Personally I am very happy with the D800, which can be had for a song these days.
DeltaSigma wrote:
Yup - include me in the photo funk category.
I would like to upgrade the D610 but cannot even decide what to replace it with.
The D610 will most likely receive a 850nm IR conversion once I overcome my indecision.
The D610 would be an awesome conversion candidate! Love your IR shots
DeltaSigma wrote:
Yup - include me in the photo funk category.
I would like to upgrade the D610 but cannot even decide what to replace it with.
The D610 will most likely receive a 850nm IR conversion once I overcome my indecision.
AdaptedLenses wrote:
Edit: George, just read your whole post, B&W is my go to with weather like this, at least if you can find a break in the rain. Fog rolling off the ocean helps though.
Pulled out the 35-O today. Couple mono shots on a drab day.
I need to take a few days and get down to the coast. I agree with your B&W assessment for the weather we have been having. Going to try getting out between rain this weekend. We have a great new hiking trail within a bike ride of the house with some photo potential. But being that it is a new trail and the great North Carolina red clay soil in this area, it is a muddy mess
Thanks for the ICE recommendation, but wrong platform for me.
NightOwl Cat wrote:
The only reason for my photo funk is time... but starting Saturday, I have a week's vacation so I can finally take my first photos of the year!
For stitching, there's also Microsoft ICE (Free, too)
No „funk-mood” over here in the north-eastern part of germany. I enjoy the snow und the tons of light.
Some snaps from a short walk, all taken (SOOC - JPEGs) with the old Fuji X-Pro 1 and adapted MF-Nikkor-lenses:
auf gehts! (Ai 20/3.5)
Hi!
(shot with the 85/1.8H I got from Paul)
troubled bridge in need of a repair
(most crossed bridge in my hometown, I see traffic-jams are the future)
also with Pauls 85/1.8H
I love birch-trees
(shot with a cheap 135/3.5 Ai - a lovely little lens)
and some fun with a poor birch in the snow and a carefully de-focused 28/2 Ai:
The coast is basically one big swap so I understand!
gbohannon wrote:
I need to take a few days and get down to the coast. I agree with your B&W assessment for the weather we have been having. Going to try getting out between rain this weekend. We have a great new hiking trail within a bike ride of the house with some photo potential. But being that it is a new trail and the great North Carolina red clay soil in this area, it is a muddy mess
No „funk-mood” over here in the north-eastern part of germany. I enjoy the snow und the tons of light.
Some snaps from a short walk, all taken (SOOC - JPEGs) with the old Fuji X-Pro 1 and adapted MF-Nikkor-lenses:
AdaptedLenses wrote:
The coast is basically one big swap so I understand!
Was thinking about doing an overnight in the truck to Pea Island to see if there are still any winter over waterfowl there, but keep seeing Rt 12 getting over wash and issues with the dunes last week. Don't want to get stranded on the wrong side of that
I would appreciate any knowledge on these MF Nikon TCs....like the differences about the AI versus the AIS. Nikon claims that the little divot on the mount is basically the only difference between the tc-200 and tc-201 (for 2x on 200mm or less), or the tc-300 and the tc-301 (for 2x on 300mm +). Otherwise the number of lens elements are identical. Somehow this little divot allows "better" f-stop accuracy, but the f-stop is manually controlled on a MF Nikkkor? I have only seen a tc-301 in use once by a guy lugging an 800mm f5.6 ais shooting birds with the tc at Binna Burra in Australia. He claimed it didn't effect image quality much.
NightOwl Cat wrote:
I have one, and have vacation time starting tomorrow, but only a week. Will try it out.
George, Though you didn't ask...I have found the best way out of a funk is to go shoot even when you don't
want to shoot anything.
Software questions
Astro Stacking Software guide and software comparison LINK HERE
Focus Stacking I do manually in Photoshop, but I think Helicon is the highly rated commercial software.
For Stitching software Photoshop works well most the time, but MS ICE has been even less problematic for me.
There are many guides online on using photo merge in photoshop. I use to manually stitch images back in the
early 1990s using photoshop 3.05, and 4.01 by just creating a large canvas, and adjusting each added each image
as a layer with specific adjustments, painting with the history brush, and free transforms. I literally spent days on
some of the larger images. So, photo merge and MS ICE are like magic to me.
