Twitter Q&A #2
Copyright Scott Bourne 1998 - All Rights Reserved
Today I’ll answer some of the questions my Twitter audience posed to me this week via Twitter. I received lots of questions and can’t answer them all, but I picked some that were asked more than once figuring I’d help more people by using those questions as the basis of this post. It looks like this might be a regular feature here on the blog.
And if you’d like to follow me on Twitter go to http://www.twitter.com/scottbourne
Question #1 From @WenyaMR
Do you have a favorite DSLR under $1500?
Well MY favorite DSLR under $1500 is WELL under $1500. It’s under $1000 in fact. The Nikon D90. That said, it might not be the best camera for you. When you are trying to determine what camera you should buy there are a myriad of factors to consider. Read this post. http://twipphoto.com/archives/2710 and this post http://twipphoto.com/archives/411 and this post http://twipphoto.com/archives/412 and this post http://twipphoto.com/archives/413.
Question #2 From @rgustinella
My usual shooting time is during travel. Any tips for subjects around the house so I can practice more?
That’s easy. Shoot ANYTHING and EVERYTHING around the house. One of the things I constantly run into relates to people going on workshops with me only to find that they are completely unfamiliar with their gear. They only break out the camera when they take a trip. To avoid getting into that rut, make a pact with yourself to handle your gear every single day. Even if it’s just to take a picture of a beer can on the porch, handling the camera regularly leads to more success when it counts. So set up all your gear, practice with your tripod and changing lenses. Read your manual and know what you’re doing BEFORE you get out into the field.
Question #3 From @silverph
Why can I easily find 8×10 frames but not DSLR standard 8×12 frames?
This is simply a matter of knowing what to look for. Ask for diploma frames – they are almost always 8×12 and perfect for photos in that standard size. Here is an 8×12″ frame I’ve used in the past that I bought at Amazon. 8x 12″ Picture Frame
Question #4 From @paulatkins
Why is an iMac a good choice for a photographer when an EIZO CG is one of the few good monitors, why not Mac mini and EIZO?
First of all, I completely disagree with you that the EIZO CG is “one of the few” good monitors. There are lots of good monitors. While the EIZO are always highly rated, I’ve rarely (as in maybe three times) met a photographer who can take advantage of the difference between that monitor and any number of other monitors in that price range.
As to the second part of your question, the main thing that sends me to the iMac rather than a Mini every single time is GPU. Aperture, iPhoto and now even Photoshop take advantage of the GPU. You can get a faster GPU in the iMac than you can a Mini and there will be a TON of very noticeable performance. The GPU in the Mini also doesn’t come with as much video RAM. You’ll also spend a lot more. To get the MINI close to the capability of the iMac will set you back about $1050. Add the monitor and you’re spending $$$ for a slower solution. And if you go Mini, you won’t be able to buy a processor that’s as powerful as the one available for the iMac. You can also get 8GB of RAM in the iMac and that’s always a good thing when you’re working with photos.
I guess the ultimate answer to you is there’s more to consider than just a monitor.
Question #5 From @Jens_T
How much sharpening do you apply for different outputs (print, web, etc) in Aperture?
That’s a big question with too many parts to answer in this short post. But I’ll answer part of it.
When you apply sharpening to photos you intend to print, you need to think about where that image will be displayed. You’ll need to consider image size, viewing distance, paper type, even lighting. This is almost impossible to put into a standard formula, so I rely on add-on products such as Nik DFine or Noise Ninja since these plug-ins do all the hard work for you on output.
But there is a starting point. Divide the print resolution (let’s say you’re printing to an Epson 3800 which prefers a 360 PPI resolution) by 1/100th of an inch to get your sharpening radius – in this case 3.6. The amount of sharpening is to taste but generally to make it look good in print it has to be slightly TOO sharp on the monitor. Test prints are the best way to make sure.
A couple of other tips. Matte paper may need a bit more sharpening than glossy papers. Selective sharpening is usually a better choice than global sharpening.
Comments are closed.
Nice questions. I look forward to more!
Nice questions. I look forward to more!
Scott, Twitter Q&A is one of my favorites! I always look forward to it.
Thank you!
Scott, Twitter Q&A is one of my favorites! I always look forward to it.
Thank you!
Thanks Scott.
Thanks Scott.
Hey Scott, do you think you would be able to do a more extensive post on Aperture Printing?
Hey Scott, do you think you would be able to do a more extensive post on Aperture Printing?
