gannet part 2

[humbug]

hi folks,
second attempt at the gannets(see white balance post for first).
used the advice given to good affect i hope.
i'm pleased with the result what do you think?




File Name IMG_0638.CR2
Camera Model Canon EOS 400D DIGITAL
Shooting Date/Time 31/07/2007 15:09:56
Shooting Mode Aperture-Priority AE
Tv( Shutter Speed ) 1/800
Av( Aperture Value ) 6.3
Metering Mode Center-Weighted Average Metering
Exposure Compensation -1
ISO Speed 100
Lens 50.0 - 500.0 mm
Focal Length 363.0 mm
Image Size 3888x2592
Image Quality RAW
Flash Off
White Balance Mode Cloudy
AF Mode AI Servo AF
Picture Style Standard
Sharpness 3
Contrast 0
Saturation 0
Color tone 0
Color Space sRGB
Noise Reduction Off
File Size 8132 KB

[Garden Carpet]

Very nice...well done
jaki

[David Hyde]

Hi Humbug, very nicely captured shot of gannet.
I noticed a couple of things. The exposure appears better with this shot but your camera settings appear exactly the same except for the ISO setting. You shot both images using 1/800sec @ f6.3 (max aperture I guess). The earlier shot was at ISO800 whereas this shot was at ISO100. Despite the 1/800sec the image does not appear sharp. I am guessing, again, that you are hand-holding so I wondered why you altered your ISO setting. You could have achieved the same exposure using 1/1600sec @ ISO200 or 1/3200sec @ ISO400. Also I noticed you have much of your settings at 0 or neutral but your sharpness set at 3. If you have Photoshop or similar for post-processing I would do all your sharpening there and would set in-camera sharpening to neutral. You are shooting RAW so the chances are the software in your computer is much more sophisticated than the camera software.
David

[glsammy]

I agree entirely with David. Shutter speed is essential with these types of shots, if your after the cleanest and sharpest image. With these cameras there's really little need to go below ISO 400, unless there's too much light. Definitely turn that in camera sharpening off, it ruins any chance you have to make your own more subtle adjustments later.
I'm not saying your shot is poor, it isn't, but it could have been even better!

This shot was at Bempton, with a shutter speed of 1/4000 sec @ F8.0. ISO 400.

[humbug]

Hi Humbug, very nicely captured shot of gannet.
I noticed a couple of things. The exposure appears better with this shot but your camera settings appear exactly the same except for the ISO setting. You shot both images using 1/800sec @ f6.3 (max aperture I guess). The earlier shot was at ISO800 whereas this shot was at ISO100. Despite the 1/800sec the image does not appear sharp. I am guessing, again, that you are hand-holding so I wondered why you altered your ISO setting. You could have achieved the same exposure using 1/1600sec @ ISO200 or 1/3200sec @ ISO400. Also I noticed you have much of your settings at 0 or neutral but your sharpness set at 3. If you have Photoshop or similar for post-processing I would do all your sharpening there and would set in-camera sharpening to neutral. You are shooting RAW so the chances are the software in your computer is much more sophisticated than the camera software.
David

hi david,
as you will be aware i'm just starting to learn how to use this camera having had many point and shoot cameras in the past, but i'm getting there so all advice is very welcome and helps me try and take a better shot. i was under the impession that a lower iso would produce a crisper image but i guess with digital thats not so important so i will try and use higher settings next time i visit the gannets.
i show the settings on the camera so that you guys and girls can pick up on things that i have done wrong, so the sharpness has now been set to 0 and i will use the computer to do any tinkering that needs done.
thanks again
brian.

I agree entirely with David. Shutter speed is essential with these types of shots, if your after the cleanest and sharpest image. With these cameras there's really little need to go below ISO 400, unless there's too much light. Definitely turn that in camera sharpening off, it ruins any chance you have to make your own more subtle adjustments later.
I'm not saying your shot is poor, it isn't, but it could have been even better!

thanks graham,
now thats the kind of result i should be getting
cheers
brian.

[stephen p]

Just read this thread.
Great advice and brilliant photographs i found my place near lands end to photograph Gannets but have to wait til next year to photograph them properly.

[big bill]

Hi the shots are a big improvement on your previous and if you follow the advise stated by David and Graham you will improve and will end up with images that are sharp and will be proud of keep it up its not easy getting used to a new setup but like they say practice makes perfect keep up the good work

[HowlinWolf]

humbug:

The advantage of shooting RAW files is that corrections such as white balance and sharpening can be made to images after exposure. Any in-camera sharpening is not applied to a RAW file, but is applied to the preview jpeg which is embedded in the RAW image. A RAW file is only what the sensor saw at the moment of exposure and needs post processing to give an acceptable image. In fact, a RAW file has no colour space (eg, RGB, until it is converted using software).

The advice you have been given is good, but you must apply sharpening to the image yourself, as well as colour balance and levels etc. On the other hand, getting good images straight from the camera will require you to make all the necessary settings for sharpness, saturation, white balance etc, and shoot jpegs.

HW

[humbug]

hi guys,
thanks for the comments, i've learnt alot since this was first posted and i'm now getting good results shooting in raw.
the gannets will be back in the spring and i'll be back for some more shots.
cheers
brian.