File :-(, x, )
Anonymous
Just started using Adobe Lightroom a couple days ago, looking for some constructive criticism. Any help?
EXIF data available. Clickhereto show/hide.
Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeSONYCamera ModelDSC-T200Maximum Lens Aperturef/3.5Image-Specific Properties:Horizontal Resolution240 dpiVertical Resolution240 dpiImage Created2008:10:03 12:41:24Exposure Time1/20 secF-Numberf/3.5Exposure ProgramNormal ProgramISO Speed Rating400Lens Aperturef/3.5Exposure Bias0 EVMetering ModePatternLight SourceUnknownFlashNo Flash, CompulsoryFocal Length6.84 mmRenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoWhite BalanceAutoScene Capture TypeStandardContrastNormalSaturationNormalSharpnessNormal
>> Anonymous
>>270559
It's a pocket P&S according to the EXIF, there's probably not much choice. He's already at 1/20, as well, longer exposures on that tiny sensor might lead to noise even at a lower ISO. He's also at maximum aperture, so there's not exactly a way to narrow the DOF.

I'm unclear as to why the hell it's so noisy at 400, though. Camera's supposed to go up to 3200 according to a quick google, it really shouldn't be this bad.

When it comes down to it, this is one of those times where improving the shot really would require better equipment. A bigger sensor and better lenses are pretty necessary for the task, and external lighting would really be necessary to make it better. It's actually pretty well composed, so no real complaints there.

Do use LR to resize, though. I have all kinds of presets, including a /p/ one that resizes to within 1000x1000, JPEG 6, and keeps all the EXIF intact, while putting it in a convenient folder and all.

I love Lightroom 2, got it a couple weeks ago and it's taken over most of the routine tasks I normally did in PS CS3, makes my workflow much quicker and smoother, keeps all my stuff organized (it was absolutely brilliant when we had the 50mm thread the other day, I was able to pull up everything I'd shot with that lens), and lets me get stuff online or out to print fast as hell.
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
A lot of the noise comes from some editing I must have done to the picture - like I said, I'm really not sure what I'm doing yet with LR. Does the noise appear because I upped the blacks, or is there another adjustment that causes it? Original attached.

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeSONYCamera ModelDSC-T200Maximum Lens Aperturef/3.5Image-Specific Properties:Image OrientationTop, Left-HandHorizontal Resolution72 dpiVertical Resolution72 dpiImage Created2008:04:04 12:25:00Exposure Time1/20 secF-Numberf/3.5Exposure ProgramNormal ProgramISO Speed Rating400Exposure Bias0 EVMetering ModePatternLight SourceUnknownFlashNo Flash, CompulsoryFocal Length6.84 mmColor Space InformationsRGBImage Width1920Image Height1080RenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoWhite BalanceAutoScene Capture TypeStandardContrastNormalSaturationNormalSharpnessNormal
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>270575
It's possible that upping the blacks did indeed cause the noise, as it's creating problems with the contrast at the edges of the blacks.

I played with my LR a bit to try and see what I could do with your OP image. Here's the first one, just some color tweaks. Didn't work out as well as I hoped - I think there's not quite enough variation in color in the image to make it really interesting, sadly. If a blue or red ball had been closer, it could've helped a lot.

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeSONYCamera ModelDSC-T200Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop LightroomMaximum Lens Aperturef/3.5Image-Specific Properties:Horizontal Resolution240 dpiVertical Resolution240 dpiImage Created2008:10:07 07:47:11Exposure Time1/20 secF-Numberf/3.5Exposure ProgramNormal ProgramISO Speed Rating400Lens Aperturef/3.5Exposure Bias0 EVMetering ModePatternLight SourceUnknownFlashNo Flash, CompulsoryFocal Length6.84 mmRenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoWhite BalanceAutoScene Capture TypeStandardContrastNormalSaturationNormalSharpnessNormal
>> Anonymous
     File :-(, x)
>>270579
Oh crap, I bumped the yellows a bit too high... that'll teach me not to forget that the screen dims when I'm working on battery. The main thing I did was to desaturate the reds and oranges in the background, they were drawing too much attention, and I cropped a tiny bit off the top.

Now, here's what I discovered on a bit of a hunch...

The picture actually works pretty damn decently as a B&W. Did a similar crop, tweaked tones around a bit, and it's actually pretty good-looking. With the B&W, the noise actually ends up looking pretty much like the grain of a high ISO film, so I think it works.

Camera-Specific Properties:Equipment MakeSONYCamera ModelDSC-T200Camera SoftwareAdobe Photoshop LightroomMaximum Lens Aperturef/3.5Image-Specific Properties:Horizontal Resolution240 dpiVertical Resolution240 dpiImage Created2008:10:07 07:49:25Exposure Time1/20 secF-Numberf/3.5Exposure ProgramNormal ProgramISO Speed Rating400Lens Aperturef/3.5Exposure Bias0 EVMetering ModePatternLight SourceUnknownFlashNo Flash, CompulsoryFocal Length6.84 mmRenderingNormalExposure ModeAutoWhite BalanceAutoScene Capture TypeStandardContrastNormalSaturationNormalSharpnessNormal
>> Anonymous
>>270555
I bought the T200 a few months ago. It's a piece of shit because it has no manual controls at all, not even an ISO adjustment. Frustrating as hell. And the touch screen sucks ass - I had to get it replaced under warranty because it was so badly marked.
>> Anonymous
I haven't had a single problem with my touch screen. It gets a little dirty now and then, but obviously that's not a problem.

As for manual controls - you're wrong on this front. For a P and S, to me it seems fairly versatile. I'm not sure why you think you can't adjust anything - sure, there's an auto feature, but the "program" feature let's you adjust a number of things, ISO included.

Editor: Cool pics. I have a few other ball/colour arrangements that came up through the game, but I like the placement of these balls a lot more. I'll play around with the other colour combos and see how they turn out, though.

Thanks for some of the basic tips too - resizing, cropping, etc. I hadn't even considered the people at the end of the table.