Shooting Fantasmic!

[seashoreCM]

Was trying to film Fantasmic for my elderly mother & noticed that the screen shot would start to take on a cloudy appearance. The 1st few times, I'd either pause it or re-direct the shot to the floor to clear it. Before the show ended, the entire feed was cloudy.?

I do not think any part of Fantasmic (other than water spray) ruined your camcorder.

Most night time subjects require that the camera or camcorder be set to "night mode" or set manually so the picture in an electronic viewfinder looks like night. Otherwise colors may be washed out.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[disney_for_life]

I finally took the plunge into the world of digital photography and bought my first digital camera it is a Canon Power Shot S2IS. My question to all you experts on the board is what is the best way to take pictures of Fantasmic? When I went last year all I had was a disposable camera and none of the pictures of Fantasmic came out Can someone please help a newbie to the world of DP get it right this time

 

[MarkBarbieri]

I don't have any good advice. I just want to say that it's really tough to shoot.

 

[disney_for_life]

that's what I was afraid of, but any tips would be helpful to someone with very little knowlege about the digial camera world.

 

[MarkBarbieri]

OK, just don't expect too much. It might help to ask other people for their favorite Fantasmic shots and then ask how they shot them. I've only tried to shoot Fanstamic! once and I didn't get any half-way decent photos.

Here's what I've shot:

Try to shoot things that are well illuminated. Lack of light is your biggest problem with Fanstasmic!. The other is that the action is pretty far away. When you combine long zooms and low light, you've got a recipe for disaster.

Everything is moving, so IS doesn't help as much as you might like. Sure, it may help you hold the camera steady for a 1/8 second shot, but motion blur will probably ruin the shot anyway.

 

[landmark]

Fantasmic is a non-flash environment so the biggest problem is that you need to be able to do longer exposures to allow more light into the camera. However, with the action during fantasmic this makes it hard so the trick is your ISO settings and capabilities of your camera. I'm not sure of the specifics on your cameras abilities... I'm barely scratching the surface on my own. Start doing research on tips for shooting fireworks. I first started researching that and then applied what I learned to the night shows/non-flash shows as well and it's worked so so for me. I hope that someone with more experience will have some good advice that we both can use!

I'm going to practice as well before my next trip by going out into town and taking more night shots of anything that illuminated such as McDonalds etc. Night shots are my biggest challenge and I'd like to improve greatly in that department.

Also... review this thread and take notice of the settings that are being used. I will be making more notes.....

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1186626


Here are three of my fairly good shots from Mar 2005. I did get several not great shots along with these as well. I used my Nikon D70 with no flash and a 50mm 1.8 lens.

 

[Groucho]

If you have a tripod, you can try setting it up between your legs as you sit there, with the tripod's legs open just enough to give it a stable surface. This will (mostly) take care of the shaking issues. Since there's a lot of movement, you'll have to crank up the ISO as high as you're confortable with (before image noise become too bad) and go with the lowest F-stop possible. If your camera can do manual focus, it might be worth setting that, too, so it doesn't spend time hunting for focus or focus on the wrong thing. I know that manual focus on PnS cameras can be a real pain but it might be worth it, especially since most stuff will be approximately the same distance from you. I would suspect that you'll have to use manual settings as much as possible.

I haven't tried, but I've only ever seen a few photos that turned out really well that others have taken. It's definitely tough and especially tough for even the best point-n-shoot. Surely not impossible - but tough!

But I promise that your photos will look lightyears better than anything taken with a disposable camera.

 

[Tiggerlover48]

I looked at the above and WOW there were some awesome pictures. I just bought a Sony H-5 - I've never had a digital and have only had a point and shoot!!! So that makes me pretty clueless!!!! So help me. I saw posts that said "Canon 50mm 1.8 set at f2.8, ISO 800, 1/125 sec" "1/6s f/5.6 at 48.0mm iso1600"

Help what does all of that mean!!! And how do I get my camera to do it!!!!

 

[Groucho]

None of those numbers have anything to do with the camera being a digital, you'd have all the same numbers with a film camera. (But you wouldn't be able to look it all up afterwards!)

Your best bet is to check a general camera FAQ (to explain ISOs, f-stops, etc), or read through your owner's manual cover-to-cover - it probably explains most of the basics. If you are intrigued enough, check for a photography 101 class at a nearby community college or similar place, that will probably be an enormous help.

 

[Master Mason]

I looked at the above and WOW there were some awesome pictures. I just bought a Sony H-5 - I've never had a digital and have only had a point and shoot!!! So that makes me pretty clueless!!!! So help me. I saw posts that said "Canon 50mm 1.8 set at f2.8, ISO 800, 1/125 sec" "1/6s f/5.6 at 48.0mm iso1600"

Help what does all of that mean!!! And how do I get my camera to do it!!!!

Quick version....

50mm this is the lenses focal lenth
1.8 is the maximum appature of the lens
f2.8 was the acctual appature of the lens when used
ISO 800 is a film speed number
1/125th sec is the time of exposure.

Basically photography is all about light. There are different factors that go into capturing that light.

Apature is how wide an opening do you have in your lens for the light to come through. The smaller the number the bigger the hole that light can get through. This also effects depth of field for focusing as well.

IS0 This is a carry over from film, the faster the film could record information, the higher the ISO. The faster it can record information, the less light that is required for the picture. There is a trade off though, as the faster the film or sensor in our case, the grainer or noisyer the picture will be. (not as clear)

Exposure time. This is simple, how long is the lens open to expose the sesor to light. The longer the time, the more likely you or your subject will move, thereby creating blurr. Rule of thumb for sharp pictures is the speed should be faster than 1/focal lengh of the lens.

