Fuji Digital Camera

Improve your Pictures with a Basic Photography Law

2008-07-01T09:12:00.000-07:00

Do your people photographs tend to look - well, nasty?

Un-flattering?

What if you could exploit a basic lighting principle that professional photographers use, without spending a cent on expensive lighting equipment?

It may sound too good to be true, but it's not. Actually, it seems obvious once you realise what it is.

So what is this amazing principle that will improve your photographs?

It's to do with the size of the light source relative to the subject. Let me explain...

The bigger the light source, the softer the shadows. And conversely, the smaller the light source, the harder the shadows.

How can you use this fact to improve your photographs?

The first thing to do is be aware of it - notice the lighting. Move things around or go to a different location if you need to.

But the main way to actually use this law is to make a rule of always photographing people (one of the most popular and common photographic subjects) with large light sources.

Here are a few examples of easy to use, large light sources:

An overcast sky (one of the best, because not only is it huge, it's also still relatively bright)
A window (still relatively large compared to someone's head, they're standing right next to it - yet also directional, which can provide a nice effect)
A bright light (or lights) reflected against a white ceiling, or a white wall behind the photographer. A flash gun with an adjustable head is ideal for this technique because it provides substantially more illumination than, say, a desk lamp. If you specifically want hard shadows (less flattering but sometimes interesting), you'll be seeking out small, point sources of light - like the sun.

Bear in mind that if you use only the full sun to light a shot, you'll need to sacrifice detail either in the sunlit areas (by exposing correctly for the shadows), or the shadows (by exposing for the sunny bits).

One more thing - remember to experiment with the direction of the light source. While lighting from the front and/or top is the Conventional method (and often gives the best or most appropriate results), interesting effects can be achieved by lighting from the sides, back, or underneath, too.

Steven Pam is a digital commercial photographer based in Melbourne, Australia, specializing in people, aviation and music photography. http://www.stevenpam.com.au

Canon PowerShot A720
Nikon D80
Kodak 1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon PowerShot A720
Fuji 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Olympus Digital Cameras
Digital Cameras
1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Mini Digital Cameras

digital cameras - Guide To Choosing And Understanding Your Camera

2008-06-24T23:45:00.000-07:00

Digital photography has taken the world by storm, with millions of digital cameras being sold and used every day. However, getting started doesn't mean having to bankrupt yourself or learn complex new skills. If you haven't used a digital camera before, or if you're trading up from a camera phone or film camera, you'll be amazed at how user-friendly the latest models are.

The biggest difference in using a digital camera is the built in LCD screen, which you can use to frame your shots perfectly (no more cut-off heads as with many film cameras!). You can choose your settings and, best of all, review your shots instantly on the screen. Forget waiting for days and spending all that money developing film, now you can view and share images just seconds after you've shot them. If they don't come out as good as you'd hoped, you can simply delete them and try again.

Today's digital cameras come in all shapes and sizes, from pocket-friendly camera phones to top of the range models packed with features and long zoom lenses.

Cheaper cameras can take great snaps and even movie clips. More expensive cameras have dozens of high end features like the Samsung Pro815 A with a larger zoom lens that lets you get close to the action, and its manual controls will really let loose your creativity.

Most digital cameras store their images on tiny memory cards, making it simple to transfer them to your computer. Once on your PC, you can fix problems like red-eye, boost colours and edit your images to print out on as greeting cards, send as e-mail or even create your very own picture gallery website.

Printing your images is just as straightforward. Home photo printers can now produce glossy colour prints that rival anything you can get from a traditional photo lab for price and quality, and printing can be as easy as popping your memory card in the printer or attaching a cable - no computer required.

Although modern digital cameras are generally very easy to use, they make use of highly sophisticated technology. Here's a guide to the components and features you'll find on most of today's cameras.

The Camera Lens

The most important part of any camera is the lens. A high quality lens will give sharper images and let you shoot in dimmer conditions. On a standard camera, look for at least a 3 x optical zoom to get in close. For extra flexibility, look for a longer optical zoom - 10x or more is great for wildlife and sports photography. Don't be fooled by digital zoom - it only zooms in at the expense of image quality.

LCD screen

Almost all digital cameras have colour LCDs, but some are much brighter and sharper than others. As a general rule, displays over 2 inches in size are easier to frame your shots with and great for playing back images to check your results. If you prefer the older screen + direct viewfinder, check that the camera has these features as the direct finder is now being phased out in favour of bigger screens. However the larger screen only models do make viewing your shots much easier.

Camera Handling

Before committing yourself to purchasing a digital camera, visit a camera shop and actually handle a few models to see how they feel. It should feel comfortable in your hands. Some models have very small buttons making it difficult to operate for people with large fingers or those with arthritic problems.

Also it is important to view the screen in sunny conditions - some lower quality LCD screens can look washed out. Also check to ensure that the screen is large enough for you to see the image clearly. This is particularly important for people with less than 20 - 20 vision. Even if you decide to purchase your camera online, visit a store first to check out and handle the camera and then buy it online if you can buy it cheaper there.

Flash

Flash is essential if you want to take pictures indoors or at night. Most cameras come with a built-in flash these days, including a red-eye reduction feature to avoid glowing red eyes in portrait shots.

Sensor chip

At the heart of every digital camera is an electronic chip that turns light into digital information. The more information the chip can create, the higher the camera's resolution measured in megapixels. A 3 or 4 megapixel (3 or 4 MP) chip, found in cheaper cameras, is perfect for day-to-day snaps printed at traditional postcard sizes.

The better quality cameras in this category will produce quite acceptable prints up to A4. However higher resolution sensors will give better quality and let you print poster-sized photos at A3 sizes and above. Generally speaking the higher the resolution (Mega Pixel size) of the camera, the higher it's cost and the bigger the print you can make.

I am a photographer and author who enjoys both digital and film photography. I like writing about photography topics and passing on some hints, tips and wrinkles to others based on my experiences.

You may like to visit my web site at: http://www.picturememory.co.uk for an in depth look at the whole field of digital photography for helpful advice on getting the best results from your hobby to maximise your enjoyment of this fascinating subject.

Minolta Digital Cameras
Sony 7.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Olympus 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Minolta Digital Cameras
1.0 Megapixel Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
Sony 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Digital Cameras
5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Digital SLR Cameras

Digital Photography - How To Get The Best Out Of It

2008-05-27T12:55:00.000-07:00

Photography is both about knowing how to use a camera and also knowing how to make decisions. Today's media projects images that can be difficult to understand, and learning photography can help you to understand what you're being showed every day on television, on the internet, and in movies. Photography is a good way to occupy your time, especially if you are a teenager, as it is fun and harmless. Besides that, it's a great way to bring a community together for a project, such as photographing activities and gatherings.

When you buy a digital camera, you have to know how to take care of it to keep it in its best condition. In order to have the clearest photos possible, you must make sure to regularly clean your optic lens and keep from leaving fingerprints on it. If this happens, parts of your pictures will be blurry, and dirt can build up over time. Not all cleaning products are suitable for a camera lens, so make sure that you don't use tissue paper, any household cleaning solutions, and definitely not saliva. Instead, you should buy the proper products at a camera store, in order to keep your camera at its best.

Understanding how your camera focuses will help you get better pictures. Just about all digital cameras these days have autofocus with two-step shutter release. In dark lighting, you will notice that when you press the button halfway down, a red light appears for a moment, but not in areas that are lighter. Then, when you press the button down fully, there is a flash. When you hold down the button halfway, that focuses the image, and when you depress it fully, the camera takes the focused image. If you want the subject of your photograph not to be in the center but still focused, first center them in the middle of the picture and focus the frame by pressing down halfway. Without removing your finger, reframe the picture with your subject in the right position, and take the picture. Your subject will still be focused.

One aspect of taking a pleasing photograph is depth of field. When you look at a picture, you will notice that all the area surrounding the focused subject is also focused. This area is called depth of field. In order to change the way the depth of field in a picture is seen, focused, and lit, you must change the width of your lens. The wider the lens is, the smaller the depth of field will be. To decrease the depth of field you can also move closer to your subject. To increase it, you can use a smaller lens or move further away from your subject.

A great technique that helps photographers create eye-catching pictures is the rule of thirds. This is a composition technique, create a pleasing balance between the different objects in a photograph. In order to use the rule, divide your screen into six different parts: three horizontal sections, and three vertical. The focal points, where the eye is attracted when it first looks at a picture, are where the lines intersect. Placing the subjects of your pictures at or near the focal points can help create a balanced and attractive picture.

Landscape photos are very popular and can be very nice-looking. The whole photograph will need to be in focus, unlike some pictures where only a certain part is in focus. In order to have the picture completely focused, you'll need to have a short focal length. This will create a larger depth of field, and everything will be focused. In order to creating a pleasing balance between land and sky, or water and sky, you can use the rule of thirds. Furthermore, if you want a sense of three dimensions, you can have a subject in the foreground.

A tripod is a good investment in photography, especially if you want to take panoramic pictures. You'll have to set your tripod in a place where you can swivel the camera smoothly from left to right, and not up and down. You will have to figure out where you want your pictures to overlap, so that you don't have huge gaps in your resulting picture. Once you figure that out, you can swivel your camera in one direction, clockwise or counterclockwise, to take the pictures you want. Once you're done, all you have to do is put them together with a simple graphics program or photo-editing software.

The Digital Camera: Learn about your digital photos. There are always new ways to take photos and you can figure out some tips on lighting

Olympus 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Olympus 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
2-3-5 Digital Cameras
Canon 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Fuji Digital SLR Cameras
Nikon 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Mini Digital Cameras
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Special Event Videography - Top Tips to Ensure a Successful Shoot

2008-05-26T10:13:00.000-07:00

'A film is never really good unless the camera is an eye in the head of a poet' - Orson Wells.

When I create a film for a client, my heart and soul goes into it. I may not have the head of a poet, but I am aware of adhering to the cornerstones of videography which will stack the odds in my favour of creating a good film. If you follow the basics, the poetry will eventually follow.

Plan Your Shoot

Don't turn up cold and expect everything to fall into place, have a plan, have a contingency plan, and in fact have a third plan just in case your first two were really stupid. Nothing will make you look less professional in front of your client than being stumped by the unexpected. Your film needs to tell a story and it is your job to provide yourself the opportunities to be able to gather all the facets together that will enable you to tell that story effectively. Be prepared but also be flexible.

Stripe Your Tapes

Non-linear editing suites use time codes to automatically capture scenes from tape. Any breaks in the time codes, caused by stopping and starting recording, will cause this feature to stall. Ensure there are no gaps by placing the lens cap on the camera and pressing record for the entire tape. Rewind the tape and it is ready to go. And please write on the tape, the tape case and use some sort of clapperboard so you know what, where and who is on the tape. 'Hunt For The Digital Video' is an unnecessary and time consuming game and not to be played while driving to a client's house.

Get an Establishing Shot

Grab the viewer's attention, inspire curiosity, impart enough information to engage the viewer. Think about films, images or photographs that have had an impact on you. What were the elements that stood out for you, how can you duplicate them or replicate them to suit your filming requirements. Personally, I have always been emotionally moved by Apocalypse Now and the scene where the severed head is thrown into the prisoner's bamboo cage to land face up in his lap. However, I am yet to duplicate it and work it into a baby film. Be discerning.

Capture Lots of Footage

As a general rule you should shoot approximately five to six times the amount of film that you will eventually use. It may take time but trust me, when it comes to putting your film together you want a lot of shots to choose from. You may have planned and executed the perfect shot and find that one of your off the cuff filler shots works far better.

Use a Tripod

Invest in a fluid head tripod and get steady, level shots. Your film will look very amateurish if it is all over the place, unless of course you are having a poet moment and you specifically want that look, in which case we will call it a special effect.

Follow the Interest

Ok, you might say, 'duh!' But remember you decide the action that you want the viewer to follow. Surprising your viewer by using motion can also be effective. Follow a bird's flight to a location shot, water trickling to a lake, a car driving to a city panorama..you get the idea.

