Tokyo Photo Walk 1
Starting a new series called "Tokyo Photo Walk" where I bring you pics from various walks around Tokyo on taken through the digital SLR.
When I first got my EOS Kiss Digital N, I used to carry it around everywhere.
After a while however, it became a pain to carry around all the lenses, dust blowers and wot not which is why I stopped bringing it around - especially on overseas trips.
Been much inspired by Hector to pick the hobby back up and have been learning a lot about photography lately.
These pics where taken in the Nishikoyama area.
Used a tripod this time (this one) to enable me to get these shots.
Camera was set to TV and most of these shots had a 15 second exposure. ISO was set to about 200 with auto white balance.
I still need to do more homework before I can set the camera to be completely manual.
Was thinking of buying a new SLR but decided to invest the money in a new lens instead - probably this one.
A new SLR would get me live preview, bigger/brighter LCD, self cleaning and ability to take 2 zillion frames per second and at a higher resolution - all features which are definitely nice to have but would rather spend the 100,000 yen on a new lens.
I do hear that digital SLR's have a life span of X number of shutter counts - is that true? @.@
At the moment I have a EF-S10-22mm F3.5-4.5 USM super wide angle lens which cost 67,877 yen and a EF-S60mm F2.8 macro USM lens which cost 42,463 yen.
This means that I have both extremes but nothing in between ^^;
Reader conershots (I think he's still a reader ^^;) does some fantastic night photography which you may want to check out too.
Do you dabble in SLR shenanigans? If so, What camera/lens combination would you recommend to your fellow comrade who is thinking of taking up photography. I know that the first timer can be daunted by the amount of different lenses and camera brands.
Through these Tokyo photo walks, I want to bring you more of an idea of what life is like in Tokyo in addition to the Week in Tokyo series and will be taking pics of (in particular) bits of town that you would be walking around if you lived here - and not just the touristy places.
Not sure if these would make good wallpapers but stuck a few in the wallpaper pool anyway - will remove them after a while.
see more photos in the Tokyo Photo Walk category.
If you are interested in reading about life in Japan, seeing photos taken daily around Tokyo, like Japanese subculture (anime, manga, figures, Dollfies) then you may want to start delving into the Japan or Figure categories for a start or have a gander at all photo articles.
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Dirty Gentleman
http://cantstanzya.wordpress.com/
At what time did you take these shots? Its eerie how quiet things are for Tokyo.
security/3d graphic artist
http://www.kennethleishman.com/
he took off his trooper helmet :D
CEO MIrai Inc
http://www.dannychoo.com/profile/eng/
At about 9PM.
Student and full-time otaku
People sleep that early over there? Very nice shots indeed; I personally have no experience with advanced digital cameras though, but I am a bit glad about that as it seems to be an expensive hobby ^^
Web App. Dev.
http://www.jeromesadou.com
No they don't sleep...they are still working! ;)
College Student
Actually, Japan shuts down around like, 10 PM. And then they wake up at like 5 lol.
Student & Authorized Chicken Slapper
http://www.otakuinternational.com
Yeah its a little freaky how theres no one around, especially seeing as Tokyo is a big city and all.... Like all the shop photos look like the shops are open for business, nice lights, but not a single soul on the street or in sight....
Still nice photos though
teacher
In some of the outer parts of Tokyo it's very easy to find calm, quiet streets any time of day, i think. People work or go to school long hours... Crowds are more downtown or near the train stations from what I've seen.
Student
http://lastpastry.tk
Considering its basically the same way with highways and shopping complexes here in Cali, it all makes sense. (My mind: Wow, its exactly like how anime portrayed the streets. Craazy.)
Student
http://lastpastry.tk
Edit: I would totally shoot in SLR, that is if my camera want stolen right out of my car. T-T
great shots danny liked the way/angle of some of the pics, wish i had that kind of hobby too. but alas, in my place if anyone brought out an expensive camera and a tripod and start taking pictures the moment that person's going to get the 1st pic or maybe going to the person either gets robbed, robbed and killed, or vice versa...been wanting to go to japan because of the peacefulness 'cept for the recent stabbing incident, but its gonna take ma a long while to go there, planning on taking the JET programm thing u posted once but not sure when will i take ti, when i do be sure to help me out there danny
security/3d graphic artist
http://www.kennethleishman.com/
would love to pic up this hobby.. just looks so relaxing.. :D
maybe when i get more monnies..
Director/Technical Director, Cameraman
http://www.sulkorp.net
Long exposure pictures always look really good, and these are some nice shots.
You might want to look into HDR photos danny, they come out really crazy, and theyre pretty easy to do. All you need is a tripod. Would look really good in tokyo.
For new people getting a dslr, the nikon d40/d40x is a pretty good one, and its fairly cheap.
I regret not getting a dslr when I was in japan, cause they way overpriced here, but now with the xsi and live preview, I'll probably end up getting it. Live preview = awesomeness in a dslr : D
CEO MIrai Inc
http://www.dannychoo.com/profile/eng/
I still don't get HDR photos as I find that you can achieve the same effect (ish) in photoshop - http://www.haklabs.com/2007/getting-a-hdr-effect-using-photoshop/
Programmer
http://www.nowloading.co.uk
Yeah I do similar things if I didn't take a few shots to make a HDR. If you shoot in RAW you can do the same but get slightly better results as RAW will record around 1 stop +/- of what you shot.
