Photographing your work - Questions

[Roger Chandler]

I finally bit the bullet this evening and ordered a photo-gradient background for taking pics of my turnings. I figured that since I have already invested :eek: in all this equipment to turn and have a Monster Hollowing rig on order, :D that I might as well be able to take decent pics of my turnings. :cool:

My question is about side and top lighting. Would a compact florescent spiral bulb be okay to use [daylight, or soft light?] Would I need a top light if I had both sides illuminated with a 60W bulb on each side?

Some of your pics are wonderful, and I need some tutoring in this matter..:o.:confused:........thank you very much in advance....;)......I am truly grateful for the help fellow turners give on this forum.......a great group of people providing a great resource..........:)

[James Combs]

I use 4 lights, 60 watt color corrected incandescent (Lowe's) I have one on each side, one on the top and one in front as spot. You can check some of my posts to see how things photograph with them. I am not saying they are great but it is something to compare others to.

The item in the photobooth is a poor example though. However you can certainly see the difference in color between the booth lights and the overhead fluros.

[Roger Chandler]

Thanks, JD. I am looking forward to several replies with good info. Is your background color gray, blue......?

[James Combs]

Thanks, JD. I am looking forward to several replies with good info. Is your background color gray, blue......?

It is the graduated gray one that everyone seems to like, I forget the number of it. Hard to tell from my photo but it is graduated.

[Roger Chandler]

It is the graduated gray one that everyone seems to like, I forget the number of it. Hard to tell from my photo but it is graduated.

Thanks again, JD...........the one I ordered was gray also, but I think they had a lighter graduated and a darker graduated...........I think I ordered the darker one, because I like some of the pics I have seen with a black background, and I was concerned about a "washing out" effect with the lighter version. I hope I ordered the correct one!

[Bill Huber]

Roger, go take a look at this light tent I made a few years ago. You can make one any size you like and of you shoot your images in a RAW format you can use just about any lights.
The key is the white balance and a good tripod.

http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/light_box_light_tent

[Eric DeSilva]

Bill's right--doesn't matter whether you shoot flash, incandescent, CFL, sodium, or sun. As long as you shoot raw and don't mix light sources, you can always adjust the white balance in a decent photo editor.

Along those lines, shooting a decent digital photo is only the start. Unlike film, where there was someone generally adjusting things in a lab so your pictures looked nice, a lot of people skip post processing. That is a bad idea. I use Photoshop CS5, but you can also get free software like GIMP. At a minimum, I will: (i) adjust white balance; (ii) set white/black points; (iii) adjust contrast/brightness; (iv) crop (not only to size, but final resolution); and (v) sharpen. Often, I'll also add a slight vignette.

[Roger Chandler]

Bill and Eric,

Thank you both for the information.............I really appreciate your input here. It is good to know that the CFL will work. I will check out the photoshop software as well.

[Jim Koepke]

I think the most important tool for photography is a tripod.
My photos are not the greatest. I just use camera adjustments and at most crop them before posting.
Of course, most of the stuff in my posts is not of high artistic quality. Maybe if it was then I would want to tweak the images to perfection.

Just my 178148

jtk

[Bill Huber]

I do not know what camera you are using but there is another program that will handle your needs other then Photoshop. I use Lightroom, it handles just about all my needs for editing. Photoshop will do a lot more but Lightroom handles the WB (white balance), cropping and the rest of the general photo editing work and you can do it very fast.

I can adjust WB, sharpness, tint, exposure, brightness and so on, on 100 images in less the 5 min., if all were take at the same time and same camera settings.

[Terry Wawro]

If you don't want to build a light tent, you can buy one on EBAY. Do a search for "light tent" and you will see a lot of options.

Here is one for $30 and that includes shipping.
eBay item # 180603671483

(http://cgi.ebay.com/32-80CM-PHOTO-STUDIO-BOX-LIGHT-TENT-CUBE-4-BACKDROP-/180603671483?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2a0cd153bb)

[Dan Hintz]

Yeah, purchased my light tent off of eBay... 24" cube, multiple backdrop colors, an it came with several lights. I think I paid about $40 shipped.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Roger - I use two of the CFLs that are Daylight or very close to it in color. I think daylight is supposed to be 5200*K and the lamps I have are around 5600 to 5900 - I don't remember which. One thing to take into consideration is that the higher you go away from natural daylight in color (higher temp rating) the more it becomes blue - the lower the temp is from daylight, the more yellow it becomes.