Shoot Matching Shots

If you shoot the same action from two or three different perspectives you can edit them together to allow for a flowing story, continuity and the illustration of a point. For example, you can start with the wide shot of a man getting into a car, a close up of his hand turning the key in the ignition, and the car being placed in gear to a medium shot from the driver's perspective of the road and the journey's beginning. Guide your viewer through the logical.

Shoot Cutaways

Often I am in the situation of needing to edit out audio or video from within a piece of footage. Left alone the edit causes the resulting film to be disjointed and jarring to the viewer as the subject or action may move between shots. By inserting a cutaway from the action, the viewer is gently led between edits. For example during an interview the interviewee may cough and you want to edit it out, a cutaway to the interviewer and back to the interviewee would be appropriate to cover the edit.

Vary Your Shots

Use lots of different types of shots, angles and heights. There is no limit to the manner in which you can shoot your subjects. Vary it, spice it up, what is the worse case scenario? You don't use it in the film? Give yourself the opportunity to make some spectacular footage and some really terrible choices. One of the best ways to learn is by experimentation. Sometimes if you are not told the right way, you figure out a better way. Oh, my poet momentarily surfaced.

The Golden Mean or Rule of Thirds

Composition is better when main objects are not placed centrally in a picture. The rule of thirds or the golden mean splits your canvas into nine equal sections. Where the four lines intersect are where objects or action should be placed to be the most pleasing to the eye. Look around your view finder, don't just look centrally. Look at the edges of your frame as well, fill up your entire viewfinder with interesting images and avoid blank areas.

Check Your Audio

Always wear headphones! And get plenty of natural sounds. Beware of air conditioners, aircraft, small children, barking dogs, machinery, things that squeak and circus folk with little hands who smell like cabbage.

Crossing the Action Line/Breaking the pane

Imagine a line that runs through the centre of the action from left to right along the screen like a vertical wall. All shots need to be on the same side of the wall, especially reverse cutaways or the action will appear disjointed with objects not appearing to the viewer to be on the correct side when the scenes are viewed sequentially. It's a commonsense thing.

Get a Closing Shot

Your film is telling a story, it needs a beginning, a middle and of course an end. A poignant ending shot can increase the level of emotion your viewers are experiencing, tie up any loose ends and let everyone know to push back their chairs and give you a standing ovation. You star you!

A Little perspective

At the end of the day, we are special event videographers not brain surgeons. No one will die if we don't get a closing shot or break the pane. However, if your film is not professional, tell a story and adhere to the basic rules of frame composition, your client may reach down your throat and pull out your inner poet and give him a slap on the upside of the head.

Amanda Nella is a professional videographer operating her company in Perth Australia. Visit her website for more tips and information for the amateur videographer or just for a look around at Bump2baby Films

Kodak 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Digital Cameras
Canon PowerShot
Nikon D70s
Nikon 8.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Kodak Digital Cameras
2-3-5 Digital Cameras
Toshiba 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
8.0 Megapixel Point and Shoot Digital Cameras

Travel Photography: What to Keep in Mind

2008-05-25T07:46:00.000-07:00

Just came from a Recent out of town trip and decided that It would be a good idea to share the things you need to do, prepare for your Travel Assignment or Vacation.

What to prepare when you travel?

1. You should have a good Traveling bag for your camera gear. Putting everything in order will help you in those situations when you need to find your gear or accessories fast. Good Cases and Travel bags also protect your gear from the elements.

2. Scout the place before you travel. Most Travel Destinations have been photographed before or someone may have went there in the past. Look for guides, warnings or anything online to give you a glimpse of what to expect. Looking at photos of others will give you a window to view where you are going so you can start imagining how you will take your signature shot of the Place.

3. Bring the Right Gear. Why bring a macro lens if you won't use it? It will only make your bag heavy and hard to carry long distances. Bring only what you need.

4. Bring a Good Tripod or monopod for those shots that need the extra stability like night shots or low light level shots.

5. Wear Comfortable clothes that will keep you warm and dry while you shoot. Wear comfortable shoes that you can use for walking long distances. Some people prefer to bring Photographers Vest which is a practical idea knowing that you have so many compartments to place your accessories.

6. Bring only the accessories you need. Graduated filters, polarizers, warming filters bring only what is necessary. Special filters like expodisc or whitebalance card may not be used in outdoor situations for travel photography.

7. Bring Extra Set of Batteries, Water, Gum or candy, a clean cloth for lenses. You will never know when your next store, or break will come if you are shooting travel, It is best to keep stock of the things that you will be needing while waiting. Water to quench your thirst, Gum or candy to keep you from starving and a clean cloth or towel to keep you and your lenses dry.

8. I usually psyche my self up by listening to music that gets me into the mood to shoot. You can do this or maybe view some of your favorite photos or maybe read books on the destination you are going to.

10. There is safety in numbers. Find out who else is going to your destination, if it is a fiesta, festival or some event there will always be other photographers there.

11. Have emergency numbers ready. Not that anything will happen to you but it would be good to have some numbers handy. If you travel abroad, keep your embassy numbers. If you travel to a province or a nearby city it would be good to keep numbers of relatives that live nearby or maybe the number of the hotel that you stay in.

12. One of the important things to consider when traveling in this digital age is that you should consider your shooting capacity and your memory storage solutions. How big your files are and how often you shoot will leave you needing more and more memory cards. There are digital wallets available in the market but I still prefer to download them to my laptop or burn them to CD for multiple backups.

13. Like any other shoot, this is something you should enjoy and make the most out of. Don't Let it pressure you, go with the flow and do what you do best.. Take good photos!

Anton Sheker is a photographer based in Philippines. For more Photography Lessons, tips and tricks visit his site online at http://www.photo.net.ph/blogalicious.

Anton Sheker is also founder and member of the World Photo Directory http://www.worldphotodirectory.com

5.0 Megapixel Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Nikon 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Sony 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Nikon D40
Fuji 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon EOS Rebel
Samsung Digital Cameras
Nikon 8.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

digital camera Shopping Tips

2008-05-24T05:27:00.000-07:00

Do you feel like a lamb being lead to the slaughter whenever you walk into a camera store? Like somehow your about to lose a lot of money and walk out feeling even more confused than when you walked in. It happens. It doesn't have to, but it does. The best way to avoid that expensive and confusing scenario, is to educate yourself as best as possible. That way, you'll walk out the store knowing exactly what you bought, how your going to use it, and not that much poorer. A few simple digital camera shopping tips will make it easy.

First things first, consider your own level of photography expertise, and what kind of pictures you want to take. Landscape, wedding, portrait, sports, vacation, birthday and macro photography all place slightly different demands on your digital camera equipment. Be sure that the camera and/or lenses your considering are up to the job.

The other tip to think about is that different types of cameras will put different demands on you the photographer. If you plan on shooting fast action sports, or panoramic landscapes with very dynamic lighting you may decide a sophisticated SLR with several different lenses is in your future. If you've only ever taken snapshots of juniors birthday parties, then maybe you need a little upgrade. An evening photography course for a few weeks could do wonders for your camera shopping knowledge base, and your final portfolio.

Another good tip, is to borrow a camera if you can, that's similar to the one your considering for a weekend or so. If you don't know anyone that has one, maybe a friendly camera clerk at your local camera store can help out. A few days of shooting, printing, and editing images will give you a darn good idea if the new camera is a good idea. At the very least, it gives you a camera to scratch off your short list.

Hopefully those few tips will help get you started. I'm sure, that as you go along you'll come up with a few more. Camera shopping doesn't have to be a scary experience. With a little practice, soon you'll be the one handing out free advice.

6.0 Megapixel Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
Polaroid 1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Nikon 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Olympus 6.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Digital Cameras
6.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon EOS Rebel XT
Samsung Digital Cameras
Nikon 8.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

8 Tips for Protecting a digital camera's Memory Card

2008-05-23T03:09:00.000-07:00

It's Monday evening, you've made it through the first day back into your routine after a much needed and memorable vacation. You pull out the memory card from your digital camera thinking you'll download the photographs that record the spectacular sights, reunions with seldom seen loved ones, and memorable events that you experienced in the previous days.

But then the unthinkable happens. With your digital camera in hand you connect to the PC but the photographs can not be retrieved; they are lost. What could cause such a catastrophic failure and more importantly, how could a repeat of this scenario be avoided?

The way that memory cards for your digital camera are handled, used, and stored can greatly influence the length of their useful life and dependability. Observing a few precautions can be the difference between the disappointment of lost images and the pleasure of having pictures with which to reminisce.

Avoid physically damaging memory cards:

avoid exposure to direct sunlight and temperature extremes

protect memory cards from exposure to moisture and store in a low humidity environment

do not write or put stickers on the cards

store cards in a protective case or leave them in the camera to avoid accidentally breaking them or getting dirt or dust on them

Protect memory cards through proper use:

keep the batteries of the digital camera fully charged to assure they don't fail while shooting pictures as a failure may result in lost images and permanent damage to the card

be sure data has been saved, the process completed, before removing the card from the camera or card reader; it's best to turn the digital camera off before removing the card

move images to the computer to edit rather than editing photos on the card itself

delete images and re-format the card in the digital camera after downloading on a regular basis

Although the failure of a digital camera's memory card is a rare occurrence, the results can feel tragic nonetheless. Observing manufacturer's guidelines and some of the precautions reviewed above can help to circumvent the unnecessary loss of photographs.

Christine Peppler shares information on home entertainment and home electronics products, including digital cameras, on her website at: http://www.homemedias.info

Olympus 7.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
HP 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
6.0 Megapixel Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
Pentax 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Digital SLR Cameras
Sony Digital Cameras
Canon 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Sony 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon PowerShot SD850

Digital or Film Pictures - Which is Best?

2008-05-20T22:33:00.000-07:00

When taking pictures in the past you simply used a film camera, everyone had a film camera and they either took it to the local processor to get the pictures developed or they learned to develop their own film.

Today you have a choice, digital or film pictures. Anyone who is more familiar with using a film camera may wonder which one is best? There are pros and cons to using both digital or film photos.

The Pros to Digital

Most people find that digital cameras are great. You get instant access to the pictures, you can see the pictures immediately after taking them and decide whether you will need to do a re-take. After taking any pictures you can easily download the pictures to your computer.

The pictures are easily stored on your computer. At any time you can choose to enhance them or print them out on your printer. You can take hundreds of pictures with your digital camera and store them on a disk. Compare that to the number of film pictures you have had developed and are now stored in boxes in your home.

The Cons of Digital

There are several cons to having a digital camera. For starters, your pictures can easily get lost. After taking many pictures, you download them to your computer and then never really do anything with them. Unless you do a back up of the photos, there is always the chance that your computer will crash and you could lose hundreds of your cherished pictures.

Some people think that digital photos do not offer the same look and feel as the film photos. This is one of the reasons why many professional photographers are still using film over digital cameras. If you decide to print out your pictures at home it can become somewhat costly. To do this you will need good quality printer paper and colored cartridges, these things can add up and become pricey.

The Pros of Film

Many professional photographers still prefer using film cameras. For anyone taking pictures as a hobby, with a film camera you are able to make adjustments to get the exact look that you desire. With the smaller digital cameras this is not always possible. Using a film camera, a person is forced to have their photos developed soon after taking them. The pictures are then readily available to look at and not stored away on a disk.

The Cons of Film

Film cameras are not as convenient and so are losing popularity. You are not able to view your pictures before getting them developed. Some pictures may not have turned out the way you would have liked but you have to get the whole roll developed anyway, paying for pictures that you really do not want. You are not able to go through your pictures and delete the bad ones before getting them developed as you can with a digital.

There you have it, which one is best, digital or film pictures? One is really no better than the other; the choice is more of a personal preference.

For example, I prefer the digital because then I have the option to view my pictures right away. In the past, I have taken my film in to be developed and became very excited when picking them up, only to be disappointed to see pictures of people with their heads cut off, fuzzy pictures and so on.

Consider both digital or film cameras when looking to purchase a new one. Weigh the pros and cons and make your decision based on what is best suited for your needs.

