Normal or fine for vacation pictures?

New to digital, I'm off to Italy for a few weeks.

I've got 2 x 256 compact flash cards. I don't think I'll be able to download when I'm over there so that means saving everything I take until I get back home. At Normal, I don't think I'll run out of room on the cards (about 250 pix/card) but at the Fine setting I probably will. I want good image quality pix when I get back in case I want to enlarge some of the pictures. I'm thinking maybe taking most pictures in Normal and then when I see something really nice, switching to Fine?
I could buy more cards; but at $90+ pop, it gets kind of expensive.
Does this make any sense or is there a better way of doing things?

--
Bob

Bob Peltzman wrote:
....

bopeltzman said:

until I get back home. At Normal, I don't think I'll run out of
room on the cards (about 250 pix/card) but at the Fine setting I
probably will. I want good image quality pix when I get back in
case I want to enlarge some of the pictures. I'm thinking maybe
taking most pictures in Normal and then when I see something really
nice, switching to Fine?

Click to expand...

I did kind of the same thing on my last big trip. I had a lot less memory than you do! (Also, memory cards are noticably cheaper now...) I think you have the right idea, though -- use the highest resolution, and just reduce the quality level when you have to cram more pictures in there.

I took over 400 photos, and had about 100 printed. I thought that was a pretty good ratio, and most of those prints were at "basic" or "normal"! My strategy was to use "basic" or "normal" for most photos, and upgrade to "fine" for a few shots that I hoped would turn out really nice. I think it's really hard to tell what you'll end up looking at later and really liking. Some shots taken at "basic" were really kind of interesting. Printed at 4x6, I really don't have any complaints about basic mode! Zooming in on the computer, you can tell the artifacting; "normal" is noticably better. I didn't do many (any?) large prints from that trip, so I can't really comment on whether I'd be satisfied had I blown some of them up, but I do wonder. I would not be surprised if you end up with some favorites taken at lower quality settings.

However, by using "basic", I felt free to take a lot of pictures and not worry that I was going to run out. Even so, there were a lot of pictures that I didn't take! 400 photos, and I thought of several things that I would have liked to have maybe gotten a shot of, but never mind that now. With the memory you have, if at all possible, try to at least use "normal" rather than "basic," but if you're sure that the destination will be a 4x6, you can get away with "basic." (Better to have a compomised shot than no shot at all, I keep telling myself.)

For panoramics, I generally used "basic," using the logic that you'll have a lot more pixels to throw at the problem, and any jpeg artifacts will be lost in the noise. (Either that, or in viewing on the computer, you'd definately have more resolution than needed!)

I also figured out that if you turn sharpening to "none," the photos will compress further, squeeking out even more memory. (WELL, I'll leave it up to you to decide if you like sharpening or not, but I challenge you to test it for yourself. If you have to zoom into a photo at 400% to see a quality setting difference or a sharpening difference, then I say that it's effectively not a difference in the real world! Besides, chances are high that the printing process will sharpen as well.)

bopeltzman said:

I could buy more cards; but at $90+ pop, it gets kind of expensive.
Does this make any sense or is there a better way of doing things?

Click to expand...

Have you tried experimenting with a couple of prints to see if you can tell the difference?

--
Gary W.
Nikon 880

I use fine all the time, but you could do as you mentioned, use normal unless it's some photo you know you'll want to work on, print, etc.

I just bought a used, lightweight laptop to put my photos on when I go to Italy. I think I have enough cards and won't have to reformat them, but the laptop will let me see just how good or bad they are and I can go from there. Would like to keep the cards with the photos and laptop for backup. Laptop should arrive next week.

P.S. I'm not one to take several photos of the same thing.
--
Muriel

Hi Bob,

You don't say what camera you're using? I have a CP5K and I use the best JPEG setting possible for any thing I may want to be photo quality, unless I have a need for TIFF-very seldom. Having said that I have several 10X8 prints in 'normal' (set in error!) which turned out brilliantly. If it was me, I'd be shooting in 'fine' and getting my cards copied to CD at a photo lab/shop - you'll be getting 500mb copied at the one time so not much wasted space on a CD.

Cheers,
Tim.

Bob Peltzman said:

New to digital, I'm off to Italy for a few weeks.
I've got 2 x 256 compact flash cards. I don't think I'll be able to
download when I'm over there so that means saving everything I take
until I get back home. At Normal, I don't think I'll run out of
room on the cards (about 250 pix/card) but at the Fine setting I
probably will. I want good image quality pix when I get back in
case I want to enlarge some of the pictures. I'm thinking maybe
taking most pictures in Normal and then when I see something really
nice, switching to Fine?
I could buy more cards; but at $90+ pop, it gets kind of expensive.
Does this make any sense or is there a better way of doing things?

