mark_man

HK is a fantastic place for photography mainly because of the immense contrasts packed into a tiny area. Why don't you aim to capture as many of these as possible eg old vs modern, rich vs poor, natural vs artificial, east vs west, kitsch vs culture etc. Often this can be achieved within the one frame! Also, don't forget the smaller islands, and if you have time - the former new territory coastline is very pretty (esp north-eastern areas).

 

Re film - I usually recommend Fuji Reala for travel photography because of good saturation, colours and skin tones. Slight downside is speed (100, although I rate it at 80ISO)

 

I also have the F10 - which I can thoroughly recommend due to its excellent (for a digicam) high ISO performance (complements my Reala-loaded SLR) and fast startup/shutter response.

Use decent film (my bias is Fuji Reala) and find a reliable lab (doesn't necessarily mean expensive)

FYI works with PS elements as well BTW.

B&W is a good solution for most situations where there is likely to be a colour cast for whatever reason. Or you can use a chromogenic such as XP2 or T400CN (if 400ish is fast enough for the available light).

XP2 is fantastic for not-quite-as-old ones as well! Exclusively digital users have no idea what they're missing out on...

Do you mean print vs slide resolution?

Do they sharpen up easily in PS? My digital experience is also limited but I understand most if not all digital files need some ex-camera sharpening. If they don't sharpen easily I agree you might have a problem.

Why don't you just stand back a bit and zoom in with the lens. Should get more flattering pictures that way anyway (from a perspective point of view). If you really want close-up distorted shots, then manually lower the ISO (the camera remembers what you set even if you turn it off).

If you want satisfying photos from your expensive trips abroad then you have to bring suitable gear! For most people a 35mm SLR gives the best compromise for equipment versatility vs weight/bulk/cost. An equivalent DSLR is much more expensive, and generally heavier/bulkier. Obviously, though, you also have to consider D&P vs computing related costs - which only you can work out for yourself - essentially it depends on your shooting volume. Get out the calculator! For me, film is still (just) more economical (and "better") all up - so I can afford to wait for the DSLR market to mature further.

Can you wait a couple of months? The R1 will not be the only digicam with an APS-C sensor for long. That high price should come down a bit with competition...

Stephen, listen to Ralph's invaluable observations.

 

I'd just like to point out (mainly for the benefit of others reading this thread) that the MP count does not in itself equate to image quality - only to image size. That's why comparing a 6MP DSLR to a 10 MP compact is not as obtuse as it may sound (unless you really need the physical size)! APS-C sensors will have a big future in compacts, but your current requirements I think demand a DSLR solution.

Just had a quick look at the B&H website (I'm assuming you're in the states). A Nikon D50 is USD570 and the Sigma 18-200 is USD370 (or if you wanted to stretch to the new Nikon 18-200 that is USD750). While I am a Canon 35mm user (so no first=hand experience with this setup), I suspect this single-lens combination would give you better image quality than either of the Sony digicams you have mentioned (particularly at higher ISOs). Obviously, you could split the range into 2 or more lenses if so desired. Can any Nikon users comment?

2 questions.

 

1) Why do you want to stay with Sony?

 

2) Would you consider a DSLR?

 

The reason I ask is that depending on exactly what you want to achieve, a DSLR may be better value and produce better photos than any of Sony's current high-end digicam products. While the R1 has made a leap forward for digicams in terms of sensor size - it sounds like the image quality doesn't yet match a similarly priced DSLR.

 

If your desire to stay with Sony is not negotiable, why don't you consider DSLRs which use Sony sensors (eg Nikon, reputedly)? If you want further info on Sony and other digital cameras, dpreview.com is worth a shot.

It look like some sort of processing error - exactly what is hard to say without seeing the actual negatives or prints. If the lab can't give you a credible reason for their error, then there is no way I would use them to D&P a wedding, or indeed anything else in the future.

The optimal DOF for candids or portraits in general is a matter of personal taste. Having said that, most photographers would agree that the setup you have is an ideal one for this purpose. The relatively narrow DOF allows you to isolate the subject, making her stand out from an otherwise distracting background.

A broad question indeed! Even a single European country contains towns and regions which are culturally/ethnically/historically distinct. To photographically explore the richness of a single country would take many weeks on its own! So, depending on how "much" of Europe you want to see on this trip, you could be very satisfied with just one country, or you may want to experience selected highlights of a few. Obviously, this partly depends on whether you intend to return to Europe in the future. Personally, I am fascinated by Italy - unmissable in my book. Great variety of scenery, people and culture (and food) within a single country. You could take in Rome, Florence, Sienna, Venice, Amalfi coast, Cinque Terre, Lake district - then venture into Switzerland for a completely different experience! Hope this is helpful for you!

The other digicam to consider - if available in your area - is the F11 which apparently has manual controls. I haven't tried it but it *may* allow "dragging the shutter" ie allowing the user to set a slower but still hand-holdable shutter speed to better expose the background. Does anyone know if this feature is available on the F11? If not, I'm afraid what you need is an SLR or equivalent.

I wouldn't stress too much about modern hand luggage scanners, even with multiple passes. Just my personal experience but I've never had any problems with multiply scanned slow film. Call me foolhardy but I don't ask for hand checks either! Mind you, the scanners for checked luggage are another thing entirely - wouldn't chance even a single pass with those.

Darren is correct. This is a digicam, not a dedicated SLR flashgun. May I ask why you are taking flash pictures at ISO 1600? If you want better exposure for the background, best to use the slow-sync mode (and a tripod).

If adequately exposed (ie err on side of over rather than under exposure) the colours indoors will be saturated, with nice skin tones. Try placing the subject near a window where there is indirect light coming through (ie not direct sun).

I would definitely try to avoid having to use the built-in flash for indoor portraits - or any portrait unless it is just for fill in an emergency. Why don't you try shooting with available (natural) light (not direct sunlight) - Reala will give beautiful results for portraiture if adequately exposed.

As others have alluded to, the trouble with travel photography is that usually the photography is secondary to the travel. That's certainly my personal experience. In other words, most people do not put in the hard hours required to produce top class images when they are abroad on holiday! To really produce a marketable portfolio, one needs to spend as much time on capturing a unique "travel" image as one would normally in one's home environment. The lazy way (which too often I subscribe to) is to take pictures of whereever you happen to be, whenever you happen to be there. Result: suboptimal lighting, suboptimal technique, suboptimal composition - surprise, surprise - me-too photograph. The other problem with travel photography is that we all tend to take photos of whatever takes our fancy, instead of sticking to a theme in terms of subject matter, technique, style etc. Being able to group photos by easily identifiable theme helps vastly in selling a portfolio. Looking at your website I think some of your images are quite strong and are certainly a good start. Keep at it!

Sounds like you need the Fuji F11 - don't know where you are but it's available in the UK. The high ISO performance, fast response times etc should be identical to the F10 with the addition of manual controls.

The F11 is indeed now in stock at Jessops in the UK. If the noise performance is the same as the F10 (which it should be), it is very impressive up to ISO 800. At 1600 there is definitely noticeable noise, but not severe. If you can do without the manual controls, the F10 is a great camera!

I've just started using the F10 - very impressive noise control at ISO 400-1600. Its response times are indeed quick - power on and shutter lag. Manual control is very limited, so if this is important to you, wait for the F11.