Testing EZ function with 1.4 Sigma Teleconverter lens

I have been using my Sigma 1.4 teleconverter lens for quite a lot of my bird shots, as it gives me 25.2 X optical zoom instead of 18X.... The FZ28, has a function for reducing the MPX count in the saved image, from 10mpx to 7mpx, and this gives rise to the "EZ" facility... or Extra Zoom.... Increasing the normal 18X optical to 21.4 X optical.....

Now some people don`t agree that it is Optical Zoom, and degrades the picture, so I thought I would do some test shots....

The pics you see here, are all taken from the same spot, using the white flower as the focus point, which I measured at 11 feet 6 inches, or for the metrically minded.....3.5 metres. If you want to see the EXIF info, then you can go to my flickr page to view them all....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32369450@N02/

Here is the camera zoom settings for each pic..... (all taken at 7mpx to use the EZ facility)
Readings from the camera

006 18X optical zoom (less than normal full zoom)(no teleconverter lens)

007 21.4 X optical zoom ( full zoom on the lens) (no teleconverter lens)

008 18 X optical zoom PLUS the sigma 1.4 teleconverter lens (less than full zoom)

009 21.4 X optical zoom PLUS the sigma 1.4 teleconverter lens (full zoom)

It is quite interesting to compare the first pic with the last... the first pic is at NORMAL 18 X optical zoom with 10mpx set..... the last pic has 21.4 X plus the 1.4 teleconverter, and the EZ making a total (if my maths is correct) ALMOST 30 X OPTICAL ZOOM ! ! ...

If you can, please click on the pics to enlarge them, and let me know if you think there is any degradation in any of the pics..... you can do this on my flickr page (linky as above)

Thank you...

How to use the Neck Strap as a "Hand Grip"

How I use the neck strap as a "hand grip"......

. I shall try to describe how....

thick part of neck strap behind wrist (where wrist watch goes)
left hand ... hold small finger and thumb as far apart as possible. Like winding wool !
Hold camera in right hand across body, and keep strap taught.
lower left hand and close, collecting both sides of strap into one
twist hand so that straps go over left thumb.
open hand flat, twist to palm facing your body, take strap across hand
twist hand, so that strap now comes behind fingers,
Camera is now (or very near) to left hand for holding.....

You can shorten the straps to make it happen as one final move, but you may also find that you can take the right hand end of strap under the base of the camera, to make a tight fit, into hand hold....

Sounds a bit tricky, but with a few practice tries, it is quite easy to do, and becomes second nature... can carry my camera like this for a fair while, and it is always ready for the "instant" action shot..!...

Changing the background on a picture

I have been using Photoshop CS4 and some tutorials from YouTube, to experiment with changing the colour of the background on pictures.... I am only just starting out, and the pics on here are my first efforts, so don`t quote me as an expert in this field !.....

I wanted to remove the "cage" background on the pic of the lioness, and replace it with something a bit more "plain".... I haven`t mastered getting the two "layers" to be the same physical size, so the lioness was bigger than the new background when I eventually "merged" and "flattened" them.!

I`m quite pleased with the result, it took me several hours of carefully going round the edge of the lioness` fur, using a 2 pixel brush and the "background eraser tool", including going around the individual whiskers.... for those who look closely, they will notice that some places had a "good" treatment, whilst others just got the "rough justice" treatment!! ! ! ...

To do the outline, especially the whiskers, I had to blow up/magnify the original pic to 700 x, and then it was a question of working at, almost, individual pixels!... my mouse seemed to want to go it`s own way in places, so the result needs to be viewed from afar......!... anyway it took me several hours to do, and then I reverted to a larger size brush to completely remove the rest of the background....

the "Carnival Glass" colours in the background were made using a photograph of one of our internal walls, which is a sort of pale blue/grey, then I used the saturation of colours in Irfanview, to max them out, and got the "carnival glass colour" effect...

I have also done several other "texture" photos around the house to see what I can use on future "jobs". ! !

Evaluation of Sigma 1.4 teleconverter lens.

