External flashes

[mom2rtk]

Thank you for the link, Mark! That thread looks very helpful, and I'm eager to check otu the other tutorials as well. I bookmarked it on my phone's browser so I can easily access it at the parks!

Thurl--I don't really know much about shutter priority mode (last time we just used total manual and it was hit and miss)--thanks for the idea. I'll definitely look into it.

We're actually headed to DLR, not WDW...so no Spaceship Earth for pictures. I got some pretty good shots in iasw last year, but it's so light in there it wasn't hard. I got a couple random good shots in Pirates, but there were some scenes I wanted that I couldn't get (like Jack Sparrow popping out of the barrel, or sitting on the gold at the end).

I also had a hard time with the faster moving dark rides..like Alice in Wonderland. I'd love to get a good inside shot there.

I'd love to see some shots from Alice too! Any of your DL regulars ever get anything from that ride?

 

[Angel Ariel]

GoofyontheHiSeas got an excellent Alice shot...this is posted in the DL PotD thread

click this link, scroll down to post #1509

 

[Angel Ariel]

These were some of the better shots from PotC:

And my favorite one..

 

[mom2rtk]

GoofyontheHiSeas got an excellent Alice shot...this is posted in the DL PotD thread

click this link, scroll down to post #1509

I didn't even know that thread existed! Thanks for the link! I'll be checking out the rest of it over the next day or 2 since we're headed west in 5 weeks!

 

[Angel Ariel]

That link's been getting me through my "I want to be at Disney NOW" feelings over the past few weeks I'm getting just a touch impatient I hope you enjoy it!

 

[GoofyontheHiSeas]

I'd love to see some shots from Alice too! Any of your DL regulars ever get anything from that ride?

GoofyontheHiSeas got an excellent Alice shot...this is posted in the DL PotD thread

click this link, scroll down to post #1509

Thank you very much. It is very dark on Alice and the cars/buggies move fairly quick so it makes getting any good shots very difficult. Most of my shots from there are with my Sigma 30 f/1.4 ISO 3200 and 1/60-1/80 sec. Here are some more.

 

[mom2rtk]

Thank you very much. It is very dark on Alice and the cars/buggies move fairly quick so it makes getting any good shots very difficult. Most of my shots from there are with my Sigma 30 f/1.4 ISO 3200 and 1/60-1/80 sec. Here are some more.

Those are AWESOME! It's my daughter's and my favorite ride and we haven't been since 07, so we can't wait to see it this summer!

I'll try my Sigma 30mm f1.4, but won't hold out much hope as my ISO only goes to 1600. But it's worth a try, right?

Or maybe I should go with my wide angle lens and hope for some interesting outdoor shots when the ride goes outside..... Ahhh... decisions, decisions....

 

[cjstarr]

I have the Sony A100 DSLR and I am in need of a flash.
The one I'm looking at is the HVL-F56AM Digital Camera Flash.
Would this be a good match up for my A100 Sony?

Thxs

 

[Gianna'sPapa]

I'm not totally familar with the Sony line, but it should work fine with your camera. The 56 was replaced by the 58 in 2008. There are several comparisons if you do an internet search. If you are looking for a third party flash, which costs less, you may want to look at the Sigma EF-530 DG Super. I have that one and for the few times I require its use, it works great. It has the swivel head, multiple flash capability, wireless and is available for the Sony. I think B & H still has it for $219 w/ free shipping. I've also heard good things about the Metz, but I will rely on others to explain that one.

 

[disneyboy2003]

I have the Sony A100 DSLR and I am in need of a flash.
The one I'm looking at is the HVL-F56AM Digital Camera Flash.
Would this be a good match up for my A100 Sony?

Thxs

Hmmm, I did a quick Google search for "HVL-F56AM Digital Camera Flash", and the first link was to Amazon.

On Amazon's Web site for this flash (link), the 2nd customer review for this flash exclaimed, "Best Flash for the Sony a-100".

