Steve'sDigicams

mtngal · May 14, 2008, 11:31 PM

While I didn't do well today with finding silhouettes, and didn't manage to spot a location to re-take the cranes, I did find a dragonfly and a butterfly. This is really my first dragonfly - I managed a damselfly a year or two ago, but never a dragonfly before. I thought these (while not perfect) weren't bad for a first try, and bright noon sunlight.

mtngal · May 14, 2008, 11:33 PM

I've never figured out why that reddish-orange always looks muddy when I upload otherwise very colorful shots and use IE to view them.

Second picture of the dragonfly (taken with the K20 and the A*300). I sure wouldn't mind a 300mm lens that focuses closer than the A300 does - I had to take a step back to get this in focus.

mtngal · May 14, 2008, 11:39 PM

This butterfly isn't perfect by any means. However, I thought the camera did OK - there's more dynamic range in the picture than the camera's sensor can handle, and some of the white on the wing edges blew out. But I got some nice detail on the black part of the wings - something I didn't get the last time I tried to take one of these (what type of butterfly are they?). I never think of butterflies as fuzzy, but they are. One thing I do think is that the K20 doesn't have as big of a dynamic range as the K10 had (which I thought was pretty much the same as the K100). I wasn't using the extended dynamic range - I think it tends to add a pattern to the OOF areas of a picture, and since I do a lot of macros, I found it bothered me so I turned it off. I should have been using it today, but didn't think about it until the butterfly had flown off.

penolta · May 15, 2008, 12:44 AM

Harriet, there is nothing wrong with the dragonfly (a Flame Skimmer) - these pictures are as good as you will see. The butterfly is a Mourning Cloak - they usually perch with wings raised - almost impossible to catch sunning with wings spread (as they usually perchtoo high to look down on).

Driver3 · May 15, 2008, 6:35 AM

The dragonfly looks great! The butterfly is good considering you couldn't coax him into opening his wings!

Penolta, you are an absolute wealth of info on these critters!

Dennis

Rickst · May 15, 2008, 7:32 AM

Love the first shot--very nice detail.

mtngal · May 15, 2008, 7:56 AM

Thanks, Penolta, for the identificationof both the butterfly and the dragonfly. The butterfly was acting just as you said - pretty much landing higher than I was, though it didn't seem to mind me being about 10-15 feet away. When I switched lenses and tried to move a bit closer, it took off. The dragonfly was really a brilliant color - IE doesn't do justice to the color. Flame Skimmer is certainly a good name for them!

I guess I shouldn't be too critical of the K20's performance with the very dark butterfly - the one time I tried capturing one with the K10, it was a black blob and had camera shake too. But the white edges weren't blown...

wittetulp · May 15, 2008, 8:30 AM

dragenflies look deliciously delicately beautiful

Dal1970 · May 15, 2008, 10:06 AM

Love these shots.

And everyone says you need a macro lens.....

Dal

mtngal · May 15, 2008, 1:44 PM

LOL! A macro lens is helpful in many ways, I love my Viv 105mm. I just wish my 300mm lens would focus a bit closer - one of the reasons why I think about the new DA*300. Then I think of the extra weight and size, and decide the focusing distance isn't enough of a gain to switch.

May 14, 2008, 11:31 PM	#1
mtngal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Frazier Park, CA Posts: 16,177	While I didn't do well today with finding silhouettes, and didn't manage to spot a location to re-take the cranes, I did find a dragonfly and a butterfly. This is really my first dragonfly - I managed a damselfly a year or two ago, but never a dragonfly before. I thought these (while not perfect) weren't bad for a first try, and bright noon sunlight. Attached Images

May 14, 2008, 11:33 PM	#2
mtngal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Frazier Park, CA Posts: 16,177	I've never figured out why that reddish-orange always looks muddy when I upload otherwise very colorful shots and use IE to view them. Second picture of the dragonfly (taken with the K20 and the A*300). I sure wouldn't mind a 300mm lens that focuses closer than the A300 does - I had to take a step back to get this in focus. Attached Images

May 14, 2008, 11:39 PM	#3
mtngal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Frazier Park, CA Posts: 16,177	This butterfly isn't perfect by any means. However, I thought the camera did OK - there's more dynamic range in the picture than the camera's sensor can handle, and some of the white on the wing edges blew out. But I got some nice detail on the black part of the wings - something I didn't get the last time I tried to take one of these (what type of butterfly are they?). I never think of butterflies as fuzzy, but they are. One thing I do think is that the K20 doesn't have as big of a dynamic range as the K10 had (which I thought was pretty much the same as the K100). I wasn't using the extended dynamic range - I think it tends to add a pattern to the OOF areas of a picture, and since I do a lot of macros, I found it bothered me so I turned it off. I should have been using it today, but didn't think about it until the butterfly had flown off. Attached Images

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May 15, 2008, 12:44 AM	#4
penolta Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: California USA Posts: 5,206	Harriet, there is nothing wrong with the dragonfly (a Flame Skimmer) - these pictures are as good as you will see. The butterfly is a Mourning Cloak - they usually perch with wings raised - almost impossible to catch sunning with wings spread (as they usually perchtoo high to look down on).

May 15, 2008, 6:35 AM	#5
Driver3 Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 481	The dragonfly looks great! The butterfly is good considering you couldn't coax him into opening his wings! Penolta, you are an absolute wealth of info on these critters! Dennis

May 15, 2008, 7:32 AM	#6
Rickst Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Posts: 1,599	Love the first shot--very nice detail.

May 15, 2008, 7:56 AM	#7
mtngal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Frazier Park, CA Posts: 16,177	Thanks, Penolta, for the identificationof both the butterfly and the dragonfly. The butterfly was acting just as you said - pretty much landing higher than I was, though it didn't seem to mind me being about 10-15 feet away. When I switched lenses and tried to move a bit closer, it took off. The dragonfly was really a brilliant color - IE doesn't do justice to the color. Flame Skimmer is certainly a good name for them! I guess I shouldn't be too critical of the K20's performance with the very dark butterfly - the one time I tried capturing one with the K10, it was a black blob and had camera shake too. But the white edges weren't blown...

May 15, 2008, 8:30 AM	#8
wittetulp Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 94	dragenflies look deliciously delicately beautiful

May 15, 2008, 10:06 AM	#9
Dal1970 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Essex, UK Posts: 1,868	Love these shots. And everyone says you need a macro lens..... Dal

May 15, 2008, 1:44 PM	#10
mtngal Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Frazier Park, CA Posts: 16,177	LOL! A macro lens is helpful in many ways, I love my Viv 105mm. I just wish my 300mm lens would focus a bit closer - one of the reasons why I think about the new DA*300. Then I think of the extra weight and size, and decide the focusing distance isn't enough of a gain to switch.