RabbieBurns Posted May 28, 2014 Author Posted May 28, 2014 havent used this camera since last year but took it into the city tonight to take some photos at the 'Vivid' festival. Shot in Manual, some of them turned out not bad
JJonas Posted May 28, 2014 Posted May 28, 2014 @RabbieBurns - it's fairly interesting subject matter, I like the padlocks. But... the horizon is pissed and so it makes you feel a bit off-kilter! fixed it for you 1
mattx Posted May 28, 2014 Posted May 28, 2014 I got the camera out the other day - this chap was waiting for me on my bin near the front door. Made me jump it did.... 1
RabbieBurns Posted June 1, 2014 Author Posted June 1, 2014 Nice. Is the blur a post production or the aperture setting? Also, what is the scale of that, is it just a nice zoom shot of a wee uk house spider, or is it like one of the ones we get to play with here http://images.canberratimes.com.au/2014/03/06/5238513/pb-Art-Huntsman-20140306182146685935-620x349.jpg
RabbieBurns Posted June 1, 2014 Author Posted June 1, 2014 Here are some of my other photos from the Sydney vivid festival:
mattx Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 Nice. Is the blur a post production or the aperture setting? Also, what is the scale of that, is it just a nice zoom shot of a wee uk house spider, or is it like one of the ones we get to play with here http://images.canberratimes.com.au/2014/03/06/5238513/pb-Art-Huntsman-20140306182146685935-620x349.jpg Bloody hell - that's a big 'un !! Aperture is the cause of the blur, and that is 1:1 shot. Using a 100mm macro lens with a few extension tubes.
cctvfitter Posted June 1, 2014 Posted June 1, 2014 I should just say , go enjoy your new camera and experiment as much as you like, you can't do any harm and you don't waste any film either !
HarryMonkey Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 Just reviving this thread. I've read through it and found some interesting tips as well as useful books. I've just bought a second hand Nikon D80 and am about to embark on another expensive hobby (having just given up scuba diving!!). I went to our local camera club this week and there was a talk on Photoshop. by Ken Payne, he has a website with some useful videos on, he also has a YouTube channel. Photoshop Tutorials
fiza Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 I really want to get into photography. I made a mistake I think a few years back and bought a Sony NEX5 when I think I should have bought a proper DSLR. I cant afford to upgrade now. I just cant get my head around all the terminology.
LosOjos Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 I really want to get into photography. I made a mistake I think a few years back and bought a Sony NEX5 when I think I should have bought a proper DSLR. I cant afford to upgrade now. I just cant get my head around all the terminology. There's nothing a dSLR will do that a good M4/3 won't - the NEX5 is a good camera One of the best books I worked through when I first started was this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Collins-Complete-Photography-Course-Garrett/dp/0007279922/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420798714&sr=8-1&keywords=collins+photography+course It's "camera agnostic" i.e. it teaches you photography, not how to use your camera. The terms that matter are universal amongst cameras though so with that book and your camera's user guide, you'll be set
jinnantonnixx Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 (edited) I really want to get into photography. I made a mistake I think a few years back and bought a Sony NEX5 when I think I should have bought a proper DSLR. I cant afford to upgrade now. I just cant get my head around all the terminology. I have a Sony NEX 3 as well as a Canon 20D DSLR. The Sony gets more use than the Canon because of its convenience. The Sony is a fine camera. I bought a NEX to M42 adapter. With this cheap adapter, you can put any 42mm screw lens on the NEX. I bought a fixed 135mm Zeiss lens for something like a tenner. You must of course use manual settings, but the Sony has a trick up its sleeve - manual focus assist. Manual Focus Assist with Sony Cameras | Gary Fong Photography Tutorials Edited January 9, 2015 by jinnantonnixx
fiza Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 I have a Sony NEX 3 as well as a Canon 20D DSLR. The Sony gets more use that the Canon - the Sony is a fine camera. I bought a NEX to M42 adapter. With this cheap adapter, you can put any 42mm screw lens on the NEX. I bought a fixed 135mm Zeiss lens for something like a tenner. You must of course use manual settings, but the Sony has a trick up its sleeve - manual focus assist. Manual Focus Assist with Sony Cameras | Gary Fong Photography Tutorials I can see adaptors on Amazon for around £12 but where did you get a lens for £10???