Regarding the 8×12 frames … on MPIX you can have 8×12 prints made and they will even custom mat & frame the image and have it delivered to your door ready to hang on your wall. I haven’t personally used this service (yet!), but I have had prints made from them before and I really like them. BTW, the price is great for this service … it’s a LOT cheaper than having your image custom framed locally. :)
Regarding the 8×12 frames … on MPIX you can have 8×12 prints made and they will even custom mat & frame the image and have it delivered to your door ready to hang on your wall. I haven’t personally used this service (yet!), but I have had prints made from them before and I really like them. BTW, the price is great for this service … it’s a LOT cheaper than having your image custom framed locally. :)
About a DSLR under $1500, I’d like to remind people that Olympus has some great cameras in that range with lot’s of pro features and surprisingly great kit lenses. I went with the E-510 when I purchased my first DSLR last year and did so with budget and features in mind. The Four Thirds system makes for a lightweight set up as well. As Scott often points out, you can’t really tell people what to get because circumstances are so different. I only bring this up because I’ve found Olympus to be great for budget minded photogs like myself. The economy is killing many people (me included) right now so I thought I’d chime in with my own suggestion. Saving up for a Drobo right now. Hope that $849 sale gets extended as I won’t be able to pull it off by March 31st.
About a DSLR under $1500, I’d like to remind people that Olympus has some great cameras in that range with lot’s of pro features and surprisingly great kit lenses. I went with the E-510 when I purchased my first DSLR last year and did so with budget and features in mind. The Four Thirds system makes for a lightweight set up as well. As Scott often points out, you can’t really tell people what to get because circumstances are so different. I only bring this up because I’ve found Olympus to be great for budget minded photogs like myself. The economy is killing many people (me included) right now so I thought I’d chime in with my own suggestion. Saving up for a Drobo right now. Hope that $849 sale gets extended as I won’t be able to pull it off by March 31st.
I should point out that the price of the D90 has fallen even more since I wrote this piece – it’s under $900. While I am sure that Olympus has many great cameras Steve, I haven’t seen any reviews that would have me believe they make anything on par with the D90 in that price range. Nikon has some inexpensive DX lenses that are also as cheap as anything Olympus sells so if budget is all you have in mind, I am not sure you gain anything going with Olympus.
I should point out that the price of the D90 has fallen even more since I wrote this piece – it’s under $900. While I am sure that Olympus has many great cameras Steve, I haven’t seen any reviews that would have me believe they make anything on par with the D90 in that price range. Nikon has some inexpensive DX lenses that are also as cheap as anything Olympus sells so if budget is all you have in mind, I am not sure you gain anything going with Olympus.
Scott,
Can you extrapolate on the 360 ppi number you derive for the Epson 3800? On Epson’s web site the 3800 specs say that the 1 inch piezo thingy prints at a resolution of 2880 x 1440.
So where the heck does the 360 number come from? And where the heck does the 1/100th come from?
Thanks,
Arn
Arnold the 360 PPI number comes from my trip to Japan a year ago to interview the engineers at Epson who work on the 3800. I asked the question: “What output resolution should I use in Photoshop or Aperture for the 3800?” The engineers said that any output above or below 360 would be down or up-rezzed to 360 – so that’s where that came from. The 1/100 of an inch comes from a formula I developed for prints at proper viewing distance.
Arnold the 360 PPI number comes from my trip to Japan a year ago to interview the engineers at Epson who work on the 3800. I asked the question: “What output resolution should I use in Photoshop or Aperture for the 3800?” The engineers said that any output above or below 360 would be down or up-rezzed to 360 – so that’s where that came from. The 1/100 of an inch comes from a formula I developed for prints at proper viewing distance.
Scott — Do you have any resources that I could read more in depth about sharpening. I’m finding a lot of opinion on line but little in the way of facts. (I am interested in any format btw. i.e. books, websites, video etc)
Thanks for all the work you do. It is very entertaining.
Scott — Do you have any resources that I could read more in depth about sharpening. I’m finding a lot of opinion on line but little in the way of facts. (I am interested in any format btw. i.e. books, websites, video etc)
Thanks for all the work you do. It is very entertaining.
I don’t believe that people really serious about photography are using Imacs. What are they doing, daisychaining drives and drobos and such? No one like internal drives, not paying for a mediocre monitor, adding internal cards or swappable graphics cards? It’s a shame Apple hasn’t released a mid range desktop for people that aren’t interested in an all in one solution. There’s really little reason to go Apple unless you’re prepared to spend $2,000+ on a computer alone, if you’re a photographer.
I don’t believe that people really serious about photography are using Imacs. What are they doing, daisychaining drives and drobos and such? No one like internal drives, not paying for a mediocre monitor, adding internal cards or swappable graphics cards? It’s a shame Apple hasn’t released a mid range desktop for people that aren’t interested in an all in one solution. There’s really little reason to go Apple unless you’re prepared to spend $2,000+ on a computer alone, if you’re a photographer.
Well Nick the criteria for it being true has nothing to do with you believing it. I use iMacs all the time and if you don’t think I’m serious about photography you know absolutely nothing about me. And just about every serious professional photographer I know uses a Mac. Good luck with your Windows machine.
Well Nick the criteria for it being true has nothing to do with you believing it. I use iMacs all the time and if you don’t think I’m serious about photography you know absolutely nothing about me. And just about every serious professional photographer I know uses a Mac. Good luck with your Windows machine.