Lens and filter advice needed + tips
Discussion
Hi all
I have started getting into photography, merely at an amateur level at the moment but looking to get some fantastic shots in the future. I got started by wanting to capture a former railway route, and I was using my Lumia 640 phone. It was okay for what I needed at the time but the colour reproduction was really what one would expect from a camera phone, so I picked up a Fujifilm F660EXR point and shoot.
After taking some photos and sharing them with a few friends and family, my cousin has given me her Lumix DMC GF5, which although it doesn't have as high a pixel count as the Fujifilm, (12.1mp vs 16mp) it does have interchangeable lens and as it is mirrorless it could be quite a capable camera.
Now I am far too amateur and poor to afford state of the art DSLRs, so I wondered if anyone of you fine photographers have any advice, tips, and recommendations on how to get the best shots from the GF5? I am mainly interested in shooting landscapes, buildings and bridges, but am open to other ideas as I progress.
I have started getting into photography, merely at an amateur level at the moment but looking to get some fantastic shots in the future. I got started by wanting to capture a former railway route, and I was using my Lumia 640 phone. It was okay for what I needed at the time but the colour reproduction was really what one would expect from a camera phone, so I picked up a Fujifilm F660EXR point and shoot.
After taking some photos and sharing them with a few friends and family, my cousin has given me her Lumix DMC GF5, which although it doesn't have as high a pixel count as the Fujifilm, (12.1mp vs 16mp) it does have interchangeable lens and as it is mirrorless it could be quite a capable camera.
Now I am far too amateur and poor to afford state of the art DSLRs, so I wondered if anyone of you fine photographers have any advice, tips, and recommendations on how to get the best shots from the GF5? I am mainly interested in shooting landscapes, buildings and bridges, but am open to other ideas as I progress.
As with any camera I'd say that composition and exposure are the first things to get right. The name on the small box you point isn't so important. If you have an eye for a good photo you can take a good photo with anything Gear-wise for your subjects a wide angle lens would be useful.
What lens(s) do you have for the ILC?
As said above, a good photo is about light, composition, timing, creativity, there are mechanics to getting the right exposure and focus but really that is pretty basic stuff to get your head around.
For landscapes you need to put yourself somewhere that you can find a good comp when the light is good then work from there.
As said above, a good photo is about light, composition, timing, creativity, there are mechanics to getting the right exposure and focus but really that is pretty basic stuff to get your head around.
For landscapes you need to put yourself somewhere that you can find a good comp when the light is good then work from there.
Thank you for the advice chaps. I like to think I have a good eye for a good photo, but I know I currently lack finesse so all advice is greatly received.
I currently have the standard 14-42 lens on the ILC, I have no others as yet. Unfortunately due to the weather I haven't been able to go out with it yet, but I plan to see if I can get some good shots of static steam locomotives at Steam in Swindon next week with it. they have just got City of Truro and King George V back from the NRM in York and I wanted to get some good shots before they go back.
I currently have the standard 14-42 lens on the ILC, I have no others as yet. Unfortunately due to the weather I haven't been able to go out with it yet, but I plan to see if I can get some good shots of static steam locomotives at Steam in Swindon next week with it. they have just got City of Truro and King George V back from the NRM in York and I wanted to get some good shots before they go back.
I use CS2, it has all that most people will ever need, and there's no subscription or cloud bks. Save the money for equipment
By 'processing' I don't mean TV commercial stuff, but attending to levels, curves, white balance, cropping, resizing, sharpening, correcting distortion, cloning out things, maybe some layer blending. Just making a potentially good photo into good, or a good one even better. All pretty basic really once you get a feel for it.
By 'processing' I don't mean TV commercial stuff, but attending to levels, curves, white balance, cropping, resizing, sharpening, correcting distortion, cloning out things, maybe some layer blending. Just making a potentially good photo into good, or a good one even better. All pretty basic really once you get a feel for it.
I have played with CS2 (as like you said, none of this Cloud bks and it can be had for free) and I have managed to lighten up a couple of dark shots and have a play with the levels.
What is the difference with shooting in a RAW format compared to JPG? I see that RAW is apparently more able to be manipulated but does one require Lightroom to read it? I haven't had chance to shoot in RAW yet as the weather has been bad so haven't had the GF5 out.
What is the difference with shooting in a RAW format compared to JPG? I see that RAW is apparently more able to be manipulated but does one require Lightroom to read it? I haven't had chance to shoot in RAW yet as the weather has been bad so haven't had the GF5 out.
Essentially RAW is the data straight off the chip, no processing or loss of information. Lots of programmes will open and process RAW files to (usually) JPG, the trick is finding one you like. Starting with RAW allows you to process the file manually to taste rather than relying on the camera's built-in systems - for example (1) Adjust white balance as if it was at the time of shooting, (2) recover highlights to a certain extent, (3) recover shadows whilst controlling noise as much as possible.
However, my advice would be to stay with JPG for now, while you learn the other stuff, and only move to RAW when your eyes get fussy enough to tell you that you need it
However, my advice would be to stay with JPG for now, while you learn the other stuff, and only move to RAW when your eyes get fussy enough to tell you that you need it
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