Videos/Photos in Monterey
Posted by daniel
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I was in monterey this past weekend for my grandfather's 80th birthday, and here is a bit of what i saw.
if your computer can handle it, you can watch these in HD: 360 view <object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="[www.youtube.com] name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="[www.youtube.com]; type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object> seals part 1 <object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="[www.youtube.com] name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="[www.youtube.com]; type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object> seals part 2 <object width="560" height="340"><param name="movie" value="[www.youtube.com] name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="[www.youtube.com]; type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="560" height="340"></embed></object> 
  Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/07/2009 01:18PM by daniel. |
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weird, i had to approve my own message as it was marked as spam.
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last time i share anything with you guys... sheesh.
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thanks. I like to think I have a pretty good eye for setting up well framed shots, and am finally becoming versed in the technical aspects of photography, which makes it easier to take even better photos. I am definitely just an amateur enthusiast, but I wouldn't mind taking and editing photos for a living if it ever came to that. unlikely to happen, though. I'd like to get a dSLR soon, but they are pricey, especially since one must buy the lense(s) also. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/2009 02:25AM by daniel. |
Yeah, I have been tempted to buy a D40 several times. I know megapixels aren't that important for picture quality, but having had a 10MP mega-zoom (27mm-486mm equivalent) Panasonic Lumix for a few months now, I don't think I could go backwards to 6MP with a basic lens, even if the image quality is SLIGHTLY better. I guess I would rather save that $400 and use it towards a D90 or whatever Nikon is about to release this year. Also, after having a camera that shoots 720p video (the Lumix), I definitely want that in my next camera, if not 1080p video. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/11/2009 11:32AM by daniel. |
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Wow, nice footage of the seals Daniel. I have them here, occasionally as we go out of the harbors there will be hordes of them. Its neat to go slow through these colonies, they're fine if you give them room and consideration. Sometimes the babies will be left with sitters (a few grown ups) and when you come too close all hell breaks loose.
Those sitters take their work serious  its so neat though, really being among animals like that in the real... Thanks for sharing those shots, wonderful 
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I was in similar shoes as you once, having a camera that did 32-320, as well as video.
However, a few years ago I plunked down some cash for a Canon 20D and a 70-200L 4.0f, and have NEVER looked back. Okay, scratch that, I do sometimes miss being able to take short video clips as the moment requires. But you have to start thinking about cameras like you do cars. If you want a nice around town car, that gets okay gas mileage, takes a couple kids, handles snow and potholes, and is okay fun wise, than get yourself a suburu legacy or something. If you want a car that does a few of those things, and leaves out others to increase you ability in other areas, than get yourself an E30, or SUV, or minivan 
A DSLR takes photographs, and does it damn well. If you get the right lenses, it will specialize in specific areas. It is not a multi purpose tool, and if you try and use it as one, it will fail. I'm sure if thought about, it makes perfect sense. However there are many people who, understandable, think that a DSLR is like their point and shoot, only better. To keep the car analogy alive, this would be like thinking a corvette is better than a Prius because it costs more. Well, it all depends on your needs. Something that has bugged me for some time now is how people react to a DSLR, and how un-friendly it is. Apparently people think that an SLR camera can see through clothes, or possibly shoot laser beams, because they hide from it. Take out a P&S and everyone jumps in front of the camera. I get asked what paper I work for all the time while using mine in public (with the L lens). My point I think is that it's a completely different beast :-) I use my DSLR for "Photographs", and am looking to pick up a really small nice P&S for "snapshots" or "pictures" (yes, I do distinguish). Anyhoo, if anyone has any questions about photography, I'd be happy to try and answer :teeth: Parting words... Canon Rules, Nikon Drools. ~Tyler ps Daniel, you should probably find a hobby that doesn't parallel my own life. I'm starting to think I have a long lost twin brother or something. |
Heh... I have that same lens, but with a 10D. (I got it fairly cheap when the 20D came out, and everyone was dumping their 10Ds to upgrade.) One of these days, maybe when the kids are out of college, I'll pick up a 20D or 30D as a second body. I've got a few other lenses too, but that L lens is my favorite. My second favorite is my 17-35 wide angle, which I have lots of fun with. If I sold some cars maybe I could afford more camera gear. Or if I sold some camera gear maybe I could afford to to upgrade my cars. As it is, I'm stuck in a deadlock, but I'm happy here. __________ Dave '91 325iX |
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IMHO (and I really mean that) I'd be hard pressed to go with anything other than a Canon 5DMKII. Takes brilliant pictures and shoots some of the best HD video images.....period. Obtaining extremely shallow DOF gives your videos more of a motion picture film look. I almost bought one for doing mostly video. Yes, it's THAT good. Journalists are taking this thing out into the field a lot more now just in case they are in a moment where something is going down and there isn't a film crew in sight. The huge CMOS sensor, paired with the Digic 4 processor, and a lens that brings a lot of light in gives the 5DMKII some of the best low light video footage you can get today in any range of camcorders. The 5D also has an external mic input so if quality sound is important to you you can attach something like a Rode Videomic on top. The Nikon D90 is a decent camera, but a single mono mic source and some of the worst rolling shutter skew ever seen while shooting video absolutely kills it for me.