--
Bob

Click to expand...

Take two pictures of the same subject one at normal and one at fine. Then get a 8 x 10 made of each. My guess is you will find very little difference if any between the two. If the normal 8 x 10 is good enough for your standards then set to normal and shoot away. This way you won't be disappointed after your trip.

troutman

Bob Peltzman said:

New to digital, I'm off to Italy for a few weeks.
I've got 2 x 256 compact flash cards. I don't think I'll be able to
download when I'm over there so that means saving everything I take
until I get back home. At Normal, I don't think I'll run out of
room on the cards (about 250 pix/card) but at the Fine setting I
probably will. I want good image quality pix when I get back in
case I want to enlarge some of the pictures. I'm thinking maybe
taking most pictures in Normal and then when I see something really
nice, switching to Fine?
I could buy more cards; but at $90+ pop, it gets kind of expensive.
Does this make any sense or is there a better way of doing things?

--
Bob

Click to expand...

Bob, Congratulations on the trip and I hope you enjoy it. You didn't state what type of camera you have the base resolution or what you anticipate being the eventual print outcome size, if any. Based upon the information you did give I presume that you probably have a 5 megapixel such as a Nikon 5000 or 5700.

Unless you have one of those ultra critical photographic eyes, you will probably find that normal mode will meet your needs on print sizes up to 8x10 or 11x14. Therefore your plan to shoot normal except for the special shots, and then to switch to fine, is a very good plan.

One of the great things about digital is that your "obvious" bad shots can be deleted immediatly, making room for more good shots, hence many bad shots can be retaken immediatly and the not so good ones eliminated immediately. Trust me if a shot is obviously blurred, or has "camera shake" on the little LCD screen of your camera, it will not look any better when you get home. Unless it is a shot "that can't be repeated" or has an important emotional, memory or artistic merit for you, just hit delete.

If you can afford it, spring for another memory card or two and that way you don't have to fret over the shots. Remember to enjoy yourself.

If in doubt, and you have time, select a still subject, any subject, and shoot a series of shots at maximum resolution with fine, normal and basic compression. download them to your computer, make some prints (or have them made) and then decide for your self what you can live with. Smaller then 8x10 inch prints, the "average" person will not be able to tell the difference.

--
Photography by David 'Eaglechild' Robinson.
http://www.pbase.com/brdavid/

David in Silverdale said:

Bob, Congratulations on the trip and I hope you enjoy it. You
didn't state what type of camera you have the base resolution or
what you anticipate being the eventual print outcome size, if any.
Based upon the information you did give I presume that you probably
have a 5 megapixel such as a Nikon 5000 or 5700.

Unless you have one of those ultra critical photographic eyes, you
will probably find that normal mode will meet your needs on print
sizes up to 8x10 or 11x14. Therefore your plan to shoot normal
except for the special shots, and then to switch to fine, is a very
good plan.

One of the great things about digital is that your "obvious" bad
shots can be deleted immediatly, making room for more good shots,
hence many bad shots can be retaken immediatly and the not so good
ones eliminated immediately. Trust me if a shot is obviously
blurred, or has "camera shake" on the little LCD screen of your
camera, it will not look any better when you get home. Unless it
is a shot "that can't be repeated" or has an important emotional,
memory or artistic merit for you, just hit delete.

If you can afford it, spring for another memory card or two and
that way you don't have to fret over the shots. Remember to enjoy
yourself.

If in doubt, and you have time, select a still subject, any
subject, and shoot a series of shots at maximum resolution with
fine, normal and basic compression. download them to your
computer, make some prints (or have them made) and then decide for
your self what you can live with. Smaller then 8x10 inch prints,
the "average" person will not be able to tell the difference.

--
Photography by David 'Eaglechild' Robinson.
http://www.pbase.com/brdavid/

Click to expand...

Have a nice trip, if you go to ebay sometimes you can pick up cards fairly reasonable. I plan a trip to disney next year and I plan on taking 6 cards three are 160 mb and a 256 along with a 128 plus the one that came with the camera and I am hoping I have enough.
Mike

As previously noted, most of us can't tell the difference between an 8 X 10 with fine v. normal compression. But I'd avoid basic compression. You didn't spend all that money on a great digicam to risk compression artifacts in your once in a lifetime photos. Enjoy your trip.

tanglefoot47 said:

David in Silverdale said:

Bob, Congratulations on the trip and I hope you enjoy it. You
didn't state what type of camera you have the base resolution or
what you anticipate being the eventual print outcome size, if any.
Based upon the information you did give I presume that you probably
have a 5 megapixel such as a Nikon 5000 or 5700.

