Tales
from the Twin-Lens: Editorial
Over
Exposed: Exposure Tips
Article:
Photographing Lightning
Hot
Tips & Topics: Crawler Spam; eBay Tip
Special:
Photographing Fireworks
Article:
Depth-of-Field
Terminology:
Refraction and Reflection
Dark
Corner of the Warehouse: Collector’s Corner
Beware
the Tickle Monster: Humor
Learning
from our Mistakes: Painful Humor
Website
in Focus: DPReview
Point
and Take It!: Point and Shoot Tips
No
Money Down: Focus on Freeware
No
Money Down: Acoo Browser in Review
Software
in Review: Photo Editor Plus; Photo Wizard
Newsletter
Edited by Robert Meeks
It’s
premiere time at the message board as we present the brand new monthly
newsletter for the board members. Many man-hours of creativity and burning the
candle at both ends have been put into developing a unique and creative name
for the newsletter. The result is that we have learned not to dwell upon our
failures. So break out the tuxedos and gowns as we prepare to walk down the red
carpet to a star studded celebration of unprecedented proportions, of…uhh…too
much?
In this month’s issue, we will set the tone for issues to
follow. The objective is not to present a newsletter which is nothing but an
organ for the message board, rather to present a fun to read and informative
mini-magazine. This fits perfectly inline with the foundation of a fun and friendly
place to exchange ideas which the board has become at the crafting of the very
members of the board itself.
In each monthly issue we will strive to present an
informative article on photography, reflections on equipment from the past,
anecdotes and humor shared among photographers, reviews of products in Porter’s
catalog, useful tips and sites to visit, and some general fun to be had. So sit
back and enjoy the newsletter, and if you feel you have something to
contribute, please let us know and we may put it in a future issue.
*Please note that this
editorial refers to the premiere issue of the newsletter. I just left it intact
for archive purposes.
Televisions and Monitors
It used to be that television sets and computer monitors were equitable in terms of their operation. Such is not the case anymore as computer monitors are capable of a refresh rate higher than television sets. However, we can still apply the same technique to both when faced with a scene which includes televisions and computers in the scene such as photographing people in their workplace or at home.
When dealing with a scene which
includes television sets we need to consider that they have scan lines and
operate at a frequency of 29.97 frames per second, which we will just count as
30. If we use this as a guide and set our shutter speed at 1/30 second, and
using a tripod, we will avoid getting scan lines by not taking a shot,
hopefully, while a scan line is traversing the screen. I have also had success
with using a shutter speed of 1/60 second, as it is a multiple of 30, and
theoretically should suffice, but test your equipment using your own television
set to see at which speed you can avoid scan lines.
Computer monitors can be a little
trickier as their refresh rates can be adjusted, although a lot of monitors out
of the box are set at a refresh rate of 60 frames per second, and few people
actually bother to adjust the refresh rate on their computer monitors. As such,
a shutter speed of 1/60 of a second should suffice for a scene which includes
computer monitors.
Shooting at speeds higher than these
will give scan lines in the resultant picture. Slower shutter speeds can be
used to good effect, provided that if you have people included in the scene
they can remain still.
Forced
Flash and Fill Flash
Ah, the ambience of the room. The
open bay window spilling a warm glow onto the subject reclining upon the couch.
A moment of tranquility waiting in anticipation to see the results of…..what
the (bleep) happened!
The situation: using a camera with
auto-flash in a room lit by exterior light.
The result: the camera read the
exterior light and canceled the flash giving us a well exposed window with a
dark subject.
The solution: use forced flash
We have all been conned by the
deceptive exterior window light waiting in anticipation of rearing its ugly
head and laughing menacingly at our utter despair…uh…too much?
This situation affects those with
cameras which read the available light and decide if there is enough light to
get a proper exposure or if flash is needed. In a backlit situation, such as a
window behind our subject, the camera can easily be fooled into thinking there
is enough light; which there is, but not on our subject. For such a situation,
we need to use an option on most cameras call forced or fill flash.
Forced or fill flash, depending on
the make of camera, is basically telling the camera to ignore the reading and
use flash anyway. In this manner, such as the backlit subject, we can have
illumination from the window for the room and provide illumination for the
subject as well, obtaining an evenly exposed photo.
