PHOTO COMPETITION — COMMENTS THREAD

Springywheel

 I wouldn’t mind trying my hand at some photography to pass the time. I do have my dad’s old canon film camera in the attic but might start off with a decent digital for convenience. Any recommendations? Btw amazing pics @ThePrettyDamned ;

skullfunkerry

Springywheel said:

 I wouldn’t mind trying my hand at some photography to pass the time. I do have my dad’s old canon film camera in the attic but might start off with a decent digital for convenience. Any recommendations? Btw amazing pics @ThePrettyDamned ;

Mine is a Fujifilm X-T20. I love it, picture quality is fab and the 18-55mm lens that it came with is excellent. If you're looking for a compact then I've always had good results with Sony...

ThePrettyDamned

Springywheel said:

 I wouldn’t mind trying my hand at some photography to pass the time. I do have my dad’s old canon film camera in the attic but might start off with a decent digital for convenience. Any recommendations? Btw amazing pics @ThePrettyDamned ;

What's the budget? There are some old school SLRs that are fantastic for very cheap nowadays, such as the canon 5d and 7d, or the nikon d700 or d7100. 

Also depends what you want to shoot... 

Some micro 43 cameras are epic value but lenses are not amazingly cheap - I'm thinking Panasonic gx80 and old olympus em-1 and em-5 models. 

Lastly, first-gen fuji kit is tops. Fuji xt1 or xe2/xe2s are great. 

If you don't mind a fixed lens, the Panasonic lx100 is fantastic, has a nifty multi-ratio sensor (which makes it worth asking price alone - I've long wondered why larger format cameras don't have squarer sensors!) and has a leaf shutter for maximum flash power. The fuji xf10 or ricoh grii are also contenders if you want a fixed wide angle lens, but they're a bit pricier. 

On the multi-ratio sensor, I got slaughtered on the talkphotography forum for raising this. Apparently, the answer is to start with a high res full frame camera and crop as needed. I still don't know why they don't make the sensors a bit taller... Like a 4:3 ratio. The lenses can already cover the image circle anyway, and you could then crop to 2x3 if that's your choice without losing resolution from a native 2x3 sensor...

Unless you go for newer models, I'd avoid Sony cameras as they are prone to overheating when using video modes. However, if you are only interested in stills the original A7 is fantastic and the a6000 is great value with a great sensor!

Have fun... don't forget to factor lens cost in. My first suggestions of SLRs give you a huge, lower priced second hand market than newer Mirrorless models. 

Springywheel

Thanks for all the pointers...I have done a bit of research and think I’ll settle on the Fuji X-T20 if one pops up in the classifieds (ebay is always a last resort)   

ThePrettyDamned

Springywheel said:

Thanks for all the pointers...I have done a bit of research and think I’ll settle on the Fuji X-T20 if one pops up in the classifieds (ebay is always a last resort)   

Don't forget lenses... Fuji lenses are not cheap (they're mostly good, but they're not cheap). 

stickyfiddle

There is an X-T1 in the classifieds at the moment that is a shitload of camera for the cash. As long as you don't want to shoot anything particularly fast-moving it's ace. 

ThePrettyDamned

stickyfiddle said:

There is an X-T1 in the classifieds at the moment that is a shitload of camera for the cash. As long as you don't want to shoot anything particularly fast-moving it's ace. 

And if there is one lens you should get, it's a 23mm 1.4...

And the second should be the 55-200, which is awesomeballs. 

Man, I miss my fuji! 

Jimbro66

Springywheel said:

Thanks for all the pointers...I have done a bit of research and think I’ll settle on the Fuji X-T20 if one pops up in the classifieds (ebay is always a last resort)   

MPB have quite a lot of used XT-20s at around £350. A little higher than private classifieds price but you do get a 6 month warranty with it and fourteen day return period.

https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/used-equipment/used-photo-and-video/used-compact-system-cameras/used-fuji-x-series-cameras/fuji-x-t20/

They also have a selection of used Fuji lenses. Their web site is worth a browse.

skullfunkerry

Jimbro66 said:

Springywheel said:

Thanks for all the pointers...I have done a bit of research and think I’ll settle on the Fuji X-T20 if one pops up in the classifieds (ebay is always a last resort)   

MPB have quite a lot of used XT-20s at around £350. A little higher than private classifieds price but you do get a 6 month warranty with it and fourteen day return period.

https://www.mpb.com/en-uk/used-equipment/used-photo-and-video/used-compact-system-cameras/used-fuji-x-series-cameras/fuji-x-t20/

They also have a selection of used Fuji lenses. Their web site is worth a browse.

