My new macro lens, first attempts

Why not Indeed BD 

I don't do a lot of major RAW editing, but when I find it necessary, I use Adobe Camera RAW in Photoshop. I normally just go to the 'Detail' tab and select the AI Noise Reduction button', I then go to the  'Light' tab and adjust Exposure, Highlights, Whites, Blacks, Shadows and possibly Contrast. I then open 'Effects' and adjust Dehaze and Texture a bit. What I find with RAW editing is that firstly it is very time consuming - to me only worth while on very good or ones that would be good but have blown highlights or bad noise. Too much editing can create a very artistic shot, but it looks nothing like what you took. For noise in Jpgs I use Topaz Denoise, which I bought at some discounted price sometime, it is not just as good as Adobe RAW noise rduction, but it is very good. Also for editing in Photoshop, try the RAW filter under the Filters Tab, it allows you to use some of the RAW adjusting tools on jpgs. I think any kind of editing makes a photo look how you would lke it to look, not necessarilly how it originally looked. It might be worth starting an editing thread to share editing program preferences and give / receive advice on editing procedures.

Hi BD I am afraid you are much more advanced than I, My editing software is what came with my laptop, apart from brighter and contrast and a bit of colour that's all I do. My camera does not have video, It is 10 years old and matched up with a few secondhand lenses that serve me well. Well for me anyway, the only thing I miss is at high shutter speeds in excess of 800 I get noise so I try and lighten the Image and In some cases it gets rid of most of it. 

i love robins said:

high shutter speeds in excess of 800 I get noise

Did you mean high ISO? If so a lot of cameras will show some noise at above that level, but an editing program with a noise reduction filter sorts that out easily enough.

Hi BD yes ISO and my camera is not 10 years old it’s 20 years old a 2004 model I know there is light room and photo shop and other software packages but at my age I shall soldier on with what I have been using since I started photography in 2020. Sorry for my initial info being wrong senior moment Lol 

No problem, I have those moments all the time. The other day I got in the car and realised I had forgot my shopping list, I went back to get it, got back in the car and found that when I went back for the list, I left my car keys on the kitchen worktop, so had to go back again ... .

Billysdad said:

It might be worth starting an editing thread

I had thought that, but just not got around to it

I had a horribly shadowy backlit gull in flight, and couldn't believe the difference I could make, just with one slider in Lightroom. I then got excited, and plugged the RAW shot CF card from Portland in to the PC, the option came up to download with Lightroom, so I said ok, had a check, and they were all there, so formatted card.... didn't realise it didn't save pics anywhere so lost all the RAW ones... live and learn! Have started a RAW folder now lol

Lol BD times I used to go upstairs and then think what did I come up here for ? I have solved that problem now we bought a bungalow (no stairs) 

Billysdad said:

No problem, I have those moments all the time. The other day I got in the car and realised I had forgot my shopping list, I went back to get it, got back in the car and found that when I went back for the list, I left my car keys on the kitchen worktop, so had to go back again ... .

That's an age thing....

As for old cameras, I still have an old Praktica BC-1 in the loft, and possibly an old Zenit E!