Which digital camera do you have? (1 Viewer)

[Michael D. Bunting]

Rob - great shots! And thanks for the software advice. I actually ordered Adobe Lightroom 1.0 a few minutes ago...I got it from Aamazon for $197 (minus a $50 coupon I already had)...so, for $147~ shipped - figured I couldn't really go wrong...until I start using it anyway

Just a heads up to anyone else thinking about getting Lightroom, it's only going to be $199 until the end of this Month (Apr 30th)....starting May 1st it will be going up to it's intended price of $299. So, now might be the best time to pull the trigger on this software.

Again, thanks Rob - and those shots are beautiful!

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

Rob, excellent photos. Love the almost surreal colors/imagery. I guess the "w-i-d-e" view of the Tokina adds to that near-surrealness as well. Yeah, I'm definitely very tempted. Probably would've gotten it (or some other lens upgrade) already if I didn't have to divert funds (and time) to violins/violas and lessons over the past year or so.

_Man_

 

[Rob Gillespie]

Thanks for the kind comments. As I said in another thread some time back I'm trying to go pro (not with landscapes, though that'd be sweet), so anything I buy will be tax deductable soon anyway. Buying £1k lenses isn't something you do lightly but the two biggies I've got (17-55 and 70-200 VR) get used a lot.

The colours are rich in the first and last aren't they? First one only has very minor contrast adjustments from the raw file but the last one was when I was trying out Lightroom and I think I used the 'Direct Postive' effect on it. It zaps up everything and so while it's a little unearthly it does get the 'wow' from people who see it (well, some of them). It's probably not an effect I'd go for often.

I've never going to make a living doing landscapes - there's a tiny clique of wow-wizards in the UK who have the market cornered - namely Joe Cornish, Charlie Waite and Colin Prior (I've met them all and they're really nice guys but like - gods!), but it'll probably remain as the hobby part of photography for me if I manage to make a go of the wedding and portraits professionally. I love doing it and I love the stupid-o-clock mornings and cold weather that go with the best shots. That last shot above was the best morning of that particular week up in the Highlands and it was just freckin' awesome to be out in the wilderness with conditions like that.

Lightroom is a really nice app but it's got some way to go yet before I'd be happy with it as my primary tool. I'm a beta tester for LR and I know what's coming up, I'm just not allowed to talk about it

 

[Michael D. Bunting]

I'm a beta tester for LR and I know what's coming up, I'm just not allowed to talk about it

Reminds me of my old TiVo beta testing days...

I will ask you this about LR, and if you can't answer it - no problem...

Since the current version is entitled 1.0...will purchasing 1.0 now allow me to get whatever the next release happens to be (1.1 or 2.0 or whatever) for free? Or will these be considered as brand-new releases requiring an upgrade fee or what have you?

This is the most expensive software I have ever purchased (I'm cheap like that!) so I just want to know what I'm getting into as far as upgrades on future releases go.

Thanks

 

[Rob Gillespie]

I honestly don't know the answer to that Mike, but I'd imagine they'll probably follow normal Adobe protocol and make people pay to upgrade to 2.0.

1.0 has only just come out so any version 2.0 is a long way off I would have though.

 

[JohnRice]

BTW Rob, I take it that since I already use Photoshop extensively and never deal with bulk image processing, I really don't have any true need for Lightroom. I had never given it much of a thought, but it appears to me that there is nothing Lightroom can do that Photoshop can't, more that Lightroom can streamline batch processing. Is that right?

 

[Rob Gillespie]

John that's essentially correct. Photoshop can do everything Lightroom can in terms of picture correction, but LR makes the process easier as it's geared towards photographers rather than trying to encompass everyone.

It's also quick - at least the 1.0 on PCs is - and you can get through a bulk set of pictures pretty quickly.

LR also does not touch the original files. It only catalogues changes to the file which it saves in it's own database. Your original files, whether raw, jpg or tif are never altered.

I'm still not decided on it yet.

 

[JohnRice]

Thanks Rob. I'll just stick with Photoshop.

 

[Joe S]

Fuji Finepix S700, not too expensive, takes nice pics, got it this Spring.

Later, I realized I wanted a smaller camera to take with me on my bicycle rides-saw the GE A730 advertised at KMart for $109. Not bad for the price. It's a 7.1M pixel also.

 

[Doug Wallen]

Nikon D50

 

[Paul McElligott]

Canon S60 and Digital Rebel XTi.

 

[Craig S]

Just joined the DSLR movement - Nikon D80 w/ 18-200 Nikkor DX lens (early 50th birthday gift to myself).

 

[DaveB]

Canon 30D
Canon A620 (CHDK/Unlocked -many thanks to HTF's Sam Posten!)

 

[Ray Chuang]

I have a Panasonic DMC-LZ5--it's actually a pretty good camera with decently sharp pictures (thanks to built-in image stabilizer).

 

[Sam Posten]

Craig, how do you like the 18-200? If I somehow managed to get a D300 that would likely be permanently attached to it as a walkabout.

 

[Alf S]

Bringing this thread back from the dead...

We just got the new Panasonic DMC TZ3 and love it....especially love the 10X optical Leica lens zoom and extra wide angle as well....so far it far exceeds our old Canon A620 that our 5 year old dropped this summer.

 

[keithVANhorn]

My current setup is...
- Canon 1dII
- Canon 50 f/1.4
- Canon 17-40L f/4
- Canon 28-105 USM
- Canon 70-200L 2.8 IS
- Canon 580EX flash