One for the Photo-enthusiasts

[Dr B]

Just got my first d-SLR and it is really nice and impressive. It's the Nikon D90 and I got the kit lens (18 - 105mm VR).

It's a great piece of kit. I need it for research (producing high quality images of the real world, objects, faces, etc - for psychological experiments) - though i now need to learn how to use it.

I am going up to the lakes next week and i thought i would do some landscapes. Some people have told me I need to get some filters - others have said you can add most effects in photoshop so dont bother.

The thing is - I think I need a polarizer and an ND filter so i can do long expsoures in reasonable light without over-exposing (photoshop can't help with that one). Does this seem correct to anyone out there?

Anyone know any good shops for advice and products (other than the obvious; i.e., Jessops)????



PS - the polarizer is for reducing glare.....

[bindeweede]

Just got my first d-SLR and it is really nice and impressive. It's the Nikon D90 and I got the kit lens (18 - 105mm VR).

It's a great piece of kit. I need it for research (producing high quality images of the real world, objects, faces, etc - for psychological experiments) - though i now need to learn how to use it.

I am going up to the lakes next week and i thought i would do some landscapes. Some people have told me I need to get some filters - others have said you can add most effects in photoshop so dont bother.

The thing is - I think I need a polarizer and an ND filter so i can do long expsoures in reasonable light without over-exposing (photoshop can't help with that one). Does this seem correct to anyone out there?

Anyone know any good shops for advice and products (other than the obvious; i.e., Jessops)????



PS - the polarizer is for reducing glare.....

This place is quite good..

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=777

PS got MY first d-SLR on Saturday - Pentax KM - amazing the things you can do with an "entry-level" camera

[Mulder]

This shows you what a polarizer does ... Nice for blue skies and water scenes.

Are you talking about really long exposures - many seconds or even minutes? In which case you could use an ND. Are you trying to capture movement so that it shows up as a blur?

You should never get overexposure unless you switch to manual mode and disable the exposure meter.

[Mulder]

Tip for landscapes - always set the lowest possible ISO to keep noise to a minimum (set it - don't use auto ISO). Otherwise distant detail can be lost.

[Dr B]

This place is quite good..

http://www.7dayshop.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=777

PS got MY first d-SLR on Saturday - Pentax KM - amazing the things you can do with an "entry-level" camera

Cheers for that...will check out the link. Quite right about how cameras have come on over recent years and entry level is superb.

On the D90 - i am not fussed about the video capture mode or any of that nonsense - more the huge pixel count and top notch sensor. The options and configurations are legion and the VR (vibration reduction lenses) are a must....its also very well built.

I also want a decent macro lense and an 12-200ms (all-rounder) but - it will be a year or two before i am get those.

[Dr B]

This shows you what a polarizer does ... Nice for blue skies and water scenes.

Are you talking about really long exposures - many seconds or even minutes? In which case you could use an ND. Are you trying to capture movement so that it shows up as a blur?

You should never get overexposure unless you switch to manual mode and disable the exposure meter.

Yes i want to do blur on water and clouds etc - but you can get over-exposure with the shutter held open for anything of 1 sec and above in all but the lowest light (from what i have read and been told).

I do use manual mode so that i can control more things - but i am still getting to grips with how all these things interact with each other and then even further with the available light.

Of course i am also playing with the pre-set modes as well which are good.....its baby steps at the moment with this thing....

any tips, greatly recieved

[Mulder]

I think the D90 only goes to a maximum of 4s if you use the metering. So you may need to use B setting for longer and will then have to use trial and error.

Before buying ND filters, you can try exposure compensation which is up to -5 EV on the D90, I believe. Given that ND filters are expensive and the Nikon ND8 only reduces by 3 EV, it's worth a try. Of course, if the 5 EV isn't enough then NDs can act in addition to exposure compensation (so 8 EV with the ND8 and EC).

[Dr B]

Cheers for that - lots to think about. I know some landscape photographers who swear by using filters and some who hardly ever use them (all pros who make money at what they do) so i think alot of it is a 'dark art' to some degree and maybe many of them use the methods you mention to get around it.

