someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
Re: Personal Cricket Photography!
Nice one I reckon you should all have a go and show my students up!
Nice one I reckon you should all have a go and show my students up!
Personal Cricket Photography!
- Thread starter Stumped
- Start date
someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
Re: Personal Cricket Photography!
Shoot some new ones!
Shoot some new ones!
someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
Re: Personal Cricket Photography!
David Hinchcliffe just asked me about what camera to buy and I gave him this advice, so I thought I'd bung it in here for you lot as well -
The answer is Canon. I'm not a advocate of Canon because of the automation aspect and it's destroying the learning/teaching of photography but that's a seperate rant of mine.
Looking around it looks as though Canons have moved to the 400 series of cameras at the bottom end of the market replacing the 300 series so any of the cameras prefixed by 3 are the older spec models and all the amateur enthusiasts are trading them in for the newer 4 series models. Generally your geeky techno bloke that has to have all the latest gear will upgrade at any expense just so that he's got the newest model. You'll find that the 3 series cameras will be in very good condition because amateurs only use their cameras at Christmas, Easter, Birthdays and summer holidays so you can pick them up as real bargains.
Look at the corners of the body to see if it looks like it's been dropped. Look at the tripod screw hole underneath and see if that's worn or well used along with the base plate - that's an indication of near professional and regular use in which case the camera would have been used as a tool rather than a delicate status symbol to be shown off. My own camera gets thrown around like a spanner - it's a tool and needs to be tough and robust. Check the CCD chip that's inside the bit where the lens attaches and also the mirror that's in the body where the lens attaches. You check the chip by turning the camera on to manual and setting a long exposure (8 seconds) or using the "Bulb" setting, this lifts the shutter and exposes the CCD chip to the light, it's usually a small rectangular chip (light blue). This and the mirror need to be scrupulously clean with no scratches or dust. If there's any damage here don't buy the camera as it will appear on every single picture and look like branches on your pictures!
Your best bet is to buy a 2nd hand one from a reputable dealer (Jessops etc) as they'll come with warranty for a few months and you'll be able to get the person in the shop to show you these points I've mentioned - especially the chip and mirror. You could even ask if they could do some shots of something white and upload the image onto a computer in the shop so you can look to see if the digital capture has any faults with the mirror or the CCD chip? As they'll show up against the white.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Canon-Digital...tcZphotoQQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
The other option is EBAY, I'm a fan of ebay and go as far as buying my cars off of ebay, but it's not for everyone.
This is the camera I use and it's superb and easy to use -
http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/sea...&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1&fsoo=1&fgtp=
With regards lenses you should be looking for a minimum of 70-210mm zoom, but you might be disappointed at the amount of zoom that gives you, you should try and check out someone who already uses that kind of spec equipment. The shutter speed is dictated by several variables - The light, the ISO speed you set (Affects image quality - noise) and the widest aperture of your lens - this dictates how much light is allowed to reach the CCD chip.
Basically though if it's sunny it'll be straight forward. But you will have to learn a bit before you start to be happy with your results!
Books - hmmm depends how interested you are? basic guides to digital photography will be okay. I learned through reading Practical Photography for a year (they rotate the info annually). Wikipedia is good for specifics - type in the technical words and you'll get good descriptions, explanations along with digarams and images as examples.
Images - your best bet is cricinfo website for cricket as the images there are from the best sports picture agencies in the world.
Hope that helps and good luck!
David Hinchcliffe just asked me about what camera to buy and I gave him this advice, so I thought I'd bung it in here for you lot as well -
The answer is Canon. I'm not a advocate of Canon because of the automation aspect and it's destroying the learning/teaching of photography but that's a seperate rant of mine.
Looking around it looks as though Canons have moved to the 400 series of cameras at the bottom end of the market replacing the 300 series so any of the cameras prefixed by 3 are the older spec models and all the amateur enthusiasts are trading them in for the newer 4 series models. Generally your geeky techno bloke that has to have all the latest gear will upgrade at any expense just so that he's got the newest model. You'll find that the 3 series cameras will be in very good condition because amateurs only use their cameras at Christmas, Easter, Birthdays and summer holidays so you can pick them up as real bargains.
