The Never Ending Photo Thread

[KevanGuy]

Thanks. Umm, I'd say it was around 60 feet away. I have a 60d and used a Sigma 150-500. Killdeer will mind their own business if you keep your distance, but I wouldn't say they are easy to approach.

About the lens, I had a hell of a time getting tack sharp photos. I spent more than a year researching and trying different methods. I even sent the lens back to Sigma and they adjusted the focus and put in a new motor. Well, a couple weeks ago I was reading some forum where a guy had the exact same problems as me. Someone suggested he try the lens without the uv filter. And guess what, I did the same and BAM tack sharp photos. I couldn't believe it and was a bit embarrassed I didn't think of that on my own. But in the end, I think all the time and effort I put into trying to get the most out of the lens will serve me well going forward.

[CaptainYooh]

It's good that it worked for you but I doubt it's just a filter though. Sharp image is a combination of several variables: correct focusing point, steady hands (if not using camera support), as well as the right exposure/aperture setting for the desired DOF. Even a minor deviation from a correct focusing point would momentarily re-focus the lens to where you're aiming it instead of where you want it. When shooting a moving target from afar, long tele-lenses are an obvious choice. As more light is needed, we tend to open the aperture as much as possible; thus, reducing the DOF. When focusing on bird's eye with a long tele, the feathers often get out of focus, especially if a bird is big and/or facing the lens.

[KevanGuy]

For sure, and I practiced all those things and never got a sharp shot. For over a year. As soon as I took off the filter, literally that day, I had tack sharp images and have had them since. It was 100% the filter.

[Rerun]

Originally Posted by KevanGuy

For sure, and I practiced all those things and never got a sharp shot. For over a year. As soon as I took off the filter, literally that day, I had tack sharp images and have had them since. It was 100% the filter.

I read the same thing somewhere... forget where though... probably somewhere on the internet.
The guy said to forget about a filter just to protect your lens. Use a hood instead. It will protect the lens and you'll get sharper images. Once I read that I discarded all my UV filters and bought hoods for each lens.

[CaptainYooh]

UV filters are becoming redundant anyway in digital photography. In practicality, they are used only to protect the lens front nowadays. I don't use them at all. I do use polarizing filters a lot though (and graduated ND filters occasionally) and I did not notice any effect they might have on image sharpness with my lenses. I wonder why a UV filter might be causing the negative effect you've experienced. Perhaps, some kind of a reflection off an inside surface of a UV filter that could be confusing the AF mechanism of the Sigma lens you have... not sure. But then it would do the same thing with any other filter as well. Did you have this same problem with a polarizer?

[Rerun]

Here's an informative article, about the pros and cons of UV filters....

http://www.thephoblographer.com/2013.../#.VD6r9fnF9HU

I read something like this, somewhere... "Why put a $40 piece of glass in front of a $1500 lens?"

[KevanGuy]

I didn't try any other filter. And I only really had the uv one on there to protect the lens. But like Rerun said, if you're careful a hood should do the job. I think the filter I bought was about $80, it may just be the quality of the glass wasn't good enough for sharp photos.


Edit: didn't see the article above before posting. That was one of the pages I read for sure.

[CaptainYooh]

This is from Fish Creek Park

[Scrambler]

From Fukuoka city life to the countryside in Nagano. Back to my wife's hometown of Ueda so she can give birth here.

View from my current (temporary) office:

[CaptainYooh]

Saw a drone for the first time this past weekend. A local videographer was shooting scenes of children playing near the Scotch Creek waterfront area in Shuswap park. It's about 2' x 2' in size controlled just like a model airplane with a joystick-like device. Pretty amazing thing.

[Regulator75]

Found this old photo while digging through the 2008 archives today, thought it required some dramatic B&W treatment.


Mount Robson

[Regulator75]

Breath taking Sunrise from the other day.
Captured at f/5, 640 ISO, 1/160th @ 58mm.


Calgary Sunrise

[CaptainYooh]

A few recent shots from Shuswap Provincial Park:

[SebC]

Larger on Flickr

Not sure about the noise... I added it to deal with some banding. Probably should've masked off the tower first, but I suck at masking.

[InSutterWeTrust]

Was in LA for a day, drove around and took a few shots.


DSC_2083 by laurendrob, on Flickr


DSC_2156 by laurendrob, on Flickr


DSC_2201 by laurendrob, on Flickr


DSC_2041 by laurendrob, on Flickr


DSC_2036 by laurendrob, on Flickr


SunsetMalibu by laurendrob, on Flickr

[Regulator75]

Those pics totally remind me of GTAV.

[CaptainYooh]

My best friend owns a few properties near LA. He can never stop talking about how there's always something to do in LA, any time of the year. Waterfront is just a magic magnet...

[CaptainYooh]

[bc-chris]

fall colours....

IMG_8395 by bc-chris


mission creek greenway this afternoon in kelowna...

IMG_9273 by bc-chris

[bc-chris]

a few shots of the partial eclipse from a couple weeks back...

IMG_0594 by bc-chris

IMG_0624 by bc-chris

IMG_0658 by bc-chris

IMG_0722 by bc-chris