Canon 20D shooters

[scejas]

Hey guys,

I'm looking for shooters that are using the Canon 20D... for a couple tips on settings you use to shoot around Disney. Most importantly fireworks. I could also use opinions on what equipment to buy ?

I had been shooting with a prosumer Sony Cybershot F717 for the last 3 years and now I was given the Canon 20D with Lense 18-55MM for Christmas.

Feedback?

 

[PrincessRianne]

I've been using the 20D for a couple of months now, and I absolutely love it. As for fireworks, Im a little unsure because I use mine mainly for news photography alot of still shots that kind of thing. However, you should be able to get some amazing shots cause of the 5 shots a second deal. Its great for when I shoot sports games on campus.
Sorry I couldnt be more of a help, lol, I just wanted to rant about how great a camera this is.
Good luck.

 

[Puckfly]

Someone must really like you to give you a 20d! Color me a little jealous!
Anyways, my experience with the 20d and fireworks is this: when the camera records a long exposure (in my case the exposures were of more than 30seconds), the camera seems to take equally as long to save the image onto the memory card! Example: You snap a shot, wait 15+ seconds till you hear the shutter close and then wait another 15+ seconds while the camera saves the picture to the memory card. A little frustrating, but with a little planning, you can get some neat shots!
Long exposure time=cool streaky firework effects!
The settings I used on the camera are as follows:
"film" speed=100 ISO
Fully Manual (M),
Shutter speed=30 seconds(30")
Aperture= f18
and autofocus turned off. Pre-focus on something like the castle with AF if you'd like then turn it off. It worked for me!
Hope I haven't confused you with too many techie specs. yet!
As far as physical set up of equipment, I recommend a table top tripod and a park map or anything to cover up the lens while shooting.
As the fireworks go off, push the shutter button and let the camera do all the work. In between firework bursts, cover up the lens with the map so as not to over-expose the picture, and uncover for the next set of fireworks. With these settings I was able to get some decent shots. Unfortunately I can't post URL's yet but a few of my Disney fireworks pictures are at webshots and my username is the same as here: Puckfly.
Hope it helps!
John

 

[robertchance]

i'm going on a limb here, but i am sure that the camera came with an owners manual. is the info you r looking for in that manual? another thing you can do is go to the kodak site,, i seem to remember that they have basic info there on shotting pics and firework info is one of the things they talk about. you might want to go to library or bookstore and get a book on basic photography, or even take a local course to get the basics under your belt. i got into the hobby 37+ years ago as a teenager. i went to my local camera shop and they gave me info on photography clubs in the area which i joined. the older photogs acted as menters and passed info and tips along.

 

[grimgrinnin]

when the camera records a long exposure (in my case the exposures were of more than 30seconds), the camera seems to take equally as long to save the image onto the memory card!

This is the 20D's 'noise reduction' feature for long exposures. The camera is actually taking a 2nd 'dark' exposure equal to the length of time as the actual exposure. It then 'subtracts' the noise of the dark exposure from the actual exposure. It works well, but can be more of a pain than a benefit. You can turn it off from the menu. I leave it off.

grim

 

[We-Luv-Disney]

I tried fireworks two different ways with my 20D last December at WDW. Both times I used the 17-40mm lens. Both shot on manual mode. Both times from in front of the baby care center near the Crystal palace.

The first night I shot handheld shutter speed 1/30 sec, aperture f4, ISO 1600. I took about twenty shots this way and about half were blurry, the rest were sharp, on a few the highlights were over exposed, but I still liked them. The bad thing about this set up was camera shake and that the aperture if f4 did not produce the sharpest pics, also ISO can be a bit noisy for some, but not for me here is an example.

the second night I shot fireworks I used a tripod, shutter speed from 3 to 8 sec, aperture f8 to f13, ISO 100 and 200. i took about forty shots like this, all except 2 or 3 were in focus, and all had little to no visible noise. The problem with this set up is that using a tripod at Disney can be a burden, with the crowds and having to carry it around. Plus it can be hard to reposition and compose your shots while using a tripod, at least one like mine(a small one that comes up to my chest). Here is an example

Personally I kind of like the handheld shots better, next time i go to WDW I am going to stand right in front of the castle for wishes and get some great shots

 

[Kelly Grannell]

i'm going on a limb here, but i am sure that the camera came with an owners manual. is the info you r looking for in that manual?

That kind of info will never be in a semi-pro and pro dSLR. Only point-and-shoot and entry level dSLR will have that kind of info. Even then, there is not a single book/manual/class that can actually tell you the "best" setting for fireworks because it really depends on the following:

1. Wind speed
2. Light intensity of each explosion
3. The effect one wants to achieve (tiny bursts or willowy)
4. Whether you want to take just the fireworks or fireworks with fore/back-ground.