Connie McKenzie is a full-time work at home mom who devotes herself to doing the things she loves to do most. Family, friends, volunteer work and writing articles. Shop for your choice of digital or film cameras.

Canon EOS Rebel XTi
Olympus 7.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon PowerShot A720
Canon 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Polaroid Digital Cameras
Olympus 1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
HP 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Sony 4.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Sony 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

Professional Photography Equipment Learning Shutting Speeds

2008-05-19T20:12:00.000-07:00

Shutting the shots with speed:
Well I guess we talked about every darn thing in photography you can imagine without getting all the details, thus, I guess we need to understand the shutter buttons now, since failing to know what these buttons do, can cause you to miss out on a shot.

The shuttle button works to snap a picture as you capture the scene. Shutter buttons have speeds, which is important to understand. If you don't understand the shutter buttons, you might have a problem with images, since this is a crucial feature. The lens to some people is the most important feature of a camera, however if the lens and shutter button are working in union with a backer, then failure will occur. If you are firing a shot at a bus passing down a highway and fail to hit the shutter button, don't blame the camera if there is no picture in the housing stored.

Setting the Speed:
This is at what time you want to use a lower shutter speed if you are taking a picture of a moving target. The speeds are based on seconds; therefore if the target is moving try to set the shuttle at 1/3. The picture will come out blurred but it will let the viewer see that the target was on the run. To make sure you are reaching the best possible picture in events of snap shots you want to keep aperture and speed in mind while using the shuttle buttons.

If you are targeting a moving image, then try to use a speed at 1/125 or else you can reduce the speed to 1/20. Of course the target is moving, so you want to maneuver the camera in groove with the target. Now you are panning!

Some cameras have a shuttle mode. The modes may be labeled T and B. The B stands for bulb, while the T stands for Time. The options are dedicated to giving you a quality picture at a distance. You can control length and exposure with these functions.

While using the shuttle button you can hold it halfway down in order to prepare for the shot. Once the scene comes into view as you wish it to appear you can hold down the button and the camera will get the image on its storage. This is the bulb effect. The T mode will drain the battery, depending on the camera; therefore use this function with thought.

The slow speeds are often used at what time the photographer is snapping a shot where the lights are low. If you are in a darken area you may want to situate the camera so that it is steady, such as on a tripod. You may want to use your remote control release that comes with most cameras instead of hitting the shuttle button directly. This will cause slight movement, and if the lights are low, you need slowness and sturdiness as much as possible. You can also set the timer to snap the shot while it is situated on the tripod. You can also use the slow speeds at what time you are taking pictures of a moving snake, frog, water, and the like.

Faster shutter speeds are often employed at football fields. If you are at a sporting event and want to capture a player in action, your best bet is using the fast speed mode.

Some of the better cameras on the marketplace are the SLR series; however, I noticed the Mustek Digital Cams and Camcorders combined are nice photo shooters.

Professional Photography Equipment Discover the hidden photography secrets with Complete photography guide.

Samsung Digital Cameras
Fuji Digital Cameras
Fuji 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Nikon 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Polaroid 1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Olympus 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
4.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Sony 7.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Fuji 4.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

Camera Wars Digital vs Film

2008-05-07T14:33:00.000-07:00

Do you like to take pictures? Do you like using a digital camera? Or do you like taking pictures with a film camera and use a scanner? If the answer is yes to any of these questions, read on.

I have finally decided I know how to take pictures after all these years. I have a digital camera and it is virtually impossible to screw up my pictures. With the wonderful picture screen displaying my picture before hand, I can be assured of the best picture ever.

I could not say that for the camera you aim and hope for the best. Heads and feet would get cut off. Also, I had a hard time finding the center of the picture. My only option for a picture was to take it and have it professionally printed. When I want to use one of my pictures in my computer my only choice is to use a scanner.

I know I would have taken more pictures of my children when they were younger if digital cameras were around. Unfortunately, they were not and I had to rely on other people to take my family pictures.

Now with my digital camera, I find myself taking pictures all the time. I like to take photos of flowers, trees and anything that takes my fancy. I take my digital cameral right to my computer and download my pictures right into my computer.

SOME OPTIONS FOR PICTURE USE:

(1) CD

(2) Printing them myself.

(3) E mailing them anywhere for friends and family.

(4) Using my pictures for any kind of correspondence I create.

(5) Leave them in my computer.

(6) Back up my computer onto a CD - all my pictures are backed up at the same time.

Modern electronics are wonderful. I am glad I am around to take advantage of these wonderful modern miracles.

Keep smiling and taking pictures. They are your family history.

Thank you for reading my article. Please feel free to read any of my numerous articles

Linda is the author of her first published book, Ghost Kids Trilogy." Christy, 12 and her Brother Brad, 16 moves into an old house on top of a mountain and meet two Ghost Kids.

Then we have a mysterious, magical Blue Vase where Uncle Charlie the villain is trapped. He wants out of the Blue Vase and exchange he will tell Christy and Brad where Pirates Treasure is Hidden.

Take a walk with Christy and Brad down a dark hall hunting for Pirates Treasure. You will think were you there right there with them.

Love, Family Values and Charity burst off the pages. http://www.lmeckler.com

Check out my new 4 E books Titled:

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Toshiba 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Kodak EasyShare C613
Panasonic Digital Cameras
Polaroid 1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Vivitar 1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Olympus 1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
3.0 Megapixel Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
Canon 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon 8.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

How To Become a Photographer

2008-05-06T12:03:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wanted to seize a moment desperately so that the moment will stay with you for eternity? If only there was a way to relive that special moment...at least in the mind! Bless the guy who invented the camera. And bless all those who have brought photography to the state it is in today - One of the most sought-after activities (I should perhaps call it passion) in todays world!!!

While some of us might merely have dabbled in photography, some others might wish to make it a profession, a source of livelihood. Some might have a flair for it; while others might acquire the skill over a period of time. The Photography industry is one of the most advanced today with the most modern of equipment and technology entering the market everyday.

How do you begin on the journey of photography? Profound as it may seem, the first step to successful photography is to discover yourself.

Do you like to travel or stay indoors?

Do you like meeting new people?

Do you have it in you to sell your thoughts and floor an audience?

Do you accept things as given or do you have the nerve to put up a tough fight?

Do you prefer security to risk?

There is no right or wrong answer to the above questions. The questions are merely intended to help you discover yourself, your likes and dislikes, your turn-ons and so on. Since photography offers varied opportunities, answering the above questions (to yourself) will help you pursue the right opportunities. For instance, if you cannot bear to see blood, needles and diseases, it makes less sense for you to attempt medical photography. Remember, photography is not just about clicking a camera. Its about adding that special touch to the shot you take.

Once you have seemingly arrived at your areas of interest in photography, the next thing is to debate on whether you require a professional qualification or not. Professionally qualified photographers have that extra advantage not merely because of the degree / diploma they acquire. More because of the contacts they build. And the right contacts can be the key drivers to success in photography for some. Learning photography from a school also helps you know the latest in the industry the latest equipment, technology and so on. With the added advantage of a faculty teaching you the intricacies. There are different types of schools large ones which will provide you with state-of-the-art infrastructure and smaller schools which will give you your own personal space. After doing some basic research (lots of online content is available and published by these schools), you should be able to zero in on the right school for you.

If you do not have the financial strength to undertake a course from a school, no worries! So long as you have the drive and the passion, you can rise to be a star in photography.

You might want to try starting off as an assistant to an established photographer. Being an assistant is no easy task. You might have to sweep the office, arrange for cocktails, wear a smile at the reception desk, know the right lingo and also keep abreast with the latest in photography. As luck would have it, you might also have a smart kid from a good school doing internship at your bosss shop. But, this will turn out to be a terrific experience giving you a great kick start to a fulfilling career in photography.

More than half the photographers in this world are freelance. Even established magazines and organizations requiring frequent photography do not have professionals permanently on their rolls. Freelancing gives you enough free space to pursue your passion and also make a some quick cash. You can also easily multitask if you are freelancing. The most testing, for a freelance photographer, is to acquire a new client and keep the relationship going. For starters, its imperative to have a good portfolio of photographs taken by oneself which will reflect only on the persons potential and unique style.

Wonder whether you will kick-off in this profession? If you have the zest and the rigour in you, you will. For, so long as there are weddings and graduation parties, magazines and newspapers, dance schools and mega events, you will succeed!

This article has been supplied courtesy of Roy Barker. Roy often writes and works closely with Profitable Photography Business. This site is dedicated to coaching you in starting your own photography business but places a strong emphasis on profitability issues & guidelines. You can also gain many photography resources (some free) from Digital Photography If you seek further guides, helpful hints, articles and news, you can go to http://www.photography-business-tips.com which also has a Photographers Forum for exchange of views with other photographers.

Sony 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Fuji 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon EOS Rebel
6.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Digital Cameras
Nikon 4.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Digital Camera Parts and Repair
Digital Cameras

Why Buy an Olympus Evolt E510 Digital SLR Camera?

2008-05-05T09:33:00.000-07:00

Is an SLR camera really worth the extra money? I know I've taken some pretty amazing photographs using just a simple, cheap point and shoot camera. I'm sure everyone has. Sometimes it's just a matter of being at the right place, and recognizing a moment that would make a memorable photo. So, is buying a camera like the Olympus E510 SLR really necessary? Maybe. It's true that a good tool in the hands of a competent artist can create great art, but lets carefully examine that tool before jumping to any conclusions.

In photography, dynamic range is defined as a cameras ability to capture all the bright and dark areas of a subject or scene. In other words, if there are dimly lit areas of a picture, and very brightly lit areas of the same picture, a camera with good dynamic range should be able to reproduce both very accurately. Unfortunately, the Olympus E510 struggles in the area of dynamic range. Of course, what your taking pictures of will determine if dynamic range is a big consideration for you in your camera purchase. Landscape photography with it's unpredictable and diverse play of light demands a great deal of dynamic range from a camera, whereas portraits shot in a studio environment with controlled lighting do not.

Even though the E510 is a SLR camera, and allows for a lot of manual tweaking of it's setting, it also comes with several auto settings. Default settings for macro, landscape, action and sports are all included. This is nice if your a first time SLR user, as many Olympus E510 purchaser will be. The problem however is the calibration of the auto settings seems to wander to the dark side. New purchasers taking their first few photos with the auto settings, may end up thinking there is something wrong with their camera. If you do buy a E510, be sure to learn how to make manual adjustments early on to get the best pictures possible.

The entry level SLR market is competitive no doubt. Manufacturers try to entice customers to their brand with a good entry level SLR, with the hopes they'll be spending lots down the road on lenses, peripherals, and upgrades. Unfortunately, Olympus seems to have comprised on build quality with the E510 to compete here. Buttons and controls don't seem durable or instill confidence that they will still be in place after several hundred presses. The lens that comes with the Evolt seems uneven in it's movement, and has a tendency to stick.

There are other items of concern with the E510 Evolt, but I think you get the idea. There are a multitude of contenders in the entry level SLR category, to consider, and the E510 is one of them. It just may not be final best choice for some photographers. What it really comes down to, is how you want to take pictures and which camera that allows you to do that best.

Pentax 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Fuji 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
HP Digital Cameras
Kodak 4.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Nikon 8.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Kodak Digital Cameras
Canon EOS Rebel
Olympus Digital SLR Cameras
Kodak 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

Digital Photography Art

2008-05-04T07:10:00.000-07:00

Well we used to all go out and shoot images on our film cameras, run the film to the corner store or kiosk to get it developed and then once the prints were hand we tended to stick them away without much more than a few minutes notice. Those days are no more as digital photography has grabbed hold of the consumer marketplace. Now we have tons of images in our cameras, on our hard disks and the options of what to do with them are growing and growing every year.

Digital photography has now found its way into more than half of the homes in America. However most people still order out to get their images printed. Maybe it is not the corner film kiosk of the old days but there is still a very strong market for image printing. Nowadays you can take your images to Costco, the nearby photo store where they might have a digital printing kiosk in the store, or you can upload them to the various internet sites devoted to printing your images such as Shutterfly, Ofoto, and Snapfish to name a few.

