jcuknz

<p>In these days of digital I normally "suck it and see" and if I get a dark result I increase exposure. My problem is I learnt to use flash in pre-auto days and cannot hack all these 'helps ' which simply confuse me :-)</p>

<p>Alternatively you could use you existing digital camera and transfer the readings with suitable bias as needed?</p>

<p>I simply sharpened the image with Paint dot Net and the soft areas came up nicely.<br> Being able to do elementary editing is a useful 'technique' IMO. If she had focused on the eyes the jacket would have been soft whereas the soft face is quite pleasing.</p>

<p>The problem with just adding the IR filter to a camera is that some cameras have a strong filter already ... my Panasonic FZ cameras are useless compared to my original Nikon 5700 which I retain for IR ... being a purist I do not accept blue or other images as IR ... only B&W :-)<br> Whatever camera you have check it with your TV's IR remote to see if it gets a strong signal. IR filters are expensive so check before you buy :-)</p><div></div>

<p>The photo above was taken with my M43 camera and since it only has a 280mm reach it doesn't get so tight a shot as my bridge cameras can do with the 2d. It is almost full frame, just slightly cropped.<br /> Again not macro to the purist but quite BCU. as is this cicada [or something :-) ]</p><div></div>

<p>A lot depends on what you call 'macro' and I rarely if ever have shot 'macro' but love taking 'big close-ups' and find I can do this with my bridge camera [ x12 zoom, for 435mm focal length] and a quality two dioptre close-up lens which permits me to fill the sensor with about a 38mm or 1.5" aross subject. Beware of the cheap sets of CU lens as usually they are rubbish.<br> I could add that I have a good range of extension tubes, bellows, etc but prefer for convienience to use a two dioptre and have one in the bag of all my cameras. I rarely use a tripod but try to select the point on the subject that the viewer will want to be sharp.<br> Being old and stiff I didn't want to bend down for this fellow so simply tracked him on the LCD.</p><div></div>

<p>Further to Mathews suggestion .. it is how I started photography with a wooden bellows camera and to avoid camera shake after openning the plate to the lens in the double dark slide I would hold something black in front of the lens but not touching the rig for twenty-thirty seconds before moving it away for the exposure. The tripod and camera was not that steady hence the precautions to avoid camerashake.<br> A habit which remains with me to this day as I always use the 10 second release when working with a tripod...:-) [60 years later]</p>

<p>If you are still watching for answers this is what I made for my Nikon5700 which only has "B" as I remember.<br> I had a broken cable release with lock screw which is why I had to make it a bit clumsy/clunkie.<br> It enabled me to hold down the trigger button.</p><div></div>

<p>I do not think it is 'digital' just the increasing competance of today's cameras which means that anybody can pick up a camera and get acceptable results, and many do ... along with the 'big boys' saying 'our cameras make you a professional' LOL.</p>

<p>A DSLR'like' Bridge camera with manual over rides will permit you to learn the important functions.... lucky that my choice was Panasonic FZ as from conversations on the web I have come to realise that not all bridge cameras are equal. But while manual overrides are often quoted as I just did and an essential aspect that you should learn and be capable of I think many simply work in AP mode where they just select the aperture and ISO and leave the rest to the camera.<br> Cameras are so sophisticated these days you mostly do not need to go manual so long as your editing skills are moderately good. Camera and editor are companion tools for digital.</p>

<p>I remember I used Agfa Pan F 25 ASA which even when pushed to 100ASA had better than Plus-X grain, NONE!. These days I rarely notice noise unless it is dreadful ..... the freedom of digital.</p>

<p>Since photography is a very small part of being a professional photographer you should learn about business, and customer relationships, rather than photography and concern about what camera to use.. I remember the thread some years back where a guy who was doing good with a P&S camera at advertising work and wondered if he needed a DSLR. Likewise a friend who was using a folding camera for similar and his brain to get the shots needed.</p>

<p>One of the advantages of digital is that one has instant feedback on what you have done so try a setting ... if it is too dark give more exposure and vice versa if it is burnt out. I frequently work this way as it is so easy. and costs just time.<br> As Tony said before I read his post . The other angle is trusting the camera to know more than you [we] do so check what it suggests and then vary slightly from that if needed.</p>

