STEVE HOW DO U DO IT?

[bullfrog]

Hey steve i was wondering how the heck do u get your pictures so crisp and clear? and i NEVER see ugly shadows the shadows just seem to fade . what do u use for the backdrop? what kinda camera? and what kinda lights and how many? could u take a picture of where u take your pics and post it up im sure many people r dying to know how u get em to look so good.thanks

[ammoace]

Yeah, that would be nice information. It can't help my driving but at least I'll be able to have better pics of my rides pre and post mortum. http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/biggrin.gif
AMMOACE

[SteveP]

First, you need a camera that allows manual control of the lens aperture (f-stop). Set the camera to the smallest aperture (highest f-number) for the best depth of field (this helps keep everything in focus, especially in close-up shots). Using a small aperture usually means you have to use a longer exposure time, which is something a good camera should allow to be manually controlled. The longer exposure times require the camera be held very still, so a tripod of some sort is recommended.

The lighting we use is generally overhead and is diffused through a light box. The light box prevents the really hard shadows you get when using an on-camera flash. You could accomplish the same effect by suspending a white sheet above the car when shooting outdoors.

The backgrounds we use are purchased from a photography supply store. The most common background is called white seamless paper, which has no visible creases, seams or blemishes.

Our cameras and lighting equipment are pretty sophisticated because this is our job. I wouldn't expect to be able to get as clean a shot with average gear. Maybe it's time for a how-to on shooting the best pictures with average camera gear. Do you think that would be helpful?

[jboyce13]

how about a camera forum?? just kidding lol

[bullfrog]

YEA! that would be VERY helpful thanks ALOT!

[Nitro Burner]

Hey SteveP,

What exactly would the F-Number and shutter speed for for a picture like this one of yours. I am curious because when I take my pictures with a F-5.6 and a speed of 60/100th my pictures don't come out that good. Also what type of lens are you using.

http://www.rccaraction.com/pics/front.jpg

[SteveP]

A shot like that is taken at about f32 with a shutter speed of about 1/80 or 1/125. Our lighting system is such that we can use a lens that closes down to very small apertures. the lens used for that shot is a Nikon 60mm macro. We have a digital camera that allows use of standard Nikon lenses, which affords us a little more flexibility than the average digital camera.

[TRXboy]

I feel like i am poor now http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/frown.gif LMAO!

[Nitro Burner]

Thanks alot SteveP!!

My camara only closes to f27, so I guess I will try it at a f27 & 1/125.

One other question, what brand and model is the digital camara ?

Sorry for all the stupid questions, I'm new to picture taking and don't know all the professional secrets.

Oh, and ya I think an article in RCCA about picture taking would be an excellent idea. I may mention this in the Magazine Forum.

[This message has been edited by Nitro Burner (edited 03-27-2001).]

[SteveP]

Nitro - F27 should work fine. If you don't have enough available light to use 1/60 shutter speed or faster, use a tripod and keep it at f27. Also, shoot outdoors on a sunny day. Using a conventional flash indoors creates to many shadows. If you wanna get tricky and shoot on a white surface, you'll need to overexpose by about one f-stop. The white throws of the meter and makes it think it's brighter than it really is.

[Nitro Burner]

SteveP,

Okay, so a f27 1/60 and overexpose one f-stop on white back ground will be fine??

Great thanx you've taught me something new.
I'll give it a try and let you know how it turns out. Sorry but it may be a couple of days, I don't have the luxury of a digital camara.

[bullfrog]

STEVE how do i get clean pictures like that with my digital camera? i have a SONY digital MAVICA quick access fd drive 2x

[SteveP]

Nitro - that should do the trick. If you're using film, bracket a 1/2 stop either way to ensure the proper exposure. Also, shot with the sun at your back and try to avoid getting your shadow in the shot.

[SteveP]

Frog - I'm not sure of the options on that camera. Check the owner's guide and see what manual control options are available. Close-up shots (every shot of an RC car is a "close-up") require some flexibility from the camera. It's tough to get a clean shot with a cheapy point-and-shoot digital camera that doesn't have any manual control options.

[Nitro Burner]

Hey Steve,

I just did a stupid thing. I thought that I was setting my camera for 1/60 and it turned out to be 60 sec., can we say whoops. Well I got it to 1/125 and then it turned out that it does go down to a f-32 aperture. Well I'm experimenting with my camera so we'll see how things work out.


What do you think that 60 sec. F-27 picture will look like?

Another question, how do you get rid of shadows??

[SteveP]

Nitro - I'll go out on a limb here and guess that a shot taken at f27 for a full minute is going to be very bright... http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

It's difficult to get rid of shadows. You have to diffuse the light somehow so it's bouncing all over the place. We do so with a large light box (a powerful flash point into a box with a thin white silk or nylon diffuser. The diffuser usually needs to be about 5 times the size of the subject for maximum shadow reduction so you'll need a diffuser about 4 feet by 5 feet. We also use "bounce cards" to fill in the shadow areas. A bounce card is usually foam core with a bright white or silver surface that's used to reflect light into areas where there's shadows or dark spots.

If you're shooting outdoors (highly recommended strong enough lighting to shoot with high f-numbers and reasonable shutter speeds) you can suspend a white sheet over the top of the car. Be sure the sunlight is pretty much overhead if you choose to use some type of pseudo diffuser.

