Week 3 : 3.3.2011 - Medium Format Cameras & Workshop 3

Before Lesson Research:

I'm actually very excited for next weeks class. Using a medium format digital camera is something I've been interested in since beginning this course. Having used a film Medium format a few times I have been dying to try out a digital one! I also love HASSELBLADS!! =]

Medium Format Cameras

Brands:
- Hasselblad
- Mamiya
- Bronica
- Rollie
- Pentax
- Fuji
- Fujica
- Linhof
- Horsman
- Arca

The sensor size or size of the film used in medium format cameras is bigger than 35mm cameras allowing much higher quality.

SLR or TLR

Over a century and a half ago, in 1841, in the port city of Gothenburg in western Sweden, the Hasselblad family established its first trading company, F.W. Hasselblad & Co. The location, Gothenburg, with its proximity to the European continent and its historic trade connections with Britain, Holland, Denmark, Germany, and a host of other countries, was ideal for an international import-export firm. F.W. Hasselblad & Co soon became one of Sweden’s most prosperous commerce houses. They also began importing supplies and products for the newly burgeoning field of photography.



Info and Photo from http://www.hasselbladusa.com/



http://www.letsgodigital.org/en/10534/hasselblad_h3d/


Week 3 : 3.3.2011 - Medium Format Cameras

Medium Format cameras are actually amazing!

Originally used a Multishot w/ filter wheel sensor.

One monochrome area array sensor with RGB filter wheel.

The problem with this is it needs to take and combine three photographs of the same image.

In the late 90's Tri-Linear Arrays were created which work like a conventional scanner.

- Single pass capture

- Can cover large image area

- Easily replaces film back

- Problems include a long exposure which means only still life can be photographed.

Digital Backs

- Single shot capture

- Adaptable to most cameras

- Bayer filter array

- Most digital backs for medium format have a 35mm sensor.

- Digital backs have to work tethered.

Shutter

- BTL Leaf Shutter - Can sync at any shutter speed.

- 1/800th is - Fastest

CCV Sensor

Hasselblad

- Up to around 60mp

- Image quality is there main focus

- Expensive!!

Phocus

- Can be downloaded for free from hasselblad.com

- Similar to lightroom

- Can be used to tether, edit, export

Image from: http://www.hasselblad.se/products/phocus.aspx

Hasselblad H3D2

Approx cost: $24, 000

Some Specs

Camera Type Auto-focus, auto-exposure DSLR Construction One piece stainless steel shell. Die-cast aluminium internal structure Weight 2.3kg Tripod Mount 1/4” and 3/8” sockets Viewfinder Prism finder or waist level finder Focusing Screens Interchangeable with grid type screen available Shutter Type Between the Lens Leaf shutter Shutter Speeds 32 secs to 1/800 sec Flash Sync All shutter speeds Auto Bracketing 2, 3, 5, 7 or9 captures in 1/3, 1/2 or 1EV intervals Interval Timer 2 to ‘no limit’ captures at intervals of from 1 sec. to 1 hr. Sensor Type Single capture CCD (Kodak) - enhanced with microlenses Sensor Size 31 Megapixels - 4872 x 6496 pixels – 33.1 x 44.2mm Pixel Size 6.8microns ISO Range 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600 Capture Rate 1.2 seconds per capture. 42 captures per minute Metering Modes Centre weighted, Centre Spot, Spot Autofocus modes Single, Continuous – focus is at centre of viewfinder Colour Definition 16 bit File Format Lossless compressed Hasselblad 3FR/3F File Size Raw 3FR 40MB average (but varies widely) (-> 8bit TIFF 95MB) Onboard Storage CF card type U-DMA (e.g. Sandisk Extreme IV) External Storage Imagebank II (100Gb storage), Host computer (tethered capture) Host Connection Firewire 800 (IEEE1394b) NB. Firewire must supply power The Phocus software was specifically designed for the Hasselblad cameras and raw image files. Some features of the software are :- o Digital Auto Correction o Moire removal o 3FR / 3F o Camera Control / Tethered Capture – provides full camera control including remote focusing.

Workshop 3 - Introduction to the Hasselblads

Equipment: Hasselblad MF Digital Camera, Hasselblad Firewire cable, white balance card, computer with Phocus software.

Task: To gain experience using Hasselblads and Phocus software. To produce two images for use in Time magazine front cover (portrait) and two page spread (landscape). You need to photograph the CEO and one other senior staff member.

