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10-24-2009, 01:28 AM   #16
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If I'm not too late to add my 2¢...

You might want to invest in some sort of basic photography textbook. Please don't take what I write as a put down on your work. I have viewed a few of your photos on Flickr and they look good. I often dig out my old copy of "Exploring Black & White Photography" and put myself through a self imposed review session. I especially like this book because it focuses on the basics of camera control without the added complexity of color issues.

10-24-2009, 05:27 AM   #17
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Last edited by r0ckstarr; 11-11-2011 at 11:07 AM.
10-24-2009, 06:21 AM   #18
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You have some nice images there.

R0ckStar you have some nice images there, i remember how much of a change it was to go from a P&S to a dSLR. I'm very impressed with your panning shots, I've never gotten them to work, not even 10% as nicely as yours.

I have only one suggestion. Try shooting with higher ISO, blast off some shots at 200, 400, 800 and 1600. I each new camera I see it seems I have to mentally adjust what is acceptable in my mind.

Also I find that high ISO in bright light (to boost shutter speed) looks better than the same ISO in poor light, 1600 in a dark bar may be poor, but outside it looks much better. I think it depends on how much black is in the image.

All I can say is good luck. And try catch-in-focus. The only good race images I have came from using a manual lens and and doing this. There are some good thread here about that. Give it a try.

Oh and best of luck with your new toy. I envy you.
10-24-2009, 06:59 AM   #19
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Also, try to get Petersons "Understanding Exposure". He covers most of the issues you are having and also has a section explaining the differences between P&S cameras SLR's and the depth of field differences between them.

10-24-2009, 08:21 AM   #20
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QuoteOriginally posted by r0ckstarr Quote
Thanks for all of the comments. You've all given me alot to think about and figure out. I'm going to ignore everything I learned from my previous P&S and start over from scratch. It's clear that I've pointed myself in the wrong direction and am doing something completely wrong. My first post came from frustration. I spent the day at the track, and when I got home to view the pictures, they were nothing like what I had expected them to be at the time of shooting. I had all of my settings wrong, and need to learn all of these "rules" that follow.

Thanks.
Hang on one last thing, have you tried ISo 800 yet? I think you're in for a strratling shock compared to your compact. 800 is like 100 on a compct 200 at least.

Google the effects of aperture, larger sensors will creat very shallow DOF. BTW if you're panning don't you use 1/60th anyway?
10-24-2009, 11:33 AM   #21
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Last edited by r0ckstarr; 11-11-2011 at 11:08 AM.
10-24-2009, 12:01 PM   #22
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Not sure if this helps,

But there was a post somewhere in the forum where the shooter was using high ISO jpegs from their K-7. But the camera was then adding a great deal of sharpening. The result was the image looked very graing and noisy.

The problem was solved by shooting RAW, or changing the sharpening settings.

I'll try and find the thread.

--------------------

Found it:

https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/pentax-dslr-discussion/68526-why-these-sp...here-k10d.html


Last edited by KungPOW; 10-24-2009 at 12:06 PM. Reason: added link to topic
10-24-2009, 10:38 PM   #23
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QuoteOriginally posted by r0ckstarr Quote
Someone had mentioned the Polarizer cutting down the light. So, I changed CPL's and that made a world of difference. I was using a Vivitar CPL (ebay special) and changed it for a Zeikos. Instantly the colors were less flat, more vivid, and I wasn't struggling to pick up shutter speeds. I had no problem getting 1/2000. Is it possible to have a CPL that actually kills the contrast and colors?
Sure. Unless you have a specific reaosn to be using a polarizer, and know how to rotate it for maximum effect to get the results you want, you shouldn't be using one at all. That certainly explains the difficulty getting your shutter speeds up! Was there some advantage you hoped to gain in exchange?
10-24-2009, 10:41 PM   #24
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QuoteOriginally posted by Marc Sabatella Quote
Sure. Unless you have a specific reaosn to be using a polarizer, and know how to rotate it for maximum effect to get the results you want, you shouldn't be using one at all. That certainly explains the difficulty getting your shutter speeds up! Was there some advantage you hoped to gain in exchange?
probably to avoid any reflections on the cars?
10-25-2009, 09:03 AM   #25
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QuoteOriginally posted by Pentaxor Quote
probably to avoid any reflections on the cars?
That was what I was imagining, but if those cars are moving, it seems there's almost no way one could possibly be rotating the filter quickly or precisely enough to be tracking the angle of the reflections as the car drives by. And if the cars are not moving, who cares abut shutter speed?
10-25-2009, 10:23 AM   #26
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10-25-2009, 10:51 AM   #27
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QuoteOriginally posted by r0ckstarr Quote

I know I have a lack of skill with this camera and the technique involved, and I don't want to sound like I am blaming a bad CPL for everything, but the above shot was with a different CPL and it made a world of difference to me.
Sometimes it really is the equipment, no matter what the common mantra is.
10-25-2009, 12:45 PM   #28
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QuoteOriginally posted by r0ckstarr Quote
I know how to use a CPL. When panning, I choose a spot where the car will be when I want to shoot. Since I was on a sharp curve and using a slower shutter speed, I didn't want to shoot the car as it was entering or leaving the turn, as there would be motion from the car changing direction. Once the car was directly out in front of me, that would be the "sweet spot". I set the CPL for that specific area. Then when panning and the car falls into that area, the CPL has some effect.
Very clever!

QuoteQuote:
I know I have a lack of skill with this camera and the technique involved, and I don't want to sound like I am blaming a bad CPL for everything, but the above shot was with a different CPL and it made a world of difference to me.
Completely understandable. I'd say the CPL obviously was responsible your difficulty with shutter speeds, and probably wasn't helping contrast or color any, and replacing it should indeed be expected to make a difference. I think some experimentation with finding a balance between finding an ISO level high enough to get the shutter speeds you want without inducing too much noise - and also finding how to best control noise in PP - would be one of the next steps. You'll also still have to deal with the fact that DOF on a DSLR is a lot shallower than on a P&S camera for an otherwise similar exposure, but hey, some people pay extra for that...
10-25-2009, 05:18 PM   #29
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Last edited by r0ckstarr; 11-11-2011 at 11:09 AM.
10-26-2009, 06:20 AM   #30
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I have posted this before after i first got my k20, i came from a P&S background and didnt really realise the differences either. The learning curve is HUGE and not to be underestimated. I have pretty much had to forget everything i learnt with my old p&S and start again learning all the little nuances of the K20 and SLR's. The biggest challenge i had was focus because of the teeny DOF compared to P&S camera, and also a seeming lack of light coming in. Like you i was used to shooting silly shutter speeds in good light, but that changed with the K20. i can still get high shutter speeds but nothing like the conditions i used to be able to get away with!

I tend to use aperture priority more than anything that was i can control my DOF and effectively the shutter speed (open wider for faster) but the camera also has shutter priority and the very effective P mode which you can change the Shutter or DOF and press the green button for an auto setting. worth a try anyway!

Keep practising, that hotrod shot was great for such a low shutter speed!

Steve
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