PDA

View Full Version : Brew's Picture a Day Thread...



brewmaster15
04-16-2015, 04:43 PM
Hi all,
The average life expectancy of a Digital SLR is 100,000 to 150,000 actuations. Most of the used camera I have seen only have a few thousand actuations on them, maybe 10-20,000. If you think about it, most people only use their cameras on special events unless they get the bug. I used to take my film camera to work everyday years ago and take pics on my lunch break...Then I got busy...I had kids, a forum, and I only took the gear out on vacation birding trips. Recently , thanks to a bunch of friends with similar passions and a desire to help people take better pics here on Simply, I caught my bug again, and dusted off alot of gear... even picked up an item or two.:)

I decided to also start taking a camera or at least try to, everywhere I go. Never know when a picture opportunity will show itself. To help give me motivation, I am also starting this One Picture a Day Journal. I will try and take one picture a day and post it....my goal is a year , but I will start with 30 days... To be realistic I will allow myself to miss 5 days a month....because you never know what life will throw at you ! My subject matter will be anything that I feel motivated to shoot. Most of the time I will use a DSLR, though a smart phone is acceptable. The DSLR will be pentax or pentax compatible.


Feel free to comment and ask questions, but please don't post pictures. I don't mind if anyone else wants to try this exercise and see how long they can maintain it. Just use a similar thread title with your user name.

So here will be my first image... courtesy of the Brake Job I had the dubious pleasure of watching and paying for today...


Day One...


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7676/17170048231_dd0f51997a_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/safZ9k)IMGP6652a1 (https://flic.kr/p/safZ9k)

Pentax K20D with M42 55 mm Super Tak lens

al

Second Hand Pat
04-16-2015, 05:02 PM
Al, you took your camera and lens to the repair shop??...now that is dedication :D...or a commitment to this thread.

brewmaster15
04-16-2015, 05:12 PM
Its funny Pat but I couldnt bring myself to use it while they were having trouble with the repairs So I snapped a pic quickly with my cell phone...But once they had succeeded with the brake job I just said ...what the heck and took out the camera and snapped a few pics from the doorway. .. When they saw the camera they started smiling and invited me into the garage to take pics of the rotor....worked out well.

Second Hand Pat
04-16-2015, 05:17 PM
That's cool Al, you never know how a camera might be received.

alcastro
04-16-2015, 06:02 PM
Hay AL hope all went well with your brakes, nice new drums.

dagray
04-16-2015, 08:25 PM
Great depth of field, lighting, sharpness.

It is funny how ordinary objects when photographed correctly (as you did here) can be pieces of art.

Art is that guy with no arms or legs hanging on the wall. :)

Ardan
04-17-2015, 06:57 AM
Glad you got the brakes fixed!
A picture a day, It will be interesting to see what you capture


Ardan

brewmaster15
04-17-2015, 03:49 PM
Thanks Guys!

Hey about that... I made it 2 days in a row! I am on a roll now!LOL:)

Day 2..

Couldn't quite narrow it down, but these I shot on my way back from shipping out orders....small little stream not far from my home, has an old mill on it and is easily accessible, a must for me right now.

I guess my official Pic is this one...

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8811/17154566006_fb1c45deba_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s8TCPq)IMGP6689a1 (https://flic.kr/p/s8TCPq)

and a close runner up was this one...

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7681/16994306339_4ec4d3e0a4_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rTJgcH)IMGP6706_01a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rTJgcH)


Though I like it as a Black and White alot...

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7715/17154565146_ef2e6994a3_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s8TCyA)IMGP6706a1 (https://flic.kr/p/s8TCyA)



Taken with a Pentax K20D and super takumar 55 mm , stopped down to F16 and using a Neutral Density #8 filter to limit the light, Exposure mode was Bulb and using a cable switch I manually exposed for several seconds, varying the amount of time until it looked about right exposure wise.Its an over cast day here, rainy....so I took advantage of the lower light.

Discus-n00b
04-17-2015, 04:09 PM
I'm going to enjoy this thread! I like both days so far! Really like the dof on the first, really makes the car part pop out at you. And who doesn't like silky smooth waterfalls?! Before I read it I thought those had the Neutral Density look to them.

Len
04-17-2015, 04:40 PM
Those are awesome looking shots. The first one from today is my favorite.

Second Hand Pat
04-17-2015, 05:09 PM
I like the second shot. That pic really draws your eye back into the picture.

rickztahone
04-17-2015, 08:47 PM
Great project Al. I have personally never done a project like this because I know how big of a project something like this is, and have always been scared to start one. Maybe after I see you in for a few months I can start mine :)

brewmaster15
04-18-2015, 07:03 PM
So I have to tell you this is harder than you would think. Today was a beautiful day, The whole family was in the yard getting some gardens cleaned up. It was really one of those perfect spring days. While working I decided to try and capture the beds now so I could do some latter shots. I had an image in my head I wanted to convey...but it just would not work. I really needed an ultra wide lens. A few month ago, I bought my son 2 " fish eye" filters that screw on the front of a lens ..They were cheap $25 on ebay.But he wanted to play around with them. They aren't real fish eyes, but okay to mess around with.

I consider this my failed picture of the day.. I just didn't like the way it turned out using that fish eye adapter.... I share it here so you can see that sometimes things just don't come out as planned...

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7638/17004943080_2cf9d2454d_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rUEM8N)IMGP6715a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rUEM8N)


So I went to plan B... wash up, open a bottle of vino, some crackers and cheese and enjoy the end of a good day...

My official submission...

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7655/17166519156_262b36fb69_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s9WU5d)IMGP6750a1 (https://flic.kr/p/s9WU5d)


and its runner up...or vice-a versa as I can't tell which I like better!

