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2012/03/29 20:03:51
Subject: Re:Little Camera, Big Results - LCBR - updated march 7th
So just after x-mas I decided to pick up a little point and shoot.
Now one thing these little bastards can do better than DSLR's is take macro (close up) shots. DSLR's have big sensors, which is generally a good thing when it comes to image quality and low light performance. The downside of big sensors is that they require large optics and as such the range of what's in focus is generally lower. That can be a really good thing most of the time as it gives a sharp subject focus and a nice out of focus background. The downside however is when you want to photograph something very small, the range of what's in focus is razor thin and the only way around that is having a crapload of light and/or a tripod. Enter the point and shoot.
Now the nice thing about this little guy (canon 300hs) is it has a decently wide lens at 24mm. Which means you can put it right down on the table and get pictures that are more immersive. I've tried doing that with my slr and even at F/11-F/16 I can't get results that my point and shoot can get. I also picked up one these:
Manfrotto MP3-D01
Spoiler:
The main reason you want to mount the camera on is that hand help pictures end up having some blur because if you care about having optimal image quality you will be using the lowest possible ISO (light sensitivity) which will likely result in exposures (pictures) taken at 1/30th of a second or slower (exponentially more if zoomed in). Most pics I take in my basement range from 1/5th to 1/30th of a second, so if I try and hand hold the camera, even with image stabilization, it almost always has motion blur.
The trick is doing the following: turn the flash off, turn macro mode on (it's the little picture of a flower), leave the lens zoomed out (a big mistake people make is trying to zoom in which f**ks everything up), set the camera to delayed shot(usually looks like a stop watch with a number), most cams will have either 2 or 10 seconds delay, brace the camera against terrain or models or place on the table enough so that it's balanced and won't move at all, half press the shutter button to lock in the exposure/focus, press all the way down and wait for the magic. The camera will be so-so at getting the exposure down so you may want to add a bias like +1 or -1 EV or if you have a point and shoot with a manual setting you can just use that. Also, it's worth pointing out that if you have control of your ISO keep it at the lowest possible setting, which is usually iso100 or 200. This ensures the best quality when it comes to noise.
The biggest mistake everyone makes is zooming in. What happens when you zoom is you take your nice f/2.8-3.7 apertures (the bigger holes that let in the more light) and quickly reduces them to f/5.6 or f/8 (smaller holes, less light). So basically you take an already slow exposure (think blurry) of less than 1/30th of second into a death spiral to the point where unless you're on a tripod you'll get a lot of blur. The other problem with zooming in is the minimum focus (the closest you can get the subject to the lens) goes way up. Most point and shoots can be a couple of inches away and still get focus when they're zoomed out but the second you zoom in all that math changes and the minimum focus can now be couple feet.
I would also reccomend turning off image stabilization when shooting this way (braced/tripod with delayed shutter) because it may actually cause blur if left on. Some higher end compacts may be smart enough to autodetect the complete lack of motion and disengage is automatically, but the majority of the lower end point and shoots won't be that smart.
The main benefit of shooting wide is your camera can get right up to the "action" and if the models are decently painted it can look really cool to see the world from their perspective. The other benefit of shooting wide is you'll have room to crop however you want. I know I mentioned never zooming earlier because it would increase the minimum focus (how close you can get a model in focus) but so long as the camera is completely stable it can be worthwhile to zoom a little bit and shoot some things tighter to reduce distortion and tighten the focus. Overall though, a lot of point and shoots will trend towards being sharpest wide open, which is not the case for most dslr's where you usually have to stop down a bit (lower the amount of light entering the camera by making the aperture smaller) to get the the sharpest possible result from the lens.
Cell phones can also take great shots, the same rules apply, make sure it ain't moving and it's place pretty low to the table. There are fantastic apps out there that unlock all sorts of manual controls for your phone's camera and are totally worth it in the long run.
Feel free to post camera/photography related questions, I can usually recommend what gear I like currently if you're in the market for a new camera so don't be shy.
Southampton, Hampshire, England, British Isles, Europe, Earth, Sol, Sector 001
I would so pinch some of these images, rework them to look like real photos of the combat. Next time you do a battle report try using this set up and you'll be golden
Ribon Fox wrote:I would so pinch some of these images, rework them to look like real photos of the combat. Next time you do a battle report try using this set up and you'll be golden
Pinch away dude, just saw long as you post the edit
Do you play 30k? It'd be a lot cooler if you did.
2012/03/30 06:48:57
Subject: little camera, big results (pictures from the table top perspective)
grendel083 wrote:"Dis is Oddboy to BigBird, come in over."
"BigBird 'ere, go ahead, over."
"WAAAAAAAAAGGGHHHH!!!! over"
"Copy 'dat, WAAAAAAAGGGHHH!!! DAKKADAKKA!!... over"
2012/03/31 01:04:09
Subject: little camera, big results (pictures from the table top perspective)
It only is worth it if you have well painted armies and tables..... dang I wish it was worth it for me XD This looked amazing, thanks for sharing
When your wife suggests roleplay as a result of your table top gaming... life just seems right
I took my wife thru the BRB for fantasy and 40k, the first thing she said was "AWESOME"... codex: Chaos Daemons Nurgle..... to all those who says God aint real....
2012/03/31 01:10:35
Subject: Re:little camera, big results (pictures from the table top perspective)
Yup, it goes for about 145$ Canadian here but its available in most markets, it just might have a different name in some. In north america it's called the canon 300hs, it might be slightly different in europe or asia.
I'd love to write an article, shoud i just pm it to you so you can update the post?
Do you play 30k? It'd be a lot cooler if you did.
2012/04/05 03:42:17
Subject: Re:little camera, big results (pictures from the table top perspective)
A few pics from a recent game. My buddies guard army is inspired by command and conquer's brotherhood of nod. There's some really amazing conversions and scratch built stuff in it.
Do you play 30k? It'd be a lot cooler if you did.
2012/04/05 04:08:57
Subject: Re:little camera, big results (pictures from the table top perspective)
Man I still can't believe how well those Scouts performed. For those who weren't there, they destroyed a autocannon/lascannon Predator, 2 Typhoon Land Speeders and ran a combat squad off the table in combat, under heavy fire the entire time.
You should promote those men, a damn fine job they did. Only downside I guess is you won't have the element of surprise but they're still pretty damn solid.
Do you play 30k? It'd be a lot cooler if you did.
2012/04/15 18:48:39
Subject: Re:little camera, big results (pictures from the table top perspective)