Since the year 2000 the number of images converted into conventional prints has been steadily sliding down and could go 5% further this year. However due to the interesting rise of alternative ways to print your images the industry predicts that revenues will rise overall this year. Now why would that be?

Well it turns out that there are some very lucrative ways for companies to make money in the digital age including printing reproductions from digital photographs onto posters, stamps, postcards, T-shirts, chairs, wallpaper, and bronze plaques. Even ceramic tile is being used as a medium for digital printing as designers are using images to decorate them for spas, restaurants, and fireplace mantels.

We have now entered the era of functional art versus just decorative art. Now you can touch it and get a more personal feeling from your digital photography. In addition you can put these digital images on wood, stone, plastic, and metal as well as conventional paper of every type. Either through software on your own computer or through vendors consumers can print their images on birthday cards, calendars, and storytelling photo books that actually get used instead of being tucked away in a drawer like most of our albums of old.

The camera makers have done a fine job of selling digital cameras to the population, but now that they are so infused to the marketplace it will take some creativity to for them to make money off of these sales going forward beyond just getting us to upgrade our digital cameras every year or two.

That will require some new methods for organizing digital photos, new methods of displaying images (perhaps along the lines of the wireless digital display frames that have shown some promise of late) and the ability to print our own custom books using our own digital photographs. That is something that would stay out on display in my home!

Did you know that in the past ten years digital cameras have managed to be sold into over half the homes in the US? The prediction is that number could go as high as seventy per cent by the yearn 2009. Old line film companies like Kodak have had to scramble to move into the digital camera game, with a fair amount of success as they applied old film lessons to their line of digital cameras such as consumer simplicity first, but even they are still leaning on the sales of inks used to print images on computers to hold the profit line.

They have over 75,000 in store kiosks installed throughout the country and are planning for new ones that can handle 900 prints per hour! Retail is strong for getting your digital prints as the big stores such as Wal-Mart and Costco battle it out for your business and in the on line market the field has been whittled down to the strongest. That means that the price per print that was once in the high twenties has now dropped to around 17 cents per print on line and 21 cents per print in store.

So where do you go for these art versions of your digital images? Be prepared to spend more for the experience but get a nice artistic version of your digital photography. Some of the spots to check out are Zazzle.com, Photopetgifts.com, and Matthewsbronze.com. For custom digital photo books you should check out Shutterfly. Imagine the look on your kids face when you give them storybook and it features images of them in the story!

http://greatdigitalcameras.info/book/ - Your Guide to Great Photography

GreatDigitalCameras

Minolta 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Olympus Digital Cameras
Spy Digital Cameras
Kodak Digital Cameras
HP 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Sony 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
6.0 Megapixel Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
Olympus 6.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Digital Cameras

Edit Your Digital Photos - Now Available For Advanced Photoshop Users

2008-05-03T04:54:00.000-07:00

Many people have trouble knowing how or whether or not in the first place to edit their digital photos. Most photographs just don't turn out the way you imagined; they might be too dark, or too red, or too big. Depending on what you need in a digital photo-editing program, you may want to get a more simple or a slightly more advanced software. For example, if all you're planning on doing is correcting a few minor details in a picture, you want to go as simple as possible. If you're planning on adding things to pictures or taking them out, or changing the color of objects, you will want a more advanced program.

There are many pictures that you've probably taken that would've looked great... except for the red-eye. Just about every graphics program has a red-eye removal, so that no matter what level your program is you'll be able to remove the red-eye. However, in order to prevent it in the first place, it helps to know what causes it. Red-eye is caused by the flash reflecting to the back of the eyes all the way to the retina, and the red comes from the blood vessels in the eye. Therefore, if you flash a light in the eyes of your subject, this will cause the pupil to contract, and then there won't be any red-eye.

Cropping is a good tool to use when you have a picture that has too much going on, or perhaps too little. In the former, you would want to cut the image down to just the subject of your picture, essentially eliminating all the distracting surrounding objects. In the latter, you would do the same thing, in order for your subject not to look too solitary. Once you begin cropping, you'll find there are many different creative ways to crop your pictures; every picture is different, and you'll find different ways to improve your pictures with cropping.

Experimenting with colors can be a great way to create a whole new picture from something plain. There are so many ways to edit colors, and playing around with them can help you discover different techniques. You can make a photograph look aged with sepia, or you can change a color photograph to black and white. Just about all photo-editing programs have color-balance options. All you have to do is experiment with them to find results you like.

When you upload your pictures from your digital camera to your computer, most of them will probably be a little blurry. Probably it won't be enough to make you want to change it, but if it's not, there's always the UnSharp Mask that you can use to sharpen the image. Most cameras don't apply any kind of sharpening filter to pictures they take, and so they won't always look as crisp as you might want. Most likely if you have a basic editing program you will be able to sharpen your pictures successfully, and you can sharpen them as much or as little as you want.

When you email pictures to friends, you will notice it usually takes a very long time to attach the files. This is because the size of the picture is probably too large to process well. In order to reduce the size of the file, you must reduce the size of the picture. Your editing program will most likely have an option that allows you to change the dimensions of the images, which will change the size. Usually you would use this option to make images smaller, not larger, as the quality would be greatly reduced.

Saving your pictures in the appropriate format is very important to ensure the best quality. If you are planning to continue to work with a certain picture, save it as a TIFF image, as it will retain all the detail of the picture. However, if you want a compressed image and you are done working with it, you can save it as a JPEG. Although a JPEG is a lossy file format, it does not lose enough data to be noticeably visible, and it is a good compressing format. This means it will make the size of the file smaller. As long as you don't keep opening, editing, and saving a JPEG image, you won't get too much degradation of the photo.

Would like to find out more about editing digital photography? Don't trust anybody's advice until you read this free report

Digital Cameras
Toshiba 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Pentax 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
HP Digital Cameras
Pen Digital Cameras
Fuji 4.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon PowerShot A720
Digital SLR Cameras
Kodak 4.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

Digital Or 35mm Camera - Time For A Change?

2008-05-02T02:35:00.000-07:00

My family says I am stuck in the 70s. They have their reasons and there are many. One example is photography. I have used a 35mm single lens reflex camera since - well 1974. Yes, the same camera. This was a no frills, all manual, fantastic camera. I had the standard lens, 2 zooms, 2 wide angles, extenders, dozens of filters, flash, and macro adapters. The camera has served me well for more than 30 years. My family thought it was time for a change and that a digital camera would bring more enjoyment to my bird watching and nature walks. It was like saying goodbye to an old friend as I shoved the large camera bag to the back of our closet.

I finally have a digital camera. After holding out for several years for a digital camera with changeable lenses, I finally got the camera I wanted. Almost. Ok, this camera does not have the interchangeable lenses. I did some homework and studied the major differences in picture quality between cameras. Everything I read said "optical zoom" outperformed "digital zoom" for picture quality. But why? Simply put, optical zoom works throughout with the same number of pixels while digital zoom does not. Say you compare two 5 megapixel cameras - one with optical zoom and the other with digital. The optical zoom uses "optics" or lenses to magnify the image. This means the image retains 5 megapixels throughout the zoom range and therefore retains image quality. Not so with digital zoom. Again we start with a 5 megapixel image. Digital zoom enlarges a portion of the digital image. If your zoom ends with an image that is an enlargement of 25% of the original, this image will now have 25% or 1.25 megapixels. Quite a loss!

The camera I now have has a 15X optical zoom with a 2X digital zoom. There is also something called "smart zoom". This handy feature allows you to retain a higher number of pixels even when using the digital zoom, resulting in a clearer picture that will stay clear at larger print sizes. Other brands now offer this feature under different names, so do your homework. Comparing these numbers to my old camera and its several lenses, I have in 35mm equivalents @ 40 to 205 with the optical zoom and 80 to 410 with the digital zoom on. All of this comes in such a compact package. No large bag, no changing of lenses, built in light adjustment - no filters. Maybe I waited too long!

The proof is in the using though, isn't it? One of my hold backs to making the jump to digital is the lag time between the pushing of the button and the taking of the picture. I found that by turning off several options - focus size and face recognition are two - this lag drops considerably. In the most basic "automatic" setting, the lag time is cut to 7 milliseconds per the manual. Not bad, but enough to miss that action shot.

I took the camera on a road trip. After a few photo stops with a caravan of fellow British car owners, I became more impressed with my new toy. I like that pictures can be zoomed, cropped, and saved in the camera after a picture is taken. Night photos were awesome. The sensitivity - even in low light was something I could not have managed unless my 35 was on a tripod. This camera has image stabilization and apparently it works! Our next test was inside a cave. My son took most of the photos and again they were great. We used the flash and the low light settings and WOW was all we could say about the results. Sure, I could have gotten the same shots with my 35, but much slower and again the tripod would have been a must. The camera had passed every test to this point.

Nature photography was next. I like to photograph birds, deer, and whatever comes along during nature walks. Here, I found my first drawbacks. My old camera weighed several pounds with the long zoom lens and because of the lens length, the left elbow found a prop against my chest for steadying the camera. Not so with the digital. It is so light and small, I did have trouble holding it steady. I assume this is something I will grow accustomed to. The armadillo I surprised darted just as I snapped. I got him, but only partially - that lag cost me the shot. A grey heron was next. Some great shots until he started flying. I could have followed him with the 35, but with picture review on, this was a hopeless cause (being a male - I will read how to turn this auto review off later). Slightly frustrated, I tried unsuccessfully to catch up to a red tailed hawk. My fault - not the camera's. Remember, patience with nature gets the best shots.

Then came "the shot". Two monarch butterflies were flitting on some nearby flowers. I eased closer and started snapping. Still frustrated by the picture review, I was pleased nonetheless. Still butterflies are easy. What about flying butterflies? I was successful part of the time. The lag again did me in. But overall, the butterflies looked pretty good.

We began comparing these shots at home, zooming them in the camera. The missed armadillo shot was amazing. Sure, it was the head, shoulders, and one leg, but the clarity of his eyes and the vibrant colors were far better than I could have done with the old 35 under the same conditions. The butterfly pictures blew me away! I was shooting at 8.1 megapixel at full optical zoom. Using the 2x smart zoom, could that be what I think it is? WOW! Several of the butterfly pictures actually had the tongue of the butterfly, shown crystal clear, delving into the various petals! Amazing! Maybe with the 35, I would have gotten one. But not from the distance I was shooting and not this clearly. I am sold!

The bottom line is that with practice, reading the huge operators manual, and lots more shutter time this should become another great friend with which to share many outdoor adventures. Will this camera fill all my needs? Maybe. There are things I like and things I don't. I must become more familiar with the settings that reduce lag and focus time. Still, I see great adventures and amazing photos ahead. I think maybe I did wait too long, these digital cameras are great. Do your homework and compare before you buy. Most importantly, remember that optical zoom is always favored over digital.

David Price is an avid amateur bird watcher and outdoor photographer. Related birding information, festival schedules, pictures, products, and stories can be found at http:/http://www.fancyflyers.com under Bird Tales.

Pictures available at author's blog

The author also has two blog sites. For birding information and pictures: http://fancyflyers.blogspot.com/

For British car and other adventures: http://backroadramnblings.blogspot.com/

Canon EOS 20D
Digital SLR Cameras
Olympus 6.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
4.0 Megapixel Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
Olympus 7.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Nikon Digital SLR Cameras
Digital Camera Parts and Repair
Canon 7.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

digital camera - Exploring New Frontiers of Photography

2008-04-29T22:05:00.000-07:00

A camera is a device which is used to capture still or video images. A camera typically consists of a hollow cylinder that has an opening at its one end, called aperture and a photographic surface on the other end. The light enters the device through the aperture and the image of the object is captured on the photographic surface. The amount of light that is allowed to enter aperture is decided on the basis of brightness of the object whose image is to be taken. One can get many equivalent exposures of an image by varying the diameter of aperture and the shutter speed.

