Torchlight hobbyist? Anyone??

[Mezzotint]

u looking 4 flood or spot beams? i wont recommend Maglite as their beam :thumbsd: , not smooth. how far do u 1 2 project tt beam?

if i not wrong Maglite is incandecent. but there r LED mods available online.

wads ur budget range?

Hi sore-eyez, nice to see u here.

Well I was looking for a strong spot beam torchlight. In the end I got a Johnlite "Search Guard" - a Rechargeable Super Bright (1,000,000 Candle Power) Quartz Halogen Lantern from Home Fix for S$39.50. It gives warm yellow spot light with a ring of halo light around the spot light which I think might affect the way I light-paint my scene in the dark. Luckily I didn't get Maglite. Phew...

I read in some of my fav nocturne photographers' website and they are using Maglites. Well taking into accounts that they made nocturne pictures under moonlit nights. The beaming distance doesn't have to be too great as I'll be using wide angle zoom lens 17-35mm on a 35mm film SLR where I can get considerably closer to my subject. It varies at times due to composition and I know nuts abt the lights u guys are so interested in.

Budget wise?! Well until I find the right light for my lurid light-painting on a long-term basis, price range should be from S$100 - S$200. Any good recommendation?

 

[Mezzotint]

Surefire is indeed expensive. I got burnt a lot of time but my addiction to empty my pocket is too strong

If you are doing night photography where a lot of light painting is required, you might be better off using a more powerful light than E1e or E2e. Trust me, even 120 lumens is not really good enough if you are shooting at f/11 or f/16. I always have my friends shine a few lights for me in Ubin while I am shooting. Among the lights are M3, M4, and M6, and I am shooting at ISO 400, f/5.6 and 1/15sec. Of course, I wasn't exactly doing light painting as I am not using a tripod and painting in the lights on a timed exposure but the concept is similar.

I once did light painting on a tripod in Ubin with a 3 C cell Maglite when shooting on ASA 100 with aperture f/16 and shutter at 10mins. Guess what? Despite burning in the rock for the whole of the 10 mins, I see nothing but a black mass on my picture.

If you are on a tight budget, go for the ROP. It is a very good modification made from a Maglight torch, capable of very high power, and it is rechargeable. And this is with big thanks to a Singaporean inventor named Kelvin. A standard Maglite without modification is just too weak. Read up in Candlepowerforums. You might want to do a search there or ask around.

Thanks alot Andy! Really appreciate for yr advice.

Regarding yr shooting experience, using ISO100 with aperture at f/16 and exposed for 10mins, probably not long enuff for a proper exposure. Especially you were taking pics in very dark areas in Pulau Ubin. The long exposure timing should be 20mins. Well it also comes to the type of film u were using. Color tends to be shifted using color negatives and if you use color gels like I do, then go for chrome slide film like Kodak E100VS. It produces amazingly saturated colors and has good reciprocity failure.

Thanks again for the recommendation of ROP. I do need to find out more abt this type of torchlight. I'll pay a visit to the forum u mentioned for more details. Cheers mate!

 

[sORe-EyEz]

Hi sore-eyez, nice to see u here.

Well I was looking for a strong spot beam torchlight. In the end I got a Johnlite "Search Guard" - a Rechargeable Super Bright (1,000,000 Candle Power) Quartz Halogen Lantern from Home Fix for S$39.50. It gives warm yellow spot light with a ring of halo light around the spot light which I think might affect the way I light-paint my scene in the dark. Luckily I didn't get Maglite. Phew...

Budget wise?! Well until I find the right light for my lurid light-painting on a long-term basis, price range should be from S$100 - S$200. Any good recommendation?

mayb tis 1?

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/streamlight_scorpion.htm

or

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/uk_zoom.htm

 

[Andy Ho]

Thanks alot Andy! Really appreciate for yr advice.

Regarding yr shooting experience, using ISO100 with aperture at f/16 and exposed for 10mins, probably not long enuff for a proper exposure. Especially you were taking pics in very dark areas in Pulau Ubin. The long exposure timing should be 20mins. Well it also comes to the type of film u were using. Color tends to be shifted using color negatives and if you use color gels like I do, then go for chrome slide film like Kodak E100VS. It produces amazingly saturated colors and has good reciprocity failure.

