Alphatracks

The English Russia website digs deep into the
innards of a crushed Sony Alpha dSLR

March 17, 2010 If you’ve got a strong stomach, you might want to take a look at the A200 photo essay on the English Russia website.

The photos examine a very mangled Sony Alpha A200 dSLR. I don’t know what happened to this camera, but it’s demise was very violent. It wasn’t just dropped or knocked off an end table.

Since the site doesn’t explain how the camera got in this state, I let my imagination fill in the blanks. It might have been tossed off the observation deck of a very tall building, or someone may have left it on the roof of their car and it flew off at 70mph. It might have been run over by a truck. My favorite theory is that a paparazzi tired to surprise Chuck Norris and Norris deftly dismantled his camera with his feet.

Whatever happened to the poor A200, its days as a fine photographic instrument are over. The only thing this wreck of a camera could capture is dust.

But that isn’t to say the dSLR is completely useless. It will never record an image to a memory card again, but it can serve as a learning tool. The people at the English Russia site grabbed a screwdriver and a working camera and proceeded with a thorough autopsy of the dead dSLR.

If you love fine cameras, the photos are disturbing, but fascinating. These photos may be a little too graphic for A200 owners. Consider this a warning. If you have nightmares after visiting the site, don’t blame me.

Not a dSLR repair manual

This is not a disassembly manual. These photos won’t teach you how to repair your Sony Alpha A200.

Instead, these images are reminiscent of a high-school biology class, where the students dissect a frog to see what is inside. The students don’t intend to put the frog back together afterward, so they simply cut away muscle and sinew to get to the more interesting bits underneath.

That’s exactly what happened with the A200. They dismembered the camera to see what was inside, knowing they couldn’t hurt anything. The camera was dead, repairing it wasn’t an option. So they delved deep into the innards and recorded what they found.

I’ve seen pristine cut-away cameras from Sony and other manufacturers. Those photos don’t have the impact the photos (apparently taken by Jollypix.com) have. Looking at the guts of the camera, you gain a deeper appreciation of the complexity inside an ordinary dSLR. Don’t forget that the A200 has fewer features than Sony’s high-end dSLRs. What would the innards of an Alpha A900 or A850 look like?

My original Minolta SRT was a fully mechanical camera. The only electronic hardware was in the meter. Each subsequent SLR I bought added additional circuitry, becoming more and more electronic inside.

Examining these amazing photos shows just how far cameras have advanced from the old mechanical cameras of the past. It also makes me wonder how the inside of my dSLR can be so packed with circuits and ribbon cable, yet be so reliable. It seems like there are all manner of things that could go wrong. Yet my cameras continue to function well and record outstanding images under very demanding conditions.

These images should make all of us appreciate our cameras and how special they are. They are also a reminder to the paparazzi in us all to keep our dSLRs away from Chuck Norris!

See the Sony dSLR dissection at the English Russia website.

Additional photo at Jollypix.com

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Cute, but where is the hot shoe? There is no optical viewfinder on this Sony Alpha concept, will the LCD "viewfinder" be up to bright sunlight?

Probably the most controversial Sony PMA offering is the “mirroless” interchangeable lens camera. Many people are really excited about the mockups, while others are less than enthusiastic about them. Me?  I am squarely in the middle.

I am a huge SLR enthusiast, and I have yet to look through a electronic view finder (EVF) that approached the quality of a typical optical viewfinder. So, right off the bat, I am not a part of the target market for these new cameras, which many people have nick-named EVIL, after the EVF.

On the other hand, I am sure Sony must have done sufficient studies to justify creating this new line. If creating a new line of cameras helps drive bigger and better things from Sony’s photographic division, then I am all for it. There has been an incredible amount of interest in the EVF mock-ups, so if Sony brings them to market at the right price and feature set, they could be a true game changer.

It has been widely reported that the EVF models will have a APS-C size sensor. This is the same size as most of the Alpha dSLRs, and should yield very good image quality.

I am still concerned that the EVF cameras will apparently bear the Alpha brand. If the new cameras accept Alpha lenses, then this is a no brainer. If in fact, the new mini Alphas use a different lens mount, I think that is a problem.

Currently, with a few rare exceptions, all Sony Alphas can use the same lenses and accessories. The DT (APS-C coverage) lenses are not designed to cover the full-frame sensor on the premier A900 and A850. But Sony has made a provision so users can use these lenses on the full-frame models; you won’t get full frame coverage or the entire megapixel count, but the lenses are usable.

