Need photography help? Got photo questions?

[marko]

Hi members,

Many of you know that one of the hats that I wear (I wear many cuz I'm follically challenged) is that of photographer. I've been shooting for over 20 years (some of those years professionally)and actually spent 2.5 years getting a paper that says that I sort of know what I'm doing

I LOVE seeing the pix on this site!

If any member would like technical help on how to improve their photography, it's more than my pleasure to provide this help in this forum.

The only thing I'd ask, is that if you post and it takes me more than 24 hours to answer, PLEASE just PM me.

One thing that I'd like to put out there right away is simply that it's VERY difficult to get good, consistent pix of your pets with a point and shoot camera. For best results, almost any newish DSLR will CRUSH any point and shoot when it comes to pet photography....and great newish DSLRs can be had for 500 or less. Even USED DSLRs that were made in the last 3-4 years will likely CRUSH any point and shoot for pet photography. Those cameras can be picked up for maybe 250-400 depending on quality.

Thanks!
Marko

[Rgeurts]

I will be taking you up on that offer Marko! DH got me a Canon Rebel T1i for my B-Day last year. I have read the manual but still have really no idea what I'm doing lol. I know that even when I have it on the wrong settings it will take better pictures that the "best" setting on my point and shoot

[Loki Love]

Originally Posted by marko

One thing that I'd like to put out there right away is simply that it's VERY difficult to get good, consistent pix of your pets with a point and shoot camera. For best results, almost any newish DSLR will CRUSH any point and shoot when it comes to pet photography....and great newish DSLRs can be had for 500 or less. Even USED DSLRs that were made in the last 3-4 years will likely CRUSH any point and shoot for pet photography. Those cameras can be picked up for maybe 250-400 depending on quality.

We're actually in the market for a new camera. I came across the Canon Powershot SX30 IS 14.1MP Digital Camera as a possible option. Is this a 'point and shoot'? If so, what would you recommend for a DSLR (I don't even know what that means - total camera newb!) within that 500$ price range.

Great timing on this post!

[Rgeurts]

Originally Posted by Loki Love

We're actually in the market for a new camera. I came across the Canon Powershot SX30 IS 14.1MP Digital Camera as a possible option. Is this a 'point and shoot'?

That is a point and shoot




If so, what would you recommend for a DSLR (I don't even know what that means - total camera newb!)

DSLR=Digital Single Lens Reflex.


within that 500$ price range.

Great timing on this post!

I don't know a lot about cameras, but I know the pictures I've taken with my DSLR are much better than any of my point and shoot. Even for a camera newb like myself as well

[Loki Love]

Originally Posted by Rgeurts

I don't know a lot about cameras, but I know the pictures I've taken with my DSLR are much better than any of my point and shoot. Even for a camera newb like myself as well

Thank you!

So for a total camera new (such as ourselves! ), do you think someone with limited experience and is only used to 'point and shoot' could handle a DSLR? I'm worried if I get something like that, that I won't be able to figure it out

[Rgeurts]

I was really worried about that as well. I haven't "played" with the settings as much I should be, but I have figured out a few of them. One of my favs is the action setting. It allows me to take pics of the boys while they are running and playing without getting blurry. With my point and shoot, I would say probably 90% of the pics I would take would be deleted because you just couldn't see them clearly. With the DSLR I have taken some great action shots that are clear as a bell

I don't know if you saw the pics of Nookie and pbpattis Sasha, but those turned out wonderful!! Sasha is very hyper and wirey, she's always moving and darting about. But I still managed to capture her (and her great facial expressions!) without any blur

I "think" it's the shutter speed that allows it, Marko can correct me if I'm wrong lol. I also took some amazing t-storm and lightning pics over the summer. Even though I could use a course on how to use it, I still find it simple enough to take piccies of my 3 fav things... the boys, the hubby and t-storms

[aslan]

Marko i'll definately be picking your brains in the near future as i just got a new Cannon Rebel T1 also...

Lokilove you can get a good little Cannon Rebel Eos xs at Walmart for $428. it is a minor step down from the one Rgeurts and I both have..only main difference is it wont take video.

