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OM-D, panning shots - longer exposure

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Hans

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Hi All - so, I've finally tried to get beyond just taking basic pics with my OM-D with the kit 12-50 lens. I was shooting some pictures at a local surf spot and wanted to get pans with a long shutter speed.

I was not able to have the shutter open anywhere near the length of time that I wanted. I'd already set the ISO to 200 but there was still not enough open shutter time. What next? Is it time for filter to limit the light or am I missing something?

Next - this is the first time I've not used an optical viewfinder. So, when I pushed the shutter the viewfinder just went dark - makes it kind of hard to follow the subject. Again - is there some setting I should change? Is there a way to keep it showing a live view?

Here are two of my images (I am rather disappointed by them but it's just a first try and a learning experience) so you can see what I was able to capture.

Thoughts, advice and suggestions are appreciated!




d42d876c889c45d48aef0c27cf91cbf3


ba423a0a21c5498986968db66c2e0f5f
 
Hans said:
Hans wrote:

Hi All - so, I've finally tried to get beyond just taking basic pics with my OM-D with the kit 12-50 lens. I was shooting some pictures at a local surf spot and wanted to get pans with a long shutter speed.
Click to expand...
Panning, to have a clear shot of moving subject. Moving subject, high shutter speed (high would depend on the type of movement you wish to freeze or exhibit as blurred). Tracking a moving subject is hard enough, practice with as high a shutter speed as you can manage (in good light).
Hans said:
I was not able to have the shutter open anywhere near the length of time that I wanted. I'd already set the ISO to 200 but there was still not enough open shutter time. What next? Is it time for filter to limit the light or am I missing something?
Click to expand...
Open the aperture to let in more light. You're far away, so your DOF on the subject won't be too narrow if you set it wide open or a few clicks from its widest. Use the Preview button to assess DOF at different shutter settings if you're unsure about it, or consult a DOF chart or phone app.

IF you still need more, raise the ISO so you have a good exposure at the shutter speed desired.


Hans said:
Next - this is the first time I've not used an optical viewfinder. So, when I pushed the shutter the viewfinder just went dark - makes it kind of hard to follow the subject. Again - is there some setting I should change? Is there a way to keep it showing a live view?
Click to expand...
Not surprising at ISO 200 and F16. You can set the Histogram or Shadow/Highlight screen to show in the EVF or LCD view to help in this regard.

Personally, I think you'd do better panning using the EVF (but I'm EVF-centric).
 
Panning shots with low shutter speed? I'd rather set shutter to 1/200 or faster
 
Hans said:
Hans wrote:

Hi All - so, I've finally tried to get beyond just taking basic pics with my OM-D with the kit 12-50 lens. I was shooting some pictures at a local surf spot and wanted to get pans with a long shutter speed.

I was not able to have the shutter open anywhere near the length of time that I wanted. I'd already set the ISO to 200 but there was still not enough open shutter time. What next? Is it time for filter to limit the light or am I missing something?

Next - this is the first time I've not used an optical viewfinder. So, when I pushed the shutter the viewfinder just went dark - makes it kind of hard to follow the subject. Again - is there some setting I should change? Is there a way to keep it showing a live view?

Here are two of my images (I am rather disappointed by them but it's just a first try and a learning experience) so you can see what I was able to capture.

Thoughts, advice and suggestions are appreciated!
Click to expand...
I get the feeling the other two posters haven't really understood what you're trying to do. If however it is me who has misunderstood then I appologise.

Firstly yes, to get a slower shutter speed the next step would ne an ND filter. If your still just trying it out though you could always drop the aperture right to f22 and just deal with the IQ hit from difraction.

The is no way to keep an image up when the picture is being taken AFAIK. Tbh I have never really found this to be much of a problem when tracking such subjects though. Just track them before you push the shutter and carry on smoothly as the shutter is down. If you really can't manage this after a bit of practise then you can get what I think is called a sport finder of something. Basically an OVF that sits on the hotshoe with a crosshair/similar in the middle. Never used one msyelf but have heard about them from other posters having similar problems to you.
 
Dheorl said:
Dheorl wrote:
Dheorl said:
Hans wrote:

Hi All - so, I've finally tried to get beyond just taking basic pics with my OM-D with the kit 12-50 lens. I was shooting some pictures at a local surf spot and wanted to get pans with a long shutter speed.

