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DPChallenge Forums >> Side Challenges and Tournaments >> What is your camera REALLY capable of - let's see!
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12/08/2016 10:37:31 PM · #1
Ok. So we have these minimal challenges once in a while here where you're supposed to submit an image that's simply resized and sharpened.

Yeah, that's fine. Do you cringe when you see the ruleset, or do you embrace it and challenge yourself?

Do you really know what your camera can do nowadays? I challenge you to become more familiar with the various settings on your camera. How about standard items that maybe you've overlooked like EV compensation, custom white balance, or that AEL button?

Let's stick to the minimal ruleset with one twist - you can crop if needed.

I'll start with one I entered here earlier this year (I'll try to just shoot new ones for this side challenge from this point forward).



Shot this with the A7II and a m42 Sears 55/1.4 lens. Tripod mounted @ F16 for 2.5 seconds. Camera settings were set to Creative / Black & White, Contrast and Sharpness settings pushed to max level 3.

I'll also make a note to include better details on exact camera settings on shots taken for this side challenge - I hope you can also. Give it a shot! :-)
12/09/2016 02:40:57 AM · #2
I love minimal editing challenges. I enjoyed playing with my Sony for the recent minimal challenge. The D800 doesn't have any scene settings etc, but the Sony does. I used the setting for "sunsets" with most recent minimal free study. Presumably it tweaks the white balance slightly



I'm a strong believer in getting things right in the camera. Minimal challenges push me to really think about what I'm doing
12/09/2016 09:35:07 AM · #3
Truly a side challenge. I'll take it on, but have nothing to share, yet. Perhaps this weekend?
12/09/2016 09:54:11 AM · #4
Great idea. I'll play. I've recently returned to Nikon land, from Sony land, with the D500 so this side challenge will be good for me to get stuck into the camera although I haven't sorted out my lenses yet and only have two. It's also a return to DX from Fulll Frame which goes against the advice of around 99.9% of wedding photographers in the world but never mind that.

One thing I used to enjoy years ago with Nikon is the multiple exposure settings. Would that suit the challenge?
12/09/2016 10:10:57 AM · #5
Originally posted by rooum:

... One thing I used to enjoy years ago with Nikon is the multiple exposure settings. Would that suit the challenge?

Absolutely! Please do.

One of the things I haven't played with yet is the in-camera HDR. Going to try that soon.
12/09/2016 10:54:49 AM · #6
Originally posted by rooum:

Great idea. I'll play. I've recently returned to Nikon land, from Sony land, with the D500 so this side challenge will be good for me to get stuck into the camera although I haven't sorted out my lenses yet and only have two. It's also a return to DX from Fulll Frame which goes against the advice of around 99.9% of wedding photographers in the world but never mind that.

One thing I used to enjoy years ago with Nikon is the multiple exposure settings. Would that suit the challenge?


I was going to ask if it could be considered as an extension to the minimal rules set (which requires only a single shutter click) for this. Since this is about producing a single image out of camera taking full advantage of your camera's features it would be a nice addition.

And as a D500 owner I'll let you know that while you may be bucking the trend form a format perspective, no one else is going to get 200 consecutive frames at 10 fps during the tossing of and battle for the bouquet. ;)
12/09/2016 11:05:16 AM · #7
Originally posted by JakeKurdsjuk:

Originally posted by rooum:

Great idea. I'll play. I've recently returned to Nikon land, from Sony land, with the D500 so this side challenge will be good for me to get stuck into the camera although I haven't sorted out my lenses yet and only have two. It's also a return to DX from Fulll Frame which goes against the advice of around 99.9% of wedding photographers in the world but never mind that.

One thing I used to enjoy years ago with Nikon is the multiple exposure settings. Would that suit the challenge?


I was going to ask if it could be considered as an extension to the minimal rules set (which requires only a single shutter click) for this. Since this is about producing a single image out of camera taking full advantage of your camera's features it would be a nice addition.