Hope that helps a little bit.

 

[ldibo]

I took pictures of Fantasmic last fall with my S2IS. I used the night mode. For sitting way up in the back, I think they came out well!

You can see them here...

http://new.photos.yahoo.com/album?c...laNXKt6FipyXka6gwgF8Q--&ts=1158348245&.src=ph

or here

http://ldibo.phanfare.com/album/58903


Lynn

 

[all4fun]

sorry, duplicate

 

[all4fun]

I looked at the above and WOW there were some awesome pictures. I just bought a Sony H-5 - I've never had a digital and have only had a point and shoot!!! So that makes me pretty clueless!!!! So help me. I saw posts that said "Canon 50mm 1.8 set at f2.8, ISO 800, 1/125 sec" "1/6s f/5.6 at 48.0mm iso1600"

Help what does all of that mean!!! And how do I get my camera to do it!!!!

Hi, I am just learning myself. I found this site to be extremely helpful in explaining some of the basics. It's aimed at the D-SLR user but can be applied to general photography.

here's the link:

http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/enjoydslr/

hth!

 

[handicap18]

Here are three of my fairly good shots from Mar 2005. I did get several not great shots along with these as well. I used my Nikon D70 with no flash and a 50mm 1.8 lens.

Ok, this is exactly what can drive me nuts about this board. I have the 50mm f/1.8. So now, for next years trip, I need to go out and get the 85mm f/1.8 just so I can get that much closer. (try arriving earlier you say, yah right, with 3 kids, hahahaha I laugh at your nonsense!)

I actually have been considering getting the 85 f/1.8. It gets great reviews on the nikonians board and its not that expensive. Just what I need though, right, another new lens! DOH!

To the OP re: the 50mm f/1.8 1/125th 800. For your camera, these numbers are pretty much insignificant. On SLR camera's (film and digital) there is a specific lens available that is 50mm in focal length and has a maximum aperture opening (basically the lens' pupil) of f/1.8, which is VERY wide (a bigger hole opening in the lens allowing more light to pass though). The f/1.8 on a P&S like your's is not possible. So don't worry yourself over it.

For your camera, I would set the ISO (equilivent of film speed) at its highest (don't know if its 800 or 1600). Use shutter priority and chose 1/30th or 1/40th. Hold the camera as still as possible (I don't recall if it has any type of image stabilization) and slowly release the shutter with your finger. In the shots w/Mickey in them he should be still long enough that if you do it right he wont be blury from movement, but you may get a cool effect of the fireworks shooting from his fingers (talking about only a few specific parts of the show).

I would definately practice before going down. If you have kids or someone who would be a willing participant, maybe try some shots at night with your volunteer (sp?) in an area outside that has a light, like a porch or something. With you standing a good distance away. Play around with the settings and see what works best. Just a thought.

 

[Groucho]

Ok, this is exactly what can drive me nuts about this board. I have the 50mm f/1.8. So now, for next years trip, I need to go out and get the 85mm f/1.8 just so I can get that much closer. (try arriving earlier you say, yah right, with 3 kids, hahahaha I laugh at your nonsense!)

One problem with getting close to Fantasmic (as we found the first time I saw it, sitting in the "dinner package" section on a very chilly late November night) was that if the wind's right, you can get a lot of mist hitting you from the water curtains that they project onto.

Just one more potential complication to keep in mind...

 

[disney_for_life]

I can't say thank you enough for all your tips, advice and help.I am still taking notes on what everyone has said so far. I still have a long way to go and a lot to learn. Hopefully I will get it before we go to WDW in Feb.

 

[disney_for_life]

another quick question: What does it mean when a picture is noisier? I have seen that term on this board a number of times, but don't really know what it means?

 

[Master Mason]

another quick question: What does it mean when a picture is noisier? I have seen that term on this board a number of times, but don't really know what it means?

Noise in a picture is like static on a record..... they are small distortions that keep the picture from being as clear as it can.

 

[handicap18]

One problem with getting close to Fantasmic (as we found the first time I saw it, sitting in the "dinner package" section on a very chilly late November night) was that if the wind's right, you can get a lot of mist hitting you from the water curtains that they project onto.

Just one more potential complication to keep in mind...

Ok, so now your telling me to get the 200mm f/2 lens. Great just what my wallet needs!

You are right about being close. Those water screens can spray pretty far on a breezy night.

Fantasmic is one of the more harder shows/things to photograph at Disney. Although with any camera and good timing you can get good shots.

As for noise, it is the digital equilivent of grain. The picture isn't sharp. It may be in focus, but overall it looks "grainy". It is especially noticable in lesser expensive digital cameras where the picture was taken with a high ISO (more so in night shots) and even more so in enlargements. How much noise and at what settings varies from camera to camera. Some are better and some are worse. Acceptable amounts of noise also varies from person to person. What might be fine for one person might be the picture version of scraping fingernails on a chalkboard to another. If you've ever used a disposable film camera you might find pictures taken with it somewhat grainy, not as sharp as pictures taken with a camera with a glass lens.

 

[Cap'n Keel]

Canon EOS 5D, 70mm focal length w/IS, 3200 ISO, Spot metered to Bell, 4.6f@1/50th sec

The 3200 ISO of the 5D and an IS lens works wonders for such shots. We were sitting about halfway up.

I have found an easier and less costly way to get great Fantasmic shots. For non-commercial means of course. Just pluck them off the Dis Board. Lots of good shots posted here with many in the 300k range. Genuine Fractals will work wonders with such size photos.

Below is another showing pretty good detail and not so bad of grain for such a high ISO.