I need to play a bit. I have found plenty of websites showing top level landscape pics with the D90 (there is even an owners club) with the effects i want to explore - so I know the camera has plenty of features (indeed it has many of the still-camera features of the more high level pro unit - the Dx2).

I think the shutter can go much slower that 4secs - but dont quote me on that (custom settings - but i need to look into that)..

I need to look into what I get from full manual mode versus program mode etc or maybe simple opt for shutter priority - slow it right down, filter the excessive light, and let the aperture take care of itself....again lots to play with....thoughts for photo exps more than welcome

[Dr B]

Mulder - what unit do you use these days? Are you still keeping your hand in?

[Mulder]

I think the shutter can go much slower that 4secs - but dont quote me on that (custom settings - but i need to look into that)..

It will go as long as you like in B mode but you'll get no metering.

I need to look into what I get from full manual mode versus program mode etc or maybe simple opt for shutter priority - slow it right down, filter the excessive light, and let the aperture take care of itself....again lots to play with....thoughts for photo exps more than welcome

If you don't use metering then you'll need to do a lot of trial and error. I can't see any reason to not use metering, even for long exposures, as you'll always get something decent with it.

[Dr B]

It will go as long as you like in B mode but you'll get no metering.

sounds like shutter priority is the way to go then.....

[bruce]

I'd recommend shooting in RAW format, yes this does produce HUGE files, but memory cards are cheap (buy plenty), and the pay off once you get the files into your computer is more than worth it. RAW format gives you enormous leeway with the processing of your images. Which brings me to the next point... software.
If you're using a Windows PC, download the trial of Adobe Lightroom or if you use a Mac get the trial of Aperture, either of these will help maximise the potential of your DSLR.
Since I started capturing in RAW, and processing in Aperture, my workflow and end product has improved massively.

[Dr B]

I'd recommend shooting in RAW format, yes this does produce HUGE files, but memory cards are cheap (buy plenty), and the pay off once you get the files into your computer is more than worth it. RAW format gives you enormous leeway with the processing of your images. Which brings me to the next point... software.

Thanks for that Bruce - I think i ended up getting an 8Gb one (Extreme III I think). I was told that a smaller card makes the top cameras function slower - so there was no point in buying a high end unit to put a small card in it (would you agree???).

I have been playing in the combined mode - so it gives me, with every shot - both a JPEG and a RAW file. I dont suppose this is a disadvanatge to just RAW????

If you're using a Windows PC, download the trial of Adobe Lightroom or if you use a Mac get the trial of Aperture, either of these will help maximise the potential of your DSLR.
Since I started capturing in RAW, and processing in Aperture, my workflow and end product has improved massively.

Cheers for that! I have ordered Photoshop CS4 through work which i hope is comparable with those you mention.

I bet the software itself will take months to learn I have all that ahead of me.....things are not as simple as they once were....???

Once again = much appreciated

[Dr B]

Tip for landscapes - always set the lowest possible ISO to keep noise to a minimum (set it - don't use auto ISO). Otherwise distant detail can be lost.

I have been doing this - but in the Shutter and Aperture priority modes - is it the case that most cameras alter the ISO automatically based on your other settings (as they are all interacting with each other). The only way around this is the manual mode from what I can see which gives you total control?

Is this correct?

[Mulder]

Thanks for that Bruce - I think i ended up getting an 8Gb one (Extreme III I think).

Please tell me it's the Extreme IV 8GB! I got one recently and it is easily the fastest chip I've ever used (twice the speed of the 4GB version).

I have been doing this - but in the Shutter and Aperture priority modes - is it the case that most cameras alter the ISO automatically based on your other settings (as they are all interacting with each other). The only way around this is the manual mode from what I can see which gives you total control?

Without looking at the manual - I don't actually own a D90 - I couldn't say. But it should be possible to switch AUTO ISO off and then set ISO manually with almost any mode (certainly shutter or aperture priority). Everything else should remain on automatic.