Look at the corners of the body to see if it looks like it's been dropped. Look at the tripod screw hole underneath and see if that's worn or well used along with the base plate - that's an indication of near professional and regular use in which case the camera would have been used as a tool rather than a delicate status symbol to be shown off. My own camera gets thrown around like a spanner - it's a tool and needs to be tough and robust. Check the CCD chip that's inside the bit where the lens attaches and also the mirror that's in the body where the lens attaches. You check the chip by turning the camera on to manual and setting a long exposure (8 seconds) or using the "Bulb" setting, this lifts the shutter and exposes the CCD chip to the light, it's usually a small rectangular chip (light blue). This and the mirror need to be scrupulously clean with no scratches or dust. If there's any damage here don't buy the camera as it will appear on every single picture and look like branches on your pictures!
Your best bet is to buy a 2nd hand one from a reputable dealer (Jessops etc) as they'll come with warranty for a few months and you'll be able to get the person in the shop to show you these points I've mentioned - especially the chip and mirror. You could even ask if they could do some shots of something white and upload the image onto a computer in the shop so you can look to see if the digital capture has any faults with the mirror or the CCD chip? As they'll show up against the white.
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Canon-Digital...tcZphotoQQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
The other option is EBAY, I'm a fan of ebay and go as far as buying my cars off of ebay, but it's not for everyone.
This is the camera I use and it's superb and easy to use -
http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/sea...&ftrv=1&saprclo=&saprchi=&fsop=1&fsoo=1&fgtp=
With regards lenses you should be looking for a minimum of 70-210mm zoom, but you might be disappointed at the amount of zoom that gives you, you should try and check out someone who already uses that kind of spec equipment. The shutter speed is dictated by several variables - The light, the ISO speed you set (Affects image quality - noise) and the widest aperture of your lens - this dictates how much light is allowed to reach the CCD chip.
Basically though if it's sunny it'll be straight forward. But you will have to learn a bit before you start to be happy with your results!
Books - hmmm depends how interested you are? basic guides to digital photography will be okay. I learned through reading Practical Photography for a year (they rotate the info annually). Wikipedia is good for specifics - type in the technical words and you'll get good descriptions, explanations along with digarams and images as examples.
Images - your best bet is cricinfo website for cricket as the images there are from the best sports picture agencies in the world.
Hope that helps and good luck!
Stumped
Active Member
Re: Personal Cricket Photography!
some good tips there dave!
i have had My Eos 350D for about 4 years now and it was my first DSLR and i have learnt alot from it. I would highly recommend them! and yes they are going very cheap on Ebay at the moment, anywhere around £100 - £150 for a reasonable example.
I'm going to hopefully upgrade to a EOS 40D this month, reason being, its the next step up towards a Pro Camera and also it shoots at 6.5fps which is ideal for sports!
Dave, i wanted to know your thoughts on Lens though? i really like the look of canon's White series they do a 70-200mm in f.28l which is a nice lens, but i just dont think its enough for cricket in terms of zoom. Now the question is would i be better going for their 100-400mm lens from the same series or getting the better quality f2.8 lens and put a Teleconvertor on that one? to get the zoom.
i understand this bumps up the f Rating by 2 points but i am unusre whether that means it goes to 4.8 or 3?
thanks
some good tips there dave!
i have had My Eos 350D for about 4 years now and it was my first DSLR and i have learnt alot from it. I would highly recommend them! and yes they are going very cheap on Ebay at the moment, anywhere around £100 - £150 for a reasonable example.
I'm going to hopefully upgrade to a EOS 40D this month, reason being, its the next step up towards a Pro Camera and also it shoots at 6.5fps which is ideal for sports!
Dave, i wanted to know your thoughts on Lens though? i really like the look of canon's White series they do a 70-200mm in f.28l which is a nice lens, but i just dont think its enough for cricket in terms of zoom. Now the question is would i be better going for their 100-400mm lens from the same series or getting the better quality f2.8 lens and put a Teleconvertor on that one? to get the zoom.
i understand this bumps up the f Rating by 2 points but i am unusre whether that means it goes to 4.8 or 3?
thanks
someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
Re: Personal Cricket Photography!