 

[scejas]

Do I really need to invest alot of $$$ into a tripod... i'm still looking at buying a flash also and I'm stretched thing... i basically shoot for ****s and giggles....

 

[Kelly Grannell]

sorry - doublepost

 

[Kelly Grannell]

You can get any tripod as long as it's rated TWICE of your camera + flash + lens combo weight (usually 8 kgs/18 lbs should be enough for most of dSLR users). So it gives you room to grow and stability. Don't skimp on tripod because you don't want your investment to fall and break and all that jazz.

 

[BeautyLLM]

I second the recommendation for the tripod. The 20D is too big an investment to skimp on something like a tripod.

I was at the animation store at MGM last New Year's Day and saw a woman drop her Nikon D70 on the floor. I heard the crash as it hit the floor and was permanently traumatized. Now when I use my camera, I don't let go of it, even when it's on my big heavy duty tripod...

 

[Kelly Grannell]

I got the shivers just reading the story!

 

[scejas]

So what's the damage on a decent tripod I can carry with me to Disney $$$ ?

 

[Kelly Grannell]

A tripod just for WDW will cost you approx $150 but a tripod for you to carry to WDW AND all your tripod and lenses needs will cost you about $350.

This is assuming you won't be bringing you crazy zoom/tele lens and huge-@$$ flash to WDW.

 

[We-Luv-Disney]

I use a small but sturdy tripod made by Bogen, here is a link to where I purchased it http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/con...s&Q=&sku=278258&is=REG&addedTroughType=search. I used this tripod with both my 20D and digital rebel with 17-40mm lens attached. The only thing I don't like about this tripod is that it is a bit short, but than again it folds down small enough to fit into my camera bag.

 

[fiffy]

Well Bogan makes a very nice tripod, there is not doubt about that. They are however some of the most expensive tripods on the market. You don't really need to go that extream. A good decently priced tripod like the Slik 9000U should run you around $69 and will hold your camera, lense, and flash. I am sure there are plenty of other tripods that are reasonably priced that will suport the 20D outside of slik, they are just one brand.

As for the flas or the 20D, you MUST buy the Canon brand flash. With all digital SLR camera's they are made to basicly not work with after market flashes. I'm sure you can guess why. But unfortunatly, even with the 20D you can not go with a low end canon flash either as even they don't work very well with it. You are gunna have to look at a $300+ flash.

My bosses shoot the 20D (I work in a profecional camera store) and they have taken some fabulas firework shots with it. One thing they did was to put the camera on a tripod, use the self timer to shoot a very long exposure, and used either a jacket or a large card to block the front of the lense. Then when the desired firework goes off remove the item and let the camera expose the expolsion, then replace the item. This helps to get a very dark background with a very bright exposion from the firework. Don't let the item your blocking the lense with stay away from the lense too long or you will get a blury photo. Unless your trying to drag the action that is. Also, if you set your focus to infinity you shouldn't have to worry about the focus being off. Don't know if you want to go that rout, but I have seen the effects of it and they are quite nice.

 

[Lancer]

We-Luv-Disney,

Those as some beutiful shots. I'm going to give those settings a try myself, however I wont be taking a tripod. Have you tried the "landscape" mode on fireworks or even just the castle at night? If you have any more tips or settings, please share.

thanks, Lancer

 

[Kelly Grannell]

One thing I have to differ. You do NOT need a Canon flash. I have both Sigma 500 DG-Super and Canon Speedlite 580. Other than for burst-mode, I've never really encountered an ocassion where I can not use the Sigma 500 DG Super (only about 50% of the price of Speedlite 580) so I tend to use the 500 DG Super unless for weddings and sports where I absolutely need to use burst-mode.

Now of course, if you need to use burst-mode, don't even think about Sigma flash, after the 3rd burst flash, you gotta wait for at least 10 seconds to do another single-shot or another 30 seconds to do another 3-burst shots.

 

[fiffy]

Well, I don't personlly have any experiance with sigma flashes. I know that Sunpack and Acheaver flashes will not work correctly with digitol slr's. So, if the sigma works then thats great. I always liked sigma lenses.

 

[We-Luv-Disney]

We-Luv-Disney,

Those as some beutiful shots. I'm going to give those settings a try myself, however I wont be taking a tripod. Have you tried the "landscape" mode on fireworks or even just the castle at night? If you have any more tips or settings, please share.

thanks, Lancer

Hi Lancer, thanks for the kind words! I have never used the landscape mode, I like to experiment with the manual modes. With the 20D you really don't need a tripod, just bump up the ISO and try to keep still! Actually my favorite shots were handheld, high ISO shots. A fast lens would also help, but I found that F4 works well enough if you use a high ISO.