Unless you have one of those ultra critical photographic eyes, you
will probably find that normal mode will meet your needs on print
sizes up to 8x10 or 11x14. Therefore your plan to shoot normal
except for the special shots, and then to switch to fine, is a very
good plan.

One of the great things about digital is that your "obvious" bad
shots can be deleted immediatly, making room for more good shots,
hence many bad shots can be retaken immediatly and the not so good
ones eliminated immediately. Trust me if a shot is obviously
blurred, or has "camera shake" on the little LCD screen of your
camera, it will not look any better when you get home. Unless it
is a shot "that can't be repeated" or has an important emotional,
memory or artistic merit for you, just hit delete.

If you can afford it, spring for another memory card or two and
that way you don't have to fret over the shots. Remember to enjoy
yourself.

If in doubt, and you have time, select a still subject, any
subject, and shoot a series of shots at maximum resolution with
fine, normal and basic compression. download them to your
computer, make some prints (or have them made) and then decide for
your self what you can live with. Smaller then 8x10 inch prints,
the "average" person will not be able to tell the difference.

--
Photography by David 'Eaglechild' Robinson.
http://www.pbase.com/brdavid/

Click to expand...

Have a nice trip, if you go to ebay sometimes you can pick up cards
fairly reasonable. I plan a trip to disney next year and I plan on
taking 6 cards three are 160 mb and a 256 along with a 128 plus the
one that came with the camera and I am hoping I have enough.
Mike

Click to expand...

What kind of camera are you using? I like Tim's idea...(sheesh, a no brainer and I didn't even think of it, what does THAT say?)...stop by a local shop there somewhere and see if you can get a CD burned..then you can free up your card. Are there any sort of international issues with burning a CD that would render it inoperabale back in the states?

Frank
Whimsy is salvation for a life taken too seriously.
http://www.pbase.com/poetrunner/photo_musings

Bob Peltzman said:

New to digital, I'm off to Italy for a few weeks.
I've got 2 x 256 compact flash cards. I don't think I'll be able to
download when I'm over there so that means saving everything I take
until I get back home. At Normal, I don't think I'll run out of
room on the cards (about 250 pix/card) but at the Fine setting I
probably will. I want good image quality pix when I get back in
case I want to enlarge some of the pictures. I'm thinking maybe
taking most pictures in Normal and then when I see something really
nice, switching to Fine?
I could buy more cards; but at $90+ pop, it gets kind of expensive.
Does this make any sense or is there a better way of doing things?

--
Bob

Click to expand...

I'm thinking maybe

bopeltzman said:

taking most pictures in Normal and then when I see something really
nice, switching to Fine?
I could buy more cards; but at $90+ pop, it gets kind of expensive.
Does this make any sense or is there a better way of doing things?

Click to expand...

Bob, I agree with most of what has been said. Our approach has been:

• to buy more memory, it's not that expensive compared to the cost of the camera and accessories.

• to use maximum resolution, Basic compression 99% of the time - as our output is almost always for CRT display (but may be cropped or combined into panoramas.

• occasionally - use Normal.

This is with Nikon 990s. You should check out the compression levels yourself (at maximum resolution, though, don't use less) and see if (a) you can see the artefacts from greater compression and (b) if they bother you.

Quite honestly, if it's a holiday, enjoy the holiday! If it's a "photographic trip", pay the extra for more storgae. How does that strike you?

David

I continue to enjoy my Digital Wallet

Bob Peltzman said:

New to digital, I'm off to Italy for a few weeks.
I've got 2 x 256 compact flash cards. I don't think I'll be able to
download when I'm over there so that means saving everything I take
until I get back home. At Normal, I don't think I'll run out of
room on the cards (about 250 pix/card) but at the Fine setting I
probably will. I want good image quality pix when I get back in
case I want to enlarge some of the pictures. I'm thinking maybe
taking most pictures in Normal and then when I see something really
nice, switching to Fine?
I could buy more cards; but at $90+ pop, it gets kind of expensive.
Does this make any sense or is there a better way of doing things?

--
Bob

Click to expand...

