Flash Photography in rides

[bradk]

well.. i won't sit here and argue.. i do know a bit about photography without having to read articles on disney websites.

faster lens = aperture.

and faster lens is precisely what i said. nothing about shutter speed or 'cam speed' whatever that is (maybe i need to read more articles after all)

and studio photography requires a lot more than just a simple flash.

 

[MNWDWMANIAC]

TThe rest of your post spoke of speed, again wrong. You can actually set most cam's speed, the slower the darker, if speed is all you're chaning. What you want is aperture.

well.. i won't sit here and argue.. i do know a bit about photography

Having seen quite a few of bradk's pictures I for one would have to agree

The specifications for a given lens typically include the minimum and maximum apertures. These refer to the maximum and minimum f-numbers the lens can be set at to achieve, respectively. Aperture is directly related to the lens being used. Which I believe is what bradk was referring to rather then shutter speed which is what I think pp was referring to.

Ex: A typical lens will have an f-number range from f/16 (small aperture) to f/2 (large aperture) (these values vary). The maximum aperture (minimum f-number) tends to be of most interest (and is always included when describing a lens). This value is also known as the lens speed, because it is proportional to the square of accepted light.

This is what a lot of people think, flash is best. Its not correct.

The reference by bradk that "flash is best" seems to have been taken out of context by reading your response.

What I read was that if you want to get a picture of something yes, flash is the best way to make that happen. He followed that state ment of "flash is best" by saying "it tends to kill ambient light which is actually counterproductive in dark rides. it can reveal things you weren't meant to see and things take on a completely different appearance. a lot is lost in the translation."

 

[GRUMPY PIRATE]

Hey guys,its not worth getting worked up over. I also now a LOT about photography. Before I went digital I used various SLR, and telephoto lens for some great shots (Alaska is my favorite)

But over the years I got tired of trudging along an extra bag with all the film, lens, cleaners, cans of air, etc. etc. (HEY I'm on Vacation!!)

When DW and I went "digital" we got the cameras, and before we went on vacation, we practiced with them using flash and no flash, at night, outside and indoors. It only took a few minutes to figure out how to take a non-flash photo with good results!

I think a lot of the people, like a previous poster said, just don't know how to use the features of their respective camers. A few minutes practice and they would probably be much happier with their vacation photos!

 

[jamieT]

Sometimes I am so glad I click on a thread! This has inspired me to review my manual just so I don't miss a thing! I am an absolute freak for taking pictures and I really want to capture everythign I can. Thanks for the no flash tip. My canon powershot is like an appendage! I rarely do not have it with me!

As far as people taking pictures on a ride. I understand someone being so excited to be on vacation they forget on a ride but they need to stop when asked. (Before I get roasted I agree with and will abide by the no flash rule, I am just saying we can overlook a mistake) But when someone is blatently disrespectful then thye should be escorted out.

As far as a show, I think it should just be common sense with a live performer in the dark. Having done stage work myself (high school no one get too excited HA) I know how distracting and honestly dangerous it can be!
Thanks again for the photograghy tips!

 

[PictureJumpr]

which camera is that?

Those were taken using a Kodak Z812 IS (image stabilizer - it does help) which I picked up as a refurb from kodak itself for about $200.

I have had really good results with it, and it has a lot of bells and whistles that I still have not used. I haven't picked up any of my other cameras in months.

It is a little bit bigger than something like a powershot, but it isn't as big or as heavy as it looks in pictures of it, and doesn't bother me to carry it around my neck or in a bag all day.

The trick is to keep it stable - for example, in the photos i took on CoP and in the Hall of Presidents, i sat back in my chair and balanced it on my chest to keep it as still as possible. That, and learning to let the lens focus before taking the photo. It can do interesting things like this one:

(which is kinda blurry because of the extreme zoom - it's the bulletin board in the 'modern' kitchen on CoP)

and this one:

...all in low-light without the flash.

 

[~Kik-Kik~]

Those were taken using a Kodak Z812 IS (image stabilizer - it does help) which I picked up as a refurb from kodak itself for about $200.

I have had really good results with it, and it has a lot of bells and whistles that I still have not used. I haven't picked up any of my other cameras in months.

It is a little bit bigger than something like a powershot, but it isn't as big or as heavy as it looks in pictures of it, and doesn't bother me to carry it around my neck or in a bag all day.

The trick is to keep it stable - for example, in the photos i took on CoP and in the Hall of Presidents, i sat back in my chair and balanced it on my chest to keep it as still as possible. That, and learning to let the lens focus before taking the photo. It can do interesting things like this one:

(which is kinda blurry because of the extreme zoom - it's the bulletin board in the 'modern' kitchen on CoP)

and this one:

...all in low-light without the flash.

I have the newer versionn of that camra, Kodak Easyshare Z812IS 8.2MP Digital Camera with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom.

http://www.amazon.com/Kodak-Easysha...2?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1219272868&sr=8-2

I have yet to figure out to use it well though.

 

[PictureJumpr]

The amazon link is the same camera I have - the Z812

I generally don't fool with the manual settings and usually use it in one of the pre-set modes. Manners/Museum is the one for dark or underlit places, and it can mean that you have to give the lens a second to focus itself (especially if you've zoomed in or are on a moving ride and have just sped up). This was the biggest learning curve for me with this camera - I took a lot of bad, blurry pictures before I learned to let the camera do its thing before I hit the button.

I also use the burst to catch things in motion, and then just keep the one I like and delete the other 4 or 5. Like when I took this:

I did the burst of five, and kept number four because it had the most 'bang'

 

[~Kik-Kik~]

oops, this is my camra.

http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-locale=en_US&pq-path=12454

I have a question, do you pics come out with lines on them?

 

[~Kik-Kik~]

I took the time to reread my manual (i didnt open it, lol) and I took some pictures in the dark and to my suprise they came out like it was in the mid day sun! I no longer need flash at WDW!

 

[Rhonna]

They DO announce "NO FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY!" at Potc in Disneyland. They repeat it over and over - almost to each boat. Doesn't help at all. Grrr... The people there are really bad on this ride.

After someone in the boat with us kept using flash, ruining the ride and blinding us repeatedly, when we got done I complained to the CM. He let us go again and leaned over the boat (with new people in it) and said the line VERY loudly and FIRMLY - then repeated himself.

Poor people in our second boat probably weren't even going to take photos and didn't know what it was all about but we LOVED that CM!!!! Our second ride through was perfect!