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Forum: Pentax DSLR Discussion 05-29-2019, 02:41 PM  
What's your favorite 2008-2013 APS-C Pentax DSLR and do you still use it?
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 71
Views: 7,299
I have a K3 and a second hand K3 iI but I’m finding I’m using my two K-01s more often as they are easier to carry, less threatening for candids and street photography and work perfectly with infra red filters. IQ depends more on the lens than the sensor, in my experience.
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 03-23-2019, 04:50 PM  
Post-Processing PP Challenge #290 - Canberra Skyfire 2019
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 19
Views: 1,558
ISSUES
Great post-processing should do more than make pictures pop. It can correct features such as white balance and distracting objects. Issues that deserved attention with Skyfire 2019 were the complex white balances due to the fireworks and other fluorescent ambient lighting giving an ultra-violet cast to the seating of persons in the lower left, when increasing shadow detail. The 30-second exposure also meant the fireworks colourfully and traced well. Yet movement among visitors also produced distracting ghostly shadows. There was an unsightly over-full wheelie bin that did the image few favours. Determining and managing the right tonal contrast was not easy.

Let me dwell on the merits of your entries and the range of strategies you deployed. All of these gave me immense delight and bemusement.

Tas' SOLUTION
Tas gave it a modest crop eliminating the tree on the left. This helped focus more on the fireworks. He improved saturation and upped the shadow detail and exposure. This also brought out and anchored the lit head-dress of the person on the lower right. He also cleaned up the dark sky background. But his solution gave prominence to the wheelie bin and highlighted the mixed white balances. 8 out of 10.

graeme83's SOLUTION
His "odd choice" of going gray scale and cropping even more to the fireworks action proved bold and coherent, focusing the action on the fireworks. graeme83 also reduced the ghosting. His eye for overall composition was innovative. He resolved the white balance issue by going black & white, though I wondered whether he was trading off too much eye candy for his minimalist approach. 8 out of 10.

tuggie76's SOLUTION
I did appreciate the excellent overall warmer look of tuggie76's take. His approach to white balance was exceptional. He avoided the ultra-violet cast trap in the seating of the visitor on the bottom left. His take was the only one to reproduce the natural colours in the shadows. I also had a soft spot for his moderating the overall tonal contrast resulting in an almost HDR look. Unfortunately the wheelie bin became more distracting as a consequence. 9 out of 10.

photocles' SOLUTION
His solution to white balance was reminiscent of graeme83's approach to desaturate colours. But he stopped short of going totally gray-scale. This approach preserved more of the colour of the fireworks as well. His cropping was innovative, allowing the visitor silhouettes to operate as a frame. The wheelie bin was less prominent as well. As he correctly notes white balance can be "cruel". His otherwise measured strategy left the ultra-vilolet cast intact. 8 out of 10.

Glenn5995's SOLUTION
The art of post-processing lies in determining what the image is about. I agree with Glenn5995, it's about the fireworks. His approach to make the image pop, saturating the colours and uppng contrast to highlight fireworks was well judged. Crushing the blacks and the girl with lit head-dress was bold as well as vignetting everything else meant Glenn5955's side-stepped the colour balance around the visitors without distracting from the main show. 9 out of 10.

Noelcmn's SOLUTION
Cropping proved noelcmn's friend as well. I liked his strong colour saturation and his purging the wheelie bin into the gloom was a good example of less is more. The fireworks dominate and his overall look was well judged, reducing the number of silhouetted viewers to strengthen composition. The challenging colour casts from white balance on the visitors worked in his favour, echoing some of the blue from the fireworks. 9.5 points out of 10.

JHfwp's SOLUTION
JHfwp understood the implicit challenge of Skyfire 2019: how subtle should one be when there's an unsightly wheelie bin in the foreground? No steenking cropping or magical erasures, for me, he declares. Replace the offending uncroppable aspects with a "cheesy" image of a mouse and a plug for OfficeSmacks. JHfwp also gets points for resolving white balance issues by crushing the blacks and upping contrast. 8 out of 10.

CONCLUSION:
I learned much from your entries. Glenn5995's solution came closest to what I would have attempted. But Noelcmn's splendid solution to white balance gave him the edge, proving a mini masterclass for me. Accordingly I dub, Noelcmn the winner of PP Challenge #290.
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 03-22-2019, 12:18 AM  
Post-Processing PP Challenge #290 - Canberra Skyfire 2019
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 19
Views: 1,558
Thanks Tas, you get points for explaining how to distinguish a TV set from a wheelie bin image under fireworks by upping the exposure.

We'll close this competition after midnight Hawaii-Aleutian Standard Time (HAST) Friday 22 March.

Surprise and delight me with your boldest and bravest efforts, please. You have roughly one day to go.
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 03-21-2019, 06:03 PM  
Post-Processing PP Challenge #290 - Canberra Skyfire 2019
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 19
Views: 1,558
It's one of those ditzy disposable sparkling headbands, you buy for 10 bucks or so at these events.