If the new cameras use an entirely different mount, then Sony will be developing two separate interchangeable lens lines. Again, if that drives the Alpha brand forward, then well and good. I worry however, that resources needed to expand the Sony dSLR line will be diverted to the new electronic viewfinder models.

In addition, a separate lens line creates a barrier wall between the two camera lines. If the new EVF cameras use the A-mount, then this is a excellent buyer retention strategy. New users may start with the EVF model. When they are ready to move up to a camera with more features, they will look for a dSLR. If the lenses and accessories carry over, this is a great way to encourage users to choose a Sony Alpha.

If the lens mounts differ, however, there is a barrier wall in place. If some one has a large selection of Sony Alpha EVF lenses, moving to the dSLR model is problematic. Do you simply expand your EVF system or dump everything and start from scratch?

If you do start from scratch, then there is no need to stick with the Sony Alpha. Since nothing carries over, you are free to choose any dSLR system you want. There might be some brand loyalty that keeps users in the Alpha camp, but unlike owning a quiver of A-mount lenses, there is no physical reason to remain with Sony.

The barrier wall works both ways. I have no interest in adding another system to my existing A-mount collection. It is difficult enough to stay current on the entire Alpha dSLR system without adding a whole new collection of cameras, lenses and accessories.

If however, I could leverage my current lens line with one of these EVF cams, I might consider it. I could keep one in the glove compartment so I would always have a quality camera handy. I could pack a small bag with some of my existing lenses for nature hikes. This is only mildly attractive for me me, however, if my current lenses work with the new cameras. If the A-Mount lenses don’t fit, there is no compelling reason for me to consider one of these cameras. I could achieve most of the benefits from a smaller point and shoot. No, I wouldn’t have the option of using interchangeable lenses, but if I want lens variety I will just haul out one of my Alpha dSLRs. Case closed.

If you look at the mockup photo, the lens mount doesn’t appear to be an Alpha mount. It is possible, since this is a mockup, that the actual camera might sport a different mount. But I’m not sure there is enough physical room to attach a typical A-mount lens to that mount. In addition, the sensor is probably to close to rear element for an A-mount lens to focus correctly. So I am guessing that the best we can hope for is a lens adapter that will allow A-mount optics to work on the EVF cameras.

Interestingly enough, there are no electrical contacts visible in the photos. To offer the auto focus and auto exposure capabilities that we have come to expect in a digital camera, there has to be a way for the camera to talk to the lens. So either the mount is unfinished on the mockups or Sony has a new way to pass information from camera to lens.

There does not seem to be sufficient room for an normal A-mount lens to protrude inside the mount. There are no contacts on this concept, how will the lens communicate with the camera? Meanwhile, what are those two mysterious openings on either side of what is probably the pop up flash on the top panel?

I have some other concerns about the EVF cameras. For one, I don’t see a hot shoe or a PC sync port. Hopefully, because these are just concepts, Sony will rectify this omission before the real things ship.

There is a large rectangular cover on the top of the camera, which I assume houses a popup flash. Without a hot shoe or sync port, however, there is no way to use off camera flash. After preaching about the benefits of off camera flash for years, I’m not ready to buy into a system that forces you to use the popup flash or nothing.

Frankly I am more than a little puzzled by the lack of a hot shoe. I have to believe there is a need for a flash that can be bounced, swiveled or located away from the camera. By including an Alpha style hot shoe, Sony could expand the market for their current flash units and flash accessories. They wouldn’t have to develop a new flash unit, as the current Alpha flash system would work on the EVF models. If and when these buyers move up to a dSLR, these flash components could create buyer retention.

“Hmm. I already have a flash and remote cord that fits the Sony Alpha. If I buy some other brand I will need to buy a new flash unit. Guess I’ll stick with Sony.”

So to me, an Alpha hot shoe is a no brainer. I did notice there are two dimples on either side of the alleged popup flash. I have no clue what purpose they serve. Perhaps Sony intends to develop some sort of clip-on external flash shoe that attaches to these openings?

I am also concerned about the lack of external controls on the mockups. If this is the final design, that will mean all controls are accessed by LCD menus. I could live with that, provided the LCD can be viewed in bright sunlight. Most LCDs are useless in full sun, although some manufacturers claim to have eliminated this problem. If the EVF models need to be controlled almost entirely by menu, then we Sony needs to include a screen that can be read at noon on a hot July day.