I use to shoot from half frame 35mm up to 4x5 and everything in between. I love all the information a 4x5
can gather, as well as medium format like 6x9, 6x6 etc. It is funny how as things modernized in medium
and large format photography - the more complicated it became. Of all my larger format gear I sold off I
really miss my old 6x9 Zeiss Ikon Super Ikonta 530 that fit in my shirt pocket when folded up, or my
6x6 twin lens Zeiss Ikon. Those old uncoated Tessar formula lenses were so sharp, and they were truly portable
and simple to operate.
gbohannon wrote:
Hey gang,
Anyone else in a photography funk?
The weather here has been terrible the last month and nothing but rain forecasted for the next 5 - 6 days.
Have been spending "photography time" cleaning some lenses and trying out some new apps/programs. I think I am almost ready to move over to Capture One. Have been on the fence and still have about 10 days on the trial, but I think I am going to go with it. The Luma range function and LCC (Lens Cast Calibration) feature is what is pushing me over the top. LCC in Capture One works so much better than Flat Field Correction in Lightroom. At least for me it does.
Question for you folks. What tools are you using other than Photoshop for stitching and stacking? I have read good things about PTGUI but has been years since I have tried that. Is Helicon still the go to software for stacking?
I am also using an iPhone/iPad app called Cadrage Director's Viewfinder (I think it is only for iOS but not 100% sure). It is just what it says, a virtual viewfinder for just about any camera/lens combination you can think of and you can add custom cameras and custom lenses for anything that is not already listed.
Great for scouting out a location for coming back later to shoot. Not a big deal if you are carrying a SLR/DSLR but if you are planning on lugging a large format rig or technical camera set up, you can take your iPhone/iPad in advance and see what gear you really need. I think it is pretty cool. I went out on a short hike on a new trail the other day and used the app to plan a few shots with the 4x5 and Cambo rig. Was able to simulate the view for each camera/lens combo and know what will work best.
I have configurations set in the app for 35mm, digital medium format, film medium format and 4x5 film. Able to see what the actual field of view would be for each. Can take simulated shots and export a shot list complete with FOV information, location information, etc.
If you are shooting multiple formats and especially the big stuff (looking at you Samy), you may want to check it out. (I am not affiliated with them)
No „funk-mood” over here in the north-eastern part of germany. I enjoy the snow und the tons of light.
Some snaps from a short walk, all taken (SOOC - JPEGs) with the old Fuji X-Pro 1 and adapted MF-Nikkor-lenses:
James Markus wrote:
I would appreciate any knowledge on these MF Nikon TCs....like the differences about the AI versus the AIS. Nikon claims that the little divot on the mount is basically the only difference between the tc-200 and tc-201 (for 2x on 200mm or less), or the tc-300 and the tc-301 (for 2x on 300mm +). Otherwise the number of lens elements are identical. Somehow this little divot allows "better" f-stop accuracy, but the f-stop is manually controlled on a MF Nikkkor? I have only seen a tc-301 in use once by a guy lugging an 800mm f5.6 ais shooting birds with the tc at Binna Burra in Australia. He claimed it didn't effect image quality much.
Maybe this will help.
Here is a side by side comparison of the 180/2.8 ED and 180+TC-201
Shot within a few minutes of each other and from a travel tripod IIRC.
I cannot comment on the difference between the variants.
James Markus wrote:
Hi Georg, Weren't you setting up a darkroom?
Hi James,
yes, there's a nice small wet darkroom next to my study (home office). Due to problems with my skin and a lack of energy I shot more with digital cameras lately.
Today I headed out with the old Fuji X-Pro 1 and a couple of Nikkor-lenses after using more recent Nikon and Fuji cameras the last 2 years.
We had really good amounts of snow the last days. And snow ist very merciful to cities - most ugly stuff is hidden.
