kaliuzhkin

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. I like Aftershot, so far, but it seems to be lightweight compared to DxO PhotoLab. DxO seems to be held in higher regard. I've got trial versions of both and have trouble getting the hang of DxO. I want to know if other members of the forum have used it and what they think of it. Most important, where can I learn how to use it? I've looked at the RAM converters Wouter Willemse mentions but, right now, I'm considering DxO.

Has anyone had experience with these RAW converters? Where are resources to learn how to use them? Any books? I'm looking for a RAW converter. I'm currently using Corel AfterShot, which I find easy to use. The DxO software (trial versions) is more difficult.

One month later -- having read all these replies I'm getting somewhere. I'm still shooting RAW + JPEG but now my post-processing is RAW. I find Corel Aftershot easy to use. I handle white balance in two ways. First, I set white balance in my camera using a WhiBal studio card. Second, I try to include a WhiBal pocket card in every shot. Then I can set white balance in Aftershot using an eyedropper. I can't do that for every shot so for those without a card in the picture, I rely on the former. The option I asked about in the initial post, taking a picture of the WhiBal card, doesn't seem useful. Several observations about using an eyedropper to set the white balance: Aftershot tells me the color temperature of every spot I pick. The values in white and in grey are similar. However, the temperatures vary by as much as 500K within a single picture. I try to pick a spot that's in the middle. I'm reading up on these topics. Ben Long's Digital Photography seems like a good resource. Afterhot Pro: Non-destructive photo editing and management will be useful in learning about Aftershot. Thanks for all the tips. kaliuzhkin

I looked at FastRawViewer and now have many more questions. What is a RAW converter? What is embedded JPEG? Why is FastRawViewer even talking about JPG? Where can I learn more about these things? Can you refer me to any books or web resources that would help me understand? What about good, not too expensive, editing software which uses RAW photos and has cropping as an editing feature?

digitaldog: You can get a Spectrophotometer that can do this task for under $500. How much does a D5 cost? kaliuzhkin: Google search on spectrophotometer, first one was $18,000. D5 is about $5,000. kaliuzhkin said: ↑ Still, is there any way to get even a rough idea of the color temperature? That, and an eyedropper on a gray in a picture that you like are the only ways to adjust WB in PaintShop Pro. digitaldog: Define rough. kaliuzhkin: About the same accuracy that you would get with the D300 WB set to Auto, direct sunlight, Shade, Incandescent, Fluorescent, flash, or cloudy. rodeo_joe|1: - If you shoot RAW, you can make the white balance anything you like in post (within reason). JPEGs? Not so much; not without risking posterisation. JPEGs already have a white balance baked in, which means discarding data to change anything. OTOH, RAW is, or should be, data straight from the photosites, and so is as flexible as any white balance control you have on the camera... and maybe then some. kaliuzhkin: I shoot NEF (RAW) + JPEG. However, the only postprocessor I use is PaintShop Pro and that doesn't handle NEF very well. I haven't found any NEF editors that I like. I do a lot of tabletop photography to illustrate items I list on eBay. The main features I use are crop and brightness adjustment. I find that my pictures take very similar adjustments: high contrast. That's why I'm looking at WB. Anyway, I don't do much else in postprocessing. The Nikon routines handle NEF but don't readily crop. I might give Aftershot a try. rodeo_joe|1: I'm not really getting the issue here. kaliuzhkin: That's because I'm floundering around. What I want to explore is taking a picture of the grey card and using it as a reference. You can do that on the D300, but the reference picture has to be on the same memory card. In PSP, you use an eyedropper, but can you use a reference grey from another picture? Are the results even satisfactory?

You can get three Nikon D5's for the cost of a single spectrophotometer! A calibrated monitor is also off my list. I understand that "A camera isn't the ideal 'tool' for 'measuring' white balance by a long shot." Amazing that the WB process works as well as it does. So, setting WB by use of color temperature is very inaccurate. My Nikon D300 provides for setting WB by: Auto, direct sunlight, Shade, Incandescent, Fluorescent (7 types), Flash, color temperature, preset manual, and cloudy. Of these, preset manual is the most accurate. As a side note to the frequent observation that human eyes can readily adapt to changes in white balance, bees can distinguish shades of white 100x finer than humans can. They have to so that they can get the right flower. Their eyes are designed that way. In exchange for that talent, they can't identify shapes very well. Still, is there any way to get even a rough idea of the color temperature? That, and an eyedropper on a gray in a picture that you like are the only ways to adjust WB in PaintShop Pro.

