A Third Attempt...

BuS_RiDeR · Sep 15, 2012

I wasn't happy with the black background I used in my "Second Attempt" thread... So I re-shot with a white background this time...

C&C if you wish... I think it looks better than the black/gray... Second effort First effort

amolitor · Sep 15, 2012

This is wonderful! You still have unpleasant softness all over the place, though... Smaller aperture, perhaps, for more DoF?

BuS_RiDeR · Sep 15, 2012

amolitor said:
This is wonderful! You still have unpleasant softness all over the place, though... Smaller aperture, perhaps, for more DoF?

Thank you... And I think you are right. Perhaps I'll try again.

I was using 2 mono lights on a white paper background. I was set to my cameras sync speed, which is 1/250th. The required aperture in this setep was 6.7 I believe... Next time I attempt this, I will turn up the power on the lights a bit.

PS - My medical condition makes it difficult for me to multitask and/or think to far ahead... That's why I tend to work slowly and in steps... (just to clarify a bit)

Rick58 · Sep 16, 2012

amolitor said:
This is wonderful! You still have unpleasant softness all over the place, though... Smaller aperture, perhaps, for more DoF?

I would like to add I like the clean reflections in the lenses, but as Amolitor stated, there is something going of with the DOF. It looks like your focus was somewhere around the front of the EOS lens and drops off rather quickly front and rear.

BuS_RiDeR · Sep 16, 2012

Rick58 said:
amolitor said:

This is wonderful! You still have unpleasant softness all over the place, though... Smaller aperture, perhaps, for more DoF?

Click to expand...

I would like to add I like the clean reflections in the lenses, but as Amolitor stated, there is something going of with the DOF. It looks like your focus was somewhere around the front of the EOS lens and drops off rather quickly front and rear.

Thanks for your input. I may attempt this again later.... They are great models.

Animaniac888 · Sep 16, 2012

It's very soft... lighting isn't really all that great either. I would suggest turning off all the lights, setting your camera's built-in flash to full output, then using a piece of aluminum foil to bounce it towards wherever you want the light to come from. That's an uber-cheap lighting setup right there.

I tried shooting with an AE-1 for the first time yesterday... didn't work out very well.

cgipson1 · Sep 16, 2012

Animaniac888 said:
It's very soft... lighting isn't really all that great either. I would suggest turning off all the lights, setting your camera's built-in flash to full output, then using a piece of aluminum foil to bounce it towards wherever you want the light to come from. That's an uber-cheap lighting setup right there.

I tried shooting with an AE-1 for the first time yesterday... didn't work out very well.

He has Monolights..... why are you suggesting using the popup flash at all? Just curious!

cgipson1 · Sep 16, 2012

Hey Bus!!! How are the eyes doing? I know you were having some major medical issues for quite a while... and many of our newer members probably are not aware of the difficulties you were having!

Animaniac888 · Sep 16, 2012

cgipson1 said:
Animaniac888 said:

It's very soft... lighting isn't really all that great either. I would suggest turning off all the lights, setting your camera's built-in flash to full output, then using a piece of aluminum foil to bounce it towards wherever you want the light to come from. That's an uber-cheap lighting setup right there.

I tried shooting with an AE-1 for the first time yesterday... didn't work out very well.

Click to expand...

He has Monolights..... why are you suggesting using the popup flash at all? Just curious!

TBH I didn't know what a monolight was and didn't notice that he had them...

Now I do. *facepalm*

Derrel · Sep 16, 2012

At such a close distance, you need a SMALL lens opening! Think f/13 or f/16...really small!!! ALso, do some focus bracketing; that is to say, adjust the focus a bit and take multiple photos, while moving the focus ring JUST A LITTLE bit, and see if tyuo can get it "just right"!!!. There can be some slight OOF areas, sure, but if the OOF areas are too large, or fall in certain "high eye attraction" areas of the shot, the OOF nature of the areas will spoil the overall effect. What you need to do is to get enough DOF to pull focus on the white lettering on the front of the AE-1's lens, AND the nameplates on both cameras...that's what would make this look the best...now, I am familiar with the 50/1.8 FD Canon lens...it's on old-school "full-size 50", not a pancake...so...you need about, estimated 2 and 5/8 inches of DOF, maybe even a bit more, to pull that writing on the front of the 50mm lens AND the nameplate on the Elan into decent focus...

So...f/6.7 just ain't gonna cut it, from that CLOSE range...

charlie76 · Sep 16, 2012

Is this a color image in the B&W gallery?

BuS_RiDeR · Sep 17, 2012

cgipson1 said:
Hey Bus!!! How are the eyes doing? I know you were having some major medical issues for quite a while... and many of our newer members probably are not aware of the difficulties you were having!

Things are still improving... VERY slowly. But I think improving. Thank you for asking...

Most things look soft/OOF to me still. So I rely on the camera a lot for AF. But obviously, it doesn't always work out. Unfortunately, my eyes can't really see the fine details and focus on my Camera's LCD. So, I have to wait and look at the results on me computer screen. So, often multiple re-shoots are needed to get it acceptable...

But I am still shooting.

One of my biggest challenges; photography wise, is my DoF. I seem to habe problems judging how much DoF and what aperture setting to use...

BuS_RiDeR · Sep 17, 2012

Derrel said:
At such a close distance, you need a SMALL lens opening! Think f/13 or f/16...really small!!!

Now. that is a tidbit I never knew. Thanks Darrel. I appreciate that...

Derrel said:
ALso, do some focus bracketing; that is to say, adjust the focus a bit and take multiple photos, while moving the focus ring JUST A LITTLE bit, and see if you can get it "just right"!!!. There can be some slight OOF areas, sure, but if the OOF areas are too large, or fall in certain "high eye attraction" areas of the shot, the OOF nature of the areas will spoil the overall effect. What you need to do is to get enough DOF to pull focus on the white lettering on the front of the AE-1's lens, AND the nameplates on both cameras...that's what would make this look the best...now, I am familiar with the 50/1.8 FD Canon lens...it's on old-school "full-size 50", not a pancake...so...you need about, estimated 2 and 5/8 inches of DOF, maybe even a bit more, to pull that writing on the front of the 50mm lens AND the nameplate on the Elan into decent focus...

So...f/6.7 just ain't gonna cut it, from that CLOSE range...

Thanks Darrel. I will try again soon. I think that I under-estimate how small the DoF will be at such short distance. Is therre a rule of thumb? I was using my nifty 50...