yfchin2: The Sony has supposedly better coatings than the Tamron. And yes, the beercan has better color and bokeh.

nashakir: If you use -2 EV and ISO400, and brighten it up later, it is the same as using 0 EV and ISO1600.

khairi83: For the KM5D, KM7D, A100 and A700, you have a bonus - you have the menu option "Shutter Release Without Lens" and you set that to Enabled.

So you can use it in Aperture Priority.

They downgraded this feature in the A200 onwards and even the A900.

TrutH_SeeKeR: If you know any film production companies, or serious photography lighting shops, you can find the CTO there.

Even Digicolor at Mutiara Complex Jalan Ipoh has it. But I forget if you're from KL or not. They also do large canvas printing.

Banzai_san:

Supposing you were in bright sunlight, Aperture Priority.

18mm F16

Setting to ISO100 EV 0, would result in the meter setting the shutter speed to 1/100s.

Now you bump it up to ISO400. The meter goes to 1/400s.

Then you set the EV to -2. Then the meter goes to 1/1600s.

However, if you were at ISO400 EV 0, the meter says 1/400s.

Then if you go to ISO100 EV -2, the meter says 1/400s.

Sensors only have one ISO - the base ISO. For Alpha CCDs it is ISO100 and for the CMOS bodies it is ISO200.

If you use ISO400 on a CCD, it is really ISO100 with EV -2 (that's why the shutter speed is faster.) The gain is applied on the JPG. If you shoot RAW, and adjust the EV later, you can see how true this is.

hazril: No need go A mode to meter - the meter works in M mode also what!

takumicross: Anywhere in Low Yat Plaza or Sungei Wang LOL.

Wonka: You probably will not be able to access the inside. Best to send it to a camera repairman.

lwliam: Updated main list on page 46!

This post has been edited by albnok: Feb 26 2010, 02:29 AM

clivengu: No, my avatar needs to use a film camera.

The "Shutter Release Without Lens" Enabled is for unchipped lenses (like M42, T-mount, the Samyang lenses, etc.) Of course you can also use it to shoot without a lens at all but there is no reason to do that!

Well as you have the A100 (CCD) and A700 (CMOS) you may or may not be able to tell the difference.

ISO100 on the A700/A850/A900 is just ISO200 with EV +1 and then it adjusts the EV back down, but losing some dynamic range.

I've bolded my personal recommendations.

C01 - HSS on or off
C02 - Channel 1 or 2 or 3 or 4
C03 - CTRL1 (CTRL+ to trigger F42/F58 on A700/A850/A900) or CTRL2 (CTRL to trigger F36/F56/F42/F58 but only on A850/A900)
C04 - PASM or M (means you can use Manual Power flash even if your camera body is not on Manual Exposure mode)
C05 - TestM (strobe for 4 seconds when you press Test) or Test3 (3 strobes) or Test1 (one strobe)
C06 - Power Saving 30 minutes, 3 minutes, 0.5 minutes or off
C07 - Power Saving when in Wireless 60 minutes or off

Here's the F58 manual:
http://esupport.sony.com/US/perl/model-doc...pl?mdl=HVLF58AM

eddybeh: I can't find an easy explanation online.

wingster: You'll love the C04 custom function on the F58! Though, I'm not sure if the F42 supports PASM modes with Manual Power flash - I don't have a F42 nor its manual.

Updated TT list on page #46.

braindead_fr3ak: If you're going for Darren's automotive photography workshop you might be able to ask him since he's into all the big lights and stuff.

Wow the picture looks unreal! A new shrub? I don't know my plant taxonomy. I am not able to figure out the message.

freddy manson: Wow, that is dangerously close. But that's what you need to do with a fisheye!

junior5417: Turn your lens to 18mm (zoom out). You should then be able to set the aperture to F3.5.

junior5417: You can take a picture of a fan even at 1 second. Just turn the fan off.

