AlRohrer

<p>Thanks, Michael. I'm taking notes. Was wanting to record directly to computer using the H4N while I sit there and view the image I'm talking about. I'm not sure but I believe that I can record using the H4N to the computer and to the H4N at the same time so if one screws up, I still have the other.</p>

 

<p>Thanks Noreen. Checking your link and other tutorials.</p>

<p>I have: Adobe Photoshop CS6, Elements 11, Premiere Elements 11, Lightroom 5.6, and ProShow Gold, and a Zoom H4N for the audio.<br>

What I want to do: Create a family photo slideshow from old images that have been flatbed scanned from the original prints which were not of great quality. I want it to be a slideshow where I talk about each image and that image stays on the screen until I have finished talking about it, then move on to the next one automatically when I am done talking. <br>

Output: DVD, Web, and possible YouTube. DVD for sure. <br>

I know CS6 very well, but the others not so much. I am just becoming a Lightroom user and haven't really gotten into it yet. I am 68 years young so not looking into anything long term or difficult to learn. Just a simple setup that I can use to create a nice little slideshow for the younger people in our family, especially those that are scattered around the country, who never had a chance to know who they are or where they came from. <br>

I'm leaning towards Lightroom or ProShow Gold but would purchase (reasonably priced) other software if I found one that was designed to do exactly what I want to do and be simple to use. (Simple to use for me, not you:-). I really don't have time to get into two or three different softwares so would like to have some advice from those who <strong>have done </strong>something similar to what I want to do or have experience with it who could point me toward which software would be the simplest to use and maybe some articles, tutorials, etc, to get me started. I will dig deeply into learning whichever software I finally select but need a jump start. <br>

I run a PC and Windows 7. Appreciate any advise you can give.<br>

Thanks,<br>

Al Rohrer</p>

 

<p>Actually, I have a tripod collar for the Canon 200 f/2.8L (original). Just sold the lens but kept the tripod collar as it also fits the original 300 f/4L lens which I have also sold. Guess I don't need it anymore so if you are interested, make me an offer.</p>

<p>Thanks Michael. I just renewed my subscription.</p>

<p>Not really. I can't tell from that whether my subscription has expired or not. Where can I find the date my subscription is due for renewal?</p>

<p>Several years ago, I replaced my 2200 with a 2880 when they had it on sale. I unplugged the 2200 and shoved it to the side and it just sat there for over a year. One day, I was wanting to try out an old laptop so plugged the 2200 in and hooked it to the laptop. Ran several cleaning cycles, had to replace a couple of the ink cartridges (but not all) and it worked like a champ.<br>

I'd run a bunch of cleaning cycles instead of replacing the cartridges right off. You might be pleasantly surprised and you have nothing to lose. And Epson still has the ink.<br>

Good luck.</p>

<p>After sixty seven years wandering this earth, I have finally learned that you don't have to push the shutter button on everything you see. In the last year, the number of shots I have taken is down considerably and the percentage of keepers up to over 90. This is quite an accomplishment for me and also a lot less time in front of the computer.</p>

<p>Except for the last one, the others could be straight-out-of-the-camera photos, no processing applied. Personally, I'm getting a little tired of seeing over-edited images. I enjoyed the first three sets of your examples. </p>

<p>Thanks for the tip Brad. That worked in getting it updated but still having trouble with Help>Updates>Adobe Application Manager. Would really like to get that fixed. Anyone else with an idea?</p>

 

<p>I just bought a new Lenovo Yoga 11S Ultrabook, 128 GB SSD and 4 GB Ram, i5-3339Y 1.5G, and installed PS CS 6 on it from a disc. This is the second computer I have it legally installed on. When I try Help>Updates, I get the following in Adobe Application Manager:</p>

<p>"The update server is not responding. The server might be offline temporarily, or the Internet or firewall settings may be incorrect."<br>

<br />I have Mcafee and have disabled the firewall but still get the same result. On my other computer, I can run updates without a problem from the same internet connection. This has been going on for a week now. Anybody got an idea what I am missing?</p>