<p>And likely at the sports event you used the telephoto end of the zoom which immediately looses you three quarters of the light ... only expensive lens are 'constant' ... ie. maintain the same effective aperture through their zoom range ... are usually big and heavy.<br> Photography is a constant compromise.</p>

<p>One of the drawbacks to flash is the inverse square rule which means that while at close distances the flash gives enough light for a good exposure this quickly falls off as the subject is further away. So while your flash is Ok for shots where the subject is up to 10-12 ft away it is useless for an Arena event and is merely an annoyance to others.<br /> However a digital camera in my experience will give good exposures in low light levels if you appreciate that it will be lengthening the shutter speed to get enough light. This means that if there is subject movement or camera shake the results will be properly exposed but likely a blurr.<br /> "to stop the flash working" I with my camera can simply close the pop-up flash with my finger to disable it. But since I normally work in AP rather than Auto mode your camera might not work if you do that. A drawback with using AP mode is that since you have selected the aperture and possibly also the ISO the camera will pick a long exposure which you need to watch for and take precautions against camera shake like resting firmly on a good support etc. For such shots I also normally use the delay release and leave the camera untouched after pressing the trigger.</p>

<p>I have a 10x zoom on my M43 camera to duplicate as far as possible the bridge camera and this is a greater range than my first bridge which sold me on bridge ... not all bridge cameras are equal :)<br> Verstaility depends on the mental capacity of the user and it is only at great expense that the DSLR equals my bridge or M43 cameras .... why I dislike the DSLR as a breed though enjoy most of its features with my M43 GH2</p>

<p>When the camera tells you here is not enough light without the flash then restrain yourself from pressing the trigger. <br> But actually if the subject material is static the camera will pick a suitable 'long exposure' for a satisfactory exposure without flash ... BUT if there is any subject movement or camera unsteadiness the results will be a blurr.<br> Your camera manual will tell you how to stop the flash going off.</p>

<p>I am a confirmed 'bridge' user but it has a disadvantage that you need to use a low ISO with them ... I rarely if ever used above 100 ISO. My solution was/is the Panasonic GH which lets me happilly use 6400ISO if I need it and has the features of a DSLR apart from the mirror.<br> I added the 14-140 zoom to my GH2 which effectively gives me a large sensored bridge with faster ISO possible and feels, to me, about the weight [stability hand held] of my film SLRs. I still have my bridge cameras with tele adaptors for 'high zoom so the 28-280mm range matches the first bridge I owned which converted me from an SLR user ... Nikon 5700 from 2002 I think :)<br> I made my choice just as the GH3 was coming out some years back now but see no reason to change or 'up-date' for my 'do-everything' camera as you seem to need.</p>

<p>when I used Pentax I bought an adaptor ring which enabled my K mount replacement camera to use my older M42 lenses.</p>

<p>The 7.5mm 'bug-eye' meets that spec in my case .... bought for the fun of trying it as it seemed cheap at the time.</p>

<p>I have 'spot metered' on occasions for years by walking in and holding the camera close to the subject ... then there is the approach of reading off the back of your hand where that is not possible.<br> I probably work that way with digital too rather than use the spot metering function common to many cameras these days. </p>

<p>I have a number of of M42 Pentax compatible lens and with appropriate adaptor used them on my EOS and occasionally these days on M4/3. Though being lazy I prefer a modern automatic lens :-)</p>

<p>If the camera has X and M flash setting then use x for electronic flash.<br /> Simple check for sync is to with camera open and white card in gate fire flash looking from front of camera.<br /> Blue setting is f/5.6 from twelve feet to 18"<br /> The critical factor is the flash to subject distance .. the camera can be at any distance. With a film camera one can open the shutter with T setting and make multiple flashes ... 'Painting with Light'<br> Note flash is preset to 100 ISO/ASA [bottom of dial]</p>

<p>The simplest way is to use a Guide Number as we did when flash bulbs, single use, were the vogue. I would treat manufacturers GN with caution as they often tend to be optomistic.<br> Older flash units often had a GN of 56 or 80, never struck one with 110 :-) More modern ones [20 or 30yo] often had a sensor which cut flash back when coming close.<br> On the front is a switch and on the back is the dial which tells us with the red position we can use f/8 anywhere between eight feet and 18 inches and the flash will adjust.</p><div></div>

<p>Glad I misunderstood you :-)</p>