Topics

1

Software & Accessories / Video editing software

« on: May 01, 2013, 12:28:26 PM »

Hi,

Looking for guidance from the folks who shoot video. Some months back I bought a video editing software called "VideoPad Video Editor" from NCH software http://www.nchsoftware.com/videopad/index.html. While it works for me, I am looking for other options. I do not do any professional stuff - mostly "documenting" stuff like storytelling sessions or the once in a blue moon hawk fight etc. Nothing that gets me money. But that is not the point. I'd like to know what you guys use on the windows platform. Yup! My name is rpt and I am a windowsaholic!

OK, to the serious stuff. What am I looking for:

• What kind of video shooting do you do? Wedding, Sports, News, BIF, Cheeta sprints - etc.
• What video editing software do you use?
• Why you like your video editing software?
• What are the cons for that software?

I have been using Audacity http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ for sound editing - have converted many LP records (over 50 with another may be 75 or so to go) to digital form using this open source software. I think it is great! It is free and guess what? It never crashed on me! Ever! And mind you I am on the Windows platform! OK, so the question:
Is there any decent open source program for video editing?

I guess this is it. Look forward to your informative responses. I have got many for my questions on this forum.

Thanks in advance

2

Software & Accessories / Topaz DeNoise or other plugin

« on: February 10, 2013, 09:30:50 PM »

Hi,

I find myself shooting a fair amount of photos at and above 8000 ISO. I have been using LR4 to clean the noise but I feel I need a better solution. I saw the demos on the Topaz site and was impressed. I recall Jrista mentioning this plugin. What do you people suggest? Are there other plugins I should look into? Btw, I have a Windows setup so Mac only options are out 

Another thing to consider is that Topaz has a host of plugins that I like. So if I like the DeNoise, I might buy the pack. So if you are suggesting some other company's noise removal tool, I would like to know if they have other plugins that you use.

Thanks in advance.

3

5D MK III Sample Images / Need you to critique this annual calendar

« on: December 29, 2012, 10:08:59 AM »

Hi,

I created an annual calendar with a photo of the Hawk that came visiting on the 16th of December this year. FYI, this is the third version of the calendar and I believe (hope, pray, etc...) that I am done, but I would like you all to give me your thoughts on how the calendar can be improved. I am sure I have missed something... The image is sized to be printed on A3 paper. The noise you see on a 100% view of the image does not show up on the printed copy. An item to note that I have just noticed that the months February and November need to be center alligned and I will do that. Look forward to your inputs.

Thanks in advance.

4

Third Party Manufacturers / What do you use to scan your 35mm negatives?

« on: December 15, 2012, 09:05:56 PM »

I have been scouting around for something to scan my negatives. I find that there are 5 mega pix scanners that are small and handy and then some flat bed scanners. Canon has a 9000F that I liked. However I read some folks say that the plastic attachment that holds the strips breaks off and canon does not carry spares for that! Has anybody used the 9000F? What is your experience?

Also what resolution do you scan at? Scanning at 4800 dpi would produce huge files I thought.

Thanks in advance.

5

Site Information / I want to thank you all...

« on: November 29, 2012, 02:39:30 PM »

Hi,

I would like to thank all of you all. It has been very enlightening and enjoyable communicating on this forum. I have received more than I have given. Hopefully that equation will change - me giving more...

Thanks again.

Rustom

6

Lenses / Believe it or not, 5D3 user misses the 300D reach...

« on: November 27, 2012, 11:30:58 AM »

I miss the reach of my 300D and the 100-400L. With that combination I thought I got 640 mm focal length. Then I bought the 5D3. And the 400 mm seems to be - well, 400 mm! So I decided to get back to Rithmetic. Well, 400 x 1.4 = 560. 5.6 x 1.4 = 7.84! Wow! that is less than f8. And hopefully, Canon will deliver next year - meaning 2013 on f8 focus.

Now There is the Sigma 150-500 that is a f5-6.3!

So the question is, should I get:

• The 1.4x III extender for my 100-400L
• The Sigma 150-500 mm lens. I intend to keep the 100-400L.

What experience do you have on the Canon 100-400L + 1.4x
                           OR
The sigma 150-500 mm Lens

Thanks in advance.

Regards,

Rustom

7

Software & Accessories / Need advise on macro rails and macro extension tubes

« on: November 03, 2012, 06:02:57 AM »

Hi,

I just got my 100L macro lens and realise I need macro extension tubes and macro rails. I shot some six legged creature that was about 1.5mm long! This is the first macro lens I have owned.

Macro extension tubes: I checked out the canon ones. They were ok. I can't get kenko in my city. On eBay I see Zeikos but the cost is 70% of the canon tubes anyway. Any suggestions?

Macro rails: I want those that can adjust the camera position in two directions. Obviously it should be good for the 5D3 + 100L macro + macro tubes. Do you have any suggestions or preferences? I see a Phottix on eBay.
http://www.ebay.in/itm/Phottix-4-Way-Macro-Focusing-Rail-LSD-/271064800548?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_203&hash=item3f1cb89d24#ht_2141wt_802
Not sure how it mounts on a tripod. Mine is 1982 vintage 

8

Site Information / Can we please have a "Top" link with each post in a thread?

« on: October 06, 2012, 09:15:49 AM »

The way I navigate is to log in and use the "Show new replies..." link or the  "Show unread posts..." link. Then I navigate to the first post that interests me. once I am done with that thread, I need to navigate to the top of the page as that is where the "Show new replies..." and "Show unread posts..." links are. Now if every post on the thread had a "Top" link I would click it and be done. I would not have to scroll the slider on my computer.

