DSLR 101

[ebiggs1]

Here is a sample of RAW and how it can help make your photos better. 

Normal RAW exposure.

Normal exposure jpg.  They look pretty close because you are looking at a computer monitor.  The RAW has been converted to jpg in post.  The original jpg was done by the camera, a 1Ds Mk III in this case.

However, suspose you got something wrong. In this case I under exposed it by 3 stops.  But it could be any condition.  WB, color balance, saturation, and on and on, etc.

Corrected RAW.

Corrected jpg.  But below lets look a little closer.

Especially check the shadows. Can you see the difference?  Need a better look?  OK, here is a 100% crop of that enlargment.

It should be blantly obivious that RAW is the way to go.  All else was equal. Same camera. Same lens. Same time of day. Same, same!

Get Lightroom................

[ebiggs1]

"In any event I would like to continue with RAW no matter.  I think it's something I should know how to use, whether I use it now or later.   But as of now I see no reason not to use it.  It's a little more time consuming saving my pics to my Pc.  Otherwise not a problem."

First it is no more 'time consuming' to use RAW.  The conversion is automatic and if you do no editing there is no difference.  That is the beauty of it.

Lightroom, Photoshp and Photoshop Elements are all different programs.  PS and PSE do some of the same things but not everything.  So does LR and even DPP.  And there are some more besides just these.  Plus you can make use of all of them at times because their approch is different.  There are even free ones out there that don't cost you a cent.

But you need to pull back on the reins a bit, Kareem.  You need to decide what you want exaclty. This will determine which lens and which software is best for you.  Not the best for me.  If you don't stop and consider this, you are going to waste a lot of time and money. I may have jumped the gun a bit judging your needs and requirements.  I may have been in error.  I need you to decide and tell me.

You need to be honest and truly say, I see a difference in the photos so I want RAW.  And I want whatever it takes (learning) to process RAW files.  You need to say I want to shoot photos of people, wildlife and landscapes, or whatever, and aim your gear toward that goal.

You may need a better monitor?  I don't know.  But if you are on a laptop, heaven forbid, I know you need a better monitor.  If so, right now that is more important than a new lens or Lightroom or PSE.

[jazzman1]

First it is no more 'time consuming' to use RAW.  The conversion is automatic and if you do no editing there is no difference.  That is the beauty of it

As I said, I will do RAW, no problem.

Lightroom, You need to be honest and truly say, I see a difference in the photos so I want RAW.  And I want whatever it takes (learning) to process RAW files.  You need to say I want to shoot photos of people, wildlife and landscapes, or whatever, and aim your gear toward that goal.Photoshp and Photoshop Elements are all different programs.  PS and PSE do some of the same things but not everything.  So does LR and even DPP.  And there are some more besides just these.  Plus you can make use of all of them at times because their approch is different.  There are even free ones out there that don't cost you a cent

I had some free programs such as Gimp2 and others that I uninstalled after using my Canon programs.   Besides DPP, I have Canon Picture Style Editor, Photo Stich, and Image Browser.  Don't know what each does or if I should use them.  Most programs I find just duplicate the features of the others.  Gimp was too hard to learn, seemed complicated as is most of the free programs.   They are not user friendly as the paid programs.  Most don't have very good help files, nor user guides.  Same with free video editing programs.  I tried free ones but ended up buying a few.

But you need to pull back on the reins a bit, Kareem.  You need to decide what you want exaclty. This will determine which lens and which software is best for you.  Not the best for me.  If you don't stop and consider this, you are going to waste a lot of time and money. I may have jumped the gun a bit judging your needs and requirements.  I may have been in error.  I need you to decide and tell me

I know what I want, I already told you so.  I want to do landscape, wildlife, people, street photo's, historic sites and buildings, and scenic shots, for now   Later I may start a part time business and do portrets, sports, weddings, graduations, and other social events.  That's after I'm good enough.   But that's my plan, don't you remember???  Right now I'll shoot whatever I can just to practice.