Light is captured on a photographic film in traditional cameras. digital camera use a charge coupled device (CCD) to capture images. One can also transfer the captured image on a computer that can be processed or edited later. These cameras can store thousands of images on their memory chips, and can also show an image on its screen immediately after it has been taken. One can always delete unwanted images from the device's memory that will allow him or her to take more photographs with the device. There are several variants of such cameras like video cameras, live-preview camera, range finders and single lens reflex cameras.

The first true digital camera was developed by Fuji Corp. in 1988. The device used a 16MB internal memory card to store the captured images. The development of compressed JPEG and MPEG digital formats allowed these devices to store a large number of images in small memory spaces. Minolta introduced a 2.7 mega pixel camera in 1999. The device got wide acceptance among professional photographers. The device featured five lenses with varying focal lengths and digital zoom. Canon released a 6 mega pixel camera in 2003 that was strategically priced under USD 1000.

Samsung's new high definition cameras feature a number of innovative applications. Digimax S800, Samsung NV3 and Samsung L700 are some of the cameras of the company that have got wide popularity among people. The Digimax S800 is a 8 mega pixel camera that has 3x optical zoom and 5x digital zoom. The device has a 2.4 inches TFT LCD display. The camera features a Quick Print Button that allows the user to take printed image of the last photograph taken with the help of just a single key. The device also features an Advance Quality Movie application that has a number of useful tools for image editing.

Olympus has launched a range of high end cameras in past one decade. Some of the most successful models of Olympus digital camera include Olympus C-55 Zoom, Olympus Stylus 800 and Olympus E-100RS. The Olympus Stylus 800 is 8 mega pixel camera that uses a rechargeable Li-ion LI-12B battery. Its battery has enough power to take up to 300 shots. The camera weighs 182 gm and measures 4.1 inches in length, 2.3 inches in breadth and 1.3 inches in thickness. The device can be operated in a number of modes like scene mode, play back mode and image blur reduction mode. It takes pictures in a range of pixel resolutions, with lowest being of 640 x 480 pixels and the highest being of 3264 x 2448 pixels.

Almost all leading camera manufacturers have released new models of pink digital camera in recent times. These devices have got wide acceptance among camera users, especially women. Some of the highly appreciated models of pink digital camera include Fuji Film Finepix Z10, Sony Cyber Shot and Kodak EasyShare. All these cameras can be used using AA standard batteries. Some photographers also use AA Nickel Metal Hydride (NiMH) batteries as they are rechargeable and provide power for longer durations. One can also use non rechargeable alkaline batteries that provide enough power for short times.

Alden Jerry is an expert writer who brings the relevant information on various themes. Visit to know more about Digital Camera on Digital Photography of consumer electronics store.

Sony 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Kodak 1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Sony 1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Olympus 7.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Nikon D100
1.0 Megapixel Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
Olympus 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
4.0 Megapixel Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
Canon PowerShot SD1000

Hungry For Information

2008-04-28T02:30:00.000-07:00

An instrument for the truth...

We don't often think of a camera as a weapon. However, as society moves forward, it's becoming more apparent that the camera, indeed, is becoming at least a protection device. Photographs and videos, used positively, have brought attention to ills of society, ranging from environmental destruction to political chicanery. The strong reality of still photos and video have served as evidence in court cases; ranging from the Los Angeles police beating of Rodney King a decade ago, to the more recent Madelyne Gorman Toogood beating of her 4-year old daughter in the parking lot of a northern Indiana department store.

It may be that the still photos and film footage the general public was exposed to in a distant land during the Vietnam War contributed to the halting of that war.

The PBS run of Ken Burn's Civil War series has honed our awareness of what happened on our own soil to boys that went off to war and never came back. Mathew Brady's records of tragically strewn bodies did not have television to increase their exposure. But the exposure they did get served as a powerful reminder to both sides that war wasn't the answer to the eras burning issues.

In modern times we have seen reality images not only inform but entertain us. More often than not, they validate us. The success of The Blair Witch Project, the Survival series, CSI, COPS, etc., remind us that as we become more aware of our environment, both urban and natural, we are in a better position to understand where we are and where we are going.

As an editorial photographer, you fit into a society that is hungry for information. Some of it is uplifting - some of it is not always good. There will always be factions in your city, town, or village that will attempt to prevent you from capturing scenes in the course of your experience and observations. It goes with the territory. It's your decision, as it was Mathew Brady's... to do the job.

Note: According to the Electronic Privacy Information Center in Washington DC < epic.org >, the courts have generally ruled that someone in a public place doesn't have the expectation of privacy.

Rohn Engh is director of PhotoSource International and publisher of PhotoStockNotes. Pine Lake Farm, 1910 35th Road, Osceola, WI 54020 USA. Telephone: 1 800 624 0266 Fax: 1 715 248 7394. Web site: http://www.photosource.com/products

Panasonic 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Minolta 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Toshiba 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Kodak 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon Digital Cameras
Nikon D50
Specialty Digital Cameras
Pentax 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Fuji 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

The Best Beginner digital camera Ever

2008-04-25T21:50:00.000-07:00

Are you thinking of buying your first digital camera, but can't make sense of all the technical lingo and sales hype? Don't worry, your not alone. Fortunately, it's really not that difficult once things are explained simply and concisely. You don't need to understand complex camera technology, or be a computer geek to enjoy the benefits of owning a digital camera. You don't even need a computer. Let's try to simplify the whole process, and make some affordable and reliable recommendations for a beginners first digital camera.

If you've spent any time at all looking at or reading about digital cameras, you probably heard the term megapixel. Often abbreviated as "MP". In layman's terms, megapixels is simply an indicator of the amount of details that can be fit into your picture. Generally speaking, the more details the better your picture will look. Especially if you decide to have your pictures blown up to larger print sizes.

A few years ago, the more megapixels you could get in a camera the better. These days, technology has advanced so much, that even the cheapest digital cameras have plenty of megapixels. Usually at least 5MP. Anything over that is a bonus for the average photographer. The camera manufacturers continue to hype this feature, simply that's what consumers have learned to look for over the years. For the most part, you can just ignore it.

If you really want a better feature to compare, take a look at image sensor size. The image sensor is for digital cameras, what film was for film cameras. The biggest difference being, you don't have to replace it all the time. Generally, the larger image sensor the better. You may have to read through some manuals or ask a salesperson to determine the size. If they don't know, tell you it's not important, or can't find it, then it's time to move on to the next salesperson.

That's enough tech speak. How 'bout I make a few recommendations. The Canon PowerShot A570IS is a great beginner digital camera. It's been on a lot of top 10 lists lately, and continues to sell extremely well. For less than $150, you get 7MP, image stabilization, face recognition focusing, and the solid Canon name brand. For about twice the money you can get a Canon PowerShot Pro Series S5. You'll get everything the A570 offers plus better image quality, and a 12X optical zoom (great when your stuck at the back of the wedding church). For those of you that consider portability (read small size) important, you can't go wrong with the Canon Canon Digital Elph. For a slight decrease in image quality, and an equally slight increase in price, you get a very portable and easy to use camera.

Finding the best beginner digital camera for you is not that tough. While you can read technical specifications, and talk to salespeople for hours at a time, there's no substitute for trying a camera out. Take a visit to your favorite camera store, and take a camera test drive. Take your time and don't let the sales staff rush you. Ask lots of questions, and take lots of pictures. Before you know it, you'll be taking pictures like a pro with your very own digital camera.

3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Nikon D50
Sony 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon Digital SLR Cameras
Fuji 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Sony 7.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Vivitar 1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Digital Cameras
HP 1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

digital cameras in the Cold

2008-04-24T19:22:00.000-07:00

A Li-Ion in Winter

Here are a few tips about outdoor photography in winter. Mostly, I'll describe how to get maximum life from your batteries in low temperatures. That means two things about the scope of this article:

This article won't get into other aspects of outdoor photography, at least not very much.
The information in this article applies to other battery-powered devices besides just cameras. (There's even a section about your car!)

As I set about researching this article, I discovered something interesting: Nothing! I can't find anything on the Web that supports the tips I'm about to give you, and I've never read about it in print sources. I can't believe I'm the only one who knows this, and it is certainly no breakthrough scientific discovery. And I can't believe I'm the only one who has ever attempted to use a digital camera in sub-zero temperatures, but maybe we are so small a market that nobody has bothered to publish this information. Frankly, I'd consider it unlikely that this has never been published before, but I can't find it.

So, here you go. You might have to consider this something of a "myth," but you can easily confirm it on your own.

Here's the thing. Electric batteries are a lot like old, cranky hikers. They get slower and crankier when it's cold.

It doesn't matter what kind of batteries you have, whether primary or rechargeable, carbon or alkaline, nickel-metal hydride or lithium-ion, lead-acid automotive batteries, or, I dare say, any battery that's ever been invented or likely to be invented any time soon. They all operate much better at temperatures closer to normal human body temperature than to the temperature of ice.

Okay, maybe there's some exotic battery that nobody outside the secret laboratory has ever heard of, but any battery you're likely to find on the consumer market likes warm temperatures. And maybe batteries of one type operate best at 84.37 degrees Fahrenheit while batteries of another type prefer 88.64 degrees, but the point remains that batteries work better near body temperature.

You can observe this very easily. If you keep your camera (or other battery-powered device) outside in very cold temperatures, you'll see that the batteries are depleted very quickly. Place the camera inside your jacket for a few minutes, and the batteries indicate a much higher charge.

Any battery produces electric power by chemical reactions, and any chemical reaction occurs more efficiently at higher temperatures, up to a limiting temperature where complex chemicals begin to break down. These limiting temperatures are way above your body temperature, so don't worry about it. Just don't drop your batteries into a fire and expect them to work better.

So what can you do about it? Two things, one simple and one with ramifications.

First, carry your extra batteries in an inner pocket. (You do dress in layers when you go outdoors in winter weather, don't you? Good!) The nearer to your skin, the better. I typically carry my extra batteries in my shirt pocket, with at least one sweater and one jacket outside of that. Don't carry your batteries in an outer pocket or a backpack. If that's your plan, save the weight and just don't bring any extra batteries. They wouldn't work anyway.

Second, keep your camera as warm as possible while you're not actually using it. This, as I alluded above, has ramifications. The problem is that if you keep your camera at your body temperature, condensation will form on the lenses when you take it out and start using it.

So, while your extra batteries benefit from being kept at body temperature, the camera itself has problems with that. Here are a couple of techniques that I use to reach a balance between these two requirements.

Keep your camera at an intermediate temperature and, if possible, keep the battery warmer than the lens. I keep my camera in an inside pocket of my outermost jacket, and I keep it lens-side-up. Typically, my outermost jacket is unzipped, so the top of that inner pocket is only marginally warmer than ambient temperature. The battery-end of my camera is buried deep inside a sort-of warm pocket, while the lens is just outside of the frigid White Mountain wilderness.
Change out the batteries throughout the day, cycling them between the camera and your inner pocket. When the battery in my camera indicates that it's "dead," I install the extra battery and put the "dead" one in my shirt pocket. Then, when that second battery is "dead," I switch back to the original battery, which is now warmed up and, magically, no longer "dead."

One final note: When you get back home, do not place a cold battery on its charger. Let the batteries warm up to room temperature for a few hours before charging them. The sudden change of temperature from freezing to charging, and the sudden flow of electrical current through a cold battery, will almost certainly cause permanent damage.

Film Cameras

While the tips in this article are specifically about digital cameras, much of this information also applies to film cameras. Almost any film camera manufactured in the last half-century has electronic exposure controls and an electrical actuator for the shutter. Many also have an electric film-advance motor. The batteries that operate these features will also benefit from being kept warm.

In addition, the film itself operates more efficiently at warmer temperatures. In extremely cold conditions, the photochemical reactions by which film records an image may not happen quickly enough, and your pictures will be underexposed. And you won't even know it until you develop them. The temperatures at which this becomes noticeable are truly extreme, typically well below zero Fahrenheit, but the phenomenon does exist.

So, your film camera will benefit from being kept warm just as a digital camera will.

But it also has the same drawback of condensation on the lens.

