First outing with K10D

simons-photography · 03-24-2008, 02:45 PM

well I generally try to keep it sharp I just read a review of the smc 18-55 and aparantly its best closed up a bit especially at 55 mm but not as far as 32 or 38 I think 11-16 was recomended

madisonphotogrl · 03-24-2008, 08:03 PM

Originally posted by APEHAUS

So... you took your K10D out for its first run and you're not sharing any pics with us?

Well they are seriously boring and just "get to know the camera" pictures.. I had no idea what I was doing with the camera itself. Maybe the next trip outside... this time after the snow melts...

rormeister · 03-25-2008, 07:16 AM

Originally posted by madisonphotogrl

Well they are seriously boring and just "get to know the camera" pictures.. I had no idea what I was doing with the camera itself. Maybe the next trip outside... this time after the snow melts...

Ha! If I had a nickel for every one of my "getting to know you" shots. Something in the neighborhood of 200 pics of my woodstove. However, during that play time I got to really understand white balance, and in particular manual white balance. It was one of those OMG moments

navcom · 03-25-2008, 07:36 AM

Originally posted by madisonphotogrl

Well they are seriously boring and just "get to know the camera" pictures.. I had no idea what I was doing with the camera itself. Maybe the next trip outside... this time after the snow melts...

...the winter that will never end! Sorry Madison...looks like we are in for more snow at the end of the week.

You can only take so many pictures of snow, right?

I can't remember a winter that I've wanted spring this bad. When will it end?!!

Oh well, all these changes of season make for some spectacular photo ops! We like to complain but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else!

...(proud Minnesotan for 40 years)

madisonphotogrl · 03-25-2008, 11:40 AM

Originally posted by navcom

... We like to complain but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else!

...(proud Minnesotan for 40 years)

Seriously? Not even Hawaii? I'd be on the first plane out.. I'll visit WI or MN in march to see snow. I am seriuosly about ready to scream.. Have you ever gone out shooting on a bright day with a nice blanket of snow and have difficulty seeing your viewfinder info? I went out on Saturday and i couldn't see hardly any info thru the viewfinder.. I should have had my

with me...

madisonphotogrl · 03-25-2008, 11:54 AM

Originally posted by rormeister

Ha! If I had a nickel for every one of my "getting to know you" shots. Something in the neighborhood of 200 pics of my woodstove. However, during that play time I got to really understand white balance, and in particular manual white balance. It was one of those OMG moments

So you said it and not me... White Balance... Have any helpful links to clairify how to tell if you are "balanced"... so new to digital. I think I am ok.. I used the sunny outdoors setting when i was outside..

rormeister · 03-25-2008, 12:25 PM

Originally posted by madisonphotogrl

So you said it and not me... White Balance... Have any helpful links to clairify how to tell if you are "balanced"... so new to digital. I think I am ok.. I used the sunny outdoors setting when i was outside..

Using the preset's works okay, but even outdoors Auto seems fine, especially if you shoot RAW, perfect balance is an eye dropper away in PP. However be sure to remember before shooting a set to hit the Fn button to double check where you last left WB. If it's like me the first 2 or 3 shots come out magically BLUE because I've left it in an indoor setting (that's where I practice when it's raining). Here's a pretty clever idea one of the members suggested (sad the thread died) . Also, with all your snow challenges, you might consider Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure" where he describes tricks to preventing gray snow (better than yellow I always say).
"Life is a White Balancing Act"

navcom · 03-25-2008, 01:22 PM

Originally posted by madisonphotogrl

Seriously? Not even Hawaii? I'd be on the first plane out.. I'll visit WI or MN in march to see snow. I am seriuosly about ready to scream.. Have you ever gone out shooting on a bright day with a nice blanket of snow and have difficulty seeing your viewfinder info? I went out on Saturday and i couldn't see hardly any info thru the viewfinder.. I should have had my

with me...

Oh yeah! Been there done that. I wear a trusty baseball cap. It's not a perfect solution as your hands have a hard time running the controls with that cap "beak" in the way, but it works to get a look. I am also usually using a tripod, so I can look in without touching the camera.

I would not recommend sunglasses if you can help it while setting up for a shot. Since they are correcting the exposure of the sun on your eyes, they will also alter your perception of what you are seeing in the viewfinder and the LCD screen. Polarizer sunglasses are even worse, as they will give you the perception that you have a polarizer filter on your camera even when you don't when you look thru the viewfinder. Then when you get home and look at the final pictures, you will kick yourself.

I like snow...just not nearly for this long!!! It's been a rough winter for sure!

kenyee · 03-25-2008, 03:09 PM

Originally posted by madisonphotogrl

So you said it and not me... White Balance... Have any helpful links to clairify how to tell if you are "balanced"... so new to digital.

White balance outdoors is fairly accurate. It's when you're indoors and have multiple light sources that you go nuts and have to try to calibrate for whatever lighting is there.
I use a WhiBal card (smallest). Go through these tutorials to get an idea of how it's used:
WhiBal White Balance Gray Card Video Tutorial by Michael Tapes

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03-24-2008, 02:45 PM	#16
simons-photography Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northamptonshire - England Photos: Gallery Posts: 496	well I generally try to keep it sharp I just read a review of the smc 18-55 and aparantly its best closed up a bit especially at 55 mm but not as far as 32 or 38 I think 11-16 was recomended

03-24-2008, 08:03 PM	#17
madisonphotogrl Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 270 Original Poster	Originally posted by APEHAUS So... you took your K10D out for its first run and you're not sharing any pics with us? Well they are seriously boring and just "get to know the camera" pictures.. I had no idea what I was doing with the camera itself. Maybe the next trip outside... this time after the snow melts...

