The Photographers' Corner 2013-2020

[explanade]

Simply because 45mpx is pretty high and takes up a lot of space. Holiday snaps do not need to be such high resolution. I am thinking with respect to the Canon EOS R5 specifically.

$4000 camera for snapshots?

Blow that dough!


Usually the newer full frame sensor cameras also have crop mode, that is it simulates what a cropped sensor would take and it's like half or less the resolution.

But as posted above, you can have it save in JPEG, which will be much smaller file size. Or you could have it save both a RAW and a JPEG file for each shot. Then keep the one you want.


But if you're buying a $4000 full frame camera, it's just a fact of life that you will need more storage. I have a bunch of USB drives now, which are cheap. You can get 4 TB now for about $100 if not a bit less. However, I want to consolidate and will probably get a big RAID storage system or an NAS. That would run $600-1500 to have tens of terabytes of storage.

However, I've been juggling portable USB drives with RAW files, which range from 25 MB to 50 MB. I have a Nikon Z7 which is 46 Megapixels. I only save RAW files from it which are about 50 MB. I have them on a 4 TB USB drive which I paid about 100 for. Still not full but getting there.

 

[Walt34]

Most of the higher-resolution cameras do have the option of reducing file size, but as Cosmic Avenger correctly notes, why? Storage on SD cards is cheaper now than it's ever been and heading lower so that's no reason to skimp on resolution. And if storage is getting tight you can always reduce file size in post if you're sure you'll never need it higher.

 

[Freedom56]

I agree with others, storage is so cheap it shouldn't be a consideration. I shoot 4K video and have used up 6 terabytes of of storage in the past two years. I just archive my clips on 2 terabyte portable drives that cost about $50 each. The price for those drives are falling fast. Camera bodies come and go but I have found that most of my money has been spent on good quality lenses and filters.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

I agree with others, storage is so cheap it shouldn't be a consideration.

SD Cards Yes, I agree, but not the new CF Express cards used in the newer 2 Slot Cameras. But that is not to say one cannot use the SD Cards.

 

[Ronstar]

Quick Question for the experts:

If one has a high resolution Camera, say 45mpx, and one wants to take lower resolution photos, say 20mpx for an application. Can one set these cameras to do so. I cannot see using the top resolution for every application.

Thanks in advance for you answers.

I don't do it in camera. I save to whatever file size I want in software. Adobe Lightroom.

My camera (Nikon D810) has 5 different settings for file output ranging from 5.95 mb to 110 mb. I suspect that many other cameras have similar options. I shoot in raw (43.4mb) to keep a high quality primary file and export out whatever I size I need for other apps using Lightroom.

 

[folivier]

Another aspect, some cameras such as my Olympus OMD EM1 has 2 SD card slots. I can dedicate 1 slot for raw images and the other for lower resolution jpg images. Or whatever combination I choose.
But most cameras should allow you to capture a raw and lower res. jpg images on 1 card. I will sometimes do that to avoid having to convert raw images on a trip. The raw images are for later processing.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Thanks all, now I need to select a suitable SD Card (SDXC 300/260) and an affordable CF Express. (1700/1480 UHS-II)

I have procrastinated for a while on this camera purchase. I am still doing my due-d on it. When it is freely available and in stock I will pull the trigger. I think the standard 24-105mm L Lens will do for my purposes.

This will not be my first mirrorless camera but it will be my first full frame. I tried Sony (A6000 & A6500) and did not like the form factor when in my hand, so I sold it, it was good for drones though. Fortunately I could write them all off as I needed them for my drone camera mount business. I do not do that full time anymore, it is now a hobby only and I cannot write off anymore camera purchases.

This is going to come completely from my own pocket. So I am being really anal about the analysis. I have always liked Canon Form Factors and have owned a couple in the past. I just wish it was ~25mpx instead of 45mpx. I do not do much if any post processing at all and only ever print a max size of 8 x 11, mostly smaller, even though my Pixma Pro can do bigger. We view photos on our TV and store the masters on our Media Player. I am not a pro, I just like good equipment. Too old to settle for second best. I am sure this will be my last camera buy.

