View Full Version : Experimenting with full manual.
After some helpful comments on a photography forum i frequent, Talk Photography, i have been playing with full manual settings, its not quite as scarey as i thought, ok it takes a few seconds to set the camera if changing conditions but for the most part they came out ok i think, yay or nay?
This rat with wings, err . . . . Starling was obliging enough to pose long enough for me to twiddle the settings. Sharpened a touch and cropped in Gimp.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y1/mac124/photos/starling_M.jpg
These were just messing about down the garden. Again just sharpend very slightly.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y1/mac124/photos/pansy_M.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y1/mac124/photos/flowers_M.jpg
Just to highlight the difference between ISO 100 (darker pic) and ISO200 with everything else being equal.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y1/mac124/photos/IMG_3519.jpg
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y1/mac124/photos/IMG_3520.jpg
iso 200 certainly looks better in that example!
Focusing issues aside, ones focused at the front of the daisy and one towards the rear, it depends what you are looking for, if you want a darker background the lower iso works quite well.
ISO 200 focus is on the back petals (100 on the front ones).
I like the ISO 200 better in your photos, also this would allow faster shutter speeds = less shake (I cannot see much more graininess with my naked eye).:thumb::p
NIce photo of the starling.
EDIT: you posted while I was typing, I said the same as you about the focusing.LOL
Some good shots there mate!
Ive also been playing with a bit of manual, Mostly Long and short shutter speeds.
My camera goes from 4" upto 4000.
Now im guessing that the 4" is 4 seconds? And the 4000 is 1/4000, So 4000th of 1 Second.
Does this sound right?
Ive taken a few pics of a tap runing in my bathroom and with the quicker shutter speeds i guess you need more light? And with longer shutter speeds you need less?
A couple of examples...
These were all taken at ISO100 with the camera set on Auto 9To set the "f" for me)
First one is 1/4000
http://www.addy.co.uk/images/HS10/DSCF0138.JPG
Looks ok i think, The flash went off for this one...
But this one, Taken at 4 second exposure, What happened to the light!?
It says the flash went off but its gone strange.
http://www.addy.co.uk/images/HS10/DSCF0141.JPG
Any pointers? Also any way to get it longer then 4 seconds? I want to do a motorway lights shoot and 4 seconds wont be enough.
This one was 30 seconds
http://jon390.fotopic.net/p41831525.html
InvaderGIR
05-06-10, 01:00
Only Auto I use is Full Auto and Auto no Flash when using as a point and shoot, otherwise it's full manual for me and I get images like this...
200MM - ISO200 - 1/125 - No tripod - Dirty Lens
http://www.finaldecap.com/zengallery/zp-core/i.php?a=motors%2Frws09&i=DSC_4871.jpg&s=800&cw=&ch=&q=85&wmk=sitemark (http://www.finaldecap.com/zengallery/motors/rws09/DSC_4871.jpg.php)
200MM - ISO200 - 1/800 - No tripod
http://www.finaldecap.com/zengallery/zp-core/i.php?a=motors%2Frws09&i=DSC_4899.jpg&s=800&cw=&ch=&q=85&wmk=sitemark (http://www.finaldecap.com/zengallery/motors/rws09/DSC_4899.jpg.php)
18MM - ISO800 1/10 - No tripod
http://www.finaldecap.com/zengallery/zp-core/i.php?a=motors%2Frrs&i=DSC_1971.jpg&s=800&cw=&ch=&q=85&wmk=sitemark (http://www.finaldecap.com/zengallery/motors/rrs/DSC_1971.jpg.php)
55MM - ISO200 - 1/60
http://www.finaldecap.com/zengallery/zp-core/i.php?a=nature&i=DSC_3018-3.jpg&s=800&cw=&ch=&q=85&wmk=sitemark (http://www.finaldecap.com/zengallery/nature/DSC_3018-3.jpg.php)
55MM - ISO200 - 1/60
http://www.finaldecap.com/zengallery/zp-core/i.php?a=nature&i=DSC_3033-2.jpg&s=800&cw=&ch=&q=85&wmk=sitemark (http://www.finaldecap.com/zengallery/nature/DSC_3033-2.jpg.php)
55MM - ISO100 - 1/60
http://www.finaldecap.com/zengallery/zp-core/i.php?a=outdoors&i=DSC_4174.jpg&s=800&cw=&ch=&q=85&wmk=sitemark (http://www.finaldecap.com/zengallery/outdoors/DSC_4174.jpg.php)
18MM - ISO200 - 1/80
http://www.finaldecap.com/zengallery/zp-core/i.php?a=outdoors&i=DSC_3095.jpg&s=800&cw=&ch=&q=85&wmk=sitemark (http://www.finaldecap.com/zengallery/outdoors/DSC_3095.jpg.php)
I don't tend to use ISO100 unless it's super bright outside as there is no real need for it I find. Also, doing this post has reminded me that I've forgotten to upload loads of pics to my site.
