For Those Interested in Photography...

[Fubar]

As the title says, all things Photography - not necessarily to post photos (though you can if you wish!) but to discuss some of the technicalities.

So, to kick things off I've been doing a bit of wildlife photography over the past couple of years - on the back of that I have been asked by my cycling club to cover a cycling event in May, which is a totally new discipline for me. Any tips? I'm planning a few practice days (luckily as a member of the club I have easy access to cycling events!) but would welcome experiences, good or bad from anyone who's been-there-done-that.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I've never mastered scanning the camera to keep the rider in shot while attempting a side on view and not ending up with a blurred rider. I always end up taking a shot with them approaching.

 

[Fubar]

I've never mastered scanning the camera to keep the rider in shot while attempting a side on view and not ending up with a blurred rider. I always end up taking a shot with them approaching.

well, that's ok - most of them will be face on anyway. planning to scout locations at the same time of day for light, backgrounds, etc.

any comments on settings (aside from a fast shutter speed)?

 

[tom73]

Think about depth of field you don’t want to to be all foreground but equally you want a bit of all round framing and interest. When your have a scout around have a play with framing shots and stuff. See what looks and looks good.

 

[rualexander]

There's already a "The Photography Thread" so if this is different, maybe a different title would be better?

https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/the-photography-thread.112493/

 

[Nigelnaturist]

I've never mastered scanning the camera to keep the rider in shot while attempting a side on view and not ending up with a blurred rider. I always end up taking a shot with them approaching.

I presume you mean panning, frame subject and follow shoot and continue following subject, you will neeed a slowish shutter speed 1/8th to 1/30th you can go slower if steady hands.


1/15 f/6.7 85mm lens ISO 400

1/6th F/9.5 85mm ISO 400

Think about depth of field you don’t want to to be all foreground but equally you want a bit of all round framing and interest. When your have a scout around have a play with framing shots and stuff. See what looks and looks good.

To limit depth of field this can be done in two ways a long telephoto, distance from subject will limit options as to what lens, but the wider the aperture for a given focus distance and lens the less depth of field, the further a subject is away the more difficult it becomes to to isolate the subject unless using really wide lenses.
This is shot at 98mm my 24-70 f2.8 Tamron and a kenko 1.4x convertor 1/640th @ f5.6 ISO 100, the reason the background is so out of focus is the close proximity to the subject.


An option is low down and up close (as is save to do so) with an extreme wide angle, I don't have an image to hand to demonstrate but will look later.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

I presume you mean panning

Correct. And thanks for the advice

 

[Ripple]

(Does a sort of CPR for the topic...)

Long story short - my new toy arrived few days ago. Canon EF 180 f3.5 L USM Macro lens. I've also got Canon EOS 80D.

Went to the local park and lake today to take some pics. All of them were successfully blurred crap. I've already learned that I need a tripod - lens itself weighs more than a kilo so even a slightest move (which I don't feel) mess up everything. I've also found out that MF use is advised for taking macro pics with these lens - normally I'm lazy creature and enjoy AF.

I'm not a newbie at photography but I've never had proper lenses. I'm entirely interested in wildlife photography - nature, birds, flowers, bugs etc.

Anybody here would be able to give me any tips of taking pics with these lens? Would tripod remove blur or is there anything else magic? Any photography websites to read with full info in one place? Coz I've been picking all info in bits and pieces across the internet.

p.s. yes I knew what I bought.

 

[Grant Fondo]

(Does a sort of CPR for the topic...)

Long story short - my new toy arrived few days ago. Canon EF 180 f3.5 L USM Macro lens. I've also got Canon EOS 80D.

Went to the local park and lake today to take some pics. All of them were successfully blurred crap. I've already learned that I need a tripod - lens itself weighs more than a kilo so even a slightest move (which I don't feel) mess up everything. I've also found out that MF use is advised for taking macro pics with these lens - normally I'm lazy creature and enjoy AF.

I'm not a newbie at photography but I've never had proper lenses. I'm entirely interested in wildlife photography - nature, birds, flowers, bugs etc.

Anybody here would be able to give me any tips of taking pics with these lens? Would tripod remove blur or is there anything else magic? Any photography websites to read with full info in one place? Coz I've been picking all info in bits and pieces across the internet.

p.s. yes I knew what I bought.

I sold my 80D+15-85 zoom because of the weight, just got fed up lugging it around. Switched to 200D with selection of Canon lenses, weighs nothing with 50mm on. Really like it with Sigma 30mm f1.4 as well

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

I used to do quite a bit of macro photography. 180 really is a massive lens. You absolutely must get a tripod. Manual focus is a must also. Depth of field is always a problem, especially with 180. 3.5 is not especially wide, but even then dof will be limited unless you stand off a bit, but then you loose the macro effect. Consider stacking software. You may want a slide rail and that's a whole separate topic. You may come across lighting issues so variations on flash guns will have to be considered.

Proper macro is a time consuming pastime. You can't treat it as a point and shoot exercise. Hope you've got good knees!!!

Have a look at the Talk Photography forum. One of the best forums on any subject. They have a dedicated macro section, but beware.....some of those guys are seriously good.

 

[Darius_Jedburgh]

Here you are....

https://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/photos-macro-and-close-up.50/

 

[Ripple]

@Grant Fondo

80D has got 7fps and I do use this feature time after time. And don't get me wrong - I do not complain about the lens weight, it was just a fact that it weighs so much.

@Darius_Jedburgh

Thank you for Talk Photography, I've never heard about it.
I'm not going to get too serious into macro - it's just a hobby anyway. At the moment I'm quite happy with Gimp. But tripod + flash are in my plans. Though if I will get too obssesed with all this I will look deeper.

 

[Grant Fondo]

@Grant Fondo

80D has got 7fps and I do use this feature time after time. And don't get me wrong - I do not complain about the lens weight, it was just a fact that it weighs so much.

@Darius_Jedburgh

Thank you for Talk Photography, I've never heard about it.
I'm not going to get too serious into macro - it's just a hobby anyway. At the moment I'm quite happy with Gimp. But tripod + flash are in my plans. Though if I will get too obssesed with all this I will look deeper.

Yes its a good bit of kit, i didn't need for action shots as mostly landscape. Will go FF when i save up after splashing the cash on a set of Easton road wheels recently

 

[Oldhippy]

Thinking of buying a new phone and wondered if anyone knows wether the Samsung A12's camera is any good. Getting in to photography whilst aboard the bike.

 

[gzoom]

lSamsung A12's camera is any good. Getting in to photography whilst aboard the bike.

Samsung does some of the camera phones around my S21 Ultra is nothing short of amazing for something that I carry around in my pocket.

However the A12 is not really up to the task, if you are on a budget a used S9+ or S10 will deliver better results......but the S21 Ultra really is in a different league, and if you are interested photography easily justifies the higher cost.