shade photography

build my parodinal and my own fixer for developing BW film

2010-02-24T06:38:00.000-08:00

Parodinal a homade film developer, why i made it?, Because i start to get dizzy with my behavior, like to cut film and only develop 4 or 5 frame. actually its ok, but it became expensive in chemical for developing film. i just use local developer, just 70cent and you can use it for 1 liter solution. the problem is, whether you develop 4 frame or 36 frame, the damage on developer is the same, not only because of silver that exhaust the developer, its also get oxidized by air. its make the developer turn bad after reuse 3 or 4 time.for finishing 36 frame cost me higher than the film it self. so i decide to make my own developer.

firt try to make d23 but, sorry, i cant find metol, its mean i cant make any of developer using metol, so my decision turn on rodinal, sorry i cant find it here, i must order it from outside of my country and its definetely cost me too much.

so i find a recepies, a parodinal, a developer made by mixing paracetamol, sodium hidroxide and sodium sulfite.

here is the recepies

Parodinal film developerWater 250 ml
Acetaminophen 30x 500mg tablets
Sodium Sulfite (anhydrous) 50 g
Sodium Hydroxide (anhydrous) 20 g

Mixing instructions: Add chemicals in specified sequence. LET STAND IN SEALED CONTAINER 72 HOURS BEFORE USING

Dilution: as Rodinal

Starting point development time: as Rodinal

Notes: Keep crystals from bottom of container with liquid when decanting, stir before drawing off concentrate for dilution. Use within 30 mins of dilution. Acetaminophen is sold as Paracetamol or Tylenol and is available from any pharmacy.

Please note that this formula has a maximum shelf life of 90 days.
( taken form digital thruth website)

i follow it exactly as it is. and the easies thing is

the weight of material can be measured with cake scales. its not as dificult as making d76.
you can find all the material in drug store and chemical store, all the material are easy to find, and not use for photography only. its all wide useable. and all so cheap, it cost me $1,5 for parodinal and fixer, and i still have lot of spare. its minimal quantity i can buy.

well the result, its not a fine grain, but its work well, dilute 1:50 means you can use it for develop more than 35 roll.

here is the example taken with ricoh KR5 and BW film expired 05, i have to compensate to iso 50 while the film are iso 100

a little note about parodinal,

1, It doesn't run well with acid stop bath just use a clean water for stop bath.
2. better use plain fixer not acid fixer.

here is my fixer formula ( widely use material, not only for photography, you can find it in chemical store, i bought it together with the parodinal material)
250gr sodium thiosulfate mix it with warm water 750 ml, after diluted add
50gr sodium sulfite, mix it.
than add water to make 1 liter solution.

for developer and fixer, only cost me $1.5 doesnt it soo cheap? and the best thing.. it still can make a nice picture even with expired film.

Developing Film BW starter kit. Hue he he

2010-01-19T02:00:00.000-08:00

Yaa memang untuk memulai mencuci film BW sendiri kelihatannya susah, berurusan dengan kimia, dan berkesan mahal. Sebenarnya tidak juga. Jika dibandingkan dengan harga kamera rangefinder atau SLR analog biar bekas sekalipun, jauh lebih murah. Dan anda akan mendapat keasikan dalam mencuci film, tidak hanya memotret saja. Salah satu keunggulan dalam mencuci sendiri adalah anda tidak perlu nunggu sampai rol habis, tinggal potong dan cuci. Sisa potongan filmnya bisa buat motret lagi. Minimal cucianku Cuma 3 frame.

Berikut ini kufotokan peralatanku, sesimple simplenya.
Yang jelas harus dibeli, development tank, mau gimana lagi, pernah mau ngembangin sendiri alatnya, Cuma ribet dan riskan, jelas riskan karena ini memang media pencuci film dimana tidak boleh ada cahaya di dalam.

Charging bag. Aku ngaa punya, intinya digunakan untuk mamasukkan film dalam film reel developing tank dalam kondisi gelap gulita. Bisa saja anda masuk dalam kamar dan matikan semua lampu lalu sembunyi didalam selimut. Cuma cara ini ngaa praktis juga. ahirnya aku ngembangin sendiri dengan menggunakan kantong plastik yang dibelah ditengah lalu ditutup jaket ( thank atas ide bro irchan ) selama aku mencuci film tidak pernah filmku terbakar karena metode ini, biarpun aku melakukannya di siang hari dengan sinar matahari masuk lewat jendela. Aman aman saja.

Cara pakainya begini yaakantong dibelah ditengah agar bisa dimasukin develop tank dan film pembuka botol dan gunting. pada bagian ujung disobek sedikit dua buah agar tangan kanan dan tangan kiri masuk.
jaket jelek yg ngaa kepakai, kalo bisa jaket kulit/ imitasi, kalo ngaa ada jaket kain yg aga tebel juga bisa. aku cuma memakai jaket kain saja. jaket ini gunanya agar mencepit lengan kita saat kita meroll film kedalam film reel dan memasukkan ke dev tank. jadi yang utama adalah kantung plastiknya harus cukup tebel jadi cahaya ngaa bisa masuk. tangan kita dimasukkan kedalam lubang di pojok kiri kanan. karena plastik tidak bisa menseal lubang dengan baik. maka dibungkus dengan jaket yang lengan bagian depan ada elastic nya.elastik ditambah panjangnya lengan jaket membuat sangat kuat sealnya.
kantung yang di belah ditengah dibalikkan menghadap lantai, plus retsleting jaket juga membantu.
sudah cuma itu saja. kalau masih ngaa mau ribet yaa sembunyi di bawah selimut malam malam dan lampu dimatikan, bisa juga pertamakali nyuci caranya juga seperti itu.

Gunting dan bukaan botol

Botol aqua 330ml
Botol aqua 330ml minim 1 botol , he he he thanks bro thinker atas idenya. Kenapa dipilih botol 330ml karena jika digabung menjadi 3 kan 990ml. cuma kurang 10 ml dari 1 liter. jika diisi sampai full maka sudah lebih dikit dari 1 liter.
Dan kebutuhan dari develop tank untuk satu roll adalah sekitar 300ml, larutan dalam 1 botol aqua 330 ml tinggal dituang sampai habis, ngaa perlu nakar lagi .

