Steve'sDigicams

StevenC · Oct 21, 2006, 1:27 PM

This was the first game I've shot with my brand spanking new d80. D80 @ ISO 400 (it was overcast and indeed raining sometimes / misty too) and at 1/500. I am slightly taken aback with a couple of things.

Compared to the D50 it seems to overexpose quite a bit but also, is not as sharp. That said, when you "downscale" the images to 6mp size, they are sharper than those from d50. I suspect some of grain you see here is due to my JPEG resampling.

That said, It feels sturdier and the shutter release sounds "chunkier" and better than the relatively limp noise from the d50. Oh and, with the 11 are autofocus and my Sigma 70-200 2.8 I only had ONE miss out of 112 shots. Anyway, enough of that...

JohnG · Oct 21, 2006, 9:48 PM

Yeah, the mist and haze was working against you here. The focus looks a bit off in most - the 2nd to last being the perfect example - the trailing player is more in-focus.

Did you apply any USM to these? If not, it and some contrast will definitely give these a boost.

I really like the concept in #1.

#5 header was timed very well - just the softness issue. Your instincts are good on a number of shots but the timing is a split second early or late.

I think given the shooting conditions you did a good job. Hopefully you'll get some decent weather to shoot in soon!

Keep shootin'

StevenC · Oct 22, 2006, 2:46 AM

Cheers john. Im still getting used to the 11 area AF of the D80, which is so accurate combined with the HSM lens. I might try it on the "wide" 7 area setting that I am more used to and see if it makes a difference.

I'm unsure what you mean by USM? I've ran them through levels and sharpened (+1) in psp and resized, that's all.

JohnG · Oct 22, 2006, 9:48 AM

Steven,

USM in this instance stands for Unsharp Mask. PSP should have an Unsharp Mask feature. The results are usually a lot more affective than a normal sharpening feature because you have more control over how the sharpening takes place. Do some searches on it and you should turn up some good info. I'm out of town right now so I can't remember what values I typically use - when I get back in town I'll try and remember to post them. It's at least a start - you'll need to find values that you prefer.

StevenC · Oct 22, 2006, 1:11 PM

Ah yes, unsharp mask. PSP does indeed have it. I need to do some research with what sort of values and ratios to use as Im not entirely sure which does what. Must read the fookin manual.

Mark1616 · Oct 22, 2006, 6:26 PM

With USM I would go for 1, between 80 and 130 depending on size and if printing or for screen, 0 (I can't remember the 3 fields in USM but just follow that order and you will see some good results). If a shot is more soft then you can take the first one to 1.5 or 2 (this I know is the radius without looking) but watch out for a lot of increased noise. The best thing to do is have a play.

As for the over exposure I would just check that you are on the correct metering mode and have not switched to spot or centre weighted (not saying you can't use these as depending on the subject I will sometimes use them, but just be aware this could be the difference).

StevenC · Oct 23, 2006, 3:44 AM

Ah ok, thanks. I'll give that a bash next time.

It was overcast and I'll admit alot of the time I was doing manual exposure using the in camera meter. The changing weather and skies i.e. sun breaking through every now and then, didnt seem to make much of a difference it just seems that the images are brighter, much brighter, than my d50.

Mark1616 · Oct 23, 2006, 3:54 AM

That's cool.

I wouldnot go for manualmeetering in a situation where you can't control the light levels as even small changes that the eye can't see will throw out your exposure. I usually use evaluative meetering or centre weighted (make sure if using centre weighted you use the centre focus point otherwise it will not meter on your subject).

Hope this helps.

Tamsfam · Oct 24, 2006, 4:36 PM

Mark,

Heres a qusetion for you....in reading your post you mention that you use center focus. Do you use that for most of your soccer photos too? Just wondering as I seem to flip between that and all points when shooting football. I wonder if that is why some of my shots are soft.....

Thoughts??

StevenC · Oct 24, 2006, 4:41 PM

I always use centre when shooting sports, infact normally! Using "all" or '"auto" is a recipe for disaster imo if one of them falls on the background and it focuses on that then you've missed the shot completely. If I need to compose differently then I'll hold the af lock button and re-compose.

