Photography

[PathMaster]

Manfrotto MMC3-01

or

Manfrotto MM394

Both are light and perfect for travel. I will most likely grab the first as my camera is just under a pound, so that leaves me over two pound of leeway.

[rifter]

Originally Posted by PathMaster

Manfrotto MMC3-01

or

Manfrotto MM394

Both are light and perfect for travel. I will most likely grab the first as my camera is just under a pound, so that leaves me over two pound of leeway.

I don't have any experience with either. I'd recommend checking a local photography store? See how they shape up. If the price is in the ballpark, buy the monopod there. The MMC3-01 seems a bit better. Shorter when collapsed (but you have FIVE sections to release, instead of 3). If it was me, based on that, I think I'd go for the 3-01. I guess the OTHER concern, is the 3lb capacity... You are pushing it... but even a 5d is only 1.7 lb, and lenses don't weight THAT much. My Tamron 200-500 weighs 2.7. Something to keep in mind... depending on what equipment you will use.

[Dualonymous]

Pic I got of some Bison in Yellowstone.

[PathMaster]

Originally Posted by rifter

I don't have any experience with either. I'd recommend checking a local photography store? See how they shape up. If the price is in the ballpark, buy the monopod there. The MMC3-01 seems a bit better. Shorter when collapsed (but you have FIVE sections to release, instead of 3). If it was me, based on that, I think I'd go for the 3-01. I guess the OTHER concern, is the 3lb capacity... You are pushing it... but even a 5d is only 1.7 lb, and lenses don't weight THAT much. My Tamron 200-500 weighs 2.7. Something to keep in mind... depending on what equipment you will use.

The Fz35 is just under a pound. But weight was my one issue as well. 3.3 pounds is a good amount of camera, but I do decide to upgrade I might come really close to that, which I do not want. Nine pounds seems like a better max weight in that regard.

[rifter]

Originally Posted by digitalErich

I definitely don't need the full suite, but what's the big difference between CS6 and CS6 Extended? I'm not really seeing the difference from the Amazon product pages.

Wow... watching a video on Topaz PhotoFXlab. You can do some pretty AMAZING things with it. It pulls together all the Topaz apps, AND has its own built-in, simplified layers. I have everything... BUT PhotoFX. *sigh*

[Felonous]

I have PhotoFXlab, you may want to wait a bit before picking it up as it came out of the gate very buggy and while they are knocking the bugs out with updates, I still feel like I'm beta testing at this point. I still can't get Lightroom 4 to push a photo to PhotoFXlab and have to manually save the photo from Lightroom and then open it from PhotoFXlab.

But having a stand alone app where I can apply all the Topaz plug-ins AND it has layers that can be blended just like in Photoshop makes it a killer app and has cut my time spent in Photoshop down to a trickle. I only jump to Photoshop for major compositing or the use of content aware fill.

I too use almost the same list of plug-ins as rifter mentioned above, the only one I'd add that was not listed is OneOne's Perfect Photo Suite 6. Of the package of plug-ins that are in there I use the PhotoFrame and Perfect Portrait plug-ins the most.

Originally Posted by Dualshotty23

Fantastic shot Dualshotty, I grew up near Yellowstone and wish I still had close access now that I'm into photography.

[Felonous]

For mono-pod I have the following: Manfrotto 694CX Carbon Fiber 4 Section Monopod and a Manfrotto 498RC2 Ball Head that turns out to be overkill at 17lb rating but I wanted to make sure it could handle a Canon 5D MIII with a telephoto lens.

[Lon Lon Rabbit]

What kind of stuff do all those plug ins do?

I have never felt the need to go beyond the already powerful controls of Lightroom for most editing, and then photoshop does anything else non-standard.

[digitalErich]

I have a stripped down version of Nik Color Efex 4 and it's pretty neat. It's a series of filters that you can apply one at a time or in groups. What defines a filter is kind of hard to explain other than a group of LR settings smushed together in their own "slider" or sliders. The nice thing is you can apply or strengthen/weaken them locally, like a beefed up version of LRs brush/filter tools. The interface is at once very easy to understand and very powerful. It's a well made piece of software.

I think you can download a trial and play around with it, I'd always heard good things and while I've only goofed around with the trial version I have (limited to 25 filters) it seems very cool. I was toying with grabbing the full version until this CS6 deal came up...money might go there instead.

[rifter]

Originally Posted by Felonous

I have PhotoFXlab, you may want to wait a bit before picking it up as it came out of the gate very buggy and while they are knocking the bugs out with updates, I still feel like I'm beta testing at this point. I still can't get Lightroom 4 to push a photo to PhotoFXlab and have to manually save the photo from Lightroom and then open it from PhotoFXlab.

Funny thing... after the presentation, they choose 2 people to give PhotoFXlab to... I was one of them. :-) Still waiting for the code.