Director/Technical Director, Cameraman
http://www.sulkorp.net
Yea, theres always ways to photoshop things but all you need to do to make HDR is just bracket +2 and -2 exposure, along with the original photo. Then just run it through a photoshop plugin, and you get the results.
But long exposures still look pretty nice, similar to HDR.
IBMer
There's nothing better than purely merged unedited photographs.
http://xanato.net
looking forward to the next photo walks, another nice way to 'visit' tokyo... thanks.
Hikikomori in the making
http://supermariabros.deviantart.com/
Wow cool... BUt why isn't there anyone walkingabout on the streets? Bedtime already?
3D artist
http://andyh.cgsociety.org
Nice photos. Some of them look a little over-exposed and unnatrual, but some have great colours. Nice wide angle lens though.
Im tempted to get a new camera for my upcoming month in China, but i think ill give it a miss. My canon powershot already has (almost) full manual control and suits my needs as i rarely tinker with the many settings on it. I quite like the look of the Panasonic lumix camera as it has a wide angle lens, 10X zoom, and HD video recording. My camera supports switchable lenses - i could just buy a wide angle lens for it, but like you said, i dont know if i can be arsed lugging it around and changing it. I rarely get chance to stop and take a proper photo - usually just point and shoot, so i dont think i would benefit from an SLR really.
Student
As Danny said, for a first timer the number of lenses and brands seems a bit confusing. Another thing that raises questions is the cost, photographing isn't a cheap hobby. But still, seeing nice shots like these makes me want to buy a dslr and try it out.
Mechanical Engineering student
http://sabekujikaneda.multiply.com/
I had no idea what you were talking about in this post but what I'm sure though is that these are great pictures! I like to buy an SLR myself but I am too inexperienced to use one, hell I don't even know how changing the lens of the camera would affect the picture O_o
Network Architect, Administrator, Vmware Guru
http://www.finetoo.org/
The light seems to have such a strange and surreal effect in some of the photos. Like in the first one, the tiled floor almost looks like it's textured, as in from some first person game or something. Same thing with the entry-to-park photo you did. It's kind of funny cause the lyrics to Radiohead's 'Fake Plastic Trees' came to mind. XD
When I look at the pic, the colors glint so oddly, don't get me wrong, I do like the pictures quite a bit. I'm intrigued at how this lens digs into light, it's pretty cool.
銀河帝国五〇一軍团 TK/TD 8316 M.E.P.D. Police Sergeant
http://gordonator.com/
the pics sure looks surreal. O_O
i have my eyes on the EOS 450D.
Network Architect, Administrator, Vmware Guru
http://www.finetoo.org/
Also: RE Shutter count life
I don't think this is true at all, if so, I'd have multiple friends that would have burned through their nikon and canon units something fierce. They take an insane amount of pictures a day, since it's their work, and they haven't had any shutter-issues. While prone to the usual wear-tear as any other electronic device with complex moving parts, I wouldn't think it has a sort of Mean-time-before-failure type arrangement.
Then again, bringing your camera in for a checkup and cleaning is probably a good idea to keep your investment working solid.
Producer
Sony Alpha 700 is rated at shutter life of 100,000 shots. It's in the manual. This is consistent with known shutter lifespans of film cameras, for example Nikon F3 150,000 shots. The thing is, people with digital SLRs tend to shoot a lot more shots than film users do.
Network Architect, Administrator, Vmware Guru
http://www.finetoo.org/
Hm... I didn't see anything like this in the XTi manual. I mean, I don't think I'll take 150,000 shots in my lifetime but I had no idea shutters had an expected failure rate.
PhysicsMajor/Someting/Photo/Pharm Tech
http://www.cadha13.com/blog
I use a 20 year old Maxxum 9000. No problems with shutter at all and seems to have no regular maintenance done to it. I know it's shutter is designed past 100,000 shots. Really like to see Sony make a pro level camera like the 9000. I would buy one in a heartbeat.
Web Developer
http://www.twitter.com/SteveKeys
Shutter life is very true, and it depends on the camera. Some cameras exceed their shutter life-spans, others die much sooner.
For example, Danny's camera has a shutter that should be good for at least 50,000 shutter actuations. Although, it may surpass that.
Network Engineer
http://www.aggitan.blogspot.com/
These can generally be repaired though right?
Pre-U Student
http://wakuwakusuru.zeroclipse.net
I'm thinking it would be costly..
Web Developer
http://www.twitter.com/SteveKeys
Sure, you can replace the shutter, but by that time you'd probably want to upgrade your camera.
Physical Therapist
http://www.flyingpussyfoot.com
Nice pictures Danny!
They have some kind of surreal paralell Universe where the whole humanity vanished from earth leaving everything as it is feeling to it.
Im Looking forward to the other Pics
Artist/Flash Programmer
http://wcloudxkumo.wordpress.com/
Danny, have you tried taking with your aperture closed to the max (Around F20+)? It'll give you that colourful and "Starry" effects to the lights. You would probably need to adjust the exposure longer with this set up ^^; Result will be something like this one:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v507/wcloudx/events/DSC_0439.jpg
Some of the lights in your photos were a little bit too bright, but otherwise all of them are nice photos ^^
Artist/Flash Programmer
http://wcloudxkumo.wordpress.com/
Although looking at your photos closely, you probably have done that XD
Spellcaster
Don't think he did that, because at high f-number, it will be sharp and long starbust.