 

[Tractor guy]

How many of you shoot raw & when do you find that raw is needed to get the photo you want (vs shooting highest quality jpeg)? I'm a knowledgeable hobbyist who is comfortable with Photoshop Elements. I've been shooting exclusively jpeg for the past 15 years (since I switched from film to digital). Lately I've been shooting raw + jpeg but find that I'm rarely using the raw files. When I look at the jpeg, it's usually what I spend time trying to get the raw to look like so the raw is an unneeded extra step.

Most of my pictures are family snaps and portraits, travel photos, and recently, scenes and birds we're finding on our Covid walks.

 

[RonBoyd]

When I look at the jpeg, it's usually what I spend time trying to get the raw to look like so the raw is an unneeded extra step.

Most of my pictures are family snaps and portraits, travel photos, and recently, scenes and birds we're finding on our Covid walks.

If you are happy with (and trust) the in-camera generic developing, then RAW is, indeed, superfluous. Be aware, however, that this is like back in the old days when you sent your film off to Walgreens -- the "auto" settings were determined by the first frame and all subsequent pictures are developed with the same settings. Yes, post-processing JPEG images gives one some adjustment latitude but not much.

 

[folivier]

I like to have control of my photos and that's why I mostly shoot in aperture mode. Never have used the auto modes for exposure.
One thing that raw allows you to do is to adjust the highlights and shadows to bring out faces and other items in the photo that is too light or dark. Jpg doesn't give you anywhere near the same amount of adjustments. Remember that when your camera calculates the exposure it is taking an average, even when using spot. Your eye can see many more times the overall exposure than your camera can.

 

[RonBoyd]

Yes, there are many post-processing advantages to RAW images.

For instance:

The main benefit to capturing our images as raw files as opposed to JPEGs is that we have a lot more image information to work with, including a much wider dynamic range (the number of brightness levels in the image) and a larger color space, and this means we can push the images a lot further than we could with JPEGs, bringing out and rescuing hidden detail in the darkest shadows and brightest highlights, detail that often gets tossed away and lost forever by a camera's JPEG conversion process.

https://www.photoshopessentials.com/photo-editing/raw-vs-jpeg-for-photo-editing/

 

[Dave J]

This is going to come completely from my own pocket. So I am being really anal about the analysis. I have always liked Canon Form Factors and have owned a couple in the past. I just wish it was ~25mpx instead of 45mpx. I do not do much if any post processing at all and only ever print a max size of 8 x 11, mostly smaller,

From your description of yourself, the R6 would be perfect for you and save you $1400. I own an R5 ( for 3 weeks now) and from how you describe yourself, it would be overkill. I hang out at a few photo groups, and the photos posted from the R6 are outstanding. Give it a look. It has 90% of what the R5 has, and what it does not have, I doubt you would ever miss it. I mostly got mine for the advanced focus(which is the same on the R6) and the higher 45MP sensor, because I shoot a lot of wildlife and have to crop way in to get a decent composition.Not unusual to crop away 75 to 80% of the RAW file. If I did not do that, the R6 would be everything I could hope for in a camera body.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

From your description of yourself, the R6 would be perfect for you and save you $1400. I own an R5 ( for 3 weeks now) and from how you describe yourself, it would be overkill.

Thanks, I did check it out in Detail. I am used to the LCD screen on the top. Also I prefer the better construction as we live in a very humid environment. But I agree it is a good camera.

 

[target2019]

Simply because 45mpx is pretty high and takes up a lot of space. Holiday snaps do not need to be such high resolution. I am thinking with respect to the Canon EOS R5 specifically.

I am no expert, but a little poking around tells me that the file size in megabytes is slightly larger than the resolution in RAW megapixels.

For example, 4000x3000 (12MP) RAW is 14,290 KB saved on disk. Call it 12 MP and 14.5 MB. Contrast this with a JPG saved by camera at same time as RAW -- 3,536 KB saved on disk. Those are actual numbers from 10-year old camera.

You can round those numbers and extrapolate for 45MP. I I bought that camera I'd have to buy a newer computer for better processor and storage space.

So you'd go into the camera before your holiday shoot, and set it to save only JPGs. If it were me, I'd aim for JPG saved at 5 KB or smaller. That would allow me to attach at least two pictures to an email and send off to the folks.

Of course you can shoot 45MP RAW and post process to any size. But many have zero interest in doing that.

