Newbies - very green with photography setups

[newbiker]

Hi,

I'm just gotten into the hobby of photography and got myself X-S1. Initially, wanted a Nikon 5100 but taken aback by the cost of the wide range of lens when at the shop. Hence, the X-S1.

Now starting to wonder if I've made the right choice of camera.....

Read up magazines and try it out myself on several settings.... below are two photos ... please give me advice.

Have read post on panning shots but can't seem to get it right...

Thanks.

 

[Shizuma]

Hi,

I'm just gotten into the hobby of photography and got myself X-S1. Initially, wanted a Nikon 5100 but taken aback by the cost of the wide range of lens when at the shop. Hence, the X-S1.

Now starting to wonder if I've made the right choice of camera.....

Read up magazines and try it out myself on several settings.... below are two photos ... please give me advice.

Have read post on panning shots but can't seem to get it right...

Thanks.

if you have Exif data and post it up, we could help you more?

 

[newbiker]

For #1:

Make: FUJIFILM
Model: X-S1
ExposureTime: 1/50"
Aperture: F11.0
MaxAperture: F2.8
ExposureProgram: Manual
MeteringMode: Spot
Flash: Off, Did not fire
ISO: 200
WhiteBalance: Auto
FocalLength: 11.6 mm


For #2

Make: FUJIFILM
Model: X-S1
ExposureTime: 1/80"
Aperture: F11.0
MaxAperture: F2.8
HyperfocalDistance: 8.50 m
ExposureProgram: Manual
MeteringMode: Spot
Flash: Off, Did not fire
ISO: 100
WhiteBalance: Auto
FocalLength: 25.7 mm


Not sure if the data above helps...

 

[justinpws]

Let me try to be of help. Your shutter speeds in both photos is too low. It's hard toyell you what works because each situation is slightly different but generally for panning, try to stay above 1/300 or higher. That way the motion blur will be reduced. Basically, try to get your shutter speed as high a possible up to maybe 1/1000 to avoid the motion blur.

To compensate and retain exposure, you should lower your aperture. In both shots, you're using F11. Try a much lower aperture and you'll make up for the high shutter speed. If you still find your photos too dark, dont forget that you can still play with ISO to make your exposure correct.

Hope this helps!

 

[newbiker]

Let me try to be of help. Your shutter speeds in both photos is too low. It's hard toyell you what works because each situation is slightly different but generally for panning, try to stay above 1/300 or higher. That way the motion blur will be reduced. Basically, try to get your shutter speed as high a possible up to maybe 1/1000 to avoid the motion blur.

To compensate and retain exposure, you should lower your aperture. In both shots, you're using F11. Try a much lower aperture and you'll make up for the high shutter speed. If you still find your photos too dark, dont forget that you can still play with ISO to make your exposure correct.

Hope this helps!

Thanks.... will try with higher shutter and lower aperture..

 

[avsquare]

f/5.6 should be well enough for such shots, and you should be at 1/500s bare minimum for such high speed action, personally I'd get 1/1000 or 1/2000 instead.

 

[newbiker]

#3 - Trying with closeup shots

ImageSize: 4000x3000
ExposureTime: 1/250"
Aperture: F5.6
MaxAperture: F2.8
HyperfocalDistance: 515.09 m
ExposureProgram: Program AE
ExposureBiasValue: 0
MeteringMode: Spot
Flash: Off, Did not fire
ISO: 200
WhiteBalance: Auto
FocalLength: 148.3 mm

 

[Kongfu]

Sorry I don't mean to defame anyone here but from what I've read so far panning of cars don't require high shutter speed at all am I wrong? By using a high shutter speed the wheels would probably be freeze thus resulting like a motionless vehicle which defeat the purpose. Please correct me if I'm wrong ;p

 

[ptwong]

Let me try to be of help. Your shutter speeds in both photos is too low. It's hard toyell you what works because each situation is slightly different but generally for panning, try to stay above 1/300 or higher. That way the motion blur will be reduced. Basically, try to get your shutter speed as high a possible up to maybe 1/1000 to avoid the motion blur.

To compensate and retain exposure, you should lower your aperture. In both shots, you're using F11. Try a much lower aperture and you'll make up for the high shutter speed. If you still find your photos too dark, dont forget that you can still play with ISO to make your exposure correct.

Hope this helps!

