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Hello Skyy

 

I use the S5 since 3-4 months now. I can deliver to you my first impressions. I used a D200 just before : the body is just perfect, but as a landscape photographer I was angry about burning highlights too easyly (even with underexposure -1IL...), on the other hand I was really surprised by sharpness (maybe too much, which sometimes makes shots not as natural as we expect!

 

The S5, for me gives just opposite results : perfect handling of low/highlights-dynamic-, which is what I expected from this DSLR, but soft sharpness results (JPEG or RAW), sharpness need to be enhanced in postprocessing, which clearly remind the user that it's only a 6 Mpix DSLR!

Perfect colors rendition in direct JPEG, no real need to shoot in RAW (files far too big : 25 Mo! Fuji Hyper Utility software not friendly to use, very far from the "turbo" Nikon Capture !).

 

The extremely good performance of the S5 is the very low noise even at 1600 ISO...if it's usefull to you...(shooting in low lights with no flash etc...)

 

The extremely bad performance of the S5 is it's low response time, the 3 shots per second is just possible in JPEG with NO wide dynamic...very dispointing when you want try some sports shots or even fashion shots in movement...compared to the S5, the D200 is a killer on this point.

 

Considering your purposes, S5 is a good choice for portraiture, maybe not for fashion (moving models...). Considering large prints is not a problem is you don't expect extreme sharpness, here perfect noise handling is a significant asset.

 

Conclusion is that the perfect DSLR is hard to find (maybe the new Canon 1D MK III...not my budget unfortunately...!)

 

All the best

 

JP

Well, Mark has been faster than I to promote the "poll" idea...maybe not so crazy an idea...?

After having read this long and very passionate thread, I will just bring my 2 cents, which I feel is a commitment for a site that brought me so much...

 

First : thank you Philip for - as said upper - your proactive effort to listen for members opinions and for your commitment to improve community's satisfaction.

 

Second : task is hard and ideal will never exist (PN is great !) as we are in a subjective environment (hopefully!)...I would not try to even summarize the "pro" and "con" (so far...) to improve or cancel the rating system...I don't feel I would come to a clear conclusion and I don't feel entitle to...

 

Then I will just give you my feelings :

 

- I AM for keeping the rating system, that makes this site original (compared to most others) and that (imho) is an incentive to improve one's skills, learn, exchange... If the rating system was nothing worth, I don't think any discussion would have even started on the matter?

 

- I understand the attempt made with anonymous ratings to counterbalance mate ratings...then if the basic problem is to eliminate mate ratings , the idea to shift from "anonymous ratings" to "anonymous post" mentioned upper (used in other "critique only" sites) seems also to me a good idea, IF, in addition, you make ratings impossible to be changed afterwards (which is possible today) : identity of the photographer being revealed after 24hours.

 

- finally, if PN admin has time and courage , why not to summarize all submitted ideas in this thread (reposted every day during a period of time) in a questionnaire and submit it to the community votes, say during a month, to get a democratically support for any decision ; something like :

 

1/ do you want to keep a rating system : Y - N

2/ do you want to keep anonymous rating : Y - N

3/ do you want anonymous post implemented : Y - N

etc...etcﾅ

Web answered opinion survey, on a short list easy to sort (not easy to implement!) and (maybe?) helpful to make a decision or ,at least ,enlighten most popular wishes...

 

Well, crazy idea isnﾒt it ? Crazy job for sure !

 

Jean-Pierre

GMW : if somebody rate a shot in your portfolio, this is (normaly !) an IDENTIFIED rating, not an ANONYMOUS one...

I don't know if anybody has already raised this question to Brian, but how is

it possible to get "anonymous ratings" on shots posted for critiques before

the anonymous rating system was started (february or march this year, as far

as I can remember)...?

I still get anonymous ratings (which I do not complain at all...!) on shots

posted one year ago or two years ago...! and the most surprising is that among

them, they are ratings from new members (?), of which ratings are not

registered before moderators review.

 

As anonymous ratings should be related only to "rate recent request" queue, I

am a bit perplex (but not anxious...!).

 

Thanks Brian for any explanation to satisfy my curiosity...

Hello Steve

 

to be ranked in the "Top photos -rate recent average-" only anonymous ratings count, and you need at least 5 anonymous ratings.

 

But if you check "Top photos -average-", you should find your shot at its right place, as all ratings count for the "average" ranking. Remember you have also to select the right period (day, 3 days, week, month etc...) , according to the first time you have posted your critique request.

 

Note you can also check "Top photos " by nr of ratings, nr of comments, nr of view...etc...

As the default ranking is "rate recent average", people often forget to look at the other ranking possibilities.

