[ivoire]

This new lens is still making me happy, though. Thank goodness the SD1M is so huge; it's a good match for it.

The images you are getting from it are great. I'd like the versatility, but am getting used to a single lens.

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Last edited by ivoire; 12-06-2013 at 05:54 PM.

[NickLarsson]

Nicklarson, just get a Sigma. It is a specialized tool that really delivers in the right situation.

Done.

Found it at 535€ in a shop here, and a week ago when I was about to order it, I checked Amazon for the last time : 399€!

So it arrived on wednesday and I've only been able to test it yesterday night, but I have to say I'm pretty happy with the results.
The image quality that we can get out of this little box easily compensates for its little quirks.

[ivoire]

Done.

Found it at 535€ in a shop here, and a week ago when I was about to order it, I checked Amazon for the last time : 399€!

So it arrived on wednesday and I've only been able to test it yesterday night, but I have to say I'm pretty happy with the results.
The image quality that we can get out of this little box easily compensates for its little quirks.

Excellent! and congrats on the addition. Looking forward to more

[barondla]

Beautiful night image Nick. The detail and subtle tonalities make this photograph fly. France has lots of super buildings to display. Show us more.

Sigmas can be divas, but when they nail a performance it is worth it.
thanks
barondla

[scratchpaddy]

Congratulations, Nick! Great image to get things started for you with this camera. I've been enjoying your images with the 8-16mm for a while in the other threads, so I'm looking forward to see what else you get out of the DP2M.

Here's some more from the Phoenix Convention Center with the 18-35. I love this place. It's no Louvre, but I've never been to France, so my standards are low.



This one's at f/8 and ISO 100, using a coffee table to hold the camera. What should we call this technique, ivoire? "Freestyle tripoding"?

[barondla]

Love the dramatic angle on the first image scratchpaddy. Your new lens is looking like a champ.

Here is one from DP1Merrill. Tripod.
thanks
barondla

[ivoire]

@scratchpaddy... nicework with the 18-35mm. That lens really shines. Maybe shorten freestyle tripoding to "freepoding".

@barondla... where are you hiking that there's no snow?

[barondla]

"freepoding".
Great new word ivoire.
@barondla... where are you hiking that there's no snow?

Ha haa, don't worry ivoire, this was taken last year. It was my first photo trip with the DP1Merrill. My current weather has about 10" of snow in the front yard. Couldn't shoot because it snowed the whole day. No way to keep the blowing snow off the lens.

Guess I need to consider a UV filter to protect the lens in these situations. Hear a UV filter improves the pics from the Foveon sensor. Anyone else heard this?

thanks
barondla

[barondla]

Scratchpaddy, you called the SD1 your "patience" cam and the DP as your "everyday cam". Do you consider the SD1 harder to shoot than the DP?
thanks
barondla

[scratchpaddy]

Maybe shorten freestyle tripoding to "freepoding".

I like it! We should start a freepod club.

Scratchpaddy, you called the SD1 your "patience" cam and the DP as your "everyday cam". Do you consider the SD1 harder to shoot than the DP?

I said that because the SD1 competes with my K-5 IIs. If I need something quick, I grab the K-5. If I can go slower, the SD1 comes. The DP2 might come, too, just because it's so small. It's in a category by itself.

I use the two Sigmas in completely different ways, so it's hard to say which is easier. The DP's have no viewfinder, and most everything is set from the QS menu; everything revolves around the screen. The SD's have no live view, and almost everything has a dedicated button or dial; I could get along just fine without the screen at all. The sensor's the same, but that's where the similarities end. The DP is a little quicker to clear the buffer, too.

Oh, about that picture you took: snow or not, that looks darn cold! And kudos to you for using a real tripod.

[scratchpaddy]

One more thing. I'm still playing with the Fill Light slider in SPP. If you use negative fill light, it darkens the shadows without changing the highlights. If you go past -1, the picture starts looking foggy and detail starts to disappear. I like the effect between -.5 and -.8. It's like boosting the contrast without the accompanying harshness.

The picture on the left is just a normal processing job, but the one on the right is with -0.7 fill light, with some other tweaks in Lightroom to further the effect. It's a great tool to emphasize areas of light. You can isolate the subject in a pool of darkness.

[NickLarsson]

Excellent! and congrats on the addition. Looking forward to more

Beautiful night image Nick. The detail and subtle tonalities make this photograph fly. France has lots of super buildings to display. Show us more.

Thanks. It's not really visible at this picture size, but at 100% I can see details of the statues in the back, pretty amazing I must say.

Congratulations, Nick! Great image to get things started for you with this camera. I've been enjoying your images with the 8-16mm for a while in the other threads, so I'm looking forward to see what else you get out of the DP2M.

Here's some more from the Phoenix Convention Center with the 18-35. I love this place. It's no Louvre, but I've never been to France, so my standards are low.

Hehe, seems to be an architecturally interesting building to shoot anyway

And that 18-35 seems really sharp too. Fortunately for my wallet it's not available for Pentax yet.

One more thing. I'm still playing with the Fill Light slider in SPP. If you use negative fill light, it darkens the shadows without changing the highlights. If you go past -1, the picture starts looking foggy and detail starts to disappear. I like the effect between -.5 and -.8. It's like boosting the contrast without the accompanying harshness.

Nice trick indeed, thanks.

[NickLarsson]

Guess I need to consider a UV filter to protect the lens in these situations. Hear a UV filter improves the pics from the Foveon sensor. Anyone else heard this?

Found this thread: Fact or fiction with Foveon Merrell sensors - The GetDPI Photography Forums

[ivoire]

One more thing. I'm still playing with the Fill Light slider in SPP. If you use negative fill light, it darkens the shadows without changing the highlights. If you go past -1, the picture starts looking foggy and detail starts to disappear. I like the effect between -.5 and -.8. It's like boosting the contrast without the accompanying harshness.

Good tip

Found this thread: Fact or fiction with Foveon Merrell sensors - The GetDPI Photography Forums

Thanks Nick, good info.

Ha haa, don't worry ivoire, this was taken last year. It was my first photo trip with the DP1Merrill. My current weather has about 10" of snow in the front yard. Couldn't shoot because it snowed the whole day. No way to keep the blowing snow off the lens.

Read more at: https://www.pentaxforums.com/forums/76-non-pentax-cameras-canon-nikon-etc/220...#ixzz2mz5oPEze

barondla, some snow "freepod" pics from last nights walk into town for coffee. I lost my lens cap to the river while shooting off the bridge (freepoding hazard). Fortunately I have a spare.

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[bvg]

SD1M + Sigma 17-50/2.8



Assembly (from Brisbane's doll makers)
by vld_bzh, on Flickr