Landscapes and exposure

David Martin · Aug 5, 2001

Just budgeted £2k for a Minolta and accessories to order this week but I'm getting a little concerned about some threads posted here which concern difficulties in correctly exposing both sky and ground, possibly due to small dynamic range. A lot of the pics I hope to take would be of this type in fairly low-light situations as to my mind a lot of the interest in landscapes lies in trying to capture a moody sky in contrast to the ground. I had been hoping to expose to suit the sky and then use Photoshop to try to lighten up the ground. Any thoughts appreciated.
Regards as always,
DaveMart--DaveMart

Giovanni · Aug 5, 2001

IMHO the exposure problems have something to do with the metering system. It's not a problem of dynamic range. In all the cases probably with a little of work around the set up (read EV) it's possible to do what you want.
They are already on the net a lot of nice examples of:
1) landascapes
2) low light shot (in this field D7 it's one of the best cams in the market)

Dave Martin said:
Just budgeted £2k for a Minolta and accessories to order this week
but I'm getting a little concerned about some threads posted here
which concern difficulties in correctly exposing both sky and
ground, possibly due to small dynamic range. A lot of the pics I
hope to take would be of this type in fairly low-light situations
as to my mind a lot of the interest in landscapes lies in trying to
capture a moody sky in contrast to the ground. I had been hoping to
expose to suit the sky and then use Photoshop to try to lighten up
the ground. Any thoughts appreciated.
Regards as always,
DaveMart
--
DaveMart

Icypeak · Aug 5, 2001

Other solutions before any post processing would include just aiming down a bit before locking exposure with 1/2 push, and the correctly framing your shot with more sky. Setting exposure compensation up a notch or 2 will also work. If dynamic range is an issue in your shot (shaded foreground and sunny sky), try a gradient neutral density filter, to reduce the sky intensity somewhat, while not affecting the foreground.

-David

Giovanni said:
Dave Martin said:

Just budgeted £2k for a Minolta and accessories to order this week
but I'm getting a little concerned about some threads posted here
which concern difficulties in correctly exposing both sky and
ground, possibly due to small dynamic range. A lot of the pics I
hope to take would be of this type in fairly low-light situations
as to my mind a lot of the interest in landscapes lies in trying to
capture a moody sky in contrast to the ground. I had been hoping to
expose to suit the sky and then use Photoshop to try to lighten up
the ground. Any thoughts appreciated.
Regards as always,
DaveMart
--
DaveMart

Click to expand...

abc · Aug 5, 2001

One of the great features of the D7 is exposure compensation on a button. Another great feature is that it easlily acomodates gradient filters through standard holders (try that on a 990), and the EVF/LCDgive very usable indications of most exposure correction changes real time.

I too am fond of land and water scapes. I live high over a very large lake with mountains ad a city with lots of stark,white high rises surrounded by rich greens and burnt grasses (this time of year) to the East, so high contrast, challenging Scapes are something I shoot virtually every day. I find that hitting the Effects button and adjusting either ev or contrast will get me very close to where I want to be with respect to , in this case, sky, mountains, water, mountainside, down the picture frame in that order.

The results that I go to PS with from the D7 are so much better( because of the level and ease of control , better lens, more pixels) than my 990 results. The amount of correction that I do in PS is much less and more easily achieved. I use the 200 mm end of the lens a lot. I msut add that it is head and shoulders above the 990 plus 2X conv in resolution quality. No contest.

Some folks start out at +0.7ev as a starting reference point. I start at +.3, but often find that I can get the best results in high contrast scenes by going to minus values in the contrast control. My view of the contrast algo is that when it is set to O it is still too aggressive for an inherently high contrast scene. (another chore for you, Bryan?) As you know, it will depend on what you are trying to emphasize in the shot. But, the controls are there right on the outside, not buried in a menu where laziness on the part of the shooter will often leave them.

I suspect that some of the questions about dynamic range and related issues arise out of the fact that we are all so new to the camera that we haven't yet discovered its exposure personality in full yet.

dh

Icypeak said:
-David

Member said:

Dave Martin said:

Just budgeted £2k for a Minolta and accessories to order this week
but I'm getting a little concerned about some threads posted here
which concern difficulties in correctly exposing both sky and
ground, possibly due to small dynamic range. A lot of the pics I
hope to take would be of this type in fairly low-light situations
as to my mind a lot of the interest in landscapes lies in trying to
capture a moody sky in contrast to the ground. I had been hoping to
expose to suit the sky and then use Photoshop to try to lighten up
the ground. Any thoughts appreciated.
Regards as always,
DaveMart
--
DaveMart

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Will Smith46135 · Aug 5, 2001

Hi Dave

Sorry for being a bit nosey, I'm just curious as to why you are choosing the Minolta over a D30, is it that they cost that bit more over 2k?

