Crash Course in Photography

[Marky_]

Can't believe i never noticed this thread before. Very useful guide. I've often wondered about the panning shots and exactly how they're taken.

[theduck]

Nice tutorial. These might help people aswell:

http://stumac1985.deviantart.com/art...orial-57795621 - ISO tutorial

http://stumac1985.deviantart.com/art/Apertures-52414887 - Apertures Tutorial

[JJ!]

Was just about to ask some questions about AV/TV and here it all is, grand guide! Just had a play around with a few settings and its great!! Never really had the camera to get the in focus blurry background pics but now I have and the guide works well!! CHEERS!!

[ukaskew]

I will rewrite this next week and add new pics, feels a bit of out date now and there is so many more techniques/ideas worth adding.

[Ali]

Brillaint Chris, top write up.

[Bloooor]

This is excellent, Thanks mate!

Just trying some of it out now on my Mums Canon 350D

Can't wait till you add some new stuff up.

[ukaskew]

Can't wait till you add some new stuff up.

Cheers, I did the Motorsport guide instead of updating this one, will try and get around to doing this one at some point.

[steven.m]

Quick question, you say that in 'P' mode the camera controls the shutter speed and aperture? But on my Canon 400D, in 'P' mode I can scroll the main scrolly thing (after pressing the shutter button half way) and adjust both aperture and shutter speed at the same time ie they both move up a value together and vice versa. Do you mean 'P' as in full auto or am I getting the wrong end of the stick? I know 'P' allows me to be more creative but it goes against what you said in the first post. Full auto lets me point and shoot and everything is set by the camera, in which case both aperture and shutter speed are controlled by the camera.



I would look at my manual but I'm at work and havent got it with me.

However, awesome guide!!

Edit: Think I've realised what I was doing wrong now, put it on 'M' and now I can control both aperture and shutter speed seperatly

[McBunny]

p lets you have a bit of say in the exposure but it limits the range of change

[Tigger]

When taking scenery shots at night, I am getting a lot of blur & movement - even with a tripod

On auto mode the camera uses a slow shutter speed and recomends te flash. When you put the flash on, the foreground is mostly black leaving only a few of the distant lights in the shot.

I´m using a Nikon D40 & Sigma 10-20mm and a Tamron 18-250mm
Both lenses have UV & skylight filters

[McBunny]

right dont use flash for a start

use mirror lockup if you can on the nikon and a remote release and hang something heavy from your tripod if you can to try to minimize wabble from wind and road vibrations etc

and use manual not auto

[Rhino172]

If you don't have remote release set a short timer...

the shake could just be from your pressing the shutter button

[Tigger]

Cheers, what is mirror lockup on the Nikon?

[JJ!]

Tigger.... get one of these.... cheap as chips really!!

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Nikon-4730-M...6368533&sr=8-1

Cheaper if you shop around too!!

If you want to pay via paypal:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/NEW-Nikon-ML-L...3286.m14.l1318

[Tigger]

Have one ordered for it JJ!

Since I don´t have the remote I was using the timer for a more stable shot anyway, just cant get the settings right

And today at an aquarium I couldn´t get a decent shot without ugly reflections in the glass

[Tigger]

Cheers, what is mirror lockup on the Nikon?

^

[McBunny]

i dunno if it has it
its were you have to press the shutter twice first click it locks the mirror up to stop it moving when you take the photo to stop the camera vibrating as much

the mirror is what allows you to see through teh view finder

[Tigger]

Ah right, is that what the AF-L button is for (to the right of the viewfinder?

[ianeire]

Panning

There are various methods of panning, but here are some basics to get you started, you will probably find you then adapt this to suit your own style….

Setup

1. Set the shutter speed to 1/320 as an absolute maximum, any faster and you won’t get the blurred effect.
2. Change the focus mode to “AF-C” if possible, this will force the camera to continually refocus, important when a car is about to pass at 80mph.
3. As a dry run track a car as it passes, find a good level of zoom so it fills the viewfinder nicely when in front of you.

Superb guide dude and far, far more useful to noobs written in layman terms and practical demonstration than a technical guide. I got my first DSLR yesterday, a Canon 1000D and already I'm playing around with the manual settings having read this.

With regards to panning, "AF-C", can anyone tell me what this is on a Canon? My three options are "one shot", "AI Focus AF" and "AI Servo AF"?

Ian

[Paul_G]

With regards to panning, "AF-C", can anyone tell me what this is on a Canon? My three options are "one shot", "AI Focus AF" and "AI Servo AF"?

Ian

It's the AI Servo AF.

AI Focus is a hybrid (supposed) intelligent mode, which will change focus mode automatically, i.e. if it detects movement it will change from one shot mode to servo mode and vice versa.

I typically use either One shot or Servo, depending upon the subject matter I am taking photos of.