What can you teach us?

[Jeff Mc]

I've noticed some of us have been complaining about the subject matter on this forum. Something of a how has the biggest megapixel (must be a male thing, mines bigger than yours).

Why don't we start trying to improve our photography? I would like to see post that actually give me some education. I'm sure we all have seperate talents that we can share that will help us improve.

I look forward to seeing your post!

PS... I started one early on this post, enjoy!
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1022&message=9828865

Jeff Mc
--



E-1, 14-54, Battery Grip, FL-50, E-20, FL-40

 

[Doehns]

Well, not really to improve your photography, but to better understand the camera.
Last weekend I did some shots of the Hollywood sign lit by only the full moon.
Here are two 100%crops Iso=100, f1/6.3 30seconds.
Without and with dark frame substraction: works pretty good.





The white diagonal line is a star/planet and the camera+earth is turning under it - cool.

 

[Jeff Mc]

The second image is awesome,

Did I miss the "Dark frame subtracion" somewhere? or is this the Noise reduction feature?

Jeff Mc
Doehns wrote:
--



E-1, 14-54, Battery Grip, FL-50, E-20, FL-40

 

[Doehns]

But not the noise filter.

"Because shooting at long exposures over 2 seconds, or high ISO speeds, can often show "Fixed Pattern Noise", the Noise Reduction feature lets the user cancel this phenomenon using a black frame exposure subtraction process. Immediately following the capture of the original exposure, a black frame exposure is taken for the same exposure time, doubling the exposure time. The first image is then compared to the black frame to cancel any Fixed Pattern Noise that may be present in the original photograph. "

 

[promoter]

In the spirit of Doehns' "learning about the camera" post, here's something I learned yesterday. I'm learning to use the E-1 in manual mode with a digital handheld meter. The meter often shows a fractional aperture setting. My old-school mind is used to seeing a shutter speed dial with fixed speeds like 1/125, 1/60, 1/30, 1/15, etc., but I've noticed that the E-1 shows intermediate speeds like 1/90.

What I learned was that setting the EV compensation increment (1 stop, 1/5 stop, or 1/3 stop) affects the intermediate shutter speeds offered. My math is rusty, but it seems that when EV compensation is set to 1/5, each "click" of the shutter speed ring represents a 1/5 of a stop change, and similarly when set for 1/3 EV. Maybe this is old news, but I thought it was pretty neat.

--
Aloha,
Scott

 

[promoter]

What I learned was that setting the EV compensation increment (1
stop, 1/5 stop, or 1/3 stop

Gah. Make that "1/2 stop," not "1/5 stop." Told ya math wasn't my strong suit.

--
Aloha,
Scott

 

[English Bob]

I've noticed some of us have been complaining about the subject
matter on this forum. Something of a how has the biggest megapixel
(must be a male thing, mines bigger than yours).

Why don't we start trying to improve our photography? I would like
to see post that actually give me some education. I'm sure we all
have seperate talents that we can share that will help us improve.

I look forward to seeing your post!

PS... I started one early on this post, enjoy!
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1022&message=9828865

Jeff Mc
--



E-1, 14-54, Battery Grip, FL-50, E-20, FL-40

I learned you can't enter the "Playback Menu" on the camera unless there is at least one exposure on your CF card.

Some items on the "Playback Menu" can't be set if your camera is set to record images in RAW format.

Some itme on the "Playback Menu" can't be set if your camera in NOT set to record images in RAW format.

If you record images in RAW format, the "RAW Data Edit" function will allow you to reset WB, saturation, contrast, sharpness, color space and record mode in camera for an image already recorded and will produce another image on your CD card with the modified changes while retaining your original image intact.
--
Good Shooting,
English Bob

 

[Todd Frederick]

Jeff,

I read your question a few times and then read the answers, but somewhere it seems some of the answers don't match your question.

What I think you're saying is that the tool is not as important than the vision.

Even the E-1 is 5.0 mgp. So is my C-5050. My E-10 is 4.0. Other companies offer 14.0.

I don't think that really matters much.

I think you want more discussion of images and visual technique.

As with most photo forums, 90% seems to be hardware, and 10% art.

With the new E-1 on the market, we can expect more chatter here on the camera and how to use it right now.

I do miss such postings as: "E-20 takes the zoo" image sharing. It will return, hopefully.

Todd

I've noticed some of us have been complaining about the subject
matter on this forum. Something of a how has the biggest megapixel
(must be a male thing, mines bigger than yours).

Why don't we start trying to improve our photography? I would like
to see post that actually give me some education. I'm sure we all
have seperate talents that we can share that will help us improve.

I look forward to seeing your post!

PS... I started one early on this post, enjoy!
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1022&message=9828865

Jeff Mc
--



E-1, 14-54, Battery Grip, FL-50, E-20, FL-40

--
Todd Frederick

 

[Doehns]

 

[Jeff Mc]

Your right Todd,

I just noticed a lot of people saying they miss seeing images, etc, and I was trying to reflect off of that.

I did not mean to imply that anyone here wishes they had more megapixels (although I see how that came across), just that most of the technical issue have been talked over and we are all pretty comfortable with our cameras. So how do we improve or skills? Share our knowledge!

Jeff Mc

I read your question a few times and then read the answers, but
somewhere it seems some of the answers don't match your question.

What I think you're saying is that the tool is not as important
than the vision.

Even the E-1 is 5.0 mgp. So is my C-5050. My E-10 is 4.0. Other
companies offer 14.0.

I don't think that really matters much.

I think you want more discussion of images and visual technique.

As with most photo forums, 90% seems to be hardware, and 10% art.

With the new E-1 on the market, we can expect more chatter here on
the camera and how to use it right now.

I do miss such postings as: "E-20 takes the zoo" image sharing. It
will return, hopefully.

Todd

I've noticed some of us have been complaining about the subject
matter on this forum. Something of a how has the biggest megapixel
(must be a male thing, mines bigger than yours).

Why don't we start trying to improve our photography? I would like
to see post that actually give me some education. I'm sure we all
have seperate talents that we can share that will help us improve.

I look forward to seeing your post!

PS... I started one early on this post, enjoy!
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1022&message=9828865

Jeff Mc
--



E-1, 14-54, Battery Grip, FL-50, E-20, FL-40

--
Todd Frederick

--



E-1, 14-54, Battery Grip, FL-50, E-20, FL-40

 

[Dan]

Doehns,

VERY nice indeed! I'll keep the dark frame subtraction in mind, your example really drives home the improvement it allows.

Dan

 

[Doehns]

OK- the E-1 does pretty good and no real focusing problems are known.

But- to be realy sure that you see what the camera sees- adjust the diopter- and adjust it so you see double- lines- yep- Oly etched every visible line of both focusing screens twice- point it at something well lit- like the sky or your ceeling lamp- focus is not needed- and adjust it until you see two distinct lines- I have to do it for each session, as my viewfinder eye is not calibrated at all, and changes diopter settings in dependance of stress- you might never have guessed it, while the best available F-stop is 2.0 - and on the small sensor it looks kind of sharp-

Oh well I use a Carl Zeiss T* f=1:1.4 85mm with a Kendai adaptor- and fully open it looked out of focus- the focal plane I saw sahrp was not the one the sensor did- but at those close distances- I beleive the lense was fine- I just did not recalibrate te diopter good enough...

So, do yourself a favour- even if you shoot digital-Zuikos with MF-adjustment to what the AF guessed- point at the sky, and make sure that you see two lines....

 

[English Bob]

OK- the E-1 does pretty good and no real focusing problems are known.
But- to be realy sure that you see what the camera sees- adjust the
diopter- and adjust it so you see double- lines- yep- Oly etched
every visible line of both focusing screens twice- point it at
something well lit- like the sky or your ceeling lamp- focus is not
needed- and adjust it until you see two distinct lines- I have to
do it for each session, as my viewfinder eye is not calibrated at
all, and changes diopter settings in dependance of stress- you
might never have guessed it, while the best available F-stop is 2.0

• and on the small sensor it looks kind of sharp-

Oh well I use a Carl Zeiss T* f=1:1.4 85mm with a Kendai adaptor-
and fully open it looked out of focus- the focal plane I saw sahrp
was not the one the sensor did- but at those close distances- I
beleive the lense was fine- I just did not recalibrate te diopter
good enough...

So, do yourself a favour- even if you shoot digital-Zuikos with
MF-adjustment to what the AF guessed- point at the sky, and make
sure that you see two lines....

