I bought a new Nikon D40

[cleong]

There was a time where I shot in RAW but that was because the standard camera output just wasn't good enough, particularly with handling white balance. With the advent of better cameras, I just couldn't justify the extra time required to do the RAW edits and conversion, then do another round of postprocessing in Photoshop.

Nowadays I shoot in JPEG Fine, use the camera's settings to push saturation and sharpness up a bit and export it straight to Photoshop for the final tweaks. Sometimes I just use Picasa if the output isn't critical.

I still use RAW very occasionally, but only when I know I'm dealing with tough lighting situations and don't have the time to keep switching my white balance, such as for weddings.

[cleong]

No actually I prefer Photoshop's sharpening, I don't use Smart Sharpen, I use the regular Sharpen function, at fairly subtle settings. However, I take multiple passes of sharpening both before and after resizing in order to achieve the desired image sharpness.

[Black Yaris]

ok I think I am getting the hang of the close up wide angle... I think they are coming out ok

my mom's cat

[Kaotic Lazagna]

Nice pics, and nice camera choice Joe.

[Thej3sta2]

nice pics man thats sexy

[Black Yaris]

Took a few more shots today in the cold.... I am just playing around with RAW a bit
the cat was shot jpg, but the others were raw

[Kaotic Lazagna]

The 2nd one is badass.

[coheed]

Sweet icicle pic. RAW deffinitly does better then JPG.

[Black Yaris]

Iso 1600, but I set it on Auto till I get down the other functions

[LtNoogie]

If you shoot to RAW and then convert to JPG to post online, is that better than shooting to JPG directly? The second picture is wonderful but is that because it started off RAW or because you have an awesome camera?

[cm07yaris]

Your skills are coming right along man! I've also got a D40 and don't really have much time to shoot, but I love taking pictures of my cats!

[Masteraal]

i highly recommend buy a 50mm prime lens.

I have a f/1.8 on my 450D and its the best purchase ive made.. shits all over the twin kit lenses :)

[Crandall]

Originally Posted by PK198105

if you have 1200$ for that lens

Try more like 150

[Crandall]

Originally Posted by PK198105

for a F1.8? where ill take 10 for that price.
i think you forgot a 0 in there somewhere. the cheapest lens on 1.8 that i saw was 700$ used. i dont know where you get your lenses. if they're made specifically for digital the minimum price is around 700$

share the link to where you saw that price , maybe i could find something for my Oly
i never seen a price like that before

f/1.8 in the Canon line is only 129.99 USD. The f/1.2L is 1400 USD

[eTiMaGo]

Nikon's "classic" 50mm F1.8's work just fine on DSLR cameras (except it won't autofocus, the "cheap" Nikons don't have an AF motor for older lenses), are relatively inexpensive, and are known to be some of the very best optics you can get

http://www.kenrockwell.com/nikon/5018daf.htm

$150, some even cheaper on fleabay (buyer beware)

[cleong]

Actually that particular Canon lens is known as "plastic fantastic". Thus called because it has a plastic lens mount. It is also the lightest Canon EF mount lens.

I view it as a disposable lens - its focusing gears aren't well sealed. If it gets clogged with grit, its going to be rough. But its so cheap, you just go buy another if its out of warranty.

There is another cheap(ish) 1.8 lens out there for Canon mount, the 85mm F/1.8.

[Black Yaris]

I am beginning to like the end result when shooting RAW

[Black Yaris]

I can get 532 RAW images on my 4gig card.... should be enough for the Bahamas