What's the aperture (f number) on the 100 - 400 I'm guessing it's f4.5 - 5.6? Do you understand what that means in relation to the light as it's fairly important.
Going back to the 300 if that's an F2.8 that sounds like a half decent lens? Not being a sports photo bloke my experience of what that gives you in the frame when shooting cricket is limited I remember my old film camera with a 300 lens when shooting surfing wasn't that good with filling the frame with action.
What's the aperture (f number) on the 100 - 400 I'm guessing it's f4.5 - 5.6? Do you understand what that means in relation to the light as it's fairly important.
Going back to the 300 if that's an F2.8 that sounds like a half decent lens? Not being a sports photo bloke my experience of what that gives you in the frame when shooting cricket is limited I remember my old film camera with a 300 lens when shooting surfing wasn't that good with filling the frame with action.
Stumped
Active Member
Re: Personal Cricket Photography!
Dave,
the two i have been looking at are on the following links:
http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/EF_Lenses/Image_Stabilization_Lenses/EF70_200mm_f2.8L_IS_USM/index.asp
and
http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/EF_Lenses/Image_Stabilization_Lenses/EF100_400mm_f4.5-5.6L_IS_USM/index.asp
i'm 90% there on the relation to the Aperature and light. Still Learning!
Dave,
the two i have been looking at are on the following links:
http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/EF_Lenses/Image_Stabilization_Lenses/EF70_200mm_f2.8L_IS_USM/index.asp
and
http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/EF_Lenses/Image_Stabilization_Lenses/EF100_400mm_f4.5-5.6L_IS_USM/index.asp
i'm 90% there on the relation to the Aperature and light. Still Learning!
Jonesy
Active Member
Re: Personal Cricket Photography!
Canon G9. That's what I have, it's a gem.
12.1 megapixels, umm, 200x zoom, plus get a 50$AU bigger lens which will give you 400x zoom and the extra lens is light and small. It's great, massive viewing screen.
http://www.letsgodigital.org/images/artikelen/6/canon-g9.jpg
http://www.letsgodigital.org/images/artikelen/6/canon-powershot-g9-camera.jpg
Costs 700$AU, but we got it for like 300$AU because we know someone at canon
Oh yeah and it has RAW, which is apparently awesome, I dunno what it is, but I think it's good for editing the picture or something.
Canon G9. That's what I have, it's a gem.
12.1 megapixels, umm, 200x zoom, plus get a 50$AU bigger lens which will give you 400x zoom and the extra lens is light and small. It's great, massive viewing screen.
http://www.letsgodigital.org/images/artikelen/6/canon-g9.jpg
http://www.letsgodigital.org/images/artikelen/6/canon-powershot-g9-camera.jpg
Costs 700$AU, but we got it for like 300$AU because we know someone at canon
Oh yeah and it has RAW, which is apparently awesome, I dunno what it is, but I think it's good for editing the picture or something.
someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
Re: Personal Cricket Photography!
The Canon G9 is the only Canon camera that I'd recommend wholeheartedly to anyone it is a superb camera. All of the G series cameras have been good, but the G9 is an incredible camera. Did the person from Canon recommend it?
Do you use it for video-ing much? What's it like and can you reduce the file sizes in video mode so you can upload it to youtube?
Yeah you're right Raw is a pro capture file that enables enormous control over the image properties.
Dave
The Canon G9 is the only Canon camera that I'd recommend wholeheartedly to anyone it is a superb camera. All of the G series cameras have been good, but the G9 is an incredible camera. Did the person from Canon recommend it?
Do you use it for video-ing much? What's it like and can you reduce the file sizes in video mode so you can upload it to youtube?
Yeah you're right Raw is a pro capture file that enables enormous control over the image properties.
Dave
someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
Re: Personal Cricket Photography!
