Kid challenge

[fish]

Today was my son's 11th birthday party (his actual bday was 11/30), and man o man...fishwife and I are two pooped parents.

Go ahead and try to keep up with ten 11yo's trying to get photos. Actually, it was only difficult when they weren't sitting down eating pizza or opening presents :rofl

First real opportunity to try out my 20D and 24-70/2.8L. Used the "green mode" and built-in flash for grins. I did no post processing to the images, except for nuking a little redeye here and there and used parameter 2 (flat). I might try parameter 1 next time, cuz while the lack of composition skill demonstrated my sheer exhaustion, I think the shots could use a bit of sharpening and contrast. Plus, my son made an explicit request that I not crop his friends out of the images (oops :1drink).

http://coyfish.smugmug.com/photos/12266558-L-1.jpg


http://coyfish.smugmug.com/photos/12265920-M-1.jpg


Can I correctly assume that any parameters I set will be negated when I shoot RAW?

[pathfinder]

Today was my son's 11th birthday party (his actual bday was 11/30), and man o man...fishwife and I are two pooped parents.

Go ahead and try to keep up with ten 11yo's trying to get photos. Actually, it was only difficult when they weren't sitting down eating pizza or opening presents :rofl

First real opportunity to try out my 20D and 24-70/2.8L. Used the "green mode" and built-in flash for grins. I did no post processing to the images, except for nuking a little redeye here and there and used parameter 2 (flat). I might try parameter 1 next time, cuz while the lack of composition skill demonstrated my sheer exhaustion, I think the shots could use a bit of sharpening and contrast. Plus, my son made an explicit request that I not crop his friends out of the images (oops :1drink).

http://coyfish.smugmug.com/photos/12266558-L-1.jpg


http://coyfish.smugmug.com/photos/12265920-M-1.jpg


Can I correctly assume that any parameters I set will be negated when I shoot RAW?


Fish - There is an excellent article on the Canon website here http://www.photoworkshop.com/canon/ in the bottom row entitled 'getting the most out of your EOS" thAt should be included when you purchase the camera. Much of the information is about the 1 series cameras, and how they are different than the 20D. Here is just one page from the pdf file pointing out the diferences.
http://pathfinder.smugmug.com/photos/12276819-L.jpg
Suffice it to say, that if you prefer to shoot 'in camera jpgs,' rather than RAW, you need to increase the default shArpening settings in the 20D as well as the 1 series beasts. I also increase the color saturation as well if I shoot jpgs. And no, this has no effect on the images captured in RAW.

The whole article is about 25 pages long and well worth the read.

[fish]

Fish - There is an excellent article on the Canon website here http://www.photoworkshop.com/canon/
Perfecto...thanks pathfinder.

[Thiago Sigrist]

You're absolutely right!

Even with those fast-focusing cameras and lenses (you're very well-covered on this field, huh?), it's quite a challenge to keep up with kids, that's for sure!

The shots are cool, they show your son having quite a good time (that's the most important here), and you got pretty good results, considering you used the builtin flash.

As for your question, I don't know how Canon's RAW converter works (I shoot Nikon) but it probably allows you to process your RAW files using the exact parameters that were set in the camera, *or* override those with whatever you might want (like more sharpness, or more saturation). Adobe Camera RAW, however, is a different animal: it uses its *own* parameters as default for RAW processing, regardless of what you might have set in camera.

Thanks for sharing (and hope I could help)!

Take care!

-- thiago

[fish]

okay...a coupla fixes.

http://coyfish.smugmug.com/photos/12278690-L.jpg


http://coyfish.smugmug.com/photos/12278773-L.jpg

[fish]

You're absolutely right!

Even with those fast-focusing cameras and lenses (you're very well-covered on this field, huh?), it's quite a challenge to keep up with kids, that's for sure!
Hi Thiago,

Yes, and it was a bad time to have run out of zip-ties and duct tape. :D

The shots are cool, they show your son having quite a good time (that's the most important here), and you got pretty good results, considering you used the builtin flash.
Thank you, that's very kind. I'm slowly trudging up the learning curve on this camera. While the 20D is very similar to the 10D, it's different enough that I have to consiously consider where the settings are. Since the adults were out-numbered about 3-1, I figured it was a good time to test out the snapshot capabilities of the camera. Funny...the more advanced the camera, the harder it is to take snapshots. However, the main point of the party was not my photography, but my son having fun. And he did have a very good time. Fortunately I was able to step away from the fun, games, and supervision to snap a few shots.

As for your question, I don't know how Canon's RAW converter works (I shoot Nikon) but it probably allows you to process your RAW files using the exact parameters that were set in the camera, *or* override those with whatever you might want (like more sharpness, or more saturation). Adobe Camera RAW, however, is a different animal: it uses its *own* parameters as default for RAW processing, regardless of what you might have set in camera.
Yes, of course of course. :wxwax Photoshop Elements 3 RAW converter provides the option to use the "in camera" settings or fully customizable settings. I knew the answer to my own question, but brainfaded. Thanks for prodding my memory cells.


Cheers,
fish

[gus]

Clear shots fishguts...

Can you list 5 major advantages of the new camera over the old ?

[photocat]

[QUOTE=Humungus]Clear shots fishguts...


Yes, they are very crisp... Good saying about the nicer the camera the more difficult it gets to just get snapshots... (I live on snaps).
My Nikon D70 is pretty good at it tho'. I don't have to worry to go on full automatic and just point and shoot...
I did a childrens party with a jumping castle for 2 year olds, and man, my earlier minolta dimage 7I could not handle their speed of wizzing around and up and down...
Your son has really nice eyes...

[fish]

Clear shots fishguts...

Thanks...they'll get better now that I'm a parameter 1 kinda guy :)

Can you list 5 major advantages of the new camera over the old ?

Oh my...only 5? Well, I'll give you the five advantages of the 20D over the 10D that are most important to me. Not necessarily in order of priority:


Much faster card writing speed...something like 4x faster.
E-TTLII flash metering. Better color and exposure with both the internal and external flash.
Joystick doodad (multicontroller) on the back which makes cruising around images during playback much easier and faster. Plus you can zoom in on an image and move through the images on the card at the same zoom level.
2 more megapixels...and more is better in this case.
New AF system which is faster and more accurate than the previous one. Also has 9 AF points, instead of 7.


How'd I do? :1drink

[fish]

Yes, they are very crisp... Good saying about the nicer the camera the more difficult it gets to just get snapshots... (I live on snaps).

Thanks cat.

My Nikon D70 is pretty good at it tho'. I don't have to worry to go on full automatic and just point and shoot...
I did a childrens party with a jumping castle for 2 year olds, and man, my earlier minolta dimage 7I could not handle their speed of wizzing around and up and down...

The D70 is a really nice camera. Very fast.

I think my 20D and I will get along just fine, once we've had a chance to bond. I've only had it for a few days, so it'll take some getting used to. I really do think that sometimes the snapshots are harder than "art" shots, where you have plenty of time to set up, tripod, remote, think about exposure, composition, and DOF. It's a bit more challenging (to me, anyway) to quickly grab the camera, flick it on, and start snapping without thinking. I have the utmost appreciation and respect for good news photogs who have to do the snappy thing on a daily basis. As a test, grab your camera, turn it around so the lens is pointing at you, and see how many tries it takes to get a decent self-portrait. P&S doesn't count...gotta use your dSLR. Turning it around takes away the advantage of familiarity.


Your son has really nice eyes... Thanks cat...I'll make sure to let him know you said that. It's always fun to watch an 11yo boy blush :)

[fish]

Your son has really nice eyes...
:1drink