Ember dan corong

Jam buat liat waktu, bagus kalo ada stopwatch, kalo ngaa ada pake semua jam bisa selama hapal menitnya.

Untuk untuk membuat chemicalnya, siapin air hangat 2 botol, masuk kan ke ember, aduk bahan micro MF nya diember sampai larut lalu dimasukin air dingin 1 botol , aduk , dinginkan lalu dimasukin ke botol lagi pake corong, simple kan. sama juga dengan acifix buat fixernya
Berarti anda membutuhkan 12 botol kecil. 3 untuk menyimpan micro MF, 3 untuk acifix dan 3 lagi untuk stop bath( buatnya cuma air plus cuka aja). Tapi jika ngaa punya yaa pake semua botol untuk penyimpanan bisa sih selama 1 liter keatas. Tapi minim 1 botol 330ml untuk menakar.

Untuk thermometer dan gelas ukur aku juga punya. Cuma sekarang sudah ngaa pernah dipake. Kurang praktis. Bisanya aku develop selama 4 sd 5 menit pada suhu kamar. dikamarku suhu air sekitar 27-30 derajat. Memang hasilnya tidak akan sebagus yang menggunakan metode 20 derajat 10 menit. Tapi untuk dapat suhu segitu berarti larutannya harus masuk kulkas atau didinginkan dulu di es. Dan prosesnya harus menggunakan water jacket segala. Walah ngaa sabar…..

Yang jelas metode saya ini metode asal saja. Jadi kualitasnya kalah dengan metode yang lebih presisi. Tapi daripada lama menunggu nabung buat beli charging bag dan kulkas khusus buat simpan chemical dan lain lain dan lain lain. Yg membuat kita malah ngaa jadi2 nyuci sendiri. Mendingan gini kan.

kalo masalah tehnik cuci filmnya cari aja dan diskusikan disini

recycle your silica gel

2010-01-17T05:37:00.000-08:00

Silica gel are material that popular for photographer to keep the box not to humid, to prevent some mushroom live on the lens. It turn form dark blue to pink when it absorb water. When it turn to pink, its time to change the silica gel. Many people said the pink silica gel can be recycled into blue again with heat.

At Fist time, I wondering should I recycled my used silica gel or not, since it not an expensive material. But it’s a DIY project. Why don’t I do that?.

I have read about recycling silica gel using a fry it on stove with pan, I ve tried it, but it crack easily and turn the silica gel into small pieces. But it turned blue anyway, mean it already recycled. Somebody said put it on oven. I still need my oven for my food. I won’t do that.

I guess the crack on silica gel was made by sudden heat on pan,While each silica gel contained full of water. So it need an even and balance heat like oven.

My idea turn on heat of tungsten lamp. Yes it hot. If you use 150 watt or above, it is very hot. I like to use this lamp for drying my negative film.

So just put the 150watt tungsten lamp on the box, can or anything that can handle the heat. In my case I use a glass jar.

Just leave it for 3 hour, or maybe less, Since I forget about my experiment an leave it for 3 hours for another activity, and when i back, the silica gel were turned blue.

this is the result of half an hour 150watt tungsten lamp. the last result i forget to take a picture. my hand got burned.

Success, but with some bad experience, I got small burned on my finger. I stupidly sunk my hand on the hot silica gel, it really hot guys .. wait until it cold and re use again.

DIY machine for agitating method replacement

2009-12-30T00:56:00.000-08:00

since i start to develop my film by my own, my craziness is influence in my developing tank too.

Manual Developing film will be doing a standard action, agitation. Whether you do a rotating the film or turn up side down, you still have to agitate. You will have to concentrate on your agitate to get a good result. And the result are depend on your agitation, each people develop film with his own way. You cant leave your room, you cant take a phone call, you cant even smoke, otherwise your film will be ruin.

Why we need to agitate?

Here's why:

The only developer doing that's actually doing the work of developing is that which is in contact with the film. After a developer molecule has reacted with a silver halide, it is used up-it can no longer react with the silver halides.

If the developer is not moving, the molecules won't move around very much. This means that immediately above the areas of higher density, the concentration of unused developer molecules drops off, and the rate of development slows down very dramatically. This means that areas of high density essentially stop developing.

The problem doesn't exist as much in areas of low density, as there aren't nearly as many silver halides reacting as to exhaust the developer. Thus, in areas of low density, developing continues at a greater rate than it does in areas of high density.

Thus, over the course of the development time with no agitation, the shadow areas will get more development than the highlight areas, resulting in lower overall contrast.

Conversely, agitating provides a continual supply of fresh developer to the surface of the film. By agitating once every thirty seconds or so, you are keeping the amount of development essentially the same for all areas of the film.” Taken from Ben H at yahoo answer.

I don’t like this, I am not a patient man, I like to cut my film so I don’t have to wait for 36 roll finished, I even cut the developing time from 8 minute with 20 celcius to 4 minutes in 30 celcius. I still like the result.

And the agitating process of course is the most thing that I don’t like. I don’t want my developing result depend on my emotion. I want to create a simple machine.

The first thing is I want to make a rotation motor to move my dev tank. But I read some article about agitating continuously will create effect bromide drag, Bromide can drift downwards during some conditions causing streaks, if agitation is insufficient. It can move opposite to the agitation direction if constant unidirectional agitation is applied.. The jobo machine are rotating continuously, but very slow. Well creating motor with very slow rotation means lot of gear and calculation. Its not suitable with my craziness too.

So my idea is shaking continuously. Just a Smooth shaking.

I took my motor on broken massage machine (he he he, it's not broken but I destroy it to understand how the vibration created). Actually it just a simple motor with unbalance weight, so the motor will shake when rotate, its so simple idea. And I have to destroy it to understand the method.

And how to attach it, just glued the motor on the red cap ( if you have a dev tank like me) powered the motor with nokia mobile phone charger and the dev tank will shake smoothly. If you look at the water inside it you will see a small wave and the water are slowly rotating too.

Let’s talking about the result

first test using a exhaust chemical ( been used for six time)

no phothosop adjustment

Good enough for me, and the good thing is you don’t have to agitate. All you have to do is set the alarm, and pouring the chemical when the time is come. You don’t have to concentrate, if you use a glove, you don’t have any contact with chemical at all. you are still can eat or do something between developing process. But you still have to do washing process manually, but it just put the dev tank on running water. No big deal.

