Hello Dear Mods,

Please see this thread. You only need read the first few lines, and then the comments following my text, requesting a sticky.

http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthread.php?t=468105

I have redrafted the text and reposted it here:

http://bbs.scoobynet.co.uk/showthread.php?t=477515

Can you please make this new thread a sticky? If some clever person can also add links to the various section headings to save people scolling through miles of stuff, that would be cool ;)

Many thanks,

Richard.

PS Guys, let me know if you spot any mistakes. Tar :)

Just RTM'd the thread so all mods will now see it :D it only takes 1 to make it sticky though.

Thanks Si. Why didn't I think of that :rolleyes:

Just finished reading it through again - a couple of typos but boIIox, I'm sick of it now :D

We could make it really good with illos and a couple of diagrams (and thanks to those who have offered help). But after Chrimbo ;)

Cheers,

Richard.

Errr cos you can't RTM your own posts!!! :D

Just follow 1 siple rule of illustrating documants that I foind at uni, do the work then drink, not tother way round :D

LOL mate :D

Can't you RTM your own posts? Spose because you can edit them. Thanks anyway.

Funny what you said about drink ;) I just found a bottle of red :eek: :D

Best,

Richard.

Thats goning to be 1 SN'er with a mild hangover tomorrow then, actually make it 2, as if you couldn't tell by my previous post :D

Here, here lets make this a sticky, very well written and absolutley priceless information to anybody that has the slightest interest in photography!

Paul:)

If we don't get that made sticky we should go on the rampage -- make Paris look like a boy scout campfire. :)

Makes perfect sense for it to be made sticky IMHO. let's hope we get one of the mods to do the business.

Kind comments again guys. Thank you :)

The reworking I've done on it is not that obvious, but I've tried to use non-technical terms and avoid ambiguity. There is a lot of this kind of help posted all over the net, and I've read loads of them while working on this. None that I have found is both comprehensive yet easy to understand. Most assume the same level of knowledge as the writer, and some others are just plain rubbish, so your generous comments make me feel pretty good :)

This seems to be a mod-free zone at the moment :confused:

Best things,

Richard.

I've got an even better suggestion, how about a campain to make STI-Frenchie or Hoppy a mod :D

And then as soon as we've made the post sticky we could be un-modded :)

I'm on it chaps, it's been sent to webby for approval :)

Great article Hoppy, and very comprehensive.

I would offer you one small addition/correction - relating to high speed flash. It is a bit specialised, and probably similar to the use of rear-curtain flash, but perhaps you could add something to end of the flash section.

I recently got a Canon 430EX and I was playing with all the settings (as you do) and came to the High-Speed Sync which claims to sync the flash at ALL shutter speeds. So I tried it, and yes it does, even at 1/3000, but at the cost of a lower power rating.

What actually happens is that the flash fires a number of times in very quick sequence perfectly synchronised with the movement of the shutter blades such that all of the frame is perfectly exposed. Of course if the subject is moving very quickly then the flash will freeze it in different positions down the frame and it will look weird, but according to the manual it is intended to be used for fill flash during portrature where a wide aperture and high shutter speed are used.

All it means is that the rule about maximum shutter sync speed of about 1/200 is only a guide and that certain technologies get around this restriction, in the same way that IS gets around the minimum speed to avoid camera shake restriction.

Anyway something to think about should you decide to another revision.

The Webmaster he say yes :D but there's just one little tweak required.

Hoppy, you have mail :)

Thanks Scoobychick. Does that mean Shaun has got to read it? LOL :D

Cheers Rewolf :) It's a good suggestion about strobe flash and I will add a bit about it. You're right. Thanks. I left it out because I don't know if all brands support it, and you need a trick gun. It doesn't work with the onboard flash, or popular alternatives like the excellent value Sigma. Needs covering, though.

But the real trouble is deciding where to stop with the technique advice. I wanted to give a few simple examples of how the different camera controls actually translate into real pictures, without making the damn thing any longer :eek:

Any other suggestions most gratefully received :) I'd really like to know if the meaning is clear to newbies. Some of it is quite hard to get across in words, whereas a simple diagram would do it in seconds. I'll try to get that sorted in the New Year.

Thanks,

Richard.

Cheers Sal. Got your mail. No problem. I'll make a couple of other very small changes and resubmit to you ASAP. Thanks.

Richard.

Filters, I need to know about filters.

Cheers to Frenchie & Springbok who have already helped me on this subject :thumb:

Get your comments in quick guys, before SC locks the thread in stone :) I'll ammend over the weekend and then submit for a sticky.