I not trying to pan the EVF Alphas or suggest that Sony should abandon the idea of a mirrorless interchangeable lens camera. I’m sure they will sell well.

As shown, however, they are not a real replacement for a dSLR. Give us a proper A-mount, an Alpha hot shoe and a LCD menu that can be read in bright sunlight and then we’ll talk. Otherwise, they might just be EVIL at that.

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Sony displayed some very exciting concepts at the 2010 PMA show.

Sony teased Alpha photographers with several interesting “concepts” at the latest PMA show. As these are concepts, there is no definite word on when or if these cameras will appear. Still, the concepts Sony has shown at previous PMA shows have come to fruition, and Sony has already hinted about the new lenses they showed off at Anaheim.

Sony’s new concepts include:

• Concept model of an ultra-compact interchangeable lens digital camera system that packs the quality of a DSLR camera in an extraordinarily small body, along with interchangeable lenses
• Mid-range concept camera for advanced users (a successor to the α700) as well as concept mainstream models
• Prototype of a Super Telephoto Lens (500mm F4 G) with class-leading optical performance
• Prototype of a Distagon T 24mm F2 ZA SSM, new Carl Zeiss wide angle lens for superior shots of landscapes and sweeping vistas

The new “mirrorless” concept is NOT a 4/3 type camera, but appears to be Sony’s own design. It will offer interchangeable lenses on a tiny body similar to a larger point and shoot. It will carry the Alpha name, but I can’t be sure it uses A-Mount lenses. I hope Sony will not attempt to produce two separate lens lines.

New mirrorless interchangeable lens Alpha cameras are coming; will they use A-Mount lenses?

The other two dSLRs are look more conventional. Neither model has a model name engraved on it, and it is difficult to see where Sony could actually add a model name, as there doesn’t appear to be any room between the grip and the prism.

The A700 successor appears smaller and more rounded than the original A700. I don’t see a PC sync port, but there is a top mounted LCD panel. No word if the new model will have video, but it does appear to have a pop-up flash.

Also on display, the successor to the A700 and a new very compact ALpha model.

The other dSLR is much smaller. Based on the comparison between it and the A700 replacement, it is possibly the smallest dSLR on the market. Sony hasn’t provided an indication of the sensor size or megapixels, but I think it might create a lot of interest for those who want a compact dSLR that still has an optical mirror.

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Sunpak Click N' Stick makes a good flash holder -- but read the post before risking your equipment to a suction cup failure.

When I first saw the PlatinumPlus Click N’ Stick monopod I immediately thought it would be a great electronic flash holder. Sunpak, the manufacturer, markets it as flexible camera tripod, but I wasn’t too keen on trusting my dSLRs to the device. As a flash holder, however, I thought it had potential.

The Click N’ Stick is a bendable, flexible shaft with a mini ball-head tripod mount on one end. On the opposite end is a vacuüm suction cup designed to attach to any smooth, non-porous surface. Sunpak claims the unit can hold up to 1.8 pounds. You can arrange the supple shaft in any position, making for an extremely flexible mounting arrangement.

Sunpak offers a larger,  flexible monopod they claim can handle light weight dSLRs; the Flexpod Click N’ Stick. Since I was only interested in holding an electronic flash, I haven’t tried and can’t give an opinion on the Flexpod model.

Small ball-head has a standard 1/4 - 20 tripod screw. It is easy to attach flash with the standard Sony flash stand.

My initial tests with the basic Click N’ Stick weren’t very encouraging. I opened the blister pack and stuck the device to the nearest smooth surface; a glass top coffee table.

The suction mount has a nice lever arrangement that helps create a vacuüm to attach the rubber cup to the surface. As you push the lever down, it expels air to create suction. Lift the lever to break the seal and remove the Click N’ Stick.

It sticks…but for how long?

The device seemed sturdy enough, but after three minutes, it popped free and fell over. This was with nothing attached to the Click N’ Stick. It had come free of it’s own weight.

Hoping it might be a glitch, I followed the instructions carefully and made sure the glass and the rubber suction cup were clean. Then I attached the Click N’ Stick again. Once again, the suction lasted about three minutes before the device fell over.

