Mortyb, the undergrowth seems really "neon green" in your photos. Have you exposed them to right with using histogram or why does that happen? If you have dull lightning (no direct sunshine anywhere in this kind of forest photo) expose to right 99% of time generates overexposed image, same if you do it in post processing exposure adjustment looking histogram. The last 2/35 image is great, I would assume wide open based on bokeh (PS. The ugly corner bokeh is gone by f/3.1, sometimes even at f/2.8).
Lars, liked the last one, looked like there is small pool of water and something yellow floating in it?
Few from Volvo meeting.
subject: Volvo PV 544
lens: with Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 1,4/35 ZE
Notice! Unlike my usual photos made from single exposure these photos are not straight out of camera - I had to touch the "recovery" and "highlights" sliders in RAW converter, in addition to WB, cast and exposure sliders, which I don't consider image manipulation and use frequently. However as this is gear forum I left the CA and "magenta on blown highlights" to the final pictures, since it did not bother me at all.
Lars - I like both your flower shots.
Lieutenant Z - funny hat. Looks like someone left their jacket.
Samuli - cool PVs.
The "neon" greens are courtesy of Nikon vivid/landscape picture style. I actually dig the strong, saturated Nikon colors, that's really only why I got a D700 again, not a 5D2. The LV implementation sucks big time, but for me the output is worth the hassle. I'm actually glad I gave the D700 another shot after ditching it probably 5 times. It's such a joy shooting with my Zeiss lenses again. It was shot at f/2.5. Thanks for sharing the bokeh tip.
Not having used a 5DII with live view seriously, could you outline the difference between that and the D700? I use the D3, which I presume is like the D700 for LV, and it works fine for me, so naturally I am wondering what I am missing...
Carsten, it's the zooming first and foremost. I use LV handheld mostly. The 5D2 lets you zoom quick 0-50-100 % with your right thumb, so I can use my left hand to focus the lens. It's so fast and easy. Also the focus square size and speed on the LCD is much better IMO. With the D700, zooming in, adjusting focus, zoom out again to adjust composition (shooting handheld) - all have to be done with my left hand - is annoying and a hassle. Not to mention mirror flipping, self-timer issue and so on. It's kind of hard to explain, but handheld, the 5D2 LV impl. is so much smoother and easier to use. If only the center button on the D700 could be set to zoom in 100 % in LV - as I understand the D3X can. That would have made all the difference.
I would be surprised if the D3x can be set up like that, since I haven't found a way to set up my D3 like that, but maybe I am wrong.
I guess the zooming thing, while definitely an issue, and something I have wished for, is really a minor thing to anyone using tripods for the LV photography. However, the mirror/timer thing is bigger, although the release delay setting mitigates this somewhat.
I think the D3X can, I've browsed the user manuals to check out this because it annoyed the hell out of me. Yes, it's mostly a non-issue using tripod. But I shoot 99 % handheld, so... But Nikon colors, boy I've missed them.
Edit: Regarding color, I only use Nikon Capture NX for raw conversion. That's the only way I get those fat, saturated Nikon colors I dig. The true Nikon colors. But color pref. is a personal thing, so YMMV very much.
Now I am getting more than a little curious... I have always heard about the superior Canon LV implementation, and just accepted it as fact. However, is this just a combination of the zoom convenience and the mirror flip-flop? The D3x solves the former directly, and the mirror issue can be acceptably dealt with by enabling the release delay, IMO. Is there anything else, apart from the line skipping of the D800?
I don't know about the D800 LV implementation. But as I said, it's hard to explain. It's just a much smoother experience with the 5D2. The focusing box size and speed of movement is - to me - much better/easier on the 5D2. Self-timer issues of course. There's also something about exposure, I found the 5D2 to nail exposure almost every time using LV. The D700 is a bit more all over the place in this regard, I think. Look - it's not that the D700 is really really bad, it's just that the 5D2 really is close to perfect LV wise, IMO. Hard to explain, but using them side by side, the difference is obvious.
carstenw wrote:
Now I am getting more than a little curious... I have always heard about the superior Canon LV implementation, and just accepted it as fact. However, is this just a combination of the zoom convenience and the mirror flip-flop? The D3x solves the former directly, and the mirror issue can be acceptably dealt with by enabling the release delay, IMO. Is there anything else, apart from the line skipping of the D800?
