I got my photo tent today, any tips for me?

[Bill Wyko]

I haven't even open the box for that matter I've never even seen one other than the picture. Anyone have any tips for the use of this gadget?:o

[Neal Addy]

Just out of curiousity... what size did you get, Bill?

[Malcolm Tibbetts]

Bill, I'm not sure exactly what you have; I built my own. As a suggestion, keep things simple by starting out with only one light source - halogen work lights are cheap and work well. Just having a seamless background will dramatically improve your photos. After that, it's mostly lighting and exposures. Have fun.

[Gary Ratajczak]

This should get you started. I luke to use the low cost clamp on light domes from your local hardware store. Lowes and HD now carry fluorescent bulbs in "daylight" range. Look for a light temperature of 5000K (kelvin). I'm not a photo expert, but these are the lights I use for a lot of E-Bay photography.

Not sure what camera you are using, but do a manul white balance - BIG improvement in photos and color cast.


http://www.tabletopstudio.com/documents/HowTo_page.htm

[Neal Addy]

I'm glad to see someone else using those high-K bulbs. I'm using compact fluorescent 5100K bulbs and really like them, but I've had some photo gurus pooh-pooh them and tell me to use halogen. I'm too thick-skulled to listen and I really don't see a reason to switch. These CF bulbs work really well with the 'fluorescent' setting on my camera and produce a pic with little or no yellow. The pics also don't need much software color tweaking.

[Gary Ratajczak]

Andy:
I have a Canon A80 pocket digital, as well as a Canon 20D. The pocket does pretty well on the fl setting, but the 20D does better by manual setting the White Balance - just need to play.

Here is a good source for bulbs that I found:

http://www.1000bulbs.com/product.php?product=8742

[Bill Wyko]

Andy:
I have a Canon A80 pocket digital, as well as a Canon 20D. The pocket does pretty well on the fl setting, but the 20D does better by manual setting the White Balance - just need to play.

Here is a good source for bulbs that I found:

http://www.1000bulbs.com/product.php?product=8742
Hi Gary, Is your cannon an EOS20? Thats the camera I have and I don't have a clue about the ins and outs on that camera. I'd be happy if I could turn off the auto flash. If you have any tips on that camera I could sure use em'. Thanks.

[Bill Wyko]

The photo tent I got is called a Sunpak and it came with 2 lights the light box and a carrying case. I'll set it up tonight and play with it.

[Gary Ratajczak]

My camera is an EOS 20D (That's the digital SLR - black body).


When you are in any of the Auto modes, the flash fires.


The Mode Dial is divided into the Basic Zone http://www.steves-digicams.com/2004_reviews/20d/20d_mode_dial.jpg
AUTO - Fully automatic "point and shoot" mode
Portrait - blurs background
Landscape - sweeping scenery, sunsets
Close-up - closeup shots of small things
Sports - capturing fast-moving subjects
Night Scene - slow shutter plus fill flash
Flash Off - take natural looking pictures without the flashand the Creative Zone

Program AE - camera selects best combination of shutter speed and aperture but the user may "shift" to other combinations. The user may select options such as drive mode, metering mode, focus point and more that are not available in the AUTO mode.
Tv - Shutter speed priority; you select shutter speed, camera matches appropriate aperture
Av - Aperture priority; you select aperture, camera matches appropriate shutter speed
Manual - you select both shutter speed and aperture
A-DEP - camera selects shutter speed and aperture for maximum depth of field as calculated between the near and far focus points.
Set camera to Av mode. Look at the display on the top of the camera - you will see a number shown 2.xx on up - depends on your lens. Use the small hand wheel on the top of the camera to change that setting - it's the aperature setting. Lower numbers will focus on the object, and blur the background. Set to about an 11 - gives more depth of field. Clear in front, as well as in back of object.

It's tough to get a good pic with the flash. Also - if the flash is UP in the Av mode, it will fire - so be sure it is closed.

[Bill Wyko]

Thank you very, very much. That tells me more than an hour of reading the manual. I've had this camera for over a year and I just learned more about it by reading your post than I've learned since I got it. Once again thanks very much.:)

[Charles McKinley]

My instructor said to take a picture of a white piece of paper to set the white balance in florescent lights.