Category: Photo Techniques

Crop or cram? Pixel density versus the big view…

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The Alpha 900 offers an unrivalled view through its 100% prism finder. The extra brightness, as well as the size and clarity, make most subjects far easier to photograph well. For some users, however, the full frame camera brings a disadvantage in terms of reach and resolution. You need lenses 50% longer (and thus twice the size, and four times the cost!) to fill the frame with the same distant sports and wildlife subjects. I don’t need to remind anyone how popular these two subjects are with amateurs, and sometimes, how important to professionals.
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Cameras (DSLR), DK's ramblings, Equipment Reviews, Lenses - Alpha Mount, Photo Techniques

New skins versus old wine – A350 or A380?

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As the generation of Alpha 200, 300 and 350 reaches early retirement age it may be the time to grab bargains. The new Alpha 230, 330 and 380 have plenty of bonus points to win over new users despite the critical lack of video capture. But the older generation has some very tangible benefits.
The most obvious changes in the ‘Plus-30’ range are the use of a new smaller battery (NP-F50AM) shared with Cyber Shot consumer models, a dual MS ProHG Duo and SD card interface, substantial reduction in weight and size, improved rear LCD screen with auto brightness adjustment (only on the A330 and A380), and a radical overhaul of the graphical user interface to include sample picture tips (pioneered by Nikon).
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Accessories - Minolta/Sony, Cameras (DSLR), DK's ramblings, Flash units, Lenses - Alpha Mount, News, Photo Techniques, Software Reviews

Alpha 330 – future model?

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Latest update May 7th:
Sony Style pages are starting to show this header picture, which shows three new models all sharing an unusual handgrip design and using the new lenses:
lifestyle_dslr_byseries
Note – the new models have handgrip sensors or appear to – maybe the nickel problem has been conquered. Also note the radical shift in position of the front control wheel and shutter release. The A380 is next to the A900, followed by the A330, and then the A230 at the end. All are smaller than the current A200-300 series. The A330 and A380 have what look like Live-View switches next to the prism, the A230 does not. This indicates that the viewing method has not changed, and we will almost certainly not get off-sensor live view or video. This does not rule out some kind of improved 720p LV of the focus screen, combined with electronically switched markings that could be turned off for recording video ‘off the groundglass’.
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Cameras (DSLR), DK's ramblings, Lenses - Alpha Mount, News, Photo Techniques, Software Reviews

Tilt-shift with full frame DSLRs

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After just a short while working with full frame, high resolution DSLRs the need for tilt lenses has really come home to me. Most lenses deliver their best results at fairly wide apertures like f8, it’s easy for detail to begin to look soft and lacking impact if you are forced to stop down to f22 to get everything sharp. Tilt adaptors and tilt lenses solve the problem. This article is repeated here after originally appearing on dPhotoexpert (and similar instrument images, in my first D3X test report for the British Journal).
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Cameras (DSLR), DK's ramblings, Lenses - Alpha Mount, Photo Techniques, Studio

Expodisc white balance with the KM Dynax 5D

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The custom white balance function on the Konica Minolta Dynax 5D could not be quicker to use; turn the left hand top dial to the custom symbol, press the button in the centre of the dial, press the shutter after aiming the camera at your white or grey target. Custom WB is now set until changed with a new reading, or returned to fixed or Auto WB.
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Accessories - 3rd party, Cameras (DSLR), DK's ramblings, Equipment Reviews, Photo Techniques, Troubleshooting

Sony workshops with A900 & dye-sub – UK

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AWARD winning event photographer Keith Trainor – winner of the first ever UK Event Photographer of the Year title in the annual British Professional Photography Awards – hits the road with Sony shortly in the UK to bring a profitable, high energy new line of business to established photo studios and new business entrants.

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Cameras (DSLR), News, Photo Techniques

Alpha 900 HDR bracketing

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The Alpha 900 – and indeed the Alpha 700 with new firmware v4 – offer a three-bracket sequence at a 2 stop interval to enable HDR blending, usually from static tripod-mounted views. At the Edinburgh Alpha 900 launch, I braced myself firmly against an open window, leaning out over the street, and tried an example hand held.

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Cameras (DSLR), DK's ramblings, News, Photo Techniques, Software Reviews

Alpha 900 launch: gala dinner Edinburgh

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Here, for some light relief, is an Alpha 700 + 24-105mm Minolta D documentary on the press dinner thrown for journalists from all the countries of the European region when they gathered in Edinburgh for the Alpha 900 launch!

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Accessories - 3rd party, Cameras (DSLR), DK's ramblings, Lenses - Alpha Mount, News, Photo Techniques, Software Reviews, Uncategorized

Alpha 900 – finder and frames

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It’s not going to be long before we see the Alpha 900, and some cameras are known to be out there on trial in the hands of Sony staff and pre-release testers. I am not one, so rest assured, this is not a leak! What can you expect from the Alpha 900’s full-frame prism finder?

(Note: this post was written in early August – it is now 100% certain that the finder is 100%, and at 0.74X magnification will be – as had been hinted – the largest of all current DSLR finders in apparent visual terms except the EOS 1Ds Mk III which is 0.76X. Comparisons: EOS 5D 0.68X, Nikon D3 0.70X).

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Cameras (DSLR), DK's ramblings, Photo Techniques, Uncategorized

Repairing an image by cloning from another

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MANY photographers habitually use layers from everything. I don’t! In fact, I try to minimise my time spent on post-processing shots for stock library sale, and work very quickly. If it needs complex setup or demands working using layers to be able to go back and change things, I’ve probably already wasted too much time. Here’s an example of an Alpha 700 shot created from two slightly different versions, and how it was done.

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DK's ramblings, Photo Techniques
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