The Ride You Really, Really Want

pathfinder · January 1, 2008

I spent a few hours at the Indianapolis Auto Show wandering around looking at the new cars, and came across a vehicle I was not really expecting to see quite yet, the Nissan GT-R. This is the car that has the 5th fastest time at Nurbirgring for all production cars, including $500K supercars. Almost 500Hp, and all wheel drive. Carbon fibre everywhere. The car mags have been raving about this vehicle for months. Expected price ~$80k

The lighting was multiple, direct overhead, tin cans in the ceiling - so it basically sucked. All these images were shot with a G9, processed in Adobe RAW and Noisewear, since they were shot at ISO 200 or faster.

Nissan GT-R from the front

From the back

From the quarter panel

6 piston Brembo brake calipers

Headlight of a Pontiac Solstice

Speedo of a Mini Cooper Clubman

DoctorIt · January 1, 2008

Car shows are just the ticket in the dead of winter

Gorgeous stuff, both cars and the results from your G9 as well

The GT-R is indeed an amazing vehicle. I was happy to read of it's coming to the US, not that I can afford one, but the car has a cult following in the half of the world I'm currently in. The older ones are a dime a dozen down here in Aus, although, not the spec R's.

Cuong · January 1, 2008

Don't you just love all the current headlight designs?

Cuong

pathfinder · January 1, 2008

I do actually - Mercedes, BMW, Pontiac's Solstice, so many different headlight appearances these days. That was why I shot the Solstice, just a cool looking object in its own right.

Skippy · January 2, 2008

pathfinder wrote:

I spent a few hours at the Indianapolis Auto Show wandering around looking at the new cars, and came across a vehicle I was not really expecting to see quite yet, the Nissan GT-R. This is the car that has the 5th fastest time at Nurbirgring for all production cars, including $500K supercars. Almost 500Hp, and all wheel drive. Carbon fibre everywhere. The car mags have been raving about this vehicle for months. Expected price ~$80k
The lighting was multiple, direct overhead, tin cans in the ceiling - so it basically sucked. All these images were shot with a G9, processed in Adobe RAW and Noisewear, since they were shot at ISO 200 or faster.
Nissan GT-R from the front
From the back
From the quarter panel
6 piston Brembo brake calipers
Headlight of a Pontiac Solstice
Speedo of a Mini Cooper Clubman

Wow Jim, these all look great, and I am so not a car person :jawdrop
That Nissan GT is a really nice shape, I love the back of it .
Glad you got a side view for us.

I knew you'd gotten yourself a G9, so what do you think so far?

Awesome Series Jim

.... Skippy

.

pathfinder · January 2, 2008

The G9 is a handy device. Certainly not a DSLR replacement, AF is still slow compared to a 40D. It is still noisy too - I could see noise in these images at ISO 200, prior to NoiseWear's effect. Files are large - 12 MPxls.

But it is small, handy, and the IS makes it pretty useful, more for stationary objects like cars at a car show, than for kids playing probably.

It does allow manual focusing to allow pre-focusing to allow quicker shooting. It also offers RAW, which I use routinely.

Several of these shots were shot near 1/10th or 1/15th second since it does use IS.

The small sensor helps create great depth of field - the Solstice headlight was shot at f2.8 - try that aperture on a DSLR and try to get that kind of DOF.

A very useful tool, is how I think of it, Skippy, not perfect yet by a long shot, but getting better.

Richard · January 2, 2008

pathfinder wrote:

The G9 is a handy device. Certainly not a DSLR replacement, AF is still slow compared to a 40D. It is still noisy too - I could see noise in these images at ISO 200, prior to NoiseWear's effect. Files are large - 12 MPxls.

But it is small, handy, and the IS makes it pretty useful, more for stationary objects like cars at a car show, than for kids playing probably.

It does allow manual focusing to allow pre-focusing to allow quicker shooting. It also offers RAW, which I use routinely.

Several of these shots were shot near 1/10th or 1/15th second since it does use IS.

The small sensor helps create great depth of field - the Solstice headlight was shot at f2.8 - try that aperture on a DSLR and try to get that kind of DOF.

A very useful tool, is how I think of it, Skippy, not perfect yet by a long shot, but getting better.

Interesting...as I tend to do, I just looked at the pics before reading the text and I was impressed with the clarity. I never would have guessed that it was a P&S. Pretty impressive.

Oh yeah, and cool shots too.

Regards,

pathfinder · January 2, 2008

Richard, these were handheld, typically ~f2.8 - f4.0 1/15 or 1/25th ISO 200

I have not commented on the optical quality of the lens before, but when processing these images and others with the G9, I do look for chromatic aberration to correct it in ARC. I, typically, look at the image at 300% for green/red or yellow/blue fringing to correct. I see a little sometimes, but then if I look carefully I see some sometime with L lenses like the 24 T&S also.

In short, I think the optics are pretty fair, and when shot with a tripod, pretty good indeed. Certainly capable of 11x14 image with reasonable quality.

jkcashin · January 2, 2008

yukio wrote:

Don't you just love all the current headlight designs?

Cuong

Can I be the first, and probably only one to say no? Sorry.. but I am very very old-school when it comes to headlights.. this is my idea of beauty, in the headlight vein anyway:

But I would take that Nissan any day... gorgous car and very well captured.

jamie

pathfinder · January 2, 2008

I think I've seen that Chevy before...:D

Eric&Susan · January 2, 2008

That Nissan is amazing. The DW walked by and said "nice car" Now the seed is planted

now if I can win the lottery I'll be set.

More old headlights:

And like other things they look better in pairs

Sorry for the highjack

Eric

blalor · January 3, 2008

I love new cars, but none of them have the style of ... oh, say ... pre-1958 (or so) cars had:

ian408 · January 3, 2008

Good by Audi. Helllllooooo Nissan!

OK. Maybe not. But that is a gorgeous looking car.

kundalini · January 3, 2008

Nice shots Pathfinder.

Can I play?

Found in an auto graveyard.

pathfinder · January 3, 2008

Sure, the more the merrier:D

Shudderz · January 4, 2008

Can I play?
I like old headlights!

Zanotti · January 4, 2008

Taillights, too?

Nice shots, Jim!

Z

Arvan · January 4, 2008

The nissan GTR beats allmost everything exept them supercars ( koeningsegg,mclaren f1 and so on )

Bin in love with skylines since the day i saw my first one!..Amazing car that can handle insane amout of power..Think the worldrecord is about 1500 hp street legal.

Nice pictures folks..

The Ride You Really, Really Want

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