Honolulu POTN Hale

Linkzi wrote in post #5801470
O V E R T I M E ! ! !

im willing to volunteer to be a pilot for the day if you dont want to work that day

Linkzi wrote in post #5800403
Anyone using advanced battery chargers? Maha or La Crosse?

I've been using a Maha MH-C401FS charger for about 4 years now. I use the slow charge mode instead of the fast charge mode...the fast charge mode makes the AA batteries come really hot...don't want to burn down my house.

We have the La Crosse LC-BC700 at work but I don't have much experience with it.

I also have the Rip Van 100 charger that will condition rechargeables by discharging them completely before starting the charging cycle. It's a good charger but can be fussy to use since it has a temp sensor and will shut off the charging cycle if the batteries reach a certain temperature. Different brands of batteries get hotter than others when you charge them and will cause the Rip Van 100 to shut off the charging cycle unless you use a small table fan to keep the batteries cool during charging.

I noticed that battery quality varies quite a bit. I've been using Maha, Panasonic and Sanyo NiMH rechargeables and found they last about 3 years before they won't hold a charge. I tried using other brands like Energizer, Digital Power, Rayovac and some other no-name generic stuff and they don't seem to last as long. I seen some Energizer AA quit holding a charge after less than a year.

I just started using Eneloop NiMH batteries and they seem to work pretty good. They're nice to use since they don't discharge when sitting around...you can use the device you use them in over a longer period of time.

Chris

obycity wrote in post #5801621
Hey guys,
I lurk this forum and thread everyday but I rarely post. Ive really gotten into photography this summer and Im trying to improve on taking great shots like you guys. The only way I can improve is by posting my photos. Ive been playing around with different ways to pp. Been trying to get my wb right. I may have over sharpened.
Here are a couple photos and i would like some CC.

1.

2.

I'm pretty new to DSLRs and digital photography and have no experience with wedding photography, but here are my thoughts:

Think about the backgrounds when you shoot something...the first picture has a very busy background and it's hard to tell what element in the picture is the main subject. You might want to use a bigger aperature next time to blur the background a little more. Or maybe you could desaturate the background colors and raise the saturation/deepen the colors of the flowers in the vase to separate them from the other elements.

The second photo is a little better because the green and pink colors from the vase aren't as obvious in the background, but the background is still very busy.

The photos don't appear to be over-sharpened to me. The colors could have been a little more rich/vibrant though.

Which camera are you using? Your exifs don't have much info in them.

I found this on-line photography tutorial to be helpful. Studying other people's photos that you admire really helps too.

Chris

ryansauce wrote in post #5801932
im willing to volunteer to be a pilot for the day if you dont want to work that day

Thanks for the offer, but would you want You to rescue You? j/k!

Samanax wrote in post #5803069
I've been using a Maha MH-C401FS charger for about 4 years now. I use the slow charge mode instead of the fast charge mode...the fast charge mode makes the AA batteries come really hot...don't want to burn down my house.

We have the La Crosse LC-BC700 at work but I don't have much experience with it.

I also have the Rip Van 100 charger that will condition rechargeables by discharging them completely before starting the charging cycle. It's a good charger but can be fussy to use since it has a temp sensor and will shut off the charging cycle if the batteries reach a certain temperature. Different brands of batteries get hotter than others when you charge them and will cause the Rip Van 100 to shut off the charging cycle unless you use a small table fan to keep the batteries cool during charging.

I noticed that battery quality varies quite a bit. I've been using Maha, Panasonic and Sanyo NiMH rechargeables and found they last about 3 years before they won't hold a charge. I tried using other brands like Energizer, Digital Power, Rayovac and some other no-name generic stuff and they don't seem to last as long. I seen some Energizer AA quit holding a charge after less than a year.

I just started using Eneloop NiMH batteries and they seem to work pretty good. They're nice to use since they don't discharge when sitting around...you can use the device you use them in over a longer period of time.

Chris

Thanks for responding Chris, I just purchased the La Crosse BC-900 to recondition all my batteries. I have the 15-minute charge batteries and never had a problem and been working for years. I bought the La Crosse over the Maha for the smaller size and price. Many been saying the Maha MH-C9000 is better but it's much bigger and it shouldn't make that big of a difference. I'm looking for a good deal on the eneloop batteries, where do you get your stuff?

obycity wrote in post #5801621
Hey guys,
I lurk this forum and thread everyday but I rarely post. Ive really gotten into photography this summer and Im trying to improve on taking great shots like you guys. The only way I can improve is by posting my photos. Ive been playing around with different ways to pp. Been trying to get my wb right. I may have over sharpened.
Here are a couple photos and i would like some CC.

