[TDvN57]

Hi,

Those were in the Bin???

Stan

The two pics with the giraffes yes. The rocks lying around makes for a very difficult composition and the originals were all fairly wide shots, even though it was taken with the 300mm lens.

In the re-edit I cropped heavily and used ACR's enhance to gain back some mpx. I'm not sure if they will make good prints, but on screen it looks ok, I hope.

I have two more bin recoveries from the same water hole that I took with the KP + 50-135mm, which I posted in the KP section. I like those two more.

Actually I'm thinking of selling my KP and buying a second 645z as a second camera, instead of using the KP as a second. Will have to cook that stew a bit more before I can decide.

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Last edited by TDvN57; 08-24-2021 at 07:39 AM.

[ivanvernon]

The two pics with the giraffes yes. The rocks lying around makes for a very difficult composition and the originals were all fairly wide shots, even though it was taken with the 300mm lens.

In the re-edit I cropped heavily and used ACR's enhance to gain back some mpx. I'm not sure if they will make good prints, but on screen it looks ok, I hope.

I have two more bin recoveries from the same water hole that I took with the KP + 50-135mm, which I posted in the KP section. I like those two more.

Actually I'm thinking of selling my KP and buying a second 645z as a second camera, instead of using the KP as a second. Will have to cook that stew a bit more before I can decide.

Great plan. Actually, I like the way it sounds: "My backup camera is a Pentax 645Z." My own MF backup camera is only a Pentax 645D.

[w2ck]

Hi,

Well, they surely do look good on screen. To me, anyway. And I'm likely to be in the group who has a 645Z as the main and a 645D as a backup. Right now, it's a 645D as the main and no backup as far as MF or Hi Res goes. I can't quite call my Nikon DF a backup to the 645D. Two different setups for quite different uses.

I haven't made a move to supplant the 645D yet. In fact, I haven't given it any further thought than eyeballing the used 645Z and Fuji 50s market once in a while. I'm in the middle of some rather major business changes this year and have not done any shooting to speak of at all with with anything. I can't quite yet spend any money on photo gear. But, the bright side is I haven't had to think about selling anything I already have.

I had the idea of getting to South Carolina and shoot a couple more lighthouses. And, I did get to SC to sell some of what I already have. That's another plus, some events have returned. But, zero time to go wandering about for a few days to see just where I need to go and how to get there. Recon is something I had already done years ago for the NC lighthouses. But, I haven't ventured anywhere else for such. And, I can tell that the lighthouses are worthwhile shooting and printing from a business standpoint.

Stan

[TDvN57]

I agree it does sound great to have the 645z as second/backup camera. My thinking is that it will be less to pack. Only one set of lenses, same set of batteries and chargers for example.

I can use the one camera with a long lens setup and the other with a wider zoom, ready for action.

The KP is a nice little camera, but if I take it, it means more lenses, batteries and chargers in my bag. Also the price of the 645z (used with low shutter count) is coming down.

I skipped the 645d, but if I had one it would have made a good second wide angle setup as well.

Still thinking....

[Ed Hurst]

After a very moist day in Sydney, the daily walk with my young boys took us past this - a usually small waterfall hidden in the trees of Middle Harbour.

645Z with 25mm DA lens
[IMG][/IMG]

[barondla]

After a very moist day in Sydney, the daily walk with my young boys took us past this - a usually small waterfall hidden in the trees of Middle Harbour.

645Z with 25mm DA lens
[/url][/IMG]

Love the double falls. You've just shown a 645 is a great daily carry camera.

Thanks for sharing,
barondla

[TDvN57]

After a very moist day in Sydney, the daily walk with my young boys took us past this - a usually small waterfall hidden in the trees of Middle Harbour.

645Z with 25mm DA lens
[/url][/IMG]

A really nice little waterfall Ed. Looks very calming and relaxing. Thanks for sharing.

[cksandberg]

My main camera is a 645Z (it replaced a 645D) and my backup is a K-3: same battery, very consistent controls, both using DNG native files, simple adapter to move a lens down to the K-mount, great image quality at a lower overall resolution. That pairing has worked well for me, and I have ended up adding two WR lenses for the K-3 to make it a lighter, smaller body/lens combination when the size of the Z could cause problems. Love both cameras!

[TDvN57]

I cant remember how many times I have re-edited this picture of the flamingos. Before we went to Namibia I read of this large community of flamingoes in Walvis Bay. While preparing for the trip I looked at a some interesting and creative ways others have taken pictures of flamingos. So with great enthusiasm I approached the flock, only to realize they are super skittish and once you are at about 200m they start to monitor your movements. A few of the older and larger birds immediately took-off. The more brave or less experienced birds kept watching us. As we came closer the rest of the adults started to take-off. I got a few pictures but the scenes were all extremely busy, composition was impossible to do, we just had to take what we could get. The idyllic scenes I had strived for were certainly not going to unfold for me on that day.

So I edited once more, this time by isolating three adults flying away, darkening the strip of sky and put more emphasis on the three adults. The second picture is with the bleak mono-tone sky replaced in PS, but it looks fake to me and does not add much to the scene.

Any comments and suggestions?

[Ed Hurst]

Love the double falls. You've just shown a 645 is a great daily carry camera.