After 10 years of using a Nikon D300 camera with Auto white balance, I'm now starting to pay more attention to White Balance. I bought a WhiBal Studio card (3.5" x 6"). For post-processing, I use Corel PaintShop Pro X8. I would consider Corel AfterShot Pro 3, Nikon routines Capture NX-D, ViewNX-I, View NX 2 and Capture NX-D. I have Nikon NEF Codec. I haven’t got the hang of these Nikon routines. For example, how do I crop? I avoid Adobe products because of the cost and the subscription model. I’m successful with using Direct Measurement to make the adjustment with the camera as I take the pictures. I light the grey card, measure it, and select the measurement. However, I have some questions about copying white balance from a pre-existing reference photo. That white balance coupling can be done with the camera or with the post-processing software. When I take the reference picture of the grey card, doesn’t that picture already have white balance adjustments? It seems that using it as a reference would introduce two cumulative adjustments. So how do I take the reference picture of the grey card? Another way to use the reference picture is to determine its color temperature and enter that as data. That, too, can be done with the camera or with post-processing software. But how do I determine the color temperature? Does one number, the color temperature, fully describe the white balance? How do I find that number? Dan

<p>Many email and eBay messages and phone calls later, </p> <p>The following lens boards look encouraging: <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/391474487277?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT">http://www.ebay.com/itm/391474487277?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT</a>, <a href="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LINHOF-Technika-Lens-Board-80x73mm-Cut-Out-34mm-/401140619897">http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LINHOF-Technika-Lens-Board-80x73mm-Cut-Out-34mm-/401140619897</a>? Both have rims on the back side.</p> <p>Rim at Nippon Photo Clinic said he could modify my new lens board to fit, for $50.</p> <p>So, go with either eBay lens board or with a modified lens board?</p> <p>Also, Rim said repairing the shutter would cost $180.00. Is that reasonable? Would I be better off returning the lens and starting over with another lens?</p> <p>Thanks</p>

<p>Would this be the type of work S. K. Grimes does? I've successfully worked with them on a Voigtlander Avus.<br> Any other recommendations?</p>

Of course. How about a recommendation for just working on the lens?

NYC

I got it! Carl Zeiss Tessar, 100mm. , f3.5. http://www.ebay.com/itm/LINHOF-F-ZEISS-TESSAR-100MM-F3-5-2X3-LENS-CLEAN-/282057461453?hash=item41abef4ecd:g:iLYAAOSw9eVXUejf It looks, feels and sounds nice. However, in order to use it, I need to do the following, and would appreciate help. 1. Get a suitable lens board. This one measures 73mm x 80mm x 2mm and doesn't fit. I think the problem is the thickness. The lensboard currently on the camera is 1mm thick. Could you identify a suitable lensboard on eBay? 2. Get a spanner wrench so I can detach the lens from this lensboard and fit it on a suitable one. I have "Rodenstock Metal Lens Wrench for Lens Retaining Rings" http://www.ebay.com/itm/Rodenstock-Metal-Lens-Wrench-for-Lens-Retaining-Rings-/181846453241?hash=item2a56e4abf9:g:CtwAAOSwyQtV3NUb and it doesn't extend far enough. 3. Repair or CLA the shutter. Shutter speeds 1s and 1/2s are way off. I can't tell about the faster speeds. Also, the lever which opens and closes the shutter seems stiff. The shutter does not have a T setting, and this is a minor inconvenience. Can you recommend a place for repair or CLA? 4. As long as I'm having the lens serviced, I might want to have the whole camera serviced. Bellow holes and problems like that.

<p>Joseph, thanks for your suggestion. Almost all of such lenses have Seiko shutters. I have not been able to find Linhof Technika 23 lens boards for Seiko shutters.</p>

<p>Gone. Now I'm gunning for this one, a Carl Zeiss Tessar, 100mm. , f3.5. <a href="http://www.ebay.com/itm/LINHOF-F-ZEISS-TESSAR-100MM-F3-5-2X3-LENS-CLEAN-/282057461453?hash=item41abef4ecd:g:iLYAAOSw9eVXUejf">http://www.ebay.com/itm/LINHOF-F-ZEISS-TESSAR-100MM-F3-5-2X3-LENS-CLEAN-/282057461453?hash=item41abef4ecd:g:iLYAAOSw9eVXUejf</a></p> <p>I put in a bid.</p> <p>As added plusses, the seller is in Canada, not Asia, and its on a Linhof Technika 2x3 lens board.</p> <p>Minus is the small number (3) of pictures.</p> <p>It's similar to the lens now on the camera, but it's 35-39 years newer (1966-1969, 1930)), is in a Linhof Synchro-Compur shutter, and the shutter has X flash synchronization.</p> <p>Much of the information about Schneider Xenar applies here as well, thank you.</p>

<p>Uh, where on this lens is the shutter speed set? The only thing I can see is a little notch in pictures 2 and 4, set to 1 in the pictures.</p> <p>Any comments or warnings about this lens? I know a Xenar is 4 elements, which is a step up from my current lens. It has a maximum aperture of 3.5, which is great, and its marked "Linhof" for the shutter. I also know it was made in 1954 - 1957.</p> <p>Anything else to consider about this lens? </p>