motor

sameerrao · 04-24-2006, 10:31 PM

Some more pics:

12-24 lens:
--> check here for all the action shots: http://www.motorworld.net/forum/show...=asc&start=120

70-200 lens:

ae86_16v · 04-25-2006, 12:49 AM

Nice shots! I like them!

sameerrao · 04-25-2006, 12:59 AM

Thanks ... I love this camera .. makes me want to go and experiment with it every other day

dutchmasterflex · 04-25-2006, 10:38 AM

I say "I love this camera" every time I'm using it

sameerrao · 05-04-2006, 02:13 PM

Some more pics with Sigma 70-200
Hello Kermit

Lucky, my neighbor's kitten ...

... about to pounce on an imaginary prey ...

... she got real hyper over this vine - thought it was a ball of string ... funny seeing her fight with it

... here she is stalking a bug in the grass ... very cool to see her hunt

a Green Lizard prowling on my fence

A wasp

My sprinkler went off this morning in the lawn, so I popped over to take a few pics afterward.

I tried my version of Martijn's shot but my focus was wrong - I should have been more patient when I took it. I'll get it right next time

dutchmasterflex · 05-04-2006, 02:58 PM

Beautiful macro shots! The quality from the sigma seems really good.. I think I might have to pick one of those up for myself..

sameerrao · 05-04-2006, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by dutchmasterflex

Beautiful macro shots! The quality from the sigma seems really good.. I think I might have to pick one of those up for myself..

Thanks. The lens is fantastic for sure but if you want macro maybe a different lens is needed. The minimum focus distance is approximately 7 feet. So you cant really look down onan object - either you are shooting straight ahead or at an angle.

A proper macro lens would allow you to focus much closer and so would give killer shots in such circumstances.

But anyway, I didnt buy this lens for macro but I am glad it can do some of it too ... Seems like a pretty versatile lens.

Test the Nikon 80-200 F2.8 also and decide for yourself which is better.

sbcarguy · 05-04-2006, 08:56 PM

Some cool pics you have. I'm a D50 user myself. What image quality mode are you using? How do you convert them to jpeg if you shoot NEF (raw)?

This shot with 70-300mm kit lense.

sameerrao · 05-05-2006, 12:23 AM

I shoot in JPEG fine mode with 6MP resolution. I then import the picture to Adobe Photoshop, adjust it using the levels tool and change the image size to approximately 1600x1200 resolution and then use unsharp mask to sharpen it. I then save it at the best possible resolution (11 or 12) such the file size falls just under 1MP.

I tried using RAW and appreciate the fact one can adjust the white balance and the exposure afterwards but for normal pictures it is too much hassle. Maybe I will save NEF for the special shots only. If you install the Nikon CD that comes with the camera, you can convert from RAW to JPEG using it, but I prefer Photoshop

sentra_dude · 05-05-2006, 01:13 AM

Awesome pics sameerrao, that seems to be a really nice lens. That cat pics are cute lol.

sameerrao · 05-05-2006, 09:39 AM

Thanks

sameerrao · 05-08-2006, 06:44 PM

More pics ... I drove down to Lake Conroe to check it out and snapped the following:
Two colorful rusted out trucks

Some kind of plough in the field

Some youngsters practicing jumps on their lil motocross bikes

Lake Conroe

The above pics were taken with the 70-200mm lens. The one below was taken with the 12-24 lens

MartijnGizmo · 05-09-2006, 05:53 AM

Some comments:
- I'm not too fond about partial desaturation, and you were a bit sloppy as I still see some green.

- the plow is nice, although cropped a little too narrow, also looks oversharpened
- the first motocross pic is really good, you can still see some motion in the wheels, the second one has a halo around everything in the background and the third has a tilted horizon
- the first Lake Conroe pic is really unsharp, the jetskiers are nice

I hope that didn't sound too negative, just trying to give some usefull feedback.

sameerrao · 05-09-2006, 04:02 PM

Originally Posted by MartijnGizmo

Some comments:
- I'm not too fond about partial desaturation, and you were a bit sloppy as I still see some green.

- the plow is nice, although cropped a little too narrow, also looks oversharpened
- the first motocross pic is really good, you can still see some motion in the wheels, the second one has a halo around everything in the background and the third has a tilted horizon
- the first Lake Conroe pic is really unsharp, the jetskiers are nice

I hope that didn't sound too negative, just trying to give some usefull feedback.

Its fine .. I am always looking to improve ...
- I was just trying out the partial desaturation for the fun of it - didnt spend too much time on it to be honest. Next time I will look at a bit closer

- I agree on the plough - I hit the unsharp mask twice - should have done it just once
- the first Lake Conroe pic is really unclear - I agree - it was too damn far from me - I just wanted show this guy hanging on for dear life on that dingy like thing as it was flung about like a top... Couldnt seem to improve the picture any in Photoshop.
- About the motorcycles - I have to admit it was my goofing about in Photoshop that did it. Originally the picture came w/o a halo but the sky behind came out white. So I tried to lasso the sky section and change the levels on it to make it blue - but I couldn't get the edge perfect around the little boy and so you see the white halo

MartijnGizmo · 05-09-2006, 05:01 PM

If you try to darken the sky you're better of with a partial Curves Layer. It acts kinda like a Gradual ND filter.