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Cruise Ships
I'm going on an Alaska cruise in 6 weeks, and I'm wondering about film.
I have favorite ISO 100 and 400 film, but my question is about whether to bother with the 100 speed stuff. I don't plan to take a tripod - I'll use a monopod (that doubles as my cane), and I get satisfactory results that way. My hands are unsteady enough these days that I use the monopod for all 100 speed shots. So, my question is - how steady is the deck of a cruise ship? I know that the ship will come to a complete stop at selected locations, so I'm not wondering about those situations. I'm wondering about steadiness when the ship is at normal cruising speed - can I count on a steady enough platform to use ISO 100 with the monopod, or should I go to 400 and the faster shutter speeds? I don't want to give up sharpness, but I don't want to give up grain unless really necessary. Any experience out there? What say you? Bob in Las Vegas |
#2
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Cruise Ships
Leave the 100 asa home and use the 400 asa. If the weather is cloudy the
extra speed will help plus there is a lot to photograph onboard ship. Don't forget your polarizer. "JRF" wrote in message news:MSKbc.10349$zh.5022@fed1read07... I'm going on an Alaska cruise in 6 weeks, and I'm wondering about film. I have favorite ISO 100 and 400 film, but my question is about whether to bother with the 100 speed stuff. I don't plan to take a tripod - I'll use a monopod (that doubles as my cane), and I get satisfactory results that way. My hands are unsteady enough these days that I use the monopod for all 100 speed shots. So, my question is - how steady is the deck of a cruise ship? I know that the ship will come to a complete stop at selected locations, so I'm not wondering about those situations. I'm wondering about steadiness when the ship is at normal cruising speed - can I count on a steady enough platform to use ISO 100 with the monopod, or should I go to 400 and the faster shutter speeds? I don't want to give up sharpness, but I don't want to give up grain unless really necessary. Any experience out there? What say you? Bob in Las Vegas |
#3
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Cruise Ships
photo35744 wrote:
Leave the 100 asa home and use the 400 asa. If the weather is cloudy the extra speed will help plus there is a lot to photograph onboard ship. Don't forget your polarizer. I disagree! If the conditions are cloudy dull, the extra punch 100 (or even 50) that slide film can add would be well worth it. I have done an Alaska cruise. I remember the deck being very steady and used ONLY ISO 50 Velvia. But I do not recall using a tripod while the ship was moving (did when stopped). If you have a camera whose manufacturer has image stabilization lenses, consider buying one. That will help correct unsteady hands. For example, if you have Canon, check out the 28-135 IS lens. For the amount you spend on the cruise, the lens will pay for itself in memories, and you will have the lens afterward too. Roger "JRF" wrote in message news:MSKbc.10349$zh.5022@fed1read07... I'm going on an Alaska cruise in 6 weeks, and I'm wondering about film. I have favorite ISO 100 and 400 film, but my question is about whether to bother with the 100 speed stuff. I don't plan to take a tripod - I'll use a monopod (that doubles as my cane), and I get satisfactory results that way. My hands are unsteady enough these days that I use the monopod for all 100 speed shots. So, my question is - how steady is the deck of a cruise ship? I know that the ship will come to a complete stop at selected locations, so I'm not wondering about those situations. I'm wondering about steadiness when the ship is at normal cruising speed - can I count on a steady enough platform to use ISO 100 with the monopod, or should I go to 400 and the faster shutter speeds? I don't want to give up sharpness, but I don't want to give up grain unless really necessary. Any experience out there? What say you? Bob in Las Vegas |
#4
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Cruise Ships
On Saturday 03 April 2004 07:00 pm, JRF wrote:
I'm going on an Alaska cruise in 6 weeks, and I'm wondering about film. I have favorite ISO 100 and 400 film, but my question is about whether to bother with the 100 speed stuff. I don't plan to take a tripod - I'll use a monopod (that doubles as my cane), and I get satisfactory results that way. My hands are unsteady enough these days that I use the monopod for all 100 speed shots. So, my question is - how steady is the deck of a cruise ship? I know that the ship will come to a complete stop at selected locations, so I'm not wondering about those situations. I'm wondering about steadiness when the ship is at normal cruising speed - can I count on a steady enough platform to use ISO 100 with the monopod, or should I go to 400 and the faster shutter speeds? I don't want to give up sharpness, but I don't want to give up grain unless really necessary. Any experience out there? What say you? Regardless of which speed film you use, keeping your shutter speed at or higher than the reciprocal of the focal length of the lens (in millimeters) is sufficiently fast enough to eliminate the effects of camera (or ship) movement even