Month: October 2012

Sports Photography: High-Speed Flash vs No Flash

by Stanley LearyOff Camera Flash / studio strobes / volleyball photography
Reading Time: 4 minutes

Caption: Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 12,800,  ƒ/5.6, 1/400 — Flashes used (4) Alienbees B1600 with  11″ long throw reflectors with PocketWizard Plus II receivers and being triggered by the PocketWizard Mini TT1. with DXO Pure RAW 4 & Lightroom

High-Speed Flash vs. No Flash

In the photo above, I used a flash with an output about the same as the existing light.

This is the histogram for the above photo.

Nikon D4, 120-300mm, ISO 11,400,  ƒ/2.8, 1/1000 with DXO Pure RAW 4 & Lightroom

Here is another photo without strobes. I had to change to a faster lens and use a faster shutter speed.

This is the histogram for the second photo. Two things stand out. First, the shadows in the picture using available light have less information than the photo using flash. Second, the entire dynamic range appears more significant with the flash, resulting in less photo noise.

ISO 25,600

I wanted to see what the Nikon D4 looked like at 25,600 without strobes. Here is the result. I am showing the same player, so there is a slight variation as possible except for ISO.

Nikon D4, 120-300mm, ISO 25,600,  ƒ/4, 1/1250 processed with DXO Pure RAW 4 & Lightroom

Here is the histogram for ISO 25,600

Color Temperature

A camera’s ability to accurately reproduce color depends greatly on the color space with which the object is photographed. The dynamic range of color is the greatest with Daylight or 5500º Kelvin. As you move away from this color temperature to the sodium vapor lights in this gym, which are 3700º Kelvin, and then you must add 27+ magenta to color correct this to get a neutral grey, the color space shrinks. The dynamic range is less.

If we had used only the strobes and no ambient light for the most accurate color, the color would have been the most accurate. Also, I could not have bounced the flashes off the ceiling; I would have had to point them straight at the volleyball players. The bounced flash will shift the color of whatever it bounces off. If the ceiling were red, there would be a red tent to the light.

Setup

Here is a photo of one of the four Alienbees B1600 with the 11″ long throw reflectors. You can also see the PocketWizard Plus II used to trigger the flash. I dialed down the flash output to 1/8 power. Again, with today’s full-framed high ISO camera chips, the results are quite acceptable, and the flash is less disturbing to those in the room.

This is a wider shot of the room where you can see the results of all four strobes going off.

This is the histogram for the overall shot above.

Agnes Scott vs Huntingdon

Here is that same angle with no flashes.

This is the histogram for the available light photo.

One last comparison

Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 12,800,  ƒ/5.6, 1/400 — Flashes used with DXO Pure RAW 4 & Lightroom
Nikon D4, 28-300mm, ISO 12,800,  ƒ/5.6, 1/400 — No Flash with DXO Pure RAW 4 & Lightroom

High-Speed Flash Sync

You may have noticed that the flash shots were taken with studio strobes and synced faster than the Nikon D4’s 1/250 sync speed. How did I do that?

Here is an explanation from the PocketWizard website.

PocketWizard’s HyperSync™ feature throws x-sync out the window, allowing never before possible shutter speeds with full power flash – any full power flash.  With some camera and flash combinations even 1/8000th second is possible.   (Alienbees with the Nikon would only sync up to 1/400)

HyperSync is simply the ControlTL® system’s unique ability to adjust the timing of the flash burst so that you can use as much of the light output as possible as the shutter opening passes over your sensor.  With the systems “through-the-shoe” communication, a ControlTL transmitter with HyperSync can automatically detect the camera type connected to it as well as the shutter speed. Read more …

LCD vs Viewfinder: Couple things to consider

by Stanley LearyPhotography

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Nikon P7000

LCD Benefits

First, the LCD on most modern digital cameras and cell phones is pretty big. Compare that screen to the little eyepiece on the Nikon P7000 above, and at first glance, you might prefer using it over the viewfinder.

You can display more information on the LCD than on the viewfinders. I have the camera set for Aperture Priority here due to the big “A” in the left-hand corner. You can also see the ISO of 100, 1/1, and ƒ/4. In addition to these settings, you can see the histogram, the flash is turned off, the vibration reduction is on, and the infrared remote is turned on.

Also, you can see the JPEG setting is on FINE JPEG. Next to it, the size of the image is set to the highest for this camera, which is 10 Meg.

As you can see in this photo of me using the LCD, I must keep the camera a reasonable distance from my face.

LCD Disadvantages

Holding the camera still this far out isn’t easy. I guess you now know why almost all point-and-shoot cameras now have vibration reduction. It is trying to compensate for the above-average camera shake compared to the viewfinder.

Now, using the viewfinder, the camera is next to my eye.

I can now use my two hands and my head as a tripod. I push the camera next to my head, which will help steady the camera. When you do that, your pictures will be sharper because you are less prone to shaking the camera.

My Nikon D4 also has an LCD like the Nikon P7000, but photographers rarely use it to shoot still images.

When you are outside, it is tough to see the LCD in bright sunlight. I prefer the viewfinder.

Viewfinder Advantages

  • You can use your body as a tripod since you can now steady the camera on your head.
  • I can see in any situation
  • On most DSLR cameras, all the information on the LCD is in the viewfinder
Viewfinder Disadvantages
If you want to take a photo above at a bird’s l, you cannot see what you are doing, and the LCD will help you know what the camera is seeing. This is also true from the perspective of a low worm’s eye.
Conclusion
Neither the viewfinder nor LCD works for every situation. I would always want both on any camera I buy from now on.