i KNOW we've talked about this in here before, and i think the same thing. 10 bucks to protect a lens is a very worthwhile investment to me.

Quote :

"i'd like to see evidence that it diminishes the IQ in any noticeable way (i mean, i'm sure it affects it somehow, but i can't see it even being at 1%)"

i, too, would like to see the evidence. i'm thinking the same thing. (not that i don't believe, i just think the IQ difference would be <1%)

[Edited on December 22, 2009 at 7:33 PM. Reason : paging]

12/22/2009 7:33:26 PM

so i assume the $10 y'all speak of is just the basic non-coated uv filter?

12/22/2009 8:05:30 PM

Quote :

"I have a 24-70 L but need a wider lens for pcitures of construction sites, remodeling work, etc. Looking for maybe a prime lens or fisheye in low light at a good price...preferably. Suggestions?"

canon 17-40 for full frame
tokina 11-16 for cropped!

12/22/2009 8:29:08 PM

^^ coated but not superdupercoated.

I'm starting to shoot with my 35mm prime without the filter. The recessed front element + crappy filter = green ghosts shooting any kind of light source. If I scratch a $200 lens, so be it, I can handle that risk.

just went to florida:



I really like this shot, but the more I look at it the more I wish I had stopped it down some and focused between me and the kid. Beach pictures were a new experience for me, i didn't know what to do with all the light

[Edited on December 22, 2009 at 11:10 PM. Reason : ..]

12/22/2009 11:04:51 PM

i wish i had a baby around, they're so photogenic.

12/22/2009 11:11:00 PM

^ not just babies,

babies on playground equipment.

12/22/2009 11:16:42 PM

^awwwwwwwwwwwwwww!

12/23/2009 1:05:07 AM

Speaking of, this is obviously its not DSLR but I took this photo and really like it (going with the playground theme)




would it be hard to get someone to enhance the color on it or something to sharpen it up? Id like to give it to her for christmas

12/23/2009 1:13:23 AM

Quote :

"so i assume the $10 y'all speak of is just the basic non-coated uv filter?"

tiffen (amazon) or sunpak (best buy) are fine...both are around $10

12/23/2009 11:13:13 AM

^great... thanks

i'll pick the one up from best buy today - a new D40 is my wife's Christmas present

12/23/2009 11:24:33 AM

I took a couple tonight at McAdenville. I haven't exactly gotten the hang out this yet, but... I'm trying. I feel like I get a little jostle when I press the camera button even when using a tripod, so if I end up taking night shots, I might pick up a remote.

Dicking around with christmas lights and longer exposure times:





Some similar to another guys highway shots I saw before:





I wonder what causes that blue reflection of the cars stuck on the off ramp? It's in all the shots.

12/24/2009 11:01:49 PM

lens flare. you using a filter?

12/24/2009 11:24:17 PM

yeah, i realized that after the fact... i have one of those tiffen uv filters on there

12/24/2009 11:28:55 PM

you can use a 2sec self-timer instead of a remote

12/25/2009 12:22:24 AM

12/25/2009 1:50:44 AM

^^^ so yeah, any time there's a light source in the shot (or close), you stand a good chance of getting an internal reflection like that, depending on coatings and lens geometry, etc. Taking the filter off is likely to fix the problem, but not guaranteed. Aperture may affect it, too.

12/25/2009 9:58:09 AM

oh cool. thanks for the info, guys. Good idea on the timer as well, cheaper than a remote!

12/25/2009 9:46:41 PM

I got a Nikon D3000 for Christmas. Plus, my sister got me photography classes to take so I can learn all the cool shit it does

Hopefully I'll have some sweet pics to post soon

12/26/2009 5:42:06 PM

Long shot, but I got an extra Aputure Pro Coworker Remote Shutter for Sony Alpha series, Id let it go for $25

12/26/2009 7:15:43 PM

Are there any better deals for DSLR's right now than the $350 Olympus 420 at WalMart? Apparently sears had refurb D40's the other day for $220.

12/28/2009 10:06:36 AM

if you want to go so cheap why not just buy used?

12/28/2009 4:19:48 PM

Well thats what I am trying. Cheapest thing I can find right now is a D40 on CL for $350 without cords, card, straps, and battery. Even used is pricey.

12/28/2009 6:21:03 PM

I am still new to photography as well and I have to say that this hobby is expensive. I would recommend getting a cheap body and a good lens or two. I found that buying cheap lens was my biggest mistake and that paying the extra money helped out tremendously. I am unable to tell the major differences in the new body models but have seen dramatic changes in my photography with quality lenses. Also the initial investment will cost a lot but in the long run will be worthwhile as you get quality workmanship, a better product and a happier experience. Just my two cents.

