And the winner is: RAW and my own processing (might just be my ego)

[JBW]

in a previous post I tried 'light painting' and HDR. I think this is a better shot.

[gregj1763]

Haven't seen your other posts Brian but I reckon you are right, you are getting some wonderful results with the A58, the flower leaps out at me, great colours. Has a real 3D feel to it

[JBW]

Haven't seen your other posts Brian but I reckon you are right, you are getting some wonderful results with the A58, the flower leaps out at me, great colours. Has a real 3D feel to it

The A58 certainly performs nicely with my style of shooting.

[Donald]

in a previous post I tried 'light painting' and HDR. I think this is a better shot.

I agree.

And the winner is: RAW and my own processing (might just be my ego)

Oh, I don't think so. You've discovered the power of taking full control of the image-making process from start to finish. For the type of photography you do I think it is, as they say, a 'no-brainer' that you should have taken on to capture the photo and then create the final image, all under the influence of your own fair hand!!

[JBW]

I agree.


Oh, I don't think so. You've discovered the power of taking full control of the image-making process from start to finish. For the type of photography you do I think it is, as they say, a 'no-brainer' that you should have taken on to capture the photo and then create the final image, all under the influence of your own fair hand!!

I won't argue with anything you say except the 'fair hand'. After almost 15 years in the tropics there's not much of me that's not brown.

[Ndukes]

This is working well for you Brian. It is clear that you achieve best results working from the raw data hitting the sensor rather than the camera's interpretation of what 'it thinks' you are trying to achieve artistically. You are in the groove now with the A58 and raw.
Just one other thought: I am reluctant to suggest changing anything but you mentioned that you tend to underexposed by 2 stops presumably in favour of a generally darker mood.
My own experience using 'Matrix' metering with a succession of Nikon cameras shooting raw is that the camera reads the exposure values for the full image area and attempts to strike an exposure which is the darkest possible without under exposing. Mostly the image is within the dynamic range of the sensor and there is room to adjust brightness/contrast upwards as required. Although I have not seen evidence of it so far in your work, the general view is that under exposing may require you to lift the shadows and this can result in noise.
I believe the metering option 'Multi Segment' on the A58 is more-or-less the equivalent of Nikon's Matrix metering. It should ensure that, provided the entire image falls within the dynamic range of the sensor, that nothing should be under or over exposed. It might be worth trying a few shots using Multi Segment with no EV adjustment and check the histogram on your raw converter software to ensure that there is no clipping at either end. In theory at least this should I believe give you the best image data from which you then start to create your artistic take on the image.
I am certain that some of the other members who are following your progress will probably have a better informed technical view on this and it would be useful to see their comments.

[John 2]

Onward and upwards Brian. That's a well composed and nicely processed image. The tonal range is spot on.

[JBW]

This is working well for you Brian. It is clear that you achieve best results working from the raw data hitting the sensor rather than the camera's interpretation of what 'it thinks' you are trying to achieve artistically. You are in the groove now with the A58 and raw.
Just one other thought: I am reluctant to suggest changing anything but you mentioned that you tend to underexposed by 2 stops presumably in favour of a generally darker mood.
My own experience using 'Matrix' metering with a succession of Nikon cameras shooting raw is that the camera reads the exposure values for the full image area and attempts to strike an exposure which is the darkest possible without under exposing. Mostly the image is within the dynamic range of the sensor and there is room to adjust brightness/contrast upwards as required. Although I have not seen evidence of it so far in your work, the general view is that under exposing may require you to lift the shadows and this can result in noise.
I believe the metering option 'Multi Segment' on the A58 is more-or-less the equivalent of Nikon's Matrix metering. It should ensure that, provided the entire image falls within the dynamic range of the sensor, that nothing should be under or over exposed. It might be worth trying a few shots using Multi Segment with no EV adjustment and check the histogram on your raw converter software to ensure that there is no clipping at either end. In theory at least this should I believe give you the best image data from which you then start to create your artistic take on the image.
I am certain that some of the other members who are following your progress will probably have a better informed technical view on this and it would be useful to see their comments.

I just went back and checked the data. I did use multi segment metering and my EV was set to 0. Mind you I had an ISO of 1250 and I did need to tone down some hot spots by switching to linear(?) in Sony Express.

I may turn into a techie yet.

[JBW]

Onward and upwards Brian. That's a well composed and nicely processed image. The tonal range is spot on.

It does seem to be coming along nicely.

[Ndukes]

I may turn into a techie yet.

Oh no! Don't do that. You are a photographer with adequate techie knowledge to get the job done.

[Shadowman]

Very nice.

[JBW]

Very nice.

[KimC]

That's one beautiful rose Brian! Nicely done!

[Mike Buckley]

I think this is a better shot.

Unquestionably better and very nice. I like the unique framing of the rose by the stems on the right.

[JBW]

That's one beautiful rose Brian! Nicely done!

one of the benefits of living in the tropics is year round practice for garden shots.

[JBW]

Unquestionably better and very nice. I like the unique framing of the rose by the stems on the right.

The 'stems' are actually part of a well aged bamboo fence. I was hoping they would work as a frame .

[Manfred M]

Brian - just remember that the "best" colour performance of your (and any other camera) is at base ISO. The moment you start increasing ISO, the colour performance starts decreasing. With 12.5 eV dynamic range, you are capturing a lot more colour data than your computer screen can reproduce, and you can pull that out and manipulate that when you play around with the raw data.


http://www.dxomark.com/Reviews/Sony-...or-performance

[JBW]

Brian - just remember that the "best" colour performance of your (and any other camera) is at base ISO. The moment you start increasing ISO, the colour performance starts decreasing. With 12.5 eV dynamic range, you are capturing a lot more colour data than your computer screen can reproduce, and you can pull that out and manipulate that when you play around with the raw data.


http://www.dxomark.com/Reviews/Sony-...or-performance

So I might do better if I set the ISO to 100 rather than auto? Which I have just done and will see how it works later.

That is an interesting link.

[Manfred M]

So I might do better if I set the ISO to 100 rather than auto? Which I have just done and will see how it works later.

That is an interesting link.

It depends on what you are trying to do.

If low noise and maximum colour depth are your goal, then base ISO (or as close to it as you can get) will give you the best results.

It was like that in the film days too; a slow film had smaller grain and better colour than a faster one.

If you can get the aperture and shutter speed that you need to get a good shot, then yes. I rarely use auto-ISO. Usually the only time I will use it is when I am shooting in an environment where the light changes rapidly (like in a concert).

[JBW]

It depends on what you are trying to do.

If low noise and maximum colour depth are your goal, then base ISO (or as close to it as you can get) will give you the best results.

It was like that in the film days too; a slow film had smaller grain and better colour than a faster one.

If you can get the aperture and shutter speed that you need to get a good shot, then yes. I rarely use auto-ISO. Usually the only time I will use it is when I am shooting in an environment where the light changes rapidly (like in a concert).

Living and learning.