Where we have the option of setting
the flash for the exposure to use fill flash, then we want to set the flash to
expose 1-2 stops over the reading we are getting from the exterior light. If we
are getting a reading that we need to set our lens for an f/5.6, we can set the
flash to expose at an f/8 (1 stop over) or an f/11 (2 stops over). Where the
backlight is strong, we would be best to set the flash for 2 stops more
exposure, if possible, or we just go with what we have available.
Other uses for fill flash are for
interiors with artificial lighting where we would get a dark background if we
exposed for the flash only. To avoid a dark background, we can measure the
light in the room and set the camera to expose for the room light (most likely
a tripod will be needed) and set our flash for either the same f-stop for an
even exposure or for one stop more to give a slight highlight to a subject.
Conversely, for outdoor shot when we
are getting harsh shadows due to a bright sun, we can set the flash for one
stop less exposure (e.g. the lens is set at an f/11, set the flash for an f/8)
which will nicely fill in harsh shadows making for a nice even illumination. If
using an SLR outdoors, though, do keep your maximum flash sync speed in mind.
Where we do not have the option of
setting the flash to a desired level, such as with point and shoot cameras or
an underpowered built-in flash, we can still use forced flash to improve the
shot. A little flash can be better than none at all when it is needed.
Lightning can be both a beautiful and
yet frightening part of nature. Many of us find awe in watching the momentary
bolts of lightning and have seen photographs which seem to have capture more
bolts of lightning than are possible in a split second.
When dealing with lightning, as with
any unpredictable subject, the ability to capture that one fleeting moment is
something we do not have the luxury of doing. Yet, what we can capture is quite
impressive when we use the proper techniques. With lightning, the key is to let
it do its show for us, and not to attempt to capture a momentary bolt.
As lightning is a split second
event, and often lightning bolts come in groups, we can use the lightning for
our source of light. We do this by using a slow speed film, a small aperture,
and a long exposure time at a point when the lightning activity has increased.
This exposure can be from 1 second to many seconds depending on the amount of
lightning activity, and if we are taking the shot during the day or night. Even
if we are taking the exposure during the day, often lighting conditions are
very reduce during a storm; by as much as 7 stops or more from sunny
conditions.
The idea is for us to pick our spot
from which we are going to shoot during the storm; such as a cityscape, farm,
church, or any other area we feel would make a good background (or subject) for
the lightning. We can select areas from which we would like to shoot during a
non-storm period and go to those locations when a storm is brewing.
If we are to set up the camera in an
outside location, we need a sturdy tripod with some additional weight to hold
it down during potentially high winds, and some waterproof cover for the camera.
The use of a cable release is a must, for the sake of safety, and the best type
to use is an air-bulb release as it does not use metal in the tube; not giving
a source of continuity back to us in case the camera is struck by lightning. We
need to set the camera to the bulb (B) setting for shutter speed, and probably
an f/16 with the lens set to infinity, or a pre-determined hyperfocal distance.
We then need to get to our safe place from where we are to trip the shutter.
An alternative to setting up the camera
in an outdoor location is to use a windowpod we can attach to our car windows
and attach the camera to it. The window should be rolled up as much as possible
and the camera still needs to have a cover for protection. For those of us
lucky enough to have a good view from our home, we can position the camera at a
window, either opening the window or pushing the lens up against the window
glass, making certain that any interior lights for the room we are using are
turned off.
Taking pictures is a matter of holding
the shutter open for a few seconds so we can capture one or more bolts of
lightning. For the best results, we need to do this several times as we cannot
pre-measure the exposure value of the lightning. We should plan to kill of a
full roll of film doing this for different exposure times and various lightning
effects. The end result will be several successful exposures with some really
neat lightning effects.
A lesson on taking pictures of
lightning cannot be closed without mentioning the potential danger in doing
such. Lightning is electricity with an equivalency of thousands of volts of
potential delivering enough joules to make the electric company salivate.
Capital punishment by electrocution uses less power than what a lightning bolt
can potentially deliver.
Safety during a lightning storm
involves keeping yourself in a protected place such as a shelter where you are
not exposed to an opening or a vehicle which is well protected from lightning
due to it not being grounded, as lightning is attracted to portions of the
earth which have an imbalance in their electrical state. Being separated from
the ground breaks the continuity and prevents you from becoming an attractor
for the lightning.