<p>My 85 f/1.8 was lightly used and gently treated but after about 9 years, I wound up with the same problem. Sent it in and had it repaired (don't remember what they replaced) for about $135.00. Tack sharp again.</p>

<p>I have the 550 EX, 580 EX, and 580 EXII. I prefer the 580 EX for it's size and simplicity.</p>

 

<p>I have an SB-24 that I picked up cheap, otherwise all Canon equipment. I experimented with it when I bought it, on 5D MkII, 1D MkII, and 20D. Used in Manual, worked fine. Don't use it much but it is there when I need it.</p>

 

<p>I've been having this same problem for the last several days, page loading and moving between pages at dial-up speeds. Still extremely slow this morning, too slow to use.</p>

<p>Luben, I can't commit this far ahead but stay in contact until we get a little closer to the time you will be here. If it will work out, I'll try to get free a half day to come up and be your driver for your Arch shots. I'm a little over an hour south of St Louis and am familiar enough with the area I won't get us lost and am savvy enough in areas like you need to go that I can probably keep you and your gear intact. <br />I check in on here every two or three days as I'm on the road quite a lot so will watch for your posts.<br>

Al Rohrer</p>

<p>Luben, don't give up on it. There are many views of the Arch. When you get here, look around and find one that will work for you. One of the best images I have seen of it was taken standing under it and shooting straight up. When will you be here?<br>

Al Rohrer</p>

<p>Luben,<br>

I live south of St Louis a ways and have never photographed the Arch the way you want to but I can tell you that the area across from the Arch is not generally somewhere you want to be at night with expensive equipment and alone. There may be places there you could access but you really need someone familiar with that particular area to advise you. <br>

The long metal structure you saw in the river was probably a barge and it may or may not be there when you are as they are constantly moved about. <br>

I have a nice shot of the Arch I took one time, just before dusk, from a traffic jam on Interstate 55 where we were sitting still and I shut my truck off and braced the camera and a long lens in the window frame. Really was lucky with that one but it is on film and haven't scanned it yet so can't show it. Some day! You could probably scout the area and find a place to get out, set up, take your shot, and be gone before your presence is noticed by the undesirables that frequent that area notice you. It is a heavy industrial and run-down area but visibility is pretty good. Just be careful!<br>

Good luck and enjoy your visit.<br>

Al Rohrer</p>

<p> </p>

<p>I run an HP LP 2065 attached to my Lenovo W520. It works great and fits into my limited space. At the time I bought it, it came with either a TN or IPS monitor and you took your chances. I was lucky and got one with the IPS monitor.</p>

<p>@Walt: I was trying for under $600.00 but that may not be feasible.<br />@David Cavan: My daughter loves her Toshiba so I have been looking at them.<br />@David W. Griffin: I've read about the X1 Carbon and it might break my budget but it's definitely a possibility.<br />@Dave Collett: The X220 would have already been in my backpack if it had came with USB 3. Instead, I bought a W520 and it's too big for my backpack. Love it though. The keyboard on it is a huge selling point for me. It's still in the running at double what I budgeted. (Don't tell my wife!).<br />@Jim Strutz: Will have my eye open for bargains. Need to buy by the first of October so have a little time. Decided against a netbook, at least for now.<br />@Dave Perkes: Have USB 3 on my W520 and a WD external drive with USB 3 and it is so much faster than my USB 2 drives that I don't need to consider anything else. Being compatible with USB 2 drives is also a bonus. I don't need the fastest, just fast enough.<br />Thanks, everyone. Unless something else comes out before I make my move, I'll probably break my budget and go with a Lenovo. Hope my wife doesn't break my head!</p>

<p>John, thanks. I'm looking at the Ultrabooks now but they are still slightly more money than I hoped to pay.<br>

David, I'm not real computer savvy so taking on a new system at my age would be more of an undertaking than I'm interested in, especially when the PCs meet my needs and I already have experience with them. I have been to an Apple store and a BestBuy that had an Apple display and was impressed with the product. Right now, I have all the software I'll possibly ever need and no need to move up. I've spent enough time learning Lightroom, don't intend to start over with another program.<br>

