E-PL1 Users Group

Post and discuss beautiful underwater photos and video brought back from the depths of the sea.
Peter Guy
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by Peter Guy »

Actually, "Peter" has as his default settings for macro:

ISO -- 200

Shutter speed -- 1/160

F-stop -- f11

Raw+JPEG hi quality

Strobe -- Inon D2000 set at lSTTL -- fill flash

I move my strobe around a lot.
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fmerkel
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by fmerkel »

Thank you both. I've got the camera and manual laid out for some study tonight. I haven't cracked the book yet and after messing around with settings I realized there are a few that are not easily found, at least by me.

So....strobes, since the one I have is a loaner to try this out.
If you were looking for a 'best buy' strobe for this, what might you look at? I know that's a tough definition. Something that has adequate power, spread, and control for local use, but does not make you want to hide your wallet.

On the bench this seems to focus and fire OK. When I tried this in a very dark room it wouldn't focus. So, for night diving I'll need a focus light or at least my Dusty light with diffuser?
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LCF
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by LCF »

The focus on this camera is contrast-based, so it needs a fair amount of light. I have found the red focus light on my strobe is NOT enough. Peter uses the "spill" from his canister lighthead to put enough light on the subject to do it. That annoys me, because the can light makes a lot of things run away. I tried a focus light on top of the camera, but the one I had was very long, and it was mega-annoying, always in the way of the strobe or my fingers. I'd love to have one of the Sola lights, but they're awfully expensive.

I'm using the Inon D2000 strobe, and we bought mine on e-bay. I don't remember how much we paid for it, but it was about 2/3 retail.
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enchantmentdivi
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by enchantmentdivi »

Peter, how much noise are you getting at ISO 200? I used 400 on my dive the other day, and I was surprised at the amount of noise.
Jenn
Peter Guy
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by Peter Guy »

Jenn,

I'm not noticing any particular amount of noise.

From a trip to Loreto, Mexico in June -- taken with my E-PL1 and either my 14-42mm or 40-150 mm lens. These are up on Facebook so are pretty reduced:

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image

I just like the system and don't seem to have many problems with it.
sekhmet
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by sekhmet »

I have a sola 500 as a focus light and I love it. And that sucker is BRIGHT. It can annoy the critters as Lynne says. So be aware of that. If you get the 800 it has a red light that you can use, and fish do not see red so that may help with shy fish. These lights run at $300. I got a small deal on mine, but yes they are spendy.
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enchantmentdivi
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by enchantmentdivi »

Loving this new camera....1/60, f7.1, ISO 200 at 42mm with the macro conversion lens.
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fmerkel
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by fmerkel »

Wow! Those shrimp eyes are so clean. They look like crystal balls with reflections in them.
Nice pic! It elevates an ordinary shrimp.
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Peter Guy
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by Peter Guy »

Although I think about getting a macro lens for the setup, pics like the shrimp show why I haven't done it. It is, so far, macro enough!
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Tom Nic
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by Tom Nic »

Just picked up my zoom ring from Optical Oceans. Now if Bassman gets my drysuit back from Sitka in one piece, and if I get rid of this sinus thing maybe I can get this rig into the water by the end of next week!
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Dusty2
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by Dusty2 »

From reading reviews the noise problem is mentioned allot in regards to the E-PL1. From what I am seeing so far as posted pix I am not seeing a lot of noise but I do see the the depth of field is quite small which is also mentioned a lot. It does however produce so nice looking pix. from what I understand these were things that were addressed in new EPL.
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Dusty2
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by Dusty2 »

For those people using my lights I have a bunch of red lenses and blue too that you guys are welcomed to FOC if you want to experiment.
Scubak
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by Scubak »

I finally had my camera out last night with Bob!!! I putzed around with several settings. Manual, Auto, Fishies...etc..
I am really impressed with this camera as I was when it first came out. I dont know enough about it yet to even start fiddling with the manual settings but the micro lens is pretty cool.
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Scubak
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by Scubak »

I meant Macro lens...in the previous post.
Also, a thing to note; you do not really need the Zoom Lens Ring to get it to work and take some great pics.
Right outta the box, I think it's great! A flash is needed but the rest is minor for such a great system.
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Dusty2
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by Dusty2 »

There are a number of relatively inexpensive strobes out there if you don't require TTL. Adding TTL bumps the price quite a bit. Just depends on how much you are willing to pay.
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fmerkel
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by fmerkel »

For Adobe Photoshop Elements 8, 9, 10, maybe some others. PSE-11 opens .ORF files natively I guess. This took awhile to dig out. My PSE-8 would not open the .ORF files. Adobe does have a patch for it but it was damn hard to find and it's a tad tricky to install. Just follow the instructions carefully.
Download here: http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/ ... ftpID=4685

Camera Raw 5.7 update
This new version of the Camera Raw plug-in replaces the original Camera Raw plug-in that was installed with Adobe® Creative Suite® 4, Adobe Photoshop® CS4, Adobe Photoshop Elements 8 and Premiere® Elements 8 software.


