How do you capture paint defects with a camera?
- Thread starter JJH
- Start date
Bunky
Detailing Gnosis
It works best when you do not use the auto mode exposures to intentionally over expose the image since when your camera sees a lot of light (like the sun or a light being reflected) it automatically tries to reduce the light to compensate. It is about angles of light and the camera to see it and then insuring you get the exposure set actually capture them.
You should bracket your shots a lot more meaning take more shots at various exposures to be sure you have a good one.
You should bracket your shots a lot more meaning take more shots at various exposures to be sure you have a good one.
Todd@RUPES
Just a regular guy
RaskyR1
Rasky's Auto Detailing
Be sure to use the manual focus or give the camera something to focus on, like a piece of tape on the paint. Otherwise they tend to hunt for something to focus on and usually grab the reflection rather than the true surface of the paint.
Lighting is key too.
Dave Saunders is great at getting good before and after pics IMO.
Lighting is key too.
Dave Saunders is great at getting good before and after pics IMO.
RaskyR1
Rasky's Auto Detailing
Also, I find light metallic paints to be the hardest to capture defects in and it seems to help (at least for me) if the light source you are using is further back from the paint. Otherwise it reflects too much light back and makes it impossible to see defects, even in person. I'll often shut my shop light off and set my Brinkmann up about 8 feet away from the paint.
Different lights are better at showing certain defects too (halogen, Xenon, Florescent, LED...)
Different lights are better at showing certain defects too (halogen, Xenon, Florescent, LED...)
RaskyR1
Rasky's Auto Detailing
FYI
Here is an example of the difference using manual focus vs. auto focus with nothing for the camera to pick up but the reflection in the paint. Obviously this is after correction but it applies for before correction too.
In this pic I used manual focus so that I could focus on the surface of the paint to show a true after correction shot. Notice the distortion of the image as a result of the orange peel?
No here is that same shot with the camera in auto focus and nothing on the surface of the paint for it to focus on. Rather than focus on the surface it locked in on the reflection of my light, result in a smoother over all image, but not a true shot IMO.
With manual focus you can really dial in on the surface of the paint!
Here is an example of the difference using manual focus vs. auto focus with nothing for the camera to pick up but the reflection in the paint. Obviously this is after correction but it applies for before correction too.
In this pic I used manual focus so that I could focus on the surface of the paint to show a true after correction shot. Notice the distortion of the image as a result of the orange peel?
No here is that same shot with the camera in auto focus and nothing on the surface of the paint for it to focus on. Rather than focus on the surface it locked in on the reflection of my light, result in a smoother over all image, but not a true shot IMO.
With manual focus you can really dial in on the surface of the paint!