ND70

Marvin Mattelson · 12-09-2004, 12:09 AM

One important reason why digital SLRs like the D70 are able to take better pictures goes beyond just the number of megapixels. Each pixel in the D70 is considerably larger than those in a typical digicam, even digicams that have 8 megapixels. This manifests itself in less noise and color artifacts at higher ISOs and in shadow areas. Also the lenses available for SLRs are far superior.

John Reidy · 01-08-2005, 09:58 AM

Can I extend this thread to ask what format most of you use with your D70 when shooting your clients? TIFF, RAW, JPEG?

John

Mike McCarty · 01-08-2005, 03:23 PM

John,

The image posted just above was shot at JPEG, FINE, LARGE, this produces an 3008 x 2000 pixel image. This setting is just below the largest RAW file setting which produces a much larger file.

The difference in file size is substantial. For my purposes the large JPEG file is sufficient. I rarely work from anything larger than an 8x10 sized print.

I think if I knew that I was going to shoot a limited number of poses, in a studio type setting, which might tend to reduce the number of exposures, I would consider shooting the larger RAW file. I just don't like to have to trudge through 150+ images that are so large. I often times create 2,3,4 auxiliary images from each one I'm considering.

Opinions vary.

John Reidy · 01-08-2005, 03:43 PM

I'm guessing that at that format you can expect to get about 70 exposures on one card. Does that sound right?

Mike McCarty · 01-08-2005, 03:52 PM

Quote:

I'm guessing that at that format you can expect to get about 70 exposures on one card. Does that sound right?

John,

That's close if you're using a 256K card. My camera indicates 72 image possibilities when I use a 256K card. I find though that the camera is using a worst case scenario to get this number. Some images take up more space than others. So, I find that in reality I can get well over 100.

That 72 becomes a 23 when you set the image to RAW.

Michele Rushworth · 01-08-2005, 06:11 PM

I also shoot with my D70 at the largest JPEG file format, like Mike. I haven't the software/time to learn how to manipulate the RAW files when I do so much in Photoshop with my JPEG files.

John Reidy · 01-09-2005, 09:56 AM

Thanks for the input. I feel reluctant to use jpg format because every time you save, you further compress the file. I may try the large jpg format and once on the computer, convert to a TIFF. Or I may choose to use a second memory card (512k?).

I still haven't purchased the camera yet but plan on soon and am trying to iron out as many questions as possible before I crack open my wallet.

Thanks again for all of your advice. This forum has been a blessing.

John

Michele Rushworth · 01-09-2005, 11:47 AM

I have two 512 MB memory cards with room for about 175 large, high quality JPEG images on each. I don't often shoot more than that in a day, but I have the second card as a backup. (I've had two of these CF-type memory cards completely fail on me and become unreadable without warning. Still don't know exactly why that happened.)

Once the images have been transferred to my computer, I store one set on my hard drive to work with and one set on a CD that gets put away and not touched.

I don't save and resave the JPEG images that are on my computer, though, so the issue of re-compression is not a problem. I keep one unchanged copy of each photo and I save any edited versions with a different file name, usually as Photoshop PSD file because by then they usually have many layers.

Yes, I use a lot of CD's to archive the images, and I had to upgrade my hard drive last year too, but those things don't cost much.