[GUB]

This further leads me to a difficulty I've had with night shots in general when it comes to white balance. I always have trouble setting one that "looks right" to me. It seems to me that when there is not a reasonably even light bathing the scene, sampling is a fool's game, and there is really no "preset" value (or rather name) that makes sense.

Totally agree. set it to how you want to see it.
I see way too much dependence on the technology making the decisions in photography. Exposure /aperture/ iso - And people hide behind the fact the machine decided it it must be right as in your WB example.
Having all this tech at your disposal is lazy inducing and outright dis-empowering.
Above all it is a addiction in that once you go cold turkey (M mode etc) you are amazed how simple and clean cut everything actually is.
And above all you move into a headspace that "observation" is everything. And that is how it should be for an artist.

[Arpe]

Thoughts?

My thoughts are that you're over-thinking it!
Just do what looks okay to you, and if someone else gets it wrong (to you), then know that you can do better!

[MarkJerling]

After a quiet winter on the photography front, for me, I've been busy of late. Have shot another running event, great day out.
And, visiting my daughter in Titahi Bay always brings a few photo opportunities.

Jim Williams' Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM never disappoints.

[GUB]

After a quiet winter on the photography front, for me, I've been busy of late. Have shot another running event, great day out.
And, visiting my daughter in Titahi Bay always brings a few photo opportunities.

Jim Williams' Sigma 50-500mm F4.5-6.3 DG OS HSM never disappoints.

Yep trying to get things going a bit photography wise myself. Looking forward to a weekend over in Hawkes Bay. First time out from the farm since July.

[Transit]

Picked up a 1250mm lens

[GUB]

Picked up a 1250mm lens

Awesome -for the Q?

[Kiwizinho]

Yep trying to get things going a bit photography wise myself

I took the TG-6 for a spin at lunchtime today. Nothing like new gear to encourage getting out and using it.
I came to a few conclusions.
1. DSLRs are heavy - even APS-C ones. Having something you can stick in your pocket makes a big difference, especially when travelling by bike.
2. OVFs are impossible to beat. Using an LCD underwater in a shallow stream in bright sunshine was a nightmare.
3. There is no such thing as a perfect camera. The TG-6 opens up a whole new world of photography for me with its underwater capabilities, and I got a whole camera with great macro capabilities for less than the cost of a macro lens alone for Pentax. On the other hand, My K-70 can shoot landscapes, portraits, low light, birds and more in ways I couldn't even contemplate with the TG-6. There are DSLRs that have underwater housings available, but they're way too bulky to photograph in shallow freshwater streams.
4. RAW + good software can get the best out of any camera. I must try the new PhotoLab noise reduction.
5. Claims that smartphones render P&S cameras obsolete are somewhat exaggerated. Having an optical zoom and a macro that works at full resolution unlike many smartphones with low res macro lenses makes a considerable difference.

I'm going to have to go back with the DA 55-300, or maybe even the monster Sigma 150-500 in a few days after what I found today. Hopefully dogs, cats, and stupid humans won't spoil things.



This is why I wanted a bit more than just WR.


Since I'm only photographing in shallow water at this stage, I might be able to come up with some waterproof contraption to fit over the end of the lens hood for the D-FA macro so that I can have it in contact with the water to cut out reflections without wetting the lens, but I'm thinking it's probably a bit risky.

[zkarj]

I must try the new PhotoLab noise reduction.

Use judiciously, and be aware of the Noise model slider. Whereas DeepPRIME can almost universally be used with just the amount tweaked to needs (I tend to default to 25), DeepPRIME XD is a different beast. It can absolutely pull more detail out, but it's a trade-off for non-detailed areas in my experience. I've had marked improvements in some textures, but if you have a smooth bokeh it has a habit of destroying it.

After a quiet winter on the photography front, for me, I've been busy of late.

I'm pretty sure the gull in the middle is thinking the same thing I would be with that racket going on.

I was hoping to get out last weekend for a proper run with the O-GPS2, but even this weekend is looking doubtful with this stupid cold. At least I have a bunch of annual leave I need to use up soon, so I will take some time off when I can make good use of it.

[GUB]

DSLRs are heavy - even APS-C ones. Having something you can stick in your pocket makes a big difference, especially when travelling by bike.

I guess my glass is always half full but I like the weight of the K-1 plus lens to stabilise against shake. By the time you take that into account and the fact it is stuck to a large immovable mass (your forehead) you are well on the way to a tripod.
I chose my Q to do a 14day hike over Gillespie and Rabbit pass in the Aspiring NP and totally regretted the loss of dynamic range.
Carried my K-1 to Base Camp and the results so vindicate it. (mind you porters carried a few extra lenses for me).

[Transit]

Awesome -for the Q?

Should be Mate this baby's a 10"
The Q7 did very nicely on the 6"...good image on Jupiter and Saturn

[Iron]

A warm welcome Iron! Lovely images.

Kind regards,
Mark
(Masterton)

Welcome Iron, like others have said, some nice BIF images there.

Thanks, mates!

[zkarj]

I guess my glass is always half full but I like the weight of the K-1 plus lens to stabilise against shake. By the time you take that into account and the fact it is stuck to a large immovable mass (your forehead) you are well on the way to a tripod.

See also video cameras. I bought one some years back now that fit comfortably in my palm and it was essentially useless to me because I could not hold it steady and the stabilisation was over-assertive.

[GUB]

See also video cameras. I bought one some years back now that fit comfortably in my palm and it was essentially useless to me because I could not hold it steady and the stabilisation was over-assertive.

Worst thing I had was one of those horrid cheap instamatic 110 as my teenager camera. Weightless with very heavy trigger pressure. Combine that with what was already a useless camera and the results were shite.

[microlight]

Worst thing I had was a Polaroid Swinger back around 1970; monochrome instant pictures that were absolutely bloody awful. The only saving grace was that you could see how awful they were in thirty seconds!

[Kiwizinho]

Carried my K-1 to Base Camp and the results so vindicate it.

I remember years ago, the TVNZ documentary Rivers, narrated by Craig Potton. He was using a Pentax 645 of some description, not sure if it was digital or film. I guess he was wealthy enough to pay someone to fly a helicopter around for him, or else didn't carry too much else in his pack
It does make sense to take the largest sensor that is practical for landscapes.
I wonder if there'd be a market for something like the Ricoh GR series with a full frame sensor? That actually wouldn't be too different to what Dad's film camera was like in his tramping days, and he managed some great photos with it although he wasn't a serious photographer.
My thing is landscape and nature including macro. For nature I'm not likely to print things huge, so an enthusiast P&S like the TG-6 is fine, but for landscape I'd want maximum dynamic range but could live with a single focal length, so two compact cameras might actually be a more practical way to travel than one big DSLR with lenses for all the subjects I want to photograph.
There are full frame compacts, but they're mostly Leica, so it's probably cheaper to buy a K-1 II and hire a helicopter.

---------- Post added 11-05-22 at 02:37 PM ----------

I think my absolute worst camera was my very first one. A Diana F. Plastic lens, plastic body, leaked light. Used 120 film. Used magnesium single use flash bulbs. They're so bad that they're good, kind of like a cult B-movie.
Lomography actually sells a slightly updated version of this classic due to their cult status.