High f-numbers like f32 are good for dark scenes with many point lights, giving the fascinating effect, but in normal "bright" places it will give poorer contrast and less vibrant picture.
CEO MIrai Inc
http://www.dannychoo.com/profile/eng/
Aperture? Whats that? ^^; I need to look for a look online tutorial ^^;
I just turn the knobs and see what happens.
Photographer/Night Auditor
http://hillbillyotaku.blogspot.com/
lol, yup that's what I do too. Turn knob take picture repeat and see what comes out. When you see something good look at the exif data to see what worked.
Pre-U Student
http://wakuwakusuru.zeroclipse.net
Aperture is the opening in the camera's body before the light reaches the sensor.
The higher the F value, the smaller the aperture will be causing less light to enter.
The lower the F value, the larger the aperture will be causing more light to enter.
When you set your camera mode to TV, the camera will find the corresponding aperture for the exposure level selected. Its like a see-saw. In order to get a normally exposed picture either the shutter speed must be fast while the aperture is large or the shutter speed is slow while the aperture is small.
Hope this helps ^^
dannychoo.com の読者
have the interest but not the money...
you cant collect figure while being crazy with photography at the same time
orz orz
browsing the nets
http://otakuposts.blogspot.com/
i second that! but sooner or later after you get a point and shoot to take pics of your figures, you realise that only a dslr would do justice to them orz
PhysicsMajor/Someting/Photo/Pharm Tech
http://www.cadha13.com/blog
Buy a cheap film SLR to cut your teeth on. I suggest get a Minolta Maxxum series(the "9" series are pro level bought mine for less than $100 USD). Cheap as hell, and you can use all of the fine Minolta glass on a Sony DSLR for cheap. I don't trust Zeiss Icon for lenses for 35mm SLR cameras since they are made my Cosina.
Student
http://animestuff.wordpress.com/
Telling someone which camera and lens they should get it's really hard because there are more and more camera brands being the three biggest Canon, Sony and Nikon, each has has its own number of lenses and it depends on you which one to choose. Choosing the lens depends on what type of photography you want to do, don't forget that this is really an expensive hobby.
Doing HDR photos is not that hard Danny, you got two choices either take three pictures or more with a tripod with different exposures or simply create copies of the picture you want and change their (copies) exposure.
nada
Hmhm, eerie indeed. Especially with the semi lighted sky at night, Dawn of the Dead anyone? =P
Photography seems brilliant, a fulfilling hobby, and you get around aswell. ^^
I've been reading some FAQs about camera's and such, which to buy, etc.
Though to be realistic, the scenery over here is pathetic so to get some nice shots I'd need to go abroad.
Gamer, Lecturer, Graphic Designer
http://striket.blogspot.com/
Very nice photos! Wish i have a decent camera and skills :|
Student, ACG Fans
http://modvisc.blogspot.com
wow, nice shot.
Dance Trooper: DCX-001 O.D.E. (Order of the Dancing Empire)
http://dannychoo.com.my
Wow, all the photo look so real! I love these shots.
IT-Architect, SysAdmin, WebDesign and Coding, Virtualization (VMware + NetApp)
http://www.milkdrop.de/
Uh, i got a EOS 450D, with kit lens though lol 18-55, so nothing special. Didnt get around to get other lenses yet due... figmas... *cough*. The 18-55 however works so far okay for me, but for sure need something else sometime soon like a 18-200 too so this posting helps me as well, thanks. *leeches information* :D
Nice pictures though Danny! I need a tripod too... would love something compact and not bulgy. *_*
Enginner, Photographer
http://www.animetemuco.cl
I have a 400D and got a 50mm 1.4 and the kit lens. i think is a good camera, not the best, i want a 5D for the full frame capable or maybe a 40D for liveview and more ISO.
I think the best option is buy a new lens (maybe a Tokina 11-22 in wide or a Tamron 17-50 2.8).
I recomend U think in all the situations:
Wideshoots : U have a EF-S Canon 10-20mm (not work in fullframe cameras)
Normal : EF-S 60mm Macro (fixed, not work in fullframe)
Telephoto : EF 70-300 IS (is nice and not much expensive)
Financial Advisor
Loving the new feature, Danny; as impressive as they are, one can only see Hachiko Crossing so many times before wanting to move on to something different. It's nice to experience the more realistic side of life in Tokyo through your lens. Keep 'em coming!
Spellcaster
I am using a Nikon with a 18-200mm f3.2-5.6 Vibration reduction for travel and is excellent. I just came back from my 25days Japan trip bring only that lens and I took 26gb of 8mp jpgs.
Recommend you get that lens for your Canon, and I'm sure it will be enough motivation to bring your camera around and take lots of photos.
CEO MIrai Inc
http://www.dannychoo.com/profile/eng/
Thanks - will have a look into it.
http://www.americajin.com/
And now tech envy ensues... but I just got me a new Power Shot, so I need to chill :)
Online Shop
http://wildarms.egloos.com
Wow, these are really crisp photos. Almost feels like they are from some 3-D game @_@
http://moetotsugeki.wordpress.com/
The photos look very futuristic.
http://blog.limkopi.org
they all look so good! doesnt seem your learning at all to me. the shots all look so pro!
im not sure if lens renting is available at your side. normally before we want to make the purchase, we'll rent the lens to shoot our hearts out.
looking forward to see more photo walks!
Photographer/Night Auditor
http://hillbillyotaku.blogspot.com/
Renting lens is a great idea especially when you consider the wider assortment of lens that you can use at any given time without having to actually own the pricy things.
