# Photography



## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

I've been wanting a new digital for a while. I finally picked myself up a starter SLR. Nikon D40x. For now just the included WA 18-55mm lense.

I usually overkill with my purchases but this time I refrained from getting the D80. I figure I'll spend my money on glass and then in a few years if need be upgrade the body.

What's everyone else use? Lets see some shots you are proud of...


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

I have been using a Canon 10D since I bought it just over three years ago (now replaced with the 20D and 30D) I paid over $2200 just for the body then, I know things are less now, at that time there were only a handfull of "affordable" SLR's in existance. I think I paid just about 5.5K for my body, two lens's and my flash. I started writing for one of the major RC model airplane magazines in the US ( Fly RC ) which I still do a monthly column for. I needed to be able to get good photos of fast flying model planes, suitable for print in the mag.

I have just a lower end Canon 28-105 lens and my 70-200 L series and a 1.4 teleconverter. The 70-200 L is a really nice piece, crystal clear.

I would love to get a longer lens with a larger apature, but no way can I justify 3 or 4 grand on one lens 

Here is one of my airplane shots. The jets fly well over 200 MPH and when that thing is streaking past you its VERY hard to get a good shot.

AJC


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## Jeff Flowerday (Jan 23, 2006)

Does your 70-200 have image stabalization? I'm planning on getting the a 70-300 with stabilization next.

http://www.nikonusa.com/template.php?cat=1&grp=5&productNr=2161


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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

Good idea Jeff, to go for the cheaper body and save your money for the better glass. I'd be happy if my only choice was manual mode without all the autocrap features. Of course I moved up to digital from a fully manual/ mechanical camera in which the only thing the battery powered was the light meter.

I bought a first generation Canon digital rebel with the 18-55 kit lens. I have since added a 50mm f1.8. Much faster and sharper than the 50mm position on the zoom. Here's a "magic hour" shot from a couple of years ago.









http://ralphoto.ca/index.html


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## hoser (Feb 2, 2006)

I use a rebel xt with a few different lenses....current fav is my sigma 10-20

for photos check my site
http://www.dougstuff.net


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## ajcoholic (Feb 5, 2006)

No I dont have the IS lens - that's too much coin again.

I sold off my entire Olympus SLR outfit (two bodies, OM1 and 2n) and about 15 various len's I accumulated over a long time, to pay for the canon stuff. Going from a complete manual system to the Canon digital 10D with a great autofocus sytem was a treat for many things.

However, I also do a lot of stills and I am always using the manual setting (manual f stops, shutter speed, etc but I still let the camera do the focus).

AJC


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

Canon 20D...



















Nikon Coolpix-2000


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

I picked up a Nikon D80 this past January when we were on our cruise. I got it in St Maarten and saved about $400 off retail over here. I am very happy with it so far.


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## GuitaristZ (Jan 26, 2007)

GuitarsCanada said:


> I picked up a Nikon D80 this past January when we were on our cruise. I got it in St Maarten and saved about $400 off retail over here. I am very happy with it so far.


I would love to drive one of those to school each day... Drool


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

http://www.photo.net/photos/Robert Simpson


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## zao_89 (Feb 17, 2006)

Both taken with my camera phone. I really like the first one.









Taken at the Jane & Eglinton intersection in March.









Taken at the Toronto Zoo a couple of days ago.


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## Rex Lannegan (Mar 2, 2006)

Photoshop fun:



















:banana:


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## hoser (Feb 2, 2006)

new photoblog
http://www.dougstuff.net/blog


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## devil6 (Feb 24, 2006)

Taken when i was just trying to figure out all my cameras functions and such.









Turned the right half of the pic B/W and kept the colour on the left, also kept the colour on the "wood gundy" letters on the rightside









The great Chalkmaster!









A Church downtown


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

It's super mutt,


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## auger (Apr 23, 2006)

first one taken with kodak easy share.....
cheapy cam....rainbow trout










and this one with the canon power shot A540.....green snake









AUger


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## GuitaristZ (Jan 26, 2007)

whoa super mutt is pwesome!


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)




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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...holy mind-blowing photography, batman! seriously, you guys are scary!

amazing stuff.

i have been saving up for a panasonic fz series, but canon seems to be so universally touted that i may have to reconsider.

image stabilization, high quality lens and 10-12X optical zoom are my main criteria.

-dh


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## Michelle (Aug 21, 2006)

*My Backyard*

Yes, I climb trees;


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## hoser (Feb 2, 2006)

Iceberg at dawn









different angle


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## auger (Apr 23, 2006)

here is a minnows eye view of a 10lb walleye..Taken with Kodak easy share











my youngest Augerette with a frog taken with canon zoom A540











spider ...Taken with Canon Zoom A540










Auger


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## auger (Apr 23, 2006)

I had the funniest thought after seeing Michelle"s picture from the tree...

for some reason I got a picture in my head of Michelle in tights about to do a high dive into the shallow pool/pond Below.....lol
sorry Michelle

Auger


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## Michelle (Aug 21, 2006)

ah-haha, you mean like; "I paid my two bits to see the high-divin' act"? Not a chance! I am known for some pretty crazy behaviour, but jumping from anything is not on the list.


