A few quick ?s Camera/Castle Lights

[yoda_5729]

Hi, I'm going to the world in a few wekks, and have a new spiffy camera to take pictures with which will be quite fun. I was wondering a few things, I used to have a Fuji and it took great pictures of fireworks at night without changing settings at all. Now I have a Kodak easyshare, the one with a 10x optical zoom, and it has a function for fireworks but you have to keep the camera super still and I was wondering if anyone had any experience with this camera, as I want to take a ton of wishes, Osbourne, castle lights, Illumination pics, but don't want to waste the time trying to figure out what setting to put the camera on.

Also, as for the castle lights, I understand there is a show that goes with them, but do they keep the lights on after that for the rest of the night, or do they turn them off for another show. Once again, I want to get great pictures of it, but don't want to wastemy time figuring what function works the best for it and such. Thanks ahead of time to anyone who answers

 

[Master Yoda]

If I am not mistaken that camera will have a "fireworks" setting on it that will work fairly well for the fireworks and the castle. You might need to increase your shutter speed a little for the castle. Turn on your continuous shooting and do not be afraid to take hundreds of pictures and then delete the bad ones later. The best thing you can do is bring a tripod. With the long shutter times you will be dealing with trying to hold you camera steady will result in quite a few blurry images. If a remote handheld trigger is available for your camera it will also help out especially with fireworks.

 

[yoda_5729]

Thanks...it does have a fireworks setting, I was just wondering if anyone had used it, as I didn't want to waist precious time at the fireworks only to have it on a bad setting. I find several of the settings much less helpful then the default one. Especially since the Fireworks setting takes so long to take the picture, I'm worried what the result will look like. I am aware though I'll probably need a tripod for it though.

Also does anyone know if they keep the castle christmas lights on all night, or just during those shows......thanks

 

[Rob562]

I have a Kodak V550, a precursor to the one you have.

I've fiddled with the settings a bit. I used the fireworks setting a few times. You definitely need a tripod or mini-tripod for those. The shots came out OK.

As for the castle lights, I'd suggest using the Long-Term (LT) settings. That's something you can fool with the length of time to see what works best. But I'd suggest using a tripod or other stable surface. Also, you should use the timer function for the LT exposures. It minimizes camera shake from pushing the shutter button. I think your model has a shortened 1 or 2-second delay designed specifically for this use. My model I'm stuck with a set 10-seconds.

You can see some of my results:
http://picasaweb.google.com/steerr/WaltDisneyWorldDecember2005
I had just gotten the V550 a month before, and was still learning the controls. I went a bit Long-Term exposure crazy that trip.
Specifcally all the All-Star Sports pics, Main Street, Castle.

There aren't as many in my most recent trip:
http://picasaweb.google.com/steerr/WaltDisneyWorldJune2007

But a few notable photos
These were long-term exposures, probably used a trash can to steady the camera
http://picasaweb.google.com/steerr/WaltDisneyWorldJune2007/photo#5073545661905126594
http://picasaweb.google.com/steerr/WaltDisneyWorldJune2007/photo#5073545756394407122

These three pics of the castle cycling through colors during the "Kiss Goodnight" I think was using the "Night Landscape" setting. I set the camera on a ledge or bench, but was tilting the camera myself, trying to stay steady (with mixed results). A tripod would have siven better pics.
http://picasaweb.google.com/steerr/WaltDisneyWorldJune2007/photo#5073545468631598226
http://picasaweb.google.com/steerr/WaltDisneyWorldJune2007/photo#5073545524466173090
http://picasaweb.google.com/steerr/WaltDisneyWorldJune2007/photo#5073545580300747954

And lastly, sometimes the timing is just right.... After the 10-second timer delay, the "lightning" effect's strobes at the Haunted Mansion happened to go off during the 3 or 4-second LT exposure, making for an interesting "flood lit" photo...
http://picasaweb.google.com/steerr/WaltDisneyWorldJune2007/photo#5140761506296379186

-Rob

 

[Master Yoda]

Thanks...it does have a fireworks setting, I was just wondering if anyone had used it, as I didn't want to waist precious time at the fireworks only to have it on a bad setting. I find several of the settings much less helpful then the default one. Especially since the Fireworks setting takes so long to take the picture, I'm worried what the result will look like. I am aware though I'll probably need a tripod for it though.

Also does anyone know if they keep the castle christmas lights on all night, or just during those shows......thanks

If it works correctly you will get an image like this.

The slower shutter speed will produce the trail effect of the firework. If your shutter speed is to fast you will get an image that looks like a bunch of points of light. Kind of like this image.

Or this one.

