| Author | Thread |
|
|
06/10/2003 06:17:00 PM · #1 |
What's the best way to take photos of computer monitor screens (e.g. to get a picture of BIOS settings, etc) while minimising stuff like reflection of the photographer and camera, glare from nearby lights, etc?
Thanks,
:)atwl |
|
|
|
06/10/2003 06:30:35 PM · #2 |
| The best way I know of is hitting print screen button, but that's not really a photograph. |
|
|
|
06/10/2003 07:20:49 PM · #3 |
Adrian,
The best way is to have as dark a room as possible. Use a shutter speed of 1/30 second and adjust the aperture to give best exposure (if your camera has a shutter preferred mode, use that with shutter set to 1/30). This shutter speed will ensure the screen is fully illuminated, that is, you won't capture only part of a refresh cycle, which typically happens at about 75 Hz.
Of course the flash should be turned off.
Set your zoom toward the wide angle end; you're not worried about barrel distortion unless you want to present the photos; I'm assuming you want them only for reference (I've used this myself, it's certainly the quickest way to document the BIOS settings screens)
Frame it & shoot!
|
|
|
|
06/10/2003 09:03:23 PM · #4 |
Use a multiple of the screen refresh rate. A shutter of 1/30 is perfect for TV since that is the framerate for NTSC television (actually 60 Hz interlaced). If you can adjust your video settings use 60 Hz refresh and 1/30 or 1/60. For 75 Hz, you might not have a 1/75 setting, and setting it slightly off would get you a horizontal band in the image.
For LCD screens, the light source is continuous and always on, not scanned like a CRT. Use whatever setting exposes the best.
|
|
|
|
06/10/2003 09:19:47 PM · #5 |
Agree, a perfect multiple of the refresh time would be absolutely best, but in practice nearly impossible. Best bet is to get multiple refreshes. If quality is of utmost importance, set the monitor refresh rate as high as possible. Many newer monitors can handle refresh rates of 100 Hz or even more, if the resolution is not set to the maximum.
If you're like me and have to run your monitor at max resolution, then your're usually stuck with somewhere between 65 & 75 Hz.
I recommended 1/30 to give best balance between number of refreshes and still maintain ability to be hand-held, which is possible at 1/30, but not much slower (at least after I've had my coffee!).
Going toward wide angle will also minimize the "shake" while giving the most light, at the possible expense of image distortion.
I did assume that the goal was documentation, not best quality. If best quality is desired, then:
- Set up camera on tripod, use remote release
- Set zoom for about 80mm (35mm equivalent focal length)
- Set aperture for about F5.6 (smaller, e.g. F8 if necessary)
- Set ISO as low as it will go
- Shoot at 1/15 or longer, adjust aperture to get required exposure
Edit: Damn typos!
Message edited by author 2003-06-10 21:21:05.
|
|
|
|
06/10/2003 10:27:36 PM · #6 |
Thanks for the replies, guys.
kirbic, you are right - I do want them just for reference. However, when I show them to people I didn't want to see my own mugshot+camera reflection on the screen! :D
:)atwl |
|
|
|
06/10/2003 10:32:24 PM · #7 |
Originally posted by Adrian Tung:
Thanks for the replies, guys.
kirbic, you are right - I do want them just for reference. However, when I show them to people I didn't want to see my own mugshot+camera reflection on the screen! :D
:)atwl |
LOL, I avoid taking a picture of myself, afraid I'll break the lens!
|
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 08/27/2025 07:51:55 PM EDT.
