Rich Posted May 21, 2010 Report Share Posted May 21, 2010 Been playing with the camera again, think I've got the bug now! Some of my dogs, mainly the Jack Russell as the other one don't keep still! Had a play with this one in photoshop Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted May 21, 2010 Report Share Posted May 21, 2010 Oh wow, they are really good. What chance do i have to compete here with my Brownie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazz33 Posted May 21, 2010 Report Share Posted May 21, 2010 There some good pics there Rich.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted May 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2010 Oh wow, they are really good. What chance do i have to compete here with my Brownie Brownie what, dog? I'm sure you could take some decent photos with your camera mate but change the bloody settings so they're bigger than 640×480...next time I'm over I will show you how to reduce them in size There some good pics there Rich.. Cheers mate, just messing about really seeing what works Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazz33 Posted May 21, 2010 Report Share Posted May 21, 2010 Heres a couple of mine and my girlfriends new "ish" kitten called Minnie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted May 21, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 21, 2010 I like kittens they're cute and then they become cats and a PITA...abit like dogs really! Did she get in the fish tank then? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazz33 Posted May 21, 2010 Report Share Posted May 21, 2010 Na she didnt get in the fish tank thankfully it has a lid that clips shut as you close it....the only way she could get to them is by pushing the fish tank over... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagitar Posted May 22, 2010 Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 I prefer the wild ones. Like this Dipper having just emerged from a dive for food. It was feeding young in a nest under a footbridge. Bullfinch sitting in a tree in our garden during a rain shower Swan puffing itself up to chase off a Canada Goose that was getting too close to its nest and a pair of Mergansers close to their nesting site on the Derwent. All taken recently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Posted May 22, 2010 Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 I can see we have some real talent here in wim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazz33 Posted May 22, 2010 Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 WoW Sagitar they are amazing photos. What camera do you use to take the photos.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted May 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 What camera do you use to take the photos.? An expensive one! They're stunning photos though, a real credit to you Think I'd better go down the aquadrome next and take some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phipck Posted May 22, 2010 Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 indeed they are very good, what range lenses are you using? short on funds im limited to the stock 18-75 and an old minolta 70-300 lense for my Sony A200. its a nice range but still limited for what i wish to do. i did come across this charactor recently and heres Twiglet, doing what he loved best. He sadly passed away this last year, all the more important to capture those charactoristic moments when you can Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dazz33 Posted May 22, 2010 Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 indeed they are very good, what range lenses are you using? short on funds im limited to the stock 18-75 and an old minolta 70-300 lense for my Sony A200. its a nice range but still limited for what i wish to do. i did come across this charactor recently and heres Twiglet, doing what he loved best. He sadly passed away this last year, all the more important to capture those charactoristic moments when you can That first photo the bird/duck what ever it is looks plastic.. Great photos there though,love the photo of the cat.. How much is a decent camera then and what do you look for.? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagitar Posted May 22, 2010 Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 What camera do you use to take the photos.? I've been an amateur photographer for a long time so I have quite a collection of cameras, both film and digital, as well as lenses and other bits and pieces. However, the two cameras that I use most these days are this one and this one Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagitar Posted May 22, 2010 Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 That first photo the bird/duck what ever it is looks plastic.. That's a Mandarin Duck. They come from South East Asia; brought in by landowners to decorate their ponds. You don't often see them in the wild, because they are such easy prey for foxes etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark H. Posted May 22, 2010 Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 A 5d mk2 and a 1Dmk3 with a 100-400L on, not a cheap setup. I use a 40d i purchased from an online store, with a 70-200mm F4L for the hill climb and i have a "nifty fifty" 50mm f1.8 which can do nice portraits. I sold my kit lens when i sold my 350d, to cover the cost of part of the 40d. Unfortunately all the nice replacement lenses are expensive, a 17-40mm f4L would be nice, but over £550 new so maybe something for the future. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phipck Posted May 22, 2010 Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 The duck was in the Forrest of dean sculpture trail. My lense was at it's full extent and through the viewfinder I couldn't tell how it was going to turn out, so I was just pleased to capture it. As far as cameras go, as a general rule canon and nikon are almost always good and definatly usable for beginners. I have the Sony a200 which is great for how I take photos and a good size for my big hands. But they revised the design since and it's better suited for average hands now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted May 22, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 Sagitar, you say you're an amateur photographer but the photos I've seen of yours you must be a pro if not semi? Do you take all of your photos with a tripod? phipck, I like the bird photo, not one you see everyday so it must've been nice to capture it What do you make of the Sony A200? One has come up for sale on another forum and as Canon/Nixon seem to be the main competitors I was wondering if Sony are as good? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagitar Posted May 22, 2010 Report Share Posted May 22, 2010 Do you take all of your photos with a tripod? I use a tripod whenever I can. I am very old and find it difficult to hold a camera still these days. On the other hand carrying a tripod when I am walking is also a problem for me so I tend to take a lot of my walking pics with the camera mounted on top of my walking pole (like a monopod). I still hand-hold a few, when the light and the subject lend themselves to high shutter speeds, but I do it less and less. I do a lot less macro photography than I used to because of the difficulty of hand holding. I can't really recommend old age, except that it is better than the alternative . . . . I am definitely not a professional photographer. Though I have sold a few in my time. It is one thing to take a few good pictures when the opportunity offers and the circumstances are right. It is another thing entirely to do that every day, on demand and to a standard that someone will pay for. I love searching for good pictures and I get a lot of pleasure from producing a quality image. But I would absolutely hate having to grind out pictures every day for a living. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phipck Posted May 23, 2010 Report Share Posted May 23, 2010 ^^ well said! Regards to the a200, as I said, it suits me fine, there are higher resolution cameras and better quality pictures, but for the price point and the features held within this model, I realy don't think you would be dissapointed. The menus are intuetive and buttons "to hand" which makes the photographic process more pleasureable and Sony have spent time thinking about how the end user will use the camera not just try and cram as much gadgetry in as possible. A canon or a nikon of the same price point will give you equal quality but as with golfclubs or cars the a200 simply felt right for me and has been a dream to use as my first dslr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted May 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2010 I suppose the best thing to do is go to somewhere like Jessops and try different cameras out to get a feel for them in your hands. I like the Fuji one I have as it's not too big and easy to carry around, which is one of the main reason I choose a bridge camera over a DSLR as I didn't want to carry around a bulky camera. I use a tripod whenever I can. I am very old and find it difficult to hold a camera still these days. On the other hand carrying a tripod when I am walking is also a problem for me so I tend to take a lot of my walking pics with the camera mounted on top of my walking pole (like a monopod). I still hand-hold a few, when the light and the subject lend themselves to high shutter speeds, but I do it less and less. I do a lot less macro photography than I used to because of the difficulty of hand holding. I can't really recommend old age, except that it is better than the alternative . . . . I am definitely not a professional photographer. Though I have sold a few in my time. It is one thing to take a few good pictures when the opportunity offers and the circumstances are right. It is another thing entirely to do that every day, on demand and to a standard that someone will pay for. I love searching for good pictures and I get a lot of pleasure from producing a quality image. But I would absolutely hate having to grind out pictures every day for a living. I can see your point actually...abit like me detailing cars, I like doing it often when I get the time but doing it day in day out would just ruin it for me, it would kill the pleasure. What are monopods like to use as I don't fancy carrying a tripod with me plus I'd feel abit silly...that's probably an age thing? All of the photos I took last night with a slower shutter speed came out blurry as I was trying to hold the camera still, will a monopod improve on this? I've seen this one on Amazon with some good reviews and for under a tenner posted it seems like a bargain? Link to monopod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sagitar Posted May 23, 2010 Report Share Posted May 23, 2010 I suppose the best thing to do is go to somewhere like Jessops and try different cameras out to get a feel for them in your hands. I like the Fuji one I have as it's not too big and easy to carry around, which is one of the main reason I choose a bridge camera over a DSLR as I didn't want to carry around a bulky camera. What are monopods like to use as I don't fancy carrying a tripod with me plus I'd feel abit silly...that's probably an age thing? All of the photos I took last night with a slower shutter speed came out blurry as I was trying to hold the camera still, will a monopod improve on this? I've seen this one on Amazon with some good reviews and for under a tenner posted it seems like a bargain? Link to monopod A good monopod can make a big difference and make it much easier to get rid of "shake" but your advice about getting a feel for them in your hands applies here also. You generally get what you pay for and I wouldn't expect to get much for under a tenner. You need to try the extension locks. Put some weight on them and see if they slip. Don't buy if they do. You will also need to attach a head to take quick release plates and enable you to rotate the camera. Some cheap devices don't have this facility or have their own release plate that you will not be able to add to if/when you get a second camera body. Check also that the monopod is long enough to enable you to look through the viewfinder without stooping. Otherwise a full day at a sports event or some such will do your back in. If you watch pro photographers at a sports event using a large camera body with a big heavy lens, it will normally be sitting on top of an equally heavy monopod. If you are trying to keep the camera still then the heavier the better. But if you are going to carry it far then you will need to compromise on weight. Carbon will give better function for given weight than aluminium, but will cost more. Finally, if you are going to engage in serious walking on the hills then several firms make a walking pole with a camera screw. I use a Leki with a Manfrotto head and the whole thing weighs about 340 grammes (as opposed to more than 1 Kg for my lightest tripod and up to 2Kg for a really sturdy monopod). It is not as good for photography as a dedicated monopod, but if your day is mainly walking with a bit of photography then it makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted May 23, 2010 Author Report Share Posted May 23, 2010 Sagitar, excellent reply once again The height of that monopod is 178cm, which is slightly taller than me and it has a ball head so I should be able to tilt the camera to whatever angle I wish? I'm going to get it so I can see how I get on with one, if I don't like it I'm sure it will sell on ebay easily enough, if I do like it I can look into getting a better one. Anyway, here's a few more photos of the dogs I took today... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phipck Posted May 24, 2010 Report Share Posted May 24, 2010 i can see youve already got the feel for framing shots now. a small adjustment can make a huge difference to an image when it comes to sitting the subject in a confident possition in the frame. we should start an "animal obscured by..." thread lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyelcomb Posted May 24, 2010 Report Share Posted May 24, 2010 we should start an "animal obscured by..." thread lol Ah, so that's where I've been going wrong all this time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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