Student
Nice pictures, especially the 10th one. Seems so calming.
Student Otaku (ITM Student) and ACG NA Staff
http://koiaichaku.com/
So this is what night life in a small neighboorhood is like.
My camera sucks taking pictures at night. I want a DSLR camera so bad. Sadly it cost a butt load to get one.
Hoping for more Tokyo Walking...
Design Student
http://wraith11.deviantart.com/
Dabble around a bit, but nowhere near enough to go reccomending rigs to anyone.
I'd hazard a guess the shutter life thing is true. It's a moving part (unlike a regular digital camera, which just saves an image) and mechanical things tend to wear out after awhile. Best guess is you could probably extend the life by replacing the shutter spring or something.
Man, that uber-wide angle lense really warps the perspective, looks cool.
Full-time student へへ
http://www.kenleewrites.com
nice shots. instead of carrying a full tripod out, sometimes i only bring my gorillapod. you have one too?
CEO MIrai Inc
http://www.dannychoo.com/profile/eng/
gorillapod?
Director/Technical Director, Cameraman
http://www.sulkorp.net
Gorillapods are really cool. Its kinda like a tripod, except it can wrap around things. Like a pole, or a bench, or pretty much anything. Check them out at http://www.joby.com/ , theyre pretty neat and cheap.
Photographer/Night Auditor
http://hillbillyotaku.blogspot.com/
That's pretty cool actually.
Spellcaster
Just a note, gorillapods may not be able to support a DSLR weight if a heavy lens is attached.
Student of LIFE!
just don't get crappy fake ripoffs cuz they can't even carry my olympus digital camera
Engineer by weekdays, Hikki by weekends
http://ejump.wordpress.com/
Im still figuring out with my Alpha300.
Its easy for beginners, but i just sucks even with a dslr ;__;
I will upload my California pics soon :p
browsing the nets
http://otakuposts.blogspot.com/
Great pics danny, but the place looks deserted. all shutters down and no one around. just the first three pics have people in them. hmmm. reminds me of slowing time somehow.
Aspiring Photographer
http://bernerd.multiply.com
great pics! they almost look like "area" shots from videogames, must be the lens i guess. i wish i had a dslr, but all i have is a canon ae-1.
CEO MIrai Inc
http://www.dannychoo.com/profile/eng/
Yep - its the wide angle which distorts everything.
Web Developer/ウェブデベロッパー, Photographer/写真や
http://www.moeside.net/weblog
DSLR do have a rated x number of shutter counts.
Of course that's an estimate as there are cases of DSLR shutters performing beyond their rated shutter count and is still functioning. You can get a new shutter by sending it to Canon when the shutter dies.
Lens wise, it really depends on the focal length you really need.
The EFS 60mm can get you some pretty nice macro shots and it can also be used as a portrait lens. I am using a EF 24-105 F4.0 L IS USM lens (The lens you tried out when we met up again back in April) as it is a real great walkabout lens and covers my needs of getting some normal shots to close-up pantsu shots of that cute girl- I mean portrait shots of the cute girl.
Do recommend you visit Yodobashi Camera and try out the lenses on display there ^^; Also recommend reading up on camera crop factors (APS-C systems v.s Full Frame) when you're looking to get a new camera.
Hope this helps! Else, just email me for more answers! ^^;
Student, Otaku, She-Geek(Sheek lol)
http://meimi132.wordpress.com/
Pretty shots..... however I agree with FB, it does look insanely empty considering its Tokyo lol
All of those photos look funny to me, I wanna say they look like computer animation, like a video game or something. They look unreal.
CEO MIrai Inc
http://www.dannychoo.com/profile/eng/
lol
Student
http://web.mit.edu/anime/www/index.shtml
Yeah Tokyo's never looked that stunning before ^^
Student
http://www.stefkov.com/
Those are some beautiful photographs, especially the photos with the trees and green in them. I love night photography like this: Long exposure, high ISO etc. I want to buy a DSLR camera to develop my hobby but it's so difficult. I'm only looking at Nikon and Canon because I've read so much about them. The new 450D(Digital Rebel XSi / Kiss X2 Digital) looks really good. I want to get into this hobby with a good new camera like this, but it's expensive. The Nikon D80 is old and now cheap but has a lot of functions and just seems like a great camera. But first I need the money...
anime junky :3
http://www.youtube.com/ThisGuyJohn
very nice pictures you took danny!
part time illustrationist, doll clothing seamstress
http://puppy52art.com/
Great pix Danny :) reminds me of a time when me and hubs go to take night time sakura pix lol it got difficult when it got breezey as we were using longer exposures ^^;
we use cannon, I love my xt, I decided on it cos I like how it is the right size for me, and quite light to carry around even tho after a whole day of carrying it is painful for my arm/shoulder ^^;
Journalist
i love that 'daily' picture! Nice shots! What's the price of that camera?
CEO MIrai Inc
http://www.dannychoo.com/profile/eng/
Info in the article ^^;
Student
http://anime.tedfox.com/
ahh i never seen sky that bright at night before.
i know nuts about camera work so i can't help ya there :(
oh and the streets are really awfully clean! guess it's true that japanese are particular about cleanliness hurhur
university film student | ecchikid | the Archivist
http://www.vimeo.com/longhim
...I sorely need a new tripod. I have an old dSLR that's waiting for retirement, but it still works. The problem is that my favourite kinds of shots - long exposure at night - are hard to do without a tripod and my the head of my old one broke in my luggage last time I went on vacation.
