Camera Labs

Hi Gordon and hi everybody!

I would like to encourage some advanced critique on my latest photo. Although is kind of abstract, I'm very proud of this one and I want to know if I should invest in a DSLR so I can develop my hobbie, or I should stick to compacts. The shoot was made during daylight, so natural lighting and scent stick. The EXIF is posted bellow:

Picture
Make: FUJIFILM
Model: FinePix S5700 S700
Shutter Speed: 1/128 second
F Number: F/3.5
Focal Length: 15 mm
ISO Speed: 64
Date Picture Taken: Feb 28, 2008, 1:36:25 PM

Post processing: cropped from 4:3 aspect ratio to 2:3, frame and signature!



Any critique is welcomed!

Thanks,
Vlad

If thats the only postprocessing you did HNV, then you managed to capture a really really good picture.

Im not sure if it is some kind of flame or smoke with light on it.

Good work !

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Hi HNV,

Again, a warm welcome.

Love the shot! With the creative talent you have exhibited there my personal opinion is that the extra flexibility and improved image quality you will get from a DSLR make the decision a no-brainer, budget permitting.

I'm sure other forum members will chip in but in the meantime, if you haven't already seen it, have a look at Gordon's article Should you buy a DSLR or a Compact?.

Bob.

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Hi again and thanks to all for the replies!

First of all, Bob sorry for the off topic post. I'll try to never do that mistake again! I'm already a regular visiter of this site and not only since over a year and a half and I've been observing the DSLR market all this time, so my pick would be a Nikon D80 + 18-135mm kit lens. I've already took shots with Canon DSLRs (350D, 400D, 10D, 30D) and Nikon DSLRs (d40x, d50, d80) so i wont continue this conversation on this topic.

Khol, thanks for your apreciations. There's no flame since it was a scent stick. That's only smoke. The lighting was achieved from a ray of light thru the window of the room in wich i made the shot. The smoke was lit from behind and i had to improvise some sort of lens hood so i wouldnt have problems with the lens flare (wich was in the beginning). The only post-processing i made (besides what i already posted) is slight curves on lightness (forgot to mention that, my bad). The end result is very slight different from the original .jpg file (i can't shot .raw).

Thanks again for your replies,
Vlad

PS: I've had another user on this forum but forgot the password . Anyway, glad to be "back"

Hi HNV,

Wonderful shot! I like how you've made it smooth and simple unlike some other over-complicated patterns I've seen. I've had something like that as a wallpaper before and it's been something I've always wanted to try but never got around to doing.

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Graham
Flickr

I say go with a DSLR ...

If you can make pics like that with a comppact, you will love the flexability of an SLR!

Enjoy! .... but it is addictive.... my wife is already regreting me geting one...lol

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Digital SLR Photographer as of Janurary 2008
NIKON D90 w/grip || D300 w/grip || D2x || NIKKOR 18-105 ED VR || NIKKOR 50mm 1.8 || NIKKOR 70-300 ED VR || NIKKOR 70-200 2.8 || SIGMA 28-70 2.8 || 2x Teleconverter || SB-900 Flash || SB-600 Flash || SLIK Tripod

Hi,

I know it's addictive.. ) i've been thinkin' about this for over a year now. But i think there's no rush, I'm only 22 now ) Still studying.. Maybe after I'll finish my studies

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"Make things as simple as possible, but no simpler." Albert Einstein

that was really great picture can you post more like that

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Brilliant shot!!

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Gear: Nikon D80, 18-105mm, 35mm F/1.8, 85mm F/1.8, SB-600
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Splendid shot, bravo!

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Radu
Canon PowerShot S100
Canon 50D , SIGMA 10-20 f3.5 ,Canon EF 24-105 L IS USM, Canon EF 100/2.8 macro Canon EF 50/1.4 ,Canon EF 85 f1.8,Canon EF-S17-85 4-5.6 Old Tamron 28-300 inherited from my Canon Rebel G film camera
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I started learning on a Fuji s700, which I think is a predecessor of your 5700, and I must say they are great for learning to use manual modes, etc.

The biggest thing about moving to a dSLR for you will be the added flexibility of being able to change your lens. You can get a very cheap f/1.8 50mm lens for low-light photography (99% for the Canon version), and if budget permits you can get lenses with wonderful image quality. I don't know how the Fujis are now, but the newer dSLRs are definitely much better at processing ISO than my s700 was. On the s700 I would consider 400 ISO too grainy, but with my Canon T2i, I can easily go up to 800 and the picture comes out great.

The other aspect that is becoming popular is HD dSLR movies. The Canon line of the T2i (550D), 7D, and 5D-markII have great 1080p movie capability, and much larger sensors than even the million dollar professional video-cameras, so they're definitely a great option to look into if you're intrigued in going beyond the still.

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Cameras: Canon EOS Rebel T2i, Canon S90
Lenses: Tamron: SP70-300mm F/4-5.6 Di VC USD, Canon: EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens, 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 III, and EF 50mm f/1.8 II
Retired camera: Fujifilm Finepix s700

I advice you to get an entry-level DSLR,if you want it only for a hobby. The upgrade from a compact to a DSLR is amazing & it will suite you well. Go either with Canon or Nikon,you can't go wrong.

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Gear: Nikon D80, 18-105mm, 35mm F/1.8, 85mm F/1.8, SB-600
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Hi HNV,

I too think it's a lovely image. You've been able to take a photo that looks like it was painted or rendered.

A DSLR would not have made this image any better - in fact, it's possible the better glass would have detracted from the "graphical" quality of the image as it could have made the smoke look more "photorealistic" and then it would have been another picture...

To go against the grain a little here, I'd say that unless you regularly get large prints of your images developed, there's no strong need to buy a DSLR.

The quality of your images comes from you - or rather at least 90% of it. The rest is the camera.

If you look at your images on a monitor, you're only looking at maximum 2.2 megapixels (approximately)...that's a thumbnail. A small one.

But then again, maybe your objective isn't ONLY the image quality on prints. If you like the speed of the auto-focus, the many external controls, the better high-ISO noise control etc. of the DSLRs, then maybe you will enjoy those more. And enjoyment is certainly a good enough reason in and of itself..lol.

Cheers

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