A little help with my D40

[The-Black-Sheep]

Hi all!

I'd like to expand my knowledge of how to use my D40, and I've seen photos like this all over airliners.net...

http://www.airliners.net/photo/KLM---Royal/McDonnell-Douglas-MD-11/1484010&tbl=DARK&photo_nr=202&sok=&sort=_order_by_photo_id_DESC_&prev_id=1484040&next_id=1483992

If possible, can someone explain to me how to get an effect like this on my D40. I understand it has something to do with the shutter speed, but I'm no professional (obviously

[machineman9]

Shutter speed is basically how quickly it takes the image. Imagine it is you blinking... A higher shutter speed means the camera blinks quicker. If you blink very quickly then it goes darker (less light can get to your eyes) but then there is less motion that can happen between each blink. If you hold your eyes open then a lot of movement can occur between each blink (a car could travel down a road, not just a few inches between each blink) but then your eyes get dry and it starts to go blurred... Which can also happen with photos.


That photo was taken with a slow shutter speed. Probably a 30 second shutter atleast. This means that the image will include the events from time 0 up to time 30, and all the events in between which means you get the blur flowing through the image.


In order to do this you will manually have to adjust the settings on your camera to use a slow shutter speed.


Quick shutter speed, such as 1/4000th or 1/2000th of a second will be fairly dark because not much light can get to the sensor, but if you are trying to take a picture of someone kicking a football then this would be better.

Slow shutter speed such as 30 seconds or so will be much more blurred but more light can get to the sensor so I believe you can take pictures in darker lighting, but the results will blur unless the target is perfectly still for that whole time (Don't try this with human photography... But shooting the moon using a tripod would work).


So read your instructions as to how you can get the manual settings and play around with shutter speed. A quick speed such as a fraction of a second will be a bit darker but there will be little or no blurring. A longer speed will have more blurring like that effect in the link, but the picture will be brighter.

It is an art to get the right settings... I know the theory but I am mostly hopeless!

[Mictheslik]

I would recommend having a basic knowledge of how the camera itself works if you want to explore photography deeper....

The length of the exposure (i.e the amount of time the sensor is exposed to light) is governed by shutter speed. speeds such as 1/1250th only let light on the sensor for 1/1250th of a second, freezing everything moving slower than that. To achieve a shot such as the one in the link, one would have to set a shutter speed of 10 seconds +. Obviously if you handheld this it would look awful so a tripod is essential

.mic

[The-Black-Sheep]

Cheers guys. I'm getting there slowly. I think what annoys me most about my D40 is that it came with a "quick start guide", but no in depth manual  >:( ...wouldn't have the need to ask these types of questions then.

Good job this website exists really aint it

Black Sheep  8-)

[a1]

What they all said.


It took me a while to get the shutter speed, aperture, and ISO sorted out but when I did get used to it....much easier.

[The-Black-Sheep]

Yeeh, getting the hang of it myself now. Been playing around quite a bit with the camera since I started this thread. Just need to learn the basics of aperture settings now, and I'll have hopefully made some significant progress

[a1]

[quote]Yeeh, getting the hang of it myself now. Been playing around quite a bit with the camera since I started this thread. Just need to learn the basics of aperture settings now, and I'll have hopefully made some significant progress

[flyboy 28]

If you want to get the "streak of pearls" of the flashing strobes, I'd highly recommend picking up a remote shutter release. They're rather inexpensive (I picked up mine for under $15), and make the whole process a lot easier, and reduce and shake that will occur if you use the Bulb shutter setting.

[Rifleman]

Remember one thing about "shutter speed"(that is actually a misnomer - it should be called "shutter duration").....it always opens and closes at the same speed......it's the duration of "open shutter time" which is what allows light to strike the "film/sensor" plane.....so don't think that the shutter speed goes any faster or slower.....it only stays open for a longer or for a shorter time.
Longer open time will be needed when the light level is low, and when the light is very bright, you'll need to shorten the time the "sensor/film" is gathering that light.
This in conjunction with how big a hole (aperture) you let the light in with, is how you regulate exposure - but - the light sensitivity of the sensor can also be regulated (ISO), just add more confusion to the mix.....

Keep reading "basic photography" and you'll soon see and understand the relationships........and don't stop asking questions for the answers that seem to elude you.....

[The Ruptured Duck]

Is this a Nikon d40 or a Canon 40D?

[skoker]

Is this possible on a conon powershot SD1100 IS?

[Wii]

Is this possible on a conon powershot SD1100 IS?

If it has a TV or M setting then yes. If no manual setting, no.

[The-Black-Sheep]

Is this a Nikon d40 or a Canon 40D?

Nikon D40  :)

All tips have been great so far. Just got to get into the "field" and start taking some pics now

Black Sheep  8-)

[61_OTU]

Is this possible on a conon powershot SD1100 IS?

If it has a TV or M setting then yes. If no manual setting, no.

According to DPReview the SD1100 has a Manual mode.

To achieve a similar effect you will need to use a tripod, set the smallest possible aperture (the highest f no, I think that my Fuji went up to f32 from memory), the longest exposure (15s on my Fuji), and the self timer so that you don't bounce the tripod.

Aim the camera and tripod at the subject, focus, and start the self timer.

Focus on the airport shot linked above should have been easy enough due to the amount of light for the focus to fix on, if your subject is too dark then you can manually focus if your compact allows it, but it was a pig to get right with my fuji.

Steve

[DaveT]

hi blacksheep heres a link to the user manual if its of any use.

cheers Dave  

http://www.myacrobatpdf.com/7412/nikon- ... anual.html