Camera Labs

I am about to go to the beach for the weekend and as the weather looks a bit average have looked at other things to do.
The is a some caves nearby, which I have visited a long time ago.

I think the kids will enjoy the experience and I am getting quite excited about taking photos in there. Except I have no practical experience of cave photography.

I guess high iso, slow shutterspeed and bright lens is a start. Wished I had a 30 1.4 prime right now

Maybe take the flash, but then would prefer the 15-85 for flexibility.
Don`t think I want to change lenses in a humid cave though.

My tripod isn`t worth taking, I desperately need a new one, but the S95 with a little gorilla pod should be ok.

Any tips?

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Canon Powershot S95, Canon 7D, 15-85, Canon 85 1.8 USM, Sigma 30 1.4, 50mm 1.8, Canon 100 2.8L IS Macro, Canon 70-300L IS USM+Kenko 1.4 Pro 300DGX, Canon 430EX II and RS 4 Classic

The caves I've been were too dark for a fast lens and high ISO, you really need a tripod. Also, if it's a mining cave you might have some issues with nasty sodium vapor lighting.

Bring a tripod anyway, and shoot raw

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

This is where I am going

http://www.visitvictoria.com/Regions/Gi ... Caves.aspx

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buchan_Caves

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Canon Powershot S95, Canon 7D, 15-85, Canon 85 1.8 USM, Sigma 30 1.4, 50mm 1.8, Canon 100 2.8L IS Macro, Canon 70-300L IS USM+Kenko 1.4 Pro 300DGX, Canon 430EX II and RS 4 Classic

Tripod, remote release or shutter delay.

I'd skip the flash - you'll end up with horrible harsh shadows

+1 at what Phil said.
I've done a lot of cave shooting in my younger years.
Back then in the caves I've been there was zero light.
Nowadays with light cleverly placed inside, the only problem is to have your camera steady for long exposure. There are some places where flash isn't permitted anyway. What Phil said is very pertinent, the harsh shadows would ruin your shot. We used back then dosens of magnesium bulbs carefuly placed and wired to a single switch and 7- 8 cameras on tripods with shutters opened on T. Setting up one shingle shot could take a day. Now you have nice lighting, you just need a wide angle lens and a tripod. Good luck.

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Radu
Canon PowerShot S100
Canon 50D , SIGMA 10-20 f3.5 ,Canon EF 24-105 L IS USM, Canon EF 100/2.8 macro Canon EF 50/1.4 ,Canon EF 85 f1.8,Canon EF-S17-85 4-5.6 Old Tamron 28-300 inherited from my Canon Rebel G film camera
Canon580EXII
http://www.errre.net

I took some shots in the caves in Mallorca. As well as the advice already given be prepared to keep wiping the lens as the temperature changes and moisture can produce a lot of condensation. You may have to spend a few minutes in each location to allow the camera temperature to change to the ambient temperature.

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Nikon D90
Nikkor AF-S DX; 18-105 f/3.5-5.6G VR, 55-300 f/4.5-5.6G VR, 35mm f/1.8G
Speedlight SB-700

http://keystrokesukimages.com

Well, it was an interesting experience. The weather was average and being a weekend, many people had the same idea.
The tour was busy and a bit rushed, there was little opportunity to take photos from the preferred angles, it was also fairly cramped for space. Tripods were not allowed, there were too many people, no room, no time.
I used the 50 1.8 mostly and I am still continuing my love hate relationship with it, actually there is little love. . It front and back focuses depending on distance. My 4 year old helped out with the head torch when focus became difficult.
For this cave the 50 wasn`t wide enough and the shallow dof was annoying and wide open its not sharp at all.

Something like the 17-55 IS USM would possibly have been ideal or the Sigma 30 1.4.
Overall I am disappoint in the results. Judging on how easy it and consistent it is to get photos with the S95 and flash, I may well have been better served taking the 15-85 and the 430EX II.

I think a big part of the problem, besides lack of experience, is the existing cave lighting, there is a huge variation in lighting. Some areas are blown out and others too dark, then there is motion blur and out of focus pics and that doesn`t leave too many reasonable shots.
These are either straight jpg`s or simply processed with Canon`s DPP, like I said at the start interesting experience




Canon 15-85

BC15_85 by maxjj, on Flickr

Canon 50 1.8

IMG_2888 by maxjj, on Flickr


IMG_2835 by maxjj, on Flickr


IMG_2819 by maxjj, on Flickr


IMG_2807 by maxjj, on Flickr




Powershot S95


S951487 by maxjj, on Flickr


S95BC by maxjj, on Flickr

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Canon Powershot S95, Canon 7D, 15-85, Canon 85 1.8 USM, Sigma 30 1.4, 50mm 1.8, Canon 100 2.8L IS Macro, Canon 70-300L IS USM+Kenko 1.4 Pro 300DGX, Canon 430EX II and RS 4 Classic

Looks like some scene from the Alien movie's baby nursery.

We all advised you to bring a tripod instead of a fast lens and shoot raw, but you didn't and now you complain about motion blur, lack of DoF, FoV and dynamic range.

Hate to say I told you so...

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

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Nikon D700 & D7100 bodies + Nikkor 300mm F2.8 VR11, 1.7TC, 50mm F1.4G, 16-35mm f/4G VR, 105 F2.8 VR macro, 70-300mm lenses. A couple of filters, Giotto tripod & ballhead. Lowepro Slingshot 302 AW

http://www.flickr.com/photos/oldcarlos/

I did shoot raw and jpg.
Yeap no tripod allowed and considering the large group it would have been a problem.
It was a walk through and snap away as quickly as you could, when you got your turn.

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Canon Powershot S95, Canon 7D, 15-85, Canon 85 1.8 USM, Sigma 30 1.4, 50mm 1.8, Canon 100 2.8L IS Macro, Canon 70-300L IS USM+Kenko 1.4 Pro 300DGX, Canon 430EX II and RS 4 Classic

Ah, missed the part about tripods not being allowed, sorry

Still, IS might have done you more good than a fast lens (3 stops improvement compared to the two stops the 50 gives you, and the 15-85 is actually F/3.5 or something at 18mm, and easier to handhold.

Oh well, things to consider for the next trip i guess.

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I take pictures so quickly, my highschool was "Continuous High".

you are right there, I did use the 15-85 at the start, and the IS was definitely useful. Just at the longer zoom the light drop off was too much and the cave got darker. Once I changed to the 50, I didn`t want to change lenses again while in the cave and really needed the extra light coming in.

I can see the benefit of a constant aperture zoom with is. 17-55 IS USM coming up.

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Canon Powershot S95, Canon 7D, 15-85, Canon 85 1.8 USM, Sigma 30 1.4, 50mm 1.8, Canon 100 2.8L IS Macro, Canon 70-300L IS USM+Kenko 1.4 Pro 300DGX, Canon 430EX II and RS 4 Classic