Full motion of a fan? You mean so that it appears to be a full circle? Try different shutter speeds until you find one that works.

Yes 1/3000 is darker than 1/30.

chronic_gam3r: Added to page #46!

d4rkholeang3l: Good expressions, distracting background.

braindead_fr3ak: Ah. Guess I don't know what a seedling looks like (I'd have imagined something much smaller with 2 leaves and a stem...)

See you there Seng_Kiat!

lugiamcg: Try to go for real photo exhibitions - The Annexe Gallery behind Central Market (if you're from KL) is a good start.

The photos there are 'deeper' than those you may see at camera fairs (where the pictures are just meant to be bright and colorful to attract buyers.)

A more philosophical photography-related blog is here:
http://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/t...blog_index.html

nashakir: Come for the TT/talk/street shoot lah!

braindead_fr3ak: Good. But the expression is kinda flat.

linkinstreet: #2 is cleaner, compositionally, than #1 and #3. Sony 50mm F1.8 DT SAM or Sony 50mm F1.4? (I'm guessing the F1.8 because it can focus much closer.)

noprob: Crop - for example #3 you don't need the logo in the top. Just make it a wide crop and have the goalie looking and waiting.

Banzai_san: Nice #1! It almost looks like the ginger cat is watching out for the white cat.

Fire away a lot of frames and the cats will look at you.

nashakir: Added to page #46!

Edited TT list on page #46!

lugiamcg: Yes you can bring your camera to The Annexe Gallery. However, obviously, you cannot take pictures of the exhibits.

Kul | Mo0: LOL just bring a face mask.

Wonka: If you turned the chocolate so it was easier for us to read it would be better.

signither: If you shot RAW you might be able to save the highlights. I really like the silhoutte by the way.\

kysham: Nice, though the door does seem to overpower her.

fas29: I'd like the shot of the men talking more if you framed it so that the roads become the 'borders' of an image. Like a film strip.

Banzai_san: #1 and #2 are much cleaner than your previous flower shots. #1 could use just a bit more space around the flower. #2 could be either over or underexposed (the red channel is fully saturated at say 100% while the blue and greens are low, e.g. 10%). If you overexpose, the red channel stays 100% but the green and blue become visible (maybe 50%). If you underexpose, the red becomes say 70% and you can see the shadow in the flower itself.

This post has been edited by albnok: Feb 28 2010, 01:59 AM

ieR: #1 is kinda imbalanced. #2 also, in a Rule Of Thirds kinda way. #3 could use a pull to the midtones. #4 could be cropped wide. I like the geometry of #5 though.

lwliam: #1 - crop! #2 - darn plant.

braindead_fr3ak: Love the group shot! It has a healthy dose of personality. Make it clean - clone out the marks on the wall.

eddybeh: You will probably only use an ultra-wide lens at the widest and longest setting. Since all of them are about the same you might as well go for the focal length and aperture you like most.

Also, the Tokina 12-24mm F4 is not available in A-mount - we can get the Tokina 11-16mm F2.8 though.

lauyamonk: Long time no see!

#1 and #2 are too wide for your lens. So go tele or focus on one thing like you've done for #3. #4 is almost there; love the exposure but the angle for the right is a bit off. #5 try squatting.

lwliam: #1 is just a mess. Very busy picture. She is far on the left, there is a black space in between here and the sky on the right, and even the sky bit is kinda bad feng shui-wise. The lamps make a line but they clash into the sky.

achew: Congratulations - though I would prefer the F20 because it can also be used as a flash! Also, you can use HSS (and faster shutter speeds) when using the F20 in wireless mode.

