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08/08/2004 07:00:50 PM · #1 |
Okay, this may seem like a stupid question, but I'd rather ask it than wonder later.
We're heading up to Yosemite National Park within the next few days and I would like some tips on what settings to use. Will my basic Landscape, Portrait, and Auto settings be fine? (with some possible WB and EV adjustments for shade and such)
Also, we're going to Hearst Castle (I have no idea how to spell it) and I have a feeling I might be taking some photos indoors. I have yet to get my indoor settings ironed out. The scene mode for Indoor just makes everything blue, so I tend to just use Portrait or Auto (but I might not be able to use flash inside). Is that fine?
I can set-up two Custom settings so I can have one for indoor and one for outdoor if I know what to set them at (I can do Normal, Manual, Shutter Priority, and Aperature Priority).
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08/08/2004 08:48:57 PM · #2 |
Since you'll be shooting landscapes I recommend using Aperture priority and a tripod to get the greatest DOF and the sharpest pictures.
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08/08/2004 09:16:44 PM · #3 |
Thanks!
I guess I should say too that this is a family trip so I won't always be able to carry a tripod around (but we'll see...if I can even find the one we have).
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08/08/2004 09:37:32 PM · #4 |
Find a grey card. Alot of camera stores have em for cheap. Use that to set WB for the condition.
Menu/WB/Preset-Place the card in front of the lens enough for light to hit it, arrow down (the toggle button) to measure/Right arrow after the camera "focuses" (which it really does not and does not need to), make sure the card fills the viewfinder, too. It will sound like it shot a pic. Menu back out to shoot.
You can also use white if you want, or something that is pretty much grey (concrete, shirt, etc.).
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08/08/2004 09:46:03 PM · #5 |
| Ami, my wife and I spent some days, earlier this year, in Yosemite and then over Tioga Pass. Marvelous photography country...and be certain to catch the Sunday brunch at the Ahwahnee Lodge. Your camera, with 8 megapixels and 8x telephoto will serve you well without concern for a lot of manual adjustments. Set your ISO at 100 and leave it there. Set WB on auto - your camera is smart. Make sure the Lithium Ion battery is kept fully charged, and have at least a 256 memory card, or several. A fully charged backup battery can be useful if you shoot a lot. For Hearst Castle you will be able to capture almost anything you wish without a flash. Without a tripod use the sniper technique I learned many years ago of resting your camera arm against something solid if possible, and S-Q-U-E-E-Z-E off your shot. If you use Photoshop 7 or CS for post processing you will get some marvelous photographs. Both Yosemite and Hearst are world class destinations. Hope you and your family have a wonderful time. |
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08/08/2004 10:19:35 PM · #6 |
Thanks JEM! That's exactly what I was hoping for. ^_^
I have two batteries and I can plug my AC charger into my car because we have an adapter. I also have a 1 GB and a 256 MB memory card and we're bringing a laptop along so that I can clean them off my cards everynight (hehe, I loooove to take looooots of photos ^_^).
Thanks everyone!
Message edited by author 2004-08-08 22:20:38.
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08/08/2004 10:39:12 PM · #7 |
Ami,
There are some nifty "features" on the 5k/8k series of Coolpix to be aware of for stuff like this. Even though you probably have heard mention of most of them and have used most of those, I'll reiterate just in case...
First, battery life is pretty darned important, and these cameras EAT batteries like crazy. I picked up a couple of 1200mAh replacements for the 650mAh batt that shipped with my camera, and I have CERTAINLY never regretted it. Of course, with one charger, it'll take a while to get them up to full, but that what nights at the hotel/cabin/lodge, etc are for. You WILL have power, right? :D
Next, and fully related to battery life is... Shut off the "continuous focus". Talk about a power hog! You'll have to focus on semi-manual for each shot, but that's not a problem. Just press the shutter release halfway before each shot to focus. In daylight, you'll have no problems, and it'll still be faster than most digital cameras.
Personally, I'm a huge fan of polarizer filters, and these cameras respond to them very, VERY nicely. A good UV filter won't hurt either, but I typically just go with the polarizer outdoors. Indoors, pop the filter and you should be good to go.
I do agree with Jem, though -- ISO 100 all the way. You may want to consider going fully manual with regards to shutter and stop, especially with the very nifty-keen exposure meter that these cameras have. In most instances, standard averaging mettering will work quite well, but it may be worth setting your function button for control of meter mode (I _think_ it can do that...). On my last trip to the Adirondacks, I found myself battling "white-sky" a bit too often, and the solution was often center-weighted metering focused on the sky, then hold the shutter halfway to catch the rest of the landscape.
As a final thought, be very careful about using the onboard flash indoors -- it's pretty harsh and has a very short effective throw to it. I'm still working on constructing a mini-softbox (ok, is "soft-sock" a word?!) for mine to try and ease it out a bit, but I may end up just using a silk frost gel over it.
Like I said, you've probably heard most of this before, but I've come to discover most of them help dramatically, even if it's just stuff like not having to change out the battery every 20 minutes! lol
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08/08/2004 11:03:48 PM · #8 |
Polarizing filter worked great on my (little brother of 8700) 5700. That is smart to have for the outdoors and also if shooting at glass, etc.
like Doctornick-aperture is a great way to go...little quicker than M. Depending on what you want to do. Myself I have always liked the center weighted meter mode also.
But, by the way it sounds, might as well put in P. (C: |
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08/08/2004 11:07:45 PM · #9 |
Originally posted by 16point2mm:
As a final thought, be very careful about using the onboard flash indoors -- it's pretty harsh and has a very short effective throw to it. I'm still working on constructing a mini-softbox (ok, is "soft-sock" a word?!) for mine to try and ease it out a bit, but I may end up just using a silk frost gel over it. |
Yeah, I can't stand the look of direct flash. Getting the SB800 external flash for my camera lets me do bounce flash which is 10,000 times better. Although even in available light the 1600 ISO does a good job.
Anyway, I've experimented with making bounce cards and stuff for my flash. Here's a web page that tells of a cheap and easy trick for pop-up flashes that might be adapted somehow to the Coolpix.
//194.100.88.243/petteri/pont/How_to/hc_Bounce_Built-In_Flash/a_Bounce_the_Pop-up.html
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08/08/2004 11:38:05 PM · #10 |
Skylen,
Easy adaptation! I am SO going to have to try out that bounce! Thanks for the link!!!
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08/09/2004 12:18:19 AM · #11 |
Thank skylen for that awesome link! (The whole site is great!)
AND! Thanks for adding my BLUE Moon photo as a favorite! *hugs* At least someone liked it!
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08/09/2004 01:54:55 AM · #12 |
AHAHAHA! The next topic is BOTANY! I'm going to a national forest! BWWAHAHAHA!
*coughs* Sorry...late night packing...
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