Cock ups...

I just stumbled across a video of 'cock ups' that many will relate to: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhGOUSOX47M&t=22s My contribution is when I acquired my5DsR to replace my 5D classic. I received the DsR the day before I left on holiday. I familiarised myself with the camera on the eleven hour trip. The DsR was not too different from the classic. The holiday was a self drive safari. On he first day, came across a large group of elephants frolicking in the river for some hours. Fantastic opportunities for photos. Previewed the files and they were rubbish. Thought that I had got lemon. EXIF data showed that all files were JPEG, the files should have been in RAW. I had not set the camera to RAW and had ruined my day's shoot. Lesson learned, but no guarantee that it would not happen again.

I just stumbled across a video of '**** ups' that many will relate to:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nhGOUSOX47M&t=22s
My contribution is when I acquired my5DsR to replace my 5D classic. I received the DsR the day before I left on holiday. I familiarised myself with the camera on the eleven hour trip. The DsR was not too different from the classic. The holiday was a self drive safari. On he first day, came across a large group of elephants frolicking in the river for some hours. Fantastic opportunities for photos. Previewed the files and they were rubbish. Thought that I had got lemon. EXIF data showed that all files were JPEG, the files should have been in RAW. I had not set the camera to RAW and had ruined my day's shoot.
Lesson learned, but no guarantee that it would not happen again.

When I start a new shoot, fairly early on I make a point of checking the images and settings and do sometimes find a setting has altered. In particular on my Sony A6600 while not a touch screen it is easy to lightly touch one of the controls which changes setting. This is not a problem with my Canon 5D4 as, though a touch screen, it is almost impossible to accidently change settings. Dave

When I start a new shoot, fairly early on I make a point of checking the images and settings and do sometimes find a setting has altered. In particular on my Sony A6600 while not a touch screen it is easy to lightly touch one of the controls which changes setting. This is not a problem with my Canon 5D4 as, though a touch screen, it is almost impossible to accidently change settings.

Dave

Something over 30 years ago, I had two identical Nikon F2 camera bodies. On Boxing Day, we were going for a walk so I loaded a film into one of them but picked up the other one to take with me. The light was fantastic and I was looking forward to the results but something seemed not quite right because I had the feeling that I'd taken more than 36 shots. The rewind crank rotated freely so it dawned that the camera didn't contain any film! On my return, the coloured electrical tape came out and I labelled all identical or similar items with a unique colour, an SOP that I still use. When a vulgar full-time professional, I preferred to use a set of functionally identical camera bodies so I never fumbled with the controls.

Something over 30 years ago, I had two identical Nikon F2 camera bodies. On Boxing Day, we were going for a walk so I loaded a film into one of them but picked up the other one to take with me. The light was fantastic and I was looking forward to the results but something seemed not quite right because I had the feeling that I'd taken more than 36 shots. The rewind crank rotated freely so it dawned that the camera didn't contain any film!

On my return, the coloured electrical tape came out and I labelled all identical or similar items with a unique colour, an SOP that I still use. When a vulgar full-time professional, I preferred to use a set of functionally identical camera bodies so I never fumbled with the controls.

Not digital, but in about 1970 I visited the West coast of Ireland for the one & only time. When I travelled back along the South coast I thought that I had some brilliant landscapes and seascapes. Unfortunately I hadn't loaded my 35mm film correctly & had nothing. With my first Pentax compact digital camera (Optio 30) I did not realise that all my first shots, for weeks were 640 x 480 (including a special trip to Bristol!) because it was set to 'small'. I still have the camera and it is excellent.

Not digital, but in about 1970 I visited the West coast of Ireland for the one & only time. When I travelled back along the South coast I thought that I had some brilliant landscapes and seascapes. Unfortunately I hadn't loaded my 35mm film correctly & had nothing.

With my first Pentax compact digital camera (Optio 30) I did not realise that all my first shots, for weeks were 640 x 480 (including a special trip to Bristol!) because it was set to 'small'. I still have the camera and it is excellent.

