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jim_doty

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Posts posted by jim_doty

    What is needed for those 360 real estate images?

    in Accessories

    Posted

    Bob,

     

    I'm going to second a few observations and add a couple of software options.

     

    For a long time I used a Kaidan pano rig. It worked just fine and didn't cost much, but it was big and a bit awkward to use. I switched to an Arca-Swiss compatible quick release setup. I acquired the Really Right Stuff pano rig that Ellis described. I was in pano heaven.

     

    For software I use Panorama Factory

     

    http://www.panoramafactory.com/

     

    or Autostitch:

     

    http://jimdoty.com/Digital/autostitch/autostitch.html

     

    I've used Canon 10D, 20D, and 5D bodies with wide angle lenses like the Canon EF 17-40mm and EF-S 10-22mm lenses. Any of these options work just fine.

     

    Jim

    Canon 100mm 2.8 macro telephoto

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    Mike,

     

    I always manually focus the 100mm macro lens when doing macro work. I set the lens for the magnification I want. Then I focus by rocking back and forth (moving the camera closer and farther from the subject) until it looks crisp. Then I put my tripod under the camera location and tweak the focus again. As mentioned above, a focusing rail can be a big help.

     

    High magnification magnifies any errors in technique. A tripod and/or flash plus good technique are essential. The more you do this kind of work, the better you will get.

     

    You can increase magnification with quality, two-element closeup filters (like the 250D mentioned above), extension tubes, and high quality teleconverters. Putting a Canon EF 25mm extension tube in between the 100mm macro lens (at closest focus) and a Canon 2x teleconverter will give you about 2.5X magnification. Of course focus and everything else becomes more critical at these magnifications.

     

    Jim

    What to get and how to use

    in Lighting Equipment

    Posted

    Jeanette,

     

    I like Alien Bees flash units. They are well made, reasonably priced, and highly respected.

     

    The "Beginner Bee" package is a good start.

     

    http://alienbees.com/packages.html

     

    After you click on the Beginner Bee package link, you can substitute the B400 unit for the B800 unit and save some money on the pachage. The B800 has more power but the B400 has enough power for most people's needs.

     

    You can buy a second package now or later to have a two light setup.

     

    Some photographer's get a third or even fourth light, but you can do a lot with a one or two light set.

     

    A good basic book on portrait studio lighting is Christopher Grey's Master Lighting Guide for Portrait Photographers.

     

    Jim

    need opinions on which lens to buy first!

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    Carla,

     

    The 50mm f/1.8 lens is an excellent choice for a fast, sharp, free lens. Well, not exactly free but close at $100 :) It will be very useful hand held in low light. It will also be a very fine portrait lens on the XTi (like an 80mm lens in 35mm film terms).

     

    Since you lean toward longer focal lengths, I think the EF 28-135mm IS lens would be a great all around primary lens and a fine complement to the 50mm lens. It will be like a 44-216mm lens on a film camera. The Image Stabilization feature will be very useful in a variety of shooting situations when you don't want to use a tripod. The 28-135mm lens was my primary medium focal length zoom lens prior to getting the EF 24-105mm IS lens.

     

    Based on your experiences with these two lenses, you can decide down the road what your third lens will be. Maybe the 70-300 IS lens if you want to go longer, or the 17-40mm or 10-22mm wide angle lens.

     

    Enjoy!

     

    Jim

    Recommendation for Editing Software

    in The Digital Darkroom: Process, Technique & Printing

    Posted

    PS Elements is very good software for the money and may serve most or all of your needs. I still use version 2 for some of my editing.

     

    Photoshop CS/2/3 is great software, adds several features that may or may not be important to you and it is very expensive. I'm still using CS. I will probably skip CS2 and go to CS3 when it is out

     

    By all means download Adobe Lightroom Beta and try it out for free.

     

    http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/lightroom/

     

    Jim

    Any magazines still using slides?

    in The Wet Darkroom: Film, Paper & Chemistry

    Posted

    JD

     

    From Arizona Highways' online submission guidelines:

     

    "In order to achieve the high-quality reproductions in our publications, we prefer large format (4x5) transparencies, especially for the large scenic landscapes that we are famous for. We will use medium format and 35mm transparencies that display exceptional quality and content. Some subjects such as wildlife and people are best suited to 35mm, but in order to achieve high-quality reproduction they must be shot on fine-grained color slide film (100 ISO or slower). NO PRINTS, NEGATIVES, DIGITAL-CAPTURE PHOTOGRAPHS, OR DUPLICATE TRANSPARENCIES WILL BE ACCEPTED FOR REVIEW BY THE PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS." (Bold print is from the source.)

