Use of laser pointers

[Don Libby]

Michael - great idea you had regarding using a laser pointer to help in focusing.  I stumbled on this about 6 weeks ago as I was doing a shoot here in Tucson for a client.  I was asked to shoot a series of pre-demolition images of an exclusive area in Tucson, some of the areas were very difficult to obtain an accurate focus so on a whim I decided to try a laser pointer only to find out just how well it worked.  I had thought about posting the information here but never got around to it only to see that you used the very same thing in the recent video!  Not sure if others have used it but it's well worth the try - actually I'll be doing that the next time I go up to shoot Slot Canyons.

Best of luck

don

[usathyan]

can you explain the technique please?

[Don Libby]

can you explain the technique please?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=125222\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

What I did was when ever I found myself in a situation where I was attempting to take an image of a wall where the camera was unable to obtain a focus, I would shine the laser on the wall allowing the camera to focus on the light, then with the camera in focus, turn off the light and take the image.  Of course I have a couple images where I took the image before I switched off the laser and I have the image along with a small green dot    This also helped me in low light conditions.  I found this out doing a comercial job and have as yet attempted on my landscape work.  It does work!

[DarkPenguin]

Note that this method is incompatible with portrait work.  Unless they already have an eye patch you can focus on.

[Jeremy Roussak]

Note that this method is incompatible with portrait work.  Unless they already have an eye patch you can focus on.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=125233\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Reminds me of a sign that was supposedly put up in a physics lab some years ago:

     WARNING: do not look into laser with remaining eye.

Jeremy

[Don Libby]

Too funny      

Okay this is not to be used with people   but with trees walls etc

Must read warning lable - "do not point at self to see if light is on"

[Jack Varney]

Will this work with red lasers?

[Don Libby]

Will this work with red lasers?
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=125299\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I don't see why not.  What you're doing is projecting a light onto an object so that the lens can see it therefore making it easier to focus on.  I think the light Michael used was red.

don

[Jonathan Wienke]

Will this work with red lasers?

The focus assist light on Canon's flashes is red, and works well...