. RAW images are poorly handled by the clunky Canon PC software (not so much of an issue now that I've moved most of the PCs to Linux). I end up having to convert everything to jpg so that the aforementioned nearest and dearest can view the photos.

My kids are keen judokas and RAW is just unusable for fast-moving sport. I end up shooting at 1024x768/ISO 400 and that way I can get a couple of FPS for several seconds (until the buffer fills and there is that loooooong wait to write it all out to the CF).

 

[OO7MIKE]

I didn't know that there was a service to remove the AA filter. I may actually do that. D:

I would love to do it as well, however I would only do it on a back up camera. if Moire starts to kill my shots because of a the clothing a dancer wears, I have to ditch it in favor of the AA Filtered camera.
On the upside, there is a company out there that makes AA filters that go over your lens. They are gaining in popularity amongst DSLR Videographers who are finding the DSLR lenses too sharp.

Ah! Don't think my question was a criticism of the camera. The 7d very fine camera and would be my choice for a new camera (given how much I would be willing to spend and if I hadn't promised that I'd keep my Powershot G3 for 10 years. Only 3 more years to go!

LOL!

Don't be like Sony! Don't make those kind of promises. Camera lenses hold their value. Cameras do not. If you would like, I could arrange an unfortunate G3 accident. It would dramatically cut your sentence time down.

 

[IronMonkey]

If you would like, I could arrange an unfortunate G3 accident.

Yes...but there would be pictures and the blackmail possibilities are unsettling.

 

[BillyBadAss]

You are familiar with the adage that one should never ask a question unless one already knows the answer? I know the answer. You will notice that I haven't just gone out and bought the camera.


Most of the time I do use RAW but there are some downsides to that. Writing RAW images to the CF is quite slow and the camera can do nothing else whilst writing. RAW images are poorly handled by the clunky Canon PC software (not so much of an issue now that I've moved most of the PCs to Linux). I end up having to convert everything to jpg so that the aforementioned nearest and dearest can view the photos.

My kids are keen judokas and RAW is just unusable for fast-moving sport. I end up shooting at 1024x768/ISO 400 and that way I can get a couple of FPS for several seconds (until the buffer fills and there is that loooooong wait to write it all out to the CF).

If you are working in Linux, I am not sure how GIMP handles RAW, but I know in Photoshop it is pretty easy. Also, you might as well wait for those long write times as 1024x768 jpgs are worthless if you plan to get prints. Your camera can do way better than that. I think that right there should be your sales pitch to get a new camera. It will capture your children in much more archivable pictures.

 

[FuLLBLeeD]

I need to develop the roll of film from this weekend, but here's a Polaroid until then.

Sunday Afternoon Pancakes

I want to go to IHop now.

 

[OO7MIKE]

can you still buy Polaroid film?

 

[Rambowjo]

can you still buy Polaroid film?

BBA can

 

[BillyBadAss]

can you still buy Polaroid film?

Actually, I know where to buy some AZ TimeZero Film, but it's $40 a pack.(10 shots) I have about 4 more packs of 600 speed left and maybe 15 packs of 779. Your best bet is checking drug stores around you. 600 is gold if you have a SX-70.

 

[IronMonkey]

If you are working in Linux, I am not sure how GIMP handles RAW, but I know in Photoshop it is pretty easy.

GIMP handles RAW just fine with the RAW plugin (which opens the file in UFRaw first so that just about any parameter that you might want can be set before exporting the result to GIMP).

Where Linux does score is that the file viewers can display thumbnails of the RAW files unlike Windows Explorer.
For what it's worth, any of the photos that I've posted have been processed using UFRaw/GIMP.

Also, you might as well wait for those long write times as 1024x768 jpgs are worthless if you plan to get prints. Your camera can do way better than that.

I know, I know but you would not believe how much action I missed using RAW or even top quality jpeg. At 1024x768 I can usually manage to capture a throw in two or three shots. Although the individual shots aren't great, that makes for a nice sequence of shots. And anyway, I still have RAW for the (occasional) medal ceremony. Those tend to be the ones that get printed!

I think that right there should be your sales pitch to get a new camera. It will capture your children in much more archivable pictures.

Dynamic performance aside, I have to say that I have been really pleased with the G3. In general, with a properly focussed shot, I get better results than most low-end 8-10MP cameras that I've come across.

