How much chimping?

[MazerRakhm]

Would you say you do, on average?

We all do it, don't hide it, but how much do you do, and is there such a thing as to much chimping? What's your process?

What made me think about this was the football game I attended yesterday afternoon, one of the other photographers basically shot one out of every 5 plays. The others he spent chimping and culling his shots.

I'm not trying to pick a fight, obviously this is the work flow that works for him. Personally I think I would miss to much, and only chimp once in a while to check for exposure and stuff and occasionally to see if I got a particular shot. On the other hand my post time would go a lot faster if I didn't have so many pictures.

[gary88]

I'll admit, I'm an avid chimper. With the tiny XTi viewfinder I usually find myself checking the screen after I take the shot to make sure my composition is just how I wanted it. That's one of the great things about shooting digital, might as well take advantage of it :p

[MJPhotos24]

We all do it, especially if shooting manual to check exposure. Pretty simple rule should be make sure it isn't getting in the way of shooting, which it sounds like it is with this guy. There was a sports shooter video on it some time back, showing a couple pros doing it and missing shots. Rather have extra work later to cull than miss a shot I need. Also depends on sport - baseball a lot of extra time, football not so much.

[Bill Roberts]

I know it's a bit of a joke, but I really don't see anything wrong on chimping. It's only confirming that you're somewhere near on exposure and composition. Far better to find that out when you've got the opportunity to re-take a shot than when you've got home and realise that you screwed it up big time!

Of course I don't do it at all... :lol: :lol: :lol:

cheers

[Merciez]

We all do it, especially if shooting manual to check exposure. Pretty simple rule should be make sure it isn't getting in the way of shooting, which it sounds like it is with this guy. There was a sports shooter video on it some time back, showing a couple pros doing it and missing shots. Rather have extra work later to cull than miss a shot I need. Also depends on sport - baseball a lot of extra time, football not so much.

I agree with MJPhotos, Chimping is fine as long as you don't neglect the chance to capture another image. I shot some field hockey games this past Saturday with constantly changing cloud cover. I was chimping like crazy looking at the historgram. There are two things I try to accomplish when I chimp, 1) is the exposure correct and 2) is the image worth keeping. I try to delete all the crap shots during the idle time to save time when I am at home.

[macroshooter1970]

the screen is there to look at. why is it such a big deal when people look at it? i never do it :)

[JulieNick]

I shoot with the histogram on the lcd. I chimp all of the time, even taking sports shots

[computerguru3190]

Photographers who shot film used light meters, most people these days use the LCD screen. I shoot tethered in studio so I don't chimp then and normally chimp at events only when I know there is a lull and aren't looking around for sideline events. Also when I do group shots outside I like to check people's eyes and such. It takes a minute to do on site and another two hours to reschedule a shoot.

[S.Horton]

Isn't chipming when you find a great shot, then run around going "oooo ooo oooo you've got to see this!"

I don't think of looking at the results and the histogram as anything other than work.

[DDCSD]

Was he a newspaper shooter? If so he was probably just making sure he got a few shots that were "good enough".

[eigga]

The amount of "chimping" I do is directly related to the job I am doing and the lighting involved. Consistent light and I rarley need to look.

Also, If I am working a game for the paper I know I need 5-6 images that tell the story. I edit a lot with the screen, and chimp a lot to make sure I document the plays I might use with the voice recorder. Missing plays to do this is not acceptable for me though.

If I am covering a team for prints sales I dont need to document or chimp as much, take all the pictures and edit later.

[JulieNick]

Isn't chipming when you find a great shot, then run around going "oooo ooo oooo you've got to see this!"

I don't think of looking at the results and the histogram as anything other than work.


That's what I thought chimping meant to. But I was told if you look at your lcd after shooting, then you are chimping. Dunno

[narlus]

We all do it, especially if shooting manual to check exposure.

yep, that's how i use it...i never delete in-camera, just use the histogram as a guide for my exposure settings.

[clarence]

Isn't chipming when you find a great shot, then run around going "oooo ooo oooo you've got to see this!"

