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556 online
Server Time:
2024-04-23 13:48:14
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 programmer437
    
Location: Columbia, SC; Charlotte, NC
Gender: Male
 |  |  | A different type of flashlight question.
< on 7/15/2008 2:41 AM >
|  | | | This is a general equipment question, but it's also related to photography. I don't really know much about photography; I just use a Sony digital camera while my most common exploring buddy uses some type of Nikon.
Anyways, we both have a major problem with taking pictures. A good bit of the exploring we do is underground (drains/tunnels/etc), or at night when there's no decent lighting.
The big issue I have here is taking photographs. Regardless of the setting, my camera often won't take a picture in low light, even though it WOULD turn out fine due to the flash. My friends camera has a small light on it to help the camera focus(?) though it really only works for short distances.
The only way I can seem to get my camera to take a picture is if I actually shine a flashlight in the area I want to take the picture, which leaves an awful bright blue spot in the picture. I'm guessing this is because we carry flashlights designed for throwing (Surefire LED, Brinkmann LED, etc) that create a very focused spot with a blue color to the light.
So to finally get to my question, how can I fix this? Are there any light types that won't affect the final photograph? Should I use a different type of bulb, or are there lights designed specifically for this? What type of lights/devices can I use to spill the light more?
Surefire makes light diffusers; would these help?
"I don't care if you're urban explorers or urban infiltrators or URBAN LEGENDS!" |
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micro
 
Gender: Male
Slowly I turned
| | Re: A different type of flashlight question.
<Reply # 1 on 7/15/2008 3:01 AM >
| | | | 
Halogen lights like these tend to work quite well so long as you know how long to keep them turned on for while shooting. There'll be a bit of a hotspot in the centre, but it's easy enough to smooth out by using something like Press 'n Seal. They're cheap (less than $20) and give off about as much light as you can get from a battery operated spotlight. The only drawbacks are that they tend to be a bit on the heavy side, take up a lot of room in the pack and rarely last longer than 20 mins- which is usually long enough if your trips are short and you're using the light sparingly.
Oh yeah, they also take half a day to recharge so pick up a second one if you plan on using them frequently.
[last edit 7/15/2008 3:01 AM by micro - edited 1 times]
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programmer437
Location: Columbia, SC; Charlotte, NC
Gender: Male
| | | Re: A different type of flashlight question.
<Reply # 2 on 7/15/2008 3:18 AM >
| | | | Thanks for the advice. Are there any threads reviewing them? The ones I've seen with good reviews online cost $40-$150, which is more than I'm willing to pay for a tertiary light source (or would it be just as well to go with a poor one?).
I imagine the short battery life won't be an issue as long as it's only for photographing.
[last edit 7/15/2008 3:19 AM by programmer437 - edited 1 times]
"I don't care if you're urban explorers or urban infiltrators or URBAN LEGENDS!" |
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micro
Gender: Male
Slowly I turned
| | Re: A different type of flashlight question.
<Reply # 3 on 7/15/2008 3:26 AM >
| | | | No, I can't think of any site that reviews them. There isn't a whole lot more you can say about them. They're pretty no-frills, but they do the job. I think Wal-Mart carries them in the States..
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Calvin Kaneda
Location: West Coast Ninja/East Coast Pirate.
Gender: Male
| | Re: A different type of flashlight question.
<Reply # 5 on 7/15/2008 6:15 AM >
| | | | Long exposures + light painting is the shit.
"By the prick of my thumb something wicked this way comes..."
"Under the cover of night, I travel across rooftops while you dream of adventure."
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musket boy
Location: Maui
Gender: Male
It smells like your grandpa and your feet stick to the floor
| |  | | Re: A different type of flashlight question.
<Reply # 6 on 7/15/2008 6:41 AM >
| | | | get a 12v lawn mower battery and a halogen bulb, the kind used in fog lights or off road lights, then make one of these
i used it all the time when i had my point and shoot and couln't do long exposures
you can recharge it with a regular car battery charger
uering |
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trent
I'm Trent! Get Bent!
Location: Drainwhale hunting
Gender: Male
Not on UER anymore.
| | | Re: A different type of flashlight question.
<Reply # 7 on 7/15/2008 12:43 PM >
| | | | That pic above is the shit. I need to make one of those. I also take lots of pictures in the dark. I need to make some kind of cheap lite that:
-Is study. I can set it down and it won't move/roll away
-Doesn't have a nasty bright spot int he middle of the beam.
That looks like it might do it. I also like how you can charge it.
He who rules the underground, rules the city above.
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flux
Location: North Carolina
Gender: Male
so many places... so little time...
| | | Re: A different type of flashlight question.
<Reply # 8 on 7/15/2008 5:44 PM >
| | | | The best way is to set your camera to manual focus. That way your camera will take a picture no matter what the light conditions are. They you can use your light indirectly to light your focus point. Another option is a time exposure as mentioned above.
Capturing God's beauty and mans decay. |
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yokes
Location: Toronto
Gender: Male
I aim to misbehave
| | | | Re: A different type of flashlight question.
<Reply # 9 on 7/15/2008 5:55 PM >
| | | | Posted by micro
http://images.orgi...00x200/1396357.jpg
Halogen lights like these tend to work quite well so long as you know how long to keep them turned on for while shooting. There'll be a bit of a hotspot in the centre, but it's easy enough to smooth out by using something like Press 'n Seal. They're cheap (less than $20) and give off about as much light as you can get from a battery operated spotlight. The only drawbacks are that they tend to be a bit on the heavy side, take up a lot of room in the pack and rarely last longer than 20 mins- which is usually long enough if your trips are short and you're using the light sparingly.
Oh yeah, they also take half a day to recharge so pick up a second one if you plan on using them frequently.
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I have a couple of these, and they are cheap enough to be disposable ($20 and under). Ones I've had in the past have been bright enough to bounce off the ceiling of a small theatre and light up most of the room.
"Great architecture has only two natural enemies: water and stupid men." - Richard Nickel |
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Lord
above and beyond
| | Re: A different type of flashlight question.
<Reply # 10 on 7/15/2008 6:07 PM >
| | | | You could always just turn off the flashlight after it has focused. That way you won't have that spot of light in your pic..
I will defeat that which was once untouchable only so that I may now move on |
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Valdyr
Location: Boulder, CO
Gender: Female
[space for rent]
| |  |  | | Re: A different type of flashlight question.
<Reply # 11 on 7/19/2008 12:31 AM >
| | | | Surefire makes light diffusers; would these help?
If you want to play around with different diffusions and colors in your flashlight, there's a really cheap way to do it. Go to your nearest camera / film / theatrical lighting supply store and ask for a Rosco or Lee swatchbook. They should give you one of these for free (you can also get on their websites and request one in the mail, if that's easier). You'll end up with a little book of 1" by 3" (or so) samples of various colors and diffusions. You can cut these up and insert them in your flashlight, or just tape them to the outside. It's free, it's easy...so you can play around with a variety of gels to see if that helps the problem.
[not saved alone, but together we are exiled] |
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Marko Kovacevic
This member has been banned. See the banlist for more information.
| | | Re: A different type of flashlight question.
<Reply # 12 on 7/19/2008 3:12 AM >
| | | | I think the newer Nikon flashes have IR focusing, which should help in the dark.
www.youtube.com/Markok765
Markokovacevicphotography.blogspot.com |
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monster
Location: Sugarland, TX / Minneapolis MN
Gender: Female
I am the thing that goes bump in the night
| | Re: A different type of flashlight question.
<Reply # 13 on 7/19/2008 9:42 PM >
| | | | Just take a piece of printer paper and tape it over the flashlight.
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