luis-a-guevara

<P>Sure there are possibilities . As you can see in the following images:<P>

<img src="http://i9.ebayimg.com/08/i/000/e8/90/2f03_1.JPG">

<img src="http://www.virtualcameraboutique.com/ebayads/SD14-F/IMG27733.jpg">

<img src="http://www.sigmacumlaude.com/ZYselections/IMG00019.jpg">

<img src="http://www.sigmacumlaude.com/ZYselections/IMG00011.jpg">

<img src="http://www.sigmacumlaude.com/ZYselections/IMG28547.jpg"><BR>

<P>You just have to look around for it . A first place to start is <a href= "http:/www.sigmacumlaude.com">http:/

www.sigmacumlaude.com</a> and also on

<a href= "http://shop.ebay.com/merchant/virtualcameraboutique_W0QQ_nkwZQQ_armrsZ1QQ_fromZQQ_mdoZ">

ebay :</a></

P>

Sure Roger , that is the whole idea of this posting. This image was processed using dcRAW-X which is an alternate RAW converter for the Macintosh , but versions exist for other platforms . It was output as a 16 Bit Linear PSD file . The file was opened in photoshop CS3 and asigned a Custom Adobe Prophoto profile that was only modified by changing its Gamma setting to 1.0.

If you dont use a Custom Profile , since Linear RAW files are not Tagged to any color space , Photoshop , unless instructed to do otherwise, will convert them to the working Color Space , and if none has been selected in the preferences it would default to sRGB , the most restrictive color space. In essence turning the LINEAL raw back to a plain vanilla NON LINEAR RAW file with the sRGB Gamma value of 1.8 , not different than what the camera would have produced .

I use Lightroom and its Linear option, but it does not work out the same . When I opened the image in Photoshop seem to have followed the same process that I just described , since Photoshop obviously knows about Lightroom exotic options . The only difference , if any, is that you dont have to asign a Linear Custom Profile.

When I open dcRAW-X files the situation is very different , the images are dark and the Histogram is concentrated at the lower end , as any Linear image should . When you asign or convert to the Custom Linear Profile of Gamma 1.0 you are not really changing the distribuition of Tones , but giving meaning to its Colors . You will have to do a Manual Tone Mapping (Or Re Mapping if you wish ) to expand the tones that have been concentrated in the Shadow portion of the Histogram .

I will be creating a Tutorial that I will post in my website when ready.

<P>Some images carry their message in their lower tones and some do it with their midlle tones and highlights, like this one:</P>

<img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/8079820-lg.jpg" alt="This image was shot RAW and processed as a 16 Bit LINEAL RAW in Adobe

Prophoto Color Space with a Custom Gamma 1.0 profile to properly render the extended amount of upper Tones." height="1005"

width="1492" border="0"><BR>

<P>Normal RAW processing spreads the image tones evenly across its Dynamic Range , thus , abnormally ,compressing the highlights

and expanding the Shadows , something that will not work well with this type of imagery .</P>

<P>Linear processing workflows , instead ,compress the shadows and devote the rest of the Color Space to Midtones and highlights

making it the perfect Complement to this type of imagery ,that results from frontal lighting.</P>

<P> I am inviting all members to discuss this advanced technique and share their experiences with the rest of us.</P>

<"Sarah Fox , Mar 12, 2008; 01:56 a.m.

Maybe sigma could change out the lens mounts for a fee? I don't know.

But as has been pointed out, you can't simply mount one of your Sigma/Nikon lenses on a Sigma body.

Maybe you could sell your Nikon mount lenses to raise money to buy used Sigma mount lenses.">

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You can install Leica-R lenses or Nikon-F lenses on the SD14 if you buy a "Mount Replacement Kit " offered on eBay.

There is one for sale right now at: http://my.ebay.com:80/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?MyeBay&MyeBay=virtualcameraboutique<div></div>

"Emilio Gutierrez , Jul 30, 2008; 05:36 p.m.

I don't own a Leica. And can't see how could I own one in the mid-, long-term. Still, it's one of those things I'd like to do

before I die. Photography is a hobby for me, It's not something I do for a living, just pleasure. I also tend to appreciate

craftsmanship, built-to-last construction, and good quality materials. Which is perhaps the main reason I want to take

photographs with a Leica. The "Leica experience" if you mind. Few things are a such a pleasure to own, as they are to

operate. To me Leica cameras fall in that category."

Funny that you don't own one ,yet you have managed to understand what Leica is all about. The "Leica Experience" has not

been equaled by any other German or Swiss manufacturers much less from any of the rest of the world. It is a feeling of

Empowerment , mixed with stimulating sensuous precision, that makes you think that you can photograph whatever it is

that excites you, knowing that you will get the best image possible.

Unfortunately this last part is no longer true in the digital arena where leica has become a follower .The real challenge that

Leica faces is about restoring their position as Leaders in Photography. Designing a FF DSLR inline with the current crop of

Japanese cameras will only perpetuate their current position as "Followers". They would be hitting the market with a still-

born product while the rest of the Japanese manufacturers moves onto the 24 MP Generation of FF.

The success of Barnack's first 35 mm camera was that it was a light , small , handheld ,high I.Q. replacement for the

cumbersome view cameras and medium format cameras of its time. This success would not have happened if the Image

Quality wasnt equal or better than the cameras it was targeted to replace.

If Leica is to reinvent itself it needs to repeat Barnack's strategy of jumping ahead of the Medium Format capabilities , that

everybody knows are not sleeping , but on the contrary seem to be going through their own revival and really leading the

image quality issue.

