Marking Knives

[woodbloke]

For most shot's when I'm on my own in the 'shop, I have to use the self-timer. I've started to make the attempt to make my pics better quality, 'specially if they're going to be published, so I've just got some halogen site lights from Axminster which will give a bit more :shock: illumination on the job. This means that instead of shooting on 'Auto' which is what I used to do, I can now set the D60 to 'Manual' and shoot at 1/160 or even 1/250 and f20. The 'white balance' on the camera needs to be adjusted to about 3000K and a tripod is also recommended - Rob

 

[bugbear]

For most shot's when I'm on my own in the 'shop, I have to use the self-timer. I've started to make the attempt to make my pics better quality, 'specially if they're going to be published, so I've just got some halogen site lights from Axminster which will give a bit more :shock: illumination on the job.

Be careful that you don't get burnt out highlights, and nasty sharp shadows. Alice's photos tend to look good because the light mainly comes from sunlight through a white plastic ceiling, and is super-diffuse.

This means that instead of shooting on 'Auto' which is what I used to do, I can now set the D60 to 'Manual' and shoot at 1/160 or even 1/250 and f20. The 'white balance' on the camera needs to be adjusted to about 3000K and a tripod is also recommended - Rob

No need to use full manual; just use aperture priority to set f20, and let the camera work out the shutter speed.

For white balance, I would suggest (especially with multiple mixed light sources) getting your camera to simply measure the light; on a D60 this is called "preset manual" white balance, and can be measured by simply using a white card, and using the "measure" button (page 105-106 of the manual)

(and, yes, tripods almost invariably result in better photos, for various reasons)

My workshop is so small, cluttered and dark that I usually take photos on a small setup in the house :-(

BugBear

 

[Paul Chapman]

No need to use full manual; just use aperture priority to set f20, and let the camera work out the shutter speed.

Far better to use manual exposure setting and focusing IMHO. The issue is that the camera doesn't know what it is looking at - could be a black cat against a white wall or a white cat against a black wall. They might both need the same exposure but the camera, on auto, will give different readings. Same with focusing - always focus on the bit that you want to come out sharpest.

On exposure, it can be useful to bracket - one at the given reading, then one stop over and one stop under - until you get used to it. As it's digital, it doesn't cost anything to take a few extra shots.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

PS With film cameras (presumably it's similar with digital) it always was the case that exposure meters were calibrated on the assumption that they were reading from a mid-tone. You can buy 18% grey cards that reflect 18% of the light shining on them. On difficult subjects, you can place one of these cards (or something similar) in front of the object and take the exposure reading from that. Useful when the subject has a mixture of very light and very dark areas and you don't know where to take the reading from. However, once you fully understand the principles, it's easy to judge how to take the readings for best results.

 

[woodbloke]

The reason I bought the lights (apart from being 25% off ) was that the ed. from F&C came round my place on Friday night and we had a good old natter about taking better quality pics. He was armed with a set of proffessional studio lights with the silver umbis behind (£300++ :shock: ) but he mentioned that halogen site light lights were a far cheaper alternative but that the 'white balance' would have to be set to compensate for the light source. He also suggested shooting on fully 'Manual' (f20 and 1/160) so that everything ought :roll: to be in focus (or at least as Paul says, the bit that I want to be sharp) I had been shooting on 'Auto' but stuff wasn't always that good or in focus. We also discussed WIP shots in the 'shop...these, according to Anthony Baily (the 'foto guru) at F&C should be shot against a light grey, matt background (bit of hardboard a couple of coats of emulsion)
Anyway, I've got Steve Allford (Promhandicam) coming down this weekend so I'll have a play around with the new lighting set up when he's here - Rob

 

[Paul Chapman]

He also suggested shooting on fully 'Manual' (f20 and 1/160) so that everything ought :roll: to be in focus (or at least as Paul says, the bit that I want to be sharp)

The other point about using manual is that you can select the aperture you want to use. A small aperture (larger number) will give you a greater depth of field (the distance in front and behind the point that the camera is focused on) than a large aperture (small number). The smaller the aperture the longer the exposure will need to be but that doesn't matter provided the camera is on a tripod and the subject is still.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[wizer]

Although I shoot my workshop pics with a Nikon D50, I have no clue about photography (surprised?). My photos come out very orangey. I wonder if fitting my florescent lights with day light bulbs would help such a situation? I intend to get more task lighting around the workbench and over the TS/SCMS too.

 

[bugbear]

No need to use full manual; just use aperture priority to set f20, and let the camera work out the shutter speed.

Far better to use manual exposure setting and focusing IMHO. The issue is that the camera doesn't know what it is looking at - could be a black cat against a white wall or a white cat against a black wall. They might both need the same exposure but the camera, on auto, will give different readings. Same with focusing - always focus on the bit that you want to come out sharpest.

On exposure, it can be useful to bracket - one at the given reading, then one stop over and one stop under - until you get used to it. As it's digital, it doesn't cost anything to take a few extra shots.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

PS With film cameras (presumably it's similar with digital) it always was the case that exposure meters were calibrated on the assumption that they were reading from a mid-tone. You can buy 18% grey cards that reflect 18% of the light shining on them. On difficult subjects, you can place one of these cards (or something similar) in front of the object and take the exposure reading from that. Useful when the subject has a mixture of very light and very dark areas and you don't know where to take the reading from. However, once you fully understand the principles, it's easy to judge how to take the readings for best results.