A trick I used to use in extreme cold was to keep the lenses in my camera bag at ambient temperature and the camera body in a jacket pocket. It slowed me down a bit, requiring me to mount a lens before taking a picture, but it was better than enduring the elements only to come home with a roll of underexposed pictures. Also, condensation could form on the viewfinder lens and mirror, but this condensation was not in the path between the objective lens and the film, so it did not affect the pictures.

Other Electronic Widgets

What other gadgets do you use outdoors in winter conditions? Regardless, if it has a battery, the battery will work better if you keep it warm.

And condensation might not be a problem! A little bit of condensation may form on the circuitry itself, but this is less of a problem than you might think. Most consumer electronic devices have a coating on their circuits to protect them from atmospheric moisture and oxygen, so they can handle a little bit of condensation. When you remove your gadget from that warm pocket and hold it in the icy air to use it for a minute or two, only a few tiny drops of condensation will form. Then, when you put it back in its toasty pocket, the condensation will mostly evaporate again.

GPS receiver? Keep it warm, but high enough that it can get a good signal from the satellites. Your body can obscure the satellite signal, especially when the forest canopy has already weakened the signal. You might try keeping the receiver on a shoulder-strap that will hold it on your back or shoulder, clear of your backpack, under your jacket.

Walkie-talkie? It should ride well in a pocket of your inner jacket that will keep it warm and ready to use.

Wireless phone? (Why are you bringing it into the wilderness?) I prefer to leave mine in my car when I'm hiking. Then I put it in a shirt pocket to warm up when I start to drive home. By the time I'm back in civilization and cell-phone coverage, it's ready to receive that message of worry from my wife. If you do carry it on a hike, keep it in an inner pocket. (And if you're worried about getting rat-cancer from the radio energy, keep it in a pocket that's at least an inch away from your skin but still close enough to stay reasonably warm.)

Starting your Car in the Cold

Here's a bonus tip about cold batteries. You may have heard this before and dismissed it as preposterous, but it's perfectly true.

It only works if your car battery is rather old and weak. If this trick helps you to get your car going on a cold morning, replace that battery as soon as you can.

But if you've been putting off buying a new battery and now you're running late for work and the car won't start, here's a way to save the day: Turn your headlights on before you start the car.

It sounds counterintuitive, but it actually works. What happens is that the electric current that flows through the battery actually warms the battery itself. Once warmed up, the battery produces current more efficiently than when it's cold.

You have to apply this trick very carefully. The idea is to use some of the battery's energy to warm the battery, but not to deplete the stored charge in the process. When you crank the starter that one last time, you want the battery to be warm and to have enough charge to start the cold engine.

So, if the first attempt results in a slow cranking, give it up quickly. Turn the headlights on for a while - a minute or so should do it - then turn the lights off and try the starter again.

Notice that I said "headlights." The parking lights don't draw enough current to warm the battery up significantly on a very cold day.

So, you may ask, why doesn't the starter draw enough current to warm up the battery? In fact, it does, but at the same time, it is drawing so much charge from the battery that it can deplete the charge before the battery becomes efficient enough to start the engine.

Use the headlights.

If you try this for two or three cycles and the engine still doesn't start, give it up and break out the jumper cables. (You do have jumper cables handy, don't you?)

If you've had to use this trick even once, get a new battery. Today!

Examples

You can see samples of my digital photographs taken in frigid conditions, often well below zero Fahrenheit, at http://www.HikingWithChuck.com/DownloadsPicsWinter.htm. I wonder how many of these pictures I might have missed if I had let my batteries go dead!

Chuck Bonner
http://www.HikingWithChuck.com

Sony 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Nikon 7.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Nikon 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
HP Digital Cameras
7.0 Megapixel Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Kodak 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Olympus 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

Why Buy A Nikon D80 Digital SLR Camera?

2008-04-23T16:55:00.000-07:00

Could the Nikon D80 be the holy grail of the entry level digital SLR universe? What I mean by that, is the D80 a product that could finally bridge the gap from point and shoot cameras to the pro SLR level without breaking the bank, and needing a degree in rocket science to take great pictures. From my past experience, I'd have to say that's not very likely.

Let's take a look at auto focus first. Having 11 auto focus points is a good thing, but not necessarily perfect. While it's true, that most camera auto focus schemes will fail under both low light conditions, and images with very little contrast, not all fail as badly. The Nikon D80 seems to struggle with it's focusing approach more significantly than other cameras. If your a manual focuser by habit, then no big deal. Otherwise, one strike against the D80.

Suggesting that a $800 digital SLR camera produces soft images, is a somewhat relative statement, and should be taken in context. If your spending that kind of money on a digital camera, I would have fairly high expectations in terms of image quality. Sure, thanks to imaging software advances I can sharpen an image on my computer. But, not without introducing some distortion, and not to mention extra time effort on my part.

File this next nit pick under blatant cash grab. Nikon charges an additional $99 to buy the Capture NX software. A nice package to have, especially for fans of the wide angle lens. While there is other software out there that provides the same functionality, Nikon could have spoiled their new customers a little by bundling this one with the D80 SLR.

Minor details to some, but to others possible deal breakers. It's really for you to decide. How you take pictures and where you want to take your art are the deciding factors. Here's a few more morsels to gnaw on:

- ISO can only be changed thru the menu (too slow)

- dust removing system conspicuously absent (available in other cheaper SLRs)

- D80 seals are not exactly industrial strength quality

- new owners must be wary of dead pixel issues

- use of SD memory cards negates consumers existing CF card collection

- small grip for big hands

Well, perhaps not the worst review for a camera, but at the $800 price point, consumers have a right to expect more from Nikon. Especially when other manufacturers offer more feature rich cameras at comparable or lower prices. Be sure to have a good look around. The the Nikon D80 SLR is in a competitive market, with lots of choices for the consumer.

1.0 Megapixel Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
Olympus 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Sony Mavica
Sony Digital Cameras
Pentax 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Panasonic Digital Cameras
Nikon Digital Cameras
HP 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

Get More From Technology By Learning The Fundamentals Behind A Mini DVD Camcorder

2008-04-22T14:27:00.000-07:00

Educating yourself in regards to mini DVD camcorder is significant, particularly if your intentions are to invest in one sometime within the near future. They are very useful electronic devices and can be very valuable to your assortment of recording devices, however they require taking some time to become familiarized when it comes to overall usability as well as operation.

Due to technological advances they are extremely capable, however becoming proficient with their operations may take some time, particularly if the owner is not familiarize with DVD technology in general or any of the other recording operations of a mini DVD camcorder.

When you first get a look at the mini DVD camcorder it does not appear to be that much different from a typical camcorder. It has attributes with numerous similar bells and whistles and also has quite a bit of the same basic principles. In essence, you will find that it is pretty much similar to a typical camcorder in terms of its operation.

The notable differences occur in the other parts of a mini DVD camcorder and in various aspects of the recording activities. There might be some differences from a traditional camcorder, at least to some degree due to the fact that the total outcome of playability technology as well as in the fundamentals of the interface itself. It is possible that you may wind up with results other than what you anticipated.

Characteristics of a Mini DVD Camcorder

Most people will find that the mini DVD camcorder is pretty simple due to the fact that it has a fundamental interface that it has guides the end-user through every one of the features of camera use. The buttons themselves are easy to read as well as concise, they are illuminated and bright on the screen in clear text for all owners in every major language.

In addition, the camcorder is very light as well as compact, giving the ability for excellent transportability and very flexible for use in various camcorder type situations. A larger bulkier camera might not be capable of achieving similar results as the mini version, hence making convenience of use one of the higher more appealing selling characteristics when it comes to this type of purchase.

The storage medium for information of the mini DVD camcorder is that of mini-DVD discs. Each individual mini-DVD disc has the capability to store roughly 1.4GB of data, which makes it more than capable of capturing your trips or family vacations onto your camcorder.

In order to view your captured video from the mini-DVD disc, the majority of the time, you will need to transfer over to a standard DVD so it can be played back in your DVD player. For some people this can be somewhat of an inconvenience while other people find the job pretty easy to become proficient at and basically do it with ease. For these people the mini DVD camcorder as a very useful addition to their homes.

Listen to Korbin Newlyn as he shares his insights as an expert author and an avid writer in the field of electronics. If you would like to learn more go to Camcorder Comparison advice and at HDD Camcorders tips.

3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Fuji 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
8.0 Megapixel Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
Nikon 7.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
HP 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Casio 8.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon EOS Rebel XTi
HP Digital Cameras
Canon 7.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

How To Take Stock Photo Images That Sell

2008-04-21T11:55:00.000-07:00

Taking stock photo images that sell is not difficult at all. In my opinion, it is actually a lot easier than when I took photos that were artistic and had very complex meanings and messages woven within them. Stock photos that sell have usual characteristics within them. If you try to follow these characteristics your photos will most likely sell much better.

One of the main necessities for stock photos that sell is the quality of the picture. You must ensure that the photo is the highest quality you can get it at. Do not settle for less than your best. What I mean by this is that you need to make sure your photo is as perfect as you can get it and has flawless as possible. If your stock photo has errors it will not get accepted.

The technical aspects of stock photos are very difficult for the beginner. You must be sure your photograph is focused right and is as sharp as possible. An out of focus stock photo will not sell and you should not waste any time or money trying to fix it.

Lighting plays a major role in how great your stock photo looks. Be sure not to go cheap when lighting your photos. Take extreme care to ensure that the transition from light to dark areas of light on your photo are right.

Another very important part of stock photos is the noise. When you use larger ISO settings you will get more noise. It is NOT acceptable to submit your photos if they have a substantial amount of noise within them. Use photo editing software and get rid of that noise if possible.

Stock photos that sell are usually more simple than you think. One of the most selling photos on a popular stock photo agency is a picture of two hands shaking. The angle is a side shot showing both hands and the background is white. I can guess that if you've been taking photos for a couple weeks you could take a photograph just like this.

When taking stock pictures be sure that you are photographing a subject that is desired by people that buy stock photos. However, make sure that it is not too competitive unless you are able to compete and know how to do so. The best selling stock photos may be simple but they are precisely executed and nearly flawless.

Al Sanez has a website that teaches how to sell pictures online. Sign up for a free video e-course and learn how to sell your photos online at http://www.photoprofitz.com/ecoursecopy.html

Canon 1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Olympus 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Sony 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Sony 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Nikon D80
Canon 1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Sony 4.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Minolta 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

Why Buy A Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder Review?

2008-04-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

There is definitely a cool factor that goes along with the Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder. It's been all over the media, and even Oprah uses one live on her show. Is being cool good enough though? How does the Flip Video perform, when put through it's paces. What I wonder about, is how good can a camcorder really be that only costs $100 to $150? There has to be a catch right?

Before you run out and buy a Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, you might want to consider a few things. The video quality is not that great. We're basically talking about the same grainy video quality you'd find on YouTube or the thousands of other 2 minute video clip sites. Panning and zooming should be kept to a minimum with the Flip Video, as the camera struggles to maintain image clarity during these movements.

Ease of use is definitely a strong point with the Flip Video. There's basically one big red button for recording, and a couple more for reviewing and deleting. The Pure Digital promo video in all it's cutesy cartoon like style describes shooting videos as simple as making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. For most people it will be that easy. Simply record (big red button), upload (flip out USB), edit (software included), and share (included software emails friends and uploads to blogs or social network sites).

Of course, anytime you need a computer to do something, it's never that easy. I've never had the dreaded "blue screen of death" stop me from making a PB & J sandwich. There have been numerous reports of software problems, and really slow video uploads using the Flip Video with both PC's and Apples Macs. You have to give the manufacturers (Pure Digital) credit though, as they've been updating their software and firmware as quickly as humanly possible. As long as you keep up with the latest updates you should be fine. Just remember to keep your peanut butter clear of your USB ports ;)

The other best feature about this camcorder, is that it's fun. Sure, it'll never replace your dedicated HD camcorder for shooting high quality video, but it makes up for that in other areas. You can take the Flip Video with you anywhere. It easily fits into your pants pocket, a purse or backpack. For those spontaneous and unscripted events it's great to just whip it out and catch some really candid clips. YouTube and FaceBook fans will love it for just that reason.

