Discussion
Do we all make use of the maximum resolutions our cameras can kick out? I was just wondering if you have an 8mp camera do you always have it set to that or will do you feel that using half the resolution is more than adequate? Now that I have a couple of bigger CF cards I'm going to be running at full resolution, but other than using more memory up what else will I gain?
consideration should always be to what you are capturing in the camera.. very seldom do I crop after.. if you are using 8 mp why crop down to 3mp.. which will only output to say 5x6?
one of my mentors always used to do his nut when I left space in any image.. and used autofocus.. he said "if you can't focus... get another job!!"
also capture in the highest setting you can therefore preserving as much quality as possible.. preferably uncompressed in RAW if you can.
I use a variety of cameras from very high res to meduim res when the fancy takes me.. I use a mixture of primes and zooms. when using primes if I want to get closer and crop more aggresively.. I walk closer!
the important thing is not to waste space on either celluloid or pixels.. it all counts!
one of my mentors always used to do his nut when I left space in any image.. and used autofocus.. he said "if you can't focus... get another job!!"
also capture in the highest setting you can therefore preserving as much quality as possible.. preferably uncompressed in RAW if you can.
I use a variety of cameras from very high res to meduim res when the fancy takes me.. I use a mixture of primes and zooms. when using primes if I want to get closer and crop more aggresively.. I walk closer!
the important thing is not to waste space on either celluloid or pixels.. it all counts!
That's all very well but I've been shooting film and slide for nearly 30 years (I have a few good shots to show for it) and I'm not aiming for art, payment or publication, I'm recording episodes, events and places that I'm lucky enough to experience in the hope that one day looking back at them might prompt some happy memories.
Although I'll never be a professional arty photographer, I have been paid for photo's I've taken, I've been paid to take photo's, I've even had stuff used in publications but it doesn't alter the fact that I take snapshots. This is my hobby, not my job.
Why should I thoughtfully compose and frame every shot? Why can't I be lazy when shooting or stand where I want and then make the best use of the technology available to later produce results that please me? Not every situation gives you the time to do the David Baily bit. At a kids party, one of them does something funny, quick snap and the good part takes up a quarter of the frame, nice bit of savage cropping later and you've got a great picture.
That's why I shoot at high res, I'm never going to be printing above 8x12, I don't have a photo editor screaming for 30mp, 2mp would probably be OK as most of mine never see paper but I shoot at 6 and that gives me options.
THAT'S what I'd lose shooting at low res.
For the pics above, my wifes aunt wanted a couple of pictures of her dogs as a favour, so I snapped for half an hour, took a hundred shots and she ended up with about a dozen decent at 5x7 which is exactly what she wanted, everybody's happy. Aplogies to the purists that this offends.
(And 3mp will give a bit more than 5x7)
Although I'll never be a professional arty photographer, I have been paid for photo's I've taken, I've been paid to take photo's, I've even had stuff used in publications but it doesn't alter the fact that I take snapshots. This is my hobby, not my job.
Why should I thoughtfully compose and frame every shot? Why can't I be lazy when shooting or stand where I want and then make the best use of the technology available to later produce results that please me? Not every situation gives you the time to do the David Baily bit. At a kids party, one of them does something funny, quick snap and the good part takes up a quarter of the frame, nice bit of savage cropping later and you've got a great picture.
That's why I shoot at high res, I'm never going to be printing above 8x12, I don't have a photo editor screaming for 30mp, 2mp would probably be OK as most of mine never see paper but I shoot at 6 and that gives me options.
THAT'S what I'd lose shooting at low res.
For the pics above, my wifes aunt wanted a couple of pictures of her dogs as a favour, so I snapped for half an hour, took a hundred shots and she ended up with about a dozen decent at 5x7 which is exactly what she wanted, everybody's happy. Aplogies to the purists that this offends.
(And 3mp will give a bit more than 5x7)
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