Messing with my camera
Moderator: Swan
- skybird100000
- Doll Mentor
- Posts: 1342
- Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 12:00 am
- Location: Somewhere
- Contact:
Messing with my camera
My bedroom. 1 bed. 3 pillows, 1 doll. 2 lamps both crappy but they give light. 1 fixed lamp of 60W that reflects on the ceiling. And I used 1 spot normally used for reading of 100W that was directed on the doll (right side). Yellowish light. No light through window. Grey day anyway and not much light from outside so I closed window.
Used a tripod and 2 lenzes. A 18-200 and 105 Micro, ISO 200. I made like 200 pics (deleted 190 and I was not happy with any full body picture) with all different settings and some gave sometimes a result opposite then what I read. And some settings look the same. For example landscape or no flash gave sometimes the same result. I also noticed that using a very slow shutter time (I did some tests at 30sec) didnt look better.
When I took pictures WITH flash I have the feel they were sharper (the 18-200 lens) and her hair/body have a more correct color ... Well see for yourself.
With flash the books around my doll have correct color but her hair is darker, the sheet has also the correct color, the body has not same color everywhere but the color is correct. Without flash I used a 6s shutter time, the sheet under her is now to yellow, her hair is to dark, the color of her body is everywhere the same and its not the correct, my doll doenst look so brown at all. The text on the books also look less sharp.
First pic is with normal lens, 2nd pic is macro lens. I find 2nd pic better for sharpness but dont like light on both. Used autosetting with No Flash.
Also the color of her hair with the macro is correct (like I see it with naked eye)
I like this picture (looks great as background from a distance) but here the disadvantage of macro lens is visible when you look in detail, all the dust is visible and not everything has the same sharpness. Her hair is darker because I put a dark thing around her neck.
Detail made with macro lens, cant get this sharpness with my normal lens.
Please comment where I ... up. I want to make better pictures and I want to show my doll like how I see her. As I am thinking to buy a new low light portrait lens in the hope to get the same level of detail as my macro, it might be interesting what you have to say before I spend xxx Euro.
Oh yes none of the pics have been altered. I shot them in raw then with IrfanView I changed them to JPG with quality 90%.
- narcissus
- Former Member
- Posts: 5353
- Joined: Fri May 15, 2009 12:00 am
- Location: by myself but not alone
Re: Messing with my camera
I really like the photo of the close-up of her eyes. I like how the eyeliner doesn't go all the way around, no raccoon eyes!
Nice titties!
- AlexKnight
- Senior Admin
- Posts: 14398
- Joined: Fri Jul 22, 2005 12:00 am
- Location: The Netherlands, Limburg
- Contact:
Re: Messing with my camera
or have a look at Ashley's Coverdoll release by clicking here - June 13, 2015
A must-see video on Realdoll softness! Click here!
_____________________________
A Spark of Kindness may start a Fire of Love.
Here's my Doll Album, with pictures of Jenna*, Melissa*, Kayla & Ashley, and some other things: Doll Album Gallery
*I no longer have Jenna or Melissa.
Re: Messing with my camera
http://dollforum.com/forum/viewtopic.ph ... 01&start=0
PLAY MISTY FOR ME. http://www.dollalbum.com/dollgallery/in ... ?cat=13214
- life-is-plastic
- Doll Mentor
- Posts: 1251
- Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:11 pm
- Contact:
Re: Messing with my camera
You will also find that a lens with a larger aperture (like a f1.8 50mm standard lens) will work better/easier compared to a big and 'slower' (small aperture) zoomlens ... especially in dimly lit rooms. The large aperture will also 'brighten' your viewfinder because it lets thru much more light compared to the zoomlens, which will make framing more easy. AF will also benefit from a large(r) aperture lens.
- skybird100000
- Doll Mentor
- Posts: 1342
- Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 12:00 am
- Location: Somewhere
- Contact:
Re: Messing with my camera
Life-is-plastic: Nope not a canon never heard of canon , its a nikon D90 but not sure that matters alot. The lens is more important I read almost everywhere.
I want a lens to make pics of ppl that is good and if its good aswell for dolls its even better . Buying a lens for dolls alone is wasted money in my case.
But first will try play with that white balance once I found out how it works. Grrrm I dont like to mess so much with my camera
Re: Messing with my camera
I take my pictures using a Nikon D5000 and then import the RAW pictures into Adobe Lightroom. This will give you a lot of options on changing the pictures, not only the white balance.
I assume there is cheaper software then lightroom, but as far as I know, it's one of the best.
- life-is-plastic
- Doll Mentor
- Posts: 1251
- Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:11 pm
- Contact:
Re: Messing with my camera
ohh, okay ... but that doesn't really matter ... what I said kinda applies to all slrs. And as I pointed out: a f1.8 50mm can be a nice addition to your lens-setup. They're 'fast' (lens opening), compact, and the f1.8 versions of your brands 50mms are often amongst the cheapest of lenses available. On your Nikon D90 (with DX sensor) it'll pan out to a moderate telephoto lens (50mm X 1.5 = 75mm) which is ideal for portraits.skybird100000 wrote:I will try that white balance, never messed with that.
Life-is-plastic: Nope not a canon never heard of canon , its a nikon D90 but not sure that matters alot. The lens is more important I read almost everywhere.
I want a lens to make pics of ppl that is good and if its good aswell for dolls its even better . Buying a lens for dolls alone is wasted money in my case.
But first will try play with that white balance once I found out how it works. Grrrm I dont like to mess so much with my camera
Two ways of 'messing' with whitebalance: most digicams have manual whitebalance with all sorts of symbols: 'sun' for daylight, but also a 'bulb' for incandescent light. Try and take pictures with that setting and see what the colors are like. There's often also a white balance setting that you can customize to the exact lighting you're using by taking a picture of something grey/white and have the camera adjust its setting to this. Have a look in your manual how to do this with your Nikon. Depending on the camera it may also be possible to dial in the correct color-themperature of the used lighting; this is done in ºK: around 5200ºK for daylight, and about 3200ºK in general for incandescent lighting. Testphotos could give you an idea if this would work.
Happy experimenting !!!
- cosycottage
- Member
- Posts: 2201
- Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2011 11:05 am
- Location: here, there and (very occasionally) everywhere
- Contact:
Re: Messing with my camera
Each camera has its own standard settings, which creates problems for an amateur photographer like me.
It's nice to see just how certain effects are caused/created (and can therefore be avoided!)
Re: Messing with my camera
Just got 35mm 1.8 (which if understand correctly on the Dx body is roughly 50mm, (that may not be right, I'm really am dumb about this stuff).
Haven't taken too many photos with it yet, but like the couple I did take better...
My guess and from what I've read a single focus lens might be better suited...
Love to see more pics... you have a beautiful doll...
Ps you read GRRM Dance with Dragons, yet... after, waiting for an eternity don't know if I can pick it up, but would like to know if it's worth it after such a long wait.
- life-is-plastic
- Doll Mentor
- Posts: 1251
- Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:11 pm
- Contact:
Re: Messing with my camera
you're correct: Nikon DX sensors yield a 1.5 X focal 'plus' ... as the DX sensor is smaller then the fullframe FX (35X24mm) one, it only uses a crop from the image a fullframe camera would produce.Mr-Smith wrote:Just got 35mm 1.8 (which if understand correctly on the Dx body is roughly 50mm, (that may not be right, I'm really am dumb about this stuff).
Haven't taken too many photos with it yet, but like the couple I did take better...
My guess and from what I've read a single focus lens might be better suited...
the wide aperture (the 'f' number / 1.8 in this case) lets in a lot more light compared to the basic set-zooms (often f 3.5-4.5) ... letting you shoot in dimmer light ... or allowing you to keep the iso-settings relative lower.
a single focallength will also force you to really look at what you're framing (no zooming / but moving back and forth instead)
Re: Messing with my camera
PLAY MISTY FOR ME. http://www.dollalbum.com/dollgallery/in ... ?cat=13214
- life-is-plastic
- Doll Mentor
- Posts: 1251
- Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2011 4:11 pm
- Contact:
Re: Messing with my camera
you're welcome ... just trying to help out people that are struggling with the complex subject matter ...1jayjay wrote:I have to take my hat off to you life-is-plastic, you are a camera genius. You give out some very good advice and are very knowledgable about cameras and photography.
Re: Messing with my camera
Take for example your picture with doll laying in bed. Are you trying to show the doll full length and also read the covers of the three books she is reading? If so this presents it’s own set of problems. Due to the angle that you are shooting your shot will require a fairly large DOF (depth of field) for all the elements such as feet, book covers and face to remain in focus. DOF is determined by your aperture setting (f-stop), local length and in the case of a non-zoom prime lens your camera-to-subject distance. Lowest f-stop, maximum focal length and getting as close as possible equals shallowest DOF. Highest f-stop, zoom out to the shortest local length of your lens (or use a wider angle prime) and move further from your subject will produce the maximum DOF.
Here is where you have to start making choices. Is light sufficient for the gear I have? You said it was a grey day outside and that you closed the windows. Cloudy light is not always a bad thing as it is diffuse may not create some unwanted shadows. With a high speed lens such as one of the f/1.4 or f/1.8’s there may be enough natural light available. When using a flash or other lighting try bouncing the light off of the walls or ceiling to avoid unwanted shadows. Also shooting down from a higher angle will change the focal plane and thereby require a narrower DOP to keep all essential elements in focus. If your camera allows for shooting in camera RAW a lot of the white balancing can be tweaked with post-processing software.
Getting a feel for the DOF of your various camera lens is just a matter of doing a lot shooting and experimentation until it all clicks in your mind automatically. Not sure what dslr camera you are using but one of the first things you’ll want to do is try not to get into the habit of relying on the all auto features for making your choices. Put your camera in manual or one of the other semi-auto settings that force you to make some of the decisions. Your photos may not be as good as the auto ones to begin with but before long you’ll learn how everything works together when producing an image.
Here is my Amber’s Doll Album: http://www.dollalbum.com/dollgallery/in ... ?cat=13424
Re: Messing with my camera
life-is-plastic wrote:you're welcome ... just trying to help out people that are struggling with the complex subject matter ...1jayjay wrote:I have to take my hat off to you life-is-plastic, you are a camera genius. You give out some very good advice and are very knowledgable about cameras and photography.
And doing a great job.
And a very worthy description as well Longgshot.
PLAY MISTY FOR ME. http://www.dollalbum.com/dollgallery/in ... ?cat=13214