Photography/Videography Discussion

[Shaun]

@Swagger897 for your memory card issue try this little program to test it.
With the proliferation of fake memory cards out there I'll often check any cards with it.

As for LR I'll have sniff around when I get the chance to see if there are any suggestions that may help you.

 

[nobuffalo]

Looks like D200's go for around $150-200 used without a lens on eBay. Can anyone recommend a specific lens?

I think a good starter lens would be the 18-55 or 18-70, the 18-55 is probably a little cheaper but I had the 18-70 for my d200 and I felt like it was a good range to work with. There are probably many versions of both lenses but I don't know much about that. For primes I would probably suggest the 35mm 1.8G, I feel the 35 is more usable than the 50 but you can get the 50 1.8D for nearly half the price or less than half if you buy used.

If you decide on the D200 just remember the camera is nearly a decade old so there are things it's lacking, but that said it's still a good camera. You can take a look my thread to find some pictures from the camera as well as Crash's and 35mm's. Let me know if you have any specific questions about it, I've given mine to a friend but should be able to answer things.

 

[Swagger897]

@Swagger897 for your memory card issue try this little program to test it.
With the proliferation of fake memory cards out there I'll often check any cards with it.

How long should this test run for?
I've got an estimate for 5 hours and it's only increasing by the hour

 

[Shaun]

How long should this test run for?
I've got an estimate for 5 hours and it's only increasing by the hour

From memory I think it normally takes 10-20 mins depending on card size and read/write speeds.
Sounds like the card is faulty.

 

[Swagger897]

From memory I think it normally takes 10-20 mins depending on card size and read/write speeds.
Sounds like the card is faulty.

yup.... took thirty minutes and then I called it quits

 

[Swagger897]

So uh... back to Lightroom not working... I uninstalled/reinstalled it and that didn't fix anything. The picture that was stuck in there showed up again even after deleting all remnants of LR.

Anyways, while looking at everything I could, I found this:

Spoiler: Lots of nerdy stuff

Lightroom version: 6.1.1 [ 1032027 ]
License: Perpetual
Operating system: Windows 8.1 Home Premium Edition
Version: 6.3 [9600]
Application architecture: x64
System architecture: x64
Logical processor count: 4
Processor speed: 2.4 GHz
Built-in memory: 11482.2 MB
Real memory available to Lightroom: 11482.2 MB
Real memory used by Lightroom: 594.5 MB (5.1%)
Virtual memory used by Lightroom: 596.1 MB
Memory cache size: 300.8 MB
Maximum thread count used by Camera Raw: 4
Camera Raw SIMD optimization: SSE2
System DPI setting: 120 DPI
Desktop composition enabled: Yes
Displays: 1) 1920x1080
Input types: Multitouch: Yes, Integrated touch: Yes, Integrated pen: No, External touch: No, External pen: No, Keyboard: No

Graphics Processor Info:
AMD Radeon HD 8650G

Check OpenGL support: Passed
Vendor: ATI Technologies Inc.
Version: 3.3.13397 Core Profile Context 15.200.1055.0
Renderer: AMD Radeon HD 8650G
LanguageVersion: 4.40


Application folder: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Adobe Lightroom
Library Path: C:\Users\<nosoupforyou>\Pictures\Lightroom\Lightroom Catalog.lrcat
Settings Folder: C:\Users\<nosoupforyou>\AppData\Roaming\Adobe\Lightroom

Installed Plugins:
1) Behance
2) Canon Tether Plugin
3) Facebook
4) Flickr
5) Leica Tether Plugin
6) Nikon Tether Plugin

Config.lua flags: None

Adapter #1: Vendor : 1002
D

Bolded is this:
Operating system: Windows 8.1 Home Premium Edition

Does LR recognize Windows 10 on anyone elses pc?

 

[Shaun]

No problems on W10 here, would have to check the exact LR version but it is 6.something.

 

[Swagger897]

So... lightroom works, if that hasn't been seen in the other thread (I gotta utilize this one more I guess)..

But now I have this on my mind: When trying to make time lapse clips on the D3200, I'm only limited to 100 frames continuously shooting. I use my intravelometer and normally just set 25" in-camera and fire away. If I put a 1-5 second interval in between, will that allow it to keep continuously shooting or will it stop at 100 again?

Edit: yup, adding the interval worked..

 

[nobuffalo]

I'm looking to get a vertical grip for my a7ii but I'm torn between the Sony one for $350 or a cheaper one like the Meike for only $80-100. I like the idea of having the sony one because the fit and finish will match perfectly and the buttons/dials should have the same feel as the body, but I just don't know if that's worth the extra $250. What do you guys think?