I have in my possession, a Sigma 1.4 X teleconverter lens, that a friend gave to me... I think it is supposed to be for a video camera, but it fits on my FZ28 with it`s 46mm thread, and does not need to be removed when shutting the camera down... I have not used it much, (for no particular reason) since I did my initial tests when I got it, and found it only increased the 18X zoom by a small amount... Recently I have been investigating the internet to see if I could come up with a cheaper alternative to the TCON17 favoured by so many... below is an evaluation of a Sony lens that I rather liked.... however, I may have done it a dis-service and been too quick to return it....
Since returning it to Amazon, I have become aware of a setting on page 5 of the FZ28 camera menu listed as "Conversion"... Not fully understanding what it meant, I left it alone, until a remark on the FZ35/38 group on flickr.... so, today I have done some more test with my 1.4 X teleconverter lens, to see if it makes any difference to the "quality" of the pics.... I am not sure it makes any difference at all....! I think the reason for having the setting, is to ensure that when you zoom back from full zoom, the motor stops about halfway, preventing the additional lens from jamming inside the housing.... so it is really a safety setting....

Anyway, I put up four pics that have come straight from the camera. (apart from the text added to them) for you to decide, and tell me if you can see any difference in the "quality" of the pics...

NOTE... CLICK ON THE PICS TO GET A LARGER VERSION....

The first two are NORMAL settings.... 18 X zoom and 18X zoom with the 1.4 x converter.....

The second two are both taken with the "conversion" setting at "T" (18x and 18x plus1.4x)

If you can see any quality difference, (or none at all) then please leave a comment below, or on the FZ28 thread here

http://www.flickr.com/groups/793920@N24/discuss/72157622887937015/

Thank you for your time....

Cropping from Rubbish Pics to make a "Keeper" !

Just passing on a few thoughts on how to make "a keeper" out of a lot of Rubbish Pics !....

If I had put the "originals" on my flickr site, I doubt if I would have had any comments, so I tried to crop the "best bits" and here is what I did.

You can see the comments here.....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/32369450@N02/

click on the pic (on Flickr ) to bring it up to size, and the comments are displayed below it...

Due to the way this blogger site works, the one that is on flickr, is the last but one !..... the others are not on flickr...

A new year has arrived!

Christmas has been and gone. ! The decorations are all put away for another 11 months!.. Went to North Wales for the New Year. Almost did not make it, as snow was forecast for the journey day. and the day after we got back home, we also got a really good covering of snow..... about 6 inches. which is unusual for being on the south coast of England...... Yes, we "sometimes" get snow, but not normally as much as this..... Just about all transport stops, and life becomes just a tad difficult!... we live on a small hill, so getting the car out and back in, is just a waste of time and effort.... we just have to hoof it, or stay indoors until the snow thaws sufficient to get traction on the road surface again.!....

So here is some "snowy pics"...

OK..... have been tinkering with the Menu Settings on the FZ28, with the results as above.....

1. Sepia.......
2. Normal.....
3. Cool .....
4. Warm....

the snowman and the icicle were taken with "normal" settings.... I am quite pleased with the icicle droplet, as I only took three manual shots before getting this one !...

Christmas is coming.....

Every year, I go up into the loft, and bring down about 30 boxes of decorations !... My wife just loves to decorate the house, and collects "bits and pieces" as and when she sees them... we have a small bungalow, at present, but have lived on a narrowboat, and also had much larger houses too... No matter how big or small, the rooms get festooned with all manner of christmas decorations... We have a christmas tree, complete with lights, outside the house, we have another near the front door, one in the lounge, one in the bathroom, one in the second lounge, plus many other items, such as mechanical/musical father christmas` that sing a song, .... we have lots of "fairground ornaments" when activated, play christmas carols, and move the carousel horses up and down. Not content with that, she makes all the shelves up into christmas displays, and even the fireplace is not left out !.... This year we have the nativity scene surrounded by snow.

Here are a few photographs to give you an idea of how hard she works to make our christmas, "christmassy" ! !..

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