Sigma DP2 Merrill color photos, please!

[noimmunity]

I'm preparing to take this deliciously compact powerhouse on a backpacking trip next week, but before I go, i wanted to start this thread here on RFF. I've seen plenty of really awesome images taken with this camera on other sites. Now I know I'm no pro, so I can't wait to see what others here on RFF can do with it!


Mums by areality4all, on Flickr

Still lacking an external OVF, it's hard to frame and stabilize the camera at low shutter speeds:

Glimmer of Green on a Grim Fall Day by areality4all, on Flickr

[jsrockit]

No more from anyone?

[GaryLH]

Originally Posted by jsrockit

No more from anyone?

Just for u since u are still waiting for a flight back to US.. BTW nice place to be stuck, Osaka

The wife and I were in wine country this weekend. Coming back to car to put wine away. This guy was sitting on te bumper of my wife's car. Almost a 100% crop.

My hands were a bit unsteady.. Carrying a bit of wine back to the car
Gary

[GaryLH]

Fall does come to Calif.. Sort of.... Hummmmmmm well kind of.







These were all cropped based on my original intent for shot. Run my normal default aperture enhancement script (preset). Raw to tiff 16 conversion in spp.

Gary

[noimmunity]

California autumn, chuckle chuckle! Can't wait for "California Christmas"!!!


Graffitte truck by areality4all, on Flickr

[jsrockit]

Thanks for the photos. Looking good. Yes, Osaka is a nice place to be stranded. My girlfriends family had been spoiling us too. I feel guilty knowing what is going on in NYC.

[burancap]

My first run with the new "Foveon Classic Blue" in SPP 5.4.0 -very powerful, too powerful???


SDPM2-18 by burancap, on Flickr

[GaryLH]

Jeff

Was the building naturally that yellow? When I used it it it's mode I felt the sky was a bit too blue compared to normal. But for some of the foreground colors, this mode seemed to have affected them as well... However, I was thinking tonight I should try taking a good blue sky w/ clouds. One shot in this mode and the other in std. Convert to b&w in aperture and c which one looks the best.

Gary

[burancap]

Gary,

Spot on!

I was going to mention the "yellow" in the header of that post, but decided to wait and see the reaction first. The building in the image is indeed yellow, but not *that* yellow -not to mention the blue!

I only shoot the base X3F file in STD. I selected the "Foveon Classic Blue" in the new rev of SPP, the 5.4.0 release. It most definitely alters the entire image -though I suppose it would have to, assuming it does not have any intelligent selection. Perhaps it might be more selective in a future rev?

Back to the image, one tell is in the trunk and its change from grey to yellow. All in all, I find the whole FCB way too artificial with most images -not unlike canned so-called "scenes" in some cameras. I don't particularly care for any of them, again preferring as minimal of an intervention as possible. That said, I will try to go back through my X3F's and find one where it might work better. This example was chosen because of how overpowering the colors were. I may go back and reshoot this in portrait and crop the tree -leaving a more abstract, graphic image. (two notes: FCB will work ony ANY X3F file, not just Merrills. Also, FCB is basically a "light switch" throw. While other settings are infinitely adjustable, I did not alter them in this image to gain the full alteration.)

Regarding the B&W conversion and using FCB -interesting thought as a type of filtering and something I actually tried in SPP. While I need to experiment more when I have time, this is what I did...

1. Select an example X3F in SPP
2. Desaturate 100% to convert
3. Make no more changes other than FCB in COLOR MODE
4. Toggle between FCB and Standard in COLOR MODE to see the change

Regards,

[jsrockit]

I finally picked up the DP2 Merrill yesterday. Shooting some test shots today. I will upload if I get anything interesting. Happy to have it in my hands finally. I can live with the camera's slowness... but I'm still not sure if I can live with SPP. Time will tell.

[GaryLH]

Originally Posted by jsrockit

I finally picked up the DP2 Merrill yesterday. Shooting some test shots today. I will upload if I get anything interesting. Happy to have it in my hands finally. I can live with the camera's slowness... but I'm still not sure if I can live with SPP. Time will tell.

Have fun w/ it.

I only use spp for raw to tiff16 conversion of the shots I like. I import into aperture for the real work.

Good luck
Gary

[GaryLH]

Originally Posted by burancap

Gary,

Spot on!

I was going to mention the "yellow" in the header of that post, but decided to wait and see the reaction first. The building in the image is indeed yellow, but not *that* yellow -not to mention the blue!

I only shoot the base X3F file in STD. I selected the "Foveon Classic Blue" in the new rev of SPP, the 5.4.0 release. It most definitely alters the entire image -though I suppose it would have to, assuming it does not have any intelligent selection. Perhaps it might be more selective in a future rev?