 

[Mike Rotch]

I'm looking to get a vertical grip for my a7ii but I'm torn between the Sony one for $350 or a cheaper one like the Meike for only $80-100. I like the idea of having the sony one because the fit and finish will match perfectly and the buttons/dials should have the same feel as the body, but I just don't know if that's worth the extra $250. What do you guys think?

Have you felt the Meike one in your hands? I'm a tightarse, so if the Meike did the job and has a decent reputation for reliability, I'd be finding other uses for the $150 👍

 

[Swagger897]

I'm looking to get a vertical grip for my a7ii but I'm torn between the Sony one for $350 or a cheaper one like the Meike for only $80-100. I like the idea of having the sony one because the fit and finish will match perfectly and the buttons/dials should have the same feel as the body, but I just don't know if that's worth the extra $250. What do you guys think?

I couldn't really tell a difference between the looks of the Meike, but it seems like both have good ratings.

Like @Mike Rotch said, there's something else with a Ben's and Grant's face on it..

 

[Shaun]

I'm looking to get a vertical grip for my a7ii but I'm torn between the Sony one for $350 or a cheaper one like the Meike for only $80-100. I like the idea of having the sony one because the fit and finish will match perfectly and the buttons/dials should have the same feel as the body, but I just don't know if that's worth the extra $250. What do you guys think?

I went through the exact same dilemma when getting a grip for my D750 as the genuine Nikon ones are horribly expensive.
Read so many reviews on all the aftermarket versions most of which where very positive.
Thing is me being me I know I would have wanted the genuine one if I had gone the aftermarket so in the end I watched all the local classifieds and the likes of eBay.
Lucked out in the end and got one a fair bit cheaper than the Nikon price but still a fair bit dearer than the aftermarket price.

If you feel the aftermarket wont bother you like it would me go that way and save yourself the extra money.

 

[nobuffalo]

...I'd be finding other uses for the $150 👍

The Meike is actually $250 less.

Thanks guys! I think I'll go with the Meike but I am gonna go into a local camera store and see if I can see how the sony grip feels, I just hope I don't get excited and buy it then in there, paying extra for tax.

 

[35mm]

What's the reason behind so many astrophotography lately (in the last year or so)?

Is it the latest generation of cameras (sensors)? New and improved stacking software? Just a trend?

I mean, lately all photography forums and sites are littered with fantastic astronomy shots, especially of the Milky Way.

 

[Azuremen]

What's the reason behind so many astrophotography lately (in the last year or so)?

Is it the latest generation of cameras (sensors)? New and improved stacking software? Just a trend?

I mean, lately all photography forums and sites are littered with fantastic astronomy shots, especially of the Milky Way.

I think a mix of sensor developments hitting affordable cameras, Rokinon/Samyang's lenses becoming popular, and an increasing number of high quality sites devoted to astrophotography, like Ian Norman's Lonely Speck. It is, in a manner, starting to feel like the new HDR with the extent that editing can come into play in creating a saturated mess or beautiful colors. Which also means I feel it is a bit of a trend, as it isn't that hard to execute but certainly stands out relative to most "photographers."

On a different note, this happened:

I ordered the 28mm on accident off eBay (whoops) and it is nicer to use than the CPC Phase 2, and then I picked up the 100mm upon realizing my error, though with a dinged filter ring but at the right price. While the 28mm Series E is nothing exceptional, the 100mm is impressively sharp. Larger than usual example, where I focused on the bottle in the center of the frame. CA is apparent, but I was surprised to find I could read the label on the far left bottle. Zooming in on a corner while focusing displays contrast and resolution in all 4 corners. Considering the size/price, I'm amazed.

The 28/2.8, 50/1.8, and 100/2.8 Series E lenses weigh around 500g combined. Paired with the a7, the whole setup weighs under 1kg (my 5Dii body is over 800g) so I'm pretty happy with the setup. And I've begun to appreciate the 28mm focal length quite a bit.

For record, I ordered these before finding that box of Pentax gear...

 

[35mm]

Would you believe it...?

 

[Azuremen]

@35mm - It seems you and I are going to have very similar/identical daily setups at this rate What are your thoughts on it's performance so far? And I swear the Series E lenses look like they were made for the a7.

 

[35mm]

@35mm - It seems you and I are going to have very similar/identical daily setups at this rate What are your thoughts on it's performance so far? And I swear the Series E lenses look like they were made for the a7.

Having owned a AI 135/2.8 and owning both the 100/2.8 and the 50/1.8 Series E, I have no doubt that these things have the same optical quality as their AI-S counterparts.

The fact that they are plasticky isn't necessarily a bad thing for someone looking for compact and light gear. Personally, I like them very much. And as you say, they are perfect for the A7.


Having said that, I was crazy enough to also grab a deal on a Zuiko AUTO-T 100mm f/2.8 (for 75€), which is a whole 1cm shorter that this one.
I'll only have it on October, though. When it arrives, I'll make a direct comparison between the two and probably sell one of them.

