Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Archive => Competitions => PPC 2014! => Topic started by: Genom on 23 February 2014, 08:22:29 PM

Title: An Army at Night time
Post by: Genom on 23 February 2014, 08:22:29 PM
Anyone know what kind of settings to use to get good quality pictures? I'm having the following issues.

I've managed to up the exposure to get more of it in focus due to them being small and up close, but now I'm not getting the lighting. And these are with the wifes daylight lamp.

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Xq3Qn6hpXMw/UwpXTrpsthI/AAAAAAAAASU/h8la1a8WXok/s1600/Dark+1.JPG)

(http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-txPA_vHL4GY/UwpXVI04U-I/AAAAAAAAASc/auH1m8z9HkU/s1600/Option1.JPG)
Title: Re: An Army at Night time
Post by: fred. on 23 February 2014, 08:29:45 PM
You need a tripod.

Or lots of daylight.


The first is about £10-15 from Amazon. The second is hard to find in Feb in the UK.

You have correctly increased the aperture to get more depth of field (i.e. more stuff in focus). But you get less light into the camera doing this, so need a much longer exposure time - and this is where the tripod comes in as it will keep the camera steady for long exposures.

You can also try taking the photo from further away, this gives you more depth of field, so you can open the aperture back up. Then when you get the photo on the PC crop it very heavily.

(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-27X26SDXzLQ/UwpZ4xgx9dI/AAAAAAAACWk/TUVHoyaUD3Q/s800/IMG_3717.jpg)

This was taken today, in very overcast conditions, using f10 and 1/4s exposure. Looks pretty bright - much brighter than the actual daylight looked. Holding the camera you would struggle to get slower than 1/30s without getting shake.
Title: Re: An Army at Night time
Post by: paulr on 23 February 2014, 11:36:37 PM
Genom, all good advise from Fred. If you do get acces to a tripod, a couple of extra hints:
- use the timer to take the picture, my camera lets me set a 2 second delay, this lets the camera stop shaking after you press the button
- if it is a DSLR lock the mirror up, again reduces camera shake

Nice looking troops will be good to see them prpoerly exposed   ;)

Title: Re: An Army at Night time
Post by: barbarian on 24 February 2014, 08:54:08 AM
I like the idea of the removable NCO and CO on the command bases.
Title: Re: An Army at Night time
Post by: Hertsblue on 24 February 2014, 09:31:51 AM
I second all the above comments and would only add that a Gorrilla tripod (which is really a succession of ball-joints) is very useful as it's infinitely adjustable. About £10 from Amazon or the like.

(http://i1220.photobucket.com/albums/dd448/Hertsblue/DSCN1093.jpg)
Title: Re: An Army at Night time
Post by: fsn on 24 February 2014, 10:26:49 AM
Warning with the Gorillapod - it comes in two types. One is OK for compact cameras but buckles under a full sized SLR.

It  is hoever a great piece of kit. Don't leave home without one!
Title: Re: An Army at Night time
Post by: fred. on 24 February 2014, 10:45:49 AM
Yes, even the bigger Gorillapod struggles with a DSLR with zoom lens.

I got one a good few years ago, but rarely use it. I tend to use the full tripod slightly more often (still not very often). I find between the stabilisation of the camera and the pretty good flash, I am happy taking hand-held shots, rather than messing about setting everything up.
Title: Re: An Army at Night time
Post by: fsn on 24 February 2014, 12:49:23 PM
Oooh! There, friend Fred we may disagree in a gentlemanly way. Set the camera on a tripod, get the setting right then just put everything in front of it.  I find that is by far the easiest way for most model related things. I also hate the flash - bleaches things out and puts a horrible cold hue on everything.

Far better a light box. I've only just bought one. Before that I was using one I made with a translucent plastic box, greaseproof paper and a couple of desk lamps. 
Title: Re: An Army at Night time
Post by: Matt J on 24 February 2014, 01:31:19 PM
I use a light box kit, fill flash set on the camera and just handheld. Pretty good results every time. Don't see how you can use a tripod to photo 10mm, I think you need to be low down.
Title: Re: An Army at Night time
Post by: fsn on 24 February 2014, 06:03:46 PM
Quote from: Matt of Munslow on 24 February 2014, 01:31:19 PM
I use a light box kit, fill flash set on the camera and just handheld. Pretty good results every time. Don't see how you can use a tripod to photo 10mm, I think you need to be low down.

I put the figures on a table.  :P
Title: Re: An Army at Night time
Post by: Matt J on 24 February 2014, 08:30:18 PM
QuoteI put the figures on a table.  Tongue

;D fair point (its been a long day)
Title: Re: An Army at Night time
Post by: Genom on 24 February 2014, 11:18:50 PM
Quote from: barbarian on 24 February 2014, 08:54:08 AM
I like the idea of the removable NCO and CO on the command bases.

They're just plastic 40mm bases I had left over from my Fireforge stuff, I drew round a 2p on some cardboard, 2 layers later I had a small container and once it was all covered in basing sand (other than my 2p slot) you can't really tell. One of the other ones with the 1p Recce option on it I did using foam core, cut and scooped out the hole for it, it'd work better if you can use a glue that doesn't do the shrinkage thing like PVA does as it curled up on me a bit.

But it does mean depending on what we're playing, I can swap out my various HQ's and CO's to match the force I'm fielding.
Title: Re: An Army at Night time
Post by: Hertsblue on 25 February 2014, 08:13:52 AM
Quote from: Matt of Munslow on 24 February 2014, 01:31:19 PM
I use a light box kit, fill flash set on the camera and just handheld. Pretty good results every time. Don't see how you can use a tripod to photo 10mm, I think you need to be low down.

I bought a pair of 85w low-energy photofloods for just over £100 a couple of years ago. Best photographic investment I've ever made. The pic of the mini tripod was taken under their light.