Dark Room *don't bump into things*

[mockney piers]

I shoot with a 30D.

Custom user settings are jolly useful.

Basically you can set them up by going in and defining each setting for something that you'd find useful.

My most common one - user setting 1) is +1 sharpness, +1 saturation, as I tend to tweak them thus in photoshop anyway, as Canon's have a slight tendency to a milkiness that you normally need to tweak out.

Other useful settings are the Monochrome ones where you can add filters (red for those B&W day shots with dramatic skies, and green for that infrared filter effect at night or in low light), colour tones (sepia, blue etc) etc

Then just go to it in your main menu in the picture styles bit whenever appropriate.

How you set them up depends on what you generally shoot.

There's a tutorial on the Canon site somewhere about which ones are good to use. I'll have a look for it at some point.

And coincidentally I tried my first ever old photo a couple of weeks ago

It's a bit sh!t admittedly and need to mess about with the border when I can be arsed, but we all got to start somewhere.

[Shu.Kurimu.Sensei]

Thanks for the info there Piers! I'm used to shooting film with my Eos/Minolta SLRs and with my everyday camera, an old Ixy 500 so am struggling a bit with the 40D at the mo, but enjoying it immensely, I love how the menu system isn't much more complicated than my pas.

Do you mind if I pick your brain about lenses by the way? :))

I really like the wedding picture, I must start to think more about framing pictures, the wife is maddeningly good at it unlike me! I have noticed in your pics on this thread [the ones around Bond St come to mind] that you have a knack for capturing an image in an unusual, yet pleasing to the eye way. Jealous? Moi? :-$

[Ant]

That Mockers is rather good with his soul-stealing doojigger.

There's a few of us who meet up now and then for a pint, a stroll and some snapping. Why not join us next time?

(Don't know when that actually is yet, but we'll post details here when a decision is imminent/made.)

Also, funny, but I too messed about with the old-pic look just recently. Must be something in the air.

[Shu.Kurimu.Sensei]

Hey Ant, cheers, I just may do that if I can squeeze some time in-between studying, fixing up the house and finally building a new deck with all the lovely components that are sitting around screaming to be made use of, and getting off my arse to go back to learning Dreamweaver (again!)...

By the way, I found a great site for those of you with older kit without a manual:

http://www.butkus.org/chinon/

Thought maybe someone here might find it of use? Most of my kit was given to me by my late father in law in Japan, he was a very keen photographer, but sadly could not teach me all he wanted to due to his advanced age and eyesight. I credit him entirely with getting into photography and indeed his last words to me were "make sure you take lots of pictures!". Every time I pick up a camera his smile comes into my mind, so I do my best to employ his love for photography in my meagre efforts.

[mockney piers]

Thanks very much Shu, though I am but a grasshopper to Ant's Master Po.

It would be great to have you along, we meet once a month *ahem* ish.

And fire away regards lenses, am doing some initial research myself at the moment, so many lenses, so blimmin' expensive, so you really do have to think about where those pennies go.

[Shu.Kurimu.Sensei]

You're most welcome Piers, always nice to see your pictures and more often or not end up thinking "how the hell did he come up with shooting from that angle???"!

Will post later regarding lenses, cheers!

Incidentally, nobody has posted about [quite possibly] one of the most active sites for user submitted images - 2chan! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2channel

Unfortunately, once you leave the mother ship, you also lose your right to post there, but its a great site for getting ideas on subjects, composition etc. There is an English equivalent - 4chan which also has a photography section /p/ - but beware, unless you wear an asbestos jacket whilst surfing, you may end up with 3rd degree burns when asking opinions of your photos there!

Oh, a word of warning, 2chan is very often not safe for work! And sometimes gets hijacked by pedos, psychopaths and users seeking revenge on their ex-partners - you have been warned! But also, prepare to be amazed.

Relevant links to this thread here:

http://may.2chan.net/27/futaba.htm

http://up.2chan.net/w/futaba.htm

http://up.2chan.net/d/futaba.htm

http://zip.2chan.net/z/futaba.htm

[Ant]

I'm contemplating dropping around ?550 on a lens. Am I mad?

It's a Nikon 85 f1.4D, by the way.

Saving up for it, and about halfway there, so I have a while to decide whether or not this really is a good idea.

[lozzyloz]

Ant, how does it fit with your other lenses and what do you plan to use it for?

It's a beautiful lens. Very fast, pin sharp and sound construction. Great for portraits. I bought this lens last year but find I'm not using it as much as I thought I would, simply because I find the flexibility of a 28-70 and 70-200 tend to cover most eventualities when I need a lens in a hurry.