1.

2.

Mahalo,

Coby

Decent photos. May I suggest a setting in the foreground but focus point on the flowers at a lower angle. This will eliminate some of the distractions in the background and parts of the stuff on the table. Shots at standing height look so ordinary.

Thanks for the response.
I just pick me up a 430ex so hoping the flash will help me in lower light. I was using a xti with a sigma 30mm 1.4. Im about to purchase a 40d.

I should have just shot and consentrated more on the flowers but I was in a rush. . All in 3 hours just me and my coworker had to build the bamboo arch, place table centerpieces, and breakdown. Ill have more chances this summer.

Here are more. Kinda out of focus.
1

^^ Those are the better angles. Since your using digital; shoot, refocus, shoot for about 3 shots to increase your odds on focus. Recompose then do the same. Practice Manual settings with your flash at home using ETTL, bouncing flash and play with ISO. Since your using a 30mm I suggest you make some of these: www.abetterbouncecard.​com They work great.

obycity wrote in post #5804137
Thanks for the response.
I just pick me up a 430ex so hoping the flash will help me in lower light. I was using a xti with a sigma 30mm 1.4. Im about to purchase a 40d.

I should have just shot and consentrated more on the flowers but I was in a rush. . All in 3 hours just me and my coworker had to build the bamboo arch, place table centerpieces, and breakdown. Ill have more chances this summer.

Here are more. Kinda out of focus.
1

2

mahalo

coby

These shots aren't too bad. The last one looks a little crooked but thats really minor. They all could use a screen overlay or up on the exposure in lightroom. Yes, a technically good picture has nothing blown out or overly strong shadows, but without highlights and shadows there's no contrast and the image is flat.

One more photo.

Obycity: like wedding pix, always colorful and welcome to critics to improve.
PN: like the shot, but this time the ligh reflection closed to her left eyes on the chick bothers me a lil... also, like how the light fades from left to right...

Note: Anyone shooting this weekend? sat morning going to a family kids bday party, but I haven't touched my gear after cleaned them last Sunday night

Linkzi wrote in post #5803693
Thanks for responding Chris, I just purchased the La Crosse BC-900 to recondition all my batteries. I have the 15-minute charge batteries and never had a problem and been working for years. I bought the La Crosse over the Maha for the smaller size and price. Many been saying the Maha MH-C9000 is better but it's much bigger and it shouldn't make that big of a difference.

Wow, I must have been out of the rechargeable battery loop for longer than I thought...didn't know the chargers have become so advanced. I haven't really looked at anything since I bought the Maha MH-C401FS.

Linkzi wrote in post #5803693
I'm looking for a good deal on the eneloop batteries, where do you get your stuff?

I picked up the Eneloops from Costco last month. It's the set that came with the Sanyo charger...they used to have a set without the charger but I didn't see it...must have sold out.

I bought my Maha charger and batteries from Thomas Distributing.

Chris

obycity wrote in post #5804137
Here are more. Kinda out of focus.
1

2

Are you selecting your own specific focus point or just letting the camera decide for you? In the top photo the chairs are in focus and in the bottom photo the smaller flower arrangement is in focus...with the auto focus system if you're not specifying one of the focus points the camera will just focus on the closest object.

I do like the colors and composition of your photos though...the images are very soothing to look at.

Chris

PocketNinja wrote in post #5805541
One more photo.

did you use blur in PS? Or was the lens blur totally in camera? Nice work as always, but to me it feels a little fake. (Don't take it as me bashing you. i just thought i'd share what i see)

PocketNinja wrote in post #5805541
One more photo.

i like this one alot. the only thing i think i would work on if i took this shot is the skin below her left eye/cheek and chin, and maybe darken the highlighted portion of her nostril or blend it to make the transition from light to dark more gradual.

i think i'd soften the texture of her lips too.

the hair highlights is skillz crazy. makes me want to reach out and touch it to feel the texture that i see in it.

nice work.

Thanks for the comments. All of the photos I do now have the same amount of "fakeness", its like a 3/4 portrait and 1/4 digital art. I used no blurring in photoshop for this one. The photo might look soft on her face since the image is so small, but on print size you can see the detail and pores in her face. I smooth skin then bring the detail back. For the hair light and texture, most of it is created in photoshop but it wouldn't be possible without shooting the photos a certain way..