One Step Forward, One Step Back

A new beta version of Photomatix Pro lets me process RAW files from the EOS RP in HDR software. There are still some rough spots in the beta software. It doesn't seem to save the EXIF data from .CR3 files to the finished product. It's not a settings issue because it saves all the information in .CR2 file HDRs.

Thinking maybe it was my older version of MacOS, I decided to update to the latest MacOS, Catalina, despite knowing that it would render the only version of Canon's DPP software I can get running useless. The new OS didn't help things and now I have to use Photoshop Elements to resize, crop and process single RAW files I don't want to run through the HDR software.  I may end up going back to a Windows machine after over 8 years with two Apple computers.

Here are some shots from this morning's walk around Peebles Island.

Canon Full Frame Mirrorless

A really good sale on Canon's EOS RP body convinced me to grab one before the current deal is scheduled to end at the end of the month. It's likely that there will be an extension since prices of electronics rarely go up in the month of December, but you never know.

The RP is a full frame mirrorless body with a 26MP sensor, basically an EOS 6D Mark II without the trappings of a DSLR like a mirror, pentaprism, focusing screen, etc. One problem is that it produces new .CR3 RAW files that my HDR software will not process. The version of Canon's software that I can run on my MacBook Air also will not process these RAW files. For the time being I have the camera set to produce both RAW and JPG files with lens corrections being done in the camera on the jpg files. It's not ideal but eventually I will be able to use my usual workflow.

Also on sale was the RF 35mm f/1.8 IS STM macro lens. While the adapter that came free with the camera lets me use any of my lenses on the RP, the RF mount lenses are newer designs made for the mirrorless cameras.

Here are some samples from today.

5 file HDR from jpg files

f/6.7, 1/45 sec., ISO 200

f/8, 1/20 sec., ISO 200

f/8, 1/45 sec., ISO 200

5 file HDR from jpg files

High School Guys and Dolls

Last evening was the dress rehearsal of my local High School's production of the musical Guys and Dolls. I used the full frame 5D Mark III with the 70-200mm f/4 lens and the crop sensor 7D Mark II with the 17-55mm (27-88mm eq.) f/2.8 lens. The usual problems with lighting resulted in about six hours of processing for three hours of shooting followed by an hour of uploading the 358 over five gigs of files. You can view the gallery at https://trulandphotography.com/guysanddolls.

Women's Playoff Soccer Under the Lights

It has been several years since I've owned a lens fast enough (light wise) to shoot field sports at night. I bought my 200mm f/2.8 prime lens as an economic way to obtain that kind of lens.

While I did shoot a handful of frames with the full frame 5D Mark III and 70-200mm f/4 lens the vast majority of the 475 files I ended up with were made with the 7D Mark II and 200mm f/2.8 lens. The way I shoot at night is with manual settings based on the level of lighting on the field. I meter the grass and under expose a bit. This avoids ridiculous swings in exposure based on the color of the jerseys in the frame.

On Elmore Field, the settings are 1/750th of a second and ISO 3200 with an f/2.8 lens and the same shutter speed and ISO 6400 with an f/4 lens. I added 111 images to the gallery at https://trulandphotography.com/hwsoc2019. I get one more chance this Saturday with the Empire 8 conference final between Hartwick College and Utica College.

Here are some samples, all with the 7D Mark II and 200mm f/2.8 lens.

Forecast Was Spot On (Additional Photos Added)

I was back at Waterford Harbor shortly after sunrise and the water level was right where it was predicted to be. And you could tell be debris lines that it had receded a bit since the highest level.

Here are some shots mirroring the ones I posted yesterday showing the approximately two more feet of water. There are more scenes but those will have to wait as I have to get moving to shoot a college soccer match at noon today.

Here are the additional scenes I had to put off processing. For reference, the level from Irene in 2011 was 5 to 6 feet higher. You can read a blog post from that time, with water levels about a foot below the highest level reached here.

High Water, More to Come, Bad Timing

Areas to the north and west of me, but in the Hudson River watershed, received up to 7 inches of rain overnight when a cold front came through with high winds that caused my power to be out for about six hours.

First, a little background. Flood stage on the Hudson River at Troy is 21.5 feet. I know from past events that 21.5 feet at Troy means the water is right to the top of the concrete wall in Waterford.

The river was initially forecast to reach flood stage around 2:00 PM this afternoon. My photos show it about 6 inches below the top of the wall in Waterford a bit after 2:00 PM. A later forecast has flood stage occurring around 4:00 PM. This forecast has the water cresting at around 23.3 feet overnight and receding back to flood stage tomorrow afternoon.

I'm heading to Oneonta for a soccer match mid morning tomorrow but I hope to get over soon after sunrise (7:29 AM) to check out the water levels at that point. Although I've been using the 7D Mark II for almost everything recently, I used the 5D Mark III and 24-105mm lens this afternoon. I may just stick with one each of these two bodies for the time being.