The Photography Thread 2

[Anpanman]

Yep, that's USJ. It's such a great section of the park for immersion. I fist visited in 2019 and happy to say it still looks as good now. They also sell a killer meat pie in that area, something not common in Japan.

Aah thought it was, didn't know about the pies, excellent stuff! I once had a fantastic sausage roll from if I can remember Kobe bus station.

Anyway I digress, we last went in 2013 but I do have some 'analogue' pictures from 2001.

Don't know if you've been or not but we can thoroughly recommend Nagashima Spa Land, we went in 2015. It doesn't have the cache that USJ has but we actually preferred it, more to do and the accommodation and food on-site was superb.










In 2014 we went to Matsuyama and our daughter dragged us to the Takashiyama ferris wheel at about 2100, she was the only one on it.

[Yakumo]

Aah thought it was, didn't know about the pies, excellent stuff! I once had a fantastic sausage roll from if I can remember Kobe bus station.

Anyway I digress, we last went in 2013 but I do have some 'analogue' pictures from 2001.

Don't know if you've been or not but we can thoroughly recommend Nagashima Spa Land, we went in 2015. It doesn't have the cache that USJ has but we actually preferred it, more to do and the accommodation and food on-site was superb.










In 2014 we went to Matsuyama and our daughter dragged us to the Takashiyama ferris wheel at about 2100, she was the only one on it.

Ah, yes. I went to Nagashima Spa Land many years ago. Maybe bordering on 15 or so. I do remember having a good time there plus I was still slim at that point. Now I'd be ashamed of showing my manboobs

Nice to hear about the sausage roll. They trully are gold dust in Japan. Scotched eggs are also extremely rare here but they can be found every blue moon.

Excellent pictures by the way. They really capture the atmosphere.

[wakka]

I really want to go to Nagashima Spa Land to ride the Steel Dragon 2000 and Acrobat coasters.

[Anpanman]

Ah, yes. I went to Nagashima Spa Land many years ago. Maybe bordering on 15 or so. I do remember having a good time there plus I was still slim at that point. Now I'd be ashamed of showing my manboobs

Nice to hear about the sausage roll. They trully are gold dust in Japan. Scotched eggs are also extremely rare here but they can be found every blue moon.

Excellent pictures by the way. They really capture the atmosphere.

Thanks for the words, impressed you went so long ago - well done sir.

I really want to go to Nagashima Spa Land to ride the Steel Dragon 2000 and Acrobat coasters.

The Acrobat is the blurry one in the pics - I'm sure you recognised it, daughter didn't go on it, it was fairly new when we went but she did go on Steel Dragon.

Not sure if the tattoo rule is still in existence, if so you'll have to cover them up if you have any. When we went there were plenty of messages in reception about them.

[fishbowlhead]

Anyone got a recommendation for a DSLR ring flash? Been meaning to pick one up for a while but don’t know what to get, or what’s decent.

[Anpanman]

I'm guessing Marty's your man, he probably has a large selection and is proficient at flashing his ring.

[fishbowlhead]

I made those assumptions as well.

[MartyG]

Anyone got a recommendation for a DSLR ring flash? Been meaning to pick one up for a while but don’t know what to get, or what’s decent.

What are you going to be using it for?

[fishbowlhead]

Exclusively product shots of packaging, trying to reduce shadows and poorly lit areas i would otherwise edit to make up for poor lighting. I have 2 diffused lights already set up but my photography space is limited really, i want to avoid setting up more bulky lightboxes, unless there's a smaller solution for those now days that i can set more of up? but i don't see how you can really reduce the size of the diffused lightboxes tbh, I've had a look and its all much of a muchness.

[MartyG]

Okay, well really these are designed for macro use. The problem I find with them is even diffused that you tend to see the lighting reflected in the item you're trying to photograph, depending on materials. You migth be better with a couple more small light panels you'll have more adjustment with.

If you still want one, and I'm guessing you probably don't want to spend loads as the first party brands are pretty pricey, then the Meike MK-14 isn't ridiculous. It's basic (it's a Nikon you have right?), but won't break the bank.

[fishbowlhead]

Ah ok i was under the impression they helped with reflection etc from what I’ve read, since its all plastic bags I’m taking shots of ill have to stick with diffused light boxes.

I have done away with all the nice macro shots i used to do and stick solely to the bag shot now-days as all the nice macros i used to to just got nicked in 5 seconds flat by copy sellers, i’m sure your well accustomed to people nicking your photos though by now.

Oh well thanks Marty as always.

[MartyG]

If you're not getting close then it'll be less of an issue (inverse square on light fall off), but then that defeats the point of having a ring flash. With macro you're getting the lens in close hence there's less incident light coming in the lens which this type of flash helps with. They're quite specialist hence the price.

There are other types of ring flash that are used for portraits - these are much larger in diameter and give more even lighting around the face, and are mostly used off-camera. You often stick the camera through the middle of them, but again a couple of light panels you can diffuse and adjust the brightness/colour temp of might be better for you. It'll definitely be cheaper.

[MartyG]

So you want a global shutter camera? Well now you can have one, if you're happy with 1.6MP and connect it to a Raspberry Pi: https://thepihut.com/products/raspbe...eid=3a5f9e7c87

[MartyG]

So Amazon decides to shutter DPReview, a site that has been a definitive source of information on photography for 25 years. Shame on Amazon and their billions of corporate greed.

https://www.dpreview.com/news/5901145460/dpreview-com-to-close

With it goes the DPReviewTV YouTube channel.

[fishbowlhead]

Sigh, great site and a big loss to photography in general especially new comers, I hope that amazon exec gets his Ferrari this Christmas, shoved down his throat.