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echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy

NoneMoreNegative posted:

buy a cheapy Yongnuo flash compatible with whatever system you have, a 5-meter flash sync cable that will fit the flash-head and your camera, a monopod or folding lightstand*, a cold-shoe threaded flash holder to go on top of the monopod / lightstand, and a shoot-through umbrella. You can get all this hella cheap, and it will be a good learning tool.

I've known a bunch of photogs who proclaim they are 'natural light only' shooters and everyone knows that actually means 'won't learn / are scared of trying flash'

*the lightstand you can plonk down with the cold shoe, brolly and flash head on as a one-man shoot, but if you swap the lightstand for a monopod you can get an assistant to VAL (Voice Activated Lightstand) for you and move your lighting without having to stop and move your lightstand

I'm trying to follow this but I think I'll start with what is a widely regarded yongnuo flash, and I presume that it's a good start, because as I add to it, I'll be adding things compatible. initially I'll only have flash though, but I will work with that.

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NoneMoreNegative
Jul 20, 2000
GOTH FASCISTIC
PAIN
MASTER




shit wizard dad

A cold shoe
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000261647563.html

A light stand (200CM)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33037158011.html

5m SyncCable (you need to check what the sync port on your camera and flash head are shaped like, but this is as generic as they come)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32954484015.html

Shoot through brolly (buy two, they are fragile and its good to have a backup)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000616735782.html

Cheap as gently caress.

Jimmy Carter
Nov 3, 2005

THIS MOTHERDUCKER
FLIES IN STYLE
I have a soft spot for gimmick cameras that will clearly only stick around for 1, maybe 2 generations. Case in point was the DxO One, which was the same 1" sensor from the RX100 in a cute package that you plugged into your iPhone 6. Too bad it bankrupted the company.

This is the new thing I want to set fire to $250 with: a weird monocular with switchable 100/400mm zoom that has a tiny sensor that will really only work in full sunlight BUT it fits in your pocket.

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy

NoneMoreNegative posted:

A cold shoe
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000261647563.html

A light stand (200CM)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33037158011.html

5m SyncCable (you need to check what the sync port on your camera and flash head are shaped like, but this is as generic as they come)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32954484015.html

Shoot through brolly (buy two, they are fragile and its good to have a backup)
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000616735782.html

Cheap as gently caress.

so is the principle is using the speedlight off the camera and using a cable from the camera to the flash to fire it?

thankyou


Ill get the flash and can obv just use it as a manual flash and it’d be handy for inside but then get that other gear so I can also use it as an external. excellent. thanks

NoneMoreNegative
Jul 20, 2000
GOTH FASCISTIC
PAIN
MASTER




shit wizard dad

echinopsis posted:

so is the principle is using the speedlight off the camera and using a cable from the camera to the flash to fire it?

thankyou


Ill get the flash and can obv just use it as a manual flash and it’d be handy for inside but then get that other gear so I can also use it as an external. excellent. thanks

yeah as soon as you try off-axis flash it opens up so many new options. On-camera flash used as bounce off a roof or wall is fine for filling out dim lighting, but pointing it at your subject gets one very specific look.

If you're going all-manual exposure it won't take you long to figure how to mix natural light and flash, underexposing a shot by a half-stop and then dialing in your flash level by checking your LCD will give you the general idea in a couple hours fooling around.

(Now imagine you didn't have an LCD and had to wait until you developed your roll of B&W film in the darkroom before you could tell if you'd learned used your light-meter correctly; old-school film photography had a low barrier to entry but the skills to progress were a lot tougher to attain.)

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
yeah I am really keen to see what I can do. and poo poo yes complex photography before digital must have been aggressively trial and error.


I’ll get the flash next week, but that other gear will be weeks away, so I’ll have a bit of fun with the flash regardless. appreciate the help

polyester concept
Mar 29, 2017

lots of studio cameras had interchangeable film holders which included ones that allowed you to shoot onto polaroids for exactly that reason.

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
:hmmyes:

NoneMoreNegative
Jul 20, 2000
GOTH FASCISTIC
PAIN
MASTER




shit wizard dad

polyester concept posted:

lots of studio cameras had interchangeable film holders which included ones that allowed you to shoot onto polaroids for exactly that reason.

oh yeah definitely when you are wrangling a 5x4 (or god forbid a 10x8) View Camera and have a studio set + lights built up, all the light metering in the world isn't enough to be sure you've nailed it before you strike the set and send everyone home, especially as how B&W negative film will let you get away with a stop or more of missed exposure and still get a fine print, positive slide film you need to be within 1/3stop of exposure or you might as well throw it in the bin.