Bill gave you good advice in that it is the White Balance that you need to be concerned with. IF your camera allows you to adjust the white balance - then the lighting should not make any difference. However, if you have a point and shoot camera without an option to adjust the white balance - then you need to be aware of the colors that different lights give off.

As far as placement of the lights - I have one light low and on the left and one light that is above the subject on the right. Usually have to play games to get the shadows where I want but that is easy enough to do.

Another thing to consider is the graphics program you use. Very important for resizing but even more important if you have to adjust color and contrast.

[Roger Chandler]

Roger - I use two of the CFLs that are Daylight or very close to it in color. I think daylight is supposed to be 5200*K and the lamps I have are around 5600 to 5900 - I don't remember which. One thing to take into consideration is that the higher you go away from natural daylight in color (higher temp rating) the more it becomes blue - the lower the temp is from daylight, the more yellow it becomes.

Bill gave you good advice in that it is the White Balance that you need to be concerned with. IF your camera allows you to adjust the white balance - then the lighting should not make any difference. However, if you have a point and shoot camera without an option to adjust the white balance - then you need to be aware of the colors that different lights give off.

As far as placement of the lights - I have one light low and on the left and one light that is above the subject on the right. Usually have to play games to get the shadows where I want but that is easy enough to do.

Another thing to consider is the graphics program you use. Very important for resizing but even more important if you have to adjust color and contrast.

Thank You Sir! Steve I appreciate all the input I have gotten on this inquiry. Helpful folks on this forum sure do save us a lot of time and money by not having to reinvent the wheel every time we want to expand our turning world a little. Thanks also for placing this back here on the turners forum. Hopefully it will help other turners as well

[John Keeton]

Roger, let me add what I learned from Joe Aliperti, who I think takes some absolutely phenomenal pics of his beautiful pens he does. He uses shop lighting - no extra lights, and does a time exposure with a really tight f stop. My camera is limited, but I can set the f stop to 13.6, which gives me a significantly improved depth of field. My shutter speed readings on my camera are not in seconds, so I can't tell you the open time, but I have played with it enough to use just my shop flourescents, and account for the ambient light from my windows. On a bright day, I use a little faster shutter speed. I have found a significant improvement in the quality of my pics, including the white balance on them.

[Roger Chandler]

Cool John,

I am going to have to learn photography skills just like my turning skills. My wife and one of my son's are the shutterbugs in our family, but he doesn't live with us [grown man] and she is usually at work when I want a picture! Go figure!

[John Terefenko]

I am definetly not a photo pro. I do the point and shoot method. But I do use a light tent. I have used both the gradient paper and flat grey paper to shoot photos of my pens. I am sure there is a ton of things I can do to improve my photos and some of the photo editing programs I may have to look into, I have gimp but do not know how to use it. As far as which paper I like I am not sold on either one just yet and still playing with various backdrops. I think if you get into larger objects such as bowls you can make more of a statement with the gradient paper but a pen maybe not so much. Here are a couple examples of what I am talikng about and whatever bulbs you get use the daylight. In my opinion they are closer to true light.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/JTTHECLOCKMAN/whiteJrStatesman.jpg


http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/JTTHECLOCKMAN/IMGP0548.jpg



http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/JTTHECLOCKMAN/B--GreenCambridge2pieces.jpg

[Bill Hensley]

My budget setup is 2 clamp on worklights using 2 100w equiv. CFLs, maybe one also overhead. My backdrop is a cheap, white window shade. All supplies came from Walmart. It's quick to setup and stores easily.

Setting a custom white balance is very important for true colors. I also use a tripod.

Any editing is done with Google Picasa, maybe a crop if anything.

[Ken Hill]

You all do a good job for the most part, two issues I see and I have trouble with it myself unless I put some time in setting up the shot. The 1st is the under-exposure of the back grounds which shows up as noise in the graduated back grounds. With the point and shoot cameras with no manual adjustments you are very limited in controling it. The 2nd is the specular highlights (thats the shine or reflection on your subject). Most of the time adjusting the lights to help control where or if a specular hits the object can really make the shot jump out. Just look at the 3 pics posted on this page of the pens and see how the long reflection changes (mainly between the first 2 and the last) and how the image appears. Most of the latter is personal preference.