HS student
Wow, these are really beautiful photos.
I was thinking of getting an SLR a while ago, but decided that for now I need something more compact.
So for I'll probably be getting a GR digital 2 soon when I'll be in the state.
Back to the grind
nice pics.for a large city there weren't people in the streets.
Dropping computers, starting all over again at Journalism
http://xspblog.com
Wow, nice pics Danny! Very professional!
They look kinda... surreal or artistic. I guess it's also because we're not used to see night pics this clear. Some of them looks like paintings or something.
-1
http://necrophadian.blogspot.com/
those are some really awesome pictures, the lighting and colors are very vivid. when i first saw the preview picture in the front page I thought I was looking at some sort of 3D computer generated image. I've been playing too many video games
CEO MIrai Inc
http://www.dannychoo.com/profile/eng/
LOL.
architect
There is a lot of people in Shinjuku, Shibuya, Akihabara and place like that, but residential quarters (which represent maybe 70% of tokyo) are real no mans land day and night. Danny, I thought u were professsionally related to Akihabara news? there photograph David is pretty aware in the DSLR subject and had is own website(objectifjapon.fr)so guess u can ask him some advice.
CEO MIrai Inc
http://www.dannychoo.com/profile/eng/
David is the man - but have not seen them lately due to schedule.
Student, ...someday...zzz
Just curious but is the street on your last picture haunted?
I kind of see a floating broomstick....
CEO MIrai Inc
http://www.dannychoo.com/profile/eng/
Only folks who have done bad things will see that broomstick in the photo ^^;
Spartan
http://www.ryobase.com
LOL! Then looks like I have done many bad things 'casue I saw the broom stick is floating (=ﾟ∇ﾟ =)
Spartan
http://www.ryobase.com
**because not casue** Sorry type too fast >,<"
part time illustrationist, doll clothing seamstress
http://puppy52art.com/
i can see it too o_o must be all the naughty comments I been making on dc...
tsktsk lol
Teacher, Artist, Writer
http://eatdrinkmanotaku.blogspot.com/
I feel inspired to rock out there with my camera and also reading the manual now.
Otari Vader, Sith Lord for Hire, will fillet Makoto Itou for free
http://coffeebugg.blogspot.com/
oooh... very inspiring. :) i feel like dusting off my DSLR and go out to take photos now. :) Come to think of it, I should probably invest in a wide angle lens for my camera.
Animator
http://hondo-chan.deviantart.com/
Wonderful. These are the types of photos that I love. The ones of just common everyday places in Japan. It makes me long to visit Japan that much more... sigh...
Please keep up the great photos. ^_^
Marine Biologist
http://blueplains.wordpress.com/
Wow great pictures danny,but I have to agree with the others,they look kinda weird in some places,Nevertheless an awesome shoot,Wish i lived in tokyo,they have such beautiful locations,even the suburbs look cool in a way.I always wanted to get more into photography but i dont hvae money to get an expensive camera:/ oh well,Keep it up danny,cant wait to see more
Also Danny,did you take classes or courses to learn to photograph?or is it natural?
Thanks^-^
Student artist
http://www.requestview.wordpress.com
Nice pictures danny. Does anyone know how to extend the exposer time of the camera, so we get the effects of the earth rotation?
Spellcaster
Those really expensive DSLR have a shutter release option where the shutter opens till you press the shutter again. For the more common DSLRs, you can get a remote that has a shutter release that does the same thing.
You can get nice star trails if you stay in an area with little lights, else city light the make the sky way too bright.
Pre-U Student
http://wakuwakusuru.zeroclipse.net
Is that bulb shutter speed?
PhysicsMajor/Someting/Photo/Pharm Tech
http://www.cadha13.com/blog
Yes it is. Either hold the shutter for time periods with your hand or buy an remote release. I make one myself using a computer CD audio wire to the socket on my Minolta 9000 and using a jumper wire to keep the shutter open for nice long exposures.
http://www.marvinryan.com
nice images Danny, although they do have a differnet feel as to your previous photographs I daresay they look a lot better than before. about the lifespan of the canon 350D, I believe its about 50,000 shots until the shutter gives out, same as the 400D and the 450D although I've heard unconfirmed stories that it could last up until 80,000. after that you can either have the shutter changed or get a newer model. replacing the shutter would probably set you back around $200 i think.
http://www.marvinryan.com
hey Danny, I was thinking, seems to me you like taking nightshots, if that's the case you might want to check out the EF 50mm f1.4 or the cheaper 50mm f1.8. although it is stuck at 50mm you do get superb images on low lighting conditions. the best would be the 50mm f1.2L but just too darn expensive.
Speedgrapher
http://www.autoshowevents.com
You should buy a Holga. The images that come out of these cameras are unique. They're pretty cheap but they only take film, but I'll probably buy one in the near future. Some links to Holga images.
http://flickr.com/photos/21898235@N06/2462581113/
http://flickr.com/photos/10403675@N06/2405409120/
Troubleshooter, Universal Exports
http://funkyblueame.tumblr.com/
This is a good idea for a new series. Those not familiar with Tokyo and Japan get to see something other than areas frequent by tourist and you get practice with your DSLR.
I'm glad to see you are out and about enjoying the camera. Those of us with the photography bug have a habit of spreading it, so good work Hector. ^o^ I have been spending more time reading and shooting as of late. My skills have become dull with time. I also need to refresh what I know and learn more.