(not to mention if you're working with your own budget instead of a corporate budget how the expense of large format positives mounts up extremely loving quickly)

edit: this made me wonder if there had been any advances in proper (non-frankenstein DIY) view camera digital backs, and

https://petapixel.com/2021/07/09/largesense-launches-the-ls45-a-full-size-4x5-large-format-digital-back/

and the store page

http://largesense.com/index.php/products/4x5-large-format-digital-back-ls45

sure let me just open my wallet for $26k USD :prepop: drat, not quite PHASE ONE* Medium Format prices but still...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xyr_cPcAMTA


*I mean the PO stuff you're getting 150mpx and cutting edge tech, but its still corporate / dancing horse hobby money https://peartreephoto.com/phase-one-iq4

NoneMoreNegative fucked around with this message at 16:55 on Jan 28, 2022

polyester concept
Mar 29, 2017

that is cool for the novelty but lmao

it's monochrome
it's only 6.7 megapixels

and the best part

quote:

HTML Camera Control
Control of the camera is done through an HTML interface.

:stare:

polyester concept
Mar 29, 2017

NoneMoreNegative posted:

(not to mention if you're working with your own budget instead of a corporate budget how the expense of large format positives mounts up extremely loving quickly)

i got some of this in my freezer i've been trying to find the perfect opportunity to use :smug:

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
the lens I was renting I had to return and the rental dude had no portrait lenses left to loan so I took the nuclear option and ordered sigma 135mm f1.8 ART lens

reviews are consistently excellent. so much more money than i’ve ever spent on a lens. debt is a hell
of a drug



so this week I should have a flash arriving. i took the next step and order a wireless thing so i won’t need a cable, and this lens
then in the next wee while an umbrella and stand.


got a few shoots tentatively lined up, including some with some dudes and they’re photographers too so gonna have a bit of fun getting on the other side of the lens too. 2022 is the year I start my modelling career. don’t tell my dad

akadajet
Sep 14, 2003

the only problem I’ve had with sigma art lenses is autofocus accuracy. maybe it’s not as big of a deal on mirrorless idk

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
yeah I thought autofocus used an empirical method? time will tell. my camera has amazing autofocus as far as I can tell, which is good cos I am poo poo at manual especially the few mm thin depth of field this thing has wide open lol

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
gently caress lol so the rental dude has loaned me a 85mm f/1.4 and now a fucken 400mm f/2.8 both for free. because i’ve been easy to get gear from and happy to drop it off it seems he’s happy for me to basically hold onto it for free and just drop off when someone requests

and my 135mm arrived today


holy poo poo what am i gonna do with this stuff

akadajet
Sep 14, 2003

echinopsis posted:

gently caress lol so the rental dude has loaned me a 85mm f/1.4 and now a fucken 400mm f/2.8 both for free. because i’ve been easy to get gear from and happy to drop it off it seems he’s happy for me to basically hold onto it for free and just drop off when someone requests

and my 135mm arrived today


holy poo poo what am i gonna do with this stuff

with a 400mm and 135mm? take pictures of birds

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
yeah I prob will, no idea what else I will do lmao

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy



gently caress

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
aah yea that’s the poo poo





82mm !!! gently caress lol

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
this is the lens i’m picking up



5kg

Sagebrush
Feb 26, 2012

no you aren't. it's sitting on the floor

NoneMoreNegative
Jul 20, 2000
GOTH FASCISTIC
PAIN
MASTER




shit wizard dad

I mentioned picking up a cheap monopod for light-stand duties earlier, if you're planning on wielding a 5kg lens at all you absolutely want a monopod screwed in to the support arm there.

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy

NoneMoreNegative posted:

I mentioned picking up a cheap monopod for light-stand duties earlier, if you're planning on wielding a 5kg lens at all you absolutely want a monopod screwed in to the support arm there.

it’s coming in the mail


probably just put it on a tripod tho.

Sagebrush posted:

no you aren't. it's sitting on the floor



sagebrushed again

MrQueasy
Nov 15, 2005

Probiot-ICK

NoneMoreNegative posted:

I mentioned picking up a cheap monopod for light-stand duties earlier, if you're planning on wielding a 5kg lens at all you absolutely want a monopod screwed in to the support arm there.

Heh, I didn't realize the two lenses I had rented weighed as much as a quart of water each until I was halfway back up the rim of the Grand Canyon.

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
holy poo poo I have a fear the 135mm might be too long.. i’ve only take a few photos of the kids and yeah the photos are 👌 and torso or shoulders up it’s fine but full body is a challenge..

the next lens I actually own and have permanent access to is the 50mm.. which at crop is about 80mm maybe..

suppose between the two of those I can handle most situations.. and suppose I like the idea that the best lens I own is at the better end of the length spectrum even if it means those pics might be harder the reward might be higher


one thing is that a vibe I go for my photos is trying for a sense of “intimacy” or “hanging out with a person I like and I hope they like me”, rather than “model in the park”, so time will tell if the longer lens lets me give shots that feel like you’re near or if they simply won’t.

echinopsis fucked around with this message at 19:56 on Feb 2, 2022

Sagebrush
Feb 26, 2012

yeah, 135mm is a portrait lens even on full-frame.

i mean you could always do that thing i posted about before and just stand 30 feet away and yell all your directions.