     

    Source:

     

    http://www.arizonahighways.com/page.cfm?name=About_Submissions_Photo

     

    Jim

    How do I get sharp shots on overcast days?

    in Portraits & Fashion

    Posted

    Vicky,

     

    Like other posters, I think your problem may have more to do with the flatness of the light than any inherent lack of sharpness with your lens and camera. I am assuming you use a tripod and cable release and you use the optimum apertures on your lens while still getting the depth of field that you want.

     

    A few more "sharpness" tips are here:

     

    http://jimdoty.com/Tips/Maximum_Sharpness/maximum_sharpness.html

     

    I don't usually shoot on heavily overcast days (no shadows) unless there is something dramatic going on with the subject or the light (like dramatic cloud formations).

     

    I love slightly overcast days with soft shadows for doing portraits of people and flowers.

     

    I usually prefer to do landscapes when there is some directionality to the light (overcast or not) with distinct shadows. I prefer side light or back light. Having the sun directly behind me is my least favorite light. There are some days due to the quality of the light that a landscape can be quite magical without any directionality to the light at all.

     

    If you look through several good photo books, or head for the mall and look at some really good calendars, ask yourself which scenes taken in overcast light appeal to you the most and why.

     

    You can boost the contrast of an overcast scene after the fact in Photoshop with Levels and other tools.

     

    Jim

    What do you think about this?

    in The Digital Darkroom: Process, Technique & Printing

    Posted

    Go Ellis!

     

    I didn't care for the approach of the article. A bit too much like the lead-ins to the nightly news we've been getting lately: "This news could save your life - tune in at 11." I learned at 11 we shouldn't drink liquid drain cleaners.

     

    My "Uncle Joe" just went digital and has a new NiCanTax SuperShot digital point-and-shoot and takes his memory cards to the local JiffyQuick lab to have his prints made. If he asked me for advice I would tell him to set his camera to sRGB and shoot jpeg. That's not the advice I would give to most people at Photo.net.

     

    I would think photographers at Photo.net who do most of their own printing would be working in Adobe RGB or one of the other wide gamut color spaces. I could be wrong.

     

    Jim

    EOS Rebel XT or XTi ?

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    Lana,

     

    For the purposes stated in your two posts, you won't go wrong with either camera. They work very much alike and the XTi has a few extra bells and whistles for the extra money that won't appreciably affect image quality.

     

    However I would suggest you find a good used Canon 20D with a warranty from a reputable dealer. You can use it in dummy mode when you want to. When you want to work in manual mode, having a thumb wheel on the back to control aperture, and a dial on top to control shutter speed is very handy. Even in the auto modes, having the dial on top to adjust the preferred aperture or shutter speed, and the thumb wheel on the back to bias the exposure compensation is still very handy.

     

    Jim

    Help on DOF

    in Nikon

    Posted

    Vyas,

     

    The short version.

     

    1) Use you longest focal length you have available (on your kit lens, that would be 70mm).

     

    2) Use the widest aperture you can (probably f/4 or f/5.6 on the kit lens.

     

    3) Get as close to your subject as you can.

     

    You can read more here:

     

    http://jimdoty.com/Tips/Depth_of_Field/dof_digital/dof_digital.html

     

    http://jimdoty.com/Tips/Depth_of_Field/hyperfocal_digital/hyperfocal_digital.html

     

     

    In the long run, you would be helped in your quest for shallow depth of field by a longer lens (200-300mm) a lens with a faster maximum aperture (f/2 or f/2.8) or both. A 50mm f/1.8 lens is one inexpensive option. A 70-300mm zoom is another option.

     

    Jim

    best setting for b/w on 305d eos

    in Mirrorless Digital Cameras

    Posted

    Gary,

     

    First of all, I agree with the other posts that suggest you shoot in color and convert to B&W later.

     

    Some suggestions for capturing "sharp" images (i.e., good edge definition and contrast) are here:

     

    http://jimdoty.com/Tips/Maximum_Sharpness/maximum_sharpness.html

     

    The article was written back in my film days but it all still applies to digital.

     

    I would also suggest you shoot at your camera's highest resolution, and shoot in RAW or the highest jpeg setting.

     

    Jim

    5D - noisy blacks

    in Canon EOS Mount

    Posted

    Alec,

     

    It's not unusual to get some digital noise in the darkest areas of an image, even at lower ISO's with a quality camera like the the Canon 5D. It's just a fact of life in digital photography. Underexposure exaggerates the noise in the dark areas, and lightening the dark areas in Photoshop makes the noise all the more obvious. I leave the dark areas dark. As much as I love digital photography, the images don't have the wonderful "heel" and "toe" you get with a great film.

     

    Jim

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