If you find yourself outside during a
lightning storm and you feel the hair on the back of your neck and limbs stand
up, quickly get away from the area as this is a precursor of a lightning
strike. Wearing protective clothing such as a rubber raincoat and boots with
rubber galoshes over them can add protection, but it is not a cure. Staying
away from trees during a lightning storm is advised, not due to making you a
better target (as it does not), but if the tree is hit and the ground is moist
enough, you can still be struck due to continuity of the electrical charge or
the splitting of the bolt; not to mention having a tree fall on you.
The effects on someone from being
struck by lightning can range from the loss of fingernails and toenails, loss
of hearing, severe burns, loss of sight, loss of all body hair, organ and
tissue damage, organ failure, brain damage, fusion of skin, to outright death
which is not uncommon from lightning strikes.
I hope my warnings about the dangers of
lightning have not fallen on deaf ears. Taking photos of lightning can be quite
a rewarding experience. Being alive to share those photos can be an even more
rewarding experience. You do not want to end up being the butt of the old
photographer joke where their last picture was a beauty.
Bob
Crawler
Spam: The message board recently had a problem with crawler spam. This is a
type of spam which is sent out to members of a message board or website. The
spammers use crawler bots to scan through member lists on target sites to get
the e-mail addresses and send the members spam.
This happened in the last month with
the message board and we do not know exactly how many members were spammed. To
add insult to injury, the spammer included the url from which they got the list
at the bottom of the spam making it appear as though it was affiliated with us.
This is not only a violation to the members of the board, but is also
considered a direct threat to our reputation.
If we send out a mass mailing, you
will know it is from us, as it will be identified as such. We also ask that if
any members receive spam which suggests that it is in any way associated with
us, that it be reported to us; either to the webmaster or to the moderator of
the message board.
We will take any actions available at
their disposal against spammers. The message board member list has also been
made unavailable to anyone except members of the board. This is not a guarantee
against spam as these crawler bots cab still get into places we don’t want
them, but it is a big help to reduce the probability.
We also ask that you give the same
consideration to other sites where you may be a member. If you receive spam
from someone who tries to make it appear as though they are associated with
that site, please report it to them so they can take actions against the
spammers and to protect their members where possible.
eBay Tip: Don’t give in to hostage feedback. When I first started buying off
ebay several years ago, sellers had a routine of leaving feedback for you after
they received payment and asked you to do the same if you were satisfied with
the service. Now sellers have adopted a technique I have termed ‘hostage
feedback’. This is when sellers will not leave feedback until you leave
feedback for them. This practice quickly throws off any fairness in the
feedback systems as it forces buyers to leave positive feedback for sellers out
of fear that if they leave negative feedback they will get negative feedback.
It is up to buyers on eBay not to give in to such tactics, which hopefully will
catch on.
As July is around the corner and
fireworks displays will be numerous, from smaller promotional and community
events to grand shows, many of us will want to capture fireworks in all their
grandeur. When we capture a momentary display of fireworks, we may be
disappointed to discover what appeared as streaks and blossoms to our eyes only
appear as points of light on film. This due to the fact that we are seeing an
extended time referrence through our eyes but only capturing a portion of that
timeframe if our shutter speed is too fast.
The key to capturing fireworks on
film is to use a slow shutter speed; usually 1 second or longer, so a tripod is
not an option but a necessity. Some displays could require many seconds,
depending on the display. Determining how much of the display we want to
capture and how many rockets are involved will help to determine our shutter
speed. For most single rocket displays, 1 or 2 seconds will be enough to
capture the full bloom of the display. For multiple rocket displays as in the
grand shows, we can expect to have the shutter open as long as 8 seconds, but
up to 4 seconds should work for most displays. We can get an idea of how much
time we will need as the show progresses and we are able to time the displays.
The film we need for a fireworks
display will be in the range of ISO 100-200. We also need to use a smaller
aperture anywhere from f/8 to f/16. Using an aperture of f/11 is a good
moderate choice allowing us to keep the background black while maintaining a
good sharpness with our lenses.
For those of us using a point &
shoot camera which does not offer adjustable shutter speeds or a timed exposure
mode, we will have to depend on the camera having a slow enough automatic
shutter speed. We can also time ourselves not to trip the shutter until the
rocket is completely airborne so that we are mainly concentrating on the bloom
rather than including the trail of the rocket. If possible, we can block the
light sensor on the camera to make certain that we are getting the longest
exposure time possible, making certain, however, not to block to autofocus
window.