The good thing is, this idea good for push processing. Taking longer time on developing film will make our hand tired, will you stir or turn upside down your tank for 30 minutes in full concentration??? I won’t do that. I know somebody did it. But it won’t be me. here some of the result using canonet, and fuji neopan iso 100

second test, crazy idea, shoot with speed 1/125 indoor with room light.

third test, new year party (with photoshop adjustment)

canonet f1,7 s= 1/30 NO FLASH, neopan 100, dev 30 minutes at 30celcius

canonet f1,7 NO FLASH, s 1/30 neopan 100, dev 30 menit at 30celcius

canonet f1,7 NO FLASH, s= 1/30 neopan 100, dev 30 menit at 30celcius

canonet f1,7 NO FLASH, s= 1/30 neopan 100, dev 30 minutes at 30celcius

canonet f1,7 NO FLASH, s=1/30 neopan 100, dev 30 minutes at 30celcius

just hoping somebody try my idea and tell me the result, i will be glad if somebody give some input and comment.

Build DIY light meter for photography, cheap, simple, and handy

2009-12-27T00:41:00.000-08:00

I have been making this for along time ago, since I don’t like my K1000 light meter, maybe it already weak, and my metering feeling was much better than the meter it self , but every time I tried to make it, I always fail, until the last experiment.

my idea for the scheme was so simple. Give a power, an Light Depend Resistor series with potensiometer and a meter. Yes it work, definitely work but with very un accurate result. The meter cannot read difference on bright condition , but able to read even in candle light. If I modified the potensiometer and the LDR the result are inversed. Also there some mistake in taking light metering. Even a light beside me are measured too. If I make a hood on the LDR, it makes a metering so narrow. Every time you move, the meter needle will be move everywhere.

Than, I almost give up and keep training my feeling. No need metering anyway. Just use your feeling or exposure mat and ultimate exposure( check the link if you want). But I keep try to find the mistake I have made.

After using a multitester, I finally realized the mistake that I have made. The resistance of LDR are drop on kilo ohm in the low light. While in bright light the meter are at 1 ohm scale. It’s a big difference. There is no way a a needle meter can read such a big difference without any switch.

So I get an idea, why don’t I sink the LDR on my small multitester. Than buy another one for my tester?

So is start to build it. And for light measurement, I also add a view finder from broken plastic camera with 38mm view. It make the light only measured on glass of view finder, 38 mm, not to wide and not to narrow.

For adjusting I just use my fuji S700, set to iso 100, and metering to average. I have compare with Minolta Light meter its have a same reading.

Its time to test, its have a good metering.

a little bit over develop. but good enough for me, i am not ansel adams

the size is not big, its fit on my palm

And I just compare with my feeling. Of course object in open shade on sunny day will be 1/250 at 5,6. check the meter its same too, check with my digital fuji, its at a range too ( digital can read 1/225, 1/230 but at least it still at range). just make sure you metering with scale 1 kilo ohm for bright day. And scale 10 ohm in indoor. It just cheap meter. Only cost me $3.

reducing process using cheap material

2009-12-26T20:45:00.000-08:00

so i ask mu friend for my first experiment in "bleaching" LOL and he give me a recipes form his book. he never try before. the recipes is
solution A :
- Kalium permanganat 52.5 gram
- water 1.000 ml
mix it

solution B:
-Sulfuric Acid (concentrated) 32 gram
- water 1.000 ml
mix it.

than mix both of solutions with 1:1 or depend on your need. more solution B makes the effect harder.

from his recipes i know that the material are simple to find, i use calcius permaganat instead of kalium permanganat. that thing can be find on local drug store as a medicines
sulfuric acid, well we can find it on local paint shop or chemical store easily.

so after i got the material, i make my solution.
be honest my solution are totally blind composition, no scales at all, all just made from estimation, if it fail just wasted it, i just cost me less than $1. in my country these material are cheap.
the result
before process

after process

well its looks diiferent
the method are same with the " BLEACHING" in my earlier post. but for this time no shake, no smell, and not made my hand itchy. Its look better for a film with over exposed or over developed process

BLEACH THE FILM, using bleach for fabric, hi hi hi

2009-12-26T20:01:00.000-08:00

my holiday experiment,
i had a holiday, and i stuck in my house because of rain, can't do anything in photography. so i turn on the internet to waste my time, when i read some article in BW photo, i read about bleaching. i made an misunderstanding about the term of bleaching. it should be reducing method. reducing mean we reduce the thickness of silver emulsion on film. this condition are film with overexposure or over developed process. the result when we print it will be too bright and lost detail.

so the crazy idea is, just take the bleach and bleach the film. a bleach, usually used for shirt or fabric. just mix it with 10 part of water. and shake the film on this solution.
result
before "bleaching"

after "bleaching"

its looks better, its a stupid success i guess. but it have a better result but with some down qualty of film. the solution is not good smell bad and make my hand itchy. so i try another method.

build a film scanner with cheap flatbed scanner HP 2235 printer all in one

2009-12-24T20:25:00.000-08:00

i bought this printer for experiment to prove can we make a film scanner with a cheap flatbed scanner?. my decision point to Hewweld packard 2235 its the cheapest scanner, actually its a printer with ability to scan and copy. of course the printer will be a great benefit, since i need tho change my old printer too.it cost me only less than $65.
first experiment is working more than i expected.how to do it, it soo easy, just put your film on scanner glass, than cover the vilm with thick glass( 5mm) so the film is pressured to scanner glass. than cover the glass with a plain paper HVS 80gsm. than give a light with TL lamp, i use 25watt phillip lamp. scan with 2400 ppi and wait for 10 minutes, all 36 frame scanned with resolution 2400ppi. this is how i made it.