[mockney piers]

I do use my 50mm 1.4 a great deal, I love it's speed and sharpness and wonderful bokeh.

It is however next to useless on our photo pootles, but I'd have to say it gets more use generally than my 18-85.

I'm looking at a wide-angle L at the moment as even my 17-85 I spend 90% of my time at more or less full wide angle, so I'd rather have a lens that can actually perform there. I'm looking at the 16-35L 2.8, it's a grand for the new one, but ONLY 650 for the older version :-/

[Ant]

At the moment I've got the 18-70 f3-4.5 and the 50 f1.8. I'm hoping I can use the 85 f1.4 for portraits and perhaps also some tabletop stuff. After getting the 50 at f1.8 and then wishing I'd got the f1.4 I think I'd rather save up a bit longer and splash out a bit more for this one.

A good wide lens would also be great though and is definitely on the list. Sigma 10-20 or perhaps another fast prime.

[Ant]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_pictures/7528258.stm

I particularly like number 2.

[mockney piers]

politeness to waiting staff costs nothing, my photo friend Kathy expressing her gratitude:

 

[Ant]

That's pure ace, that is.

[Ant]

Just spotted this site, looks rather good. Lens hire at more sensible prices than I've seen elsewhere.

http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/

[Shu.Kurimu.Sensei]

Was all comfy in just waiting for the Powershot G10 to replace my old Ixy 5, when along came a new challenger...

http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news-16514-CoolPix+P6000%3A+Nikon+Officially+Unleashes+Their+New+Point+%26+Shoot+Digital+Camera.html

Damn. How tempting it is to go for both...

[mockney piers]

get yourself a proper camera ;-)

Here's next lens, hopefully in time for wedding/holiday

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-24-70mm-f-2.8-L-USM-Lens-Review.aspx

[Shu.Kurimu.Sensei]

Heh! My better half didn't take too kindly to the 40D, so we are back using film and the lil' PAS for now..

I can't make my mind up which SLR kit I like best, our Canon Eos 5or the Minolta 700i...

Nice one on the new glass, wish I could get something like that! Plenty of nice stuff on ebay, but it always either gets sniped at the last second, or even older lenses are way out of my price range..

[Shu.Kurimu.Sensei]

Wonderful little story:

http://theplug.net/28/strangerphotos.htm

Wonder if it would work around here? .... Nah, surely....not?

Also, nice pictures of the smoke...

http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2008/08/london_from_above_at_night.html

[Shu.Kurimu.Sensei]

5D gets upgrade! http://www.canon.com/moon/en/index.html rumours abound whether its launch will be just after Photokine or next spring.

Despite the apparent wealth around here, almost all the digital SLR's I see are budget Nikon or Canon jobs, have yet to see someone shooting a 5D or that new Nikon full frame jobby...

[Shu.Kurimu.Sensei]

A sweet little (local-ish) story here:

http://sleepycity.net/posts/115

Is this thread doomed to die? :'(

[Ant]

Hm, we have been a bit quiet lately haven't we?

[mockney piers]

we have been a bit slack of late, here's a snap I took recently

 

[Shu.Kurimu.Sensei]

Signs of life, here? Wicked!

Nice shot there, Cumbria?

Thought this might raise a smile...

http://www.toxel.com/inspiration/2008/09/15/pedestrian-street-art-by-peter-gibson/

[mockney piers]

Always time for creative vandalism.

Not quite cumbria, them clouds is rolling in off the pacific. Atitlan

[Shu.Kurimu.Sensei]

Really nice pic, wherever it was taken, any chance of Exif data? :))

Some huge news out today:

No more teasers on the new 5D...

http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news-16717-EOS+Canon+5D+Mark+II+HANDS+ON+with+Video+%26+Picture+Sample!!!.html

http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news-16714-Live+From+Tokyo%3A+Canon+EOS+5D+Mark+II+Officially+Official!!!!!.html

And great news for an alternative to the (awesome) LX3..

http://www.akihabaranews.com/en/news-16716-Live+From+Tokyo%3A+Canon+Unveils+the+SX10IS%2C+SD880IS%2C+%26+SD990IS+Digital+Cameras.html

Read somewhere that Canon have also started announcing new lenses for the Eos range also.

All this, and Panasonic unveiling their new 4/3rds system (Olympus soon to follow) its been a heck of a fortnight for camera freaks everywhere, shame about the ?!#@ economy here though eh? Maybe retailers will price a bit more competitively...