Originally Posted by Felonous

I too use almost the same list of plug-ins as rifter mentioned above, the only one I'd add that was not listed is OneOne's Perfect Photo Suite 6. Of the package of plug-ins that are in there I use the PhotoFrame and Perfect Portrait plug-ins the most.

I mentioned it. It was one of the 3 suites I mentioned. Topaz, Nik, and onOne. I use Photoframe from time to time, I have not really figured out portrait. I have not really liked it that much. Resize is the other one, that I don't use much... but it is AMAZING those few times I do need it.

I am lucky. I am going to school, but have a decent job, too... so I can buy plugins at student pricing. :-) A couple of... odd ones, I really like: http://www.redgiantsoftware.com/prod...light-factory/. Very cool lens flares. It's funny to look at them, and see the SAME flares used in movies (Thor was pretty obvious). http://www.filterforge.com/ This is pretty interesting one. I have found far fewer uses for it, but I think PART of the problem, is that it is very powerful, and not overly user friendly. The last two I have, come from http://www.digitalfilmtools.com/index2.htm. Light adds light overlays. Fairly specialized uses. And then Rays. VERY cool, VERY cool for composites (I heard about it from reading Photoshop Compositing Secrets

[civil_dead]

Are there any free plugins you all would recommend for either PS or LR? I'm dipping my toes into that world (I've done everything by trial and error so far and would love to see what presets could do).

[rifter]

Originally Posted by civil_dead

Are there any free plugins you all would recommend for either PS or LR? I'm dipping my toes into that world (I've done everything by trial and error so far and would love to see what presets could do).

*MY* personal favorite, is Topaz Adjust. I also love Topaz Denoise to remove noise. I like the other plugins as well, that are part of the suite.

Nik has Color EFX Pro, which rocks. I use that quite a bit. I use define for removing noise too, it does a really good job, too. I like Topaz a bit more, but if it is more "selective" areas, I prefer define. The Nik bundle, again, rocks.

My third choice, is the onOne suite. Because I like Nik Quite a bit, some of the onOne tools do the same thing as Nik... and I just use Nik. Also, Nik works a little easier. onOne has to be evoked using another method than just a filter.

I think Nik is a LITTLE more universal... but I like the "feel" of adjust, and tend to use that one the most. They all have demos to try for like 14 days. They tend to all have training you can watch, too.

[Exodus]

This isn't at its fullest quality but it doesn't need it either.



She was a great actor.

[Felonous]

Macro Monster


My current rig that I built for shooting macro: Canon EOS 7D, Canon 100mm F2.8L IS, Canon 480EXII, Canon 580EX II, 3 x Pocketwizard Plus II, Cinevate Simplis base plate with handles and universal mounts, 2 x Variable Friction Adjustable Arm and Hot-Shoe Mount by Kamerar, sitting on the Manfrotto 701HDV Pro Fluid Video Mini Head / 438 3/8 Ball Camera Leveler / 3021BPRO Tripod legs.

[Exodus]

Sooo my camera got stolen today.

And thus ends my little foray into this area.

I think I'm going to stick with quick shots.

[Felonous]

Originally Posted by Exodus

Sooo my camera got stolen today.

And thus ends my little foray into this area.

I think I'm going to stick with quick shots.

NOOOOO! So sorry to hear that Exodus. Do you have home owners or renters insurance that might cover the loss? Care to share how/where it was stolen from?

Reminds me, I need to find insurance for my camera gear. Our home owners insurance would cover theft while the gear is in the home but not damage or theft that occurs outside of the home and at least one of my cameras is always with me so it lives just as much in my car as in the house.

[Felonous]

Sunflower


A macro shot of one of the sunflowers blooming in our back yard this year taken with the macro rig I posted above, except not on the tripod. With the Cinevate handles on the rig I'm able to shoot these hand held (though it is so heavy I had to stop after only about 20 minutes of shooting).

[rifter]

Originally Posted by Felonous

NOOOOO! So sorry to hear that Exodus. Do you have home owners or renters insurance that might cover the loss? Care to share how/where it was stolen from?

Reminds me, I need to find insurance for my camera gear. Our home owners insurance would cover theft while the gear is in the home but not damage or theft that occurs outside of the home and at least one of my cameras is always with me so it lives just as much in my car as in the house.

Yea, I was going to mention this, too. I know mine is covered.

Check this out, as well: http://gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com/...tolen-cameras/

[PathMaster]

I grabbed the Manfrotto MMC3-01 for my trip and it worked awesome. Not that there was a huge weight difference, but having something light that I could keep attached to my camera even while the camera was strapped to my neck was awesome.

Took some great photos of the sunrise coming up over the ocean from the top of Mount Washington, NH.

[Felonous]

Pics or it didn't happen!