LensBrew
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Posts posted by LensBrew
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On 12/16/2023 at 1:42 PM, CarolineJensen said:
Oh goodness! Just the humidity alone and a fogged up lens! I did t know about the drops issue in front of swimmers. I wonder if the new AI focus works well with goggles?
Luckily, the facility our team competes in is well ventilated. Otherwise I would have to invest in humidity control tools, and that's a cost I didn't have to deal with here (knock on wood).
I'm not sure the AI tracking can do anything about it. The swimmers' heads are milliseconds above the water. Once their heads go in the water, there is nothing to track. The turbulence created infant of them makes the water unclear, and by the time the camera find the eye/head, they go under again.
I got more competitions coming in January, and I have few ideas I want to experiment with. If any sports pros or former pros can provide some advice, I would love to hear them.
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I've only did test prints to see which paper would look better for specific images.
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@Grant Robertson I understand not wanting to use a phone to take a shot, and I also do not like it and have a hard time with the screen.
Understanding scenes is a given as you advance your level and experience. That is why I would like the full green Auto to be replaced with a custom scene setting as I mentioned. I already have all 3 custom settings set to what I always shoot, I even have 2 custom recall buttons for 2 additional scenes/environments ready when needed. Especially, when I'm burned out and something caught my eye and want to grab the shot. Because the biggest risk I see with full auto is very low shutter speed, hence my lazy custom setting on shutter priority.
I agree, being professional doesn't mean to always be on manual. All my custom settings are not manual, and that came from trial-and-error. Even my ISO is on auto, unless I'm in a fixed lighting environment.
@Legndz Photography I would rather a flagship to give more customized settings than full auto. 3 custom setting is good, but 5, 6 or 7 like another brand is even better. As a beginner it will feel too much, but as your skills advance, custom settings is like a delegated work that has been agreed on all its aspects before leaving to work or vacation, or a walk.
Many of you have taught new photographers, I just had my first student last month, and I will not argue the need for the auto setting, as I lack experience there. But as a photographer with experience and understanding of my workflow needs of a flagship camera, I believe more custom settings should be added to a flagship camera.
@CarolineJensen this is why I want extra custom settings. If I hand over my camera to someone to take a picture of me with a family member, friend, or a pro athlete (cross my fingers), I want the shot to be a keeper. So I would set the camera to be on steroids to make it easier on a novice. Also I use back button focus, explaining that ruins the spur of the moment.
Don't get me wrong everyone, I'm not saying a "pro" should do this or that. It is only from my experience that I would like more custom settings. And if the cost is removing the full AUTO setting, I would welcome it.
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Honestly, my wish is not a piece of gear but a plane ticket to Japan. Getting/buying gear is exciting as a tech-head, but taking pictures in Japan is exhilarating!
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This is a great combo to start your journey with. You'll be very happy with their performance.
There are lots of free classes on Youtube. as Tony said, he got some videos going and coming up with B&H (This is where I recommend you start). They also have classes for specific genres, workflows and discussions. Adorama has some great videos as well.
Personally, if you want some in-depth and on-demand paid courses. I recommend the course by Pierre T. Lambert and the membership with KelbyOne. Scott is always fun to watch.
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Lights in venues are a nightmare. Our basketball court has ones the worst lights in college, and to make matters worse, some lights died and the university are not planning to replace them for "development" reasons.
I wonder if Sony can be developed a sensor solely for such venues, without the need to raise the ISO.
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That would be swimming for me. Swimmer dip in-and-out of the water and causes the camera to loose focus continuously. To make matter worse, the camera's focus shifts to the water droplets that splash in front of the swimmers. I get the lowest percentage of usable images for this sport. Not to mention Chlorine water everywhere.
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There some subjects that I like to shoot with dark background, while others with a bright one. If I had one room, I would paint 2 walls very light grey (almost white), and the other 2 a very dark shade of blue/green (something similar to what Monica Sigmon has in her studio). I would add a light rail to reduce clutter. I wouldn’t add any decorations, as I would like change props every session. A closet or a storage room to save those props, lights, accessories, etc. would be nice. Finally I would use grey wood for flooring. With a neutral color, I avoid color casting and unnecessary light bouncing around.
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Not cheap, but here is an idea if you use AirTags (https://us.muc-off.com/a/search?q=airtag). I'm using one hidden on my motorcycle. It looks like a cool thing to attach, no one will know there is. tracker inside. GPS tracker, a good one, will need continuous power supply. I know how heavy gear is and how annoying airlines can be, but there are some ways around it. Some shoulder bags or cubes can be considered as personal item, and a roller carryon should carry the rest, or a backpack (Atlas are my favorite https://atlaspacks.com/products/atlas-adventure-camera-backpack)
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9 hours ago, TrekRover said:
Yes, I used the 600 f/4 in Svalbard. I wish I brought my range finder so I could make a better estimate. but I think anything greater than 600-1000 meters is too far especially from a moving boat. I did have a 2x TC but stopped using it because I felt it was too much of a challenge to get a stable shot while the boat was bobbing at that magnification. If I had a tripod and was on solid ground, I could've probably reached farther and still maintain decent sharpness.