A tripod does help, small cameras combined with slow shutter speeds usually equals a less then sharp image.

White balance is the key to most digital image issues aside from exposure. Using the right settings or making sure your cameras white balance is set to the light being used is normally enough to get a solid image. Controlling spill from windows or other mixed lighting is usually easy to fix as well. As stated, if you are setting up a light tent just buy bulbs that are daylight balanced.

Also keep in mind that using a longer lens zoom setting on your camera will affect depth of field. F11 at 35mm is not the same as F11 at 135mm. Find what focal length works for you and your set up.

One tip for those using cameras with manual adjustments. Shutter speed controls the ambient and your aperature the flash/strobe. Usually im close and will use the ISO setting as a quick way to move my exposure up or down.

[Roger Chandler]

Ken,

Thank you for chiming in on this. I think your pics are mostly a cut above what most of us do, and understand for that matter. I would like to give you my camera model, [a digital SLR, Pentax K100 with Pentax 35-80 lens, I have larger as well] and see if you could see if my [actually, my wife's] camera is capable of doing all this on the auto focus feature, or do I need to use the manual focus, then do all the different settings.

I figured you would have some sense of things..........I am a rank amateur when it comes to photography.

[Bill Huber]

Ken,

Thank you for chiming in on this. I think your pics are mostly a cut above what most of us do, and understand for that matter. I would like to give you my camera model, [a digital SLR, Pentax K100 with Pentax 35-80 lens, I have larger as well] and see if you could see if my [actually, my wife's] camera is capable of doing all this on the auto focus feature, or do I need to use the manual focus, then do all the different settings.

I figured you would have some sense of things..........I am a rank amateur when it comes to photography.

That camera will do everything you need. I would get a good tripod and a cable release for it. Now you don't have to spend an arm and a leg for a tripod, but get one that is strong and has mass to it.

Get some software that will show the EXIF data so you can see what you have done on a given image. I use mainly 2 different software packages, ACDSee for general viewing and organizing and Lightroom for possessing images. There is tons of free stuff out there you just need to look for it.

The EXIF date is data that is written in the file with the image, this data tells you everything you need to know about that shot. The white balance settings, the exposure settings, shutter speed and the like. With this data you can then look at an image that came out really good and use that information on the next shot you take.

The basics of a camera will help you understand what you want and need. Here is a link to a little think I did on the basics a few years ago. http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/the_basics This will give you a good start.

When I use my light tent I like to set the camera up about 3 foot from the tent, use the tripod and a cable release. I don't worry about the shutter speed, I just work with the aperture to get the depth of field that I want. This is easy to do with a camera with Aperture Priority settings.

There is NO one position for your lights, each item you shoot my need a different set up to get the light just the way you want it. When you look though the view finder work with the lights to get them to the point it is just like you think you wanted to see the image. The work with it until you get what you want, don't settle for less, the film is cheap.

Most of the editing software out there has what is called a White Picker, this will let you click on an area of the image that is white and then set the white balance to that. So I will a lot of the time place a white card in the shot for the first shot and then take it out but still use the same lights. Now when I edit the image I have a reference for a white picker to use.

The best thing to do is just do it and then do it some more, again the film is cheap. Look at that EXIF data and see what is going on as things change and then adjust as needed. Set the lens to f22 and see how it looks and then try f3.5 and see how it looks, the EXIF data will tell you what you have taken that shot at so you don't have to write anything down.

When I talk about light and how it make a big difference on the out come I like to use these to image that show what light can do. The first is take with the light straight on and there are not shadows to it, remember shadows are what give you detail. The second was taken with the light off to the side to make shadows and now you can see all the detail. The camera was not move for the 2 shots only the light was move.


178484


178485

[Ken Hill]

Autofocus is fine

But I suggest using all manual settings for the aperature and shutter speed. For strobe work I could throw out some starting points, but I do not shoot with lights like you guys use on the light tents so I would have to have that set up and see where I started at etc. All I can truly comment on here is the end results and what I see in the images, and I wish I could help more.

I use a 800 watt studio strobe into either a 4 foot softbox or 22 inch beauty dish that triggers other strobes depending on what I need. Dedicated studio lighting would be nice, but all of my shooting is on location and usually very far from nice conditions so everything I have is set up to be as portable as possible. I like the light tents and kits that are available, they do a great job! I still do not have a "good" set up for shooting my turnings and I keep telling myself to set one up.