RESULT- yupp, some problem are exist:
printer all in one is soo cheap, only less than $65 soo dont be sshock with the result.

the big box is a crooped image in 100% at 2400 dpi so you can see the result.

for color picture, it really not optimal, because maybe the lamp under the glass make the color cant appear corectly

overall result is good enough for me for now until i can buy a dedicated film scanner. its fun, Cheap, and can be used for printing and copying document. overall its worth with the price.

build your film scanner with your digital camera

2009-12-23T08:56:00.000-08:00

with movement from digital to film camera, a scanner to digitize a film is a big need. a scanner with capability to scan film is rather expensive than a simple scanner. i have read some article about making a film scanner with a digital camera. so i try and try to made some improvement about the light diffuser.

the cost is so cheap if you already have a digital camera. it cost me less than 2 dollar.

here is my project:

take a box and put a cheap 5 watt TL lamp while all of inner box must be covered with shining material, like alumunium foil. the position of lamp must not placed in front of the film but on the top of film. it makes no lamp texture on your film, and the film is not shine to much

the reason why there should be a reflective material i to make tke light diffuse everywhere.

put a white paper in te back of film as a reflective but not to close its make a good reflector if it no paper the reflectivematerial will give the film to much light made a texture on your film too

the camera is positioned in front of film and should be on macro posisition, so you can get close enough to capture the picture. put both of it light box and the camera in the table. see my picture for the positioning of camera, you dont need any tripod :

position on my prosummer fuji s700

on my pocket camera kodak cx6330 3,1mp

on my web cam

THE RESULT
from fuji s700

from kodak

compare with scanner flatbed epson photo perfection 4780

epson scanner

by my scanner camera fuji s700
upss i forgot to flip it

computer process:
set white balance in auto, than take the picture of your film, use photoshop, or gimp or anything else that have a invert mode.but before invert it do cropping, auto level then invert. also do the color balance correction
if you wnat black and white, do auto level, invert and desaturate, or take the red channel or green channel .
contoh

conclusion :

not to good to compare with the real scanner, but it easier and faster ,please try it if you like.

best regards

shade

an analoque camera??? a different vision

2009-12-23T07:09:00.000-08:00

its been along time since my last post. its wasnt because i didnt make any photo. but my vison was changed. i start to get bored with a digital camera. it just need a little brain to operate, all are depend on the camera it self. all you have to do was more practice in composition and it make you perfect. i guess just past 2000 frame than you get average result of amateur photographer. the quality was more depend on your camera.

bored, yup, i got bored with digital. i need more control on my photo. and i not just a photographer who likes mighty gear. but i want to made my gear by my own. and i found it in film camera.

start with a pentax K1000, i took 2 roll of picture. wewww, i dont like it. is too hard for me, i need a small one. than i bought a petri half. weeewww its to small, the quality wasnt good enough. than i bought a fujica STX. i loved this small SLR, not too heavy. but the lens are made me sick to find some. i only have 28mm and 50mm x mount. then i got my canonet QL 17 generation 2. this is the camera that i need for everyday travel. full manual control, good lens, very easy to operate and not too heavy but not too light either. and the most i loved is, the fast and acurate focusing camera. its have auto but mine is broken. i dont need that thing anyway. if i want auto why dont i took my digital camera? its easier and cheaper.

full manual control including metering, since all of my camera except K1000 have a broken metering system. start to train my feeling, and start to make a diy project for analoque camera. hope someone will enjoy my project.

cheers

shade

My kodak digital infrared

2009-07-16T18:38:00.000-07:00

I’ve heard that an old digital camera have more sentive sensor to Infrared, so I decide to seek that kind old camera. Seek at local internet market, somebody sold a Kodak CX6330 with price about $25, its only 3.1 Megapixel, a very small sensor, compared with newest camera, it also broken on battery compartment.

I bought it and test it. Its run well, even it have been used for 2000 times, and battery compartment can be fixed by sealed with tape.

Do the test, and I can see the quality of old digital camera, of course it is less than my Fuji S700, and the file size is so small. Very small only 500Kb, compared with my S700 that can reach 3Mb.

That not what I am looking for. I seek for a Infrared sensitive camera. So I use my Hitech Infrared double filter, and the result is good, very good for a $25 camera, and idont have to do any modification.

The result is amazingly fast, with double filter, it can reach speed 1/8 sec, and even 1/20 sec depend on sunlight . with help of optical viewfinder, I can take a picture handheld. Its good. And if I remove the filter , I got an absolutely normal camera, the result are acceptable too.

before processing

after processing

Why double filter? Actually I cut my hitech Infrared filter and put it double, so I can get a white leaves instead of yellow. Its looks very good on BW. here is the example

converted in bw, using xnview

seem i need to do more practice with this filter an take a short trip off from my town, to get a better picture, but for now i already enjoy it.

cheaper & easier wide lens using -12 dioptri lens for glasses

2009-05-16T10:11:00.000-07:00

i try to made a simpler wide lens using a -12 dioptri, usually it use for glasses. why because the material is easier to find, dont have to broke lens like my previous DIY, and i got a bigger lens, so i dont have to remove the vignettes.

my wide angle

build it, is so simple, all you need is a cheap -12 dioptry lens, just one, it only cost me 5$, a empty filter ring( is optional, actually you just need your hand to hold the lens, but you wont be able to add another filter).

just cheap -12 dioptri lens and empty filter ring

put a filter ring in top of lens hold it with tape and glue it, i used a glue gun , but burned with candle so i can get more glue.

the result , he he he

i do the test with composition my wide lens, a CPL then to my S700. AF wont work so switch to macro mode. than everything is ok.so i guess my DIY only run for pocket and prosummer, not SLR because they dont have very short macro mode.

no wide lens 35mm equivalent

with wide lens, beware with your finger, its have wide coverage

no wide lens

with wide lens

all photo have no crop, just resize

the result is acceptable for me, litle bit blur on side, but is ok for just 5$.

PS: this only work on pocket and prosummer camera. on DSLR, its cannot focus.

enhance your sunrise / sunset with gimp

2009-04-18T18:05:00.000-07:00

this is the tutorial to enhance the sunset/ sunrise with gimp.
gimp is a free and powerful image editing software. most of important function on photoshop are available here. for this tutorial i use latest gimp portable, you can get it here. http://sourceforge.net/project/downloading.php?groupname=portableapps&filename=GIMP_Portable_2.6.6.paf.exe&use_mirror=waix.

