Forums > Social Chat > Cameras
Login/Join to ParticipateMiss Whippy
1,262 posts
Location: Cornwall & Oxford
1,262 posts
Location: Cornwall & Oxford
Posted:
A lot of my mates have taken pics of me while spinning fire or my beamers, with various different cameras and no trails have come out at all
Anyone know what the best type of camera to use is and where to get it, etc.?
Ta muchly,
Beth
P.S. dont shout at me coz i already did a search!
A lot of my mates have taken pics of me while spinning fire or my beamers, with various different cameras and no trails have come out at all
Anyone know what the best type of camera to use is and where to get it, etc.?
Ta muchly,
Beth
P.S. dont shout at me coz i already did a search!
Aim high and you'll know your limits, aim low and you'll never know how high you could have climbed.
busy-tofu!
133 posts
Location: montreal: bagel capital
133 posts
Location: montreal: bagel capital
Posted:
you have to get a real camera that lets you have long exposition time. On manual cameras this is the little reel on the right side, usually set at 60 (one 60th of a second). just set it anywhere between 10 (one thenth of a second to 2 (half a second) and you should have nice trails. Remember to use a tripod or to have the camera on something stable. For extra long exposition shots you can also use this little thing you plug into the camera taht stays down for however long you hold it, but too long isn't that cool.
Happy picture shooting
P.S.: I'm not sure this is the correct terminology as englishis not my native language, but it should be easy enough to understand once you get your hands on a manual camera
you have to get a real camera that lets you have long exposition time. On manual cameras this is the little reel on the right side, usually set at 60 (one 60th of a second). just set it anywhere between 10 (one thenth of a second to 2 (half a second) and you should have nice trails. Remember to use a tripod or to have the camera on something stable. For extra long exposition shots you can also use this little thing you plug into the camera taht stays down for however long you hold it, but too long isn't that cool.
Happy picture shooting
P.S.: I'm not sure this is the correct terminology as englishis not my native language, but it should be easy enough to understand once you get your hands on a manual camera
there is no better way to say I love you than with the gift of a spatula!
SILVER Member
big and good and broken
7,330 posts
Location: lunn dunn, yoo kay, United Kingdom
big and good and broken
7,330 posts
Location: lunn dunn, yoo kay, United Kingdom
Posted:
the best type of camera to use?
mmmmmmmmmmmmm...
but if you're not trying throw money away any slr camera will do you fine.
that's one of the one's where the lens comes off and more importantly you can control shutter speed which is what gives you trails in your photo's.
to be honest though, i've found the most important thing is a good photographer and a good fire photographer is a rare thing indeed.
good luck
the best type of camera to use?
mmmmmmmmmmmmm...
but if you're not trying throw money away any slr camera will do you fine.
that's one of the one's where the lens comes off and more importantly you can control shutter speed which is what gives you trails in your photo's.
to be honest though, i've found the most important thing is a good photographer and a good fire photographer is a rare thing indeed.
good luck
"i see you at 'dis cafe.
i come to 'dis cafe quite a lot myself.
they do porridge."
- tim westwood
Miss Whippy
1,262 posts
Location: Cornwall & Oxford
1,262 posts
Location: Cornwall & Oxford
Posted:
thanks for the replies!
Will you only get good trails with an slr? Ive been looking around some websites and theyre sooo expensive! Im only a poor student! Anything in a students price range that gets good trails???
thanks for the replies!
Will you only get good trails with an slr? Ive been looking around some websites and theyre sooo expensive! Im only a poor student! Anything in a students price range that gets good trails???
Aim high and you'll know your limits, aim low and you'll never know how high you could have climbed.
SILVER Member
big and good and broken
7,330 posts
Location: lunn dunn, yoo kay, United Kingdom
big and good and broken
7,330 posts
Location: lunn dunn, yoo kay, United Kingdom
Posted:
as long as it says something like 'varibale shutter speed' or 'variable exposure time' then you'll get trails.
2 second exposure is okay and is what most digital cameras will go up to but your best bet really is an slr. ebay generally have a few for auction for a reasonable price and there are always some floating around in 'loot'.
maybe digital is your best buy though since slr's are really hard to learn to use properly and costs lots as you go through tonnes of film while figuring them out...
i generally just wait for photographers to turn up and beg them for copys afterwards
as long as it says something like 'varibale shutter speed' or 'variable exposure time' then you'll get trails.
2 second exposure is okay and is what most digital cameras will go up to but your best bet really is an slr. ebay generally have a few for auction for a reasonable price and there are always some floating around in 'loot'.
maybe digital is your best buy though since slr's are really hard to learn to use properly and costs lots as you go through tonnes of film while figuring them out...
i generally just wait for photographers to turn up and beg them for copys afterwards
"i see you at 'dis cafe.
i come to 'dis cafe quite a lot myself.
they do porridge."
- tim westwood
SILVER Member
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales
15,417 posts
Location: South Wales
Posted:
YOU LIE!!!
any camera will get trails...it just depends how quickly you spin...
and for the flash...a peice of black electrical tape is brilliant! (as in to get rid of..)
