Photos taken by Pentax cameras for tech. discussion - Season I

[Baracus]

Great stuff CorneliusK! :thumbsup:

It does seem that the Wescott gives off a softer and more even light when compared to a normal umbrella. Must be the silver lining and less parabolic shape... :think:

The post-processing is also to my taste. I just adore the details the cosplayers put into their costumes and accessories. :lovegrin:

 

[pinholecam]

Three from another cosplay event (EOY 2010)

These 3 shots are very nice.

 

[CorneliusK]

Thanks Baracus for helping out again at STGCC and EOY, everything seems to go smoother when you are around!

I'll need to do further testing but my initial impression is also that the wescotts gives a better effect than a regular umbrella somehow. Plus they are more sturdy and compact - definitely a pleasure to use.

Anyway I personally prefer these type of glamour/fashion style of lighting/post processing. These guys are gorgeous and deserve the most flattering light possible.

Thanks pinholecam, there were some extremely good cosplayers at EOY, its a pity I was only able to catch a few of them.

 

[flowerpot]

Three from another cosplay event (EOY 2010)

nice work... but i feel the compo is too tight, to use the westscott to take such a tight compo is kinda wasted... a shoot through umbrella can produce similar results...

lighting look harsher than the westscott can produce... maybe u place it too far i dunno..

but nice work nonetheless...

 

[CorneliusK]

flowerpot, thanks for the comments, I was using the shoot thru wescott folding umbrella (the one I was inquiring about in the lighting forum)

The main reason why the composition is so tight is due to the really small area that I am shooting in - the background shows up in the wider crops and I haven't had time to process them properly yet.

 

[flowerpot]

flowerpot, thanks for the comments, I was using the shoot thru wescott folding umbrella (the one I was inquiring about in the lighting forum)

The main reason why the composition is so tight is due to the really small area that I am shooting in - the background shows up in the wider crops and I haven't had time to process them properly yet.

ah... so its a shoot through umbrella... no wonder the results looks like one...:bsmilie:

a good shoot through umbrella can be found locally, why go to such great lengths to get the westscott ?

 

[CorneliusK]

Haha I like to enjoy the tools which I use, and I was unable to find the folding one in SG

 

[oceanpriest]

Few shots from Kent Ridge Park, quite a nice place to shoot macro/bird.

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=813309

 

[seefei]

Few shots from Kent Ridge Park, quite a nice place to shoot macro/bird.

the long leg fly has some nice details. look there is some specks of dust near to the 2nd leg on the right of the photo. :think:

 

[oceanpriest]

the long leg fly has some nice details. look there is some specks of dust near to the 2nd leg on the right of the photo. :think:

:think: weird, it doesn't show on my other pics

 

[detritus]

Few shots from Kent Ridge Park, quite a nice place to shoot macro/bird.

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=813309

:thumbsup: nice one! one of my all time favourite subjects you really managed to capture the details and colours very well for this one. raynox?

 

[pentriot]

Few shots from Kent Ridge Park, quite a nice place to shoot macro/bird.

http://www.clubsnap.com/forums/showthread.php?t=813309

It would be nice to share the methods & settings for tech discussion.

 

[oceanpriest]

:thumbsup: nice one! one of my all time favourite subjects you really managed to capture the details and colours very well for this one. raynox?

It would be nice to share the methods & settings for tech discussion.

Sorry, it's taken with K-x and Vivitar S1 105mm f2.5 handheld, using manual flash on hot shoe with DIY diffuser. Settings: ISO 500, f8, 1/50, JPEG (+sharp +contrast), no pp, crop only.

 

[pentriot]

Sorry, it's taken with K-x and Vivitar S1 105mm f2.5 handheld, using manual flash on hot shoe with DIY diffuser. Settings: ISO 500, f8, 1/50, JPEG (+sharp +contrast), no pp, crop only.

Thanks for sharing.
The Vivitar a good MF macro lens and you used stock focusing screen?

 

[oceanpriest]

Thanks for sharing.
The Vivitar a good MF macro lens and you used stock focusing screen?

Yes, I use K3 focusing screen + OME-53 magnifier eyecup. They really help when using manual focus lenses

 

[figo007]

Accompanying my friends at the MBS after the dinner, took a couple of shots at the live concert, I'm using an Auto Mode with the shutter speed around 15-25 second, f2.8 and ISO 400. End up a lot of blur pictures, any suggestion from you guys?

 

[pentriot]

Yes, I use K3 focusing screen + OME-53 magnifier eyecup. They really help when using manual focus lenses

Thanks.
I also used the K3 focusing screen + OME-53 magnifier eyecup for this shot.
Pentax A100mm/2.8 @ ISO400, f8.0, 1/125.

 

[pinholecam]

Accompanying my friends at the MBS after the dinner, took a couple of shots at the live concert, I'm using an Auto Mode with the shutter speed around 15-25 second, f2.8 and ISO 400. End up a lot of blur pictures, any suggestion from you guys?

Looks quite ok at these sizes.

My few cents,
1/15 to 1/25 is just too slow. Some ball park figures that I use:
Stationary people : 1/60 (at a push 1/30)
Normal movement : 1/90 to 1/125 (generally 1/125)
Faster movement not involving sports: 1/180 to 1/250

Be more daring with the ISO. I'd even push to ISO1600 or 1/2400 on my K7.

 

[figo007]

Looks quite ok at these sizes.

My few cents,
1/15 to 1/25 is just too slow. Some ball park figures that I use:
Stationary people : 1/60 (at a push 1/30)
Normal movement : 1/90 to 1/125 (generally 1/125)
Faster movement not involving sports: 1/180 to 1/250

Be more daring with the ISO. I'd even push to ISO1600 or 1/2400 on my K7.

Oh Yes!! I Didn't notice that I'm still able to increase the shutter speed by increasing the ISO!! Keep thinking noise will be induce when setting at high ISO mode, will try out between the range of 1600 to 2400 on my Kx.

Many thanks Pinholecam!

 

[CorneliusK]

Shooting night concerts can be very challenging, you need to experiment to see which setting will give you the best results.

Will the increased grain from higher iso affect the image be worth the trade off of lower blur from higher shutter speed?

Will the lower sharpness from using the lens wide open counter the handshake from a higher shutter speed?

I have found using TAv mode to be very useful - you can just keep pushing the shutterspeed and aperture as low as possible, and let the camera choose the iso.

Also, if you are a K-5 user, you can also try shooting in RAW with negative exposure compensation - i.e. shoot underexposed so you can use a lower iso, and then readjusting in post.

This is due to the simply incredibly good low iso performance of the K-5, if you are able to touch iso 100-400 by using negative exposure compensation, you should have no problems correcting exposure in post.