Simple made, HDR Picture using Picturenaut. its free

2009-04-17T07:38:00.000-07:00

i want to share how to make a HDR ( High Dynamic Range) Picture using my S700 and a software named picturenaut ( its absolutely free ). HDR made from 2 or more picture with different exposure.

the preparation, you will need a good stand for your camera, remember that you will take at least 3 same picture with different exposure. best tool is your tripod, or at least please stand still.

you also need a camera ( of course) the best thing is if your camera have auto braceting mode. so you can take 3 differnt exposure automaticly. but if you dont have this option, you still can make the picture by take 3 times, first with EV -1, second EV 0 third EV +1.

the resutl will be like this

+1 EV

0 EV

-1 EV

you see i got 3 picture with 3 different exposure, i use aperture priority mode, with auto braceting. this one of benefit of auto bracketing. we can get 3 picture and we can choose 1 of the best. From this 3 picture i choose the under exposure because its looks better. But for HDR we dont need to choose, we use it all.

there are many HDR software, the most interesting is photomatic, its cool but its not free. photoshop also have the facility in CS3, but i always fail when use it. somebody said you have to make a real good picture with a good camera to make HDR with CS3. so i wont use HDR in CS3 again.

i tried for free software, it named picturenaut, Picturenaut was born in the German photo community.Picturenaut was made to focused on HDR generation from a series of bracketed exposures,tonemapping, and HDR editing. and it increadibly fast software.

instalation : no need to install. Picturenaut has no installer.Unzip the picturenaut ZIP archive with it's path informations into a folder of your choice. Then you can start picturenaut directly. You will find it in the "bin" subfolder.

lets start the work.

first choose file -> generate HDRI

select your pictures by pressing add

after that , your selected file will shown on the list.please choose automatic image alignment

wait for the process, the result will appear soon

dont be please with the result do the tone mapping, choose image-> tone mapping, i like to use Photoreceptor physiology

do the necessary adjustment on tone mapping to make the best image you want

press ok and wait for the result, do the save as process and the result.... will be TIFF. Its large file but you can change it to Jpeg by other software like photosop or picturenaut also provide the converter too, in the bin folder.

the result will be like this, maybe somebody can make it better than this. i already satisfy with the result.

HDR result

PHOTOGRAPHY TERMS

2009-04-12T05:30:00.000-07:00

PHOTOGRAPHY TERM
AE : Automatic Exposure metering, i.e. the camera measures the light and sets shutter speed and aperture (either or both).
AE lock (AE-L) : Locks an automatic exposure setting in the camera’s memory.
AF: Auto-focus.
AF lock (AF-L): Locks an auto-focus lens at its present focus distance.
Aliasing : The jaggy edges that appear in bitmap images with curves or lines at any angle other than multiples of 90°.
Angle of view : The extent of the view taken in by the lens.
particular format size : The angle made at the lens across the image diagonal.
Aperture (of lens) : Size of the lens opening through which light passes. The relative aperture is calibrated in f-numbers, being the diameter of the beam of light allowed to pass through the lens, divided into its focal length.Widest relative apertures therefore have the lowest f-numbers. All lenses set to the same f-number give images of a (distant) scene at equal brightness.
ASA : Stands for (obsolete) American Standards Association. The initials were once used for a film speed rating system. Now replaced by ISO.
Aspect ratio : This is usually found in dialog boxes concerned with changes of image size and refers to the relationship between width and height of a picture. The maintaining of an image’s aspect ratio means that this relationship will remain the same even when the image is enlarged or reduced.
Auto-focus (AF) System : by which the lens automatically focuses the image of a selected part of your subject.
Av Aperture value : AE camera metering mode by which you choose aperture, and the metering system sets shutter speed (also called aperture priority).
‘B’ setting Brief or bulb :On this setting the camera shutter stays open for as long as the release button remains depressed.
Bit : Stands for ‘binary digit’ and refers to the smallest part of information that makes up a digital file. It has a value of only 0 or 1. Eight of these bits make up one byte of data.
Bitmap or ‘raster’ The form in which digital photographs are stored, made up of a matrix of pixels
Bracketing (exposure) : Taking several pictures of your subject at different exposure times or aperture settings, e.g. half and double, as well as the estimated correct exposure.
Brightness range : The range of brightnesses between shadow and highlight areas of an image.
Byte : This is the standard unit of digital storage. One byte is made up of 8 bits and can have any value between 0 and 255; 1024 bytes equal 1 kilobyte; 1024 kilobytes equal 1 megabyte; 1024 megabytes equal 1 gigabyte.
CCD : Charge-Coupled Device. Electronic light-sensitive surface, digital replacement for film.
Close-ups : Photographs in which the picture area is filled with a relatively small part of the subject (e.g. a single head). Usually photographed from close to the subject, but may be shot from further away using a long focal length lens.
Color balance : A color photograph that closely resembles the original subject appearance is said to have ‘correct’ color balance. Mismatching film type and lighting (wrong color temperature) gives a cast most apparent in gray tones and pale tints.
Color mode : The way that a digital image represents the colors that it contains. Different color modes include Bitmap, RGB and Grayscale.
Color temperature : A means of describing the color content of a ‘white’ light source. Based on the temperature (absolute scale, expressed in kelvin) to which a black metallic body would have to be heated to match the light, e.g. household lamp 2800 K, photoflood 3400 K.
Composition : The activity of positioning the various subjects in a picture within a frame or viewfinder. Photographers often aim to create a visual balance of all the elements within their photographs. They do this via careful composition.
Depth of field : Distance between nearest and furthest parts of the subject sharply imaged at the same time. Greatest with small lens apertures (high f-number), distant scenes and shortest focal length lenses.
DIN : Stands for Deutche Industrie Norm (German Industrial Standard). DIN numbers denoted a film’s relative sensitivity to light. Halving or doubling speed is shown by decrease or increase of the DIN number by three. Now incorporated in ISO and distinguished by degree symbol.
DPI : Dots per inch, a term used to indicate the resolution of a scanner or printer.
Dynamic range : The measure of the range of brightness levels that can be recorded by a digital sensor.
Filter : lens Sheet of (usually dyed) gelatin or glass. Used over the camera or enlarger lens mainly to reduce the light (neutral density gray filter) or to absorb particular wavelengths from the light beam.
Fixed focus : Camera lens set for a fixed subject distance. Non-adjustable.
Flare : Scattered light that dilutes the image, lowering contrast and seeming to reduce sharpness. Mostly occurs when the subject is backlit.
Flash : electronic Equipment that gives a brief, brilliant flash of light by discharging an electronic capacitor through a small, gas-filled tube. Given time to recharge, a unit gives many thousands of flashes, usually triggered by contacts within the camera shutter.
Focal length : In a simple lens the distance (typically in millimeters) between the lens and the position of a sharp image for a subject a great distance away. A ‘normal’ lens has a focal length approximately equivalent to the diagonal of the picture format it covers, i.e. 50 mm for 36 mm × 24 mm.
Grain : Irregularly shaped, microscopically small clumps of black silver making up the processed photographic silver halide image. Detectable on enlargement, particularly if the film emulsion was fast (ISO 1000 or over) and overdeveloped. Hard grade paper also emphasizes film grain.
Guide number (flash factor) : Figure denoting the relative power of a flash source. The GN is the light-to-subject distance (usually in meters) multiplied by the f-number for correct exposure, e.g. GN of 16 = 2 m at f8 or 1 m at f16. (Unless film speed is quoted, factor refers to ISO 100 film.)
Histogram: A graph that represents the distribution of pixels brightness within a digital image.
Interpolation: This is the process used by image editing programs to increase the resolution of a digital image. Using 'fuzzy logic' the program makes up the extra pixels that are placed between the original ones that were generated at the time of scanning or capture.
ISO : International Standards Organization. In the ISO film speed system, halving or doubling of speed is denoted by halving or doubling number. Also incorporates DIN figure, e.g. ISO 400/27° film is twice as sensitive as ISO 200/24°.
JPEG : A file format designed by the Joint Photographic Experts Group that has inbuilt lossy compression that enables a massive reduction in file sizes for digital images. Used extensively on the web and by press professionals for transmitting images back to newsdesks worldwide.
Megapixel : One million pixels. Used to describe the resolution of digital camera sensors.
Montage : An image constructed by combining what were originally several separate images.
Pattern (composition) : Repeating subjects that have similar characteristics such as color, shape and texture create a strong visual element that is often referred to as pattern. Pattern can be used in a similar way to tone, line and color as a way to balance compositions and direct the viewer’s eye throughout the frame.
Pixel : Short for picture element, refers to the smallest image part of a digital photograph.
Polarizer : Gray-looking filter, able to darken blue sky at right angles to sunlight, and suppress reflections from (non-metallic) surfaces at angles of about 30°.
‘Red eye’ : The iris of each eye in portraits shows red instead of black. Caused by using f lash directed from close to the lens.
Through-the-lens (TTL) metering Measuring exposure by a meter built into the camera body,which measures the intensity of light passing through the picture-taking lens.
Tv Time value : AE camera metering mode by which you choose shutter speed and the metering
system sets aperture (also called shutter priority).