[Roger Chandler]

Bill,

Wow! You sure seem like a genuine shutterbug! I will keep a copy of your and Ken's posts..........I think that I will also take a look at that software, etc. you were speaking of. I really appreciate both of your inputs for me.

[Roland Martin]

Thanks Roger for starting this post. The knowledge on this forum is unlimited, it seems, and soooo interesting.

[Ken Hill]

Bill, shadows create depth and add dimension not detail. Infact, in your 2nd image there is no details in the shadows, however you added depth to the surface by cross or sidelighting.

Roger, maybe in the coming weeks we can meet up and I will give you a quick lesson on how to put that camera to work for you. I doubt more then a few hundred images out of over 100,000+ images I took last year were taken using anything but full manual.

I live for detail (and if anyone asks, I loathe studio shooting LOL!)

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/BCK8788/643134820_CoHMf-L.jpg

[Bill Huber]

Bill, shadows create depth and add dimension not detail. Infact, in your 2nd image there is no details in the shadows, however you added depth to the surface by cross or sidelighting.


Ken, you are correct, I did you the wrong word there.

I hear that a from a lot of people that they only use full manual, I guess I just don't see to point with the cameras we have today. In aperture mode you can control both shutter speed and aperture, the only thing you can't control is ISO. You can do the same thing with Shutter speed mode. Now if you want to move from what the camera meter is saying then you have the EV of +-2 stops on most cameras.
I guess its a lot what you get used to, my old film cameras were all full manual and my 2 and 1/4 squares were all manual. When I left film and went to digital I really liked the one dial set up that does it both.

[Dan Hintz]

Bill, agreed... a simple form of HDR will net you all of the shadow detail you could want while still retaining a well-lit image. The DSLRs of today make bracketing so easy, why fight it?

[Ken Hill]

Using aperature or shutter mode still means you are relying on the camera to set the exposure, you are just controling one aspect of it, basically telling the camera what you want to be the starting point for the exposure. The camera is handling the other half. In a scene that is mainly well lit, with no real bias towards highlights or shadows, todays sensors do a fine job, but not perfect. The sensor bases the exposure on a given set of values in those modes, an average as it were, unfortunatley it still bases it against the meter and most scenes arent forgiving(bright sky, dark shade etc) As far as using the exposure compensation, you are telling the camera you want more or less light, but it again changes the exposure based on what IT thinks is correct.

Take an image of a white flower in one of the program modes, it will be underexposed. Add in your +2 stops and you may be close depending on the overall lighting. The meter tried to stop down the exposure based on the dominance of the white flower it is reading in the meter. I have +5 stops of control and many times it is not enough for correcting such an image in an "auto" mode. Very limiting to someone who knows how to use manual and adjust the settings.

Dan, HDR, in true form, relys on a minimum of 3 bracketed exposures, although they are coming close to being able to replicate a HDR styled image with 1 exposure. The 3/4 tones are usually shot in most HDR editings, infact most images taken on one of the program modes has a lack of those tones as well. Thats where you get the "shape" in an image, very similiar to what Bill tried to relay in the crosslighting but not on such a grand scale. I know many that use the "auto" modes but have to rely heavily on shooting in RAW and post work flow.

To put it in turning terms, its like not learning proper tool control and relying on sandpaper to get what you are after. It can be done, often with more effort then learning how to do it close to "right" the first time.

I do use Shutter and Aperature Priority modes, so please dont take what I am saying as I dont like or recommend them. For me, it is based 100% on the light. If I am shooting wildlife in a very nuetral scene where the subject moves or may pop up at anytime, those modes make perfect sense. I can set my camera to either hold a particuliar shutter speed to stop action (or show it) or use Aperature mode to get the depth of field I want or need.

This is a perfect example of even lighting and where I would employ one of the auto modes for the sake of simplicity. There are no areas in the image that would "fool" my meter, actually it fools the photographer because the meter is doing exactly as it was programmed to do.

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery-2/DSC1815/903375268_QQfh3-L.jpg

Here is an example where your meter will be fooled almost every time. A white subject filling the frame (and metering area). Your camera will meter all that white and you will be several stops underexposed, as I explained above with the flower. You maybe have an image like this, if you do go check the feather details and see how much is there. Just like lost shadows, blown highlights will take away detail.