Apart from the 18-55mm that came with the camera, I got the 27mm F2.8 and the XC50-230 lenses for mine - both second-hand, for not a lot of money. It’s definitely worth looking around. There are a few compatible lenses on Amazon too, and some of them have pretty good reviews.

paulnb57

Do I change my entry to this?

skullfunkerry

paulnb57 said:

Do I change my entry to this?

Hmmm... I'm not sure what the rules are on changing your entry... maybe we could have a theme like "White" one month and you could use that then?

ThePrettyDamned

I don't mind you changing it. Just edit the post I guess? People won't vote until closed... But I'm not leading this here friendly competition

Nice shot, BTW... 

skullfunkerry

ThePrettyDamned said:

I don't mind you changing it. Just edit the post I guess? People won't vote until closed... But I'm not leading this here friendly competition

Nice shot, BTW... 

Yeah I'm happy with that. I do like your original shot too though @paulnb57

paulnb57

Sod it Ill leave it, I was just pleased with the Rabbit skull....

skullfunkerry

paulnb57 said:

Sod it Ill leave it, I was just pleased with the Rabbit skull....

Well I promise that if I ever win again I'll pick a theme that you can use it for

stickyfiddle

Mine is a re-edit of a photo I took hiking in Yakushima in the south of Japan last October. 

I had a couple of other ideas but no time to give them this time out. They'll keep to use directly or at least as inspiration for a future challenge I'm sure

skullfunkerry

stickyfiddle said:

Mine is a re-edit of a photo I took hiking in Yakushima in the south of Japan last October. 

I had a couple of other ideas but no time to give them this time out. They'll keep to use directly or at least as inspiration for a future challenge I'm sure

I think you posted it (or something like it) in a photography thread before... if memory serves you took it with a Fuji 27mm lens? I really like it - and I bought a 27mm lens based on some of the comments.

...alternatively, you didn’t post it, didn’t say anything about lenses, and I just sound like a crazy stalker!

stickyfiddle

skullfunkerry said:

stickyfiddle said:

Mine is a re-edit of a photo I took hiking in Yakushima in the south of Japan last October. 

I had a couple of other ideas but no time to give them this time out. They'll keep to use directly or at least as inspiration for a future challenge I'm sure

I think you posted it (or something like it) in a photography thread before... if memory serves you took it with a Fuji 27mm lens? I really like it - and I bought a 27mm lens based on some of the comments.

...alternatively, you didn’t post it, didn’t say anything about lenses, and I just sound like a crazy stalker!

I definitely would have posted it in my own Japan trip thread and possibly a photography thread as well. This time I’ve pushed the edit a little harder to bring out the mood in the forest - rainy and dark and magical with hints of light coming through the trees hitting the moss

Def not the Fuji 27 though, as I don’t own that one. This was the 35 f1.4 - that lens is just absolute magic.

ThePrettyDamned

stickyfiddle said:

Mine is a re-edit of a photo I took hiking in Yakushima in the south of Japan last October. 

I had a couple of other ideas but no time to give them this time out. They'll keep to use directly or at least as inspiration for a future challenge I'm sure

I like it. Would like to see your original - I find it interesting to compare prior edits to current-day prettydamned. I'm very much better at colour palette than I was, but I don't half miss some of my old gear... 

stickyfiddle

Original edit:

New version:

The crop is fractionally tighter and it’s a chink moodier. I try and stay away from very heavy dodge/burn type edits but actually I think this one improves it quite a lot so it’s something I will investigate further. 

Now I’m looking again I wonder about removing the other twig& leaf on the right hand side, just to clean it up. Maybe tomorrow, but just out of interest and trying to improve my photoshop skills, rather than any sort of updated entry
here.