Carsten, this is not just about zoom and mirror flip-flop! It also includes refresh rate, exposure simulation behavior/aperture stopping down, and most importantly, reliably nailing focus. The last one is most important to me, especially so on a high res sensor. Don't you think it would be ironical to build a great sensor with such a nice MP count only to compromise on LV implementation in such a way?
BTW, I have used LV on 5d2 extensively and briefly on D700 as well as D800. So do excuse my gaps in understanding of D800/D700!
1. Ergonomics: People have mentioned the right-handed zoom-in operation [1x, 5x, 10x], but equally convenient is the quick one-button press to get into LV [you can use the "SET" button or the Direct Print button, so you can pick which hand you want to use to get into LV]. The mirror implementation + [2s or 10s] delay is also straight forward and logical. On this front, I don't know if you can setup the D800 in such a way to make this equally easy.
Also, to be fair, I am equally surprised that Canon took a step back with the zoom button placement on the 5d3.
I don't know how well the timer/self-delay is setup on the D800 though [didn't like it on the D700]
2. Live Histogram! The 5d2 has this and AFAIK the D700 didn't have this. Not sure about D800. Sure, it is not a true RAW histo, but still is useful nevertheless.
3. Refresh rate: I do not have the old links which has the FPS numbers [LCD refresh rate], but IIRC, 5d2 LCD has 30fps refresh rate [enough to be smooth and fluid and just about real-time]. I believe D700 was 15fps [??] but I am not 100% sure. I do know it is slow though. Same thing on D800, it does feel slow but not 100% sure of exact refresh rate. Can be annoying to some people if you want to nail focus reasonably quickly.
4. Nailing focus: The interpolated LV implementation, line-skipping thingy was really a surprise for me and is not a minor issue for *me*. Had a hard time assessing focus on a high contrast target using a ZF.2 21 distagon. I would like to know I have nailed focus *before* taking the shot. A high res dSLR that will benefit studio and landscape photogs [especially those shooting high end glass to wring every last bit of resolution] really needs to have this one fleshed out nicely!
5. Exposure simulation/ Aperture behavior: This comes down to individual preference. I like the "lens wide open by default" behavior in 5d2 LV, with the *option* for aperture to stop down "live" in movie mode. The latter helps in dealing with lenses having focus-shift as you no doubt already know. I like this setup
I know the D800 default is stop down to the set aperture [==>dark, grainy display and exacerbates the issue of nailing focus issue although one can counter with deliberate over-exposure for focusing and then backing down to normal exposure for taking the image which can be a pain.] , but I do not know if this can be configurable via a camera setting to leave the lens wide open [?] This is like having to do stop-down metering; some people get by just fine and some folks just hate it! Like I said, this is a preference.
Hey, has anyone else noticed that there's no lens profile for the Zeiss ZE 35/1.4 in LR4? All the other lenses are there (including the new 15mm). Strange. Or maybe it's just me?
The Calypso Orchid (Fairy Slipper) is somewhat rare in southern Ontario and finding them in May is even more rare. These Orchids are very sensitive in the forest and rely on a delicate balance, it is very susceptible to disturbance and is therefore classified as threatened. Unfortunately this very Orchid was missing and presumed picked by a person visiting the island within a few hours of this photo being taken.
Jimmy D wrote:
Queen of the Woodland Forest
Beautiful !!!!
Jimmy D wrote:
Unfortunately this very Orchid was missing and presumed picked by a person visiting the island within a few hours of this photo being taken.
It's very sad.
Sometimes stupidity and ignorance combine with each other ...
Liquidpics, enjoyed the rusty red pipe image even the frame was rather distracting (combined with tight framing). I like subjects like this; often the smooth, shiny, clean and new things are rather boring and lack of textures.
"Volvo 164" - Carl Zeiss Distagon T* 1,4/35 @ f/3.5, 1/1250s, ISO 100 - larger
It's such a joy shooting with my Zeiss lenses again. It was shot at f/2.5. Thanks for sharing the bokeh tip.
