Just trying out my 40D

Thanks for the tip In2Photos. I do have a 430EX flash but unfortunately the batteries were dead and I did not had time to recharge them. Anyways I amo not sure even if bouncing the light from the ceiling would have mess up the lights on the tree.

So without flash I think my best bet was taking the shot at full aperture f1.2 and ISO 3200, going at 1/200 even if the shot was a bit under exposed. Any opinions on this setting?

And yes, a lot of pics came blurred because of movement of the subject, I left the third pic just cause I like it..hehehe...

PS: I am not sure if there is a school to teach how to decorate a tree but I surely like the way my wife does it. I think is just a way to bribe me to get her expensive Xmas gifts; but that is only a guess

^^ Amen!

HeatherSik wrote in post #4488833
Nice picture.... I agree with the other posters about the softness.. I do have to say, I wish I had that body...

Did you meant the Canon EOS 40D Body or the subject body? LOL

telles75 wrote in post #4492890
Did you meant the Canon EOS 40D Body or the subject body? LOL

HAHAHA, Funny.

Speechless about the subject!!!
(Ok, maybe not... Totally HOT!)

Is it me or does the picture look a little noisy... ISO 1600?
Could just be me..

Yes the original are a bit noisy for ISO 1600 that is why I did not wanted to try going up to ISO 3200. But these re-sized pics are already clean by Neat Image. I think the noise here came from the Unmask filter while I was looking for sharpness.

Keep in mind these shots were taken under low light and that they are my first pics with the 40D; and let's not forget I am just a newbie in the fantastic world of photography

telles75 wrote in post #4492064
Thanks for the tip In2Photos. I do have a 430EX flash but unfortunately the batteries were dead and I did not had time to recharge them. Anyways I amo not sure even if bouncing the light from the ceiling would have mess up the lights on the tree.

So without flash I think my best bet was taking the shot at full aperture f1.2 and ISO 3200, going at 1/200 even if the shot was a bit under exposed. Any opinions on this setting?

And yes, a lot of pics came blurred because of movement of the subject, I left the third pic just cause I like it..hehehe...

PS: I am not sure if there is a school to teach how to decorate a tree but I surely like the way my wife does it. I think is just a way to bribe me to get her expensive Xmas gifts; but that is only a guess

Only shoot wide open at ISO 3200 if you have no other choice. You can use the flash in conjunction with the ambient light and probably produce BETTER results as the flash will illuminate the entire scene while the lights on the tree are bright enough to still expose properly.

Here is a picture of mixed lighting. The lights on the tree are still visible but the flash has nicely lit my subject. EXIF is embedded.

http://www.pbase.com/m​adawson/image/89869400

You will see the the settings used allowed enough light from the tree into the mix, but the flash added enough light to my subject.

Lord_Malone wrote in post #4492034
All wives should take note and learn a lesson from this. Christmas trees should be decorated in an outfit similar to the above, house cleaning duties should be performed wearing a skimpy french maid outfit, the car needs to be washed in halter tops (can be substituted for bikini tops) and daisy duke shorts, and food should be prepared wearing nothing more than an apron, thongs and high heels. Husbands worldwide will be much happier and we will finally achieve world peace.

All husbands should take note and learn a lesson from THIS: Husbands should decorate the tree themselves, clean the house themselves, wash the car themselves, prepare all their meals themselves, get up to take care of the sick kid at 2am themselves, change the dirty diapers when needed, bring their wives home roses everyday for no reason at all, and go to the gym and work out 5 times a week. Wives worldwide would be much happier, much more rested, and be much less emotional. World peace would be achieved because then all wives would actually have the energy to do this for their husbands. Can I hear an AMEN from some of the wives out there?

f8ed4photography wrote in post #4494615
All husbands should take note and learn a lesson from THIS: Husbands should decorate the tree themselves, clean the house themselves, wash the car themselves, prepare all their meals themselves, get up to take care of the sick kid at 2am themselves, change the dirty diapers when needed, bring their wives home roses everyday for no reason at all, and go to the gym and work out 5 times a week. Wives worldwide would be much happier, much more rested, and be much less emotional. World peace would be achieved because then all wives would actually have the energy to do this for their husbands. Can I hear an AMEN from some of the wives out there?

