Playing with my new toys...

[wimg]

Hi all,

 

I received a new toy a little over a week ago, and have been playing with it since then, which explains my absence from FPN for several days .

 

Anyway, it is a new digicam, and here are the first 2 pictures as a result of all this:

 

 

Quite interesting is the fact that although I cleaned the pen, it is stil speckled with dust, and the white bit at the bottom right is cat hair . I only saw it after I checked the picture on my monitor . Bill Riepl was so right that you have to make it absolutely spotless...

 

Here is another one:

 

I wiped the nib several times prior to taking this picture, but the Ottoman Rose didn't want to be wiped off...

 

The 3 different reflections you see are caused by the 3 flashes used, one to the left, the main flash, one top right, and one to the right.

 

Great fun, all of this. Hope you enjoy it too.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[Maja]

So that's what you've been up to! I worried about you ....

 

Oooh, nice closeups, Wim....

 

What kind of camera did you get?

[Karin]

Here we go again :blink: :blink:

 

:bunny1:

[inkyfingers]

... waiting to hear about the camera!

[KendallJ]

Quite interesting is the fact that although I cleaned the pen, it is stil speckled with dust, and the white bit at the bottom right is cat hair . I only saw it after I checked the picture on my monitor .

 

I wiped the nib several times prior to taking this picture, but the Ottoman Rose didn't want to be wiped off...

A little Photoshop will take care of the dust. i've never been able to get pens fully cleaned, but PS sure works wonders. Oh, and it'll work on that inky nib as well.

 

Nice photo! Great pen. And the camera?

[wimg]

Hi Maja, Karin, Inkyfingers,

 

Well, I got a Canon EOS 350D, also known as Rebel XT in the USA, with a few extra lenses. The shots here were taken with the EF-S 60 mm macro lens, and the TS-E 90 mm (tilt- and shift lens, in this focal length ideal for macro too).

 

I had a Powershot G5 before this, and I can assure you, there is no comparison. It's like a small 1.3 litre car vs a Porsche or Ferrari, that much difference. And the G5 is not a bad camera at all...

 

I used to do a lot of photography, until about 20 years ago, when computers took over my life. 4 years ago I sold off all my analog stuff, except for some generally applicable parts, like a sturdy tripod etc. I got a digital camera for general picture taking in the mean time (the G5), and I guess the occasion was right to get into digital stuff for real... And it is great fun to pick this hobby up again...

 

Oh, Karin, you have enough pens for now, wait until next year, just like me (no more budget at all, let alone pen budget ).

 

Warm regards, Wim

[Maja]

Very nice! My husband is jealous of those lenses of yours...

[wimg]

Quite interesting is the fact that although I cleaned the pen, it is stil speckled with dust, and the white bit at the bottom right is cat hair . I only saw it after I checked the picture on my monitor .

 

I wiped the nib several times prior to taking this picture, but the Ottoman Rose didn't want to be wiped off...

A little Photoshop will take care of the dust. i've never been able to get pens fully cleaned, but PS sure works wonders. Oh, and it'll work on that inky nib as well.

 

Nice photo! Great pen. And the camera?

Hi Kendall,

 

Thanks!

 

See my reply above for the camera . I know PS will take care of the dust etc., but until now I have always been using PSP 7, and do realize it is a little antiquated when it comes to producing big, perfect pictures . I did get myself a few books on PS as a result, and plan to get around srudying them over the next few months.

 

In the mean time, I am really impressed with the sharpness and picture quality of this camera and the lenses that go with it . I compared it to some of my old B&W pictures, which were taken with state of the art equipment in 35 mm photography at the time, and my, do they look grainy compared to the pics taken with this camera! And I did make a few A4-size prints to compare.

 

BTW, the pictures here were non-cropped ones, just resized, to scale, to fit on-screen.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[wimg]

Hi Maja,

Very nice! My husband is jealous of those lenses of yours...

Thanks! They are nice indeed. I always wanted a T&S lens, actually wanted to get a technical camera. I guess this is the next closest thing...

 

Warm regards, Wim

[Roger]

Here I was thinking that your absence from FPN was due to a demanding work schedule, and all the time you were working with a new camera!

 

But, you WERE working hard :bonk: before this last week so I guess a new toy was deserved. Good pics, but remember that doing it right in the camera means little or no Photoshop required.

[southpaw]

Nice new toy, wim. Nice pics, too. I've got a new digital camera I'm still trying to figure out, albeit not anywhere near the level of yours. I hope to post some pics of my first Stip soon.

[FLZapped]

Hi Maja, Karin, Inkyfingers,

 

Well, I got a Canon EOS 350D, also known as Rebel XT in the USA, with a few extra lenses. The shots here were taken with the EF-S 60 mm macro lens, and the TS-E 90 mm (tilt- and shift lens, in this focal length ideal for macro too).

 

I had a Powershot G5 before this, and I can assure you, there is no comparison. It's like a small 1.3 litre car vs a Porsche or Ferrari, that much difference. And the G5 is not a bad camera at all...

 

I used to do a lot of photography, until about 20 years ago, when computers took over my life. 4 years ago I sold off all my analog stuff, except for some generally applicable parts, like a sturdy tripod etc. I got a digital camera for general picture taking in the mean time (the G5), and I guess the occasion was right to get into digital stuff for real... And it is great fun to pick this hobby up again...

 

Oh, Karin, you have enough pens for now, wait until next year, just like me (no more budget at all, let alone pen budget ).

 

Warm regards, Wim

I have a G5 and love it. Tromped all over Europe with it as my only camera. The new D5 looks amazing, but not for $3,000+ Digital SLR photography has priced itself WAY beyond my wallet's threshold of pain, even if I went for a body, it would be without lenses for a long, long time......

 

-Bruce

(Worse than collecting accordions!)

[davyr]

ohhhh, niiiccceee pictures.

 

boy, you can really see every speck of dust! did you roll your pen in flour just before you took the pics?

 

lovely color of the celluloid. i'm thinking it's the same as on my da vinci infinity.

[wimg]

Hi Roger,

Here I was thinking that your absence from FPN was due to a demanding work schedule, and all the time you were working with a new camera!

Well, yes, but I do live a double live, you know. Just that there isn't much time left for a triple .

But, you WERE working hard :bonk:  before this last week so I guess a new toy was deserved. Good pics, but remember that doing it right in the camera means little or no Photoshop required.

Yes, I realized that, which was why I wiped the pen clean, at least I thought I did . Amazing how unforgiving a camera can be...

Next time I make sure the pen is no longer inked prior to shooting it, and painstakingly clean the surroundings too... Just looking for some props first, though. The same ink bottle just gets a little boring after a while .

 

Warm regards, Wim

[wimg]

Hi southpaw,

Nice new toy, wim.  Nice pics, too.

Thanks! I'll try to improve on them, though, as in removing all the unwanted bits prior to shooting the pen .

I've got a new digital camera I'm still trying to figure out, albeit not anywhere near the level of yours.

The camera doesn't really matter very much if you're publishing for the internet. It is really about making sure you know how the camera behaves, and how to make close-ups and macro shots, that is all there is to it. Essentially, take the time to try out a lot. Fortunately, you can look at the results on your monitor, so the price of trial and error is just time .

I hope to post some pics of my first Stip soon.

Oooohhh, looking forward to that!

 

Warm regards, Wim

[Ann Finley]

What a wonderful new toy! I didn't notice the cat hair until you pointed it out--but I sure noticed that I could read Etruria on the pen! Good job with those photos. I know you'll have hours & hours of fun with this toy.

 

Best, Ann

[Roger]

Ok, but don't reach too hard for perfection, Wim. Someday, somebody's gonna achieve it and it just might be you! Problem is that then, you wouldnt be "one of the boys" any longer.

 

So, a little ink on the nib ain't bad!

[wimg]

Hi FLZ,

I have a G5 and love it.

It's an absolutely great camera. Here are some pics to prove it:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BTW, many of the extreme close-ups were done with the aid of a close-up lens, like the aniseed flowers, the blue-bell, the cotoneaster, the sunstar (or whatever it is called ).

 

I guess the quality of this little (ok, not that little) cam is absolutely marvelous! However, it is not an slr, and the add-on lenses are generally not that great. The wide-angles are ok, but don't add that much. The telephoto lenses, however, are nothing short of atrocious, including the original Canon ones.

 

Tromped all over Europe with it as my only camera. The new D5 looks amazing, but not for $3,000+ Digital SLR photography has priced itself WAY beyond my wallet's threshold of pain, even if I went for a body, it would be without lenses for a long, long time......

Well, that is why I settled for a 350D . In the end, the lenses are most important, as there aren't really any bad cameras anymore, provided you go for the main brands.

-Bruce

(Worse than collecting accordions!)

Depends on how many...

 

BTW, more pics in next message .

 

Warm regards, Wim

Edited November 15, 2005 by wimg

[wimg]

Now, here are some glider pics taken with the new cam. Just compare these with the ones taken with the G5. Essentially, the pictures here really show the advantages of good, interchangeable lenses. And the sharpness in the full size pics is just awesome...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Warm regards, Wim (who is grinning from ear to ear again )

[wimg]

Hi Davy,

ohhhh, niiiccceee pictures.

Thanks!

boy, you can really see every speck of dust!

Yes, amazing, isn't it?

did you roll your pen in flour just before you took the pics? 

lovely color of the celluloid.  i'm thinking it's the same as on my da vinci infinity.

It actually is the same material. Notice the lovely red marbling. With time this actually becomes even better, I've noticed...

 

Warm regards, Wim