Sony A6000

[pierces]

Speaking of tripods, any suggestions for a functional, yet compact, tripod for travel?

 

Sent from my SM-T320 using Tapatalk

 

"Functional"

 

Covers a bit of real estate, doesn't it? :)

 

I have three "functional" tripods that I take on trips depending on type of transportation and intent. To be honest, I usually shoot hand-held as stabilization and ridiculous ISO capability has reduced the need for a tripod considerably.

 

Automobile trips with an intent for landscape:

 

Giottos full-sized tripod - The model has been replaced but the idea is the same. Sturdy, stable and with a large ballhead like the Giottos MH1301 mounted on it, your camera will not move.

 

Cruise or airline with planned landscape-oriented sightseeing:

 

My Velbon Ultra Maxi is light, folds down to 14" with a small ballhead on it and will work well even in the wind if you hang a camera bag on it for stabilizing weight.

 

Cruise or airline with general sightseeing:

 

Back to Giottos - the Giottos QU500B mini-tripod with a mini-ballhead mounted on it is perfect for creative low-angle shots or use on a tabletop or ledge. It weighs nothing and fits easily into a backpack or computer bag.

 

I guess the best tripod is more than one tripod! :)

 

Dave

[c230k]

"Functional"

 

 

Cruise or airline with general sightseeing:

 

Back to Giottos - the Giottos QU500B mini-tripod with a mini-ballhead mounted on it is perfect for creative low-angle shots or use on a tabletop or ledge. It weighs nothing and fits easily into a backpack or computer bag.

 

Thanks Dave, just ordered from Amazon, perfect. Needed a good table top tripod.

 

Tom :cool:

[shootr]

It is like family, had it at least 25 years. Irreplaceable. Sentimental - wise...

[CruiseReg]

"Functional"

 

Covers a bit of real estate, doesn't it? :)

 

LOL so very true!

 

My Velbon Ultra Maxi is light, folds down to 14" with a small ballhead on it and will work well even in the wind if you hang a camera bag on it for stabilizing weight.

 

I like this one - my main goal is getting something that I can easily jam into a carryon that will support a camera with a decent sized/weight lens for handsfree exposures. Thanks for the reply!

 

My next project is to hack together a remote storage solution (>=1TB) that uses my phone (Google Nexus 6), memory card reader, small power HUB and USB disk.

[c230k]

if you use Lightroom for photo editing will love this

 

Lightroom Dashboard Can Help You Visualize Your Photography Habits

A new browser-based app that helps you visualize your Lightroom catalog data and surface interesting details about your personal photography habits. To get started in using the service, all you need to do is drag and drop your catalog into your browser

 

https://www.lightroomdashboard.com/app#/load

 

Tom :cool:

[pierces]

...all you need to do is drag and drop your catalog into your browser...

 

My guess is that your catalog is smaller than mine and you haven't poked around in the metadata bar! ;)

 

In Library view, click on the top folder of your library. In the menu, Library > Show Photos In Subfolders needs to be checked.

 

All of your photos will be displayed in a looooooonnnng stack of thumbnails.

 

Under View, check Show Filter Bar

 

You are given a choice of filtering by four criteria at a time but the criteria for each filter box can be chosen from a couple of dozen items in the drop-down.

 

 

This gives you access to any metadata associated with the photos in your library. When I want to see how often I shoot at this aperture or that shutter speed, it's seconds away. Also, since I have done a lot of tagging and comments, I prefer doing the lookup this way to providing someone I don't know with what amounts to a lot of personal and potentially marketable data on my camera usage, family names and other tidbits.

 

Dave

Edited July 16, 2015 by pierces

[c230k]

Dave thanks for the update, do not use lightroom much.

 

Tom :cool:

[c230k]

Bought this for A6000 a half case called Gariz Genuine Leather XS-CHA6000BK. Great protects the bottom of the camera and yet is easy to get to your battery and card. Originally had the Sony case, but it was a pain to take it off every time I had to change the card or the battery. It also adds a little to the grip.

 

Tom :cool:

[shootr]

Still on vacation, the family cruise on my son's destroyer is tomorrow.

 

While looking for a cheap butt pack to carry a lens and couple batteries only I found a beer koozie fits the barrel of the 55-210 perfectly. So for $7 at Walmart I am ready to go!

[wmjivey]

Shooter thats a good tip, I was thinking of converting my hiking fanny pack to carry the extra lens and stuff. This will add the extra protection.

 

John

[pierces]

A6000 shoots RAW!

 

(But you may not need to.)

 

Raw has it's uses but the JPEG engine in the A6000 does a pretty good job. It also allows for some pretty handy features like multi-frame noise reduction, sweep panorama, dynamic range optimizer, in camera HDR and some cool scene modes.

 

The myth that only RAW allows for significant adjustment is starting to die out along with the concept that to take quality photos, you have to shoot with a three-pound camera from specific manufacturers while wearing a matching cap and jacket with an approved logo. Below is a progression series showing that a fairly flat image of a complex subject can be popped out of a JPEG original with a few adjustments in Lightroom. If you are unfamiliar with Lightroom, its adjustment interface allows you to use the same tools used to adjust RAW to tweak JPEGs. Makes switching between RAW and JPEG pretty seamless.

