D 75 - Tinkering in the bathroom

I just recalled that I had still some options to improve the quality of photos made at high ISO setting in my DSLR. So I tinkered around with them looking for optimal adjustment.

Equipment

E-510 with Pentacon 30 3.5.
Channel mix, levels and sharpness in Lightroom.

What I learned

Modern DSLR is a little computer with lens. So there is always something new to find within the extended menus.

This time I recalled that even before I bought my E-510 I knew that it gives best results when noise reduction is off and sharpness is reduced from the default settings. I changed this a year ago and forgot about it.

I set ISO to 1600 (max for E-510), pushed sharpness up from -1 to 0 and turned on the noise reduction to "normal" level.

The decrease in noise is clearly visible, yet I still need some luck and overexposure to avoid noise distracting even at low resolutions. However I still don't see any possibility of using ISO 1600 shots for larger prints.

D 74 - Crude oil went up again

I keep the Samsung compact camera with me all the time. I just have this pesky lock on my bag in which I carry the camera, so usually before I get it out and running it is too late.

The automatic gas distributor didn't run away.

Equipment

Samsung S630, slow sync flash, +0,7EV exposure bias.
Channel mix, levels and crop correction in Lightroom.

What I learned

I must keep the compact camera in my pocket.
Even on my way to work by car opportunities fly in front of my nose.

D 73 - Make ends meet

The last due photo because of weekend slacks. Another take on the candle lit clock.

Equipment

E-510 with ZD1442, on a tripod.
Cropped and sharpened in Lightroom.

What I learned

Maybe I can skip posting on weekend but I'll try to take photos to post on Monday. Catching up for half of the week is not very inspiring.

D 72 - Already dreaming

Shooting late at night as usual. But cutting sleeping hours to just make this 'one more shot' from another angle seems like a noble sacrifice.

Equipment

E-510 with ZD1442, on a tripod.
Cropped and sharpened in Lightroom.

What I learned

Discarding out of camera JPGs as a rule is not always a necessary thing. When you have little time left to make, edit and post a photo they are sometimes just good enough. It's not like I'm doing large prints here, where every little difference counts.

D 71 - Ouf of the corridor

Scarce light and high contrast.

Equipment

E-510 with ZD1442 on a tripod.

What I learned

Some tripods are better and some cost a fiver. Mine is the top of the line Chinese crap but it doesn't fall over or collapse under the weight of a DSLR. So it is useful. I wish it had a ball-head for easier framing and an option for mounting the head on the under side of the shaft for frog perspective shots.

D 70 - Father to daughter talk

When the daughter is away on her birthday.

Equipment

E-510 with ZD1442.
Sharpening, levels, crop and color mix in Lightroom.

What I learned

Such candid shots call for a lot of quick thinking and you still need luck to get the composition right. And it never feels completely right.

D 69 - Lightpainting

Light painting was another technique that I don't really care for much. Some works with it are stunningly beautiful but they need a level of planning and directing on the set which is just as intimidating.

Equipment

E-510 with ZD1442 on a tripod.

What I learned

I hoped to achieve a 3D effect with a short focal length. But it either needs wider lens than 28mm or some additional treatment of the light source to make itself more 3D.