---------- Post added 03-21-19 at 06:07 PM ----------


Indeed. It's a good example of playing with multiple color balances in the same image or opting for gray scale.
.
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 03-17-2019, 05:28 PM  
Post-Processing PP Challenge #289 - Garden Gate
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 9
Views: 1,065
Thanks so much. I am so excited as it was my first win after three years of contributing to this competition. I learn so much from the competition as well.

Look out for PP Challenge #290 - Canberra Skyfire 2019 - PentaxForums.com
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 03-17-2019, 04:51 AM  
Post-Processing PP Challenge #290 - Canberra Skyfire 2019
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 19
Views: 1,558
I was north of it near Regatta point. It happened within the first six minutes of the display. I heard an explosion but I thought it was part of the accompanying audio actually.
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 03-16-2019, 06:13 PM  
Post-Processing PP Challenge #290 - Canberra Skyfire 2019
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 19
Views: 1,558
This Challenge will close on Friday, March 22nd.

JPG preview is below

DNG Download

For the next host:
The mediafire website is: mediafire.com
The login name is: ppchallenge@tmphillips.com
The password is: postprocessing

I took this image last night at Canberra's largest annual event, known as Skyfire 2019. It was taken with my trusty Pentax K-01, perfect for working with crowds at night. I was trying it out with my recently acquired second hand version of Pentax's 18-135mm zoom. I learnt quickly the pitfalls of no infinity distance scale. I switched to manual focus and closed down to f/22 to assure adequate sharpness in the gloom.

What wondrous eye candy can you post processing legends concoct from this freshly taken nightscape?
Forum: Pentax K-1 & K-1 II 03-10-2019, 07:32 PM  
What software works best with K1ii hdr files?
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 17
Views: 2,774
I presume Ricoh's Digital Camera Utility 5.8.1 and later should work. The problem is that in camera HDR is reported by K1 (ii) users as too subtle for some. See K-1 II In Camera HDR - PentaxForums.com

However "best" also means works for you. In that case I'd explore using your Ricoh Software to split the HDR files. Use a trial version of another HDR software such as On1 Photo RAW 2019, HDR Darkroom or Aurora HDR and decide after that.
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 03-09-2019, 09:21 PM  
Post-Processing PP Challenge #289 - Garden Gate
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 9
Views: 1,065
Playing with ON1 Photo Raw 2019. Trying to be more real than garish for a change.
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 12-20-2018, 04:57 AM  
Post-Processing Challenge #280 - Merry Christmas!
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 10
Views: 1,074
Getting in the spirit with ON1 RAW 2019
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 12-19-2018, 06:54 PM  
Anyone tried On1 2019 (or upgraded) and likes to share their experience?
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 25
Views: 2,239
According to its FAQ,

Q: Will ON1 Photo Raw 2019 have true dual monitor support?

A: Yes, but true dual monitor support may not be included in the initial release in November. This is a popular feature request that was scheduled to be added to ON1 Photo Raw 2019 in free updates after the initial November release.
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 12-04-2018, 08:26 PM  
Post-Processing Post Processing Challenge #278 - El Cid Statue
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 17
Views: 1,802
Thanks Todd for the reviews and I agree and applaud Savoche as winner.

I'm learning so much from these events.

Dodge, crop, burn and mask with minimalism and with flair.
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 11-28-2018, 11:51 PM  
Post-Processing Post Processing Challenge #278 - El Cid Statue
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 17
Views: 1,802
Red flag for El Cid
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 11-18-2018, 02:14 PM  
Post-Processing Post-Processing Challenge #276 - Lovey Doveys
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 13
Views: 1,266
Thanks, Todd. I got my highest ranking so far.
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 11-14-2018, 01:12 AM  
Post-Processing Post-Processing Challenge #276 - Lovey Doveys
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 13
Views: 1,266
Great image, mate. It's fun deciding what to highlight, what to scrub and what leave.
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 11-06-2018, 11:55 PM  
Post-Processing PP Challenge #275 - Coal Mine Canyon
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 13
Views: 1,188
Fascinating textures to work with. Colors not so much. So I went for grey scale and boosting contrast a bit less than I would normally.
Forum: Pentax Mirrorless Cameras 09-10-2018, 12:13 AM  
The K-01 (Que Oh Juan) 6 Years Too Late
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 14
Views: 7,038
Indeed. Strangely, I am beginning to prefer my K-01 to my K-3 ii for everyday use.

Teamed with a Pentax 21mm/F3.2 -- it gets great captures. And I rarely worry about about micro adjustments to get spot on portraits.

There must be some boffins at Ricoh, probably thinking the same thing as enthusiast start raving over Canon and Sony's mirrorless initiatives..
Forum: Troubleshooting and Beginner Help 07-02-2018, 04:09 AM  
Pb with saved HDR pictures with DCU
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 18
Views: 2,146
Glancing at the histograms, saving from a Pentax HDR file seems to have robbed the image of its midtones and boosted highlights. The drawing behind the seated figure with handset has its highlights blown out in the second image. Perhaps adjusting the contrast and strengthening shadows may have helped before saving it to TIF.

