Digital photography

I really need to get back to my old ways of enjoying digital photography, this year apart from any work stuff I don't think i've shot any personal stuff that Im truly happy with.

What's stopping you?

Allensea, great stuff! what's the trick with getting the high key effect like you have on the london bridge photo?

That one came out of the camera pretty much like that, very little processing except a little bit of a tint applied to the highlights to make it a little yellow, rather than white.

No trick really, I forget exactly how I did that one. If I was to do it again I would either spot meter off of one of the people to expose for the coats or just go full manual and check the histogram and any areas where the highlights are blown out, or large areas of black.

I guess another quick way would just to chuck on some amount of positive exposure adjustment until you get it right.

I really need to get back to my old ways of enjoying digital photography, this year apart from any work stuff I don't think i've shot any personal stuff that Im truly happy with.

Use your mobile phone as a camera instead.

wat

Anyway, here's the barbican showing-off last week.

I think that might be my favourite of your recent pictures. Love the separation between the forefront and backdrop.

My e400 is dead. 6 years of solid performance. RIP. where next?

Budget?

Olympus Pen would be a good start, body-only as you already got a lens.

6 years is a big enough difference that you'll be able to take low-light shot in the wood without camera shake and noise.

Most of those shots are taken on an Ixus point and shoot. I'll go play with a Pen.

Budget up to £200. Times iz hard.

A second hand Pen body can be brought for £100-150, especially in Amazon for the original E-P1.

E-P2 (body only) for £125 BIN on eBay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Olympus-E-P2-12-3-MP-Digital-Camera-Black-body-only-/251406753433?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_DigitalCameras_DigitalCameras_JN&hash=item3a89029e99

Seems like a bargain to me...

Treating myself and my girlfriend to our first DSLR for Christmas. Can anyone recommend a beginners SLR book? Something easy to follow and aimed at novices would be ideal. Is it worth getting something aimed at my specific camera or will I get more out of a general guide?

The wide variety and options out there is confusing me.

..are you well versed with non-digital SLR cameras?

Not overly... Used my old man's film slr a bit growing up but that was a long time ago and I could use a refersher for sure so a book starting from scratch with the basics would probably be most useful.

E-P2 (body only) for £125 BIN on eBay: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Olympus-E-P2-12-3-MP-Digital-Camera-Black-body-only-/251406753433?pt=UK_CamerasPhoto_DigitalCameras_DigitalCameras_JN&hash=item3a89029e99

Seems like a bargain to me...

Thats got me thinking about trading in my G9 for a Pen2 or a GF5 with a pancake lense now, hmm

Did borrow this fisheye from a friend. It's really good:

and cheap(ish) got any sample images?

Is that a renamed Samyag?

http://www.samyang-lens.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/4/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/s/a/samyang-8mm-f35-nikon-ae-01.jpg

£225 and you can get a further 10% off atm

Some sample images here

Thats got me thinking about trading in my G9 for a Pen2 or a GF5 with a pancake lense now, hmm

Any recommendations either way?

Any recommendations either way?

I'm in a similar boat, considering switching from a Pentax K-x to a Olympus PEN (smaller and it will be in my bag a lot more).

I'm tempted by fast prime lenses, and instant on i.e. not having to wait for the lense to come out

Similar thinking with the Fujifilm XE-1.

fast prime lenses? Sony nex with zeiss shirley?

Pricey though. An XE-2 with the 35mm 1.4 would be less.

Had a play with a friends PEN (noeuph). Twas OK. He's letting me have it for £150 with 2 lenses and a flash.

Done.

Thanks for the advice.