I was not able to have the shutter open anywhere near the length of time that I wanted. I'd already set the ISO to 200 but there was still not enough open shutter time. What next? Is it time for filter to limit the light or am I missing something?

Next - this is the first time I've not used an optical viewfinder. So, when I pushed the shutter the viewfinder just went dark - makes it kind of hard to follow the subject. Again - is there some setting I should change? Is there a way to keep it showing a live view?

Here are two of my images (I am rather disappointed by them but it's just a first try and a learning experience) so you can see what I was able to capture.

Thoughts, advice and suggestions are appreciated!
Click to expand...
I get the feeling the other two posters haven't really understood what you're trying to do. If however it is me who has misunderstood then I appologise.
Click to expand...
I focused on 'beyond basic pics' and glossed over 'long shutter speed'. . . you didn't. ;-)
 
Hans said:
Hans wrote:

Hi All - so, I've finally tried to get beyond just taking basic pics with my OM-D with the kit 12-50 lens. I was shooting some pictures at a local surf spot and wanted to get pans with a long shutter speed.

I was not able to have the shutter open anywhere near the length of time that I wanted. I'd already set the ISO to 200 but there was still not enough open shutter time. What next? Is it time for filter to limit the light or am I missing something?

Next - this is the first time I've not used an optical viewfinder. So, when I pushed the shutter the viewfinder just went dark - makes it kind of hard to follow the subject. Again - is there some setting I should change? Is there a way to keep it showing a live view?

Here are two of my images (I am rather disappointed by them but it's just a first try and a learning experience) so you can see what I was able to capture.

Thoughts, advice and suggestions are appreciated!

d42d876c889c45d48aef0c27cf91cbf3


ba423a0a21c5498986968db66c2e0f5f
Click to expand...
and the subjects are moving too slowly relative to your position to get good panning shots. You would need a shutter speed of about two seconds to get a good pan with subjects that small, at that distance moving at that speed-and without a panning tripod that would be hopeless.

Three factors come into play for a good panning shot: fast subject speed, close subject distance and large subject size. You can trade off any one or maybe two but not all three.

Are you new to photography?

Tedolph
 
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Dheorl said:
Dheorl wrote:
Dheorl said:
Hans wrote:

Hi All - so, I've finally tried to get beyond just taking basic pics with my OM-D with the kit 12-50 lens. I was shooting some pictures at a local surf spot and wanted to get pans with a long shutter speed.

I was not able to have the shutter open anywhere near the length of time that I wanted. I'd already set the ISO to 200 but there was still not enough open shutter time. What next? Is it time for filter to limit the light or am I missing something?

Next - this is the first time I've not used an optical viewfinder. So, when I pushed the shutter the viewfinder just went dark - makes it kind of hard to follow the subject. Again - is there some setting I should change? Is there a way to keep it showing a live view?

Here are two of my images (I am rather disappointed by them but it's just a first try and a learning experience) so you can see what I was able to capture.

Thoughts, advice and suggestions are appreciated!
Click to expand...
I get the feeling the other two posters haven't really understood what you're trying to do. If however it is me who has misunderstood then I appologise.

Firstly yes, to get a slower shutter speed the next step would ne an ND filter. If your still just trying it out though you could always drop the aperture right to f22 and just deal with the IQ hit from difraction.

The is no way to keep an image up when the picture is being taken AFAIK. Tbh I have never really found this to be much of a problem when tracking such subjects though. Just track them before you push the shutter and carry on smoothly as the shutter is down. If you really can't manage this after a bit of practise then you can get what I think is called a sport finder of something. Basically an OVF that sits on the hotshoe with a crosshair/similar in the middle. Never used one msyelf but have heard about them from other posters having similar problems to you.
Click to expand...
Hi Dheorl - You are correct on the first to posters comments (however, I DO appreciate all the comments and the effort put forth by them - I should have been more clear).

So, to clarify. I want as much blur (from panning with them) as possible knowing that the subject will likely 'suffer' sharpness too - I'm happy to give that up. I want to capture the speed, fluidness and action of the surfers, not freeze them in place.