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7688/17190806312_9f86f7b5e4_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sc6nNh)IMGP6753a1 (https://flic.kr/p/sc6nNh)


while we enjoying the vino..I spied an old friend of mine... He's our outdoors cat, and been with us about 16 years now. He is starting to show his age, but he always watches over the gardens for us.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8684/17004921980_d19475709f_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rUEES1)IMGP6775a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rUEES1)

I decided to leave the image as I took it for light levels as it was getting late in the evening and I liked the mood it conveys.,..cats should be out and about prowling at dusk!


hope you enjoyed them.

al

rickztahone
04-18-2015, 07:12 PM
I actually don't mind the "fish eye" one. It has that dreamy (or nightmare?) feel to it that is difficult to pull off when you actually want to achieve that type of shot. Of the other two, I do prefer the official submission. Love the cat ;-)

brewmaster15
04-18-2015, 07:19 PM
Thanks Ricardo,
If I could change one thing in the vino shots.... I used the wrong cheese. Don't get me wrong, the cheese is awesome, cabots, aged cheddar is perfect for wine.. But I think a yellow cheese would have stood out more. Ah well... WE ate that with the last bottle of wine!.:)

al

rickztahone
04-18-2015, 07:21 PM
Thanks Ricardo,
If I could change one thing in the vino shots.... I used the wrong cheese. Don't get me wrong, the cheese is awesome, cabots, aged cheddar is perfect for wine.. But I think a yellow cheese would have stood out more. Ah well... WE ate that with the last bottle of wine!.:)

al

Say it ain't so!!!

nc0gnet0
04-18-2015, 08:38 PM
Its funny Pat but I couldnt bring myself to use it while they were having trouble with the repairs So I snapped a pic quickly with my cell phone...

I think the audio might have been, shall we say, interesting?

:)

Discus-n00b
04-18-2015, 10:42 PM
The fish eye photo reminds me of the shell shock effect in movies or a video game lol. When someone has been in an explosion or some kind of dream and they are trying to gain their bearings.

I'm sure you have a great face for hand modeling Al, but I prefer the first wine photo myself. ;)

brewmaster15
04-19-2015, 01:43 PM
Back again..Mid day update today as I had a chance to get in the yard today and spend some time with my new target. Eastern Bluebirds,

Gear this time is K20D camera , an old manual 500mm SMC Pentax 4.5 k mount lens. Its a big lens and heavy so used a heavy duty tripod, Bogen 3251 X 3038 ball head. I positioned myself about 30 feet from the nest box, and used a cable release. Spent about 2 hours there and got some good shots.

My official submission this time won't be the best technically but as a bird watcher, its kind of a life shot.

Male bluebird feeding the Female...

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5443/17175633896_3f02f350e1_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/saKByU)_IGP0225A1 (https://flic.kr/p/saKByU)
cropped...
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7687/17014037110_7d7e4c92dc_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rVtotq)_IGP0225A2 (https://flic.kr/p/rVtotq)

Runner ups..

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7588/17015425739_fd0629aeb1_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rVAvgi)_IGP0189a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rVAvgi)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7637/16579136444_abcee211fc_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rg3pE5)_IGP0199a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rg3pE5)

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8706/17175629636_43007b9905_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/saKAis)_IGP0230a1 (https://flic.kr/p/saKAis)



While I was taking these pictures there was a commotion over head..I grabbed my backup camera, a K20D with a m42 200/4 takumar and a 2x samigon Tc. I had the sun over over and hand holding a 200+ 2x tc is real hard, The pics aren't great but again as a Bird watcher, They are what I call, DDD . Down &Dirty& Document.. Its why I got into into photography in the first place, so I could document things I saw in nature.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7604/17201558735_1774ee4379_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sd3u7T)IMGP6811_a1_200+2x (https://flic.kr/p/sd3u7T)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7613/17015405299_82617280b9_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rVApbT)IMGP6816a1_200+2xtc (https://flic.kr/p/rVApbT)

Its not everyday I see an immature Bald Eagle getting mobbed by a crow over my yard!! Look at the shear size difference!!

one and last photo, since I had the backup camera still in my hand...
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7727/17199907822_a1df8ed45d_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/scU2mS)IMGP6817a1_200+2x (https://flic.kr/p/scU2mS)


All in all, a really great day with the gear!

Hope you enjoyed!

al

brewmaster15
04-19-2015, 01:49 PM
A visual on the 500 mm system....its an old lens maybe the 1970s..86525

Second Hand Pat
04-19-2015, 01:58 PM
Holy, you hand held that Al?....WHOA. It's taller then me.

brewmaster15
04-19-2015, 02:26 PM
Holy, you hand held that Al?....WHOA. It's taller then me.

Lol..no Pat..the hand held one is smaller lens..200 mm with 2x teleconverter...but its a manual lens an old...takumars m42s boast all metal constructio ...visual here...its on the tripod now so I could take its picture..86528

dagray
04-19-2015, 04:39 PM
Great shots Al.

Just think what you could do with the Sigma 50-500 (or even a sigma 300mm f2.8 with a 2x teleconverter). :)

oh Al????? Al???? you may have a lot of splainin' to do :) :) :) https://www.keh.com/241331/sigma-50-500mm-f-4-6-3-apo-dg-ex-autofocus-lens-for-pentax-k-mount-86

yup, it is under $800.00

SMB2
04-19-2015, 06:10 PM
Man what a great subject. You may have to go out there every day! Maybe a makeshift blind that you can move closer and closer every night...

rickztahone
04-19-2015, 08:01 PM
Man what a great subject. You may have to go out there every day! Maybe a makeshift blind that you can move closer and closer every night...

agreed. I wish I still had my 70-400 and i'd slap on my 1.4TC to that cropped sensor body and get super close!

brewmaster15
04-20-2015, 01:41 PM
Thanks Guys , I have to be wary I don't spook them into abandoning their nest. They have been using that box now for several years. I can work around the yard with them around, but they know I am there...I have had the male fly over to the bushes behind me even when 30 feet away and watch me.. A blind may work... but I am always the birdwatcher first, photographer second when it comes to the birds.

brewmaster15
04-20-2015, 01:47 PM
Todays picture is a quick one. I had grand plans to spend some time on it trying different things, but I literally got in 5-6 pictures when the rain came down in buckets. So I am putting this one up as a work in progress, I plan to visit her again at several different times in the day and try a few techniques

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7621/17188277666_abd3cd4c10_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sbSq7W)IMGP0504a1 (https://flic.kr/p/sbSq7W)

K3 camera and sigma ultra wide zoom 10-20mm, low light, light drizzle.

She is watching over a tomb in a small cemetary...she towers at about 15 -20 feet, and the portion I shot was the top 1/3 . Its a unique statue, set in a small grove of cedars...When I say its impressive in person, I mean it,


al

dagray
04-20-2015, 02:08 PM
Al,
I am wanting that Sigma to take with me in July to Cannon Beach for a week :)

Great mood with that shot.

brewmaster15
04-20-2015, 02:10 PM
Al,
I am wanting that Sigma to take with me in July to Cannon Beach for a week :)

Great mood with that shot.