 

[yoda_5729]

THANK YOU....
I got this camera about a half a year ago and have not really learned much about taking pictures with it besides of my pets frogs and a few other things. Most of the settings I had not found all that helpful and many of the darker pictures I found very hard to turn out. That's why my flash goes off like 99% of the time.....I will definently at least give your suggestions a shot as they seem very good ideas, I got a snake light tripod that you can wrap around poles and such, which might come in handy. Keeping it standing upright with the camera is about the only problem with it......

As far as taking poictures in the rides, tasking pictures of the monorail at night, really far away animal pictures, do you have any suggestions.

I'm only going to be in the parks four days this year, one day a park, so the nighttime shows and such I only really have one attempt to get right. THANK YOU so much for your help though, and my camera is a Kodak Easyshare V610....it has several premade settings; Portrait, Panoramic (both right to left and vice versa), Sport, Landscape, Close-Up, Night Portrait, Night Landscape, Snow, Beach, Text, Fireworks, Flower, Museum, Self Portrait, Party, Children, Backlight, Panning, Candlelight, Sunset, and Custom.

Do you know if I can set the time delay and long term exposure in the custom settings, as I think my camera restes after each shot or at least after every time I turn it on.

Thanks a ton though, when I get some time I'll give you both a link to my picture album at photobucket, and if you have any suggestions I'm all ears
THANK YOU

 

[Master Yoda]

THANK YOU....
I got this camera about a half a year ago and have not really learned much about taking pictures with it besides of my pets frogs and a few other things. Most of the settings I had not found all that helpful and many of the darker pictures I found very hard to turn out. That's why my flash goes off like 99% of the time.....I will definently at least give your suggestions a shot as they seem very good ideas, I got a snake light tripod that you can wrap around poles and such, which might come in handy. Keeping it standing upright with the camera is about the only problem with it......

As far as taking poictures in the rides, tasking pictures of the monorail at night, really far away animal pictures, do you have any suggestions.

I'm only going to be in the parks four days this year, one day a park, so the nighttime shows and such I only really have one attempt to get right. THANK YOU so much for your help though, and my camera is a Kodak Easyshare V610....it has several premade settings; Portrait, Panoramic (both right to left and vice versa), Sport, Landscape, Close-Up, Night Portrait, Night Landscape, Snow, Beach, Text, Fireworks, Flower, Museum, Self Portrait, Party, Children, Backlight, Panning, Candlelight, Sunset, and Custom.

Do you know if I can set the time delay and long term exposure in the custom settings, as I think my camera restes after each shot or at least after every time I turn it on.

Thanks a ton though, when I get some time I'll give you both a link to my picture album at photobucket, and if you have any suggestions I'm all ears
THANK YOU

On the attractions and for the monorail at night there is not much you can do here without a DSLR camera. One of the biggest drawbacks to point and shoot cameras is you are very limited to how high you can turn up the light sensitivity (ISO) before the image becomes grainy (referred to a noise). The only way to compensate for this is to increase the amount of time your shutter is open. The drawback is if you or your object is moving this will result in a blurry image. For the monorail during the day, or any fast moving object during the day use the "sport" setting. That camera also has a continuous shooting feature (called burst or continuous drive) that will take up to 7 pictures at 1.6 frames per second. Use this when shooting a fast moving subject. When this is on it will continue to take picture at a rate of 1.6 pictures per second until you take 7 pictures. I leave this feature on all the time. You will more than likely delete 9 out of 10 pictures but that one will be perfect. For your far away animal pictures make sure that you are shooting at max resolution, optical zoom (forget about digital zoom) and megapixels so you will maximize your results when you crop the image later. You should be able to control all of your settings (ISO, F-stop, shutter speed etc) under "custom".

 

[dwayneswife]

Hi Yoda 5729. I have a Kodak EasyShare P712 (which I love BTW). I can tell you from my personal experience on our trip in September that the fireworks setting will take adequate pictures. As mentioned, just make absolutely certain you have a tripod, trashcan, etc., available because that will make the difference between a great picture and a not great picture. Also, the night landscape setting will give you some beautiful shots as well.

 

[PhotoDave219]

Richard, thanks for fielding this one....

For those who care: Castle & SSE at night. ISO 800, f/2.8@ around 1/80th. (Its sad i know this)

 

[Master Yoda]

Richard, thanks for fielding this one....

For those who care: Castle & SSE at night. ISO 800, f/2.8@ around 1/80th. (Its sad i know this)

In your estimation what would you need to reduce the shutter speed down to to use an ISO setting around 200?

 

[yoda_5729]

Hi, thanks to everyone who has been kind enough to help me out with information on picture taking. I just have a few more questions. What would be the best means to take pictures of Fantasmic and the Earth Globe for Illuminations, Thanks