Photographer's Corner - equipment

[seraphim]

Chuckanut

The D800/lens combo will not be significantly heavier than what I currently use, and a heck of a lot lighter than other combinations I have carried - such as an RB67 or a 4x5 Speed Graphic (with a load of film holders) lol. I use a chest strap, which places weight on the shoulders, not the neck, and holds the camera firmer while hiking through the woods. And I can always stick it in the backpack. Weight really isn't an issue. I'm glad you're pleased with your lightweight combo, but it's not for everyone.

 

[Mr. Paul]

Walt34 just tell her we took a vote and it's already been decided

 

[seraphim]

Walt

They know us so well lol. The D800 will have to wait until January, I think. Major purchases for the year are already planned out. But what I have is fine for what I do. Should I get back into high quality prints, or prints at all, I'll move the D800 to the front burner. For now, everything I do is viewed digitally, and 10 mp is sufficient.

 

[Chuckanut]

Chuckanut

The D800/lens combo will not be significantly heavier than what I currently use, and a heck of a lot lighter than other combinations I have carried - such as an RB67 or a 4x5 Speed Graphic (with a load of film holders) lol. I use a chest strap, which places weight on the shoulders, not the neck, and holds the camera firmer while hiking through the woods. And I can always stick it in the backpack. Weight really isn't an issue. I'm glad you're pleased with your lightweight combo, but it's not for everyone.

Very true. We each choose the tool that works best for us.

 

[Chuckanut]

Here's a review of the Olympus OM-1 camera body by Thom Hogan. What I like about Hogan's reviews is that he doesn't rush to put out a review based upon using a loaner body for a week or two, but waits until he has actually used the equipment for a while in the field.

Olympus E-M1 Review | Sans Mirror — mirrorless, interchangeable lens cameras | Thom Hogan

A few years ago I found that my best travel photos were taken not with my Nikon DSLR but with my Canon s90 pocketable camera, because that was the one I was taking with me when I was out and about for a day. I rethought my needs, sold most of the Nikon equipment and bought into the micro 4/3 system. I can carry a body and three lenses (one zoom and two fast primes) in a space smaller than 1/2 the size of a traditional child's lunch box.

 

[walkinwood]

How many of you color calibrate your monitors? Do you find it makes a big difference on today's monitors? And what equipment do you use?

What about camera profiles? Do you create custom profiles for your camera to use in Lightroom or other programs? Do you find it makes a big difference?

What else do you do to get your color right - in the camera & on the monitor?

Thanks.

ps: I understand "big difference" is subjective, but wanted your opinion.

 

[Walt34]

I use an X-Rite Colormunki Photo and X-Rite Colorchecker Passport and am very happy with both. Bear in mind that at least as I understand it the camera profile is only valid for that camera in that particular light. I can see the value if you shoot in several different studio lighting setups where the light is consistent from day to day but for me things are too variable. There was a significant visible difference in the monitor the first time I calibrated it.

The Colormunki will also build printer profiles for your printer/paper combination if you can't find one online.

I also use an Expodisc, mostly for outdoor shots and the colorchecker indoors since the color changes more inside depending on the color of the walls I'm bouncing the flash off of.

In virtually all indoor shots I use the colorchecker in a scene and it is literally a mouse click in Lightroom to set the white balance for a series of shots in that room.

The result is that I can shoot a photo of the colorchecker and print it out, hold the colorchecker and the the print next to each other, and the colors are the same with no differences that I can see.

Relatives sometimes comment on the color accuracy of my photos compared to theirs and they express interest in how it's done until I tell them. Very few people want to go to the bother of the learning curve.

Oh, and while I show links to Amazon (everybody trusts that site) I mostly buy from either Adorama or B&H.

 

[cranberryjoe]

I also use the X-Rite Colormunki to calibrate my monitors. It does make a difference. I have two monitors, and before calibration they showed the same colors very differently (especially noticeable with white). After calibration they are the same, or at least close enough that I can't tell the difference. I post a lot of photos to G+ and want to make sure others with calibrated monitors see exactly what I see. Of course there's nothing I can do for people using uncalibrated monitors or phones.