[14+kitties]

Originally Posted by marko

Hi members,

Many of you know that one of the hats that I wear (I wear many cuz I'm follically challenged) is that of photographer. I've been shooting for over 20 years (some of those years professionally)and actually spent 2.5 years getting a paper that says that I sort of know what I'm doing

Hey!!! NO SELF PROMOTION!!!!!

Actually, my future DIL is taking that same course.

[breeze]

I love the idea of pointers for taking pixs,

but I do find that most of the "technical" terms get me very very confused
I'm an old lady now

will you be posting every day Marko with some tips of the day sorta thing?? (that would be cool) even with a point and shoot camera??
buying a new camera at this time is not really an option for us.

[Dee-O-Gee]

We just purchase the EOS Canon Rebel XS DSLR. An introductory to DSLR I guess?

Even at that, it takes far better pictures then the digital point & shoot. The only problem I find is that it has a grip handle on the right side which doesn't work very well for a left handed person.

Marko; I do have a question(s)....

Do you get a better quality picture by viewing your subject through the view finder rather then the LCD display?

2nd Question; What's the difference between a DC Lens and an Image Stabilizer (IS) lens? Is one or the other better?

Great subject and thanks for the self promotion!

[marko]

Too funny - I see no promotion here, just an offer to help

For the future, individual threads, in this subforum will be easier for me to track so I ENCOURAGE you to start personal threads on any photography topic.

Here goes some answers to the questions in this thread but before I answer, Here is one of the most basic photography primers possible.

Here goes:

At the end of the day all a camera is, is a box with a flap (the shutter) behind a hole at one end and recording material at the other end. For digital photography, at the back of the camera is the sensor which records the scene coming through the hole. The LENS attaches to that hole. Inside the lens are blades and the way those blades are adjusted determine the size of the hole (that hole is known as the aperture or F-stop) the light will travel through the lens to the sensor. THE SIZE THAT YOU ADJUST THAT HOLE TO IS THE PRIMARY CREATIVE DECISION YOU CAN MAKE IN PHOTOGRAPHY. Most people DO NOT set that hole, they let the camera choose it. Behind the hole that you or the camera sets is the shutter which stays CLOSED (letting NO light reach the sensor until you press the shutter release button). Once you press that button then the shutter opens for the duration that the camera OR YOU set. The longer the shutter stays open the More light reaches the sensor and vice versa.

Back to Aperture (the hole for a sec)

In a nutshell - the smaller you make that hole the sharper your foreground and background. Great for landscapes. Because the hole is so small though, the shutter needs to be open LONGER to let enough light in.

The larger you make that hole, the blurrier your background will become. Great for portraits. Because the hole is larger, you can use a faster shutter speeds.

In terms of exposure which is the combination of shutter speed, aperture and film speed or ISO...cameras have NO brain. They are fairly simple. They have no idea if they are looking at a super-model or a bucket of KFC. All they do is AVERAGE out the tones in a scene and give you an average exposure (when you let the camera do the work). So long as that scene has a fair representation of light to dark tones, the camera's exposure should be fairly accurate. BUT, if the scene does not have tonal variety - your exposure will be wrong. ....and a GREAT test to prove this to yourselves is take a picture of bright white snow - fill the frame with it. your camera will NOT give you back white snow. It will be dull grey. Why? because the camera has no brain and it is averaging out all that white snow. The result....grey snow.

Okay - now we are ready to answer questions

I will be taking you up on that offer Marko! DH got me a Canon Rebel T1i for my B-Day last year. I have read the manual but still have really no idea what I'm doing lol. I know that even when I have it on the wrong settings it will take better pictures that the "best" setting on my point and shoot

The BEST DSLR setting for taking pictures of pets imo, is SHUTTER PRIORITY. This is when you tell the camera the shutter speed you want and it sets the aperture. Because pets move around SO much, you need a fast shutter-speed to catch or freeze the action. The faster the pet is moving, the faster the shutter speed needs to be. For me, the minumum speed I use is 1/125 a second and if the pet is moving real fast...I'd jack that up to 1/500 or faster.
(Just as an FYI - even for humans, you'll need at least a shutter speed of 1/60 in almost all cases. This is because humans have a natural move and sway (unlike a rock) )

We're actually in the market for a new camera. I came across the Canon Powershot SX30 IS 14.1MP Digital Camera as a possible option. Is this a 'point and shoot'? If so, what would you recommend for a DSLR (I don't even know what that means - total camera newb!) within that 500$ price range.