The next Leica-R camera has to offer better resolution , larger Mega Pixel count , and introduce new technologies like the

Foveon sensor Tricolor pixels . Anything else is just lateral development . What is needed is Revolution rather than Evolution

of the inherently defective Bayer technology

__________________

Luis:

Great answer Stuart . Each lens has a mission. I wouldnt think of climbing mountains with a

280 Apo Telyt f4 ,worth more than my car and 10 times heavier tan my camera is.Luis

I see that there is a Street photography contest and it makes me wonder on the legality of

photographing people and exhibiting their images without their consent.

This is an open question for people with knowledge of copyright matters. Thanks.Luis

Kelly Flanigan has a good point .Not only do Sensor technology change often ,but lenses as

well are begining to be designed for the sensor needs, in the same manner that Software and

Digital Processors are designed for each other.Modularity carries with it a recipy for Generic

design rather than Optimization. If one is interested in Image Quality more than reusability ,

the choice clearly goes for a camera in which all components are designed to work

Synergistically.

Does the presence of a Hot Mirror or equivalent filters affect the meter readings in any way?

Thanks.

<p>I have had exellent results using Spline 64 on a Dual Core Mini Mac on large images of

around 100 Mb , abouts 7-10 Mts of processing time . But a more in depth discussion and

Visual Analysis is available <a href="http://www.all-in-one.ee/~dersch/interpolator/

interpolator.html" target="_blank">here by Prof. Helmut Dersch, the original author of

PanoTools.</a> Luis</p>

<p>Exellent question and the answer is most definetily Yes!</p>

<p>Artists have long recognised that to MAKE an image that has artistic merit , Vision,

Creativity,Content and Craft has to be engaged. The first three belongs to the Soul and

only the last one to the Brain. </p>

<p>It seems that because of your Engineering background you have been looking in the

wrong place.</p>

<p>When we look at something, a stream of thoughts immediately gets started at the

forefront of our awareness. At the same time almost subliminally, a, non-mental, bodily

response to the Scene, arouses silently, creating a Feeling. This Feeling is like a reflection

of the reality of the Scene, on the surface of our awareness, like in an Inner pond. Our

incessant stream of thoughts creates disturbing ripples in it ,that shatter that reflection,

corrupting it. Whatever is left of it becomes our vision. Normally Vision happens in the

Mind, not in the eye. </p>

<p>Put emphasis on Inner Vision instead; the product of awareness, and tune out any

accessory, distracting mental stories that might be rippling through it. The key here is to

provide enough abstraction as to avoid the generation of a Story. Try to generate a Feeling

instead. Try to to SEE the difference between what something IS and how that something

Feels. </p>

<p> When an artist succeeds in expressing what s(h)e saw, craft becomes less important

than his findings. Content depends on Vision, vision depends on Awareness and

awareness is a property of the Soul . Form depends on Craft to express its message.</p>

<p>The way we see the World largely depends on how we see Ourselves, and vice versa,

since the world and us are not separate but one. Thus the photographer is on every image

that he takes. Try identifying what makes you tick visually as it will be in resonance with

your inner self. Therefore most people take pictures of what they consider

pretty. Photographing beautiful things is easy . A more advanced and productive step is

to

try finding beauty in the Ugly. This will be an exercise of your Will and your Will is

inseparable from your Awareness that seats right before your Vision.</p>

<p>   <a href="http://www.photo.net/photodb/user?user_id=1675561"

target="_blank">Luis</a></p>

<p>“ “Nice pictures. You must have a very good camera”. To

which the photographer replied “Not as good as the typewriter in which you write

your books.” ”</p>

<p>You definitely Got it Jose! Great Story . Thanks.   

The development of the photographic camera was nothing but an evolution of the Camera

Oscura , a tool widely used by Painters at the time to draw sketches of their subjects for

later painting . It is not surprising then that the early adopters of the photographic camera

were those same painters . It is also not surprising either that they wanted to produce the

same kind of images that they were used to produce with their paints and brushes.

Every artist tries to express his Vision and their results would only be slightly modulated

by the media he or she chooses , except to the degree that one media or tool might serve

his or her vision and message ,better than another . It actually took a long time for

photography to depart from the painting paradigm and become an Art form of its own.

The Pictorial movement was just part of the struggle for recognition . Now we have

painters that try to emulate photographs and photographers that try to emulate paintings.

What really happens here is that due to the modern accessibility of all this medias people

that dont have any form of artistic training , confuse Form and Content .Their images are

nothing but interesting empty arrangements of line, texture ,color and contrast.

Art is a combination of Vision, Creativity ,Message and Craft. The emphasis can be on any

one of these ,but they all should be there to be art. It is the artist preference on this

matters what constitute his or her Style. Pictorialism was just such a thing , a way of

expressing ideas. Just a wrapper to Content . What really matters is what the artist is

saying .How he says it is OK , as long as he has something to say.<div></div>

LEO if you are interested on a Zeiss Distago 15mm f3.5 that you can use on your Canon EOS please check Item number: 250084656672 on eBay or follow this link:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=015&sspagename=STRK%3AMESE%3AIT&viewitem=&item=250084656672&rd=1&rd=1

Either way , I am selling a Distagon on Leica-R mount that you can use easily on EOS with a converter that you find plenty on eBay and that I can even supply for free if you win the bid.

The Distagon is an amazing ultra wide lens with a viewing angle of 110 degrees that equals what you see with both eyes opened (each eye sees 47 degrees). Its main characteristic is that it is HIGHLY RECTILINEAR , that is it does not distort the images by barreling , a common problem with extreme wide angles. That is what makes them so expensive. The current bid on my lens is $1250 .

This lens will focus from 16 cm all the way to infinity. you can check some pictures taken with 15 mm Distagon-M at Luminous Landscape by following this link:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/zeiss-m-mount.shtml

Luis<div></div>