Yeah, I can also relate . . . We were on a family holiday in Pembrokeshire a few years back (pre-covid). I was taking family shots alongside landscape stuff when I got the chance. I was shooting in jpeg for the family stuff, and Raw for the landscape. I must have accidentally changed the colour balance, and ended up shooting an afternoon of family photos at the wrong setting - they were all blue! As they were jpeg I couldn't fix them!!

Yeah, I can also relate . . .

We were on a family holiday in Pembrokeshire a few years back (pre-covid). I was taking family shots alongside landscape stuff when I got the chance. I was shooting in jpeg for the family stuff, and Raw for the landscape. I must have accidentally changed the colour balance, and ended up shooting an afternoon of family photos at the wrong setting - they were all blue! As they were jpeg I couldn't fix them!!

[quote]I did not realise that all my first shots, for weeks were 640 x 480[/quote] Crikey - you must have managed to get hundreds and hundreds of shots on the card at that res!!

Quote:I did not realise that all my first shots, for weeks were 640 x 480


Crikey - you must have managed to get hundreds and hundreds of shots on the card at that res!!

William's experience reminds me of similar about twenty years ago. I was using a Canon A1 and T9, both loaded with uprated Fuji slide film, Ran out of film on A1 whilst there was lots of interaction with a bunch of zebras. Got to the end of the roll, hurriedly took the used roll out and thought I had put a fresh roll in and continued taking pictures. It suddenly dawned that I was taking far too many pictures, endless roll? In the heat of my excitement I had not loaded a roll and the camera was set to operate without film. Cost me lots of very interesting pictures.

William's experience reminds me of similar about twenty years ago. I was using a Canon A1 and T9, both loaded with uprated Fuji slide film, Ran out of film on A1 whilst there was lots of interaction with a bunch of zebras. Got to the end of the roll, hurriedly took the used roll out and thought I had put a fresh roll in and continued taking pictures. It suddenly dawned that I was taking far too many pictures, endless roll? In the heat of my excitement I had not loaded a roll and the camera was set to operate without film. Cost me lots of very interesting pictures.

[quote] Cost me lots of very interesting pictures.[/quote] The very best pictures are those we take without film in the camera: just like the fish that got away!

Quote: Cost me lots of very interesting pictures.


The very best pictures are those we take without film in the camera: just like the fish that got away!

Or these days without a memory card. Although most cameras do warn you.

Or these days without a memory card.

Although most cameras do warn you.

I once hired a battery pack to power two Elinchrom studio lights for an outdoor shoot far from any power source, and on getting to the location after a 45 minute drive, found I had left it at home:$:$

I once hired a battery pack to power two Elinchrom studio lights for an outdoor shoot far from any power source, and on getting to the location after a 45 minute drive, found I had left it at home

My 10-20mm lens and my flash gun live in quite similar rectangular cases. Some years ago, after the drive from Northumberland down to Kent, I arrived at Dungeness and decided to go wide angle. Guess what I had brought instead... :$

My 10-20mm lens and my flash gun live in quite similar rectangular cases.
Some years ago, after the drive from Northumberland down to Kent, I arrived at Dungeness and decided to go wide angle. Guess what I had brought instead...

[quote] EXIF data showed that all files were JPEG, the files should have been in RAW. I had not set the camera to RAW and had ruined my day's shoot. Lesson learned, but no guarantee that it would not happen again. [/quote] So assuming you were able to get the exposure triangle at least reasonably optimised, the implication is that Canon's DsR produces unuseable jpegs, so rubbish they won't survive even one round of basic editing without an observable drop in IQ after saving. Really?...i mean,[i] Really?[/i]

Quote: EXIF data showed that all files were JPEG, the files should have been in RAW. I had not set the camera to RAW and had ruined my day's shoot.
Lesson learned, but no guarantee that it would not happen again.


So assuming you were able to get the exposure triangle at least reasonably optimised, the implication is that Canon's DsR produces unuseable jpegs, so rubbish they won't survive even one round of basic editing without an observable drop in IQ after saving. Really?...i mean, Really?