For those of us using digital
cameras, the same techniques apply. We just need to keep our ISO at 100 to cut
down on noise and use landscape mode, represented by a mountain symbol, if
available. It is preferable not to use an exposure above 4 seconds with a
digital camera.
--Bob
Article
DOF (Depth-of-Field)
One subject which can definitely engender any number of opinions in trying to present an appropriate definition is certainly depth-of-field. Whether defined as a zone where objects are in focus or a zone before objects fall out of focus, other than for the sake of argument, these variances in opinion do nothing to change the phenomenon itself. The objective of this article is to offer an understanding of depth-of-field, but certainly not the definitive, and to offer ways to take advantage of it to effect creativity within our photos.
When we focus a lens on an object, any point of light (any part of the object which is visible), which is at that point of focus is brought into focus as a point of light on the film plane (or digital sensor). Any object which is not within that point of focus forms as a point of light before or after (would theoretically form) the film plane. When the latter happens, a corresponding but larger point of light is formed on the film plane. These points of light are called circles of confusion (and what an appropriate name).
The circles of confusion are conversely out-of-focus and larger than the points of light which are in-focus. If, however, we reduce the size of the circles of confusion, the resultant image appears to be sharper. In order to reduce the size, we need to reduce the diameter of the light reaching the film. This is done by reducing the aperture which causes the circles of confusion to effectively shrink in size, thus making them sharper. As we reduce our aperture, we can improve the sharpness of these circles further from our point of focus.
Although it would appear as though the more we close down the aperture, the sharper the pictures will be, this is not the case as we reach a point when we close down the aperture that light begins to deflect of the blades themselves. When this happens, the light which deflects is formed as more circles of confusion on the film plane reducing sharpness at all ranges. Even though we still effectively have our depth of field, sharpness has been noticeably reduced throughout the image.
We have an interesting effect at the other end of the aperture range. As we open the aperture, a larger diameter, the circles of confusion become larger and lose even more sharpness. This has the effect of isolating the image which is in-focus by throwing any objects outside of the focus range further out-of-focus. This also causes an interesting play on contrast as the contrast in the in-focus area is maintained but in the out-of-focus area contrast is reduced as well color saturation. This adds to the effect of isolating an image and using it to its advantage is called selective focus.
The opposite of selective focus is the hyperfocal distance. This is the setting on a lens when we want most everything in a scene, from close to far, to be acceptably sharp. If we set the lens to focus at infinity the objects closer to the lens will be out of focus and vice versa in we focus on objects close to the lens. We can accomplish getting everything (most everything) near and far acceptably sharp by using the hyperfocal distance.
If our lens has DOF marks on the barrel, it is relatively easy to determine hyperfocal distance. Set infinity at the aperture at which we are shooting. If we are shooting at an f/11, set infinity at the f/11 on the DOF scale of our lens. The opposite side of the DOF scale will now show the closest focusing distance at the f/11 mark. The actual hyperfocal distance will be at the focus mark on our lens.
If there is no such scale on the lens, then we can resort to a standard rule of thumb (which is a lot better than the algebra required to calculate this). Since our depth of field will fall 1/3 before our point of focus and 2/3 behind it, we want to set our focus to twice the range of our closest subject while using a small aperture like f/16. If our closest subject is 15ft, then we want to set the focus at 30ft which will put everything within the depth of field from 15ft to infinity. This is working with a lens which is 50mm or shorter and a subject no closer than 7ft with which this rule of thumb mostly works.
This has been a short introduction to some of the basics of depth-of-field. There is a lot more which can be studied about depth-of-field and which I could have written. Being, however, that I do not care for algebraic equations when I am using my camera, rules of thumb work for me just fine.
-Bob
Terminology:
Refraction and Reflection
The properties of light and
affect upon it due to its interaction with materials can be quite complex, yet,
in photography we are subjugated to light for the art we love. Two basic
properties of light with which we deal every time we take a photograph are
refraction and reflection.
Refraction is the bending of light
rays, which, for us, occurs every time we use a lens. Every time we use a lens,
the different elements of the lens combine to bend the light in such a manner
to bring the different colors of the visible spectrum of light into focus, as
close as possible, at the same plane. Refraction also concentrates the light into
a narrower beam. We can see this effect with a magnifying glass when held
between a source of light and a surface. We have a brighter spot in the center
where the lens has centered the light by narrowing the beam and we can see a
darker spot around that bright spot from which the light was bent.
Reflection occurs when the light
cannot pass through or be absorbed by an object. When light strikes an object,
this is called the incident ray, hence incident light which falls upon a
subject. When light is reflected, it is bounced back at the same angle of
difference as was the angle of incidence. If a reflective surface is struck by
an incident ray of light from a 45 degree angle west, it will reflect the light
45 degrees east.
Dark Corner of
the Warehouse
Argoflex E
The Argoflex E was the first in a long
line of TLR’s from Argus. This molded plastic bodied model was manufactured
from 1940 to 1948 and was the only model which took 620 and 120 rollfilm. All
models which followed took 620 rollfilm only.
The Argoflex E came with a three
element 75mm f/4.5 Varex Anastigmat Lens using a Wollensack self-cocking
shutter with speeds of T, B, and 1/10 to 1/200, which offered no flash sync.
This model originally came with an uncoated lens, but a coated lens was added
to it in the later years of production which is referred to by Argus as a type
2.
McKeown’s lists the collector value
of the Argoflex E as $20-30 for an average used condition model. This value is
variable by condition and a like new (if such exists) model would fetch more
than double the average price.
That looked like a lovely SLR he
had. Playing to his subject, getting the expressions he wanted, changing the
Magicube flashcube….huh?
The year was 1968 when Kodak felt
that the 126 cartridge film camera was not complete without an available SLR in
the line-up. Enter the Kodak Instamatic Reflex, an interchangeable lens SLR
with a built-in CdS meter, automatic shutter speeds and aperture in a fully
electronic shutter, oh..and did I mention that it took flashcubes.
The Instamatic Reflex was made from
1968 to 1974 and came with either a Xenar f/2.8 45mm or a Xenon f/1.9 50mm
lens. It was available in a standard chrome and black model, and a more rare
all black model. Some of the later models did incorporate a hotshoe instead of
or in addition to using a flashcube.
Mckeown’s price guide lists the
reference price for an average condition chrome model as $100-150 and for the
all black model as $175-250. Not bad for an instamatic huh?
Beware the
Tickle Monster: Humor
This is a joke mostly for, and told by, wedding photographers.
Two prisoners on death row are being given a last request before their final walk. When the first prisoner is asked what he would like for his last request, he replies, “ I have never heard ‘The Macarena’; could you play it for me?”
They agree to grant his request.
When the second prisoner is asked
what his request is, he ponders the first prisoner’s request and says, “ Kill
me now!”
Learning from
our Mistakes
In this issue, I present some
examples of learning from our mistakes. These are actual incidents which have
happened to photographers which, at the time, where disastrous and maybe even a
little painful. In retrospect, we can now find humor in them, and, in some
instances, learn not to repeat them.
It
doesn’t go there
A new photographer having to set up
a 70mm rollfilm camera rig for portrait photography had done everything right
until it came to connecting the sync cord to the flash power pack. He had
properly connected one end to the camera. Seeing that the other end looked like
an electrical plug, called a household connector, he proceeded to plug it into
an electrical outlet instead of the power pack. The camera had to be replaced.
Seems
a little weak
I had known a photographer manager
who did not like it when the air-lift tripods they used for studio work were a
little low on air and would not lift the camera properly when the release
handle was turned. He apparently was not paying attention when he refilled one
of these tripods as the unsuspecting photographer using it, and used to having
to lift the camera, turned the release handle and was greeted with an uppercut
by the camera, knocking him to the floor.
Careful
what you give them
Children are so sweet, and innocent,
and…uh…playful. Having seen another photographer working with a child, trying
to get them to smile, really brings home the point to be careful what you give
them. If you give the child a ball, they will most likely throw it back to you,
or throw it somewhere; but just make certain that what you give them is soft.
It did seem odd to see the photographer staggering and holding his head, but he
did succeed in bringing a smile to that child’s face as the child sat there
grinning wildly as he was swinging that baseball bat.
