Bushwalk Australia

This topic has been created from discussion about a post in a subsequently removed topic.

ILUVSWTAS wrote:Go anywhere exciting Adam??

Nothing you'd find exciting... Too far north for your liking!
This thumbnail is 800 pixels wide, and links (click on it) to an image 800 pixels high and severely compressed (1.7Mb).
The original is 2542 pixels high, 27768 pixels wide, 62Mb size, and sharp as a tack.
But even that was created with the basic JPG out of the camera, I haven't fiddled with the RAW images yet - I don't think my computer is powerful enough - this nearly killed it!


Click for fullsize image.

what lens did you use Adam?

walkinTas wrote:what lens did you use Adam?

Camera
Lens at 70mm
Tripod
Ballhead
But I feel this has the potential to throw the topic off-course so I will leave it at that and make a gallery post sometime.
[Edit - this is now in the gallery topic.]

I should say, this is a panorama of 8 images.

$10 says it was the 24-70

oooh he posted while i was posting...i still get the prize though

So looks like the new ball head went well. I sooooo want one of them. Whats the verdict?

So you managed to git the gitzo then?

photohiker wrote:So you managed to git the gitzo then?

Arrived 3 and a half days after I paid for it, from London.
Read about it here.
How can anyone justify spending that much on a tripod?? I am so happy with this tripod, it is such a joy to use. Quick, easy, precise, and most importantly - solid!

walkinTas wrote:So looks like the new ball head went well. I sooooo want one of them. Whats the verdict?

It's a great ballhead.
One disadvantage of buying online is that you don't get to see / play with a product prior to purchase. Not that I had a choice - no-one in Tassie sells / stocks them anyhow. I now understand they come in left and right options. I like the tightening knob on the left side. When I tilt the camera I normally rock it to the left, so I have to rotate the ballhead around to drop it to the left - putting the tightening knob on the right side which makes it very difficult to access with the left hand. Or I could get used to dropping it to the right (dropping / tilting - for portrait shots).
I don't fancy changing my style, but I can see the design may well allow the moving of the knob to the other side. I will be contacting Acratech to see if that is an option.
That's pretty minor - the overall operation of the ballhead went perfectly. It is lightweight, very strong, smooth and solid and precise and easy to use.
It will take a bit of getting used to, to learn instinctively where the knobs will be during operation - I am certain that will come with more practice.
You'll have to come round for a coffee to see it in the flesh some time.

Joe wrote:$10 says it was the 24-70

Yes Joe, this is a great lens and goes so beautifully with my camera.

Sounds perfect. I'd ask if I could come around and have a look only you probably don't want your ballhead all covered in drool.

The main reason I don't have one - well two reasons really - firstly I'd need to buy a decent tripod (so bigger expense) and secondly I probably should buy the PLB first.

How did you go with the levelling base? Is it worth the extra expense?

My camera has a built in level, I press a button on the front of the camera (the function button, that I customised to the level), and it shows me whether I have the camera level, and how far out it is.
Some scenes I can get right really easily, others are very deceptive. So I find I am using this button a lot.
Therefore the level didn't help me much.
Personally I think the level on the ballhead is a bit of a wank. It would be more useful to have a ball level built into the top of the tripod, so that when you rotate the ballhead on its base pivot, the camera stays on the same plane.
Having said that, the levelling base is only $20 extra so if you're getting one, might as well get it with in case it does come in useful.

I've been playing with panoramas again.
Here's an image I stitched together yesterday, a sequence of 7 shots from last week.
I used the low res basic JPG images from the camera, and then resized the panorama to 800 high and used a fair bit of jpg compression to get the size down.

nice photo adam, the Labyrinth would have to be one of the best places in Tas for panoramas imho. heres one i prepared earlier, no where near the quality of yours as was taken on an old camera, hand held and no photoshop just panorama maker. im thinking about getting the latest photoshop soon, i have heard rumours that its rather difficult/complicated to crack (not that i would obtain a copied version)

Great views from the Parthenon... We were camped in its shadows, on the snow about 100 - 200 metres before you start to descend towards the first lake.

frenchy_84 wrote: i have heard rumours that its rather difficult/complicated to crack (not that i would obtain a copied version)

Wouldn't know. I purchased it. It's expensive. Do you know anyone at uni or tech?
http://www.educationsoftware.com.au/product.php?id=502
Look at the saving!
Also
http://www.educationsoftware.com.au/product.php?id=494

Please Note: Adobe Student and Teacher Editions are for students, teachers, school staff, and other educators who meet Adobe eligibility guidelines. Proof of eligibility will be required after purchase in order to use the software. Individuals will be authorised for only one license of any Adobe Student and Teacher Edition title.

Look into the eligibility on the Adobe site, so long as you know a student, they can buy it for you. Non commercial use blah blah, but it's the same thing as you would normally pay top dollar for.

Beautiful pano Adam. Love yours too Frenchy.

Inspiring stuff!

frenchy_84 wrote: i have heard rumours that its rather difficult/complicated to crack (not that i would obtain a copied version)

There is always gimp for free, but if you want the ridgee didge thing, if you know a student at an official education institute somewhere between prep & post doc you can get a full copy for about $180

Here's a couple from the current season

Here's an image I took from Shadow Lake on Sunday morning.
This was taken with the tripod, a total of 6 images, taken with the camera in portrait, then stitched the images together using Photoshop CS5 Photomerge feature.
Not much else done to the image, it could possibly benefit by a bit of tweaking, but not too much wrong with this I think.

This image is resized to 800 pixels wide, however the 100% resolution is an image of over 10,000 pixels wide and a JPG file size of over 23Mb..
The TIF file created using the RAW data for the 6 images is over 1.5Gb. Amazing detail in a file that big.



Here's a crop of the full size JPG at 100%




EDIT
Just had a quick play to see how much detail I can try & grab out of this file.
Try this...