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Oct 21, 2006, 1:27 PM	#1
StevenC Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 218	This was the first game I've shot with my brand spanking new d80. D80 @ ISO 400 (it was overcast and indeed raining sometimes / misty too) and at 1/500. I am slightly taken aback with a couple of things. Compared to the D50 it seems to overexpose quite a bit but also, is not as sharp. That said, when you "downscale" the images to 6mp size, they are sharper than those from d50. I suspect some of grain you see here is due to my JPEG resampling. That said, It feels sturdier and the shutter release sounds "chunkier" and better than the relatively limp noise from the d50. Oh and, with the 11 are autofocus and my Sigma 70-200 2.8 I only had ONE miss out of 112 shots. Anyway, enough of that...

Oct 21, 2006, 9:48 PM	#2
JohnG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 8,529	Yeah, the mist and haze was working against you here. The focus looks a bit off in most - the 2nd to last being the perfect example - the trailing player is more in-focus. Did you apply any USM to these? If not, it and some contrast will definitely give these a boost. I really like the concept in #1. #5 header was timed very well - just the softness issue. Your instincts are good on a number of shots but the timing is a split second early or late. I think given the shooting conditions you did a good job. Hopefully you'll get some decent weather to shoot in soon! Keep shootin'

Oct 22, 2006, 2:46 AM	#3
StevenC Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 218	Cheers john. Im still getting used to the 11 area AF of the D80, which is so accurate combined with the HSM lens. I might try it on the "wide" 7 area setting that I am more used to and see if it makes a difference. I'm unsure what you mean by USM? I've ran them through levels and sharpened (+1) in psp and resized, that's all.

Oct 22, 2006, 9:48 AM	#4
JohnG Moderator Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 8,529	Steven, USM in this instance stands for Unsharp Mask. PSP should have an Unsharp Mask feature. The results are usually a lot more affective than a normal sharpening feature because you have more control over how the sharpening takes place. Do some searches on it and you should turn up some good info. I'm out of town right now so I can't remember what values I typically use - when I get back in town I'll try and remember to post them. It's at least a start - you'll need to find values that you prefer.

Oct 22, 2006, 1:11 PM	#5
StevenC Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 218	Ah yes, unsharp mask. PSP does indeed have it. I need to do some research with what sort of values and ratios to use as Im not entirely sure which does what. Must read the fookin manual.

Oct 22, 2006, 6:26 PM	#6
Mark1616 Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 7,451	With USM I would go for 1, between 80 and 130 depending on size and if printing or for screen, 0 (I can't remember the 3 fields in USM but just follow that order and you will see some good results). If a shot is more soft then you can take the first one to 1.5 or 2 (this I know is the radius without looking) but watch out for a lot of increased noise. The best thing to do is have a play. As for the over exposure I would just check that you are on the correct metering mode and have not switched to spot or centre weighted (not saying you can't use these as depending on the subject I will sometimes use them, but just be aware this could be the difference).

Oct 23, 2006, 3:44 AM	#7
StevenC Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 218	Ah ok, thanks. I'll give that a bash next time. It was overcast and I'll admit alot of the time I was doing manual exposure using the in camera meter. The changing weather and skies i.e. sun breaking through every now and then, didnt seem to make much of a difference it just seems that the images are brighter, much brighter, than my d50.

Oct 23, 2006, 3:54 AM	#8
Mark1616 Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 7,451	That's cool. I wouldnot go for manualmeetering in a situation where you can't control the light levels as even small changes that the eye can't see will throw out your exposure. I usually use evaluative meetering or centre weighted (make sure if using centre weighted you use the centre focus point otherwise it will not meter on your subject). Hope this helps.

Oct 24, 2006, 4:36 PM	#9
Tamsfam Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 60	Mark, Heres a qusetion for you....in reading your post you mention that you use center focus. Do you use that for most of your soccer photos too? Just wondering as I seem to flip between that and all points when shooting football. I wonder if that is why some of my shots are soft..... Thoughts??

Oct 24, 2006, 4:41 PM	#10
StevenC Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 218	I always use centre when shooting sports, infact normally! Using "all" or '"auto" is a recipe for disaster imo if one of them falls on the background and it focuses on that then you've missed the shot completely. If I need to compose differently then I'll hold the af lock button and re-compose.