My DIY Infrared Filter

2009-04-11T22:10:00.000-07:00

There is so many article to make your own cheap Infrared Filter in internet, the basic is using an over exposed film. Placed in front of your digital camera lens.

Unfortunately film camera are only 35 mm while many big digital camera have lens and filter thread larger than that. So we have to buy expensive real infrared filter.
Infrared photography is fun but also difficult, and need to do long exposure unless you have modified your camera for Infrared only, and different ( not real) , some day you might get bored. I think you have to try cheap DIY infrared filter first, and than decide will you go further to buy real infrared filter or even modificate your camera, or just leave it.

For Fuji S700/S5700 user, don’t worry, your lens is not that big. yes,it has 46mm thread but if you look at the lens you can see that the lens are small enough. So I decide to do the test to make DIY infrared filter. And it fit well.
This is how I made it.

Prepare your tool : scissor, cutter, ( Drinking water, matches, pack of cigarettes, just incase you need to drink and smoke), use a room with enough light.

Material you’ll need:
Overexposed film
Cd cover or every thick plastic with black color and light absolutely can’t penetrate.
A UV filter. you don’t have to destroy it. ( optional, just to make easier )

Cut your plastic circle , with 46mm diameter( just like the filter thread ) or 52mm if you use converter to 52mm.

Made a square hole with width as wide as possible, and height as wide as the film wide( not including the hole on film ) to make sure all covered with overexposed film.no light leak.

Cut 2 layer overexposed film and glue it infront of your plastic. It have to at least 2 layer. Not only one because 1 layer still don’t have Infrared effect.

Main part are finish now just place the plastic in front of UV filter, or just place it in filter thread .
now you ready to take a shot

make sure you hold it steady or use tripod

this is the result

taken from camera directly

modified with auto color and auto level

modifed to black and white

DIY Wide Lens

2009-04-11T22:07:00.000-07:00

Made a wide lens using a broken 58 mm lens

S700 don’t have wide lens, its only 38mm on widest range and its some time not enough for landscape and city photography. So i tried to made the the converter because to buy it, are so expensive for the high quality lens, not compared with the price of the camera it self.

All I know, place a negatif lens, made the lens wider, I have tried with my sister -7 glasses, It made a more wide view in my camera, but not so wide. Maybe with -14 lens will make a wide lens. I don’t know, I never try.

But I have a lens, Minolta MC rokkor 58 mm, I bought it just for fun, because it already funged, not clear, not work at all. Just bought it for 5$.

So i open up the lens, separate all part and get many lens. The funged part are on front and rear lens, the lens inside is still clear.

I got a very negative lens, it make very wide view, even a fish eyes look, so I attached to my lens and auto focus was not working, I changed to macro mode and its able to focus. It is mean the camera focus on the view in lens not through the lens. It looks so wide and purpled fringe, blur on the corner.
Here is the result

edited
So I don’t happy with this experiment and I add another lens on the back of positive lens, a lens with the highest magnifier.

The result is cool enough, its not too wide but also reduce lens distortion, better look and focusing through the lens, not the view on lens. Its still blurr on the edge, not as sharp as without additional lens. But I am happy enough because I can take a photograph with angle that I can’t take it before.
Here the result

No wide lens
This picture is not just the test, if we use pocket or prosummer kamera the result will be like this because you cant move back. I aready lean on wall to get the wider photo

With my wide lens
Vignettes, blur on edge, CA, lens distortion but I still can take all the church picture

Edited
Still not very good, he he he

Don’t use it if it not necessary. But I am happy with this additional lens. It will help me a lot.

