Scanning Back - Field Usage

[George Stewart]

I understand the logistics involved with the usage of the BetterLight system.

My question is, how is this system really, when used in the field? My feeling is that wind would be its detriment. In my experience, with wind, there are usually lulls that are long enough to allow a one or two second exposure, but rarely 30+ seconds. How many of you use it in the field and what are the circumstances that would cause its non use? Thanks.

[Gene McCluney]

I have shot my Betterlight out my studio door to the outside, since I don't have the battery power system. I have never known of a betterlight scan that was made with such a short exposure time (1-2 seconds). You would have to have your lens fairly wide open and then jack up the ISO in the software, which would yield less than optimum results overall.

Another drawback would be viewing your prescan and scan on your laptop. Laptop computers can appear quite dim in daylight, even with a sunshade. Since you MUST have a laptop, and make your adjustments within the software running on the laptop, and initiate your scan from the laptop, being able to view the screen well is quite important.

None-the-less, there are photographers that do beautiful location work with a battery powered Betterlight, however for me, I would rather shoot a transparency, then scan it back at my studio.

I find with transparency film, I can get a 1/30 sec. exposure outside quite easily, with the lens stopped well down.

Drawback for location scan-back photography is having ANY moving objects in your shot, such as people, animals, transportation vehicles, etc. You must choose subjects that are completely static for sharp results. Best subject for location work with a scan back is architecture. Buildings don't move in the wind, generally. Also rocks and desert scenes, with no trees to sway.

[Peter Mounier]

I'm wanting to use mine in the field, and I have done so on a couple of occasions. But you're right, the weather plays a big part in deciding whether to take it out or not. Keep in mind that the overall exposure for a Betterlight scan back could be a half hour or more, but that is the accumulation of thousands of (line scans) individual exposures that are not longer than 1/8th second each. I'll try to attach a few pictures that I've taken with the scan back out in the field. Each line for this shot was 1/40th of a sec., but the overall scan probably took about 20 minutes.
http://www.mouniergiclee.com/Betterlight/BL7.jpg
The 2 red boxes were cropped and posted below to show 100% detail. One of the detail shots shows the distortion from wind on the leaves. The other shot is just to demonstrate the sharpness when the air is still.
http://www.mouniergiclee.com/Betterlight/BLDistortion.jpg
http://www.mouniergiclee.com/Betterlight/BLSharp.jpg
The only things in the shot that need to be still are the objects on the line that is being recorded at the moment; that 1/40th of a sec, that is being scanned at that time. Anything in the field of view that is not on the line being scanned at the moment can be moving. So a quick blast of wind will not affect the whole shot, just the line(s) that was being scanned when the gust blew.

Peter

[Peter Mounier]

One more post of the same example of distortion caused by the wind. Notice that to the right of the red line, there was no wind and the leaves and branches are sharp. When the gust came up, only the part of the shot left of the red line, that was yet to be scanned was affected. And that was distorted only while the gust blew. When the air calmed down, the remaining part of the image to be scanned was sharp again,.
http://www.mouniergiclee.com/Betterlight/Wind.jpg

Peter

[Peter Mounier]

One more practical consideration is that the Betterlight scan backs can only shoot long exposures as slow as 1/8th sec. per line. With about 8,000 lines per image, depending on the model you're using, that picture will still take over 12 minutes to shoot.

Peter

[Jim collum]

I've used the Betterlight extensively in the field. I took it on a 3 week trip to Ankgor Wat in Cambodia a few years ago as well. It's true that the slowest line time is 1/8 sec.. but you can go as high as ISO 3000. I have used up to 2400 with excellent image quality in the final print. You might also look at the Betterlight web site to see some 100% samples of landscape shots taken by Mike Collette of Betterlight.

http://www.betterlight.com/mcphoto.html


http://www.jcollum.com/fm/2005_10_11_bl_angkor_030.jpg


http://www.jcollum.com/fm/2005_10_12_bl_angkor_011-cvt2_filtered.jpg


http://www.jcollum.com/fm/2005_10_12_bl_angkor_014-cvt_filtered.jpg


Wind is definitely an issue. Most of my shooting is done in the early hours of morning, when wind tends to be less. You can also get a 'shimmer' from heat waves in telephoto shots. It's not an ideal solution, but I've found the problems not an issue to my style of shooting.

[VictoriaPerelet]

... And that was distorted only while the gust blew.
http://www.mouniergiclee.com/Betterlight/Wind.jpg

Peter

Nah, that's just "Predator", I've seen it in the movie. Be careful about predator abuse when you are under dark cloth in the woods. See this thread (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=50589):)