Re: Photo help - last night @ PLP

[David Johnson <trainman@ozemail.com.au>]

Erk wrote:

> David
>
> David Johnson wrote in message <39EEFEC5.451EDDF8@ozemail.com.au>...
> |
> |Try putting the camera in Auto and see what happens. :)
> |
> |--
>
> When I brought the camera, that is what the guy at the photoshop suggested,
> even when I told him the sort of photography that I did. His advice was to
> get used to the camera first them try the manual settings. If the photos
> turned out alright after a few times, I would have been quite happy to leave
> it in auto.
>
> However, my first couple of rolls were showing various trains out of focus
> at high and low speed. I then read a few photography books to get my head
> around f stops etc. I then tried using the manual function and after a
> couple of attempts had it right for day photos and I'm happy with that.
>
> When I went out to Paralympic Park the other night, I thought to myself that
> if I use my daytime settings with an 800 speed film at the location after
> the ceremony, there would be no problem. Despite the help I've had so far
> (thanks to those who answered), I haven't got a guide to what shutter speed
> to use on this type of occasion except for a slower shutter speed.
>
> I might head to Paralympic Prk before the end of the games to try again :)

My thoughts:

95% of railway photography will work fine in Automatic Exposure.  40% will work
with Automatic Focus.  The first thing to do when buying a new camera is to turn
the autofocus off.

When shooting moving trains, try not to let the shutter speed fall below 250th.
500th is recommended.

When shooting stationary trains, you can go down to 60th, but hold the camera
steady.

Anything under that requires a tripod for best results.

As soon as I break out a tripod, I put the shutter speed down as close to 30
seconds as I can get, with whatever f stop is required.

This task is made easier if you have Shutter Priority Automatic.  If you don't
have that, most Pentax cameras (which I believe you have), have Aperture
Priority Automatic.  To get the best results, drop the lens out of Auto into the
f stops, but leave the Camera in Auto.  Then, while looking through the
viewfinder, turn the aperture ring on the lens until the Shutter Speed displays
500th.  You are now ready to shoot those high speed V sets!

--
David Johnson
trainman@ozemail.com.au
http://www.ozemail.com.au/~trainman/
------------------------------------
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