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)

sometimes tree diving ain`t an act...eh Keith?


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## sneakypete (Feb 2, 2006)




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## GuitaristZ (Jan 26, 2007)

My dream garden ^^

If I had a million dollars I would build one in Calgary.  Bliss


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

*Prince Of Wales Stakes*

A nice day at Fort Erie today for the Prince of Wales Stakes


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## bluecoyote (May 18, 2007)

Here is a photo of the Big Hill Coulee west of Calgary, that I took with my Canon 710IS. This is one great "idiot proof" camera that takes great photos. As small as a pack of smokes and a big 2" LCD panel. I just love this camera and my Canon 10D has been collecting dust over the last two months.


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## Hamm Guitars (Jan 12, 2007)

I always wanted to take a class in photography. 

Back in '98 or '99 I was in the Middle East flying into Bahrain on an Airbus when two Migs pulled up along side of us at either wing tip. I snapped up as many pictures as I could with my cheap little autofocus camera and sat on the film for six months (as it would have been confiscated if I tried to develop it over there). When I got home, I eagerly awaited my pictures at the one hour photo. At first I was dissapointed that the Mig pictures were not there. Then I realized that they were there, but the camera made them look like they were so far away and they almost blended into the sky.

My brother is a photographer and gave me an AE-1, which I wish I would have had on that plane. Still my photos are pretty hit and miss.

Now can anyone out there tell me how to get a decent picture of a black guitar? I've been trying everything I can think of and they always come out with no contours.


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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

Hamm Guitars said:


> Now can anyone out there tell me how to get a decent picture of a black guitar? I've been trying everything I can think of and they always come out with no contours.


You need large source diffused lighting, like an overcast sky. Flash or direct sunlight will be a disaster. You can also get close to a large window. Underexpose by 1 1/2 stops for black objects since the meter tries to make everything middle grey.


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## Hamm Guitars (Jan 12, 2007)

Thanks Lester,

I'll give that a try.

I guess a diffusion gel on a 100watt par lamp won't do?

Thanks again,

Andy


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## Michelle (Aug 21, 2006)

Here's one of my favorite pics; Not far from my home, makes me feel I am in the middle of nowhere if I ignore the shopping carts, bicycle parts, pallets, etc










Nice place to go for an afternoon 'meditation'. :smile:


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## bluecoyote (May 18, 2007)

Hamm Guitars said:


> Now can anyone out there tell me how to get a decent picture of a black guitar? I've been trying everything I can think of and they always come out with no contours.



I would take the guitar outside very early in the morning. The low level light should be able to rake across the guitar defining its detail a lot better. Of course you have to get a suitable lighter background such a green foliage that will absorb the light rather than house siding. I also agree that an overcast day may also work.


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## noobcake (Mar 8, 2006)

I guess I'll share some of my stuff too :smile:.

This is a picture from back when I was living in Montreal, it's a pic of the radio- canada building from the the LaRonde parking lot.









And this is a pic of Lake Louise, that I took during the move to BC.









A pic of my front yard during the crazy winter we had this year in BC.


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## noobcake (Mar 8, 2006)

the forum only allows 10 images per post so this is continued from the first post

Doesn't this deer look so huggable? She was literally a couple of centimeters away from my face.









Here's a weird turtle that crawled out of the lake and showed up in a ditch beside our house (this was back in Hudson, QC).









And some nice pics taken during random visits to Ottawa.


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## noobcake (Mar 8, 2006)

cont'd (again)

(this one was taken from inside a moving car, I think it looks kinda cool)









I'm an amateur and don't really have a good camera or anything, but I think these shots turned out pretty decent:smile:.


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## Michelle (Aug 21, 2006)

I really like the Lake Louise one Noob. And what's so crazy about snow in the winter? I'm kidding, guess you don't normally get snow in BC.


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## bluecoyote (May 18, 2007)

Well I just have to post this one I took of my two girl rascals Nikki the Jack Russell and Annie the Shepherd/Heeler mix. I wanted to name them Frik and Frak but my wife would not let me. They love to go for the walk on the brisk Winter mornings ... or any other time! 

Heading west down my road in the Alberta countryside. Taken with my Canon 710IS.


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## noobcake (Mar 8, 2006)

I love that pic bluecoyote!! and Michelle, I'm kinda used to tons of snow, since I lived in Montreal for 10 years, but when I came to BC which is known for very mild winters, I was kinda surprised that morning when I peered out the window and saw all that snow:smile:


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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

Hamm Guitars said:


> Thanks Lester,
> 
> I'll give that a try.
> 
> ...


