The Official Head-Case Photography Thread.

[naamanf]

No good pictures from me yet (if ever), I but I have been playing around a bunch with the Canon 7Ds that I had work purchase. What a totally awesome camera, it way outperforms my ability. I just wish/hope that Nikon will make an equivalent camera because I just don't like the way that the Canon SLRs feel in my hand. Other than it's a pretty sweet camera. Only things I have found that I don't like about it (other than the feel) is that it uses only CF cards and it will do a three shot bracket. Not like plan to do any HDR shots from a moving helicopter but I figured it would do more. Then again maybe I just need to read the manual.

[Salt Peanuts]

That's a nice looking knife you got there, Reks. What is it?

[Currawong]

Reks: Those shots look really good. They capture the feeling very well. That knife reminds me of old Japanese katanas and the patterns formed from the making of the blades.

An old pic from a local flower garden which I have on my desktop now:

A couple of years ago, my 18-200 was in for repair, so I was forced to use my 35mm only, which got me back into fixed lenses. We had late-blooming Cherry Blossoms around the apartments which were starting to die, but I snapped some quite nice shots regardless.

[Salt Peanuts]

^

Color me jealous in regards to the cherry blossoms. I didn't really get to see any this year and they're mostly gone around here, even if I can find any cherry trees.

[raffy]

Here's a few noob pics I snapped yesterday at the beach:

Here's one where I bumped the saturation to make the red pop out:

[Salt Peanuts]

a semi-custom that i wasted my money on. it's a hand forged in Seki VG-10 damascus blade that was finished and handled by an American knife smith named Hal Farren. the fit and finish is gorgeous, and the handle is the nicest i've ever seen on a Gyuto, but the edge had an angle flaw initially that i had to get fixed by a professional knife sharpener, and it's heavier than i like, so i don't use it very often.

I haven't kept up with with the world of metallurgy so I don't know any of the new and exciting alloys, but VG-10 has been my favorite ever since I bought one of the first Spyderco knives with it, which is my favorite folder to this day. Wife loves it on her Shun knives, too.

[Knuckledragger]

No good pictures from me yet (if ever), I but I have been playing around a bunch with the Canon 7Ds that I had work purchase. What a totally awesome camera, it way outperforms my ability. I just wish/hope that Nikon will make an equivalent camera because I just don't like the way that the Canon SLRs feel in my hand. Other than it's a pretty sweet camera. Only things I have found that I don't like about it (other than the feel) is that it uses only CF cards and it will do a three shot bracket. Not like plan to do any HDR shots from a moving helicopter but I figured it would do more. Then again maybe I just need to read the manual.

For APS-C, the 7D is a wonderful little camera. It's certainly eating the lunch of Nikon's D300(s), something they are keenly aware of. Nikon has released no new SLRs this year (or decade, take your pick). I am hoping they get off their ass soon and come out with a D700X and D700s. More likely, they will refresh their small sensor bodies first.

One minor nit: Compact Flash is vastly superior to SD in virtually all respects. The cards are much bigger, but that makes labeling and handling them in the field easier. The throughput of CF is much faster than SD. The differences for write speed are really only relevant on high speed, high-MP cameras like Canon's 1-series (though truth be tolld, the 7D is not that far off from a 1-series in that area.) The speed advantage CF has for reading is a boon to anyone who uses it. Even crazy K-Rock thinks so. There's a reason CF card readers come in FW400 and FW800 varieties. SD(HC) readers are only USB2.0. It distresses me that SD cards are beginning to infiltrate the pro market. Some of the newer Canon 1 series bodies have an SD slot instead of a second CF slot. Luckily, the Nikon D3(X/S) has two CF slots. Sorry, rant over.

So what lens are you using on the 7D?

[Knuckledragger]

ISO3200 looks really good on the D90. I am jealous.

BRB, knocking over a liquor store so I can afford a D700.

[Salt Peanuts]

Damn, I didn't realize that shot was taken at 3200 until Knuckles mentioned it. I think 1600 is the highest I've used thus far.

[naamanf]

So what lens are you using on the 7D?