Not good. I didn’t want to entrust my expensive electronic flashes to a device that might pop free and crash to the ground without warning.

Lever on suction base is designed to expel air from base to create a seal. It works much better if the cup is moistened before attachment.

I tried a few other surfaces with equally poor results. I finally tried attaching the Click N’ Stick vertically to a brass fireplace surround. While the metal surface was clean and smooth, the Click N’ Stick tumbled to the fireplace hearth in less than a minute.

I seriously thought about returning the Click N’ Stick for a refund. I decided to make one last attempt. The directions said nothing about moistening the suction cup, but everyone knows that these items stick much better if you apply water to them first. So I wet my hand in the sink and smeared water on the bottom of the rubber cup. Then I reattached the Click N’ Stick to the fireplace surround.

Click N’ Stick works better when wet

Five minutes, ten minutes, one hour. The Click N’ Stick remained fastened to the metal. The next morning, it was still firmly in place. Three days later, my wife politely asked me to remove “that thing” from the fireplace. Obviously, moistening the suction cup before applying it to a smooth surface made a dramatic difference in the device’s ability to stay in place.

Encouraged, I attached my HLV42AM flash to the plastic stand Sony provided and threaded the stand on to the Click N’ Stick. After carefully moistening the suction cup, I applied it to the vertical wall of a fiberglass shower stall.

Spare me the snarky comments about what kind of photos I was taking in the shower. I frequently shoot interior architectural shots for clients, and I needed some remote room lighting for a series of images.

With the HLV42AM set to wireless flash mode, I was pleased to be able to direct the remote flash wherever I needed it. The flash seemed very secure and the flexible arm allowed me to shift the unit to provide just the right amount of off-camera light.

Push the lever down to create a suction seal, lift lever to release.

I only had one accident. I repositioned the flash without re-moistening the rubber base, figuring the surface was clean and I was only moving the stand a few inches. Less than a minute after relocating the unit, the Click N’ Stick came free and the flash and stand clattered into the (fortunately dry) shower stall.

I got lucky – my HLV42AM suffered no damage, but the lesson was very clear. If you are going to hang expensive, fragile gear on the Click N’ Stick, you have to wet the base – every time.

The bendable shaft can be positioned in an infinite variety of positions. This allowed me to adjust the light output exactly where I wanted it. Once you twist the shaft into position, it stays where you put it, making for a completely adjustable monopod.

The SunPak Click N’ Stick only works on limited surfaces

I tried mounting the Click N’ Stick on a variety of surfaces, with varied results. The mounting surface must be smooth, flat and clean. Any texture can cause a vacuüm leak, which will quickly lead to a suction failure.

I found glass, metal, tile and fiberglass usually work well. The Click N’ Stick does not stick to painted walls, hard wood floors, wall paper or other similar surfaces. It might work on polished wood surfaces, but I cannot say for sure.

Even the best surfaces are iffy, however, if they aren’t flat. Many modern car windows, for instance, have curves which could prevent the suction cup from maintaining suitable vacuüm. A slight curvature would probably work, but too much of an arc will lead to suction failure.

I can’t really endorse the Click N’ Stick for most users. The risk of failure (and damage to equipment) is just too great. On the other hand, I am keeping my Click N’ Stick for use as a remote flash mount. I can live with the requirement (and it is a requirement) to moisten the suction cup before use.

Even at that, however, there is always a chance of a suction failure. If there was any warning before hand, which could alert you that the device was ready to give way, I would be more comfortable with the unit. But there is no warning.

Then there is the problem of finding a suitable surface for the Click N’ Stick. For instance, I frequently take my camera gear on nature hikes. There are almost no naturally occurring objects that would provide a suitable surface for this monopod. So for outdoor, wilderness use, the Click N’ Stick would be fairly useless.

Indoors or in an urban environment, however, the Click N’ Stick can offer the ability to place light wherever you want…provided there is a suitable surface.

I looked up the Click N’ Stick on several user review sites. It constantly gets poor reviews, with warnings such as “do not buy this” or “complete waste of money.” Most users report the same problems with suction failures as I experienced.

The Click N’ Stick isn’t the only suction cup tripod holding device available. Companies such as Cullmann, Manfrotto, Matthews and Visual Departures provide more robust solutions that garner much better reviews. Of course these models cost considerably more than Sunpak’s Click N’ Stick. The old adage that you “get what you pay for” apparently applies here.

