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  #16  
Old 01-11-2005, 01:24 PM
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Shane,

I'm looking at the photo and have some more questions.

Is the flash turned off?

Can you set the exposure to +1? (All that white background really throws off the meter.)

Like Coop said, try a more neutral background. My photo is the back of my old demin shirt.

Just some ideas,

Steve


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  #17  
Old 01-11-2005, 01:36 PM
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Shane,

I looked up your camera to see the features. Here's some ideas:

1. set the ISO to 64 or 100
2. use the white balance custom (check the manual on how to set it)
3. use exposure bracketing for .3, .5 , and 1
4. make sure the flash is off
5. metering mode set to multi-segment
6. use aperture priority mode and set to 5.6 (about)
7. set quality to fine (use the computer to reduce the pic size)
8. color mode natural
9. sharpness normal
10. contrast normal
11. filter off


After you try a few with those settings you can play one at a time. But number 2 is a must and you have to set it per the manual. #3 can make huge differences.

Hope that helps, buddy.

Steve


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  #18  
Old 01-11-2005, 01:42 PM
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Steve, with the shipping it probably came out to about $250. Shane, Steve gave some great tips about your camera, but I'm wondering about the multi-segment metering, maybe also try the spot metering, with the actual knife being the "spot"? I guess though getting a reading of all areas is the better way to go, but I'd try both. Just hang in there with us, we'll have you all screwed up!


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  #19  
Old 01-11-2005, 01:52 PM
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Robert, I too thought about spot metering. But the spot might be small. One time on the blade the next on the wood. I just figured averaging and exposure bracketing would work out. Heck I dont' know.

When I first got my A80 all the photos were awful. It just too play time.

Steve


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  #20  
Old 01-11-2005, 02:44 PM
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You guys ROCK ! I told myself that I was going to go home tonight finish up on a sheath for a knife for a fellow forumite then Relax.......To heck with Photography for now.

Well, Looks like im going to be playing with the camera later tonight. Youve resparked my interest.

Thanks for your time and interest in my problem.....I know many people will benefit from this.

Ill keep ya posted

Shane


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  #21  
Old 01-11-2005, 02:53 PM
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That's the neat thing about digital, the photos are free. Go take 300 of something, and one may (or may not) be close to what you want ) Arn't you glad we didn't grow up in the film age (hopeful wishing there)


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  #22  
Old 01-11-2005, 08:40 PM
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I though I show one more shot of something I took with the EZ cube just now. It's one of my antler bowls. I wanted to try and make it appear to float, by blurring out the background. I didn't do as good as I wanted, and had to rely on PSCS to help me some. The floating effect came out pretty good, but I could see some background material in the original. Anyway, I know this isn't knife related (well, except that antlers and mesquite are used on knives), but wanted to show what the cube can do.


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  #23  
Old 01-11-2005, 11:00 PM
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Robert, Thats a cool looking piece....Nice photo also.

Ok.......Had a little time waiting for a sheath to dry so I decided to shoot some pics. Took all the advice given, shot some pics, mixed it up a little and thanks to you guys, Its begining to improve. Steve, In following your steps there, the only thing I did different was the ISO was at 200. I tried it at several but it came out best at 200. The lighting seems to be better, Better shots are being taken.

This is a knife I just finished recently called "The River". If youve ever played Texas holdem .....thats where it came from. I shot this knife on some Camo background and this brighter background and it turned out fairly nice......I think ?

Obviously theres huge amounts of improvement that needs to take place so feel free to critique away.

Not the best backdrop setup or position of the knife but just wanted to mainly show the improvements of brightness from the original pics.

Now, In PS7 all im doing is cropping, image size, auto adjust curves....any other suggestions that might help ?

Shane



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Last edited by SKIVIE; 01-11-2005 at 11:02 PM.
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  #24  
Old 01-12-2005, 09:07 AM
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Shane, that's starting to look good there! Let me study it some.


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  #25  
Old 01-12-2005, 09:19 AM
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Shane, at this point, I'm out, and we need to hear from the Experts, Terrill/and or Coop. There's not anything else I could suggest, yet I think you may be able to still work with it some. Beyond my ideas now ) It's really beginning to look nice though. The work you put in last night is really showing. That's about 99% of this photography thing, and it's been said before, most recently by Buddy, "have patience".


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  #26  
Old 01-12-2005, 10:21 AM
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I have to thank all of you that have contributed to this subject, beginning with Coop. I'm in the same boat as Shane is. I've got the knives, I found a website, and I thought the photos would be the easy part! Looks like I've got to build one of those tents and get up close and personal with a digital camera. Thanks to all you guys for your comments as it does help those of us that are too much in a fog to know what to ask.--Dan


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  #27  
Old 01-12-2005, 10:42 AM
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Shane,

Now you're rockin'.

The ISO setting is like ISO for film. The lower the number you set it to, the less grainy the picture. But it also means the more open (f stop) your lens needs to be, and that means the less depth of field. (Parts of the photo in focus.)

So at 200, your camera is expecting less light and the plain areas on the photo might have more grain. However, you're probably getting more depth of field and that's making you happier.

Next I suggest you start working on the focus. I'm guessing your in auto-focus mode. With that background the camera is focusing on that. With the limited light for our home setups, there isn't enough depth of field to make that blade sharp. You're going to have to manually focus that baby.

If you look close the deck of cards are in focus and the knife is fuzzy. What can also help is setting the camera at wide angle (not completely wide cause lens aren't at their best, so go wide angle, zoom in just a wee little bit) Now move the camera to frame it in.

Now for lighting. You have some serious hot spots there. I suggest you move your lights back ways or point the lights away from the knife and reflect the light back on it with a white poster board.

-----------------------------------------
Sorry if I'm wrong on any of this, I'm just a hobby guy trying to help.

Steve


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  #28  
Old 01-12-2005, 11:01 AM
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Wow, we need to put Steve in the Terrill/Coop list of experts! Those are great observations. I think we're all beginning to learn here, this is a great excersize.


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  #29  
Old 01-12-2005, 11:58 AM
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Robert, I couldnt agree more.....

Dan, I figured out my main problem was "afraid to mess with my camera settings". These guys have pushed me to do so and the results are starting to show a little.

Steve, I will try your advise there to see what happens. Makes perfect sense.

Ive got to tell you though......My camera eats batteries in a TERRIBLE way. I ran to Radio Shack last night and purchased the AC adaptor and ooooooohhhh, Much nicer.

More results to come..............

Shane


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  #30  
Old 01-12-2005, 12:24 PM
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Robert, don't EVEN put me in their camp! Those guys really know their stuff. I used be be a serious photo buff, but not professional my any means. So I just learn to get by without any high priced stuff.

Shane, you have to get rechargeables. The Everyready 2300 mha batteries with charger are only about $15. Not only can you re-use them, but they last longer than alkaline.

I'm having as much fun with your photo's as you are, so please keep posting!

Steve


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