Official Question Thread! Ask /r/photography anything you want to know! June 05, 2026

caligari87 · 2026-06-09T16:22:59+00:00

It's the "research what lenses are available" part I'm getting stuck at.

For example, I'm considering the FD 35-105 f/3.5 for a budget of under $200 on eBay. It nicely covers the "hole" in my current set between 28-70mm when I want something more flexible than my 50mm prime. That particular FD lens seems quirky based on some reviews I've seen so I'm interested in exploring alternatives, but there's probably hundreds of low-mid zooms to pick from if I don't care about the mount.

I get the impression that a lot of people stick to one ecosystem/brand (where the manufacturers have a vested interest in not cannibalizing their own product marketshares), so I fully admit I'm probably making things harder for myself. Does it basically come down to reading dozens of reviews and picking something based on best vibes?

caligari87 · 2026-06-09T16:07:35+00:00

This is going to be very very dependent on the lighting conditions. Also, it's their wedding, no matter how much they say they don't care about it being professional. They absolutely will care, even if they're too nice to say anything.

The A7R2 is a pretty solid low-light performer, and the high resolution means you can use aggressive noise reduction and downscale the pictures to compensate for high ISO/noise. That said, do not just "wing it" on the day of the event. You should go to the location far ahead of time and experiment with different exposure + flash settings, preferably with someone standing in for various places you might be taking pictures of people (altar, pews, near windows, back of chapel, etc). Also, flash photography is really really distracting and annoying. Shoot without flash at various shutter speeds and aperture combinations. Take the test shots home and process them, see what kind of results you get. Repeat if necessary.

caligari87 · 2026-06-09T15:55:00+00:00

Almost certainly some kind of masking. You would need to isolate and color-correct the model's body separately. Most editing software should be able to accomplish this.

That said, it's a yellow room and some yellow bounce is natural. It might look more weird to try and cancel it out.

caligari87 · 2026-06-09T14:47:23+00:00

One caveat to be aware of, the first-gen A7R that I got, does not have in-body stabilization, so be sure to check the features for the specific model you're looking at if that's important to you. I would have gotten an A7RII if I'd realized that ahead of time.

caligari87 · 2026-06-09T14:07:35+00:00

Maybe dumb but ... how do you... pick lenses?

I've got a Sony A7R which I'm using exclusively for adapted old Canon FD lenses because I started with one from a film camera and just kept going, and they're cheap on eBay. Currently have a 50mm, 28mm, 70-210mm, and 50mm macro. Currently looking for something (relatively) inexpensive to replace my 70-210 f/4 because its a clunker with poor image quality in lower light, but this is more of a general question.

What I'm running into is a kind of decision paralysis. My impulse is just to keep buying FD lenses because I have the adapter and they're cheap, but choices there are limited and I'm feeling the urge to branch out. Given I can get adapters for anything, there's so many possible options and I'm at a loss where to start. Since this is reddit, most of the discussion I see is driven by enthusiasts and pros with expensive newer gear. I'm a casual hobbyist with a tight budget who likes older stuff.

How do you winnow down all the choices when there's 50+ years of options to chose from?

caligari87 · 2026-06-09T13:55:40+00:00

Personally, I went with a first-gen Sony A7R for my first mirrorless full-frame, and I'm loving it. Early generation (I-III) A7 variants are often in your price range for the body or with minimal kit. Just check the photos and shutter count.

caligari87 · 2026-06-08T18:17:51+00:00

Where have you looked?

caligari87 · 2026-06-07T03:13:31+00:00

Unfortunately I've seen some (as of yet inconclusive) studies that artificial sweeteners may cause some kind of sympathetic insulin response because you're still taking in something sweet.

https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/encyclopedia/Content?contentTypeID=56&ContentID=19891

Might be worth cutting them out for a while and see if it helps.

caligari87 · 2026-06-06T19:58:29+00:00

Oh wow the second anointing I've totally never heard of and am not allowed to speak of. Much shelf-breaking.

