35mm's Snapshots

  • Thread starter 35mm
  • 1,929 comments
  • 120,780 views
I'm loving the colors in these night-time photos. You're toning is always nice but these are even better.
Thank you.

Funny thing is that the post-processing on these is from 2013 and I didn't touch it since. I'm simply exporting what I did at the time.

The not so funny part is that I can't seem to find the original post-processing of them. Because I like them as well, I went looking through the PP history, but apparently these were all "Paste" from something...





Siem Reap, July 2013
Nikon D600 | Nikkor AI 20mm f/3.5
 
The not so funny part is that I can't seem to find the original post-processing of them. Because I like them as well, I went looking through the PP history, but apparently these were all "Paste" from something...
I've been having a bit of difficulty keeping things well-organized too. I think I might have lost the RAW files from the wedding I did about a month ago.
 
@35mm - are the sliders all set in LR or have you been posting JPEG's you processed ages ago? I'm a touch curious about your evening tones as well, as I'm still not 100% on my current night edits based on my recent daylight processing. You know, because I haven't emulated you enough yet :P

@Turtle - my organization isn't great but I copy all my pictures into folders based on days where I clear memory cards. So folders end up like so: "06-30-16 A7 Globe" "07-05-16 A7 4th wknd bw" and so on. LR catalog wise, I've decided to just have a single catalog for each year outside of certain events that might merit their own, such as my trip to India.

For settings, I've started exporting my LR presets I've built over time and keeping them with years/events they match up to as a back up, along with putting them on Google Drive so I can quickly access critical ones when I'm on a different computer.
 
I've been having a bit of difficulty keeping things well-organized too. I think I might have lost the RAW files from the wedding I did about a month ago.
Luckily, I've never lost anything. In fact, I still have/use the original Lr catalog file, from when I first used it (in 2010, I think). So, every single adjustment I've made in every single photo I've edited since then is still saved in that file.

@35mm - are the sliders all set in LR or have you been posting JPEG's you processed ages ago? I'm a touch curious about your evening tones as well, as I'm still not 100% on my current night edits based on my recent daylight processing. You know, because I haven't emulated you enough yet :P
Haha.

Yes, this is RAW that we're talking about and the sliders are all dialed in. What I meant was that I had no way of knowing if the "base" settings came from a "brand" preset, from one of my own (and which) or from a mix.

I can create a preset and send it your way, if you wish. I have no problem with that. 👍
 
I can create a preset and send it your way, if you wish. I have no problem with that. 👍

Certainly not going to stop you if you feel like sending one over, though I think mostly just curious how you go about getting the colors you want. I suspect I'm just struggling a bit with complex white balance situations (too much time around neon signs) but I also don't dive enough into HSL these days. You've likely seen my recent edits on Instagram and I feel I'm getting close to that Kodachrome look in my day edits, curious what you think of them as I'm applying that style heavily to my India and Europe photos from last year now.

I didn't even start using Lightroom seriously till mid 2013, and those catalogs are all over the place now. On the other hand my editing is so much better than back then it doesn't really matter if I have the old edits :lol: and all the major ones have PSD files from the final touch-ups, so it could be a lot worse.
 
You've likely seen my recent edits on Instagram and I feel I'm getting close to that Kodachrome look in my day edits
Yes, I've seen them, and I've actually been meaning to speak to you about them.

There are four recent shots there that really caught my eye: the Golden Temple, gas station, the longboard portrait and the bear box portrait.

Right when I opened them in my phone they instantly popped. Especially the bear box one.

If you're creating these presets from scratch, my hat's off to you. 👍


Also, PM.
 
Wow this is the first time I visit this thread. I'm in shock of how good your shots are! You truly have the eye for great pictures!
 
Loving those D600 shots. I almost got a good deal on a D500 but I let it fall through.. saved my money and settled for a D7200 instead (I know, completely different camera).

Out of curiosity, which brand of lenses do you prefer? I know each lens offers its own pros and cons but which brand has never let you down, so to speak?
 
Loving those D600 shots. I almost got a good deal on a D500 but I let it fall through.. saved my money and settled for a D7200 instead (I know, completely different camera).

Out of curiosity, which brand of lenses do you prefer? I know each lens offers its own pros and cons but which brand has never let you down, so to speak?
The image quality from your D7200 shouldn't be that much different from a D500 (maybe, except, at high ISO). But yes, the D500 is the king of APS-C right now, with a ton of great features.



About lenses, I can't say I have a favorite brand. I'd probably mention Zeiss, but then I'd have to have much more experience with them and not just base my answer on internet samples.

Nikon/Canon both have very good and very bad lens. Modern Tamrons and Sigmas are excellent options. Hell, even Samyang has excellent optics (probably the best image quality vs. price option out there).

And then there's all those legacy, vintage lens, which are a joy to hold and use and have such great character.

So no, I won't answer that. :)
 
@35mm How do you like that 55mm? I just bought what will probably be my last manual focus lens for a while (I find manually focusing on the A7 much harder than most people) and I'll probably pick up one of those as my first AF lens. I just wish that new 50mm F/1.4 wasn't so stupidly expensive!
 