This one was 30 seconds
http://jon390.fotopic.net/p41831525.html
Jon that's brilliant! I've always wanted to do something like that, but never had the correct equipment to do it! Is that the bridge near to Brinnington?
Umar
InvaderGIR
05-06-10, 01:13
Proper long exposures I still haven't really bothered to do, I really should though as I love pics done with them.
Seems i need to take mine off auto to get longer shutter speeds.
Need to read up more on this "f" then, What does it do?:surprised:
InvaderGIR
05-06-10, 12:48
f is Aperture. Lets in varying degree of light.
Adjust it with respect to the shutter speed. High shutter speed, open up aperture (lower the number), low shutter speed, close the aperture (higher number). If you do it the other way round you'll get very dark images or very light overexposed ones.
Ok, So ive just taken a picture i my room. I have shutter set at 10 Seconds, ISO 200 & aperture set at both F4 & F11.
Both these pictures come out really overexposed, Infact its just a white picture.
What am i doing wrong:confused:
Thats because the shutter was open too long, too much light hit the sensor and now it's all white. Try it when the room is darker- around about 9-10pm
InvaderGIR
05-06-10, 13:10
Use a higher shutter speed, like 1 second or something. :)
Ahh i see!
But what about when your outside, say shooting a waterfall in the day.
If you set a long shutter speed wouldnt the photo always be overexposed?
You only need to go down a few 100ths of a second, not into the seconds. I'll get the data for this photo and tell you the settings I used.
http://jon390.fotopic.net/p41975232.html
Edit: that was 1/15 sec, ISO800, +0.3EV, F/9, @ 55mm with the kit lens.
InvaderGIR
05-06-10, 13:40
Ahh i see!
But what about when your outside, say shooting a waterfall in the day.
If you set a long shutter speed wouldnt the photo always be overexposed?
No, if you want an exposure that shows the water flowing then you'd use a higher aperture to let in less light. The slower shutter speed is letting in more light, so you have to balance the two by adjusting them.
I don't know if yours is a point and shoot, bridge or SLR. Using my SLR I have a large range of shutter speed and aperture settings to play with. If your camera doesn't have many then it might be a bit of a pain.
It's also worth noting that the lower ISO number you use, the less light that is taken in too, so if you're on ISO400, 1/125 shutter and 11f and it's still got a bit much light, drop to ISO200 or even ISO100 (if the camera can do them).
This one was 30 seconds
http://jon390.fotopic.net/p41831525.html (http://jon390.fotopic.net/p41831525.html)
I love that photo jonwoad, excellent effect.:thumb::p
I used to go round London with my Yashica + Tripod + Lens set + Filters
and take night shots, pity I don't have them to show here.:(
Only Auto I use is Full Auto and Auto no Flash when using as a point and shoot, otherwise it's full manual for me and I get images like this...
.....
/snip
......
I don't tend to use ISO100 unless it's super bright outside as there is no real need for it I find. Also, doing this post has reminded me that I've forgotten to upload loads of pics to my site.
I like the use of shutter speed to create a background blur effect, very nice shots indeed.:D
I used to be a photo enthusiast with the old SLR cameras (non digital) and all these nice shots are tempting me to get a good DSLR and restart my hobby (gets expensive though, like OC in computers,LOL).:surprised:
In laymans terms the f: aperture (aka depth of focus) is like the eye pupils the higher it is (dilated pupils) the more light it lets in, but also the depth of focus will change.
Basically:
High aperture (f: setting) = shorter depth of field (things will be blurred around the main focus), need less light.
Short aperture (f: setting) = longer depth of field (things will be sharper around the main focus), needs more light.
The shutter speed (B, 1/60, 1/1000, etc) setting affects how shaky the photo will be.
Again:
Low SS (eg. 1/30) Capture things in low light, needs steady hand (Tripod at low speeds), moving subject will be blurred (eg. car running).
High SS (eg. 1/2000) Capture things in bright light (needs bright light), does not need steady hand, moving subject will be frozen (eg. car running will be seen perfectly still and clearly in focus).
Like computers, photography is a vast hobby, and one never stops learning, but I hope that these short and simple explanations do help those who were asking for clarifications.:D
EDIT: forgot to mention ISO:
Low ISO (eg.100) need more light, things are sharper (less noise).
High ISO (eg. 800) need less light, things are more fuzzy (more noise).
(InvaderGIR gave a good explanation above, while I was typing this,LOL) You beat me to it.
Not sure what cameras you are using but the camera will meter the brightness of the scene and let you know if the picture will be over exposed or not, just press the shutter button half way. I don't normally bother with full manual, most of the time its easier to leave it in aperture priority mode and let the camera work out the shutter speed. Your pictures will come up over exposed when using long shutter speeds so up the f/ number (this limits the light hitting the sensor) and drop the ISO, your camera will meter and tell you if you're getting it right or not. If over exposed, increase the f/ number and if it's under then drop it slightly.
I'm just starting out myself but if you learn the effects of the f/ number, shutter speeds and ISO it will give you a great start.
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