Please excuse my curiosity, It's just I cannot raise the money for a D7 at the moment (a poor recently graduated student) and as I am waiting till I have enough money available to buy such a camera I also think that if i had 2k I would be seriously tempted to spend a little extra and get a true SLR. Even though the D7 does seem a great, and better in some ways camera.

Regards
Will

Dave Martin said:
Just budgeted £2k for a Minolta and accessories to order this week
but I'm getting a little concerned about some threads posted here
which concern difficulties in correctly exposing both sky and
ground, possibly due to small dynamic range. A lot of the pics I
hope to take would be of this type in fairly low-light situations
as to my mind a lot of the interest in landscapes lies in trying to
capture a moody sky in contrast to the ground. I had been hoping to
expose to suit the sky and then use Photoshop to try to lighten up
the ground. Any thoughts appreciated.
Regards as always,
DaveMart
--
DaveMart

David Martin · Aug 5, 2001

Will Smith said:
Sorry for being a bit nosey, I'm just curious as to why you are
choosing the Minolta over a D30, is it that they cost that bit more
over 2k?
Please excuse my curiosity, It's just I cannot raise the money for
a D7 at the moment (a poor recently graduated student) and as I am
waiting till I have enough money available to buy such a camera I
also think that if i had 2k I would be seriously tempted to spend a
little extra and get a true SLR. Even though the D7 does seem a
great, and better in some ways camera.

Regards
Will

Dave Martin said:

Just budgeted £2k for a Minolta and accessories to order this week
but I'm getting a little concerned about some threads posted here
which concern difficulties in correctly exposing both sky and
ground, possibly due to small dynamic range. A lot of the pics I
hope to take would be of this type in fairly low-light situations
as to my mind a lot of the interest in landscapes lies in trying to
capture a moody sky in contrast to the ground. I had been hoping to
expose to suit the sky and then use Photoshop to try to lighten up
the ground. Any thoughts appreciated.
Regards as always,
DaveMart
--
DaveMart

Click to expand...

Hi Will,
Don't worry about being nosey, I'm often known as Parker Martin!

The answer to your Q is, try adding on the expense on the different lenses to the D30 body cost to have the same range as the D7. Plus I'm not a great believer in changing lenses on a Digital. OK, it's something the pros have to do, but I want a convenient camera that will also take great shots. If I did want something in that range I personally would wait for some of the new camersa which are due out soon. Indeed,

I haven't yet fully committed to the D7 and may wait to see what Sony, Olympus et al come out with in the 5 megapixel range. But it will almost certainly be a fixed lens camera.
Regards,
Parker Martin

David Roberts · Aug 5, 2001

Hi Will,

It's a different Dave, but I'll give you my rationale for buying the D7 (though still waiting for delivery). The higher end cameras like the D30, D1 etc., all suffer from one common problem - interchangeable lenses. While it may seem an advantage to have the capability to go from one extreme to another, there is also a cost factor involved. Good glass is not cheap and you are facing another investment block unless you already have lenses from existing 35 mm stock. The other factor that concerns me is dust, dirt and debris. Two of my friends are photo-journalists and both have the Nikon D1. They are constantly griping about dust getting into their cameras. While the longer focal length lenses will be necessary for sports action shots, unless you are into that - don't go there.

I've been clicking shutters on various cameras for forty-odd years (some of them very odd!) and continuing photography in retirement I find that the D7 will provide me with everything I want out of my shooting. It has a great focal length range for a fixed lens, from room interiors to tight head shot portraits, with the possibility of add-on lernses for extending the focal length. It is compact and has a high resolution, enabling higher degrees of enlargement. A live EVF with adjustments built in - hey, this sounds better all the time.

Take a look at some of the samples available from those lucky enough to have them (!) and you'll see the range of photography that the camera is able to cover at a comparatively low cost. Balance all this against the fact that buying, say a D30, you are now on the bottom rung of another purchasing ladder, chasing lenses.

Good luck with your photography, I hope you get as much enjoyment out of your D7 as I intend to,
Dave Roberts

David Martin · Aug 5, 2001

Icypeak said:
-David

Member said:

Dave Martin said:

Just budgeted £2k for a Minolta and accessories to order this week
but I'm getting a little concerned about some threads posted here
which concern difficulties in correctly exposing both sky and
ground, possibly due to small dynamic range. A lot of the pics I
hope to take would be of this type in fairly low-light situations
as to my mind a lot of the interest in landscapes lies in trying to
capture a moody sky in contrast to the ground. I had been hoping to
expose to suit the sky and then use Photoshop to try to lighten up
the ground. Any thoughts appreciated.
Regards as always,
DaveMart
--
DaveMart

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice.

