[dosdan]

Todd, what F-stop setting did you use for these 4 shots?

Dan.

[todd]

f1.4 on the cactus shots and f2 on the restaurant shots....

[dosdan]

Normally, I use F4-F5.6 with a Super Takumar 50/1.4 or a Pentax-M 50/1.7, but F2 with the shallower DOF works in your first two shots to direct attention. What was the ISO & shutter speed?

Dan.

[todd]

yeah, right now I am purposely sticking with the open end to try and learn what I can and can't get away with and to try and get wild bokeh happening...

restaurant shots = both ISO1600 and both shutter 1/90

cactus shots = both ISO200, shutter 1/1500 and 1/2000

[dosdan]

I rarely go above ISO 800 with my K100D Super because of noise. What did you denoise with?

Dan.

[todd]

I didn't denoise except for what the camera does... I shot raw and processed in ufraw and gimp. Sometimes I apply a slight denoise threshold in ufraw, but I am pretty sure i didn't in the case of these two shots..

[dosdan]

todd, based on our discussion, I decided to try processing an ISO 1600 image. You can see the results here:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-processing-software/36972-iso-1600-p...tml#post342224


I don't know your level of experience with The GIMP. You may find these two tutorials helpful:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-processing-software/29978-gimp-photo...-cropping.html

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/post-processing-software/29983-gimp-photo...-rotation.html



Dan.

[roentarre]

It is clear that you are giving a lot of attention to composition. The shots are creative and interesting.
I am more favoured of the first two shots where the bokeh adds a balance to the subjects. However, the bokeh can be interpreted as harsh with imperfect circles on the left corner. With Fa 50/1.4, you have done a great job (I always stuffed up images with fa 50/1.4)

[todd]

Dan that was an interesting exercise at 1600. I think that is a less forgiving lighting/environment for 1600 than others.. I am not able to give any technical explanations to this statement, but it just seems to me like some environments are more forgiving to 1600 and even 3200 than others. There have been times when I've had my ISO set to auto with the whole range up to 3200 and have been content with the results. Better photographers would get better results, but for a pointer and shooter like myself, I am impressed with these results.. Here (1600) and here (3200) are examples of what I mean..

I use the gimp a lot but don't have too many tricks up my sleeve, so thanks for the tutorials! I will be sure to visit them again then next time I am processing something where I need to accomplish the tasks you are covering there..

Roentarre thanks for the cc! I think I see what you mean about the imperfect circles, if you are referring to the lamps at the end of the glass partition. The lamps aren't perfect circles themselves, and because I was eating dinner with family I couldn't play around too much, but I see what you mean...

Any thoughts about the cactus shots? Did I add too much to them? I enhanced/manipulated the colors/contrast a lot just because I love wild colors, but my wife for instance prefers the more natural color interpretation of the edit that I attached below.

[Jewelltrail]

Four great displays of how aperture can make a shot. I have never had the opportunity to shoot with the Fa 1.4, but do shoot with the Takumar 50mm 1.4 and the M 50mm 1.4, so I truly appreciate nice compositions at those big apertures.

Todd: "I am not able to give any technical explanations to this statement, but it just seems to me like some environments are more forgiving to 1600 and even 3200 than others."

I agree %100 with your above comments on noise. Also, I have not found any really good explanations for why noise seems to be so elusive to predict, control and keep consistent with various conditions. It seems to be one of the less understood aspects of DSLRs. Of course, in general, we all know that noise increases with increased ISO, but beyond that there are not a lot of absolutes being thrown out there. I have read where various lenses can produce more or less noise than others, but nothing truly definitive.

[todd]

thanks for the comments! since you popped in and bumped this thread, here's another one of my wide open 50mm attempts from last night.. there was quite a bit of noise, being a night shot and I happened to have it in ISO800 and wide open when I noticed this bird.. I wanted to try a few more shots of this comp with different settings but my batteries went dead right after this first try...




my edits were all in ufraw for this.. i lowered the white balance from the camera setting, bumped up the saturation and EV a bit and applied some denoise threshold, I think to 100...

[cupic]

Tact sharp Todd wonderful example of a fast 50 at work


cheers