Photos look nice Danny. I like the color saturation and vibrance of color. You have and HDR feel going on. Did you do much post-production? If my memory serves me correctly I have seen Aperture in your dock before. You might also want to try out Silkypix. http://www.isl.co.jp/SILKYPIX/english/ Silkypix has a great rendering engine for RAW and overall is a great app. Sometimes I like the results I get to those of Aperture.
I have been using a EOS 5D on loan from a photography buddy. I really enjoy this camera a lot. Most likely Canon will be giving us something new soon. I do know that I want to upgrade to a full size sensor with my next Canon.
Yes all shutters have a life span. I have known a few people to wear them out too. As others have said, some cameras go beyond and some die before that magic number.
I think my next lens will be a EF 35mm f2. http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=25&sort=7&thecat=2 It is cheap glass -in more than price- and delivers great results. Also it's the closest we can get on a C size sensor to a natural lens (50mm).
For the beginner who knows very little or nothing about Photography, a SLR of any kind is the wrong place to start.
I always tell people to get a point and shoot or a low end prosumer camera that allows for some control such as, aperture, shutter speed etc. Learn about photography and take loads of photos. Equipment doesn't make for good photos, knowledge and experience does. I was assistant and apprentice to a pro when I was younger. He told me often equipment is a hinderance to the photographer. It keeps us from capturing what we see and feel. I'm no pro, but now I do understand what he was telling me.
It will make no difference if you use a point and shoot, SLR or DSLR. You still need to understand the basic of photography to create great photos. Also knowing helps when buying new equipment. Most camera shop and electronic shop employees know nothing and will sell anything to anyone.
Don't mean to be militant about all this, but I hate to see anyone get taken. Photography should be fun and not stressful.
Also open an account on flickr. Anyone will find lots of useful groups and helpful people. A n00b need not worry about being n00b. As fro me, I'm always making lots of photography friends, learn from everyone and getting lots of inspiration.
Brand is a matter of preference. I personally think Canon is the best, but I have Nikon friend who would say different. When it comes time to buy a DSLR or SLR be careful in which brand you choose. Your investment is in the glass (lenses) not the camera. Good glass will last. Over your lifetime you will have many different camera bodies but will still use many of the same lenses. Also a reason I tend to stay way from C sensor lenses like EF-S. You will not get acceptable results on full sensor cameras like the EOS 5D.
I better give up the soapbox now...
.NET/Web Developer
http://scrumptious.animeblogger.net
Got myself a entry level dslr recently and I'm still learning and getting used to the different settings. I'm hoping one day I would be able to stick to manual all the way through. I find the hardest shots to take are those low light shots.
The first pic in the post looks amazing though. Just a question, do you do any post processing to your pictures when you post them? Or is that how it looked like when you took the shot? I personally don't do any editing anymore and just try to take the best shot possible.
Programmer, Web Developer / Web Designer
http://xenohawk.wordpress.com/
Cool pictures Danny :)
As most people have mention, investing in a lens is good since you can use it as long the mount is still the same. For me, choosing a new lens is more difficult then a new DSLR because there are not many in-depth reviews for them. It is hard to test on-the-spot since there are many tiny detail that you might missed when you checked it the first time.
If you are getting a new lens, try to get one where the focusing ring it not on the lens ring (outer ring). I know most of the kit lens are like this. This is so you can use really interesting add-on filter like the polarized filter to dramatically change your image when taken at certain time and angle (SUN POWER!! heheh).
Just be careful of your sensor size as mentioned by Edward and know the pro and cons from online reviews.
After that you might want to try off-camera flash photography which is quite cool when taking shots at night or adding some creativity to your shots. [try google strobist]
August is coming soon, which means fireworks!
I really recommend taking some fireworks photos as it is really interesting (you will never know how it turns out LOL) and some of the few things that DSLR is good at. Not much is needed for this except for your camera and tripod. A remote trigger as option for easy shots else just put it on self-timer. The trick here is long-exposure :)
Hope you will enjoy yourself with your new series. I got to really take up my photography again (>_<).
Digital animation
Nice pictures. Some of them actually look like 3D CG renders, much more vibrant than the natural perception of the eye. These are the types of pictures I like to see of Tokyo, and your pictures are taken so well that one can get a sense of actually feeling the environment. I will be looking foreward to your next installment.
Student/Virtual Junkie
Photos #8, #10, and #11 are so fantastic.
They look almost FANTASY like!
Student
http://vixion.wordpress.com/
that was really great , i'm shocked when saw them
http://jellykiss.com/fridayblog
I have a Canon 20D and have already turned the counter and now at 12,000+. DSLRs do have a shutter life and I hope mine will still keep going till I buy the 1D Mark III later this year. Well, I will buy it unless Canon releases the upgrade to the 5D.
As for lenses, I'm with Edward in Michigan on purchasing the EF 35mm F2. I have the EF 50mm F1.8 II and while it's a great lens, I want something closer to life.
Those wanting to take a dip into DSLR waters should consider Canon's new XS/1000D that is coming out soon. It will be priced less than the XSi and a good beginner DSLR. The kit lens should suffice until you're more familiar with the DSLR functions. Then you can start venturing into the expensive world of lenses. LOL!