YOU LIE!!!
any camera will get trails...it just depends how quickly you spin...
and for the flash...a peice of black electrical tape is brilliant! (as in to get rid of..)
official hop irken
401 posts
Location: Tucson USA
401 posts
Location: Tucson USA
Posted:
Non-Https Image Link
Non-Https Image Link
In my hands I hold your smile and in my heart it runs so wild You are the one you are unique I'm so in love you make me weak And the reason that I feel is like a shadow from a light so if you have the chance to be with me be my shadow in the night
Miss Whippy
1,262 posts
Location: Cornwall & Oxford
1,262 posts
Location: Cornwall & Oxford
Posted:
Jon - I spin quite fast but no trails have come out on any of the pics taken!
Some stupid tourist came and found me on the beach the other day when i was spinning and said 'When i took pictures of you the other night, they didnt come out' Duuuh, who didnt turn the flash off!
Thanks for all the advice, i have now (or will do when i get paid) invested in a digital camera cant wait til i get it now!
Ta!
Beth x
Jon - I spin quite fast but no trails have come out on any of the pics taken!
Some stupid tourist came and found me on the beach the other day when i was spinning and said 'When i took pictures of you the other night, they didnt come out' Duuuh, who didnt turn the flash off!
Thanks for all the advice, i have now (or will do when i get paid) invested in a digital camera cant wait til i get it now!
Ta!
Beth x
Aim high and you'll know your limits, aim low and you'll never know how high you could have climbed.
GOLD Member
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
still can't believe it's not butter
6,978 posts
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Posted:
lol hey shadow steppin, is that a picture of some kinda bug?..some kinda light bug...
lol hey shadow steppin, is that a picture of some kinda bug?..some kinda light bug...
Laugh Often, Smile Much, Post lolcats Always
busy-tofu!
133 posts
Location: montreal: bagel capital
133 posts
Location: montreal: bagel capital
Posted:
If you're an art student then you should have access to the university stash of cameras. If your university has a photo lab (what university with an art faculty has no photo lab?!), they usually lend out cameras for FREE!. And from experience, those usually have changeable shutter speeds. Might even have tripods too if you ask nicely
If you want to have one you can throw arround and break (or keep for all occasions) without busting your budget or getting grounded by your university, try pawn-shops and haggle your price down to something decent.
If you're an art student then you should have access to the university stash of cameras. If your university has a photo lab (what university with an art faculty has no photo lab?!), they usually lend out cameras for FREE!. And from experience, those usually have changeable shutter speeds. Might even have tripods too if you ask nicely
If you want to have one you can throw arround and break (or keep for all occasions) without busting your budget or getting grounded by your university, try pawn-shops and haggle your price down to something decent.
there is no better way to say I love you than with the gift of a spatula!
HoP Mechanical Engineer
729 posts
Location: OK, USA
729 posts
Location: OK, USA
Posted:
I gotta stand up for flash photography here, cuz it does a picture good despite what you're all thinking.
What you have to avoid is the fact that on some cameras, turning on the flash automatically changes the shutter speed. This is fixable though.
The flash, when it pops off at the beginning or at the end of the photo, makes the difference between a photo of someone spinning fire, and some pretty circles with a blurry blob behind them. Long shutter speed is good and it will capture the trails, but a flash captures the spinner in a single moment of action to give those trails a source.
My choice of camera is an Olympus C-4000 digital. It allows me to change my shutter speeds, film speed, aperture and focus all independently of each other. It also has modes where I can fire the flash off at the beginning or at the end of the shutter opening.
For examples of the pictures this camera has taken, check out our website's "Pictures" link at:
https://www.flamingsphere.homestead.com
I gotta stand up for flash photography here, cuz it does a picture good despite what you're all thinking.
What you have to avoid is the fact that on some cameras, turning on the flash automatically changes the shutter speed. This is fixable though.
The flash, when it pops off at the beginning or at the end of the photo, makes the difference between a photo of someone spinning fire, and some pretty circles with a blurry blob behind them. Long shutter speed is good and it will capture the trails, but a flash captures the spinner in a single moment of action to give those trails a source.
My choice of camera is an Olympus C-4000 digital. It allows me to change my shutter speeds, film speed, aperture and focus all independently of each other. It also has modes where I can fire the flash off at the beginning or at the end of the shutter opening.
For examples of the pictures this camera has taken, check out our website's "Pictures" link at:
https://www.flamingsphere.homestead.com
What hits the fan is not evenly distributed.
BRONZE Member
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,136 posts
Location: Warwickshire, United Kingdom
Carpal \'Tunnel
3,136 posts
Location: Warwickshire, United Kingdom
Posted:
i was gonna write pretty much the same thread a few hours ago dio, but alas i couldn't be arsed
i was gonna write pretty much the same thread a few hours ago dio, but alas i couldn't be arsed
SILVER Member
big and good and broken
7,330 posts
Location: lunn dunn, yoo kay, United Kingdom
big and good and broken
7,330 posts
Location: lunn dunn, yoo kay, United Kingdom
Posted:
to be fair, frosty did point that out - your olympus is of a similar price to a decent slr dio.
if you don't have this option, no flash is better than full flash.
to be fair, frosty did point that out - your olympus is of a similar price to a decent slr dio.
if you don't have this option, no flash is better than full flash.
quote:flash at the end of the exposure gives the best results imo but it isn't an option on many camera's below slr prices.
