iaminwanderlust

If you are really concerned about white balance, then measure it manually using something like an ExpoDisc. You just have to recalibrate each time you change locations or the lighting changes.

I don't worry a ton about white balance as it is easily fixed in post using Lightroom.

Minolta X-370 film camera that I got for high school graduation. I shot a lot of black and white with this camera.

My first DSLR was a Nikon D80.

I am now shooting on a Nikon D750.

I actually lied. My first camera was one of the old 110 film cameras. I don't remember the brand or model, but it was fun.

I have had several point and shoots over the year, and of course my cell phone cameras.

I am also using a Samsung Gear 360, GoPro, and Autel Robotics Drone.

Zoom less. Try taking the shot at a lower zoom. Too often, people will use two zoom levels on a camera like yours: wide open or full zoom. The problem with superzooms it that the longest end is almost never necessary and is kind of a marketing gimmick. Professional wildlife photographers almost never use a lens over 600mm and even then, they use very sturdy tripods. Cut back on the zoom and see if it helps.

This is good advice. Don't forget you can always crop the picture before you print it.

From my experience with the Mavic Air and Mavic Pro I’ve only had security question me once. And in that situation they just asked me to keep it in my cabin and not use it onboard. Otherwise I’ve had no issues taking it off the ship on port days.

 

In foreign ports I have obtained local government authorization from each country prior to the cruise. I bring all of those printed authorization letters as well as my FAA UAV registrations onboard.

 

The best footage I’ve been able to get so far was in Hawaii.

Good to know. I also have my FAA UAV registrations. I have two, one for hobby and one for commercial drone use. I don't have a mavic yet though. I have the Autel Robotics drone. Not quite as compact as the Mavic.

Motegi, did you get permission prior to embarkation for the drone? I was under the impression they would confiscate it at check in. I am cruising Hawaii in Feb on NCL and really wanted to take my drone but decided not to because of the restrictions. I am fine having it locked up while on board if that is what is required.

I think in terms of cruising though one has to be careful not to see the whole cruise through a viewfinder.

My primary viewfinder is my two eyeballs. The camera viewfinder only gets used once my primary viewfinders see something they like.

I would agree that full manual is probably not a good idea for a beginner. You will end up more frustrated with your camera. But don't be afraid of the big M on your dial. When you are playing/practicing, put your camera on manual mode then take a shot. Then adjust the aperture or shutter speed and see what happens to the shot when you take it again. Then adjust the other and see what happens. There are a lot of people who only shoot on Automatic mode, and I think you miss out on some of the fun of photography.

You can do some really creative things by understanding exposure and how to manipulate the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO to get the creative effects you want.

I do a considerable amount of manual shooting, but I also use aperture mode quite a bit for HDR photography where I am taking 5-7 shots to build into one photo later and I don't want the depth of field to change.

The best way to understand it all is to experiment like others have said. You aren't wasting film and you can delete your experiments without any downside, so shoot away. Go out and take 200 photos in an hour using different settings. The only thing you are out is time, and you can chalk it up to education. Watch tutorials on your camera to see how others are doing things. Then figure out if it can incorporate into your workflow.

Scissors are awesome fro custom sizes!

 

Dave

It depends on what medium you are printing on. I would not recommend scissors for metal or canvas prints from Costco. ;p;p;p;p;p

I use Costco for almost all my large prints. They don't really do custom sizes though.

So far I'm not really finding anything in this area.

I used to find them on Groupon all the time where I live. I don't know where you live though so maybe there aren't any close to you. I took photography classes in high school, but it was with a regular SLR and darkroom. I have gone to several seminars over the year. Some put on by local photography studios and some put on by out of state groups like Rocky Mountain School of Photography or Arizona Highways. Some have been worth the money I spent, and some have not. The best school is getting out and using your camera and trying different things. Since you don't have to buy film you are really not out anything.

Thanks Dave!

Cruises42,

Most people will struggle with aperture (I know I did and still do usually). I never remember the ratio information and for the most part, for me, it isn't all that important. The easiest way to explain it is the smaller the aperture number (f1. f1.4, f2), the larger the opening in the lens, so it lets in more light. The larger the number (f16, f11, f8), the smaller the opening in the lens so it lets in less light. For most instances, with amateur and hobbyists, that is enough information.

A larger opening (smaller f number) will decrease your depth of field and allow for blurred backgrounds or bokeh. A smaller opening (larger f number) will increase your depth of field and allow for a greater range in the photo to be in focus. To demonstrate this hold your thumb up in front of you slightly to the side of an object in the distance, close one eye, then focus on your thumb. Depending on how far the object is away from you, you will probably have difficulty having your thumb and the object in focus at the same time. Now take a white piece of copy paper and poke a pin through it. Do the same thing you did last time, but look through the pinhole. You should be able to have your thumb and the object in focus at the same time. This is how the aperture affects depth of field. The pinhole is an aperture.

