Photographic Equipment...

[rxpharm]

A few more low light photos, this time with a lens I forgot to mention, the 70-210 mm F4.0 Minolta "Beercan" zoom. It is an older design, but excellent image quality. This is Placido Domingo giving a concert in the Desert as part of a 2007 conference in Abu Dhabi. Shot at F4.0, 1/50 sec, ISO 800, 210 mm.

[rxpharm]

This one is a photo from a show given by a group of Chinese disabled performers. This photo is of a group of deaf female dancers. Shot at F7.1, 1/30 sec, ISO 400, 180 mm.

[rxpharm]

My last "Beercan" low light shot - while not perfectly sharp, sometimes a bit of blur makes the shot better. This is another deaf Chinese dancer. Shot at F8, 1/50 second, ISO 1600, 200 mm.

[rxpharm]

A couple more low light from the 18-70 mm kit lens. Some fireworks from the desert concert. F4, 1/15 sec, ISO 800, 18 mm.

[rxpharm]

A photo of candles from the Thai King's birthday in 2006. F 9, 1/2 sec, ISO 400, 24 mm.

[Looker]

(rxpharm @ Aug. 22 2008,19:26) There is also Corel Paintshop Pro - easier to use than Photoshop, and does all the essential things.

Thanks. Sure will take a look. It costs only 80 USD. Photoshop costs an eye!!

[rxpharm]

And one of my favourite photos, using the 50 mm F 1.7 Minolta prime (fixed focal length) lens. She is Passy and is also featured in the 2008 Ladyboy Fashion Calendar. Shot at F 2, 1/100 sec, ISO 400, 50 mm, with Sony HVL-F56AM flash with the Demb Flip-it diffuser.

[rxpharm]

While I cannot always get good shots in low light with in-body image stabilization, it makes getting that good handheld shot possible. With the 35 mm film SLRs, this would not have been possible. Also the advantages of in-body stabilization means all the lenses you attach are stabilized, even the 3rd party lenses like Tamron and Sigma.

Looker, check out the Sony Alpha A200 if live-view is not a priority for you. It is one of the best values for entry level DSLRs right now. The Alpha A300 is a better choice than the A350 for live view and higher ISO performance.

[Torurot]

Looker, Thanks for the link.. That site uses Geolocate and all the prices are shown in my local currency (with taxes!!). Wonder how they REALLY compare with what a local HK person will get out of Mongkok. Much higher I would expect.

I'm sure there is a SONY photo/camera club in HK. I'll see if I can find the link to it tomorrow. Do you speak the local language/read Chinese?


As for Stephen Lang he is def using a Macro lenses for a number of his shots (flowers/leaves etc)

You do not have to use Photoshop. Lots of OK freeware photo programs. GIMP is one such. I don't have the computer horse power and as such the inclination to muck around with photos. I just take em, and that's how they are. If not as I want I play around until I get what I want IN CAMERA. Good on you guys who play with the computer side of it. How much computer manipulation do you think you might want to do. First thing first, buy camera, (they are ALL pretty damn good) take lots of shots, Experiment.

Great shots Rx!

[Looker]

(Torurot @ Aug. 22 2008,21:23) Looker, Thanks for the link.. That site uses Geolocate and all the prices are shown in my local currency (with taxes!!).  Wonder how they REALLY compare with what a local HK person will get out of Mongkok.  Much higher I would expect.

I'm sure there is a SONY photo/camera club in HK. I'll see if I can find the link to it tomorrow.   Do you speak the local language/read Chinese?  

As for  Stephen Lang  he is def using a Macro lenses for a number of his shots (flowers/leaves etc)

You do not have to use Photoshop. Lots of OK freeware photo programs.  GIMP is one such.   I don't have the computer horse power and as such the inclination to muck around with photos. I just take em, and that's how they are. If not as I want I play around until I get what I want IN CAMERA.  Good on you guys who play with the computer side of it.   How much computer manipulation do you think you might want to do.  First thing first, buy camera, (they are ALL pretty damn good) take lots of shots, Experiment.

Great shots Rx!

I didn't know that, Tourot.
I see prices in HK$ already, and are a bit higher than MongKok prices. But with that shop you get some reward points I understand, so they have to come up from somewhere I guess.
Everybody goes to Mong Kok and I don't think a local can get really better prices than a tourist unless he knows the shop owner, but most shops are sort of chain shops. They are just bound to sell as much as they can to pay for some of highest rent in the world.
You should see the truck unlading boxes upon boxes of cameras ..LOL!
I don't think you see that anywhere else..just amazing.

No, I'm not really fluent in Cantonese. I'm better with Mandarin.

I'm not aware of SONY cameras club in HK.

I've done some photos editing with Picas2..very very easy but not for special effects, just basic adjustments.

[Looker]

(rxpharm @ Aug. 22 2008,20:17) Looker, check out the Sony Alpha A200 if live-view is not a priority for you. It is one of the best values for entry level DSLRs right now. The Alpha A300 is a better choice than the A350 for live view and higher ISO performance.

Yes..check out all of them already:
http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/so...50-review/#dro
No big difference between the 300 and the 350 except for the (probably useless) resolution increase. Not even the 700 has 14.2 MP...wonder why they put it on the 350   and with the 900 coming out soon, I wonder how the 700 will place itself!

The thing I like in the 300-350 is the tilting LCD because I've problem to kneel down. I just hope that tilting screen doesn't come off if overused. I could use the angular viewfinder too actually, which is available for all cameras and even have a low cost version Made in China:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws....ps%3D41

The live view I think it can be useful for the above prysical problem of mine. But 300 has no live view...
Reason why I was also checking the Oly E-3 but I guess I'll have to wait a few years to reach yours and donnnnnny levels   besides it's just too expensive.
Any other DSLR with tilting LCD as you know?

[rxpharm]

Hi Looker, right now only the Sony Alpha A300 and A350 have the tilting live view screens. The other DLSRs with live view have fixed screens.

[Looker]

Right..and both with Live view, right?
There is about 120 USD of difference bewteen the 350 and 300 package. Not sure if just as example getting the the 18-70 zoom only and then see what happens, and getting other lenses later as I will develop the need for individuyal specialities.
Or...getting both the 18-70 and the 55-200 ..no idea!

[rxpharm]

Looker, the 18-70 is ok if you get a good copy. There have been some very good examples of the kit lens and some mediocre ones. You might want a bit more reach for your telephoto zoom and while the 75-300 mm is not the best, it does do reasonably well when stopped down.

However, another good option is to buy the body only (Alpha A300) and get the 18-250 mm Tamron or Sony super zoom lens.

You can save up for better lenses in the future (if you want to move that way). Your earlier posts mentioned the Zeiss lenses, and they have proven to be about the best for DSLRs around. Expensive stuff though!

[Torurot]

Not sure the fascination with live view. It chews up batteries and is hard to see in bright sunlight. It seems to be the new must have for people who are crossing over from point and shoot digitals. I can sure live without it although as Looker points out I have the Anglefinder/Magnifier for Macro pictures.

What I thought was a HK link is probably not.
This site has LOTS of Nikon & Sony stuff

http://masterchong.com/v2....00.html

and from the mother ship http://www.sony.jp/products/Consumer/dslr/