As I though the zoom is a f4.5 - f5.6 I hope I'm not sounding patronising here - but you're aware that when using the lens at 400mm you'll be restricted to f5.6 affective aperture because of "Lens bellows extension factor" which in English mean because the lens is used at 400mm the light has to travel down a more lengthened and light absorbing tube (The lens) so you lose a stop of light. So if you think in terms of the standard
100iso gives F16 @ 1/125
100iso gives F11 @ 1/250
100iso gives F8 @ 1/500
100iso gives F5.6 @ 1/1000
This is in optimum light reflected off of an 18% grey. If you take out the optimum light factor (Blue Sky sunny day) and reduce the light to overcast and dull you're going to lose 3 stops from the light alone. Then factor in your TTL metering and you'll be looking at very slow shutter speeds when you should only ever use this lens at 1/500 in worst case scenarios. So basically it's a very expensive lens that has limited use e.g. optimum light.
Stumped said:
As I though the zoom is a f4.5 - f5.6 I hope I'm not sounding patronising here - but you're aware that when using the lens at 400mm you'll be restricted to f5.6 affective aperture because of "Lens bellows extension factor" which in English mean because the lens is used at 400mm the light has to travel down a more lengthened and light absorbing tube (The lens) so you lose a stop of light. So if you think in terms of the standard
100iso gives F16 @ 1/125
100iso gives F11 @ 1/250
100iso gives F8 @ 1/500
100iso gives F5.6 @ 1/1000
This is in optimum light reflected off of an 18% grey. If you take out the optimum light factor (Blue Sky sunny day) and reduce the light to overcast and dull you're going to lose 3 stops from the light alone. Then factor in your TTL metering and you'll be looking at very slow shutter speeds when you should only ever use this lens at 1/500 in worst case scenarios. So basically it's a very expensive lens that has limited use e.g. optimum light.
someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
Re: Personal Cricket Photography!
The other lens at F2.8 is a prime lens and will always win hands down. Go for the prime lens.
The other lens at F2.8 is a prime lens and will always win hands down. Go for the prime lens.
Jonesy
Active Member
Re: Personal Cricket Photography!
I haven't videoed much yet, I should video my bowling action and post it. Not sure if the person at Canon recommended it to us, he certainly thinks it's great.
Only thing I don't like is the flash, which only does the centre of the picture and not he whole picture, but that was probably because I hadn't set it to micro.
Dave do you know much about pinhole cameras? We're doing them atm in Photography at school, just finished photograms.
someblokecalleddave said:
I haven't videoed much yet, I should video my bowling action and post it. Not sure if the person at Canon recommended it to us, he certainly thinks it's great.
Only thing I don't like is the flash, which only does the centre of the picture and not he whole picture, but that was probably because I hadn't set it to micro.
Dave do you know much about pinhole cameras? We're doing them atm in Photography at school, just finished photograms.
someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
Re: Personal Cricket Photography!
I am the King of Pinhole! Man this is the most fantastic photography on the planet! I've been taking pictures since 1973 and sell images all round the world but 3 years ago because my students did such a bad job with their pinhole project which were delivered by another teacher I thought "What's the big deal with Pinhole - why is it so bloody hard and the students can't do it"? and I tried it myself and it was the most exciting fun I have had in photography since starting! Pinhole is absolutely amazing. what do you want to know?
I am the King of Pinhole! Man this is the most fantastic photography on the planet! I've been taking pictures since 1973 and sell images all round the world but 3 years ago because my students did such a bad job with their pinhole project which were delivered by another teacher I thought "What's the big deal with Pinhole - why is it so bloody hard and the students can't do it"? and I tried it myself and it was the most exciting fun I have had in photography since starting! Pinhole is absolutely amazing. what do you want to know?
Stumped
Active Member
Re: Personal Cricket Photography!
i wish we had photography classes / lessons at school!
so dave back to lens breifly, if i went for the Canon IS 70-200 F2.8 and added a teleconverter say a 2 x it would make it 140 - 400 F4.8? is that correct? i dont understand teleconverters and how they affect the lens!
i wish we had photography classes / lessons at school!
so dave back to lens breifly, if i went for the Canon IS 70-200 F2.8 and added a teleconverter say a 2 x it would make it 140 - 400 F4.8? is that correct? i dont understand teleconverters and how they affect the lens!
someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
Re: Personal Cricket Photography!