Thanks again for the recommendation of ROP. I do need to find out more abt this type of torchlight. I'll pay a visit to the forum u mentioned for more details. Cheers mate!

I am using E100VS. My 10 min exposure is more than enough, in fact certain area is slightly washed. Just that the shadow area are still dark and that is why I painted in some light. I don't really have a lot of long exposure pictures but here are some.

Taken at 10 mins exposure at around almost 12 midnight. I was trying to paint in the rocks in front but my Maglite just can't do it.

http://public.fotki.com/AndyHo/pulau_ubin/hres-035.html

Here is another 10 mins exposure image where I tried painting in the wood.

http://public.fotki.com/AndyHo/pulau_ubin/hres-066.html

You are right in 20 mins exposure as I did not mention that I am shooting near the sea so Singapore mainland is still bright. In this case, 10 mins is enough.

(Sorry guys, edited a lot of times, just don't know why I can't attach my image even though I used the IMG thingy)

 

[Mezzotint]

mayb tis 1?

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/streamlight_scorpion.htm

or

http://www.flashlightreviews.com/reviews/uk_zoom.htm

Thanks alot sore-eyez.

I think I need a bigger thrower light. Once I make a light-painted picture at Matilda House and the light wasn't strong enuff on the house walls and roof with which I light-painted in blue & red color gel respectively.Will be going back there to take a few more good angular shots. Unfortunately I can't show u the pictures here as I did not scan my slide. My spotlight is good for closer range light-painting process, from 1m - 20m. I need one strong thrower beam light that can go beyond 20m to abt 30m the max. Not to forget I'll be covering the flash head with different color gels especially deep blue, green and red color gels which cut down the light a little.

Any more good recommendations?

 

[Mezzotint]

I am using E100VS. My 10 min exposure is more than enough, in fact certain area is slightly washed. Just that the shadow area are still dark and that is why I painted in some light. I don't really have a lot of long exposure pictures but here are some.

Taken at 10 mins exposure at around almost 12 midnight. I was trying to paint in the rocks in front but my Maglite just can't do it.

http://public.fotki.com/AndyHo/pulau_ubin/hres-035.html

Here is another 10 mins exposure image where I tried painting in the wood.

http://public.fotki.com/AndyHo/pulau_ubin/hres-066.html

You are right in 20 mins exposure as I did not mention that I am shooting near the sea so Singapore mainland is still bright. In this case, 10 mins is enough.

(Sorry guys, edited a lot of times, just don't know why I can't attach my image even though I used the IMG thingy)

Thanks so much Andy!

I just love yr 2 pictures by the seashore, especially the blue color cast. Great saturated colors on the sea water and alittle on the sky. Somehow I didn't manage to get that blue color sky on my E100GX and I'm sure the reason is that it was an expired film at the time of shooting. I got dirty greenish color cast instead. I heard alot good stuff abt 100GX chrome film but unfortunately Kodak had stopped production. Anyway E100VS can do a really good job.

I assume that u used small aperture of f/16 for the 2 pics? I did one at f/16 for 10min exposure and it turns out good. Based on yr pics, the distant lights can be over-exposed for more than 10min. You had made the right exposure timing.

If you were to light-paint each rock in 3 different colors i.e. Yellow, Red & Green, the whole pic will have more visual impact.

How was the night walk last night? Would love to join u guys on the next outing.

 

[Andy Ho]

Thanks so much Andy!

I just love yr 2 pictures by the seashore, especially the blue color cast. Great saturated colors on the sea water and alittle on the sky. Somehow I didn't manage to get that blue color sky on my E100GX and I'm sure the reason is that it was an expired film at the time of shooting. I got dirty greenish color cast instead. I heard alot good stuff abt 100GX chrome film but unfortunately Kodak had stopped production. Anyway E100VS can do a really good job.

I assume that u used small aperture of f/16 for the 2 pics? I did one at f/16 for 10min exposure and it turns out good. Based on yr pics, the distant lights can be over-exposed for more than 10min. You had made the right exposure timing.