Absolutely right. Your words are golden and so slowly learned. I also have an eye deficiency and learned the hard way that the diopter setting is absolutely critical.
--
Good Shooting,
English Bob

 

[rayk]

Doehns and Bob

How does the diopter adjustment affect focus? It can only come into play in manual focusing, correct? The auto-focus, if it is working, will set the focus where it is in focus, won't it? And if the dipter is fuzzy, it won't affect the sharpness of the picture the camera takes, will it?

I am not being facetious, this is the first serious auto-focus camera I have owned, after 50 years of manual focus, so I don't know much about it.

Ray Kinnane
Saga-shi, Japan

 

[Barry Stewart]

Just learned the other day from a post that you can get to review on the e-10 (I'm guessing e-20 too) when still in shooting mode by double-pushing the monitor button. Unlike the instant review methods, this can last far more than 5 seconds — and you can switch pics, delete and navigate around the pic.

So... I just tried it on my e100 — and it works there too! I've had it for 2 years!

Touch the shutter button and you're back to shooting. For a half year on the e-10, I've been assuming this was a new idea on the 5060.

"Read your manual forwards and backwards". Better yet — "read this forum regularly".

Barry

 

[English Bob]

Doehns and Bob

How does the diopter adjustment affect focus? It can only come into
play in manual focusing, correct? The auto-focus, if it is working,
will set the focus where it is in focus, won't it? And if the
dipter is fuzzy, it won't affect the sharpness of the picture the
camera takes, will it?

I am not being facetious, this is the first serious auto-focus
camera I have owned, after 50 years of manual focus, so I don't
know much about it.

Ray Kinnane
Saga-shi, Japan

You are correct, the diopter adjustment does not affect auto focus. If it is not adjusted properly it will throw off your manual focus adjustments, though. Also, if it is not adjusted properly you cannot evaluate how well the AF has worked, which might be a critical issue if you're letting the camera select which of the focus points to use. If the camera selects the wrong focus point it might ruin the image you planned.
--
Good Shooting,
English Bob

 

[rayk]

Thanks English Bob

I have come to rely a little too much lately on auto-focus. At first I always tweaked the exposure manually, just to make sure, or to position the focus point where I wanted it. But the camera seems to be so accurate that I have been allowing it to decide. A little bit of bad technique creeping in, due to auto settings being available.

I don't check the diopter, either. I just assumed, like glasses, that it would need to be constant. One thing that is a small problem, is that I have astigmatism in my focussing eye, and so the picture never looks truly crisp. Just relatively crisp. My glasses correct it, but I shoot without them, so it is a problem.

Ray Kinnane
Saga-shi, Japan

 

[English Bob]

Thanks English Bob

I have come to rely a little too much lately on auto-focus. At
first I always tweaked the exposure manually, just to make sure, or
to position the focus point where I wanted it. But the camera seems
to be so accurate that I have been allowing it to decide. A little
bit of bad technique creeping in, due to auto settings being
available.

I don't check the diopter, either. I just assumed, like glasses,
that it would need to be constant. One thing that is a small
problem, is that I have astigmatism in my focussing eye, and so the
picture never looks truly crisp. Just relatively crisp. My glasses
correct it, but I shoot without them, so it is a problem.

Ray Kinnane
Saga-shi, Japan

I also have astigmatism but shoot with glasses on. Even then, my vision isn't really reliable.
--
Good Shooting,
English Bob

 

[English Bob]

Thanks English Bob

I have come to rely a little too much lately on auto-focus. At
first I always tweaked the exposure manually, just to make sure, or
to position the focus point where I wanted it. But the camera seems
to be so accurate that I have been allowing it to decide. A little
bit of bad technique creeping in, due to auto settings being
available.

I don't check the diopter, either. I just assumed, like glasses,
that it would need to be constant. One thing that is a small
problem, is that I have astigmatism in my focussing eye, and so the
picture never looks truly crisp. Just relatively crisp. My glasses
correct it, but I shoot without them, so it is a problem.

Ray Kinnane
Saga-shi, Japan

I also have astigmatism but shoot with glasses on. Even then, my
vision isn't really reliable.
--
Good Shooting,
English Bob

It's interesting to note that while I shoot with glasses on I just assumed that I wouldn't need to make a diopter adjustment. Wrong answer. Shooting with glasses on I still needed to move the diopter adjustment 3 notches toward the + sign.
--
Good Shooting,
English Bob