Agreed on bracketing - why not, it's free.

But modern cameras have very good metering, and they don't just average, like the old camera's did. Most use multizone metering, and do a remarkably good job. Clearly any given aperture/shutter speed CAN be set in "full" manual mode, but how do you know what shutter speed to set?

I find that for most lighting setups and subjects, modern cameras generate accurate exposures in aperture priority mode; in this case (of course) we WANT to control the aperture, to control depth of field; we merely want the shutter speed to provide a correct exposure. This is exactly what aperture priority mode is for, and I would only switch to full manual if the auto was a mile off, which is isn't, at least usually, at in my experience.

I did use manual (on my beloved and defunct little 2 Mp Canon a60) to get this shot:

But shiny metal against black velvet will fool most automatics

BugBear

 

[Wanlock Dod]

Rob,

I'll add my vote for bracketing too. On some of these poncey new cameras they can be set to take bracketted shots consecutively (one correct exposure, one underexposed and one overexposed). It just gives you a better chance of getting a properly exposed one, and there's no associated cost for digital cameras (unless you're short of memory space).

Cheers,

Dod

 

[bugbear]

Rob,

I'll add my vote for bracketing too. On some of these poncey new cameras they can be set to take bracketted shots consecutively (one correct exposure, one underexposed and one overexposed). It just gives you a better chance of getting a properly exposed one, and there's no associated cost for digital cameras (unless you're short of memory space).

Cheers,

Dod

And you could use the triplet for HDR

BugBear

 

[matthewwh]

Oooh, now thats getting really fancy!

Incredible effect though.

 

[bugbear]

Oooh, now thats getting really fancy!

Incredible effect though.

Well, you CAN use it for garish effects (bizarre skies seem a particular favourite)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/jaypegs/30 ... n/pool-hdr

But you can also use it to solve difficult lighting or subject issues (i.e. a subject that inherently HAS high dynamic range)

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... 35&#257935

BugBear

 

[wizer]

HDR has really been over done. I like it but I've seen just about every popular landscape, HDR'd

 

[matthewwh]

That's very interesting.

Last time I tried to photograph saw teeth it took a whole afternoon and just about drove me cross eyed. I've got some new dozukis coming over from Japan next week, so if I can work out how to superimpose the photos I'll be able to do closeups to show the difference between the teeth on the rip cut and cross cut variants.

Thanks,


Matthew

 

[lurker]

That's very interesting.

Last time I tried to photograph saw teeth it took a whole afternoon and just about drove me cross eyed. I've got some new dozukis coming over from Japan next week, so if I can work out how to superimpose the photos I'll be able to do closeups to show the difference between the teeth on the rip cut and cross cut variants.

Thanks,
Matthew

The answer is stareing you in the face!
Send the saws to one of these "experts" & they will do it for you. The "fee" should be obvious too!

 

[bugbear]

HDR has really been over done. I like it but I've seen just about every popular landscape, HDR'd

Yeah. Lots of garish clouds :-(

It was similar during the "lomo" script craze.

BugBear

 

[Harbo]

I can appreciate Rob (Woodbloke) going to spotlights etc. as he is into publishing, but for the majority of us a much more simpler approach is all that is required, especially if you are only posting stuff here?
And a lot depends on your camera?
I personally take photos in RAW format which you can then adjust for colour temperature using Photoshop. My camera also has several different autofocus possibilities including single point. I have to downsize the images to post here anyway so some quality is lost (RAW images are typically 3888x2592 & 11.5MB). My camera (a Canon EOS 40D) does not have a timer but my lenses have built-in stabilisers which often overcomes the need for a tripod.

Rod

 

[bugbear]

My camera (a Canon EOS 40D) does not have a timer

Yes it does. (p 82 of the manual)

BugBear

 

[Harbo]

Bugbear - thanks for that I should read the manuals more carefully

I did look in the index under T for Timer and D for Delayed Action but it is under S for Self Timer

Thanks again

Rod

 

[woodbloke]

I can appreciate Rob (Woodbloke) going to spotlights etc. as he is into publishing, but for the majority of us a much more simpler approach is all that is required, especially if you are only posting stuff here?

Rod

Hi Rod - I don't count myself in anyway a 'foto guru, but the ed. of F&C said (without saying, if you get my drift :wink: ) that the pics that were submitted to the mag had to be much better, which is the reason he came round to my place about 10 days ago to reshoot the Elm Cabint II pics (out next month in the mag btw) I agree though that for ordinary pics that go onto the forum, shooting in Auto under the normal shop lights is good enough - Rob

 

[bugbear]

Bugbear - thanks for that I should read the manuals more carefully

I did look in the index under T for Timer and D for Delayed Action but it is under S for Self Timer

Thanks again

Rod

It just didn't seem likely to me that a higher end camera like yours would be missing such a standard feature - so I looked.

These days almost all the camera manuals are online and searchable, so it didn't take long to find the info.

The one thing a tripod and/or I/S lens won't do for you is self-shots...

BugBear