EOS 90D Night time (dark) focussing advice

[Ramsden]

Hi Folks from a cold, wet North of Englanf

Just recovering  a knee op and planning some New Year compositions.

You may remember my interest in 19th.Century railway viaducts with trains crossing. A while back I ventured out with my camera, EOS90D and 70-300 lens to try and capture a train at night and it was a disaster. AI servo and panning and I just got blurred carriage lights. No control what so ever.

Moving on.

Some websites recommend manual focus for night time, so here's my request for help.

I want to capture the train at night with the moon in the background. The setting is ideal, facing East, and I can get a great panoramic composition with the moon rising. Very atmospheric, i hope.

Ive also got a 100mm Macro and small wide angle 10- l8 IS to choose from.

So do I set my camera on a tripod on Man focus, Raw, high ISO, ap 2.8,  and try and focus in the dark as the train comes into view. My worry is that the light meter might be thrown by the moon and carriage lights at the last moment. And if I'm in live view, the process of split second focussing at the same time, seems fraught with difficulty. Not to mention knowing when focus is achieved.

Any ideas, tips on use of equipment etc will be gratefully recieved , plus your thoughts on manual focussing at night.

Thanks 

Ramsden

[LeeP]

The lens will depend 100% on where you are located relative to the subject.

Can you go out and experiment with the exposure a few nights ahead of time? This would be one of the rare moments where I would go to manual exposure. Play with settings. Make notes. See what happens.

[stevet1]

Ramsden,

Go out ahead of time, in the daylight. Go to where you want to be standing. Manually focus on something where your train is going to be, like a pole or a tree or something. When you've achieved focus, put a piece of gaffers tape or painters tape over your focus wheel so it won't move. Then come back later to achieve your settings. At least that will be one less thing to worry, or think about.

Another approach to your settings might be to use a long exposure. Let your train and its lights be a streaky blur while you get the moon properly exposed.

Steve Thomas

[Ramsden]

Thanks Lee,

That makes perfect sense. I'll get out there in the New Year. I guess the focus will be much the same, day or night.

Ramsden

[Ramsden]

Thanks Steve, 

Great idea which will definitely look good. The small trains have a speed limit on the viaducts, which should provide a nice blurr.

Lots to practice and learn.

The gaffer tape will certainly get used, I've not done that before.

Next big moon is mid January so time to get prepared.

Ramsden

[Ramsden]

Hi again Lee

I think you just made me realise that I've not being paying enough attention to how i play around with my camera. I really need to start taking notes and learm more from my day's out. I also need to be tougher on myself and the standards that I've accepted in the past.

Thanks

Ramsden

[LeeP]

It's digital. Shots are free. Learning is priceless. Shoot. Study. Delete. Shoot again. Study more. Delete. and so on.

[Ramsden]

Agree. Great mantra and I will focus on the Study!

[Waddizzle]

I am still unclear what end result you’re going to achieve.  It seems like night time videos.

I suggest a wide aperture, wide angle, full frame prime lens.  The hyper focal point is easily found.

[atam1]

Hello I remember you, train guy! so for your project, you really need to get out there while there is still light.  Get the focus right and switch the lens to manual afterwards- remember the gaff tape I've mentioned before? That tape will keep the lens from being touched and turned hence, the tape. now for your exposure settings, meter onto a target where the train is going to appear, or quite yet, the exact spot where you want to press the shutter. that will be your baseline exposure settings.  Once it gets dark, meter again and you will see the adjustment you will make is very minimal- perhaps 1-2 stops more.  I would crank the ISO up to a comfortable level like 1000-higher, what with 90D that does really well in high film speeds, right? do not be afraid to rack it up, my friend. if you do that, you'll just have to worry about 2 things then, the aperture and the shutter speed.  which brings to my next suggestion: either set your camera in Av or Tv that would ease things up for you.  and like what these gentlemen said, get out there and do practice before dark. good luck!