Dampening the suction cup directly before use definitely creates a superior seal. I fear, however, that there will always be some concern that the suction may fail and my equipment may take a dive. For this reason, I will never attach as dSLR to the Click N’ Stick, even if it fits within the weight Sunpak has outlined. The risk is too great.

I will use caution when using the Click N’ Stick. If possible, I may even rig a safety cord to save my flash if the Click N’ Stick gives way. However, the Click N’ Stick is far easier to carry than my telescoping flash stands and if the surfaces are right it is more versatile. For that reason, I will continue to use the Click N’ Stick when appropriate.

Sunpak PlatinumPlus Click N’ Stick Monopod

PROS:
Light weight
Easily positioned
Ball head attachment
Flexible shaft stays the way you bend it

CONS:
Risk of suction failure without warning
Unit only works on a limited number of surfaces
Requires moisture to ensure the vacuum seal works

Availability:
The PlatiumPlus Click N’ Stick is available from the usual photo supply soruces, including Amazon, B&H Photo and Adorama. It was available at Radio Shack, but I don’t see it listed on their website any longer, possibly because of negative customer feedback.

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Simple things like a battery organizer, can make a huge difference when you need to reload flash batteries in a hurry.

My latest piece of photo equipment cost me less than five bucks. It isn’t a lens, a flash or a custom filter. To tell the truth it isn’t exactly a piece of photo gear at all. Yet, my photography will be the better because of it.

You might not think a battery organizer is a very exciting item, but it eliminates the hassle of keeping AA batteries in order. Any time I can streamline my photography assignments, I get excited.

AA batteries are a photographic necessary if you shoot with electronic flash. I use rechargeable NIMH batteries and I always try to have several freshly charged sets in my camera bag. I’ve tried numerous methods to keep my AA batteries ready for use, but I’ve never been very satisfied with any of them. Until now.

I found some nice nylon plastic battery cases on ebay. These cases hold four AA cells, each battery separated from its neighbor by a nylon partition. I got six of them for under five dollars including shipping. That is sufficient storage for 24 batteries.

I like these cases for several reasons.

It is easy to tell charged and discharged batteries apart

Whenever I charge a set of batteries, I place them into a plastic case. Whenever the batteries in one of my flash units become exhausted, I drop them loose into a pocket on my camera bag. By maintaining this routine, I always know that the batteries in the plastic cases are charged and ready to use. And when I return from an assignment, I know that the loose batteries need to go on the charger. It is also easy to glance through my bag and determine how many charged battery sets I have available.

Batteries in a case don’t get lost

Since I only keep charged batteries in cases, I know immediately which batteries are ready to use.

When I am shooting an event, there are times when I need to change batteries quickly. Seconds count if the batteries the my flash start to fail during the middle of the action. If batteries are loose in the bag, I find myself wasting precious seconds rooting around trying to find enough fresh batteries to power the flash. Often I can only find three and have to dig through various filters, sync cords, tripod plates and cleaning brushes to unearth a fourth cell. This doesn’t happen with batteries in cases. The cases are much easier to locate in my my bag, and when I fish a case out I know there is an entire set of four batteries inside.

I can quickly move spare batteries when I swap equipment between bags

Tucked in a pocket of my camera bag, nylon battery cases are a snap to locate.

I use several different camera bags, depending on how much equipment I need for a particular assignment. Moving lenses and camera bodies between bags is a simple matter, but I take extra care to make sure I don’t forget any important accessories. Storing batteries in cases simplifies the process of making sure that all the batteries get transferred between bags.

Don’t underestimate the little things. A battery case might seem insignificant. If, however, it makes the difference between capturing or missing an important shot, a simple cell case could be one of the most important things in your gadget bag.

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New Sony A450 will join the Alpha fleet in February.

Remember the time when some people said Sony wasn’t serious about the dSLR market because it took the company 18 months to release another camera after the initial A100 came on scene? Now we know what the Sony Engineers were doing during those 18 months; they were busy creating cameras to fit every conceivable dSLR niche. Not content with the six (or was it seven?) new Alpha models introduced in 2009, Sony is starting off 2010 with another entry in the crowded low-end of the market.

Introducing the new A450

The new entry, dubbed the A450, takes the highly regarded A550, ditches the Quick Live View and the tilt-out LCD but maintains the fast 7fps burst mode. In addition, Sony claims the NPH500 battery should give users over a 1000 pictures on a single charge.