 

The original:

 

There's a little keystoning (lines converging inward at the top due to perspective) because I was standing at street level and even with my usual setting of level 2 DRO, the shadows are a bit blocked up.

 

Perspective adjustment:

 

Not really related to image info stored in the JPEG, but it's a step that used to be a bit of a pain and has been made dirt-simple in Lightroom. It's a lot easier than carrying an 18' ladder to get the proper elevation and way cheaper than a tilt-shift lens!

 

Exposure adjustment:

 

Clicking on "Auto" in the Basic section of Develop and increasing the Shadows setting along with Clarity, Vibrance and Saturation really drags the details out of the area under the awnings and in the reflections. Also unrelated to the subject, I made a copy and popped over to Photoshop and removed the SUV roof in the lower left with the very handy Content-Aware Fill (which took about a minute total).

 

A little crazy:

 

I was considering this for a small canvas print so I took it into Topaz Adjust and browsed some of the presets to give it stronger color and contrast to show up better on the canvas media. Still not sure if it will get immortalized but it helped me illustrate this little note pretty well.

 

I put this here in the A6000 thread to remind folks that going with an outdated "Pros Shoot RAW" mind-set can prevent you from using some of the truly great tools and settings lurking just a menu dive away in your A6000.

 

Happy shooting!

 

Dave

[tommui987]

A6000 shoots RAW!(But you may not need to.)

 

Raw has it's uses but the JPEG engine in the A6000 does a pretty good job.

 

Good posting Dave!

[shootr]

Good: Trip went great, camera was awesome to use, got some fantastic shots.

 

Bad: Got debris on the sensor during lens swaps that started showing up at f16 or higher.

 

Good: Got all but a couple tiny flecks with carefully controlled canned air.

 

Bad: I still don't like them there and don't know what to do, if anything.

 

Allow me to bore you with a few though:

 

 

 

 

 

I now am 100% certain switching systems was the right thing to do. I carried the camera on a Peak belt clip and a tiny Walmart buttpack for the other lens, battery, missus stuff, etc. - and that's it.

 

Sure made getting up and down the ladders a hell of a lot easier!

[pierces]

Good: Trip went great, camera was awesome to use, got some fantastic shots.

 

Bad: Got debris on the sensor during lens swaps that started showing up at f16 or higher.

 

Good: Got all but a couple tiny flecks with carefully controlled canned air.

 

Bad: I still don't like them there and don't know what to do, if anything.

 

Allow me to bore you with a few though:

 

Pics....

 

I now am 100% certain switching systems was the right thing to do. I carried the camera on a Peak belt clip and a tiny Walmart buttpack for the other lens, battery, missus stuff, etc. - and that's it.

 

Sure made getting up and down the ladders a hell of a lot easier!

 

Yeah..."bore" a bunch of photo geeks with a series of nice shots....right. ;)

 

Here's a DIY article I did on sensor cleaning that may help.

 

http://www.pptphoto.com/articles/sensorclean.html

 

FYI: Canned air = evil. A second of bad angle can send a jet of sub-zero propellant into your camera's open chest cavity.

 

Get a filtered blower like the Giottos Rocket.

 

A small aside. I used to test circuit boards for the Phalanx system back in the '70s and we got to watch a series of films from the development tests. Amazing system!

 

Dave

 

Dave

[shootr]

Yeah..."bore" a bunch of photo geeks with a series of nice shots....right. ;)

 

Memories of stacks and stacks of slide carrousels at a family function when I was a kid I guess...:D

 

 

Here's a DIY article I did on sensor cleaning that may help.

 

http://www.pptphoto.com/articles/sensorclean.html

 

 

What is your opinion on the Photographic Solutions Sensor Swab Plus?

FYI: Canned air = evil. A second of bad angle can send a jet of sub-zero propellant into your camera's open chest cavity.

 

I locked the can between my knees, vented any residual liquids in the tube, bent the tube up to vertical, and gently shot it into the open, inverted camera body - scary moment but turned out OK.

Get a filtered blower like the Giottos Rocket.

 

Added to the shopping list.

 

Dave

Edited July 26, 2015 by shootr

[pierces]

[/i]What is your opinion on the Photographic Solutions Sensor Swab Plus?

 

I like them. I have a Digital Survival KIT that includes Sensor Swabs and a small bottle of Eclipse solution for times when I get a bit of "clingy" crud on the sensor. It comes in a nice little pack and travels well. A bit more care involved in using it than the Arctic Butterfly brush, but they work very well. Note that the swabs come in different sizes for full-frame and APS-C.

 

For general dust removal, the Arctic Butterfly is hard to beat.

 

Dave

Edited July 26, 2015 by pierces

[shootr]

The brush is up to $120 now, so cheapo me bought the KIT (Size 2) for now. I expect not to make a habit of this - I've never had this happen before, in all my years of digital photography. Considered myself a careful lens swapper even in dusty old AZ.

 

Thanks again Dave.