Photographer/Night Auditor
http://hillbillyotaku.blogspot.com/
Currently I have a Canon Rebel XT and a couple entry level Sigma lenses. Last weekend I tried for the first time during the autocross panning which actually didn't turn out as bad as I had originally thought but then I did take close to 400 pictures of which 200 were total tossers. I haven't gotten out to do any night shots because Boise is pretty boring at night and I'm usually working. My biggest problem right now is focusing on upclose items though.
Student
http://zeroanime.wordpress.com
Great addition.
Assuming it's apart of the Japan Portal.
Keep it up, this kinda stuff is the reason I visit here ^ ^
Graphic Design student | Receptionist | Otaku
http://sukidesho.blogspot.com/
Lovely photographs, Danny. I love the perspective, light-balance and locations. I'm sure your posts will inspire us to consider picking up our camera's again ^-^
Student, Producing videos and draw sometimes
http://www.youtube.com/twistermon
Wow, cool picture with an effectful sky-image. :-O
student
oh those were cool pictures :D
website/graphic designer and karaoke amateur~
http://www.furudango.com
Wow Danny, they look so eerie o.o;; as if the city were still alive but its inhabitants have seemly disappeared. I agree with the comments about them looking as if straight from a video game ^^;
I also like how you've included the sky in every shot, adds to the whole atmosphere and unites them all as part of the same 'reality' so to speak. The wide angle lens totally adds another sort of uniformity to it, good choice on your settings etc ^_~
website/graphic designer and karaoke amateur~
http://www.furudango.com
Wow Danny, they look so eerie o.o;; as if the city were still alive but its inhabitants have seemly disappeared. I agree with the comments about them looking as if straight from a video game ^^;
I also like how you've included the sky in every shot, adds to the whole atmosphere and unites them all as part of the same 'reality' so to speak. The wide angle lens totally adds another sort of uniformity to it, good choice on your settings etc ^_~
http://animemangafigure.blogspot.com/
Very nice photos! I like no.7 (the park) and no 10. (garden)
Student
http://www.desangel.blogspot.com
really liked those shots....especially those of the parks .
http://www.fakku.net/
The sky in those pictures looks amazing, reminds me of 5 Centimeters Per Second.
Student
http://www.fotografer.net/isi/anggota/profil.php?id=98782
wow! very nice shot! and yes, a DSLR always have shutter count, but you can still relpace it if the shutter has reached it's maximum count, in Jakarta it's cost about Rp 1.000.000,- and the currency to japanesse Yen is Rp85,- for 1 Yen
You can check this website, http://www.fotografer.net/
It's an Indonesian largest photography community
You can upload your photo and make your own gallery there, and also has a copy protection :)
also u can check this, http://www.fotografer.net/isi/personal/index.php?id=55440
It's a Gallery own by Nyoman Bayu Yudianala, a photographer apparently lives in Japan :)
I Hope it can help you More Danny ^^
Student
http://www.fotografer.net/isi/anggota/profil.php?id=98782
*replace LOL
machine operator
what a nice set of photos! thank you very much for sharing them with us. As far as SLR cameras: I grew weary of messing with them years ago. I'm using a Samsung Digimax A7 all the time now. It takes great pictures, and fits in my pocket.
Network Engineer
http://www.aggitan.blogspot.com/
What's the EXIF data for these shots? I cannot seem to get this on my shots.
My canon just got in:
http://jinkaku.net/media/IMG_0088.jpg
http://jinkaku.net/media/IMG_0245.JPG
http://jinkaku.net/media/IMG_0108.jpg
http://jinkaku.net/media/IMG_0164.JPG
PhysicsMajor/Someting/Photo/Pharm Tech
http://www.cadha13.com/blog
I use Minolta equipment. Manual focus and auto focus. The best camera I have is the Maxxum 9000 with MD-90 motor drive. I have four lenses the Minolta 50mm f1.7, 70- 210mm f4.5-5.7, 30-70mm f4 and a Vivitar series one 19-35mm (crazy wide angle shots). Three flashes, Minolta 2800AF, 4000AF and a Vivitar 4600.
Also i have three MF Minolta cameras, a XE-7, SRT-202, and a X-570(dead) with like 6 lenses.
Yeah I have a lot and seems I am like the only Minolta guy out there. I don't shoot much but I have pro level equipment and got them cheap. I need to buy me a film scanner to post my shots from the slides I have. The pictures I have just pop out at you with clarity and great color. Start using the manual modes more often and you can guess at what you need and start to think outside of the cameras meter and adjust right on the spot. That is why I recommend using film first to learn about color and light. Film is not forgiving and need to work with it to make great photos.
Great shots, I like the look of long exposures during the night and the contrast to that of daylight. The weird 3-d game look is the result of using high quality lenses with high resolution CCD's. See that with looking at slides. Too bad there are too many bad shots out there and people think they are quality. I work at a one hour photo and they do suck. It becomes a breath of fresh air when a great photo comes along.
PhysicsMajor/Someting/Photo/Pharm Tech
http://www.cadha13.com/blog
Here is a scanned print that I took of me truck two years ago, Sorry for the low quality, but it works not too well.
http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd3/cadha21/scan.jpg
Otaku Security Guard
I really like those pics, they have an eerie calm about them, kind of like a ghost town.
On a completely unrelated sidenote, is there any way to make the submit button more prominent? I seem to be quite dumb and keep hitting the post comment button above the bow and destroying my comment.
Internet Marketing
http://charleshamel.com
Danny please give HDR a try if nothing else. I use Photoshop to combine the different exposures and then Tonemap with a program called Photomatix.