If you have maybe four par lamps and shine them through a large piece of mylar (3x3 ft. or larger) then the mylar becomes the light source. Try to get the light on the mylar as even as possible. Four par lamps by themselves would create four hot spot reflections. What you want is a single, even, large reflection to show the contour. The idea is to have a light source close to the same size as the object, and close to the object you are shooting. The highlight which shows the contour is a mirror of the lightsource. This just doesn't apply to black guitars but any high gloss surface. You have to play around with the angles to get what you want and ideally, two large light sources will allow you to pick up reflections on both sides of the guitar.


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## zao_89 (Feb 17, 2006)

Just got a Sony Cyber-shot, so I might have some more up here soon...

But for now, heres a shot from my apartment at day....









And at night


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## Lester B. Flat (Feb 21, 2006)

Here's one taken with an old Pentax K-1000 and Ektachrome slide film. Scanned and converted to black&white.


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## RIFF WRATH (Jan 22, 2007)

*Nikon EM*

Just acquired a Nikon EM. 
comes with a CF-11 leather case; a Kenko UV 52mm filter; a 50mm X 1 X 1.8 Nikon series E lense; has a manual/auto switch.
appears to be in good shape, perhaps a lense cleaning. no flash attachment.

I know nothing about cameras, but if anyone has an interest in this unit I will arrange to ship. you pay the ship.....camera is free

cheers
RIFF


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## ne1roc (Mar 4, 2006)

Lester B. Flat said:


> Here's one taken with an old Pentax K-1000 and Ektachrome slide film. Scanned and converted to black&white.


See people, Toronto really is the centre of the universe!

Great pic!


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## Blue Apple (Feb 8, 2006)

There are some awesome shots in here!

Most of my shots were taken with a Rebel XT and an canon 17-85 lens with stabilizer. I used to shoot guitars and music related stuff…




















But lately, it’s been mostly kids.


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## Blue Apple (Feb 8, 2006)

And a some work related stuff…


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## Starbuck (Jun 15, 2007)

*A couple of my Favs*

My boy and the beautiful Ontario Night sky


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## rounDSound (Jan 14, 2007)

i shoot a nikon d50 with a sigma 17-70 f/2.8-4.5 and nikkor 50mm f1.8. i've been shooting digital for about 6 months, but i'm already ready to upgrade from this camera. too many menu based functions...

here's some stuff:


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## Graham (Jan 26, 2007)

Excellent thread folks and terrific photos. Timely for me as I'm deciding which to buy. At first I was going after the Canon Rebel xti, then my daughter suggested I look at the Nikon D40x, then I saw the Nikon D80. All of them are available in the US with some additional lenses and a carry bag, external flash, 4 gig card and a few more niceties for around $900.

Anyone here offer pros or cons on any of these? Novice photographer here.


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

I have the D80 and it's a really nice camera. Very easy to use. It's a full size camera so not something you can put in your pocket when traveling. But if you want pro digital pictures. I endorse that one.


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## rounDSound (Jan 14, 2007)

no camera system is perfect, as far as i know. they all have strong points and weak points, and it's a matter of figuring out what you need, and then buying a camera that suits that.

in terms of the d40x, i would actually recommend the d40. unless you are going to do enlargment above 8x10, there is just no need for the extra megapixels(in my own opinion!!), and the image quality of the d40 is some of the best nikon offers, only to be bettered by the brand new d3(this can obviously be debated, by what i'm trying to address here is the concept of pixel quality, rather than absolute resolution. the extra pixels stuffed into that sensor serve to increase the noise and lower the quality of each pixel) it just so happens that the only camera in nikons line with similar sized pixels is the d3.

i should also stress that you aren't going to make better pictures with a d80(even a d300 for that matter) than you would with a d40, or even an older d50. the things that divide these cameras are mostly features, like shake reduction, available vibration reduction, sensor cleaning, and then the mechanics of the camera.
you make the pictures, the camera just captures the information.

in my opinion, nikon makes the best camera ergonomically. they just feel better in your hands. this is to do with the design of the camera, the quailty of the materials used, and the button placement.

i strongly encourage you to closely consider your actual needs, and then address them with a camera.

i'll also recommend you check out the offerings from pentax. they offer more features than both nikon and canon, take pictures that are arguably just a good, and come in at a lower price point.


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## Graham (Jan 26, 2007)

rounDSound said:


> i'll also recommend you check out the offerings from pentax. they offer more features than both nikon and canon, take pictures that are arguably just a good, and come in at a lower price point.


Interesting, I've always liked Pentax. I had a KM years ago and just recently sold my PZ10 which I really liked but for me film pictures are over.

Thanks


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