Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2003/07/13

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Subject: Re: [Leica] PeeKay's Walk, Saturday, July 12
From: Jerry Lehrer <jerryleh@pacbell.net>
Date: Sun, 13 Jul 2003 16:21:15 -0700
References: <5.1.0.14.2.20030713121537.00a18030@pop.2alpha.net>

Peter

I seem to remember analogous comment about someone who
knew John Kennedy.  But my medication drugged brain can't
put it together.

Jerry

Peter Klein wrote:

> I'd had a rough week at work.  I was practically comatose through much of
> Saturday.  Then my wife persuaded me accompany her a walk in Seattle's
> Discovery Park.  This is not your typical city park.  It's a former
> military base that is being allowed to largely revert to its natural
> state.  And it's huge.
>
> At the last minute, I decided to take the Unlika Leica (Nikon Coolpix 990)
> along.  I ended up doing a GeeBee-style walkabout. Along with beautiful
> nature, I even found a couple of tattooed GothChix wanabees!  So, with
> tongue in cheek apologies to Graham, let me present:
>
> http://users.2alpha.com/~pklein/DiscoveryPark/DiscoveryParkWalk.htm
> http://users.2alpha.com/~pklein/DiscoveryPark/DiscoveryParkWalk2.htm
>
> I can see that the Coolpix 990 is not going to satisfy me long-term.  Not
> enough megapixels, some shadow noise even at ISO 100, some oft-needed
> controls buried in menus you can't read in the sunlight.  I'm very
> interested in how the supposedly improved, supposedly coming-in-August
> Lumix Lika Leica will work--I might be interested.  Meantime, though, it's
> a great learning tool for not much initial outlay.
>
> Anyway, here's how I set the Coolpix, based on suggestions I received on
> the LUG and LEG, particularly from Sonny and Tina.  The idea was to
> minimize shutter delay, menu fiddling and blown highlights, and still have
> usable shots.
>
> White balance: Set manually, don't use Auto.
> Contrast:       Lowest setting
> Sharpening:     Off
> Autofocus:      Set to focus on the center spot with a half-press of the shutter
> release.
>                 I used infinity setting and occasionally guessed manual focus for scenics and
>                 action shots, respectively.
> Exposure:       Usually shutter priority.
> Metering:       Matrix, set to meter on half-press of the shutter release.
> Exposure compensation:  Set anywhere from 0 to minus 1.3 stops, depending
> on how badly I thought the highlights might blow.
>
> The result was some slightly flat shots with I then did all my level
> adjustments and sharpening in Picture Window Pro.  Usually I just pulled
> the black and white points to minimum and maximum, boosted the midtones a
> bit, and sharpened.  I think I underadjusted some pictures due to blown
> highlight paranoia.
>
> I may try doing manual exposure on the Coolpix with a separate
> meter.  Incident and brightness range stuff.  Trying to use the camera for
> that is maddening.  I also wish I had a rangefinder in the
> Coolpix.  Fighting autofocus when I could focus more quickly myself.
>
> And yes, that is a Tilley hat.  I bought it well before before I found out
> it was LUG anti-chic.
>
> --Peter Klein
> Seattle, WA
>
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In reply to: Message from Peter Klein <pklein@2alpha.net> ([Leica] PeeKay's Walk, Saturday, July 12)