I would really love to see some HDR pics of the same shots you posted.
study
it look like 4 am in canada
Graphic Designer
http://www.valiantho.com/
nice street pics, streets looks really quiet though. The EOS Kiss Digital X that I am using have shutter lifespan at 50k is I not mistaken, so the Kiss Digital N should be around that I guess
Administrative Assistant
http://bob-san.animeblogger.net
Unfortunately, I could not afford an SLR when I bought my new camera. Instead I have a Canon Powershot S5-IS which still is a nice camera for the price (At least compared to my old one). However, I'm still working out how all the features work. I've been lax in alot of things recently so I may have forgotten what I already learned :(
BTW, thanks for the software link Edward. I think I'll check it out!
freelance
Wow that camera rocks but very pricey still great pics.
Polytechnic Junior, Bronze Lifesaving Trainee, Mech Designer In-training.
http://thehangerbay.wordpress.com/
I love the quality of the pictures; they have an almost 3D feel to it.
Student
http://www.kaitagsd.com
Very nice pictures indeed, shows the quiet side to Tokyo... :O.
I'm too lazy to get started with SLRs, like you said is expensive and very daunting for an absolute newbie. I'll be sticking with my 5-MP camera phone for now...XD
Assistant Librarian
Would suggest 450D but that uses SD card. 40D costs a bit more and is a step up so i'd recommend it. Sigma 18-200 OS is a good all rounder and the OS will help in some situation. How come you didn't have a standard lens? ^^;
http://iron2000.blogspot.com
I like the "unreal" feel of some of the photos.
Web Designer
http://www.hyperactive82.com
wow, it look as if its screenshots of some games, all the more so given that everyone is missing in the photos.
otaku? lol
http://www.thebanzaieffect.com
thats some really nice shots there, esp the last shot.
Culinary student, Vampire
yeah thats nice, taking a shot without anyone around is really cool, if theyre not sleeping maybe theyre just hiding because theyre shy or they afraid of danny hehehe
Space Pirate
You take very beautiful pictures.
A bit creepy with no people around, but still very beautiful.
Now those are some fantastic photos you took! Currently I'm just using a 5MP Sony digicam. Wish I could afford a DSLR to make some light painting.
nice shot but from which cam ?
Student
http://earth-bean.deviantart.com/
Wow! Just like the neighborhood in Yotsuba&!
Pictures are very good! Kudos to you!
Otaku, Software Developer
oniisan gave me a digital SLR for my birthday.
I can't take photos near as great as you can,
but i'll learn how.
Those are some excellent photos.
Student
http://ivan05.deviantart.com/
the photographs are so clear and colorful even in the dark. Wow. Is it Canon EOS Kiss N?
Dropping computers, starting all over again at Journalism
http://xspblog.com
I'm posting another comment just to show the impact these pics have taken to me... xD
As I'm planning to buy a pro or semi-pro right now, I remembered about Danny's Tokyo by night pics... thought to myself "I wanna try something like those".
Pointed the post out to some friends who agreed with me that they are very beautiful!
I was taking a look at the pics, paying a little more attention... did anyone notice the dog/cat's "ghost" at this one:
http://www.dannychoo.com/adp/eng/1520/Tokyo+Photo+Walk+1.html#image20497
xD Was a nice touch!
Anyways, I'm between Canon 5D Mark II (though I don't think I'll ever have the money to buy that) and Casio Exilim F1 (because the video features looks really attractive to me).
My problem with Canon is the price... problem with Casio is the fixed lens.
But well, with the tons of features that both cameras have to offer, I guess there's always a downside...
Anyways, thanks again to Danny for these beautiful pics, and thanks for the people making comments... read some interesting stuff on HDR photos. Hoping that one day I'll be able to do some of the stuff on my own! :D
printing production manager
First time post :) Danny I enjoy your pictures, they bring a piece of Japan to Texas. Japan looks beautiful and I look forward to seeing more in the future. Night time pics are sweet. Thanks.
designer
http://www.reallyjapan.com
Cool shots.. I love photowalking in Tokyo, so many hidden places to discover
Student
Nice shots. Looks a lot like Taichung, but different at the same time. Your pictures have a lot less action than my area of Taichung (granted, I live in one of the busier districts, so there's always mopeds going by), but the urban residential architecture is reminiscent of the street my host family lives on.
Graphic Designer, Biker, 501st Heavy Trooper
--I do hear that digital SLR's have a life span of X number of shutter counts - is that true?--
Yep, that's true, the x numbers the probability of your slr's lifespan.
I don't quite remember it, i think it was more like shutter's lifespan...
Photographer Wanna-be
Non-Issue.
It is true, but also, ALL SLRs (far superior to PAS's) take better pictures and unlike a PAS actually have a shutter to start with. It's a moving part that allows for instant image capture like the old film cameras. Think pro or high end amateur.
The shutter count on my old XTi was about 50K I think or 100K I can't recall.
The shutter count on my new 5D Mk2 is 150K. Then, it's 200 bucks to get a newer better one to replace it.
The whole shutter life time things is A NON-ISSUE.
Lurker
http://www.MySpace.com/MasterLink
that last picture look scary RUN!!!! haha
Photographer Wanna-be
Question is - Do you dabble around with digital SLRs?
Answer is hell yes! Love it.
Student
http://www.youtube.com/user/morfinictrauma
beautiful pics danny!