Just got a lumix g100 for taking miniature model group photos need basic help

[TnyMnstrz]

I just got a lumix g100.

It has the standard out of the box lens.

I am trying to take photos of miniature models.

I need to be able to take a f22 picture for 3 or 4 seconds at 200 ISO.

I cannot figure out what settings will allow me to do that. The manual switch does not seem to really be manual. And the shutter speed display strange number that don't seem to be time in seconds or fractions of a second.

Basically I do not know Jack and really need help getting to a functioning level

 

[snowbear]

Welcome aboard. I'm curious on how you came up with these settings.

I'm not familiar with the G100 but I see it has a mode knob at top, right. In a nutshell: turn that to "M" for manual settings; set the ISO to 200; set the aperture to 22; set the shutter speed to 4-seconds (there may not be a 3-second setting). I see there is a dial in front of the settings know - that will probably be what you use for at least one of the settings, possibly in combination with a button press. ISO may be done through a menu. Use a tripod of some kind.

The manual is generally your best friend, and may be available for download on the Panasonic web site.

 

[RacePhoto]

Without a camera in hand, my guess would be as good as @snowbear, or likely not as good? But I have a question, rather than answering what you posted...

What are you trying to accomplish? Is the whole idea of f/22 so your close up of a small model, is in focus? Your camera has built in image stacking. Right there you have something special. What lens did you buy with it?

Here's my idea, based on that. find the image stacking settings, find the minimum focus distance and make sure you are back from that. Get some brighter lights. You don't have to spend big to have a couple of good continuous lights that will work for close ups of models.

Example: $8 at Walmart. But I have picked up a few of these at charity resale shops for $3.99. Get some LED "daylight" bulbs, which is a choice, but 5000K is easy to find. Buy two of these, one for each side, so you don't have terrible shadows.

If that's too harsh, you can put a single ply of a paper napkin over the end. Or a very thin piece of white cloth and make diffused light.

But my answer is, use the image stacking and at the same time create a brighter light source. Much easier than manual, long exposures, at a tiny f-stop which can have negative quality side issues doing things that way.

Nice little camera!

 

[snowbear]

Without a camera in hand, my guess would be as good as @snowbear, or likely not as good? But I have a question, rather than answering what you posted...

What are you trying to accomplish? Is the whole idea of f/22 so your close up of a small model, is in focus? Your camera has built in image stacking. Right there you have something special. What lens did you buy with it?

Here's my idea, based on that. find the image stacking settings, find the minimum focus distance and make sure you are back from that. Get some brighter lights. You don't have to spend big to have a couple of good continuous lights that will work for close ups of models.

Example: $8 at Walmart. But I have picked up a few of these at charity resale shops for $3.99. Get some LED "daylight" bulbs, which is a choice, but 5000K is easy to find. Buy two of these, one for each side, so you don't have terrible shadows.

If that's too harsh, you can put a single ply of a paper napkin over the end. Or a very thin piece of white cloth and make diffused light.

But my answer is, use the image stacking and at the same time create a brighter light source. Much easier than manual, long exposures, at a tiny f-stop which can have negative quality side issues doing things that way.

Nice little camera!

Tracing paper also makes a decent diffuser, in a pinch.

 

[RacePhoto]

Tracing paper also makes a decent diffuser, in a pinch.

Yeah, I still save those translucent rubbing alcohol and witch hazel bottles. Cut off they are nice over a flash, with a little adjusting. I'm working on a some light diffusers for the LED floods, which are too harsh. Never ending quest. I don't have room for a couple of soft boxes and a big table, which would be the real answer.

This time, bigger reflectors, then something to block the center and reflect the light back. I'm imagining something like a glamor light. Meaning a ring light of sorts, but not shooting through it. I'm hoping the baffle and reflection, plus the diffuser over everything, will make the overall light, softer without hard shadows.

These would be angled down at about 45 degrees. It's just a sketch for a general setup.

 

[newfilm]

in theory why do a 3 second shutter speed for doing a macro style photo.... you should be able to get away with f22 @ 1/250