Yep that's right you extend the focal length by using the converter, but as in virtually every gain in photography it's offset by a loss. Your affective aperture will increase by a stop if not more, which as I probably said earlier means you're restricting the amount light that's able to reach the CCD chip.
No I don't have a darkroom at home - I'd only ever use enlargers like devere and durst 203's and 504's, so I'd print at work if I had to.
Pinhole - the secret with pinhole is the lens.
1. Get yourself a coke can cut it up with a pair of strong scissors and cut a sqaure about 10cm x 10cm.
2. Using emery paper rub the centre of the piece of can down till it's very thin.
3. Then using a pin make dent in the centre (Don't poke the pin right through).
4. On the side where the tint dent is poking out - rub the dent till you rub through the metal making the smallest hole possible.
5 make a box that's light proof but make it so that the distance between the pinhole and the back of the camera is no more than 6".
6. Start taking pictures!
Yep that's right you extend the focal length by using the converter, but as in virtually every gain in photography it's offset by a loss. Your affective aperture will increase by a stop if not more, which as I probably said earlier means you're restricting the amount light that's able to reach the CCD chip.
No I don't have a darkroom at home - I'd only ever use enlargers like devere and durst 203's and 504's, so I'd print at work if I had to.
Pinhole - the secret with pinhole is the lens.
1. Get yourself a coke can cut it up with a pair of strong scissors and cut a sqaure about 10cm x 10cm.
2. Using emery paper rub the centre of the piece of can down till it's very thin.
3. Then using a pin make dent in the centre (Don't poke the pin right through).
4. On the side where the tint dent is poking out - rub the dent till you rub through the metal making the smallest hole possible.
5 make a box that's light proof but make it so that the distance between the pinhole and the back of the camera is no more than 6".
6. Start taking pictures!
Jonesy
Active Member
Re: Personal Cricket Photography!
We use Milo tins for ours. And you need to put photographic paper in directly opposite on the other side on the tin.
I took my first picture with it on Thursday. Everyones in my group's pictures were under-exposed, we left them out for 70 seconds or so but it needed to be closer to 90, but it's hard to tell first up.
Dad bought me a book on photography out of the blue yesterday, it's a pretty good guide on how to take picture in different scenarios and stuff like that, like sport photos and motor sport photos.
I might be going to the nets tomorrow so I might try out the video, maybe.
We use Milo tins for ours. And you need to put photographic paper in directly opposite on the other side on the tin.
I took my first picture with it on Thursday. Everyones in my group's pictures were under-exposed, we left them out for 70 seconds or so but it needed to be closer to 90, but it's hard to tell first up.
Dad bought me a book on photography out of the blue yesterday, it's a pretty good guide on how to take picture in different scenarios and stuff like that, like sport photos and motor sport photos.
I might be going to the nets tomorrow so I might try out the video, maybe.
someblokecalleddave
Well-Known Member
Re: Personal Cricket Photography!
Books for photography? The bible is one called Michael Langfords Basic Photography published by focal press. It's the book anyone who's serious about photography should have and it's the book all students in photography use. But I've got to say most photography books which have a bit about techniques, kit and loads of picture ideas are usually quite good. I must say that I learned using Practical photography magazine and Photo-answers - if you get them for a year you kind of work through most of the problems that arise and if you use the images in the magazines as a standard to attain you're not going to go far wrong.
Books for photography? The bible is one called Michael Langfords Basic Photography published by focal press. It's the book anyone who's serious about photography should have and it's the book all students in photography use. But I've got to say most photography books which have a bit about techniques, kit and loads of picture ideas are usually quite good. I must say that I learned using Practical photography magazine and Photo-answers - if you get them for a year you kind of work through most of the problems that arise and if you use the images in the magazines as a standard to attain you're not going to go far wrong.