Welcome back to wireless flashing, with a good debut!

hokc77: Interesting backdrops and I like how the models are dressed for the occasion! Well done on #3. Somehow I'd have preferred if they would wear colors that stand out from the background, like hip hop dancers in bright flourescent green/orange clothes.

eddybeh: I don't - tanjq87 has one. RM2xxx and for me it is worth it because of the focal length on full-frame. However the Sony mount version of this does not have HSM (all the older Sigma lenses that had HSM, don't have it for Sony/Pentax, but from the 70-200mm F2.8 EX DG II HSM, 10mm F2.8 EX DC HSM Diagonal Fisheye and 50mm F1.4 EX DG HSM onwards all A-mount Sigmas have HSM.)

The Sigma 8-16mm F4.5-5.6 EX DC HSM is what you need for APS-C. It goes even wider! It is quite a cool lens and will be easy to sell when you want to go FF.

lugiamcg: If your eyes can't even focus it, how would you expect the camera to? You need to raise your pop-up flash to use as AF Assist what to do. If not, use your MF Check LV lah!

Night shots - maybe 30 seconds is not long enough where you are. You probably need a brighter aperture (F3.5?) and higher ISO (ISO1600?)

The reddish light in the OVF is an unfortunate bug on the A450/A500/A550 - they have a new viewfinder that allows the viewfinder markings to be totally invisible when not selected. Dunno why there is always light leaking from the right, though. Previous viewfinders use glass that is cut at a different angle, so an LCD will shine from the side and hit the marker which is visible.

I don't know how the new viewfinder works and why it has that problem, though.

hkhk: Er, your A700 has an IR AF Assist Light - it appears red because the filter still lets through some red from the light. I put a Hoya R72 IR filter in front of my IR-modded Fujifilm Digital Q1 and it does see the AF Assist Light of my A900 (meaning it is also in the infrared spectrum.)

lwliam: On the contrary - only shoot when the moon is pure white. No, you should be shooting at high shutter speeds at low ISO and a tripod is not needed at all.

kevinwcw: Why would you need a flash? The picture works as it is.

cjlai: Hmmm the picture seems a bit... unbalanced?

28th February 2010 a bunch of us were down at Signatures Food Court at KLCC for some geeking out!


Left to right: Peleng 8mm F3.5 circular fisheye (M42 mount), Samyang 8mm F3.5 diagonal fisheye (A-mount, APS-C only), Minolta 16mm F2.8 diagonal fisheye.


Here's my Opteka 85mm F1.4 on the left (which is really a rebadged Samyang) and the Samyang 8mm F3.5 diagonal fisheye with the lens hood.


Peleng 8mm F3.5 circular fisheye on the Sony Alpha 900.


Samyang 8mm F3.5 diagonal fisheye on the Sony Alpha 900. The lens hood forms the APS-C coverage rectangle.


And then, we went for Szetoo's Introduction To Travel And Street Photography Talk!

I have to say her pictures looked even better projected for some reason. Inspired, we set out to go outdoors to street shoot (but that will be in another post.)


Iqbal through the Minolta 50mm F1.4.


farex (sorry didn't get your real name).


It rained heavily so we resigned to another Teh Tarik session.

Left to right: A300/A350? with imitation A300 battery grip; A300/A350? with Sony VG-B30AM battery grip; A550 with imitation A550 battery grip; A700 with Sony VG-C70AM battery grip; A900 with imitation A900 battery grip.


And of course, the shot you guys have been waiting for!

This post has been edited by albnok: Mar 1 2010, 03:45 AM

freddy manson: I like #1.

Banzai_san: It has been slightly de-fished; the original has my head even bigger and the rest smaller.

I prefer a diagonal fisheye myself, as a circular fisheye is much harder to use as it is much, much wider!

Most fisheyes are diagonal except the Peleng 8mm F3.5 circular fisheye and Sigma 4.5mm F2.8 EX DC HSM circular fisheye.

cjlai: No need; the A850/A900 has APS-C mode, and the lens hood is useful for seeing the APS-C framing. However if you want to use an APS-C lens at 24 megapixels you can attach a 1.4x or 1.5x teleconverter.

