4mm Llanfair ....

Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
Head on shots and 00 gauge never quite work....

For me it's tied up with the centre of the camera lens not being at 1/76 eye-level and closer to 1/43 eye-level when the camera is resting on the track or baseboard.

However, eye-level photos this can be achieved more easily on mobile phones and tablets by turning them around so the the camera lens (usually in one corner) is at the bottom closer to 4mm eye-level. Also mobile phones and tablets are not as bulky and consequently easier to place within the layout for photography providing you can easily operate the shutter release. I took this image on my mobile phone by re-orientating and placing it on a piece of 2mm cork across the track to raise the lens close to 3.5mm eye-level.

Lights reduced.jpg

The other thing with photographing 1/76 OO or 1/87 HO gauge head on are the large unprototypical but necessary couplers (apart from modelling 3 link couplers and countries where buckeye couplers are the norm).
 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
Well its still a cracking piece of modelling in my opinion Larry, nowt to stop you returning to 7mm scale if you could make do with a Pannier or two, a 14/58XX, a handful of wagons and a single coach.;)

The photo of 6412 is a real gem!

Geoff
Thanks Geoff, Now that the 00 railway is finalized, I would love to recreate it in 7mm even even though the loop would have to be outside. But time is against me and even I can't build a layout in 3 weeks! :):). Like you say, a Pannier, 0-4-2T, B-set and a few wagons would do it. :thumbs:...
 

Geoff

Western Thunderer
Thanks Geoff, Now that the 00 railway is finalized, I would love to recreate it in 7mm even even though the loop would have to be outside. But time is against me and even I can't build a layout in 3 weeks! :):). Like you say, a Pannier, 0-4-2T, B-set and a few wagons would do it. :thumbs:...

Plenty to ponder during your winter hibernation Larry! :D

Geoff
 

Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
To be honest Dave, I don't think viewpoint has much to do with it here. 00 gauge is around 4' 1", which isn't just a little way from 4' 8", but miles away, and the point I was highlighting was 00, particularly bullhead track, looks generally acceptable except head-on. The camera picks it up like it does all our modelling 'faults'. The human eye is rather more forgiving.

This was shot on my upside down iPhone. It allows me little or no control over depth of focus, which is very narrow, and does not suit my particular needs....

Cameras are certainly unforgiving, however they are useful modelling tool to allow us to see what we subconsciously ignore as part of the overall scene.

And, yes, that is the downside of mobile phones (and tablets) - they do not allow you to adjust the depth of field in the same way as a camera. After all at the end of the day they are basically a communication device.

However, what you have created is a pleasing overall scene and, to me, the outstanding element is the nice orangey colour of the brickwork of the station building and goods shed contrasting with the slightly more reddish/pink faded brickwork of the signal box. Which would indicate a later period of construction e.g. replacement of a wooden signal box using bricks from a different brickworks - thereby getting away from the uniform 'red brick' colour of all brick buildings so often seen on layouts.

Alas, the track scale/gauge discrepancy is my primary barrier for not modelling british 4mm scale despite the tempting selection of Southern Region EMUs now available.
 

JasonBz

Western Thunderer
I don't think that I will be alone in saying that the almost head on shots do not give away the 14% deficit in the track gauge, and even if it is a touch noticeable, the overall effect of the scene distracts one from such errors!
 

Phil O

Western Thunderer
I have recently acquired a Sony Cyber-Shot DSC-WX350, it's a small compact camera that can be used with a mobile phone. I believe that any in the range with the X in the model number can be used with the phone, that has NFC and Wifi, just down load the software to the phone. The camera takes good quality photos, that can be uploaded to the phone, as well as stored on a memory card. I have not used it on the layout yet, I will take it with me tomorrow and get a couple of snaps on the layout.
 

Phil O

Western Thunderer
Rather than clog up Larry's thread with pictures of Pottery Quay, I have started a new thread with the Sony Cyber Shot camera.

 

LarryG

Western Thunderer
I have had a go at Llanfair Road in 7mm scale before (Llyn Vernwy). Rather than spend a long winter indoors building even more coaches that I don't need, I am considering a 7mm project that should keep me better occupied than watching car crashes on YouTube. Building laser cut buildings is a hobby in itself and recreating an almost exact copy in 7mm should keep me occupied until I can return to the shed next March...

WEB Llanfair 7mm 2.jpg

I looked at creating a crossover out of spliced Settrack points, but it failed. Would only have saved 6 inches at the most. Further compression will be possible to serve a 2-coach B-set. The loop of 3ft 4 ins radius Settrack will once again go outside the shed on a shelf....
WEB Llanfair  7mm 1.jpg

It's an idea rather than work in progress...
WEB Llanfair 7mm 3.jpg
 

Nick Rogers

Western Thunderer
Best of luck with the 7mm project, Larry.

One quick question, if I may. What are the origins of the BR lorries you had on the layout?

Best wishes,
 
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