How do I fix my Sony A7R4 camera's settings to get a perfect exposure of a black cat in a coal bin under low light?
May 25, 2023 02:30:55 #
lmTrying
Loc: WV Northern Panhandle
You all do realize that most of these kids born after 1980 or 1990 have no idea what you are talking about. 🙄
May 25, 2023 04:42:32 #
tcthome
Loc: NJ
jcboy3 wrote:
The way to get separation of a black cat from a coal bin is to use a squirt gun.
May 25, 2023 07:56:27 #
Shooter41 wrote:
Set up Novatron flash units on the right and left side of the coal bin as well as overhead to create the Rembrandt lighting ratio to further separate the cat from the coal and take my light reading of the black fur of the cat.
How did you get the cat to stay still while you set up?
May 25, 2023 09:29:41 #
Shooter41 wrote:
While attempting to take a portrait of a pet owner... (show quote)
Put your camera in Manual mode. Meter the cat with a good incident light meter. Set your camera to the meter reading and shoot.
May 25, 2023 09:38:27 #
dpullum wrote:
Wait a minute... "hiding in their basement coal bin" We had a coal bin, but that was in 1940s. Your story sounds good with the exception of the "Coal Bin" Did they delivered clean coal in a 1935 truck. Was it a white cat covered with coal dust?
Pretty much the only thing that makes sense in this thread.
(My parent's 1925 built house was heated with Methane (Natural Gas), never any evidence of Coal use.)
May 25, 2023 09:58:59 #
lamiaceae wrote:
(My parent's 1925 built house was heated with Methane (Natural Gas), never any evidence of Coal use.)
The house we lived in 1982-2003 had a coal furnace converted to gas. Before we left, we had installed a modern efficient gas furnace, but that is not the question. My personal experiments leave me with thought that light may be necessary to see the details on a cat - a slightly different shade of black from the coal is not very satisfying.
May 25, 2023 11:57:32 #
Ysarex wrote:
I just use high ISO but without noise. Camera settings? I turned the ISO dial to 25,600.
Here's a photo I took just yesterday at ISO 25,600. I don't see a lot of photographic "noise."
Here's a photo I took just yesterday at ISO 25,600. I don't see a lot of photographic "noise."
That’s impressive at ISO 25,600. Might I ask what camera you used?
May 25, 2023 12:11:50 #
Fredrick wrote:
That’s impressive at ISO 25,600. Might I ask what camera you used?
Even Pentax goes that high {or higher} in currently available digital cameras.
The problem is, you need some difference to show texture, and in the OP’s setting that tends to involve light.
May 25, 2023 12:47:55 #
rehess wrote:
Even Pentax goes that high {or higher} in currently available digital cameras.
The problem is, you need some difference to show texture, and in the OP’s setting that tends to involve light.
The problem is, you need some difference to show texture, and in the OP’s setting that tends to involve light.
Yes, my Fuji cameras go that high as well, but show more noise than in his example. Was just wondering what camera he used to show less noise.
May 25, 2023 12:53:13 #
Fredrick wrote:
Yes, my Fuji cameras go that high as well, but show more noise than in his example. Was just wondering what camera he used to show less noise.
Modern Pentax digital cameras would show little or no noise at that setting. {that is what I was investigating when I took the photo of the two cats}.
May 25, 2023 20:51:42 #
fetzler
Loc: North West PA
Shooting a black subject on a black background is quite difficult. The "green zone" is not the place to go. Another op has given good advice on lighting. His suggestions are good.
Take the time to familiarize your self with the zone system ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_System). A Camera light meter will always place the average light in Zone V (middle gray). A spot reading off the cat is the place to start. Use EC to move the cat reading from Zone V to Zone III ( black with texture and 2 stops less exposure than middle gray). Proper lighting will provide the necessary hair lights to provide details.
ISO is your last worry-use what ever it takes. Lights or flashes may be necessary.
The op here with the gray and white cat and the black cat has an issue with dynamic range. Adjustment of the image contrast is necessary in post. Good use of the curves function in post is likely necessary.
Take the time to familiarize your self with the zone system ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zone_System). A Camera light meter will always place the average light in Zone V (middle gray). A spot reading off the cat is the place to start. Use EC to move the cat reading from Zone V to Zone III ( black with texture and 2 stops less exposure than middle gray). Proper lighting will provide the necessary hair lights to provide details.
ISO is your last worry-use what ever it takes. Lights or flashes may be necessary.
The op here with the gray and white cat and the black cat has an issue with dynamic range. Adjustment of the image contrast is necessary in post. Good use of the curves function in post is likely necessary.
May 26, 2023 09:42:34 #
Anachronisms aside, the classic black cat in a coal bin scenario is a lack of contrast in the subject problem. Being in a basement also suggests limited illumination from a ceiling mounted lightbulb, which raised the issue of ISO and noise. Two different problems that can be solved at the same time with supplemental lighting as several have suggested. But the type of supplemental lighting is the key. A big soft box, even several of them, won’t help much. Point sources, such as strobe, used at a short distance from the subject and positioned to provide a close ratio, even 1:1 from side to side, will accentuate the texture of the fur by creating spectral highlights. Cross lighting will also emphasize the outline of the cat further delineating it from the background. Position of the cat (good luck) relative to the lights will prevent facial details being lost in shadow while less important features inevitably will be. Distance between the cat and the coal behind it can provide DOF delineation also, but don’t lose so much light or focus that the coal isn’t recognizable. Gray card metering or metering on the cat and adjusting a few stops to put the cat in the right zone, or trial and error can set exposure. By this point, the cat is long gone.
May 27, 2023 11:37:38 #
jcboy3 wrote:
The way to get separation of a black cat from a coal bin is to use a squirt gun.
lol
May 27, 2023 12:04:39 #
polonois wrote:
Put your camera in Manual mode. Meter the cat with a good incident light meter. Set your camera to the meter reading and shoot.
That will result in a loss of almost three stops of very useful valuable data.
You incident meter cultists are just too quaint. Your "advice" could work pretty well if shooting chromes.
May 27, 2023 19:38:13 #
User ID wrote:
That will result in a loss of almost three stops of very useful valuable data.
You incident meter cultists are just too quaint. Your "advice" could work pretty well if shooting chromes.
You incident meter cultists are just too quaint. Your "advice" could work pretty well if shooting chromes.
I've used a Minolta Flash Meter V in incident mode for thousands of wedding photos with and without a flash in and out of the studio.
There were never any problems with exposure or detail.
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