Most monitors are delivered from the factory with brightness and contrast set way too high, and many have presets for movies, games, etc. that alter the white balance and brightness. A calibrated monitor negates those factors.

I have not used the Passport or similar calibration in the camera. I shoot in raw and do enough post processing in Lightroom and Photoshop that I'm looking for colors I like, which aren't necessarily exact renderings of the original scene. When I do want accurate white balance, I find that my camera's white balance is usually accurate, and when it's not Lightroom's auto white balance does well.

There are certain subjects that I would like accurate color. My camera has a hard time with some blue and purple flowers. That's when I should have a Colorchecker Passport. Anybody want to buy me one?

 

[walkinwood]

Thanks Walt34 and cranberryjoe.

I've been reading up on both the X-Rite Colormuki Smile & Display, and the Colorchecker Passport & wanted some real-world feedback on their usefulness. Thank you.

 

[photoguy]

How many of you color calibrate your monitors? Do you find it makes a big difference on today's monitors? And what equipment do you use?

I use an older X-rite i1 display monitor calibrator. I don't think they even make this model anymore.

With my older apple cinema display, I found that calibration did not make that much of a difference compared to using the built in software "calibrate" function on a mac (it shows you some striped squares and you note when they blend together). But in general monitors are *horrible* in terms of color unless calibrated, so I would definitely recommend a puck if you are serious about sharing or printing.

What about camera profiles? Do you create custom profiles for your camera to use in Lightroom or other programs? Do you find it makes a big difference?

No. I just use Adobe standard.

In lightroom, at the bottom of the develop box you can cycle through various camera profiles and see how the color changes. The differences are significant, but maybe not once you apply all of your own processing tweaks.

What else do you do to get your color right - in the camera & on the monitor?

I think it depends on what level of color fidelity you want. For most of what I shoot I don't care about faithful colors so I skip the gray cards and color checkers.

However, if I was shooting portraits or artwork for reproduction, I'd try to use at least a gray card if possible. (note: I've found that some gray cards, even those that are supposed to be for digital), are not really grey and can impart an unpleasant color cast.

 

[Walt34]

I've been reading up on both the X-Rite Colormuki Smile & Display, and the Colorchecker Passport & wanted some real-world feedback on their usefulness. Thank you.

I bought my sister a Colormunki Smile for her birthday (we don't exchange gifts often but she's going through some tough times now and this was an excuse) and she likes it and is about as non-technical a person as one will find.

When people ask "why calibrate your display?" the example I use is going into a department store and seeing all the wall-mounted TVs on the same channel, and most show the colors differently, often dramatically so. They are not color-calibrated and that's the difference calibration makes.

If you don't print your photos but send them out for the few prints you do print, then the Smile will meet your needs just fine.

 

[walkinwood]

Thanks for all your input.

I ordered the Colormunki Smile today and a white/gray/black card. I came to the conclusion that the X-Rite Colorchecker Passport was overkill for my needs.

Color is a fascinating subject!

 

[Walt34]

I ordered the Colormunki Smile today and a white/gray/black card. I came to the conclusion that the X-Rite Colorchecker Passport was overkill for my needs.

That'll work, and puts you ahead of all but a fraction of a percentage of people who own a camera.

 

[seraphim]

I still have a Spyder ( calibration unit) around somewhere. Since I do everything on the iPad now, and don't do prints, it doesn't seem an issue



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[Chuckanut]

I calibrated my monitor using a Spyder device. The major problem was that my monitor was to bright thus causing my prints to be to dark. The device was able to adjust the brightness to a better level.

I don't calibrate as often as they recommend as I am not that fussy about exact color. I calibrate every 4 months or so, or if I am going to be doing a lot of printing with expensive paper.

 

[Walt34]

I don't calibrate as often as they recommend as I am not that fussy about exact color. I calibrate every 4 months or so, or if I am going to be doing a lot of printing with expensive paper.

I'm about the same since it shows a "before" and "after" screen with the two calibrations. The only time I ever saw a difference was the first time. So like you I only do it about every four months or so.

Anyone ever use Red River paper? I've heard good things about them and was thinking about a box of their Polar Pearl Metallic but the stuff in 13x19 is almost $2 a sheet. I'm tempted to get a box of 8.5x11 but I don't use that size much and I'm not sure a smaller size would show the effects much. I was surprised at the difference when I printed my first 13x19 and that just made me want a 16x20 printer.

