4 August 2008
TWIP Podcast #41 - Q&A
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Scott under:
Audio Podcast
Episode 41 is in the feed or you can download the MP3 at Pixelcorps.TV.
Hosts: Scott Bourne & Alex Lindsay
Contributors: Aaron Mahler
Locations: San Francisco, Hermosa Beach & Sweet Briar, Va
Intro Music by Scott Cannizzaro
Producer & Show Notes Author: Aaron Mahler - Twitter: halfpress
Bandwidth for This Week in Photography is provided by Cachefly.
TWIP is sponsored by Audible. For a free downloadable book visit www.audiblepodcast.com/twip
Don’t forget you can win a Drobo by linking to us. Details on the Contest page at TWIPPHOTO.COM!
TODAY’S SCENE
- Alex “Hello, Everybody” Lindsay is back! He and Scott are in the Pixel Corps Studio. Ron is also back and coming in via Skype from his usual Hermosa Beach.
- Steve is off camping and Fred is probably pretty busy with the Lightroom 2.0 release. 
NEWS & DISCUSSION
- We have two T-Shirts on the way. One says “Photography is not a crime” on the back along with the TWiP logo. The other simply says “Hey, Everybody” and also has the TWiP logo. Also in the works are TWiP hats and a limited supply of ScottEVests with the TWiP logo. It’ll be a few weeks before they are available, but we’ll keep you posted. We’ll be using Google Checkout and NOT PayPal.
- Alex’s personal news: he now has a Sigma 8 mm fisheye lens to use with his new VR rig. Fun stuff. (editorial note: I use the heck out of mine for VR work, actually… can’t beat it for panos)
- Alex has now also lost yet another item on the plane. This time it was his iPhone. Last time, an iPod and his Canon G9. Some time before that he lost a Treo. If you want free gadgets, fly with Alex and wait until he leaves the plane before disembarking.
- Lightroom 2.0 Is Out! - Released for Windows and Macintosh, it’s finally out of beta and sporting some great new features. This is the first 64-bit Mac app from Adobe. Some of the highlights are localized adjustments (non-destructive), tighter integration with Photoshop CS3, many interface refinements and tons more. If you’re an owner, it’s worth the upgrade for sure. If you’re new to the app, go download the 30-day trial and give it a whirl.
- Apple Updates Aperture to 2.1.1 - This mostly just has bug fixes and performance improvements (none of which are documented in any detail). The most obvious change is compatibility with MobileMe.
- Adobe Updates Photoshop Express - Additions include: a new AIR-based uploader, drag and drop photos from the desktop into Photoshop Express, ability to print photos through Shutterfly, slideshows now incorporate music, tagging is supported, one-click resize tool with presets for mobile, Web, e-mail or online profiles and ysers can also download photos from anyone���s public album and keep a collection of their favorites.
- Laptops can be confiscated and searched at US border without cause says report - The report claims that all electronic devices - including laptops, phones, cameras, etc - can be searched whether you are a US citizen or not. Belongings can be “detained” for a “reasonable period of time”. This is, technically, not a new measure but rather an update and clarification of the rules to accommodate modern gadgets. I’m going to leave Scott’s Bin Laden reference to the audio and not even try to transcribe it here…
- Nikon Offers Buffer Upgrade for D3 Owners - This is a hardware upgrade requiring you to send in your camera for modification. $500 gets you a 36 shot buffer for 14-bit lossless compressed NEFs and orders for the upgrade will start being accepted on September 3rd.
- Ron speculates that someone is going to design an open platform camera in coming years where hardware upgrades are modular. Fingers crossed…
SITE OF THE WEEK
- Opacity - a fantastic site with phenomenally creative shots of abandoned structures (heavy on the prisons and asylums). You can spend hours browsing this site, reading the captions and picking up some good historical information along the way.
- Bonus site: http://sleepycity.net
FLICKR CHALLENGE & CURRENT POLL
- We have winners for the last two-week challenge: The Color Blue
- Winner: White Peacock by Douglas Roesch.
- Runner-Up: The Cold Queen by DocoPhoto.
- Our next two-week challenge theme: “8″ (During the course of this challenge, we’ll cross 8-8-08)
- We’ve got videos to help you sign up for Flickr as well as videos showing how to upload to Flickr.
- Our TWiP Flickr group is just under 6,000 Members with over 3,000 in the TWiP Flickr Critique group.
- Our poll last week: Do you think it’s wrong to digitally manipulate a photograph using post-processing software?
- 2.6% - Yes. Anything other than cropping and sharpening is NOT ok.