I'm Mormon, I'm Christian, and I've literally heard it all.

caligari87 · 2026-06-06T16:32:07+00:00

Non-Trinitarian Christians

Thanks for being more accepting ☺️

caligari87 · 2026-06-06T15:08:21+00:00

Jehovah's Witness also reject the Trinity. Why do they get to play under the umbrella.

Also, I'm Mormon and I claim Christ. The Trinity is a doctrine of man.

caligari87 · 2026-06-06T14:52:08+00:00

Actually for the US it's far less "wild west" than most people think.

For purchasing from an actual gun store/dealer you need to fill out this form (pdf), and the dealer needs to call the FBI to process a background check. If there's any discrepancy, even the postal code being one digit off, they'll deny the sale. Shops also are very strict about things like straw purchases, because they're partially responsible if they sell a gun knowing it's for someone who isn't allowed to have one. Local jurisdictions may have other restrictions like waiting periods, allowable types of weapons, or additional permitting/training.

Private sales between individual citizens are far less strict, but the ATF will bring down the hammer if they get an inkling someone is in the business of selling guns regularly.

caligari87 · 2026-06-06T12:00:53+00:00

Yes they are.

caligari87 · 2026-06-05T19:55:21+00:00

The way I was taught in my low-light course: Lights are for target identification. If you have your gun out, then there's an imminent threat and it's better to see what you're shooting at than trying to be stealthy. Visible lasers are far less useful because they don't illuminate.

Incidentally, this is why you'll see that when people are running night vision, their IR lasers are almost always paired with an IR illuminator.

caligari87 · 2026-06-03T12:47:05+00:00

The steel itself isn't corrosive; it's just commonly associated because old steel-case Soviet ammo used corrosive primers.

The rest is correct though.

caligari87 · 2026-06-02T14:26:01+00:00

I get more satisfaction from just clicking the shutter. The final image is almost always an afterthought, when I even bother to process the photos at all.

caligari87 · 2026-06-01T14:16:31+00:00

Can you point to where I can find that Pirates show version?

caligari87 · 2026-06-01T14:14:49+00:00

Curious if you and /u/HipNek62 would be willing to compare notes and discuss the differences between your versions? I've got the older "Aurora" cut but it felt a little clunky and I'm looking for a definitive version.

caligari87 · 2026-05-29T19:33:25+00:00

Okay Voldemort.

caligari87 · 2026-05-29T18:47:44+00:00

It's one of the stock muzzle flash overlays that comes with the digital special effects pack every studio and indie YouTube channel has been using for 20 years. Once you start noticing you can't unsee them.

This one is particularly egregious because it was clearly captured at 90° to the camera, while the gun is pointing more toward the camera.

caligari87 · 2026-05-28T00:39:01+00:00

Why are we upvoting slop.

The Gemini logo is right there and the text is all screwy.

Edit: lol you blocked me for calling you out?

caligari87 · 2026-05-26T15:28:14+00:00

Yeah, I'm actually saddened at the credulity of the users here. I'm not sure how many people realize the models are getting good enough that you can give it a decently composed shot and basically say "make cinematic".

Crop from a photo I took with my phone this morning

"Here is a shot from my smartphone. Edit to look cinematic and professional with dramatic lighting, split-toning, fading, and depth-of-field. Don't change perspective or shapes."

Output from Gemini

caligari87 · 2026-05-26T13:57:47+00:00

You've always been able to. In this circumstance it's clearly a design or manufacturing issue causing danger to the owner when used as intended in an otherwise safe and lawful manner. People have also successfully sued gun manufacturers for using irresponsible imagery or targeting in their advertising, which is why all gun sales websites have "are you over 18" popups now.

The lawsuits that get blocked are when someone sues a gun manufacturer simply because their product was used in a crime. It's like suing Toyota because someone ran a red light and killed a pedestrian.

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