|
Q: One-roll camera test
I came across a Nikon N8008 for sale, with 28–85mm f/3.5–4.5 AF Nikkor lens and Nikon Speedlight SB-24 flash; all seem in very good condition. How can I tell if the camera is really in working order without spending a boatload of money having it checked?
Joseph M. Lawhorn
via e-mail
A: Do a quick field test. Run a 36-exposure roll of ISO 100 slide film through it (daylight-balanced Ektachrome or Fujichrome) and examine the slides using a 4X or stronger loupe. Take pictures at a variety of focal-length settings including 28- and 85mm, and at various apertures and distances. Take some indoor pictures using the SB-24 flash, and, if possible, a few outdoor pictures using the SB-24 for flash fill. To make sure any sharpness or focusing problems are not caused by camera shake, use a tripod. If your shots are sharp and well-exposed, your camera’s OK.
Q: Icons with Nikons
How do I photograph oil paintings mounted on a wall in a dimly lit church? I have a Nikon 35mm SLR and lenses, including long and short zooms and a macro, two flash units, a sturdy professional tripod, and plenty of Kodak Ektachrome E100G and E100GX slide film. I tried to photograph the paintings by having two assistants hold the flash units at 45-degree angles to both sides of them. In most cases I got reflections, mainly because I couldn’t check the results in the finder when using flash. Any suggestions?
Demetrius Karion
via e-mail
A: Here are a few approaches that will minimize or eliminate reflections. 1) Use the same setup you’ve described, but position the flash units with diffusers at 60- to 70-degree angles instead of 45 degrees. This often works better with oil paintings or subjects having texture or depth. Broader light sources—such as two portable softboxes, may also help. 2) If you have a source of electric power in the church, consider using a continuous light source, such as tungsten-balanced floods, and shooting on tungsten-balanced film such as Ektachrome 64T. That way, you can see what you’ll get in the finder. 3) Put your camera on a tripod and shoot by available light—if the exposures are not too long, you probably won’t get any unexpected color shifts due to reciprocity failure. If the ambient light is mixed (e.g., daylight plus tungsten) you’re better off shooting on ISO 400 color print film. Finally, consider shooting this project with a digital camera—that way you’ll be sure of what you get.
|
