Australia Day Fireworks (Melbourne)

Lightstream wrote in post #2612647
What I'd do is use the P&S to shoot video

Definitely. I'm hoping DIGIC III will allow some new upcoming Canon compacts to do XGA @ 30fps. I LOVED the S3-IS's movie abilities. Besides the great IQ, we got stereo sound and that dedicated movie button. Too bad I practically stopped using it after I got the 400D

Nice!

Another trick I've had good results with is combining fireworks shots in post...works especially well on anything with a long light trail

thomascanty wrote in post #2612631
Sounds like you have the option to automatically clean up hot pixel noise turned on. With that enabled, after the exposure, it has to take another shot of the same exposure length with the shutter closed (called a black frame) so it can find where the hot pixels are and cancel them out of the first photo. So, if you did an 8-second exposure, it isn't even going to START writing to the card until another 8 seconds have gone by.

Turn that off and do it yourself in post processing. Your write times will go back to normal again.

Thanks Lonnie for the heads up ... now how do I switch the darn thing off ...hmmmmm

Lightstream wrote in post #2612647
at one of the fireworks shoots I went to, I stood behind someone with one of the Panasonic 12X superzooms. Now I very nearly bought that instead of my 350D, ending my DSLR days before they'd ever begun.

I did notice that his camera would display "PLEASE WAIT" with the rotating hourglass after every shot while it wrote to memory and I was thinking good thing I didn't buy that.. it would have driven me NUTS....

hahahaha LMAO and CRYING at the same time ... I'm the one going nuts, lightstream.

Hey have we met before ... yup I'm using that cam (FZ20) but I'll be getting a dslr soon ... hopefully round about PMA, fingers crossed.

Here's a shot I took tonight with that monster. How did I do? (iso80, f8, 8secs)

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Don't think we've met, I didn't speak to the Panasonic owner at all. Congratulations on your upcoming DSLR

That is a very nice shot! Comparable to most everything we'd get from DSLRs. As you said timing is key. I remember how I used to shoot events with this truly horrible P&S, and we wrung some amazing results out of it by prefocusing and timing everything.

Which DSLR are you planning to get? Basically for starters I recommend either the 400D or the 30D. It's a very clear cut decision: got money? 30D. No money? 400D

(no offence to 400D owners.. let me tell you this was my exact same decision making criteria for my 350D at a time when I could not have coughed up the extra for a 20D.. so it was pretty simple )

Thanks lightstream I'm still experimenting with diff exp times.

Which DSLR are you planning to get? Basically for starters I recommend either the 400D or the 30D. It's a very clear cut decision: got money? 30D. No money? 400D

Haha I'm thinking the same. I was using an AE-1 for a very long time... and because the digicam will be recording my son's early years, hi-ISO performance was a priority ... I naturally eyed the 350D. Then the 400D with 2.5" LCD came along. At the same time I was attracted to the 30D too hahaha.

Yeah so it's pretty much a toss-up between the 400D and the 30D depending on how prices move round about PMA.

I was also attracted to the idea of a Noink D80 + 18-200 VR combi ... having used the 12x superzoom constant f2.8 for more than a year now, I thought this would be a smoother transition albeit a bit pricey. At the same time, I heard about the Sigma 18-200 "IS" enabled lens ... problem is it's taking them so long to get it on the streets.

If the Sigma 18-200 IS'ed lens is available and has good reviews by the time PMA comes around, I might just pair it with a 400D... or 30D if 40D is launched and prices slide.

In the mean time, I'll have to live with the shutter lag and max useable ISO200 with the monster

Kids..I am gonna recommend you go all out. While I have never been in that position, I have shot REALLY fast moving events where you don't even have time to pause and change lenses. I can imagine that kids are gonna be a heckofalotworse than that.

One of my own memories was being told to hold still while my folks adjusted camera settings (SLRs included).. no disrespect to them at all.. but I think it inspired me to work *FAST* when I got my own cameras. I pre-frame in my mind and I setup and shoot FAST. Kids won't wait. I certainly wouldn't have all those years ago.

For that.. I'd recommend the 30D and 17-55 f/2.8 IS. The 30D has a very healthy 5fps and that zoom is PEERLESS. I run a 5D and 24-105 setup for PJ/events work but I can get away because of the 5D's incredibly impressive high ISO performance - so I just bump ISO to compensate for f/4. The 30D and 17-55 combo is untoucheable if you need crazy aperture. I may end up with that some day - I just got the 30D, and I suspect the 17-55 may be on the scope anyway.

I know it's expensive, but if you want what is possibly the best standard zoom on the planet..

Forget this prime lens crap. I have no time for primes at events.. I am both using finger *AND* foot zoom, one of my quotes is "Footwork is everything" - considering I compensated for a P&S with it. Primes have their place, but not for fluid situations like these. Yeah yeah.. flame on prime lens shooters.. I'm not saying it can't be done but basically - I wouldn't do it.

Probably the only prime I'd recommend is 85/1.8, for portraits, but that's about it.

I wouldn't buy the superzooms.. too slow for events work, IS or no IS.

kckong wrote in post #2602870
Nice shots lightstream!

Since you're a fireworks hunter, you might be interested in spending 2 weeks in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia in August. There's going to be a "Malaysia International Fireworks Competition" from 15th till 30th August in Putrajaya. Here's a link:
http://202.157.188.226​/consumer/events/defau​lt.asp
(search by month & go for August)

Let me know if you need more info or links.

btw, we're having fireworks in Kuala Lumpur every day for the entire month of January - yup every day! It lasts about 20-30 minutes each.

Hiya Lightstream, wow, it's been 7 months since & it's August already.

Well, just wanted to share two shots I took last night at the MIFC in Putrajaya. Incidentally, it was Sydney-based Howard & Sons that represented Team Australia.

#1 my unconventional fave

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Unconventional or not, I like both of them. Very colorful and your exposure is dead on. Worth printing and framing to hang on the wall.. the 2nd one is especially colorful too.

Hey thanks for all the tips everybody ,I'm off to shoot some f/works tonight , Liverpool UK . I hope i can get somewhere near decent shots using what I learned here tonight, my previous attempts have been very hit and miss ,I reckon they should have displays that run for hours to give us all a chance :>