I have been working on creating a small review of this camera. Hopefully that will come in the next week or 2. But for now I just wanted to comment on one aspect of the camera: It's LCD Screen. People on the net have been complaining about the resolution of the screen, and how the preview jpg is worthless (because it is only about 2mp). The complaint is that you can't really judge sharpness on the lcd screen based on the (...tiny...)jpg preview.
When I first bought the camera I thought the same thing: " Man, even zooming in to 10x I can't tell what is in focus!!" I have since resolved this issue (well enough for my uses now right now, anyway). And I thought, for sure, that I would read about this idea some where else on the net. But so far I have yet to see any one else talk about it, and there are some very creative thinkers that post to the different photography forums.
Well, here it is: I always shoot raw, so any image parameters I set in camera don't affect my final image quality. So I experimented and used one of the user presets, in the picture styles menu, and set the sharpness all the way to 7. Although these settings have no effect on my raw file, they do effect the camera created jpg preview. Voila! The jpg preview is now clear enough to judge sharpness at a zoom level of about 5-7 (this is dependent on subject matter)
No more complaints from me about the LCD screen!
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Time Keeps on tickin'
I have said it before, and will say it again: Time just seems to fly by! My goals where to blog once a week, and have my website fully functional by the end of February. Well, my site is coming along. I should be posting a few more galleries today. As for the blog, well, I have missed 2 weeks now.
The past few weeks have kept me busy busy busy!! When deadlines loom for clients the blog and website take a back seat. But this week should allow me some more time to work on them both. So please visit often this week to see new blog posts and additions to my site.
The past few weeks have kept me busy busy busy!! When deadlines loom for clients the blog and website take a back seat. But this week should allow me some more time to work on them both. So please visit often this week to see new blog posts and additions to my site.
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
New Toys!
I love gadgets and technology. I have also always loved art AND science. Photography was my destiny! Art, Science, and techy gadgets!! What could be better?
When digital photography became truly accessible to me (circa December 2002) I was ecstatic! Not only was I going to save some money on film and processing, but new avenues for creativity were openening up.
At that point I bought a used Canon D30 from my local shop, Fine Art Photo. At first I shot jpg files. After about 4 months of this I discovered the joys (and at the time headaches) of shooting RAW. I started using Phase One's Capture 1 for my Raw processing. That program instantly brought new life to my D30. I again found wondrous joys in photography!
During the last several years digital photography has seen a whirlwind of changes. For any body who has been paying attention, you will know that the rate of new slr cameras is about every 18 months, or so. I just could not imagine upgrading that often. I did however, upgrade to a used D60 in 2005. But did not feel that any of the new cameras that came out after that one were really worthy of my upgrading. So I used my D60 for better than 2 years.
Now, finally, a camera has been released that was worthy of my hard earned cash- the Canon 40d. In early 2008 I bought one, along with a Canon G9 (probably one of the nicest "Pocket" cameras currently available). All I can say is WOW! I am so excited to own both of these cameras! The G9 is a great little camera that I feel can take pro-grade images (in certain situations) when it is all I have on me. And the 40d is an Amazing upgrade from the older cameras that I had been using. In terms of speed of handling to ulimate image quality.
What is my definition of ultimate image quality:
1) Good resolution
2) Low signal to noise ratio
3) Great color
4) Great Dynamic range
The 40d has these in spades. In the coming weeks I plan on writing a small review of both cameras itemizing what I feel are their strengths and weekness' for the way I work.
When digital photography became truly accessible to me (circa December 2002) I was ecstatic! Not only was I going to save some money on film and processing, but new avenues for creativity were openening up.
At that point I bought a used Canon D30 from my local shop, Fine Art Photo. At first I shot jpg files. After about 4 months of this I discovered the joys (and at the time headaches) of shooting RAW. I started using Phase One's Capture 1 for my Raw processing. That program instantly brought new life to my D30. I again found wondrous joys in photography!
During the last several years digital photography has seen a whirlwind of changes. For any body who has been paying attention, you will know that the rate of new slr cameras is about every 18 months, or so. I just could not imagine upgrading that often. I did however, upgrade to a used D60 in 2005. But did not feel that any of the new cameras that came out after that one were really worthy of my upgrading. So I used my D60 for better than 2 years.
Now, finally, a camera has been released that was worthy of my hard earned cash- the Canon 40d. In early 2008 I bought one, along with a Canon G9 (probably one of the nicest "Pocket" cameras currently available). All I can say is WOW! I am so excited to own both of these cameras! The G9 is a great little camera that I feel can take pro-grade images (in certain situations) when it is all I have on me. And the 40d is an Amazing upgrade from the older cameras that I had been using. In terms of speed of handling to ulimate image quality.