03-25-2008, 07:16 AM	#18
rormeister Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 626	Originally posted by madisonphotogrl Well they are seriously boring and just "get to know the camera" pictures.. I had no idea what I was doing with the camera itself. Maybe the next trip outside... this time after the snow melts... Ha! If I had a nickel for every one of my "getting to know you" shots. Something in the neighborhood of 200 pics of my woodstove. However, during that play time I got to really understand white balance, and in particular manual white balance. It was one of those OMG moments

03-25-2008, 07:36 AM	#19
navcom Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Minnesota USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 807	Originally posted by madisonphotogrl Well they are seriously boring and just "get to know the camera" pictures.. I had no idea what I was doing with the camera itself. Maybe the next trip outside... this time after the snow melts... ...the winter that will never end! Sorry Madison...looks like we are in for more snow at the end of the week. You can only take so many pictures of snow, right? I can't remember a winter that I've wanted spring this bad. When will it end?!! Oh well, all these changes of season make for some spectacular photo ops! We like to complain but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else! ...(proud Minnesotan for 40 years)

03-25-2008, 11:40 AM	#20
madisonphotogrl Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 270 Original Poster	Originally posted by navcom ... We like to complain but I wouldn't want to live anywhere else! ...(proud Minnesotan for 40 years) Seriously? Not even Hawaii? I'd be on the first plane out.. I'll visit WI or MN in march to see snow. I am seriuosly about ready to scream.. Have you ever gone out shooting on a bright day with a nice blanket of snow and have difficulty seeing your viewfinder info? I went out on Saturday and i couldn't see hardly any info thru the viewfinder.. I should have had my with me...

03-25-2008, 11:54 AM	#21
madisonphotogrl Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 270 Original Poster	Originally posted by rormeister Ha! If I had a nickel for every one of my "getting to know you" shots. Something in the neighborhood of 200 pics of my woodstove. However, during that play time I got to really understand white balance, and in particular manual white balance. It was one of those OMG moments So you said it and not me... White Balance... Have any helpful links to clairify how to tell if you are "balanced"... so new to digital. I think I am ok.. I used the sunny outdoors setting when i was outside..

03-25-2008, 12:25 PM	#22
rormeister Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 626	Originally posted by madisonphotogrl So you said it and not me... White Balance... Have any helpful links to clairify how to tell if you are "balanced"... so new to digital. I think I am ok.. I used the sunny outdoors setting when i was outside.. Using the preset's works okay, but even outdoors Auto seems fine, especially if you shoot RAW, perfect balance is an eye dropper away in PP. However be sure to remember before shooting a set to hit the Fn button to double check where you last left WB. If it's like me the first 2 or 3 shots come out magically BLUE because I've left it in an indoor setting (that's where I practice when it's raining). Here's a pretty clever idea one of the members suggested (sad the thread died) . Also, with all your snow challenges, you might consider Bryan Peterson's "Understanding Exposure" where he describes tricks to preventing gray snow (better than yellow I always say). "Life is a White Balancing Act"

03-25-2008, 01:22 PM	#23
navcom Veteran Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Minnesota USA Photos: Gallery Posts: 807	Originally posted by madisonphotogrl Seriously? Not even Hawaii? I'd be on the first plane out.. I'll visit WI or MN in march to see snow. I am seriuosly about ready to scream.. Have you ever gone out shooting on a bright day with a nice blanket of snow and have difficulty seeing your viewfinder info? I went out on Saturday and i couldn't see hardly any info thru the viewfinder.. I should have had my with me... Oh yeah! Been there done that. I wear a trusty baseball cap. It's not a perfect solution as your hands have a hard time running the controls with that cap "beak" in the way, but it works to get a look. I am also usually using a tripod, so I can look in without touching the camera. I would not recommend sunglasses if you can help it while setting up for a shot. Since they are correcting the exposure of the sun on your eyes, they will also alter your perception of what you are seeing in the viewfinder and the LCD screen. Polarizer sunglasses are even worse, as they will give you the perception that you have a polarizer filter on your camera even when you don't when you look thru the viewfinder. Then when you get home and look at the final pictures, you will kick yourself. I like snow...just not nearly for this long!!! It's been a rough winter for sure!

03-25-2008, 03:09 PM	#24
kenyee Veteran Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston, PRofMA Photos: Albums Posts: 3,026	Originally posted by madisonphotogrl So you said it and not me... White Balance... Have any helpful links to clairify how to tell if you are "balanced"... so new to digital. White balance outdoors is fairly accurate. It's when you're indoors and have multiple light sources that you go nuts and have to try to calibrate for whatever lighting is there. I use a WhiBal card (smallest). Go through these tutorials to get an idea of how it's used: WhiBal White Balance Gray Card Video Tutorial by Michael Tapes

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