Here's the only processed shot from todays walk:
my neighborhood, detail shot with the 85/1.8H converted to Ai-mount and adapted onto a X-Pro1
Thank you Colin! I would be interested in the raw files - if it isn't too much trouble. I have been getting different online opinions about resulting f-stop changes. I always thought 1.4x tc = 1 stop, 1.7x tc = 1.5 stops. and 2.0x = 2 stops. I have a 200mm f2, and a 300mm f2.8 that I am considering using the 201 and 301 with. With my perhaps over simplified thinking - was expecting to end up with a 400mm f3.5-f4.0 in the first case, and a 600mm f4.5-5.0 - or close to that. I found a formula to calculate it exactly, but it includes filter size (122mm) length etc. I just want to know if the speed I am expecting is about right? I do have other TCs, but these two were designed for these two lenses I intend to use them on, and whether image quality holds up. If I can count eyelashes, or barbules on birds I will be satisfied. Jose can get sharp images of birds using almost any lens - it seems , but I know that it is more than glass - technique is a huge part of it.
Seems there is a lot of health concerns in this forum. I'm just glad i can read my computer screen well enough to get by. From April 2017 until recently - reading my computer screen was really laborious.
.georgms wrote:
Hi James,
yes, there's a nice small wet darkroom next to my study (home office). Due to problems with my skin and a lack of energy I shot more with digital cameras lately.
Today I headed out with the old Fuji X-Pro 1 and a couple of Nikkor-lenses after using more recent Nikon and Fuji cameras the last 2 years.
We had really good amounts of snow the last days. And snow ist very merciful to cities - most ugly stuff is hidden.
This is interesting. I used one of these lenses with film a long time ago. I thought back then it was very sharp. It is good to see it hold up to a high res digital camera. Thanks for sharing your nice photos.
This talk of photo funk motivated me to take a break from work, grab the camera, and venture into the garden at lunchtime.
I wasn't expecting much to have moved on after a week of freezing temperatures but this Witch Hazel has just started to sprout these minuscule flowers.
Yup, the funk has taken me too...
It's winter here now so I guess I should have more inspiration since it has been 10 years ago we had so much ice and snow...
If im lucky I'll be able to get out some this weekend..
gbohannon wrote:
Hey gang,
Anyone else in a photography funk?
The weather here has been terrible the last month and nothing but rain forecasted for the next 5 - 6 days.
Have been spending "photography time" cleaning some lenses and trying out some new apps/programs. I think I am almost ready to move over to Capture One. Have been on the fence and still have about 10 days on the trial, but I think I am going to go with it. The Luma range function and LCC (Lens Cast Calibration) feature is what is pushing me over the top. LCC in Capture One works so much better than Flat Field Correction in Lightroom. At least for me it does.
Question for you folks. What tools are you using other than Photoshop for stitching and stacking? I have read good things about PTGUI but has been years since I have tried that. Is Helicon still the go to software for stacking?
I am also using an iPhone/iPad app called Cadrage Director's Viewfinder (I think it is only for iOS but not 100% sure). It is just what it says, a virtual viewfinder for just about any camera/lens combination you can think of and you can add custom cameras and custom lenses for anything that is not already listed.
Great for scouting out a location for coming back later to shoot. Not a big deal if you are carrying a SLR/DSLR but if you are planning on lugging a large format rig or technical camera set up, you can take your iPhone/iPad in advance and see what gear you really need. I think it is pretty cool. I went out on a short hike on a new trail the other day and used the app to plan a few shots with the 4x5 and Cambo rig. Was able to simulate the view for each camera/lens combo and know what will work best.
I have configurations set in the app for 35mm, digital medium format, film medium format and 4x5 film. Able to see what the actual field of view would be for each. Can take simulated shots and export a shot list complete with FOV information, location information, etc.
If you are shooting multiple formats and especially the big stuff (looking at you Samy), you may want to check it out. (I am not affiliated with them)
Nice to see you back George! Love birches too
Great series.
Kristian
georgms wrote:
Hi there!
No „funk-mood” over here in the north-eastern part of germany. I enjoy the snow und the tons of light.
Some snaps from a short walk, all taken (SOOC - JPEGs) with the old Fuji X-Pro 1 and adapted MF-Nikkor-lenses:
, but I know that it is more than glass - technique is a huge part of it.