The is also an auto HDR mode, and naturally the camera includes the popular Stay Shot image stabilization feature. Another new feature is the Manual Focus Check Live View, which can preview the image at 7x or 14x image previews.

A significant new dSLR

Some people have already started dismissing the new entry, since it lacks some of the more compelling features of the A550 and does not offer video. If Sony prices this A450 right, however, I think it will be a very significant entry in Sony’s dSLR arsenal.

Control layout of the A450 is similar to the A500 and A550.

Fist, as I already said, Sony’s selection of lower end dSLRs is getting quite crowded. I think Sony might start weeding out some of the A230, A330 and A30 models once the A450 is on the scene. The A450 can’t replace all of those models by itself, obviously. But since it is less full featured than the A550, Sony will have price the A450 much lower to make it attractive.

The 12mp A500 lists for $749, while the 14mp A550 is priced at $949. So where will the A450 come in?

There isn’t much room between the A380 and the A500 for the A450 to play in. If the A450 drops below the price of the A380, then buyers will have an interesting decision to make. Grab the A380 with the tilt-out Live View or go for the A450 with its 7fps shooting speed and nearly twice the battery life.

If Sony prices the A450  higher than the A500, the new camera might be hurt by the A500. Price the A450 under the A500 and you might just kill sales of the A500.

Sony hasn’t officially announced the A450 at this point, but the Sony press release is all over the internet. It is expected that the official announcement will come at the CES show this week. While the release doesn’t indicate a price, it does say the camera will be available in February, 2010.

You’ll find the Sony Global Alpha A450 presentation here. Sony has also made available a detailed A450 Spec Sheet in PDF format.

I’ll have more on the A450 as details emerge.

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The Silio at the Billy Graham Library decorated for Christmas

Dec. 23, 2009 My family spent a recent evening at the Billy Graham Library to enjoy the wonderful Christmas decorations. My Sony Alpha was welcome, no restrictions on photography, except that flash cannot be used in the exhibit halls.

No problem, I simply cranked the ISO up to 800 and shot without a flash. As I have said in the past, I am usually conservative about ISO, but I enjoyed the freedom that comes with shooting at a high ISO.

The Library featured decorations inside and out, and as an unexpected bonus, there was a heavy layer of fog in the area. I hate driving in fog, but it adds drama and mystery to photos. The mist defused the lights, producing interesting streaks and shadows.

You can visit the Christmas photo gallery here. Let me know what you think.

Wishing all my readers a Merry Christmas and a great 2010!

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If I had used a flash, it would have killed the mood of this Jack O’ Lantern portrait. You would have seen more of the pumpkin, but the eerie orange light would be lost.

(Part 2 of 2. Read part 1 at: Halloween Photos: Break the Rules to achieve Maximum Interest)

Electronic Flash is a great tool, but it isn’t the answer to every application. Well-lit subjects don’t convey creepy or sinister very well. So you can leave the flash home and welcome the dark shadows and eerie blotches of light you get when you shoot after sundown without artificial light.

As a rule, I like the steadiness of a tripod, but this is a case where a tripod will just get in the way. Do you really want to open up a tripod around a group of excited kids (or young-hearted adults) wandering around wearing masks? The mask reduces vision, making it likely someone will trip over your tripod legs. I don’t think it is worth the hassle or the risk.

If you absolutely have to have some sort of support, you could consider a monopod. I prefer to just use the Steady Shot feature in the Sony Alpha. As long as you use a fairly short focal length, you can get sharp images with Steady Shot at shutter speeds of less than 1/8 second. If your subject moves you’ll see blur, but camera shake won’t be a concern. Once again, you can use the blurring caused by subject movement as a special effect. It’s not a drawback…it is art!

You can also try deliberately moving the camera during long exposures to exaggerate light streaks. If your subjects are carrying flash lights or light sticks, there is the ever popular technique of light writing. Take a long exposure and swing the lights to create light trails by drawing in the dark.

Whose afraid of noise?

I’m usually conservative about ISO and I normally avoid the higher ISO ranges. High ISO generates noise, so I use whatever techniques I can to keep a moderate ISO setting. I think this is one time when I might abandon that caution and crank the ISO up to the max. While I don’t watch many horror films, I’ve seen the previews of recent films of this genre. Ever since the Blair Witch Project, Hollywood films have appeared with obvious film grain, bad lighting, jerky camera work and severe vignetting. Why not join this trend (just for one night) and capitalize on high ISO and maximum noise?

