Full Suss 2014 KTM Lycan 27.5 (now with video)

kammybear

I just bought this beast! Full XT, Fox suss, DT Swiss wheels etc! Got some parts on the way to sharpen it up eg white handlebar, orange superstar lockons but here it is standard apart from a Giant Contact Switch Dropper and Nukeproof Pedals which I'll be swapping for a Rockshox and Saints...drop me an offer if you want the Giant as it's surplus!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO_of0U8uIM

Lewis A

What's wrong with the dropper and pedals?

sanchez89

looks well nice mate.

why you changing the seatpost straight away? is it that bad?

kammybear

Nothing wrong with it...I bought a Rockshox Reverb a few months ago for my last bike which i've moved on. The reverb is just laying around and cost me £200 so it would be a waste not to use it! I didn't know Giant made droppers, seems fine...but the rockshox is better

Lewis A

The bike looks amazing, hope it rides well too!

kammybear

This is my first attempt making a video! Camera works shakey but I'll get better I hope!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AO_of0U8uIM

rockmonkeysc

Nice bike, crap video.

kammybear

Haha

I bought a dslr a few weeks ago and this was my first attempt to use it :-p

lawman

kammybear wrote:

Haha

I bought a dslr a few weeks ago and this was my first attempt to use it :-p

It shows!! Music choice just makes it worse!

Nice bike though, KTM make some smart bikes, perhaps don't get the coverage they deserve.

rockmonkeysc

Mountain bike videos should always include wheelies, whips and skids. Boobs also make them better.

declan1

Nice bike.

Little side note - DSLRs don't make you a better photographer, they allow you to put your existing skills to better use by allowing you more flexibility, speed and accuracy with photography.

First, learn how to focus!

kammybear

Haha

I think I need a macro lense for what I was trying to do! But yes, my focus skills were horrendous! Practice makes perfect I suppose!

First I heard of KTM was when watching the Olympics, but the value is pretty good, maybe not as good value as canyon but not bad for a branded bike as it were...

Kowalski675

kammybear wrote:

Haha

I think I need a macro lense for what I was trying to do!

No you don't (you only need a macro lens for ectreme close ups and 1:1 reproduction). You just need to watch which focus point you're using (if necessary, pre focus by pressing the shutter half way down to lock focus, then recompose) and choose an appropriate aperture for the depth of field you're looking to achieve (use aperture priority mode). And learn to be ruthless with the delete button. These, for example were taken using an 18-200 f3.5-f6.3, not a macro lens:







I looked at a 650b Lycan in summer at a LBS, and it was a very nice looking thing, with a premium feel to it.

kammybear

Thanks for the tips! I need more practice! I didn't touch the aperture settings at all! I found it easier to take pix than it was to take videos! I thought it would be a lot easier :oops:

declan1

kammybear wrote:

Thanks for the tips! I need more practice! I didn't touch the aperture settings at all! I found it easier to take pix than it was to take videos! I thought it would be a lot easier :oops:

Try setting the focus area to 'spot' (one point in the centre). When you're taking a photo, focus on the thing you want to focus on then compose the photo while you hold the focus. This will prevent your camera focussing on the background as it has done here

JMcP92

I like it, I ride a KTM myself (less pedal power, more engine power however)
I'd like to compare, but I feel it would be somewhat irrelevant and so I shall give a generic comment

I like it - it is shiny and has a KTM badge

Kowalski675

kammybear wrote:

Thanks for the tips! I need more practice! I didn't touch the aperture settings at all! I found it easier to take pix than it was to take videos! I thought it would be a lot easier :oops:

No worries. I'm no expert, but feel free to drop me a PM, if you have any questions. Apart from action shots I shoot pretty much everything in aperture priority mode. Full auto mode is great to get you started, but the problem is that the camera has no idea what effect you're trying to achieve, so won't necessarily select the appropriate aperture. Your next step up from full auto is to use the "scene" modes - if you want a shallow depth of field then use portrait mode, and the camera will select a wide aperture, or if you want a lot of depth of field then use landscape mode, and it will default to around f16 subject to sufficient available light). In aperture priority and shutter priority modes you select the aperture (or shutter speed) that you want, and the camera matches it to the appropriate shutter speed (or aperture) for correct exposure, subject to available light. It's pretty foolproof - the camera will warn you if the setting you've selected isn't achievable in the available light. From there you can look at things like the exposure compensation button (for tricky metering situations with no midtones, like snow scenes, or a black cat in a coal bunker), spot metering, and numerous other things.

The big advantage of an SLR is that it gives you control. It would be a shame to only use the auto or scene modes (you'd be better off with a compact, and have less PP workflow to do), so dive in and explore the controls and experiment with what they do. The beauty of digital is that it's free capture, so you can shoot away to your heart's content and experiment all day without it costing a penny, and the delete button's always just a stretch of the thumb away. A talented pro snapper friend of mine (with decades of experience, going back to fully manual film SLRs) once offered me the advice that if you get one image that's a genuine keeper from 200 to 300 shots, then you're doing ok.