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/ABA0505/606232842_CdxSL-L.jpg

Again, even lighting, program mode should have no trouble with this image or the one below it

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/BCK9696/615117450_iL4JU-L.jpg

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/DSC1872/618511031_pAUic-L.jpg

The stark opposite and it will drive your auto settings batty. White limestone, bright blue sky and a black main subject.

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery/BCK2005/637963390_G9fnd-L.jpg

How all this relates to photographing your turnings lays in the fact that by layering your light, getting the most from your exposure and using the solid suggestions already posted regarding white balance and trying to use daylight balanced bulbs will get you showcasing your work in a much better fashion. Now when you see someone post an image where the whites are more grey, or the main subject is much darker or brighter then the surroundings, you know why.

[Roger Chandler]

Wow Ken! I am so impressed, I am almost overwhelmed. That was a very generous offer you made to mentor me some on photography. If I could work it out, then it would be a pleasure...........I would just have to find some time in and amongst all my busy schedule and I have some upcoming travel, so maybe latter in the spring it would be something to shoot for.

Great pics, btw!

[Ken Hill]

Will do Roger. I normally shoot bears on Skyline late spring/early summer, that should be close to you.

[Roger Chandler]

Will do Roger. I normally shoot bears on Skyline late spring/early summer, that should be close to you.

Ken! You just have too much fun! So many things, so little time.........:eek: .......seems like the story of my life!

Let me know when you're coming this way. If I could work it out, I certainly will!

[Scott Hackler]

Ken, I just have to remark that those pictures are incredible. I am just starting out trying to figure out the whole photography thing and your skills are awe inspriring. I bought a Canon T2i last year, now I have to learn to use it correctly!

[Ken Hill]

Thanks, and yes, I try and have as much fun as possible. I did my 20 years of being a worker, now I try and do what makes me happy. The wallet suffers but money isnt everything, or so they say.

Scott, the basics is all anyone really needs, just like turning. Once you have those down, the rest will find its way into what you do, what you like etc. I chuckle sometimes at the cririques here(they are mild), as I have to withstand a barage of stuff from editors etc. On the stock sites I sell to, they are very critical and it took a bit for me to understand what they wanted even when they declined an image that was stellar. Then there are the brides......thats why I only take on a handful of weddings each year.

Maybe thats why I prefer wildlife, all they can do is eat me haha!

I do want to show one(2) more images, it was taken by my oldest son. He is usually behind the bars but with this manufacture (Can Am/BRP) we had to have a rider that was over 18 so I took the role of rider. He nailed every image in this shoot and I never had to take my helmet off. They were published in a few different publications and one of them is due to be used in a billboard out near Indianapolis from what I understand. I bring this up because he had to take photography in school last year and I told him to keep his mouth shut about what I do and to just accept what the teacher had to say. He did get an A in the class, but ironically, she never taught them how to make an exposure using manual settings, infact more emphasis was placed on using photoshop and program (auto) modes. The shot below would not be possible with auto settings(ok, there is a way but its alot of work for something I can do 10 times as fast in manual and I would need some new triggers that TTL meter), as it employed remote flashes, all of which he set up and exposed the shot on his own and there was no way to meter just using the camera. It showed I had done a good job teaching him, and gave me a shot that makes me look like im a pro haha!

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/Other/Private-Gallery-2/DSC0018/1019535040_sCjqY-L.jpg

Ofcourse I had to upstage him on another location, but the day will come when he will surpass me....maybe hehe!

http://kenhill.smugmug.com/photos/695783933_7DBj4-L-1.jpg

[Bill Huber]

Using aperature or shutter mode still means you are relying on the camera to set the exposure, you are just controling one aspect of it, basically telling the camera what you want to be the starting point for the exposure. The camera is handling the other half. In a scene that is mainly well lit, with no real bias towards highlights or shadows, todays sensors do a fine job, but not perfect. The sensor bases the exposure on a given set of values in those modes, an average as it were, unfortunatley it still bases it against the meter and most scenes arent forgiving(bright sky, dark shade etc) As far as using the exposure compensation, you are telling the camera you want more or less light, but it again changes the exposure based on what IT thinks is correct.

Take an image of a white flower in one of the program modes, it will be underexposed. Add in your +2 stops and you may be close depending on the overall lighting. The meter tried to stop down the exposure based on the dominance of the white flower it is reading in the meter. I have +5 stops of control and many times it is not enough for correcting such an image in an "auto" mode. Very limiting to someone who knows how to use manual and adjust the settings.

I agree with every thing you have said and I don't mean to say that A and S modes are the only way to shoot and I do use the manual mode at time.

I just about always use manual for macro type work.

178555

178560

And there are the times when you must really use the EV to not blow the highlights.

178561

And there are times that there is no way the camera can meter the light near to what it should be.

178562

And as you stated to keep the sky and the item you are shooting you have to some times work at it.

178563

So I think we are on the same page on most everything. Now I am not in your class, I just do it for a hobby now, I got out of the pro side of it in 1972.

You do have some excellent shots and I hope you get paid good for them.

[Ken Hill]

Haha Bill, my wife made me sell my macro lenses. With two boys here, they kept dragging stuff in for me to photograph and they sometimes...escaped!

[Dan Hintz]

Haha Bill, my wife made me sell my macro lenses. With two boys here, they kept dragging stuff in for me to photograph and they sometimes...escaped!
LOL... niiiiice ;)

Ken, if you don't mind (I can can scrape up the time come Spring), I would like to join you on one of those "shooting" sprees. I picked up a Canon Rebel T2i when they first hit the shelves (actually, the Best Buy guy had to pull one out of the shipping box in back as they weren't yet on the shelves), and although I've managed to take some great shots with it, I'm probably only using 10% of its capabilities. I can't remember what you're shooting with, but I recently found a program for late-model Canons that allows for a lot of extra capabilities (for example, adding more than 3 burst shots for bracketing mode as well as increasing the bracketed range beyond the 2 stops Canon normally allows, among others). If you're interested, I'll dig it up (it's a freebie).

Oh, and I can always dig through your woodpile while I'm there :p

[Ken Hill]

Will do Dan. I might be able to grab a 500mm f4 from a buddy for you to stretch out there for a day of shooting wildlife. (In all honesty, I usually just have to out run someone older and slower on these ventures, and you are in better shape then me so I will keep us a safe distance LOL!)

I shoot all Nikon, have since 1989. As far as software, I have most everything I need and wish I could put alot of the editing (actually the design or graphics design ) portions of those programs to work. I shoot almost exclusively in RAW and I use Nikon software to handle them, then its off to Photoshop CS5 for basic tweaks. If graphics/design work is needed I let the editors handle it.

I will be down south soon, going after Gators. It adds a new dimension...usually I can see a Bear, but the gators tend to just "appear" near you.

[Dan Hintz]

The software I mention is updated firmware for the camera itself... it simply opens up some extra menus and such (more metering options, histogram adjustments, etc.)

[Ken Hill]

Oh my bad! I will try and read up on that model and see what it offers.

[Dan Hintz]

Found it... Magic Lantern:
http://magiclantern.wikia.com/wiki/Magic_Lantern_Firmware_Wiki

From the website:

Our first set of fixes are targeted at the audio limitations of the camera, but there are some video enhancements included, too:

On-screen audio meters
Manual gain control with no AGC
Zebra stripes (video peaking)
Custom Cropmarks (http://magiclantern.wikia.com/wiki/Cropmarks) for 16:9, 2.35:1, 4:3 and any other format
Control of focus (http://magiclantern.wikia.com/wiki/Focus) and bracketing

I especially like the "follow focus" option so you don't need to keep the shutter trigger pressed halfway as you follow an object, as well as with video.

It currently only works with a number of Canon models, but there is development under way for Pentax bodies.

Here's a video detailing a number of available features:
http://player.vimeo.com/video/7838475

[Scott Hackler]

Bummer, I just tried to order a #39 Varitone PVC background and they are out until the end of the month becuase of supply issues with the manufacturer. :( I guess that gives me more time to construct a photo tent!

[Ken Hill]

Dan, I know nothing about the video. I do know that Canon has a much better set up in the higher end SLR's then most others. I have a higher end camcorder that I seldom use mainly because the dirt and dust killed it.

Scott, im about to drop the trigger on a tent myself, you just cant beat the ease of use. I doubt I will worry with a backdrop (store bought anyway) as I prefer to use themes especially with my calls. One of the biggest advantages to using them is you can control the spill light from windows or other light sources in the area. Maybe once the kids grow up and move out, and the Labs finally settle down, I will set up a small studio here at home. The last time I left a strobe set up the dogs knocked it over trashing a $500 unit!