Back to the image, one tell is in the trunk and its change from grey to yellow. All in all, I find the whole FCB way too artificial with most images -not unlike canned so-called "scenes" in some cameras. I don't particularly care for any of them, again preferring as minimal of an intervention as possible. That said, I will try to go back through my X3F's and find one where it might work better. This example was chosen because of how overpowering the colors were. I may go back and reshoot this in portrait and crop the tree -leaving a more abstract, graphic image. (two notes: FCB will work ony ANY X3F file, not just Merrills. Also, FCB is basically a "light switch" throw. While other settings are infinitely adjustable, I did not alter them in this image to gain the full alteration.)

Regarding the B&W conversion and using FCB -interesting thought as a type of filtering and something I actually tried in SPP. While I need to experiment more when I have time, this is what I did...

1. Select an example X3F in SPP
2. Desaturate 100% to convert
3. Make no more changes other than FCB in COLOR MODE
4. Toggle between FCB and Standard in COLOR MODE to see the change

Regards,

Thanks
Gary

[burancap]

Originally Posted by jsrockit

I finally picked up the DP2 Merrill yesterday.

Congratulations!

Looking forward to your take on it.

I like SPP -the key is having the power to run it!

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by burancap

Congratulations!

Looking forward to your take on it.

I like SPP -the key is having the power to run it!

Thanks. My computer runs SPP fine. I just prefer lightroom. However, I'll either get used to it or just use it as a TIFF converter.

[dfatty]

Originally Posted by jsrockit

I finally picked up the DP2 Merrill yesterday.

Yes, congrats, looking forward to hearing how you like it. The output I've seen from this camera is incredible. IIRC there was just a recent firmware update as well which helped the AF a bit, not that anyone should expect miracles.

[jsrockit]

Originally Posted by dfatty

IIRC there was just a recent firmware update as well which helped the AF a bit, not that anyone should expect miracles.

My camera didn't have the firmware update so I played with it a little before updating. I can confirm that the update made the camera's AF go from horrible to completely usable and at times, relatively fast.

[dfatty]

good to hear the AF is better and even, perhaps, fast at times. well, actually it's not good to hear, now i have the GAS again.

[noimmunity]

stove 3 by areality4all, on Flickr


light from somewhere by areality4all, on Flickr


waterflow 2 by areality4all, on Flickr

[GaryLH]

The b&w ones on the other thread and these... Man it looks pretty cold and dreary during your little back pack excursion.

The little stove is quite interesting, does it fold up? I was thinking that shot may look pretty good in b&w as well..

Gary

[noimmunity]

Originally Posted by GaryLH

The b&w ones on the other thread and these... Man it looks pretty cold and dreary during your little back pack excursion.

The little stove is quite interesting, does it fold up? I was thinking that shot may look pretty good in b&w as well..

Gary

It was pretty nasty weather. Spent more time than I'd planned gathering and sawing wood. But no matter what the weather is like, I always enjoy just being out there.

The stove is made of titanium, weighs about a kilo, and has an ingenious stovepipe that rolls down to nothing. http://www.kifaru.net/stoves.html Edit: I guess they don't make them from titanium anymore, but use stainless steel instead. The titanium is obviously lighter, but a lot more expensive now (I got mine many years ago when prices were a fraction of what they are today).
Another excellent titanium stove is made by Titanium Goat.

Gary, do you know any reason why the manual focus goes past infinity?

Jon

[GaryLH]

Originally Posted by noimmunity

Gary, do you know any reason why the manual focus goes past infinity?

Jon

Not a clue why.

Gary

[jsrockit]

Finally got to go out with the camera yesterday for a good seesion. I will post some soon... once I figure out how to process them best.

[noimmunity]

Originally Posted by GaryLH

Not a clue why.

Gary

Wish it were not the case. For skyscapes, it is often impossible to use AF (I haven't played with the menu settings though). MF is mandatory. Infinity stop would be really helpful.

[noimmunity]

Originally Posted by GaryLH

I was thinking that shot may look pretty good in b&w as well..

Gary

I posted on the monochrome image thread.
First tried to desaturate all colors but red in order to keep the glowing fire, but some of the firewood is red, too.

[mrisney]

Putting up my first set now, after taking Amtrak Cascade to Seattle and then the ferry onward to Victoria, B.C.







Initial observations, definitely 'film like' I'd say it has a look that is different than from my 5DMKIII, the resolution is close,
I am not a pixel peeper, but it looks sharp enough - these are all straight from the camera exported to half size .tiff, no correction.