OK - I'll keep trying, maybe go back later in the day when there is less light and set the aperture to f22. Will also keep an eye open for a ND filter.

Any other input is appreciated :-)
 
Hans said:
Hans wrote:

Hi All - so, I've finally tried to get beyond just taking basic pics with my OM-D with the kit 12-50 lens. I was shooting some pictures at a local surf spot and wanted to get pans with a long shutter speed.

I was not able to have the shutter open anywhere near the length of time that I wanted. I'd already set the ISO to 200 but there was still not enough open shutter time. What next? Is it time for filter to limit the light or am I missing something?

Next - this is the first time I've not used an optical viewfinder. So, when I pushed the shutter the viewfinder just went dark - makes it kind of hard to follow the subject. Again - is there some setting I should change? Is there a way to keep it showing a live view?

Here are two of my images (I am rather disappointed by them but it's just a first try and a learning experience) so you can see what I was able to capture.

Thoughts, advice and suggestions are appreciated
Click to expand...
Hi Hans, first of all you should set the EVF-speed to high. This reduces the dark phases of the EVF and improves the AF performance at the same time, making it easier to follow your moving subject.

Then, you should switch to modus S and choose a shutter time between 1/100 and 1/200.

But at the end of the day, you need perfect weather conditions - in your case less light - to achieve good results, with a slow lens such as the 12-50. A tele such as the 75-300 would be helpful, too.


Just to show you that it can be done, with the E-M5:





















--
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Why not - if there's enough space on the sofa...
I'm a HOlygan
 

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tedolf said:
tedolf wrote:
tedolf said:
and the subjects are moving too slowly relative to your position to get good panning shots. You would need a shutter speed of about two seconds to get a good pan with subjects that small, at that distance moving at that speed-and without a panning tripod that would be hopeless.
Click to expand...
Three factors come into play for a good panning shot: fast subject speed, close subject distance and large subject size. You can trade off any one or maybe two but not all three.

Are you new to photography?

Tedolph
Click to expand...
Nope - not new to photography at all - just new to this set up and it's been a LONG time since I've tried to play in this particular vein. I've done plenty of shots like I'm trying to do back in the day (late 70's) using 64 speed film and long exposures (all handheld) and got exactly what I was after.

Never tried doing this in the digital realm and am VERY new to this camera and format.

I'll ask the surfers to be bigger and surf faster ;-)
 
You're very right about 3d factor: for background to be blurt there has to be distance between subject and background.
 
Hans said:
Hans wrote:
Hans said:
tedolf wrote:
Hans said:
and the subjects are moving too slowly relative to your position to get good panning shots. You would need a shutter speed of about two seconds to get a good pan with subjects that small, at that distance moving at that speed-and without a panning tripod that would be hopeless.
Click to expand...
Three factors come into play for a good panning shot: fast subject speed, close subject distance and large subject size. You can trade off any one or maybe two but not all three.

Are you new to photography?

Tedolph
Click to expand...
Nope - not new to photography at all - just new to this set up and it's been a LONG time since I've tried to play in this particular vein. I've done plenty of shots like I'm trying to do back in the day (late 70's) using 64 speed film and long exposures (all handheld) and got exactly what I was after.

Never tried doing this in the digital realm and am VERY new to this camera and format.

I'll ask the surfers to be bigger and surf faster ;-)
Click to expand...

Well, if you used to shoot ASA 64 then one problem right away is that the Oly is shooting two stops faster at ISO 200.



Unless you can get a lot closer (jet ski?, sitting on surf board?) I don's see how you are going to do it.



Tedolph
 
s_grins said:
s_grins wrote:

You're very right about 3d factor: for background to be blurt there has to be distance between subject and background.
Click to expand...
 
tedolf said:
tedolf wrote:

and the subjects are moving too slowly relative to your position to get good panning shots. You would need a shutter speed of about two seconds to get a good pan with subjects that small, at that distance moving at that speed-and without a panning tripod that would be hopeless.

Three factors come into play for a good panning shot: fast subject speed, close subject distance and large subject size. You can trade off any one or maybe two but not all three.
Click to expand...
This is the crux of the issue. I can't see how you'll be able to get decent panning shots from that distance.