I find HDR images that come out of the Pentax are often flat and overly bright to start with. See DCU5 and HDR Photography Workflow - Articles and Tips | PentaxForums.com

If you wanted to preserve the full range of tones, I would have used DCU 5 to separate the Pentax-HDR file into three single RAW files. Then re-merged them with another program such as Aurora HDR or ON1 and saved the resultant image to TIF or JPEG.

My preferred approach has been to take up to half a dozen separately bracketed images and then merge them in ON1 RAW for more control.

Despites its charms I find Ricoh's DCU's ability to get the most from Pentax RAW files as falling behind other software such as ON1, Luminar and Aurora-HDR. These programs are available on a try-before-you-buy basis as well.

A well exposed RAW capture is already capable of being post-processed offering two to three stops worth of image tones already. I'd only deploy HDR techniques where the exposure range varies a lot more than the image you were working with.
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 06-30-2018, 11:33 PM  
Post-Processing PP Challenge #263 - Nan Hua Buddhist Temple
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 21
Views: 1,774
Playing with tone, colour and focus. No vignetting though :-)
Forum: Mini-Challenges, Games, and Photo Stories 06-23-2018, 06:27 PM  
Post-Processing PP Challenge #262 - IR FIlter - Lovejoy Fountain - Portland OR
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 18
Views: 1,677
Great challenging shot to process. This is my rough attempt which I learned a lot from, anyway.
Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras 06-23-2018, 04:05 PM  
Pentax Spotmatic features in cool new Steve Carell movie
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 28
Views: 4,736
I think you nailed it. The Pentax was part of the fantasy/fictional aspects of the screenplay. I just checked the original documentary trailer at














Youtu.be




The closeup of the real Hogancamp circa 2000 shows him with some fixed lens compact digital camera with flip-out display (a Pentax/Olympus/?) I can't tell.But definitely not a Spotmatic in that shot.

It sorta looks like an Optio 230 but, it's got a left-handed grip. Strange and intriguing.
Forum: Film SLRs and Compact Film Cameras 06-22-2018, 08:58 PM  
Pentax Spotmatic features in cool new Steve Carell movie
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 28
Views: 4,736















Youtu.be




Presumably set in the early 60s. It's about Mark Hogancamp (Steve Carell) a victim of a violent assault who constructs a miniature World War II village in his yard to help in his recovery.

Best part of the trailer are the lovely shots of Hogancamp using his Asahi Pentax (Spotmatic?) to capture his miniatures. I did wonder a little about which lens he was using at that distance.

It's an upcoming American psychological-biographical comedy-drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis. It is inspired by Jeff Malmberg's 2010 documentary Marwencol. The film stars Steve Carell, Leslie Mann, Diane Kruger, Merritt Wever, Janelle Monáe, Eiza González, Gwendoline Christie, Leslie Zemeckis, and Neil Jackson. The film will be released by Universal Pictures on November 21, 2018.
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 06-04-2018, 02:05 PM  
Help me leave Lightroom and explore my fascination with ON1
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 158
Views: 14,786
I’ve been doing some infrared photography with my k-01 and loving it .

What I find irksome with ON1 is it does not seem to support mixing of red and blue channels, which is vital for getting faux colours such as blue skies. My workaround is to export a white balanced version as a TIFF file and open it in GIMP to mix channels in its colour mixer and then re-import to ON1 for final touch ups.

In Lightroom there’s a one click solution as it supports 3rd party editors.

I’ve supported an ON1 forum to press for the ability to mix red and blue channels as well as more support for external editors.

Are there any other options for processing infrared in ON1?
Forum: Pentax K-5 & K-5 II 06-03-2018, 08:46 PM  
K5 infrared
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 7
Views: 1,802
It should work OK. I use a #72 filter with my K-01 which has a similar sensor.

Two main advantages are:
- being mirrorless you can focus live.
- No need to cover the view finder as there is none :-)
Forum: Digital Processing, Software, and Printing 05-14-2018, 06:34 AM  
Help me leave Lightroom and explore my fascination with ON1
Posted By johnhilvert
Replies: 158
Views: 14,786
Yeah, I like ON1 Photo RAW and the improvements demonstrated are welcome but trivial in my view. About the only new thing that made me take notice was to introduce LUTs or (look up tables for colour grading) - which Lightroom v 7 introduced already..

If they'd rolled out more fundamental Lightroom features like a history log to get me easily out of a post-processing hole or support for dual displays, that would have made me smile more.

I did notice that ON1 is offering discounts of $69.99 (USD) well below its notional RRP of $119.99 with a 30-day money back guarantee, suggesting they are starting to be hurt by other competitors.

That said, the more I use it, the more I like it.
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