I'd be really interested in which gradient neutral density filter you would suggest, go with a 49mm or step up to a 55mm to avoid vignetting? The same issues apply to the choice of polariser. I saw in one of the threads that the 55mm Minolta worked fine, but I later read in another thread that that would be a very expensive way of doing things.
Regards,
DaveMart

David Martin · Aug 5, 2001

Dave Martin said:
Icypeak said:

-David

Member said:

Dave Martin said:

Just budgeted £2k for a Minolta and accessories to order this week
but I'm getting a little concerned about some threads posted here
which concern difficulties in correctly exposing both sky and
ground, possibly due to small dynamic range. A lot of the pics I
hope to take would be of this type in fairly low-light situations
as to my mind a lot of the interest in landscapes lies in trying to
capture a moody sky in contrast to the ground. I had been hoping to
expose to suit the sky and then use Photoshop to try to lighten up
the ground. Any thoughts appreciated.
Regards as always,
DaveMart
--
DaveMart

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice.
I'd be really interested in which gradient neutral density filter
you would suggest, go with a 49mm or step up to a 55mm to avoid
vignetting? The same issues apply to the choice of polariser. I saw
in one of the threads that the 55mm Minolta worked fine, but I
later read in another thread that that would be a very expensive
way of doing things.
Regards,
DaveMart

Oops! Sorry Icypeak,I see you've already answered this on another thread.

Any makes etc in mind? Papa, everyone, what do you think. I know 55mm ruless out using the hood.
Regards,
DaveMart

David Martin · Aug 5, 2001

Giovanni said:
Dave Martin said:

Just budgeted £2k for a Minolta and accessories to order this week
but I'm getting a little concerned about some threads posted here
which concern difficulties in correctly exposing both sky and
ground, possibly due to small dynamic range. A lot of the pics I
hope to take would be of this type in fairly low-light situations
as to my mind a lot of the interest in landscapes lies in trying to
capture a moody sky in contrast to the ground. I had been hoping to
expose to suit the sky and then use Photoshop to try to lighten up
the ground. Any thoughts appreciated.
Regards as always,
DaveMart
--
DaveMart

Click to expand...

Thanks Giovanni.

And can you tell me how you are finding the EVF? It's clear that it's the best in it's class and an excellent performer in low light, but what is still not clear, to me at least, is if you can always get the correct focus by using it. Any further thoughts would be appreciated.
Regards,
DaveMart

Will Smith46135 · Aug 5, 2001

David Roberts said:
Hi Will,
It's a different Dave, but I'll give you my rationale for buying
the D7 (though still waiting for delivery). The higher end cameras
like the D30, D1 etc., all suffer from one common problem -
interchangeable lenses. While it may seem an advantage to have the
capability to go from one extreme to another, there is also a cost
factor involved. Good glass is not cheap and you are facing another
investment block unless you already have lenses from existing 35 mm
stock. The other factor that concerns me is dust, dirt and debris.
Two of my friends are photo-journalists and both have the Nikon D1.
They are constantly griping about dust getting into their cameras.
While the longer focal length lenses will be necessary for sports
action shots, unless you are into that - don't go there.
I've been clicking shutters on various cameras for forty-odd years
(some of them very odd!) and continuing photography in retirement I
find that the D7 will provide me with everything I want out of my
shooting. It has a great focal length range for a fixed lens, from
room interiors to tight head shot portraits, with the possibility
of add-on lernses for extending the focal length. It is compact and
has a high resolution, enabling higher degrees of enlargement. A
live EVF with adjustments built in - hey, this sounds better all
the time.
Take a look at some of the samples available from those lucky
enough to have them (!) and you'll see the range of photography
that the camera is able to cover at a comparatively low cost.
Balance all this against the fact that buying, say a D30, you are
now on the bottom rung of another purchasing ladder, chasing lenses.
Good luck with your photography, I hope you get as much enjoyment
out of your D7 as I intend to,
Dave Roberts

Andrew Cruickshank · Aug 5, 2001

David Roberts said:
Hi Will,
It's a different Dave, but I'll give you my rationale for buying
the D7 (though still waiting for delivery). The higher end cameras
like the D30, D1 etc., all suffer from one common problem -
interchangeable lenses.

.......

I didn't consider any of these just because of weight. I had a chance
for an extended play with a D1 last summer (with some nice glass
too) and having got the beast home rapidly lost interest in hauling it
about and didn't even considering travel with it.

You can stick a D7 or E-10 type unit in a compact holster or light
backpack and comfortably go out for a day.

---------------
Andrew.

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Landscapes and exposure

David Martin

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Giovanni

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Will Smith46135

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