Help with Camera Settings for a Specific Shot

RandyKlein · Feb 8, 2011

I want to take a very specific picture. I created a camera mount for my motorcycle where the camera sits on the gas tank pointed at the gauges and out the front windshield. I want to take a picture where the gauges are completely in focus & the road and background (seen out the windshield and on the sides of the bike) are out of focus. I want to try to have the road as a motion blur. I want the speedometer to say "100 mph", so I plan on driving fairly fast. Don't worry, I plan on doing this on a closed course and using a timer to take photos. The photo will be taken in daylight.

I have borrowed a friends Nikon DSLR for this (I dont have the model off hand). I am a complete amateur photographer, so excuse my ignorance here.

How should I setup the camera to accomplish this? What type of lens should I use? What specific settings should I set, and what should the settings be (roughly)? Is there anything else that I should consider?

Thanks in advance for any help!

Robin Usagani · Feb 8, 2011

Set ISO to 100
Change your camera to shutter priority: Tv or S (depending what brand you have)
Set the shutter to maybe around 1/80 of a sec

Nikon_Dude · Feb 8, 2011

If your camera mount is not very secure, you will get vibrations and the picture will not come out clear at the 1/80 of a second. I've seen many mounts people have made suffer from this problem, even with much smaller cameras than an slr.

You can also get a gopro, set it to take a picture every 2 seconds, and ride around for a while. But you do not have manual control over settings.

tirediron · Feb 8, 2011

Since it's a Nikon, the base ISO will be 200 vice 100. There's one element that Schwetty didn't mention and that's the lens. Ensure that you have a lens which will focus closely enough to ensure that the gauves are in focus. Depending on the lens, it may allow you to focus as closely as a couple of inches, or only to a few feet. You can increast the amount in focus by adjusting the aperture (f #s) however, if you have a choice, ask for a wide or ultra-wide angle lens for this shot. That will give you lots of depth of field (area in focus) and I think, a more interesting perspective.

Robin Usagani · Feb 8, 2011

I assume you will need pretty wide angle because the view in front of you wont be blurred that much. Only the asphalt below and the side views will be blurred. Yeah, true tirediron... your camera might not be able to focus that close. I would also set your camera to shoot with timer. 10 second to get you up the speed. Hell with a crotch rocket you will be 100mph in like 4 seconds I assume LOL.

Davor · Feb 8, 2011

your definatly should crank your shutter up to like 1/160 - 1/200, i think thats sufficient to freeze the vibrations but to make everything else blurry at those speeds.

RockstarPhotography · Feb 8, 2011

just take a still image without the bike moving then blur in photoshop.....much safer!!!!!!!!!!!...or you could merge the still photo with a blurry one taken and get the detail in where you want it.