Thanks Dave,

Hoping to use it in the Everglades this year.:)

al

rickztahone
04-20-2015, 03:38 PM
That is a massive looking statue. Good one Al.

SMB2
04-20-2015, 03:41 PM
Like the statue, but I have to say I'm pretty weak when it comes to "architectural" photography. She seems to have a big foot!
Might be fun to try and get as little as possible of the background trees (clone the rest out) and convert to a B&W.

brewmaster15
04-22-2015, 08:13 AM
My photo submission for Yesterday, April 21 2015 Yesterday was an insanely busy day for me, but I did manage to snap a few images while running around like a chicken with my head cut off. Captured image yesterday (see EXIF data).


Rainy , drab day. Spotted this lone box car by the tracks at a railway crossing. Got the impression it was waiting for someone.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7675/16613402163_2bce7f6981_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rj52Ek)IMGP6929a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rj52Ek)
al

SMB2
04-22-2015, 04:19 PM
Like this a lot.
Again, colorless flat day with lots of detail... B&W conversion. But that's just me.

brewmaster15
04-22-2015, 04:41 PM
Thanks Stan! I will play around with bw on them.:)

Al

rickztahone
04-22-2015, 08:14 PM
Al, not sure if you are asking for any C&C here, but with that last pic, there are two things I probably would have done different. First B&W (you seem to take good candidates for B&W :)), and second, I would have shot from a lower angle, and I would have veered to either the left or right side, whichever makes the actual train track a more dynamic leading line to that nice pathway. The train serves as a great foreground interest though, so I would have kept that in the shot, just not sure how much, or how little.

Again, not sure if you are asking for C&C here. LMK

brewmaster15
04-22-2015, 09:41 PM
HI Ricardo, comments are very welcome....its always good to hear other perspectives and what someone else might have done in my shoes... What one person sees in image isnt necessarily the same as what someone else sees..its like a poem...knowing what the author meant is not always apparent. So its good to talk about the image.In this case I chose the scene based on the box car as the subject...not so much the main track..though its important in the image.They are more of an accessory. I also framed it so the word "stop" was deliberately in it. I liked the way box car was set off to the side isolated yet waiting.
I get your thoughts on leading lines.:) mine were a tad different..theres two sets of tracks there And the space between them was important too.

thanks for your feedback And suggestions.

Al

brewmaster15
04-22-2015, 11:27 PM
Okay then, Today's picture of the day (4-22_15) is more of a demonstration. Theres an inexpensive tool you can use with macro photography that works well with some objects... Its a Bellows ... (photo with smart phone)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7584/16618272874_9a9cadf35f_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rjuZy7)bellows (https://flic.kr/p/rjuZy7)

I had a friend that used to take some amazing shot of insects using one.. Today turned into a stormy day before I had a chance to take it outside, but I thought I would use it anyway, since that what I had planned. I hired a lovely "model" for a photo shoot with the bellows and set it up on a tripod... The camera is a pentax k20D, The bellows has a pentax super takumar 105 mm M42 lens. Lighting was ambient room lighting and and a small hand held LED flashlight to get rid of shadows as much as possible. I was able to get with in a few feet of the subject.

My official submission...

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7629/17240138401_9a4d3c03ad_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sgsdvx)IMGP6963a1 (https://flic.kr/p/sgsdvx)

Runner ups...

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7621/17214735986_a0d69887fd_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sed2fS)IMGP6961a1 (https://flic.kr/p/sed2fS)

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5322/17240702505_4e5895c76d_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sgv7ct)IMGP6960a1 (https://flic.kr/p/sgv7ct)

The lens without the bellows at about 8 feet... (nickel is for scale)

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5441/17033269237_02bd2055f5_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rXaXvP)IMGP6975a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rXaXvP)

Whats nice about a bellows besides being able to use various lens depending in your subject is you can really fine tune the focusing as it works on a slide rail.

al

rickztahone
04-22-2015, 11:49 PM
Nice rail. How fine is the tuning on that thing? I actually prefer your runner up (2nd shot) :). Additionally, please CLEAN THAT SENSOR lol. How stopped down were you?

p.s. I am going to stat adding photos to the gear thread. Would love it if you added the bellows to it. I do not own one.

brewmaster15
04-23-2015, 12:22 AM
Nice rail. How fine is the tuning on that thing? I actually prefer your runner up (2nd shot) :). Additionally, please CLEAN THAT SENSOR lol. How stopped down were you?

p.s. I am going to stat adding photos to the gear thread. Would love it if you added the bellows to it. I do not own one.

Hey now... I have an idea.. You need to start your own "one a day picture" thread so I can have some fun at YOUR:bandana: Expense..Lol.


The rail has very fine tuning on it Ricardo, its very smooth. Hopefully I will be able to put it to some use in the next few weeks..

al

SMB2
04-23-2015, 07:41 AM
I had a great bellows but the way the base was set up it would not take the newer digital camera bodies; they were to big.
I always found the focusing very frustrating, also the loss of light made working out exposures sometimes difficult. It became more of a studio, controlled subject thing, like your ?Speed Racer? girl, and not so useful with outdoor stuff.

brewmaster15
04-23-2015, 08:25 AM
Lol...close Stan...not speed racer but a character "marin" From St.Seiya anime...my kids collect them.:)

The bellows is definely more tricky to use and focus...not something you will go chasing after butterflies with or use a windy day. Good for studio and more stationary objects like mushrooms and resting insects. It is fun to play with and does make you think about what you are doing....todays looking to be better weather if I have a chance I will take it out for todays image.

I can see what you mean on it not fitting your dslr..its pretty close on my k20d...

brewmaster15
04-23-2015, 01:29 PM
This weather is killing me ...better than snow but the sky clouded over and it got really windy.. Definetly not the weather to be doing macro work with a bellows. Add to that CT is still pretty chilly.Things are just waking up here... Still I gave it my shot at lunch today.


Again these are with bellows (Asahi Pentax Bellows ) , but I opted to use a different lens.. using and old M42 135mm Promaster 1:2.8 lens this time. We are not talking top of the line, more like bottom of the barrel. I bought this lens for $12 on ebay a few years ago.

My official submission is a a fiddle head...young fern frond opening up...