 

Hope this answer your question

Hi Allison

 

First you may know that the D70 is factory set to underexpose, you should try correcting exposure by 1/3 or 2/3 IL in your case

 

But I think the right answer to your problem is to shoot in RAW and process the file with Nikon Capture. Nikon Capture is for me absolutely necessary to get the best results from the D70. Whatever you obtain from the body, you will be able to correct WB balance, sharpness and lighting dynamics/equilibrium better with NC than you could believe...it's really worth trying (you can download a trial version from Nikon site to test if it works for your needs).

 

Hope you will solve your problems

 

JP

It's very clear...if someone gives you one 7 (aesthetic OR originality) you will be forbidden to give him one 7 during 14 days, even if the guy produces the best shot of the year...

 

Very intelligent, isn'it ?

 

That's the way PN is improving, among other systems like anonymous ratings...

I fully agree with Jenifer...If some people think that ratings doesn't matter, then why to maintain a rating system ? Isn't a rating system precisely set up to rank pictures and photographers ? If these don't care about then why don't they stay away of this discussion, and keep on shooting for fun and posting, but please, don't give lesson to people that think rating system can be a serious way to promote or judge their own work and improve their skills. I think PN is a way for photographers not just posting "for fun", to promote their work internationaly, and get some feedback and why not business opportunities ?

 

Then, when you post a photo, and after having pressed the button "confirm", you already have 4 or 5 anonymous ratings 3/3 or 4/4, in less than a minute, do you really think that it is serious and gives PN any credibitility...NO, definitely NO...

 

What Jennifer says is true, most of the best photographers (among which I don't consider to be...)have stopped posting their shots for rating critics...just critics only : I am speaking about many photographers of which we do not see the work any longer in the TRP : is it an improvement ? for me, NO, it is not...

 

Jenifer says " I will no longer be submitting for ratings critique - it will be critique only. Ratings have gotten out of hand and I will tolerate no more"...Great answer, Brian : "Jenifer, you should have stuck with your practice of not complaining about ratings "...so you ignore complains and are satisfied by yourself and by silent people ? May I remain you what is the forum subject, as indicated on the screen : " This forum is for questions, suggestions, criticisms, complaints, or just comments on the photo.net site itself, its user interface, and its mechanics "...

 

Then instead of always answering to complains, "you don't have to complain, my system is improved, be happy or go away...", you should ask yourself why all these complains are suddenly raising, what is wrong no that was not before....?

 

I never complained in the past, I found PN to be the best site for photo critics, learning, sharing its passion with serious people etc...Today, sorry, I complain with the rating system changes,OK...! and obviously ,I am not the only one...easy way to solve the point, Brian : delete this post, as you have done it previously on similar...

Quite a positive step, Brian...above all, it gives a longer "life time" to the photos submitted to critics, and a larger global view of the critic forum. It may also "re-equilibrate" direct and anonymous ratings, which would be fair...let's see !

Good job !

 

JP

Thanks Brian, and John...

Question to Brian, please, that may concern the community :

 

The "Top photographers" last update is unchanged since march 15th,

as it was updated every day up to now...is there any new policy in

the frequency of updating this ?

 

thanks for your answer

ok, thanks...then, if I well understand, a photo has to reach the end of the queue to get out of the anonymous rating system...? it has nothing to do with time, but with a fixed number of post, is that right ?

Question to Brian please : how long a new post is available for

anonymous rating, starting from one submit it ?

 

It seems to me that this question is relevant, as it seems that

anonymous ratings get worse as time is going through...as if they

were influenced by-for instance- the TRP place of the shot...(do you

follow my thoughts...)

Consequence : the wished equilibrium between direct ratings and

anonymous is totaly upset, as anonymous rating (at least on recent

observations) weight more than 2 thirds.

 

Thanks for your answer

Congratulation to the PN team, that has made a great job these days by identifying and cleaning "goofy" raters with no galeries (those that surprisingly were mostly giving 7/7 always to the same photographer, and 3/1 or 2/2 to the Top listed...!)...this help to give the site rating system more signification and it's good for auto critic also,imho...

Thanks Jacques for your participation...Now I have got it, and personaly I share your point : a picture that has not been submitted for critics should not be open for rating...

thanks for your answer Jessica...for subscriber I knew the rules indeed...but I think your last point is exactly the right answer to my question...I did not know that a picture for which you have not requested critics could enter the top photo when they are rated in the portfolio...quite clear now...then I have a hard job!!!

I would like to know how it is possible to submit more than one

photo per day to critics, when not being yet a subscriber. I ask

this, because in spite of site rules, I see this happening often...?

 

As I am a new member,I take the opportunity to thank the photo.net

team for this great site, that is really one if not the best in its

category -imho - Personnaly I find a lot of satisfaction and

inspiration here...thanks