Makes sense. Thanks.
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On 8/23/2023 at 5:10 PM, TrekRover said:
This post feeds into my hunger for lens lol
The lens I currently have and use the most by order:
- Sony 24-70mm f2.8 GM II
- Sony 12-24mm f2.8 GM
- Sony 70-200mm f2.8 GM OSS II
- Sony 200-600mm f5.6-6.3 G OSS
- Sony 600mm f4 GM OSS
- Sony 90mm f2.8 Macro G OSS
Currently experimenting with:
- Samyang 135mm f1.8
- Zhongyi Mitakon 20mm f2 4.5x Super Macro
I’m assuming you used the 600 f/4 in Svalbard. How far was too far the subject with this lens? Did you add a teleconverter?
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A1 ii
A7s iv
A7c ii
16-35 f/2.8 ii
300 f/2.8
I guess my wish list is more of a dream list 😅 but its nice to dream.
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On 8/6/2023 at 5:03 PM, TrekRover said:
I agree having an interchangeable body would be better, but as a student, most things are about budget. Like you mentioned, if they can rent or borrow that would be best. However if they're new to photography its better to get a point and shoot to start. Its low cost and you can focus on learning the basics of photography. If they truly want to continue pursuing photography then upgrade to an APS-C and eventually Full Frame if they choose to make it a career.
They are mostly new, and some claim to have done some work during high school. They want the reach to shoot sports. a point and shoot will be limited with battery life, video capabilities and dynamic range. Those 3 are very critical to what they want to achieve.
I wish sony would have used equipment market tailored to that group. Even better if they have special support for university newspapers.
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On 8/4/2023 at 10:21 PM, kevinmcox said:
I disagree on the point-and-shoots.
If these students are planning to pursue a professional photography career they need to be looking at DSLR/mirrorless bodies. But that budget it going to be tough especially when you start looking at lenses.
Is there any chance the paper can provide equipment? Back when I was the photo editor at the college paper we had a DLSR and 70-200/2.8 that could be checked-out for assignments.
Unfortunately, the gear we have is limited to 2 nikon bodies, 2 nikon lenses and 3 canon lenses. I have a large number oh students to give the gear to.
They want to buy gear for themselves and not rely on the newspaper. Some of them travel as part of their curriculum, or accompany one of the university sports team.. Especially, I'm assuming, if they want to take graduation photos and get paid doing that. Which they cannot do legally with the newspaper equipment.
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On 8/4/2023 at 12:30 PM, TrekRover said:
Haha seals are awesome! They do have some very human like behavior! I always wonder what the seals are thinking when they stare at humans. I once saw a seal have a very human like behavior and scratch an itch with their flipper. Also seen videos where they play with scuba divers. Here's a seal from Antarctica waving with its tail!
They are the best! I want to capture them one day, but that's a far future plan.
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I'm the photo-editor for our university's independent newspaper. Since I took over, I noticed students plan to buy their own gear eventually or as-soon-as-possible.
On average they want gear within $500-$700 budget, with more than half wanting to shoot sports. Some mainly outdoors, such as football, while other outdoors and indoors.
Any recommendation to help guide them to some good gear to enjoy photography?
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On 6/30/2023 at 12:27 PM, alpha-jessica-a said:
I'd love to know how many lenses you own!
You should follow with the question: How many of those lenses do you actually use? (more than twice a year) 😇
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On 8/2/2023 at 8:31 PM, CarolineJensen said:
Honestly, working with light will really challenge the diversity of your images and do nothing but good things for your work! Flowing with the light and putting your mark on it is a goal for every photographer. I’m definitely not rigid in my style as our mark in our work really is this essence that underpins each image, beyond the superficial style.
It is tough and unique as a challenge. I kind of set a goal to where my style would land in the future. I guess I'm similar to many when I saw I want it to look filmic. But I want it to fuse with classical painting styles.
I need specialized photoshop workshops to achieve the latter as a step towards my final style.
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On 8/1/2023 at 3:48 PM, alpha-jessica-a said:
I am in love with the polar bear blep shots!
4 hours ago, TrekRover said:hahaha those are my favorites! little cub acting silly
I'm team seal. That one was literally posing for you!
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4 hours ago, bmcdonough said:
@LensBrew this is pretty great for what sounds like one of your first attempts! I found being comfortable around bees to take a TON of practice!! What gear did you use?
I can never be comfortable around them. That buzzing sound triggers my flight-or-fight system.
The gear I used were the A7RIV with 90mm G macro lens.
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Amazing Drew! This is a great tip. I've been contemplating buying a light for location shots, and there are are too many choices. But your subtle tip gave me a clear idea of what I actually need. Thank you.
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What do you print for your walls? Share your fave wall prints here!
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Thank you! This is what I was going for and I'm glad it worked.
I'm going back next week and want to get those subjects at golden hour (sunrise). By the way, the second one is a vertical panorama with 5 images.