Scots Guardsman

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John
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Taken at Bedwyn,Wilts on Saturday. Not much steam though. The whole region is fairly flat. For the first time I've tried a different set up. To avoid the shutter speed slowing to keep exposure when the focus point hits a dark area I went onto manual-Shutter speed 1/500 sec. f7.1 an d put the ISO on auto so any compensation needed comes from that. It took it at ISO 320.

2a7wz2h.jpg
 
I've just come on to check the photo and the number and Tour name are oof. It's not oof in my Lightroom. Strange.
 
Hi John,

Interesting it is not oof in LR.

Generally objects travelling diagonally across the frame do display such issues. Common in the old film days due to slow shutter speeds and emulsions.
 
Thats a nice composition John, I wonder if its the way the file has been compressed on upoad?

Thanks for looking,Michael. It actually looks a bit better than when I saw it yesterday so maybe you're right re. compression.I wouldn't have posted the one as it was yesterday,it was a quite bad.

Hi John,

Interesting it is not oof in LR.

Generally objects travelling diagonally across the frame do display such issues. Common in the old film days due to slow shutter speeds and emulsions.

Thanks,Ian.It was at 1/500 sec so that should gave been ok. I'm going to try a manual shot next time.Just manually focus on a spot close to me and wait. It's quite disheartening really but one has to soldier on. On the same subject someone a while ago said that auto in today's high end cameras(I use my 1D 1V) can easily cope with a moving loco.

Next date for me is the 28th. was the 23rd. but,like so many these days,that's been cancelled. The 28th. Padd >Cardiff is listed as 34046 Braunton running as 34052 Lord Dowding ,just for this year, 75th. Anniversary of the Battle of Britain. BUT. I went to see it last week and it was in the Southall workshops. Maybe by the 28th. they'll have sorted the problem. Looks like it had a problem on May 27th. too.It claims here that low quality coal was used in the boiler http://www.unseensteam.co.uk/News/Loco-runs-out-of-steam
 
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Need good quality Welsh or Yorkshire coal in that firebox , but the trash they import these days does not burn well for these locos. Oh well, the coal is still there underground for future generations.

I find the best way around unclear / oof fronted numbers is to prefocus on a preceding train and use that spot or a spot on an adjacent line side feature. I always try to ensure the critical focus is on the front number as it approaches, that being the critical item of the finished shot. I also tend to try and set an appropriate aperture to ensure the whole train remains in focus, and shutter speed.....depends on the type of train and speed, plus whether it is being seen head on/diagonal, although if panning, that all changes. I am sure however you realise all this. :)
 
Thanks again,Ian. I use 1/500 sec but will upt that to1/600 sec. So, I have two options. Manually focus on a point trackside shooting (10fps) or,as you say, get the red focusing quare on that number. I can imagine that takes some concentration and discipline. I have some very good loco shots taken on auto. I just wish there were more of these Tours and I could afford to lose one or two experimenting but the situation now is that I can do that because I have good shots of most of the locos running but there are locations I'd want to go to even for a duplicate of a loco. The Stroud Valley is one, Sapperton Bank. Quite a few videos of that very steep incline.

Maybe I'll try manual on a regular timetable train.

Thanks again, much appreciated
 
John,

I dont always shoot manual in such situations. I often set it on S (or TV if you are a Canon shooter) and whilst most steam excursions are a leisurely 60mph or so, I might go for a faster than 1/600 very occasionally, especially on somewhere like the ECML/WCML. Definitely if it is non steam traction. It all depends on the effect you are after and I have always have an eye for the 'different' shot. (Oh, and I rarely use high continuous shooting mode, it seems to be more prone to missing the best shot despite the 'probability' factor).
 
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John,

I dont always shoot manual in such situations. I often set it on S (or TV if you are a Canon shooter) and whilst most steam excursions are a leisurely 60mph or so, I might go for a faster than 1/600 very occasionally, especially on somewhere like the ECML/WCML. Definitely if it is non steam traction. It all depends on the effect you are after and I have always have an eye for the 'different' shot. (Oh, and I rarely use high continuous shooting mode, it seems to be more prone to missing the best shot despite the 'probability' factor).

Cheers, Ian.The photo looks sharper than when I first posted it so maybe it's that compression issue that Michael mentioned. Yes, I use a Canon 1D1V and the 24-105mm and on 10fps. and haven't had a problem.
 
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