My problem with the CF cards is more work related than anything else. The military has blocked all USB drives from it's computer systems so the only way to get pictures off the camera is to put the card into a build in card reader or plug the camera up directly. Non of our computers have CF readers of course, so it just makes things a bit more difficult.

Nothing really cool on the lens front. Just have the kit 28-135 and a the compact 70-300.

[Upstateguy]

Canon G7

Looking across Central Park toward the George Washington Bridge

Piermont NY

[Beefy]

here is the original knife image, at ISO 3200. it hasn't had any noise reduction applied, in the camera or in software. i think it looks pretty darn good. it does help that it was a pretty fast lens.

Here's one I took last year with my D90. ISO 3200, default in-camera N/R, 50mm f/1.8 @ f/2, 1/80 hand-held, cropped smaller and 50% scaled.

I really like the balance the camera makes between detail and noise in the brighter areas where the performers are.

[Salt Peanuts]

For shits and giggles, just took the pic below with 50D set at ISO 3200 using 35mm f/2. No N/R or other processing, just converting to JPEG using LR3B2.

[jinp6301]

ooo pretty.

what watch is that? I couldnt find it at the hamilton watch website

[Salt Peanuts]

I was pleasantly surprised with the result. Yeah, I can definitely see noise but the image is still perfectly usable as far as I'm concerned.

[Salt Peanuts]

ooo pretty.

what watch is that? I couldnt find it at the hamilton watch website

It's a Khaki Field Mechanical Officer. It's bit on the large side at 44mm, though I like the size just fine.

[Iron_Dreamer]

3200 schmurty-two-hundred.

Lick my ISO6400

[Iron_Dreamer]

Or would you prefer ISO12800?

[penger]

Showoffs.

i really want a 35mm prime, my 50mm isn't well suited for this work, so i had to use my 18-55 DX zoom, which is slow (f/5.6). still, perfectly usable. this is no NR, just raw converted to jpeg by Aperture.

Wouldn't some sort of macro lens be even better? Sorry, not very familiar with the Nikon lens range... I know Canon doesn't have a 50mm macro lens, but they do have a 100mm one.

[Salt Peanuts]

^

Actually, Canon does have a 50mm macro lens. They also have a 60mm macro lens as well, though for EF-S mount.

I forgot about the H1 and H2 ISO settings (6400 and 12800, respectively) in my camera. I never turned on the option since I figured I'd never use them.

Edited May 11, 2010 by Salt Peanuts

[Currawong]

Some gear pr0n, which I shot after cleaning the RKV. I'm happy with the shot because the light around my room is crap, even with my rack fairly near the window. The light uses fluorescent bulbs, which only serves to screw things up more. I only realised afterwards the tubes were in focus, so I decided it was my favourite shot.

[agile_one]

3200 schmurty-two-hundred.

Lick my ISO6400

Or would you prefer ISO12800?

Showoff.

I remember 6400 guy - he was the wanna be at Mayberry guy from Toronado.

I quake in fear anticipating shots from Rush St when we are in Chicago ...

[raffy]

Thanks to this thread, I just realized that ISO 6400 is quite usable with my T2i but I'd really like to stay 3200 or below esp for bigger sized shots:

ISO 3200

ISO 6400

[Knuckledragger]

5-digit ISO settings are fun, but for me the challenge is to shoot available light in EV0 conditions with a 3-digit ISO, sometimes with an F/4 zoom.

35mm F/2, 1/80th, ISO320. Just a warm-up shot.

50mm F/1.8, ISO320 1/10th of a second handheld. Timed to catch one of the flashes from the nightclub's pair of 1000W strobes.

17-40L @ 22mm, F/4, ISO800, 1/5th of a second handheld.

35mm F/2, ISO200, 1/60th. Kind of ironic that the shot I'm posting with the fastest shutter speed has the most motion blur.

17-40L @ 22mm, F/4, ISO800, 1/5th of a second handheld.

17-40L @ 22mm, F/4, ISO800, 1/6th of a second handheld.

17-40L @ 17mm, F/4, ISO500, 1/0th of a second handheld. This shot was difficult for two reasons: besides keeping the camera steady, I had to capture the DJ while he was holding relatively still.

I could go on, but you get the point.

[Beefy]

Shit dude, your hands are steadier than mine