Kowalski675

declan1 wrote:

kammybear wrote:

Thanks for the tips! I need more practice! I didn't touch the aperture settings at all! I found it easier to take pix than it was to take videos! I thought it would be a lot easier :oops:

Try setting the focus area to 'spot' (one point in the centre). When you're taking a photo, focus on the thing you want to focus on then compose the photo while you hold the focus. This will prevent your camera focussing on the background as it has done here

It may not have focused on what he wanted to be the focal point, but it hasn't focused on the background. In the completely out of focus shot it's not focused on anything - I'm not sure what you've done there, lol, unless you've maybe managed to switch into manual focus mode accidentally, it's not a case of being too close for minimum focusing distance.

He doesn't need to use the central focus point. Even entry level DSLRs have multiple focus points - my D(inosaur)50 is as old as the hills and even that has 5, entry level SLRs now can have up to around a dozen. So just use the D pad to select the focus point on (or closest to) the focal point you want (if it's not quite where you want it then, as said before, half press the shutter to lock focus and recompose). If you want to get maximum depth of field (i.e. the greatest range between foreground and infinity where everything's in focus) then you can use a dead simple version of a more complex technique known as hyperfocal focusing - focus approximately one third of the way into the frame, and that will give the greatest depth of field. Bear in mind that focal length affects depth of field too, when using a zoom lens - a longer focal length (zoomed in) gives a shallower depth of field (for when you want to throw foreground/background out of focus to draw attention to the subject), and also compresses perspective.

declan1

Kowalski675 wrote:

declan1 wrote:

kammybear wrote:

Thanks for the tips! I need more practice! I didn't touch the aperture settings at all! I found it easier to take pix than it was to take videos! I thought it would be a lot easier :oops:

Try setting the focus area to 'spot' (one point in the centre). When you're taking a photo, focus on the thing you want to focus on then compose the photo while you hold the focus. This will prevent your camera focussing on the background as it has done here

It may not have focused on what he wanted to be the focal point, but it hasn't focused on the background. In the completely out of focus shot it's not focused on anything - I'm not sure what you've done there, lol, unless you've maybe managed to switch into manual focus mode accidentally, it's not a case of being too close for minimum focusing distance.

He doesn't need to use the central focus point. Even entry level DSLRs have multiple focus points - my D(inosaur)50 is as old as the hills and even that has 5, entry level SLRs now can have up to around a dozen. So just use the D pad to select the focus point on (or closest to) the focal point you want (if it's not quite where you want it then, as said before, half press the shutter to lock focus and recompose). If you want to get maximum depth of field (i.e. the greatest range between foreground and infinity where everything's in focus then you can use a dead simple version of a more complex technique known as hyperfocal focusing - focus approximately one third of the way into the frame, and that will give the greatest depth of field. Bear in mind that focal length affects depth of field too, when using a zoom lens - a longer focal length (zoomed in) gives a shallower depth of field (for when you want to throw foreground/background out of focus to draw attention to the subject), and also compresses perspective.

I personally only use the centre focus point (I have 9) as it allows me to consistently focus where I want. Using any more focus points makes the camera focus where it wants most of the time and sometimes loses the shot.

Also when I mentioned focussing on the background I was referring to the video. Should have mentioned that :P

kammybear

Most of the shots were taken with the close up more...I forgot to switch when I took the shot of the forks!

My main problem is getting video right! I mainly bought it cos I want to messs about making videos

Kowalski675

declan1 wrote:

I personally only use the centre focus point (I have 9) as it allows me to consistently focus where I want. Using any more focus points makes the camera focus where it wants most of the time and sometimes loses the shot.

Eh? I really have no idea what you mean by that - it makes no sense at all. As you've posted it, it just reads as gibberish. Using alternative focus points "Makes the camera focus whare it wants"? No, it focuses where you tell it to, you're just changing the focus point used to minimise having to move the camera (particularly useful if you're shooting tripod mounted). Only using the central focus point is ridiculous. Why focus on the centre point then recompose, if you can simply change to a different focus point that's in the right place - that's what they're for, to not use them is just daft. :roll:

declan1

Kowalski675 wrote:

declan1 wrote:

I personally only use the centre focus point (I have 9) as it allows me to consistently focus where I want. Using any more focus points makes the camera focus where it wants most of the time and sometimes loses the shot.

Eh? I really have no idea what you mean by that - it makes no sense at all. As you've posted it, it just reads as gibberish. Using alternative focus points "Makes the camera focus whare it wants"? No, it focuses where you tell it to, you're just changing the focus point used to minimise having to move the camera (particularly useful if you're shooting tripod mounted). Only using the central focus point is ridiculous. Why focus on the centre point then recompose, if you can simply change to a different focus point that's in the right place - that's what they're for, to not use them is just daft. :roll:

People have their own methods of doing things - this is simply a different way of focusing. It works for me!

I don't like using the d-pad to focus as it's plain awkward. On my camera at least, using all of the focus points and focusing with the shutter button gives me a completely random result as to what point the camera 'chooses'. I agree that it is useful when the camera is on a tripod but IMO it's a pain when you're trying to focus accurately.