fiza Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 There's nothing a dSLR will do that a good M4/3 won't - the NEX5 is a good camera One of the best books I worked through when I first started was this one: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Collins-Complete-Photography-Course-Garrett/dp/0007279922/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1420798714&sr=8-1&keywords=collins+photography+course It's "camera agnostic" i.e. it teaches you photography, not how to use your camera. The terms that matter are universal amongst cameras though so with that book and your camera's user guide, you'll be set Just seen a used copy on Amazon for £6.52. gonna order that and work through it.
jinnantonnixx Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 (edited) I can see adaptors on Amazon for around £12 but where did you get a lens for £10??? Any second hand camera shop, charity shops, ebay.... M42 fit is very common in camera emporiums. There's very little demand for M42, so prices are rock bottom. Big names like Zeiss and Pentax all made M42 lenses and if you're lucky you can find some nice primes for peanuts. I have one or two M42 zooms, but they're were never great. In fact, I'd avoid zooms. Primes are the lenses to get. http://blog.epicedits.com/2010/11/03/don%E2%80%99t-forget-about-those-old-m42-lenses-for-your-modern-dslr/ Edited January 9, 2015 by jinnantonnixx
fiza Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 Any second hand camera shop, charity shops, ebay.... M42 fit is very common in camera emporiums. There's very little demand for M42, so prices are rock bottom. Big names like Zeiss and Pentax all made M42 lenses and if you're lucky you can find some nice primes for peanuts. I have one or two M42 zooms, but they're were never great. In fact, I'd avoid zooms. Primes are the lenses to get. http://blog.epicedits.com/2010/11/03/don%E2%80%99t-forget-about-those-old-m42-lenses-for-your-modern-dslr/ something like this? CARL ZEISS JENA DDR Red MC S SONNAR 135mm f/3.5 PRIME LENS M42 MOUNT | eBay
jinnantonnixx Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 (edited) something like this? Yes, I have the same lens. 135mm is a good telephoto length, and f3.5 is reasonably fast at that length. A cheap zoom would probably drop you to f5.6 at that focal length (and yield a much poorer image). Don't buy stuff just because of our suggestions - think about what you want to do with your photography. Tell you what, I'll dig out my lens and stick in on my NEX 3 and take a few snaps over the weekend so you can see what it looks like. Edited January 9, 2015 by jinnantonnixx 1
fiza Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 Don't buy stuff just because of our suggestions - think about what you want to do with your photography. Well if it goes for £10-£15 I will take a punt anyway. I need to start by reading that book @LosOjos recommended and go from there.
LosOjos Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 (edited) Well if it goes for £10-£15 I will take a punt anyway. I need to start by reading that book @LosOjos recommended and go from there. What lens do you currently have, the 16-55? While you're learning, you'll most likely find your kit lens (name given to the short telephoto zoom lenses sold almost exclusively with the camera body, usually within the 15-60mm range) is fine. However, even a cheap prime lens will give you much sharper photos than a zoom lens* and many old school photographers will tell you to "frame with your feet" (i.e. move around to get the shot you want, don't rely on a zoom lens). Just be careful you don't get GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) EDIT: final tip to get you started; when taking portraits, get as far back from the subject as your lens will allow; the further away you are, the less visible lens distortion will be apparent, making for a more flattering photo; and always focus on the eyes, not the nose. This is why mid/long range primes are generally a portrait photographer's preference. As with anything though, once you know the rules, you'll also know when to break them if you're going for a certain effect. * unless you pick up a legendary zoom like the Canon EF L 80-200mm - will set you back £1000+ though! A similarly priced prime will still knock the socks of that though in terms of sharpness. Edited January 9, 2015 by LosOjos 1
HarryMonkey Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 Just found this. £85 ish for a one day workshop, held across the UK ... DSLR Photography Courses, Compact System Cameras, Bridge, Superzoom
fiza Posted January 9, 2015 Posted January 9, 2015 @LosOjos - Yes I only have the stock lens that came with it.