- 17.8% - Some things - equivalent to what you could do in a wet darkroom - are ok.
- 32.5% - No, I don’t care. If it started as a photo, I’m ok with anything.
- 47.1% - I don’t mind as long as it continues to be photo-realistic.
- Our new poll: Who is your photography designed to please?
- Clients
- Yourself
- Family
- Friends
- Peers
DISCUSSION - LISTENER Q&A
- We’re doing listener Q&A this week but focusing heavily on one of the most common questions we get: What camera should I buy? There is no single answer to this question and it’s far more complex (and personal) than most people realize. We’re not going to suggest models, but rather tell you the points to consider to make choosing the right model much easier.
- Alex’s first question to anyone asking him for buying advice: do you want to be able to put it in your pocket? That’s a decisive attribute that will immediately narrow the field.
- Are you wanting to shoot a lot of portrait and family shots? If so, you can’t beat even an inexpensive SLR paired with even some of the most inexpensive 50 mm prime (non-zoom) lenses.
- Next major question: What do you want to use your camera for? If the answer is something fast moving like “motorsports”, you’re looking at a mid- to high-end SLR and likely a telephoto zoom lens. If the answer is “moose”, though, you’re looking at different gear altogether.
- Do you not have a specific subject matter in mind and you’re new to exploring photography? Go for a less expensive, general purpose camera. As Ron points out, something used is not out of the question for saving money and experimenting. From there you can begin to get a feel for how you might want to tailor your future purchases to better serve your interests.
- Ron and Alex start a passionate debate over whether to purchase “digital-only” lenses. In this context, this refers to certain lenses such as Canon’s EF-S line that specifically serve the low to mid-range, non-full-frame SLR line. The immediate benefit is good quality and wider angles for these bodies. The downside is that you won’t be able to move the lens forward to the full-frame body you might buy someday. Is this a good or bad thing? It seems possibly short-sighted if you expect to upgrade to full frame. On the other hand, it will possibly serve you far better on your crop-sensor camera in the meantime which might be beneficial enough to you (creatively speaking) to be worth the money. Scott suggests that all the manufacturers are heading toward full frame in the future, so let that be a consideration along with the fact that full-frame lenses on crop-sensor cameras use the “sweet spot” of the lens anyway. In the end, it’s almost always an economic decision.
- Scott applies his same Mac vs. PC philosophy to camera buying advice: lean heavily toward getting what those around you in your “support group” own. You can pool resources and experience this way and everyone benefits.
- Q: Listener Justin Prather writes: hey guys i was wondering what you use to carry your gear when you travel. i have heard people say not to use a camera bag because it is like a big sign to thieves saying “i have expensive things come and rob me”. i was just wondering what your opinion on the matter is. thanks in advance. justin
- A: According to Ron, being “stupid” is a bigger problem than sporting a nice camera bag. In a nutshell, be aware of your surroundings and use common sense about your security. Odds are, in areas where theft is likely, most anything of any relative value would be a target. Alex carries a heavy duty bag that has zipper tabs large enough to accept small combination locks. This helps with someone sneaking something out of your closed bag and the strap is strong enough to not easily be cut. Alex also travels with the assumption he is going to lose his gear. Considering his experience on planes and leaving all his gadgets behind, he’s being pretty realistic.
AUDIBLE PICK OF THE WEEK
- Relic: Pendergast, Book 1 by Douglas Preston & Lincoln Child
- I’m going out on a limb this week and suggesting a book I’m -currently- listening to rather than one I’ve already heard, so I can’t tell you much more than the fact that it’s a thriller and I’m enjoying it. Ron has read a book by this same pair of authors and seconds the fact that they can create a real page-turner.
- From the Audible.com site: “Just days before a massive exhibition opens at the popular New York Museum of Natural History, visitors are being savagely murdered in the museum’s dark hallways and secret rooms. Autopsies indicate that the killer cannot be human. But the museum’s directors plan to go ahead with a big bash to celebrate the new exhibition, in spite of the murders.”
CONTINUED LISTENER Q&A
- Q: Listener Pierre Bourgeois writes: My question relates to the useful life of a DSLR. I have been using a Digital Rebel since 2004. Based on the number of my photos on my hard drive adjusted for the usual level of deletions for photos that do not make the cut because of poor focus, poor composition or other problems, I estimate that my Rebel has taken between 120,000 to 150,000 photos over the past 3 1/2 years. Recently, the camera has been acting up. I did some troubleshooting by changing: cards, batteries, setting, etc. but the problem persists (i.e., essentially after a few shots it does not respond I close it and restart and works for a while and then repeats the bad behaviour). Just wondering if it is time for me to look at getting a new DSLR body? Love your show - great mix of commentary for the beginner to experienced. The rapport that you guys have make the show very enjoyable to listen to. Best regards, Pierre B. Montreal, QC Canada P.S. You have not had bagel until you have had a Montreal bagel.