[joe]

don't over look asa/iso and metering

also for those still shots, try turning off the auto focus, (i rarely use that crap anyways) check the depth of feild chart for your lens iff you wanna know zactly what your getting or use the preview whachamacallit for a rough idea, whatch out for bright reflected light an polorize as nessasarry. prctice a steady hold, (i get away with 1/4 sec handhels sometimes so it can be done) and it might work to stand farther away and tele in to take out some unwanted background, this will degrade the image though.


steve, is that the D1 you got there? the 5000 dollor hunk o equipment i would like to play with?

[SteveP]

Joe - the camera were using is a Kodak DCS 660. It's a camera based on a Nikon F5 which is modified by Kodak for digital use. It has a CCD double the size of that used in the D1 at six megapixels. The D1 unfortunately went the way of the newpaper photo journalist and placed more importance on rapid fire news conference photography instead of a super-resolution CCD. Ours doesn't rip off 5 pics a second, but at double the resolution of the D1, it's more suitable for our needs.

http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/cameras/dcs660/dcs660Index.jhtml

[Nitro Burner]

Hey Steve & Joe,

Thanks for all the information it has been very helpful.

I think that now I am going to have to take a trip down to the local camera shop and pick up a few things, like one of those light diffusers. Then maybe swing by the book store and pick up some books on photography.

Wait a minute this sounds like another hobby !!
Oh Great, well there goes another couple thousand dollars.

Well Hopefully this discussion will give RCCA the idea to include some of this type of information in the magazine.

Thanks again guys !!!!!

[Nitro Burner]

Steve,

I was looking around to find a price on that DCS 660.

I think you could buy a small island for the price of one of those.
RCCA spares no expense when it comes to quality pictures, huh??

Is there any other digital camera out there you would recommend that has full manual control capabilities, that say only cost as much as a small VW-Bug –vs- the one you guys got that cost the same as a small island.

[MightyTaco]

I have very limited knoledge of cameras, but i use my father's digital hen i can get it from him. Its the sony mavica like bullfrog mentions that takes the disks. I know they have one that takes little 3in cdrs which is really sweet. I dont know how much he payed for it, but i know he got a good deal on it off of Ebay. It has shutter speed contols, zoom, effects and all that weird jazz. It also has a feature that when turned on focuses in extra sharp on super close up shots... It takes some sweet pictures. You may want t check ebay for something like this.

Are those disk brakes functional?! That is sweet! Is this a kit you can buy for 1/10 scale cars, or is something like that only nessesary on like 1/5 scale cars?



[This message has been edited by MightyTaco (edited 03-28-2001).]

[SteveP]

Nitro - I'm not familiar enough with the current crop of cameras to be able to offer a good suggestion. You might want to try looking at PhotoHighway.com (http://www.photohighway.com) or DPReview.com (http://www.dpreview.com). These are two good websites to research digital cameras.

BTW - you can make your own diffuser. Just build a wooden frame and stretch some white silk, thin white nylon or frosted mylar and staple it around the frame.

[JP]

If you really want to get the best quality images close up (we all do) be SURE to use a macro lens, it will allow the camera to take close ups of the object, and make anything further away blurry, amazingly clear. I'm still experimenting, so I am usuing a macro lens at f8 aperature indoors with seperate flash with a shutter speed of 1/125. Always use a tripod for macro shots because you will get camera shake, and make the image blurry. I dont like going over 1/125 shutter because it will, i beleive, underexpose the picture; although the flash lights at about 1/1000 of a second. I use 1/125 or 1/60 always with a flash, and rarely more even though the camera right now goes up to 1/6000.

Steve - im in the middle of writing something for "Product Watch." I have to take a picture of this: www.rc10gthobby.com (http://www.rc10gthobby.com) . What do you recommend for shutter speed, aperature, etc.? Im going to be indoors, so I will use a flash, unless you recommend outdoors. BTW, its in B&W, B&W will be easier to do because then I can process my own film in my basement. Thanks

[joe]

a seperate light would be reccomended over the flash, you can get a much better meter reading and take care of glare and heavy shadows.

for that, i use my wide angle lens, it focuses to 0.3 meters not including the extreme close focus and works well for stuff that would typically need a macro lens. best way to determine aperature is to measure, although a rough eyeball job will do fine. focus carefully and use a tripod if neccasarry or atleast get a very comfortable and well braced hold on the camera, if the image in the viewfinder comes back the way you left it, then it should be good. maybe do some dry shots before loading the film to get a feel for how steady you have to hold it. unless you have trained yourself, try not to venture below 1/30th of a second.


Taco, i just got a digicam so i recently looked into several digicams, whats your price range and what are you shooting?

[JoeTheShmoe]

I dunno about a small island.. On ebay there was 1 Kodak DCS 660 camera for the price of a new car..

[MightyTaco]

Macro. I couldnt think of what they called that. Thanks joe. Anyways, there is a button on the camera i mentioned above that apparently turns the macro function on or off. When on, the close up pictures you take are super clear.

joe - I believe that it was nitro burner looking for a camer, i already have one i can use. (too bad its not mine though! http://www.rccaraction.com/ubb/smile.gif )

[acidshivers]

Could someone please tell me what car that is in the picture that Nitro Burner posted?
Thanks

[SteveP]

That's my FG 1/5-scale car I built for a test that will appear in the next issue of RC Nitro Magazine.

[acidshivers]

cool, i was hoping that it was a 1/10th scale if so i would have to get one. i love the brakes (at least what i can see). thanks. cant wait to see it.