You will often hear people refer to fast lenses. It has nothing to do with how fast the shutter opens and closes. This is a reference to lenses that have low f numbers (f1.4) for the aperture, because they can open up wider, let more light in, and thus allow for faster shutter speeds without blur in lower light settings. Typically fast lenses are more expensive.

You can find all kinds of beginner photography seminars. I bet your local community center/college would have one for you. If not, find a camera store that is local in your area and see if they have anything. Sometimes you can get into a beginner course for $40-50.

It is well worth it, when you can start taking photos not using the automatic setting on your DSLR.

Is ISO something you need to change often or is there a good setting to keep it at most of the time?

ISO relates to the sensitivity of the film/sensor to light. It is one of the 3 legs of exposure (aperture, shutter speed, and ISO). Each leg has its own advantages and disadvantages. Opening or closing the aperture affects depth of field. Lengthening or shortening the shutter speed can cause or reduce motion blur. Increasing ISO can cause "noise."

Getting the right exposure is really about figuring out what you want out of the picture and manipulating the 3 legs to get the results you desire.

For Alaska, you absolutely must get the camera linked to below. Anything less than this and you will be totally disappointed. ;-)

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1384729-REG/hasselblad_h_3013775_h6d_400c_multi_shot_medium_format.html

Krazy Kruisers,

Get over yourself.

It says this job is open to all US citizens, with the caveat that if you are a male born more recently than 12/31/1959 you have to be registered for selective service. That sentence doesn't mean women can't apply it just means that as a male you have the added responsibility to have met the selective service duties.

So the discrimination is not against women applying, the discrimination is that women don't have to register for selective service.

I have the Gear 360. I got it free when I purchased my Note 8. Recently took it to Disney World and it worked great. The app connected right to the camera so you can see live what it is capturing. Haven't gotten a chance to go back and look at the files or actually try them with my VR headset. It has been busy since returning.

There are pluses and minuses to all of the 360 cameras either in price or features. The price on the Samsung Gear 360 isn't too bad and the stitching it does isn't all that bad either. For an entry level piece of equipment it was worth the price I paid.

Just buy a waterproof case for your mobile phone and then use that.

I had a Nikon D80 and switched to a Nikon D750. Then I took my D80 and had it converted for IR photography. I do like my D750 much better than the D80, but I think most people would not enjoy the price of the D750. If you are into landscape photography, I would highly recommend something in the 12-18mm range. I have a Rokinon 14mm that I really like.

I take a mefoto tripod with me. One leg screws off to use as a monopod with the center stack. No need for either one whale watching trip even with the 600mm lens I was using. I did use the tripod on the balcony while sailing through the inside passage. I set my camera up then connected my intervalometer and set it to take a picture once every few seconds for about 5 minutes. Stitch them all together and you get a really long pano of the gorgeous scenery. Also used the tripod for some really zoomed in photos through the inside passage.

great photo! I would definitely print this

I take my laptop and import all my photos into Lightroom when I get a chance. Some nights when I dont feel like doing anything I will start playing with them in Lightroom and Photoshop. My laptop is a 15" MacBook pro.

I'm going to order one I think it doesn't take up too much room better to have it than not I suppose. Is the Hoya Pro 1 Digital a good one?

 

Should I get a 58mm and a 52mm or just get the 58mm and a step down ring?

I always buy the filter for my largest diameter lens then use rings. That is generally cheaper than having to buy multiple filters of the same type.

If you are worried about shake from hand holding look at getting a gimbal. If you are just looking for something that can stand on its own without having legs spread out the item above might work. I don't think I could use something like this for my camera as it would tip over from the weight of the lens.

I use a mefoto tripod. One of the legs can be unscrewed and used as a monopod if necessary. That way I always have a tripod and a monopod handy. The one I have breaks down to a small enough form factor that I can put it in a suitcase. I am not sure why you would actually need a monopod that has a tripod on the bottom.

Personally, I would say take it. They are pretty small and they can actually make a difference depending on what you are photographing. If you don't use it, then you aren't really out anything because it doesn't take up much space. If you do then you can see differences between photos with it and without it. I like to use my polarizing filter to create greater contrast in the sky. I would guess that the same might be said of ice sheets, but I have never used it for that. They really aren't that hard to use. Put it on, look through the lens, turn the polarizer, see if you like the image better.

I always travel with my polarizer and about 4 different ND filters.