Originally posted by frostypaw:
this excludes the very funky cams where you can set 1second exposure then flash at end... but most cameras, flash goes on, exposure time goes to 1/100th second - crappy spinny piccy
"i see you at 'dis cafe.
i come to 'dis cafe quite a lot myself.
they do porridge."
- tim westwood
Diamond In The Rough
459 posts
Location: Richmond, Virginia
459 posts
Location: Richmond, Virginia
Posted:
I'm with Dio on this one. Newarly everyone is bagging on the flash as a liability, when in reality, it's a major asset...if you know how to use it.
As far as cameras go, while some digitals DO have adjustable shutter speeds, the results can be erratic. Your best bet as an amatuer, is an SLR. You can find reliable, inexpensive models for under $100 at a WalMart-type store.
A flash is very important, especially if there is no other prominent light source nearby. If you're directly under a street light or behind a camp-fire, that might be plenty of light to show the spinner. If not, you'll need that flash. (I've even used it on bright summer days to counter the dark shadows that develop from the direct sunshine.) I also use an external flash, one that mounts on top of the camera base. The advantage with that is you can angle the flash upwards, so that it doesn't directly illuminate the subject. A 45 degree angle is enough to shed some light on the person spinning so your picture doesn't turn out looking like a black piece of paper with circular scribblings on it. It also won;t blind or distract the spinner as much.
Another important aspect is film speed. If you're using a low-grade film, it won't matter what kind of camera settings you have, your going to get crappy photos. (Don't forget, you're whirling these things at about 20 miles an hour or better.) I found that photographing moving fire works best with at least 400-speed film. 800 is better.
I'm with Dio on this one. Newarly everyone is bagging on the flash as a liability, when in reality, it's a major asset...if you know how to use it.
As far as cameras go, while some digitals DO have adjustable shutter speeds, the results can be erratic. Your best bet as an amatuer, is an SLR. You can find reliable, inexpensive models for under $100 at a WalMart-type store.
A flash is very important, especially if there is no other prominent light source nearby. If you're directly under a street light or behind a camp-fire, that might be plenty of light to show the spinner. If not, you'll need that flash. (I've even used it on bright summer days to counter the dark shadows that develop from the direct sunshine.) I also use an external flash, one that mounts on top of the camera base. The advantage with that is you can angle the flash upwards, so that it doesn't directly illuminate the subject. A 45 degree angle is enough to shed some light on the person spinning so your picture doesn't turn out looking like a black piece of paper with circular scribblings on it. It also won;t blind or distract the spinner as much.
Another important aspect is film speed. If you're using a low-grade film, it won't matter what kind of camera settings you have, your going to get crappy photos. (Don't forget, you're whirling these things at about 20 miles an hour or better.) I found that photographing moving fire works best with at least 400-speed film. 800 is better.
Dance like it hurts; Love like you need money; Work like someone is watching.
Never criticize someone until you've walked a mile in their shoes. That way, when you DO criticize them, you are a mile away, and you have their shoes.
member
442 posts
Location: Rochester, NY, USA
442 posts
Location: Rochester, NY, USA
Posted:
At Pele's photo page we have some shots with trails. These were made without flash and with my digital camera. I agree that the flash helps to bring out the subject but I didn't know that when these were taken.
At Pele's photo page we have some shots with trails. These were made without flash and with my digital camera. I agree that the flash helps to bring out the subject but I didn't know that when these were taken.
FYI: I am not Pele. If you wish to reply to me and use a short version of my name, use: PWB.
English? Who needs that? I'm never going to England. - Homer Jay Simpson
Miss Whippy
1,262 posts
Location: Cornwall & Oxford
1,262 posts
Location: Cornwall & Oxford
Posted:
Wahey i have now bought my digital camera! Thats nearly a months pay cheque gone but its all in the name of poi and therefore justified
Thanks for all the advice i got one with shutter speed from 1/2 to 1/2000 so that should work.
Ta muchly
Wahey i have now bought my digital camera! Thats nearly a months pay cheque gone but its all in the name of poi and therefore justified
Thanks for all the advice i got one with shutter speed from 1/2 to 1/2000 so that should work.
Ta muchly
Aim high and you'll know your limits, aim low and you'll never know how high you could have climbed.
official hop irken
401 posts
Location: Tucson USA
401 posts
Location: Tucson USA
Posted:
why yus it tis
a seriously hyper active light bug
quote:hehe
Originally posted by bender™:
lol hey shadow steppin, is that a picture of some kinda bug?..some kinda light bug...
why yus it tis
a seriously hyper active light bug
In my hands I hold your smile and in my heart it runs so wild You are the one you are unique I'm so in love you make me weak And the reason that I feel is like a shadow from a light so if you have the chance to be with me be my shadow in the night
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