|
Audio Asylum Thread Printer Get a view of an entire thread on one page |
For Sale Ads |
I'm having trouble with some low light photos. I'm taking some pictures of the glowing vacuum tubes on my amplifier in low light. I wanted to emphasis the glow and the tube internals illuminated by the glow. What I got was a bunch of photos that looked like they were taken in bad lighting. Not the blackness with illuminated tubes that I envisioned.I'm using a Nikon N70 with a Sigma 28-80mm lens. I set the camera to do macro and manual focus (getting the thing to focus automatically was hit and miss at best). Otherwise, it was fully automatic (I'm a newbie, auto seems to work best for me so far). I did have it set on the close-up auto-program. Oh, and Fuji 200 speed film. Exposure times were in the 2-5 second range. I neglected to note the f-stop settings (the camera was on auto).
I figure that much of this is trial and error, but any help to get me headed done the right path would be appreciated. Anyone have any suggestions?
Follow Ups:
Okay, first the auto on the camera is useless for this kind of photography.To get the glow looks from tube with 200 ISO film will take much longer than 5 secs.
If you want to take pic of the whole amp and see the glow too... You have to set your camera on tripod. In a room with very low or no light at all. If you want easy one, you could use your camera flash for this to get first initial exposure for the surround (the amp itself) With 200 ISO film set camera on Manual mode; if you taking pic with most of the amp in it than set f. stop at about f. 8 or 11 for start. Than set the shutter speed first at 15 sec. Second shot at 30 sec and third shot at 1 min. If not sure do another one at 1:30 min. This is call bracket.
One of this shot will have good glow with correct initial flash exposure.
Doing a multiple exposure on one frame is a daunting task for many.Much easier on larger format.I might have taken a spot reading with a Minolta handheld meter.used that f/stop with flash and drag the shutter on my Nikon 5-8 secs.
Multiple exposure? Where did you get this? I did not say to do multiple exposure. I said to take some more to be safe... first shot at 15 sec second at 30 sec and so on. Not doing it all in one frame. This is call bracketing.If he just want tube glow againt the dark surrounding than he just skip the flash and leave the shutter open.
Sounds like you have done some things right already.I always found the Lab operator doing your prints are offtimes young and inexperinced.Ask for a reprint and tell the person printing it up that you need a black background.This happens because their reader is trying to open up exposure to give an overall aveage exposure.See if that helps!!!I'm not sure if N70 has a spot meter inside, thats how I would set my F5 on the glowing element.
You think it might be a development problem rather than a camera settings problem?Also, I've never used spot metering. Not sure how to use spot metering.
Years ago when I started out, for the life of me, I couldn't figure out what I was doing wrong with my exposures on print film. That is until I shot on cromes or slides.I began to see correct exposures.But with print films your put at the mercy of whoever is making up the prints on the auto printer.If they are more experienced they will know when to make adjustments.Put the N70 into spot meter and point the center part of your lens at what is the important part of the shot (the glow in this case) and use those f stops.
Have you looked at your negs ? Are they very thin and clear or Full of snap ,contrasty and dark.Real thin almost disappearing image is bad, and hard for anyone to print up.Means you were severly underexposing . Let the Lab operator tell you what they think about the negs before reprinting.
He's going to have reddish-orange coloration due to color temp.Also, the area around the heaters will be the only part that is really exposed, so if he sees decent detail in the negs about the heaters, he's got his exposure (of course anythign clear in the neg should wind up black).
If the neg isn't winding up black background, the printer has pushed the exposure automatically in a machine without looking. I've had people tell me that they couldn't do anything else (because they didn't know how to use the machine).
If that's the case, and the negs do look reasonable, he'll have to go to a pro printer to get them done.
If the negs are thin even in the part that is exposed, then he needs to worry about reciprocity, probably.
-- Do not seek the treasure! DO NOT SEEK THE TREASURE!
I did the same thing a while back with a digital camera (Nikon 5700) and the exposures were around 8 seconds at f4 at ASA100. It's hard to see from this small one but they came out well, with a near black background, and brightly lit tube internals.
As it turns out, much of the problem was in the developing. I went down to the local Wolf and had them do some reprints. I explained what I was after and they came back just about perfect. I'll post the results in a couple days.I'll try the metering thing (I'll have to dig out the owners manual). I tried a second batch with 400 speed film. Those were aweful. I'll use 100 next time and try manual exposures.
Nice photo, TimP. That is pretty much what I was after.
It's printing that was messed up, if they could do some reprints and get them right.It's probably that the first people who printed them averaged. It's what machines do without a human leading them.
It sounds like the second operator knew, partially perhaps you pointed out the problems, that he needed to manually print the shots.
"Developing" would usually involve the latent images on the film, although of course prints must be developed, too. Thing is, the problem in printing is usually the exposure, not the development, well, unless you're one of a few places I've had the misfortune to visit, once each.
-- Do not seek the treasure! DO NOT SEEK THE TREASURE!
I thought I read that the Nikon 5700 doesn't have a manual focus setting.Do you find that somewhat troublesome, if true?
Hi Joe:The 5700 does have manual focus capability, but it's not the most convenient. One major complaint is that there is no "numerical" readout showing the focus distance- just a small bar graph that is relative. There is an electronic mode that simulates a "split prism" and shows the focus in the electronic viewfinder but it has it's limitations in daylight.
Of all the "Prosumer" cameras I have played with I think the 5700 is among the best of the lot, if not THE best. I shot some terrific pictures with it. I sold it and bought a DSLR which I shoot daily, but many times I wish I had kept the 5700 for quick shots and times when it's zoom is more convenient than changing lenses. I can see myself possibly buying another for that purpose.
Greetings from Alaska
Tim
This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors: