From: Huckleberry Lain (email suppressed)
Date: Sun Nov 22 2009 - 01:04:13 PST
Also, to chime in, if you use a Canon digital SLR there is a weird function
with the exposure. If you are shooting in this style (animation,
time-lapse, optical printing) there is a slight change in the exposure each
time you shoot a frame. the change is only about half or less of a stop,
but this can cause problems (a slight flickering occurs).
The trick used to solve this problem is to set up your camera perfectly the
way you want it (using a computer is very helpful, but you can also use a
remote) - make sure everything looks correct - then twist the lens slightly
to make sure the electronic reader (not sure of the actual title) of the
lens is disconnected from the body of the camera. This way the lens is
totally set and the camera can not talk to it any more because if it can it
will reset the f-stop each time you take an exposure and be within +/- .5 of
a stop to that f-stop.
I have only heard about this to be a problem with a Canon Digital Rebel,
though.
Huck
On Sat, Nov 21, 2009 at 3:02 PM, jo dery <email suppressed> wrote:
> Hi - I've been using a digital SLR to make animation for a few years. Here
> are some thoughts:
>
> Yes, the SLR camera has a certain life span. The shutter is only a piece of
> plastic, and will eventually give after thousands of photos because its not
> built for such heavy use. You can buy insurance through stores like Ritz
> Camera, where they will replace (or upgrade) your camera if it breaks... Not
> too expensive - about $100 a year. Kind of sneaky, maybe, but helpful if you
> know you are going to push your camera to its limits.
>
> There can be a few reasons for the shift in picture that you are
> describing, besides the printer itself:
>
> 1. Using a computer to remote capture stills from a digital SLR ensures
> that it doesn't shake when you take a picture, even the slight press of the
> button can move the camera sometimes, and I suppose - the printer too. I use
> a Nikon, and they make a program called Camera Control Pro. I connect my
> camera via USB and it works great.
>
> 2. Another reason you would get a shift frame to frame is because of the
> auto-focus motor in lenses. Even if the camera is set to manual focus - the
> auto-focus motor interferes. You can get around this with tricks: by not
> securing the lens completely in the mount, but just enough - or you can buy
> an old manual focus SLR lens, and put this on the camera. Lenses with
> auto-focus motors will also interfere with consistent exposure, because the
> aperture opens between each picture taken, and never quite returns to the
> precise spot of the last picture. The result looks like a slight flicker.
>
> From all my research (online and at camera repair shops) - Nikon SLRs are
> looked on well, and I have had this one for 3+ years. Many good things:
> complete control of your process (no offense to film labs), long-term cost
> benefits, big resolution - HD and/or transferred to 35mm, fun to use with
> After Effects, etc. etc.
>
> A great resource for reading about the use of digital SLRs is
> stopmotionanimation.com, this page specifically:
>
> http://www.stopmotionworks.com/cams4stpmo.htm
>
> Also - I think CalArts had some digital SLRs hooked up to printers when I
> toured the school a few years ago, and many college/university animation
> programs are putting these kinds of cameras on animation stands, so you
> might get more advice there!
>
> One more thing - animating or rephotographing with these cameras can
> involve a good amount of Photoshop work, depending on what you are after.
> Just a heads up.
>
> All best, Jo Dery
>
>
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