12/29/2009 11:26:56 AM

Smart post and good advice

12/29/2009 8:28:12 PM

My first attempt at Digital SLR since i got a new D3000 for Christmas










[Edited on December 29, 2009 at 10:09 PM. Reason : Pic]

12/29/2009 10:04:29 PM

12/29/2009 10:15:28 PM

Quote :

"My first attempt at Digital SLR since i got a new D3000 for Christmas"

that's what i got too

12/29/2009 10:16:11 PM

^^might wanna look into a different hosting site, looks like the quality of your photos was dumbed down a bit.

Speaking of that, are there any photo hosting sites people recommend other than Flickr?

12/29/2009 10:18:55 PM

smugmug?

i just figured those were shot at a high ISO.

12/29/2009 10:19:39 PM

They were certainly degraded due to hosting on a non pro Flickr account. I'm not even that happy with the pictures but they are the first pictures I've taken with my Pentax so I figured I'd post them.

And they were shot with a very high ISO due to them being in very dark rooms

[Edited on December 29, 2009 at 10:20 PM. Reason : ]

12/29/2009 10:19:57 PM

over at my uncle's xmas eve i shot a few

12/29/2009 10:21:10 PM

A couple more....

If yall have any comments, I'd appreciate it! I'm learning the ropes of SLR photography by trial and error! (I learn alot more that way)











[Edited on December 29, 2009 at 10:29 PM. Reason : size]

12/29/2009 10:27:55 PM

hahaha

that laugh was to that last pic when it was tiny

[Edited on December 29, 2009 at 10:29 PM. Reason : f]

12/29/2009 10:29:36 PM

Oh and I'll be back next week with some shots from the pappajohns.com bowl in Birmingham on Saturday, January 2nd.

12/29/2009 10:31:31 PM

some pics of the makeup process at a fashion show in wilmington a couple weeks ago






dont ask me why i was at a fashion show

12/30/2009 2:54:58 PM

but why were you at a fashion show?

12/30/2009 4:47:23 PM

Quote :

"i just figured those were shot at a high ISO."

fuck, i missed a ^ at the time of my last post.

agreed it was just ISO noise in the one i ended up pointing to.

doh.

12/30/2009 9:08:49 PM

Some random drunken nonsense from New Year's Eve.

1/5/2010 3:27:13 AM

i liked messing around with the black and white feature too

[Edited on January 5, 2010 at 9:48 PM. Reason : .]

1/5/2010 9:46:25 PM

I was up in Robbinsville and took a couple longer exposures of the sky. I had to up the highlights and shadows to get some better contract between the stars and sky, but when I did so, it was really cool to see all the smaller stars and the various colors they all had. It was really cool, though it looks a little better in higher resolution and not uploaded to Facebook.

1/6/2010 12:44:18 PM

pixels

1/6/2010 12:51:57 PM

I stopped by the Charlotte airport on the way back down to Columbia from Raleigh.

1/6/2010 7:16:31 PM

^^ this is what it looked like originally

1/6/2010 8:04:31 PM

this thread needs some more planes...

1/6/2010 9:09:16 PM

HAHA, seriously? I have some more..... It's a hobby of mine, I just like planes... Sorry if that's not your cup of tea

1/7/2010 1:06:14 AM

A picture of one of the girls.



[Edited on January 7, 2010 at 2:11 AM. Reason : .]

1/7/2010 2:09:32 AM

Sup my peeps

I need camera advice. I don't know shit, but I want to inform myself and buy a decent, albeit not DSLR, camera. I wouldn't mind spending in the $150ish range, but I don't know how much quality there is to be had from spending money on a $150 compact vs a $100 compact. In other words, since I'm buying a turd(not DSLR), should I worry about quality or just get the cheapest, most reliable camera I can find? Put simply, I want to get the best picture quality for the dollar. I don't give a hot gay fuck about portability or trendiness of said camera. Any ideas? Any links to some shit I can read to edumacate myself? Thanks and sorry if you get this same shit 9 times per page.

1/7/2010 5:57:23 PM

http://www.amazon.com/Sony-Cybershot-DSCW120-Digital-Optical/dp/B0011E4N5C/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1262905499&sr=8-8

Check that one out. Thats the one I bought. It is very highly rated and I love it. Its easy to use and takes great pics, and is also really small. Look around and you can find it WAY cheaper than the $240 Amazon has it for. I got it on sale last March for $110 at Office Depot.

1/7/2010 6:06:59 PM

Thanks for the recommendation, I'll look into it. Something I forgot to mention, which is one of the most important things, is that I want a camera over which I will have a lot of control. DLSR would obvious be the best route there, but I ain't got that sorta cash. Something that will let me get my creative/experimental juices flowing and be capable enough to take good photos, while being <$200, would be ideal

1/7/2010 6:37:47 PM

Ronny
those new years pics are freaking awesome

1/7/2010 6:53:44 PM