Photo Quality

[Tom Wilson]

Many of you have asked me about the camera I use, and many more have asked questions about photo quality from digital cameras. I submit this photo for everone to look at for some example of what the Camera I use is capable of. I shoot with a Nikon D70, but there are a couple people here as well that shoot with Canon equipment. My camera is a 6.3 Megapixel digital SLR.

I found this photo to be a good example, because it is heavily cropped. Normally, in some of my photography, I will take a photo that was shot in a horizontal orientation and crop it to make it a vertical orientation. This is something that almost all photographers do. It is great if you have time to set up the orientation you wish at the start of your shoot, but wildlife does not often allow this. "Swap cropping" (switching orientation) consists of a crop of about 35% of the photo being removed when cropped from horizontal to vertical. This normally has very little effect on photo quality if a slow speed film was used. I have blown up these swapped crops to as large as 16x20 and had wonderful prints. So back to why I started this thread--this photo was shot vertically and cropped to horizontal, then re-cropped again for a total crop of almost 70-73% roughly. That means that this photo is less than 1/3 of its original size. I printed an 8x10 of this tonight, and it looks fantastic.

This was shot at a film speed equivalent of 200speed film on a tripod out the back door of the house at a distance of about 16ft. The only adjustment that was made was of course the crop and a very simple low sharpen using my supplied Nikon View software. I am not trying to sell anyone on Nikon equipment versus Canon, fuji, Pentax or any other camera--I am just showing you what is possible from the latest generation of digital cameras that are currently available to you, and or to show you what the camera you already own is capable of doing. I only offer all this to encourage all of you to shoot more and shoot more often. Pictures of your kids, your dog, your hunting/fishing buddies, and of course fish pics--it doesn't matter what you shoot just try to remember when you take the photo, that you're taking the photo in order to remember--put the effort and quality into it, so that it will always be something to remember--something special.

Tom W

[Dbl]

Great photo Tom, from the lone Pentax *ist DS user

[Tom Wilson]

DBL,

I started with Pentax equipment. I started with a $200.00 Pentax ZX-50, then I went to a PZ-1P. My first time published was with a photo from the Pentax equipment. I then felt that I had outgrown what Pentax could do for me and I switched to Nikon. I cannot speak for their digital equipment, but there film cameras were great. I've seen a post or two of your's lately and they look really nice--keep em' coming.

Tom W

[Dbl]

I had all Pentax equipment back in the "film" days, and when I switched to digital this last spring I gave a look at the D-70, Canon Rebel, E-300. The Pentax menu system, layout of buttons, view finder size, sensor, price, and the fact I could continue to use my old glass were my driving factors in purchasing Pentax. Can't say I have regretted it one bit.

I certainly think any of the DSLR's are a big step up from the point and shoots, and ultra zooms out there. It is a lot more fun to take photos again and I find myself taking my camera everywhere. I had not done that in years with film. So if anyone out there is thinking of making the switch to digital DSLR, do it!

Dan

[The_Duckslayer]

Tom, I think that the best advice you gave is to take pictures and take a lot of them. I have always been one to not take a lot of pictures. Seemed to be a pain to me to do that. In Aug my dad passed away and we did a photo collage and put them up at the wake and funeral. Most of the pictures did not come from me. I know that I will take a lot more pictures from now on! Would love to have some of me and dad hunting but alas I do not. I would like to get a decent digital camera just to keep with me all the time and get some of those shots now. My sister always takes a lot of pictures and I always thought that it was a pain to have to pose for them. I have a different outlook now. Case in point is a picture she gave me of the grandkids (my folks grandkids that is) and they, the grandkids, do not all end up in the same place but once every blue moon. It is great and had it not been for her instanace we would not have that. Same goes for wildlife photos. I have seen a lot of things out there that I wish I had a picture of now. Take a ton of pictures guys and you will get one or two that you will treasure! Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo

PS: Yet another great photo Tom thanks for sharing!

[WifeKidsandDog]

I can only imagine it looks fantastic printed. The clarity of this shot is beautiful. I look at the beak and think, okay, HOW you get shots that sharp is AMAZING.

Cheryl