The lens is look like this

here are my other result

no wide lens with grad filter

with wide lens and grad filter

no wide lens

with wide lens

no wide lens

with wide lens

Just be carefull don’t make your additional lens scratch your original lens, he he he. My additional lens have 1 cm distance from my original lens for safety.

My DIY lightbox

2009-04-04T17:57:00.000-07:00

light box is the important thing for making a good isolated product photography.
there is so many tutorial to make a good light box, you can find it in internet, i also develop my light box too, is easy and cost so cheap.

not like most of tutorial i have read, i put my light inside the box. so there is enough light to make a hand held picture, i can get speed 1/200 in f 4, but above it i have to use tripod.
the light are powered by 6 lamp, each lamp are 35watt flourescent light, just a cheap lamp, each lamp only cost $1, a 14" TV box, white paper,a lamp holder, some glue and cable. the lamp have soft light so we dont need a diffuser and dont create so much heat. its different when i use 6 lamp, 75watt tungsten light, its so hot and creating harsh light.

here is my light box

cover inside the box with white cartoon paper

make four or six hole in top of the box, place your lamp in there

make a small hole on center of box to place your lens , make sure it fit enough for your lens place two lamp in front of the box for fill the light in the front, to prevent the shadow

this is how to place the lamp, just put it in hole you have made

maybe is not a good light box but easier, and give you enough light so you dont need to use slow speed, and the result are some of my picture get approved in Fotolia.com and bigstockphoto.com.
no one buy it, but at least i can pass the selection with my small fuji S700 and stand beside photo taking by bigger and more expensive gear.
here is my fotolia colection click it and you'll go directly to fotolia

circular polarising filter ( CPL)

2009-04-04T17:54:00.000-07:00

circular polarising filter on my S700/S5700

i have kokaii CPL filter, just very cheap CPL, only $11. and this is my experience.

actually there are two type of polarising filter linear and circular.
A circular polarizer filter (CPL) is generally required if you want to use the "auto-focus" feature in your camera. but linear are can be used too depend on characteristic of the camera, see rob nunn pages for using cookin PL.

A polarizing filter enable colors to become more saturated and appear more clear, with better contrast. This effect is often used to increase the contrast and saturation in blue skies and white clouds.it also removes unwanted reflections from non-metallic surfaces such as water and glass.

using CPL is not as easy as i tought. at the first time i have it, the result is still the same and suffered slower shutter speed. i almost waste the filter because i guess its to cheap so it useless. but after i get some advice from my friend, i realize the benefit of CPL even with cheapest one.

using CPL is more about understanding the weather and angle of the sun.you wont get a blue sky when the sky is not blue. the weather have to be clear and fresh, and sun position have to be behind you for the best result. if the sun on your right, your picture will be half blue,if the sun above you, you'll only get nothing but dark glass. this is my big mistake when do the test, because i just test it without care with the sun.

i live in equator, sun will be above our head corectly, so i dont have lot of time to use CPL. my chance to take a picture using my CPL only after sunrise from aproximately 7 AM to 11 AM, and before sunset from aproximately 2 PM to 5 PM. sunset and sunrise are good too, but we use grad ND to make a better picture.

but overall, if we can use it corectly, we will get better result than Grad ND. these are the result. no post processing at all, only resize.

you cant against the GOD rules, the brown water will be brown if you dont do any post processing, LOL.

the result if we got a cloudy day but still have a blue sky

from this picture you can see the clear cloud, more contrast color and the reflection in water, now i can take a good photo like professional with only cheap fuji s700/s5700 prosummer camera.

MISTAKE

you should not pose your position on left or right of sun, the result wont be good, here is the example

the sky is not balance, i dont have to upload the photo using CPL against the sun, you can guess the result are you?

my friend told me if i use hoya CPL with price 3 time than my CPL the result will be get more blue sky. but i guess i still use my cheap CPL. its good enough for me, its natural.

best regards

shade

grad ND filter

2009-04-04T17:52:00.000-07:00

grad filter i my most used filter on my lens, its create a good balance picture on my camera. the problem on taking picture outdoor is blown up sky, expecially when the sky is not blue or on cloudy day, or the sun shine so brightly.
the problem taking a picture on sunny day is you cant chase the the cloud in the sky. if you forced to take the cloud by metering on the sky, the object below it will be too dark, and that obviously not correct.

the grad compensate it by the chracteristic of filter dark on the top and clear on the bottom. by this filter you dont need to metering on the sky just to get a cloud.

example

now you can see the different.

its help me a lot to take a picture under unpleasant condition, while the CPL cannot help at all. i know the best filter for lanscape is CPL but CPL not always can be used in every situation. please read my other post about CPL.

i use tianya grad filter, the cheapest filter, it should be a cookin compatible P series, but i cut it and placed on old removed glass CPL filter, so i can twist it easily for potrait and lanscape photography.
here are some of result on picture taking with my Tianya grad filter , please click to enlarge.

all of this picture taking on unright condition, no digital post processing,CPL dont do help at all and i had gone photowalk when suddenly the wheather change, at least i got a better picture then i dont use a grad filter.

it also can give you better effect when taking a sunrise.
the sky makes dificult to get a good color

in this case i lost the blue color but i get more dramatic picture, CPL wont help at all.