I’m not recommending that you shoot all your Halloween images at ISO 3200, but as a creative effect, exaggerated noise might set some of your images apart.

Follow Hitchcock style…less is more

Since we are breaking rules, throw out the idea of seeing everything in your images. Alfred Hitchcock was a master of this. He would only show you part of something. The scary parts would be hidden in the shadows. You couldn’t see anything, but there was…something. You didn’t know exactly what was there, but the hair on your neck started tingling anyways.

You can use this same technique with your still photography. Reveal only part of a scary costume, hiding much of the character in shadow. Use shallow depth of field to partly conceal a ghoul in a dim, blurry area of your image. Use a highlight to display a vampire’s fangs, while the rest of the creature is obscured in darkness.

Play around with the white balance

The auto white balance on the Sony Alpha typically works very well. This is another area where you might deliberately turn off the auto function and experiment with setting the wrong WB for the conditions. Shooting under tungsten lights with the camera set to daylight WB will yield a red cast in the image. Florescent lighting will look green. Set the camera to the correct white balance for electronic flash, then shoot under tungsten lighting without the flash. The result will cast the image with a deep, ice blue.

You can use this to add the appropriate color shift to your photos. Follow Hollywood’s lead. In the movies, space monsters usually display a green cast, while monsters often take on a blue shade.

Hitchcock style self portrait. The shadow was shot at ISO 3200, with the camera held at my waist. The light came from an overhead street light. The streaks came from a second image, shot at a 1/2 sec. exposure and overlaid on the shadow picture in Photoshop.

Of course, if you shoot RAW, you can easily manipulate the white balance on your computer. Still it is helpful to see the effect of WB range on the LCD screen when you shoot.

Consider Black and White Halloween photos

Another idea is to jettison color all together. Some of the most famous horror movies of all time were shot in black and white. Even some modern feature films resort to monocolor to enhance the spookiness. High contrast black & white images can look truly stark and foreboding. While you could shoot in the black & white mode, I prefer to shoot in color and convert to B&W on the computer.

Programs like Photoshop and Lightroom allow you to desaturate an image while leaving a hint of color in the image. I leave it up to you to think of ways you could use this technique to customize your Halloween photos.

Halloween is a great time to play with special effects filters

If you own special effects filters, dig them out for Halloween. You can get some interesting images by combining special effects filters with bizarre costumes and decorations.

When I started in photography, one common special effect was to smear Vaseline on an old filter. You can smear the grease to create weird out-of-focus patterns that strangely distort the appearance of your subject. This will give you a one-of-a-kind effect that will set your images apart from those of anyone else.

If you want to try this, be sure to use an inexpensive filter. Never use anything like this on the elements of your expensive lenses.

Vary effects, don’t shoot too many of the same type

With any special effect technique, a little goes a long, long way. The first time a person see a nicely done effect, their response is “cool!” After seeing several similar photos in a row, the impact starts to wane. If the entire gallery is composed of the same effects repeated over and over, the viewer will grow bored and restless.

So mix things up. Try a variety of effects, so your gallery or slide show doesn’t look stale. You can even mix in some more conventional straight portraits. These will contrast nicely with the more extreme images and show off the costumes and decorations without any distraction.

I am not advocating that you use these experiments as an excuse to pass off shoddy work as “art.” When I mess around with this sort of thing, I realize that the bulk of my images will be rubbish. Hopefully, however, at least some of this trial and error photography will result in unforgettable images. Even if I fail to achieve anything successful, I will have learned more about abstract photography and what works and what doesn’t. That will make me all the better when I return to shooting my normal, carefully crafted photos.

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October 29, 2009:Sony Alpha rumors are always thick on the ground, but the latest one seems to have some real teeth. The website Lets Go Digital has a very interesting screen shot from a Sony Style web page that clearly shows an entry for the “new” Sony A750.

You can check out the Sony Style Alpha A750 leak here.

Lets Go Digital further speculates the new Alpha 750 will be a 14.6MP, full-frame dSLR, priced between the current A550 and the new A850. If so, this sounds like a sweet semi-professional Sony dSLR: full-frame, low noise and reasonably priced. Bring it!