I know, first world problem....

 

[seraphim]

I'm about the same since it shows a "before" and "after" screen with the two calibrations. The only time I ever saw a difference was the first time. So like you I only do it about every four months or so.

Anyone ever use Red River paper? I've heard good things about them and was thinking about a box of their Polar Pearl Metallic but the stuff in 13x19 is almost $2 a sheet. I'm tempted to get a box of 8.5x11 but I don't use that size much and I'm not sure a smaller size would show the effects much. I was surprised at the difference when I printed my first 13x19 and that just made me want a 16x20 printer.

I know, first world problem....

Lol



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[audreyh1]

I spent a few hours this morning trying to decide between the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 lens, and the new Canon EF 16-35mm f/4 IS lens. I had decided that my EF 16-35mm f/2.8 lens (not to mention hood) was just too heavy and bulky to take on our Europe trip where I'm trying to get away with a smaller shoulder camera bag.

DH and I were busy comparing specs, when it finally dawned on me that maybe I already had that 17-40mm lens. In fact, I've owned that lens since 2003, and I was using it pretty heavily last summer for night sky photography until I upgraded to the faster, bulkier f/2.8 16-35mm lens (which I then did take to Europe last year along with a lot more camera gear).

Doh!!!

I noticed from my Europe trip last year that most of my photographs were taken between 16mm and 50mm. Very rarely higher. My camera body is full frame. I'm also taking my EF 24-105mm IS f/4 lens.

 

[explanade]

Sold my DSLR. Thinking of a D610 and a 24-120 lens.

Considerably heavier than my crop sensor and walk around zoom (4.5 to 1 ratio).

 

[Ronstar]

Sold my DSLR. Thinking of a D610 and a 24-120 lens.

Considerably heavier than my crop sensor and walk around zoom (4.5 to 1 ratio).

explanade - Just got a D610 with a 24-85. Yes it is heavier than a crop sensor, but ok for walking around a few hours with it around your neck. I really like it - it seems like I can now crop a photo more and still keep most of the sharpness.

 

[akck]

Back Button Autofocus

I found this video about switching autofocus on your DSLR. It was on a link posted to a Facebook group.

How to use Nikon's AF-ON and back button autofocus | Nikon Rumors

I'm definitely trying it out on my camera.

 

[photoguy]

I spent a few hours this morning trying to decide between the Canon EF 17-40mm f/4 lens, and the new Canon EF 16-35mm f/4 IS lens.

Is there any reason to prefer the old 17-40L lens? I think reviews are uniformly in favor of the newer lens.

DH and I were busy comparing specs, when it finally dawned on me that maybe I already had that 17-40mm lens.

You must have a lot of lenses :>

How to use Nikon's AF-ON and back button autofocus | Nikon Rumors.

Once you go AF-ON you won't go back.

 

[seraphim]

Back button focus was the first setup change I made to the new D800 lol

It's amazing how most of the old equipment is still usable today. I came across my old leather Nikon EM case, about 60 years old, and the AW1 fits in it perfectly. Also, my old Linhoff adjustable lens hood - with a Hasselblad CF adaptor - happens to fit the 77mm lens threads ( the 70-200 and the 10-24) perfectly. It also has a slot for holding filters: both manufactured and homemade. No needing to buy the more expensive filters that screw on the lens. Case and hood both in the photo below.



Can also adapt the viewing hood from my Yashica A to fit on the back of the AW1, to prevent glare on the screen when taking a photo, as it has no viewfinder. It's amazing people complain about the glare on LCDs, when photographers solved that problem for flat view screens over a hundred years again.


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[seraphim]

I found this video about switching autofocus on your DSLR. It was on a link posted to a Facebook group.

How to use Nikon's AF-ON and back button autofocus | Nikon Rumors

I'm definitely trying it out on my camera.

We also discussed it here on the other photo thread.


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[seraphim]

Frontal shoot of the adjustable hood. Apologies for the poor iPad photos...




...And the messy floor lol.

I need to root around through my old equipment more, and find what is still usable and useful.


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