Jim Posted September 10, 2014 Author Posted September 10, 2014 You're lighting looks superb, but is it just me or are you pictures a bit blurry? They don't look that sharp... Not a huge problem though, the picture is quite good and a lot better than this I didn't want to be the Negative Nancy (so thanks Lijntje hehe) but I noticed it as well. Although the overall quality is fine (and more than acceptable), we are now focussing on details. Looking at the full res image, you can see it's not 100% sharp. Blakbird, do you use manual focussing and do you zoom in on the LCD to finetune your focus? What lens are you using? Quote
Blakbird Posted September 10, 2014 Posted September 10, 2014 They don't look blurry to me, though I'll admit they can't approach the clarity of Jim's photos. I'm using autofocus. There is no such thing as LCD finetune because you can't use the LCD to preview the image. It is a true SLR, and therefore the reflex mirror is blocking the CCD. I'm using a Nikkor 24-70mm zoom. This is a good quality lens (~$400), although any zoom lens is arguably less perfect than a fixed focal length, purpose built lens of similar quality. I'm also using f/16, so I could get more depth of field by stopping it down even further. The camera and lens are ~10 years old, so the lens is a bit dirty. I'll never understand how dust and sediment manage to get on the internal lens elements, but there is no way to clean it. I've read that the first generation DSLR's (mine is a D70) do not have anywhere near the same performance as a modern camera. I am still happy with the result though. Quote
timslegos Posted September 10, 2014 Posted September 10, 2014 I'm also using f/16, so I could get more depth of field by stopping it down even further. Be careful, not all lenses become sharper as you decrease aperture, some can even lose sharpness. The sweat spot on most lenses is usually around f16. Great looking photos though, the extra light really seemed to make a difference! tim Quote
Jim Posted September 10, 2014 Author Posted September 10, 2014 I have learned that the rule of thumb for the sweet spot is 2.5 to 3 stops from maximum aperture. For the Nikkor (which is 4.8 according to previous posts) the sweetspot will indeed be around f16. However for a 2.8 this will be between 5.6 or 8. Edit: after searching Google, I have found different facts. Some say one or two stops (instead of 2.5 to 3) from max aperture, while others say it's between f8 and f11. Guess there isn't a common rule of thumb @Blakbird Some lenses are more prone to gather dust than others. I have read a lot about great lenses, with common complaints of gathering a lot of dust. Here's a nice article about dust in breathing lenses: http://photographylife.com/what-to-do-with-dust-inside-lens Just to make sure we are on the same page; your picture looks great! The quality is way better than pictures I usually see of LEGO models! This is just nitpicking over tiny details! I'm away this weekend, but next week I will take some pictures with my Canon 50mm 1.8 and Sigma 20-70mm 2.8 to compare both lenses. I will also compare the pictures with and without post-processing. I am curious whether we can point out the differences. Post-processing does enhance the overall quality (clarity, colors, etc) of the image. By the way; what lighting set did you end up buying? Quote
Blakbird Posted September 10, 2014 Posted September 10, 2014 By the way; what lighting set did you end up buying? This one. I think you actually posted the link. The stands and soft boxes are by no means professional quality, but they are adequate for what I am doing and, most importantly, provide gobs of light. Quote
Jim Posted September 11, 2014 Author Posted September 11, 2014 That's a nice set! Pretty much resembles what I have. Indeed sufficient for what we are doing Quote
Jim Posted October 19, 2014 Author Posted October 19, 2014 Black and Orange can make one very happy Quote
timslegos Posted October 19, 2014 Posted October 19, 2014 I cant tell if that is a render or an actual picture, well done! tim Quote
Freekysch Posted October 20, 2014 Posted October 20, 2014 As usual, amazing photos that make the model shine ! Black and orange make a perfect F1 car, maybe someday we will have a big F1 racer in these colors. Quote
Zerobricks Posted October 26, 2014 Posted October 26, 2014 Lovely picture! Thought it was a render at first. Quote
Jim Posted October 27, 2014 Author Posted October 27, 2014 Thanks! These two are pretty sweet as well. Pointing my lamps upwards results in having very natural lighting. Quote
Freekysch Posted October 27, 2014 Posted October 27, 2014 Yeap, pointing the lamps upwards is a very good ideea. The dirt bike looks so good, just love it ! Hopefully this Christmas I will be able to buy some proper lighting equipment . Can't wait to see the full reviews in these sets ! Quote
timslegos Posted October 27, 2014 Posted October 27, 2014 I was a little skeptical of the grey background at first but it has really grown on me a lot! tim Quote
Jim Posted October 27, 2014 Author Posted October 27, 2014 I was a little skeptical of the grey background at first but it has really grown on me a lot! Quote
Alasdair Ryan Posted October 27, 2014 Posted October 27, 2014 I just noticed the steering wheel in the cab of the off road buggy,a bit big.... Quote
Jim Posted October 27, 2014 Author Posted October 27, 2014 I just noticed the steering wheel in the cab of the off road buggy,a bit big.... Indeed Well....it's a bit high actually. I noticed it after I took it apart It should be tilted a bit downwards. Quote
Alasdair Ryan Posted October 27, 2014 Posted October 27, 2014 (edited) This little wheel might of been a better fit. http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=30663 Edited October 27, 2014 by Alasdair Ryan Quote
Freekysch Posted October 27, 2014 Posted October 27, 2014 Just tried the little gray steering wheel and it looks even weirder on the little buggy . Quote
Jim Posted October 27, 2014 Author Posted October 27, 2014 I reckon the round one isn't much smaller than the original one Quote
Alasdair Ryan Posted October 27, 2014 Posted October 27, 2014 Remember guys that the steering wheel I linked above is smaller than a regular technic wheel. Quote
Zerobricks Posted November 1, 2014 Posted November 1, 2014 Jim, you kind of inspired me to try my own background, but its not nearly as clean or anything as yours. But its gray! Quote
Jim Posted November 27, 2014 Author Posted November 27, 2014 Jim, you kind of inspired me to try my own background, but its not nearly as clean or anything as yours. But its gray! A bit late....but I like it Quote
parda Posted November 28, 2014 Posted November 28, 2014 Hard to think that this is not a render! Quote
Jim Posted November 28, 2014 Author Posted November 28, 2014 Hard to think that this is not a render! True! It's probably my best picture. So bright and crisp I could post it in a digital rendering topic and say I have been working on my rendering skills Quote
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