If you can't tell, I'm more into video than photo.....but I haven't heard too many negatives about the MKII in the photo world either. The only thing I've heard is that if burst shooting is your thing, then the 5D might not work for you because the fps is somewhat low compared to others. You might want to wait for this as well: <object width="500" height="315"><param name="movie" value="[www.youtube.com] name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="[www.youtube.com]; type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="500" height="315"></embed></object> Daniel, I think your photos are pretty good. There's nothing wrong with have a hobby that you take very seriously. Just keep in mind that those who take their hobbies and turn it into paying "work" sometimes end up hating what they're doing and want to quit doing that job/hobby. The only piece of advice I could give is one that photo and video both share, and thats rule of thirds. (if you haven't heard of it already.....) Your framing in the pics are good, but every once in a while mix it up by using rule of thirds. A quick search and I found this to explain further...... Rule of Thirds Anyway, keep up the good work. Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/12/2009 12:27AM by BimmerBrad. |
There is something about Nikon that draws me towards them instead of Canon...I am not sure why. Yes, I am aware that SLRs are not supposed to be multipurpose devices, and one should not expect to have certain features built in, but since they are starting to make SLRs with those features built in, I might as well go for it. I'd rather have one camera that does everything, but takes very good photos, than a camera that doesnt do everything, but takes very good photos. The other feature I am wanting is geotagging. The Nikon D90 has a little attachment for that, while I believe the successor to the D90 will have it built in. I haven't looked into the Canons at all. Did I mention I just bought a Mac?!
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Thanks for the compliments and suggestions, Brad. I wish I could afford a 5D MkII, but the cost is sooooo high that it is out of the question, at least until I am out of school and making lots of money.
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That sony looks pretty sweet, but the Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ28 I currently have is pretty much the same, except it does 720p video instead of 1080p (I don't even know if my video card can handle 1080p), it doesnt have the panoramic sweep feature, or that nifty tilting lens. The next camera I will buy will definitely be a dSLR, and as with any electronic product I buy, it will be after thorough research of all my options.
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i love it. i bought it last fall for $290 on amazon, and it came with a free 4gb SD card (not that those are very expensive, but still. I also bought a 16GB SD card for $35). I have taken some really great photos with it. The panorama software it came with is simple, but very, very good. battery life is great; i bought a second battery but i haven't needed to use it. The menu is a bit funky compared to the intuitive sony menus, but you get used to it. I still don't know what the difference between intelligent ISO and auto ISO is, but i have switched it to a semi-manual mode where I can set the ISO to 100. My only complaints have to do with the video: the audio during video sounds very muffled, almost like the mic is actually being blocked by something (and I promise it isn't my finger). My old Sony DSC-P200 took 640x480 videos with exceptional audio quality. Also, the HD videos are limited to around 10-11 minutes in order to keep each video file under 4GB or whatever, and the only format available is quicktime, which is less versatile than other formats.
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i guess i wasn't very clear by saying quicktime. they are .mov's, which, as you know, the PS3 doesn't support, so i can't easily watch them on my TV if i were to want to do that. i had another reason i can't think of right now, too.
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yeah the ps3 loves mp4's, and now .avi's as well. its nice to copy something to my SD card, pop it in the PS3, and watch it.
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oh hai [www.engadget.com]
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It's probably the fact that Nikon is way better than Canon. 