It's a point and shoot that may work perfectly well for other types of photography - but NOT pet photography. Nikon D3000, Eos rebel, canon 50D (look for a used version) all great entry level cameras.

So for a total camera new (such as ourselves! ), do you think someone with limited experience and is only used to 'point and shoot' could handle a DSLR? I'm worried if I get something like that, that I won't be able to figure it out

Yes! If you set it on totally automatic, it will be a cinch to use and will crush your point and shoot. The ONLY disadvantage that I see, is that the camera is heavier and takes up more space.

will you be posting every day Marko with some tips of the day sorta thing?? (that would be cool) even with a point and shoot camera??

I won't be posting daily but it's my pleasure to answer whatever comes my way.

Do you get a better quality picture by viewing your subject through the view finder rather then the LCD display?

2nd Question; What's the difference between a DC Lens and an Image Stabilizer (IS) lens? Is one or the other better?

How you view the image does not affect quality. It's really if the image is sharp or not. Normally for people I use viewfinder. But for landscapes I'll sometimes use the LCD screen and magnify my subject so I am sure of sharp focus.

I'm not familiar with the term DC lenses, are they particular to a specific brand? IS means image stabilization for Canon lenses and VR (vibration reduction) for Nikon lenses. These lenses let you handhold them at slower shutter speeds and they are more expensive that non VR or IS lenses in general.

Hope that helps!
Marko

[Dee-O-Gee]

Originally Posted by marko

The BEST DSLR setting for taking pictures of pets imo, is SHUTTER PRIORITY. This is when you tell the camera the shutter speed you want and it sets the aperture. Because pets move around SO much, you need a fast shutter-speed to catch or freeze the action. The faster the pet is moving, the faster the shutter speed needs to be. For me, the minumum speed I use is 1/125 a second and if the pet is moving real fast...I'd jack that up to 1/500 or faster.
(Just as an FYI - even for humans, you'll need at least a shutter speed of 1/60 in almost all cases. This is because humans have a natural move and sway (unlike a rock) )

What is "SHUTTER PRIORITY?" I am assuming that this priority has nothing to do with a total automatic setting and need to switch the dial thing-a-ma-jig to a program setting?

The faster the pet is moving, the faster I need to learn about shutter speeds and ISO/aperture?

I've been reading the manual that came with the camera and one page that sound interesting refers you to another page and reading that other page tells you to look at a different page for something else that sounds interesting.

Another Question!

Is it o.k. to store the camera body with the lense intack together in the camera bag or should everything be taken apart and stored in their separate compartments?

[marko]

What is "SHUTTER PRIORITY?" I am assuming that this priority has nothing to do with a total automatic setting and need to switch the dial thing-a-ma-jig to a program setting?

Correct! - Instead of automatic that chooses BOTH the shutter speed and the aperture, In shutter priority - YOU dial in the shutter speed you want and the camera chooses the corresponding aperture. On canon cameras that mode is called Tv, on Nikon cameras that mode is called S. Just as an FYI, Aperture priority is the reverse where you choose the aperture and the camera picks the shutter speed

The faster the pet is moving, the faster I need to learn about shutter speeds and ISO/aperture?

I've been reading the manual that came with the camera and one page that sound interesting refers you to another page and reading that other page tells you to look at a different page for something else that sounds interesting.

Another Question!

Is it o.k. to store the camera body with the lense intack together in the camera bag or should everything be taken apart and stored in their separate compartments?

I usually keep mine together, especially the shorter lenses

Hope that helps!

Marko

[Tundra_Queen]

Marko, I have a Old Olympics C-720 ultra zoom...I think it is about 8 years old. I know I have been able to take pics of the full moon by adjusting the shutter speed etc. I did that many years ago when I first got it. LOL

Is this a point an shoot too? I do know that I can adjust stuff instead of using the dial thingy, though I would have to read the manual again as I forget how.

[exkalibur]

Originally Posted by klmccallum

Another Question!

Is it o.k. to store the camera body with the lense intack together in the camera bag or should everything be taken apart and stored in their separate compartments?

It's a good practice to leave the lens on unless you have to switch to a different one, because it minimizes the chances of having dust or pet hair (not that anyone of us would have that issue) contaminating the mirror or sensor in your camera.

[exkalibur]

By the way Marko....You might have just created a monster with this thread... I think this topic would really be worthy of having it's own sub forum.

[marko]

Originally Posted by Tundra_Queen

Marko, I have a Old Olympics C-720 ultra zoom...I think it is about 8 years old. I know I have been able to take pics of the full moon by adjusting the shutter speed etc. I did that many years ago when I first got it. LOL

Is this a point an shoot too? I do know that I can adjust stuff instead of using the dial thingy, though I would have to read the manual again as I forget how.

Looks like a point and shoot to me. Just as an FYI, point and shoots are not bad. I have one that I love. (The canon G11) In MANY cases you cannot tell the difference between an image taken with a good P&S and a DSLR. But for pet photography...point and shoots are terrible because they usually have a shutter lag. This means you press the button and you wait for a second - maybe you fire some anti-red eye beam at the pet. But by that time, the pet has already decided to book a trip online and your shot is blurry. With a dslr - there is no lag so you can catch your pet CRISPLY. DSLRs also have autofocus that is VASTLY superior to P&S.

Originally Posted by exkalibur

It's a good practice to leave the lens on unless you have to switch to a different one, because it minimizes the chances of having dust or pet hair (not that anyone of us would have that issue) contaminating the mirror or sensor in your camera.

This is mostly true except if you have long zooms. In those cases leaving them attached too long and transporting the bag in a car where the bag may shake, can damage the mounting between lens and camera.

Originally Posted by exkalibur

By the way Marko....You might have just created a monster with this thread... I think this topic would really be worthy of having it's own sub forum.

Lol - good thing it's done! Again feel free to continue in this thread or feel free to start another with your own particular question.

Best!
Marko

[Dee-O-Gee]

Bright, crisp day today so I took the new DSLR down to the river to catch some ducks. It was -7 degrees so I only lasted about 15 minutes before my fingers became numb.

QUESTION:

What precautions should you take when the camera comes in from extreme cold to room temperature? Should everything be kept intact such as the lens remaining on the camera body?

Here my attempt at duck shooting!

[hazelrunpack]

Lovely mallard!!

To prevent condensation, I double wrap mine with the lens still attached in plastic shopping bags before bringing it in the house, klm, then leave it in the bags until it comes back to close to room temp. I've done that will all my cameras (even the old SLR) and I've been told that digital equipment is even more sensitive to moisture than the older, non-digital equipment. I keep intending to buy large enough ziploc bags to accommodate the camera, but you know how my memory isn't....and the double bag system seems to work just fine...

[marko]

HRP's technique works for me.
I just do things gradually.. meaning if I bring my camera from home into bitter cold, I'll wait a few minutes before shooting. So far I have not had a problem.

Decent duck shot, I find birds to be one of the most difficult subjects to shoot.
The best bird shots will be tack sharp (especially the eyes) and this is very difficult indeed. 1/500 - 1/1000 would be my minimum shutterspeed for birds in flight.

[Dee-O-Gee]

Thank you Hazel & Marko!

But if the cold camera is inside a plastic bag, wouldn't it sweat inside leaving a condensation build up with potential moisture?

[hazelrunpack]

Nope. Condensation occurs when the cold camera surfaces come in contact with warm, moister air. So if you trap the camera in a bag with outside air and let it acclimate without opening it, there isn't any condensation. The cold air has too little moisture in it to condense and the warm, moist air can't get into the bag

That's why I double bag, though--in case there's a pinhole leak in one bag that might allow moist air in before the camera is warm enough.