From my understanding, for panning the shutter speed is dependent on the subject's speed. The faster the subject the faster the shutter speed. For example a running person one could use 1/40( quote from wiki)
The motion blur we see from TS first pic i think it's because he is not panning fast enough. Of course the RC car is pretty fast too. If u shoot at at 1/1000 u will get a still pic and not a panning one.

 

[Rashkae]

Let me try to be of help. Your shutter speeds in both photos is too low. It's hard toyell you what works because each situation is slightly different but generally for panning, try to stay above 1/300 or higher. That way the motion blur will be reduced. Basically, try to get your shutter speed as high a possible up to maybe 1/1000 to avoid the motion blur.

To compensate and retain exposure, you should lower your aperture. In both shots, you're using F11. Try a much lower aperture and you'll make up for the high shutter speed. If you still find your photos too dark, dont forget that you can still play with ISO to make your exposure correct.

Hope this helps!

I shoot F1 with 1/100s (or even slower...)

The main issue here is that he better prefocus. For me, I would prefocus and then switch to manual focus. Then just practice panning.

This whole idea that you need 1/500 or 1/1000 for panning is ridiculous. At those speeds you'll freeze motion, and lose the panning effect.

This was shot at 1/60s (and it's not even one of my sharpest samples):

This was at 1/125s:

 

[Rashkae]

TS, if your camera does not allow you to prefocus then focus lock, you have a limitation right there... Your camera will keep on "hunting" for the focus.

But from what I can see, the X-S1 should be capable of that without a problem. So it's just down to you practicing more.

 

[kei1309]

I shoot F1 with 1/100s (or even slower...)

drats. you always remind me that i deleted that 1/30s shot.

 

[Rashkae]

#3 - Trying with closeup shots

If you're going to post up more and more and more pictures, we have a gallery section for a reason...

 

[Rashkae]

drats. you always remind me that i deleted that 1/30s shot.

Ooooooh that was a nice one! I have 3 or 4 shots at 1/30s at F1 that were sharp. I should upload them.

 

[kei1309]

if i can get this with my Xperia... i'm sure you can get an even better shot with the X-S1

 

[avsquare]

I shoot F1 with 1/100s (or even slower...)

The main issue here is that he better prefocus. For me, I would prefocus and then switch to manual focus. Then just practice panning.

This whole idea that you need 1/500 or 1/1000 for panning is ridiculous. At those speeds you'll freeze motion, and lose the panning effect.

This was shot at 1/60s (and it's not even one of my sharpest samples):

This was at 1/125s:

at what aperture and focal length did you shot those? just wondering how much is the DoF.

 

[Rashkae]

at what aperture and focal length did you shot those? just wondering how much is the DoF.

EXIF is intact on the first 2... f/4 at 130mm, about 8m distance, so about 60cm DOF.

 

[avsquare]

EXIF is intact on the first 2... f/4 at 130mm, about 8m distance, so about 60cm DOF.

wow 60cm for F1 cars.. salute for the panning and aiming skills!

 

[ZerocoolAstra]

Let me try to be of help. Your shutter speeds in both photos is too low. It's hard toyell you what works because each situation is slightly different but generally for panning, try to stay above 1/300 or higher. That way the motion blur will be reduced. Basically, try to get your shutter speed as high a possible up to maybe 1/1000 to avoid the motion blur.

To compensate and retain exposure, you should lower your aperture. In both shots, you're using F11. Try a much lower aperture and you'll make up for the high shutter speed. If you still find your photos too dark, dont forget that you can still play with ISO to make your exposure correct.

Hope this helps!

f/5.6 should be well enough for such shots, and you should be at 1/500s bare minimum for such high speed action, personally I'd get 1/1000 or 1/2000 instead.

Har? For panning? 1/1000??? :bigeyes:

 

[oracle0711]

TS,

Panning requires practice and more importantly understand the controls of your camera before attempting to use the method. I believe it applies to all things in life (logically speaking).

Posting here is helpful but you might get "not so correct answers" as most of us are still learning along the way. As for what is the correct setting for panning, I would say that it would be better for you to explore it yourself. At the end, what mattes most is identifying the kind of image you want to create Here's one panning shot that was captured for the sake of experimenting with the camera and it was tested using some not so logical setting of ISO100, aperture of f/11 and a slow shutter speed of 1/13...

...

As for other photography methods, there are many ways of learning. Just pick them one at a time, explore the technicalities by reading up magazines, websites, forums such as this, but more importantly, go out and shoot with friends - this is the best method to learn things correct and fast.

Enjoy photography but know what you want to shoot before pressing the shutter.

Cheers

Dan