Photo and Pictures

Old article where Thomas Hawk offers tips on good things to think about for those who have purchased a digital SLR on Mahalo Daily (Mahalo is a new search engine). Thomas Hawk is also involved in Zooomr. Zooomr is a competitor to Flickr, where you also have the ability to sell your images. There is also much more interactive and you can chat with others who have posted images of a simpler way. Just like Ipernity that i use, but they are too much only into photos.

If you are going to buy your first digital SLR, there’s now many choices that you are going through. It is a jungle full of different brands and there are lots of different technical terms. I was going to give my view of the some small and simple tips on what I think is good to think about.

First and foremost it is a little about your own experiences and what your thoughts on what you want from the camera. The first thing to be clear about that you are sure that it is first of all lenses that control how well the pictures you can take. It becomes quite clear when i have tried some different lenses.

What I first want to emphasize is that Nikon has always been dominant in Sweden in the SLR market when it comes to Nature Photography. So if you have plans to try to get hold of a used fixed telephoto lens, it is probably wise to go Nikon in Sweden. Do control such infos in your country. But going either Canon or Nikon you should be able to get hold of most second hand lenses. Remember though Pentax and Olympus been around for a long while and Sony can use Minolta lenses too with right adapters.

Canon has several advantages over the Nikon and the most famous is probably that their cameras have less noise at high ISO. They also have a whole bunch of really good lenses. Their simplest SLR is also good for the beginner to enter with. Ideally, if you have had one of their excellent compact camera and already is familiar with their menu-system.

You should keep in mind that you first buy yourself into a system that you might later buy better cameras, but still uses the lenses. Therefore, you should ask yourself which system you should invest in, and not which camera. Do you have the opportunity to get hold of second-hand lens of good quality so it may be a predominant factor.

Keep in mind that there is no camera to take pictures for you. The best camera is always the one you got in your hand and not collecting dust on some shelf. It does not matter if you are investing lots of money in technology if you do not learn to manage technology. So it may be better to go for a cheaper camera at the beginning and go on a photographic course. Knowledge are always better than good equipment.

However, there are some features that exist only in the slightly more expensive cameras such as weather protection and large sensors, etc.. If you feel you can not live without these features, so go buying an expensive camera, but as a beginner, it is important to know the different functions and how you can create great images using them. Stop believing that the more expensive camera, the better images. That is not how things works.

Secondhand or new?
It is not necessary to buy the very latest. You can save lots of money if you bet on the second-last. Many people sell their old camera when the new cameras comes. Here is an opportunity for you that makes you able to buying one very cheaply. Just remember not to be cheated. If you are in a camera club, it’s a great way to buy a camera of any of the members who want to upgrade. Then you also have the opportunity to test the camera.

The advantage of buying new is that you get the manufacturer’s warranty and you are also having a fresh new camera. Focus on what features you need in a camera. It’s interesting with the new cameras that now come with Live View, etc.. It is perhaps not a must to have with your first SLR. However, it is important when you buy second-hand to consider how reliable the person you are buying from and you avoid it if you buy a new camera.

How the camera feels in your hand
Is the camera’s ergonomics suitable for your hands? Are the controls where you want them? Can you easily reach the aperture and shutter speed settings? What is the menus and controls look like? They seem easy to understand? Is it easy to change the memory card and battery? Do you enjoy the quality of the camera? Will it keep the shock? Do you want a heavier camera or a little easy? These are the questions you should ask yourself.

Seeker
How well are the viewfinder? Do you think it seems small or it works well to focus on it. A small viewfinder does not mean that the camera is poor. It is a common part that you save on cheaper cameras. Choose one that you can live with for your budget. It is indeed important because you will spend lots of time with your eye pressed against a great viewfinder. Even if you have Live View on your LCD as a viewfinder is a good key.

Image Quality
Take a memory card to the store and ask if you can take test images of different cameras that you are interested in. You will find that the test images on different cameras at Pbase and also some lenses. After you chosen some lens or camera different images appear after each update.

Another tip is to look at Camera Labs also show different cameras at their You tube channel where there are lots of useful information on various cameras. Dpreview is also a very good information source of cameras.

Good extra features can be practical is the automatic sensor cleaning. The new cameras with Live View histogram can be very helpful. Keep in mind that the more features the more you will feel lost if you’re new to SLR. A simple camera with possibility to change aperture and shutterspeed will suffice a long way as a beginner.

