Hi All (and Chuck in particular),
Thanks a lot for your help!
In general spoken: As mentioned, shooting RAW is not a handy option
for me, and as I need to get lots of pictures, in bulk, I'm looking
for simpler/quicker means.
Then, Chuck's explanation makes all the sense in the world, truly
excellent! If it were a picture, I'd call it a wall-hanger! :)
It very well explains (and confirms) some of the things I also thought
to be the case.
Some additional info regarding it:
Firstly regarding the light sources: I hear you. Back in the good 'ole
film days, I had a very nice set-up using two T32s and one T20, all
off-camera, firing into small white painted umbrellas, throwing highly
diffuse (bunced) light from all angles on the subject. The camera
would then also work nicely in with auto-aperture (when focusing wide
open) and my tripod was still in full working order. Now, all of these
things are crippled: flash-wise, I have the FL-50R (one of them),
which is a good thing, but I don't have any cables/shoes to set it up
off camera. Possibly a set-up could be made using the T32s and T20
again? It would have to be in some manual mode, I guess...
Then, I don't think I still have the small white painted umbrellas,
though I might. My tripod is broken anyway, and the 50/3.5 can only be
used with small apertures when directly closing the diaphragm; makes
for harder focusing, and without a solid tripod this is a nightmare...
So much for the set-up limitations.
I shall try indoor shooting, and seeing if I can find a workable way
of having the single FL-50R fire into a white umbrella, from right
above the subject. Any suggestions as to how to get additional flashes
helping out would be very welcome. I have lots of OM gear for this (1
F280, 2 T32s, 2 T20s, 1 T28 twin flash, 3-cable divider block, 3 long
Oly cables 2m/5m, one set of Oly flash filters ND 2, ND 4 and
polarising (I think?))...
Anything that I can make work (easily) with the E-500 body with that
gear?
Then regarding your other remarks:
-Oversharpening: yes, I too think that's the case; the pics look
sharper than the real-life equivalent items. In this case that's not
really a bad thing, as it makes the markings stand out really well...
It could be done a bit less though, and your 'contrast -> blackening'
remarks make all the sense in the world....
-WB control: I tried forcing it to 'overcast' setting, but indeed, not
all days have had the very same lighting conditions.
-Backgrounds: when setting up somwthing inside, I shall try using a
100% white backdrop.
-Digital processing settings: alright, once I've got a controlled
light and shooting set-up, I shall work out a base set of standard
edits.
The above should lead to improvements. I just hope I can create a
suitable lighting set up with the gear I have, as there's virtually no
budget for further investments....
Any further recommendations?
Cheers,
Olafo
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