jinnantonnixx Posted January 10, 2015 Posted January 10, 2015 (edited) * Edit: I've had a look on ebay and notice that the M42 lenses are much more expensive now. I don't know why. My nearest camera shop had a glut of M42 and film cameras (an EOS 1 for £99 !!!!) and the prices were much lower then. I'd mooch round second hand camera shops as ebay seems a bit steep. @fiza Here's a (cameraphone) photo of my NEX3 and the adapter. I've found an M42 50mm f1.8 lens. Operating the NEX camera with a manual lens is dead simple. First, put the camera in manual mode and press the 'display' button so that the exposure info is shown on the screen. Now you're ready to shoot. 1. Set the lens f stop. f5.6 is a good starting point and produces the best image from most lenses. Adjust if you have requirements for depth of field. 2. Turn the control wheel so that the exposure meter reads +/- 0.0 EV for a neutral exposure (or you can get creative) 3. Press the MAF assist button. This switches the screen to a 16x digital zoom so you can focus on a particular part of the image. Focus the lens. Exit the MAF assist. 4. Compose the picture and press the shutter! With a few minutes practice, you can get the exposure and focus done in a few seconds. Useless for action or sports of course, but the adapter opens up a new range of lens options. The lenses are cheap, and if you don't like them you can sell them for what you paid for them. I would steer clear of the zooms, all the M42 zooms I've used have been mediocre at best. I also have an M42 to EOS adapter so I can use M42 lenses on my Canon DSLR, but my old Canon does not have any tools to assist with focus so it's far less useful than the Sony. I'll try and get a few sample shots with the 50mm f1.8 lens (£5) and the 135m Zeiss (£10). Here's the stock Sony lens (which is actually not a bad general purpose lens), the adapter and a Pentacon f1.8 50mm prime. The adapter has no electronics or moving parts, it's a machined aluminium tube. Mine is well machined and well finished. Keen eyed readers will notice that the fstop slider is underneath! I don't know if that's a peculiarity of the adapter or the lens. It's not a problem, though. Edited January 10, 2015 by jinnantonnixx 1
jinnantonnixx Posted January 10, 2015 Posted January 10, 2015 (edited) I did a few snaps today down at the beach with the el-chapo Pentacon 50mm lens on the NEX3. I quite enjoyed using the manual lens. I found that I could set the exposure to something like 1/250 or 1/125 and adjust the stop ring on the lens; the exposure indicator on the camera giving an immediate update to the exposure info. The lens is a little soft at the edges, but not too bad overall. The coffee and the rucksack were at f1.8 to demonstrate the tiny depth of field. Click on 'view original' to see the high-res versions. Please, no marks for composition, they're just snaps. https://www.dropbox.com/sh/uvryw8qtave0i13/AABR5WkwwjnlCw3Pe1nz23DAa?dl=0#/ Don't forget there are plenty of other primes for different systems. You can buy Canon FD and Nikon manual adapters for the NEX. The optics of these manual Canon and Nikon primes are likely to be better than cheap M42 lenses. Just a thought. Edited January 10, 2015 by jinnantonnixx 1
ITGURU Posted January 10, 2015 Posted January 10, 2015 As a professional photographer in my spare time, just because you have an SLR doesn't mean it will take better photos. An iPhone could take as good a quality photo as a top of the range DSLR. It's how you use it that makes the picture! You need to get out there and experiment with the A and S settings. Also make sure you have a good read through the manual. I self taught through the use of youtube videos and then went out and practiced, and now been doing it as a business for 9 years. Just my 2 cents worth! 1
woodham Posted January 12, 2015 Posted January 12, 2015 speaking of cameras just sold all my canon dslr kit+ lens's as its just to big an to bulky so it was getting left in the house and treated myself to a Fuji xt-1 smaller lighter and more likely to be taken out with me
Carpdude Posted February 2, 2015 Posted February 2, 2015 Just reviving this thread. I've read through it and found some interesting tips as well as useful books. I've just bought a second hand Nikon D80 and am about to embark on another expensive hobby (having just given up scuba diving!!). I went to our local camera club this week and there was a talk on Photoshop. by Ken Payne, he has a website with some useful videos on, he also has a YouTube channel. Photoshop Tutorials I have had a Nikon D80 for years and love it! Have taken many a great shot with it. Recently have picked up a Nikon D5300 which has stepped up my photo game. I have enjoyed photography for many years (from way back in the film days) but still feel I am just a beginner after seeing shots like Kennysarmy Flicker account! Some very nice shots on there indeed.
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