D60 Shot - please comment

[globaluser]

My first shot with D60.
http://www.internet-hawaii.com/photos.html

3 bounced flashes with 420EX's, Canon 22-55mm lens.
Your comments and/or suggestions are welcomed.

jerry

[Hawkeye12]

very well done..........were you using custom WB?
8)

[globaluser]

Thanks for comment. I was using AWB.

[kr-foto]

Nice soft shadows!

How did you put up the flashguns (which position in relation to the subject). This is what i need for location portraits too!

Koen

[globaluser]

This was shot in M mode. I have yet to get E-TTL to work properly. Canon service says E-TTL meters on a specific point for exposer control. Anyway all my pics come out under exposed.
The 3 420EX's where aimed at 60 degree angle at white ceiling (first notch on 420's) fired with ST-E2. Any pics I took with any 420EX aimed directly at subject caused harsh shadow. Two of the flashes where located 3' and 30 degrees from subject. The last 420EX was behind me 7'.

[WalStro]

Everywhere I read there are these complaints about shortcomings of the D60, yet the owners keep claiming its such a great camera. I don't get it.

[globaluser]

I understand your confusion. From what I have read, the E-TTL system is a system very much influenced by what you are taking pictures of. False exposer readings come by focusing on dark or light areas of objects causes the problem. I am not sure I have completely mastered this system. Using the internal flash or not using flash at all, produces great pictures, I am very much pleased with. I think my post was misleading by expressing a problem I have not fully understood. The camera is bit like a woman, not understanding all the parts doesn't mean she is not functioning properly or producing good results. Sorry to added to the confusion, I hope this clarifies.

jerry

[DVWarrior]

WalStro wrote:
Everywhere I read there are these complaints about shortcomings of the D60, yet the owners keep claiming its such a great camera. I don't get it.

You will always find 3 camps with any equipment...the have, the must have and the purists.

The D60 after carefull consideration is a very good 6MP D-SLR in normal working conditions...Some of us have had duff D60s,.. but some of the pictures it was capable of taking are the best for a 6MP D-SLR...also remember most of us are Cannonites which is a strange religion...some of us see Canon and nothing but Canon which in my opinion is unhealthy...think with an open..free mind...

I now think that Canon have better to offer than the D60...a full frame D-SLR less than £3K would be a start.
If indeed you are a photographer you will think quality...from the equipment you buy to the final print.
Today your hard earned £2K will buy a D60, D100, S2 D-SLR which are all good cameras but you could get a Hasselblad for the same money that will still blow all 3 cameras out of the water...you could get a digital back for the Hblad but at £8K....you might just buy the 1Ds.

I personally think that a D-SLR should perform the same or better than a 35mm SLR but if you plum for a D30/60
D100 or S2 you have to convert the lens you buy a factor of 1.6
this means the trusty 50mm has an angle of view equivelent to a 75mm lens I think thats crap and not worth paying £2K but that's my opinion.
This conversion as it's called gets worse when you buy a 20mm lens to find it's got an angle of view of a 30mm lens !!!

D-SLRs are in their infancy and what we have today are very good quality D-SLR with a comprimise...if you can hold off till the technology improves you will get a full frame D-SLR for under £2K...this will allow you to buy the lens of your choice and if it sais 24mm on the lens that's the angle of view you can expect to see.

The chaps and chapets on this site are pioneers and are willing to live with the short commings of todays D-SLRs and as they would say "If you want to take good pics with interchangeble lenses and ride on the back of instant digital technology...you have no option."

[Pekka]

People complain on this kind of forums because it is the only pipeline to others with the same hardware. There is also a vast number of people who do not complain and it is much easier to complain than just write "today D60 had no problems" - human nature works that way.

Complaints like "D60 is soft" is mostly Canon's fault: lens/camera calibration quality assurance has got worse, and they do not provide software that will dig out every last piece of detail from the photos. User-error is sometimes there, as many expect from viewing out-of focus and large aperture narrow DoF photos on a big computer screen similar sharpness as in 8x10 print. Also, owning a digital SLR means you HAVE to dig into Photoshop to get it all out of the photos, many users aren't not just up to that.

Almost all who get a digital camera are fascinated by computers and technology in general, and there is nothing wrong with it and nothing wrong in being interested in what's inside these things and how can it be improved. But many times they do not get the fact that computer inside an SLR does not work for you, it works WITH you. Applying computer knowledge problem solving misses the point which is photography and learning it.

I see some problems in D60 and I also see how much better it is to D30 in some areas. I know there will be a next model and the next, and I know they all will have different problems and bugs. That does not stop me from liking D60 now, and that does not prevent me from selling the D60 (and D30) to get the next new model I can afford. Because I see problems, shortcomings and limitations is current model it is natural to seek a better one.

Canon makes cameras, but they run a business, too. They probably could put out your dream SLR for 3000 bucks now but they will instead add slight improvements gradually year by year so that they gain time innovating new lures for the consumer. Because at the moment you get 15mp full frame SRL with no noise, fast autofocus, dust protection system and great WB you'll jump out of the buying cycle. Of course there are lens markets but I have a feeling that they are not nearly as productive money-wise as latest silicon techology.

[WalStro]

DVWarrior and Pekka, you raise good points.

[rickm]

I guess I'm the only one who thinks that the chickens are out of focus? The rocks in front look sharp, and then the focus falls off fast. Just trying to be constructive mind you.

[globaluser]

That's what I ask for, thanks.

[robertwgross]

WalStro wrote:
Everywhere I read there are these complaints about shortcomings of the D60, yet the owners keep claiming its such a great camera. I don't get it.

I think for just about every decent camera, you will get one group of people who complain and one group of people who don't complain. There is nothing "to get".

Some of the complainers must not have enough to keep them busy.

---Bob Gross---

[GenEOS]

The chicken pic is out of focus the rabbit one looks great...sharp, well control lighting, nice. Try the chicken shot again with the same set up/focus point as the rabbit...

It is a known fact that chickens are hard to fucus on :-).

[globaluser]

Thanks for comments, the chickens was shot later than bunnies. I am not sure I am controling depth of field correctly. Better to have more open more open lens at faster speed or slower speed and less lens open? I think I saw a discussion about shooting food and trying to keep all the food on the plate in focus. Does the "depth of field" button work?

[DAMphyne]

Did anyone ever really answer You're Questions about Your Photos? I have a couple of suggestions that You might try.
1. Try moving Your background a little further back, that way You can use a smaller lens opening to increase Your depth of focus.
2. Move one of your lights behind(to the rear) of your subject, this will help separate the subject from the background, and add depth to the view.
I've done photography for 30 years and agree with the Man who said, Just Enjoy Yourself.
Photography isn't about equiptment, it's about seeing things Your way.
Digital has set me free, in the old days Masters always said "Bracket Your Exposures", Do It, it's free now.
Have Fun

[thewhitenite007]

Nice photos. Really cute. Thats about it though. They are great experiments, the bunnies are a tad bit out of focus. However the other ones are sharp as a knife. Why would you buy the Canon 22 -55mm thats made for the EOS LITE which is an APS camera?

[globaluser]

Thanks for comments, very helpful for newbie...I remember now, Master saying "Grasshopper, bracket your exposer for best results"

[globaluser]

Thanks for comments, very helpful for newbie...I remember now, Master saying "Grasshopper, bracket your exposer for best results"