--

Bob -

I go a different route for trips. I have a bunch of cards, but I have worked out a deal with some friends. We each borrow from one another when one of us goes out of town on vacation. If I am in town, I only need my 1 largest card. That way, we get additional memory without the added cost. I can shoot in fine mode without any worry about space. So far the system has worked great - no one has taken vacation at the same time.

Good luck and enjoy the trip.

Mark
http://www.dorfmans.us/gallery

Bob,

I have a similar quantity of CF cards as you, 2 x 256 plus the 16 which came with the camera. I recently went on a cruise to the North Cape in Norway for 2 weeks and I would have preferred more cards, as it is amazing how many more photos I take with my CP995, even after housekeeping and binning the inadequate results. However, I had my 35mm as a backup! You therefore cannot have too many CF cards....well within reason anyway.

It is good advice to have CD's burned, whilst away, but not always practicable.

I managed about 371 photos on my CF's all taken on UXGA (1600 x 1200) at 'fine' quality. I take almost all my photos on 'fine'! I previously tested the difference using the 'fine' setting on FULL (2048 x 1536) and UXGA, blew them up to A4/letter size and I could not see much difference, although the latter allows so many more stored images.

As already suggested, take your own results and decide appropriately, but I hope this helps.

Whatever, have a great time on holiday.

David

Wow,

Lot's of great suggestions! This forum is wonderful. I forgot to mention that I've got the CP5700 but I think most guessed that (or the 5000) anyway. It looks like I'll try shooting and printing some at 2 or 3 different settings and decide from there. I'll also keep my eye open for a place to download to CD in Italy. But I'll have make sure the program they use to create the disk (I guess) is compatible with the program I use to view the disk. Que se dice Photoshop Chinque????? On second thought maybe an extra card would take the worry away. Also, I could probably buy a card in Italy if I start to get low.
Anyway, thanks for all the help!!!!
Bob

hard drive?? I don't know what they cost but you can get a small external USB hard drive....find a computer every once and a while....and i think (not sure at all...need more feedback) that they will self detect and not need a lot of tooling around to save your pictures...It would be useful when you got home too! or just get a 300 dollar mass storage device and sell it when you get back...or find someone who wants to buy a mass storage device before you go and tell him/her that you will sell it when you get back.

500 pictures for a few weeks is less than i would want to take!.

would you want to take a film camera, then scan the negatives??

A perfect circle

Go with normal except for those you feel are going to be special, and then switch to fine or high (careful with this one, though...they're big). If they don't turn out like you want, delete it, switch to normal, and capture it for the trip!

--
http://www.pbase.com/nt_digi_user
Nikon Coolpix 5700 & Adobe Elements 2

David Tasker wrote:
...

David Tasker said:

I managed about 371 photos on my CF's all taken on UXGA (1600 x
1200) at 'fine' quality. I take almost all my photos on 'fine'! I
previously tested the difference using the 'fine' setting on FULL
(2048 x 1536) and UXGA, blew them up to A4/letter size and I could
not see much difference, although the latter allows so many more
stored images.

Click to expand...

You should have compared the "normal" (or even "basic") setting on FULL with "fine" on UXGA as well (or whichever settings have similar file sizes). When I did some tests, it appeared to me as if it was more important to get higher resolution.

--
Gary W.
Nikon 880

Bob Peltzman said:

New to digital, I'm off to Italy for a few weeks.
I've got 2 x 256 compact flash cards. I don't think I'll be able to
download when I'm over there so that means saving everything I take
until I get back home. At Normal, I don't think I'll run out of
room on the cards (about 250 pix/card) but at the Fine setting I
probably will. I want good image quality pix when I get back in
case I want to enlarge some of the pictures. I'm thinking maybe
taking most pictures in Normal and then when I see something really
nice, switching to Fine?
I could buy more cards; but at $90+ pop, it gets kind of expensive.
Does this make any sense or is there a better way of doing things?

--
Bob

Click to expand...

Bob,

I shoot my 5700 only on Raw files with two 512meg CF cards and then download the images into a Minds at Work 10g digital wallet. I can store 1300 Raw images into the digital wallet before downloading them to the hard drive on the computer. The digital wallet sells for $298.00 from Californiapc.com. It works for me.
rwphoto1

Bob,
I shoot my 5700 only on Raw files with two 512meg CF cards and then
download the images into a Minds at Work 10g digital wallet. I can
store 1300 Raw images into the digital wallet before downloading
them to the hard drive on the computer. The digital wallet sells
for $298.00 from Californiapc.com. It works for me.
rwphoto1

More good ideas. I'll start saving up for one of those, thanks.
--
Bob