Model photos with long telephoto lens

[Swissengineer]

Hi,
I did some tests with a 300mm lens.

Have fun

Stefan

 

[hamltnblue]

Nice pics. What were your settings and how far from the scene was the camera?

 

[John P]

Those look very good. The modeling is well done, but the photography really gives a sense of space--it seems as if the railroad doesn't exist in a confined area.

 

[Swissengineer]

Thank you,

the railroad is freelance somewhere in the High Desert and the Sierra Nevada in California.
The amera settings are for the first pic : F/36, 4 sec, ISO 200, focal length 150mm. The second pic: F/40, 10 sec, ISO 200, focal length 300mm and the third : F/40, 5 sec, ISO 200, focal length 230mm.
The camera is a Canon EOS450 with a EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III telephoto zoom, mounted on a tripod and the distances are between 11 and 14 feet.
If you like it, I`ve uploaded a movie to YouTube.

Stefan

 

[Selector]

They do look very nice and sharp at the point of focus. They also appear to have a more pronounced 3-D effect than with shorter focus cameras. Nice vistas, and nice modelling.

-Crandell

 

[hamltnblue]

Thank you,

the railroad is freelance somewhere in the High Desert and the Sierra Nevada in California.
The amera settings are for the first pic : F/36, 4 sec, ISO 200, focal length 150mm. The second pic: F/40, 10 sec, ISO 200, focal length 300mm and the third : F/40, 5 sec, ISO 200, focal length 230mm.
The camera is a Canon EOS450 with a EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III telephoto zoom, mounted on a tripod and the distances are between 11 and 14 feet.
If you like it, I`ve uploaded a movie to YouTube.

Stefan

Thanks, I haven't tried using my 70-250 lens on the layout. My camera is similar to yours, the T2i. I'll have to give it a try.

 

[BN8002]

you may want to try changing the light type on the camera..It will help pull color into the backdrop to more of what your eye sees and it wont look so white, unless thats what you were trying to do...But they look great either way.. nice job,.

 

[Swissengineer]

Thank you Kevin,

the original pictures were taken in RAW format and I tried to change the settings but there was no significant correction. I know it`s a problem when I take pictures on the layout because I have a fluorescent lighting under the ceiling. The best way should be taking the segments without the backdrops outside but I live in Switzerland and there is no place here with a landscape that is suitable.

Stefan

you may want to try changing the light type on the camera..It will help pull color into the backdrop to more of what your eye sees and it wont look so white, unless thats what you were trying to do...But they look great either way.. nice job,.

 

[Railphotog]

Thanks for sharing the photos and idea with us! I've been photographing my model trains for 30+ years and only used a long lens a few times, but used it to isolate a particular scene. My only problem with using such a long lens is being able to get back far enough like you have, even though I do my modeling on HO scale modules. And I don't think any of the layouts I've visited in the area have had the luxury of having that much space in which to set up the camera.

But I definitely do like the effect of the telephoto shots, may have to set up my modules and try to do the same from outside the room they are in.

If someone had asked me if using such a long lens for model photography would be an idea, I probably would have suggested it would not be suitable. Now I know it can be another tool!

Myself I've mainly been using extreme wide angle lenses to "get into" the scene, with my Tamron 11-18mm being my favorite.

Thanks again!

 

[Rico]

Wow, very nice indeed, well done!

 

[BN8002]

Thank you Kevin,

the original pictures were taken in RAW format and I tried to change the settings but there was no significant correction. I know it`s a problem when I take pictures on the layout because I have a fluorescent lighting under the ceiling. The best way should be taking the segments without the backdrops outside but I live in Switzerland and there is no place here with a landscape that is suitable.

Stefan

gotcha...look great either way

 

[ChevelleSSguy]

Those pictures look great. Where did you get those sanding towers?

 

[Swissengineer]

Hi,

first I would say thank you for all your kind words and suggestions.
Chris, the sanding tower is the Diamond Scale Products kit # DSF-602.

Stefan

 

[Charles Smiley]

Sony A700

Taking your idea in a limited way, I took these with max-zoom on the standard lens (70-mm) and moved back about 4 feet. Usually I take wider shots and crop to subject.

Maybe I should look for a longer lens soon.

 

[kenw]

also note that the 75-300 Canon lens has a minimum aperture of f45 at 300mm. this is part of the reason that longer lenses often give better results, as long as you use the smallest (biggest #) aperture the lens can provide.

Charles, look for a lens that will give you the smallest aperture (big #) when shopping. The smaller aperture will give you a more realistic depth of field than otherwise possible. It looks like you are off to a great start already!

 

[Charles Smiley]

Yes. The standard lens on this camera will only go to f-38.

However, that sure is a big jump from my old Konica SLR with lenses that topped out at f-22!

I fooled around with pinholes I made back then. I even built some old Brownie cameras with pinholes and a cable shutter release. OK results --compared to our limited expectations back then. Not to mention the shutter-snap to print delays measured in days.

 

[Swissengineer]

Taking your idea in a limited way, I took these with max-zoom on the standard lens (70-mm) and moved back about 4 feet. Usually I take wider shots and crop to subject.

Maybe I should look for a longer lens soon.

Charles,
for me the pic looks good.

Stefan