Candling eggs - can you help with camera settings?

[needmorechickens!]

I am on day 8 and have candled my eggs tonight and can see lots of movement! Yay!!!

However...I want to take pics of what I see and when I try, I get just the outline of the egg. I have a Canon Powershot G5 Digital camera. I tried it on macro with no flash and it couldn't focus. I tried it on Auto, but it won't let me turn the flash off on the Auto setting.

I need help from some camera people!

Any advice?

~Rebecca

 

[silkiechicken]

This is what I do. I make sure the backlight is as bright as can be on the egg. I push about 160-180 run time lumens though the egg from the area which you can see the most light though it. (Surefire flashlight) I have a Cannon Powershot A710IS, and when set on auto, can shut the flash off and snap a pic. I'd think yours should be able to do the same though a menu somewhere. Sometimes taking a pic from further back and zooming in a bit helps too. Letting a bit of light around the edge of the egg may help if it refuses to focus. Else try the portrait setting and set it to a fixed distance from the egg. If it ends up blurry, pop the camera on a tripod and fiddle with the manual settings to get the image in focus and with the lighting you desire. Good luck!

 

[ninjapoodles]

silkiechicken, Can you help me understand about your light source? I have a Sony Alpha-100, and a high-dollar flash that I got for Christmas last year and have not yet learned to use. That flash is CRAZY bright--lights up an entire room. Can I somehow use that to illuminate the egg?

I just can't tell from the picture how you're working your light source that is illuminating your egg.

Thanks,

Belinda

 

[silkiechicken]

I am using a flash light. A surefire 6p with an LED for that pic to be exact. Just hold the egg up to the light and take a pic with the other hand.

Here's a page of info on ways to configure a light like I was using for the pic.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=123703#p123703

It's my daily carry flashlight.

As for using flash to light up the egg, I'm sure you could find a way to do it if you could remove the flash from the camera and put it to a point source behind the egg while picture taking. But a very bright light, such as even a projector behind the egg, would be easier to use. What I like about my light is that it runs cool so it doesn't cook the egg like a halogen source could if held too close for too long.

 

[Alexis]

Wow! That's a really cool picture!
Thanks for the tips - I'm taking notes

 

[MissPrissy]

I use a surefire flash light too.

The trick to making the candling photos is exactly as SC posted.

You need to turn the flash off.

Some cameras won't focus and instant snap the photo. My cannon needs to be stable on a tripod to take the photo.

 

[needmorechickens!]

Ok I'm gonna look at my camera and see if I can get this to work. Great picture SilkieChicken!

~Rebecca

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

needmorechickens! :

I am on day 8 and have candled my eggs tonight and can see lots of movement! Yay!!!

However...I want to take pics of what I see and when I try, I get just the outline of the egg. I have a Canon Powershot G5 Digital camera. I tried it on macro with no flash and it couldn't focus. I tried it on Auto, but it won't let me turn the flash off on the Auto setting.

I need help from some camera people!

Any advice?

~Rebecca

YES!! You seeing lots of movement is AWESOME! I am so happy for you!!​

 

[Akane]

I just took the egg into a pitch black room (night works best) and put it over my cheap led flashlight from walmart. Then took a pic with my cheap sanyo camera with the flash turned off. It came out slightly blurry but quite visible. I've found it is possible for a camera to have too many options and settings. Especially if you aren't good with all of them.

 

[ninjapoodles]

I keep trying to candle, and can't see a darn thing. These are blue-shelled Ameraucana eggs. What's the worst that could happen if I just leave them in there the full time? I'd watch closely for cracks or sweating, but am I going to have a nonfertile/dead egg explode if I can't candle to make sure they're all good?