Again, thanks John and David for your input. More is welcome.</p>

<p>I'm looking for a small (14" or under), fast, tough laptop to travel in a backpack, on foot, in commercial vehicles and my truck. It also may serve for shooting tethered on location and must run PS CS6 and well as some Lightroom. I'll use it extensively for writing so a decent keyboard is a plus. I would really prefer USB3 to connect my external drives and CD/DVD burner (Bluray okay but not necessary) but could get by with only USB2. <br>

Absolutely nothing larger than 14" but smaller would be okay, weight not an issue nor is extended battery life. 2-3 hours would be acceptable but longer would be better. Must run Windows 7 (Professional preferred) and prefer Intel i5 or i7. <br>

Two things. NO MAC! Please do not try to sell me on a Mac! They are an excellent machine but I am set up for PC and have some knowledge on them and at 65 years old, don't feel like starting over again. There are plenty of PCs out there so I'm after one of them. Second, money is an object. This year, I bought a Lenovo W520 and it is my ideal laptop but it just won't fit in my pack (and no, I am not going to a bigger backpack) so I'm keeping it on my desk hooked to an external monitor and a series of external hard drives. I would love a Lenovo x220 but it is about twice the money I want to spend on a travel laptop used mainly to backup and cull.<br>

I want a small laptop, inexpensive, reasonably fast, decent screen, good (for it's size) keyboard, and able to hold up to travel. If you have experience with one you recommend or one you don't recommend, please advise me. If you have no personal experience with them, please let those who do have the floor. <br>

Thank you,<br>

Al Rohrer</p>

<p>"Working hard" can define great physical effort or great mental effort, or a combination of both. Trying to compare physical effort to mental effort is ridiculous. Claiming that one is more meaningful or difficult than the other is also ridiculous.<br>

Sorry Michael, you could make a reasonable argument that "working hard" involves a deadline of some sort but it is definitely NOT always for money.<br>

I am 65 years old, farm raised, spent 8 years in the Marine Corps, worked on supply boats on the Gulf of Mexico, shipyards in Louisiana, farmed and logged in northern Illinois, 35 years on the road as an over-the-road truck driver doing my own loading and unloading most of that time, retired in October of 2008, and went back to work as a truck driver (tankers this time) in May of this year and for years did a little wedding, portrait and sports photography on the side so I figure to know a little about "hard work". <br>

Now to answer your question. For me, hard work as a photographer is dealing with people who have no idea of what it takes to create the image they expect from you yet want to tell you how to do it. The hours I spend preparing myself and my equipment, the many hours sitting in front a computer screen, the setting up and tearing down, and the physical act of capturing the image are all work but the "hard work" is dealing with the people.<br>

Should be interesting to see some of the other answers posted. :-)</p>

<p>I look for a subject in every shot. It may be as simple as a tree in a corner of an image with a desert or mountain range or snowy field for a setting, but I make sure the tree is the obvious subject of the image.<br>

On a three week trip to the southwest, I used to come back with 5,000-6,000 images of which maybe 20% were keepers. Now I think about each shot I take, came home with 1,5XX images last year and of them, over 80% were keepers.<br>

Look for a subject, identify the setting for the subject, compose the image in the viewfinder, and then squeeze the shutter button. Someone else looking at your images should normally be able to identify your subject as well.<br>

Works for me, anyway.</p>

 

<p>I routinely use a 1D MkII and 5D MkII together and have had both since they were new. I never compare the sharpness straight out of camera. I shoot RAW and after running my images through ACR with basic exposure and color adjustments made and capture sharpening applied, I really see little difference is them as far as how sharp the images are.<br>

As you have been already advised here, try Micro Focus Adjustment, then compare the images at 100%. Rescale if you need to.<br>

Try a different lens on your camera. Shoot at f/5.6 to f/8. Use a good quality prime if you have access to one.<br>

Probably isn't anything wrong with your camera. Good luck with it.<br>

Al Rohrer</p>