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7703/17039129257_33e8cb5bf5_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rXFZuD)IMGP7058a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rXFZuD)


A few others I took as well that I really like.

Misc. plant growing in some moss.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8763/17246004001_a8a7390c36_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sgYh9z)IMGP7038a1 (https://flic.kr/p/sgYh9z)


These are cone flower shoots

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7685/16624097164_1b3f9c0259_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rk1QUU)IMGP7020a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rk1QUU)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7633/17220588926_6c5c4ebbeb_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/seJ28C)IMGP7018a1 (https://flic.kr/p/seJ28C)

SMB2
04-23-2015, 04:50 PM
I like the first two the most.
#1 might benefit from a little tighter crop to get rid of as much of the green stem in the background and then darken what's left in the background to make the fern pop.

#2 can't say why I like it! Just seems warm and inviting. I would have worked that a lot just because it looks cool (not cold). Maybe have the dominant leaves more diagonal. Not really a critique, just thinking out loud. It is why digital has changed photography so much. I probably would have taken 20-30 shots of that moss after seeing the detail on the LCD.

The last two have potential to me because of the brown background with the red leaves. It's harder with bellows because for me at least it seems to limit composition some. You have to find really small stuff.

Maybe all the so called Gurus should do a pic a day and explain their settings and thought process!

brewmaster15
04-23-2015, 05:19 PM
You have to find really small stuff. and thats the truth! Especially hard out here right now! I walked right by these scenes several times without even noticing them



#2 can't say why I like it! Just seems warm and inviting. I would have worked that a lot just because it looks cool (not cold). Maybe have the dominant leaves more diagonal. Not really a critique, just thinking out loud. It is why digital has changed photography so much. I probably would have taken 20-30 shots of that moss after seeing the detail on the LCD. Its funny, I almost didn't take that shot as the moss was boring...but the plants growing in it changed my mind. That was a tough shot though... the sun was coming in and out of the clouds so the light was everywhere. Everytime I had it set just right for good depth of field, the light would change. this was made harder by the lens, M42s need an exposure compensation on my K20D by .5 or more EV. All in all frustrating!... but I like the challenge.

Thanks for the comments and suggestions.


al

dagray
04-23-2015, 05:47 PM
Al,
Try something on your shot for tomorrow. Whether using a K20d or a K3 when shooting in manual mode watch the light meter in the camera, and set your exposure for two bars under exposed, shoot in RAW like you do and see if that doesn't bring out more of the colors.

I found the old trick with film of overexposing some to get all of the color and detail to saturate on the film works against you with a digital sensor. With digital a slight to moderate under exposure gets the colors to saturate without creating hot spots, and you will have all of the data/detail there to work with and you can bring the brightness back in post processing (usually with a slider bar for brightness), or you can bring detail back in the shadows. :)

Your shots today are very nice, but I think that fern shot has a brighter spot in the background that is catching my eye taking it from your subject.

brewmaster15
04-23-2015, 06:00 PM
Thanks Dave,
I will give it a shot...let you know how It works.

in the meantime... you do guys like this one better?

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8798/17039129557_c8ff9c26ed_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rXFZzP)IMGP7047a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rXFZzP)

I like the way the background is darker and isolates the fern but the fuzz on the frond seems a bit bright .

al




for reference this was the first one....


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7703/17039129257_33e8cb5bf5_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rXFZuD)IMGP7058a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rXFZuD)

SMB2
04-23-2015, 06:08 PM
Al, if you don't want us "playing" with the shots, say so. I don't want to offend... I just wanted to see how these would look. Always would prefer getting the comp. in the camera but I wish I could visualize that well in the field.
(These are grainy because of the crop and work on JPEG. Done with minimal adjustments in LR5.)

86619

86620

SMB2
04-23-2015, 06:10 PM
Your post came up while I was typing.
I do like the second process better.

brewmaster15
04-23-2015, 06:34 PM
Stan,
Definetly not offended but I like to do my post processing myself ...best way to improve And preserves my work. I do appreciate the comments and suggestions though. Im sure you understand.
Thanks,

Al

dagray
04-23-2015, 07:42 PM
Al,

Yes second one works way better for me as it brings the subject away from the background, and there isn't a distracting bright spot.

Dave

SMB2
04-23-2015, 10:32 PM
Definetly not offended but I like to do my post processing myself

Got it.
I really wasn't trying to work the image, just playing with the crop to see if what I was suggesting made any real difference; and it was easier to show then type...

rickztahone
04-23-2015, 10:35 PM
Wow, that promaster is super sharp! Love the micro contrast. Reminds me of early Carl Zeiss lenses. Tough call for me on this one but I believe I like the composition of your main entry and will go with that one, but it was a tough choice.

rickztahone
04-23-2015, 10:37 PM
Thanks Dave,
I will give it a shot...let you know how It works.

in the meantime... you do guys like this one better?

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8798/17039129557_c8ff9c26ed_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rXFZzP)IMGP7047a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rXFZzP)

I like the way the background is darker and isolates the fern but the fuzz on the frond seems a bit bright .

al


Love this edit so much more. Love the composition, love the ratios and love the low key feel to it. Really great edit IMHO.

brewmaster15
04-24-2015, 09:09 PM
And yet again another Raw day in CT... windy and cold, lots of clouds here and I was truthfully so busy today I didn't have a chance to head out at lunch, come to think of it, I didn't even have lunch!:(

However I did get to play after Dinner tonight for a while. These pictures aren't anything earth shaking, but they were taken with a different technique for me. I rarely use flash except for a ring flash on a macro lens once in a while. Most pictures I take are outside natural light. I usually need to read the flash manual before I use it. I have them just in case.... Tonight I used not just one flash, but two ! synced to my K3 camera. I placed the flashes on each side of my work area, and used the camera flash to trigger them. Its a nice technique and I have seen so many great pictures using flash,softboxes, and bouncing flash I figured it was something I should get more used to. I also wanted to see if I could use this technique with my 50mm Fa 2.8 Macro lens. effectively. I am pretty pleased with the results...

Official picture for 4/24/15...

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7644/17072552670_8e93d25870_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s1Di7o)IMGP0601a2 (https://flic.kr/p/s1Di7o)

why did I pick it, because The knight is my favorite chess piece and I really like the shot... :)

Others I took that I really liked the way turned out...

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8754/17072333998_d4c269f3c7_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s1Cb7b)IMGP0596a1 (https://flic.kr/p/s1Cb7b)

These next ones are not cropped, they are close ups with the macro.

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7628/17052694267_d687fc8467_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rYTvU8)IMGP0593a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rYTvU8)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7618/16637641084_c6202df96a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rmdg3L)IMGP0594a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rmdg3L)

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7625/16639879333_9acb754383_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rmpJpg)IMGP0595a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rmpJpg)

and lastly...

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7655/17052695387_d493916692_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rYTwer)IMGP0582a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rYTwer)


so thats it .. I think I will be playing around with flash more often.

al

rickztahone
04-24-2015, 10:21 PM
Here's a cool tip Al, when doing off camera triggered photography with your on board, place an exposed film right over the flash itself. This will actually block the added light from the on board but will retain the IR reception. In this manner, only your slaves will fire with no contributing light from the camera. When I use to do studio work with my a55 I use to hate the added light, even when I lower the flash compensation.

oh, btw, great shots. I really like the fine detail in these. Is the WB accurate here?

nc0gnet0
04-25-2015, 12:07 AM
Very nice.........You should try them in Black and White.........

(sorry, I couldn't resist)

:angel:

brewmaster15
04-25-2015, 12:13 AM
Very nice.........You should try them in Black and White.........

(sorry, I couldn't resist)

:angel:

Lol

brewmaster15
04-25-2015, 12:38 AM
Here you go Rick.... :) special smart phone post processing..

86671

nc0gnet0
04-25-2015, 07:05 AM
here you go rick.... :) special smart phone post processing..

86671


perfect!!!!!

brewmaster15
04-25-2015, 07:36 PM
Finally had some sun today! But still windy. I spent the day stacking firewood but late after noon we took the kids Biking at the town school. I was getting pretty frustrated with the picture taking... it was just too windy.. I put the camera down and walked around a bit and came across something I have not seen in a long time. Its a wild flower called blood root, Sanguinaria canadensis, and even when I have seen it, there were always only a few.. This woodlot had hundreds! It was still windy but I did my best... belly crawl, Pentax K20 D and Super tak 55mm and in some pics a short 11mm extension tube.


Whats neat about this flower is one its real pretty, but its roots "bleed" The juice looks like blood. Native Americans used to use it as war paint and its and herbal remedy for warts. ..Okay Ethnobotany lesson for today is over..


Official Pic for 4/25/15

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8746/16647546114_93034e837a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rn62t9)IMGP7125a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rn62t9)

Very Close Runner up ...

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8811/17082227898_261b0dfe23_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s2uTdE)IMGP7119a1 (https://flic.kr/p/s2uTdE)


Others...

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7599/17062585387_92af04b9e2_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rZLdbF)IMGP7143a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rZLdbF)

and the Blood root itself...

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7597/16649771113_6c9a72b3be_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rnhqTc)IMGP7133a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rnhqTc)

al

Second Hand Pat
04-25-2015, 07:49 PM
Nice Al. I understand the belly crawl very well. You just reminded me of my next victim for tomorrow :D
Pat

brewmaster15
04-26-2015, 06:15 PM
Very busy day today...finished stacking wood and took my boy Fishing...Grey afternoon and did not take camera.I did take my phone though. ...Pic today from the fishing trip...no fish caught,just memories made.:)


86723

dagray
04-26-2015, 06:19 PM
And thus you reinforce the camera you will carry and use most is the best one, and also you reinforce that a cell phone will do in a pinch for most photography :) well done :)

brewmaster15
04-30-2015, 07:50 AM
Lost a few days here between getting busy and getting Lazy but will get back on track now for a bit. Honestly don't know how long I will try and go with this. Its tough to find the time!

Heres a my picture for the yesterday, 4-29-2015... taken with cell phone.

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8885/17133297180_4a8943f01a_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s71Ckw)04_29_2015 (https://flic.kr/p/s71Ckw)

Its actually been accepted for publication by a national poultry association advertisement. I've been told it will be an ad with the caption "Eat Steak" :)

al

another random pic from yesterday...


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8752/17133114378_02c15dda56_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s6ZFZL)20150429_163120 (https://flic.kr/p/s6ZFZL)

Keith Perkins
04-30-2015, 09:55 PM
Its actually been accepted for publication by a national poultry association advertisement. I've been told it will be an ad with the caption "Eat Steak" :)

al



Okay, time to finally chime in. I've been following this thread from the beginning, but this is too funny to pass up, After seeing the photo and before reading the message above I thought 'Now there's a message, lay eggs or this could be you.'

brewmaster15
05-01-2015, 01:29 PM
Hello all,

Well,
I had hoped to drum up some interest in photography with this thread and test myself as well. Hopefully some found the photos interesting. I'm not a professional, just a hobbyist... and have been for decades. I shoot what I like, the way I like because its challenging and fun.:)

I have pretty much confirmed the things I was interested in and don't see much point to continue on...fell way short of my month goal, lol. I'll still be taking my pictures as regularly as I can for my own enjoyment now that the spring is here, theres alot more to photograph. But I won't be adding regularly to this thread any more. I have to " focus" on other things.:bandana: Hope those of you that looked on will try and take more pictures and will share them in your own threads....doesn't need to be regularly... just get out there and enjoy taking pictures....and share them. Capture the moment and it lasts a lifetime.

al

dagray
05-01-2015, 02:49 PM
buck up little buckaroo... you have helped (along with Rick, Pat, and a few others) me take a renewed interest in my photography :) Maybe change the goal to picture a week, but don't quit :)

rickztahone
05-01-2015, 10:05 PM
Hello all,

Well,
I had hoped to drum up some interest in photography with this thread and test myself as well. Hopefully some found the photos interesting. I'm not a professional, just a hobbyist... and have been for decades. I shoot what I like, the way I like because its challenging and fun.:)

I have pretty much confirmed the things I was interested in and don't see much point to continue on...fell way short of my month goal, lol. I'll still be taking my pictures as regularly as I can for my own enjoyment now that the spring is here, theres alot more to photograph. But I won't be adding regularly to this thread any more. I have to " focus" on other things.:bandana: Hope those of you that looked on will try and take more pictures and will share them in your own threads....doesn't need to be regularly... just get out there and enjoy taking pictures....and share them. Capture the moment and it lasts a lifetime.

al

Well that deserves a sad face :(. I look forward to your photos. That last one with the steaks is an absolute riot! lol. Great job. See why I don't take on a pic a day project? It is just so time consuming!

Len
05-02-2015, 07:29 PM
It is a little sad because I was tuning in daily for the latest episode, usually wondering what you were going to come up with today. I did see some photos that appealed to me and gave me some ideas, so I thank you for that.

brewmaster15
05-03-2015, 07:46 PM
So was out today with my family on a car ride and as always , camera is with me. The plans of the day did not allow for "photography" per say as we were heading to a large used book shop for the afternoon. But I decided to have some fun along the way... We try and take the backroads when not in a rush and theres always alot to see.

All of the following photos where taken by hand, with a manual focus lens at anywhere from 35-55 mph. At that speed composition is not exactly an option and you basically scan the road ahead, and be on the ready. Post processing of the photos can help improve them. If you haven't tried it, its a fun way to pass the time on a car ride provided you can be the passenger!



Pentax K20D with 105 mm Super Takumar M42 lens shot wide open at f2.8

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8827/17360381965_41668af612_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ss5uJr)IMGP7160a1 (https://flic.kr/p/ss5uJr)


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8849/17172812530_e155d95a5d_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sav9SE)IMGP7168a1 (https://flic.kr/p/sav9SE)


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8815/17358464992_b47ac0ac2b_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/srUETb)IMGP7169a1 (https://flic.kr/p/srUETb)


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8726/16737869864_861a4e59b7_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rv4Xzb)IMGP7169a2 (https://flic.kr/p/rv4Xzb)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7678/17360374855_4a1757f167_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ss5sBR)IMGP7170a (https://flic.kr/p/ss5sBR)


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8865/17174165079_7c1b4c1e11_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/saC5Wt)IMGP7171a (https://flic.kr/p/saC5Wt)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7690/17360018011_ede05d4c6e_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ss3Cxn)IMGP7174a1 (https://flic.kr/p/ss3Cxn)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7681/17172800590_9e07420898_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sav6jN)IMGP7176_01a (https://flic.kr/p/sav6jN)


K20D with 55mm Super Takumar M42 lens shot wide open @f1.8



https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8839/17172635328_63ff5604a6_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/saufcs)IMGP7251a (https://flic.kr/p/saufcs)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7790/16737920904_83c78b56c7_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rv5dKb)IMGP7265a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rv5dKb)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7726/17334465826_6689429d13_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/spMELs)IMGP7266a2 (https://flic.kr/p/spMELs)


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8716/17360070511_af53f1b418_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ss3U9x)IMGP7271a1 (https://flic.kr/p/ss3U9x)


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8879/17360068841_904393a333_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ss3TDK)IMGP7271a2 (https://flic.kr/p/ss3TDK)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7760/16737912934_5110f0bf64_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rv5bnL)IMGP7275_01a (https://flic.kr/p/rv5bnL)


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8748/17358505982_7be6cb52f5_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/srUT4U)IMGP7281a1 (https://flic.kr/p/srUT4U)


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8875/17174210829_bb54d6fbb8_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/saCjxg)IMGP7281a2 (https://flic.kr/p/saCjxg)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7747/17152960197_62d8984631_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s8Kpt4)IMGP7282a1 (https://flic.kr/p/s8Kpt4)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7796/17152958827_ed0fdffaf2_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s8Kp4r)IMGP7282a2 (https://flic.kr/p/s8Kp4r)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7745/16740158583_5ff07031e7_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rvgFVR)IMGP7290a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rvgFVR)


https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7708/16737905344_70a0923a61_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rv597U)IMGP7296a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rv597U)


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8741/17360058061_68cdd5fe09_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/ss3QrT)IMGP7306a1 (https://flic.kr/p/ss3QrT)


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8732/16740152833_bc0f298ab8_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/rvgEdH)IMGP7318a1 (https://flic.kr/p/rvgEdH)


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8690/17172612068_7253ab80ec_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sau8hq)IMGP7344a1 (https://flic.kr/p/sau8hq)

Second Hand Pat
05-03-2015, 08:19 PM
Al, I still struggle with focusing on a stationary object and you were manually focusing while moving...impressive and some nice shots to boot. :D
Pat

brewmaster15
05-03-2015, 08:28 PM
Al, I still struggle with focusing on a stationary object and you were manually focusing while moving...impressive and some nice shots to boot. :D
Pat

Theres a trick Pat that helps.;)


al

dagray
05-03-2015, 08:30 PM
Al I like that some of these shots have a playful whimsical quality to them (garage door, Shad Shack, Thomas the Tank, and the fountain). Great job :)

brewmaster15
05-03-2015, 08:30 PM
I took some photos also at the book shop but I need to go through those... Leave you with one last picture. Its one reason I enjoy photography so much... A picture truly can say a thousand words.,,:)


https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8775/17173444040_c00bb87d38_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sayoAL)IMGP7238A1 (https://flic.kr/p/sayoAL)



Truthfully he was not bent out of shape at all, but just tired and maybe a tad disappointed.

al

brewmaster15
05-03-2015, 08:31 PM
Al I like that some of these shots have a playful whimsical quality to them (garage door, Shad Shack, Thomas the Tank, and the fountain). Great job :)

Thanks Dave, Sometimes its just fun to play.:)

al

rickztahone
05-03-2015, 08:42 PM
Al, when you mentioned "K20D with 55mm Super Takumar M42 lens shot wide open @f1.8", did you mean to say that all of the following shots after that are shot wide open? If so, you truly are the photo guru Boss around here :). Nice set.

Second Hand Pat
05-03-2015, 08:51 PM
Theres a trick Pat that helps.;)


al

I think I might know that trick :D:D
Pat

brewmaster15
05-03-2015, 08:57 PM
Al, when you mentioned "K20D with 55mm Super Takumar M42 lens shot wide open @f1.8", did you mean to say that all of the following shots after that are shot wide open? If so, you truly are the photo guru Boss around here :). Nice set.

Thanks,
No guru here Ricardo just a hobbyist that likes taking pictures. but yes all taken wide open from both the 105 mm and 55 mm manual m42 takumars. love old glass.

Al

brewmaster15
05-03-2015, 08:58 PM
I think I might know that trick :D:D
Pat

what do you think it is?

Second Hand Pat
05-03-2015, 09:02 PM
what do you think it is?

I was about to say it's sort of like shooting a bird in flight with a shotgun (or camera) but on second thought now I'm not sure. Care to share?

brewmaster15
05-03-2015, 09:10 PM
I was about to say it's sort of like shooting a bird in flight with a shotgun (or camera) but on second thought now I'm not sure. Care to share?

Its not a trick per say..its a technique that works well for pictures from the car.. Use a fast lens and Focus to infinity...try and use lenses that are less than 135 mm ....longer than that isnt very useful when moving at 30 plus mph.

By starting off at infinity..you dont need to focus much given the normal car to subject distance. I really like 50-105 mm lens for this kind of picture and prefer primes..not zooms for it. Then post process as needed. Forget composition..focus and shoot..its all you have time to do.
Thats been my experience.
Al

Second Hand Pat
05-03-2015, 09:14 PM
Its not a trick per say..its a technique that works well for pictures from the car.. Use a fast lens and Focus to infinity...try and use lenses that are less than 135 mm ....longer than that isnt very useful when moving at 30 plus mph.

By starting off at infinity..you dont need to focus much given the normal car to subject distance. I really like 50-105 mm lens for this kind of picture and prefer primes..not zooms for it. Then post process as needed. Forget composition..focus and shoot..its all you have time to do.
Thats been my experience.
Al

Thanks Al, makes perfect sense :)
Pat

rickztahone
05-03-2015, 09:39 PM
Its not a trick per say..its a technique that works well for pictures from the car.. Use a fast lens and Focus to infinity...try and use lenses that are less than 135 mm ....longer than that isnt very useful when moving at 30 plus mph.

By starting off at infinity..you dont need to focus much given the normal car to subject distance. I really like 50-105 mm lens for this kind of picture and prefer primes..not zooms for it. Then post process as needed. Forget composition..focus and shoot..its all you have time to do.
Thats been my experience.
Al

and fast shutter speeds I am assuming?

brewmaster15
05-15-2015, 06:06 PM
Did you know you can buy a decent macro lens for under $20.00? Seriously, I kid you not... and for another $20 or so dollars you can have a really decent macro set up... I know you are shaking your head saying no way..more like 100s to thousands for one, but I am not exaggerating here. :)

Of course there are limitations to what you can do with it. But its not too hard to get around these and take some very good images and learn quite abit in the process. Sorry though, you have to work alittle! No autofocus here.. no point and shoot. You actually have to focus the camera!:)

The lenses I am talking about here are old lens, as per my favorites, m42 mounts. They are known as "copy lens" or "flat field lens". They don't contain a focus mechanism, just apertures to allow you to control exposure and depth of field to a degree. They were meant to be used on a copy stand...you focus by moving the camera lens assembly up and down the stand in a vertical plane. They are very useful even today on a horizontal focusing rail and bellows. Oh and did I mention they are cheap, real cheap!!!!!!!

I just picked up 2 copies made in Poland and sold on Ebay by a camera seller in Russia. Risky these days to order overseas from that part of the world...but I felt like gambling. I bought a Amar/s 4.5/105 ($16) and Mikar/S 4.5/55 ($8.00) and $8 shipping...so basically $16 each.

I had the bellows already but you can pick these up for $20-40 on ebay...so macro lens set up for peanuts.

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5337/17695401352_2a5a4ebb58_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sXFyjL)20150515_155000 (https://flic.kr/p/sXFyjL)

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5468/17075349804_8a9274af86_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s1TCAQ)20150515_155026 (https://flic.kr/p/s1TCAQ)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8884/17510270960_4797d7be8e_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sFjHvs)20150515_135834 (https://flic.kr/p/sFjHvs)


The lens I got took about 3 weeks to get here.... the Mikar/S 4.5/55 is in great shape, a bit stiff but no complaints, The Amar/s 4.5/105 is a tad loose when turning the apertures and theres some oil on the blades which i am not thrilled with....but its not affecting pictures at all ...but for $16 I can deal with it!.

I took the following pictures with the Amar/s 4.5/105 on my pentax k20d on a tripod. a bit breezy today, but not too bad wind wise.


True Bug...
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5338/17694828932_dc3948276e_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sXCCas)IMGP7412a (https://flic.kr/p/sXCCas)

Grey Boy
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7707/17511052099_a7e19834d2_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sFoHHn)IMGP7462a (https://flic.kr/p/sFoHHn)

May apple...
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7790/17671005266_9d12c98630_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sVwwdA)IMGP7453a (https://flic.kr/p/sVwwdA)

Fern Frond...
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8883/17697590681_f071888e08_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sXSM8P)IMGP7447a (https://flic.kr/p/sXSM8P)

Dandelion..
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7785/17694858842_27650b6ffb_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sXCM49)IMGP7427a (https://flic.kr/p/sXCM49)

Lavender..
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8802/17697346315_c2a8af9360_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sXRwuB)IMGP7406a (https://flic.kr/p/sXRwuB)

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5446/17694870572_22d2dea933_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sXCQxo)IMGP7404a (https://flic.kr/p/sXCQxo)

Ants farming Aphids...
https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8814/17694879832_ffbb805e4d_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sXCTi3)IMGP7392a (https://flic.kr/p/sXCTi3)

https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7709/17697355305_a56dc969d9_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sXRzaB)IMGP7392b (https://flic.kr/p/sXRzaB)

https://c1.staticflickr.com/9/8739/17509553718_14482830b3_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sFg3id)IMGP7389a (https://flic.kr/p/sFg3id)


Lilac Flowers..
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7782/17697374065_0358a92a07_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sXREK4)IMGP7385a (https://flic.kr/p/sXREK4)

https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5326/17697640131_5089737233_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sXT2Qp)IMGP7373a (https://flic.kr/p/sXT2Qp)

Horse Radish Flowers..
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5466/17077055113_1fd3494197_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/s23nwH)IMGP7372a (https://flic.kr/p/s23nwH)

Dandelion seeds..
https://c2.staticflickr.com/8/7765/17509851800_de958d911c_h.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/sFhyUy)IMGP7359a (https://flic.kr/p/sFhyUy)

SMB2
05-15-2015, 11:13 PM
Great stuff Al.
The last is my favorite.
Some have a fair amount of noise, were you using high ISO.
Also note on some of the flower edges what looks like Chromatic Aberration (Lilac and Horse Radish.). Is that a drawback of this type of lens? It is not that noticeable and might simply clean up in processing.

brewmaster15
05-15-2015, 11:55 PM
Hi Stan,
These lens are very simple optics. They have no special coatings as modern lens have nor do they have multiple elements like modern lens do. They really are designed to be used under controlled lighting...not outdoors.But though challenging they can still produce very good results for pennies on the dollar investment.Post processing may improve them but generally I ususally just sharpen abit and maybe play with the contrast and brightness for web posts.

The k20d is an old inexpensive digital camera by todays standards..it was released in 2008..so over 7 years old now. It still takes decent to great pictures but does tend to handle low light rather poorly.
al

Larry L
05-16-2015, 04:44 AM
Great pics Al nothing like that in sunny Florida.

Larry

Second Hand Pat
05-16-2015, 06:09 AM
I like the affect of these "simple optics" Al as you get good depth of field across your area of interest while the background is nicely handled. I especially like the dandelion.
Pat

brewmaster15
05-16-2015, 08:29 AM
Great pics Al nothing like that in sunny Florida.

Larry

THANK YOU LARRY! Glad you enjoyed them!
al

brewmaster15
05-16-2015, 08:37 AM
I like the affect of these "simple optics" Al as you get good depth of field across your area of interest while the background is nicely handled. I especially like the dandelion.
Pat

Thanks Pat. One reason I got these was because they are neat to play around with and at a price that cant be beat...but because the are copy lens ....the optics are designed to focus across the whole field of view..It you were taking a picture of a document..this would be important....and I think can really be useful in field photography too. The depth of field is acceptible As well. I really like playing around with old equipment in a modern applications.Part of the attraction to photography for me as a hobby.:)

SMB2
05-25-2015, 06:51 PM
The k20d is an old inexpensive digital camera by todays standards..it was released in 2008..so over 7 years old now. It still takes decent to great pictures but does tend to handle low light rather poorly.

Al, the results speak for themselves. I was trying to get a gauge as to the light requirements for the lens. These all seemed to have been in nice soft light, but I was curious as to when you started seeing noise creep into the background.

dagray
05-25-2015, 07:05 PM
Very nice shots Al.

brewmaster15
06-23-2015, 01:04 PM
Been a while, this time of the year is incredibly busy for us here.I haven't had as much time as I would have liked to take pictures, but I did take a few shots this past fathers day of our first Daylily flower. It was a rainy gray morning but lots of dew on the leaves and flowers... and everything is just so lush and rich green here. My favorite time of year, late spring/early summer.

These pictures were taken with my old pentax K20D and a new lens I have. I say new, but its really not at all. I used to have this lens 20 years ago, and really liked it. My copy broke and I have been watching intently for a replacement for years. I finally came across it.The lens is a 3rd party mfg of lens, Tokina. They make lenses for various camera makers. Some have been great lenses, others, so-so or garbage. Its a manual zoom lens covering 35- 105mm ,pentax mount. F1:3.5-F4.3. Its not a terribly fast lens, but its rock solid heavy metal construction and has a real nice close focus function. The price I paid was a whopping $25 . For me a total steal, but really thats about how much these older manual lens can sell for.


By now you probably realize that I like old camera gear....like old lens. Probably from my old film days but also because I am practical and stubborn. I'm a Hobby photographer on a low budget and I recognize the usefulness of things that are old, yet still work as intended and sometimes even better than intended. I would love to have the newest and bestest gear were I able to afford it, but I would still enjoy trying to make a good picture from decades old equipment...The challenge is part of the hobby for me. You really don't need the newest gear to make good Pictures or even great pictures...You can make do with far less than the best and still have pictures that are pleasing to look at and fun to take.


So heres the lens....


87863


87864


Really nothing special to look at..just an old manual lens.

al

brewmaster15
06-23-2015, 01:18 PM
And the pictures, handheld camera, close up function various Iso's..

https://c4.staticflickr.com/4/3791/18903032409_0434bb74a3_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uNoYXT)


https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/544/18901564388_58e05cc1f7_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uNgszb)


https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/431/18901509948_593f39a9e4_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uNgboy)



https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/268/19089255305_09961c253f_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/v5Rqxt)



https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/542/18903063819_100492b6d9_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uNp9ir)



https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/546/18901453750_6c861aca6b_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/uNfTFC)



The subject is the same flower, just different perspectives.. Old lens, new Images.


al

Second Hand Pat
06-23-2015, 01:47 PM
Wow Al, the colors are so vibrant. I can't seem to get the whole flower in focus even when stepping down the fstop. Perhaps that is a function of the lens I'm using?

brewmaster15
06-23-2015, 02:22 PM
Hi Pat,

Best I can explain is...Theres a trade off with a true Macro like yours... The Depth of field is generally very narrow... It makes an excellent "Macro photo.".. for instance you could do a sensational job on the anthers and stamens in the center of the flower or an insects head..but the larger the subject the harder it will be to capture it all in crisp detail.. The day lily flower I took pictures of is more of a "close up" picture, not so much a macro...so a lens designed to take "close ups" works well. It allows me to get "close" and focus.

Also, theres an element of perspective. In my day lily pictures the petals and anthers (the black structures that carry the Pollen, male portion of flower) line up in a plane and fall in the focus range. Theres another part that extends out of the flower center that called the stigma( the female portion of the flower) The stigma extends out of the focal range and is blurry. So part of the images depth of field is related to the shape of the flower parts..

Its one reason why photographers have multiple lens... some lens just do a better job at some things. I fell in love with this particular tokina decades ago as I felt it resolved colors amazingly... and it does a decent job at nature pictures within 10-15 feet. Its not very good at distance shots,

al

Second Hand Pat
06-23-2015, 02:26 PM
Food for thought Al :) back later.
Pat

brewmaster15
06-23-2015, 02:57 PM
Not sure if this will help Pat, but visualize this...

The daylily flower is almost 5 inches across and the stamens extend 1" and curl up which helps keep them in focus in the plane... the stigma extends out close to 3"(so out of focus).. The focal plane of the this particular shot image /distance is about 2".


87865

Second Hand Pat
06-23-2015, 03:05 PM
That is perfect Al. Appreciate the assist :) Went out to play and the SD card was full :p

brewmaster15
06-23-2015, 03:38 PM
That is perfect Al. Appreciate the assist :) Went out to play and the SD card was full :p


lol.. have fun.

al