 

[RonBoyd]

So you'd go into the camera before your holiday shoot, and set it to save only JPGs. If it were me, I'd aim for JPG saved at 5 KB or smaller. That would allow me to attach at least two pictures to an email and send off to the folks.

Of course you can shoot 45MP RAW and post process to any size. But many have zero interest in doing that.

But to spend >$3,000 to capture images that any cell phone can duplicate with less hassle (email/message, etc.) seems masochistic to me.

 

[Sunset]

... Fortunately I could write them all off as I needed them for my drone camera mount business. I do not do that full time anymore, it is now a hobby only and I cannot write off anymore camera purchases.
....

I wonder if it's a hobby or part-time business (still eligible for deductions and profit) ?

 

[street]

Okay, these are not picture taken by anyone but are from a camera I have up for security reasons. I do catch some nice pictures from time to time. I thought I would share a few, even thou, they are not taken photos and nothing has been edited from them.

 

[Dave J]

Thanks, I did check it out in Detail. I am used to the LCD screen on the top. Also I prefer the better construction as we live in a very humid environment. But I agree it is a good camera.

I also wanted the top LCD screen, but since I can have all info in the Elec. viewfinder I want, I don't find myself looking at the top screen. But you have good reasons to get the R5 and it sounds like the $$ are no problem, so go for it!

 

[target2019]

But to spend >$3,000 to capture images that any cell phone can duplicate with less hassle (email/message, etc.) seems masochistic to me.

Yeah, I agree. I was trying to avoid suggesting camera models as I am not up on the level of others here.

 

[Freedom56]

I think the standard 24-105mm L Lens will do for my purposes.

I started with the Canon 24-105mm F4L lens a long time ago. It's a versatile lens but not quite wide enough or long enough for some creative shooting so I added the 16-35mm F2.8L and the 70-200mm F4L and a 2x tele extender to complete my "holy trinity" of lenses. Then came two macro lenses from Tokina and Tamron for extreme close up shots and portraits. Those file lenses have survived through five different camera bodies and will survive the next five. I also added the Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 for low light shooting and the Tokina 11-16mm for extreme wide angle shooting and time lapse photography. Then there is my collection of M43 lenses which come in handy when I want a lightweight solution for gimble shooting. I now own four generations of gimbals. A large camera is not suitable for many situations so that's where action cameras come in handy. I have a collection of those also. This hobby can spiral out of control pretty fast. But if I were to choose lenses that I absolutely need, it would be the "holy trinity" L series lenses from Canon.

 

[Ronstar]

Going to play around with flat lay / product photography this winter. Just getting started. I'm going to build a lot of small woodworking projects (boxes) and I want to take some nice photos of them.

 

[folivier]

Nice box. The trick with products is to eliminate all shadows. Best done with multiple lights.

 

[51notout]

Help! My 19yo DD has gently suggested I might get her a DSLR camera for Christmas this year [emoji57]

Does anyone have any suggestions for a kit between $500 - $1000? I see kits on Amazon but have no idea if they are any good (I barely take photos at all and when I do it’s with my phone and don’t do anything with them [emoji51]).

I imagine she will be taking pics around campus, of friends etc. don’t know if she plans to post them to social media.

Thanks for any help you might offer.

 

[Ronstar]

Help! My 19yo DD has gently suggested I might get her a DSLR camera for Christmas this year [emoji57]

Does anyone have any suggestions for a kit between $500 - $1000? I see kits on Amazon but have no idea if they are any good (I barely take photos at all and when I do it’s with my phone and don’t do anything with them [emoji51]).

I imagine she will be taking pics around campus, of friends etc. don’t know if she plans to post them to social media.

Thanks for any help you might offer.

I recommended a Sony A6000 mirrorless to my BIL. He likes it.

Caveat - BIL doesn't transfer photos to his phone for social media. You may want to research pros/cons of this camera's wi-fi capabilities in amazon comments, etc


https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Mirrorl...a+a6000&qid=1603379806&sr=8-3&tag=googhydr-20

https://www.amazon.com/Sony-Mirrorl...a+a6000&qid=1603379963&sr=8-4&tag=googhydr-20

 

[Walt34]

Best to query her as to what use she intends to use it for before making a buying decision. Also know that none of the major players make a really bad camera, it's more an issue of picking the feature set that most appeals to the user.

Suggested sites for research:

https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials.htm

https://digital-photography-school.com/