What is my definition of ultimate image quality:
1) Good resolution
2) Low signal to noise ratio
3) Great color
4) Great Dynamic range
The 40d has these in spades. In the coming weeks I plan on writing a small review of both cameras itemizing what I feel are their strengths and weekness' for the way I work.
www.embergerphoto.com
Well there it is..... and has been for 5 years, lingering on the web in one form or another. I have had some sort of web presence since 2003. It has changed and adapted to meet my needs the whole time, but never has it been a great marketing tool. Why? Because every so often, when I have a slow period, I start to work on it again. Get so far, get busy again, and allow it to flounder in it's then current, unfinished state.
I plan to change that, more or less, in the coming weeks. I plan on having a fully functional website up and running by the end of February 2008. What does fully functional mean? Here is a short list:
1) Full portfolios of the range of work I do
2) A page for the sales of certain types of images
3) A complete contact/info section. (with any luck I will have a form to request qoutes, and book jobs etc...)
Well, that is about all I need the site to do. After it is up in that state I will work to diligently maintain it. The one thing that may still change on a regular basis is the basic site design. I plan on having it functional by the end of this month. But it may take a few more after that to really refine it's look. From it's global layout/design, to the way I present my portfolio.
I am ultimately after functional, easy to look at, easy to navigate, and FAST to load. Please feel free to comment here with your opinions about what works and what does not.
I plan to change that, more or less, in the coming weeks. I plan on having a fully functional website up and running by the end of February 2008. What does fully functional mean? Here is a short list:
1) Full portfolios of the range of work I do
2) A page for the sales of certain types of images
3) A complete contact/info section. (with any luck I will have a form to request qoutes, and book jobs etc...)
Well, that is about all I need the site to do. After it is up in that state I will work to diligently maintain it. The one thing that may still change on a regular basis is the basic site design. I plan on having it functional by the end of this month. But it may take a few more after that to really refine it's look. From it's global layout/design, to the way I present my portfolio.
I am ultimately after functional, easy to look at, easy to navigate, and FAST to load. Please feel free to comment here with your opinions about what works and what does not.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Inaugural Post
Welcome. Why is it always so hard to get started? Kind of like cleaning your room as a teenager...it took forever because you were overwhelmed & did not know where to begin! Well, apparently blogging and coding a web site from scratch are the same way. Starting is the hardest part.
So the hardest part is now over! Hopefully...
Any how, I endeavor to cover topics pertaining to, at least loosely anyway, photography. How I got to where I am, and my continued journey. I also plan on interjecting some of my thoughts on current events ( I will attempt to relate them some how to photography).
I also make no promises to write in a totally "Professional" tone. My goal is to have my personality shine through my grammatically incorrect writing. About that, I have always found the art of writing to be as romantically appealing as photography, and I would love to have the skill to personally marry the two together. Alas, I was lazy in some of my studies growing up. So my images speak my words, and now my pen- err my fingers- are reserved for changing camera settings. Oh well, taking the images to accompany other people's stories has given me the opportunity to meet some great writers. Many of which are now good friends.
I am hoping to have no less than one post a week, to start. I may do more than that. It all depends on what is happening in the world and how busy I am that week. But one a week, that is my goal. Over the coming weeks, as I settle into the sites design, there will be visual changes to the blog. Please feel free to comment on them.
Well, that wraps up post number ONE. Take care, and stay tuned for more.
So the hardest part is now over! Hopefully...
Any how, I endeavor to cover topics pertaining to, at least loosely anyway, photography. How I got to where I am, and my continued journey. I also plan on interjecting some of my thoughts on current events ( I will attempt to relate them some how to photography).
I also make no promises to write in a totally "Professional" tone. My goal is to have my personality shine through my grammatically incorrect writing. About that, I have always found the art of writing to be as romantically appealing as photography, and I would love to have the skill to personally marry the two together. Alas, I was lazy in some of my studies growing up. So my images speak my words, and now my pen- err my fingers- are reserved for changing camera settings. Oh well, taking the images to accompany other people's stories has given me the opportunity to meet some great writers. Many of which are now good friends.
I am hoping to have no less than one post a week, to start. I may do more than that. It all depends on what is happening in the world and how busy I am that week. But one a week, that is my goal. Over the coming weeks, as I settle into the sites design, there will be visual changes to the blog. Please feel free to comment on them.
Well, that wraps up post number ONE. Take care, and stay tuned for more.
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