Is this sharpened too much?

[Bill44]

I think I need to learn more about photography techniques way ahead of post processing at the moment, but thanks for all of your input.

As I'm rapidly learning since my film days, for digital the shooting and post processing are both important and almost inseparable.

[Keith]

As I'm rapidly learning since my film days, for digital the shooting and post processing are both important and almost inseparable.

I couldn't possibly argue with that Bill, but as I am a relative rookie with a DSLR I am very interested in reading and looking at other peoples ideas and results, also, I am somewhat confused as to which photo fixing/enhancing software I will actually settle on, but the Nikons own Capture NX seems well worthy at the moment, its just taking the time to learn how to use it properly (just a trial version at the moment) that may take as much time as I need to also get out and practice with the camera.

[crisscross]

... I am somewhat confused as to which photo fixing/enhancing software I will actually settle on, but the Nikons own Capture NX seems well worthy at the moment, its just taking the time to learn how to use it properly (just a trial version at the moment) that may take as much time as I need to also get out and practice with the camera.

It is an unfortunate fact that the serious PP software is a pig to learn and can put people off the whole PP process. Equally unfortunate that an element of personal preference is unavoidable, one man's 'intuitive' is another's nightmare. If it isn't enjoyable it cuts photography as a creative hobby in half.

However the workarounds like Picassa, Lightroom & Aperture which only operate on the whole image or at best introduce 'dodge & burn' at the end will never get the best out of really good bird pics like the one that started this thread.

So if you do find NX2 intuitive, its worth persevering with; otherwise perhaps start with the Elements version of Photoshop, which has most of the real thing (but no Curves in PSE4 the one I stick with as I only want basic cut & paste and a 'hook' for FocusMagic, but its upto PSE7 now and that may have.)

[Keith]

So if you do find NX2 intuitive, its worth persevering with; otherwise perhaps start with the Elements version of Photoshop, which has most of the real thing (but no Curves in PSE4 the one I stick with as I only want basic cut & paste and a 'hook' for FocusMagic, but its upto PSE7 now and that may have.)

Chris, I have just priced up Photoshop 7, it is 50% less than Capture NX, would P7 still be able to process Nikons RAW NEF files from a camera as recent as mine, or do Adobe provide updates for ever changing cameras?

Keith

[crisscross]

Chris, I have just priced up Photoshop 7, it is 50% less than Capture NX, would P7 still be able to process Nikons RAW NEF files from a camera as recent as mine, or do Adobe provide updates for ever changing cameras?

Keith

I imagine you are talking about PS Elements 7 (Photoshop full is on about v9 or 10 & usually sold as part of Adobe creative Suite (CS3 or 4 just coming on stream) at several hundred £s unless educational or pirated.

I don't know what PSE7 would do with a nef from recent camera. PSE4 has a pathetic range of convert/adjust from what look like tools from Nikon View pre NX series, ie current when PSE4 was published. However, View NX has the possibility of making basic adjustments similar to the Camera & Quick fix stages of Capture NX2 and then File>convert with option of 8 or 16bit tif or file>open with, which might include PSE7 if installed, just don't know. View is regularly updated for new Nikon cameras. Again I don't know if PSE7 handles 16bit tif, there may be problems with layer handling; but 8 bit tif is fine for most purposes.

I would prefer others to speak for PS/E.

[crisscross]

Hey Keith

we could do with an urgent repost of this pic in the weekly challenge
Canon -v- Nikon -v- Others: TEAM CHALLENGE - Week ending 15 Mar 09
as at present I think my clutched at straws are the only team Nikon ones, tho others may be holding back until the last moment

[Dave Humphries]

Herewith a link to Adobe's CS4 LR2.3 ACR5.3 camera list, I believe this will also hold true for PSE7.

[Keith]

Blimey, you lot certainly know your stuff, if any of you ever need to know anything about the technical side of coarse fishing, just let me know

[Keith]

Hey Keith

we could do with an urgent repost of this pic in the weekly challenge
Canon -v- Nikon -v- Others: TEAM CHALLENGE - Week ending 15 Mar 09
as at present I think my clutched at straws are the only team Nikon ones, tho others may be holding back until the last moment

Unfortunatel Chris, that picture was taken on the 26th December 08, my very first day out with my new camera, so well over a month old.

But I have entered a more recent photo, taken this month!