- A: All shutters have a lifespan, but nothing set in stone. It’s likely that the shutter can be replaced, but that is usually hundreds of dollars and likely not worth it vs. upgrading if the camera is several years old. Make sure, too, that the issues you are encountering are not due to weak and old batteries or moisture in the body. The actuation count you cite, though, is getting fairly high for that model and generation camera, so shutter issues would not be unexpected.
- Q: Listener Andrew Bitson writes: I’m an aspiring photographer who would love to be more pro-like, maybe not make it my full time job, but definitely something I love doing. My only problem lies in knowing what to go photograph. I live in Tucson AZ and often ask myself, “What should I go and shoot?” yet never can answer this question. I so desirably wish to go photograph something, but everything to me seems like it wouldn’t be a great photo. Any ideas on how I can try to change my perspective to be more open to photography pretty much anything? Thanks!
- A: One starting place could be the TWiP challenges we do every two weeks! Tucson, of course, has numerous places to visit to get your creative juices flowing. Try choosing themes (like “cacti”) and make collections of them from numerous angles, varied lighting, etc. Compare them to see what works and what doesn’t. Finally, look around you at photos in advertising, books, online, etc. See what is popular right now and “steal” those ideas. You’ll find your own style in all of these areas given some time and effort. “Lesser artists borrow, great artists steal.”
- Q: Listener Craig Taylor writes: Hey guys, I was just wondering, what process and tools do you use for cleaning your sensor. Are there some measures you can take to reduce the amount of dust that gets onto your sensor? Craig Taylor Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- A: Alex’s approach (and mine as well, actually) is loosening the back cap on the lens you are about to use and making the switch very quickly. Keep the camera body pointed down (less chance of dust falling into it), don’t swap lenses in windy and dusty environments, and don’t stand around screwing with your gear once the lens has been removed from the body (the longer the opening of the body is lenseless, the more time dust and other debris has to settle in there). When you do end up needing to clean the sensor, though, there are various products to choose from. Scott recommends tools from VisibleDust. What Scott uses most is a tool that is very much like an eraser. We all think he’s crazy and refuse to do that to our cameras.
- Q: Listener Dmitry Kushnir writes: Hey Guys, Why do DSLR’s, and point and shoots for that matter, still have a problem with noisy images at high iso’s. I can understand why film would have that problem with low light, but if a camera is digital then a sensor either sees what it sees or doesnt. In short, where does that noise come from in a digital camera? What dont i get? Been wondering that for some time. Love the show, Dmitry
- A: Noise is an electrical byproduct due to how sensors work. The analogy used is one of buckets being filled with light. Adequate light (photons) hitting the sensor sites will break the threshold between “noise” and a good sample of the light (filling the bucket, so to speak). Falling below or not reaching that threshold has a tendency toward causing the sensor to record its electrical baseline charge leading to errant pixels and… well… “noise”. The larger the sensor sites, the greater their sensitivity (more photons hit them) and the lower the noise. Increasing the megapixel count crams more (smaller) sensors into the same space and therefore will likely increase noise. I lower megapixel camera with high light sensitivity will yield a fantastic image and this is a market that has been more or less ignored in the digital camera market world to the megapixel marketing race.
WRAP-UP
- Alex can be found at http://www.pixelcorps.com and http://www.pixelcorps.tv. Twitter: alexlindsay Alex would also like everyone to give This Week in Media a spin: http://pixelcorps.tv
- Scott can be found at http://scottbourne.com. Twitter: scottbourne
- Ron Brinkmann can be found at his blog, http://www.digitalcomposting.com. Since the second edition of his book has just started shipping, he’s also going to pimp his main site: http://www.digitalcompositing.com. Twitter: ronbrinkmann
- Aaron can be found on his blog (which is painfully in need of updates… soon) and via Twitter: halfpress
Send your thoughts, suggestions and questions to: twip at pixelcorps.com
Story ideas and other items of webly interest can be submitted via the TWiP Ideas Del.icio.us bookmarks
Share photos with your fellow TWiP listeners through the TWiP Flickr Feed
Submit your photos for “ruthless compassion” through our TWiP critiques forum.
15 Comments so far...
Cycomachead Says:
5 August 2008 at 10:07 am.
I want to add something to the noise issue. There are a few other things that cause noise: heat, long exposures, and continuous shooting, oh and continuously shooting long exposures in the heat.
