That was STEEP. I was wondering if drones would assist in that perspective. That being said, watching someone else's rig doing something difficult is much easier to handle than when you're actually in the cab.
Photography gear and jargon
- Thread starter Mike_H
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It's not too bad, there's a lot steeper in Moab. I like that the drone can be used as a tripod, just put it out there and it'll sit there all day. I should also note by the time I got done videoing that section the drone was giving an overheating warning, it was 105 degrees that day.
I edited that all on my phone using the DJI app just to see how it worked.
There seems to be a lot of cool stuff that I'm excited, to use, just hope I have the time to run through the features. I've been watching some of the POI stuff and just simply looking for stock flight modes and I'm pretty excited.
Not my style but I know the Lensbaby lenses were really popular at one time. In the rare instance I needed to do something with a soft focus feel, I used the old Vaseline-on-a-filter trick. Not true "soft focus" (where high contrast areas remain sharp) but it did add a halo effect to specular highlights and point-sources, which is really more the hallmark of the look. Although I never tried them, there are lots of popular filters, such as the Tiffen Pro-Mist that do essentially the same thing as the Vaseline trick, but without the cleanup
I shoot lots of portraits nowadays. Between sports teams, leagues, seniors, weddings, and more, I certainly don't want to have to constantly touch-up wrinkles and blemishes. Nowadays, lens have gotten ridiculously sharp, Even cheap, "kit lenses" are remarkably sharper than top-tier glass from just a few decades ago. Thankfully, with new hybrid AF modules (ones that use both phase shift and contrast detection like on mirrorless bodies), we can now confidentially shoot at really small DoF's and get natural softening of facial features, while still getting tack sharp eyes. I also use OCF (off camera flash) for almost every portrait session, allowing me to control lighting and hide unflattering skin much more easily.
Not my style but I know the Lensbaby lenses were really popular at one time. In the rare instance I needed to do something with a soft focus feel, I used the old Vaseline-on-a-filter trick. Not true "soft focus" (where high contrast areas remain sharp) but it did add a halo effect to specular highlights and point-sources, which is really more the hallmark of the look. Although I never tried them, there are lots of popular filters, such as the Tiffen Pro-Mist that do essentially the same thing as the Vaseline trick, but without the cleanup
I shoot lots of portraits nowadays. Between sports teams, leagues, seniors, weddings, and more, I certainly don't want to have to constantly touch-up wrinkles and blemishes. Nowadays, lens have gotten ridiculously sharp, Even cheap, "kit lenses" are remarkably sharper than top-tier glass from just a few decades ago. Thankfully, with new hybrid AF modules (ones that use both phase shift and contrast detection like on mirrorless bodies), we can now confidentially shoot at really small DoF's and get natural softening of facial features, while still getting tack sharp eyes. I also use OCF (off camera flash) for almost every portrait session, allowing me to control lighting and hide unflattering skin much more easily.
I just obtained one (soft focus lens). Thing is apparently as rare as hen's teeth, at least here in the US and any US sellers want stupid money for them. Got this one off eBay from Japan - for $220 instead of $600-$900 US sellers want for one. Its an interesting lens, but I haven't had time to really play with it. "Supposedly", they do better than filters or post effects, but I dunno myself.
I never purchased a soft focus lens but I replicated it by lightly smearing some vaseline on a clear lens filter. Easy to swap and you can make it soft as you want simply by adding more lube to the glass. It doesn't take much. Start light.
Are you still shooting Sony? What lens did you find?
I know that there were a handful of OEM "soft focus" lenses back in the day. The only one I ever played with was an older Canon. Be curious to see how the one you got stacks up to a filter/Vaseline trick.
I got the "famed" Minolta 100/2.8 soft focus. I've taken exactly 2 shots with it - but I have a "garden sprite" coming over today, I'll take a few shots of her as she's a photog as well and will be interested. Whether or not its better/same/worse than the Vaselined filter I have no idea. Its "supposed" to be, but that may be justification for buying a lens that was VERY expensive back in the day.
@pc1p - here are some samples I took today of the "garden sprite".
Soft level 0, full sharpness, just as a reg. 100mm lens:
Soft level 1, pretty nice I think:
Soft level 2, also pretty nice, but that setting is pretty close on the dial with #1:
Soft level 3, quite a bit further down the adjustment range to get there, I think its too soft:
Soft level 0, full sharpness, just as a reg. 100mm lens:
Soft level 1, pretty nice I think:
Soft level 2, also pretty nice, but that setting is pretty close on the dial with #1:
Soft level 3, quite a bit further down the adjustment range to get there, I think its too soft:
The loss of focus everywhere does not work for me. They eyes need to be in focus at a minimum. I like using DOF instead.
So you'd like the eyes to be in focus and the rest soft if you're going to "do" soft?
Using DOF for that is tricky - at least for a Tyro like me! Wouldn't that be more of a studio technique where you can take your time and NOTHING moves? The soft effect would be different too - and that's neither good nor bad. Interesting idea, I'll noodle on that for a bit...
Maybe I just don’t like “soft” photography, but if you could pull off both DOF and soft maybe I would like it more.
Here is what I like using DOF that has a soft feel using bokeh
Masterfully done! I'm gonna have to give that a try.
But you're right - "soft" photography has ALWAYS been controversial, even moreso today I think.
Same here… I’m always shooting my f/1.4 and f/1.8 lenses wide open…
Here’s a shot of my daughter, SooC at f/1.8, with my brand new (at the time) and untested 135mm Plena that I picked up just before our trip to Antigua this summer.
I need to do some touch ups in post still, but I’ve loved using this lens all summer for senior sessions, including a bunch with my senior.
Here’s also the same 135mm, but at f/2.8 (I wanted some shots to compare it to my go-to portrait lens, the Z70-200mm):
If you're looking for a rolling photo backpack, here's a review of the one I ended up with. Impressive at the price, even more so since Amazon is blowing them out at 50% off:
This is my first - and most likely last - attempt at "run and gun" videography. I'm not particularly impressed with my results, I might as well have shot the thing with a smartphone!
This is my first - and most likely last - attempt at "run and gun" videography. I'm not particularly impressed with my results, I might as well have shot the thing with a smartphone!
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You have the "photographer's eye", something I'm still figuring out, especially for portraiture. Nice pix!
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