Advice - Text Photos

**MAP** · 01-07-2017, 08:00 PM

Guys,

Just picked up a new light box. Texting it out. Would like your feedback on quality of photo's

It a huge 31 inch box made by Square Perfect. Has built in LED lights. While good, I think I will need to add a few extra LED strips. I think as designed, the LED's would be perfect for the standard 24 inch box but I think they loss some of their intensity in the bigger box.

The kit comes with 4 different colored backgrounds. White, Black, Tan and Grey. I tested the grey which I think does not bring out colors all that well. The interior walls are all lined with reflective material.

Overall, it is much nicer and better than my old box.

So...thoughts?

**rbminis** · 01-07-2017, 09:02 PM

Hello Michael,
The photos are nice and clear. Your depth of focus is quite narrow though.
Ralph.

**Combat Boots** · 01-07-2017, 09:14 PM

Map, nice soft lighting but I see what you mean about the amount of light. Try setting your exposure compensation a little lighter and that should brighten the photos up nicely. It's a process to experiment with. A higher F stop will get you better depth of field. In other words the smaller the lens opening, the greater the focus length. Keep at it and you will find the correct settings. Bob

**MAP** · 01-07-2017, 09:18 PM

Thanks Ralph.

Yes, agree, the depth of focus is troubling. It is not the box but the camera. It's a great Sony @6300 with typical 3.5-5.6/16-50 lens. I use this for the larger items. For the smaller items I use a Macro lens.

The Macro is where I am having the most problems with the depth. But I still have problems with the depth on the standard lens as well. I've tried to play around with the settings but to no avail. Went back to the photo shop. They gave me some pointers and tips but still can't master it.

**MAP** · 01-07-2017, 09:24 PM

by Combat Boots

Map, nice soft lighting but I see what you mean about the amount of light. Try setting your exposure compensation a little lighter and that should brighten the photos up nicely. It's a process to experiment with. A higher F stop will get you better depth of field. In other words the smaller the lens opening, the greater the focus length. Keep at it and you will find the correct settings. Bob

OK...I suck at understanding cameras. When you say higher F stop...if the camera theoretically sets the F at say.. 4.0 would that mean say 4.5 for example or lower at 3.5...The lingo confuses me.

But further to what I said to Ralph, there is very VERY little I can do with the macro lens to get greater depth. I spoke to the photo shop and they noted that this particular lens will never have much depth. It is an E39mm F3.5 Macro. Any tips on the macro would help as well.

And what do you mean by "exposure compensation a little lighter". That's not the F Stop? Is it?

**douglas2496** · 01-07-2017, 09:45 PM

First of all, nice pictures.

With regard to f stop, the higher the number the smaller the aperture, and the less light comes in. f3.5 is the largest aperture, so the most light comes in. On most lenses, f22 is the smallest, letting in very little light. However, as you make the aperture smaller, the depth of focus increases (ie the distance between the nearest and furthest points of sharp focus) generally speaking, I would avoid using the small number settings (say f3.5-f5.6) for photographing objects. Macro is a real problem, here you really do need to use high numbers (ie f11 f16 f22) in order to ensure as much is in focus as possible, but you will need to increase the quantity of light coming in, or do a longer exposure with a tripod.

Exposure is controlled by either the f stop number or by the shutter speed, or by the ISO (sensitivity) or by the intensivity of the light, or combinations of these. Adjusting any of these things will make the picture lighter or darker.

Its not very simple unfortunatley, but that's photography for you.

Its worth saying that in my professional opinion, these pictures are very well exposed, but it does depend on how a person's monitor is adjusted. On mine they look just right, only the closeup swastika picture is slightly overexposed, but they are pretty good pictures overall.

Doug

**MAP** · 01-07-2017, 10:33 PM

by douglas2496

First of all, nice pictures.

With regard to f stop, the higher the number the smaller the aperture, and the less light comes in. f3.5 is the largest aperture, so the most light comes in. On most lenses, f22 is the smallest, letting in very little light. However, as you make the aperture smaller, the depth of focus increases (ie the distance between the nearest and furthest points of sharp focus) generally speaking, I would avoid using the small number settings (say f3.5-f5.6) for photographing objects. Macro is a real problem, here you really do need to use high numbers (ie f11 f16 f22) in order to ensure as much is in focus as possible, but you will need to increase the quantity of light coming in, or do a longer exposure with a tripod.

Exposure is controlled by either the f stop number or by the shutter speed, or by the ISO (sensitivity) or by the intensivity of the light, or combinations of these. Adjusting any of these things will make the picture lighter or darker.

Its not very simple unfortunatley, but that's photography for you.

Its worth saying that in my professional opinion, these pictures are very well exposed, but it does depend on how a person's monitor is adjusted. On mine they look just right, only the closeup swastika picture is slightly overexposed, but they are pretty good pictures overall.

Doug

OOOkkkaayy...now I'm totally confused. LoL.. Just kidding. I do get it but have to absorb it a bit and try it out. Now I know how the "F" number system works. I should be receiving a new item in the next couple of weeks so I will try the higher and lower "F's" on my macro and regular lens to get the nice crisp shots I'm looking for.

BTW..the "overexposed" picture is due to me adding another LED light that came with my old light box.

Thanks a million!

Michael

**MAP** · 01-07-2017, 11:15 PM

So....A few quick snaps playing with the F stop in with my macro lens...I see the difference. Much greater depth of field on F22. I used an ISO of 4000.. Will have to play with that.

F 22

F9.0

F6.0

**David North** · 01-18-2017, 04:22 AM

Dear Michael

With the set up that you describe, you should and in my opinion be achieving much better images than those displayed by post number 8. To me, it looks as though you have an issue with accurate focusing. Not being patronising, it is just that I have been there, done that and I have the tee shirt.

Are you really using an ISO setting of 4,000? 400 perhaps and surely not 4,000.

Are you using a manual or automatic focus method and also, what is your exposure metering setting? Finally, are you shooting in RAW or JPG?

Sorry about all the questions, however there is reason behind them.

Regards and best wishes,

David

**MAP** · 01-18-2017, 04:47 AM

Thank you David. I'm still learning so please critique as much as you like.

I deleted all these photos off my hard drive and SD card to make room so I can't go back and check. I'm pretty sure the ISO said 4,000 but this is all new to me and I may have misread the information.

I know the photos were not too crisp in post 8 as I was trying to play with just the depth of field but do know that the focus was not to great either.

I am shooting in JPG. I have never used RAW and at this stage wouldn't know what to do with it.

I am also using auto focus which is sometime difficult to control. I will try the Direct Manual Focus option buried deep down in the menu options next time.

Since this last posting I've gotten a bit better but as said, still learning.

Any tips are appreciated

BTW...been to China a number of times but never to Weihai. What is the cuisine like up there?

Regards,

Michael