If you were to light-paint each rock in 3 different colors i.e. Yellow, Red & Green, the whole pic will have more visual impact.

How was the night walk last night? Would love to join u guys on the next outing.

The night walk was fun. We ended up in View Road Hospital. Many don't know where it is. It is near Admiralty Road. Only drawback this time is that the fences had been mended so we got to climb over the gate to get in. So far so good, that is until I came back out again that I had a hard fall coming down the gate. Now suffering from a very hurt ankle as I type this reply. Got a hard time explaining to the sinseh how I got hurt this bad on my ankle :embrass: I mean I look too mature to be so adventurous to him so I bullshit him that I am doing my in-camp training which I had hurt myself coming down a ramp :bsmilie: but he doesn't seem to believe me.

My exposure timing was just a wild guess. I happened to guess correctly that's all. I just did not guess that my Maglite was not strong enough to paint in those rocks, so much so that it still appeared black.

Next time call me along if you doing nite shoot leh. Can help you paint some lights with my Surefire :bsmilie:

 

[Mezzotint]

The night walk was fun. We ended up in View Road Hospital. Many don't know where it is. It is near Admiralty Road. Only drawback this time is that the fences had been mended so we got to climb over the gate to get in. So far so good, that is until I came back out again that I had a hard fall coming down the gate. Now suffering from a very hurt ankle as I type this reply. Got a hard time explaining to the sinseh how I got hurt this bad on my ankle :embrass: I mean I look too mature to be so adventurous to him so I bullshit him that I am doing my in-camp training which I had hurt myself coming down a ramp :bsmilie: but he doesn't seem to believe me.

My exposure timing was just a wild guess. I happened to guess correctly that's all. I just did not guess that my Maglite was not strong enough to paint in those rocks, so much so that it still appeared black.

Next time call me along if you doing nite shoot leh. Can help you paint some lights with my Surefire :bsmilie:

What an awesome night adventure! Too bad I missed it.

View Road Hospital?! Never heard of it. Sounds like an abandoned building, isn't it? Hopefully it isn't haunted. :bsmile: Btw any picture taken? Mind showing me via PM or email me at mezzotin@singnet.com.sg I'd like to go there for night shoot.

I wish you recover soon so I can jio you for a nocturne photography outing next Sat night. In fact I went out last night for some nocturne shoots at Botanic Garden. The light-painting process wasn't going smoothly as my spotlight failed on me. It went out of power half-way thru the light-painting process during my long exposure timing. I should have charge it up full earlier. Darn...! Guess I really need a much stronger thrower light for my lurid light-painting. :bsmilie:

Thanks for your kind offer. It'll be great to try out on yr Surefire which I'm sure will "fire" up the whole scenery.

 

[Andy Ho]

What an awesome night adventure! Too bad I missed it.

View Road Hospital?! Never heard of it. Sounds like an abandoned building, isn't it? Hopefully it isn't haunted. :bsmile: Btw any picture taken? Mind showing me via PM or email me at mezzotin@singnet.com.sg I'd like to go there for night shoot.

I wish you recover soon so I can jio you for a nocturne photography outing next Sat night. In fact I went out last night for some nocturne shoots at Botanic Garden. The light-painting process wasn't going smoothly as my spotlight failed on me. It went out of power half-way thru the light-painting process during my long exposure timing. I should have charge it up full earlier. Darn...! Guess I really need a much stronger thrower light for my lurid light-painting. :bsmilie:

Thanks for your kind offer. It'll be great to try out on yr Surefire which I'm sure will "fire" up the whole scenery.

Nah I did not do any photo shoot at View Road Hospital. Just there to play lights. View Road Hospital is an abandoned building just like Old Changi Hospital, but slightly smaller. Better still, no guards. So far so good, did not see white or red "UFOs" flying around :bsmilie:

 

[sORe-EyEz]

Nah I did not do any photo shoot at View Road Hospital. Just there to play lights. View Road Hospital is an abandoned building just like Old Changi Hospital, but slightly smaller. Better still, no guards. So far so good, did not see white or red "UFOs" flying around :bsmilie:

i went there daytime got le...