I suppose, you do get what you pay for with this product. While there may be better camcorders to consider, they're going to cost you $300 to $400 more. In the hands of a YouTube loving devotee, a Flip Video would be a fun toy. If Pure Digital finds a way to improve video quality and keep the price down for the next model, they're gonna sell millions.

2-3-5 Digital Cameras
Pentax 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Nikon 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
7.0 Megapixel Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
Canon Digital Cameras
4.0 Megapixel Point and Shoot Digital Cameras
Olympus Digital Cameras
Specialty Digital Cameras
Olympus 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

How To Sell Pictures For Profit

2008-04-19T06:48:00.000-07:00

I Just cashed a check for $347.61 today. How did I do it? Read on and I'll explain...

When I first began photography, I was bound and determined to make it my living. It was my passion. I started off doing "work for hire" and portrait sessions, but soon yearned to get a little more out of my talent. I needed to figure out how to sell pictures in another way.

I was backed up with workload, which sounds great, but I had little time and wasn't making enough money. I set out to accomplish a new goal: To spend less time, making more money, in photography.

The task was daunting, and being new(er) to the industry of photography, I was unsure of how to accomplish such a task. I started looking into micro stock sites but after some reading realized that I would need far too many images to make even close to decent money.

That is not to say that stock photography isn't profitable. I signed up with another type of stock photography site that allowed me to charge what I deemed fair for my images. This meant that instead of making a measly $0.80 per photo, I could make as much as $5000.00 per photo!

Granted, the sales were less frequent, but that also meant less management. Exactly what I was looking for!

I still needed to figure out how to sell pictures in other ways though. Stock photography wouldn't be enough. So, I developed a business model based on the same theories as stock photography. Shoot an image once and sell prints for years to come. To learn more about how I make money with photography please visit:

The Money Cam Blog at http://www.themoneycam.blogspot.com today!

Polaroid Digital Cameras
Digital Cameras
Fuji 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Panasonic 2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Sony Mavica
Canon 7.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Digital Cameras
Fuji Digital Cameras
Kodak 4.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

Shooting Action Shots With Little Light

2008-04-18T04:29:00.000-07:00

Have you ever tried taking action shots without having lots of light available. If you have then you probably know how it feels to have a lot of photos come out bad and getting very frustrated. I remember when I didn't know how to do this right I was always looking for the answer yet could never find it. But taking action photos in low light is not that hard and I will show you how to do it right.

First off, in order to take photos of motion without a lot of light you will need a somewhat quality camera. It needs to let you have control over some settings. If it is a fully automatic camera you will have a very difficult time to get it right and may never at all. Most likely you probably have either a point and shoot or an SLR. If you've got an SLR then you will have much more control over your images.

You're probably wondering why so many action shots end up to be blurry. The reason is mostly because of the automatic mood or the shutter speed that you set. Because there isn't lots of light the automatic mode will adjust the shutter speed to expose the image longer. Because of this the camera is moved during this exposure resulting in blur. Low levels of light require more time to be exposed and blur can be a big problem.

The first thing you are going to want to do to remedy this problem is make the shutter speed settings faster. One of the drawbacks to doing this is that your picture can have some more noise. However, this is better than having blur and not seeing the picture at all.

When taking action shots it most likely will be very difficult if not impossible to provide more light to the scene. Your flash will usually be useless since the action taking place will be too far for the light to hit.

When speeding up the exposure time try increasing it in a few settings and then increasing it some more. Do this until you reach the desired exposure you want to have.

Al Sanez has a great program that teaches you how to take better photos. He also teaches people how to sell pictures online.

HP 4.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Fuji Digital SLR Cameras
Nikon Digital Cameras
Minolta 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Sony 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Nikon D50
2-3-5 Digital Cameras
Fuji 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
8.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

Web Video...Your New Promotion Arm

2008-04-17T02:08:00.000-07:00

Web video is here to stay and broadband is the vehicle that is fueling the boom. Just about every size and shape of digital camera that is sold today includes capability to take motion pictures. Depending on the magnitude of the camera, you can record both audio and video, ranging from a four-minute segment to up to fifteen to twenty minutes (and more!).

And what can you do with these segments?

Advertise your workon your own website, on a portal, on YouTube, Skidoo, My Space, and the many more spin-offs that are sure to come along.

THE PARADE EFFECT

And not only can you offer a slide-show of selected archived images, but you can include a section on your website such as Images from my recent trip to Oaxaca, Mexico.

Another feature: Self-promotion. Include a video of yourself, your surroundings; your opinions that you believe are relative to the stock photo industry and to your photobuyers.

And why is this important? Everyone loves a parade. We enjoy watching snippets of a parade. They last only a few minutes, and then another section of the parade comes along. It goes along with human nature to be engrossed for a few minutes in people-watching.

If that person is you on a web video, youve discovered a new form of public relations with your client list. Put the two together and you have helped cement a photobuyer-photographer relationship. To give you an example of how this works, you can see a clip of how I placed a short (2 minute) clip on YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqZceQi3iSU

Web video's rapid growth will continue. In our industry, video will be the most important form of media on the Internet.

MOVING FAST

You probably remember previous attempts of web video technology. They were filled with static, flickers, and glitches. On regular phone lines, they were impossible to view. Now the technology is much better. Theres still some room for improvement, but for you, the time has come to start doing your homework and get ahead of the curve.

Thanks to earlier TV innovations such as Americas Funniest Videos, and Candid Camera no one expects Hollywood style lighting and precision with your web videos. If the message is clear, perfection can take a back seat.

Since Internet-savvy photographers and photobuyers populate the stock photography marketplace, there has been an increasingly rapid adoption of broadband with us.

In the general population, over 65 million consumers signed up for broadband service in 2006, according to the technology research firm, In-Stat. They report that worldwide broadband subscriptions now number 285 million. That number is expected to double in the next four years.

This is not to say that text descriptions or articles (like the one youre reading now) will disappear. But Web video will give an added new dimension to your stock photography business.

To learn more, check out web video on your favorite search engine and see how you can adapt this new idea to your marketing efforts.

Rohn Engh, veteran stock photographer and best-selling author of Sell & ReSell Your Photos and sellphotos.com, has helped scores of photographers launch their careers. For access to great information on making money from pictures you like to take, and to receive this free report: 8 Steps to Becoming a Published Photographer, visit http://www.sellphotos.com

Olympus 3.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon EOS Rebel XT
HP 4.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Fuji 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Nikon D100
HP 5.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Canon Digital Cameras
Nikon 7.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Olympus 1.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras

Color Schemes in Stock Photos

2008-04-15T23:50:00.000-07:00

When taking stock photos you must be very careful with everything on the screen. The props need to have a purpose. The models clothing must have a purpose. And yes, the color must be there for a certain reason.

Color in photos can greatly make different moods and emotions among the viewers. Changing the overall color hue of a picture can turn it from dull and boring to fun and a great advertising photograph. Of course, not all pictures are meant to be fun and bright. Using a color scheme that is right for your stock photo will make it a great picture.

If you have seen pictures or even know a little bit about color then you know the usual stereotypes of color. Red is usually stereotyped as a color of love, anger, fire, danger, stop, and many other things. It is really how some certain colors can tell a story all in themselves. If you are taking a picture of a couple, for example, rather than have the color hue of the picture is perfectly white balanced try adding some red to the setting. This can make the picture of the couple show more romance or love.

Every main color has its moods which it is famous for. Blue can be thought of when thinking of coldness, water, etc. Black can be referred to when thinking of something elegant, classy, powerful, scary, and evil.

Having a stock photo that has even color tones and is white balanced correctly is a very safe way to take pictures. This sort of use of color is generic and you don't have to worry about your picture coming out wrong or giving the wrong effect you wanted to go for. Using colors to add more meaning to your pictures can be considered a more advanced technique. Do not, however, use the fact that it is more advanced keep you from experimenting with colors.

A good way to use color schemes in stock photography is to try to go over the top when experimenting. If you're taking a picture a couple, as mentioned above, use the hottest reds and go over the top. Once you reach this over the top level it will be very easy for you to lower this extreme color usage to a more believable level.

Be extremely careful when using powerful colors in your photos. A bright red tie on a model that is a brown object that is meant to be the object of interest will not work. The bright red tie will take away the attention from the object of interest. The viewer will be drawn to the red tie and that will seem to be the object of interest.

Make sure when you set up your photograph that bright and powerful colors are only on objects of extreme importance. If the object is not important simply get rid of it or desaturated it in a photo editing software. The powerful and bright colors can also be used to draw attention. A black and white photograph with a bright red rose will draw the viewers eyes to the rose. This can be used in a more subtle way where the entire scene is in color but slightly less saturated as the red rose.

Al Sanez has a great program that teaches how to sell pictures online easily.

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Casio 4.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
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Nikon D70s
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Kodak EasyShare C613
Nikon D50

Your Photos Should Have a Theme

2008-04-14T21:28:00.000-07:00

Stick To Your Theme

"I think I'll choose a Pepsi," the lady says in front of the vending machine.

Out comes the soft drink can of her choice.

She makes a choice based on preference (or need) and makes payment for it. Vertical marketing works much in the same way. If you were to open the interior of the machine, you would find that the soft drink cans are all lined up in a vertical row. All soft drinks of one selection are slotted into one vertical column, ready for dispensing.

There's no crossover. The cans must be lined up in the same dispensing vertical row, or they will deliver a wrong selection to the customer.

If you were the serviceman and haphazardly placed the cans in the machine in random positions, the results would be chaotic and unsatisfactory to customers.

NO CENTRAL THEME

Most beginning stock photographers make the mistake of building a stock file in random fashion, with no focussed marketing themes. Their picture-taking choices are "all across the board."

Because any one photobuyer's publication appeals to a vertical market (gardeners, pilots, medical technicians, teachers, etc.) photobuyers turn to vendors who can supply them pictures within those specialty areas. They can't afford to waste time on a vendor who does not offer an extensive selection of the product in the vertical market they need.

NO TEARS MARKETING

If the customer at the vending machine is served up a soft drink that doesn't fit their choice, they become irritated and pound on the machine and demand a return of their money. "This is not what I wanted!"

The soft drink they received may be of excellent taste and quality, but it doesn't match their needs. This realization may help to assuage your disappointment when a photobuyer rejects your submission of excellent pictures. The pictures may be of high quality, but you are vending them to the wrong buyer.

Stay within the vertical markets that you enjoy photographing in, and match with markets who need photos in those subject areas. At this moment, buyers are searching for you. Don't waste film or time on picture-taking that doesn't fit into your vertical market areas.

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The Smart Person's Guide To digital camera Buying

2008-04-13T17:36:00.000-07:00

Everyone thinks they know what's best when it comes to big purchases. But, if that were true we wouldn't need salespeople, and buying guides. The sheer width and breadth of the internet would shrivel fast. We all need a little help sometime. When buying a digital camera, you want to buy for the right reasons, and have a sound understanding of what those reasons are. Buying the latest and greatest is generally not one of them. The camera is only a tool, and it's the artist using the tool that has the most influence over the final work.

Any guide to digital camera buying would be incomplete if it didn't cover a few technical terms and concepts. Concepts not just important to the actual purchase, but also comprehensive of how you the photographer will use the camera going forward.

Unless you have money to burn, impulse buying can be fraught with future disappointment. digital cameras are complex instruments by nature, and require some level of understanding. You need to do at least some homework. Especially if this is your first camera.

Be discriminating in where you do your camera research, and where you finally purchase your camera from. While the big box electronics store may have the best prices, your far more likely to get intelligent answers and advice from specialty camera store staff. Online purchasing has a little bit of both, but you need to be careful here. Look for generous return policies, and don't forget to factor in shipping charges for purchases and potential returns.

One thing you'll notice when shopping these days, is that the line between professional level SLR (single lens reflex) cameras, and amateur point and shoot cameras is vanishing. For around $500 - $600 you can get a pretty impressive digital SLR. The Canon Rebel XT and Nikon D40 lines have models in this class.

