Spinning Coin

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a lex

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Alex
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Hi, maybe someone could help...

Ive been trying to capture a picture of a spinning coin similar to the one here:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3295/2780005163_3562b79589.jpg

Problem is, I just can't get the whole blurred/still spinning effect. All my photos just freeze the coin in motion and it looks like its standing still. The above photo was at f8 1/80 second so I thought I would try those settings... however I get the same outcome; a motionless coin.

Could someone shed some light on what I need to change please? For the record im using a 450D + 17-85mm IS / 18-200mm / 50mm f1.8.

Thanks
 
I'd try progressively slower shutter speeds until you get what you're after. Dont forget the speed of the coin will influence the result too!
 
Lee, its a cracking shot.. driving me mad trying to get something similar.

Is a nicely lit room, a slow coin spin and no flash the way to go about it?

Rhod and Luke, thanks for the pointers. So start at 1/10 then 1/20, 1/40 etc etc the way to go? Would you leave flash off too?

Thanks fellas.
 
a lex said:
Is a nicely lit room, a slow coin spin and no flash the way to go about it?
Click to expand...

Honestly? I don't know. I shot it as described in the linked thread some 16 months ago just as I was new to this photography thing and trying out lots of different things. At the time, I just 'did it' and didn't really find too much difficulty. If I was trying it again, I think I'd try to be far more clever with some off camera flash, and it'd probably fail miserably. Perhaps the success was borne of my lack of knowledge and heath robinson approach to lighting?
 
You'll need to use a tripod for slow shutter speeds to get the best result.
Its probably not as important as if you were shooting a static object, but a tripod will give some measure of consistency.
 
It looks like that's a mix of fairly bright ambient and some flash. The ambient and a slowish shutter speed will give you the blurred effect. A small amount of flash at the right time will pick out the detail.

Or at least I think that's how I would try it.
 
a lex said:
Lee, its a cracking shot.. driving me mad trying to get something similar.

Is a nicely lit room, a slow coin spin and no flash the way to go about it?

Rhod and Luke, thanks for the pointers. So start at 1/10 then 1/20, 1/40 etc etc the way to go? Would you leave flash off too?

Thanks fellas.
Click to expand...

I'd try ambient lighting, if flash is the main light it will freeze the coin regardless of the shutter speed. That's how I capture water drops etc.
Try something like 1/10 if the result is too blurred then 1/20 or if not blurred enough then try 1/4:thumbs:
 
Seriously, read the thread that 68lbs linked in the first post.

It states exactly how that shot was captured. It needs bright ambient light because if it was flashed the low flash duration would freeze coin removing the blur..
 
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