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy

Sagebrush posted:

yeah, 135mm is a portrait lens even on full-frame.

i mean you could always do that thing i posted about before and just stand 30 feet away and yell all your directions.

hahaha

when I was using the 100mm I never had the sense that I was standing away from the person, we just weren’t close, but this is definitely speak-up territory.

i’ve got the loaned 85mm to compare it to at the moment, but if I discover I prefer the 85mm i’ll be gutted.: not wanting to face purchase regret i’ll probably just avoid this conclusion

it’ll come down to, are the potentially better shots worth the extra difficult it working with the lens? time
will tell.




and mates I am excited to play with the flash. I reckon I need a filter to yellow/orange up the light because my primarily intention is for outdoor and white flash with outdoor light apparently looks like poo poo and understandably too.

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
took these before work


horses are hosed up





echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
lol

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
great success the flash remote came today and it works!! hehehe

fart simpson
Jul 2, 2005

DEATH TO AMERICA
:xickos:

echinopsis posted:

hahaha

when I was using the 100mm I never had the sense that I was standing away from the person, we just weren’t close, but this is definitely speak-up territory.

i’ve got the loaned 85mm to compare it to at the moment, but if I discover I prefer the 85mm i’ll be gutted.: not wanting to face purchase regret i’ll probably just avoid this conclusion

it’ll come down to, are the potentially better shots worth the extra difficult it working with the lens? time
will tell.




and mates I am excited to play with the flash. I reckon I need a filter to yellow/orange up the light because my primarily intention is for outdoor and white flash with outdoor light apparently looks like poo poo and understandably too.

you know what you must do now. buy a medium format camera to go with your long lens

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
the lens :

Sagebrush
Feb 26, 2012

that's the lens case. it says right on it

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
sagebrushed again

Sagebrush
Feb 26, 2012

https://i.imgur.com/f9bWoCE.mp4

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
ahahahahahahahaha fucken lol

qirex
Feb 15, 2001

mods rename thread to echi's losing struggle with gear acquisition syndrome liveblog

Destroyenator
Dec 27, 2004

Don't ask me lady, I live in beer
this thread inspired me to pull our my 10 y/o dslr a couple of weekends ago and try to take some shots. immediately remembered that i don't really care for street photography and i want to get out to some scenery or wilderness again

every trip i wonder if it's the last one for the camera and my phone will become the sole camera next time but there always something that i end up being really happy about having decent lenses and the focus on doing it properly

one area that my 4 y/o phone outperforms is auto white-balance. i guess they have so much data and can do tuning in updates but it's embarrassing how flat and sad any landscape shot with clouds appears on my dslr defaults to on auto. if i mess around with manually calibrating the white balance and make a conscious effort to watch for the clouds blowing out it turns out okay but it's very fiddly when i just want a/s priority and awb and the phone consistently gets it right and the dlsr struggles

echinopsis
Apr 13, 2004

by Fluffdaddy
holy poo poo

that’s interesting huh. about the iphones. no surprises






I had to loan the 400mm back out almost immediately but I did have it for long enough to realise what a fucken burden it is having such a huge lens lol


the sigma 135mm holy gently caress I can’t believe I waited to actually get some photos up on the screen and that lens just turns everything to gold I fuckin swear even ordinary poo poo looks incredible on that lens. can’t wait to shoot some people

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MrQueasy
Nov 15, 2005

Probiot-ICK

Destroyenator posted:

this thread inspired me to pull our my 10 y/o dslr a couple of weekends ago and try to take some shots. immediately remembered that i don't really care for street photography and i want to get out to some scenery or wilderness again

The idea of street photography is weird to me outside of an event (or some context where people are expecting there to be phootographers). It just seems too invasive and creepy to take pictures of strangers.

Destroyenator posted:

one area that my 4 y/o phone outperforms is auto white-balance. i guess they have so much data and can do tuning in updates but it's embarrassing how flat and sad any landscape shot with clouds appears on my dslr defaults to on auto. if i mess around with manually calibrating the white balance and make a conscious effort to watch for the clouds blowing out it turns out okay but it's very fiddly when i just want a/s priority and awb and the phone consistently gets it right and the dlsr struggles

That's why I shoot raw and do color balance in post. My camera is really bad at guessing, especially when there's multiple light colors in play.

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