 

PS: Amazon has the Sony 32GB 70MB/s write speed cards for 21.99 so picked up one of those too. One of my 40MB/s cards (the one I used on the ship) is only writing at 10-14MB/s, as I suspected during the painfully slow writing of burst shots.

 

PSS: Also got the latest Costco circular - the 2 lens kits are available again for $850.00 brand new.

Edited July 26, 2015 by shootr

[Turtles06]

For general dust removal, the Arctic Butterfly is hard to beat.

 

Dave

 

The brush is up to $120 now. . .

 

Dave, thanks for the recommendation and link to your article.

 

I'm assuming this Arctic Butterfly SL 707 Sensor Cleaning Tool "for small DSLR/Mirrorless Cameras" will do the trick? It's $72.75 at B&H...

 

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/936371-REG/visible_dust_9469492_arctic_butterfly_sl_707.html

 

Like shootr (and I suspect everyone else here :) ), I am as careful as I can be when changing lenses, but not long after I got the a6000, a bit of dust showed up on the sensor. I do have a Giotto Rocket, and that took care of it, but the Arctic Butterfly sounds like a good tool to have. Just want to be sure I get the right one.

 

Thanks!

[pierces]

The brush is up to $120 now, so cheapo me bought the KIT (Size 2) for now. I expect not to make a habit of this - I've never had this happen before, in all my years of digital photography. Considered myself a careful lens swapper even in dusty old AZ.

 

As Turtles06 mentioned, they have the smaller one on Amazon for about $70. I'm not familiar with it specifically, but their products are well regarded.

 

Mirrorless cameras are particularly sensitive to dust incursion with no mirror blocking them from direct exposure to ambient nastiness (why I travel with two bodies other than as a backup). One hint is to be sure to turn off the camera before swapping lenses so the faint charge in the sensor is less likely to attract airborne particles. Another is to have the alternate lens uncapped and oriented in your other hand so the swap takes place as quickly as possible.

 

Dave

[shootr]

A nice quandary to have:

 

Depending on how a strange eBay/PayPal/UPS situation pans out - I may have $500 to play with - and as any photo geek would do, I want more toys.

 

For the sake of conversation, with that amount, and knowing I already have the 16-50 and 55-210 lenses - what would your next choice be?

 

I really want to stick with a fully Sony-compatible lens - one that takes advantage of every technical feature the camera offers, just like the other ones.

 

I shoot everything but macro is probably at or near the top of the list, then some sort of prime would be a highly desirable choice.

 

Probably just talking in the wind, but if it comes to fruition - well, so be it.

[wmjivey]

When I posted a similar question, the SEL 50 f1.8 and/or Rokinon 12 f2 came up several times. I bought the 50mm and saving for the 12.

 

John

[c230k]

I know it cost a little more, but the Sony 10-18mm Oss is a must have for me. On a cruise is great for indoor shoots and panoramic outdoor shots.

 

Tom :cool:

[pierces]

For the sake of conversation, with that amount, and knowing I already have the 16-50 and 55-210 lenses - what would your next choice be?

 

Hands down the SEL5018 50mm Incredible portrait lens and the bang for the buck is there for sure.

 

I really want to stick with a fully Sony-compatible lens - one that takes advantage of every technical feature the camera offers, just like the other ones.

 

Tom's suggestion of the 10-18 is a good one. It is a very good performer. I went with the 12mm Rokinon because I wanted a sky-shooter and the 12mm's performance wide open at f/2.0 was a deciding factor. I have found that other than stabilization, I don't miss autofocus with it as much as I thought I would. Focus peaking and the natural depth of field in an ultrawide make it easy to use.

 

I shoot everything but macro is probably at or near the top of the list, then some sort of prime would be a highly desirable choice.

 

The Sony SEL30M35 30mm macro is a so-so lens and while the new 90mm FE macro looks pretty stellar, it's $1k price tag gives me pause...so:

 

Consider the 50mm f/1.8 and grab a set of extension tubes. (I'll try to post a few examples later.)

 

Another option: I still have my old 100mm Minolta macro that I use with the LAEA1 adapter but if I didn't, the Rokinon/Samyang 100mm macro would be my contender for a dedicated macro. I lacks autofocus but autofocus and macro really don't always play well together for me.

 

 

 

My 2¢...

 

Dave

Edited July 27, 2015 by pierces

[pierces]

A couple of shots with the SEL5018 and the aforementioned extension tubes. I ended up turning it off but autofocus worked as usual with the tubes.

 

Sago curls - curls are a little less than ¼"

 

Lantana blossom - Just about an inch across

 

Baby Lantana - about ½" across

 

Stacked for depth of field but sharpness was compromised by hand-held shooting and high magnification. I may need to drag out the tripod and do some more macro stuff this week!

 

Dave

Edited July 27, 2015 by pierces

[shootr]

Very nice!

 

I like the idea of a big giant f1.8 opening over almost all else at this point, just the added low light capability means a lot to what I think I want. I have to walk around tonight with the current lens at 50mm to see if I get any short comings with it's "reach", or need for distance in indoor family-type settings.

 

The cost of the tubes is pretty sweet too. Also need a mount for the telescope, looking forward to that this winter!