Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!mcvax!i2unix!irst!bellutta
From: bellutta@irst.UUCP (Paolo Bellutta)
Newsgroups: comp.graphics
Subject: Re: photographing computer screens
Summary: An easy way to obtain photos is to use a camera with color slides film
	 then ask for a Cibachrome copy. I describe the whole setup I'm using.
Message-ID: <203@irst.UUCP>
Date: 14 Nov 88 14:00:09 GMT
References: <8811042303.AA21505@dawn.steinmetz.GE.COM> <76649@sun.uucp> <7896@bloom-beacon.MIT.EDU>
Organization: I. R. S. T. , Trento - Italy
Lines: 45



>I've been having difficulties photographing color images on a computer screen
>and developing them.  I'm working with a color vaxstation, and using Kodak
>kodachrome film.  What I see on the screen isn't being reproduced exactly
>on the film.  Red looks orange, blue looks lighter, green looks yellowish.
...
>-michael j zehr

Alorithm:

Put a cardboard-box in front of the monitor, set luminance and contrast to
the lowes level but in a way that all grey levels / colors are visible.  

Cut a round hole on the bottom of the box so that the lens of the camera can
be slided through.  

Use a reflex camera on a tripod.  You can use normal lenses (50mm) but to
avoid distorsion of straight lines a short telephoto (75-80mm) whould be
better but you need a larger box since telephoto lenses have 1 - 1.5 mt.  as
minimum distance.  Use a 100 - 200 ASA color slides film and then if you
need prints you can have them using Cibachrome.  Shutter speed should be 1/4
sec.  (= 0.25 sec.).  Aperture depend on the picture brightness and you can
trust the exposimeter.  

You can use the self timer to avoid moving the camera when taking the picture.

This is the procedure I'm following for taking pictures of comp.  screens
(used on Vax, Apollo, Sun ...).  Remember that the quality of the slide
depends on the quality of the monitor and for a minor part on the quality of
the lenses of your camera.  Never expect to have the same results of the
slide on print since this has less contrast.  

Good luck.

Paolo Bellutta
I.R.S.T (Institute for Scientific and Technological Research)
via della Cascata
38050 POVO
(Italy)
phone: +39 461 810105
fax: +39 461 810851
-- 

	Paolo Bellutta