Photo.net offers
a wealth of resources for the budding photographer and the advanced
photographer as well. With articles covering subjects from astrophotography to
portrait photography, reviews of camera equipment, travel guides, and galleries
to view, one is bound to find something of interest, if not plenty. The site’s
navigation is well laid out and does not hog system resources. The navigation
menu does use javascript, so some features will not be accessible if javascript
is disabled in your browser, or if you use a WebTV unit.
Digital Photography Review (http://www.dpreview.com/) is a website
dedicated to providing the latest information on digital cameras and digital
photography, whether you have been using a digital camera for years or just got
your first one. As their name suggests, you will find plenty of reviews for
digital cameras, new and old, but you will find articles on using your camera
as well. Their site is also loaded with galleries, history, a glossary of
terms, among many other useful resources for all digital photographers. This is
a popular and well respected site for many involved with digital photography
and if you are not familiar with it yet, it is time to introduce yourself.
This is a short piece I
originally posted on the message board offering tips for point and shoot camera
users. I have updated it mildly and am offering it again for those who have not
read it. Although it is oriented toward 35mm P/S cameras, many of the tips can
just as well be applied to digital P/S cameras. I hope you find something
useful.
Point
and Shoot Tips
35mm Point & Shoot cameras are
compact, self-contained cameras offering any of a set of basic features and
single focal length lenses to more advanced features and zoom lenses. P/S
cameras are convenient for a beginner, as a family camera, and, let's face it,
for the advanced photographer who does not always want to carry a larger camera
outfit.
With features such as autofocus and
auto-exposure, P/S cameras are simple to use, yet, are not foolproof. I will
offer some tips for the use of P/S cameras, as well some accessories for use
with them.
One question which I have been asked on
numerous occasions is with regard to film. Many will presume that a slower
speed film will give better results. With a single focal length P/S this can be
true as they often have faster lenses, however, with a zoom lens P/S, this goes
out the window as P/S zooms have very slow lenses offering, often, a maximum
aperture no wider than an F8 at its shortest focal length to as small an
aperture as an F16, or smaller, at its extreme focal length.
When exposure is limited, as in zoom
P/S cameras, slower films will return poorer results than a faster film as they
need a greater exposure and are not getting it. This results in dark
backgrounds and grainy prints as film which is underexposed for its speed will
show grain. The solution is to use a higher speed film.
For zoom P/S cameras, I always
recommend 800 speed film. Some feel that this is too fast, and are under the
impression that 800 speed film is grainy; neither is true. A zoom P/S can have
shutter speeds of 1/500 of a second or faster and apertures as small as F22-45
(that was not a typo). In full sunlight with an 800 speed film, you can shoot a
scene using a shutter speed of 1/400 of a second with an aperture of F22. 800
speed film gives the benefit of being able to capture backgrounds in indoor
shots where a slower film will not. This additionally prevents the film from
graining out on you. It basically comes down to a well exposed 800 speed film
looks better than a poorly exposed slower film.
The majority of autofocus P/S cameras
use active infrared focusing as it is more economical than passive contrast
focusing systems. An infrared system sends out a beam of infrared light which
bounces off the subject and is read by a receiving sensor on the camera. The
camera then adjusts the lens to the zone of focus which most closely matches
the determined range (all infrared autofocus systems use preset zones for its
focus control).
As most infrared autofocus systems, not
all, use a center weighted system, measuring the distance based on the subject
being in the relative center of the frame, subjects which are not in the center
of the frame, and, sometimes, multiple subjects, can fool the focus. Where this
is the case, most cameras offer the ability to focus on a subject in the center
of the frame, slightly depress the shutter button, then adjust the framing
while still holding the shutter button. This allows you to set the autofocus
for a specific distance.
Another feature in many infrared
systems is an infinity focus mode which is accessed by a button on the camera
designated by a mountain symbol or on an LCD screen represented by the same
symbol. The infinity focus mode can be used to offset the focus if an object in
the scene may cause the focus to fall short. Infinity focus on many P/S cameras
is in the range of 20ft.
One property of infrared light is that
it cannot penetrate glass and other substrates with similar reflective
properties as glass. If taking a picture of a subject through glass, the
infrared beam will reflect off the glass causing the camera to focus on the
glass, and not the subject. To overcome this you can use the off center focus
technique mentioned above by focusing on another object of similar distance as your
subject, then frame the subject while maintaining pressure on the shutter
button, but not too much pressure as you may trip the shutter. The infinity
mode can also be used for this purpose if the subject is of an appropriate
distance.