I'm also a newcomer to the OM-D and enjoyed attempting to take some panning shots at the Olympic mountain biking earlier in the year. I was able to get fairly close to fast moving subjects, and even then I had a very low success rate. At the time I hadn't discovered the "high" EVF setting, which should have helped track the riders better.

These aren't great, but I was pleased with them nonetheless. The goal would be to keep the subject's face sharp but there's so much relative movement going on that it was beyond me, and I guess surfers would be similarly difficult! I think I would have benefited from using an ND filter here to avoid stopping down to F/16. I guess the key to panning shots is practice, practice, practice - and expect to delete a LOT of blurred photos while you learn :-).

7797239490_aa1700dd97_c.jpg


7797271356_a84c2ee250_c.jpg


The rest of the set are here if you want to take a look.
 
nbs3000 said:
nbs3000 wrote:
nbs3000 said:
tedolf wrote:

and the subjects are moving too slowly relative to your position to get good panning shots. You would need a shutter speed of about two seconds to get a good pan with subjects that small, at that distance moving at that speed-and without a panning tripod that would be hopeless.

Three factors come into play for a good panning shot: fast subject speed, close subject distance and large subject size. You can trade off any one or maybe two but not all three.
Click to expand...
This is the crux of the issue. I can't see how you'll be able to get decent panning shots from that distance.

I'm also a newcomer to the OM-D and enjoyed attempting to take some panning shots at the Olympic mountain biking earlier in the year. I was able to get fairly close to fast moving subjects, and even then I had a very low success rate. At the time I hadn't discovered the "high" EVF setting, which should have helped track the riders better.

These aren't great, but I was pleased with them nonetheless. The goal would be to keep the subject's face sharp but there's so much relative movement going on that it was beyond me, and I guess surfers would be similarly difficult! I think I would have benefited from using an ND filter here to avoid stopping down to F/16. I guess the key to panning shots is practice, practice, practice - and expect to delete a LOT of blurred photos while you learn :-).

7797239490_aa1700dd97_c.jpg


7797271356_a84c2ee250_c.jpg


The rest of the set are here if you want to take a look.
Click to expand...
Thanks! yes, this is the direction of what I'm trying to accomplish. I'm not even that concerned on keeping that faces etc sharp - just not wanting to loose the fact that it is a surfer would be good enough. Thanks for the examples and sharing your experience.
 
nbs3000 said:
nbs3000 wrote:
nbs3000 said:
tedolf wrote:

and the subjects are moving too slowly relative to your position to get good panning shots. You would need a shutter speed of about two seconds to get a good pan with subjects that small, at that distance moving at that speed-and without a panning tripod that would be hopeless.

Three factors come into play for a good panning shot: fast subject speed, close subject distance and large subject size. You can trade off any one or maybe two but not all three.
Click to expand...
This is the crux of the issue. I can't see how you'll be able to get decent panning shots from that distance.

I'm also a newcomer to the OM-D and enjoyed attempting to take some panning shots at the Olympic mountain biking earlier in the year. I was able to get fairly close to fast moving subjects, and even then I had a very low success rate. At the time I hadn't discovered the "high" EVF setting, which should have helped track the riders better.

These aren't great, but I was pleased with them nonetheless. The goal would be to keep the subject's face sharp but there's so much relative movement going on that it was beyond me, and I guess surfers would be similarly difficult! I think I would have benefited from using an ND filter here to avoid stopping down to F/16. I guess the key to panning shots is practice, practice, practice - and expect to delete a LOT of blurred photos while you learn :-).

7797239490_aa1700dd97_c.jpg


7797271356_a84c2ee250_c.jpg


The rest of the set are here if you want to take a look.
Click to expand...

classic panning shots Hans. Note how close the photographer is to the subject, how far away the background is from the subject and the large relative movement between subject and background. None of these elements exist in the photo's you were taking.



Tedolph
 
tedolf said:
tedolf wrote:
tedolf said:
classic panning shots Hans. Note how close the photographer is to the subject, how far away the background is from the subject and the large relative movement between subject and background. None of these elements exist in the photo's you were taking.
Click to expand...
Tedolph
Click to expand...
Yup - noted and it makes sense.

I obviously have some limitations due to my chosen subject matter! I appreciate the input from all of you and will post more as I experiment!

- Hans
 
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