night photography

floydmoon1

just went to my local camera club for the first time last night.looks good.there is a competition in two weeks time on night photograpy so want to enter some shots.anyone have any tips or tricks in how to shoot night scenes.

5uspect

Tripod tripod tripod. After that go wild!

kensutz

And plenty of practice.

Paulw

Another tip - use the self timer, remote cable and set the mirror lockup on.

Strong tripod is critical.

5uspect

Most cameras have a long exposure noise reduction custom function to clean up noise signatures from the hot sensor. You should consider using this if you have lots of shadows in your long exposures.

Have a look at second or rear curtain flash techniques also.

m_stan

Check out this guys night stuff, in particular this one in which he links to YouTube and shows the technique (camera on tripod with long exposure, and guy off to the side firing a flash intermittently at the subject). Great shot I'm sure you'll agree. Something I hope to replicate in the summer when it's a little nicer out at night !

5uspect

m_stan wrote: »

Check out this guys night stuff, in particular this one in which he links to YouTube and shows the technique (camera on tripod with long exposure, and guy off to the side firing a flash intermittently at the subject). Great shot I'm sure you'll agree. Something I hope to replicate in the summer when it's a little nicer out at night !

Very cool, I'm itching to get out and do some stroboscopic stuff!

mobileblog

m_stan wrote: »

Check out this guys night stuff, in particular this one in which he links to YouTube and shows the technique (camera on tripod with long exposure, and guy off to the side firing a flash intermittently at the subject). Great shot I'm sure you'll agree. Something I hope to replicate in the summer when it's a little nicer out at night !

Nice like.

TelePaul

Go to a flyover bridge on the M50 and experiment with light trails. Start off exposing for 6-8 secs and go up to 30 secs. Good fun.

challengemaster

can anyone tell me is there a mirror lockup function on the 400D? if so i havent stumbled across it yet

TelePaul

challengemaster wrote: »

can anyone tell me is there a mirror lockup function on the 400D? if so i havent stumbled across it yet

I imagine so, there's one on the 350D.

Edit: Yep, just confirmed it. Have a look for it in custom functions maybe.

challengemaster

nice one, only had a look - just spotted a HEAP of new useful stuff. I LOVE YOU! ha!

Mirror lockup, noise reduction.. sweet.

TelePaul

challengemaster wrote: »

nice one, only had a look - just spotted a HEAP of new useful stuff. I LOVE YOU! ha!

Easy there tiger. TelePaul is not in a loveable mood today. I think I've only seen the mirror lock when you turn on the cleaning function?

5uspect

Mirror lockup is available outside sensor cleaning on the 350D so the 400D should be the same.

Ricky91t

I now even have mirror lock up on the 300D
If anyone on here has one and wants it
You need to download the firmware made by a russian
Firmware
But im sire not many of you have a prehistoric camera like me

5uspect

ricky91t wrote: »

I now even have mirror lock up on the 300D
If anyone on here has one and wants it
You need to download the firmware made by a russian
Firmware
But im sire not many of you have a prehistoric camera like me

You got it working so? Good stuff.

Ricky91t

5uspect wrote: »

You got it working so? Good stuff.

Yeah no problem whatsoever with it
Great now it runs abit more like my 20D
Handy when switching between bodies quickly

bigeoino

I joined the digital beginners for their free nighttime course in cork and, yes, the 400d has mirror lock up - custom function 7 - and if on self timer as well when you press the button the mirror locks up then two seconds later the picture is taken - so even without a remote or cable you can take some shots.

Other thing (which I obviously forgot about today on the beach) is switching off your IS...

and a question - the noise reduction (custom function 2 on the 400D) for long exposure - should that be used in addition to processing on your computer? or only if you're wanting a workable JPG?

5uspect

Probably if you get noticalbe noise patterns. Have a read of this:
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/noise.htm
and this:
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/noise2.htm

bigeoino

5uspect wrote: »

Probably if you get noticalbe noise patterns. Have a read of this:
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/noise.htm
and this:
http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/noise2.htm

Thanks for that
Looks like from :-

Although fixed pattern noise (Long Exposure, Low ISO Speed) appears more objectionable, it is usually easier to remove since it is repeatable. A camera's internal electronics just has to know the pattern and it can subtract this noise away to reveal the true image.

I should enable it for extremely long exposure.

Oriel

Always bring somebody with you.

5uspect

bigeoino wrote: »

Thanks for that
Looks like from :-

I should enable it for extremely long exposure.

yep!