Many autofocus cameras also have a
macro mode which allows you to focus as close as 2ft, give or take. The macro
mode is represented by a flower symbol on a button or an LCD screen. This is
primarily used in place of the autofocus for the simple reason that distances closer
than 3ft may confuse the autofocus system.
Most P/S viewfinders also have parallax
correction marks in them. Parallax happens due to the taking lens and the
viewfinder being separate. At distances greater than 7 ft, the parallax error is
negligible, however, at distances in the 5-7ft range, the viewfinder and taking
lens are seeing two different perspectives. To correct for this, frame the
scene using the parallax mark as the left edge of your frame. As you become
familiar with your camera, you will get an idea of how to adjust for parallax
more precisely as the parallax mark is a guideline and not precise. If you are
closer than 5ft, you might as well learn to guess.
When using the flash on a P/S camera,
as 99% of P/S cameras have the flash on the left hand side of the camera, it is
important to remember when taking vertically oriented shots to turn the camera
to the right to keep the flash above the lens, as this will provide a more
flattering light than if the flash is below the lens, which will cast shadows
upward and make them more distinct. For those times you may want more flash or
a second flash unit to balance the flash, you can use a standard hotshoe flash,
like you would use on an SLR, however, with a slave attached to the flash which
will cause it to fire in sync with the camera's built-in flash. You can also
find more compact flash units designed to be carried with a P/S camera, which
have the slave unit built into the flash.
Another concern with flash on a P/S
camera is that, especially in close range shots, it can be harsh and
overpowering, washing out some details. The flash can be softened by placing
tissue paper over the flash to provide a softer, more dispersed output. I
prefer to use cigarette papers as they are more compact and easier to carry.
Taking a piece of frosted scotchtape and placing it on the flash lens will also
disperse the flash output providing a softer result.
It is always handy to have a tripod for
low light shots and timed shots, among others. If you are carrying a
lightweight camera, it would seem to make sense to have a lightweight tripod,
as a large, heavy tripod rather negates the reason for carrying a small P/S
camera. You would ideally want a tripod with a 3-way head which allows movement
side-to-side, up and down, and allows the platform to be flipped to go from a
horizontal shot to a vertical shot. When getting a tripod, check the platform
to make certain that it flips in the proper direct so that the flash is above
the camera in a vertical shot.
As with any camera, taking care of it
is a necessity, especially the lens and autofocus system. Using lens tissue can
help to keep the lens and autofocus windows clean, as well the flash lens. A
really neat product is called the Lenspen which is a compact lens cleaner and
soft brush which can easily be carried in a pocket, purse, or camera bag. A
microfiber cloth is also a handy item which has many uses from keeping the lens
clean to cleaning the camera body itself.
As always, a good item to have is a bag
to put your camera and accessories. A camera bag should offer room for the
items you intend to carry, but should also be comfortable to carry for the type
of shooting you intend to do. If your shooting involves a lot of action, for
example, you should consider the possibility of a waist pack or a small bag
which attaches to your belt, as a shoulder bag is going to move about at will
and tire you from constantly trying to keep it in place. Consider what you need
to carry in your bag for your basic needs, then consider what extras you may
need, and if the bag you are considering will carry the extras. Extras such as
film do not necessarily need to be carried in a bag if you normally find
yourself stuffing your pockets with it anyway. If you can fit what you need in
your bag and pocket to where it is not cumbersome or annoying to move about,
then you have a well selected bag.
It is important to read and reference
the manual which came with your camera. The manual will provide you with
information on minimum and maximum shutter speeds, apertures, and focus ranges.
It will additionally provide information on special features, such as those I
have mentioned, and often tips on using them to good effect.
Bob
BlackFrame NR (http://www.mediachance.com/digicam/blackframe.htm
) is a hot pixels eliminator for night shots with a difference. As digital
cameras have a tendency to produce hot pixels in the same spots, according to
exposure, this program allows the use of a completely dark exposure as a
reference for the hot pixels allowing automatic removal of the hot pixels
without having to hunt them down.
Software in
Review: Photo Editor Plus
*This is the first in a series of reviews I am doing on budget photo
editors. As we are dedicated to making photography affordable for all, not
everybody can afford or needs Photoshop. Even Paint Shop Pro, PhotoImpact, or
Photoshop Elements can be a little steep for some. Being that there are many
budget editors available, it would be nice to know a little about them, rather
than just being told to get Photoshop everytime you ask someone. It does not
help, however, if you end up buying one editor after another if you were
disappointed with them, as you could have bought one of the aforementioned
editors for the investment by the time you found one you liked. This is where
my bad habit of playing with photo editors becomes your advantage. I will be
reviewing many budget and some older editors which can be had for less than $20
and often less than $10. Where possible, I will offer a potential freeware
alternative. A screenshot for each editor I review will be available on the
message board.—Bob
Photo Editor Plus is one of the
budget titles available in the COSMI Corporation/Swift line of software. It can
usually be had for less than $10, and often in a double-pack of software with a
title called 5000 Photos. By itself, I have seen it retail for $4.99, and on
clearance for much less.
In order to install the software you
have to open the Run dialogue box in the Windows Start Menu and type in
D:\CDSETUP and click on enter (if your CD drive is not D, then substitute
whichever letter it is). An alternative method is to open Windows Explorer, go
to your CD drive, and double-click on cdsetup.exe. It then unpacks the
software, goes through the usual screens of blah blah blah, and prompts you for
a password which is on the inside front cover of the jewel case.
After installation, it will prompt you
to install a program called Attune, which is an updater, which I call spyware
as its function is to communicate between your computer and the mothership
without your intervention. Just close the install box by clicking on the ‘x’ in
the upper right-hand corner and click on ‘yes’ when it asks if you are sure you
want to cancel the installation.
After an overly long installation for a
program that is not all that much, I proceeded to open the program. The basic
no-frills graphics is the first thing which is noticeable. The premise,
however, is to provide an intuitive program which a beginner can just look at
the controls and get an idea of what to do.
The interface uses a tabbed approach to
select groups of editing functions for Photo which offers your open, save,
print, zoom, and orientation functions; Quality which offers auto contrast,
gamma correction, lighting, and sharpness; Color which offers convert to gray,
invert colors, color adjust, and hue/saturation; Effects which offers border
fade, color bleed, extrude, mosaic, motion, noise, and oil paint; and Fun which
offers circular warp, glow-in-the-dark, jiggle effect, pinch hole, wave and
whirlpool effects. The program does also offer cropping and resizing from the
toolbar menu.
Upon loading a file, of which it
supports 8 common file types including GIF, the picture is loaded into a box in
the central window which can then be maximized. Now the fun begins when effects
are applied to the image.
When clicking on an effect, a separate
window opens with a before and and after image plus 4 samples of varying
degrees of the effect for quick selection. Having the 4 samples is a handy
thing, but it causes a huge delay in the opening of the effects window; although
the feature can be unchecked in the effect box itself so it won’t do samples,
it still takes a while to open. Within each effects box is also one or two
(most frequently one) sliders to adjust the degree of the effect.
Some of the effects can be interesting,
but don’t expect anything you have not seen before. Some of the effects are
also just outright not very good. It additionally takes way too long for this
program to return a result, and I was using a 72kb image. Imagine a much larger
image from a digital camera. You would be left waiting for probably minutes
before an, at best, average effect was returned.
If this were a faster program that was
less of a space hog, it might be interesting for someone doing limited image editing
for the web or e-mail. As it is though, it is not fast, is limited in what it
offers, offers no customization for new effects, supports only 8 file formats
(at least it does have GIF), and is frankly ugly. There are much better
freeware alternatives (and I mean MUCH better) that makes one wonder why
anybody would actually charge for this program. If I were rating this program
on a scale of 1 to 5, I would instead give it one dead turkey.—Bob
A
Freeware Alternative
Looking for a basic photo editor
which offers easy to use controls that the whole family can use to edit their
digital photos? Well, Photo Wizard offers that and more. Photo Wizard offers
well placed controls with wizards which guide the user through any project they
are trying to accomplish. In addition to its ease of use, Photo Wizard offers
all kinds of fun projects for your photos including: put your photos in sports
cards, calendars, greeting cards, and magazine covers; create your own
screensavers and share them with friends; create your own slide shows as
executables for use on other computers; and print your photos out on most any
type of Avery label. Photo Wizard is simply fun and completely free!
All
contents of this newsletter are copyrighted 2005 by Robert Meeks All Rights Reserved