My wife and I just got a D90. I looked at the 40D, 50D, and D90. I wasn't about to step up to the D300 level, although I was sort of tempted a few times... The D90 has the same sensor and a lot of the same functions, but in a cheaper (and smaller and lighter) plastic body. My serious photog friends -some Nikon, some Canon- all said that you really can't go wrong with either brand, but once you make your choice, you stick with it, because you start collecting lenses. The main difference seems to be that at the way upper top end, the pro Nikon lenses tend to get better reviews than the Canons. For those of us who most likely will never have a lens of that caliber, that fact is irrelevant. Anyway, after reading a ton of reviews (dpreview.com says "After using and testing the D90 extensively, it's hard to think of a better enthusiast-level camera."), talking with a bunch of people, and going to a shop to play with some cameras, we went with the Nikon. I was pretty much told by more than one person that you should really go with whatever is more comfortable to you, if you're not already tied into a brand. I was more attracted to Nikon than Canon and like you, I wasn't really sure why. Anyway, the Canon actually felt better in my hand than the Nikon, but my wife liked the Nikon better, so that was the answer! Since we've had it, I'm getting used to the controls, and I really like it, although I do think the shutter button is better placed for my hands on the Canon. Oh well, I love our camera and have no regrets. We got a 50mm f/1.8 prime lens and originally a Sigma 24-70mm f/2.8. However, I never was comfortable with the Sigma, and I ended up sending it back and replacing it with a Nikon 55-200mm f/4-5.6 VR zoom lens. The smaller aperture of the zoom I have is alright, since we mostly use that outside with plenty of light, and if I want shallow DoF, I use the prime. The Sigma lens took decent pictures, but it was just too heavy and I wasn't comfortable using it. Maybe someday I'll be good enough to really take advantage of a lens like that, but it was likely to sit on a shelf mostly unused for a few years, and I felt I could spend that money better elsewhere. We shoot with the prime lens about 97% of the time. That's basically our "snapshot" lens, because most of what we're doing is taking snapshots of our daughter and dog. The problem is that with the 1.5x factor on the DX format sensor, the 50mm is really a 75mm equivalent, and so it's already a mild telephoto lens, rather than the "normal" lens that a 50mm would be on a 35mm or full-frame format camera. Because of that, I'm thinking of getting the new 35mm f/1.8 lens that Nikon just came out with, that is a 52mm equivalent and would give us a little more wide-angle view for around the house shots. Other than that, I also want the 17-55mm f/2.8 and the 10-24mm f/3.5-4.5. Then I think I'll be all set for a while. Of course, that's just another measly $2500, and I don't really have that just hanging around. Maybe with next year's tax refund... Even though we're hardly very good at what we're doing, shooting with a DSLR has been a revelation compared to our previous P&S cameras. I like to think that someday I'll be taking good pics, and I'm really enjoying getting into it. I have always really liked photography (especially all the cool equipment) but have never really gotten into it. I bought a 35mm SLR about 10 years ago, but was never inspired to do much with it, mostly because of the lack of instant feedback due to having to get the file developed. It just wasn't very fun for me. With the DSLR, it's been a blast so far. Here are a couple of example shots: "Snapshot" mode: 
I love how it captures the bubbles floating in the air, but the background is nicely out of focus. 
Some that I've been trying to be a little more "artsy" with: 
I know they're not very good, but I'm trying to keep track of what I'm doing so that I can learn and get better. I started a blog where I've been putting a few more shots, if you're interested. Hopefully my interest level will keep up and I'll continue to update it fairly frequently.
When I was shopping, Live View was very important to me, despite all my photog friends saying that you typically don't use an SLR in that mode. Well, one reason I liked the D90 (or the 40D/50D) is that it has Live View. Sure enough, other than hitting the button to see how it works, we have never used that mode. The geotagging thing is very cool, and if we ever became world travelers, I'd want to pick up that attachment. However, we hardly ever travel, and when we do, it's just to go home and visit family, so we always know where we were when we sort through photos. But if you do travel a lot, that is a very cool feature. As for video, we have yet to shoot even a 5 second video with the D90, although it does record in 720p. When we want video, we use our video camera, even though it's just a pathetic little SD version. Eventually I'm sure we'll get an HD camcorder. My wife prefers still photos in general, though. Although I would like to shoot more video of our daughter, she does so many funny things that she'll grow out of and I will wish I had recorded them. Cab 
1990 325i(s) 2004 325XiT |
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Thanks for the advice, but I'm pretty sure we won't be using it for video. As I said, if we want video, we use our video camera. I wouldn't expect a still camera to be particularly good at video, and vice versa, and that's not why we bought the camera. But I appreciate the advice all the same!
Cab
1990 325i(s) 2004 325XiT |
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