I struggle to get RAW as good as the JPEGs from my cameras.:$ The game has changed. In-camera distortion and aberration corrections for JPEG make a difference and RAWs - these days - need quite a bit of processing to match, let alone exceed, JPEG quality. I certainly don't bother shooting RAW with my smartphone, even though it has that capability. RAW is still the ultimate choice I guess but has its downsides as mentioned above.

I struggle to get RAW as good as the JPEGs from my cameras.

The game has changed. In-camera distortion and aberration corrections for JPEG make a difference and RAWs - these days - need quite a bit of processing to match, let alone exceed, JPEG quality.

I certainly don't bother shooting RAW with my smartphone, even though it has that capability.

RAW is still the ultimate choice I guess but has its downsides as mentioned above.

[quote]I struggle to get RAW as good as the JPEGs from my cameras.:$ The game has changed. In-camera distortion and aberration corrections for JPEG make a difference and RAWs - these days - need quite a bit of processing to match, let alone exceed, JPEG quality. I certainly don't bother shooting RAW with my smartphone, even though it has that capability. RAW is still the ultimate choice I guess but has its downsides as mentioned above. [/quote] It is your choice but if you do not have the skills to develop Raw files which technically have significant advantages, then fine. I first had a digital camera in 2005 and initially set it for Raw plus JPEG. In fact I never used any of the JPEGs and switched off the JPEGs after 2 months. My iPhone only produces JPEGs but have not used it for any serious photography though was impressed with the built in editing. I can always improve my image by processing but do have over 25 years experience in image editing as I was digitising film long before I had a digital camera. It is not difficult because LR will deal with distortion and chromatic aberration automatically and my system is calibrated end to end including my camera so LR automatically applies the correct colour preset whichever camera I use. I never need to fiddle with colours unless I purposely want to distort them for a creative effect. Dave

Quote:I struggle to get RAW as good as the JPEGs from my cameras.

The game has changed. In-camera distortion and aberration corrections for JPEG make a difference and RAWs - these days - need quite a bit of processing to match, let alone exceed, JPEG quality.

I certainly don't bother shooting RAW with my smartphone, even though it has that capability.

RAW is still the ultimate choice I guess but has its downsides as mentioned above.


It is your choice but if you do not have the skills to develop Raw files which technically have significant advantages, then fine. I first had a digital camera in 2005 and initially set it for Raw plus JPEG. In fact I never used any of the JPEGs and switched off the JPEGs after 2 months. My iPhone only produces JPEGs but have not used it for any serious photography though was impressed with the built in editing. I can always improve my image by processing but do have over 25 years experience in image editing as I was digitising film long before I had a digital camera. It is not difficult because LR will deal with distortion and chromatic aberration automatically and my system is calibrated end to end including my camera so LR automatically applies the correct colour preset whichever camera I use. I never need to fiddle with colours unless I purposely want to distort them for a creative effect.

Dave

I used RAW exclusively for about 15+ years but in recent times, with advances in In-camera processing, I have found the advantages have reduced significantly and are sometimes negative. To the extent I find JPEGs a better starting point for processing. End use is crucial here. If my efforts are likely to be printed in a paper or magazine I will shoot RAW+JPEG to be on the safe side. But (these days) I usually don't bother with the RAW image even if I have it. Depends on equipment of course. My two Sony cameras do produce excellent JPEGs. When I used Canon DSLRs, I shot only RAW

I used RAW exclusively for about 15+ years but in recent times, with advances in In-camera processing, I have found the advantages have reduced significantly and are sometimes negative.

To the extent I find JPEGs a better starting point for processing.

End use is crucial here. If my efforts are likely to be printed in a paper or magazine I will shoot RAW+JPEG to be on the safe side. But (these days) I usually don't bother with the RAW image even if I have it.

Depends on equipment of course. My two Sony cameras do produce excellent JPEGs. When I used Canon DSLRs, I shot only RAW