in handheld shots. So, if your focal length is 100mm, shoot at 1 over 100 -- 1/100 of a sec. -- or faster. Using a monopod will allow you to use a shutter speed one or two steps slower, and still have a stable platform. Another bit of information: Most lenses are sharpest and best 2 to 3 stops down from wide open. Unless you need the increased depth of field, your pictures will be best shooting within that "optimum" f-stop range. So, if you maximum f-stop is f2.8, shoot at f5.6 to 8. Just remember, that a too slow shutter speed will reduce image quality much more -- because of camera movement during the exposure -- than the slight losses from shooting at other than the "optimum" f-stop. So, if you're loosing light, keep the shutter speed high and open up the lens NOT vice-versa. For all, but the most dull, overcast days, 100 speed film should be more than sufficient. In my 30 year career as a commercial photographer, 100% of all the stuff I've shot under natural daylight has been with film in the 25 to 100 speed range. But carry a few rolls of 400 just in case it gets really, really overcast. -- Stefan Patric |
#5
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Cruise Ships
snipped
..... For all, but the most dull, overcast days, 100 speed film should be more than sufficient. In my 30 year career as a commercial photographer, 100% of all the stuff I've shot under natural daylight has been with film in the 25 to 100 speed range. But carry a few rolls of 400 just in case it gets really, really overcast. -- Stefan Patric I was on a similar cruise about 15 years ago. Most of the time I used 100 or 200 ISO, but had a couple of 400 ISO in the bag. I agree wholeheartedly with Stefan. Just one more point. Take PLENTY of film with you, especially when you go on off-ship tours. If I charged for the number of times I loaned a film to fellow trippers, I would have mad a small fortune. Dennis |
#6
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Cruise Ships
"JRF" a écrit dans le message de
news:MSKbc.10349$zh.5022@fed1read07... I'm going on an Alaska cruise in 6 weeks, and I'm wondering about film. I have favorite ISO 100 and 400 film, but my question is about whether to bother with the 100 speed stuff. I don't plan to take a tripod - I'll use a monopod (that doubles as my cane), and I get satisfactory results that way. My hands are unsteady enough these days that I use the monopod for all 100 speed shots. So, my question is - how steady is the deck of a cruise ship? I know that the ship will come to a complete stop at selected locations, so I'm not wondering about those situations. I'm wondering about steadiness when the ship is at normal cruising speed - can I count on a steady enough platform to use ISO 100 with the monopod, or should I go to 400 and the faster shutter speeds? I don't want to give up sharpness, but I don't want to give up grain unless really necessary. Any experience out there? What say you? Bob in Las Vegas My experience is that the ship will be steady enough, but the problem will be available light. As others said, don't try a too slow shutter speed as it will increase the softness of your photos. In case of low light, I would take a ISO 400 film and use a fast lens so you can use the bigger f numbers to increase DOF. -- Philippe Boite http://philippe.boite.free.fr |
#7
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Cruise Ships
Bob:
If you are using print film, the 400 speed will be fine. In some cases, depending on film type, the contrast may be a little high with the 400 under very bright conditions. I would try to use the 100 speed under those conditions. Most modern 400 speed film can be enlarged to 8X10/12 with excellent results. Maybe compromise and go with some 200? If you are using slide film, I'd stick with 100 speed as much as possible and use the 400 only when that's what it takes to get the shot. Unless you have rough seas the ship should be plenty steady for hand held or monopod shots. On my last cruise I left the big tripod at home and carried a very small lightweight one. I used it to get some night shots of the lights on the ship and a few shots of the port towns. Everything else was hand held. Have fun on the cruise and don't eat too much! Rob On Sat, 3 Apr 2004 19:00:08 -0800, "JRF" wrote: I'm going on an Alaska cruise in 6 weeks, and I'm wondering about film. I have favorite ISO 100 and 400 film, but my question is about whether to bother with the 100 speed stuff. I don't plan to take a tripod - I'll use a monopod (that doubles as my cane), and I get satisfactory results that way. My hands are unsteady enough these days that I use the monopod for all 100 speed shots. So, my question is - how steady is the deck of a cruise ship? I know that the ship will come to a complete stop at selected locations, so I'm not wondering about those situations. I'm wondering about steadiness when the ship is at normal cruising speed - can I count on a steady enough platform to use ISO 100 with the monopod, or should I go to 400 and the faster shutter speeds? I don't want to give up sharpness, but I don't want to give up grain unless really necessary. Any experience out there? What say you? Bob in Las Vegas |
#8
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It's the vibration, not the light level.
