A puffer is just a small thing you can squeeze to puff air. It doesn't need to be a gale.
Canned air needs something to propel it, generally. I have a can here that contains DME (dimethyl ether), a pretty standard water-soluble propellant. But it's still going to come out with the air.

Also, if you're really **** (like you would have to be for the sensor), you should look at a blower/puffer thing with a filter, so that the air you blow all over the sensitive parts isn't full of dust and crap anyway.

I'm sure with your skills you can find it more cheaply than this....

 

Hi Someday

Doh!

I've seen those 'Puffer' things before, its all coming back to me now!

Good job I've got the UV Protection Filter on but the Dusting Brush seems to work quite well, at least until I am able to take Photos half as good as you.

 

Hi Someday

Tonight I was taking a Photo of my XJS as it was getting dark and my Auto Focus was 'Hunting' for some reason.

Was it looking for Focus or was it looking for Light?

I am using a Single Focus Point on my Canon and when in Focus the Square on the Live View viewing screen turns green.

But this time it turned red?

Apart from everything, what am I doing wrong?

 

Hi OB
If you are having problems with focus in dim light it's pretty common. The AF system needs a certain amount of light to work. Using a fast lens allows more light in which means it's easier to focus. If you simply cannot focus with the lens you are using then you'll have to use manual.
This is just how cameras work. Generally the higher-end the camera, the lower the light Irfan focus in, but a slow lens that doesn't allow much light in will still confuse a fancy camera. Canon's 6D is known for being very good in dim light.

 

Hi Someday

Cheers!

Next time I'll try manual Focus and see what happens.

 

Using manual in low light can be hard simply as you can't see if the image is actually in focus. If you have a distance scale on your lens, you can use that as a guide. Also, stopping the lens down will bring more of the field in focus, but will let less light in--you'll need longer exposure times. A tripod might be helpful in those situations....

Good luck, and post the results!

 

Hi Someday

Cheers! I will try that but while we're on the subject, some of the Shots I've taken at Night, look like they were taken during Day Light!

As so completely ruined the 'Moody' effect that I was trying to get.

I wasn't using Auto, as I prefer to get more practice using the Manual option and I didn't use Flash either.

I'm about to put one of those up on my 'Cherry Blossom' Restoration Thread in my next update.

 

Those shots would just be a bit over-exposed.It can be tricky, getting the right balance between too dark and too light....

 

Maybe I need total darkness with a bit of back lighting?

 

If you're doing a time exposure, you just need less time! Or use your exposure compensation dial.

Remember, your light meter is trying to turn everything into grey with 18% reflectance. Thus if you're photographing snow or the inside of a coal mine you need to do adjust the exposure to make things white or black instead of grey.

 

Hi Jagboi

Never thought of doing a Time Exposure maybe I'll give that a try, as all my Photos turn out like Holiday Snaps!

Well below the Standard that You and Someday are able to conjure up.

 

OB, have you got a remote trigger for your camera? Mine (a really basic Nikon D3000) has an IR trigger. Get a 'clicker' and it'll help you with getting better pictures under a long exposure. Of course with a tripod.

I love doing long exposure pictures. You can caption high speed motion with little effort. Attached is my favorite picture with the setting I used. Flickr is great for that info.

No editing though! I don't agree with editing.

 

Hi Daim

That's a really great Photo and I'm with you, I don't like editing either (though not to say that I might not try it sometime)

And Yes! I've got a good Tripod, very Substantial which I made from a very heavy duty Speaker Stand and I've also got an 'IR' Remote.

So I can't blame the Tools for the way my Photos turn out (or should that be don't)

 

A little lighting tip: use indirect lighting. Unless you want a sunset

 

Hi Daim

I will give that a try but other jobs are shouting louder than taking photographs to-day.

 

Hi Someday

I've been trying to do Video but after 30 seconds, I get a message on the viewing screen to say:

Your Video Recording has been Automatically Stopped (Canon Eos 700d)

Any Ideas?

 

Hi OB,

Yeah, this happens sometimes. Shouldn't happen all the time, however. It's generally a buffer overload issue, I gather. What sort of memory card are you using? It should be Class 10 for video, ideally. To test if you have a bad memory card, try lowering the recording settings to the lowest values (smallest picture/file size) and testing again.

I get this error from time to time, sometimes several times in a row, but it's not every single time by any means.

Hope your Red Devil survived her fall without too much damage....

 

Hi Someday

Not just me then, that's a relief 'Sort of' and Yes my Card is a Class 10

I'm gradually trying to work my way through the 500+ Page Instruction book and am amazed at all the features that I am discovering.

I was using 1280x720 (50 frames per sec) so I'm thinking that it couldn't handle the Speed.

So I will try (25 frames per sec) and see how that goes.

As for 'Cherry' that fell down a hole 14 in deep, having got her Jacked up and backed her off the Lifter.

I checked her over Yesterday where to my Amazement, there was no damage at all not even a Scratch!

I've put a couple of photos on my 'Cherry Blossom' Restoration Thread.

Thanks for your help.

 

Yeah, 50 frames per second is probably a bit fast. I use 30 fps, with a shutter speed of 60 (double the frame speed is apparently a good rule of thumb).

Glad to hear your Cherry survived her fall. She's clearly built very strongly.....

 

Hi Someday

When I do a Video, I usually have her on Auto, so 'Cheers' for that something else I've learned!

Have you tried the 4 Second Video Clips?

That's an Amazing little hack, as you can link them altogether without the need for a Software editing Programme.

But what I don't get (if I remember Correctly) is that you can have these little 'Clips' from 2 secs to 8 secs in length.

Although I only seem to have the Option of doing 4 second 'Clips' and so I think I'm missing a trick somewhere?

'Cherry' must have landed on the Spring Pan, as She was only a 1/16th of an inch away from having her Sills Stove in.

Here are a few of those 4 second Clips of when I put a New Fuel Filter and Fuel Pump on the Merc 'my daily driver'