Indoor model train displays

<p>I'm attending tomorrow or Sunday (with my 9-year-old grand nephew) an indoor model train show where there will be many operating layouts of scale-model trains. (My wife is headed to Midtown Manhattan tomorrow with her niece and grand niece to Rockefeller Center, St Patrick's Cathedral and — most importantly! — the American Girl doll store on 5th Avenue; she will be using all the digital gear.)</p>

<p>My thought is to use my M5 or M7 loaded with ISO 800 or 1600 Fuji colour print stock for the train show. I have no idea what the lighting will be like, but I'm assuming there will be a lot of sodium-vapour lighting or similar. I plan on taking my 28-35-50mm ƒ/4 Tri-Elmar ASPH and an old 135mm ƒ/4 Tele-Elmarit (for 'close-ups' of details of the layout). I will throw a Metz flash in the bag, though I'm not sure how useful that will be.</p>

<p>Does anyone have any experience with photographing indoor scale-model train layouts? I have zero experience but would like to take some nice shots, other than on my smart phone.</p>

 

<p>It depends how close you can get to the exhibits, but with architectural models, a Leica with super wide like 15mm (eg 15 C/V) placed within the model with the self timer actuated gives a unique sense of place. (small aperture) everything else tends to look like telephoto/ long lens viewpoint, but nothing wrong with that.<br>

You will probably be restricted to distant access, so if you have to look through glass, maybe a polariser might help?<br>

If you are allowed, maybe a monopod if you don't want complications of flash. Holding onto the leg, this might also allow you to operate the camera to some extent over the rail layout using self timer.<br>

Sounds fun, anyway.</p>

<p>You'll need depth-of-field unless you shoot the trains side-on. But you can't use long shutter speeds, since the trains are moving, probably <em>fast</em> at a show like this. <br>

When we do serious Model RR photography, of course the trains aren't moving. <br>

Small-sensor digital cameras are really nice for Model RR photography, because you can put them on the layout, the sensor's about 6 scale feet off the ground (human height), and they have great depth-of-field!</p>

<p>Actually, the best thing to photograph will be the faces of the children watching!</p>

 

If this is indoors the lighting will be a challenge. I would take some fast lenses and leave the 135 at home. At least a fast

50 and 35. A fast 75 or 90 might be good. The Tri Elmar might be too slow. Good luck. It will be a great learning

experience.

<p>ISO 1600 with my Tele-Elmarit 135/4 should let me shoot at 1/125th and above for close-up, tight shots, no? Or should I forget the film and just use my smart phone? Maybe the ƒ/2 'crons (35, 50 & 90) would make more sense, but I'm trying to lighten my load. The 90/2 Summicron is one hefty objective.</p>

<p>When I've attended similar shows the lighting was generally too dim to shoot above 1/30 or so. However, if you drape a handkerchief over your flash to reduce bright surface reflections, you should be able to get some good shots with all of your lenses. These shows are a blast, and if you're not careful (I mean really careful), you can end up with a severe GAS (gear acquisition syndrome) attack, and have to split your camera money with your model train money.</p>

<p>Flash of any kind might not be permitted. I'd take two bodies, a fast lens on each and another fast lens in the bag. Can you go 35/2 or 1.4, 50/2 or 1.4, 90/2?</p>

Industrial high pressure sodium light is reasonably close to daylight. ISO 800 should be fast enough for hand held

exposure. Scale models usually look better (more real) with longer lenses. Use flash for fill only. A diffuser will only reduce

intensity, not soften the light ( too small, too far away).

 

Enjoy your day with the children. It's all about them.

<p>I participate in several train shows a year and find that getting good photographs of our layouts is a challenge - especially for film at the ISOs available. The lighting at most venues is poor for photographing the layouts plus you are challenged with small DOF at the distances you will be shooting for detail. Unless you can ask the operators to slow or stop their trains, motion at the slow shutter speeds you are forced to use will blur trains. If the venue has a white ceiling, then bounce flash can provide adequate illumination at reasonable ISOs. Bounce flash is not very dramatic for the trains, but good for capturing the glee of the kids around the layouts. If you are lucky, the venue has windows that allow sunlight to hit the layouts and that can provide interesting lighting.</p>

<p>Best shots of the trains and layouts are after hours when I can remove the Plexiglass shields, stage the trains, control ambient light, adjust the lighting in the model buildings, and provide my own light sources. For the smaller gauges (HO and smaller), I use a cell phone for DOF and I can put the camera on the layout for eye-level perspective. For the larger gauges where I can get a DSLR on a tripod close enough, a tilt-shift lens provides focus along the track diagonal. </p>

<p>If the Metz flash is TTL compatible with the M7, you can be confident that you'll have adequate light output to achieve decent depth-of-field with the smaller apertures.<br /> Best to use a bounce card or even better, a "Gary Fong" Lightsphere flash accessory.</p>

<p>I agree, get more of <strong>the spectators</strong> then the static train displays (Much more interesting in the long run, photographically speaking). <br /> Finally, of course <strong>have fun</strong> making memories with your G.Nephew...</p>