I'm gonna go with what Malone said...............

telles75 wrote in post #4492965
Yes the original are a bit noisy for ISO 1600 that is why I did not wanted to try going up to ISO 3200. But these re-sized pics are already clean by Neat Image. I think the noise here came from the Unmask filter while I was looking for sharpness.

Keep in mind these shots were taken under low light and that they are my first pics with the 40D; and let's not forget I am just a newbie in the fantastic world of photography

It looks like maybe it was compressed and or sharpened before the noise reduction. I have only used Noise Ninja so I dont know how well Neat Image works. Noise Ninja will pretty much take care of any noise at 1600 except in the deep shadows and thats on an older 20D. But you have to run it first. If you sharpen first then you sharpen the noise too. Always sharpen last, and if you still have some noise still try to adjust the threshold to 2 or 3 and it wont sharpen the noise quite so bad. When you know you will be dealing with noise try to expose as far to the right as you can without blowing highlights. You are dealing with trying to keep your shutter speed up so this is obviously harder to do. However you may find that if you have a fairly flat image, without too much shadow, that you could be better off at 3200 exposing up against the right of the histogram than you are shooting at 1600 on the left half. Try it both ways and look at the results.

I really like the pictures though. The poses and theme are outstanding. I even think the lighting is excellent for normal fixed household lighting.

Does Neat Image have noise profiles for certain cameras that you have to load first? If so did you load the proper profile?

I just took all the decorations off my X mas tree so it need re-decorated... Please help!

telles75 wrote in post #4492064
So without flash I think my best bet was taking the shot at full aperture f1.2 and ISO 3200, going at 1/200 even if the shot was a bit under exposed. Any opinions on this setting?

Never underexpose when noise is an issue.

telles75 wrote in post #4491845
Thanks for the feedback. I am always looking to improve my technique and now that I just upgraded to a 40D from a Xti, I am very excited about some of the great features this camera has.

Btw I did focus on the face, but shooting at f1.6 and 1/50 I had a shallow DOF and camera shake. I should have gone all the way to ISO 3200 and dealt with the noise with Neat Image; oh well next time Anyways even if the original pics were a it soft, I fixed it in Photoshop. Too bad 1/50 does not capture movement so I got blurry pics for some very nice poses ...

you may have focused on her face, but the 40D was focusing elsewhere. Smart camera, huh? And I don't blame you for a little camera shake. I probably would have had the camera upside down!

I think they are great.

HeatherSik wrote in post #4488833
.. I do have to say, I wish I had that body...

You and me both sister, some girls have it all

nice photo's telles, to me it looks like focus point was the issue!

f8ed4photography wrote in post #4494615
All husbands should take note and learn a lesson from THIS: Husbands should decorate the tree themselves, clean the house themselves, wash the car themselves, prepare all their meals themselves, get up to take care of the sick kid at 2am themselves, change the dirty diapers when needed, bring their wives home roses everyday for no reason at all, and go to the gym and work out 5 times a week. Wives worldwide would be much happier, much more rested, and be much less emotional. World peace would be achieved because then all wives would actually have the energy to do this for their husbands. Can I hear an AMEN from some of the wives out there?

Um... No way. This is the reason why there's war, misery, poverty and suffering in the world today. You guys drive us nuts!

Lord_Malone wrote in post #4495897
Um... No way. This is the reason why there's war, misery, poverty and suffering in the world today. You guys drive us nuts!

I don't know Malone, I personally think you'd look pretty hot in that outfit while decorating a tree, I'm willing to beat the world would at least stop to give you a glance

Very nice images, the last one appears soft, the lighting is nice and your wife is beautiful. Like the the fun she displays. Have a wonderful Christmas and the best New Year with your 40D!