If you thinking of buying a Sony Alpha, I wouldn’t let this tidbit stop you. It is probably too late to get the A750 into stores before Christmas, which means Sony will probably hold off on the introduction until early 2010. Of course, I’ve been wrong before…

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The first of two parts

Which image says Halloween to you? The image at top was shot with the popup flash on the Sony A350. It us about as sinister as a Mayberry RFD rerun. The bottom photo was shot without flash. It is filled with dark shadows, the white balance is shifted towards orange and the long exposure caused the people to look blurred. Despite this, the bottom image is the way I think a Halloween photo should look like.

(Part 1 of 2. Read part 2 at: Halloween is a perfect time to try Available Light Photography) Oct. 29, 2009: There are only a few more days until Halloween. This is an wonderful time to explore the creative side of photography. One-of-a-kind costumes, strange decorations, spooky lights and unearthly backgrounds all provide fantasy fodder for the photographer’s lens.

Of course most Halloween activity occurs after dark or inside at some sort of party. Under normal circumstances, this is the perfect opportunity to use electronic flash. However, All Hallows Eve is designed to be spooky and mysterious. The cozy, bright illumination you would prefer for holidays such as Thanksgiving and Christmas is out of place for Halloween. So think twice before reaching for that flash unit on October 31.

If you must use Electronic Flash

After dark, you may require some artificial light to get an usable shot. Normally, I strongly recommend off-camera flash. The results are generally much more pleasing. Since this is Halloween, however, rules are made to be broken. I think the hot shoe flash might just be the hot setup.

One of the reasons most photographers dislike direct flash from the hot shoe is the light washes away the shadows, making your subject look lifeless and…dare I say it…dead. Hmmm, might this be a perfect light to shoot the undead with?

Another reason most pros shun hot shoe mounted flashes is that placing the flash too close to the lens axis increases the chances of seeing red-eye in your subject. Red-eye is generally a bad thing, but it might actually enhance portraits of creatures such as werewolves and vampires.

Dragging the Shutter

If you are shooting with a flash unit, you may wish to experiment with dragging the shutter. This term refers to the practice of setting a long time exposure when shooting with a flash. The flash freezes the subject, but the shutter remains open and light toned objects in the background appear as ghostly streaks. Yeah, ghostly. How appropriate.

If you have some willing models, you might flirt with panning after dark. Set your camera up so you are shooting at slow shutter speed, something like 1/8 to 1/15sec. Since you are shooting after dark, this shouldn’t be too difficult. If you try to shoot a pan at longer than 1/8sec, you may find the image will be to blurred to be recognized. Have your model run while you track them with the camera. When you feel you are moving your dSLR at the same rate as the subject, click the shutter and continue to track them until the shutter closes.

Sometimes flash can create interesting high-contrast images. Here the Spiderman costume is brightly lit, while the rest of the background fades to black.

You’ll have to guestimate this tracking, since the mirror is up when the shutter is open, so you won’t be able to follow them with the viewfinder. I suggest you try many iterations of this exercise, because it is difficult to get the panning right. Most of these images will probably go directly into the trash can when you see them on your computer, because they will be horribly blurred.

Nevertheless, persistence will usually pay off. At least some of these shots will be outstanding. The idea is to pan the camera at the same speed as the moving subject. If you can do this, your subject will be clear, while the background will be filled with a motion blur.

There is a good chance that your model may be somewhat blurred around the edges, because he or she may be moving at a slightly different speed than you moved the camera. This can actually enhance the image, making the subject look like they are moving at incredible speed. I think you can see how this technique could add interest to your Halloween photos.

Try the Rear Curtain Sync Mode

You can shoot panned photos with or without flash. If you do decide to use flash, I suggest you investigate the “Rear Curtain” sync mode on the Sony Alpha.

In the normal mode, your dSLR will fire the flash as soon as the shutter is fully open. Usually that is what you want. When you drag the shutter, any movement after the flash fires will be recorded as streaks of light. If your subject moves, these streaks will appear on top or in front of the subject, making the subject appear to be moving backwards.

In the rear curtain sync mode, the camera fires the flash just before the shutter closes. As a result, the camera records the streaks first, then fully illuminates the subject. The streaks appear behind a moving subject, making the subject appear to be rushing forward.

Having said all that, I suggest you consider dispensing with the flash all together.

In the next installment, I’ll look into available light Halloween photography.

To be continued tomorrow

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