[digitalbill]

Look at tilt shift lenses canon has several but quite pricey Check with your local camera store to see if you can rent.
I would try to rent for a day and plan as many shots as possible to make it worth it. These lenses will accomplish what you want. If you try focus stacking see if any friends use photoshop it is a built in feature.

 

[OldNoob]

I'm surprised no one here has suggested changing the number of pixels. I may be wrong, but isn't that the same as changing the ASA on a film camera. OF course it may also effect the amount of light recorded.

You mean take the picture from far away and then cropping the image? Or something else?
my camera is stuck at 24mpix in each shot i dont think i can reduce that in camera.. but might be able to do it in a photo editing app.

 

[OldNoob]

Look at tilt shift lenses canon has several but quite pricey Check with your local camera store to see if you can rent.
I would try to rent for a day and plan as many shots as possible to make it worth it. These lenses will accomplish what you want. If you try focus stacking see if any friends use photoshop it is a built in feature.

Oh yeah i forgot about tilt-shift

 

[OldNoob]

There is a technique called 'focus stacking' that can allow you to extend the apparent focal depth of a photograph. It isn't simple but there are a variety of software packages that will help. You mount the camera on a tripod and take a series of photographs focused progressively down the subject at an optimum aperture such as F8. You then use the software to merge these images. The results can be spectacular and it is widely used in Macro photography where the depth of field otherwise is fractions of a millimeter.

Having said that, I agree with an earlier post that photographs can look better with the right choice of depth of field and some part of the image slightly blurred.

Robert

AH awesome! ill research that.

 

[OldNoob]

Still waiting on answers to model of camera and if he is using auto-focus.

Oh sorry about that Greg.
I't a Sony a6300 and i tried auto focus , but manual focus was easier because i could focus in the middle of the engine. Autofocus kept trying to focus on the nearest surface.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

So, it should have plenty of features, and should have a focus hold function, where you focus, and then you can re-compose the picture without it changing focus.

But, I would say that a tripod and manual focus would be best.

That's a 24 megapixel camera, and good quality, it seems strange you could not get the focus sharper. I assume you have a Sony lens and not an aftermarket?

I have an A6000 and it has many many focus area options, size of focus area, multiple ones, and the one I used where the "joystick" moves the focus point while you are viewing. You want spot focusing with this option. Then you can compose the picture, and then move the focus point mid-loco with the "joystick" and then stop it down to your desire.

That camera with the stock lens can definitely do better.

Greg

 

[digitalbill]

I just had to say Pixels relate to image size not sharpness, aperture will give you more depth of field, smaller aperture more depth of field. Try this, flood the image with light, focus in front third of train and if you can set camera speed around 200sec or less.
This will force your camera to set your lens to the smallest aperture. You can also try shooting at varying distances
with this method. Also consider the angle, the greater the angle the more difficult to maintain end to end focus.
Hope this helps

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Sorry I mentioned the number of pixels, was trying to give a layman's gauge of quality, without going to sensor size, technology, response time, etc.

Since I have basically the same camera, was hoping to instill the desire to use the features to make his life easier.

Those tilt-shift lenses look great!

Greg

 

[digitalbill]

Thanks Greg You helped me with train info just trying to do the same with Photo info

 

[Greg Elmassian]

I thank you for the tip about the tilt shift, although I am balking a bit at an $1800 lens... but there have to be reasonable quality ones not made by nikon, canon, etc.

Very cool technology.

 

[digitalbill]

That is why I say rent. But if you or any member should need canon or nikon lenses or for that matter
advance on how to photo techniques try fredmiranda.com

 

[Greg Elmassian]

I found a 24mm lens from Rokinon, only $800

but wouldn't 24mm be a bit too wide angle for the picture like the OP's picture?

It sure looks like fun.

Greg

 

[digitalbill]

Yes Greg 24mm would introduce distortion into the mix I would use a 45mm or 90mm
I used a 90mm TS-E for product photography shoots and loved it
Bill

 

[Exador]

I really like the original images. The lack of any weathering makes it look a bit toy like. Brush a little black into the corners perhaps.

 

[zephyra]

Some practical examples - all shot (quickly) with a Sony A7Riii and a variety of lenses. Looking at the high def images, the stacked focus is sharp to the end of the second coach whereas the sharpness of the F22 image declines at the beginning of the first coach. The 400mm and 600mm shots show the effect of foreshortening and the very shallow depth of field even with the lenses stopped right down..

The 24mm shot shows extended perspective.

These are RAW images with no sharpening or other adjustments. The 50mm and 24mm shots were cropped to remove excess greenery.......

Not a scientific comparison as I had to move the train to position my tripod, but indicative of the result of different focal lengths and perspectives. A 50mm lens at F22 seems the best compromise unless you are prared to do focus stacking.

50mm lens F8 ISO 500, 6 images focus stacked with Adobe Photoshop

50mm lens F22 ISO 500

24mm lens F22 ISO 500

400mm F22 ISO 1600

600mm F29 ISO 6400

 

[Greg Elmassian]

I'll forever regret using the word telephoto, was trying to give more examples of zoom lenses.

I'm not surprised at the 400 and the 600 results. What are the maximum apertures on these two just for reference please?

By looking at the ISO you had to shoot at, I suspect they were pretty slow.

Still in search of an E series tilt and shift lens at about 45mm.... much less and too much distortion, much more and diminishing return I think...

Greg

 

[zephyra]

I'll forever regret using the word telephoto, was trying to give more examples of zoom lenses.

I'm not surprised at the 400 and the 600 results. What are the maximum apertures on these two just for reference please?

By looking at the ISO you had to shoot at, I suspect they were pretty slow.

Still in search of an E series tilt and shift lens at about 45mm.... much less and too much distortion, much more and diminishing return I think...

Greg

The telephoto shots were taken with a Sony FE 200-600 F5.6 F6.3. I cranked down the aperture to the minimum to maximise the depth of field. With the lens at F22/F29, I needed a high ISO to get a 1/400 shutter speed and avoid camera shake which is a curse on these lenses even using a tripod.

I think a Photoshop subscription at $20/month might be a better investment than spending $1000 on a tilt lens.

 

[Greg Elmassian]

Yep, so what I would call a slow lens with very little depth of field to begin with.

Yeah, I don't think what I want for the Sony Alpha series exists, and cheap adapters will not get me the results. I need to take a similar shot and see what depth of field I can get. I'm still using the "free" Adobe CS2 series. I have too many computers and too little photographic expertise to justify a subscription. Also I don't really want to process pictures other than the quick crop and resize and color balance, just a few seconds. A lot more effort to take the multiple exposures with different focus, and of course I will need a tripod and remote shutter, right?

Greg

 

[digitalbill]

Greg I did some research and found adorama has a used rokinon 24mm tilt shift in sony e mount for $549
But I think for occasional use you can find a tilt shift adapter for way less on E Bay. Put in your lens mount followed by tilt shift adapter and use it with a used 40-50mm lens and you should be able to do what you want for a couple hundred bucks.
Bill

 

[Greg Elmassian]

yeah, I was thinking that, but a used cheap lens would be worse than a wide angle cropped due to vignetting on the tilt shift adapter I believe.

It's not just the effect, but I want quality... the nice 24mm lens from Canon is $1800, the Rokinon is like you say, around $600, and but still I am not looking for a wide angle lens, I would like a 45mm or so...

Way too expensive...

Greg