 

[Swagger897]

What's the reason behind so many astrophotography lately (in the last year or so)?

Is it the latest generation of cameras (sensors)? New and improved stacking software? Just a trend?

I mean, lately all photography forums and sites are littered with fantastic astronomy shots, especially of the Milky Way.

I know as far as my reason for it is that while in scouts I started to satellite watch while on camping trips, and then I went to Colorado and hiked for a week and did the same thing. Those recent shots you may/may not have seen from me lately don't even match what I saw with just my eye while in the Rockies. I never did have a good dedicated camera and it just became the favorite thing to do.

I see what @Azuremen said, in how it's like HDR where all you need is the lens and know where to point the camera, but every time I go out I try now I try to do panorama shots now where hopefully there's a lad of more detail/subject to it...

 

[Azuremen]

Having said that, I was crazy enough to also grab a deal on a Zuiko AUTO-T 100mm f/2.8 (for 75€), which is a whole 1cm shorter that this one.
I'll only have it on October, though. When it arrives, I'll make a direct comparison between the two and probably sell one of them.

Really curious to see how that performs. Oly lenses look pretty appealing from what I've seen.

On a side note, what photo forums are you a part of? I've been needing to find some communities outside of reddit (sigh, reddit) and lurking on some spots.

@Swagger897 - your recent work shows great improvement and you've begun to better incorporate terrestrial subjects to help compositions. Anyone in a semi-rural area can easily point the camera up, but context and composition will rise you above others.

 

[35mm]

Really curious to see how that performs. Oly lenses look pretty appealing from what I've seen.

Part of the reason why I bought it was to try a new system (which is said to be good, anyway).

I don't want to die saying "Nikkors are the best!", not really having tried other stuff.

And in the end, that's what the A7 is all about, in my opinion.

On a side note, what photo forums are you a part of? I've been needing to find some communities outside of reddit (sigh, reddit) and lurking on some spots.

I'm not very active on any forums, but the one that I used to visit most was dpreview (yeah, sigh).

Recently I've discovered that the "Sony" part of the FredMiranda forum seems to have a bunch of knowledgeable people, especially coming from the Leica world. (At the time, they were the only place were you could find someone interested in testing wide-angle rangefinder lenses on the A7RII, as soon as it came out.)

I also look into talkemount.com sometimes. It's pretty small and simple, but has a decent showcase for adapted lenses.

 

[Solo]

@Azuremen Rokinon have just announced two new lenses for m4/3 and EOS-M that you may well be interested in. A 50mm f/1.2 and a 21mm f/1.4. Must say the 50mm is very tempting for me.

 

[Azuremen]

@Solo - you have an EOS M? The price isn't bad but the lens quite a bit larger than the Voigtlander 40/1.4 and not full frame. If they had a fast pancake 30mm or such is be interested for my M, but hard pressed for something to be smaller than the 22mm pancake.

 

[Solo]

@Azuremen nope, I'm still using a m4/3 Lumix G2 for my mirrorless camera and don't really see a need to upgrade that yet. I get what you're saying about size though, the 20mm f/1.7 pancake I have is so small the 50/1.2 would probably seem very cumbersome.

 

[Mike Rotch]

Looks like Voigtlander are falling on tough times, with discontinuation of all Bessa models and a range of accessories:

http://petapixel.com/2015/10/01/voigtlander-rangefinder-cameras-are-no-more/#more-184171

 

[35mm]

Looks like Voigtlander are falling on tough times, with discontinuation of all Bessa models and a range of accessories:

http://petapixel.com/2015/10/01/voigtlander-rangefinder-cameras-are-no-more/#more-184171

Sad news. 👎

 

[F1GTR]

Looks like Voigtlander are falling on tough times, with discontinuation of all Bessa models and a range of accessories:

http://petapixel.com/2015/10/01/voigtlander-rangefinder-cameras-are-no-more/#more-184171

Sad, but Cosina are just trimming the fat - the secondary market is extremely hard to compete against, something that Leica is familiar with. Thanks to mirrorless most of Voigtlander's lens lineup sells pretty well and Cosina also make most of Zeiss' lenses too.

 

[Mike Rotch]

More Sony toys available soon for well heeled gearheads

 

[Azuremen]

More Sony toys available soon for well heeled gearheads

Impressive, but at that price I feel the Leica Q starts to be an option. And I'd personally go with the Q over the Sony because of the 28mm lens that is faster. Though that high ISO on the new Sony sensor is pretty clean.

Not that I'll be buying either anytime ever.

 

[F1GTR]

A second hand Leica M (typ 240)/Leica M Monochrom from a reputable dealer is an option too. I think the RX1m2 is really cool though, I wonder if Sony included a 50mm crop mode as well especially considering how high the pixel count is - it should work out to around 20MP which is more than enough.