Lens and filter advice needed + tips

Lens and filter advice needed + tips

Author
Discussion

Zerotonine

Original Poster:

1,171 posts

173 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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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.

Simpo Two

85,149 posts

264 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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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 smile Gear-wise for your subjects a wide angle lens would be useful.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

253 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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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.

Simpo Two

85,149 posts

264 months

Wednesday 25th November 2015
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Oh yeah, and light, forgot that!

Zerotonine

Original Poster:

1,171 posts

173 months

Thursday 26th November 2015
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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.

Simpo Two

85,149 posts

264 months

Thursday 26th November 2015
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Sounds like a good subject. Could suit the monochrome treatment too (post-processing is all part of the digital experience!)

Zerotonine

Original Poster:

1,171 posts

173 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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I am going to be going to college in the new year to study Photoshop so I can get the most out of post-production. I am currently using CS2 but I will be going for CC in the new year. I eventually want to get Adobe accredited so the photo processing will be good practice.

Simpo Two

85,149 posts

264 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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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 smile

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.

Zerotonine

Original Poster:

1,171 posts

173 months

Sunday 29th November 2015
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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.

Simpo Two

85,149 posts

264 months

Sunday 29th November 2015
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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 smile

Zerotonine

Original Poster:

1,171 posts

173 months

Friday 4th December 2015
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Fair enough. I think I will stick to JPEG for now then. Thank you for all your advice so far! Been looking at different lens for it but I think I will work with what I have for now.

RobDickinson

31,343 posts

253 months

Friday 4th December 2015
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Tbh shoot raw and jpg. You can ignore the raw or even delete it later, but you can never get it if you don't save it in the first place.

I hate going back finding a good shot only to see its a jpg