And as a D500 owner I'll let you know that while you may be bucking the trend form a format perspective, no one else is going to get 200 consecutive frames at 10 fps during the tossing of and battle for the bouquet. ;)


Ha! Yea, I could probably make a short animation out of that. Plus, the thing practically focuses in the dark which will be very handy. I went with it for the focusing as I fancied something different after both my Sony A7's packed up recently. I figured I was happy with Dx when I used Fuji for a year although I may pick up a D600 if I really miss the super shallow depth of field.
12/09/2016 11:12:24 AM · #8
My Fuji X-T2 arrives Monday so this would be a nice place to start. Count me in.
12/09/2016 01:22:21 PM · #9
Originally posted by salmiakki:

I love minimal editing challenges. I enjoyed playing with my Sony for the recent minimal challenge. The D800 doesn't have any scene settings etc, but the Sony does. I used the setting for "sunsets" with most recent minimal free study. Presumably it tweaks the white balance slightly



I'm a strong believer in getting things right in the camera. Minimal challenges push me to really think about what I'm doing


Sarah Nikon cameras have picture profiles, more or less the same of my A7SII and A6300. When you shoot RAW with both systems you can check in Lightroom and find all the profiles available for Sony and Nikon. I won several ribbons in minimal editing using picture profiles. In the last minimal editing I used video S Log 2 with my A6300 for my red ribbon image. It drammatically improved the dynamic range even if it drained about most of the contrast of the image.
12/09/2016 02:20:16 PM · #10
Originally posted by glad2badad:

I'll start with one I entered here earlier this year (I'll try to just shoot new ones for this side challenge from this point forward).

One of the reasons I chose my camera was its extreme versatility -- it doesn't do anything very well, but it can do almost anything. Not all of these are Minimal, but they do show off the various capabilities ...
Custom White Balance used to simulate color filters to shift colors.
SuperMacro Mode allows it to focus on objects touching the lens.
Add-on close-up lens allows high-magnification from farther away
Camera only goes as wide as 36mm (35mm EQ), and has maximum 15-second exposure, good enough for this ...
With a cheap adapter lens I can get to about 18mm (35mm EQ)
At the telephoto end it goes to 432mm (35mm EQ)
With a very cheap adapter I get to over 800mm (35mm EQ) -- this is the old San Francisco mint from Twin Peaks
Two shots of the same scene -- the Farallon Islands on the horizon are about 38 miles from where I took this in the Oakland hills
One-button instant movie mode allowed me to take the short video from which this composite is derived
Tilt-swivel LCD screen allows unusual framing (e.g. camera resting on sidewalk)
Major downside is horrible low-light performance -- noise is unbearable at ISO 400. However, that makes it easier to create fake grain or star fields.
12/09/2016 03:16:05 PM · #11
Originally posted by rooum:

Originally posted by JakeKurdsjuk:

Originally posted by rooum:

Great idea. I'll play. I've recently returned to Nikon land, from Sony land, with the D500 so this side challenge will be good for me to get stuck into the camera although I haven't sorted out my lenses yet and only have two. It's also a return to DX from Fulll Frame which goes against the advice of around 99.9% of wedding photographers in the world but never mind that.

One thing I used to enjoy years ago with Nikon is the multiple exposure settings. Would that suit the challenge?


I was going to ask if it could be considered as an extension to the minimal rules set (which requires only a single shutter click) for this. Since this is about producing a single image out of camera taking full advantage of your camera's features it would be a nice addition.

And as a D500 owner I'll let you know that while you may be bucking the trend form a format perspective, no one else is going to get 200 consecutive frames at 10 fps during the tossing of and battle for the bouquet. ;)


Ha! Yea, I could probably make a short animation out of that. Plus, the thing practically focuses in the dark which will be very handy. I went with it for the focusing as I fancied something different after both my Sony A7's packed up recently. I figured I was happy with Dx when I used Fuji for a year although I may pick up a D600 if I really miss the super shallow depth of field.