Sal, filters is a good one, but what about filters? I can do a bit about UV and polarisers. Do you mean close-up filters (lenses) as well? That could maybe go in the bit about macro lenses.

Keep the comments coming. I am keen to cover all the bases, even if it's in a very basic way. If it then prompts people to post a question on the forums for more info, I'm sure Frenchie will fill you in :D

Richard.

You might regret that offer mate. I'm sure between 10 of us we could keep you authoring all next year :D

My request is flash, particularly how the fluff you work it out in manual mode.

LOL at this :)

Frankly, I'm already having trouble with Sal's request for info on filters and have started a section on Filters and Lens Attachments - where to stop!

UV, polarisers, grads, soft-focus, close-up, star-burst, multi-image prisms, lens hoods, extension tubes, tele-converters. It's important to tell peeps what is possible, so that they know what questions to ask for more info, but impossible to give all the answers in a couple of paragraphs. Need to sleep on it.

Si, if you don't mind I'll not go into manual flash. It's a nightmare. The blunt answer is you need a flash meter and a lot of trial and error, but you can do a lot by blasting away and checking the LCD and histogram. Start by using the Guide Number and a calculator, plus a bit of guesswork around the inverse-square law, and allowance for reflectance in big rooms/small rooms/outdoors. Easy!

The Guide Number is usually part of the gun's model number, eg Canon 580EX has a Guide Number of 58 (ISO 100/metres) but only when zoom head is maxxed out to 105mm. In other words, divide Guide Number by distance in metres and that's your f/number with ISO 100. Away you go :D

Richard.

Ahh my fav method "press shutter with crossed fingers" :D

Think it will boil down to that method anyway, at gigs I don't have time for maths (and I'm crap at it anyway).

I just wish the camera in semi auto would sync at 125th not 60th. I can drop it from 60th but not raise it grrrrrrrrrr, but in manual will sync at anything up to 500th.

Si, I don't understand. Have to say I wondered why you were asking manual flash tricks.

For auto fill-flash, don't you just set the camera on A (aperture-prioity auto) choose your f/number and go? The camera should meter the flash correctly, and set the ambient exposure to balance at ANY shutter speed up to 1/500sec.

What is the point of 1/500sec x-sync if you can't use it for fill-flash? Seriously, you got this right mate? Wierd :confused:

Richard.

PS You could always get a proper camera, like maybe a Canon :D

The default value for the D70s for fill in flash is 1/60th only alterable down, not up in A mode. In manual I can have sync up to 1/500th. Like you I think its daft, but hey what do I know compaired to Nikon :Suspiciou

I've scoured the manual but can't find anything, maybe I've missed it.




Oh and I've got a canon thanks :p

Richard, I think one of the most important filter topics has to be how to avoid blown highlights by using graduated neutral density filters. A couple of short paragraphs about how to meter a scene to determine the difference between the exposure value for the shadows and that for the highlights and the simple calculation to determine which strength of filter to use should be sufficient to explain how to use them. As for other filters, I would concentrate on how to use a polariser, the usefulness (or not depending on one's view) of having a skylight or UV filter to protect the front element might also be worth mentioning as well as a short opening para on the different types of filter - the holder systems from Lee and Cokin versus the screw-in filters.

So I guess this means we don't get to burn any cars then? :(

:)

Si, I don't understand. Have to say I wondered why you were asking manual flash tricks.

For auto fill-flash, don't you just set the camera on A (aperture-prioity auto) choose your f/number and go? The camera should meter the flash correctly, and set the ambient exposure to balance at ANY shutter speed up to 1/500sec.

What is the point of 1/500sec x-sync if you can't use it for fill-flash? Seriously, you got this right mate? Wierd :confused:

Richard.

PS You could always get a proper camera, like maybe a Canon :D

Ignore me, I'm talking nuts. It does indeed sync at speeds above 60th/sec, but doesn't use iTTL balanced fill in flash in AP mode when spot metering is selected (guess what mode I use at gigs). When spot metering is selected in AP mode it uses standard TTL flash as it would in manual. Guess I'll be using the manual mode and spot metering, and using the shoot alot and cross your fingers technique.

The Webmaster he say yes :D

But I thought we were unmoderated in here (looking at recent threads:D ) :thumb:

Nope, things are just a bit more leaniant (sp) whilst everyone works out whats art and whats porn :D

Definitely art

BTTT, not a sticky yet and most certainly should be.