The GetDPI Photography Forum

Great to see you here. Join our insightful photographic forum today and start tapping into a huge wealth of photographic knowledge. Completing our simple registration process will allow you to gain access to exclusive content, add your own topics and posts, share your work and connect with other members through your own private inbox! And don’t forget to say hi!

Thanks!

V

Vivek

Guest
An open thank you to John ("barjohn") for recommending Adobe LR3.2.

Though the intended target files are still a mystery, I am having a fun time with it processing my hacked Panasonic G1 files (IR). :thumbs:
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Terry asked me a show a comparison shot of the NEX with that from a Panasonic G1.

Both these images were processed through LR3.2 with the same parameters. Both the setups were on a tripod and shot using 10s self timers. Lighting was the same. I downsized the images to a height of 975 pixels.


G1, Zeiss Luminar 25/3.5 (stopped down one stop), 1/13s, ISO200.


PANA by Vivek Iyer, on Flickr

NEX-5, Zeiss Luminar 25/3.5 (stopped down one stop), 1/4s, ISO200.


SONY by Vivek Iyer, on Flickr


[Side notes: This Bee died a natural death and was collected from the ground to use as a test subject.

The hairs on the compound eye of the Bee are natural. They get resolved only when proper lenses and magnifications are used.]
 

simonclivehughes

Active member
OK, I have a question... if I'm using ACR and Photoshop CS5, I should see pretty much the same results, correct? Don't these programs use the same engines?

Also, does this workflow eliminate the "mush" you were seeing before, Vivek?

Cheers,
 

barjohn

New member
You are welcome. It seems to me that on the NEX shot there is a level of detail, especially on the right sphere (eye?) that is not present in the PANA shot.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
Also, does this workflow eliminate the "mush" you were seeing before, Vivek?
Simon, The answer is, unfortunately, no.

I am trying to eliminate the factors involved. I still can not handle the startling shot gun shutter. I can not use the LCD effectively to focus accurately (and keep the focus) with fast lenses. While I can see the details while using, for example, an Olympus pen F 60/1.5 or a Canon 50/0.95, I can not capture satisfactorily sharp images at these apertures. Removing the plastic cover (camera LCD) helps but without it the LCD is as good as dead due to damage from scratches/knocks, etc.

Nice try from Sony for a new mount but it isn't practically useful for me.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
You are welcome. It seems to me that on the NEX shot there is a level of detail, especially on the right sphere (eye?) that is not present in the PANA shot.
I would not disagree with that (especially when the cooler color cast from the Sony output is straightened out, it looks even more appealing), John.

This is why I am even more frustrated (see post #8).
 

barjohn

New member
Vivek,

On white balance I find that nine times out of ten just selecting auto corrects the white balance pretty well. Minor tweaks can follow if needed. Otherwise, using the eye dropper will often work well if you have an area with a consistent white or grey area.

I;m not sure I understand your other issue relative to shooting fast lenses and obtaining sharp focus. If you are using a tripod removing the plastic screen cover (I have one on mine too but I plan to replace it with the film type, I like Screen Patronus for their clarity and invisibility when on as soon as I get a little time) should allow you to get a very accurate focus with no risk of damage to the screen. The only place one typically damages the screens is in a camera bag when things get banged together. In any case I went ahead and purchase the extra warranty (I usually don't) because it provided physical damage protection.
 

simonclivehughes

Active member
I still can not handle the startling shot gun shutter. I can not use the LCD effectively to focus accurately (and keep the focus) with fast lenses.
This may sound strange, but I really like the sound of the shutter... not so much the loudness of it, but that sound...

I'm just starting to use it with some fast glass (CV 50mm f1.5 and f1.1) and I see the same issues as you for attaining focus, but I think for the most part that this more a stability issue that I dearly hope will be addressed by an EVF. I find with the LCD set to "Sunshine", I can use it outdoors effectively. When I get in the focus 'zone', the unmagnified image becomes "crispy". The problem is, that with fairly fast glass, that 'zone' is too wide, and the actual focus is somewhere in that very small middle region.

I do find that the most effective strategy for holding is on a neck strap, held at mid-chest to waist level, tight against the body, the shutter triggered by my thumb. YMMV.

Cheers,
 
V

Vivek

Guest
An EVF will certainly take care of many problems, the halt tilt LCD is still of VERY limited compared to the Panasonic G1 style swivel LCD.

While almost all DSLR manufacturers embraced a fixed LCD on the back, I do not understand why there is unwillingness to use a G1 style swivel LCD. The A55/33 LCD is not appealing to me either.

