My first post

[donek]

I've been poking around here for about a week and decided it was time to join in. I've had my camera since November and I'm having a great deal of fun. I have some technical questions as well as a request. I'll start with the questions.

With my first 2 lenses I purchased polarizers, but the sales person failed to explain exactly how to use them. As a result, pretty much all of my photos so far have been shot with no attention to the polarizer. Someone recently showed me how it works and I'm wishing I'd been using it more effectively all along. I just bought a 50-500mm Sigma lens, but was told they didn't have a polarizer for that lens. So I was sold a UV filter for about $100 (86mm filters are pricey I guess). I'm wondering, did I waste my money? It seems like the polarizer has the potential to do a lot, but I don't see the UV filter doing much. Have I missed the boat on this or should I return the filter and find a polarizer online?

I have a Nikon D2H. I've noticed that there isn't any ISO speed information written to any of the files I'm downloading from the camera, yet I can see that information on the LCD when reviewing the pictures. Is anyone familiar enough with this camera to help me get it to write the information to the file? I've been unable to find anything in the manual. Is it something to do with the software I'm using (photoshop elements)?

Finally, I've posted some photos in my smugmug account http://www.donek.smugmug.com (http://www.donek.smugmug.com/). I would really appreciate any advice people can offer.

[ian408]

Welcome aboard! I think you'll find the water's just right here :D

You might want to download a program for reading EXIF data called
'Exif Reader'. You can find it here http://www.takenet.or.jp/~ryuuji/minisoft/exifread/english/

There are varying schools of thought on UV filters. But I'll say that a UV
filter is cheaper than a scratched lens.

There are 86mm circular polarizing filters available. You could try a search on
www.bhphotovideo.com (http://www.bhphotovideo.com) for a list.

Again, welcome and we look forward to seeing more of your work!

Ian

[ian408]

http://donek.smugmug.com/photos/26337014-M.jpg

This one is nice. The tips of the tents make it look like yurts on the distant
plains.

http://donek.smugmug.com/photos/26214833-M-1.jpg

I like the tele skier series. Always wanted to learn to tele properly but maybe
not the railslide thing.

Ian

[BrettG]

With regard to polarizers, if you need one you need one :D but they do have a cost in light reduction (as well as $).

It's at least 1 stop, maybe 2, and the bigma is already pretty slow on the long end. I guess it depends on what/how you shoot with the long lens.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong (and I might well be, and correct me if I am...), but I think the polarizing effect is one of the few things that can't be added in post processing. I mostly (try) to use mine for wider angle shots, to darken clouds and sky. I'm sure there's other uses too.

[donek]

This one is nice. The tips of the tents make it look like yurts on the distant
plains.

Ian
It's actually Denver International Airport taken from a farm road east of the airport. I've struggled with that photo a lot. I rarely do any color corrections, but I have made some charges to it. Does it look over processed?

[donek]

With regard to polarizers, if you need one you need one :D but they do have a cost in light reduction (as well as $).

It's at least 1 stop, maybe 2, and the bigma is already pretty slow on the long end. I guess it depends on what/how you shoot with the long lens.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong (and I might well be, and correct me if I am...), but I think the polarizing effect is one of the few things that can't be added in post processing. I mostly (try) to use mine for wider angle shots, to darken clouds and sky. I'm sure there's other uses too.
That explains why I'm getting as high a shutter speed off the big lens F6.3 (UV) as I get off the 200mm F2.8 (Polarizer). The thing I'm looking at when adjusting the polarizer is eliminating glare. These areas tend to overexpose. Theres really no way to correct something like that with software.