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chimping

The term 'chimping' is attributed to Robert Deutsch, a USA Today staff photographer, in September of 1999 when writing a story for the SportsShooter email newsletter.

The phrase is most likely derived from comparison between the sounds and actions some make while reviewing images and those of an excited primate (Oooh! Oooh! Aaah!), or when a photographer is completely absorbed in the act of analysing, admiring or proudly displaying a shot to others.

I don't use the LCD to check composition or to delete shots, but I do like to review sports shots periodically to make sure my shutter speeds are still decent, or if I might need to kick up the ISO. Also comes in handy when dragging the shutter to check foreground/background lighting ratios.

But I'll also admit to chimping in the long car ride home (carpooling with buddies) and doing the whole "ooh ooh aah aah" routine when finding some nice shots.

[Tandem]

For the most part I keep my LCD off to preserve battery power. At the start I take a few test shots for review to determine the "blinkie" threshold. After that I only turn on the LCD to delete a shot or two that I know I missed right before a break.

[Brikwall]

I rarely, with a few minor exceptions (such as checking exposure when shooting manual or recording image numbers for scoring plays), review my images in-camera. I save the "chimping" for when I get home and can review my shots properly in Bridge or DPP.

I also get a perverted delight from responding to questions like "Did you get that shot?" or "Did you get the goal?" by shrugging my shoulders and saying "I dunno... I'll find out when I get home..." Drives some of the chimping fanatics crazy... ;)

[S.Horton]

Wikipedia cited as a source of fact....... Interesting.

[sadler21]

I rarely, with a few minor exceptions (such as checking exposure when shooting manual or recording image numbers for scoring plays), review my images in-camera. I save the "chimping" for when I get home and can review my shots properly in Bridge or DPP.

I also get a perverted delight from responding to questions like "Did you get that shot?" or "Did you get the goal?" by shrugging my shoulders and saying "I dunno... I'll find out when I get home..." Drives some of the chimping fanatics crazy... ;)
Excellent! :D :D

In hockey, other than chiping for exposure before warmups, the only chimping is if Im not driving back from the arena after the game. (Although I wil admit I chimped while messing w/ a Tilt-Shift, more because I had never used one before)

[clarence]

Wikipedia cited as a source of fact....... Interesting.
It was cited as a source of attribution. What's interesting about that?

It happened to coincide with my preconceived notion of "chimping". Do you have additional, contrary, or more definitive information?

[darosk]

2 seconds to glance at the composition and sharpness - then it's back to the next shot.

[whuband]

If something in the camera circuitry dies, how would you know if you don't chimp? Happened to me and I caught it within about 10-15 frames. All the shots after the failure were black--$325 for a new sensor.

[clarence]

The upcoming 1Ds Mark IIII is designed for true Professionals who don't need to chimp...

http://img293.imageshack.us/img293/6244/mark4rw3.jpg

;)

[Brikwall]

Remember the good old days when we'd mail off our Kodachromes and then patiently wait 6-8 weeks before we could chimp...

[MazerRakhm]

Remember the good old days when we'd mail off our Kodachromes and then patiently wait 6-8 weeks before we could chimp...

I don't remember that time, but I bet the Ooh, ooh, ooh's were a lot more interesting for a good shot! :lol:

[JulieNick]

So why the trash button on the new canons?

[S.Horton]

It was cited as a source of attribution. What's interesting about that?

It happened to coincide with my preconceived notion of "chimping". Do you have additional, contrary, or more definitive information?

Do not try to convince me that Wikipedia is an authoritative source.

I think the topic of defining a slang term like chimping is all in good fun, and not at all a serious topic of debate. ;) So, lighten up, have a good day.

[clarence]

Do not try to convince me that Wikipedia is an authoritative source.

Again, I never claimed that wikipedia was an authoritative source... I merely provided the link as a means of attribution.

I apologize if this topic or source was insensitive. I thought it was intended to be whimsical and light-hearted.

If you have a concern about text I pasted, please contribute your corrections or clarifications. If the attributing link I provided was inappropriate, just let me know and I will remove anything that anyone finds objectionable for any reason.

