[eddie1960]

Great thread idea and like you how i shoot has changed somewhat

-don't use UV filters any more (I use to keep it on every lens I own); however, I still use polarizer/ND filter occasionally - I haven;'t used UV/Skylight since film when it actually made some difference , still use Polariser/ND and IR filters
-don't use long lenses any more especially longer than 300mm; I prefer medium wide to normal (16-70mm range) lenses - Never been a long lens guy, 200mm is plenty long and i use it so little i'm fine with the kit zoom i have
-don't like zoom lenses as much as prime lenses (enjoy faster and less distortion) - I use primes 95% of the time and have for quite a while (keep zooms for my wife)
-don't get intimidated by anyone holding those big/heavy Canikon cameras - I have bigger heavier Bronica and Mamiya never really cared, I like Nikon kit actually
-don't mind using legacy manual focus lenses - I love using my Taks
-don't mind using flashes when I need to - I'm getting more in to flash but would use when needed (The Fuji lets me use it effectively with legacy lenses )

[philbaum]

I changed my opinions about flash. Thought it was way too complicated for me and I needed that PTTL drug. The PF forums rescued me from my PTTL addiction and taught me how to fly straight with manual flash and strobist thinking.

My volunteer work with a live theatre group gives me plenty of opportunity to hone skills. And i've been doing it long enough that now they even listen to some of my suggestions. The promo shot below was supposed to be in the theatre lobby, but I talked them into taking it outside in the evening, the director helped me find an appropriate ball field, and the actors did the rest. One manual flash, a portable stand, and a 20x20" soft box. It was only a promo shot for a dinner theatre production from a play about 2 baseball coaches, but the Key City Public Theatre guy splashed it onto their website for a month, and the publicity guy got it into the entertainment section of the newspaper and a newsletter.

Turns out that one of the actors is co-owner of one of the old Victorian era buildings in the town - gave me and a few friends access into an older section of the building that is off-limits to the public. Got some great shots. Sometimes good deeds get rewarded

[IMG][/IMG]

[aleonx3]

Great thread idea and like you how i shoot has changed somewhat

-don't use UV filters any more (I use to keep it on every lens I own); however, I still use polarizer/ND filter occasionally - I haven;'t used UV/Skylight since film when it actually made some difference , still use Polariser/ND and IR filters
-don't use long lenses any more especially longer than 300mm; I prefer medium wide to normal (16-70mm range) lenses - Never been a long lens guy, 200mm is plenty long and i use it so little i'm fine with the kit zoom i have
-don't like zoom lenses as much as prime lenses (enjoy faster and less distortion) - I use primes 95% of the time and have for quite a while (keep zooms for my wife)
-don't get intimidated by anyone holding those big/heavy Canikon cameras - I have bigger heavier Bronica and Mamiya never really cared, I like Nikon kit actually
-don't mind using legacy manual focus lenses - I love using my Taks
-don't mind using flashes when I need to - I'm getting more in to flash but would use when needed (The Fuji lets me use it effectively with legacy lenses )

Eddie, thanks for sharing your thoughts and history as well.
-when I first started using my k100D, for some reason, I had what we called 'inferior' complex when I see someone shooting with big honking Canikon glass - thinking that "gee, their photos must look great" - obviously when I learned that was not the case, then I didn't feel so bad.
-like many beginners, I craved for long zooms - and kept looking for the 18-300 lens, thinking that I only needed one lens to do everything; now I didn't touch any lens longer than 135mm.
-learning about flash photography opens up my eyes... learning how to balance between ambient and flash was the best accomplishment I felt and put me squarely among pros shooting at events.

Hope you continue to enjoy your photography journey as much as we do.

---------- Post added 12-19-2014 at 11:30 PM ----------

I changed my opinions about flash. Thought it was way too complicated for me and I needed that PTTL drug. The PF forums rescued me from my PTTL addiction and taught me how to fly straight with manual flash and strobist thinking.

My volunteer work with a live theatre group gives me plenty of opportunity to hone skills. And i've been doing it long enough that now they even listen to some of my suggestions. The promo shot below was supposed to be in the theatre lobby, but I talked them into taking it outside in the evening, the director helped me find an appropriate ball field, and the actors did the rest. One manual flash, a portable stand, and a 20x20" soft box. It was only a promo shot for a dinner theatre production from a play about 2 baseball coaches, but the Key City Public Theatre guy splashed it onto their website for a month, and the publicity guy got it into the entertainment section of the newspaper and a newsletter.

Turns out that one of the actors is co-owner of one of the old Victorian era buildings in the town - gave me and a few friends access into an older section of the building that is off-limits to the public. Got some great shots. Sometimes good deeds get rewarded

[/url][/IMG]

Philbaum, thanks for sharing, I know many users had given bad reviews about PTTL and flash photography entirely because of the general conception that the camera should do all the guess work instead of the user who controls the balance between ambient and flash light. I am sure you will continue to enjoy more once you know how to shoot in situations when you need to use flash to enhance the lighting condition.

[cats_five]

• I have always used UV filters and still do so. I often take photos beside the sea or waterfalls, or in the rain, I'm happy to wipe a UV filter but not the front element of the lens.
• Since I got my DA* 60-250 that is the only lens that has been on the camera!
• Since I started using zoom lenses over 30 years ago that's what I've stuck with.
• I've never given a toss what other people use and I've never found a DSLR that suited my hands better than an Olympus. However the sensor quality wasn't good enough to stick with it.
• I have a couple of legacy manual focus lenses but my new autofocus lenses knock spots of them for IQ so those are what I used.
• I almost never do the sort of photography that needs a flash.
• I have come to love using a tripod
• PP has got more minimal as I've got better at framing my images