Sigma's making some great, fast DX glass that will make you not even think about it. I've got a D750 and glass already, but it still tempts me. The 18-35mm f1.8 is amazing, and I'm actually afraid to check out the 50-100mm f1.8. It would be the perfect DX portrait lens.
12/09/2016 04:29:40 PM · #12
Originally posted by JakeKurdsjuk:


Sigma's making some great, fast DX glass that will make you not even think about it. I've got a D750 and glass already, but it still tempts me. The 18-35mm f1.8 is amazing, and I'm actually afraid to check out the 50-100mm f1.8. It would be the perfect DX portrait lens.


Yes, i've been doing loads of research on lenses and have looked into those a lot. I'm a bit put off by the many reported autofosus problems on the D500 with those zooms but they do look great optically. I''m still quite interested in some of Art primes though, like the 20mm 1.4 and the new 85mm. I don't mind using Full Frame lenses on DX.

I'm also interested in some of the latest Tamron's. I've got two D500's so the 15-30/2.8 on one and the 45/1.8 and 85/1.8 on the other would suit me fine I think.

Then there is the new Tokina 14-20/2 which is a DX lens and looks good. I need to have the equivalent of around 21mm on a wide zoom really as it's a favourite focal length. The 18-35 wouldn't really be wide enough for me.

Or I may go with a Nikon kit of the 14-24/2.8, 58/1.4 and 105/2DC. I'm going to hire those Nikon lenses and maybe the Sigma 20mm for my next wedding in a few weeks and do some testing and start getting stuff in the spring.

Message edited by author 2016-12-10 16:35:30.
12/11/2016 03:36:52 PM · #13
To get things back on track. Went out with the camera today and did these which I like a lot.

Jpeg's straight out of camera. Multiple Exposure in camera. 'Vivid' setting with high contrast and high clarity and a slight reduction in saturation. I also had Active D-Lighting on High.

Only thing done in post was adding the white border cos I love a white border, me.

(edited to remove images as I thought i'd enter one in a challenge)

Message edited by author 2016-12-14 15:03:07.
12/11/2016 04:28:28 PM · #14
Beautiful set, Clive.
12/11/2016 06:07:48 PM · #15
Originally posted by bvy:

Beautiful set, Clive.

+1. Taken in North Wales?
12/11/2016 07:09:41 PM · #16
That's a cool feature. Looks like texture overlays. I did some experimenting this weekend, but dang, they're not going to be anywhere near as organized as your adventure! :-)
12/11/2016 10:00:11 PM · #17
Ok. Took me a while to reduce my portfolio enough (at 100mb limit) to upload some new photos.

Played around with a couple of picture effects yesterday.

Picture Effects / Illustration High (Fun in a quirky way I guess)
,

Picture Effects / Watercolor (similar to Illustration - not sure that I'd use this much)


Picture Effects / Miniature Middle Horizontal (have used the Miniature effect before - this photo isn't the best application for it)


Picture Effects / High Contrast Mono (have used this before ... probably will use it again)


Picture Effects / Posterization BW (Why?! I don't get what this would be used for. Comes in a color mode also)


I did use the HDR picture effect, but I would like to try it again with a better scene.

12/12/2016 06:44:48 AM · #18
Originally posted by PennyClick:

Originally posted by bvy:

Beautiful set, Clive.

+1. Taken in North Wales?


Thanks for the comments everyone. Someone asked if they were taken with Nikon - yea, with the D500 but I think the multiple exposure is on all recent models. Takes a bit of experimentation with each scene.

Yep, taken in Mid/North Wales. About 5 mins walk from my house.

Message edited by author 2016-12-12 09:37:12.
06/12/2017 07:23:48 AM · #19
Hmmm ... dropped the ball on this thread. May be time to add some photos to it (given the Minimal - what's "legal" conversation).

So ... what can YOUR camera do? :-)
06/12/2017 08:07:23 AM · #20
In camera HDR on moving subject:


(Apologies for using this photo in two threads)

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