 

[Mezzotint]

Nah I did not do any photo shoot at View Road Hospital. Just there to play lights. View Road Hospital is an abandoned building just like Old Changi Hospital, but slightly smaller. Better still, no guards. So far so good, did not see white or red "UFOs" flying around :bsmilie:

No guards?! That's wonderful!!!

Aw... too bad you din take any pictures. How many of you were there? Btw do u know who's property does that abandoned building belong to? May I have the exact address or mind telling me how to get there?

So I take it that it's not a haunted building. I wanna do my nocturne photography there. Maybe you can bring me there after you recovered. How abt one Sat night in mid-June?

 

[Mezzotint]

i went there daytime got le...

Day time means working hours mah. Somemore no overtime pay or shift allowance. :bsmile:

Luckily there's no night-watchman. If the building has an old 60s or 70s outlook, and before its owner decided to demolish it, I'd better go and make many nocturne pictures. Despite of this conveniency, I think it's best to seek permission from the owner, if possible. Permission to shoot in day and night time so I'll have a safemind to carry out my photography without any disturbance or arrestment for trespassing. Wouldn't want to get myself into deep sh#t. Not worth it.

Btw sore-eyez, do u have any pictures for reference? I'd like to see how the building looks like.

 

[sORe-EyEz]

Day time means working hours mah. Somemore no overtime pay or shift allowance. :bsmile:

Luckily there's no night-watchman. If the building has an old 60s or 70s outlook, and before its owner decided to demolish it, I'd better go and make many nocturne pictures. Despite of this conveniency, I think it's best to seek permission from the owner, if possible. Permission to shoot in day and night time so I'll have a safemind to carry out my photography without any disturbance or arrestment for trespassing. Wouldn't want to get myself into deep sh#t. Not worth it.

Btw sore-eyez, do u have any pictures for reference? I'd like to see how the building looks like.

dun hav any, i oni looked from outside den got guard approach. he say sometimes got ppl take "stuff" & do "stuff" there. :think:

 

[Andy Ho]

i went there daytime got le...

Maybe he only there in the day. I always go at nite. Only way to play my lights.

 

[Andy Ho]

No guards?! That's wonderful!!!

Aw... too bad you din take any pictures. How many of you were there? Btw do u know who's property does that abandoned building belong to? May I have the exact address or mind telling me how to get there?

So I take it that it's not a haunted building. I wanna do my nocturne photography there. Maybe you can bring me there after you recovered. How abt one Sat night in mid-June?

Sorry I don't know the address. My friend is the one who drives so I just follow.

Don't worry lah, got ghost you just shoot as well. Maybe can tell her to take a torch and help paint some hard to reach places.

I can arrange with my friend if you want to go. How about Ubin also? I always go there to overnight.

 

[Mezzotint]

Sorry I don't know the address. My friend is the one who drives so I just follow.

Don't worry lah, got ghost you just shoot as well. Maybe can tell her to take a torch and help paint some hard to reach places.

I can arrange with my friend if you want to go. How about Ubin also? I always go there to overnight.

Thanks anyway, Andy. I've found the location thru the street directory online.

I heard the place is not haunted so it's safe-minded to do some night shootings. Does it? :think: Howsoever, with our light playing thing, people from distant buildings might see it and spread words of unidentified lights as "ghosts" in the abandoned building.

If you're arranging a night outing for View Road Hospital, then I'll definitely come along. Is the area very dark or illuminated by distant man-made light sources?

Pulau Ubin overnight trip will be fun. I'm not being superstition but I heard alot abt that island being infamous for haunted grounds. Is it true? Where do u usually camp for overnight? Been there overnight b4 when I was in secondary school's NPCC outfield camping many years ago.

It'll be fun to take star trails photo but Singapore sky is always murkily cloudy at night. Even clear sky also have less stars and besides star trails photo requires hours of long exposure. So I'll stick to my light-painting photography.

 

[sORe-EyEz]

Maybe he only there in the day. I always go at nite. Only way to play my lights.

idea hor, i actually oni play my torch in camp. if u go any such places PM me? ;p

 

[Andy Ho]

Thanks anyway, Andy. I've found the location thru the street directory online.