I use my Peleng 8mm F3.5 with the 2x teleconverter to make it a diagonal fisheye.

braindead_fr3ak: LOL I was just testing the angle of view of both lenses.

cjlai: Almost fishy? Works better with the logo in focus and well-exposed.

finejava: Sweet mother of Zeiss! #7 is close to the inspiration. I like #8 too with raindrops adding a nice touch! (Hmmm, I wonder what it would've looked like when the rain was heavier...)

Kul | Mo0: Make sure the lens is touching the window and remove or reverse the hood. Use your left hand to make the part of the lens that is not touching the window light-tight. Or you could just open the window and gain light.

Banzai_san: The scene has a lot of white. When that happens the camera tries to save highlights by underexposing slightly. So when you see a white subject or white shirt, you'd have to remember to set your EV accordingly.

If you want for the camera to meter you well, wear black LOL.

cjlai: LoL nice catch!

lugiamcg: Most manufacturers consider 1:4x magnification on a zoom lens, enough to quantify it as macro. There are some primes that do more than 1:4x but less than 1:1x like the Sigma 20mm/24mm/28mm F1.8 trio.

alex_cyw1985: The Sony PCK-LH6AM.

nashakir: No, the shot with the Samyang on FF is to show what an APS-C lens like the Samyang, will look like on FF.

A diagonal fisheye has no black borders when used on its intended sensor size.

A circular fisheye will always have a circular image when used on its intended sensor size.

lugiamcg: Nope, no use of macro mode on the control dial. At most it might affect the color somewhat I don't know.

ahmike89: Lens cap? Your first shot?

mastering89: Change it to black-and-white. Also, look for green trees and blue skies.

fas29: Nice #2 and #5 (LOL!) I like how you've used the fence as bokeh for #7. #8 onwards seem rather plain and have lost the magic.

junior5417: Because you forgot to set the Aperture in Manual Exposure. I think you still don't understand how to set your Shutter and Aperture according to the meter when in Manual Exposure.

achew: Cool, something new from you!

Banzai_san: I am always in Drive (High) which is 5 FPS on the A700/A900. If I had an A550 I might be at 7 FPS. However I'd still click only one frame except when you see a possible series of expressions (or when a lot of people are walking past the subject, they may block the subject.) Sometimes it helps with candids as people tend to blink!

cjlai: I prefer the tonality of the buds - they look kinda wooden.

Ksano: TestM = Test Modelling Light. So it lights up for 4 seconds and you can move the flash about to see where the shadows will fall.

Now, for some street shooting, not necessarily of the street portraiture variety!


I came, I saw.


A tribute to Cyanide & Happiness!


Shaded.


farex and I ended up taking a detour through Sultan Ismail, coming to the front of Hard Rock Cafe. The Opteka 85mm F1.4 is nice to street-shoot with although I do feel like I cheated because it is tele.


The target destination was Dang Wangi LRT station.


Finally, the view I was looking for! Vivitar 24mm F2.0 at F2.0 because I could not set the aperture.

Banzai_san: Yes, DRO would help!

#7- Our initial plan was to walk past this little skater-popular area to head to Zouk. Shot with the manual focus Opteka 85mm F1.4!


#8- But the rain came, and so we stayed within the periphery of KLCC. Also Opteka. The rest of the shots are with the Minolta 50mm F1.4.


#9- Hot day.


#10- What makes people decide to have a conversation out in the middle? This is one of the shots that Szetoo would've probably shot wider and closer (I used the 50mm for this.)


#11- Alert eyes.


#12- Then came the rain again!

farex: Nice #2 (if you remove the distortion by warping/skewing in Photoshop would be better.) #3 is a bit tight though.

destfull: I'm not getting the message in #7. What do you see?

Also, your LRT shot could be better if there was somebody standing there (frustrated for missing the LRT) on the right side. More likely if going to the Ampang/Sri Petaling side as there will be people waiting for it.

Banzai_san: Thanks!