F1, macro lens and strobes

[alexthornephotography]

<p>I'm going to be taking pictures of my neighbor's baby this week and need some information and tips from folks on the FD forum. I'm shooting with the original F1 and the 50mm macro 3.5 in addition to several other film and digital cameras. I'm also going to be using strobe lights for some of the shots.</p>

<p>My question is, what is the top sync speed for the F1? Also, I don't shoot marco that often and have never used this combination with my strobe lights. Any tips or recommendations for the shoot?</p>

<p>I was planning on using Kodak Tmax 400, but I also have some Ilford PANF 50 and Delta 100.</p>

<p>What do you guys think?</p>

<p>And I'm also going to be using my large format B&J and Hasselblad just for fun.</p>

<p>Thanks,<br>

Alex</p>

[jim_doty]

<p>The Canon F-1N (the New F-1) has a flash x sync shutter speed of 1/90 second. I'm not sure about this, but I think the flash sync shutter speed on the originasl F-1 is 1/60 second. If I were you I wouldn't use a shutter speed faster then 1/60 second and it would be a good idea to test your gear out prior to the shoot.</p>

[dan_k2]

<p>Alex, the max sync speed on the first two versions of the F-1 is 1/60, it should be in orange on the shutter speed dial. The other p[art of your question is a little vague, if you are taking a picture of the whole baby, or even just the baby's face, there shouldn't be any exposure compensation to speak of, maybe a half stop at most?? Now if you're taking a picture of just the baby's eye whole frame, that's different, life size 1:1 (with the extension tube fd-25) and the lens racked all the way out, is two stops.</p>

<p> Dan</p>

[awahlster]

<p>You will almost for sure be dealing with RED EYE with babies. I have two grand daughters one at 10months the other at 22 months and it is rare to get a shot where they do not have RED eye. I strongly suggest a off camera flash using a bracket or even a soft box on a stand.</p>

<p>Also if this is a very small baby under 6 months of age don't expect anything like a pose. It will all be a form of candid.<br>

Older once they are holding their head up while laying on their tummies better shots showing some personality can be had.<br>

If they are mobile GOOD LUCK the older one of my grand daughters loves the camera (she has already taken her own shots! At 22 months.) and she tends to run towards the camera and no child on either side of two takes direction worth spit.</p>

<p>I suggest a trimmed down rig keep it simple and quick moving. And don't expect to have move then a few minutes of the child's attention. I find our best stuff comes from sitting on the couch watching what the girls are doing and then capturing it.</p>

<p>Unless you are sitting in the child's room or a living room waiting don't expect to have time for any multiple camera shoots. Unless the child is very different then the ones our family has.</p>

<p>If you are planning some sort of temp studio setup with a child under 2 good luck having them cooperating for more then 30 sec.</p>

<p>I am very curious why if you own a F-1 are you asking here what the sync speed is? Do you not have any experiance with the camera? Or just flash and don't own a manual.<br>

The F-1 manual can be found here: http://www.canonfd.com/choose.htm</p>

<p>DO NOT under any condition take close up flash photo's of a babies eye. Nor would I use a full power flash closer to a small child at less then 5-6 feet. Their eyes are more sesitive then an adults and blowing them out with a high power flash is not going to help your photo's or their cooperation.</p><div></div>

[dan_k2]

<p>Mark, sorry about that, bad example, just trying to get an idea what he was going for.... I should have said hand......</p>

<p> Dan</p>

[jtk]

<p>For a friend's baby, back when exquisite quality pro labs still existed*, I shot an entire roll (36) of color neg using an F1, 50macro, and 3' portable soft box overhead at 45deg (umbrella would be as good). I used an 800WS Norman strobe with modeling light (massively excess power), but today I'd use a shoot- through umbrella with a stand mounted Vivitar 285HV...with the umbrella maybe a yard from the infant...see www.strobist.com for off camera small flash lighting concepts.<br>

I used a Minolta Flashmeter but I did know my light and film well enough that I didn't actually need to meter...a DSLR wouldn't have been an advantage (it was 1980).<br>

I made sure to frame every shot at the same distance...made sure distance was identical for each shot but didn't refocus.<br>

The infant was laid on a colorful hand-quilted baby blanket...he moved around constantly but stayed generally on the blanket (or was repositioned on it). I attached small prints of every frame (all 36)to mount board, framed it....it was beautiful...wish I had digital files of that project.<br>

Doing it today with film I'd be sure to test the setup in advance: shoot a roll of film with whatever lighting you have in mind, put a doll in place or have somebody put their head in the position of the infant's body. Make notes on your exposures and setup, evaluate the test prints carefully before your shoot.<br>

F1 is 1/60th...your strobe will make the actual exposure infinitely shorter...might be 1/2000, for example...my Norman was typical of large studio strobes of that era, its exposures were about 1/400th...<br>

* the point of "exquisite quality" is that I paid a couple of dollars per 4X6 to get exactly what I wanted (slightly dark, warm), every frame perfectly matched (every exposure was the same)....that cost me about $100 in 1980...today I'd make equally good Epson inkjet prints from my own Nikon scans or DSLR files.</p>

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