Kudos to Canon for implementing this in their 60D!
 

douglasf13

New member
I am still a 100% proponent of the flip up LCD. Waist-level, thumb on the trigger and camera locked against the body is freaking awesome for me, and shooting at f1.4 has been no problem. At f2 and smaller, I really don't even need image magnification. Zone focasing at f5.6 is good, too. I'm not sure there's been a camera that I've enjoyed shooting more than the NEX. It's like a weird little DSLR/Leica/Hasselblad hybrid.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
I did not even bother to try using the half tilt LCD for portrait orientation....

[If the rumors of a Canon 60EIS (especially if it would come with a 60D swivel LCD) are true, the NEX will be forgotten like the NX10. :) ]
 

douglasf13

New member
Maybe, maybe not. Either way, I don't think the LCD will be a deciding factor. You're one of the few I've talked that aren't happy with the Sony LCD design. I could maybe compromise with a bottom hinged LCD, but the side swing is a non-starter for me.
 
V

Vivek

Guest
I am unhappy because I actually try to use the NEX for taking photos and it is a frustrating exercise..


60/1.5 by Vivek Iyer, on Flickr

Olympus pen F 60/1.5 at f/1.5
 

sebboh

New member
Maybe, maybe not. Either way, I don't think the LCD will be a deciding factor. You're one of the few I've talked that aren't happy with the Sony LCD design. I could maybe compromise with a bottom hinged LCD, but the side swing is a non-starter for me.
i've used the olympus e620 and the NEX a fair amount (only used the g1/gh1 in a store - wasn't particularly attractive to me for other reasons). the side swing lcd is very useful and much more versatile once you swing it out but is much bulkier and slower to get out. for discrete normal orientation shooting i much prefer the NEX design (and high res lcd). the side swing lcd allows portrait orientation shots and shots of yourself both of which are very difficult with the NEX implementation. i think it depends on your shooting style which you'll prefer. for myself i find the half swing implementation better 80% of the time and the fully articulated better 20% of the time. i'm sure if i shot different things i would have a different view though.
 

douglasf13

New member
I agree completely, sebboh. Camera at waist level, zone focused, quick thumb flip on the lcd, and I'm ready. I walk around with the NEX-5 (with a wrist strap) and CV 35/1.4 prime everywhere I go now, and it is super stealthy.

I understand that different users call for different requirements, Vivek. I'm simply stating that, for me, the NEX-5 is a tiny, inconspicuous, street shooting device, and the flip up LCD makes a lot of sense for many of us. It's not as if shooting in portrait orientation is impossible with NEX, but, rather, just limited to the angles many are used to with OVFs. If I was shooting a portrait session or tripod landscapes and macros, I'd certainly prefer the side swing lcd, but I'd probably be shooting the A900 in such situations, anyways.

p.s. Vivek, I've been checking out your India pics. Nice. :thumbs:
 

BackToSlr

New member
i've used the olympus e620 and the NEX a fair amount (only used the g1/gh1 in a store - wasn't particularly attractive to me for other reasons). the side swing lcd is very useful and much more versatile once you swing it out but is much bulkier and slower to get out. for discrete normal orientation shooting i much prefer the NEX design (and high res lcd). the side swing lcd allows portrait orientation shots and shots of yourself both of which are very difficult with the NEX implementation. i think it depends on your shooting style which you'll prefer. for myself i find the half swing implementation better 80% of the time and the fully articulated better 20% of the time. i'm sure if i shot different things i would have a different view though.
+1,

I guess it boils down to shooting style. I have used both side-hinge (Canon G2), and Sonys flip up and down.

I have now began to prefer the Sony's flip up and down, because i can flip the screen gradually as i lower the camera (which is way more often than raising it), with only the thumb so i don't need to use both hands, side hinge thing now becomes too clumsy for me as it needs both hands. Only thing i would change in Sony's is to rotate the display when you go to portrait mode automatically (like on standard Sony SLRs), and not just the live view but the menu orientation, etc. I makes it a bit "kludgy" to not reorient menu details...(this reminds me to check on A55 if EVF will reorient in portrait mode...)

I have no experience with bottom hinge, but i suspect it will suffer from same short coming as side hinge (needing both hands to reorient and be less resistant to bump and grind.


Cheers,

N
 
V

Vivek

Guest
So, you guys will buy another NEX with all the same? Good for Sony to have such loyal following. :)
 
Top