[gromeo]

I use it to quickly record info on a certain shot, especially in football when numbers can be obstructed do to the pile or other players, I then can hear it back in the media room and input the correct caption for that certain play. I have gotten to the point where I can do this and be ready for the next play.

[HuskyKMA]

Once in awhile, to check exposure mainly. Or if I have time to see if I got a particular shot.

The upcoming 1Ds Mark IIII is designed for true Professionals who don't need to chimp...

;)

*cough*

IV

*cough*

[clarence]

*cough*

IV

*cough*

"IIII" made it much easier to clone in PS. ;)

[skywalkerbeth]

what is chimping?

[Dan-o]

what is chimping?

Did you read the thread?

[Frozenfreelance]

My name is Ron and I am a chimpaholic:D Actually it's not that bad. Nothing else to do after a whistle and I attempt to remember image numbers of the good shots. Early newspaper deadlines are to blame for my chimping!!

[shutterbugcrazy]

I just look at the image without a histogram on screen to make sure I got what I was after. Is that chimping? Is it really that big of a deal to see your results before you get to your comp and PS? By looking at the images before I get home I already have an idea which ones were crap and that saves me time for my family. This **** reminds me of elementary school when kids picked on other kids... GROW UP PPL

[shutterbugcrazy]

what is chimping?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NBVCiqEHv7w

[TheSportsGuy]

I'll admit it, I chimp. I do a lot of sports, so most of the time when I chimp, it is to delete "crappy" shots to make more room on my SD card

[danaitch]

I don't do it. Mostly cos I nearly always shoot (US) football and for every second you chimp, there's an image (or series) you've lost the opportunity to shoot.

Sounds a bit 'purist', but it's just a practical view. I'd rather shoot more images than check the ones I've already shot and can do nothing about until post-processing.

But hey, to each their own. I'd never seek to criticise others whose methods may be better than mine. :)

[liam5100]

I do it alot as well, usually checking focus issues or compisition. However nothing makes me madder at myself than when I'm chimping and look up from the lcd to see someone flipping through the air while my camera is pointed at the ground.

[freebird]

Watching Obama celebration the photogs inside would chimp feverishly every shot as they walked down the hallway to the balcony.

I chimp too lol.

Its funny to watch chimpers sometimes. Watch there facial expressions as they chimp. Frown=not good, dance=Who your daddy:D

[snyderman]

Basketball games are perfect for chimping. Shoot when your team is on offense, chimp when they're down at the other end of the court playing defense.

At a HS Varsity game, I'll shoot about 200 pics. I'll quickly chimp out the known bad ones while the team is playing at the far end of the court. From the 100 or so I have left at the end of the night, maybe 50 or so of them are the keepers that are posted to the kids' website.

dave

[chris270]

Basketball games are perfect for chimping. Shoot when your team is on offense, chimp when they're down at the other end of the court playing defense.

At a HS Varsity game, I'll shoot about 200 pics. I'll quickly chimp out the known bad ones while the team is playing at the far end of the court. From the 100 or so I have left at the end of the night, maybe 50 or so of them are the keepers that are posted to the kids' website.

dave
Use a longer lens and shoot defense too, then no excuses. ;)

[trailguy]

In my humble opinion, it is simply common sense to keep a check on the results, if one cares about maintaining settings for good accurate results. From a more personal perspective, it's my business alone how I use my camera and the shots I take or don't take.
I take photos for a local runners / triathlete paper, am constantly moving around for best perspective of competitors and backgrounds, and would lose many shots if I didn't keep and eye on camera settings and results.

[jbrevard]

i'll do it it i shoot a burst of shots checking to see if i got good focus, making sure no i didn't cut anything off then i delete the bads ones. It just saves time instead of deleting the crap on the comp i delete them during all those dang tv timeouts

[Alex007]

I have a 20D with a very small chimpin' screen, but I do check it out every few shots to check the histogram. Other than that, it's usless... I can't wait to upgrade to the 50D and the 3" screen.

alex

[zyphertx]

Use for exposure verification at setup and for culling duds during time outs and half time