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Re. TC Pics - How To?



>Original Poster: Dsurfr-at-aol-dot-com 
>
>I'm looking for some advice on taking pictures of my coil while its arcing.
>From all the great photos I've seen on the Ring most of you must know what
>you're doing & I've already wasted 2 rolls of film with meager (at best)
>results. I have an old Nikon - great camera w/ no electronics & good lenses.
>Any help on Fstop, exposure time, film speed etc. would be greatly
>appreciated. Thanks,  Jim

I use ASA200 film at aperture f/2.8 for arc shots.  While the ASA100 w/
f/1.2-1.4 would also give correct exposure, that wide an aperture on a
wide angle lens (I use 28mm) is uncommon, and f/2.8 may also give a wider
depth of field.  Bulb setting, shutter release cable, and tripod are
manditory.  While the longest arcs are produced when a breakout point is
used on the top load, I think pictures with multiple breakouts randomly
and evenly around the circumference look the nicest, and I use exposure
times of 4-10 seconds.  I've heard criticism that such time exposures
give misleading impressions of what an operating coil looks like.  True,
but prettier!  Also, arcs that connect to a target are considerably
brighter than those that don't.

This is just a personal preferance, but I think pictures with enough
light generated by the spark gap to give low-level illumination of the
"guts" of a coil look much more interesting than just sparks coming from
blackness.  Also, I sometimes hang a dark blue sheet behind the coil to
enhance the contrast.  Good for smaller coils anyway.

Gary Lau
Waltham, MA USA