The instructions are right on that page below the [Proceed to Download] button. You will get a [zip] file.
The [CameraProfiles.exe] will simply install with nothing else to do but double-click to install and then close it
Then you move the [Camera Raw.8bi] as instructed.

Now the .ORF files will open and I get a completely different set of commands that I need to learn to cope with. :partyman: :BDub:

Addendum: That should have been > :BDub: :BDub: :BDub:
It works....but, after working with them the ONLY option is to save them as a [name.DNG] file which is apparently a 'universal' RAW format. Of course PSE-8 main program will NOT open them, it re-opens them in the RAW portion. Catch-22.
This to me seems counterproductive. It doesn't seem like you can do squat except edit them some more.....big deal.

I can open them in a free viewer program I use extensively called Irfanview instead of this messy complicated Adobe dreck. I'm getting a bit tired, can you tell? I can then save them as a [JPG] and then PSE-8 will open them or I can actually USE them for something, like looking at or posting.
Seems an awful lot of work.
Last edited by fmerkel on Thu Feb 14, 2013 8:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
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enchantmentdivi
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by enchantmentdivi »

Fritz...Lightroom!
Jenn
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fmerkel
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by fmerkel »

I'm wondering if RAW/ORF is worth the bother. If the picture is poor enough quality it needs major repair from ORF format it would seem to have some serious basic problems. Then it's going to take a lot of messing with anyway...right?

I know a number of folks use LR. I'll have to look into that. I'm just not feeling warm and fuzzy about another learning curve on Adobe. Their entire line creates a love/hate relationship with me.
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enchantmentdivi
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by enchantmentdivi »

From Sund Rock this past weekend. So glad I bought this camera/housing! Peter, thanks again for the head's up on the "outrageous deal"!

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Jenn
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Tom Nic
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by Tom Nic »

Wowsers! What an awesome shot!

Settings? Please? Since this is a users group it will help us immeasurably to have more details abt your shot.

Thanks!
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enchantmentdivi
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by enchantmentdivi »

Thanks Tom! It was my favorite shot from this weekend.

ISO200, f11, 1/60 in aperture priority mode. In AV mode, you set the f-stop and ISO, and the camera will figure out the shutter speed. I have noticed that with the flash forced on (for the strobe to fire), my shutter speed has been consistently 1/60 in AV.

I used the macro conversion lens (which I love!). I find vermillions are hard to shoot because they are so shy. To get this same shot with my Casio, I would've needed to be within 6-8 inches of him max. With this new camera, I was about 3 feet away with the macro conversion lens on and the lens zoomed to 42mm for this shot. I was far enough away that I didn't spook the fish, and he let me take 6-7 shots before swimming off.

At f11, I loved how the background dropped out to black--just what I was going for.
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Tom Nic
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by Tom Nic »

Perfect!!!

Exactly the info I was looking for, which is going to make this thread HUGELY useful!

Believe it or not, I still haven't gotten my camera wet. :nutty: :axe: Gonna do some romantic stuff today like work on the cars together... Then I GOTTA go diving and start playing with this camera!
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"Anyone who thinks this place is over moderated is bat-crazy anarchist." -Ben, Airsix
"Warning: No dive masters are going to be there, Just a bunch of old fat guys taking pictures of fish." -Bassman
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enchantmentdivi
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by enchantmentdivi »

Glad that is helpful, Tom! Time to get that puppy wet!
fmerkel wrote:I'm wondering if RAW/ORF is worth the bother.
Fritz, after I took a couple of photography classes through GRCC last spring, I started shooting RAW (topside only with my Canon SLR since my Casio would not do RAW). I will never go back to shooting .jpg. EVER.

With RAW, you have 100% of the data that your camera captured. With a .jpg, 80% of that data is thrown away when the camera processes your image the way it thinks it should be processed. With RAW, you have the cookie dough--you can still add ingredients as you desire to get it to taste just right. With .jpg, you have a baked cookie. Not much you can do to it except maybe add a few sprinkles and some icing to cover things up.

With that said, you do have to post process RAW files (and eventually save them as .jpg) as you cannot print them, post them to Facebook, view them through email, etc. But, if you spend more than 2 minutes in post processing, the photo isn't worth it, IMO--delete, delete, delete.
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fmerkel
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by fmerkel »

Some education is probably the key. I'm working pretty hard and know it. I've laid down some functional use of Adobe PSE but one look at Lightroom once made me feel like I was starting all over again, not an enviable feeling with their software.
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enchantmentdivi
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Re: E-PL1 Users Group

Post by enchantmentdivi »

fmerkel wrote:Some education is probably the key. I'm working pretty hard and know it. I've laid down some functional use of Adobe PSE but one look at Lightroom once made me feel like I was starting all over again, not an enviable feeling with their software.
Lightroom is overwhelming, indeed. I took a 10 hour class on it and still probably only know how to use 25% of the program's capabilities.
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