Kowalski675

declan1 wrote:

People have their own methods of doing things

Yes they do, but your post was just gibberish. Whether you want to use the alternative focus points or not is another question entirely, but to suggest that doing so makes the camera "choose where it wants to focus" or can "lose you a shot" is just nonsense. If you're going to give advice then at least make sure it's factually correct, rather than confusing the guy with cobblers.

declan1 wrote:

using all of the focus points and focusing with the shutter button gives me a completely random result as to what point the camera 'chooses'.

You seem to be completely misunderstanding how focusing works (you seem to be confusing it with matrix metering points). The camera doesn't "use all the focus points". It can't focus on more than one point. It only uses one point - you just chose which one you want it to use, either the centre one, or one of the alternative points. If you don't change the selection then it defaults to the centre focus point (in manual, AE priority or shutter priority modes). The camera only does what you tell it to do, it's a tool, nothing more. If you're getting "random results" then the problem is with something you're doing wrongly, not with the camera. A bad workman blames his tools - it's a cliche, but it's true. I think you need to get your camera's instruction manual out...

Kammybear, best thing to do is get a book on beginner's photography - there's loads of good ones around. You can learn a lot from magazines like Digital Photo too, or there's good night school courses (I did N.C.F.E levels 1 & 2 - level 1 was very basic, but ideal for a complete beginner with a new camera). What DSLR is it you've bought?

Lewis A

This is incredibly boring. I haven't seen many KTMs around, are they new to the UK?

poah

kammybear wrote:

Haha

I think I need a macro lense for what I was trying to do! But yes, my focus skills were horrendous! Practice makes perfect I suppose!

learn how to spell lens correctly first

poah

Kowalski675 wrote:

hyperfocal focusing - focus approximately one third of the way into the frame, and that will give the greatest depth of field. Bear in mind that focal length affects depth of field too, when using a zoom lens - a longer focal length (zoomed in) gives a shallower depth of field (for when you want to throw foreground/background out of focus to draw attention to the subject), and also compresses perspective.

distance for hyperfocal focusing is not the same for all focal lengths & DOF does not change with focal length when you have the same framing only perspective changes.

poah

kammybear wrote:

Most of the shots were taken with the close up more...I forgot to switch when I took the shot of the forks!

My main problem is getting video right! I mainly bought it cos I want to messs about making videos

you were probably too close for the lens to focus. Lenses have minimum focus distances (should be on the side of them)

declan1

Kowalski675 wrote:

declan1 wrote:

People have their own methods of doing things

Yes they do, but your post was just gibberish. Whether you want to use the alternative focus points or not is another question entirely, but to suggest that doing so makes the camera "choose where it wants to focus" or can "lose you a shot" is just nonsense. If you're going to give advice then at least make sure it's factually correct, rather than confusing the guy with cobblers.

declan1 wrote:

using all of the focus points and focusing with the shutter button gives me a completely random result as to what point the camera 'chooses'.

You seem to be completely misunderstanding how focusing works (you seem to be confusing it with matrix metering points). The camera doesn't "use all the focus points". It can't focus on more than one point. It only uses one point - you just chose which one you want it to use, either the centre one, or one of the alternative points. If you don't change the selection then it defaults to the centre focus point (in manual, AE priority or shutter priority modes). The camera only does what you tell it to do, it's a tool, nothing more. If you're getting "random results" then the problem is with something you're doing wrongly, not with the camera. A bad workman blames his tools - it's a cliche, but it's true. I think you need to get your camera's instruction manual out...

Kammybear, best thing to do is get a book on beginner's photography - there's loads of good ones around. You can learn a lot from magazines like Digital Photo too, or there's good night school courses (I did N.C.F.E levels 1 & 2 - level 1 was very basic, but ideal for a complete beginner with a new camera). What DSLR is it you've bought?

I know how to use a camera thank you. Shall I explain it step-by-step so you understand?

1. Set camera AF area to 'wide'
2. Hold down shutter button to focus
3. Camera will focus on a seemingly random AF point.

I don't want to use my D-pad to focus as it's awkward. I therefore use the 'spot' AF area to focus on the same area everytime - I therefore know where it's going to focus and can consistely get in-focus shots.

buddy_club

Lewis A wrote:

This is incredibly boring. I haven't seen many KTMs around, are they new to the UK?

No They have been around for a while, but they are quite rare bikes, look like decent value though.

kammybear

Thanks for all the camera discussion dudes! Give me a few months and I'll be a semi pro!

On topic, my superstars arrived today!



Still waiting for my FSA white risers and 3T stem

Sold the Giant dropper to free up funds for new tyres....it has Rocket Ron Evos front a rear...I want hans dampf but is it worth the extra for super gravitys or standard evos enough? Will be looking to ride in wales this year! Afan etc. Would the rockets on the rear and hans on the front be okay for now? No point wasting a good tyre as they're barely run in!

kammybear

Also, I'm having problems getting the MMX clamp off the reverb remote...how the hell do you get it off! I have a T25 torx but it wont even budge a 1mm! It just gets in the way and I can't put it in a decent position :x

Here's a vid of my first ride at Sandwell Miner's Trail! Used an SJ1000 chinese camera! Also, first time I've used it! Bargain price for the quality!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5ylNAmOhFM