On the iPad I don't care as if you hit the top of the screen it takes you there.

Could you add this feature to the site please?

Thanks.

Rustom

9

5D MK III Sample Images / Ganapati Festival 2012 in Pune

« on: October 02, 2012, 03:01:40 AM »

The Ganapati festival is celebrated each year in India with great enthusiasm. It was transformed  by Bal Gangadhar Tilak (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bal_Gangadhar_Tilak) around 1893/94 from a private religious festival to one that involved the whole community. Those interested in the history can read stuff provided in the links below (or google...)

The festival is very colorful and I have put up only a few photos here. There are ten at:
http://500px.com/rustom_t/stories/57231/ganapati-festival-2012-in-pune

To see more (200), please visit my flickr page:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rpt_ganapati2012/sets/72157631646804598/

All shot with my trusty 5D3, 24-105 and 600EX-RT (obviously the 600 was used only when needed). Many of the photographs taken in low light were taken at 12800 ISO and edited in Lightroom 4.1.1.

Links to the Ganapati Festival history and notes:
http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/southasia/Culture/Festivals/Ganpati.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ganesh_Chaturthi

The Kasba Ganapati



The Dagdusheth Ganpati



A picture speaks a thousand words



These guys had a play running all the 10 days



It is a street party all day...

10

Software & Accessories / Noise reduction plugin for LR - is there one for Windows?

« on: September 22, 2012, 11:48:30 AM »

I searched the forum with various keywords but could not get an answer there. Hence this post. It is probably me and not the site...

I am looking for noise reduction plugins for LR that are better than LR's NR. I looked up Topaz but unfortunately (woe is me and all that...) I am on Windows! Yes, I am rpt and I am a windows user...

So please advise.

Thanks in advance.

PS: I hate to use the flash - it creates shadows as most of my photographs are impromptu and so I can't set up multiple flashes... (besides I just bought one flash...)

11

5D MK III Sample Images / RoboLIGA - Bot cars play football (soccer to some...)

« on: September 09, 2012, 12:15:55 PM »

A college in my city hosted a 3 day technical symposium called Credenz. One of the events is RoboLIGA - a robotics event where one plays a football tournament between manual bots. I took a few pictures and here they are. This is a sequence of a goal being scored.


Ready? GO!
And the little bot makes a dash for it...
Adjusting for the push
Solid defence
In a real football match, that would have been a foul
The bigger bot maneuvers
Some more maneuvering
Maneuver successful and we are clear!
OK! now begin to take the ball to the goal
The little bot is having difficulty turning! small wheels...
Turn some more
Charge the attacker!
Oops! too slow!
Sprint to the goal...
Oopsie! Bounced off the post...
Does not matter, a quick re-position to score the goal...
[/URL] GOOOOOOOOAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLL!!!!

12

Lenses / Need advise/shared experience on repair of 100-400L

« on: September 05, 2012, 11:14:43 AM »

Hi, so for the last few months I have found that my 100-400 was not focusing like before. So I did the brave thing and gave it to Canon to fix. They tell me that they need to change the focusing assembly and some IS part as well as some channel. The cost of repair is going to be Rs 25000 (about US$470) which is 25% the cost of a new lens in India. Now I love my lens and the cost of repair seems to be such that I think I should go ahead with it. If it was say 50% the cost of a new lens, I would have seriously considered purchasing a new lens. So I probably will repair it but thought I'd look for advise and experience from you all. My questions are:

• Have you faced something like this? I have had this lens for over 6 years and bought it in the grey market.
• Do you think the cost for repair is fair? I am still awaiting a mail from them outlining the details.
• Do you think I should be quizzing them about anything else?

Thanks in advance.

13

5D MK III Sample Images / The College of Engineering, Pune, India

« on: August 07, 2012, 12:16:05 PM »

We have an Engineering College in our city that was started in July 1854 and was then named The Poona Engineering Class and Mechanical School. Today my company was there to hire Engineers who would pass out in the next year. The college has a beautiful old building that has just been restored and I was carrying my 5D3 (surprise, surprise!) so I took a number of photographs that I would like to post. I hope you like them. Many are hand shot at 1/15th and so may be a bit blurry. I have re-sized them to 25% and have done no other edit. Comments are very welcome.


Theodore Cooke the 5th. Principal


List of Principals - 1


List of Principals - 2


The centenary plaque


The main hall - 1


The main hall - 2


Stained Glass Window


Arches - 1


Arches - 2

14

5D MK III Sample Images / Can you identify this insect? I think it is a spider - but then I am an engineer

« on: August 05, 2012, 03:37:36 AM »

Hi all, it stopped raining today and so I took a walk in the garden to see if there were any interesting things to photograph and I saw this little bit of white on a flower bud. I thought it was some dirt and went to pick it up when it moved away from my finger! To give you an indication of the size, it is about a centimeter long. Looks like a spider to me, but then I am an electrical engineer so what do I know about these creatures

Photos taken with my 5D3, 24-105 set at 105 from close range (50 - 75 cm). 1/125, f11, Auto ISO. The spider is brilliant white and in some places I have blown the highlights

I guess it will be my next muse if it stays on that plant

15

5D MK III Sample Images / Flash in animal eyes

« on: July 27, 2012, 11:56:05 PM »

This is my dog. I took the picture this morning with a fill in flash. The eyes stand out as yellow. I have no idea what to do about it. Any advise is welcome. I have done red eye reduction for human eyes but this has got me stumped... Here is the picture: