[Tfug] Way OT: optics mumbo jumbo

[Bexley Hall]

--- Jeremy D Rogers <jdrogers at optics.arizona.edu>
wrote:

> > <grin>  When I went to school, I don't think there
> >  was any sort of "optics program".  Perhaps just
> >  an "area" within the fyzics department...  :<
> 
> Heh, well an optics department is a rare thing..

Well, we did have a Department of Alchemy...
(though I never saw anyone go in or out of that door)

> only a handful in the
> US, but the University of Rochester Optics
> department just celebrated
> their 75th anniversary and the UofA optical sciences
> center just
> celebrated it's 40th. There is also CREOL in
> Florida, and beyond that
> it is as you said, mostly specialties of Physics
> degrees.
> 
> >  > could remember who and give him credit) was to
> set a
> >  > really long
> >  > exposure like 10 to 30 second and then use a
> >  > flashlight and walk
> >  > around the subject with the flashlight lighting
> at
> >  > different angles.
> >
> > Makes sense -- though it would probably be more
> >  work than I am willing to do (the beauty of
> digital
> >  pix is that I can *quickly* SHOW someone what I
> >  would otherwise have to spend considerable time
> trying
> >  to describe unambiguously).  This is especially
> true
> >  as clients often lack the same degree of
> technical
> >  knowledge...
> 
> It's not much work.. someone posted a comparison of
> results in this
> thread.. I still think it's pretty nice looking
> compared to other
> options. To be honest, I think it's less work than
> building a softbox,

Noted.

> but gives a similar effect. Think of it as the same
> as a softbox, but
> where the diffusing of the light happens over a
> period of time rather than instantaneously.

Yes, of course.  I'm just used to taking 3 or 4
snapshots in those few seconds and picking the best
(I'm really quite impatient with this sort of thing)

> >  > This long exposure means you can use a small
> >  > aperture and have a long
> >  > depth of field and the integration of the
> moving
> >  > light makes for
> >  > really nice even illumination.
> >  > It's worth trying a few times to get it right
> (try
> >  > with room lights on
> >  > or off, etc), but I have been happy with the
> result.
> >
> >
> > I imagine it's like those (Sprint?) commercials
> >  on TV -- except a still version.
> 
> http://heresabunnywithapancakeonitshead.com/
> 
> Erm.. but yes, exactly like that? I don't know.
> 
> To give a better example, I was trying to photograph
> my PhD work which
> was a miniature microscope. It had some shiney
> reflective surfaces
> with lots of glare much like the slot machine
> someone was talking
> about. It was small enough I needed to use the
> macro, but then the
> depth of focus would be very small making it
> difficult to get the
> whole thing in one shot. So I set the camera on a
> book (look ma, no
> tripod), set the exposure for 10 seconds with a
> small aperture, and

I don't think I have control of the shutter ('M')
on the camera -- unless I physically hold the button
depressed.  As I said, I'm just not a shutterbug :<

> used a flashlight for illumination. Once the
> exposure started, I just
> moved the flashlight all around from different
> angles. It worked very
> well for reducing shadows and dulling out the glare.
> I may have also
> used a little softbox action via a kleenex or scotch
> tape on the
> flashlight as well, but I don't remember.
> 
> Perhaps that can help, but if you are taking shots
> outside, it may not
> be useful unless you have a big light and a cloudy
> day.

urn headlights of car ON and drive it around a few
times??  :>
 
> HTH,
> JDR
> 
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