Bob,
Been on (arctic) cruises twice and in both cases the ship had enough low frequency vibration while underway that required hand holding. Since the engines never shut down, the vibration can persist even at anchor. Both ships I experienced were over 300 feet in length. I observed that any tripod or monopod picked up the ship vibration easily. This is not good. Not sure if the behemoth cruise liners are any better since they too are all steel hulled and steel really transmits low frequency vibration essentially undamped. I would anticipate that stabization of the ship would not address vibration. It would only make it easier to get the horizon level in you photos. The issue to me is obviously less one of available light as it is of vibration. So, I would go for the 400 primarily with a some 100 rolls for landside. Remember that film is the cheapest part of the trip so never run the chance of being short at a special opportunity. Best to bring home unexposed film. I sure was glad to have 8 rolls of 400 in 2002 when we had the unexpected appearance of a pair of polar bears that we could approach with a Zodiac. I shot all 8 rolls in under 20 minutes. (Don't expect polar bears where you are going, but maybe some sea mammals?) Slower film was useless in my example, even in bright sunlight. FWIW, I shoot a lot of Fuji Provia 400 and find its color and sharpness pretty close to the Provia 100 unless you are about to make enlargements over around 11x14 from the transparency. They project very nicely also. Nearly all my onboard shots were with 400. Sometimes the sunsets are very nice onboard, and then you absolutely need 400. Kind regards, PSsquare "JRF" wrote in message news:MSKbc.10349$zh.5022@fed1read07... I'm going on an Alaska cruise in 6 weeks, and I'm wondering about film. I have favorite ISO 100 and 400 film, but my question is about whether to bother with the 100 speed stuff. I don't plan to take a tripod - I'll use a monopod (that doubles as my cane), and I get satisfactory results that way. My hands are unsteady enough these days that I use the monopod for all 100 speed shots. So, my question is - how steady is the deck of a cruise ship? I know that the ship will come to a complete stop at selected locations, so I'm not wondering about those situations. I'm wondering about steadiness when the ship is at normal cruising speed - can I count on a steady enough platform to use ISO 100 with the monopod, or should I go to 400 and the faster shutter speeds? I don't want to give up sharpness, but I don't want to give up grain unless really necessary. Any experience out there? What say you? Bob in Las Vegas |
#9
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It's the vibration, not the light level.
One of the captains of the small tour boats I've been on in Alaska suggested
using a monopod and resting it on your shoe or boot to damp the vibrations of the engine. It's a good tip. I don't know how much of a problem vibrations are on large cruise ships, but you probably won't get close enough to the wildlife in a large ship to take reall good wildlife shots so your best chances may be in smaller craft. (Glaciers are another matter, often big enough you want a wider angle. I would suggest high speed film in any case since the weather is often overcast near glaciers and you may well want to shoot with a longer lense, requiring higher speeds. There are also many interesting birds, and high speed film with longer lenses are your only realistic option there. -- Warren Montgomery ( http://home.att.net/~wamontgomery ) |
#10
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It is really the ship vibration...
Bob,
Been on (arctic) cruises twice and in both cases the ship had enough low frequency vibration while underway that required hand holding. Since the engines never shut down, the vibration can persist even at anchor. Both ships I experienced were over 300 feet in length. I observed that any tripod or monopod picked up the ship vibration easily. This is not good. Not sure if the behemoth cruise liners are any better since they too are all steel hulled and steel really transmits low frequency vibration essentially undamped. I would anticipate that stabization of the ship would not address vibration. It would only make it easier to get the horizon level in you photos. The issue to me is obviously less one of available light as it is of vibration. So, I would go for the 400 primarily with a some 100 rolls for landside. Remember that film is the cheapest part of the trip so never run the chance of being short at a special opportunity. Best to bring home unexposed film. I sure was glad to have 8 rolls of 400 in 2002 when we had the unexpected appearance of a pair of polar bears that we could approach with a Zodiac. I shot all 8 rolls in under 20 minutes. (Don't expect polar bears where you are going, but maybe some sea mammals?) Slower film was useless in my example, even in bright sunlight. FWIW, I shoot a lot of Fuji Provia 400 and find its color and sharpness pretty close to the Provia 100 unless you are about to make enlargements over around 11x14 from the transparency. They project very nicely also. Nearly all my onboard shots were with 400. Sometimes the sunsets are very nice onboard, and then you absolutely need 400. Kind regards, PSsquare "JRF" wrote in message news:MSKbc.10349$zh.5022@fed1read07... I'm going on an Alaska cruise in 6 weeks, and I'm wondering about film. I have favorite ISO 100 and 400 film, but my question is about whether to bother with the 100 speed stuff. I don't plan to take a tripod - I'll use a monopod (that doubles as my cane), and I get satisfactory results that way. My hands are unsteady enough these days that I use the monopod for all 100 speed shots. So, my question is - how steady is the deck of a cruise ship? I know that the ship will come to a complete stop at selected locations, so I'm not wondering about those situations. I'm wondering about steadiness when the ship is at normal cruising speed - can I count on a steady enough platform to use ISO 100 with the monopod, or should I go to 400 and the faster shutter speeds? I don't want to give up sharpness, but I don't want to give up grain unless really necessary. Any experience out there? What say you? Bob in Las Vegas |
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