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Author Topic: Shooting photos through the haze  (Read 3661 times)

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Offline adubphoto

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Shooting photos through the haze
« on: January 30, 2006, 12:33:21 PM »
Hey,
I'm not sure how much you guys use auto focus but have you ever noticed your auto focus getting confused b/c of the amount of haze (from a fog machine) onstage?

I just got a new olympus point and shot and it wouldnt auto focus worth a shit.This was an upgrade from my other olympus point and shoot. I never had the problem w/ auto focus on that one but this time there was a shit ton of haze onstage. I was moderatly sucessfull on the manual focus but the lcd screen that the image is displayed on in the view finder is not very good quality so i couldnt get the image crisp. It was kind of a craps shoot on the focus.

On an SLR the view finder is the actual image that the lens sees correct? it doesnt display that shit on an lcd does it?

I just want to make sure. I'm probably going to take this back. and put the money away for the E500 or maybe a nikon with a high ISO like 1600 or something.

Any help or advice is appreciated!

Aaron
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Offline jpschust

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Re: Shooting photos through the haze
« Reply #1 on: January 30, 2006, 12:48:46 PM »
as per your slr question, the short answer is kinda.

it all depends on the crop factor of the camera- so for example- on the 20D you see through the lens and you see what would be considered to be a 1.0 crop factor- you see everything the lens sees.  That's just a function of looking through a sight that looks down at a mirror through the lens (im making this very simple here).  However, the sensor picking up the light when you fire the shutter is actually 1.6 times what you are looking through- so for example at 100mm, looking through the eyepiece you see a landscape with a tree on the far left and a statue on the far right.  When you take the picture you actually lose part of the tree and part of the statute because of the size of the sensor.  You get a visual equivalent of 160mm (1.6x100).

Any slr worth anything isn't worth viewing the lcd to take your picture.

I'd suggest seeing if you can find something with a 3200 ISO over a 1600.  This is why- the highest iso is usually very grainy on a dslr, 1600 generally looks better on a camera that shoots up to 3200 than a camera that tops out at 1600.  I highly suggest reading the very thorough reviews at dpreview.com
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They say 3 percent of the people use 5 to 6 percent of their brain
97 percent use 3 percent and the rest goes down the drain
I'll never know which one I am but I'll bet you my last dime
99 percent think with 3 percent 100 percent of the time

Offline adubphoto

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Re: Shooting photos through the haze
« Reply #2 on: January 30, 2006, 01:17:08 PM »
Jpschust,
Thanks for the quick reply. I understand what you're saying on teh crop factor. I acualy always shoot throught the sight, but the camera I just got has an LCD dispay inside the sight. So thats why I asked (or meant to ask) if SLR sights are digital or not. I suspect not.

On the high iso question. the 20D for example will do a 1600 iso that is extendable to 3200. What does it mean to have an extendable iso? Is that some sort of software enhancement to the max iso setting that the hardware will do?

thanks!
Ret. Audio: Rode NT5's(rodents) > Omnistudio USB > Gateway5300> Cubase
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Offline jpschust

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Re: Shooting photos through the haze
« Reply #3 on: January 30, 2006, 01:31:38 PM »
Jpschust,
Thanks for the quick reply. I understand what you're saying on teh crop factor. I acualy always shoot throught the sight, but the camera I just got has an LCD dispay inside the sight. So thats why I asked (or meant to ask) if SLR sights are digital or not. I suspect not.

On the high iso question. the 20D for example will do a 1600 iso that is extendable to 3200. What does it mean to have an extendable iso? Is that some sort of software enhancement to the max iso setting that the hardware will do?

thanks!

the 20D has a custom function (it's built into the firmware, you don't have to do much except go through the menu to turn it on) that jumps from 1600 to 3200 (for some reason referred to as 'H' on the camera)
Quote from: Todd Snider
They say 3 percent of the people use 5 to 6 percent of their brain
97 percent use 3 percent and the rest goes down the drain
I'll never know which one I am but I'll bet you my last dime
99 percent think with 3 percent 100 percent of the time

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Re: Shooting photos through the haze
« Reply #4 on: February 07, 2006, 01:59:27 PM »
Looks like you decided to go to a new camera after your recent camera drop incident.. You will be so much happier..

I agree with the other posts.. Composing the image using anything other than the eyepiece is a tricky matter -- for live performance shooting.  The light values are just too unpredictable.. One slight move as you trip the shutter holding the camera in that fashion -- and you'll get camera shake.. A quick test to see if your camera's focus is off or if it's your camera holding style:  If the entire image contains blurr - you probably moved the camera.  So consider the value of never shooting any other way than with camera to face -- and eye to eyepiece.. I had a recent class in digital photography - and walked away a new believer in holding the camera in the traditional way -- at all times.. It's made a huge difference in my quotient of camera shake images versus good, clear ones..

And -- if you are really getting the bug, and it sounds like you are:  return that point and shoot - and get yourself the best digital SLR you can afford.. Once you shoot your first performance shot using a camera with the higher end iso's -- you'll never go back..

Have a great one!

Gina in South Florida


Offline jpschust

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Re: Shooting photos through the haze
« Reply #5 on: February 07, 2006, 02:12:46 PM »
the best way to hold a traditional slr camera (nothing funky like a mayima digital or something like that) is with the right forefinger on the shutter, right hand around the grip and left hand under the lens or body to support and stabalize.  Depending on the size of the lens the left hand should be 1/3-1/2 way down the lens, though this also depends on weight.  Another crucial thing to look at is foot positioning when you shoot.  Both feet pointed forward is not a particularly stable position.  Your feet in a T position with your your front leg bent a touch is a lot more stable and provides some shock absobtion.  Finally- always use a strap.  I like hand straps a lot, but good op-tech neck straps are a blessing and will save you from bad falls.

Rant on shooting is over :)
Quote from: Todd Snider
They say 3 percent of the people use 5 to 6 percent of their brain
97 percent use 3 percent and the rest goes down the drain
I'll never know which one I am but I'll bet you my last dime
99 percent think with 3 percent 100 percent of the time

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Re: Shooting photos through the haze
« Reply #6 on: February 07, 2006, 02:37:23 PM »
You sound JUST LIKE my photo teacher!  I just couldn't figure out how to write that visual description out..

I concur wholeheartedly.  Camera holding technique really does make a difference in results.. It's a lesson I only just recently "got" -- but will keep for life..

..Gina
the best way to hold a traditional slr camera (nothing funky like a mayima digital or something like that) is with the right forefinger on the shutter, right hand around the grip and left hand under the lens or body to support and stabalize.  Depending on the size of the lens the left hand should be 1/3-1/2 way down the lens, though this also depends on weight.  Another crucial thing to look at is foot positioning when you shoot.  Both feet pointed forward is not a particularly stable position.  Your feet in a T position with your your front leg bent a touch is a lot more stable and provides some shock absobtion.  Finally- always use a strap.  I like hand straps a lot, but good op-tech neck straps are a blessing and will save you from bad falls.

Rant on shooting is over :)

Offline jpschust

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Re: Shooting photos through the haze
« Reply #7 on: February 07, 2006, 03:37:59 PM »
Been shooting for quite a while :) 
Quote from: Todd Snider
They say 3 percent of the people use 5 to 6 percent of their brain
97 percent use 3 percent and the rest goes down the drain
I'll never know which one I am but I'll bet you my last dime
99 percent think with 3 percent 100 percent of the time

 

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