Continuous exposures don’t cause to much noise because the sensor heat won’t increase too much, especially when in a normal environment.
Long exposures about 15sec and up have more noise because the sensor heats up.
Of course these won’t dramatically increase noise but there just little things that add to the mix that all stem from heat.
PS: Don’t freeze you camera to decrease noise. You will increase other issues.
[Reply]
Martin Howard Says:
5 August 2008 at 1:19 pm.
Great podcast as always. I wonder if you might expand on sensor cleaning, maybe even an instructional video? I have no problem rappeling from a railroad bridge to get a good shot but the thought of cleaning (?damaging) my sensor terrifies me. So far my D300 has kept itself nicely dust-free but I know the day is coming when I will have to clean it myself.
Thanks.
[Reply]
Dan Says:
5 August 2008 at 4:05 pm.
More megapixels makes each sensor smaller, creating noise. Does noise improve if I shoot with a 12 megapixel camera in a smaller megapixel file size? Or can you downsample a higher megapixel file to reduce noise?
[Reply]
Adrian Says:
5 August 2008 at 4:26 pm.
Hi guys, thought you might be interested in this article which is some what related to the ongoing discussion about victimising photographers. Keep up the good work. Adrian
[Reply]
Bryant Johnson aka Yarnspinner68 aka DBJohnsonPhotography Says:
5 August 2008 at 10:34 pm.
As always, a wonderful show! Keep it up, guys!
PS–I’d like to second the request for a video tutorial on sensor cleaning….
[Reply]
Cycomachead Says:
5 August 2008 at 11:38 pm.
I’ll add in my thoughts on cleaning. About a year ago I had bad dust on my 30D. I took it to canon in Irvine, CA and about 90 mins later picked up dust free for free!. They even reminded me to keep the battery and (empty) memory card so nothing could happen. It was nice.
PS the 90 mins is easily taken care of by the Barns & Nobles and the Apple Store in the mall across the street.
[Reply]
Alan Says:
6 August 2008 at 7:39 pm.
It’s amazing how you keep coming back to Montreal bagels. This is not the first show that has mentioned them.
St. Viateur Bagel ( http://www.stviateurbagel.com/ ) is the place to go. But, before you do, you need to know what makes the bagels so good:
1. they are hand shaped - no machines
2. they are boiled before baking
3. they are baked in wood-fired brick ovens.
I haven’t been back to Montreal in a number of years, but this was the place to go to get your bagels hot and fresh on a Saturday night.
And, they only had 2 kinds - poppy seed and sesame seed - no chocolate chip or blueberry or other crazy concoction.
And, once you are on St. Viateur Street, go across to the Arahova Greek restaurant for Souvlaki on pita. (http://www.arahova.com/)
Bon Apetit!
[Reply]
Tamara Says:
6 August 2008 at 8:58 pm.
About urban ruins - last January I had the opportunity to photograph a dentist’s office that had been untouched since 1981. The denist actually had a heart attack while working on a patient. My mom had actually worked for this dentist back in the 1950’s. Our family went to this dentist and it was like walking back in time when I went inside the office. Although it was a little creepy it was so much fun!
[Reply]
CitizenZ Says:
7 August 2008 at 3:33 pm.
You asked for it you got it. Nikon released there P6000 that has the high ISO (3200-6400) at 2048 by 1536 or 3 megapixels.
[Reply]
molson Says:
7 August 2008 at 10:45 pm.
Thanks for another great show. Glad to hear Alex back. That Opacity site is AMAZING, I wish some of those locations were near me.
[Reply]
Kay Says:
8 August 2008 at 3:14 am.
The Nikon P6000 seems to use a different format for RAW (not NEF) and will require the Windows-ONLY software - not cool.
Just out of curiosity, why won’t you accept PayPal for the shirts?
[Reply]
Russ Davis Says:
11 August 2008 at 8:30 am.
I wanted to add one additional thing about determining what camera to buy. When I was shopping for my first DSLR the biggest deciding factor was how the camera felt in my hands and if the controls were where i thought they should be. It took me 15 minutes to figure out how to change aperture on the rebel and <10 seconds on the d70. Check Mate.
Also menu intuitive-ness was a deal closer for me too.
Keep up the good work!
Russ
[Reply]
Make a Wardrobe Statement | latoga photography Says:
23 August 2008 at 11:44 pm.
[...] TWIP Photo crew is supposed to be working on a similar shirt that is reported to say Photography is Not a Crime, but it doesn’t look like it’s [...]