If this is true, then sounds like the flash is probably a good match for your Sony camera.

 

[KAT4DISNEY]

Yes, the HVL-F56AM would be a good match.

 

[MICKEY88]

I second the sigma as a good alternative..

I had the Minolta 5600, the sony is basically the same flash,

I had purchased a sigma as a second flash

when my minolta died I decided to buy a second sigma, since it was a bit cheaper and I hadn't noticed any difference between the minolta and the sigma..

 

[jen3003]

I'm hoping someone can help. I have a Nikon D40 that up until last week worked fine. As of now my flash won't work. I checked all of the settings and even did a reset just in case and nothing.
Has anyone had this happen to them and if so is it able to be fixed?

Thanks for your help!

 

[ukcatfan]

I remember someone on here had a problem with their flash on their D40. I believe that they had to send it back to Nikon if they wanted it fixed, but decided not to because of the cost. It sounds like a perfect time to buy an external flash!

 

[Icemann]

What is it doing,not popping up when it calls for flash or is it not firing?Their was a link to you tube here a few months back on how to fix it if the flash popped up but didn't fire I think Groucho here found it.Stick around someone will post the link.Sorry I can't of much help.Good Luck

 

[RBennett]

Does anyone have a suggestion on shutter speed for indoor rides? I am thinking ahead to my next trip and was wondering if there is a general speed that works well for Pirates/Haunted Mansion/Peter Pan. You think 1/60? Or something different? Now that I have my new K-x and the ISO capability is off the hook, I figured with that and my 50mm f/1.4 I shouldn't have any excuse not to pull some good shots off!

 

[zackiedawg]

It's up to how steady you are...many can shoot down to 1/30 and still have enough speed to freeze any animatronic motion and the motion of the boat. 1/60 is safer, and any faster if you can get it. I've shot both shutter priority at 1/30 to 1/80, and in aperture priority with center-weight metering...I tend to like using aperture priority to fix it somewhere between F1.4 and F2 or so, and then let the camera grab extra shutter speed when it can. I typically set ISO at 6400 myself, so there's plenty of leeway - ISO3200 can work too, but in some dark sections is really pushing it too slow on shutter. Since you have one of the newer cameras that can do ISO6400 pretty clean, I'd recommend using that.

 

[annnewjerz]

For Pirates and Haunted Mansion, I believe I used around 1/50 or 1/60. Some of them still came out blurry, but I was comfortable with that speed and I think anything faster in terms of shutter speed would have given me some shots that were too dark to recover without them looking like complete garbage.

For "dim" rides like Small World, some parts of Splash Mountain, etc. I was able to use higher shutter speeds and lower ISOs, probably more in the range of 1/100 or so.

Let me forewarn you though, having a camera with nice high ISO capabilities and a f/1.4 lens most definitely doesn't even guarantee usable shots, which is disappointing!! I have a D90 and used a Sigma 30 f/1.4 and still came away from Pirates baffled as to why I maybe got two keepers on the whole ride.

Practice makes perfect though, and it's a great excuse to go on some of my favorite rides multiple times in a row!!

Can't wait to see what you come back with and enjoy the new camera!

 

[ssanders79]

Continuous/burst shooting mode will increase your chances of getting usable shots. I would also suggest shooting in raw as the dark rides are tricky when it comes to white balance.

I was able to get to 1/25 with f1.8 ISO 1600

see at flickr

This was 1/50 at f1.8 ISO 1600 here you can definatly see more noise.

see on flickr

 

[disneyfanUSA]

Continuous/burst shooting mode will increase your chances of getting usable shots. I would also suggest shooting in raw as the dark rides are tricky when it comes to white balance.

I was able to get to 1/25 with f1.8 ISO 1600

see at flickr

This was 1/50 at f1.8 ISO 1600 here you can definatly see more noise.

see on flickr

Nice! Were these taken without a flash?