Focusing inside rides?

[Cousin Orville]

How do you focus inside rides (of course not using a flash)? Manual focus? Use the AF illuminator light?

 

[ukcatfan]

Please do not use your AF assist light. That is just as interrupting to other guests as the flash. If your camera cannot AF on its own, then MF is your only option.

 

[VVFF]

Never seen issues using the center F2.8 AF sensor on my 50D. I agree...turn off the AF illuminator if your camera has one.

 

[Chikabowa]

I use auto focus. Just find a place of contrast in your scene. That should allow the auto focus to lock in a little better.

 

[scoot241]

Autofocus without assist. I was able to lock on with the center focal point pretty well on my XSi.

 

[Cdn Friends of Pooh]

How do you focus inside rides (of course not using a flash)? Manual focus? Use the AF illuminator light?

You don't say what type of camera you are using ... but as others have said, autofocus without assist beam/illumination light, and definitely no flash. Most of the really good photos you see of the darker rides are taken with a DSLR, using a higher ISO and a low light lens.

Here is a good thread that explains how to shoot dark rides --> http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2212739

 

[Cousin Orville]

You don't say what type of camera you are using ... but as others have said, autofocus without assist beam/illumination light, and definitely no flash. Most of the really good photos you see of the darker rides are taken with a DSLR, using a higher ISO and a low light lens.

Here is a good thread that explains how to shoot dark rides --> http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=2212739

I recently bought a D90 with a Sigma 1.4 lens. So I've turned off the AF illuminator (and of course the flash). It seems to focus well in low light, but the camera has a difficult time determining proper shutter speeds (with the aperture set to 1.4 in aperture priority mode). In my practice runs at home the shutter speed comes out 1/6 sec. So I just get a bright blurry picture. Any suggestions? Do people set their DSLR's to manual mode and dictate the shutter speed, or is there a way to tell the camera to not go to so low of a shutter speed? What are everyone's preferred settings?

 

[scoot241]

On dark rides, I set my shutter speed to 1/50 of a second, set the ISO to 1600 usually (800 on the more lit rides like IASW perhaps) and shot away. This worked for me for everything I tried except Haunted Mansion. Definitely need more than ISO 1600 for that.

 

[Chikabowa]

I recently bought a D90 with a Sigma 1.4 lens. So I've turned off the AF illuminator (and of course the flash). It seems to focus well in low light, but the camera has a difficult time determining proper shutter speeds (with the aperture set to 1.4 in aperture priority mode). In my practice runs at home the shutter speed comes out 1/6 sec. So I just get a bright blurry picture.

Sorry, but this is the EXACT reason I hate the semi-automatic modes. I know others love them, but to me, the loss of control in my exposure, just sucks.

Any suggestions? Do people set their DSLR's to manual mode and dictate the shutter speed, or is there a way to tell the camera to not go to so low of a shutter speed? What are everyone's preferred settings?

I shoot 100% in manual mode. I just cannot see going into a dark ride and doing something differently (well, I can't shoot in any semi-automatic mode at any time because I'm so trained to do manual).

In every ride and the lights are different, but once you dial in on an exposure, MOST of the time, that exposure is pretty consistent throughout the entire ride. Pretty soon, you get good enough that you can start guessing your settings and have it, if not right on, at least accurate enough that you can make quick adjustments.

But today -
For the Great Movie Ride, my settings were ISO 1250, f2.8, 1/40.
Sci-Fi Drive In - ISO 2500, f2.8, 1/20
Voyage of the Little Mermaid - ISO 2500, f2.8, 1/80

Oh... and one of the biggest mistakes I see people do is blowing out their highlights or making scenes TOO bright when trying to shoot. Disney created the dark rides with shadows to preserve the overall look of the scene. I see too many people ignoring that and trying to make the shadows too light. So, meter for the brightest part of you scene and then shoot from there. Let everything else fall into shadow. You'll preserve so much more of the ambience of the scene that way.

(PS - I wish I could pull some examples off my camera tonight. But I left my firewire card at home and for some reason, the USB cable I had in my bag isn't working. So I have to wait until Monday when I do a shoot out at the beach to borrow hers. Then I'll be able to show some examples. )

 

[GoofyontheHiSeas]

I recently bought a D90 with a Sigma 1.4 lens. So I've turned off the AF illuminator (and of course the flash). It seems to focus well in low light, but the camera has a difficult time determining proper shutter speeds (with the aperture set to 1.4 in aperture priority mode). In my practice runs at home the shutter speed comes out 1/6 sec. So I just get a bright blurry picture. Any suggestions? Do people set their DSLR's to manual mode and dictate the shutter speed, or is there a way to tell the camera to not go to so low of a shutter speed? What are everyone's preferred settings?

I too have a D90 with Sig 30 f/1.4 and you will not have a problem on rides like POTC or IASW. I use S-mode instead of A-mode. You will be able to shoot pirates at 1/50-1/60 and it will choose f/1.4 or higher with ISO set at 3200 -1EV. I also have mine set on Auto ISO with the max of 3200. WDW did not have so many spots but at DL there are some areas that the ISO would actually go down to ~600. Make sure that you shoot in RAW. You will need tweak the WB in post production and it is a lot easier. OK now on to HM. This is a lot tougher even at 3200. I still shoot in S-mode but you will have to lower the speed to around 1/30. You will get some shots but not as many as POTC. Remember to take a lot of shots. As most here will attest to you are only going to get 1 or 2 out of every 10 you take. Have fun, you will get a lot of good shots.

 

[KarenAylwood]

On dark rides, I set my shutter speed to 1/50 of a second, set the ISO to 1600 usually (800 on the more lit rides like IASW perhaps) and shot away. This worked for me for everything I tried except Haunted Mansion. Definitely need more than ISO 1600 for that.

I'm just back from Disney and did exactly this from trial and error. Aperture priority was my friend for most of the trip- just not during dark rides!!

I have a Canon XSi so I shot with ISO 1600. I didn't have a problem at all with haunted Mansion in most scenes. I had a hard time capturing anything after the attic scene as well as the stairs scene. The attic and ballroom scenes came out great though (i haven't uploaded anything yet so I have no examples).

 

[GrillMouster]

...the camera has a difficult time determining proper shutter speeds (with the aperture set to 1.4 in aperture priority mode). In my practice runs at home the shutter speed comes out 1/6 sec. So I just get a bright blurry picture. ...

Don't blame the camera. It was probably picking the correct shutter speed, based on the aperture and ISO you dialed in, to get a well-exposed image. If 1/6 second is too slow, it's because you're not stabilizing the camera (use a tripod) and/or the subject is moving. The camera has no way of knowing that the shutter speed should be faster. You have to tell the camera what shutter speed needs to be. There are a number of ways of doing this:

• Shoot in Shutter Priority or Manual.
• Shoot in Aperture Priority and dial in Exposure Compensation.
• Increase your ISO so you can use a faster shutter speed and still get a well-exposed image.
• Use Auto ISO (if your camera has it) so it will automatically increase ISO rather than go below a pre-determined shutter speed.
• Add more light to the scene.