The most likely reason for getting another camera in the near future is my deteriorating eyesight. The display on the G3 is quite small by modern standards and I can no longer focus on it whilst wearing distance vision glasses.

 

[shadow_dragon]

You guys make me and my D50 feel inferior.

 

[JohnDoe641]

You guys make me and my D50 feel inferior.

Who cares about the camera. Some of the best shots that I've seen have been taken on disposable 35mm throw away Walmart cameras. Granted a more feature rich camera will assist in making great shots, but it's not the camera that makes the shots great, it's the photographer.

 

[theabyss]

Are any of you freaks actually members of iStockphoto.com or Shutterstock.com?

I am not much of a brilliant photographer, but I was thinking about selling my vector art to them.

 

[Bi()ha2arD]

Most of the time I do use RAW but there are some downsides to that. Writing RAW images to the CF is quite slow and the camera can do nothing else whilst writing. RAW images are poorly handled by the clunky Canon PC software (not so much of an issue now that I've moved most of the PCs to Linux). I end up having to convert everything to jpg so that the aforementioned nearest and dearest can view the photos.

My kids are keen judokas and RAW is just unusable for fast-moving sport. I end up shooting at 1024x768/ISO 400 and that way I can get a couple of FPS for several seconds (until the buffer fills and there is that loooooong wait to write it all out to the CF).

Try XnView to browse/view your pictures. It has RAW support for most cameras. There is a linux version too.
Don't know if your camera can do it but my EOS can shoot in RAW+jpg so you get the jpg to preview the pictures and can then open the raw for that pic and refine it.

 

[IronMonkey]

Try XnView to browse/view your pictures. It has RAW support for most cameras. There is a linux version too.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll give that a try for the Windows PCs.

Not needed on Linux because Linux already does everything that I could reasonably want in terms of integration and ease of use - unlike Windows (not often one gets to write that!

 

[shadow_dragon]

Who cares about the camera. Some of the best shots that I've seen have been taken on disposable 35mm throw away Walmart cameras. Granted a more feature rich camera will assist in making great shots, but it's not the camera that makes the shots great, it's the photographer.

I know but big numbers are scary.

Also I get tremendously jealous of folks with lots of megapixels. Sitting at a measly 6.1 doesn't give me too much room to crop down.

I use lightroom for dealing with raws myself because I enjoy a good play on words and it has quite a few twiddly options that can save on photoshopping on occasion.

Most other raw software I've seen is only really set up for one image at a time. I'm probably not using it properly but the Photoshop raw stuff feels really clunky. Maybe I should use one of those extras... Bridge is it?

 

[OO7MIKE]

Not sure if I have meantioned this before.. but for those who want to make the DSRL plunge but cant quite afford a new camera. Consider a used camera. Not all users are pros. Meaning that they only put 1-5k clicks on it before selling. Most cameras can take 100k+ clicks before the shutter goes out and needs to be replaced.

One good place to grab used camera gear is www.keh.com
You can pick up some used camera bodies for low prices. It will at least get you started or upgraded from what you currently have.

Just a few:
$254 - REBEL XT SILVER 8 MEGAPIXEL
$325 - REBEL XTI BLACK 10.1 MEGAPIXEL
$430 - REBEL XSI BLACK 12 MEGAPIXEL
$639 - REBEL T1I 15.1 MEGAPIXEL

I don't recommend anything below "good" condition. I also don't recommend the first generation rebel because its so very slow when handling RAW files.

More can be found here: http://www.keh.com/Class-Products/1/DC/2/79269/WG.aspx

 

[SnaKe-Fu]

Thanks for the link 007Mike.

 

[Hazel.H]

[SCREENSHOT]http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4027/4424232090_3c8a4c3fcd_o.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2726/4423468217_b571d769ae_o.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

[SCREENSHOT]http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2728/4424232466_f60cf5b005_o.jpg[/SCREENSHOT]

 

[SleepyHe4d]

This is from a series of mildly disturbing images I shot for a client for a performance promo. Sorry, I wont be showing you the other ones LOL No more crying kids covered in slop for me.

[MG]http://www.michaelbrinkerhoff.com/photos/LCC_Theater_SpringInspirations2008_IMG_8461.jpg[/IMG]

Where'd that picture go?

 

[OO7MIKE]

Where'd that picture go?

Looks like that photo was posted before my website was moved to a different server.

Here is the shot: