50x and 60x zoom cameras

On 1/16/2014 3:19 AM, David Taylor wrote:
On 16/01/2014 02:50, Tony Cooper wrote:
[]
We all do what pleases us, but striving for better - if not exactly a
masterpiece - is what drives us to improve.

I accept that, but there is also knowing when to stop trying to improve!

I know that I could get better quality, better timed telephoto images by
getting a nice Nikon telephoto lens and perhaps Tele-Converter, but in
practice they would be far too heavy for me to carry round. I also know
that there are times when I want more zoom than the 300 mm equivalent
(from the 18-200 mm) or the 450 mm equivalent (/if/ I have the 70-300 mm
with me - more weight), and hence I got the Sony HX200V with its "27-810
mm" lens. For casual photography, that's now what I take (because of
its size and weight) if I feel the need for more than the iPad. On
holiday I'll take more kit, but to carry round likely just the DSLR with
10-24 and 18-200 mm lenses. For distant shots such as approaching a
port, it's the Sony "810 mm" which usually see a little more detail.


Agreed. I think that the satisfaction from a photograph need only reside
with the maker.
We always can claim that with a longer/wider/faster, lens we might have
a "better" image. But like all things in life we make compromises.

--
PeterN

On 1/15/14 PDT, 1:57 PM, Savageduck wrote: On 2014-01-15 19:42:41
+0000, David Taylor
said:

On 15/01/2014 16:29, Savageduck wrote:
...and while I know you do not particularly care for HDR, there is a
time to anticipate the problem and shoot an exposure bracket.
With this example there is a three shot bracket -1, 0, +1 and the
resulting HDR. I could not get a decent image from any of the individual
exposures, with post & HDR I was able to produce something reasonably
acceptable.
,
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lx56l61b7...Tioga-Olmstead

don't care particularly for many of the examples of HDR which have
been touted round. Far too gaudy and unrealistic for my taste.
However, I do find myself using the HDR mode a lot with the iPad, and
to an extent with the Sony HX200V as well. The results are an
improvement particularly with highlights on the iPad. With the Nikon
it's almost always in its extended dynamic range mode.

(For the photo above, your edit-2 is further than I would have gone.)

I guess I stepped on that a bit too much. ;-)

I have added the HDR as it was generated via NIK HDR Efex
(DSC1119_HDR_1-1), and the first edit of that (DSC1119_HDR_1-Edit-1) to
the same DB folder.


Now the real purist would admonish: "Go back when the light is right for
foreground and b/g and reshoot".!

On 1/15/14 PDT, 1:52 PM, sid wrote:
Savageduck wrote:

On 2014-01-15 15:54:15 +0000, Tony Cooper said:


One of the major advantages of that software is that it can be used to
overcome conditions wherein getting it right in camera is impossible.
You can't move some objects to reduce shadows, but you can bring out
details in post that the camera captures in shadow.

...and while I know you do not particularly care for HDR, there is a
time to anticipate the problem and shoot an exposure bracket.
With this example there is a three shot bracket -1, 0, +1 and the
resulting HDR. I could not get a decent image from any of the
individual exposures, with post & HDR I was able to produce something
reasonably acceptable.

I don't know if that is because of some limitation with your PP software, I
could recommend something decent for you if you like.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lx56l61b7...Tioga-Olmstead

A gratuitous use of hdr IMO, the trees are much too bright, makes it look
unnatural. I can see the value of hdr in some circumstances, but this isn't
one. A more pleasant less eye scorching version can quite happily be made
just using your mid exposure

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...21-4_v1sid.jpg

Ouch! What crispiness there! Did you add sharpening, or is it an
artefact of working with a small jpeg?

On 2014-01-17 16:14:53 +0000, John McWilliams said:

On 1/15/14 PDT, 1:57 PM, Savageduck wrote: On 2014-01-15 19:42:41
+0000, David Taylor
said:

On 15/01/2014 16:29, Savageduck wrote:
...and while I know you do not particularly care for HDR, there is a
time to anticipate the problem and shoot an exposure bracket.
With this example there is a three shot bracket -1, 0, +1 and the
resulting HDR. I could not get a decent image from any of the individual
exposures, with post & HDR I was able to produce something reasonably
acceptable.
,
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/lx56l61b7...Tioga-Olmstead

don't

care particularly for many of the examples of HDR which have
been touted round. Far too gaudy and unrealistic for my taste.
However, I do find myself using the HDR mode a lot with the iPad, and
to an extent with the Sony HX200V as well. The results are an
improvement particularly with highlights on the iPad. With the Nikon
it's almost always in its extended dynamic range mode.

(For the photo above, your edit-2 is further than I would have gone.)

I guess I stepped on that a bit too much. ;-)

I have added the HDR as it was generated via NIK HDR Efex
(DSC1119_HDR_1-1), and the first edit of that (DSC1119_HDR_1-Edit-1) to
the same DB folder.


Now the real purist would admonish: "Go back when the light is right
for foreground and b/g and reshoot".!

Sometimes tough to do when you are on the road on day 3 of a 4 day road
trip. ;-)
I try to get up to Yosemite at least once a year, but I don't always
take the drive on 120 over Tioga Pass to the Eastern Sierras.

--
Regards,

Savageduck

In article 2014011419092483985-savageduck1@REMOVESPAMmecom, Savageduck
says...
So, there are more of us solo flyers here.
It is not a group I wish any to join. I have been on my own for 5 years
now. (My step daughter from hell doesn't count) Other than the rare
date, my social life (with the opposite sex) remains much that of a
stump.
That said, i still consider myself a young and reasonably healthy old
fart at 65, and I don't rule out some future long term relationship.

Just out of curiosity, how do you spend your time?
--

Alfred Molon
------------------------------
Olympus E-series DSLRs and micro 4/3 forum at
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/MyOlympus/
http://myolympus.org/ photo sharing site

On 2014-01-17 21:56:17 +0000, Alfred Molon said:

In article 2014011419092483985-savageduck1@REMOVESPAMmecom, Savageduck
says...
So, there are more of us solo flyers here.
It is not a group I wish any to join. I have been on my own for 5 years
now. (My step daughter from hell doesn't count) Other than the rare
date, my social life (with the opposite sex) remains much that of a
stump.
That said, i still consider myself a young and reasonably healthy old
fart at 65, and I don't rule out some future long term relationship.

Just out of curiosity, how do you spend your time?

I take local road trips which include visits to a niece who lives in
Huntington Beach, California, and some other friends who are found in
various parts of the USA. Occasionally I throw in a little travel to
parts a bit further afield, I have friends & family in the UK, Spain, &
South Africa. My cousin has a son who is a doctor in NZ and that is a
trip on my bucket list.

I get to several air shows (Usually here in Paso Robles, Salinas, &
Sacramento) and some motor sport events (Laguna Seca is a short drive
from where I live) that includes some Concours events in San Luis
Obispo, & Pebble Beach, and other local car shows.
Then this area is very much the "Wine country" of the California
Central Coast, so there are quite a few wine & food related events in
this area.

This whole region is one I am quite comfortable with, as it is very
easy to get to places such as Big Sur, Yosemite, Kings Canyon-Sequoia
National parks, Lake Tahoe, and Death Valley.

Needless to say my camera is part of most of what I do, and tinkering
with post processing goes with that.

From time to time I get requests for advice and/or opinions from, still
working colleagues who tap into my knowledge base.

What I don't do is hang out in bars, and that might be why I haven't
run into too many loose women lately. ;-)


--
Regards,

Savageduck

On 1/17/14 PDT, 8:52 AM, Savageduck wrote:
On 2014-01-17 16:14:53 +0000, John McWilliams said:
On 1/15/14 PDT, 1:57 PM, Savageduck wrote: On 2014-01-15 19:42:41

Now the real purist would admonish: "Go back when the light is right
for foreground and b/g and reshoot".!

Sometimes tough to do when you are on the road on day 3 of a 4 day road
trip. ;-)
I try to get up to Yosemite at least once a year, but I don't always
take the drive on 120 over Tioga Pass to the Eastern Sierras.

Same here. And my purist (not me!) was speaking hypothetically!

Love Yosemite.

On 2014-01-18 00:54:13 +0000, John McWilliams said:

On 1/17/14 PDT, 8:52 AM, Savageduck wrote:
On 2014-01-17 16:14:53 +0000, John McWilliams said:
On 1/15/14 PDT, 1:57 PM, Savageduck wrote: On 2014-01-15 19:42:41

Now the real purist would admonish: "Go back when the light is right
for foreground and b/g and reshoot".!

Sometimes tough to do when you are on the road on day 3 of a 4 day road
trip. ;-)
I try to get up to Yosemite at least once a year, but I don't always
take the drive on 120 over Tioga Pass to the Eastern Sierras.

Same here. And my purist (not me!) was speaking hypothetically!

Love Yosemite.

Then you should recognize this;

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...DSC1029A2w.jpg

and this;

https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...C0955Asefw.jpg


--
Regards,

Savageduck

On 1/17/2014 7:54 PM, John McWilliams wrote:
On 1/17/14 PDT, 8:52 AM, Savageduck wrote:
On 2014-01-17 16:14:53 +0000, John McWilliams said:
On 1/15/14 PDT, 1:57 PM, Savageduck wrote: On 2014-01-15 19:42:41

Now the real purist would admonish: "Go back when the light is right
for foreground and b/g and reshoot".!

Sometimes tough to do when you are on the road on day 3 of a 4 day road
trip. ;-)
I try to get up to Yosemite at least once a year, but I don't always
take the drive on 120 over Tioga Pass to the Eastern Sierras.

Same here. And my purist (not me!) was speaking hypothetically!

Love Yosemite.

That place is on my bucket list, as are most of the Western National Parks.

--
PeterN

On 2014-01-18 03:37:12 +0000, PeterN said:

On 1/17/2014 7:54 PM, John McWilliams wrote:
On 1/17/14 PDT, 8:52 AM, Savageduck wrote:
On 2014-01-17 16:14:53 +0000, John McWilliams said:
On 1/15/14 PDT, 1:57 PM, Savageduck wrote: On 2014-01-15 19:42:41

Now the real purist would admonish: "Go back when the light is right
for foreground and b/g and reshoot".!

Sometimes tough to do when you are on the road on day 3 of a 4 day road
trip. ;-)
I try to get up to Yosemite at least once a year, but I don't always
take the drive on 120 over Tioga Pass to the Eastern Sierras.

Same here. And my purist (not me!) was speaking hypothetically!

Love Yosemite.

That place is on my bucket list, as are most of the Western National Parks.

Usually the Spring is the best time to visit if you want to see the
waterfalls at their best. Late fall and early Winter are best to avoid
crowds. Memorial Day to Labor Day is a traffic & accommodation
nightmare.
http://www.yosemitepark.com

I am usually able to get into the Lodge in early May and/or November
without too much trouble.
http://www.yosemitepark.com/yosemite-lodge.aspx

I don't use The Ahwahnee Hotel as it is way too up market for me and I
am not trying to impress anybody, but you are more than welcome to dump
$$$ there.
Ihttp://www.yosemitepark.com/the-ahwahnee.aspx

On my three and four day trips I usually spend one night outside the
park at either the Narrow Gauge Inn or Tenaya Lodge at Fish Camp near
the Southern entrance.
http://www.narrowgaugeinn.com
http://www.tenayalodge.com

That gives me time to drive through from the Southern entrance to take
in all that route has to offer. That gets me to the Valley and the
lodge where I will spend 1 or 2 nights.

If I take the drive over Tioga Pass to the Eastern Sierra I will either
spend the night at Mammoth Lakes, or head up to Reno, or Lake Tahoe on
395.

Then there is Kings Canyon-Sequoia NP.
http://www.nps.gov/seki/index.htm
There I usually stay at the Wuksachi lodge, unless I have rented an RV,
then I will park at the Lodgepole campground in Sequoia and/or one of
the campgrounds in Kings Canyon at Cedar Grove.
http://www.visitsequoia.com/lodging.aspx

--
Regards,

Savageduck