Group: Mel, Jos & Tam

Two Photographs

• One full length portrait
• One close up/head and shoulders portrait
• The portrait format must be used for the cover and have room for a title banner at the top.
• The other must be landscape for the double page title spread with space for the title and article.
• One portrait must feature the selected product.

Images

Image 1

Taken with a Hasselblad H3d2

f3.5 @ 1/125th of a sec with ISO 100

Image 2

Taken with a Hasselblad H3d2
f5.6 @ 1/125th of a sec with ISO 100

Just for fun =]

Questions:

1. Specify the industry sector in which your CEO works

Working in the Photography industry (lighting) for Broncolor.

2. Details of the lighting set up

Image 1: We had a lot of trouble with this image and eventually took a different approach which is how we came up with the second image. We had three lights. One to graduate the background. A second coming in from the right to light the face and the last one to the left at the back to give seperation in the hair from the background.

Image 2: Hollywood lighting. One large softbox to the front and above the subject, with a reflector on the subjects lap to fill in the shadows created by the high angle. Another light was used as the product which can be seen in the photograph. This also adds a hair light to the subject.


Lighting Diagram



http://www.lightingdiagrams.com/

3. Critique the images in relation to the industry sector selected and how well you met the requirements of the brief.

We left ourselves short of time for this workshop and like most groups only managed to get one portrait done. We had difficulties with our lighting set ups and ended up starting from scratch a few times until we finally found one we liked. We think our photo turned pretty good from an advertising perspective but maybe the lighting was a touch dark on the face. I enjoyed the opportunity to use both the Hasselblad's and the Phocus software and look forward to working with medium format cameras this semester.

Week 2 : 24.2.2011 - Revision & Workshop 2

Week 2 : 24.2.2011 - Revision & Workshop 2

Discussed Major Assessment Project.

Workshop 2 - Small Products

Formative assessment.
Equipment: DSLR, USB Cable, computer, tethered capture software.
Cannot Use: Background Paper, the cyclorama or soft boxes.

Group: Sammy Harrison, Alex Dickson and Tamara Weatherburn

Due: For a group review at the end of class.

Task: To photograph a product in the context of use by building a set in the stuido. Conssider this a real job. Work in small groups. Produce two stylistically different shots in portrait format. Two different objects. Can use props. Product needs to take up at least 50% of the frame. Highlights and shadows must be detailed.

Product 1 Image
- Create a concept that shows the product in the foreground with suggestions of use in the background.
- Style and light the set to suggest a household environment eg kitchen
- Lighting must suggest a household environment


Photographed with a Canon 5D Mark ll

F5.6 @ 1/160th with ISO 160

Our first image was a guess a little bit comical. We had a play on a toy mushroom being cut up in a kitchen like a real mushroom. I think the composition works quite well but when revisiting the requirements we didn't meet all of them. The general exposure isn't too bad but we do loose a lot of information in the black background, the white spot and a bit on the face of the object. The black background I believe works with the contrasting colours but seeing as we were replicating a household environment it would have been more appropriate to lighten it and to maybe have a different background that may have represented a kitchen. We did fill up approximatly 50% of the frame with the object.

Lighting Set Up

One light to the left with honey comb diffuser and a reflector on the right.






Product 2 Image

- Create a stylistically different shot.


Photographed with a Nikon D700
F13 @ 1/60th with ISO1000.

Our second image we tried to create a retro space age theme to match the old camera. We used a foil background to complement the metal tones. The blue is used to break up the dark background. Because of the reflection in the glass underneath the product takes up just under 50%. We probably could have cropped in tighter to reduce the black and enlarge the product. We feel that this photograph was quite effective but would have liked to get rid of those pinky coloured reflections on the lens and right side of the backdrop.



Lighting Set Up

We used ne light with a snoot to light the background on the right side. We also used a blue gel to add some colour to the foil backdrop. We had another light on the front right to light the camera which was flaged with cardboard to reduce light gettting on to the background.

Week 1 : 17.2.2011 - Introduction

Week 1 : 17.2.2011 - Introduction

Discussed unit outline. It is important before workshops to do some research and blog this to have an understanding of what we will be doing in class.

Power Packs Revision

A power pack is a capacitor. It produces power to the flash head which causes illumination.

Need to control:
Power - Controls exposure
Colour of light - White balance
Duration - Sync/Motion blur

Symmetrical - Same power output to each head

Asymmetrical - Control power distribution

Duration effects synchronisation and motion blur.

ECTC - Enhanced Colour Temperature Control