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| bio | website | grumpyjohns.com |
|---|---|---|
| location | Toronto, Canada | |
| age | 44 | |
| visits | member for | 2 years, 10 months |
| seen | 7 hours ago | |
| stats | profile views | 754 |
Software architect and developer. I use a variety of technologies but at work it's generally C++, HTML, ASP (JScript), Flex, and SVG. For personal stuff, I tend to use PHP, C#, perl, and everything I use at work. :)
I've been designing and developing for well over a decade in the enterprise software market, first with IP billing, now with ticketing (no, not TicketMaster). I'm a classic case of a jack-of-all-trades, but my intuition is good and I pick up programming languages like a sponge picks up water.
For fun, I'm an avid amateur photographer and especially enjoy nature and macro photography. I've also started getting into more studio oriented stuff, acquiring some lighting, background stands, and other gadgets for that purpose. My current weapon of choice is the Nikon D800. Check out my website for some of my photography DIY projects, some of which have been featured on the well-known DIY Photography site.
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Nov 9 |
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How can dynamic-range be larger than sensor bit-depth? @jrista - Cambridge in Colour was one of the first photography sites I ever hit when I started into dSLR shooting. I keep going back to them, very well written and easy to follow stuff. |
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Nov 9 |
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How can dynamic-range be larger than sensor bit-depth? I agree, at ISO80, the K-5 is stunning and stacks up well with some medium format and full frame for the lower ISO ranges. As the ISO starts to jump, it starts to lose the lead. However, it still manages to stay quite close, so that's quite the achievement for Sony (who makes the sensor) and Pentax (who implemented it). The D7000 has very similar characteristics given that it's a variant on the same sensor and Nikon did a very good job on their implementation. |
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Nov 9 |
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How can dynamic-range be larger than sensor bit-depth? Yep, it was 16000, I have another image from the sequence (and subjects) with the same aperture and shutter speed for reference (I'd post it, but I'm not at home to get it). ACR only allows for a 4 stop adjustment on exposure, so I also had to push the fill light to 100 to get more detail. Hmm, maybe I should I update the article with some intermediate steps. I've seen a similar example with a deliberate 10 stops under and that's what triggered my upgrade now rather than in January. :) |
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Nov 8 |
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How can slightly blurred photos be improved in post processing? @D. Lambert: Always hold on. Yesterday I took a shot that was 8 stops underexposed on my K-5 and was able to recover what was essentially a black box into a quite usable image. |
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Nov 8 |
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How does one create the Dave Hill effect for portraits/action shots? +1, it is an awesome answer. It's always about the lighting. Some post processing techniques can get you in shooting distance, but the "Dave Hill Technique" still requires some serious light work up front to really get it right. However, by saying it's about the lighting in photography is like saying it's about the breathing in life. ;) |
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Nov 8 |
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How can I avoid a strange lens flare at bright lights when using UV filter? +1. I don't buy into the filter as protection either. |
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Nov 7 |
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What does optional-TTL mean? Did the flash fire? |
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Nov 6 |
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Should I choose a Canon 500D or Nikon D3100 for short video? Hmm, yeah I heard it. I wonder if that is being transmitted through the body? |
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Nov 6 |
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Which is a better way to store your photos? RAW or TIFF? I'm very happy that my camera supports DNG natively, sames some time... In any case, disk is cheap, so I too keep the raw data. That choice is much more flexible. If you're on Windows Vista or 7, there are image libraries that will display the DNG in Windows Explorer and picture viewer (for 32 and 64 bit Windows), so I don't usually keep a lot of the JPEGs around. |
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Nov 6 |
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Should I choose a Canon 500D or Nikon D3100 for short video? @rfusca: Are you using a lens with a screw-driven autofocus? I would imagine that it would be much quieter with the Nikon "Silent Wave Motor" AF if it's anything like the Pentax SDM or Sigma HSM which I find to be basically noiseless. In any case, noise would probably vary by lens. |
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Nov 6 |
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When do the differences between APS-C and full frame sensors matter, and why? +1 as I 100% agree with you and, until today, you missed one: dynamic range. On this day, an APS-C camera blew past FF and medium format: dxomark.com/index.php/en/Camera-Sensor/Compare-sensors/… :) |
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Nov 5 |
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My Flash doesn't Flash Well, they don't last forever, but I've had little problems with them before. That now leaves the possibility that the flash tube is done in or that the flash itself is. It would seem the latter given that it sometimes will work. |
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Nov 5 |
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My Flash doesn't Flash You may a faulty flash then. Is it new? If so, you might be able to get a warranty repair on it or at least have it checked out. That model supports other cameras as well, so if you have a friend with a different brand, you could get them to try it. |
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Nov 4 |
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What are good schemes for storing photo equipment at home? @Reid, cool. Ikea is handy for this sort of thing, I've discovered. :) |
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Nov 3 |
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How can I take pictures through a skyscraper, airplane, or train window? +1 for opening statement, it was my first reaction. :) After that, I also agree with you. |
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Nov 2 |
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How should I back up my photos? +1 for the picture, I liked it! Now, the only down on it is that you're missing a cloud. All diagrams need clouds. ;) |
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Nov 1 |
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Whats the difference between Singh-Ray Vari-ND and cheap Fader-ND filters? @Matt, you should throw that one in as an answer, it was the one I would have given. |
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Oct 31 |
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What's the right discount for used gear on Craigslist? Well, specifically the price available to me, which would normally be something like Vistek or Henrys. |
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Oct 31 |
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What differences between point and shoot zoom versus DSLR zoom cause the price disparity? @rm999 - That depends. An APS-C with the same photosite size and pitch will only crop against a FF sensor, but an APS-C with more density on a sensor, that captures more detail, can magnify since that is what magnification is: detail. Of course, other factors play a role, including the lens, noise, etc. so it's not a cut and dry comparison. |
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Oct 31 |
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What differences between point and shoot zoom versus DSLR zoom cause the price disparity? @Itai, Pentax makes a few pancake lenses, including ones that are way off the added distance of the mount and sensor. In very simple optics, the focal length and the barrel will be the same, but we aren't talking about simple optics. That was my point, to go back to your statement "On a DSLR a 250mm has to have a focal of, well, 250mm. That is 25cm or about 10 inches." Yes, a focal length of 25cm, but your post implied that was the physical size of the lens, which it is very unlikely to be. |