Thanks for sharing,
barondla

A really nice little waterfall Ed. Looks very calming and relaxing. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks so much, my friends :-)

A very simple shot, but satisfying somehow!

---------- Post added 08-25-21 at 03:10 PM ----------

I cant remember how many times I have re-edited this picture of the flamingos. Before we went to Namibia I read of this large community of flamingoes in Walvis Bay. While preparing for the trip I looked at a some interesting and creative ways others have taken pictures of flamingos. So with great enthusiasm I approached the flock, only to realize they are super skittish and once you are at about 200m they start to monitor your movements. A few of the older and larger birds immediately took-off. The more brave or less experienced birds kept watching us. As we came closer the rest of the adults started to take-off. I got a few pictures but the scenes were all extremely busy, composition was impossible to do, we just had to take what we could get. The idyllic scenes I had strived for were certainly not going to unfold for me on that day.

So I edited once more, this time by isolating three adults flying away, darkening the strip of sky and put more emphasis on the three adults. The second picture is with the bleak mono-tone sky replaced in PS, but it looks fake to me and does not add much to the scene.

Any comments and suggestions?

Lovely shot. I see what you're trying to do with the edits, etc. - personally, I prefer the dark sky, though I'd love to see that with the overall composition/cropping of the other shot.

[Ed Hurst]

A picture that's meant to express the bleak, cold feeling of Sydney's lockdown. From Davidson Park, a picnic table (partly cordoned off, but with the tape ripped away in places, no doubt by people resisting the lockdown) seems to stare towards Roseville Bridge.

645Z with 55mm DFA lens

[IMG][/IMG]

[TDvN57]

A picture that's meant to express the bleak, cold feeling of Sydney's lockdown. From Davidson Park, a picnic table (partly cordoned off, but with the tape ripped away in places, no doubt by people resisting the lockdown) seems to stare towards Roseville Bridge.

645Z with 55mm DFA lens

[/url][/IMG]

This one certainly gets the mood across. Covid!!! damn... Takes a lot of will power to counter that, it is easy to get sucked into the gloom. The first couple of months were in a morbid way relaxing, like someone managed to push the pause button on the fast pace, the world of business took a break. Now that the engine was partially stopped, it takes a lot to start it up again. With many casualties along the way. Seeing the beauty in nature is one way I found to pull myself above the mud flats of despair.

[SFTphotography]

I cant remember how many times I have re-edited this picture of the flamingos. Before we went to Namibia I read of this large community of flamingoes in Walvis Bay. While preparing for the trip I looked at a some interesting and creative ways others have taken pictures of flamingos. So with great enthusiasm I approached the flock, only to realize they are super skittish and once you are at about 200m they start to monitor your movements. A few of the older and larger birds immediately took-off. The more brave or less experienced birds kept watching us. As we came closer the rest of the adults started to take-off. I got a few pictures but the scenes were all extremely busy, composition was impossible to do, we just had to take what we could get. The idyllic scenes I had strived for were certainly not going to unfold for me on that day.

So I edited once more, this time by isolating three adults flying away, darkening the strip of sky and put more emphasis on the three adults. The second picture is with the bleak mono-tone sky replaced in PS, but it looks fake to me and does not add much to the scene.

Any comments and suggestions?

These are great - particularly the 1st

[Ed Hurst]

This one certainly gets the mood across. Covid!!! damn... Takes a lot of will power to counter that, it is easy to get sucked into the gloom. The first couple of months were in a morbid way relaxing, like someone managed to push the pause button on the fast pace, the world of business took a break. Now that the engine was partially stopped, it takes a lot to start it up again. With many casualties along the way. Seeing the beauty in nature is one way I found to pull myself above the mud flats of despair.

Although I am deeply aware of how badly Covid is affecting people across the globe (with the usual inequalities starkly emphasised, of course!), speaking personally for a long time I didn't mind its effects. It led to more time at home with my family, my work (touch wood) has been safe so far, etc.. BUT once the schools got closed at a time when my partner is busy with all her freelance work, then it has felt like a bomb has been dropped into our family life. Every day is a struggle - at a time when I have been told by my doctor that I need to destress and look after myself as I recover from recent serious illness... Still, we remain massively privileged compared to billions in the world, so mustn't complain!

Best wishes to you all as we all deal with these crazy times in our own unique ways.

[TDvN57]

---------- Post added 08-25-21 at 03:10 PM ----------



Lovely shot. I see what you're trying to do with the edits, etc. - personally, I prefer the dark sky, though I'd love to see that with the overall composition/cropping of the other shot.

.
Here is a contact sheet of the Flamingos in Namibia. The picture I selected was #380, the first one. That was as the initial wave of wary adults to first depart. We slowly walked towards the left, trying to calm down the exodus, but it did not seem to slow down. In the following series of pictures you can get some idea of the confused scene of birds flying everywhere. The last picture #390 shows the few brave adults and the young.

I think there are still some interesting scenes which can be lifted with some heavy cropping.

Obviously the lesson here is that these birds are wary of people and taking interesting behavioral pictures of them will require a much different strategy.

Your comments will be appreciated.

PS. For those that may wonder why the images are so "flat": These pictures are un-edited and are basic flat raw files.