@35mm How do you like that 55mm? I just bought what will probably be my last manual focus lens for a while (I find manually focusing on the A7 much harder than most people) and I'll probably pick up one of those as my first AF lens. I just wish that new 50mm F/1.4 wasn't so stupidly expensive!
Yes, these native FE lens are really expensive. It's a shame.

About the 55/1.8, I can tell you that it is an excellent lens. Almost perfect optically, and decent AF, too. But again, it's also very expensive for a 1.8 lens, so while I can definitely recommend it you'll have to decide whether you can justify buying it.

Personally, I bought it because I needed AF to take shots of my daughter. I can now catch moments that I couldn't before and/or in a much more comfortable way. That was the main reason.

I also bought it used, so I think I won't lose much if/when I sell it.

Oh, and there's the new FE 50/1.8. Not the best AF (slow and noisy, I hear), but decent optics and a nice price.


It's a shame you're having trouble with MF, though. What's wrong?
 
Yes, these native FE lens are really expensive. It's a shame.
It's too bad they're so costly, the bodies themselves are actually pretty well-priced in my opinion. Also unfortunate is how much these mirrorless cameras and especially the A7 series has brought up the cost of legacy glass.

About the 55/1.8, I can tell you that it is an excellent lens. Almost perfect optically, and decent AF, too. But again, it's also very expensive for a 1.8 lens, so while I can definitely recommend it you'll have to decide whether you can justify buying it.
Thanks for your input!

I plan on buying used for sure because they pop up for $700 or even $650 on Fredmiranda very frequently and whatever minor cosmetic blemishes they may have is going to less important to me than the 300+ dollars a new one would cost me. FE lenses seem to actually depreciate pretty quickly so I'll have to be keeping my eyes out for those relatively new 24-70, 70-200 and 85mm lenses in the next year or so.

The slowness of the lens isn't a super big deal to me since I'm looking at this lens mainly for it's sharpness and AF. I'll still have my Voigtlander 40mm and Minolta 50mm if I really need the extra speed. I've actually considered picking up that Mitakon 50mm F/.95 eventually too, for even more speed and bokeh-whoring. :D
Oh, and there's the new FE 50/1.8. Not the best AF (slow and noisy, I hear), but decent optics and a nice price.
Yeah it seems to make pretty decent images, but if one of my biggest reasons for looking at yet another standard length lens is the AF, I don't really want to be thinking "I could do this better manually" half the time I use it.
It's a shame you're having trouble with MF, though. What's wrong?
I guess I just haven't gotten used to the EVF as well as most people have, even after a year. I kind of think there are ways Sony could make it easier for manually focusing, like the peaking function, which is pretty inaccurate at any setting. The best way I know to look for sharpness is "shimmering" pixels, and I've been practicing looking for them but they're not super easy to spot.

I've been using my Minolta X-570 quite a bit since I got it a couple weeks ago, and it made me wonder if Sony could emulate something like the split-image or the microprism with software. If there was a hybrid of the Sony sensors and Fuji's rangefinder system I'd be selling my organs to buy it so fast I'd be selling my organs to buy it immediately.

Edit: That was a much longer post than I meant it to be, sorry. :lol:
 
I plan on buying used for sure because they pop up for $700 or even $650 on Fredmiranda very frequently and whatever minor cosmetic blemishes they may have is going to less important to me than the 300+ dollars a new one would cost me.
Mine was actually $650 (shipped within the US), back in April. I happened to have a friend in San Diego at the time and he brought me the lens.

Right now, and with the new FE 50/1.8 and the FE 50/1.4 already in the marked, I think you should be able to bring down the price a bit, maybe to $600 or even $550.

I've actually considered picking up that Mitakon 50mm F/.95 eventually too, for even more speed and bokeh-whoring. :D
Me, too. So many times... :lol:

I guess I just haven't gotten used to the EVF as well as most people have, even after a year. I kind of think there are ways Sony could make it easier for manually focusing, like the peaking function, which is pretty inaccurate at any setting. The best way I know to look for sharpness is "shimmering" pixels, and I've been practicing looking for them but they're not super easy to spot.

I've been using my Minolta X-570 quite a bit since I got it a couple weeks ago, and it made me wonder if Sony could emulate something like the split-image or the microprism with software. If there was a hybrid of the Sony sensors and Fuji's rangefinder system I'd be selling my organs to buy it so fast I'd be selling my organs to buy it immediately.
True, Sony could implement some changes in the MF area. Sometimes it's just like they don't care...

Anyway, judging by your shots and the lens you've been buying, I'd never guess that you have that struggle. I never use focus peaking, but the magnification and the "shimmering" you mention has been enough for me (for all situations other than my daughter moving around :lol:).

Just keep in mind, though, that AF can be very frustrating as well sometimes. Maybe you should give it a try beforehand, so that you don't get disappointed.

Edit: That was a much longer post than I meant it to be, sorry. :lol:
It's always like that when talking about photography, isn't it? ;)
 
@Turtle @35mm - For other AF FE mount lenses, I believe Rokinon is going to release AF lenses thanks to Sony having their AF system being open. Same reason Zeiss lenses can be found with AF for the FE mount.

Though that perfection from the 55/1.8 ZA is pretty much, well, perfect.
 
Back