I myself prefer to buy my camera in the store because I then have a responsibility to turn to. You can certainly find good shops online at a better price, but such a large investment, it feels like I am choosing security over a hundred pieces. If you search “Pixmania and problems” for example, I would never buy a camera off them. They are acting against their clients under French law and you may also find that have a French manual. Check it at least about the internet shop is located in your country and know what rules they follow. One tip is to search the store name followed by problems such as this “pixmania problems”. You will surely find some that have problems with the shop, it is very many, maybe you should choose another store.

Finally, it is still up to yourself and what your taste you have. So listen first to the camera that you know suit you. What photos are you going to make. Maybe your cell phone camera is enough.

I close the comments for the benefit of: Cameras for the beginner to start with to photo…

My second camera is Canon and i have it borrowed out to my brother. Taking photos show that a new world opens up with the fixed lens at 50mm: 1.8 and I have been a little hard to see why they insist on passing a crude zoom lens with startup packages. I can take much better pictures with the cheaper fixed lens at 50mm, which has both improved brightness and sharpness across the image. Since i wrote this the quality of the zoom-lens improved and are stabilized too.

It seems quite clear that they have been screwed over and over when you realize how much better images as the cheap fixed lens does. Okay, I may run more because the zoom can sit in your feet, but the images are huge much better. Furthermore, I can shoot in lower light indoors and I think most beginners in the photo is more than served than to avoid moving around. Are you buying your first SLR so skip the half dodgy kit-lens (since i wrote this kit-lenses has improved though) and get a 50mm fixed lens instead. Then, to get a zoom lens, it is still better to go for a little longer focal length.

My advice to you who like to get SLR is to buy a fixed lens on 50mm and then obtain an economic lens and Canon has, I believe that their new 55-250mm can be an economical option where you get a very good zoom lens with Image Stabilizer . The problem with cheap lens is the brightness which is not at all particularly good.

What is frightening is that many retailers look to the cheap option is difficult to obtain by small stocks and long waits. I had to wait three weeks before I got my fixed lens. They obviously want you to buy the more expensive options where they have higher profit margins. They bite themselves in the foot and you make sure to order the more expensive option and force then to have to wait more. We as customers can control the market by requiring that there be good cheap quality products in stock. The complainant and above all do not buy the more expensive option because it is what they have in stock.

You will find pictures with the lens here and here (if you refresh the page will be more random images).

Build a light table so that you get information from below you can easily fix with the plate “Smula” (15 S Krona) from Ikea. There are those who use Ikea laundry bag as photo tent, which works fine. Previously I have written about how easy it is to build a small light tent. Now I want to go a little further and use the lighting from below so that I do not get any shadows at the product itself.

I got therefore a white translucent tray from Ikea so that I could put a lamp below the product. Then I built simple white paper into a light tent by folding a sheet of A4 paper so that they were folded. I let a paper that could stand in the background and hold up my curved sheet of A4 paper.

Yes, I know I should have sources of light from the sides. This is the more to show on principle than to produce the perfect product photo. I got the idea when Robert mentioned that he used the right tray “Smula” to develop an inexpensive white balance filters. His tests show that white balance filter works well good. You can check my own setting the white balance with that tray. No need for expensive filters to set the white balance, but i like this as an idea and even so a simple gray card works in every situation.

There are countless ways to build cheap light tent. Strobist tips how to build an inexpensive light tent is probably quite common and it could of course combine with my tips with tray with candles from below.

What are you using to clean your lenses? After reading about the use of Vodka from Justin Low, I took and searched around for alternatives. Remember that you always follow the advice on the Internet at their own risk and it is probably a good idea to check this stuff both one and two times before testing yourself. Someone on a forum mentioned that he used another alcoholic and that the liner had disappeared along with fingerprints. It also provides that vodka should be diluted with water distilled.

Digital photography school has made a simple compilation of different options and what you can think of. Some simple advice is to use UV or Skylightfilter to protect the lens. I got the advice from one professional photographer not using filters at all. Depends how clumsy you are. Remember to start simple before taking out the heavy artillery. It may well be enough to breathe on the lens and use microcloth (do not use paper).

Remember to blow away particles before using cleaning fluid. Someone is using tape to remove fingerprints and other debris from their filter (maybe not to recommend the expensive lenses, however). It seems HOUSEHOLD REMEDY limits are as many as photographers.

How do you clean your lenses?

It was tremendously inspiring to photograph and probably got you a lot of ideas on how to improve their photos. Long before the shooting at photo festival tipped Robert Hammar me how to get a smoother flashlight through a coffee filter. He called his invention Robertfjong referring to Gary Fong as he find his inspiration from.