[Dan Hintz]

I just found the manual for the T2i here:
http://magiclantern.wikia.com/wiki/550D/UserGuide

and here's the official list of features:



GUI menus: press the ERASE button to display them, SET/DISP to change values
Bit rate control (QScale parameter) for the H.264 encoder
Zebra stripes for overexposed / underexposed areas
Spotmeter, histogram
Cropmarks (16:9, Cinemascope, Fisheye)
Intervalometer (classic or HDR)
Trap Focus: camera takes a picture when something comes in focus
Remote release with either the LCD face sensor or audio trigger
Rack focus
Stack focus (Live View only)
Lens data computation
Onscreen audio meters
Manual audio gain, selectable input source, disable AGC and digital filters
Display time remaining during video recording
Debug functions (display CMOS temperature, screenshot, logging)
Fine tuning for ISO and shutter speeds; also ISO 25600
Kelvin white balance
Clean LiveView display without any overlays (selectable)
On-demand auto tuning for ISO, shutter & kelvin white balance
Quick access to some useful settings like HTP, ALO and contrast


Definitely a lot more there than just for video. The stack focus would be awesome for macro shots of bugs (changes the focal distance automatically while it takes multiple shots), and of course I already mentioned the nice HDR bracketing modes.

[skott nielsen]

So I just set up a light tent lit from the side with two halogen work lights and am using NIkon D40 with 18-200 mm lens at about 80mm focal length and cannot get a 10 inch bowl in focus front to back using aperture priority and the highest f
Stop about f32 it will let me. Any tips?

Skott

[Bill Huber]

So I just set up a light tent lit from the side with two halogen work lights and am using NIkon D40 with 18-200 mm lens at about 80mm focal length and cannot get a 10 inch bowl in focus front to back using aperture priority and the highest f
Stop about f32 it will let me. Any tips?

Skott

Are the images not coming out in focus or what you are seeing in the view finder is not focused.

And how close are you to the bowl, you should be back about 10 ft I would think with that lens.

[Jeff Moffett]

So I just set up a light tent lit from the side with two halogen work lights and am using NIkon D40 with 18-200 mm lens at about 80mm focal length and cannot get a 10 inch bowl in focus front to back using aperture priority and the highest f
Stop about f32 it will let me. Any tips?

Skott, Google "depth of field calculator". The first one that comes up for me is http://www.dofmaster.com/dofjs.html. Plug in your variables to the calculator:

Camera = Nikon D40
Focal Length = 80 mm
F-stop = f/32

If you play with the last variable, "subject distance", you'll find that 46 inches from your piece will give you 10.1 inches of depth of field or the area that will be in focus.

[John Beaver]

A quick tutorial on Depth of Field

1. Longer lens equals less dof. A 50mm lens has more dof then a 120mm
2. Lower f-stop has less dof. F4 has less dof then f11
3. Generally the closer to the lens you get the less dof you have.
4. With in a given dof - 1/3 in front is in focus and 2/3 in back is in focus.

When shooting bowls I recommend a 50mm-75mm lens set around f8 - f16.
If you can't get the whole thing in focus, try rolling the focus slightly towards the back and see if that helps.
Lastly, you can always shoot the shot a little wider, (back off and/or use a wider lens) to achieve more dof, and crop it in your photo program.

Jeff's recommendation for www.dofmaster is a good idea. Make sure you have the correct settings for your camera. The size of the sensor also affects the dof.

[skott nielsen]

Aha! You guys are great. I was about 18 inches away. Will try again tomorrow. Went for a close up as that composed well. Guess I can crop in when I get it focused right. Thanks a lot

Skott

[Don Nurmela]

Where do you guys get your graduated paper backgrounds? I was sort of stunned when I found prices of $30 for a sheet of paper. Is there a reasonable price outlet somewhere or is this just another of the 'feature$' of the vortex?

[Roger Chandler]

Don,

Here is where I purchased mine from. The one I have is on a pvc material, and is much more durable than paper. Hope this helps!

http://www.phototechinc.com/graduate.htm

[Don Nicholas]

Thank you all for a very informative thread. One question I have when using your light tents, do you take your photos with the room/shop lights off.
I have a Canon Xsi and still am in a learing curve. My light tent looks the same as the one Roger is showing.
Thanks for sharing!!