I read the instructions for the my new Olympus digital SLR, E-400 camera and watched some of the accompanying DVD, to get acquainted with some of the many buttons and menus. I started practicing with the shutter speed and focal length, trying to get the foreground and background in focus, and these are the best of the first batch. There's a long way to go and I think I need to re-read Bob Boudreau's site on MRR photography. Jon
I also took a some pics where the subject seemed to be in focus but the camera must have wobbled, even though it was on a tripod Any suggestions as to cause and remedy? Jon
Jon, they are looking good! Did you try to use the timer on the shutter release to avoid any shaking?
Jon, you might also consider a cable release for this type of shot. A cable release concentrates and balances all forces within the body, so the body remains stationary during the shot. Of course this assumes you have not yanked on the cable in your exitement......:embarassed:
Perhaps use the self-timer option? Most digital camera's alow you to chose the duration. Two (2) seconds would be enough to have a stable picture. Even my Canon A430 (very low end) has two different duration times to choose from. Gino
Wonderful scenes !!!!!!!!!:thumbs_up: Just give the bus headlights & directionals,(not blue:teeth: ) & it'll be perfect.
The second last definitely looks like motion blur to me, not focus. The last one I'm not sure - it just looks not right. Presumably you were using long exposures. I have a couple of thoughts: I assume digital SLRs use the same mirror system as traditional. This means a bit of weight is getting shoved around when you operate the shutter which may shake the camera - you need to make sure the camera and tripod are solidly set. The other possibility is external vibration, especially if the camera is set on your benchwork - depends on your situation of course, but heavy footsteps in the room next door, passing lorry, etc, could all set a 'drum' like resonance that's enough to blur the picture.
Great pictures, Jon. No wonder with such a layout. And like Steve said, I make my pictures with tripod or other support like the layout itself and a wooden box and timer. Wolfgang
Another strong possibility for out of focus pictures, where the main subject is out of focus and other parts of the picture are in focus, is because the autofocus sensor is actually reading a different part of the scene than you think (the sensor area is larger than you think and is reading more than you imagine). This is a failure of the overly complex technology and has nothing to do with the abilities of the photographer. You can read about many assorted "autofocus" problems with digital cameras here: http://www.nikonians.org/ Try manually focusing on a scene and see if it is any better.
Too bad the E400 wasn't released in the U.S. Does it have live preview, too? :teeth: As always, S.C. is amazing. mg:
Nice photographs! I've been sitting here for the past hour or so jaw dropping at them~ bonus Kudos points from me to you for the Chicago Express Truck in the photos :teeth:
Thanks Matthew. Not sure about the live preview. So far, I have managed to find a Depth of Field preview, but I miss the ability of the digital compacts to focus the shot using the screen rather than with the viewfinder. I'm not sure that this camera has the ability, but I hope I'm proved wrong. Jon
Thanks for all the helpful advice. I tightened up the tripod, splayed the (tripod) legs wider and located the anti-earthquake button on the camera (self-timer) and set it for a 2-second delay. I also messed around varying where the auto focus thought the centre of the composition was. Here are a few of the latest snaps - apologies for the repetition of the locos and cars. Still blurry front and back Not quite so blurry Foreground is almost in focus although I now have issues with the tone (possibly fixed with a longer exposure time) Telegraph pole looks bendy Jon
I tried this last composition a few times. The first few shots were too dark and these 2 begin to get out of focus at different points - at least the foreground is more in focus. The building also seems to be buckling under the weight. Jon
:shade: :shade: :shade: :shade: I know that I sometimes are cause movement in a tripod by being heavy fingered and with close & long distance shots it doesn't take much movement to be captured on these new high pixel digital cameras. What kind of new toy do you have?
Darren, Jon now has the Olympus Evolt E-400. Jon what lenses do you have? BTW, I was wrong, it's the new E-410 that has live preview.
Jon, The "bendy" pole and buildings may be caused by a wide angle lens which can distort near the image edges. If you can use a lens with a focal length around 50 mm, you should be able to correct the "bendies". For the focus problem, can you reduce the aperture, i.e. increase the f-stop to f-16 or f-22? This will dramatically increase the depth-of-field bringing much more of the image into focus. On the other hand, it will increase the shutter time significantly which will require a very stable tripod.
Jon, Try to not using the extreme ends of this lens. It's has a severe barrel distortion problem on it's wide angle setting. Is it the stock lens? If so, i would go back to the store and have a try at a different lens. It's even possible that it's just a problem with your lens. Gino
Jon, From the pictures, it is readily evident you have done some tremendous work on the layout. Hopefully you'll be able to upload other images from your layout in the near future. I do offer the following comments: 1. What are the settings / lens you're shooting with? When I'm indoors, the "final" images are almost always shot using manual mode. I do take a few "practice" shots using automatic mode first and look at the settings that were selected (I don't have a separate light meter). I then set the manual mode parameters, adjusting them slightly for what I think will result in a better picture. The beauty of digital photography is if you aren't satisfied with the shot, you tweak the settings and try again. BTW, get a flash memory card with sufficient capacity and don't delete any shots until you have reviewed them on a large computer screen. 2. If you haven't been using one, you might consider using a tripod and cable release when you shoot indoors. 3. What type of lighting (incandescent, CF, "natural", etc.) is overhead / in the room? On a couple of the shots, it looks like a fill flash (and/or a continuous lighting source from the side) might have helped out a bit. If you look at the trucks and the wheelsets, for example, the detail is could be more pronounced. I didn't see any mirrors or shiny clear plastic in the windows of the buildings (or other highly-reflective objects) that might cause light to be reflected in an undesirable manner. While all photographers are concerned with lighting, I'm probably a bit more sensitive of that aspect of photography because I take quite a few pictures of my tropical aquarium. Shooting at moving fish & live plants through glass and circulating water -- all of which affect the lighting in the aquarium -- is something else. 4. Do you have a UV (or any other) filter on your lens? Thanks for sharing pictures of your impressive layout. -Dave