There are obviously many who experiment and find good, economical solutions. You do not always buy expensive products to educate your photography.

The remedy is to use a coffee filter and diffuse light, ie a diffuser. I did as he cut the filter bottom and then it was just to put it on the built-in flash to get a much more even light. It works quite well and is a very economical option. I thought then that this ought work out even if you have a compact camera.

The picture below is the one
with paper

It proved to be a little harder. Coffee filter was a little too thin and let through too much light when I tested with my compact camera. I took the test and instead of plain white copy paper. Double folded so let it through too much still. When I turned the paper 4 times and had it angled up so it worked great. Here it is important to keep the paper tight against the camera. My attempt is in no way, no masterpiece, but more to show how you can do yourself.

The photo below is the one
with coffeefilter

Please feel free to link to your attempt so we’ll see if you manage to get good pictures. Keep in mind that it need not be portrayed. It might as well be other motives.

You can also use the paper of the coffee filter to set your white balance, but get white paper though brown will not do. Notice how the shadows disappear and the light is more evenly spread.

Blurry photo´s is a history with a good tripod and here is a cheap one that takes no place. It can be heavy to carry around the tripod in all situations where simple solutions can be an option. They are also cheap. I found this with chainpod, as an easy way to get a more stable camera. Instead of a heavy tripod so you have a chain attached to a screw that fits your camera. You then cut the chain between your feet and the camera so that it can not move up or down.

There is also a great and simple instructions on how you can build one yourself. Cost of materials is quite small and it requires no expensive tools, either. What you should know is that it can damage your camera if you cut too tightly. All cameras are not so stable built. So you use chainpod at your own risk.

I will come to drag myself around on my newly purchased stand a lot. We’ll see if I get tired and test this solution eventually. If anyone is trying so you are welcome to come and tell us about your experiences in the comments.

Check out the slideshow that shows you how to build your chainpod.

Why complicate it unnecessarily, if you want photography a small product image. Let’s say you have another small USB memory stick that you want to take a clean picture of. All you need is two A4 paper from your printer, and a strip of adhesive tape. AS the light source can you use an ordinary table lamp that you have at home or if you have a flash to the camera.

You cut a suitable large strip from one paper. Then fold second only to the middle since the mid-center on both sides of the center so that you get a tent that you can set up. Tape the strip to the tent so that you get a slight hill. Do you want to be sure it is quiet, you can tape strip on the table. Add product in the tent and shoot.

Simpler and cheaper than that it can´t be. You can read more here if you want to improve her more about how you’re doing and what settings you should use.

Via: Strobist

Why buy expensive plastic utensils when you can print your hood and make it for free. Lens Hood has pdfs for all of your lenses. Just print out. Think that it increases the contrast in your pictures and you do not have flares. Here you can read about what lens hood is doing and why you should use it.

I got help from my wife’s skill from her scrapbooking. Secondly, she had just the right hard paper and she is good at cutting. This is of course perfectly. Now you need not go without the lens hood and it’s easy to take with you extra. Surely we can also experiment with them for extreme conditions. Some things that provide better images need not cost a fortune. You have to be creative and think in new ways.

Update: Epic Edits Weblog writes about why to have lens hood.

Via: Tips from the top floor

Bibble 5 Pro arrives after a long wait and i think the wait was a bit too long they lost many users on the way. You can edit your photo both in raw and jpg. Even though it is a able program with lots of features making you able to make the most of your photos. You are able to make versions of the photo and i find that very useful and searching after your photo using exif is a nice feature.

It is easy to learn and to get into by watching the tutorial-movies. The best thing is that you get a good view what the program can do for you. It sure makes great pictures and its easy for you to make a good workflow making it the only program you will need.

It is almost perfect as an photoorganiser and light editor. It sure has the fastness that more expensive competitor as Lightroom 2 lacks. It feels slow at start but are improving as it made its previews and you can work at the time so no speed are lost. It probably will take marketshares from Lightroom 2 as people are tired with having reorganise inside the program.

It is easier to find what the program can do than to have the information what its cost is. You have to go to the press site to now it cost $199 for full program and $99 to update. Even then the user is uncertain if it means all or one operative. Bibblelabs got to give their users proper information and the price should be at least where you can buy the program.

Even the shortcomings I say its well worth its price and when the lite version comes in spring it will be just what the budgetuser ordered. We have to wait and see. It sure will improve your organising and make your workflow better. I am still unsure if you get the whole program for different operative or if you get the whole shebang.