MISTAKE ON GRAD FILTER

grad filter seperate the view of the lens into dark and bright section, so if you dont use it carefully you can make a big mistake.
take a look at the picture below

the time doesnt give me chance to twist my grad, the momment is so short, while i was take a landscape position, and had to change into potrait position. the result is worst than my expectation.

i know for all of picture in this post, not a good picture, is not my best shot,and i am just a newbie in photography, i have a lot to learn . but just want to share the result of my tianya grad ND filter in regular picture with no post procesing at all, only cropped and resize.

best regards

shade

Electronic View Finder

2009-04-04T17:51:00.000-07:00

why do i chose S700/S5700, above all reason there is one big reason, electronic viewfinder (EVF), the S700 is the cheapest camera with EVF. i have two pocket camera before and both don't have EVF, EVF is a small lcd display and have a same function like the larger lcd bellow it. is important thing to compose, focusing an object and take a photograph.

why EVF?, because using larger LCD below are confusing when the day is to bright. there are always some reflection seen on LCD and it make our composition go wrong, how can we got a good picture while we can't see it correctly?.

the second thing is our position. without EVF you must hold your camera with two hand to prevent shake, and the camera have to a little bit far away from your eyes so you can see the LCD correctly. in my opinion there wont be a good picture because our position are not very stable. its different when you use EVF, so you can place the EVF exactly in front of your left or right eyes, your hand are close to your body to prevent hand shake, and your head are give extra stability for your camera.this position are been used for all serious photographer. i never get a acceptable picture in speed 1/10 in my pocket camera without EVF, but i can get acceptable picture even in speed 1/5 with EVF ( i said acceptable not a good picture LOL). the different is so big for me.

the third, i have found it after i got my S700, is low power consumption. while i use my pocket camera i have to change my alkaline battery for less than a week, it was so uneconomic reason, so i bought recharge battery, the problem are solved but i have to recharge it, also there was a memory effect. but after i got my S700 i never use recharge battery, i depend on the EVF even in previewing my picture, the result is very economic, i change my alkaline battery for more than 1 mounth, now i depend on 4 AA alkaline batery, cheap, powerfull, no memory effect,we can find it anywhere and dont need extra work.

previewing with EVF? a small LCD? why not. you can see a better picture when see it an bigger LCD below. is good, so good and i guest, its little bit fake. even a ugly camera can provide a good picture if it displayed on 4" LCD, but after transfered to computer you will see all the mistake. so see it and the smaller LCD dont have a big different isn't? just after take some photo, transfer it to the computer and do necessary process.

Build your own 46mm to 52 mm filter adapter

2009-04-04T17:49:00.000-07:00

built it, why?

a have tried to find filter for S700, 46 wide filter, and it's not easy for me. the only available are UV and CPL with it's not a good brand, and i have to buy it in capital city of indonesia. is different when i seek for 52mm filter, is available in every profesional camera shop.
try to find 46-52 step up ring, were more crazy, i 've seek it for a mounth, no one have it in indonesia, and always get a question " way you need that such a weird thing?. maybe i can buy it from internet in the world but a guess the shipment price are higher than the ring it self.

i talk to a used camera seller in my city, and he dont have that " weird thing" too. but he offer me a solution, made it. he show me hundred of used filter most of it weird,funged, unclear etc. but i find a broken soligor 46 ring and funged unclear hoya 52mm CPL, and hoya 80c 52mm ring . so i bought it with big hope i can make a step up ring.

first step was remove all glass.

second step was think how to connect it, is not just enter the 46 to 52 because it not fit enough, so i seperate the cpl ring into 2 part and connect the 46mm to the front part with inside screw,so i can attach the other 52 mm fiter in front of 46mm filter.

it work well, and i got better benefit, i got step up 46-52mm with still have ability to receive 46mm filter, because soligor 46 have inner and outside screw,
thanks God.

now i can attach my 52mm CPL in front of my fuji S700, and for the 80c 52mm i removed the glass and changed it with tianya solid red filter.

it all just for 3$

night scene photography, blurry????

2008-06-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

a night scene photography is intresting idea, but most case we got a problem, blurry. we cant chase the need of light by using our flash, it cant fill the whole scene anyway. so turn it off

As the light goes down, however, your exposures will get longer, which means you have to look out for camera shake. Here are a few ways to combat shake so you get crisp images, even in low light:

Increase your ISO setting from 100 to 200.

You can go up to 400 if you need to, but you will have more noise in your shots at the higher rating. Often, this isn't a big problem for street shooting, because the gritty look seems to work with this type of subject material. Generally speaking, though, don't increase your ISO setting any more than you have to.

Lean against buildings and other solid structures to steady your shots.

You'll be surprised at what a difference this can make. Push your body weight against the building and lock your elbows against your body. Squeeze the shutter button; don't punch it. Your shots will be much sharper.

Bring along a pocket tripod,for best result.

macro photography with point and shoot camera

2008-06-01T07:45:00.000-07:00

macro photography is one of favorite subject in photography. but take the picture is not easy and expensive. taking macro photography should be a closer as you can get. but most of old point and shoot camera are not well prepared to take a macro camera. DSLR will be more expensive because we have to buy extra Macro lens. but now some point and shoot camera are able to take until 4 cm close.

how if your camera dont have ability to take a macro picture?

the idea are came form magnifier glass or lens for glasses for
Get the Glass
the most easier is using magnifier glass because it is asy to get and cheaper. just place it in front of your camera lens and you will be able to take a shoot closer. the bigger magnifier ability, you can get closer. the problem is magnifier lens dont have a good quality. if you want a better result try a Plus lens that usually use by old people. in this lens type you can make a simple calculate just how close can you get. Close-up lenses are described by a diopter number that indicates how close your lens can get to the subject, in units of fractions of a meter. For example, a lens marked +12 will let you get within 1/12 of a meter (or within just 8 centimeters).

Mount the Camera for Best Results
So now you have a close-up lens attached to the camera and are ready to shoot, right? Well, almost. Shooting one inch away from a subject is tricky, because the lens has very little tolerance for being even a little too far or too close to the object. If you move out of that one-inch in-focus area, your object will quickly get soft. This means that to take really good shots you need to mount your camera on a tripod.

Use Sunglasses as a Polarizing Filter

2008-06-01T00:45:00.000-07:00

Use Sunglasses as a Polarizing Filter

Chances are, you have a high-quality polarizing filter with you at all times, right under your nose. (Actually, it's sitting on your nose.)

Next to a fully charged battery and a huge memory card, a polarizing filter is the digital photographer's best friend. It reduces unsightly glare, deepens the richness of skies, and improves overall color saturation.

The problem for most shooters on the go is that they don't always have their full kit of accessories with them. And many point-and-shoot cameras don't even provide a way to attach an external filter, even if you wanted to.

is it a big problem, Not at all!!.
Your solution is just a sunglasses! Great lighting usually results in good photographs, with or without filtration. But sometimes you want to enhance an already good lighting situation. Often, polarization is the perfect solution. If you don't have a polarizing filter with you, try your sunglasses, especially in very bright daylight shoot. You might be surprised by the results.