What's most important here, is to understand what your getting into with SLR. It does allow for more control over your photography, but also assumes you have more understanding of what makes a good picture. Controlling aperture, f-stop, color balance, focal length and metering are good things to know here. You can of course use the default auto settings forever, but that kind of defeats the purpose of having an SLR.

Point and shoot cameras are still by far the more popular choice by the masses. They're simple, inexpensive, and quite often take great pictures. Like I said earlier, it's the person behind the lens that really decides how good the final picture is.

In the end, what really matters is good pictures. And the means to that end, is knowing what you want and where to get it. If you want to take the best pictures you can, then educate yourself before and after your purchase. Before will get you the best tool possible, and afterward to help you make better use of the camera in your hands.

2.0 Megapixel Digital Cameras
Spy Digital Cameras
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5 Tips for Buying Your Child a digital camera

2008-04-12T15:16:00.000-07:00

Kids love to take pictures and play photographer. Elementary age children can take a camera with them to capture memories from field trips, summers off, family vacations and much more. The pictures they take, though some misguided and not so focused can create tangible memories that you can share for years to come. Unfortunately, that expensive digital camera you tote around isn't exactly the ideal toy for them to play with. Gone are the days when a simple disposable camera was your solution. Kids want cutting edge and that includes the latest in digital photography. Here are some great tips to help you purchase a digital camera for your blossoming photographer.

Keep it Simple: Once upon a time cameras were simple. There were a few buttons, namely those used to set the flash, zoom in, zoom out, or simply take the picture. Now, even "grown ups" have trouble finding out exactly what each button does. Some cameras make it seem impossible to just take a picture. Look for cameras that keep photography simple. Your child won't need seven different ways to take pictures and they could care less if it has a sepia option. Look for something that zooms and flashes and you'll be good to go. Steer clear of to many extras that can confuse and frustrate.

Durability is Important: A digital camera in the hands of a playful and energetic child can suffer trauma in the matter of seconds. The camera can be dropped, left out in the rain, ran over by a bicycle, or encounter a plethora of other misfortunes. When it comes to buying your school aged photography buff a camera durability is a must.

Don't be Mega Pixel Happy: Mega pixels account for the clarity of the picture. Cameras with extremely low mega pixel numbers generally take lower quality pictures than higher quality cameras. However, this doesn't mean you need to buy a camera with highest number available. Cameras with 2 mega pixels will take pictures that look decent in emails and on screen but won't necessarily look great printed out. If your looking for an average camera that will produce printable pictures consider getting one with 3 mega pixels. Anything more is not 1necessary for your little one's photography hobby.

Keep Costs Low: Unless you've envisioned your child as a photography prodigy, keep your costs low. Since you don't need a lot of the fancy features there is no need to invest in a top of the line camera. Your child is also more likely to lose, damage, or get sick of the camera you buy them so it's better if you save the higher priced cameras for presents a few years down the road. Consider the first camera you buy them as a test run. If they take care of it and use it regularly then you can upgrade in a year or so.

Accessories are Important: Think you've got it all once you have the camera in hand? Think again. One of the best ways to make the most out of your purchase is to buy a few accessories. Camera cases, memory stick/cards, screen protectors, cleaners, and scratch removers will definitely come in handy. Accessories like the ones mentioned can add to the life of the camera by offering protection and more space.

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Why Buy A Canon PowerShot A650IS digital camera

2008-04-11T12:59:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wondered after a purchase, it you really got the best deal you could have for a product or service you received? I think we all do at some point, but the important question is, will you feel that way if you buy a Canon PowerShot A650IS digital camera. You probably won't, as long as you know what your getting, and more importantly what your not receiving with this digital camera.

Why Canon hasn't found an affordable way to make camera LCD monitors readable in the outdoors is a mystery. The technology is available, as I've seen it on many marine electronic products. I suppose that Canon assumes that the majority of pictures taken with the A650IS will be done inside. The least they could start doing, would be to add a brightness dial, so users could crank up the screen when outdoors.

There is of course the option to use the viewfinder to frame your shots. You need to be aware though, that with this and many PowerShots, the viewfinder is not totally accurate. You'll find that your pictures are about 20-25% bigger than what you see through the A650IS viewfinder. Something to be aware of when your snapping the shutter.

Another thing not to get too excited about with the PowerShot A650, is the wide range of ISO formats available. While it's true, that you can shoot up to 3200 ISO, in reality, any images at 400 ISO or above are going to be excessively noisy. Depending on the image subject, and what your going to do with the images you may be able to push your luck a little here.

While these aren't totally damning issues with the Canon PowerShot A650IS, they don't help make a strong case for one either. Before you pass a final verdict, here are a few more points to ponder as well:

- LCD not practical when shooting rapid continuous shots

- zoom lens (6X) extrapolates some softness in corners

- visible barrel distortion during wide mode

- color fringing on some images after enlargement

- battery cover is cumbersome (should be separated from memory compartment)

- should have neck strap connectors for this weight of camera

So, as usual with most cameras, it really comes down to a personal choice. Some owners swear the A650IS is the most beautiful camera they've every owned. Others couldn't wait to sell theirs on eBay. Fortunately for you, you know now exactly what the A650IS is capable of, and what is just out of it's grasp.

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Terms Used The In The Stock Photography Business

2008-04-10T11:42:00.000-07:00

So you are a small business person or web designer and you want to purchase some stock photography for your website. Great. Photography is a wonderful way to improve the emotional impact of your site. But there are a few terms unique to the stock photography business that you should know.

Royalty Free - youll see this term often. What it means is that you pay a one time fee for an image and you can use it for as many times as you want for as long as you wish. It is a great way to get inexpensive photos. Now if you are concerned that your competitor would or could use the same image as you, photographers and agencies can continue to sell the image after you purchase it, then you need:

Rights Managed - this one is next term youll see. This means that you pay a fee for the image based on how, where, how long, and how many people will see the image. This one will cost you a lot more in most cases. This is worth it if you do not want your competitor using the same image for the same purpose. Usually the stock agency or photographer also agree not to sell the image to others in your field for the time that you are using the image. So you can see why this option protects your use of the image but youll also pay much more for this protection. Remember too that, at some point, you decided to discontinue using/paying for the image the agency or photographer can then sell the image to someone else, even someone in your field.

Flat Rate - this term isnt quite at common but it is similar to royalty free. Usually this means that you pay a one time fee for an image, but it can only be used for one purpose by one person. Pricing will be higher than royalty free but less than rights managed.

Copyright - even with royalty free you are still only purchasing the right to use an image not the image itself. All images are property of the agency or photographer who owns them. How do you know who owns them, there is usually a symbol with date and name of the person or agency who owns the image. No matter what you paid for the image you are NOT the owner of the image. This means you cannot remove the copyright information, alter the photo, use it as part of a logo that you own a copyright, or resale the image as your own.

These terms will get you started but remember there can be differences in these definitions from agency to agency and photographer to photographer. Every agency and photographer selling stock images should have a legal or license page to explain these terms and any others that they use, if they dont you may want to move onto another site. Be aware, read all the information, and know what you are buying.

About The Author

Kelly Paal is a Freelance Nature and Landscape Photographer, exhibiting nationally and internationally. Recently she started her own business Kelly Paal Photography (http://www.kellypaalphotography.com). She has an educational background in photography, business, and commercial art. She enjoys applying graphic design and photography principles to her web design.

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Only 10% Of All Photographers Know This

2008-04-09T18:29:00.000-07:00

Here is a searching question for you...

Have you ever wondered why professional news photographers get their images so quickly and accurately? Have ever considered there must be a way to sharpen up your observation and shooting skills. There is a way and here it is.

Professional image makers instinctively know precisely what their lenses see! Now inwardly digest every word written here because it has huge bearing on the way you approach your image construction, professional attainment and image acceptance.

Here it is again... professional photographers know precisely what their lenses see. And they see it all in their mind's eye first. When an action photographer brings his or her camera to the eye, the lens focal length is already instinctively set; image all but shot and shutter released instantly. It's pretty to watch a professional in action... so fast it's a blur. I want you to think seriously about what this statement means for the future of your shooting skill.

1. It means the complete mastery of precise observation.
2. It means a new dynamic in image awareness.
3. It means a shoot discipline that produces instant results.
4. It means economy of effort.
5. It means a closer more intimate relationship with your equipment.
6. It means the difference between capturing a classic image or abject failure.

Now the thinking ones are going to say does this knowledge apply to all lenses? Of course it does; wide angle, mid angle, of the long or telephoto end of the lens. The only difference is your the zoom lens speeds up the process.

Alright, how do you learn to visually appreciate and utilize the varying focal lengths of your fixed focus or zoom lenses? For the moment I want you to become a walking breathing zoom lens. Take your camera out and begin by carefully selecting a scene you can progressively record in a series of physical steps, beginning at the widest (wide angle) end of your lens . That could be 28 -35mm focal length.

You have selected your subject and allowed plenty of space all around the inside of the view finder in the wide angle setting. This space will decrease as you move forward in a straight line towards your selected subject. Begin your straight line walk keeping the camera view finder at your eye. Walk 5 meters and take a shot, continue another five and reshoot, another and another until you have reached your subject which will eventually go out of focus. That's the shooting bit completed.

Now produce a series of images showing the series of steps you recorded as you moved closer and closer towards the subject. Clearly mark each image, step one to step? Arrange the images in sequence. You now have a visual format and template on which you can formulate the precise performance and focal lengths of your zoom lens. You have a visual marker to use as ready reference.

Now here is the clever bit. Instead of just looking through your zoom lens and tromboning haplessly until you get the frame size you want, you eliminate this time consuming habit and instantly and instinctively select the exact focal length you want to achieve automatically. The image size is preselected before the viewfinder hits the eye line. In very short order you will take a look a possible scene, and mentally assess and predict the zoom size you want without the camera anywhere in sight. Now is that an advantage or what? This is one technique most professionals keep to themselves

Can you imagine if you master this technique what advantage you have over the all the trombone quartets? As a matter of interest I have five set positions I instinctively relate to my zoom lenses; each end, (wide angle and telephoto), plus three preselected focal positions in the middle of the zoom as I visualize a scene in my mind's eye. That brings me into the focal length range I want first and then the final preselect adjustment is added all in one movement. This all happens as the camera is coming to the eye. It is important to remember this whole technique is all about advanced observation skills and preselected viewfinder sizes.

Understanding the unique vision of your lenses is fundamental to action and combat photography. In combat, can you imagine some 'nasty' taking pot shots at you while you a fiddling around with your zoom lens? I have no desire to die of lead poisoning if I can avoid it. Get it and get out...quick!

But more importantly, it's the personal shooting discipline that matters here, provided you have motivation to practice and put the technique into action. If you do master it you are going to walk down the road observing scenes thinking, 18mm, 28mm, 50mm, 100mm, 135mm, 200mm, 300mm and so on. Or you might say position one, two, three and so on as you visually change the zoom lens setting in your mind's eye.

Get this right and you will never you be in quandary asking yourself what focal length of my lens will I use for this shot? Before you can say 'Jack Robinson,' your intuitive awareness will give you the answer even before you ask the question. Something else I stated earlier... you will come to appreciate your lens, and its functions so much better using this technique. I should add those who have single fixed focal length lenses use the exactly same technique. It's a bit more time consuming as you change each lens that's all. You have the answer at your fingertips

Roger Jeakings
Author: The Camera on the Frontline

Learn from a Frontline Cameraman
Visit: http://wiseowlvision.com

Meet frontline cameraman, Roger Jeakings. He began his news career as a military photojournalist in Southeast Asia. An experienced infantry instructor, with rifle and light machine gun marksman credits to his name, Roger had little difficulty exchanging a rifle for a 35mm camera. His first combat news assignment covered the Commonwealth's counter insurgency operations against Communist guerrilla actions in Malaya and Borneo

Since then he has kept in close contact with his news media colleagues covering the conflict Iraq and Afghanistan. They have generously contributed some of their images and thoughts to his newly released e-Book, "The Camera on the Frontline."

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Pentax Digital Cameras
Canon EOS Rebel
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Nikon D70s
5.0 Megapixel Point and Shoot Digital Cameras