points of light and digital

[Hutch]

 

Jery, You said that digicams just can't handle light source points like film can.

Were you refering to all digital cameras, or just the point and shoot type?

Also how dow you handle this problem?
I know it can be done cause I've seen some awesome sunrise/sunset shots from digital cameras.


Thanks

Hutch

[Chad Edgar]

I can't answer for Weasel, but I know that in the settings of my EZ740 I can change the way it meters light.  Another trick is to meter on something away that does not have the bright source of light behind it and get a the dummy mode settings if you can.  Then set your camera to manual mode and fix the aperature value and shutter speed, exposure comp, and film speed.  My camera lets me choose between multi-pattern, and two others that I can't recall.

[Weasel]

I was referring to all digital cameras.  Here's an experiment for you; if you still have a film camera (if not, borrow one from a museum        :D  ), set up your tripod and camera and take a photo of something with point light sources like candles, street lamps, etc., with slide film. Then put your digital camera on the tripod and take the same photo.  We did this very thing at a photo workshop I attended this summer. It will really makes you appreciate film for these kinds of circumstances.  In the slides, we could make out the distinct shapes of the flames and lamps.  Not so with the digital.  I'm sure that with time the camera manufacturer's engineers will work it out.

[Hutch]

So what your saying is , the best thing to handle all situations is to have both film and digital?


Hutch

[JL]

I guess it one of the short comings of the digital photo sensor. That would be a tough one to solve. I'm sure the manufacture's tweak the sensors the best they can for all-around photo (traditional equipment, of course) performance but if they tweaked it towords being light tolerant then the camera would perform poorly under low light conditions. I'm sure they will come up with something but I sure would like to see the pricetag on the first digital camera to have an intelligent image sensor. Better have some deep pockets...

JL

[JL]

I think you should keep this point of light issue in mind when you compose the shot with digital equipment untill technology can provide an intelligent sensor in the cameras. They are getting there but these are some of the issues that traditional film burners have about crossing over. Shooting at high ISO and noise is another biggie. It's a give and take thing. Being aware of the different weaknesses (word?) of the digital sensor will help you compose better shots for the equipment your using and that in turn will make you a better photographer.

JL

[jcsnapshot]

Is this what you mean for the test?

   

1/15 sec f4.5 handheld
Nikon D100 , Nikkor 28-80
The only editing was resizing with Paint

[Weasel]

Originally posted by Hutch:
So what your saying is , the best thing to handle all situations is to have both film and digital?
 

Not necessarily.  Just beware of the limitations.

Jcsnapshot, the test we did was a dock at civil twilight with bright lamps at about 30' intervals.  Perhaps candles was a bad assumption on my part.  Yours looks fine.  I do know I've had a problem with sunsets when the full sun was in the frame.