I heard the place is not haunted so it's safe-minded to do some night shootings. Does it? :think: Howsoever, with our light playing thing, people from distant buildings might see it and spread words of unidentified lights as "ghosts" in the abandoned building.

If you're arranging a night outing for View Road Hospital, then I'll definitely come along. Is the area very dark or illuminated by distant man-made light sources?

Pulau Ubin overnight trip will be fun. I'm not being superstition but I heard alot abt that island being infamous for haunted grounds. Is it true? Where do u usually camp for overnight? Been there overnight b4 when I was in secondary school's NPCC outfield camping many years ago.

It'll be fun to take star trails photo but Singapore sky is always murkily cloudy at night. Even clear sky also have less stars and besides star trails photo requires hours of long exposure. So I'll stick to my light-painting photography.

View Road Hospital is not visible if you are in the main road. You actually have to track all the way in via a small road that leads in just like those old colonial houses. It was built this way last time because space is not so scarce. There is not much light sources flooding from street lamps but on overcast nights, the lights will reflect back from the clouds above. You might want to do the shoot on a very clear sky where stars are visible.

As for Pulau Ubin, if you really believe there is ghost there, you got to believe there are ghost even in your home. If it is that haunted all the villagers would have fled long time ago. People came up with stupid ghost stories just because they are not used to darkness and thus their mind started playing tricks on them. I have been staying overnight there on every weekend for the last 8 years and have not even seen one.

Some say there are pontianaks on Noordin beach in Pulau Ubin. According to Malay folklore, a pontianak is a female who died during child birth and thus turned into a blood thirsty vampire. Let me ask all of you here one very simple and logical question. With a few thousand people camping and fishing overnight in Pulau Ubin every year, has there been any reported case of people gone missing, dead, or disembowelled? Answer is NO. So why believe in it?

So mezzotint, don't worry and join me next time lah.

 

[Zephirum]

Hi those with the older version of A2 Aviator, I am seeking to exchange my new version A2 (round body) with your older version A2 (square body). If you are interested in this swapping, please drop me a PM. Muchas gracias.

P.S. My A2 is brand new. Condition is 10/10. I also don't mind just swapping only the body wothout the bezel and tailcap.

 

[Mezzotint]

View Road Hospital is not visible if you are in the main road. You actually have to track all the way in via a small road that leads in just like those old colonial houses. It was built this way last time because space is not so scarce. There is not much light sources flooding from street lamps but on overcast nights, the lights will reflect back from the clouds above. You might want to do the shoot on a very clear sky where stars are visible.

As for Pulau Ubin, if you really believe there is ghost there, you got to believe there are ghost even in your home. If it is that haunted all the villagers would have fled long time ago. People came up with stupid ghost stories just because they are not used to darkness and thus their mind started playing tricks on them. I have been staying overnight there on every weekend for the last 8 years and have not even seen one.

Some say there are pontianaks on Noordin beach in Pulau Ubin. According to Malay folklore, a pontianak is a female who died during child birth and thus turned into a blood thirsty vampire. Let me ask all of you here one very simple and logical question. With a few thousand people camping and fishing overnight in Pulau Ubin every year, has there been any reported case of people gone missing, dead, or disembowelled? Answer is NO. So why believe in it?

So mezzotint, don't worry and join me next time lah.

Hahaha....:bsmile: Nope I've no worries abt all those silly stuff. One's mind can easily plays tricks on oneself, if one chooses to let the brain and mind take over controls. I've done all my past night photography during the wee hours alone, walking in the sleeping city. Only since this Jan, did my 2 friends joined me but we finished early before 12midnite.

Based on yr description of View Road hospital, it should be fun making nocturne pictures there, well of cuz under clear sky. The nights on 29 & 30 May are so clear. I went to Botanic Garden for Monday & Wednesday night. Wed night quite cloudy as I was exposing half-way thru, there was lightning flashed in the sky, not very strong but I guess it would somehow brightened up the dark sky. So I've yet to see the results.

Yeah I'd really like to join u on these places some day. FYI, I'll be heading to Fort Canning Park tmr night (3 June) with 2 of my friends. It'll be quite a short session. If you're interested you can join us. Let me know.

P.s. Hope it's not too late for u to read this. Cheers mate!