You need to be honest and truly say, I see a difference in the photos so I want RAW.  And I want whatever it takes (learning) to process RAW files.  You need to say I want to shoot photos of people, wildlife and landscapes, or whatever, and aim your gear toward that goal

Biggs I've said this already.  I see the defects in the pic...I did'nt know that's what you were referring to.  I see stuff like that in my own pics from time to time, and mine are jpg.  That's why I asked you to tell me exactly.  What more do you want me to say????     RAW ain't that big a deal for me to do.  What's the problem now????   I've told you what I want to shoot above.  I just want to know is the 4 lense I will have after I get the next ones will be enough for what I want to do????

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You may need a better monitor?  I don't know.  But if you are on a laptop, heaven forbid, I know you need a better monitor.  If so, right now that is more important than a new lens or Lightroom or PSE

This may be a problem, cause my best 2 i7 Pc's are laptops.  That would mean replacing both.  The cost of a new laptop with the same specs is more than the cost of the next lens I'll get.   My 2 desktops I don't think have a fast enough processor, though they do have 8gb Ram.  Both have intel i3 proc.  I guess I could get out board monitors and hook them up to my monitors.  But what a cluttered space it'll make.  I would have to upgrade my grafic card on the desktops.  Boy oh boy.  It must be nice Biggs to be able do what you do...really really nice.

[ebiggs1]

I feel as if I have pushed you into RAW.  I did/do not feel like it is your decission.  I will do as you say now.  It is your decission.

Ok let's move on.

"Gimp was too hard to learn, seemed complicated as is most of the free programs."

This is a problem. I grant you Gimpshop is not as user friendly as PS but not by much.  LR is going to have a learning curve too.  As will all the software you will need.  A person that has the goals you do will need Lightroom and you will also probably need Photoshop.  You understand this?  You said..........

" Later I may start a part time business and do portrets, sports, weddings, graduations, and other social events"

"Both have intel i3 proc."

This will run Lightroom.

"This may be a problem, cause my best 2 i7 Pc's are laptops"

And it is a problem.  I know of nobody in the business that uses a laptop for editing work they are going to sell.  But you only need to get a good monitor. You can still use the laptops.  Why do you need two just alike?

"It must be nice Biggs to be able do what you do.."

Get ready, my friend Kareem, as this is only the beginning!   If you are going to be successful at what you just stated you told me you want to accomplish.  Just the start.........................................

[jazzman1]

You said:

"Gimp was too hard to learn, seemed complicated as is most of the free programs."

This is a problem. I grant you Gimpshop is not as user friendly as PS but not by much.  LR is going to have a learning curve too.  As will all the software you will need.  A person that has the goals you do will need Lightroom and you will also probably need Photoshop.  You understand this?  You said..........

" Later I may start a part time business and do portrets, sports, weddings, graduations, and other social events

I understand my friend.  I'll just have to take things 1 step at a time, as I go.  I will get whatever I need, but at my pace.  I believe in living within my means.  That may mean saving till I have the money to buy.  I won't go into overload on credit cards, though I could, my credit is outstanding.   Later, when I think I know what I need to know, I'd be willing to take out a loan for what I need, for my business.  But not for a hobby.  For a hobby I will save and pay as I go.

You said:

"This may be a problem, cause my best 2 i7 Pc's are laptops"

And it is a problem.  I know of nobody in the business that uses a laptop for editing work they are going to sell.  But you only need to get a good monitor. You can still use the laptops.  Why do you need two just alike?

I used to make video's and I needed 2 desktops to make mulitible copies of DVD"s and CD's for events I recorded.  I have 2 external DVD/CD burners connected to each.  I should have got a high speed duplicator, but my 2 desktops allowed me to do work on both at the same time, doing my work much faster than I could with only 1 desktop.  My laptops are more recent purchases for personal use.    I have a 15", and a 17"....intel  i7 laptops, one upstairs, and one downstairs.  My desktops were for  heavy duty purposes.  Even though my desktops only have intel i3 processors, they can handle far more intensive work loads, much faster than my intel i7 laptops.  It's just how they make Pc's.  Everything being equal, a desktop will out perform a laptop.....and many times even if the laptop is higher powered.  I also have an 11" netbook that I only use for traval.

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You said:

t must be nice Biggs to be able do what you do.."

Get ready, my friend Kareem, as this is only the beginning!   If you are going to be successful at what you just stated you told me you want to accomplish.  Just the start.........................................

I'm more than ready...I'm committed.  I just have to learn the things I need to know, do the things I have to do, then leave everything up to the man upstairs to make it all successful.  As long as I do all the things that I need to do.....I believe I'll be successful.   I'm not a dreamer, I'm a doer.  I believe if I put in the work and I'm good at what I do, everything will fall in place.  But if things don't workout as I plan I will still be happy cause I love photography and video's.  But you can't fail if you don't try.  And if we fall, we get backup and try again  (thumbs up)

If I missed anything let me know.

[ebiggs1]

OK, sounds good. I guess we are pretty much done here than?  Until you get LR?

I don't want to start another off topic subject as you don't need any thing to confuse your getting to know DPP at the moment.

But I did get the old 1D out to kinda show you something about pixels.  All pixels are not created equal.  Remember that.

I took the same picture with it and my 1D Mk IV which has a 16MP sensor.  Again a A/B choice.  Do you see a difference?

This kind of 'seeing' is going to become critcal as you progress.  Here is 4MP vs 16MP both with a 70mm lens.

I am not going to tell you which is which.  You choose.  

Now get back to learning DPP. 

[jazzman1]

B on the right looks sharper, better detail, and has more color saturation.  It's a smaller pic but looks better to me.  Hope I'm not wrong but I swear B looks better.  If I'm wrong I need new glasses.

I do know that some pixels are bigger than others.   The pixels in my old Canon SX50 had bigger pixels, and the pics to me look better and sharper, than my newer Canon SX60.... which has more pixels, but the pixels are smaller.  But that's me, many think the pics from the newer SX60 are better, I don't...

[ebiggs1]

"You know Biggs it does take a little longer to convert RAw files to Jpg."

No it does not!  It is the software you are using and the lack of experience.  This will not be the case when/if you switch to Lightroom.

"B on the right looks sharper, better detail, and has more color saturation."

So you are saying 'B' is the 16MP shot?  All I will say is don't bet your life on it.  I am still not going to tell which is which.  What I want to point out is the misunderstanding of pixels.

If you want another challenge, this is film vs digital.  Which is which?  Again I will not tell but I can say there is one very easy way to do so.

Top or bottom?  Which is 35mm film and which is a DSLR?

When you get ready to buy some more lenses, I hope you think about it mpre more than you have.  Focal length is not the only consideration.  Overlap is not the only consideration either.

[jazzman1]

I'll pick the picture on the top.  Seems to have more color saturation.  I'm assuming since the top pic looks better to me...it's the digital.     You know....I know nothing about 35mm, never used it.  And what does "mpre" mean??    And are you saying that all pixels are the same size???   If so, I must not have understood what I read.   I can tell the difference from film and video, but film and digital seems to be much harder to distingish the difference. 

I see now you have'nt used DPP because the process, from what you say is different from PS, or LR.  When I upload my RAW files in DPP, I put my SD card in my reader, and upload the files to the folder I designated in DPP.  Then I change the number of pixels I want, then have to phyiscally hit the button with my mouse to start conversion.  The process in DPP is different from whatever program you're using and is not automatic.  Then I have to wait, maybe 5 minutes for the files to finish converting to Jpg.  Now if you say it's suppose to be automatic...please tell me how that is?????.  Not saying you are wrong, in what you're saying, just that it's not how DPP works with me.

You must have missed my last message about saving my edited pics in DPP.  After I edit, add more color, brighten, maybe sharpen, when I save my edited pics to the distination folder, my pics are reverted back to original, with no changes.  How do I save my pics and keep the edited changes????

[jazzman1]

I made some changes in some pics with color, sharpness, brightness, etc, in DPP.  But when I save and import them where I want them, my changes are not in the pic, they've reverted back to original.  How do I make chages and make the change permanate in my pics????

[ebiggs1]

"How do I make chages and make the change permanate in my pics????"

You do know that F1 brings up the 'Help' screen?  It will walk you through each step.  Which is what I would type here so you may as well read it from your own computer.